Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Only In Your Eyes Am I Worthy ❯ The Sweet Sound of the Last Days ( Chapter 22 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Evangelion: Only In Your Eyes Am I Worthy

Author's Note: I found an art-book that had a floor-plan for Rei's apartment, something I've been looking for basically since I started this story. Of course, everything is written in German, so it took me some time to figure it all out… but I was surprised at how much she actually had in her apartment. It's very space-efficient, which is fairly typical of a Japanese urban apartment. Finding it made me have to edit this chapter a bit, which was fine since I hadn't finished it yet. Haha. I have to admit, when I watched the series I had a slightly different layout in mind… but now I know for sure what's in there. Hehe Of course, she doesn't have all those bloody bandages lying around anymore… and since I mentioned a table in a previous chapter, we'll assume she bought one. The only real place she could fit it would be in her bedroom area though, so I figure the table is over next to her little dorm-sized refrigerator (the girl has TWO refrigerators! Can you believe that?) I figure that box filled with bloodstained tissues wouldn't be there anymore (one can hope) and there's room on that wall so, if I were her, that's where I'd put a table. It'd be close to the stove too. So… yeah.

Required Disclaimer: Still no own. Still no money. Too evil for a conscience. I think I might just have some jelly donuts around here now, however… Enjoy and ponder on the glory of GAINAX! And stuff.

Chapter 22: The Sweet Sound of the Last Days

Asuka followed Rei, whom was walking home. The blue-haired girl remained silent the whole time, and whether she was even aware that the second child was following her, she gave no indication.

The German girl was lost in her own thoughts, wondering if her life was becoming more complicated now that she was more willing to open her heart to others, or if it was just that she allowed herself to notice these complications now, whereas before she would have just blatantly ignored them, lashed out at those who tried to connect with her, and shut herself away where it was safe.

They entered the first child's small apartment, where Asuka got her first look at the place. “Mein Gott, how can you live in such a place?!” The girl wondered aloud, staring at her drab surroundings.

“It is my home.” Ayanami replied simply as she sat down on her bed.

The red-haired girl decided to never again complain about Misato's apartment. She took a look around, without bothering to ask permission. “You have a game console but no television set?” She inquired in surprise.

Rei blinked and looked down at the console, almost as if she had forgotten it was there. “Ibuki-taii purchased it for me this morning. She was not aware of my lack of electronic entertainment appliances.”

Asuka shook her head in wonder and looked around some more. “No decorations… a shitty little stove… how can you stand it?”

“It is my home.” Rei responded again in the exact same tone as before, no hint of annoyance or offense in her voice.

The second child shook her head in disbelief. “What do you do all day?”

The first child blinked. It was the exact same question that Maya had asked her earlier that day. She wondered what other people did to fill their time, and why her choices were so strange to them. “I sleep. I read. I play my violin. Sometimes I go for a swim.” She gave the same response to the other girl as she had given the captain.

Asuka threw her hands up in exasperation. “That's it!? You don't listen to music? You don't watch television? You don't go out to movies? You don't talk to people? You don't draw or write or do anything creative? You just… sit here? And read, play a little violin, then sleep, and wait to be called to pilot Eva?!”

“Hai.” Rei replied.

“And your clothes!” The red-haired girl cried, pointing into the other girl's small closet. “A few school uniforms, one pair of blue-jeans, and a single t-shirt? This is it!?”

“It is all that I require.” The first child responded softly.

The second child shook her head in disbelief. “No dresses? No clothes to just sit around and be comfortable in? No clothes to just have some fun in?”

Ayanami remained silent.

“Unglaublich! (Unbelievable/incredible!)” Asuka murmured, plopping down on the bed next to the blue-haired girl and ignoring the chair that she could have sat on. Then she noticed the books stacked up on the nightstand/dresser next to the girl's bed, which also held a few other little odds and ends like a glass half-filled with water, and a cracked pair of eyeglasses. Impulsively, she stretched out and picked up the eyeglasses. “Reading glasses? I think you need a new pair. You should throw these away.”

