Neon Genesis Evangelion Fan Fiction ❯ Imperfection ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

Imperfection

Disclaimer: I don't own NGE, though I'd really love to own Kaoru!!!

Summary: Angels weren't always perfect, Kaoru being an example. He fell in love with a mortal - a human. Against what odds will this love have to face to prevail? Can Rei ever find it in herself to return the love of an Angel - the one who is her enemy? Kaoru/Rei/Shinji.

---- Introduction -----

The seventeenth Angel, recorded in the Dead Sea Scrolls as Tabris, had surrendered himself to NERV. He would follow them, he would work for them, so long as they did not destroy him. If he was destroyed, Lilith would initiate the Third Impact. Naturally, NERV could not risk that happening just then, as everything had not been finalised as yet.

So Tabris survived, known only to one Ayanami Rei, who was responsible for Tabris' every need. Unbeknownst to Ikari Shinji, who was Tabris' one friend in the mortal world, the seventeenth Angel lived on. All words of professed love forgotten, Shinji too, lived a normal life. Unfortunately, as Fate had let happen, several years later Shinji found out about his friend's continued existence.

---- Chapter One ----

"Ayanami!"

Rei turned around, just as Shinji caught up with her. She was in a hurry to get back to her apartment, as it was due time that Kaoru would be back from HIS school. For safety reasons, Kaoru could not reveal himself to the pilot of Eva 01. If Shinji took it the wrong way, his mentality would definetely be at stake.

"What is it that you want, Ikari?"

"I-I needed to ask you something about the work," Shinji stammered. "A-A-And about NERV too. I kind of had this hunch about our battle plans for the next attack - or whatever."

"That is fine," she replied, carefully selecting her words. "But please make it brief. I am in a hurry. What is it that you want to ask?"

"A-A-About the Third Impact," Shinji spluttered in reply. "What's going to happen, I mean."

"I do not understand."

"Is the Third Impact really going to happen?"

She had to ponder her answer. Commander Ikari hadn't told her anything about that as yet and it was also classified information. She could not breach that rule, not even to Shinji. Finally, she turned away so he wouldn't see her expression.

"I do not know," was all she could say.

Shinji took it as a sign that she didn't want to talk. And she didn't. Muttering a quick goodbye and giving her a small wave, he left. Rei continued her walk towards the apartment block. Already she sensed Kaoru's presence in there. The air was filled with his smell - it was almost like fresh roses. She inhaled deeply. No matter how many times she had encountered this fragrance, she always loved it. It became a part of her lifestyle.

"I am home," she said.

"Welcome home, Rei," a male voice replied.

Nagisa Kaoru sat with a strange wire in his ear. Nestled in his lap was a round, metallic black object that connected with the wires. She went up to Kaoru and peered at the curious object, wondering what it was. Kaoru smiled at her inquisitiveness.

"It is a discman," he informed her. "Or so the lilims say. It plays music not unlike the one Shinji has. Do you want to try it, Rei?"

"No thank you."

Rei straightened, settling her nerves a little. No one but Commander Ikari had EVER called her by her first name. It was always: `Ayanami this' or `Ayanami that'. Never Rei. To hear her name roll from the tongue of this young male was oddly satisfying. She liked the way he pronounced her name, almost like he was savouring the feel of it on his tongue.

"Are you hungry, Nagisa?"

"Not particularly, thank you for asking," he said politely. "Unless you are feeling so and prefer some company?"

"That would be - " she fumbled for the right word. " - appreciated."

--------

Asuka Langley Soryu was very annoyed with Shinji that afternoon. Not only did he fail to cook dinner by the time she came home from Hikari's, he was also very moody. As in VERY moody. Not the usual `okay-I'm-feeling-guilty-about-Kaoru's-death-so-I'm-going-to-mope-about-it' moody, but the moody that told the German girl that he was having girl problems.

MAJOR girl problems.

It would never be her, so she wasn't really concerned. But the fact that it may be the Wondergirl or maybe Misato or Hikari really DID bother her. She was the jealous type, she'd have to admit, and she definetely did not mind a little competition, just for the fun of it. She wanted to delve deeper into this case of `Ikari's-major-girl-problem'.

"Hey, idiot," she called through his door. "I'm coming in."

Shinji was lying in his bed, still dressed in his school uniform, his SDAT still in his ears. He had been listening to it ever since he got home. He hadn't even EATEN since breakfast that morning, and it was now ten at night. She pulled out one earplug demandingly.

"What do you want?" he yelped as she brought her hand over the back of his head.

"Well," she replied heatedly. "You've got problems."

"I don't know what you mean."

"YES YOU DO!" she plopped herself down and faced him. "Now just tell me about it. It's about Wondergirl, isn't it?"

Shinji turned away so Asuka could not see his expression. It would not do if she saw just how weak he still was, even after he told her he wasn't. After he had stood up and yelled at her like that, he wasn't going to give in. Why couldn't he tell Rei his feelings?

"I don't understand."

Asuka sighed. This was going to be harder than she thought. If Shinji couldn't even open up to HER about his problems, how the hell was he supposed to tell the girl he liked about his feelings? Boys would be boys, she thought resignedly, if they were too scared to admit something, they'd spend the rest of their lives lonely and miserable.

"I know you like Wondergirl," she told him with exaggerated patience. "So why don't you just tell her? It's not like she can laugh in your face or anything."

"Just go away."

"Fine!" Asuka yelled. She got up from his bed and stormed towards the door. "Deny all you want! You'll just be a miserable old man until the day you die!"

She flung open the door while Pen-Pen walked past, having obviously come from the bathroom. With a quick glance at Asuka's face, he walked right back into his fridge and closed the door. She took a step outside.

"Wait."

--------

Major Katsuragi stroked the photo on her desk fondly. Her mind drank in every single detail of the person's face. The angular set of his jaws, the stubble running across his tanned cheeks, and the almost goofy grin forever plastered to his face. This was Kaji, possibly the only man she had ever truly loved. Her first boyfriend, first lover and the first person she had ever killed who was close to her.

"I told you so," Ritsuko had said. "You still love him a lot, even if he is like your father."

Maybe I do, she thought miserably. Even so, it's too late now. Kaji is dead. If she hadn't open fire on him like that, if she had listened to what he had to say first, maybe she wouldn't have killed him. But then, she wouldn't have been doing what her job required of her and she would be fired - or killed by another member of NERV.

. . . I didn't want to kill him . . .

. . . but I didn't have a choice . . .

. . . I'm sorry Kaji . . .

"It's time to go, Major Katsuragi," a passerby, and colleague, informed her. "Your shift's over. Commander Ikari said he'll call if NERV had an emergency."

Misato Katsuragi smiled at the person tiredly and yawned. Maybe all she needed right now was a hot shower and a nice long sleep. Some beer wouldn't hurt either. Alcohol would do her depression some good. Her colleague saluted her in a friendly way and left.

"Yeah . . . see ya later."

Tabris was right . . .

. . . lilims WERE strange.

---- End of Chapter One ----

A/N: hey-hey!!!

This is my first Evangelion fic so I hope you all enjoyed it! I'd like to keep to the storyline a bit, even if I DID make it so that Kaoru wasn't dead and all. As you might have guessed, I'm not much of an Asuka/Shinji, Misato/Shinji or Kaoru/Shinji fan. I personally think that Kaoru and Rei make a cute couple. Then again, it might be just me.

I don't get what the End of Evangelion was about. I watched it the other day, right, but it just didn't make sense to me. Can someone explain please?