This is (not) a date
The first time she woke, was comfortably lying on top of Shinji with the cool breeze from the air conditioner blowing across her back.
The second time she woke was to a sharp stabbing pain in the bottom of Shinji's foot, which was hanging out from under her.
"Shinji?"
"mrph?"
Asuka pulled her hair out of Shinji's mouth.
"Did you forget to feed PenPen last night?"
"What? No, of course not!"
There was silence for a while which was eventually interrupted by a "Wark!"
"We overslept. Rei is already on her way."
Asuka blushes, "Why is Rei coming here?"
"I didn't pick her up, so she's probably coming to get her lunch and morning Asuka hug. If you want to get up and get dressed before she arrives, I'll feed PenPen and make us breakfast."
Shinji watched Asuka roll off him and stretch. 'Or just get up. I'm sure Rei would be quite happy to see you like that.'
"Why are we skipping school just to buy me clothes?"
"Preparation for pilot training. We've been over this, you need something better than your school clothes if you are going to be seen out with either of us. Especially if Rei wears one of those dresses again. Besides it's just that boring guy, and you shamed Toji into actually trying last gym class, you aren't missing anything. If it really bothers you, I'll help you with your English homework when we get back."
Shinji isn't sure how she found out, but Asuka's english was almost as good as her german, so if she actually meant that it would be helpful.
Thankfully Asuka's idea of casual for the day was nothing more revealing than shorts that showed off her long legs and a loose top that didn't show anything.
"And before you start, ground rules: no apologising"
"I'm sorry," he responded automatically.
Asuka sighed, "That includes apologising for apologising."
"I'll try," then he risks, "as long as you try not to call me an idiot just because I don't know something. I'm not sure you even notice doing it any more."
"I've no idea what you're talking about, baka" Asuka's attempt at seriousness dissolves into an impish grin.
"Whatever, Red" Shinji does an appalling but at least recognisable job of trying to mimic Toji's accent.
Asuka laughs, "Don't worry, I'm not calling you 'Shin-man' either."
The shopping had gone surprisingly quickly. It certainly helped that she'd been out with Rei the day before and had chance to look for things with Shinji in mind. That Rei had noticed what she was doing and pointed out things in complementary colours had been surprising but helped. How and when Rei had developed her odd sense of style, Asuka had no idea, but it certainly worked for herself and wasn't that far off on Asuka or apparently Shinji.
So they'd mostly gone with the subset of things she'd picked out that Shinji was actually willing to wear. Which had meant the more muted supportive colours rather than the brighter complementary ones she'd have preferred, and not the more form-fitting t-shirt that had Shinji dying of embarrassment at the young shop assistant's admiring looks. It wasn't even as tight as a plugsuit, but admittedly it was a thinner material. She'd been forced to stand between Shinji and the assistant to stop her looking.
So they'd had time to come home and have lunch while Shinji washed the new clothing. That would take longer than she wanted, but at least he'd managed not to apologise when explaining he would be more comfortable once what she'd picked out for the afternoon had been washed.
While Shinji was washing dishes and the laundry was drying, Asuka was rethinking her clothing choices. Obviously she didn't have a Rei level sundress to wear, the girl's annoying obstinance had prevented that option, but with Shinji actually having something nice to wear she was feeling irrationally underdressed.
The next best thing was the dress she'd worn yesterday. Naturally she couldn't wear that, even if neither outing was a date, wearing the same thing for each of them, especially the very next day, was not appropriate. Anyway she didn't have anything clean to wear under it that wouldn't show, and there was no way she was asking him to wash those. It had been bad enough knowing he knew she was wearing them. That annoying corner of her brain pointed out that "washing those" was exactly what he'd literally gone miles out of his way to do yesterday. Baka.
