Photo Op

Disclaimer: I do not own Evangelion.

/\/\/\/\

"Pleasure doing business with you."

"Oh, uh, yeah."

The boy hurried away, clutching the packet to his chest. Kensuke watched him go with a stolid smile. The boy should just embrace who he was and what he wanted. He'd be much happier.

"That was Karashita's gym pack A," Kensuke said, thumbing through the payment. "She's been popular lately."

"No big surprise," Toji responded. "The girls' soccer team's been on a winning streak. She is the captain. And pretty easy on the eyes."

They were sitting against the wall between the school gymnasium and supply shed, a high, secluded spot with a good view of the surrounding area, protected from surprise visits and allowing plenty of time to cover any incriminating evidence. An academic crow's nest.

This was the unofficial headquarters of their photo empire. An unwritten rule arose within the male student body regarding them, of secrecy and discretion, all to sustain and promote the operation. It was a business: the customers were not friends with the proprietors and did not want to be. It was simple supply and demand, albeit with an underlying quiet appreciation from the demand side.

There was a noticeable spike in interest after Asuka's arrival a few months ago, and while sales had calmed down since, the clientele was more loyal than ever.

Shinji was oblivious to even the existence of their operation. They weren't sure how he would react to the knowledge they were selling covertly obtained images of his roommate, and weren't in a rush to find out.

Shinji was at NERV suffering through a last minute test of some kind, getting literally pulled along by Asuka as they left, her complaining all the while how slow he was. Rei followed without comment. That left Kensuke and Toji free to open shop after school. They spread the word through the usual discreet channels and had enjoyed a respectable profit so far.

It was late afternoon. The sports clubs were cleaning up, the student council was heading out of the front gates. Kensuke glanced at the setting sun, then his watch. He began to clean up, sliding the unsold photo packs into his satchel and dividing up the day's sales.

Toji pocketed his money then scoffed lightly. "Look who's coming our way." He jerked his head towards a solitary figure approaching their position.

"Kirishima," Kensuke whispered. He spun on his friend. "Quick. How do I look?"

"… What?"

"How do I look, man? Come on! Is my hair okay?"

"… What?"

Kensuke turned away in frustration. He ran a hand through his hair, adjusted his glasses and straightened his shirt collar. He buttoned the top button, sat a moment, then unbuttoned it. Toji watched in mute concern.

Mana Kirishima reached them with a determined stride, spun, and leaned against the wall beside them. She looked out over the sloping fields surrounding the track and crossed her arms.

"I have a proposition for you," she told them.

"O-Oh, yeah?"

"It's come to my attention that you two have been taking and selling pictures of the girls in our school, and making a tidy profit."

Kensuke felt the world shift precariously beneath him. His worst fear, realized: a girl discovered the dark, lucrative secret that kept him awash in video games and faux military gear. To lose that was to lose what meager joy his life held.

"As a girl," Mana continued, "I can't help but feel… violated. And yet I think I can begin to comprehend how you came to be involved in this sorry state."

Her voice lacked the outrage and disgust Kensuke expected. Kirishima was pretty cool, after all. Maybe she was even cooler than he thought.

She sighed. "You can see the moral quandary I'm in. On the one hand, I feel obligated to expose you two and tell everyone who has been disseminating pictures of the female student body all over school." She turned a frightening grin on them. "I'm sure Soryu will be especially interested."

Kensuke stifled a sob.

"On the other hand," Mana went on, "I think I could use your… skill, let's call it, to my own benefit."

"An interesting story," Toji said, ignoring his friend's panic. "What proof do you have to back up these allegations?"

"I've… persuaded a few of your past customers to break ranks and testify, should it come to that. And really. Who do you think the girls will believe? You two aren't exactly held in high regards among them."

Toji slumped. "So, what?" he muttered. "You really going to blackmail us?"

"That's such a dirty word. Consider it a good deed to keep the female public in the dark. And to, you know, keep yourselves alive."

"… What do you want?"

"You're friends with Ikari," Mana stated. She gave a light shrug. "I want some pictures of him."

"For what purpose?"