A flash of anger passed over Rei's normally placid features as she snatched the glasses out of the other girl's hands and cradled them protectively over her breast. “You may touch anything else in this room, save these.” She stated firmly.

Surprise lit up the second child's face, and for a moment she felt annoyance pass through her. She took a few breaths, biting down her normal response to snap at the girl. Normally she would have teased her about them or become indignant and state “Who wants to touch those stupid things anyway?!” or some other similar response, but instead she just clenched her hand into a fist and willed herself to calm down. Dr. Kagame would be proud. She knew she should have apologized, but she hadn't made that much progress. “Ja, sure.”

Rei calmly stood up, set the glasses back onto the dresser, and then sat back down on the bed in the same spot as before.

Asuka was silent for a few moments, unsure of what to say, then a playful grin spread across her face. “I can touch anything else?”

The first child raised an eyebrow slightly, unsure of but curious as to what the other girl was intending.

“Well, you did say that, ja?” The red-haired girl pressed impishly.

“Hai.” Rei responded neutrally.

Curious as to what her reaction would be, Asuka placed her hand onto the other girl's creamy thigh, which was bare since she was wearing her school uniform, and thus a short skirt.

The blue-haired girl looked down at the hand on her thigh then raised her eyes back up to meet Asuka's, but remained silent.

The second child bit her lip nervously. She wasn't sure how to take the first child's lack of response, but her pulse was quickening as she allowed her fingers to wander a bit, feeling the silky smooth skin. She looked down at where her fingers were splayed, and then into the red eyes before her. She felt… aroused? Strangely, the accepting compliance of the girl made her blood heat up.

Rei blinked, but remained silent and still.

Asuka leaned in and pressed her mouth to the other girl's, relishing in the soft lips. Without being prompted this time, the first child kissed her back, but didn't deepen the kiss or return her touch. The red-haired girl backed away after a short while and began to wonder if she was taking advantage of the girl's accepting nature. She felt her cheeks burning in embarrassment, and noticed that even Rei's porcelain cheeks had a touch of color to them. She leaned back on her heels and placed her hand back into her own lap, feeling it best she not press any further.

They stared at each other silently for several minutes.

The second child cleared her throat nervously and glanced away. “So… was that ok?”

“It was pleasant.” Rei affirmed softly, though she did not elaborate.

Asuka scratched her elbow absently, unsure of how to take that response. “Ja… it was. You realize, of course, that Shinji will never try that without some indication that you want it, right?”

“It is love that I feel for Shinji-kun, Asuka-chan.” The blue-haired girl responded, taking the conversation to an odd tangent.

The second child blinked in surprise, and then her mouth dropped open. “Eh!? Why… what… brought that on?”

“I am explaining, Asuka-chan. I love him, which means I accept him for who he is.” Rei elaborated.

Asuka shook her head in confusion. “I still don't get why you suddenly changed the subject to that.”

The red-eyed girl almost smiled. “If Shinji-kun is to love me, he must also accept me for who I am. Do you understand?”

The second child was by no means slow. She could be rather self-centered and unobservant, yes, but intelligence she did not lack in. You don't pass das Abitur and complete University in Germany by the age of 13 by having any less than genius intellect, after all. But still she didn't follow what the first child was getting at. “I don't follow.” The girl admitted reluctantly. She hated admitting what could be construed as weakness. Probably more than anything else, ever.

For all her strengths, Rei was not the best communicator… in fact, her communication skills could even be described as shitty. Worse, in matters of the heart, often she didn't understand herself well enough to even attempt to explain it to others. So she considered how best to explain it in a way that would suit them both. “You have observed how I am.” She paused, wondering if she should or even could explain herself, but no words came so she hoped it was something that didn't need to be said. “Shinji must love me as I am, or he loves a lie. He would not love me. I cannot pretend to be how I am not. I am Ayanami Rei.”

