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Only in Your Eyes Am I Worthy	By : Lucythebeast Category: +M to R > Neon Genesis Evangelion Views: 28767 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 22
- 23
- 24
Evangelion: Only In Your Eyes Am I Worthy

Author�s Note: I
would like to remind everyone (since it has come up several times in reviews)
that blue cells are energy carrying cells containing energy released from a
Super Solenoid organ. The energy pattern is blue, as it is with all angels. I
figure the blue cells are actually red blood cells (corpuscles) or something
very similar but rather than carrying oxygen or carbon-dioxide, they carry the
energy produced by the S2 organ. When the blue blood cells are first introduced
to the body, normal energy and neurotransmitter levels are interfered with,
causing all manner of strange and ill-effects, but it doesn�t take overly long
for the body to adjust and regain homeostasis, so it�s not a permanent effect.

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 23: Venom
of Violence

Dr. Akagi entered the infirmary and gave the first child a
polite smile. �Good morning, Rei. Were you waiting
long?�

�No, Akagi-dono.� Rei responded
softly.

Ritsuko nodded, figuring the girl would likely say
that even if she had been waiting an hour or two. �Are you ready for your
follow-up exam?�

�Hai.� The blue-haired girl responded.

The doctor took a
blood sample, intentionally causing more than the necessary amount of pain. She
looked at a drop of it under a microscope while placing the rest into a machine
for various chemical analyses. �The concentration of your blue blood cells has
increased. Likely due to your little outburst the other day.�

Rei remained silent.

Ritsuko scowled. She hated talking to the first child. It was the one duty she would
trade even for toilet cleaning. �Have you been experiencing any of the
perception difficulties that Ikari-kun reported in his
last exam?�

�No, my body has
long since adjusted to my Super Solenoid organ.� The red-eyed girl responded.
To the doctor�s ears, it sounded arrogant, but it was actually her normal
neutral tone.

�You and Shinji
have been rather close as of late, have you not?� Dr. Akagi
inquired, deviously looking for a way to hurt the girl.

�Hai.� Rei responded honestly, seeing no reason
to hide her relationship from the older woman.

The doctor smirked, using the clipboard she was writing notes on to
hide the expression from the girl. �You should watch out for those Ikari men. I know you think you have them both wrapped
around your little finger, but Shinji is cheating on you.�

Dr. Akagi gave the first child a (fake) sympathetic look when
she gained the girl�s attention and shook her head. �Poor
dear. He had sex with Ibuki-taii. Just the other day, in fact.�

Instead of looking
hurt or angry, the girl simply nodded. �I know.�

Ritsuko was shocked. �He told you?!�

�No, I did not ask
him to. I sensed his energy inside her.� Rei
responded.

�Don�t you care?!�
The doctor exclaimed, frustrated that her ploy to hurt Commander Ikari�s favorite didn�t work.

The blue-haired
girl looked at the doctor, expressionless. �No. He may share his body with
whomever he wishes. I am only interested in his heart.�

�The Ikari men are incapable
of love.� Ritsuko stated darkly, glaring down at the
girl as she set her clipboard to the side.

�On the contrary,�
The first child stated, a touch of a smile pulling up the corner of her mouth
as she mocked the good doctor, �They love quite deeply and passionately. It is
simply that his love was already
given to another, and not to you.� She knew that Ritsuko
had been sleeping with the commander, just as six years before, her former self
had known that he was sleeping with Naoko Akagi.

Dr.
Akagi�s eyes widened in outrage. With an animalistic snarl, she grabbed her stethoscope
and snapped it around the neck of the blue-haired girl and started strangling
her. She found a perverse pleasure in watching the panic in the girl�s eyes as
her porcelain features started turning red and purple. �You fucking doll! How
dare you?!� She cried as she started pulling harder as the girl�s struggles
became more frantic.

Rei couldn�t even think, reliving the first
time she died in the same manner as the doctor did her best to return her to
death�s embrace.

Ritsuko blinked when she saw the girl�s eyes start
rolling backwards and let the girl go, feeling nauseated as the rage and
adrenaline receded. �Oh god� I�m just like my mother.� The blonde doctor
gasped, curling up on the floor against one of the medical beds and started shivering.

The first child
gasped and choked for air, but remained lying on the bed where the doctor had
strangled her. Her fingers tenderly touched the nasty bruise forming where the rubber
tube of the stethoscope had wrapped around her neck and winced in pain.