"That's none of your business," she snapped. She took a breath and regained composure, smoothing out her uniform's skirt. "What's important is that you fulfill my terms. Or else the wrath of God will be loosed upon you two."

"Gee. Since you asked so nicely…" Toji grumbled.

Mana pushed off from the wall and began walking away. "Get it done fast. My patience is limited and time is not on your side." She spun on her heel and flashed them a dazzling smile. "So don't screw this up, okay?"

The boys watched until she left their sight.

"Damn it," Toji summarized. He glanced at his friend. "Way to help back me up with her."

"Sorry." Kensuke removed his glasses and wiped his forehead. "I choked."

"Yeah, well, get over it. Tomorrow we got a new assignment. This is so wrong."

"Targeting a guy. And Shinji, at that." He put his glasses back on. "You know, I never thought of catering to a female clientele before..."

"And you aren't going to start now. This is not the beginning of a new business venture." Toji shivered, getting to his feet. "It's creepy when it's for a girl. There's a certain stalker-ish quality."

"… We don't have a choice. We'll have to modify the usual playbook." Kensuke stood and they started down the hill to the front gates. "You keep him distracted, up close. I'll snipe from a concealed position. Secrecy is paramount."

"No one must know of this dark deed we are about to commit."

They shared a grim, silent nod. They left the school grounds with a determination born of desperation.

Kensuke ignored the twinge of excitement at having an actual task outside his own created parameters. Success and failure had tangible consequences now beyond financial incentives. This was a mission.

/\/\/\/\

They met three days later. Kensuke pleaded for more time but Mana was insistent and impatient. The threat of exposure hung over his head like a guillotine. He had no choice.

They were in the empty music room; Band didn't meet on Saturdays and the space became a quiet, private den of extortion.

Kensuke handed Mana a slim packet of photos. She weighed it in her hand and frowned at them. She opened it, thumbed through them and snorted an angry sigh.

"I said I wanted pictures of Ikari," Mana told them.

"These are pictures of Ikari," Toji pointed out.

"These are crappy pictures of Ikari." She flipped through the stack again. "Eating lunch, at his desk, walking to school…" She shook her head. "Utter crap. Do it again."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Toji said, holding up a hand. "This is a one-time deal, lady. There's no way you can keep—"

"This goes on as long as I say it goes on. You do remember what will happen if you don't meet my request."

"Request," he muttered. He reached for the pictures. "Fine. We'll do it again—"

Mana shielded the photos with her body. "I didn't say I didn't want these. I just want better pictures. Think of these as a point of reference." She eyed a short series of Shinji at the track in his gym uniform. "Yeah, these will do nicely."

Kensuke and Toji shivered in unison.

"Whatever," Toji growled. "Why don't you just tell us exactly what you want so we can end this hostage situation."

"Hmm." She looked to the ceiling in thought. "Something… I can't see every day in school. Something unique. Yeah. Something the other girls can't see."

"That's a bit vague…"

Mana groaned. "Fine! I'll have to go with you. Tomorrow's Sunday so Ikari will be free. One of you can lure him out into a series of carefully orchestrated situations and—"

"Ah, he said he's busy tomorrow," Kensuke gently broke in. "He has plans. Something about getting some stuff at the shopping arcade."

"Perfect!" she burst out, causing both boys to jump a little. "We can tail him and get some real candid shots. Nothing fabricated. This'll work out great." She glanced at her photo slaves. "I'll have to rely on you two for the details. Gather as much info as you can."

"Forget it," Toji said, waving the situation away. "I'm busy tomorrow."

"Like heck you are," she told him. "Either you go or the girls find out who's been stealing their pictorial innocence."

"I'm not going," he stated, standing firm. "I'm visiting my little sister."

"She's in the hospital," Kensuke whispered to her.

"Oh," Mana said, sounding genuinely moved. "How sad. She'll soon be without a big brother after our female classmates murder him."

"Now listen—"

"It's for the best," Kensuke jumped in. He saw skepticism and hurried forward. "I mean, for this kind of, um, operation, speed and stealth are essential. Two can move better than three. And you don't need both of us to take pictures, right?"

