Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Changing Seasons ❯ Changing Seasons 04 ( Chapter 4 )

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

Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit work of fan fiction based on the anime and manga Neon Genesis Evangelion by Hideaki Anno and Yoshiyuki Sadamoto and Studio Gainax. Akeem? What happened to the rose bearers?

Changing Seasons

by: JErosion

Chapter 04

"So you an' da Class Rep, huh?"

"Yeah."

"Ain't that sumthin'"

Touji wore a loose smile, as he leaned back against the tree they sat under. He just scratched his head as he took in the news. Kensuke on the other had seemed to be in the middle of having some sort of seizure since he heard the news.

"Yeah. I think so." Shinji smiled with a blush. It was a new experiance for him. And with the way things started he wasn't sure if things would work out or not, but he did have a good feeling about it.

"Well she ain't hard on da eyes or anythin', maybe a little more dangerous than what i'd go for."

Shinji smiled remembering the tumble they took while on the stairs that one day. But then again that was were both he and Hikari started. So maybe he owed Touji a thank you, for being an idiot.

But that was one of the reasons why he had decided that it would be best to tell his friends about it. With all they been though together, he couldn't keep it a secret. And it would be only a matter of time before some one from their class, would see Hikari and him together. And the rumors would start to fly everywhere. After all when it came down to it. He was a Pilot and she was a Class Representative and it was sure to be a center of interest. And it would be far better for them to hear it from him now, than to hear it later from somebody else later. If that were to happen, he would most likely....

"Shinji! How long has it been running around behind our backs!"

...be meet with wild accusations.

"huh?" Shinji turned to look over at his bespeckled friend. Kensuke it had seemed, had finally come out of his stupor.

"You've been out, hooking up with chicks and you didn't include us!"

"What!?"

"Easy Ken. Deres no need ta yell."

Shinji looked on in a bit of shock. What happened between him and Hikari could barely be callled 'hooking up'. And on another level he wasn't too comfortable with the idea of calling Hikari a "chick' either. When he decided to tell Touji and Kensuke about Hikari and himself he kinda knew this would happen. He was pretty sure Touji would take the news in stride, but was completely unsure how Kensuke would take it. Although in hindsight he should have expected this sort of thing.

"But Touji!!!! He's gone...."

"Shhhh! Quiet down, folks are lookin' dis way."

Kensuke voiced died in his thoat. Shinji took a moment to look out across the schoolyard. It turned out that Kensuke's yelling and frantic hand movements had gained the attention of students from other nearby groups. Shinji looked back to Kensuke, who's ears had turned red. He looked like he was trying very hard not to say anymore that he already had.

Touji chuckled.

"It's kinda surprisin' though. I always thought dat ya be chasin' afta Ayanami's skirt."

For reason he couldn't explain Shinji found himself blushing. Maybe part of him thought of the same thing. Since the moment he first saw the blue hair girl, he felt drawn to her. It wasn't just because she was beautiful. Shinji just had this odd sense of déjà vu when he was around her. Maybe there could have been something between them. If there could have been, it probably would have already happened. At least Shinji thought it would be like that. He was suprised with himself that he had made it as far as he did with Hikari. Then again she wasn't Rei. Part of the reason why they got together was because Hikari took that steps towards making a relationship. That was something he seriously doubted he could have done on his own. Although with her, he was finding himself looking forward to just being in the same room as she was. And with the thing on the train the other day, when they sat together. He ran his thumb against the tips of his little and ring fingers as he thought of the moment. How was it that such a little thing can occupy ones thought, he didn't know. But still it made him want more.

"But since ya went off an' got yourself a girlfriend, I guess she's free." Touji then leaned forward and said, "Caus' I hear dem quiet ones are real freaks."

Touji was laughing at his own joke. Shinji on the other hand didn't quite understand what he was talking about.

"Da firs' guy she lays, will probably get ridden inta da dirt."

The third child blushed a brillant shade at the clarification. He had been closer to that position that they ever would be. His left hand twitched unconsciously. The memory of what happened with her in that apartment, would stay with him forever. It was strange though. He couldn't really tell you what else happened that day. But he could remember every little detail of the event. From the scent of the shampoo and soaps she used while in the shower to the sensation of her hard little nipple against his palm. Yes that little event would be a secret that he will carry into his grave.

"Well Shinji?"

The third child blinked and turned back towards Kensuke.

"hmmm?"

"Have you kissed her? Are you already doing 'H' stuff?"