�I�m� I�m sorry, Rei. I didn�t mean it. I�m so sorry.� Ritsuko
pleaded, still sobbing while sitting on the floor with her fingers clutching
her hair in a death-grip.

Rei sat up slowly and stared at the doctor
silently, before replying enigmatically, �Ayanami-san.�
A touch of anger was in her voice.

Dr. Akagi blinked and looked up at the girl, confused. �What?�

�I am not a doll. I
am not a thing. I am Ayanami Rei.
You will call me Ayanami-san from now on.� The first
child stated dispassionately. She really
hated to be called a doll, and she didn�t like it how the doctor refused to use
honorifics with her name, as if she were nothing.

�What does it
matter? Ikari will never forgive me for what I did to
you. I�ll spend the rest of my, probably short life in a cell.� Ritsuko grumbled. Part of her wanted to finish the job, at
least then she�d have that small comfort as she rotted in jail.

�Your life is
forfeit. It is now mine. I will not report you.� Rei
stated coldly.

Dr. Akagi stared at the girl, dumbfounded why she wouldn�t
report her for nearly murdering the girl. �You� aren�t going to report me to
Commander Ikari, Rei?�

�Ayanami-san.� The first child corrected her immediately.
She even sounded annoyed.

Ritsuko looked away, anger on her face once more.
She wondered which was worse, showing the girl that much respect, or going to a
jail cell and likely being executed. She huffed indignantly and rested her
forehead in the heel of her hand and grumbled out, �Hai,
Ayanami-san. Gomen nasai.� She swallowed her pride,
and it was bitter.

�Is my examination
complete?� Rei inquired, as if nothing had happened.

Ritsuko shook her head. �Let me examine your neck.
Next time I examine you, I�ll do a pelvic exam so we can see what�s going on
with your S2 organ.� She silently, and gently, tilted the girl�s head different
directions and looked at the bruise and checked the vascular status of the
surrounding tissue. �Any difficulty breathing?�

�It hurts.� Rei responded honestly.

Ritsuko closed her eyes and sighed. �Am I just like my mother, or is this the
effect that Ikari has on women? Have I become a
murderer of children? Damn you, Gendo. Why couldn�t
you have loved me?� Aloud, she
stated �Your airway isn�t compromised and your vascular function is intact, so
the pain should recede in a few hours, due to your enhanced healing.�

�Understood.� The first child responded evenly.

�That�s it for
today. You are dismissed, Re� uh� Ayanami-san.� Dr. Akagi quickly turned
around so the girl didn�t see the evil expression on her face as she bit down
her anger.

�Hai.
Sayonara, Ritsuko.� Rei left without another word.

Ritsuko clenched her teeth and her fists at that
last dig. �That bitch!�

*************************

Misato walked out
of her room and grabbed a beer and started toasting some bread.

�Good morning,
Misato-san.� Shinji called out a greeting, smiling politely.

�Morning.� She replied in a grumpy tone. She sat down
and sipped her beer and chewed on her toast, ignoring the third child.

The blue-eyed boy felt
nervous because of how she was acting, but figured it was because she had a
hangover so he didn�t bother her.

Major Katsuragi felt grumpy because she had a sore muscle in her
back. Though she wouldn�t admit it out loud, especially now that she didn�t
have the luxury of blaming the whiskey, she had really wanted the boy to come into her room and give her a massage�
and she wouldn�t have minded if things got a little kinky. She smiled inwardly
and wondered if she was turning into a dirty old woman, but immediately she
corrected herself by protesting that she was still young and nubile. �After all, old woman aren�t this perky.� She wiggled her chest and did
her best to look innocent as Shinji�s eyes bugged out.

�I�m working late
tonight. You might want to have dinner with your girlfriends, or order out.�
Misato suggested, unable to refrain from teasing the boy a little even if she
was grumpy that he didn�t come into her room to give her a massage and� a massage. She stood up, brushed the
crumbs off her uniform, and waved politely as she left.

�Oh uh� ok. Bye
Misato-san.� Shinji called out quickly. As the door was closing, the major
heard him say, �Wait, girlfriends!?� She could hear him sputtering but she just
smiled and continued walking.

