Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ More Than Meet The Eye ❯ Closer Ties ( Chapter 2 )

Disclaimer: Evangelion is not owned by me, nor do I see myself owning it in the future. Some place called Gainax and some fellow named Anno are who you should talk to about ownership.

More Than Meet The Eye

By WAFFaddict

Chapter 2

Closer Ties

Shinji flinched as the door flung open, but at least this time he had been expecting it. The last time Hikari and Asuka went on a double date, no one knew what to expect from its results. At least Hikari, the class representative, would be present to hopefully defuse any situations. If there was one thing that Hikari could do, it would be to keep Asuka from exploding into fit of rage. Unfortunately for Shinji, that fit of rage seemed to lay in wait for Asuka to arrive back home. Both Shinji and his guardian, Misato Katsuragi had been witnesses of the explicative laden aftermath. Never again would they be victimized because of another of Asuka's botched blind dates. The next time, the Katsuragi household would be more than ready to deal with this situation.

*3 months ago*

'Misato and I were sitting on the couch watching this Pre-Second Impact reality show, Survivor.'

"Shinji, what are we watching?"

"Why are you asking me? You're the one that picked this show."

"I thought you decided to watch it, because you had the remote."

"Come on, Misato. Why would I want to watch people eat bugs, plus I gave you the remote earlier?"

"I don't think you did."

"Well, who did I give it to Pen-pen?"

"Wark!"

"I guess that your answer, Shinji."

'Survivor had been dragging on for almost an hour as I struggled to stay awake when suddenly; the door almost flew off the hinges, literally. I nearly fell off the couch, but at least the heart attack I was having, stopped me from soiling myself. There I would have lain on the ground, dead and soiled, yet still it wouldn't have been the most embarrassing moment of my life. Misato screamed, directly in my ear, and the next thing I knew, she jumped into my lap. Now this is the same woman who faces Angels, the supposed destroyers of mankind. Now she's screaming in my ear and sitting in my lap squirming around. For the life of me, I don't know how she managed to retrieved her gun, from god knows where, and aimed directly at the door as Asuka stormed inside.'

"God dammit, Asuka. What the hell is wrong with you?"

'For the first time in my life, Misato looked frightened. Her voice wasn't as sure sounding as usual.'

"Kümmer Dich um Dein eigenen Kram!" {Mind your own business, tramp}

'Again Asuka starts speaking in German, like it's the local language. She just stands there with her hand on her hip, pointing at Misato. From the snarling smirk on her face, whatever Asuka said wasn't too nice'

"A-A-Asuka"

'I just had to go and talk; now she's focusing on me. Too make matters even worse; I'm sitting here with my guardian nestled in my lap on the couch. I don't know why but I can just feel the insults building up inside her.'

"Naa toll, nun will der Idiot auch noch helfen!" {Just great, the idiot also wants to help}

'Was that all that she said to me, no slap or long winded speeches? I heard her say idiot, but usually there's a lot more following it. Now I begin to notice certain things about Asuka seemed off.'

"Now Asuka, don't take out your anger on Shinji. It's not like it's his fault or anything."

'Misato begins her defense of me, but I can see that Asuka doesn't have the force that she usually has in her arguments. She looks worn out, but she would never allow anyone to help her. Her eyes just scream towards me, yet she won't let me get close to her.'

"Why do I have to live here? I could have lived with Kaji, but nooooooooo, I have to live with a sloppy drunkard and her housebroken pervert"

'I couldn't understand what she said, but I heard Kaji's name. I think it was English, which I'm having a little trouble grasping. Apparently Misato understood, as she sat there with her mouth hanging open. Then came that look, Misato was getting pissed. Asuka had actually offended Misato, yet another first."

"Misato what did she say"

'The look just eased from her face and the old Misato was back. I can see in Misato's eyes that she worried. That's the same way she looked at me after I battled the 4th Angel.'

