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“A gorgeous gal with big boobs…” Shinji responded with a level of confidence that even surprised him.
Mari grinned to herself, as she let go of his face. Proud of the man he had become.
That was what Asuka could make out at least. Across the rails, she was sitting to herself. Looking down, hands in her hoodie. Still coming to terms with this new life they had been given.
It didn’t have to be this way, she was given an out, a happy, perfect place. She saw herself, a young couple in high school. A young wife, a mother to his daughter. And she rejected it. A paradise that she did not earn herself. She refused to take the free out, and chose to live with the consequences of her, his, and all of their actions. And this is where it left her. Alone, across the partition, free to live her own life. As he ran in the other direction. Ready to face his own new world.
“He says he’s put in an offer on a plot north of Lake Ashi.” Another voice said, in another conversation she was not a part of. “It’s not much, but it’s a lot bigger than that old watermelon patch he used to have…” Kaworu. That strange, white haired boy, now a man, like the once object of his affection. But he too, seemed ready to move on.
“Well, he is going to need more than just the two of you for that.” A female voice responded. She was turned away, but Asuka recognized that fluff of blue hair anywhere. Rei. “I don’t think he knows how much I tended that old patch when he was away…” She chuckled to herself. Rei, laughing! Again, so ready to let Shinji leave.
“…” This was the path she took, to live with the consequences of the life they lived. To not artificially absolve herself from them, but to live with it like the rest. She sat her head back, looking through the slatted roof of the train station. Free to live whatever life she wanted now.
So was Rei, So was Kaworu, So was Shinji, So was everyone in the life before them. Given a chance to start over. Shinji, more than anyone took to this. Running to face it, hand in hand with Mari. Perhaps he was just a flirt, perhaps they would hit it off. Maybe she would take Asukas role in the life she saw play out. Maybe she would stay alone in this world, as well…
“…Screw that!” She stood up from her seat, and in one smooth motion, launched herself over the tracks. Away from her own world, and following his!
The commotion startled her former copilots, pausing their conversation as they both stopped to watch her sudden display of acrobatics. Neither said a word, nor stopped her, they just watched with a soft grin.
“Like hell!” She continued to curse to herself, breaking into a sprint as soon as she cleared the gap. “I’m not here to be sad!”
She reached the bottom step of the stairs he and her climbed. Alone, clacking up them with an urgency. “No… I’m here to control my life! To do what I want!” Her monologue was interrupted as she missed a step. Her ankle twisted, sending a quick twist of pain. “GHAH!” She landed wrong on her… Heels? Why was she wearing heels!?
No time to dwell on that, nor the pain radiating off her leg. She kicked off the non-ideal running garments, letting them clatter down the stairs behind her in an echoing cacophony as she ran in the opposite direction. Barefoot at the train station, every other step aching. But she didn’t let the pain stop her, she never had before, and certainly wouldn’t now.
She climbed further, further, and kept going until the covered ceiling of the station gave way to blinding sun. Once her vision cleared, she saw the world he ran off to. A small suburb, the sounds of cars, birds, a handful of conversations. A painfully ordinary world, but in its mundanity, beauty.
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He was among the mundanity, breaking into small talk with his surprise savior. He was ready to leave, to let this beautiful world exist without him. It was only through her intervention that he chose to stick around. And now that he was here, he was thankful for that. This world didn’t need him, but perhaps he, and this new outsider could explore it on their own.
“So…” Mari said with that same casual tone she always had. Nothing ever seemed to phase that girl. “What do you wanna do in this new life?”
“Oh, well…” He hadn’t really planned on being here, so he didn’t have the slightest clue. “Maybe I’ll get into music? I really enjoyed playing the Piano. When I was a kid, I played Cello…” All of that in a past life now, a life he was moving on from. “Maybe…”
“Hmm?” Her head tilted as she faced him, noticing the hesitation.
“I dunno.” He tried his best to dismiss it. “Kaworu taught me piano. Maybe that’s too close to the past…”
“You seem real keen on moving on…” Mari responded. “You know you don’t have to…” She gestured with her hands. “You can be a new you with the old friends, they aren’t mutually exclusive. What have you had enough of them?”
“I think they’ve had enough of me…” It was self-deprecating, but in an almost mature way. Acceptance was the first tone it struck. “I’ve caused enough trouble for everyone, let me leave them on a good note…” And sadness, the second…
“Such a little Martyr you are…” She teased him gently. Turning around to face him. “But if that’s what you really want…” Her gaze shifted off him, a few blocks back, something caught her eye. Bright, red hair. She, too, grinned…
Asuka caught her breath at the top of the steps, hand bracing on a light-post, she took in a large breath, refusing to let him leave her behind. “SHINJI!” She yelled at the top of her lungs, as loud as she could.
Mari watched as his face lit up, eyes widening at the sound of a voice he’d expected to not hear again.
“asuka…” His voice almost a whisper.
“Yeah, I thought so…~” She teased again. “I’ll catch up later, you two have fun.”
“A-Asuka!” All of that mature stoicism melted away, his face was like a child again. An excitement overtaking him as he turned to face the voice. “Asuka!” And before he knew it, he was running.
“Damnit, Shinji!” As was she, the two of them sprinting to each other, the gap closing fast. “You think you can just leave me again!?” Tears beaded in her eyes, vision blurring. She still ran for that familiar blur.
A few seconds more, and they collided. Inhibitions of their older selves gone as they crashed into a desperate embrace. Her arms clung to his newly wide frame, and his across her shoulders, a hand finding purchase on the back of her head. A deep sigh of relief left him, thankful for his own change of heart. “Asuka, I-…”
“What, were you just gonna run off with Four-Eyes and leave us behind?” Her voice muffled into his chest, further mussed by her quickly growing tears. “Did we mean that little to you? jerk!”
“N-no! Not at all!” He responded defensively. “I just… Haven’t I caused you enough enough trouble?”
“God you really are an idiot…” Sobbing like a child, thumping her fists against his chest. “Whats it going to take to get it through your skull we care about you!? That I care about you!” She mushed her face to his chest again, unable to leave his touch even through her anger. “Damnit…”
“…” Her words stunned him for a moment, arms still around her, holding her through the tears. “But… You said you’d outgrown me…”
“I was wrong!...” She lived another life without him, she was so sure that life before was gone. “But you told me you liked me too… And-“unable to word how her brain came to this point. “And then you left! Now look at me!” A sobbing mess, who hurt themself trying to get to him. “Do I look like I’ve outgrown you?”
This honest, open Asuka shocked him to silence a minute further. He wasn’t the only one who’d changed, it seemed. “N-no…” His hold shifted, keeping her close, but loosely holding on her arms. And of all things, in the serious moment, a rather juvenile thought took him. “…Actually, you look pretty short…”
“I-“ For a moment she was incensed by the off comment. But only then, she noticed just how much taller he was than her now. She had been pressed to his chest, looking up to him and she just noticed. Was that what the heels were for? “…Jerk! Making fun of me when I’m emotional!” Insulting him in that strange, almost warm way, like before. He was still the same Shinji, she was still the same Asuka.
And that to him was enough normal to know he was okay. Shoulders eased again, this was fine… “It’s… Kinda cute…~” And now, he offered her his new self.
“C- Cute????” She seemed ready to give him another volley of insults.
But he didn’t give her that chance. Leaning down he gave her a quick, but meaningful kiss on the lips.
“…” And that shut her right up, face turning redder than her hair.
“Thank you for stopping me, Asuka…”
But she didn’t respond, it was her turn. Hands wrapping around his head and planting a kiss right back. This was the happiness she wanted, that she earned. Two kisses, of what they both were sure would be many more.