After getting to
work, she greeted Hyuga as she got a cup of coffee. �So,
what have you learned about the new pilot?�

Makoto adjusted his
glasses as he finished typing in the commands to run the morning diagnostics. �To be honest, not much. All his records were wiped.�

Misato raised an
eyebrow as she sat down and frowned in thought. �Just like Ayanami�s�
what could SEELE be hiding?�

�The only
information available, other than his name, is his birth date.� The lieutenant
informed her, handing over a printout with that information.

The major�s blood
froze as she looked at the date, the scar on her chest throbbed with phantom
pains as she remembered that horrible day. �The day of Second
Impact. Something just doesn�t feel right about this.�

�There is a little
more�� Lt. Hyuga added, indicating the major should
flip the page. �That�s the information on his pilot training at SEELE� until yesterday, he�s never tested at less than an 85 percent sync
rating. Even with cores that weren�t aligned for him.�

Misato felt her
suspicions arise. �That�s impossible! Not even Asuka
and Shinji tested that high until recently��

The lieutenant
shrugged, also confused. �It�s possible that they doctored the results to get
him into NERV headquarters.� He suggested.

�A
SEELE spy?� The major
guessed, looking over the reports. Judging by the information they had, even
with Unit 02 being aligned for Asuka, he still should
have had a high enough sync rate to at least move the Eva. So something was
very off.

Makoto glanced
around to make sure no one else was within hearing range. �That�s my guess. You
should report this to Commander Ikari.�

Misato shuddered
slightly when he said that, remembering what happened the last time a spy had
come up between her and the commander. �Will
I now be stained with the blood of a child?� What bothered her even more
than being ordered to execute her own lover for being a spy was the fact that
she knew the commander had known about the man�s double-agent status long
before he had ordered the man�s execution. Kaji had stated as much when he showed her Adam in Terminal
Dogma. So either he had discovered something he wasn�t supposed to, or the
commander was testing her loyalty. Either way, she didn�t like it. �I�ll take
care of it.� The major informed him, glancing up at the observation deck even
though she knew he was likely in his office.

She sighed, steeled
her nerves, and made her way up to the Supreme Commander�s office and knocked
on the door. A few moments later, the commander�s voice came over an intercom,
telling her to enter. She walked forward and stood at attention. �Sir.� The major waited patiently for the man to tell her to
proceed.

Gendo stared down at some reports, intentionally
making the woman wait longer. Finally he signed one of them and closed the
manila envelope and looked up at the purple-haired beauty. �Proceed, major.�

Misato laid the
reports that Makoto had given her on the commander�s desk. �Sir, I have reason
to believe that the fifth child is actually a SEELE spy, and not even a valid
pilot.�

The commander
looked at the reports, his face betraying nothing. �This is his sync test
results from yesterday?� He inquired, frowning at the results.

�Yes sir. Given his
supposed past performance, he should have had a much higher sync ratio, even
with the core still being aligned for Pilot Soryu.�
Misato explained, though the results spoke for themselves.

The commander
flipped through the papers, though he was already familiar with most of the
material. �And it is your belief that the fifth child�s results have been
doctored to gain him access to this facility?�

�Yes sir.� Misato
agreed.

�To what end?� Gendo inquired. �SEELE would have known we would have
tested with Unit 02 him soon after his arrival. If he was sent here as a spy
and he could not produce these results, they would have known he�d be exposed
immediately.�

The major
considered that thoughtfully. �I�m not sure, sir. The only other explanation is
that Unit 02 purposely rejected Nagisa, in the same
manner that it rejected Pilot Ikari. Which is also a possibility. But even so, it still stands to
reason that he is a spy.�

The commander
folded his hands in front of his face and fell silent. After some
consideration, he ordered, �Given his inability to sync with Unit 02, and the
status of Unit 01, we have no reason to assign him any clearance higher than
reserve pilot status. His access to NERV will be limited and monitored. He is
to receive clearance ahead of time before visiting NERV headquarters, and his
movements here will be closely monitored. Should he prove a problem, I expect
you to handle the matter personally.�

Misato was afraid
he�d say that. �Yes sir.�

�While I am on that subject, your method to
handle the Ryoji situation was satisfactory.� Gendo informed her in a knowing tone.

The major blinked
in surprise. �S-sir?�

�Quite
ingenius, really. Medically induced
amnesia. Akagi-dono is very good at her work.�
The commander stated cryptically.

