Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Chains that Bind ❯ Chains that Bind ( Chapter 1 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Chains that Bind
SpikeyKun
Eva and its characters are the intellectual property of Hideaki Anno and Gainax. I don't even own a decent pair of kinky cuffs. Damn….

"Ugh-- This really sucks!" Asuka's eyes were closed, her eyebrows furrowed in irritation as she stood leaning up against the metallic wall as the NERV elevator ascended. Her hands were resolutely folded behind her head forcing her blue haired companion to stand awkwardly with one dainty right hand held up, connected as it were to the redhead's left by a pair of shiny handcuffs.

Reminiscent of the training to battle the 7th Angel, Operations Director Misato Katsuragi ordered dual synchronization training to better coordinate all the Eva Pilots. As Shinji was able to synchronize his movements with both Asuka and Rei, only the First and Second Children needed to undergo this exercise. The handcuffs... were a new addition..

"This is all your fault you know." Asuka remarked, opening her left eye and glaring at Rei. They were both dressed in form fitting black spandex outfit under a loose neck, midriff shirt emblazoned with musical notes on the front. "If you had kept up with me during the routine, we wouldn't be in this mess." she conveniently forgot that Rei had synchronized perfectly to Shinji on the very first try, and that *she* was the one who protested most voraciously to spending any time whatsoever around the First Child, causing an irate Major to respond in a rather drastic manner.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Asuka demanded after a long pause. "Geez, it's like you're mute or something!"

Rei turned slightly and regarded her fellow pilot with a dispassionate gaze. "My arm is tired." She stated.

"Vunderbar." Asuka deadpanned. "You ask her 'what's up?', and she talks about the weather..." she snorted and dropped her hands. "Now how 'bout an opinion this time?-- About this." the handcuffs rattled lightly for emphasis.

"Major Katsuragi believes we would benefit from the dual synchronization training you and Pilot Ikari underwent to battle the 7th Angel." Rei responded clinically.

"I know what Misato believes!" Asuka exclaimed exasperatedly. "Geez, you really are a doll!"

"I am not a-"

"Save it!" Asuka held a hand up. "What do you think?" She demanded. "You!"

Rei blinked, suddenly unsure of herself. "It was an order from a superior officer. My opinions are irrelevant-"

"And apparently non-existent. Why do I even bother?" Asuka interjected, rolling her eyes. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that the tests had lasted past lunch. She suddenly pushed off the wall and hit the stop button on the wall panel. The elevator slowed to a stop and opened at level B-9. "I'm hungry." The redhead announced. "We're grabbing something to eat at the cafeteria." She took a sharp right outside the door.

"Major Katsuragi said we were to wait for her in the lobby." Rei reluctantly allowed herself to be dragged by her animated companion.

"The Major ain't here, she'll wait." Asuka tugged on the chain insistently, unsatisfied with their current pace. " Come on! If you're a good little doll, I might even let you have dessert!" She quipped, glancing back knowingly.

"I am not a doll." was the reply. Asuka rolled her eyes and snorted.

The corners of Rei's mouth tightened slightly as she was dragged along.


***


"Don't touch that!" Misato jumped in surprise, the test tube she was examining slipping out of her hands before being adroitly caught by a certain blonde haired scientist.

"Ack! Ritsuko!" Misato laughed uncomfortably. "Um-- what's going on?"

An eyebrow rose as Ritsuko gave her friend a scrutinizing look. "Nothing disastrous, I hope." She replied. "Now what exactly are you doing in my lab?" She briefly looked around the spacious room provided for her use. A couple of desks stood in a corner along with a small filing cabinet, but the majority of the room was filled by an assortment of lab tables and equipment.

Misato winced. "Looking for aspirin?" She tried, giving Ritsuko a tentative smile.

"Aspirin doesn't usually come in test tubes, Misato." Ritsuko stated dryly. "And it usually isn't labeled tryptomethyl-2-hydrocannabinol acetate." She pointed a well manicured nail at the label.

"Well, I thought it mighta been the good stuff-- I need something after dealing with those two." the Major grimaced and rubbed her temple.

"Not sure this would do anything for your migraine. It would be mildly hallucinogenic and might taste a bit like lemons-- just before lodging itself in your brain vessels and causing them to rupture out your ears." Ritsuko placed the tube back on the rack.

Misato winced. "Ouch-- I'll take the aspirin."