Asuka blinked. “But… what if he never… you know.” She understood the words and the meaning, but she couldn't believe that the girl, who claimed to love Shinji, would not encourage the boy somehow, someway, to let him know she welcomed his desire and affection. It totally went against everything she was, and worse, she knew Shinji was basically the same way as the soft-spoken blue-haired girl. Without one of them being able to make the first move, nothing would ever happen!

“I shall love him regardless.” Rei responded evenly, relieved that she wouldn't have to explain herself more. It was already against her grain to say as much as she already had.

The second child considered the matter for several minutes then a smile spread over her lips. She found a loophole. “Would it be ok if I told him to make a pass at you?”

“It must be his decision, whether he expresses his affection or not, Asuka-chan.” Rei shook her head once.

Annoyance flashed over the red-haired girl's features. “I wouldn't tell him `Hey Shinji, go see if you can stick your dick in Rei-chan.' I'd just say… you know… `Hey Shinji, how do you feel about Rei? Oh really, you worship the ground she walks on and you want her to have your babies? Well, maybe you should tell her that.' Ich bin kein Dummkopf! (I'm not an idiot!)”

A touch of red came to Rei's cheeks when the second child said the first part of her statement. “That… is acceptable. But it must be his choice.” They were silent for a while, and then she changed the subject. “You love Shinji-kun as well, do you not?”

Shock and embarrassment were frozen on Asuka's face. Once her brain started working again, she glanced away self-consciously. “I don't know. Perhaps as a brother…”

Rei raised an eyebrow slightly. “Only as a brother.” Though it was a statement, it sounded more like a question.

The German girl shrugged. “Even if it were more, I won't cause problems for you. You… deserve him. I don't.”

“Shinji is not a prize or possession. Is the affection you show me meant to cause problems?” The blue-haired girl wondered aloud.

Asuka's mouth dropped in surprise again. After a few moments she shook her head. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause problems. It's not like you like me that way, anyway.”

“You have caused no problems, Asuka-chan.” Rei responded enigmatically.

Feeling rejected, even though she hadn't really put herself out that much to begin with, she looked away, her cheeks burning in shame. Suddenly, a realization hit her. But it begged a question. “If… you did like me, you wouldn't tell me, would you?”

Rei turned her gaze towards the other pilot and raised an eyebrow slightly. “Not in words.” She responded in the same mysterious tone as before.

“You told me that you love Shinji.” Asuka observed, narrowing her eyes a bit as she tried to figure the other girl out.

The blue-haired girl nodded. “Hai.”

The German girl shook her head in bafflement. “Why?”

Rei stared at her silently.

“You… trust me?” Asuka inquired carefully.

“Hai.” The first child agreed.

The second child wondered if there was more to it than that, and it was becoming obvious that while Rei did not express herself well, she did accept and affirm it when observations were made correctly. It was annoying, but perhaps workable. “You… like me?” She inquired, even more carefully this time.

“Hai.” Rei agreed.

Asuka felt her mouth dry up and so she swallowed nervously. “Do you like it when I kiss you?”

“Hai.” The first child agreed. She didn't even realize she had given any indications otherwise.

“Fick mich… (Fuck me…)” The German girl muttered in disbelief. She had assumed they were merely tolerated until now.

The red-eyed girl raised an eyebrow.

“Scheiße! I'm sorry, that wasn't a request. It was just… I was shocked.” Asuka blushed in embarrassment.

“Understood.” The clone stated.

The blue-eyed girl let a teasing smile form on her lips. “Though that does beg an interesting question.” When she, of course, received no comment, she continued. “Do you want me to… take it further than kissing?”

Rei remained silent, though whether it was because the girl wasn't specific enough or didn't deem such a ridiculous question worthy of replying to, she gave no indication.