"It doesn't matter, Shinji, she's just upset…..It'll wear off, I hope"

'No one wants to open up to me. I guess we're all alike, hiding behind our masks.'

"I'm going back to my room and I'll probably take a nap. Just wake me up when dinner's ready, alright Shinji."

"Sure……………sleep well, Misato."

'And with that, Misato hopped of my lap as if it was just another daily occurrence. She walked into the kitchen and grabbed a six pack of beer. I was expecting some teasing or something, anything. I knew something was wrong. I sat there for what must have been close to an hour, thinking about what had just happened. If only I could have understood what was said, I could have done something. Who am I kidding, I wouldn't have done anything. Like Asuka always said, I'm just the perverted wimp. I needed something to do without disturbing either of Misato or Asuka. I decided to just watch some more television, but apparently Pen-pen still had control of the remote. I managed to bribe the remote from Pen-pen and there I sat for the next three hours hoping that by dinner everything would be ok. At least there were a few interesting shows on to keep me entertained. Once dinnertime rolled, the tension in the house was so thick, you could feel it. I was expecting something to happen, but to my surprise, Asuka returned to her room immediately after she finished eating. She hadn't spoken a single word since her outburst that afternoon. That left only Misato and I for dinnertime conversation, I guess we both needed it. Our conversation bounced from school, to beer, to Nerv, but then Asuka's arrival came up. I jokingly said that maybe Misato should have taken a shot and saved us a lot of trouble. All Misato did was give me one of those Misato winks to accompany the smile on her face.'

"If it happens again, maybe I will."

'I hoped that she was kidding. I'm sure she's kidding, but that smile on her face tells me she might not. Now the conversation shifted to preparation for any future outburst of this sort from Asuka. One thing, Misato always seemed to stress was to be prepared. Now this is the same woman, who just throws together strategies for defeating the Angels, became my guardian on a whim, and never seems to have any clean clothes when she needs them.'

"So, next time she does this, you're actually going to shoot her."

"Maybe, but it'll just be a flesh wound, nothing serious."

"Escape Technique #0: The Last Resort."

'That just sounded so corny, that I knew Misato would just laugh at it. That's what I get for using ideas from television shows.'

"Sound fine to me."

'This started what soon became an all out strategic meeting for handling Asuka. Misato wrote down all of our ideas during our hour long meeting. If only life could always be like this. We shared a toast to our new diabolical plans; of course I had a soda while Misato had her usual Yesibu and with that it was off to bed, like any normal night.'

"Good night, Asuka"

'All I could make out was some sort of grumble from which I assumed was Asuka's reply. At least she was speaking again'

"Good night, Shinji"

"Good night, Misato"

'Misato and Asuka eventually put that night behind them, but that doesn't stop them from teasing me about it. Misato seems as if she lives just to tease me and now Asuka gotten in on the act as well. Misato constantly told me that she enjoyed her time in my lap and that she is looking forward to us spending more quality time like that. Then Asuka comes screaming that I'm such a pervert for trying to seduce a drunk women almost twice my age and that I better not try that with her'

*Present time*

This time, Shinji could partially understand Asuka, because she wasn't only swearing in languages that he didn't understand. According to his knowledge, she was the only person, he knew that could curse in at least 3 different language, yet still had trouble reading kanji.

"Why the nerve of that…"

'I can't tell if she's really mad. Usually when she's really mad she slips back into German.'

"Alle Jungs sind echt pervers!" {All boys are truly perverted}

'I guess she is really mad, she's switching languages.'

"They all just want one thing."

Asuka stormed through the door and into the living room. Shinji was sure that she had seen him and took his defensive stance which consisted of him putting his arms above his and curling into a ball. All Shinji received was a purse slamming into his head. Apparently, Asuka in her fit of rage tossed her purse on the couch, where Shinji had been sitting. Shinji noticed that Asuka was not alone. She had left who ever was following her outside the door. Shinji wondered if it was the guy she had been on a date with or if it was Hikari. Usually no matter how mad Asuka was, Hikari was always right there beside her, trying to calm her down.