Misato paled,
wondering if the man was really impressed with her careful interpretation of
his orders, or if he was only pretending to be while preparing her for a
similar fate. �Yes sir, she is.�

Commander Ikari stared at her silently for several minutes, ignoring
how nervous and uncomfortable she looked, or possibly enjoying her discomfort. �Before
I dismiss you� how has Shinji been?�

The purple-haired
beauty blinked in surprise. She could count on one hand the number of times he
inquired about his son since he moved in with her. Actually, she would still have
a few fingers remaining. �He is well. To be honest, I think he�s coming out of
his shell.�

Gendo�s expression didn�t change. �Explain.�

She sighed. This
was the bad part about taking over guardianship of someone�s child� especially
when the parent was someone like Gendo Ikari. �His relationships with his fellow
pilots has improved greatly in the past few weeks. It appears they may
even be friends.�

�Only
friends?� The commander
inquired, in the same statement/question tone Rei
often used. It was likely from him that she picked up her mannerisms, of
course.

Misato coughed
nervously. �Perhaps more than friends.�

�Are you implying,
major, that my son is romantic with one of his fellow pilots?� Gendo inquired in a mysterious tone that could have been
annoyance, acceptance, or amusement. How he pulled it off, only he knew.

Major Katsuragi started to sweat. �Yes sir.�

Then she received
the question that she was dreading the moment the subject came up. �Which pilot
is my son fraternizing with?� The
commander asked, or perhaps demanded.

Misato really
started to sweat now. He seemed angry, but the commander was always difficult
to read. �To be honest, at first I wasn�t sure. I thought he and Soryu were getting romantic, but that doesn�t seem to be
the case. However� I can tell he is rather� smitten
with Ayanami.�

Commander Ikari was silent for well over five minutes. Her report
basically confirmed what he already suspected, from his own observations of his
two children. �Are you encouraging this romance, major?� He finally asked.
Judging by her wince, he knew the answer already.

�Yes sir.� The
purple-haired beauty replied sheepishly.

�Explain your
reasons.� Gendo commanded.

Misato bit her lip
nervously. �The primary reason being Shinji�s mental state.
As I said before, he seems much happier now. He also seems much stronger than
before. Braver, even. Furthermore, Pilot Ayanami�s Eva is irreparably damaged, so I see no
consequences outside of normal romance ones coming up. They won�t be fighting
Angels together anymore, so there is no chance of it affecting their judgment.�

�And if their
relationship ends badly? Given Unit 01�s tendency to berserk, coupled with it�s
acquisition of a Super Solenoid cell, if Pilot Ikari�s
mental state is damaged by such an event, it will jeopardize us all.� Commander
Ikari stated.

The major nodded. �Yes
sir. That is a risk. However, Pilot Soryu�s mental
health has been improving lately due to her psychological treatments and her
improving social interactions with her fellow pilots. Her sync ratio is
steadily returning to normal, she is much happier now than I have seen her in a
long time, and we may not need to take
Unit 01 out of Cryo-lockdown with only one Angel
left. Furthermore, I believe the benefits of a relationship for Shinji�s mental
state far outweigh the risks. Sir.�

Gendo considered her words for several more
minutes, then asked �And if I ordered you to inform them they were no longer to
see one another?�

Misato sighed, visually
deflating. �I would protest, but I would comply to your orders, of course.�

The commander let
her sweat over it for several more minutes, and then nodded. �Understood.
Good work, major.�

Major Katsuragi blinked in surprise, unsure if he meant what she
thought he meant. �So� I don�t have to order them to stop seeing one another?�

�Correct. Despite
my personal feelings on the matter, I have also noticed improvements in Shinji�s
attitude. And I have already spoken with Rei on the
matter, and she convinced me that her feelings for Shinji would cause no
problems from her.� Gendo admitted.

For a moment she
wasn�t sure why the commander would have a personal objection to their
relationship, and then she remembered that the girl was raised by the commander.
It must have seemed like his children were having an incestuous affair, to him.
She mentally went �Blah!� as she
thought of that, but figured it didn�t matter to the children since they were
raised separately and had no genetic ties. She assumed. �Unless she really is his daughter� ew!�
She shook off that thought before responding. �Yes sir, thank you sir.�

�Dismissed,
major.� Gendo ordered, turning his attention back to his paperwork.