Asuka blushed in embarrassment. “Sorry. That was rude… even I could see that.”

The blue-haired girl tilted her head slightly to the side curiously. “No need for apology.”

The second child felt more confused than ever. On the one hand, she wasn't sure if she was even ready to have sex, on the other she felt her curiosity burning on whether or not the first child would let her if she tried. Then of course there was the uncertainty that if she did allow it, whether it would be because she wanted to do it also, or if she was just accustomed to being obedient to the whims of others. She admitted to herself that she did like getting her way and having others give into her desires, but she also felt she might feel guilty about it otherwise if she did `force herself' on the other girl. Furthermore, there was still the uncertainty whether she really liked girls, or if it was just Rei's accepting nature that she found attractive. The same nature that attracted her to Shinji. She hissed out a breath in frustration and then suddenly she had another thought and completely changed the subject. “Who's going to cook dinner?!”

Rei blinked. Her thoughts on the sudden change of subject, she kept to herself as always. Normally she'd either eat a piece of fruit or two out of her refrigerator, or heat up some instant noodles in the microwave. Or, she'd eat something at the NERV cafeteria. But she hadn't had a chance to go to the grocery store since she was injured the first time, and had been relying on the kindness of the third child for her meals since then. She realized that she hadn't asked Shinji to come by to cook dinner for her, so it was unlikely he would come, especially since he knew Asuka was with him. “You do not wish to cook dinner, Asuka-chan?” The blue-haired girl inquired.

“I don't cook.” The second child griped in indignation. She finally remembered the other girl was injured (and she was not aware of the girl's abnormally fast healing), and hadn't stopped to wonder whether the girl even had any food to cook when she followed her home, uninvited. “There's still a place that delivers open. Misato's cooking is… eh… poisonous, so while Shinji-kun was here taking care of you, we ordered from them a lot.” Asuka suggested.

“Do they have vegetarian dishes?” Rei inquired.

The German girl shrugged. “Probably. They have a little bit of everything. We can ask.”

The first child nodded, but remained silent.

Asuka looked around for a few moments before inquiring, “Ah… do you have a phone?”

Rei silently retrieved her cellular phone, which she only had so NERV could call her when there was an angel attack or when Commander Ikari wanted her to come in, and handed it to the other girl.

“Wunderbar! (Wonderful!)” The red-haired girl exclaimed. She stared at the phone for a few moments then asked, “Ah… you don't happen to have a phone book, do you?”

The first child blinked.

Asuka frowned. “Well maybe Information is still in service.” She dialed the number, but no operator answered. “Scheiße” She stared at the phone after hanging up.

Rei remained silent. Except when her stomach grumbled.

The second child tapped her fingers against the back of the phone as she tried to think of what to do. Then she had a bright idea. “I know! I'll call Shinji!”

The red-eyed girl, of course, remained silent.

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Shinji walked into his home and kicked off his shoes as he called, “I'm home!”

“Welcome home!” came the major's slightly slurred response from the kitchen.

The third child groaned inwardly, knowing the woman had obviously found a shop that still had some beer on sale. He entered the kitchen and saw the purple-haired beauty frowning at a box of instant rice, blinking as she tried to read the directions. The boy noticed five empty beer cans, a half empty bottle of whiskey, and a shot-glass. `Oh shit… she found the hard stuff and she's making up for lost time!' The boy coughed nervously when he noticed she was still trying to figure out that instant rice. “Ah… are you cooking, Misato-san?”

Major Katsuragi shook her head and laughed. “I was going to… but I can't seem to be able to read these damn directions! It's written in some foreign language.”

Shinji coughed, trying to hide his scowl. “The box is upside-down, Misato-san.”

Misato blinked and turned the box the right way and started laughing again. “Oh hey, you're right!”

“I'll cook, Misato-san.” Shinji offered. The major was a horrible cook when she was relatively sober… when she was drunk, she could even ruin micro-wave instant noodles, somehow.