Shinji looked back at him in utter-shock. Hikari and him just started going out, why would anyone even think that they were doing those things.

"Naw man, you shouldn't ask stuff like dat."

Shinji gave Touji a grateful look. It was nice to have somebody defend you. But that was the way their friendship was. The way Touji acted towards him was very different than the way that Kensuke treated him. The differance was probably a matter of perspective. Kensuke loved all things military. After every angel attack he would bombard him with questions about what happened. And he would continue to do so until Touji smacked him upside the head and told him to shut up about it. Because if Kensuke had one dream was to be an Eva Pilot. At least once a week Shinji would have to listen to him go on and on about how much he wished they would pick him. He had no idea what it would involve. Even with his experiance inside the Eva that one time. He didn't feel the angel's tentacles pierce his body. He hasn't felt the physical and psychological pain of going it. No, Kensuke was lured to the glamor and the power of being a pilot. As much as Shinji hated to get into that entry plug, he didn't think he could live with himself if a friend were to take his place. And the idea of Kensuke being at the controls of an Eva absolutely turned his stomach. Psychologically he was the wrong person for such a thing. He would most like get himself or others killed.

Touji had first hand experiance when it came to war. His sister was proof of that. He wasn't one to back down from a fight, but unlike Kensuke he shared Shinji's veiw of Evangelion with absolute bitterness. He would sooner give up his legs, than become an Eva Pilot. And further Touji was the kind of person that would only accept fame and glory if he could earn it, not if it was given to him. That was the reason why he was so active in sports. If he couldn't get it on his own he just didn't want it.

"Ya just got ta take it easy an' ya keep gettin' so wound up ya'll be liable get a heart attack before ya get out of high school."

"Man! Shinji gets all the chicks!"

Touji just shook his head.

"I wish I had a girlfriend!" Kensuke cried out to no one in particular, he turned his attention towards a group of girls that were sitting under another tree.

Shinji was broken from his own thoughts as Touji bumped an elbow into Shinji's ribs. He looked over to the jock as that was usually a sign that he needed to pay attention to something. Nomally when the Osaka boy did that, he would then point out something involving a girl. Usually something along the lines of a girl showing off a little more than she should. But no, Touji was staring at Kensuke with a wiry smile, that could only be interpreted as malicious.

"I dunno Ken, ya might not be able to fin' da kinda girl yer interested in."

"w-What is that suppost to mean?!"

Kensuke whirled around to Touji with a insulted expression. Shinji had to raise an eyebrow himself.

"Shinji, our boy Kensuke over dere won't settle fer just any girl..." He put an arm around Shinji shoulders like he was telling him some big secret. Though he wasn't doing anything to mask his voice.

"Nope, da one he picks has got ta have hugh tits, a nice round ass, an' a great big cock."

"WHAAAAATTTT!!!!" Kensuke's voice trailed off into a strangle cry. Once again attracting the attention of the other students His mouth was left hanging open in shock.

"Ya see at home he's got dis hard drive just filled wit nuthin' but pictures of girls wit penises!"

"TOUJI! Why the hell are you bringing that up now!"

"Hey I told ya anybody gives Shinji a hard time they'll, I'd have sumethin' ta say about it. An' I'm a man of my word." Touji was now laughing so hard his face was red.

"I though you said you would beat the crap out of them."

"I would, but I can't just hit you. Besides yer glasses would tear up my knuckles."

"Oh that's just great."

"Um?" They both turned to Shinji who had been quite during the argument. His face was red, "uh, girls with penises?"

Kensuke's face turned red, Touji started to laugh.

"That's it I'm cutting both of you off! No more porn!"

Touji still laughed. Shinji's face turned more red.

"Sorry. I just don't get what ya see in dat stuff. I'd shit myself if some girl came at me with a chub."

"If you even have to ask, you don't get it and you never will." grumbled Kensuke,"And just because I look at that stuff doesn't mean I want to be with a girl that has a..." he dropped his voice, "dick!"

"I still don't understand why ya look at it." The jock shook his head,

This was one of the things Shinji liked about these guys. Conversations like this was always a source of humor and they happened quite often.

"Besides I don't see you chasing after anybody!"

Touji just shrugged.

"Nope, not now. Sure I'll look an' all. But I already got enough on my plate as is. Wit all da time I spend here at school and the time I spend vistin' my sister, I wouldn't have da time for another girl."

