I

  ?I need a beer.“

  ?Me, too,“ sighed Misato and opened the fridge. Pen Pen blinked tiredly as the door opened. He would have taken an angry look at his watch, if he had one (and if he could read the time) but even he knew that it was way past bedtime.

  Misato grabbed two beer cans from the fridge and put them on the table. She slumped down on the kitchen chair and tossed one can to Shinji. But before the can could reach him, a hand suddenly stopped it in the middle of the table.

  ?You shouldn’t drink at an hour like this,“ Ritsuko admonished Misato. She put the beer can aside and glared at Shinji. ?And you, young man, are still too young to drink!“

  ?Sorry,“ Shinji said abashed. Ritsuko was right. He also was too tired to argue and his brain seemed to think that in the current situation it was adequate to say something like that. He looked at Misato. She looked tired too; her eyes still red and puffy-looking. She opened her beer and murmured something in the can gulping it down.

  ?What?“ Ritsuko asked, fixating her. Misato shook her head, still drinking her beer.

  ?How is she?“ Shinji asked, worried. It’s been two hours since they found Asuka in the bathroom, sitting in her own blood. After they had cleaned her wounds and most of the mess, they’d dressed her, put her in her bed and Misato had called Ritsuko.

  ?Well, her wounds are not severe. I put on a bandage and gave her a mild sedative to help her sleep. She should stay at home for a few weeks so her physical wounds can heal completely. Her other wounds however…“ She took off her glasses and started to rub the bridge of her nose. ?I will have to order more units by your psychiatrist. I know that you two are not visiting him regularly.“

  ?Sorry…“ Shinji said sheepishly, his head cast down.

  Ritsuko sighed. ?Where did she get the razor anyway? I thought you hid every sharp object, Misato?“

  Misato finally finished her beer. ?A woman needs to shave her lady parts for all the men out there.“

  Shinji was too tired to let this comment turn his face red, so he just shook his head.

  ?You mean for one man…“ mumbled Ritsuko.

  ?What!“

  Ritsuko looked at her watch. ?Well, I have to go. It’s late and I have to fill in the medical reports.“

  ?We can’t keep this from the commander, can we?“ Misato asked.

  Her blond friend looked at her, one eyebrow raised.

  ?Yeah, yeah, I know,“ Misato said and stood up.

  As Ritsuko was about to go, she stopped, turned around and said to Shinji, ?She asked for you.“

  Shinji head bolted up. ?What? For me?“

  Ignoring his questions, Ritsuko continued, ?I don’t know what you two have done but despite the circumstances, she seemed more cheerful than usual.“ The doctor looked at both.

  ?Don’t look at me,“ Misato said, leaning against the fridge. ?Shinji here sang her a song. And as far as I can tell it was German, too.“

  Now Ritsuko’s eyebrows raised in unison.

  ?It was?“ Shinji said, blushing. ?Well, I didn’t know that. It was a song my mother used to sing for me to help me sleep I think. I forgot all about it.“

  ?Hum,“ said Ritsuko. ?That would be to no surprise. Asuka’s and your mother knew each other.“

  The eyebrow-raising in the kitchen reached a new level, as both Shinji and Misato stared at Ritsuko, mouths agape.

  ?Don’t look so surprised, Major,“ said Ritsuko. ?Haven’t you read the reports of Yui Ikari and Kyoko Soryu?“

  ?Well, yes… no? Maybe I skimmed a few parts…“

  Shinji looked from Misato to Ritsuko and back to Misato. ?Why haven’t anyone told me that?“ Shinji said upset. Misato had suddenly found an interesting spot on the ground, which demanded her full attention, so Ritsuko answered, ?I thought your guardian told you about that.“

  ?Misato!“

  ?Sorry Shinji, okay? I… I didn’t know or I forgot. Maybe I was too occupied with keeping you two alive!“ An awkward moment of silence followed Misato’s words.

  Ritsuko cleared her throat and said, ?I leave you two alone then.“

  ?Yeah… I’ll show you the door,“ said Misato. Shinji stood up and followed them to the entrance.

  ?Night,“ said Misato.

  Ritsuko opened the front door and turned around. ?Good Night.“

  Shinji bowed. ?Good Night Dr. Akagi and… thanks again.“

  Ritsuko bowed and went through the door, which closed automatically behind her.

  As the sound of the door-lock faded away, Misato turned to Shinji. ?Shinji…“ she started but the mentioned boy interrupted her, ?Misato, it’s okay. It’s late and we both are tired.“

  ?Yeah,“ she said, stretching. ?It was a long day, wasn’t it?“

  ?It was.“ They both went silent for a moment.

  ?Shinji?“

  ?Hm?“

  ?What you have done today was… very brave. I mean, don’t get me wrong. Not in the you-fight-big-ugly-creatures-from-hell-brave-way. That’s something you have to do because no one else can. Seeing you there, holding Asuka and calming her down… That was the bravest thing I have seen you doing since I know you.“

  Shinji scratched his head, blushing. ?Thanks, I guess?“

  ?This song and the way you sung it, that was really something special.“ Misato sighed overdramatically ?I wish my boyfriend would do this,“ she said, grinning mischievously.