“You are… amazing, Shinji-kun. Has anyone ever told you that? And you can be cute when you aren't being a jerk.” The major giggled and plopped down at the table.

The third child was glad he had his back to the major, and that looks couldn't really kill, or the purple-haired woman would have spontaneously combusted… and had an anvil fall on her head. So he simply ground his teeth together and started cooking. “It's been a while since I've been able to cook meat.” He remarked as he fried some fish and started boiling some rice and noodles.

Misato raised an eyebrow, and then remembered when she took them all to a ramen shop to thank them for the miracle of defeating the 10th angel. “Oh, Rei still doesn't eat meat?”

Shinji shook his head silently and finished cooking dinner. They started eating, and the third child was surprised and disgusted when the major seemed to drink half a can of beer for every few bites of dinner. He knew it was pointless to complain about it and he wanted to avoid an unnecessary argument.

The major sighed and leaned over, displaying an ample amount of cleavage as she got a closer look at the young Ikari. “So Shinji-kun… I have to know. Are you boning both Asuka and Rei?”

She had, of course, chosen the very moment he was sipping some water to ask that question, so a spray of water jetted out of his mouth and he choked on what he had already swallowed. After beating his chest to clear his throat, the young pilot glared at his guardian. “I haven't been with either one of them!” He protested.

Misato frowned. She was sure the boy was lying to her, though she wasn't sure why except for modesty. “Oh come on, Shinji-kun. I know you're sleeping with Asuka. I walked in on you while you were with her! And you seem pretty close to Rei, also. So fess up!”

“It's not like that!” Shinji protested, wondering if she thought he was an over-sexed fiend or something. “Asuka-chan and I only sleep. She was teasing me that morning you walked in.”

The purple-haired beauty smiled. She was willing to accept that, but he didn't say anything about the young Ayanami. “And Rei? You two looked pretty cozy this morning.”

The blue-eyed boy blushed. `Why did she have to bring Rei-chan up?' He wondered. Then aloud, he responded “I made her breakfast. You know she spent the night with Asuka.”

“But before that?” Misato inquired in a knowing tone.

“She was injured!” Shinji blurted in exasperation. He was about to add to that statement when the phone rang. “Ah… I'll get it.” He walked over to the phone and picked it up. “Hai? Moshi moshi.”

“Shinji-kun, just the man I needed to speak to.” Asuka's voice came over the phone.

“Oh… hello Asuka-chan. What did you need to speak to me about? Is Rei-chan all right?” The third child inquired, a touch of worry in his voice.

A giggle was heard from the red-haired girl. “Oh, believe me, she's fine. We've just worked up an appetite and since you didn't come over here to cook us dinner, we figured we'd order out. There's a flyer on the refrigerator that has a number to the place Misato-san and I like to use. Can you give me that number, please?”

Shinji chewed his lip nervously, unsure of what the girl meant by saying they worked up an appetite, and walked over to the refrigerator to give her the number. “So what's going on over there, Asuka-chan?”

Another giggle was heard and Asuka said in a soft tone, “Mmm, Rei-chan… not while I'm on the phone!”

Shinji's eyes widened and he suddenly became very interested in what was going on over at the first child's apartment. “What was that?” The boy inquired, as if he hadn't heard her well.

“Oh Rei-chan… you shouldn't touch me there while I'm on the phone! Shinji will hear us!” Asuka giggled as she spoke in a soft voice again, then louder, “Oh nothing, Rei-chan was showing me a book she's reading.”

The blue-eyed boy felt his cheeks burning and he pressed the phone tighter against his ear to better hear what was going on. “Oh… that's interesting.” He remarked, biting his lip nervously.

