[NGE] Code Red

gloomy-moods · Nov 23, 2023

Points of Divergence: Episode 15: Kisses and Consequences

Asuka woke at Mein Gott early when Shinji got up to make her breakfast of course. For once she was thankful that he'd woken her, she'd been having a pleasant dream about kissing Kaji that had turned into a nightmare about kissing the baka and enjoying it. Except her face hurt, there was something hard resting on her sore shoulder, one of her sore shoulders, the other hurt but didn't have anything on it. It certainly didn't have baka-Shinji's head on it for multiple reasons, one if he'd come to her bed after yesterday he'd be dead and not breathing in her ear, two he never rested on her shoulder on the very few occasions they'd been forced to sleep next to each other, three there was hair brushing her arm that didn't feel like her own, four she was carefully removing her hand from where it had been resting on what definitely felt like a breast - a small one but far more than baka-Shinji had. She hoped. If Shinji had turned into a girl overnight they had added a completely different set of problems to whatever the fuck had happened.

She opened her eyes cautiously, it wasn't her ceiling, it was too uncomfortably bright to be baka-Shinji's ceiling and the bed was too soft to be his anyway, stupid Japanese beds. The painful weight on her shoulder looked like it was Hikari's head, which was a relief and she was finally awake enough to remember that she'd come to Hikari's late last night after the idiot had gone to bed and not apologised.

She'd been angry and in pain and wasn't entirely sure what, if anything, she'd given Hikari as a reason for her late night arrival. Late for Hikari anyway, Kodama had taken one look at her, invited her in and gone to wake Hikari without asking any questions. Nozomi had thankfully not woken, a high velocity hug would have raised a lot of questions she didn't want to answer last night, or today for that matter, especially as she didn't have an answer to give.

She was still angry and in pain and had no idea what to do. Now she had a new thing she didn't know what to do about, Hikari wasn't physically affectionate. She'd seen the baka hug wondergirl more than she'd seen Hikari do more than linger a little longer than strictly necessary when handing the Stooge food. Well that and be hugged by Nozoomi, who had yet to learn that hugs came in multiple speeds. Like the completely stationary one Hikari was giving her as if she were an overgrown teddy bear or something. Which was weird and soft in ways the baka definitely wasn't, he was still far too boney and she wasn't going to think about that any more than she was going to think about whether this was how wondergirl felt to him and definitely not about the only other times she'd been in a bed with someone. She'd take nightmares about kissing baka Shinji over that. If Hikari did something maternal she might burst into tears and that definitely wasn't happening, even in front of her friend.

"Dama," came a sleepy voice, "whatcha doin in my bed?"

Asuka winced as Hikari squeezed her tighter, the idiot was going to pay for this. When she worked out how, as trying to pummel him as much as he deserved sounded like a really bad idea right now if something as light as a kiss had hurt that badly. A kiss. She'd actually kissed him.

She groaned, she'd wasted her first kiss on the idiot Shinji of all people and it had gone ...

"Eeep! Asuka!" Hikari had woken and realised that she wasn't actually Kodama and tried to pull away, but her fingers were tangled in Asuka's hair - something even the baka didn't manage and she stomped on her brain before it could get any more ridiculous ideas - and she fell half way. The pain of having her hair pulled and Hikari fall on her wasn't anywhere nearly as bad as yesterday but at least it was a distraction from her thoughts.

"Hold on Hikari, you're pulling my hair."

"Sorry," Hikari mumbled against her stomach and tried not to move as Asuka carefully unwound her hair from Hikari's fingers.

Once she was free, Hikari sat up carefully. "Sorry Asuka, I forgot it was you. Sometimes Nozomi comes in when she can't sleep, but you're bigger than her so I thought Zomi had taken over Kodama's bed and she'd come in here to get some rest. Are you alright? Did I bother you?"

Hikari finally looks at Asuka, who's wearing one of Kodama's t-shirts as she'd been too distraught to remember to pack and Hikari's were too small. Which means she can see the edge of the bruise on Asuka's shoulder.

She reaches out, but carefully doesn't touch, "What happened to you Asuka?! It wasn't the boy Kodama asked you to go on a date with was it? I'll kill her, then him."

Hikari being angry and protective was not something Asuka ever expected to see, but she shakes her head, "No, it wasn't him. He was such a boring date I left when he wasn't looking."

Hikari blinked, "Shinji? Shinji did this to you? Did you start a fight?" There wasn't anyone else she could think of, but there was no way Shinji would do anything to hurt Asuka, he adored her, something that was obvious to everyone except Asuka, and possibly Ayanami who'd most likely only notice that the world had ended because she didn't get Ikari's food.

"What? No. Yes." It wasn't a fight exactly. That might have been easier to deal with. She could be angry and hate him for a while and then accept his apology even if she'd started it. She had no idea what he could do to apologise for this any more than she knew what this was or how to explain it to Hikari.

Hikari looked at Asuka, it was far too early in the morning for what was going to be a serious conversation, or at least a long session of trying to get any information about it out of her friend, "Stay here, I'll bring us some breakfast and you can tell me all about it."

Asuka groaned inwardly. Not because of whatever Hikari was going to make for breakfast, it would probably be almost as good as what the baka would make and at least Hikari remembered she didn't like fish. No, there had been a very definite lack of emphasis on the word "all" in Hikari's sentence, which meant she'd need Misato levels of avoiding the subject to not explain everything.

"So are you going to tell me what happened, or do I have to ask Shinji?"

Asuka was still hungry, upset, annoyed, angry, and in pain and she couldn't really do anything about any of them so she added frustration to the list. She'd already eaten twice as much as Hikari and there was only so much she could blame on a high metabolism without Hikari thinking she was avoiding talking to her. Which she was doing even if she really had been that hungry. She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want to think about it. That didn't stop her brain running through possibilities, none of which made sense, even fewer of which she wanted to tell Hikari. But even worse than talking to Hikari would be the Idiot talking to Hikari, who knows what the hell he'd tell her.

"I already told you the date was a disaster, he was so dull he could make interesting things boring, not that he had anything interesting in the first place. Jock Stooge would have been more interesting."

"Hey!"

"You know I don't see whatever it is you see in him, not that you're ever actually going to tell him at this rate."

"You were telling me about yesterday," Hikari tried to change the subject back and away from what she may or may not feel about Toji.

"So I got home waay early and interrupted the Idiot, and he just made me a nice dinner and I might have done something that suggested he'd have been a better date than the waste of air you set me up with."

This was technically true, she'd applauded his playing because he was surprisingly really good, that alone was better than her actual date. Dinner had been better than usual and she'd actually been enjoying his company, the music seemed to have brought him out of the moping he'd been doing earlier. Then she'd attempted to thank him in a way that could definitely have been misinterpreted if it hadn't gone so terribly wrong.

"Oooh! Finally!"

"What's that supposed to mean? I am not going to date the Idiot, are you out of your mind?! Anyway, he rejected me and I fell on my arse and I really don't want to talk about it."

"I don't believe it."

"What? You want to see the bruise on my arse too?"

"No, I don't believe he'd reject you."

"I did not ask him out. He just misinterpreted something like the idiot he is. Besides if he ever got the guts to ask anyone out it would be Wondergirl and we both know that's never going to happen. He's more likely to go out with you than me." Asuka wasn't sure why she said that, but it made sense. Hikari was the sort of person Shinji could be a proper little Japanese boy with, he'd certainly be better for her than Jock Stooge but that wasn't exactly a high bar. She shook her head, what the hell was she thinking?

"Maybe I'll ask him then."

Asuka blinks. Then she stares at Hikari. Then she blinks again. She could not have heard that correctly.

"What? He's a good cook, he's polite, my sisters like him and he is rather cute."

"Cute? Are you ill? And if you need a reason other than the gorilla I can give you a list. A long list."

Hikari shakes her head, "I'm not the only one who thinks that, anyway he'd turn me down because he's in love with you."

Asuka blinks, then she bursts out laughing, "You nearly had me there Hikari. He wouldn't know what love is any more than your stooge unless it hit him in the face."

Asuka grimaces, poor choice of words there, though her face clearly doesn't look that bad if Hikari hasn't said anything, it certainly feels like she was punched in the mouth even though the actual contact was very soft.

Thankfully that line of thought is completely interrupted by Hikari falling on the bed laughing loud enough to wake her sisters. Asuka looks at her and after a moment she sits back up.

"Do you know how Shinji and Toji became friends?"

Asuka shakes her head, there had to have been something - the idiot was as dense as a rock and would hide in his room at the slightest provocation, she was fairly sure if Ayanami wasn't a pilot and she didn't have to live with him he'd never have interacted with them at all.
Which would be absolutely fine with her, except then she'd have to do all the cooking rather than have Misato give her food poisoning and while she could cook she was nowhere as good as Baka Shinji.

"Toji punched him in the face," Hikari tries to look serious but she's still laughing. "Then because it's Toji, he insisted Shinji punch him back once he got over himself. And your boyfriend," teases Hikari, "is a lot stronger than he looks. It's Shinji so of course he didn't want to, but once he agreed to it he flattened Toji. And before you ask, I got all the details from Kensuke, Toji refused to talk about it."

Asuka ignores the boyfriend comment, she's not going to rise to Hikari's provocations, but maybe if she ever talks to him again she can tell the Idiot to punch the Stooge until he asks Hikari out. If nothing else that would be entertaining to watch and she could see where his form was lacking, other than everywhere.

Hikari smiles to herself, noticing that Asuka didn't actually deny anything there. She likes Asuka but she's sometimes as oblivious as Shinji, she's going to have to be a lot more subtle about getting them together, especially after whatever really happened last night, but the lack of denial gives her a glimmer of hope that it's not a totally lost cause.

"So are you going to tell me about that bruise? And don't try to blame it on my head - whatever Kodama says it's not that hard."

Asuka puts her hand tentatively on her shoulder then pulls the t-shirt up over it, she's almost certain that if Hikari sees it clearly she'll notice it's a handprint from where Shinji had pushed her away. She could still feel the impression of his fingers. Whatever Hikari claimed and despite all the training she put him through, he was not strong enough to leave a bruise like that, or to almost literally throw her across the room. There was only one thing she could think of that felt like that, though those wounds were never visible on her body no matter how much damage her Eva took. Other than it obviously being Baka Shinji's fault she was no closer to an explanation.