They fell into silence after that. Shinji studied Touji for a moment. With his father always away at work, it was up to him to watch out for his sister. He had quit the track team so he could have time to see her. Shinji supposed it was the duty of a brother. Not that he would know. Both he and Kensuke were only-childs. Shinji thought about for a second. Maybe he would have had a little brother or sister, if his mother was killed in that accident. Or murdered depending on who you asked. After ten years it was all speculation at this point. It was something the gaurdians that took care of him didn't talk about. At least when he was present.

Eventually Kensuke stood up and brushed himself off.

"Well..." he started, not really looking at either of his companions. "I got to check on some stuff I have running in the computer lab."

"See ya Ken." Touji acknowledged. Kensuke just raised his briefly as he walked away.

Once Kensuke had disappeared into the Touji looked over at his remaining friend and asked a question that had been plaguing his mind since Kensuke had asked.

"So have ya kissed her yet?"

Shinji just chuckled, somehow Touji asking was ok.

"No we haven't."

"So, no 'H' stuff den?"

"No Touji." Shinji said, shaking his head.

The jock then made a sound that could have been either disappointment or amusement Shinji didn't really know. But they stayed like that for what remained of lunch, only exchanging sort quips and their usual nonsensical humor.


She was laughing. In all honesty Shinji never considered himself funny. So to have someone laugh at something he said, felt a little odd. Especially since the joke was technically at his expense.

He was simply relating the story of when he first met Pen Pen. From her few visits to his apartment, Hikari showed a keen interest in the wayward avian. And the Penguin, being good judge of character, took an immediate liking to the dark haired girl. So all in all, it made a good story to break the ice and get a conversation started between them.

"So he really knows how to fill the bathtub on his own."

"Yeah. He'd probably lock the door too, if he could only reach it."

She laughed again.

Shinji chuckled lightly, he wasn't really laughing at the humor involved in his story, but he was laughing at their situation. A month ago the idea of walking a girl home and holding a conversations with her was entirely improbable. Though he did do this with Asuka. But when it came to Asuka, it was just different. As long as he had known her she always seemed..... He wanted to say that 'she looked down on him' but that wasn't it.It was something else. He wasn't sure how to describe it. She was diificult at times. Yet again for all the trouble she had caused him he hadn't once lost his temper with her. Maybe it was those brief moments were she was something other than an Eva pilot. There was those brief moments were she slipped, and the mask she wore revealed a distant sadness well up in her eyes. Then in an instant it would disappear, being spirted away to some recess of her mind.

"Is something wrong?"

"Huh."

"You look troubled."

"Oh, It's nothing really. I just thought about Asuka..."

There was a breif change Hikari's face at the mention of the red head. It was subtile and quick, if he hadn't been looking directly at her he would have missed it. He could see the error that he made by mentioning the second child. They hadn't been together for a week yet so everything between them was tenative at best.

"oh..."

"Yeah..... um, She seems to be avoiding me lately." He said quickly. He suddenly felt very uncomfortable. He had just lied. Well partically. Asuka did seem to be going out of her way to stay as far away from him as possible. That was a considerable task given the layout and the sometimes cramp quarters of Misato's apartment.

"Oh? Yeah. She's kinda been that way to me since that day...."

"When?"

"Uh, that day it was raining all day. At lunch,.... I asked her if it would be ok, if I went out with you."

"Oh."

"Yeah, she said she didn't care, but um,... Did you... Do you...."

Her voice trailed off. This was a fear that played at her heart. It was so early in there relationship. And in truth maybe they rushed into this. She hated feeling this way, almost everyday she could feel it growing. It was an emotion that she couldn't quite name. It was like an awareness,.... no that wasn't right. A sadness? A fear prehaps? Maybe it was just living in this city, where you didn't know if you would wake up tomorrow. Maybe that's why she asked him like that.

She looked over at him carefully. There was so much she didn't know about him. If she had only took the time to get to know him earlier, when he first arrived started to go to this school. But would they be any closer? She took a deep breath.

"Do you like her?"

Shinji blinked. Her voice was strained, like she forced her self to speak. Yet her question had an immediate effect, he could feel the heat rise in his face. It wasn't the sort of question he was expecting, or more precisely it wasn't a question he really wanted to think about either. But that didn't change the fact that this was something he would have to address eventually. His eyes darted away from her, landing closer to were the sidewalk met the street.

"I don't know..."