  She loved teasing him, even after all what had happened so far. And it worked every time. Almost. Because somehow… The last two days changed things in Shinji. Little things. The Shinji from before two days, wouldn’t have said the following, ?Well, maybe I could give Kaji a few tips?“

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  Misato’s mouth dropped to the floor. ?Shinji Ikari!“ She ruffled his hair. ?Didn’t know you had it in you!“ She yawned. ?Anyway, I think I’ll take a bath and going to bed.“

  ?Me, too. Going to bed, I mean.“

  ?You do that.“ She winked at him. ?But don’t forget to look after Asuka.“ Misato hugged him tightly. ?Good Night my brave Shinji.“ Shinji was taken a little bit by surprise as his guardian hugged him so suddenly. But after a few seconds, he hugged her back. Maybe he wasn’t the only one who changed. Little things, he thought. ?Good night Misato.“

  Misato vanished into the bathroom, leaving Shinji alone in the hallway. Moments later, he could hear the sound of flowing water and music coming out of the bathroom. Clenching his fists, he started moving slowly towards Asuka’s room. His head was a whirlwind of thoughts. His and Asuka’s mother new each other? Wait. That could mean, that he and Asuka new each other too, as they were kids? He definitely had to talk to Misato about this. And he had to tell Asuka. Maybe this was something they could build upon… Whatever this something would be.

  As he stood before the closed door, studying the heart-shaped sign which threatens anyone who dared to enter her realm and thinking about what to say, he took a deep breath and switched on his countermeasures mantra. After a few calming breaths and ?mustn’t-runaways‘ he raised his shaky hand and knocked three times. A few seconds later, the sleepy voice of his roommate answered, ?Yes?“

  ?It’s me.“

  ?Hey,“ said Asuka.

  ?Hey,“ answered Shinji. His mind was racing again. What could he say to someone who had been sitting in his own blood hours before? Don’t forget she was naked, added the perv part of his brain. Yeah, thank you for that! Not helping now! Well, let’s start with small steps. ?How are you?“

  ?Well…“ Asuka said. ?Alive and kicking…“ Her voice sounded very tired. ?A bit sleepy though,“ she added. Shinji could hear her yawn.

  ?Should… Can I come in? Or… Well, you certainly want to sleep, so we can talk tomorrow…“

  She groaned. ?Would you just shut up and wait?“ Her words sounded as if she was… smiling? He could hear footsteps coming slowly to the door and then something sliding down the wall beside it. He understood and did the same, so they sat there just like they did last night. To Shinji’s surprise the door to her room suddenly slid open.

  ?There“, Asuka said. ?Although these ?walls‘ or whatever you people here call them are thin like toilet paper and you can hear every word or snore through it, now it should be better to talk.“

  ?Our walls are strong like bamboo,“ Shinji said and to proof it, he knocked against the wall behind his back.

  ?Yes, of course, of course!“ she countered, making her voice sound like that from an old Chinese monk. ?Strong like bamboo, hai hai!“

  Both snickered.

  ?So,“ Shinji said after a while, ?Dr. Akagi said, you will be alright. She gave you a sedative or something and, I mean, your… cu—“

  ?Shinji?“ Asuka interrupted him.

  ?Hm?“

  ?Can we talk about something else? I’m kind of exhausted and don’t want to remember this… stuff right now.“

  ?Yeah, sure.“ Both children fell silent. Shinji tried to come up again with a few topics to talk about, but everything he could think of was the image of a bloody – and naked, thank you perv mind – Asuka standing there, looking at him. That was no topic to talk about, was it? ?So…“ he started, but Asuka interrupted him, ?We will talk about it, okay?“ She paused, and her head unexpectedly peeked out from her room. ?Especially about the part where you saw me naked,“ she continued, grinning. Suddenly Shinji had the feeling he had been somehow teleported into space because there was no more air to breath and his head turned into a sun. Can she read my thoughts? he thought. He looked hat her and stuttered, ?I—don’t remember…?“ His last words came out as a squeak.