�Thank
you sir.� Misato left,
feeling like the weight of the world was taken off her shoulders the moment she
exited his office. She leaned back against the door and let out a long �Phew!�

*************************

Shinji pressed the buzzer
on Rei�s apartment door. After he finished breakfast
he realized the girls might be hungry and not have anything to eat so he had
rushed to the market to pick up some groceries, and then he ran all the way to the
first child�s apartment, lugging the heavy bag. He waited a few minutes and
then cautiously opened the door. �Ah� Rei-chan? Asuka-chan? I brought breakfast. I rang the buzzer but I don�t even
know if it works.� He waited a few moments for an answer, but when he received none, he entered the apartment and set the bag down on the
counter, kicked his shoes off, and walked through the short hallway into the
bedroom area. He peeked into the room, ready to apologize if they were
sleeping, but frowned when he didn�t see anyone. �Oh� did they leave already?�

The third child
sighed and sat down on the chair near the bed, wondering where his fellow
pilots could have gone. �Maybe they went out to breakfast?� He wondered aloud.

A few moments later
he heard a sound coming from the entrance hallway and turned to look, figuring Rei had just come home. Instead, he saw Asuka
walking into the room while toweling her hair, nude. His mouth dropped open in
shock and his cheeks started burning in embarrassment. He tried to apologize,
but he squeaked instead. He tried to turn his head away, but his neck refused
to cooperate.

The red-haired girl
dropped the towel down around her shoulders and blinked in surprise when she
saw the young Ikari staring at her. �Shinji-kun? What are you doing here?�

�I� I� breakfast�
brought� door� I thought� uh� I didn�t� I mean� uh�� Shinji was completely
flustered.

�What�s your
problem?� Asuka inquired, surprised at how he was
reacting.

�You�re uh� and you�re
not� you know� and� huh?� The blue-eyed boy blushed, wondering if it was the
apartment that made girls so immodest.

The German girl
looked at the boy as if he had grown a third eye, but then her gaze traveled
down to see what he was looking at. �Pervert!� She
cried, turning around and her skin flushed as dark as her hair.

Shinji looked away
politely. �Why are you calling me the
pervert when you were the one coming in here naked? Then just standing there? I can�t help looking at
a beautiful girl.�

Asuka blushed at the compliment and started
dressing. �I guess it�s ok if you look. I thought I heard a sound in here but I
thought Rei-chan had come back already.�

The third child
blinked in surprise then turned back to look at the girl as she pulled on some
panties. The blush crept back into his cheeks but he kept his comments to
himself, because he wanted to live. And he didn�t want the girl to turn violent
on him. �She went somewhere?�

The second child
nodded, turning around after putting her bra on and picked up a bright yellow
shirt that she had worn the day before then pulled on a pair of jeans. �To NERV. I think Frau Doktor Akagi wanted to do a follow-up exam on her.�

�Oh.� Shinji
responded, realizing that made sense. �I have one of those tomorrow. Um� have
you eaten yet? And do you think Rei-chan will come
back wanting breakfast?�

Asuka grinned. �Ah, Zimmer mit
Fr�hst�ck (bed and breakfast)� I should spend the
night with Rei-chan more often. She might get
something at NERV, but I don�t know. You should cook enough for her just in
case.�

The third child
nodded and walked into the entrance hallway to turn on the stove and started to
cook. �I picked up some eggs and bacon for you, and some miso
and tofu for Rei-chan, is that all right?�

Asuka turned a slight shade of green as she
remembered Rei informing her that eggs were chicken
menses. She still couldn�t shake that thought out of her head. �Uh� bacon is
fine. And maybe I�ll try some of that miso that you
Japanese love so much.�

The blue-eyed boy
blinked and looked at the red-haired girl, surprised she turned down eggs. She
hadn�t turned down eggs the entire time he had known her. �Sure you don�t want
an omelet?�

�I said no, baka!� The German girl cried, shivering in revulsion. �Why�d Rei have to go and call eggs
that?! I love eggs.� She sniffled pitifully.

Shinji brought some
crispy bacon and a bowl of miso with tofu to the
table and set it in front of the girl along with a glass of orange juice. �Here
you go, Asuka-chan.�

The second child
chewed on a slice of bacon and made an mmm sound. �You�re
getting pretty liberal with those chans.�

The third child
paled, as he had not even realized he had been doing it. �Oh! Gomen nasai� I didn�t mean to be
so��

�Nein! That�s not what I meant, dummkopf. I like it. Rei-chan
likes it too. Don�t stop.� Asuka interrupted.

�Ah�
h-hai, Asuka-chan. Arigato.� Shinji blushed in embarrassment.