"I suppose," Mana said slowly. She and Toji exchanged a glare. "Fine. You get a brief reprieve. You'd probably just get in the way." She turned her attention on Kensuke. "You said Ikari is going downtown tomorrow? When and where?"

"I'll look up the train schedules so we can coordinate and then contact you later—"

"I'll call you. I don't want you having my phone number." He relented and she started out of the classroom. "Be ready when I call." She shot him a sudden smile. "And show some enthusiasm, soldier! This is an important mission!" She left.

The boys waited an appropriate amount of time to gather up what was left of their self-respect and headed out as well. Kensuke was already checking his camera as they exited the school building and entered the courtyard.

Toji eyed him warily. "You're kind of into this, aren't you?"

"What?" Kensuke coughed. "Of course not. Just, you know, the sooner we get her what she wants the sooner she'll leave us alone, right?"

"I guess." He kicked a small rock towards the gates. "You finally got a real mission, huh?"

"Too bad the commanding officer is insane."

"Suffering from acute Shinji-itis. Man, he sure gets the weird ones."

"… Yeah."

They parted in the city with a wave. Kensuke waited until his friend was out of sight, then ran home to prepare for tomorrow.

/\/\/\/\

"What are you wearing?" Mana asked.

"What are you wearing?" Kensuke asked.

She was clad in a long coat, dark sunglasses and an oversized, floppy hat. She was immediately recognizable.

"I'm in disguise," she stated, proud and annoyed at having to explain herself. "We can't let Ikari know we're tailing him. Which brings me back to my question. What are you wearing?"

He looked himself over. Cargo shorts and a print t-shirt. "What I wear on Sundays. What normal people wear on Sundays."

He gestured around them. The shopping arcade was thinly crowded with packs of roaming people in casual attire. Mana's outfit only served to draw more attention to her.

"Nuh-uh," she clucked, wagging a finger. "I won't have this operation ruined by your lack of discretion. But we can't waste time to properly outfit you, either." She sighed. "Just act inconspicuous. You know, like usual."

He frowned and she ignored it. He led her to a small pavilion displaying a variety of cell phones with a direct line of sight to the train station. Mana lost patience after two minutes and turned on him.

"You're sure he'll be around here?"

"I already told you last night," Kensuke said to her. "He had to get something downtown today. If we stay near the main depot for the trains from his side of the city, we'll spot him for sure."

"What if he's already come and gone?"

"It's not even ten a.m.," he said, like that should be explanation enough. She stared at him and he sighed. "Yeah, he gets up early, but he has stuff to do at his apartment. Breakfast, dishes, cleaning; things like that."

"Somehow, I'm not surprised Soryu can't take care of herself." Mana adopted a reflective expression. "You know, I wouldn't mind having Ikari as a house husband. Coming home every day to find him waiting at the door. He'd ask how my day was and offer to give me a foot massage…" She trailed off into her own world.

"You certainly have an active imagination."

"You have no idea."

They waited. Mana gracefully ignored the sour expression of the pavilion operator. Kensuke offered a contrite smile and made a cursory once-over of the phones. Mana's eyes were fixed on the train station.

"I wonder what Ikari's getting today," she asked idly. "He likes music, right?"

"I guess," Kensuke replied, double-checking his camera. "He never really talks about it with us."

"But he carries that old tape player everywhere, right?"

"Yeah. But it's sort of… I don't know. He doesn't bring it out around us. There's just this feeling, like we shouldn't ask about it." He shrugged. Shinji could be weird.

"So you don't know what kind of music he listens to?"

"Nope. What I really want to know is why he doesn't get something newer. I get the appeal of the format but it's such a hassle nowadays. I mean, when you take into account availability and pricing…"

Mana wasn't paying attention to him anymore. "Damn," she said, biting her thumb. "I want to get him something he likes… Gift cards are so impersonal… Ah! We could go on a date to a music store. Perfect! Two birds with one stone."

"One-track mind," Kensuke muttered. He took a small leap of intuition. "If you like Shinji, why don't you just tell him?"

Mana smiled to herself. "He can be kind of intimidating."