"Pilot stuff," it was the only way to get Hikari to stop asking questions and it was technically correct so she wasn't really lying to her friend. Hikari hadn't caused any damage even lying on her bruise, it was still just hand shaped. So it had to be something the Idiot had done, something more than the seemingly obvious, and he was one of her Pilots whatever else she thought of him.

Hikari grumbled wordlessly, if Asuka was resorting to that excuse she really did not want to talk about what had happened.

Asuka fidgeted with the edge of the borrowed t-shirt, "Could we go shopping? Or at least let me do some laundry? I didn't bring much."

Hikari looked at her friend and nodded. Asuka was normally so outspoken but that was clearly a request to stay for longer than just last night, things were definitely bigger than she was letting on if she didn't want to go home. That she hadn't been thinking that far ahead was another sign, Asuka's "not much" was her wallet and a spare pair of panties which she might have had in her bag anyway.

"I'll run you a bath. You can get clean while I wash what you were wearing. Then we can go out, or raid Kodama's closest and just hang out here."

Asuka musters a smile, "Thanks Hikari, you're the best."

It's still foreshadowing if you write it after the thing it's foreshadowing. Asuka does tell Hikari what actually happened later on in 'Heatwave'.
When the tagline says "making it (much) worse before making it better." this is one of the much worse, but also somewhat better as Hikari is actually a helpful friend.

GeshronTyler · Nov 26, 2023

Asuka really needs to learn some self-reflection,

✌️).

At least this version of Hikari is a lot more willing to be proactive, at least when it doesn't involve her own feelings towards Touji. In canon, or even IRL Japan (and perhaps today) for the time the show was created, I believe it would have been quite unusual for a friend/peer to have asked such personal questions...

Which is why the failures/inabilities to communicate resonate so much, and are so hard to bridge...

No doubt Hikari is experiencing metaphysical "bleedthrough" from alternate lives, trying to shift the fate of the world.

gloomy-moods · Nov 26, 2023

GeshronTyler said:
Asuka really needs to learn some self-reflection, ✌️).

She thinks a lot (I have a file for "Asuka's Thoughts", some of which are in the Heatwave chapters), she's just not good at it when it comes to herself or her emotions. I was actually worrying she was too self aware to be in character. If she's coming across as not getting there yet, that's good to hear.

At least this version of Hikari is a lot more willing to be proactive, at least when it doesn't involve her own feelings towards Touji. In canon, or even IRL Japan (and perhaps today) for the time the show was created, I believe it would have been quite unusual for a friend/peer to have asked such personal questions...

She's friends with Asuka (who doesn't have such constraints) and Shinji (who does, but has shared interests she can talk about) and Asuka's her first female friend, she gets protective of her and Asuka isn't exactly a good person to learn appropriate boundaries from. The only other girl she talks to about personal things is Kodama, and there's things you can and can't talk to about with your siblings. Other girls are classmates and she has to be Class Representative Hikari.

Part of the "better" for Code Red is them actually having supportive friends. Hikari shoved herself into the role while I wasn't looking.
Part of the "worse" is that it makes it much harder on Hikari when she can't do anything to help later.

gloomy-moods · Nov 26, 2023

Shinji staggered into the bathroom and leaned on the sink. He hoped he was wrong and there was just something seriously wrong with him.

He'd woken to stabbing pain in his abdomen and tried to ignore it, it was just the echoes of a nightmare. It had been several minutes until he'd realised it had been several minutes and the remembered pain hadn't faded. At least he'd been lying down and not dosing off in class this time.

When Asuka had found out about the volcano dreams she'd made him go swimming every day until he could manage without her rescuing him every few minutes. He hadn't told her about this one of course, who knows what she might try. Having her shake him awake once had been bad enough. This hurt far more than the pummelling she'd given him after he'd grabbed her in his half-awake state, his mind convinced they were both drowning in magma. Anyway she wasn't involved in this particular nightmare, so it was just pain.

It had been half an hour before he'd managed to get up. By that time he was certain it wasn't a memory, the pain was too low for where the Angel's whips had cut through him. He wasn't entirely sure what organ he had there. Maybe it was appendicitis and they'd just have to cut him open, or it had exploded and he'd die and save everyone the trouble. He was fairly sure dying would hurt even more than this, his life was like that so it probably wasn't appendicitis, that wasn't going to be painful enough.

He opened the bathroom cabinet carefully, trying to avoid his stomach coming into contact with the sink as he leaned over it. He checked the top shelf. He'd been right. This didn't make it easier. Asuka had ignored him for two weeks since... since she got back from Hikari's, he wasn't going to think about why she was there in the first place, that had hurt even more than he currently did and he'd done nothing but think about it since. She was going to hate him even more for knowing about this. Maybe he could avoid trying to explain anything, it wasn't as if she was even acknowledging his existence at the moment.

The box of painkillers had been ripped apart and left empty on the side of the sink. He groaned, not entirely in pain, he'd forgotten to check the last time he restocked the bathroom and clearly neither of his roommates had checked. Not that Asuka would have said anything, but Misato would probably have made some awkward request. Well, he might be able to go out and get some before Asuka got up. Normally she'd be up and complaining about him waking her by now, at least before she started ignoring him entirely. There was no point in taking anything himself, either he was going to die a painful death or whatever was making him aware of Asuka was some sort of strange synchronisation effect and painkillers never worked on synchronisation pain - at least not the kind he had access to.

Asuka was sitting at the kitchen table when he returned, nursing a cup of coffee and ignoring him as usual. That was fine, he had one more thing to do before he had to stop. He'd thought about giving it to her as part of an apology, but she'd made it quite clear that no apology of any kind would be acceptable so he'd kept it. Based on Misato's advice this was what it was for anyway.

He placed the items on the table in front of Asuka, being extra careful not to accidentally touch her.

For the first time in two weeks she looked at him, then she picked up the painkillers and washed them down with the glass of water. It was another moment before she picked up the other item.

"What? How? Where did you get this?"

He avoided the question, there were some secrets he wanted to keep for next time he needed them, "Misato said chocolate helps."

So had Hikari, because he really didn't trust Misato's advice when it came to Asuka and Hikari was the sort of person who'd answer questions seriously once he managed to stammer them out. Hikari hadn't talked to him in the last two weeks either, not even to tell him off for upsetting Asuka, so he decided it was probably better not to mention that he'd asked her.

Asuka carefully unwrapped the gift, "There's chocolate and there's this. What the hell did you sell to pay for this, baka?" Chocolate was an expensive luxury after the Second Impact had messed up the world's ecosystems and growing zones, chocolate imported from half a world away even more so.

She nibbled on a corner and closed her eyes. The painkillers would kick in in a few minutes. she needed to wait until they did so she could savour this properly. She didn't want to. She almost wanted to hug him for this. Alright, almost was a very long stretch. She was still upset with him, she still didn't know what had really happened and of course Baka Shinji had no idea or he'd have apologised for it properly by now rather than the meaningless things he actually said. On the other hand, he was obviously aware how her body was rebelling against her or he wouldn't have gotten her this. She'd be mad about that later, after she'd finished this, which was going to take as long as she could possibly stretch it out.

The nightmare he woke from made it difficult to eat for a while afterwards whenever he had it, but he at least needed to make lunch so he might as well try to make something. That the pain was fading after, and only after, Asuka took the painkillers was enough evidence that it wasn't entirely remembered pain. Eventually he'd have to talk to her about it, but she'd have to be actually talking to him for that to stand a chance of getting anywhere.

"Do you want any breakfast?" Shinji asked, still carefully not saying anything that could sound like an apology. He still needed to apologise for hurting her, but he needed to work out what happened first or she wouldn't accept it, and he didn't want her to interpret the chocolate as an apology when it wasn't.

Asuka put the last square of chocolate down carefully and wrapped it back up, "Something light. No sausage today."

Shinji nodded, not that he had any sausage available, he'd made the last of it for her earlier in the week and hadn't been out to the market where he could get the kind she liked since. She'd eaten it but still hadn't said anything. That she didn't want any today was a good thing, the mere thought of cooking it was making him feel nauseous again.

Misato has already abdicated all the grocery shopping to Shinji as he was doing everything except buying her beer anyway because otherwise they'd have to eat Misato's cooking and the only person who's willing to do that is Misato. So of course he's buying Asuka's menstrual supplies as well, not that she's noticed. Which is probably for the best as Shinji's the one with the high resistance to death-by-embarrassment.

GeshronTyler · Nov 26, 2023

The awkward little things one learns, when one happens to have synchronized souls with someone...

Heh, reminds me of a scene from the gender-switching manga "Futaba-kun Change", where Futaba in his male form briefly joins some female schoolmates discussing period woes, and the girls afterwards are astonished over a boy understanding that subject.

If you aren't familiar, in this series his entire family belongs to a strain of humanity that changes sex when aroused or otherwise excited, iirc on the latter part- the arousal definitely triggers it when reaching puberty. His father is in fact his birth mother...

I've let a few plot-bunnies play with the idea that post 3rd Impact/Instrumentality, that with Rei and Kaworu's assistance, human gender is something that can chosen, as the pilot candidates (basically all of Shinji's classmates), create a new world based on First Ancestral Race-tech...

gloomy-moods · Nov 26, 2023

GeshronTyler said:
The awkward little things one learns

And this is one of the least embarrassing ones...

Heh, reminds me of a scene from the gender-switching manga "Futaba-kun Change", where Futaba in his male form briefly joins some female schoolmates discussing period woes, and the girls afterwards are astonished over a boy understanding that subject.

If you aren't familiar, in this series his entire family belongs to a strain of humanity that changes sex when aroused or otherwise excited, iirc on the latter part- the arousal definitely triggers it when reaching puberty. His father is in fact his birth mother...

I'm not familiar with that particular one, though the trope is fairly common. It's rare they touch on this particular topic though.

I've let a few plot-bunnies play with the idea that post 3rd Impact/Instrumentality, that with Rei and Kaworu's assistance, human gender is something that can chosen, as the pilot candidates (basically all of Shinji's classmates), create a new world based on First Ancestral Race-tech...