The analytical part of Asuka's brain emerged from under her embarrassment and put several pieces together, some of which she hadn't consciously registered at the time. Shinji always asked before entering a room where Rei might have forgotten to get dressed, the dress she herself had worn yesterday, the feeling of the dress that Rei was wearing when she hugged her - hugged, stupid brain, trying to think here - the lack of bra strap, Shinji checking out Rei's arse, that awkward exchange ... he hadn't been doing what she thought, he'd been checking she was wearing anything under it at all...
Of course she still had that sundress, which should still look good on her - she hadn't grown that much since then - but she'd been too annoyed to wear it since, angry at the perverts for having it be a reminder that they'd seen her knickers. What was it Hikari had said? That Shinji hadn't even noticed he was looking at her eyes. Yeah, that was her Idiot. Well, he'd certainly seen her underwear now.
So why wasn't it still in the back of her closet? She hadn't even considered it for the training with Rei, so it wasn't in the freshly washed pile she'd put away last night while trying to distract herself. Hang on, she'd see it when putting things away, it was right there. What was it doing there, clean and ... baka-Shinji! He must have washed it as an alternative if she hadn't worn the other dress. Well, if he hadn't been paying attention last time she would remind him how good it looked on her.
Asuka was waiting for Shinji when he emerged. Just looking at him made her feel cooler - how he managed in black pants in this heat she didn't know.
"Ok, brush your teeth and we can go."
Shinji got as far as opening his mouth before Asuka interrupted him, "No apologies, remember? And it's part of the training, you always brush your teeth before going out with someone. It doesn't matter if you just did an hour ago. It doesn't matter what you ate. You don't want your date to be smelling what you had for lunch, even if it was the same thing."
Shinji swallowed the compliment he had actually been going to make and headed to the bathroom, wondering why she'd chosen to change and into that sundress in particular.
Asuka and Shinji are relaxing in the shade outside the small cafe that Asuka had spotted the day before. They are on their second round of cold drinks and Shinji is poking at some weird pastry he'd never seen before that Asuka had bought. He hoped it wasn't some kind of favourite as he had absolutely no idea how to make it.
Asuka looks up and smiles to herself.
"Hey Shinji? Do you recognise anyone?" She nods towards the cluster of students wearing Hakone High uniforms approaching them.
Shinji looks over and frowns slightly in concentration.
"Well, that girl on the far side has hair almost as long as Kaede but otherwise doesn't look the same, and the nearest one kind of looks like a slightly taller Megumi. Does Megumi have a sister?"
Asuka grins, "Unless you can tell me which five of them asked you out, I get to call you an idiot."
Shinji sighs, "First it's twenty five girls, now it's five of them are from the high school? It's not very funny, Asuka."
"You see those two in the middle, Rei pointed them out to me yesterday. Apparently they asked you together."
Shinji looks at them more closely, "Them? That's what they wanted? I thought they were looking for Kensuke." He looks a little sheepish, "He hadn't started doing the portraits yet, so I kinda pointed them in the wrong direction."
Asuka bursts out laughing. "Definitely an idiot, but don't forget you're my idiot. No harem of high school girls for you!"
Shinji shakes his head, "That wouldn't work, I can barely keep up with you."
Then he realises what he just said...
"I mean, I don't mean, ..." he clamps down on the apology and just blushes.
He tries again, ignoring Asuka laughing at him, "Between feeding you and Rei, looking after the apartment and Misato when she's home, occasionally cooking for the Horakis, or your special requests, actually having friends, which is something I never thought I'd have. Add in school and ..." he waves his hand in the direction of the GeoFront, "how many of me would you need to keep up with all of them too?"
"So Toji's a Horaki now?"
Shinji laughs, "Not officially as far as I know, but if Hikari decides they're using her family name, I can't see Toji winning that one."
Shinji is quiet for long enough for Asuka to start to worry, but at least he doesn't seem to have that absent look in his eyes that she wishes she doesn't recognise.
"Do you want to tell me what are you thinking about?" she asks carefully.