Again the German girl's voice was heard, even softer than before. “Rei-chan, you're so talented… and Shinji-kun wonders why I call you Wonder-girl… mein Gott…”

Making the situation ten times worse, Misato had dropped one of her beers under the table and she was bending at the waist with her posterior pointed towards the blushing pilot as she tried to grab it. His mouth was hanging open as he stared at the sight before him and listened to what was going on over the phone. “Is she showing you her… violin now?” Shinji inquired in a hoarse tone.

“Oh Rei-chan… you are sonaughty!” Asuka whispered with a soft gasp. “Oh… shoot, where did that pen go? Oh no, don't put it in there, Rei-chan! I need it to write down that number… I forgot to… oh my!”

Misato finally grabbed onto the beer and straightened up, turned around, and saw a severely blushing third child, with a tent in his pants that looked downright painful. “Oh Shinji-kun, you naughty boy! You want to look at these now?” She bent over forwards this time and wiggled her chest, and she was wearing a low-cut blouse.

Shinji let out a strangled squeak noise and promptly fainted, because at the same time, he heard Asuka saying something about getting `licked there'. It was simply too much.

Misato giggled playfully and picked up the phone. “Asuka, is that you?”

“Ja. Did we break him?” The German girl inquired with an evil-sounding laugh.

The major nudged the boy in the ribs and giggled when he barely let out a groan. “Looks like it. Did you get what you needed before you started teasing the poor boy?”

“Ja. Danke schön. We're ordering out since Rei's got no food and the hentai didn't come cook for us.” Asuka explained.

Misato giggled, still very drunk and still laughing at the third child's expense. “Ok, have fun, girls.” She hung up and nudged Shinji again. “Shinji-kun… if you take out the trash, I'll let you ravish my body for a whole hour.” She teased.

The blue-eyed boy sat up suddenly, feeling refreshed suddenly. “Wow, really!?”

The major blinked in surprise then shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”

Shinji jumped up and started gathering all the trash to take out. Then he realized nobody had taken the trash out in quite some time. “Where did all this come from?!” He exclaimed. Then his eyes narrowed and he wondered if he was having a waking dream again. The boy glanced up at the apartment as he tossed the last trash bag down on the ground outside. He figured he hadn't had one since the time he and Rei were being examined together, so he guessed that what he had heard was real. Or rather, he hoped.

He ran all the way back into the apartment, quickly washed his hands, and then looked around for Misato. “Hmm… did she go into her room?” Shinji blushed as he imagined the major `preparing' herself for him, and slid open her door. The smile dropped from his face when he saw the purple-haired beauty passed out on her futon. “She tricked me.” He groaned in exasperation. The young pilot sighed, figuring it was probably for the best, and then went to his own room to listen to some music and… prepare for bed.

The major woke up for a moment and called out, “Shinji-kun? It's ok, you can come in.” She slurred out in a naughty tone. She raised herself up on her elbows a few long silent moments later and realized the door wasn't open anymore. “Is he still taking trash out? Well I'll just rest my eyes until he comes up… maybe I can talk him into giving me a nice massage before we go at it.” She promptly passed out again, and somewhere in the back of her mind she was promising herself not to mix the hard liquor with her normal beer anymore.

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Rei raised an eyebrow curiously as Asuka teased Shinji over the phone. She wondered if the third child really believed the things she was claiming the first child was doing to her or not. When her tone suddenly changed and she asked if they had `broken him', she realized the girl was now talking to Major Katsuragi.

Afterwards, Asuka hung up and dialed the number to the delivery service and made the food order. “Damn… I just remembered I don't have any money. Do you, Rei-chan?”

“Tell them to charge it to NERV under my name. I do not carry money.” The first child responded.

“Oh, ok.” The red-haired girl shrugged and relayed the message. After she hung up, she groaned. “They said it'd take about 45 minutes to prepare and deliver the food.”

Ayanami's stomach growled in response to that, and a moment later, Soryu's stomach answered. “Understood.” The blue-haired girl responded, as if her stomach hadn't just protested the wait.

