Work Text:
Shinji falters, finally pushed to his limit he yelled,”What’s your problem, Asuka? Do you like me? Do you hate me? Why do you act like this?”
She went still. Quiet fell between the pair. Asuka was stunned. Was she shocked because he spoke up, or was she just looking for an answer to his questions. Did she even have one?
“I…” Asuka began, before quickly closing her mouth. She was searching, picking her words carefully, leaving more uncomfortable silence between them before she finally broke it. “I don’t know.”
Shinji narrowed his eyes,”You don’t know?”
Asuka nodded.
“You’re an idiot!” Shinji said. “How can you treat me so badly, and not have a reason. Just tell me the truth.”
She didn’t have a reply to that.
“I’m sorry,” She said.
“Sorry?”
“I just...I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”Asuka cried, her eyes welling with tears. She quickly wiped them with her hand, but they kept falling. “I’m sorry.”
The malice in him melted. He wanted to continue to yell but he couldn’t. Watching Asuka shake and crying front of him. Bawling her eyes out like a child, unable to dry her face, as she kept sobbing.
“I’m really sorry,” She said again, her voice quivering.
Shinji could have done nothing. He could have yelled. He could have just left.
There were so many thoughts running through his head, in a matter of seconds. But even as he tried to figure out what to do next, he reached out his hand. Pressing his palm to Asuka’s cheek, where her hand brushed her eyes, he guided it down.
Holding it in his, as he stepped forward, embracing her.
Asuka’s breathe sunk, her sobs slowing. She wept into his shoulder, swallowing the words he wanted to scream. Instead just saying,”I’m sorry too, Asuka. Please don’t cry,” As he held her tightly, hoping to never let her go.