�Speaking of Rei-chan� how do you feel about her?� The girl inquired,
raising an eyebrow curiously as she took a sip of the miso
soup then made a weird face as she looked at it. �You people eat this stuff all
the time?� She asked skeptically.

�Hai.
You probably should have had it before the bacon.� The blue-eyed boy replied.
He waited a few moments as she took another sip and shrugged, waving her hand
to indicate she was indifferent about it. �Ah� Rei-chan�
she�s� well� I� ah�� He blushed.

Asuka quirked an eyebrow up. �Oh, just spit it out already!� She griped.
�You blow a synapse or something?!�

The young Ikari blushed some more and glanced away from the girl. �I
care about her. She�s� you know. I really like her.�

�What about me?�
The red-haired girl inquired. She couldn�t help but ask, though she hadn�t
intended to. She told Rei she wouldn�t cause
problems, and she really wasn�t trying to but� she was insecure. And she needed
to know where she fit into all this.

�Nani? Ah� well� I care about you too, Asuka-chan.�
The boy explained.

�So you want us
both?� Asuka asked,
finishing off her soup to hide the smile that formed on her lips as the boy
started sputtering.

�It�s not like
that! I care about you both. But� I don�t know. I don�t
want to hurt anyone�s feelings.� Shinji visually deflated. He realized that if
he pursued either girl, the other would likely be hurt. And, when he was being
honest with himself, he wanted to pursue Rei. Desperately. �But
sometimes, you have to put aside your own desires for the good of others.�
Shinji thought, hating that part of honor.

The red-haired girl
blinked. �Wait, so you�re saying you�re not going to date either one of us?�

The third child
felt depression settle over his heart. �I� suppose not.�

Asuka threw her hands up in exasperation. �You
are hopeless! What is it with you
people!? I�ll never understand you.� She sighed, noticing the boy looked ready
to crawl somewhere dark and cry his heart out. �Well if you�re not going to
date her, then I will. Idiot!�

Shinji blinked.
Even after the girl�s teasing last night, which he felt sure she was making up,
that statement still shocked him. �You and� Rei-chan?�

�Why
not?� The red-haired
girl leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms and gave the boy a haughty
glare. �Someone has to kiss that poor girl if you won�t.�

�So� everyone is
going to have someone but me?� The boy complained, wishing he were dead. Or at least in a coma or something.

�It�s your own damn
fault. Maybe you should see Dr. Kagame. Maybe then you�d realize that if you want to kiss a
girl, then kiss her! If you don�t, then don�t complain
about it! Ach! Silly boys.� She rolled her eyes and
shook her head sadly.

�But I can�t just
kiss Rei-chan like that�� Shinji complained
pitifully.

�And
why ever not?� The
red-haired girl inquired skeptically.

The third child let
out a sigh and wondered when his life had become so complicated. Though, he
knew the answer was the moment he arrived in Tokyo-3. �Because!
It would hurt your feelings! And what if Rei-chan
doesn�t want me to kiss her!? I can�t
just force myself on her!�

�Why the hell would
it hurt my feelings, dummkopf?! It�s not my
feelings you should be concerned over anyway, it�s yours and hers! Besides, if
she doesn�t want you to kiss her, she won�t let you. Or she�ll tell you to
never do it again if you do manage to land your lips on hers if she doesn�t
want it. You�re going batshit over this girl. You owe
it to yourself to at least give her the choice. Mein Gott! What did you ever
do without me?!� Asuka ranted.

Shinji blinked. �It
wouldn�t hurt your feelings?�

�What the hell did I say to you just the other
day? All I care about is that you�re still my friend. That�s all I want from
either one of you. Anything beyond that is just bonus, as far as I�m concerned.�
The German girl rolled her eyes. She liked how passive and submissive the boy
could be, but she thought he was taking it too far if he denied himself of his
own happiness simply to please others.

Shinji was silent
for a while then he nodded. �I�ll think about it.�

�Good. I have some
weapons training in my Eva in a little while, so I�ll leave you alone. Rei-chan will probably be back soon so maybe you should
wait for her.� Asuka suggested. She impulsively
kissed the boy on the cheek as she left. �See you later, dummkopf!�

Shinji sighed, more
confused than ever. He looked around nervously, uncomfortable with being in Rei�s home, essentially uninvited. He didn�t know whether
he should stay or leave. Would it be running away, as he always did, if he
left? Or would it be respecting the sanctity of the quiet blue-haired girl�s
home? He sighed again and walked over to Rei�s
dresser and looked at the books stacked there. One of the books in particular
caught his attention. �The Tale of Genji?�
He read the title aloud, surprised the quiet girl was
reading a novel with themes of love and lust.