Ritsuko reached into her lab coat and tossed her a bottle. "Acetaminophen, 500 milligram. I always keep a bottle on me." She took a seat on top of a surprisingly uncluttered desk and crossed her shapely legs, even as she picked up a nearby report and began to read. A computer panel sat open on top of the desk, a myriad of algorithmic data compilations streaming down the screen at high speeds.

Misato quickly quaffed two tablets dry before making a face. "Ugh. I hate doing that. Thanks Rits, you're a lifesaver!"

"I really don't care much for that nickname you know." The doctor remarked, her eyes still scanning the report. "It makes me sound like something you spread peanut butter on and--" The door to the lab opened.

"Sempai, I've got the sync data you asked- oh, Major Katsuragi!" First Lieutenant Maya Ibuki executed a crisp salute, a clipboard held to her side.

"Hey, at ease Maya-chan." Misato held up her hands. "I'm on break, and I'm not exactly in the mood to pull ranks at the moment."

"H-hai Ma-- Katsuragi-san." Maya colored slightly as she dropped her salute and handed her clipboard to Ritsuko.

"So Misato... Handcuffs?" Ritsuko asked conversationally as she took the data. "Thank you Maya-kun." Maya blushed prettily.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time!" Misato replied defensively. "Asuka just about threw a fit when we suggested she and Rei go through the dual sync training, I really didn't think I'd be able to keep them together if I didn't handcuff them."

"Well, you might be right about that." Ritsuko admitted calmly.

"They really don't seem to get along." Maya added.

"It's a liability." Misato stated bluntly. "We've seen how effective coordinating attacks were against the 7th Angel. Now that unit 00 is nearly repaired, we need all of our Eva pilots to be able to work together seamlessly. I'm making sure those two are stuck together until they work out whatever their issue is, or kill each other."

"Abandon hope all ye who enter here." Ritsuko quoted dryly.

"Hey!"

"It won't be that bad, Katsuragi-san." Maya gave the Major a placating smile. "I'm sure once they get to know each other, they could even be friends!"

***

Rei let out a small hiss of pain.

"You really should watch where you're going!" Asuka remarked, throwing Rei a rather transparent smile, seeming rather pleased that she purposely ' on accident' forced her companion into a table as they entered the cafeteria. Rei narrowed her eyes slightly causing the smile on Asuka's face to deepen into a victorious smirk.

The second NERV Cafeteria was fairly large being usually frequented by maintenance personnel and the myriad of technicians who were often required to stay long hours down in the Geofront. With clean white walls and simple low chairs and tables uniformly spaced out, the place was desolately sterile. A few tasteless paintings of random, clashing colors streaked across canvas were hung on the walls, a half-hearted attempt to liven the atmosphere of the cafeteria by some unknown technician. Currently, there were only a dozen or so personnel sitting in small clusters speaking in muted voices as they drank much needed coffee or smoked a cigarette.

Asuka made a face as they passed the seldom used buffet table. "I forgot how lousy this cafeteria junk was." Asuka groused. "You want anything, Wondergirl?" She asked drolly.

"No. I dislike meat." was the reply.

"Huh... that what it is?"

NERV, while the preeminent fighting force against the Angels, wasn't particularly noted for their food. Clearance into the Geofront was limited to maintenance workers, security personnel, technicians, and researchers, and a very small custodian team that was limited to non-sensitive areas and had to be cleared by Section two background checks. Cooks were considered non-essential, so all the food in the cafeteria was catered from above ground, tested for tampering, and then kept warm in low tech portable buffet tables that ran hot water underneath the metal food pans. Definitely not Good Eats.

Before long, the two were sitting across from one another at one of the smaller tables, their shackled hands resting easily on the table's surface. Asuka had started on her bag of potato snack, courtesy of one of the vending machines that lined the walls of the cafeteria, while a bottle of water sat unopened in front of Rei.

"Ya know," Asuka began. "It's going to be weird being chained up to you like this." she gestured towards their metal linked wrists with a potato chip.

Rei said nothing, merely gazing at some point beyond her companion.

"Heck, it already is weird!"

Another pause.

"... You're weird." Asuka muttered after a pause. An uncomfortable silence fell upon them and Asuka briefly felt the urge to fidget, before scowling fiercely. "Doesn't any of this bother you?" she finally asked.

Rei looked up at her questioningly. “Any of what?”

Her companion’s scowl intensified pointedly. Try again.

The blue haired girl cocked her head a moment in consideration before replying.

"No."