Shinji looks up, "Huh? Oh, I was just wondering if you made a copy of me would they think they were me too? I think I'm me, but I didn't have a body for a month. What if because both you and Rei got in my Eva you'd ended up with one of me each or something."
Asuka blinks, "Obviously that wouldn't happen. If there were two of you, you'd both be mine."
"Besides, if they could make extra pilots using the Eva's they have done it by now."
Asuka reaches out and very carefully does not touch him, just close enough to be very there but not quite enough to hurt, "and whatever this is, I don't think it's something you can cook up in a lab."
After a moment Asuka starts to stand, it's time to be somewhere away from anywhere their classmates might see them, "Anyway, if they were going to make more of someone it would obviously be the Great Asuka Soryu!" and she tosses her hair dramatically.
Shinji smiles, "I think we're safe then, no one would be brave enough to do that."
They are several steps away before Asuka realises what he actually meant and turns and glares at him.
Shinji holds his hands up defensively, "I'm not apologising for that," he waits a beat for Asuka's glare to intensify, "you told me I'm not allowed to."
There's a long pause and a glare that's perhaps hotter than the air, then Asuka bursts out laughing, "Alright, you win."
To Shinji's utter surprise, the practice date training session with Asuka had been fun. Sure it had been interspersed with Asuka's suggestions on what he should and should not do on any date, seemingly based on what Asuka considered a good date, with a few Rei specific ones thrown in. Many of them were embarrassing. At least half of them he'd never do with anyone - even if he was on an actual date with Asuka herself. A few were actually useful. Some were just funny. Laughing together with Asuka had probably been one of the most enjoyable parts. He loved seeing her smile, but her laughter when it was so infectious even he was caught up in it. That was something he'd even risk asking Asuka on a real date for if it meant he could experience it again.
Which made the last part of Pilot Soryu's Date Camp, and he was never ever going to utter those words out loud, even more awkward.
He knew what he was supposed to do - take the girl home, say goodnight, thank her for the date and leave without making too much of a fool out of himself.
Except this was Asuka, and they lived in the same apartment, and it was late afternoon and he was going to be making her dinner in an hour or two - as a roommate, not a date. No romantic dinners on the first date, it's supposed to be fun. Not that dinner with Asuka criticising his food would ever be considered romantic, except possibly by Misato. Who thankfully was not yet back to witness this. Maybe he should go pick up something for dinner then.
"Where do you think you're going?" snaps Asuka in his ear before he has chance to actually move.
'Great. Ruined the not-a-date right at the end.'
"You're supposed to politely say goodbye and thank them for the date, even if you thought it sucked donkey balls. Except if you're doing this with Rei there's no way you can leave her without a hug. So first you'll practice saying thank you. And I don't want to hear a single word that could possibly sound like an apology."
Shinji sounded stiff and formal but he managed, "Thank you Asuka for a wonderful date. I really did enjoy it and I hope you did too".
"See, that wasn't so hard was it? Just try not to be so formal - it's a first date, not a marriage proposal.
"Now, you'll miss any non-verbal cues but obviously Rei is just going to straight up ask for a hug. So hold your hand out - we need a contact check first if you're going to pretend I'm Rei for this part of the lesson".
There was, of course, absolutely no circumstances under which Shinji could pretend that Asuka was Rei. They weren't exactly opposites, but if they'd been two-dimensional characters in a manga rather than the very solid real people they were, they'd have been drawn that way. Except their hair colours were actually the perfect shades to complement each other rather than clash. Now they were friends they were almost a harmony not a discord. All they needed were matching outfits. He briefly wondered why Asuka hadn't bought a dress like the one Rei had been wearing while they were shopping yesterday, unless those only came in Rei-colours.
He cautiously put his hand out. They'd done this plenty of times now and it was always nerve-wracking. That this was Asuka trying to pretend she was Rei and insisting on a standing hug in broad daylight. That really wasn't helping.