It's an interesting idea to have the tech accessible. Also getting the class back together, as canonically most of them left before the end (and Nerv no longer had reason to stop them at that point). And if you can choose gender (and in what ways, as human gender and sexuality are complex), what else can you choose?

On a one-off level, when someone comes back from being orange goo, why would they be forced to take the same form as before? I'm sure you could justify it being necessary if you wanted, but it's just as plausible that people come back as their ideal self - which could be very similar or radically different...

Misato seems like the way she is, the only thing she might change is having a higher alcohol tolerance and having Kaji back.
Shinji is probably too depressed to realise he could be anything else.
Ritsuko comes back with clean lungs and a reduced need for sleep...
(maybe this is a suggestion for the Ideas thread).

gloomy-moods · Dec 7, 2023

It's Misato's birthday today (December 07).

Rei places a small cake with a candle on it in front of Misato, who's staring at the pile of paperwork she's been ignoring and thinking. The thinking is going as well as the paperwork.

"o tanjoubi omedetou Major"

Misato looks up and blinks, "Thank you Rei, I'd forgotten. I've been a bit distracted."

"I apologise. The records are inconsistent. I could not find enough candles."

Misato smiles, "Let's not think about how old I am, huh? Where's Asuka?"

"Pilot Soryu is asleep. She ordered me not to mope until she awoke. I acquired cake."

"Did you also acquire a knife or am I to eat it in one piece?"

Rei places a knife on the desk.

"Where did you get the cake?" Misato asks as she cuts herself a large slice.

"Shinji..." starts Rei.

Misato looks up at her monitor and the data indicating that there's still *something* in 01's entry plug.

"Pilot Ikari included the acquisition of dessert in my nutritional intake improvement instructions."

"Well, I'll have to thank him later."

"Why not now?"

Which is why, when Asuka awoke and didn't encounter Rei in the elevator on the way down, she eventually found them sitting on the walkway in front of 01's head and eating cake.

Apocrypha because (a) NGE timeline Shinji is already out of the goo, I just misrembered, (b) Code Red timeline it's after Arael. I'm sure someone could write a better birthday (and technically I could fit it in the adjusted Code Red timeline), (c) this means Kaji is still alive for her birthday even if he's not physically there.

gloomy-moods · Dec 13, 2023

He had thirty seconds of power left.
Not that it mattered.
There was less than ten seconds before he hit the circle of blackness that was spreading across the city.
Ten seconds of agonising pain.
He held on tightly to the angel as he fell.
The acid whips tore into him but he wasn't going to let go.
He wasn't going to survive this, but neither was the angel.
Unit 02 blotted out the sun as Asuka leapt off a building as it sank into the darkness.
Good, at least she was safe.
His display showed him her trajectory.
"Asuka, no!"
The expression on her face was one he'd never seen before.
He wished they were going to live long enough to see it again.
Two seconds to impact as her fists slammed through the angels core.
One second to impact has her arms wrapped tightly around him.
"It's alright baka, I'm right here"
The mathematical singularity that five minutes ago had been Rei Ayanami wrapped them in silence.

I tried to write him having some nice dreams for once. The one about Rei turned into this. For context, it's the night after they hear what happened to Unit 04.

gloomy-moods · Dec 14, 2023

Shinji was having an impossible dream.

It was obviously a dream because Asuka was lying with her feet up on the arm of the couch and her head in his lap, and the only thing he could feel was the softness of her hair under his fingers.

Rei was making them breakfast, she was wearing a cute apron and a pair of very solid completely unrevealing pajamas underneath. They were blue and had penguins and icebergs on them. That made some sort of dream sense, Rei's impossible clothing came from some sort of pre-impact antique store.

After breakfast she'd hugged them both and sent them off on their date. Asuka was smiling and he managed to look away to say thank you to Rei. It was definitely a dream if he could do that.

He wasn't sure what happened during the date, except they'd held hands the whole time. Even if it wasn't a dream, that would have made everything else irrelevant. They had lunch together and holding hands meant they'd fed each other. That was the sort of thing you did on dates according to someone who wasn't in his dream. The only thing he tasted was the tips of Asuka's fingers.

They took the train home, their fingers still entwined, Asuka's head resting on his shoulder, her hair soft against his cheek. She wasn't asleep, because every so often she would squeeze his hand to let him know.

They kissed in the doorway. It was soft and gentle. It didn't hurt even when Rei opened the door and saw them.

The ultimate fantasy dream for Shinji: a date with Asuka where the only thing he can feel is her hair and her fingers as she holds his hand; a domestic breakfast with Rei who's fully dressed.

gloomy-moods · Dec 14, 2023

gloomy-moods said:
"It's alright baka, I'm right here"

Asuka knew this was a bad one when she woke to him calling Wondergirl's name. Ayanami wasn't in his nightmares, probably in his perverted dreams, but not his nightmares. She didn't know why, or why now was different. His skin was cold and clammy to the touch, so it wasn't one of the more common ones. His arms were uncomfortably tight around her, and if he'd been awake she'd have yelled at him, but he looked so young and lost and she was glad his eyes were closed because she didn't want to see them. One way or the other they'd scare her and she didn't want him to know that. Then he called her name, a desperate plea, a tone of despair she never heard when he was awake. She did something she'd never do if he was, she held him closer, rested her head on his shoulder, "It's alright my little idiot, I'm right here".

Not sure how well this works, it's a bit early for Asuka to be like this, but only being like this when she's certain he's asleep is very much like her

gloomy-moods · Dec 14, 2023

(Asuka's PoV, longer version)

Asuka knew this was a bad one when she woke to him calling Wondergirl's name.

She hadn't planned on sharing a bed again, ever again or so soon, but here she was anyway. She wasn't even here because she couldn't sleep, she'd just needed to be here and found herself sitting on the edge of the bed, his bed, before thought had caught up with instinct. Not that thinking had helped at all. Every so often she tried to make sense of it, when he was distracted and she wasn't so uncomfortably *aware* of what he was doing. Right now wasn't one of those times. She was very aware of him. She hated it.

When she laid down, she had known exactly where he was, she could still feel his irregular breathing as if it were her own. Except she must have fallen asleep a while ago, long enough for her to move, as she could hear his rapid heartbeat under her ear. Despite the heat, he felt cold and the almost bruising grip he had on her waist came with freezing cold fingers against her skin. If he'd been awake and not lost in whatever this new unfamiliar nightmare was she'd have had words to say about him touching her like that, very loud ones.

She'd heard him call her name in his sleep often enough for it to be a familiar sound. Aggravating but familiar.

But Ayanami wasn't in his nightmares, almost certainly in his perverted dreams, but not his nightmares. He'd never called her name before, she didn't know why, or why now was different. It wasn't as if she could ask him now, and she definitely wasn't going to once he woke.

She lifted her head and studied his face. He looked so young and lost and she was glad his eyes were closed because she didn't want to see them. One way or the other they'd scare her and she didn't want him to know that.

That was when he called her name, a desperate plea, a tone of despair she never heard when he was awake. She did something she'd never do if he was, she wrapped her arms around him, pushing her hands under the back of his shirt, letting her warmth leach out into him. She rested her head on his shoulder, feeling his ragged breath on her hair, "It's alright my little idiot, I'm right here". She started to wonder why she'd said it that way when sleep pulled her under into a comforting silent darkness.

gloomy-moods · Dec 15, 2023

Asuka abandons Shinji on a bench outside an "intimate apparel" store. Shinji is regretting the choices that led to this. He's going to regret it more before she gets back.

Shinji Ikari was sitting on a bench and seriously regretting his choices in life.

He'd lied to Misato. He'd embarrassed Asuka. He was still alive.

The last of those was due to the lack of an Angel attack in weeks and he felt bad about wishing there was one so he wouldn't be where he was. Asuka might have put him out of his misery and killed him but it only felt like he was about to die when she touched him. He had yet to find a level of embarrassment that was fatal. Possibly only because Ayanami had declined Misato's invitation to come with them.

He was about to test an even higher limit. He'd just spotted the Class Rep approaching from one side, who had not noticed that his friend and her boyfriend were approaching from the other. The Class Rep, no Hikari - it was a weekend, Hikari was dressed casually and Kodama was with her - had just seen him and changed direction.

Kensuke was talking Toji's ear off as usual. At least he was talking to Toji and not asking endless questions about the American Evas which had been scheduled to be temporarily deployed to Japan so that the American pilots could go through "Pilot Soryu's Bootcamp". Misato had been grumbling about politicians and the logistics of flying Evas across the Pacific because no one wanted a repeat of the stupid fish. How Kensuke knew about it he didn't know, but he kept trying to come over when Misato was home. Not that Kensuke would ever be a pilot, not if he could do anything about it - he probably couldn't but that wouldn't stop him trying - which meant he had to survive this experience first.

If he was really lucky, Misato would not come out of the store with Asuka until they'd gone. Toji had already seen him, so he doubted he had any luck left at all.

They'd notice if he tried to run away. He considered it anyway.

He'd close his eyes and pretend to be asleep if he thought it would help. If Asuka had just selected the third and fifth bra that were the most comfortable they could have been away before the disaster descending on him would occur. Not that he would even consider going in and telling her that. There was a reason he was holding the branded bag from the previous store in his lap. At least the previous store had been appropriately Japanese and subdued. This one was American style, which had attracted Asuka's attention. The window displays left little to the imagination, and he had a really good imagination.

Not that he needed it. Not that he wanted it. Not that he wanted to know anywhere near as much about girls' bodies as he did. Alright, he did want to know, but in the normal way by having a girlfriend, someone who actually wanted him, not this weird glitchy sensory sharing with someone who hated him most of the time. When she wasn't risking extreme pain to use him as a pillow. Which was as inexplicable as the pain itself. Certainly if Asuka had any explanations for either she wasn't telling him.

Despite the accusations, jokes and prying questions, he was not dating either Asuka or Ayanami. It was better that way, the idea of actually dating Asuka was something for dreams - the thought of actually doing so while he was awake was a terrifying nightmare. If Ayanami had any interest in him as anything other than a supplier of food and the occasional hug she showed even less sign of it than Hikari and even Toji now knew that she was only interested in one person and it definitely wasn't him.