"Intimidating?" he demanded. "Shinji?"

"Yes," she said in a small huff. "He doesn't talk much. No one really knows much about him. He keeps to himself. There's an intimidating aura around him."

"Shinji is not intimidating. No way." Unbidden, the memory of Shinji screaming in fury against that tentacled Angel rushed to terrify him once more. He shook it off. "No way."

"You're just too dense and male to see it. A lot of girls are intimidated by him. He isn't an open book like you and Suzahara."

"Since you know us so well."

"Your little business venture tells me all I need to know." She eyed him like a roach skittering across the kitchen floor. "Ikari isn't like you two. He's mature and responsible. And, come on, he fights monsters on a regular basis. He's brave. He's heroic. He's a hero." Mana nodded to herself.

Kensuke frowned. "Is the only reason you like him because he's a pilot?"

"Of course not!" She sounded genuinely offended. "I… I liked him before that. I thought he was cute. But then everybody found out he was a pilot and things got out of hand. And then people said he was interested in that Ayanami girl, and then Soryu showed up and now they're living together and…" She pouted. "It's not fair."

It isn't fair, he thought. Shinji got girls and giant robots. Teenage boy fantasyland. "I think he'd agree with you."

"Really?" Mana mulled that over. "He does seem kind of sad, you know?" She looked fondly out at something only she could see. "I want to make him smile. I want to make him smile at me."

Lame, Kensuke immediately thought in disgust. Girls were so delusional.

He paused. Was it so lame to want to see someone you liked smile? Ms. Misato had a gorgeous one. Maybe Kirishima wasn't as strange as he thought.

He paused again. He remembered what Mana blackmailed him into doing. Girls were so delusional.

"Oh, crap!"

Mana suddenly lunged at him and pushed him against the side of the pavilion's display. Kensuke issued a surprised squeak as she covered his mouth with her hand. He let himself enjoy the moment. She was warm and smelled like bubblegum.

"Shut up!" she hissed. She was peering over her shoulder. "It's Ikari."

Shinji was descending the steps of the train depot, clad in his weekend attire: uniform slacks and a plain shirt. The dull appearance did little to dampen Mana's excitement.

"He's here! He's here!" She was hopping from foot to foot. "Let's move!"

They edged along the perimeter of the shopping lobby, swinging behind Shinji as he made his way towards the stores. He stopped outside a clothing boutique fashionable with a lot of the girls in class. He stood at the door, looked up at the sign a few times, glanced around self-consciously, then snuck in.

"Huh," Mana and Kensuke both said.

"Didn't know he was into fashion."

"I'm not going to imagine the worst-case scenario here."

They loitered across the courtyard, waiting for Shinji to emerge.

"I guess he wanted to get new clothes?" Mana finally wondered aloud. "It couldn't hurt. Everybody should spice up their wardrobe sometimes. Not that he ever looks bad…" She perked up. "I'd love to see him in a proper suit. Or something with a tie. Or even his apron in the kitchen. O-Or a swimsuit…"

She kept rambling off different outfit ideas. Kensuke coughed when she started delving into costumes.

"Hey," she addressed him, "do you know if he wears something special when he pilots?"

"Oh, yeah," he said without thinking.

"Well? Details, man!"

"Uh, it's sort of… It…" Leaves very little to the imagination. "It's kind of like a modified flight suit."

"Oh." Mana sounded disappointed. "I was hoping it was something like from a sentai show. You know, colorful and skin-tight."

"… You don't say."

"What color do you think he'd be? I think blue fits him. Not anything too dark; it has to accentuate his eyes."

"You know his Eva's purple, right?" Kensuke asked.

"Th-That doesn't mean anything."

He waved his hand. "I don't think it matters. Shinji never really showed an interest in anything to do with fashion. He's a pretty plain guy."

"He just needs a woman's touch." Her cheeks slowly turned red at the phrase. Suddenly she was somewhere else entirely. Kensuke shivered.

They waited.

Mana sighed. "I wonder what's taking him so long."

"It's only been ten minutes," he told her, checking his watch. "He's probably just overwhelmed. He never seemed to realize you can have more than two outfits."