Asuka leaned back on her hands and wondered what to do to pass the time. She glanced at the closet directly across from the bed she was sitting on and an idea came to her. “Rei-chan, I would enjoy listening to you play your violin.”

“Is that so?” Rei stated more than asked.

The German girl nodded and stared at the first child for over a minute, but she was simply stared back at. She was just about to get angry and say something she'd regret later when she realized why the girl wasn't playing her violin by now. “Rei-chan, play your violin for me, please?”

The blue-haired girl nodded. “Hai.” She stood, walked the few steps to her closet, and picked up her violin. After taking it out of the case and spending a few moments making sure it was in tune, she sat down on the chair by the bed and considered what to play. She took a moment to glance at her hand and flexed it a few times to make sure she would be able to play, and then she drew the bow across the strings.

For a moment the sound was akin to a dying cat, and then Rei paused and flexed her hand again. She drew the bow across the strings again, this time making a pleasant noise. Now that she had warmed up, she was able to actually make music.

A sad mournful song soon filled the tiny apartment, and Asuka had to fight hard not to shed tears as she listened. The red-haired girl shook her head when the music stopped. “Why such a sad song? Couldn't you have played something happy?”

The first child looked down at her violin thoughtfully. “I play what is in my heart, so that I may understand my emotions.”

Asuka couldn't exactly say her heart was filled with sunshine and rainbows either, so she fell silent. Then an idea came to her. “Think of Shinji while you play, then.”

Rei blinked a few times and considered that. Several minutes of thoughtful silence later, she started playing. The song seemed to suggest yearning, a little sadness, but also having hope. She stopped the song suddenly and stared at the German girl in awe. “Why do you cry, Asuka-chan?”

The red-haired girl turned her head away and sniffled. “Scheiße! I can't believe this.” She grumbled, wiping at her eyes and sniffling.

The blue-haired beauty watched her silently, curiosity in her eyes.

“Why'd you have to go and play such a fucking beautiful song like that?” Asuka grumbled.

“Do you cry because you are sad?” Rei inquired, curious to understand the other girl's emotions as she struggled to understand her own.

The second child sighed and wiped her eyes dry again. “Yes. And happy. And just… in awe of that song's beauty. And if you play that again, you'll kill me.”

“So you cry because you are happy and sad? Shinji-kun said the same thing to me long ago… it was the first time I ever smiled for him.” The blue-haired girl remarked, lost in thought as she set her violin back into its case and into the closet.

Asuka tried to think of something to say as Rei retook her former seat on the bed next to her. After several minutes of silence, the door buzzer was heard. “FOOD!” She cried, running to the door.

After they ate, drowsiness started settling in on the second child and she yawned. “It's been a long day… ready for bed?”

Rei nodded. “Hai.”

The German girl eyed the uncomfortable looking concrete floor and then the much more appealing bed. “May I sleep with you?”

“Hai.” The first child affirmed.

Asuka was surprised when the girl stripped off her clothes and settled under the covers. “Uh… when I said that I meant… ah…”

Rei raised an eyebrow slightly and remained silent.

The second child blinked, and then figured it couldn't hurt, as long as Shinji didn't burst in on them while they were still in bed. So she tossed her own clothes on the floor and snuggled up to the red-eyed girl under the covers. She was silent for several minutes, wondering if the girl expected something she wasn't sure she was even ready for, but then she realized that Rei had already fallen asleep. “Gut nacht (good night), Rei.” Asuka murmured and closed her eyes as well.

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Haha well that chapter turned out to be mostly an Asuka and Rei fest, but that's ok. Next chapter: Rei and Dr. Akagi have a little… disagreement when she is re-examined by the good doctor. And later, some Shinji-Rei goodness. Misato will make an appearance as well, because she's curious about that darn 5th child. And stuff. I think I'll save Gendo for another chapter though… because he has a big event coming up soon and he wants to be ready for it. Until then, zai jian!