At least Hikari hadn't told either of them about his outburst. Not that Ayanami would probably care, but she'd been excused from the otherwise mandatory embarrassing biology lesson, so something Ayanami-like was going on. She had been at school that day, so it hadn't been for some of the Nerv related reasons she never talked about. Of course she'd never said anything more than thanking him for lunch as usual. She had requested his company, but he'd had even less idea how to start a conversation than usual that day.

No, it was entirely his own fault that he was sitting uncomfortably in front of "The Best Women's Intimate Clothing Store in Japan" because the padding in Asuka's bras was getting thin and no longer protecting her, and The Great Asuka Who Does Not Sweat did in fact sweat in Japan's eternal summer and he never wanted to know what nipple chafing felt like ever again. She'd obviously grown since she'd bought the ones she'd brought from Germany as the only one that wasn't tight around their ribs was the stretchy sports style one. Not that he had wanted to feel that, it had been bad enough washing them.

For someone who outwardly liked shopping, she bought relatively little. Or at least what ended up in the laundry pile in her room other than her school things was mostly the same few things. The shorts she'd bought after realising Japan's summer didn't stop. The t-shirts she stole from Misato. What felt like an endless stream of assorted tops but was actually the same half dozen items. That horrendous dress she'd worn for her date had been new, and never seen again. Neither had been the yellow dress she'd arrived in, which had looked really good on her once he'd finally noticed anything other than her eyes. Of course he'd looked at her underwear, he was a boy and he had to wash it, that didn't mean he did any of the things Asuka accused him of doing.

Being the only one actually doing the laundry had given him an excuse to tell Misato to get her to take Asuka shopping. Of course that meant that Misato had dragged him along to hold their bags. Even if she hadn't said anything to Asuka about him asking her, Asuka definitely knew he was here and knew what she was shopping for. She'd actually blushed when Misato had declared they were going underwear shopping the next day. She'd avoided looking at him until after dinner in another of those unspoken agreements to not admit that they both knew what was going on. Well, agreement was stretching it a bit, it was more like they'd both come to the conclusion that the other person knew what was going on and were absolutely not going to acknowledge that they did or say anything that might confirm it.

At least the sports bra had dried and she'd worn it today. She hadn't been wearing anything under her t-shirt last night, which he'd been uncomfortably aware of when she woke him up in the middle of the night by almost crushing his ribs. She'd stirred when he stroked her hair but had relaxed her grip and not actually woken. At least she hadn't seemed to remember that or the nightmare she'd been having when they woke up in the morning, so he'd survived long enough to suffer today. Of course it had to have been last night that her nightmares were bad enough she'd insisted on sleeping on what was starting to become her side of his bed because today couldn't possibly have been awkward enough already.

Misato had even been home, but at least when they shared a bed neither of them woke up screaming. He'd never dare stroke her hair like that if she was awake, even if he could manage to do so without pain, but on the occasions he woke and she did not it seemed to soothe her. Especially on the nights she cried for her mother, which was another thing he'd never admit to knowing. No one talked about their mothers and he didn't remember anything about his own other than a vague sense of being held. At least he could do that much for Asuka.

"Hey, Shin-Man," Toji's greeting interrupted his thoughts but not his awareness of Asuka trying on something that did not feel like a bra. It felt comfortable against his skin, so he'd probably find out what it was later when he had to wash it.

"Good Afternoon, Ikari" called Hikari at the same time. Unless they were alone or at the Horakis' she was always formal, even in the face of Asuka, something that stood out against Toji's far more casual greeting.

Which was the point they finally noticed each other and he had rivals for the most embarrassed person in the area, he was ahead by a mile but they didn't know enough to know that. Thankfully. At least a distraction might help if he couldn't get far enough away from Asuka, if there even was such a thing. Not that he would any more, he couldn't leave her alone with her nightmares even if not doing meant today was happening.

There was an awkward silence, which Kodama let drag out before breaking it, "Hello Shinji-kun, out shopping with your girlfriends? Or is that wives?"

Hikari looked embarrassed under Shinji's glare and bowed an apology that both of them knew wasn't at all sincere. She'd agreed not to tell Asuka, she hadn't said anything about her sister. Besides she'd had to tell her version before Kensuke offered to sell her a recording. She couldn't replicate Shinji's sincerity and passion, but she could expand on details that Kensuke had not captured. Like just how rapt the attention of his audience had been, and how often she'd been approached over the ensuing few days. She hadn't told Shinji about any of that, it would have just made him uncomfortable.

He shakes his head, "Just Misato and Asuka." Which is a statement he regrets immediately.

"Major Katsuragi-san is here?" Kensuke looks around as if he can summon her by being enthusiastic enough. Misato usually successfully avoided him by virtue of not being home except to collapse into a beer and dinner.

"She's shopping. With Asuka. Which is why I'm stuck holding the bags."

The ground fails to swallow him up. No attack alarms go off. Four people are now staring at his crotch. The bag in his lap. He's definitely imagining Kodama sizing him up like that. At least it's being a successful distraction from Asuka.

His hands are not successfully covering the store logo, not that Kensuke or Toji would recognise the logo but the two girls clearly do.

"Ooh. That kind of shopping," Hikari grins impishly. Any other time it would be cute. He's learned what Toji sees in the Class Rep because his normally taciturn friend just hadn't shut up since Asuka had clued him in, to the point he'd actually been grateful when Ken had interrupted with a question about Evas. The only thing that stopped him was the presence of Hikari herself. At the moment however, Hikari is just adding to his discomfort.

"Hikari, stop tormenting the poor boy and go spend a few minutes with your boyfriend. I'll keep him company until he gets some relief."

That was enough to distract Hikari, and Toji, and might have even distracted Kensuke if he hadn't already wandered off towards a different store. Kensuke didn't seem to mind spending time with the new couple, and had practically gloated when Toji had finally asked Hikari out on a date, but he also had good instincts as to when to make himself scarce. Which was good for hm, but didn't help Shinji's predicament at all.

Kodama sat next to him as a blushing Hikari dragged Toji off, "Don't worry, I won't tell Asuka either. Though if she really isn't your girlfriend she's definitely missing out."

Shinji has the option of looking forward at the shop front, down in his lap, insulting Hikari's sister by looking away or actually looking at the older girl. He closes his eyes, which is possibly the worst choice of all because his imagination is being fueled by feeling fabric on Asuka's skin as she takes off what feels too thin to be a t-shirt. He's not stupid enough to let her know he can feel this, punching him to death would be painful for her too. On the other hand Kodama is taller but otherwise of a similar build to Ayanami, and thinking about Ayanami in just her underwear was an improvement on where his memory fueled imagination sometimes went. Thinking about Kodama like that was even more disgusting. He definitely didn't deserve her suggesting he'd make Asuka of all people an acceptable boyfriend.

"She's not. Neither is Ayanami in case Hikari gave you the wrong idea."

Kodama smiles, "She did not. You're a good kid Shinji-kun, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. If Kari hadn't been so set on Toji I'd have suggested you ask her out."

At this Shinji does look up at her, despite his blushing.

"Don't look so surprised. You're friends with Hikari, and you've been a good friend and never done anything inappropriate. I know what teenage boys are like, don't think I'm naive. You live with those two," and Kodama nods towards the store discretely, "and have not taken advantage of the fact. You take care of your friends, even if some of them aren't very appreciative, my sister included. She's not had real friends before - not that Ken and Toji aren't friends, but there's childhood playmates and there's close friends. It took becoming friends with Asuka for her to admit she had feelings, and becoming friends with you for her to actually talk."

Shinji is now uncomfortable for an entirely different reason than Asuka trying on that thin one that wouldn't provide any support if she had to do anything more energetic than lounge around the apartment, for the third time. Not that he was counting. Not that Asuka actually needed support, but he'd commit seppuku before saying that out loud.

"I don't know what Ayanami looks like, but Asuka's pretty and it's normal to think things you won't admit to anyone and react to her like a teenager."

It was in fact possible for Shinji to feel more embarrassed. This was Kodama, an older, very attractive, young woman, who was all but declaring outright that she thought he was using the bag to hide an erection, in the middle of the street with her sister - his friend and Class Tyrant - a few feet away. He wasn't. Earlier he had almost wished he was, at least then Asuka might feel as uncomfortable as he was, instead he was left with the feeling of silk panties sliding over places he didn't have. He desperately needed a distraction and noticing Hikari shyly holding Toji's hand was not enough. That wouldn't distract Kodama either, she was apparently encouraging it. He fumbled with his wallet with one hand while holding the bag in his lap very carefully not thinking about what was in it.

"Here," he holds out one of the two pictures he keeps on him to Kodama. Now there's two people who know he has that, he'd threatened Kensuke with telling Misato some of the things he'd done to keep him quiet and here he was showing Kodama. He really must be desperate. Kensuke had gotten really good at portraits and this was one of the best of the few he had taken of Ayanami.

Kodama takes it carefully, as if it's a precious relic and studies it for a while, then she grins and looks almost like her sister, "Definitely wife material."

Shinji groans, "You haven't met her."

It was Ayanami, that was the whole joke, with another year or two of effort he might rank up to friend. It was also Ayanami, the only girl he'd seen naked. Ayanami, who his father treated as precious while ignoring him except when he was piloting. Ayanami, who thanked him every day. Ayanami, who rested her head on his shoulder. Ayanami, who barely said a word that wasn't necessary. Ayanami, who thought she was somehow replaceable. Ayanami, who protected his life with her own. Ayanami, who still managed to be less confusing than Asuka.

Kodama smiles, maybe she should suggest Hikari invite Ayanami over, the girl obviously needed more of a social life and maybe having a rival would spur Asuka into noticing how she felt. She looked back at the picture. Hikari had mentioned Ayanami's "Shinji Smile" and Kensuke had captured it perfectly, which is no doubt why Shinji was carrying this one along with the one of Asuka he'd almost managed to hide from her. Maybe it would be the other way around. Either way, Shinji definitely needed someone in his life who cared for him. Her sister was obviously taken and she was too old for him, but she'd meant everything she'd said, he was a fine boy growing into a handsome young man, and if neither of the two beauties in his life snatched him up the age difference wouldn't matter in a couple of years. Fortunately that line of thought was interrupted before she embarrassed herself.

"Kodama! What are you doing with baka Shinji?!"