He picked the book
up and sat down and started to read. He once read a little bit of the classic
Japanese novel in school when he was 12, but at the time he wasn�t terribly
interested in it. He had found the descriptions of court life incredibly dull
and considered Genji to be an over-sexed fiend. But
now he wondered whether or not his youthful assessment was correct.

Before he was even
halfway done with the first story, Rei entered her
apartment and frowned when she smelled the lingering scent of bacon. �Asuka-chan?� She called, walking
into the bedroom area and stopping suddenly when she saw Shinji sitting on her
bed and reading one of her books. �Shinji-kun?�

Shinji blinked and
blushed in embarrassment, feeling as if he had been caught with his hand in the
cookie-jar. �Oh! I�m sorry, Rei-chan. I didn�t hear
you come in.� He sheepishly replaced the book on her dresser and scratched the
back of his head nervously. �I came earlier to cook breakfast for you and Asuka-chan. She told me you went to see Akagi-dono
for a medical exam� she went into headquarters for training. I didn�t know
whether I should stay or leave��

Rei blinked a few times. The third child had
spoken rather quickly due to his nervousness so she had difficulty following
it. She nodded once. �You are welcome in my home any time, Shinji-kun.� She
walked back into her entranceway and asked, �Is this miso
soup for me?�

�Hai.� Shinji replied, still feeling guilty for invading her home and her
personal possessions. �Shall I pour it for you?�

�Sit.� The first
child commanded gently, pulling a bowl out of her cabinet and pouring the soup
herself. �Have you already eaten?� She inquired politely.

�Yes but I could
have some more soup. Ah, I�ll get it.� He started to say, getting up nervously.

�Sit.� Rei commanded again in the same tone as before, pouring a
second bowl to finish the soup off. She brought both bowls in and set them
down, one in front of the third child and one for herself. Then she sat down
and poured water for them both out of a pitcher that was on the table. �Thank
you for cooking breakfast, Shinji-kun.� The girl stated politely as she sipped
the warm soup.

Shinji blushed. �It
was nothing. Oh, I bought some pickles too. I�ll go get them.� He started
getting up.

�Sit.� The first
child commanded again, a touch of a smile came to her lips. She was actually
amused. She got up and fetched the pickled vegetables herself.

Shinji smiled
sheepishly after the girl sat back down. He was not accustomed to being served
like this, but it felt nice. Very nice. �We should get
you a rice-steamer, Rei-chan.�

The first child
glanced at the opening behind her leading to her foyer and then back at the
third child. She remained silent.

Shinji blinked.
Then he realized what she was thinking. �Not enough room for a rice-steamer. I
wasn�t thinking. Gomen, Rei-chan.�

Amusement touched
the blue-haired girl�s lips again. She felt� happy? Comfortable?
Both, perhaps? �You are accustomed to a larger
apartment, Shinji-kun.� She stated simply.

�Hai�� The boy sipped some soup, and tried to think of
something to say. �Did your exam go well?� He inquired, figuring that if she
was unhealthy she wouldn�t be going to such pains to serve him. But he still
needed to hear the words.

Rei paused thoughtfully. �I am healthy.� She
replied enigmatically.

Shinji was confused
why she answered that way, rather than simply saying yes. Then he noticed the
bruise on her neck. �Rei-chan?
What happened to your neck?�

The first child
brought her fingers up to her bruised neck self-consciously. �Do not worry
yourself over it, Shinji-kun.�

That really got him
concerned. He stood up and walked around the table and got a closer look,
ignoring the blush that crept into the girl�s cheeks at his proximity. �It goes
all the way around! Like you were� strangled. By a
cord or�� Shinji�s mind put what happened together. Doctor visit� cord or
tube-shaped bruise around her neck. �A stethescope.
I�ll kill her.� He turned and started
stomping towards the door, murder in his eyes.