'How can Asuka call me a pervert, when she's bringing guys home…but then again this is Asuka. It's not like she needs a reason to do anything.'

Shinji at least got the answer to his first question as Hikari slowly walked into the apartment and closed the door that Asuka left wide open. Asuka slightly muttered something before she stormed off into her room and slammed her door shut. She hadn't noticed the fact that she had left Hikari standing in the darkened living room. Hikari said nothing and only stood there in the dark.

'I guess Asuka is just changing or something, she's probably getting stuff so she can stay at Hikari's tonight.'

With a sigh of relief, Shinji realized that he had just avoided what could have been the worst night of his life. An angry Asuka was bad, but truly pissed off and ranting Asuka could prove fatal. Adding the facts that Misato was not present and the time that Section 2 would need to arrive, Shinji's life would have been in jeopardy.

'What kind of person, leaves her best friend just standing in the dark. She didn't even invite her in.'

Suddenly from the shadows a voice spoke

"Hello, class rep"

Hikari jumped and her eyes widen as she immediately glanced at the direction of the voice.

'Oh...my god….oh my god…oh my god… Someone is over there….'

Hikari was on the verge running out the house screaming, as Shinji eased over to turn on the living room lights as he spoke. The lights suddenly blinked on revealing a truly frighten class rep glancing back at the unknown person as she was just inches from the door.

"It's me, Shinji. I'm sorry if I frightened you, but I wasn't sure if I should turn the lights on and speak or if I should speak and then turn the lights on."

'I almost frightened the class rep, half to death.'

"Oh, Ikari, its you…..thank goodness"

Hikari placed her hand against her chest and felt her heart racing. She had never been so frightened in her life and she would need a moment in order to calm herself down.

'I was frightened by Ikari?'

"Are you alright, class rep…… It was my fault….. I'm sorry"

Shinji held his head down in shame and began to stare inherently at the floor, only taking short glances at the shaken class rep.

'Just great I go and scared the poor girl so much she starts shaking. I'm such an idiot….'

Hikari slowly nodded and even though she was still a tad shaken, she managed to reply to Shinji.

'He was sitting in the dark, maybe Asuka was right about him being perverted. I better watch myself.'

"Its all right...you just caught me by surprise. Asuka didn't mention that you were home."

Hikari couldn't bring herself to look at Shinji directly. She would look at her shoes, then the wall, Shinji for a second and then back at her shoes.

'She probably thinks I'm going to do something perverted to her while Asuka's in her room.'

Shinji began to notice that while Hikari had seemed to settle down a little, she still had a slight frown on her face and her hands were balled up into fists.

'I knew it, she does think I'm a pervert….I should have guessed she would believe Asuka, after all she is her best friend.'

The mood in the living room had grown slightly uncomfortable. The silence between Hikari and Shinji only increase the discomfort.

"I don't think she would care either way, unless she wanted to badmouth me or blame for something and call me a pervert."

Hikari just giggled as her slightly uncomfortable frown transformed into a delighted grin.

'Why did I laugh, Shinji was serious and I just laughed'

"I'm sorry, Ikari, I didn't mean to laugh like that"

"It's ok; I'm used to it anyway"

'My whole life is nothing but a joke, why should I care if someone laughs at me'

'I didn't expect this from him; he's not exactly how I pictured him at home.'

"Why don't you make yourself comfortable and have a seat, class rep. Would you like something to drink?"

"No, I'm fine. Thank you, Ikari."

"You can call me, Shinji."

"Well then, Shinji, you can call me Hikari."

"Ok…Hikari…. are you sure don't want anything."

"No, I'm fine"

"You sure, I can whip up something in the kitchen. Think of it as an apology for earlier."

"I'm fine, but thank you anyway. Besides Shinji there's no reason to apologize."

"Ok…so uh…um…what did you and Asuka do tonight?"