"Hello Asuka. Hello Major. He looked bored so I was keeping him company while my sister makes out with her boyfriend."

"I am not!" insisted Hikari dropping Toji's hand like it had just burned her and coming up behind the bench they are sitting on.

Kodama discretely and carefully hid the photograph she was holding. She knew she'd been tormenting the boy even worse than her sister, but there was a difference between imparting necessary information because she was certain from things she'd observed that no one else had, and exposing someone's secrets to the girl he had such an obvious crush on. Or to her sister who probably wouldn't be able to keep it a secret from Asuka.

Fortunately for everyone, Kensuke arrived at that moment, oblivious to the many different tensions and started handing out cold drinks to everyone.

And Shinji successfully makes a saving roll vs terminal embarrassment.

* This is a couple of weeks after Leliel. "Last night" was a subsequent time they shared a bed.
* Shinji is, thankfully for him, unaware that nipple chafing does not just affect those who wear bras. This is the real reason for plugsuits.
* Kodama is unaware of just how messed up the pilots are or she wouldn't be daydreaming and would probably be giving very different advice, if she could work out what to say. Hikari knows it's worse, but doesn't start to understand until quite a lot later.
* The picture of Asuka that Shinji has would only get him mildly dead if she found out he was carrying it.
* "Ayanami-like" is an intermediate level of weirdness, because just saying "weird" doesn't narrow it down much any more.

gloomy-moods · Dec 15, 2023

"No, absolutely not. I'm not having that pervert see me naked."

Asuka turns to Rei in a probably lost hope of some sort of support, "Why aren't you objecting, Wondergirl?"

"Why would I?" Rei's question conveys no hint of curiosity, objection or in fact any emotion at all. If it wasn't for that damn smile she'd think she was incapable of feeling anything.

"Right. Little Miss Perfect always follows orders. Especially if it means showing off her Little Perfect Body to her boyfriend. Well I don't want him staring at me."

She was almost certain she'd felt him showering this morning, after being woken up at a stupid time in the morning yet again by the Idiot. Yesterday she was sure she was imagining it, but it happened again today as well. Which meant there was a possibility he was feeling when she showered. She'd dashed into the bathroom as soon as he started making breakfast in the hopes of either washing away whatever it was or having him too distracted to notice. Having this stupid experiment was ridiculous to start with. Having the pervert actually see her was infuriating and completely unacceptable.

"He is not my boyfriend. I have no objections to him seeing me naked. I recommend he goes first to reduce his embarrassment."

Rei does not say 'again' even though that would be more accurate. Shinji had asked her not to mention it and the detail was not important enough to go against his request. She did not want a repeat of his subsequent difficulty looking at her. It caused him distress. It interfered with her hugs.

"HIS embarrassment?!"

Rei inclines her head slightly towards the boy in question. Shinji is bright red and desperately trying to look at anything except the two girls next to him. He doesn't need to look to know what Asuka's angry face looks like. He needs to look at something because if he closes his eyes all he sees is a very naked Rei. Who just said she doesn't mind if he sees her again. He really doesn't need to be thinking about a naked Asuka, who most definitely does mind him even thinking about it. Thinking about both is going to get him into a different sort of trouble very shortly, there's no way he's going to survive actually seeing them.

"If he goes first he will not see either of us. I am capable of walking to Unit 00 with my eyes closed. If you walk on the right, you can look to the side and not be forced to see either of us."

"Hmph! You just want an excuse to stare at your boyfriend's arse."

"He is not my boyfriend. My eyes will be closed. The only person who might be observing Pilot Ikari's buttocks is you. I do not understand your interest in that part of his anatomy."

"My interest?!" Asuka demonstrates that it is, in fact, possible for her to be louder, "I have absolutely no interest in any part of the Idiot."

Asuka reigns in her temper before she can make the mistake of admitting she is almost certain she knows what Shinji's bare arse feels like. Whatever is going on they are going to have to fix it as soon as she gets out of doing this stupid test.

Shinji meanwhile is desperately wishing for an Angel attack, the floor to swallow him up, even passing out because all his blood is in his face would be better than this.

"Then you will have no problem looking away and none of us will see the others."

Asuka growls in frustration. Wondergirl has an answer for everything.

"Right. Now that's all settled, off to the changing rooms with you," Misato interrupts Asuka's seething.

"I'm not..."

"That's an order Pilot Soryu. Unless you have a more convincing argument as to why Shinji and Ayanami should be doing this by themselves."

Asuka stares at Misato, for a moment unable to comprehend that she could possibly be suggesting what it sounds like. Leaving her out of something the pervert and the doll were doing was as unacceptable as the test itself. That it would leave them alone together, naked together, who knows what the pervert would do? And the doll would no doubt just let him. This test better involve some serious combat practice or she was have the image of them holding each other naked stuck in her mind and she needed that gone. 'Do you really want that?' whispered the curious part of her mind. Asuka promptly stomped that thought out of existence.

"Fine! But if he even thinks about looking you're going to need a new pilot."

Asuka stomped out of the briefing room, slamming the door behind her. At least Nerv HQ had real doors she could actually slam.

"Pilot Ikari, my eyes are closed, you may proceed."

"And I'm certainly not looking!"

Asuka made it almost half the way there before she did, in fact, look.

The Idiot was staring at his feet as he walked, apparently he really was as embarrassed as she was, if the fact that he was blushing all the way to the back of his neck was any indication.

Wondergirl was walking to the side, but if her eyes were really closed she was doing a surprisingly good job of staying out of his line of sight. Of course she was being the perfect doll, each step exactly the same, perfectly in step with herself and the idiot even without the sound of their suits on the walkway. Her face was turned away towards the weird prototype, the only thing not perfect was her hack-job of a haircut - the unevenness was even more obvious against the pale expanse of her bare back. That was it, after this stupid test she was dragging the girl to a professional, assuming there wasn't an Angel attack again.

She said she wasn't going to look. She had no interest in looking. Shinji's arse looked pretty much like she thought she'd felt him washing. That her imagination might have been uncomfortably accurate was not good. Now that she was looking, she studied him more carefully. The rest of him looked so scrawny and she knew he was actually getting enough protein in his diet even if far too much of it was fish. Back to swimming regularly for him then, he was no use to her like that. As a Pilot. Stupid brain. Kaji was the only man who needed strong arms to hold her.

She looked back at her Eva trying to push the images of the other pilots from her mind. For some reason approaching it naked made it seem larger and more intimidating than ever. Whatever, once she was in the comfort of her Eva where there was no risk of the idiot seeing her she could relax.

gloomy-moods · Dec 15, 2023

Asuka leaned back against the tree grumbling, not only were they back in school when she already knew everything they were supposedly being taught - except for the lies in the history lessons - but everyone else was talking about how much fun they had on the trip. Which she hadn't been allowed to go on. Sure there had actually been an angel attack, but it was a wimpy angel that had died from a couple of rounds of a pallet rifle. If it hadn't been for the stupid power outage she could have just stepped on the thing as if it was the bug it looked like.

So she was avoiding Hikari and sitting with the Idiot and Wondergirl. Worse her bento was empty and she was still slightly hungry. Her appetite was unpredictable recently, sometimes she was barely interested in food, others she would go through seconds and sometimes thirds. Unfortunately the Idiot had made her a normal lunch, there was no way she was risking stealing anything from Wondergirl if even half the things Hikari had claimed were true, and the Idiot was on the other side.

So she wasn't really paying much attention to the other two, it wasn't as if they were having an interesting conversation, neither of them ever actually seemed to talk to the other.

"Pilot Ikari, my hair is of average thickness."

'What the hell was she on about?' Asuka turned and leaned over to look at Wondergirl's hair, in case something interesting had happened to it that might entertain her until the end of lunch.

"What the hell do you do to your hair Wondergirl?"

"I do not understand the question."

Of course she didn't, heaven forbid the girl understood the slightest thing about appearances.

"How do you wash it? What conditioner do you use? Ugh! You still smell of LCL."

"I use the soap provided. It is sufficient."

Asuka snorts, "It most certainly is not. It's barely enough to get the LCL out, it certainly doesn't treat your hair."

"Hair is dead. It cannot benefit from treatment."

Asuka is annoyed, the girl doesn't know *anything*, her hair is a mess but somehow her skin looks perfect, perfect for someone who never saw daylight anyway, "It certainly does! But don't expect me to do it for you!"

"If it requires an additional person, would Pilot Ikari be able to assist?"

"No! Absolutely not! I'll take you to a professional. The idiot would probably cut it lopsided or something."

"That would be unacceptable. Asymmetry is uncomfortable. My hair should not be shorter."

Asuka sighed. She could see split ends from here, and it seemed highly likely given that hack job of a haircut that the Doll had done it herself, some cutting was going to be absolutely necessary. At least there was something she wasn't good at, other than being a real person that was. The realisation struck her that she'd just volunteered to take Wondergirl to a real salon, which meant she was going to have to find one. Hikari wouldn't have any idea, but maybe she'd know who to ask.

"Ask Chihiro."

"What was that baka?"

"Uh. Tanaka Chihiro. She'll know a good place to take Ayanami that won't do something she doesn't want."

"How would you know that?" The Idiot didn't talk to anyone else except the Stooges and Hikari.

She didn't get an answer but could practically feel the heat radiating off his face from the other side of Wondergirl. Hmph! She'd find out later when she could corner him alone and he couldn't avoid answering.

Rei does not get her haircut, this time because of Sahaquiel.

GeshronTyler · Dec 16, 2023

Hmm, I have to say, the Nude Test" scene drama comes across as a bit contrived, canon or fanon version. It could easily be averted... All that has to happen, is that the pilots go singly, or Shinji, then both girls, according to a schedule. Or, dispatched by intercom, I have a hard time believing there wouldn't be some kind of intercom in the locker rooms. As long as no one starts the EVA, once they are in the plugs, no one will see anyone else that is coming out...

But I suppose, the point is Asuka is being pretty irrational and judgemental about the whole thing, and "wouldn't trust Shinji not to have the sensors on"... But in that case, the girls could go first... Shinji would probably just accept the potential embaressment of Asuka being the one to "peek", but the bridge crew would certainly be aware of that...