As he knew exactly where her hand was as she lowered it towards his, he watched the intent look on her face and wondered what she was thinking instead. The contact as her fingertip touched his palm and then brushed across it was still startling. Once she was holding his hand they just stood there for a moment.
"Ok. Now hug me" Asuka ordered, breaking the silence. Her attempt at Rei's monotone was passable, but pretending to be Rei apparently did not extend to being able to ask.
He tightened his grip on Asuka's hand and tried to work out how to accomplish that without losing contact. It was actually easier when they were lying down. But if they wrapped their legs around each other they'd fall over. After a couple of aborted attempts, he ended up with his free arm around her back and his hand on the bare skin of her opposite shoulder. Once contact was safely in place, Asuka let go of his hand and brought her now free hand up his back to rest so her fingers could touch his nape just below the hairline. With the need to maintain contact they were holding each other very closely. Asuka relaxed against him but he could feel the heat of her face on his shoulder through his thin shirt. Another way Asuka was definitely not Rei - Rei was soft in places that Asuka was lithe. Not that they weren't both in better shape than he was, they just felt different physically. Thinking of that was not helping his state of nervousness and embarrassment either.
"Five minutes, right Shinji?" Asuka asked quietly.
"Five minutes, thirty-two seconds. I'm sorry, I don't know why."
"What did I tell you about apologising on a date? It's the time the fast elevators take between the cafeteria level and the cages."
"You don't have to hug me that long if you don't want to." Asuka had started this, but he didn't want her obligated to keep holding him.
Asuka didn't let go, but he could feel her biting her lip.
"So Shinji, what are you going to do when she asks if she can kiss you?"
Shinji froze. If there was any possible situation where answering that question was a remotely sane thing to do, he was fairly sure doing so at the end of a date - pretend or otherwise - with Asuka was not it. Fighting Angels was a safer activity.
Asuka lifted her head and, in a single breath, rapidly said "Ok, so you're going to screw it up and make Rei sad. I'm not letting you do that. So you are going to have to practice. And your choices were Hikari or me. So obviously it's going to have to be me."
Before he could finish parsing that, let alone understanding it, Asuka brushed his lips with hers.
Nothing exploded.
Asuka glared at him, "See. You're stiff as a board. That's as good as a rejection, and if you're going to reject Rei, which you're not as it'll make her sad, then you do it when she first asks."
'What do you expect from me Asuka? The first time you kissed me I hurt you. It's not the most relaxing of activities. Despite how nice that felt. And you're utterly failing at pretending to be Rei for whatever weird reason you need to do that. This would actually be much simpler with Rei.'
Shinji swallows the apology on his lips, he could do a better impression of Rei than Asuka, maybe that was the solution. How would Rei approach this?
"Asuka, I don't know what you are trying to do, but Rei wouldn't mind if I messed up. She would just suggest different things to try until we were both happy with it. How many positions did she try before she decided she had the right one to hug you? So please stop trying to be her, you're the Great Asuka, be yourself. Yell. Scream. Slap me. Insist I leave. Demand that I kiss you. Whatever it takes to get you back to being the Asuka I admire. The Asuka I'd want to kiss. Then tell me what you want."
Shinji, certain that he'd said all the wrong things - especially as until Asuka's lips had touched his he'd had no particular interest in kissing Asuka again - slumped against the wall, which had the unintended but obvious effect of pulling Asuka back against him.
"Baka" said Asuka softly. No one other than him would have noticed the otherwise imperceptible nod.
He kissed her gently, cautiously.
A moment later he realised that his words had reached Asuka in more ways than one, and his Asuka didn't do gentle.
Some unknown amount of time passed before Asuka untangled her fingers from his hair and then untangled herself from him.
Her face was completely unreadable to him as she let go of his hand and pulled away.
"Good enough."
Then she turned and fled through the apartment to her room and once more discovered that Japanese doors don't slam.