"Well, we went on sort of a double blind date."

"A double blind date?"

"Yeah, my older sister Kodama set us up with two guys she used to tutor"

"Oh, did you have fun...I mean...uh…"

"It's ok. Yeah, it was fun, but I don't think Asuka enjoyed it."

"What gave that away, Hikari?"

"Well, the fact that she punched the guy in the stomach half way through the date."

'That was supposed to have been a joke'

'Was Shinji trying to make a joke?'

"She punched the guy?"

"Yeah, right before she kicked him and called him a pervert"

"Yep, that sounds like Asuka. I'm sorry if she ruined your date for you."

"It's alright, I didn't treat it as a date type of date, but more like a group of friends having fun together."

"I guess I owe you, double now"

"Huh….what do you mean you owe. I thought I told you it was ok."

"Sure it ok with you, but it is just something I have to do. First I scared you, and Asuka messes up your evening and even leaves you standing in the dark."

"No….its ok."

"No, it's not ok. I don't know how, but I'm going to make it up to you…hmmmm."

"That's not necessary, Shinji."

"I got it. How about I keep Kensuke and Touji in line for the next couple weeks?"

"I guess that would be helpful. Thank you Shinji."

"Don't worry about it, it would be my pleasure."

"Since you're not hunger how about a beer?"

"I don't drink alcohol……and ….um I don't believe that you should either."

"Don't worry, Hikari, I don't drink…..um…I was just trying to lighten up the mood"

"Oh."

'I'll just try to keep the conversation with Hikari going, at least until Asuka comes out.'

"So, Hikari, why did you want to become class representative? It seems like a difficult job."

As the conversation wore on Shinji began to wonder exactly what was Asuka doing as he glanced down the hall towards her room.

'I can't hear any sounds coming from Asuka's room. What if she went to sleep and forgot all about Hikari?

Hikari began to wonder herself what was taking Asuka so long.

'She said she was going to change clothes and be right out. Now I'm sitting her talking to Shinji, I'd never have expected this.'

Hikari glanced up at Shinji and she was caught off guard as she for once was able to see his eyes.

'Blue, his eyes are blue… I never noticed that before. On top of that, I never noticed that Shinji could be so pleasant. He's nothing like Asuka used to describe him. I thought that maybe he would have tried something perverted, but he is going out of his way to keep me entertained. Not once in our conversation has he started talking about himself, plus he could have just left me sitting in here by myself.'

Shinji felt as if Hikari was looking at him, so he quickly glanced by at her allowing their eyes to finally meet.

'She's so nice, totally different than how she acts at school. I guessed that since she and Asuka were best friends, then she would have a personality more like Asuka's. Her eyes are just so soft, how can such a nice girl live in such a dangerous place like Tokyo-3 and hang around Asuka.'

Shinji's mind began to wonder between the difference in the girl sitting before him and Asuka. Hikari wasn't by any means unattractive; as far as Shinji was concerned she rivaled Asuka in natural beauty, but it was her personality that spoke the loudest to him. Asuka with her flowing fiery locks and intriguing, yet dangerous blue eyes, dazzled boys left and right until she rejected them for as she put it "being boring little boys, perverts or not worthy of Asuka Sohryu Langely." Yes she did say her entire name, as if to glorify herself as an unreachable peak. Not only was that, she was quick tempered, moody, and narcissistic. Hikari, on the other hand, kept her hair in two neat ponytails and had peaceful brown eyes that spoke of innocence and calm, which were subtlety compliment by her freckles. Unlike Asuka, she was soft spoken unless you riled her up, patient, kind, and caring. She was definite wife material, the type of girl a guy could introduce to his family. Any guy that captured her heart would be pretty lucky, but woe to the guy that would marry Asuka, for only nightmare and pain awaited him.

'Not that I had a chance with either one'

As Shinji's eyes began to regain their focus, he realized that Hikari was blushing and turned her face away from him. Shinji's own cheeks began to burn as he suddenly came to the conclusion that he had been staring at the class rep while he was deep in thought.