Interesting use of Kodama during the shopping scene, Hikari and Touji are cute, Kennsuke is a great wingman

gloomy-moods · Dec 16, 2023

GeshronTyler said:
Hmm, I have to say, the Nude Test" scene drama comes across as a bit contrived, canon or fanon version. It could easily be averted...

It is, they even go through decontamination separately, so there's plenty of ways it could have been done better in canon. We're not divergent enough, and Asuka is upset by the whole idea that she's not thinking clearly enough to come up with an acceptable alternative.

CodeRed!Asuka is also a bit off balance because of the sensory awareness.

But I suppose, the point is Asuka is being pretty irrational and judgemental about the whole thing, and "wouldn't trust Shinji not to have the sensors on"... But in that case, the girls could go first... Shinji would probably just accept the potential embaressment of Asuka being the one to "peek", but the bridge crew would certainly be aware of that...

Which she does anyway, but at least only from behind.
Shinji would just do as he's told and deal with whatever happens, though he'd probably be thankful if Asuka had come up with a way to avoid it.

Interesting use of Kodama during the shopping scene, Hikari and Touji are cute, Kennsuke is a great wingman

Thanks.

Kodama gets a little more screen time when Shinji goes over to the Horaki's to cook, but that's still in the drafts folder.

gloomy-moods · Dec 18, 2023

gloomy-moods said:
I'm trying to write at least something each day for NaNoWriMo. That doesn't mean it's fit to show anyone, but if anyone has any requests, suggestions or prompts, please let me know.

I managed 20,000 words, some of which you've even seen!

Current WIPs:

a "Food and Friendships" set of shorts that has at least
- still in the drafts folder, needs review and cleanup, possibly too much dependent on fallout from Rei stabbing people.
Rei getting hugs, before Asuka arrives
- drafted, needs rework since I rewatched the episode and got the plug layout wrong.
Episode 13 test
- published!
Episode 15 - prompt: Asuka spends several days at Hikari's
- done and published!
- Also wrote a non CodeRed HikaSuka story very loosely based on my drafts (Kisses: One Spectactular Failure, One Spectactular Success)
Arael
- still struggling to put Asuka through hell, wrote < 100 words
Arael aftermath
- wrote a scene with Gendo in it!
Sakura's welcome home party
- wrote a scene from Sakura's PoV, needs a lot of work
Asuka's birthday party
- wrote a new scene related to the birthday prep, didn't get anything else done.
Shinji/Rei date
Asuka/Rei date
Asuka x Toji
- no progress on any of these
Rei x Chihiro x Megumi - the half-finished scene from Heatwave.
- wrote another segment, still needs quite a bit more work

Also completed
* Episode 11 - Sakura
* one of the two Episode 12 chapters
* Episode 17 - Life Choices

Wasn't even planned:
* Episode 17 - Dreams and Nightmares

As always, feedback and writing prompts welcome.

gloomy-moods · Dec 18, 2023

Asama. When I catch you too late.

Shinji sank rapidly, his momentum pushing against the viscosity of the lava. He had to get to Asuka before it was too late.
The heat should have bothered him, but it was just heat. How many times had he been boiled alive in his Eva now? He couldn't let thinking about that distract him, he had to focus on Asuka.

He followed the line down, her tenuous, failing lifeline. Not that he needed to, he'd done this so many times before, it was Asuka, he would always know she was there.

Red on red, visible only because her Eva was still cooler than the surrounding lava. As if he could ever mistake her for anything else.

This time he catches her hand.

This time the cable snaps.

"Baka"

That's all she ever says.

gloomy-moods · Dec 19, 2023

Breakfast at the Ayanami-Soryu-Katsuragi household was a family affair, sometimes quiet, sometimes loud. Often arguing about the name. No one called Misato 'Soryu-Ayanami', even Kaji still called her Kats sometimes.

Misato watched her children in the kitchen and marvelled at how things had turned out. The Asuka she used to know, the one who wouldn't let anyone in, was making breakfast with Shinji. It wasn't just that they'd obviously done this a lot, more than they'd possibly had time to, it was the way they worked around each other. On the surface they didn't appear to be paying any attention to each other, but there were times when their hands brushed that could have been dismissed as accidental if they weren't being so precise otherwise.

Rei was sitting watching them and smiling. That still took some getting used to. The smiling. Rei being here. Rei being her daughter. At least she wasn't pouting because both her cuddle partners were cooking.

Kaji slipped onto the couch next to her, still damp from the shower, and dropped an arm around her shoulders. This was definitely something she wanted to get very used to. Something she'd never even dreamed of. A husband and children just hadn't been something she wanted or expected to ever have. Now she had both and it was almost entirely Asuka's fault.

"Kaji-san, how would you feel about being a grandfather?"

There's a crash from the kitchen followed by a stunned silence.

"It is not an immediate concern. Asuka and Shinji have not engaged in sexual intercourse since I arrived. I was curious."

"Rei!" splutters Asuka while Shinji sweeps up the broken plate from around her feet.

"I have not yet engaged in sexual intercourse with Shinji," Rei adds misinterpreting Asuka's reaction.

Misato tries to decide whether to laugh or start asking some penetrating questions, but settles on watching Kaji's face. Which is going through a wide range of expressions that he's failing to hide. They'd talked about having their own children after the war was over, but the implications of her adopted children being physical adults in a much nearer future hadn't really sunk in.

Assuming they survived she was going to have to deal with the fact that at least some combination of her adopted children loved each other in a very non-sibling way. Not that she understood what was going on, even with Rei being Rei. At least she now knew none of them were currently having sex. She hadn't been entirely sure, given the number of times she'd found Rei naked in their bed, or Asuka and Shinji kissing like they'd either just discovered it or were long lost lovers. Other times they were just like argumentative siblings. Except Rei, who only ever raised her voice to interrupt them and demand cuddles. So, becoming grandparents in a few years was actually possible. She wasn't entirely sure if angels or shock was going to get her first.

"That is an experience I never expected to have, so I haven't really thought about it."

Most of Kaji's composure was back, but he was being both truthful and non-committal. The idea of children was frightening enough, even if they would be with Misato, he was painfully aware of how badly things could go. He'd lived with fear almost all his life, he could handle it, as long as he had the one person he was no longer afraid of with him. But obviously children became adults, often far too early, no matter how much he might try to protect them. Katsuragi's kids. His kids. How on earth had they talked him into this? He looked over at her, finding her watching him. How had it taken two children to talk him into this?

Shinji put food on the table, leaving Asuka standing in the kitchen trying to work out how to react.

"Asuka doesn't want children. Rei can't. So unless you two have something you aren't telling us, you don't have to worry," Shinji's delivery is calm, but there's an undercurrent of sadness and teasing.

Misato smiles, "You lot are quite enough for now."

Inspired by this Translated Comic of Asuka and Shinji taking their child to see their grandparents and a very brief discussion of who the grandparents would be (Repeat Kaji is still alive, so it has to be him here).

Writing Kaji's reaction is hard. Comments welcome as always, but specificly there too.

gloomy-moods · Dec 19, 2023

A continuation of the previous Hikari chapter, she and Shinji reach the GeoFront.

"Do you think if we're quick enough I'll also get to see Toji in one of those skin-tight pilot suits?"

Hikari was pulling him along the inside of the nearest tunnel to the GeoFront. He'd forgotten who he was dealing with. Hikari was his close friend, good natured, affectionate. She was also Horaki The Tyrant. If Asuka was the immovable object when she was being stubborn, Hikari was the unstoppable force. At the rate they were travelling, they would probably intercept Asuka and Toji between the cages and the changing rooms. Assuming Asuka didn't get so bored she started a fight.

They wouldn't see Rei of course, he knew exactly where she was, both of her. Their Rei was almost obsessed with getting her memory backups done once they'd told her what she didn't remember.

'Complicated' one simple word describing something that was still nowhere near enough to describe how complex his relationship with Rei was. Any of them. All of them. He'd never met ReiRei last time, even if he had had the opportunity to get into 00 he hadn't known how to talk to the soul inside, or even if that had even been her. Between clones, memory transfers, broken minds and broken souls, Third Impact, Instrumentality, and now whatever the hell this was, Rei was almost as complicated as how he felt about her.

He envied the girl who was tugging him along another of Nerv's seemingly endless hallways. Not that her love for Toji was shallow or in any way lesser, but at least she could answer seemingly simple questions like "How old is your boyfriend," or "How long have you been together." Their happiness didn't come with the memory of feeling each other die.

He pulled Hikari to a halt before she went past the elevator.

"Tell Toji how you feel."

Hikari looked at him questioningly.

"It's awkward, I know. For him too." Shinji smiled slightly at the memory of a conversation with his friend, 'How am I supposed to tell her that? With words Toji, that's what they're for.' "Just don't leave things unsaid."

Hikari flashes him a smile, "Is that what you call what you were doing with Asuka? Talking?"

Shinji rubs the back of his head, a gesture that he never grew out of, "Uh. Communicating. Words are important too though."

He stepped into the elevator and leaned against the wall next to the controls, they had a few minutes and the elevators weren't monitored.

"It'll hurt sometimes."

Hikari studies his face from the other side of the doors, uncertain as to whether to give him space or not, "I don't think kissing your girlfriend is supposed to hurt."

Shinji's smile belies the pain in his eyes and Hikari wonders what emotional trigger she'd stepped on this time, "It doesn't this time, not yet anyway, but I meant everything."

She waits for him to continue, wondering what had happened before that resulted in that reaction.

"Toji is straightforward, but he doesn't talk about how he feels. He's going to say something and not notice you are hurt unless you tell him. So you have to tell him. The painful difficult things, but also the good happy ones.

"I've said the same thing to him, though that also came with the threat of having Rei explain things to him if he didn't pay attention to me."

"Huh? That's not much of a threat."

Shinji smiles, and she can see the affection that is definitely not aimed at her, "You've never made the mistake of asking her to explain something she's researched. Asuka once got two hours on the physiological effects of hugging. The one on the anthropology of friendships requires meal breaks."

Hikari laughs, "I can't imagine Asuka sitting still for that one, she gets so restless in class."

"Well, she did know most of it the first time, second time around is even more boring. And you have got to have noticed those two, the instant Rei touches her, Asuka calms down and relaxes. Neither of them talk about when they became friends, Toji asked once and Rei just said 'In an elevator'. Which was only slightly more informative to me than it was to him."