  Asuka laughed. ?Ah my sweet baka Shinji! Too easy to tease!“ Then she yawned again. ?God this stuff Ritsuko gave me can knock out an angel…“ Her head vanished back into her room. After a while, Asuka said, ?Shinji?“

  He found his breath again. ?Hm?“

  ?I’m really tired… Think I will go to bed now,“ she said, yawning again. Shinji couldn’t help but had to yawn too. He had never understood why seeing or hearing other people yawn would make himself do it, too. ?Yeah, me too,“ he said and stood up. He could hear Asuka doing the same and moments later, there was a loud bang against the wall. ?Asuka?“ Without thinking – somehow this not thinking will kill him someday, he thought – he rushed inside her room, seeing her leaning half way up against the wall. ?These drugs…“ she said. ?Can’t walk straight…“

  He froze were he stood, just looking at her. She wore her pink pyjama trousers, a grey t-shirt with some random funny face-thingy on it and something written in German underneath the face-thingy. At least he thought it was German, because he couldn’t understand it. Her hair was tied to a ponytail and her always present synchro-clips were nowhere to be seen. The orange light from a small bedside lamp mingled with the white moonlight glow from outside the window and bathed her room in a warm light. Gone was the fragile image of her from yesterday night, as he stormed in her room. Gone was the broken and shattered person he had hold so tightly just hours before. She looked at him, very tired but smiling. She seemed somehow… relieved. As if a heavy burden were taken away form her. And she was so beautiful. He had to mentally kick himself, just to stop staring at her. ?Hey,“ he said dumbfounded and lost for words; his mind still soaking in her image.

  ?Baka,“ she said. ?Well? Will you help me or are you just standing there all night and drooling all over the floor like an idiot?“

  Shinji snapped out of his trance. ?Of course, sorry“ Hesitantly and slowly he helped Asuka to her bed.

  ?Don’t get any wrong ideas here, third child. I’m still not tired enough to kick your ass,“ she said, as she slowly crawled under her blanket.

  Shinji scratched the back of his head. ?Yeah…“

  ?You do this every time,“ she said.

  ?Huh?“

  ?This.“ Asuka raised her hand and scratched the back of her head. ?Scratching your head if you nervous.“

  ?Heh, yeah…“ He blushed faintly. ?It kind of happens all the time…“

  ?And this,“ she said. Her smile faded as she flexed her hand to a fist and back open again. ?When you angry or sad…“

  Shinji looked down to his hand. ?That, too. Wait…“ His head bolted up. ?You noticed?“

  ?Of course, I noticed! I’m not blind or a baka like you,“ the redhead said, smiling.

  Shinji smiled in return and blushed even more. ?I… Thanks, I think?“

  Asuka rolled her eyes. ?Could you sit down or something, you making me nervous,“ she said and scratched the back of her head, grinning. ?You see?“

  ?Ha, ha, very funny,“ Shinji said, grinning too as he sat down on the ground, cross legged. Shinji could feel the awkward silence monster lurking in the shadows; creeping up to them again. But before he could come up with some random topic to scare it away, Asuka spoke up, ?Your song… it was a German song, right? How do you know German?“

  ?Ah, right, the song! I forgot all about it,“ Shinji answered. He continued, more excited, ?I didn’t know that it was in German, not until Misato told me before. My mother always used to sing this song to me. And – now it gets really crazy – Ritsuko casually told me, that your and my mother knew each other as we were little! Did you know that?“

  For a few seconds Asuka just stared at him and kept silent; her tired eyes getting bigger and bigger, before she slowly turned her head away.

  ?Asuka?“

  ?Our mothers…?“ It was nearly a whisper.

  ?Crazy, hu?“ Shinji said. ?Do you… do you think we met as we were little?“

  ?And Ritsuko knew that?“ Asuka seemed not to be tired anymore. ?And Misato? Did she know, too?“

  Shinji’s hand automatically found that sweet spot on his head to scratch. ?Well, she kind of read the reports, she said but skimmed a few parts?“

  ?What?!“ Asuka seemed to be fully awake now. She bolted up but way too fast in her condition. She grabbed her head and winced in pain ?Ouch, my fucking head!“

  ?Take it slowly,“ Shinji said. He stood up and pressed her head gently back to the pillow. ?Misato told me she forgot all about it because she was trying to keep us two alive the whole time.“ As the part of his brain which was responsible for his survival kicked in, he pulled his hand back quickly. ?Y-you have to rest.“ He sat down, studying the very interesting carpet in Asuka’s room. Asuka seemed as surprised of his move as he was, because in the following few minutes nobody said a word. He thought she had fallen asleep. He looked back up at her. She had closed her eyes, a faint smile was on her lips. He wasn’t sure if he could take anymore of her beautiful smiles or her image without getting mad. Was this a good sign? Was she going to kill him? But he had to smile back. Her smiles were addictive. It’s like yawning, he thought. This made him laugh. Maybe he was really getting mad.

  ?What’s so funny…?“ she mumbled sleepy.

  ?Nothing, it’s just… Ah nothing. Sorry, didn’t want to wake you.“

  ?You are… a crazy baka. But… you are my baka. Thank you my baka, for all you have done for me…“

  Ah, now the drugs kick in, he thought.

  Her eyes still closed, she continued, ?Without my baka… I would have been lost…“

  Yep, all the way gone to happy unicorn land.

  Slowly, she reached out her arm in his direction. ?Stay…? Sing for me…?“

  Hm, I think I’m in happy unicorn land, too. He took her warm hand, entwining his fingers with hers. ?Okay.“