"Says his good friend. Do you even care about him?"

"Of course! It's just… I'm not wearing blinders."

The jab flew past Mana without connecting.

Kensuke shook his head. It seemed like everyone wore blinders around Shinji. And Shinji himself was blind to how lucky he really was. Even now: he had a hot, albeit insane, girl stalking him. Kensuke couldn't make that up if he tried. He also knew he'd never have that for himself.

What made Shinji so special? Girls and fun seemed to fall into his lap. And all Shinji could do was complain about it.

"Where is he?" Mana said to herself. She was impatient and excited.

Kensuke glanced at her and shook his head again. "Blinders," he muttered, and returned to his camera.

/\/\/\/\

Shinji exited the boutique. He was now wearing clothes alien to his expected wardrobe: designer jeans and a t-shirt with a loose jacket. He looked surprisingly trendy. And horrifically uncomfortable.

"Whoa," Mana breathed, eyes wide and greedy as she removed her sunglasses. "Why has he never worn something like that before?"

"Uh…" Kensuke cleared his throat. "We should hide better." They were in clear view of the boutique.

She shot him a sour look and pulled him down a nearby alley. They peeked out from behind a pile of crates. She rapped a knuckle on his scalp.

"What are you waiting for?" she demanded. "Start taking pictures, camera mule!"

"Wasting my Sunday," Kensuke muttered, bringing the camera up. "Could be camping right now."

He snapped off a few shots before the boutique door opened again. Asuka emerged, each hand lugging a shopping bag. She barked something at Shinji and forced the bags on him. He was looking everywhere but her: she was wearing a light green dress with a loop strap around the neck, cut above the knee. It was very flattering.

Kensuke risked a glance at Mana. He discreetly inched away. Oh, God, he thought. Am I going to be an accessory to murder?

Asuka drew several lingering gazes from the crowd. She bore it with a light, satisfied grin. She tugged on Shinji's collar and led him away from the shop. He stumbled after her.

"Um… Kirishima?" Kensuke risked.

She stared after the pair with a heavy, dangerous gaze. She emerged from behind the crates and replaced her sunglasses.

"Begin pursuit," Mana ordered in a clipped, military manner. "Operation: Ikari Capture is go."

"Yes, ma'am," Kensuke sighed.

/\/\/\/\

"She looks like a slut," Mana bit out.

Kensuke gaped at her. "Wh-What?"

"Soryu. She looks like a slut in that dress."

They were at the front of a convenience store, hiding behind a row of flashing pachinko machines. Mana had a small pair of binoculars out, leaning over one of the machines to carefully observe Shinji and Asuka as they neared a jewelry shop.

"That's a bit harsh…" Kensuke said. Never knew Kirishima could be so scary.

"Look at her," she went on, undeterred. "That gauzy little 'dress' with the low top and high bottom. And, oh my God, is she wearing makeup? Slut."

He lowered his camera as the targets entered the jewelry shop. "It's just an outfit."

"She's doing it on purpose. She's deliberately trying to embarrass Ikari." She ground her teeth. "And in public! She has no shame."

"She's probably just dragging Shinji out to make him pay for her stuff. Shinji told me she burns through money."

Mana's grim expression held. "And the dress? And the makeup?"

"Maybe… she just wants to show off?"

"So you think she's pretty?"

"What?" He panicked. "I, ah, no, not really. I mean, I sell a lot of pictures of her, but…"

Mana rolled her eyes and went back to surveillance. "What guy doesn't think she's pretty?" She was quiet a moment. "Do you sell any pictures of me?"

Kensuke felt a deep chill. Like someone stepped over my grave. "Ah… I usually sell the most popular, I mean the girls that are sort of the 'it' girl of the moment. Guys can be surprisingly fickle." He glanced at her stoic face. "But, yeah. I've definitely sold you before."

"When you put it like that it sounds like you're my pimp."

He blushed lightly. Geez. Was Kirishima always this blunt? Why didn't I notice?

"Target sighted," Mana suddenly snapped.