Asuka tried very hard not to laugh at Toji's embarrassment, but it wasn't easy to do that and refrain from mentioning that she'd seen him in less. If he'd tried to pay for the panty shot this time she hadn't noticed at all, she'd been too busy kissing Shinji.

"It could be worse, Hikari could be seeing you wearing it, or should I have asked her to come with us? I'm sure she'd love to see how well it outlines your... muscles."

Toji glared at her, "Quit it Red. I didn't need to see you wearing one either."

Asuka strikes a pose, "Just because I look good in one?"

"In your dreams."

Asuka was about to say something snarky when the elevator carrying Shinji arrived at their level. There was a flicker of motion in the corner of her eye as someone who was not Shinji ran towards them. She made an educated guess and kept it to herself.

"Ooof" Toji grunted as Hikari impacted his side and hugged him.

"Eww. You're wet."

Asuka laughed, "It's just LCL, and so are you now."

Hikari looked down and made a quiet "eep!" as she realised that being wet and wearing a white school shirt was not a combination that provided an appropriate amount of modesty. Toji pulled her against him, shielding her from sight. This worked but left her hands free to explore just how tight the plugsuit was on him.

Asuka rolled her eyes, "Get a room you two."

"Your suit's in the girls' changing room Hikari, Toji can show you where it is, I want to talk to Asuka for a while. Toji, you'll need at least twice as long in the shower as you think, unless you want to smell like LCL on your date."

Toji looked disgusted, "Gotcha Shin-man. I don't know how you deal with this stuff all the time."

"Hikari, the girls' showers have two sets of shampoo, use the Nerv one first when you get out. I'll help you, unless Toji wants to do it."

"meep!" Hikari was already blushing into Toji's shoulder after Shinji's far more subtle comment. Asuka didn't do subtle.

Hikari's actual meeting with ReiRei will have to wait for inspiration or writing prompts.
Would Hikari look better in the black or orange plug suit?

gloomy-moods · Dec 19, 2023

Chapter 9 is only on ao3 out of caution as it has Shinji and Asuka taking a bath together. Adding here as I'm trying to synchronise the threadmarks which were completely out of order for Repeat.

gloomy-moods · Dec 19, 2023

Quite a bit later on, the Aida & Ayanami-Soryu team is winning photography awards. Gendo has a headache. Shinji is wisely staying out of things.
Gendo does not actually appear in this chapter, he has quite enough of a problem just being aware of it.

Asuka isn't sure why Rei agreed to this interview, or really to any of them. Or why Commander Arsehole had let her. She'd been even more terse in the last one. What was undeniable was that the awards the "Aida & Ayanami-Soryu" photographs were winning was well deserved. Even if they always got the name in the wrong order. Even if she had to listen to Rei and Geek Stooge talking for hours, at least she was hearing Rei and feeling Rei and all was as right with the world as it was going to get. Especially if she was cuddling with Shinji at the same time.

And as much as she hated to admit it, Kensuke was good for Rei. His uber-geekiness gave him the interest and patience to go over every single detail Rei asked about, and Rei was insatiable once she started asking questions that would actually get answers. It also clearly went both ways. Geek Stooge appreciated Rei, was utterly confounded by her complete precision and mastery of the tools and equally complete inability to take any picture that could be described as "fun". So he'd been getting better as well. Shinji had actually paid him for the picture they had on the wall of the three of them together. It reminded her of their lives together in their PastFuture home.

It hadn't all been smooth going though, Kensuke had lost an early competition to Rei after days of hard work planning and setting things up - she'd had to hear him complaining to Shinji about the effort involved - Rei had submitted a picture of a bug she'd found on the sidewalk on the way to school and beaten him by miles. Geek Stooge had come in second, but it obviously impacted his pride for a while.

Rei had spent an entire afternoon going over his entry and pointing out every single little thing he'd done wrong. It would have driven her nuts if she'd stayed to keep an eye on them, so she'd dragged Shinji out to a movie and dinner. But the Geek came back a week later with a new set which Rei seemed to think were better, though she couldn't tell the difference. That had gone on for a while and had been annoying until the point where Rei had handed her a picture of her and Shinji cuddling - Shinji had been kissing her neck the way she liked it and they were both smiling. Rei had captured it perfectly, the lighting, the expressions, that ridiculous look of adoration Shinji had in his eyes.

So she put up with Geek Stooge, and had a copy of it inside her locker at Nerv to remind her of why she still got in an Eva.

She turned her attention back to the room. Rei had insisted she come with them this time. Maybe it was because this journalist was a woman? The men had been utterly useless in the face of Rei.

Rei was her Rei, the one who she became friends with after Shinji did his stupid soup thing. Which was of course nigh on impossible for a typical male Japanese journalist to deal with. Except the one from the photography magazine who had had a great time with both Geek Stooge and Rei being very expansive on the details of how they took their pictures, even if the printed interview was cut down to barely half a page.

The one's that tried to ask personal questions were the worst, those rarely saw print.

"Are you dating anyone?"
"Yes"
"Are you dating each other"
"No"
"What's your boyfriend's name?"
"Soryu-Ayanami"
"Isn't that almost the same as your name?"
"Yes."
"Are you somehow related?"
"Perhaps."

It wasn't exactly a usual name. It wasn't even Rei's legal name, she was still just Ayanami. No journalist had ever tracked down any other Soryu-Ayanami. Shinji was Ikari except at home, she was just Soryu everywhere except the school computers - which for some reason had her named Soryu, Soryu-Ayanami, Ayanami-Soryu, Soryu-Ikari, Ikari-Ayanami, Soryu-Zeppelin and so on, seemingly at random. There were enough Soryu's in Japan to keep things confused.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the journalist starting to ask her questions.

"So, Aida, is this beautiful young lady your girlfriend?"

"She's mine." Interrupts Rei in the first display of definitive personal information she's yet provided.

Asuka blinks, Rei has been very evasive when it comes to any questions about Shinji and unlike herself she's just not possessive at all, there hadn't been any indication Rei even understood what jealousy was. Her reaction to finding her and Shinji tangled in the sheets after an energetic make-out session had been to bring them glasses of water and insist they hydrate themselves before continuing.

"Oh, so you've been pretending she's your boyfriend to avoid rumours?"
"No."

The reporter sighs, so much for actually getting a scoop here. She tries another tactic.

"May I ask your name, Miss Girlfriend?"

"Asuka, Soryu-Ayanami Asuka" That's what it was, dammit, whatever anyone else said.

The reporter takes notes, despite the denial that's the same name Ayanami-Soryu gave for her boyfriend, and this girl seems more talkative.

"Are the two of you related?"

Asuka shakes her head, "Not yet. The same-sex marriage legislation keeps getting stalled for 'more important things'. As if loving families were not important." Asuka's voice gets noticeably agitated, she wants her wife now, not when some pompous backwards politician deems it no longer worth preventing her. Rei slips her hand into hers to calm her down.

"It's always the same guy too, if he keeps this up I'm going to ask Boyfriend to step on his house with an Eva." For once Asuka appreciates the context sensitivity of Japanese as she doesn't specify who's boyfriend Shinji is.

"Oh my. Aida, you have a boyfriend who's a pilot? That would have to be Ikari-san wouldn't it?"

Kensuke puts his face in his hands, Rei had to insist on bringing Asuka, this has gotten way out of hand. That this reporter knew who Shinji was was probably going to get her investigated by Section 2, which is something he'd never wish on anyone else - it had been awful. Almost enough to stop him asking to be a pilot.

Asuka continues her takeover of the interview, "Oh no, Shinji's not his boyfriend. Kensuke's quite single. We haven't been able to find a girl that could out geek those two enough to get his attention. Does your magazine cater to bi-girls or just lesbians?" The last question is tossed out casually, but there's something in her tone that belies that.

It's the reporter's turn to gasp, they weren't supposed to acknowledge their target audience, the higher ups in the publishing industry were probably supporting "that one guy" who was the most visible opponent of the legislation Soryu-Ayanami was complaining about.

"All sorts of people read our issues," that's the company line. It's probably even true.

Kensuke groans, he does not need Asuka instigating a national campaign to get him a girlfriend. He doesn't need one. He's not interested in Rei as anything other than a friend and fellow geek. Between that and keeping up with Shinji's latest shenanigans he doesn't need more of a social life. He's only really here because people like his photographs and somehow the attention had gone to his head. He'd have to go camping with Toji and get himself straightened out.

"So is he your boyfriend Miss Soryu-Ayanami or yours Miss Ayanami-Soryu?"

"Yes" answers Rei with a sense of finality that even Commander Arsehole would have trouble objecting to, letting that particular cat well and truly out of the bag.

"Oh my." The journalist looks from one to the other, "Can I even mention that without my house undergoing demolition by a large robot?"

Asuka snorts, she's starting to actually like this one.

"I will object to any demolition of your residence," Rei stated calmly, "However as previously agreed anything you include must be approved by Nerv. That Ikari-kun is a pilot is classified information you should not have been aware of."

The woman gulped and nodded, "Can I ask you about your latest pictures? Were your models actually as in love as they looked, or just really good actors?"

Asuka tuned out the rest of the interview, Chihiro's modelling career was being launched - between the two of them they had captured perfectly just how besotted Chihiro and Megumi were with each other. She'd seen all the pictures before the final ones were selected - those two were just incredibly cute together, but Kensuke had also made them look playful and Rei had made them look beautiful. Shinji had made sure they were going to be safe - there were probably other ways of coming out to the world than having your adoration splashed across the cover of a national lesbian magazine but Chihiro was as flamboyant as ever and almost as happy as she was.

Epilogue

Several years later a new highway was being built into the slowly reconstructed New Hakone. Amidst the devastation remained a single perfectly preserved house. No one understood how it could have survived the last battle and the Third Impact. The road was carefully replanned to avoid it and a small woodland was created between it and the ongoing construction.

gloomy-moods · Dec 20, 2023

The Soryu-Ayanamis (sans Kaji) go to a mountain hot springs.
WAFF with angst spicing.

"Trust you to find the one place in this gotts forsaken country where I could freeze my arse off"

"You said that about the lake too."