Asuka gave a disgusted snorted. "Of course not. You only do things when you're ordered to." she paused. "It's creepy! You're like a marionette that won't move unless someone pulls on your wires! You're an even worse pushover than Shinji!" Asuka raised an eyebrow when she noticed Rei's gaze flicker towards her for a brief moment.

"Me, when I want something, I take it!" Asuka continued. She suddenly grabbed Rei's water bottle, untwisting the cap. "And if someone happens to be in my way..." She raised the bottle to rest lightly on her lips, taking a few dainty sips, all the while watching the dispassionate First Child. "Well, sucks to be you. Thanks Wondergirl, I was thirsty." Rei blinked and quickly caught the re-closed water bottle that was tossed her way.

A terse whisper and hushed giggle suddenly caught Asuka's attention, and the redhead leveled a venomous glare at the pair of female technicians closest to them, who jumped back guiltily.

"Do you have a problem?" She demanded hotly.

"Ah, no..." One of them replied apologetically. She pointed at the handcuffs. "We heard the Operation's Director ha--"

"Oh this thing?" Asuka asked, her voice suddenly saccharine. Her left hand reached out and grabbed Rei's right, intertwining their fingers, and held them up to her cheek. "Actually, we met on the net... this--" she jangled the chains. "is really her thing." She fluttered her eyes coquettishly, before glaring venomously.

"I-- We didn't mean to stare. Excuse us." The technicians left, obviously flustered.

"Hmph... Ein vollidioten..." Asuka muttered, glaring contemptuously at their retreating backs. "What?" She demanded, turning back to Rei who had taken back her co-opted hand and was now holding it protectively within her left.

"You... embarrass me." Rei replied awkwardly, a hint of color on her cheeks.

"I embarrassed them more." Asuka snorted as she pushed out from under the table and stood up. "Misato's probably waiting for us by now. Let's go before we get an earful."

***

"I can't believe you made me wait like that!" Misato repeated herself, obviously miffed.

"Yes, yes... You've said that a dozen time in the car already, can we just drop it?" Asuka deadpanned.

"Don't think I didn't see you rolling your eyes back there either!" The three were walking along the catwalk to Misato's apartment.

"The way that you drive, I should just be thankful you even use the rearview mirror." Asuka shot back.

"I drive just fine." Misato replied defensively. "I-- argh! I should've just taken the whole bottle." She groused, gritting her teeth.

"Rei?" The Major addressed the albino girl who was following along silently. "I'm dissappointed in you as well."

"I apologize Major Katsuragi." Rei replied quietly. Asuka shot her a disgusted look.

Ah-- just don't let it happen again." Misato responded. The girl's demeanor still unnerved her. The trio paused outside the door of the apartment. "In any case, until you two can synchronize with one another, you can consider this home for the duration, Rei. Tadaima! Shinji, we're home!" she announced as she entered.

Asuka gestured, "After you!" she said solicitously. Rei moved forward, not noticing Asuka's foot sticking out in front of her.

***

"Okaeri! Uh... Ayanami?" Shinji blinked as Rei stumbled in behind the Major, followed closely by a smirking Asuka.

"Ikari." Rei acknowledged, almost as though nothing had happened.

"What are you doi--" Shinji trailed off as he noticed the clothes and the metal bindings connecting the two female Eva pilots.

"Rei and Asuka are undergoing the cooperative sync training you and Asuka did against the 7th Angel." Misato informed him as she stood up after taking off her shoes.

"But um... handcuffs?" he trailed weakly.

"A few minor adjustments and alterations to the training regimen. Nothing to worry about." The Major replied dryly, heading towards her room to change, leaving the three Eva pilots behind her.

"You can stop staring anytime, pervert." Asuka said irritably, kicking off her shoes. Obviously irritated at the reminder that she was essentially stuck with Rei.

"Ah, sorry." He managed a quick glance at the albino girl before averting his eyes..

Asuka rolled her eyes. "Just move." She pushed him aside and walked into the living room, Rei following demurely behind her. The redhead flopped down onto a cushion in an unladylike fashion, startling PenPen out of his seat, and began skimming through channels on the television set, also to the warm water avian's dismay. Rather than stand awkwardly given the chain, Rei opted to join her fellow pilot on the floor. Shinji hovered somewhat behind them, morbid curiosity outweighing possible retribution from an irritated Asuka.

"Out with it, Third Child." Asuka called out, never taking her eyes off the television set.

Shinji approached cautiously, and lowered himself onto one of the spare cushions. "Why are you two handcuffed together?" He finally asked.
"Because Misato's a bitch." Asuka replied bluntly.