"Maybe I am an idiot after all"

Shinji quickly stood up and began walking to the hallway

"Maybe Asuka is right about me."

"I don't think you're idiot at all, Shinji."

The soft spoken class rep stood up and walked up to where Shinji had stopped dead in his tracks.

"I don't think you're near as bad as Asuka says you are and I don't think she does either. Why do you put up with her and all the bad things she says to you?"

Shinji was taken back by Hikari's words. He was confused to say the least.

'Is Hikari coming on to me? Did she mean what she said? Should I open myself up? Will it only lead to more pain?'

So many questions began to pop into Shinji's head, but the loudest of them all were not questions but statements.

'Of course she's not coming on to you. No girl in her right mind would be interested in a loser like you. The only reason people put up with you is because you're an Eva pilot, otherwise you could be dead for all they care. No one cares about Shinji and no one has and no one ever will.'

It was the same voice that he always heard. It was always there.

"Shinji"

Shinji was knocked out of his daze as he noticed Hikari waving a hand in front of his face.

"Oh, sorry"

"Its fine, I just was worried. You just zoned out for a minute there."

"I…I was just thinking about something, I'm sorry for any inconvenience."

Shinji was struggling to even look at Hikari. He didn't want to do anything else wrong.

'What will Asuka do when Hikari tells her what went on tonight?'

"Can I give you some advice, Shinji?"

"Um…sure"

"I think you should stick up for yourself. Don't believe what Asuka says because you're a really nice guy and if she can't see that then too bad. If I were her, then I would...I would..."

Hikari flush signaled to Shinji that the time he had to reply was limited. The turmoil in his thoughts would have to wait

"Hikari…thanks……That means a lot to me. Asuka's really lucky to have a friend like you."

Now, it was Shinji's turn to flush as he glanced back down the hall way.

'Asuka's going to kill me'

He turned back around just in time to miss seeing Asuka stomping out of her room. She had just finished packing the necessary clothes and accessories that she needed for her stay with Hikari.

'Damn, it took a little longer than I expected. I know that Hikari's probably going to be angry with me, but it's her fault anyway. If she hadn't tricked me into saying that I wouldn't be so damn confused. '

She headed straight to Shinji's room and found his door was open.

"It's his entire fault. I going to pound that idiot, wait till I get my hands on him"

As she peeked inside and glanced at his bed, she realized that he was not in there. His SDAT player was still on his bed. Asuka knew that Shinji rarely went anywhere with his SDAT.

'Where is that idiot…wait…..where's Hikari….'

"That idiot better not do anything perverted to her or he'll be in so much pain that his father will feel it."

*Deep within Terminal Dogma*

Gendou Ikari was glancing over the latest synch ratios he had just received from Dr. Akagi, when it happened. He sneezed.

*Back at the apartment*

Asuka was busy stalking her prey, one Shinji Ikari. Her searches of Misato's room, Shinji's room, and the bathroom had turned up empty. That left the kitchen and the living room.

'Nothing is going to stop me from learning what I need to know. He has a lot of stuff to explain and only a little time.'

Asuka crept into the kitchen in order to surprised Shinji and only found Pen-pen in the fridge grabbing a beer before heading back to his fridge. That left the living room. She whipped her head around toward the kitchen door and was surprise to see Shinji standing in the living room with Hikari.

'Is that idiot smiling at her, I'll teach him to get perverted with my friends?'

Asuka had found her target and locked on to him as she made a beeline directly towards him. She was going in for the kill.

A/N:

I decided to go back and revise this chapter again. There just a few minor changes to fill up some holes and help with the flow. Since no one reads these anyway, oh well. Since I have no control of where the story will lead, I guess I'll just sit back see where we end up.

Translation from Azzitay…Thanks…. If there are wrong, blame Azzitay…..j/k….

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