"Yes, but I'm actually wearing something this time. Even if I am wrapped up like an Egyptian mummy."

"Speaking of," Shinji responded, "Mooom, over here."

"She's going to kill you," muttered Asuka sidling behind Rei.

There wasn't a big crowd, and they'd have the place to themselves later, but it was enough to draw attention.

Misato was dressed up the same way as his "sisters" though her yukata was a deep purple that highlighted her hair, among other things, unlike the white the girls were in - Rei because she liked it, Asuka claimed it was camouflage. As if her red hair didn't stand out like a beacon. As if he wouldn't know where she was anyway.

What she didn't look like was old enough to be any of their mothers without something very odd going on, especially as she looked young enough no one would have blinked if he'd called her onii-chan when she was this happy.

"You two look beautiful as expected, and stop hiding Asuka, the snowball fight isn't until later."

Asuka glares at Shinji over Rei's shoulder, "That's why you dragged me up a mountain and trussed me up like a Japanese turkey?"

"I was the one who helped you dress," noted Rei pointedly.

"Well, I'm sure Shinji won't mind helping you undress later," teased Misato.

Shinji pointedly didn't say anything while Asuka blushed. He had undressed Asuka on numerous occasions, at least if she let him this time it would be a much more enjoyable activity than usual. Neither of them were injured and bleeding, and Rei wasn't wielding surgical scissors. He hoped.

Rei liked being prepared for possible eventualities. Just because he couldn't think of a reason for her to be hiding a pair in her obi or something didn't mean she hadn't. The conversation that ensued after Rei discovered that what Asuka padded her bras with wasn't a spare set of bandages was one that had had Misato in stitches - fortunately not the surgical kind because he hadn't wanted to find out where Rei was storing the rest of her first aid kit.

Admittedly it was a touch chilly for summer wear and they couldn't actually have a snowball fight here, they'd have to go further up for that, but the air would cool off rapidly once the sun went down even at this elevation. Besides it was actually nice to be cool and not wet at the same time. Not even Asuka could make him enjoy swimming.

Anyway, she'd be warm later which would either earn him a kiss or a punch, and either way, feeling Asuka touch him was worth it.

He followed the others down the street, Asuka still complaining but more because she felt she should than because she was actually upset.

"Shinji, would you wash my back for me?"

"Hentai! What are you doing over here?"

"Washing Misato's back," replied Shinji with a smile.

"But. But."

"You're acting like he's never seen a boob, and I know that's not the case. If you ask nicely, he'll do you next," Misato winked at Asuka.

"Show-off," grumbled Asuka, not asking nicely nor denying that she might do. She didn't acknowledge the innuendo. If she asked Shinji would do quite a lot more than wash her back, but she wasn't going to give Misato the satisfaction.

"Just because some of us don't need padding. Ouch!" Shinji ducked out of the way of the incoming bar of soap without even looking and watched it bounce off Misato's back, figuring she deserved whatever she got for that comment.

"Shinji finds yours more attractive," notes Rei.

"Of course he does. Who'd be attracted to..." Asuka stops before making a catty comment. Kaji. Misato's Kaji. Who was definitely attracted to Misato's oversized boobs. Who was still alive.

"Misato?" she asked quietly.

"What is it?" for once Misato picked up on the rapid mood change and didn't make an inappropriate comment.

"Did you tell Kaji you love him before we left?"

"What's wrong?"

"Did you tell him?"

"Yes. What's going on?"

"Shit," muttered Shinji.

"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Misato turned, paying no attention to the towel she had been holding.

"I was hoping this would be enough of a distraction she wouldn't notice."

"Rei? Do you know what's going on?"

"No."

Shinji got up and walked over to Asuka, leaving his towel behind and giving a startled Misato an unexpected view. More unexpected when he pulled Asuka's towel away and wrapped her naked form in his arms as closely as possible.

Misato picked up her towel and waited.

After a long moment during which Misato was almost certain she could hear Asuka sobbing, Shinji looked up.

"It's the weekend Kaji went missing. Two days from now he left a message for you on his way to die. Three days from now there will be another Angel. Last time it tore Asuka's mind apart. I almost lost her. It was after a hot springs trip that Asuka realised how passionately she felt about me. I was hoping it would distract her enough for her not to remember the date."

"dummkopf," Asuka whispered, "that was realising how passionately I hated you. you can hand me my towel back now, I'll be alright."

"Where is Kaji anyway?"

Shinji rubbed the back of his head, not yet noticing he wasn't wearing anything, "Um. I warned him. He took it about as seriously as the first time I told him Misato was in love with him."

"You told him what?!" Misato picking up on the least important fact of the situation.

Asuka buried her face in her hands.

"Don't worry, he's in good hands."

"What did you do?" demanded two voices simultaneously.

"I. Err. I might have told father his survival was critical to the completion of the Scenario. He's in Rei's room."

"That is sensible."

"In what possible way is that sensible, Rei?" Asuka demands before Misato can say something considerably less polite at higher volume.

"It is more secure than the brig. Knowledge of its existence is restricted. Of the people with access who might want to kill him, the Commander now has reason not to even if he does not believe Shinji, and Misato is here. Doctor Akagi currently has no reason to wish to do so."

"What the hell is Rei's room?"

"Oh. You know that door marked 'Biohazard, Authorised Personnel Only' that we went past the third time you got lost? Rei's the biohazard."

"I could not be treated in the standard facility for security and safety reasons."

"So Kaji is safe? What about the Angel of Mindfuckery?"

Shinji wraps his arms back around Asuka, "Snowball fight tomorrow, you'll get to find out how good Rei's aim is now."

"Baka?!" growls Asuka.

"No matter how often you call me that, it doesn't make it true, Kamisan. I won't let that happen to you again."

Asuka nods, "You still have two backs to wash, baka." She wanted him to wash more of her, but not in front of Misato. It was bad enough she'd been seen crying. At least she hadn't had to wait this long before he'd touch her properly. Despite her words, she put her hands on his arms, preventing him from letting go. She had to believe him, she couldn't go through this again. She took his hand and placed it over her heart, acknowledging his promise.

They are relaxing in the hot water with Shinji desperately trying not to look at Misato when she finally gives in and asks him.

"Kamisan?"

Asuka turns even redder than the heat had already made her and tries to disappear into the water. Shinji smiles.

"Should I tell her, Tsuma?"

Asuka swats at him under the water.

"The reason she was so insistent that you marry Kaji was she loved being married to Rei so much"

A stream of bubbles float away from Asuka as she splutters.

"When that wasn't enough for her, she found a legal loophole and married me too."

Misato, who was used to Shinji's antics when it came to picking seemingly random terms for his relationship with Rei had not been prepared for this. She'd been thinking that the varying terms for wife Shinji was using was just a way to tease Asuka, but he sounded serious.

Rei took the moment of distraction to tuck herself under Shinji's arm so she could lean against him. Shinji was watching Misato's reaction so he didn't notice Rei's towel floating off.

Asuka comes up for air and looks between them.

"What did you tell her baka, she looks just like she did when... oh, baka Shinji, now Rei knows too."

Rei raises her head and looks at Asuka, "Were there kisses and cuddles and sexual intercourse?"

Asuka facepalms, which turns out to not be the best of ideas when sitting in a hot spring wearing nothing but a towel.

"Yes, yes, and not for quite a long time," Shinji answers while Asuka gropes around for her towel.

"This is acceptable."

Misato bursts out laughing, "That has to be the weirdness marriage proposal I've ever seen."

Shinji carefully doesn't mention the original proposals, he doesn't want to stir up Asuka's memories of the circumstances of her first interpreting his actions as a proposal. That one also counted as marriage by Rei-rules, but the actual proposal hadn't been in much better circumstances. Maybe this time he could do it properly, for both of them. He could definitely do better than 'You're going to marry me', 'Hai' and hopefully so could Asuka this time, even if he'd enjoy seeing her all flustered and forgetting her words again.

He holds Rei close, partly for balance, partly just to feel her presence, and guides Asuka's towel back to her with a toe.

For a long moment he enjoyed that long moment, if it had been a different day and one without Misato watching them trying not to laugh her ass off, it would have been perfect. His wife-currently-sister and his sisters-wife-apparently-his-fiancée - now he had a new one to call her, though Hikari was going to be insufferable - in a hot spring together. Maybe if they got through this second time, they could honeymoon here, even if he had to rebuild the place himself.

Rei nuzzled him before he could get lost in thought, then Asuka pulled herself up using his arm and settled on the other side, her towel in her lap. He wrapped that arm around Asuka as she dropped her hand under his back to take hold of Rei's.

Maybe it could be perfect after all.

They have to rescue Misato before she dies of the cuteness.
The snowball fight will have to wait for inspiration and a sillier mood.
(Yes, my struggles with Arael are leaking into Code Repeat, but they are going to save Asuka from that this time).

gloomy-moods · Dec 23, 2023

"I'm Home"

The last words she said, the last words she had been capable of saying as her AT field collapsed.

The machinery was already moving, there was nothing she could do about that. There had never been anything she could do about that.

This was her home.

This world.
This country.
This city.
This building.
This boy.
This girl.

Remember.

Rei is thinking of the life in those things, all the life, rather than the man-made structures. Just channelling her inner Granny Weatherwax / Tiffany Aching as she merges with Lilith.
May or may not become part of Code Red canon. Mostly an excuse to write the WAFF that follows. Which I enjoyed writing, so maybe you'll enjoy reading.

gloomy-moods · Dec 23, 2023

Rei smiled as she and Yui watched the children run to school together. They looked almost identical, but no one ever mistook them for each other or asked if they were twins. No one asked why her daughter had bright red hair, or where her father was. No one asked why Yui vanished the moment the children were out of sight.

At least the children were happy. The second day of school and they were already almost inseparable. Asuka still did most of the talking, making up whole lives when she ran out of her own. Shinji would laugh and smile and ask what happened after Asuka kicked the demon's butt in her battle kimono.

This world was small, as soon as they noticed it didn't extend outside the small town it would disintegrate, but she could give them this.

[NGE] Code Red

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Kleiner Giftzwerg

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Kleiner Giftzwerg

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Kleiner Giftzwerg

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration

Gloomy Moods & Inspiration