Shinji bristled. "Don't say that!"

"Oh, big man, standing up--"

"Major Katsuragi felt that physical restraints were necessary to ensure that we would remain within close proximity to each other." Rei interrupted the impending fight, her voice cool. "She was feeling... provoked at the time, so I believe the handcuffs are temporary and will be removed once the Major has calmed down."

Asuka stared. 'Hot damn. Pulling words out of her is like pulling teeth most the time.'

Shinji thought a moment, piecing it together. "So Asuka didn't want to do the training, pissed off Misato, and then she handcuffed you two together?" He asked. He was promptly met with a couch pillow to the face. "Hey! What was that for!?"

"Shut up Shinji-baka!" Asuka exclaimed irritably. "Nobody asked you to say anything!" She reached for another pillow.

"Hey!" Misato's voice cut in sharply, stopping everyone in their tracks. "No killing each other inside the apartment." The Major had finished changing into jean shorts and a halter top that showed a scandalous amount of midriff as well as a fair amount of cleavage. Her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and she held a beer in each hand, one of which she quickly drained.

"YEEEAAA!" Misato slammed the now empty can down on the dining table and regarded the eva pilots with an easy smile. "That hit the spot. Now like I said, no killing each other inside. Take it outside where I won't have to clean it up!" She gave Rei a wink. “Right Rei?”

Rei blinked, apparently not used to Misato's about face in personality like the other two. “Major?” she inquired.

“Call me Misato. You can go back to calling me Major when I’m formally on duty.” She winked again.

"Hey, Misato! How bout taking these cuffs off already, huh?" Asuka whined plaintively.

"How about not." Misato responded cheerily. PenPen sqawked excitedly about her legs, and she gave his head a friendly ruffle.

"What? Why!?"

"Pun-ish-ment!" Misato stressed each syllable. "This is payback for going off on your own earlier." She took a seat and popped open the tab on another can of beer.

"That's not fair!" Asuka protested. "We can't be chained together all the time! What if I have to use the bathroom?" Shinji blushed and focused his eyes on the TV. Rei said nothing.

"Tough." Misato replied with a shrug. "You're both girls, you can deal with it."

"That's not fair!" Asuka repeated herself.

"What can I say." Misato smiled knowingly, taking a sip. "I'm a bitch." She turned to other other two eva pilots and gave them a wink, even as Asuka's face purpled. "Now, what would you two like for order out for dinner?"


***

Asuka's yelling had quieted down to a sullen sulk by the time the food arrived so dinner was a quiet affair of takeout noodles, rice and a few choice side dishes. The four sat in peace at the dining room table, although Asuka did take the opportunity to kick Shinji underneath the table twice when she found his covert glances at Rei nowhere near surreptitious and extremely irritating. While Shinji cleared up the table, Misato suggested that the two female Eva pilots clean up.

Their clothes were troublesome, as the pair soon found out when they entered the bath. The handcuffs effectively hampered their ability to disrobe anything about the torso, and it was only through the most persistent badgering (on Asuka's part), and a bit of pity (for Rei) that Misato grudgingly allowed them to take off the handcuffs for the sake of bathing and changing clothes on the condition that they entered and exited the bathroom together.

"Not bad." Asuka admitted grudgingly as she eyed Rei up and down boldly once they disrobed. "Although blue's a really weird color to have naturally."

Rei merely took a seat and reached for a water basin and filled it with water. Asuka looked on for a moment as water cascaded down the other girl's back. 'Porcelain skin, lithe curves... hah... Shinji would-' her slightly envious train of thought took an abrupt halt as she didn't care at all what baka Shinji would do. Asuka shook her head and refilled the water basin for herself. Even as she began washing her body, she threw a glance the blue haired girl's way.

"Gimme that." Impulsively, the redhead plucked the washcloth out of Ayanami's hands. "Face forward." She ordered, when Rei turned to look at her questioningly. Quickly lathering up some soap into the cloth, Asuka began scrubbing the other girl's back. Even from close up her skin was perfect. Disgusting.

'Geez... not a single blemish... she really is a doll...' Asuka thought disgustedly, giving a particularly harsh scrub and eliciting a small hiss from her companion. 'Sensitive too.' she scrubbed a bit more gently, absently noting how Rei's skin was just as soft as it looked. Ayanami's red eyes blinked in surprise as the washcloth was suddenly dropped in her lap, and Asuka took a seat in front of her.