He tried to think of the time he did spend with her trying to find the moments where he had made a genuine connection to her. She could be pleasant and playful. Then she could also be cold and almost malicous. Ultimately it felt like she kept him at arms length. She really didn't tell him anything about herself. And she made no efforts to ask about his. Not that he tried much either.

There were times when he wondered if there could be something between them. The first such thoughts entered his mind the moment he saw her on the deck of that aircraft carrier. She looked radiant in the noontime sun. Smiling and talking happily with Misato, the sea breeze making her hair flow out. It would be difficult not to think that. Of coarse the wind picking up, and giving him, and everyone that was paying attention, a flash of her panties didn't help either. Of coarse there had been other times as well. The time they spend at that hot springs, and that night before they fought the twin angels. When she flopped herself down next to him. Even in her sleep she looked sexy, and coincidently she never looked so vulerable. Maybe if he was a stronger man or at least a better person he would wrapped an arm around her and held her as she cried in her sleep. But he wasn't that man. The fact was that he doubted that anything would come between him and Asuka unless she took the steps towards it.

Shinji slowly turned back to Hikari. Sometime after she asked her question they had stopped walking. It took a great deal will power to bring himself to look her in the eye. But even then he only saw her profile. She was staring off at nothing in particular. Her wore a blank expression. No. There was something there. Just under the surface. He grimaced. So Hikari wears masks too. But this wasn't the fine one crafted by the german girl. Unlike her, Hikari couldn't keep it hidden all away. It was right there, in her eyes. She can act like it didn't bother her, but the truth was more that obvious.

"h-Hikari."

Slowly she turn towarded him. He was very much reminded of that night next to Asuka. She didn't look like she was going to cry or anything, but the hurt was still there. He tried to say something. Tried to. The most he could do was move his lips in inaudiable syllables. What the hell is wrong me. He sudden felt disgusted at himself. Last time they were that close to one another, he had no problem rushing forward and holding her. Then again he really didn't think about it. He just acted. That was probably the only reason why he came out of combat alive, was because he didn't think about it. He just acted on instinct. But could he do the same right now? Could he reach out and embrace the girl in front of him?

He took a half-step forward. It was all he could manage as his feet an legs turned to lead. He tried to bring his arms up, but they too seemed unable to make that distance. The fell back to his sides, his right hand clenching and unfurling in a heart beat like pattern. He lowered gaze. Maybe Asuka was right after all, he really was a weakling. He couldn't say anything to set her at ease. He couldn't reach out and hold her.

"Shinji?"

He looked back up at her. Her faced was flushed, probably as red as his own. But the look she gave him was an odd one. She had an almost pleading look in her eyes. What was he suppost to do? Slowly his right hand came up. If he couldn't hug her, maybe he could....

But suddenly the moment was broken. His finger were just inches from her face when his cell phone rang. The pleadign look in Hikari's eyes was suddenly replaced with fear. Automatically his hand retreated, went to his pouch on his bookbag. He didn't take his eyes off Hikari. She didn't take her eyes off him. Even as brough the infernal contraption to his ear.

"Ikari....yes.... are they sending a car?... oh, ok.... I understand."

He lowered the phone away from his ear. He couldn't look away from her. When ever he got the call he stopped everything he was doing and immediatly ran off to Nerv. But it was different now. They were envolved. Now, there was her safety to consider. Not that he ever thought of his own.

The blush which had covered her face had vanished. In fact she paled so much she looked as though she was about to faint.

"Is it?" she asked.

Shinji nodded.

"y-You should go home. They won't make the civilain alerts for another thirty minutes. I've got to go to Nerv."

He made no effort to move. Neither did she. He brough his hand forward again. He didn't reach for her face, nor did he try to pull her into a hug. Even he wasn't quite ready for something like that. Especially on a sidewalk, out in public. But she reciprocated his actions and reached out and took hold of his hand with both of hers.

"You... please...." she paused looking for the right words, "....just be safe." she said finally with a soft smile.

Shinji nodded again and smiled back at her.

"Yeah, I will."


Author's note:


I've been out of it for a long time. In the two and a half months since my last update. My computer died, just one week out of warranty. I got hooked up and broke up with a girl. I had the flu. Plus I had to deal with the hell of the holidays at one of the few retail places that stay open on christmas and thanksgiving. I'm trying to get back in the swing of writing, But my PSP requires plenty of attention. So I'll do my best. And as for the story, the lime content is being pushed back, I think it's just too soon, so I'm sqeezing in some stuff for Chapter 5. And I probably need a prereader too. Until then see ya later.