Rei quickly moved in front of the third child
and placed a hand gently against his chest to get him to wait. �The matter has
been resolved, Shinji-kun. Akagi�s life is now her
debt to me. Stay.�

The third child
still felt anger burning in his veins. How anyone could harm the gentle
soft-spoken girl was beyond him. �But she hurt you. I have to make her pay��

�Shinji-kun.� The first child spoke softly, as always.
But she looked him in the eye, hoping he saw the resolve there. By the
uncertainty that crossed his features, she was sure he did. �I handled it. If
you harm her, you will make a liar of me. You will bring dishonor upon me. Do
you understand?� She hated saying this much, but she had to make her point.

Honor was something
he did understand. Shinji sighed and nodded. If her word was given, he had to
respect it, even if he didn�t like it. The third child raised a hand to
tenderly brush a thumb over the bruise, concern in his eyes. He saw no
discomfort in her face so he reasoned that the pain was gone and the bruise would
likely also disappear soon.

Rei stayed silent and dropped her arm back to
her side slowly, her eyes never leaving Shinji�s.

The third child�s
fingers moved up to gently caress the blue-haired girl�s porcelain cheek. He
couldn�t help himself, now that he was this close. He stared into the girl�s
red eyes, which seemed to burn like flames, and he was a simple moth being
drawn to them. He swallowed nervously, tenderly brushing his fingers over the
first child�s cheek. She was not pushing him away, or telling him to stop.

The first child
watched Shinji. She desperately fought the urge to flutter her eyelids when he
touched her cheek, afraid that if she broke eye contact that he would retreat.
She remembered all the times she heard him chanting to himself that he mustn�t
run away, and she mentally chanted it with him this time. �Don�t run away! Don�t run away!�

Shinji licked his
lips nervously, feeling as if his mouth was drying out. He desperately wanted
to just swoop in and kiss the blue-haired beauty, but fear that he would
startle her kept him moving slow. His hand moved through the girl�s silky blue
hair and his eyes dropped to stare at her moist inviting lips. He didn�t even
notice when the girl�s eyelids finally fluttered.

If the third child
was capable of thought at that moment, he�d be chanting to himself
�I mustn�t run away! I mustn�t run away!�
But he wasn�t. There were no words. No thoughts. The world stopped. Nothing
else existed.

Shinji�s eyes moved
back up to the red orbs before him, seeing nothing but acceptance there. He
took a breath, feeling faint because he had forgotten to breathe for� he didn�t
know how long. Finally he leaned in closer and noticed the first child did not
pull away. Instead, she just raised her head slightly since the boy was a
little taller than her. After what seemed an eternity, their lips met. Shinji
felt like he had died and gone straight to heaven on those soft warm lips. He
leaned in more, wrapping his arms around the girl�s slender shoulders, kissing
her with passion he wasn�t even aware he was capable of. It felt like� home.

Eventually, he had
to break the kiss and look once more into Rei�s
burning red eyes. He would have liked to kiss her forever, but he had seemingly
forgotten how to breathe so he had to stop the kiss so he could remember. He
blinked in surprise. �Rei-chan� why
do you cry?� Shinji inquired, worry in his voice.

Rei blinked and felt a tear slide down her
cheek and drip off her chin. �I am�� She paused, attempting to figure out what
the emotion was. Finally, she knew the answer. She looked back into the third
child�s eyes. �I am happy.�

Shinji closed his
eyes in relief. He was almost positive she would say she was sad and that he
shouldn�t kiss her again. Which would end his world.
He shook his head slightly and gave the girl a gentle smile. �Then smile.�

Rei blinked a few times, and then she smiled.

*************************

Bwahahahah! Who is the Mistress of Sappiness?! Me!!! Haha. Now
I could end the story there� and in a
way it would even be complete. However, I have some more of their story to
tell! Sure, love stories can end on a first kiss� but to me, that�s just when
they start getting good. Muahahah!!! So I will
continue. Of course, since you all have become so accustomed to these quick
updates, I�ll have to take a year off or so... just kidding. Haha Next chapter: Shinji feels a little guilty about what
he did with Maya so he handles it in the best way he can� by talking to his
father! Eep! Actually he has a better reason to talk
to ol� Gendo. See Gendo didn�t like it when I said he wanted to take a break,
he felt that made him sound weak, so he decided to insert himself into this chapter
AND the next one. What a ham! Rei will be around, of
course. Kaoru will pop up a tad, because he�s nosy. Beyond that, we�ll see.
Until then, may all your first kisses be sappy and joyous! And stuff.
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Only in Your Eyes Am I Worthy