"Do me too." The redhead demanded, keeping her eyes resolutely forward. A moment passed. Then soft alabaster hands began their work, scrubbing and lathering the redhead's back. Her mouth tight and her eyes guarded, Asuka kept silent for the rest of the bath.

***

Misato waved from the kitchen table, her attention fixed on dangling some dried fish for an excited PenPen. "You girls have a good time?"

"Nng." Asuka grunted noncommittally as she exited the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her waist.

Shinji, who had glanced over from his place in front of the TV, suddenly flushed deep red and whirled back around with a slight strangling noise.

"Wha-?" PenPen gave a contented squawk as dried fish dropped to the floor. "Hm... Rei?"

"Yes, Major?" Rei cocked her head questioningly.

"Why are you walking around naked?"

Rei glanced briefly at the towel she was using to dry her hair, half draped around her shoulders, then at Asuka's wrapped around her lithe body. "I..." she paused, as if unsure how to proceed.

Misato chuckled. "Never mind. You probably walk around like that at your place, and it's not like you've got anything to hide." She threw a grin in the direction of the Third Child. "In fact, I'm sure someone really enjoyed that... eh?"

"I see." Rei replied flatly, her gaze falling on an acutely embarrassed Shinji who was currently making himself as small as possible.

"Ugh. Stop giving the pervert a free peepshow and get dressed!" Asuka, who had been surprisingly silent till now, spoke up irritably, taking a hold of Rei's wrist and pulling her insistently into her room. "Mein gott, you are so weird!"

"Make sure to come back out for your handcuffs, girls!" Misato called after them, picking up PenPen as she stood up. A door slammed shut with an extra loud bang and a German expletive. The purple haired woman made her way over to the living room, plopping down next to a suddenly tense Third Child. A moment passed with only the sounds of a contented freshwater penguin in a warm lap and a TV commercial for a brand of peanut butter.

"So..." Misato glanced knowingly at the boy beside her who suddenly flinched, a mixture of resignation and panic in his eyes. Katsuragi grinned.


***

Rei stared up at the unfamiliar ceiling. She should have been able to will herself to sleep in moments, despite not being all that tired, but found herself constantly jostled awake by the restless rustling of her bedmate. Her eyes were eventually drawn towards a large crack in the ceiling that marred its otherwise flawless countenance. The corner of her mouth drew downward.

Asuka was… irritating… and the fact that the Second Child could elicit such feelings was troubling as well. Despite that…

‘Her hands were warm.’. She mused.

Asuka groaned slightly into her pillow, and turned over towards the outside of the bed. An alabaster arm draped across her waist, almost drawing her back into the warm, soft body behind her, and she obliged for a moment, murmuring as she pressed herself deeper into the embrace.

She suddenly tensed and opened her eyes.

"Get your hands off me Wondergirl!" Asuka hissed vehemently, squirming as far away from Rei's body as possible. "What do you think you're doing!?" she yelled, her face flushing scarlet. She pulled the covers up tightly around her collarbone as she regarded the First Child

"You turned over." Rei stated simply, sitting up. The handcuff links clanked between Asuka's left wrist and the pale right one that had drawn her in.

The redhead tensed for a moment, then leveled a fierce glare.

“Shut… up…”. Wrenching the covers off of herself, Asuka bunched the sheets between her and the First Child.

“This is the Great Wall of China,” She exclaimed. “if any part of your body crosses it, you’d better be prepared to lose it!” With that threat, she flopped herself down and behind the barrier, taking care to turn slightly towards the middle of the bed. A shifting of the bed indicated Rei silently lowering herself as well.

Suddenly finding the night air too cool for her liking, Asuka curled up slightly, and willed her body still.

End Chapter

uhh... So this is kind of a failed entry into Nugar's ELC contest a long while back, the one pertaining to the subdom theme. Got kinda stuck on fleshing plot points and had some amount of frustration given that I blush at the thought of writing a lemon, much less a lemon involving two girls. SO yeah, this guy (girl?) got shoved into a small corner of my hard drive moping petulantly for a looooong time, with just about a third of it actually written out, and the most intricate, lovingly laid plans (for smut with story and shiny symbolisms) laid waste.

Anyways, cheers to authors of diligence! To those of wit, ability, and possessing the patience to crank out chapter after chapter of wonderful bits leisure. I salute you!

Also, er... on the off chance someone finds this interesting, I would love a sounding board to bounce ideas off of, someone who can suggest alternative scenes or constructive criticism to make this story flow better. As it stands, this has no pre-reader, and I've a history with leaving projects dead in the water.

SpikeyKun