Kensuke reflexively brought his camera up and focused on the jewelry shop. Asuka emerged first sporting a new bracelet that shone in the midday light. Shinji came next, fumbling after her as he lugged the bags. She waited for him, admiring her new accessory. He looked tired, but not upset. They continued through the shopping arcade together.

Kensuke tracked them as they meandered from store to store. The pictures he took of Shinji the pack mule wouldn't win any medals but he wasn't getting any new orders from his commanding officer. Mana simply watched them in silence through her binoculars.

Eventually Asuka stopped at a table for an outdoor café. Shinji collapsed in the chair next to her, earning a scowl. He quickly scuttled to the seat across from her so they were face-to-face. Asuka's smile returned.

"Why does he let her push him around like that?" Mana said, watching Asuka order for both of them from a waiter. "He should stand up for himself."

She really doesn't know Shinji, Kensuke thought. Kind of sad, really. "Not quite his style," he tried gently.

"He's just too nice."

Asuka and Shinji were talking. She was animated, using her hands. He followed along and nodded. Kensuke made a short noise from his throat.

"What?" Mana asked him.

"Well, I've never seen them so…"

He paused, debating how to describe it. Asuka and Shinji seemed absorbed in an enjoyable conversation for once. Their waiter appeared with their order. She didn't notice.

"… so not like this. Soryu's usually a step away from murdering him. This is Bizarro Asuka. Calm and pleasant to be around."

"She does suffer from chronic PMS," Mana absently said. "What is this?" She sounded worried.

… It's like a date, Kensuke slowly realized. He shook his head and refocused, snapping off a picture of Shinji sipping his tea. Can't be. "Shinji said she can be okay at home sometimes." He shrugged. "I never believed him. I thought he was just trying to be polite."

"He is very polite…" She was tensed. "He's nice to Soryu, even though she does nothing to earn it. Like I said, he's just too nice."

"Or too scared of Asuka."

Mana glared at him, then turned away. "It's only natural. She's a scary person."

"Are you scared of her?"

"Please. She should be scared of me. I'm the one who's going to free Shinji from her clutches." She was smiling. "As soon as he's mine, she won't have him to kick around anymore."

Shinji and Asuka continued talking at the café. He looked stiff, but content. She was leaning forward slightly, demanding his attention. He had no choice but to comply.

/\/\/\/\

Three small raindrops landed on Kensuke's camera lens.

"Huh." He pulled back and glanced up at the darkening sky. The sun was being swallowed by a wide swath of thick gray clouds. Beyond the city, along the ridges of the mountains ringing Tokyo-3, the sky was nearly black.

"It wasn't supposed to rain today," Mana said. Her voice was deciding whether to be relieved or disappointed. "I guess Ikari will have to go home now."

Kensuke tried to shield his camera. "Can we leave, too?"

"Not until Ikari does."

They watched Shinji and Asuka across the courtyard through a curtain of rain. Asuka trotted away from the café to a nearby kiosk with a large canopy umbrella, Shinji hurrying after. They huddled beneath it, but were pushed to the edge by other shoppers desperate to escape the storm. Soon it was raining too hard to leave.

A heavy man squeezed into the crowd around the kiosk and pushed Asuka a step out into the rain. Her arm was instantly drenched. Her dress clung to her leg. Her mouth twisted into a frown of helpless frustration.

Shinji watched her. He hesitated, then removed his jacket. He hesitated again, and brought it up over his head like an umbrella. He moved close to Asuka and shielded her from the rain. Kensuke couldn't see her reaction but she did not move away.

"FUBAR," he muttered in disbelief. "It really is like they're on a date."

He remembered who he was with and what they were supposed to be doing. He jerked his head towards Mana. She was stoic.

"Um, ah…" He swallowed and fell into incoherency. Mana didn't respond and he escaped back to his camera.

Asuka and Shinji remained very close together. Kensuke couldn't see much with his camera's zoom limit and the pouring rain. He glanced over at Mana again, still watching through her binoculars. Her face was unreadable. She watched a moment more, then tucked the binoculars away.

"I've seen enough," she said softly. She turned around and slumped against the pachinko machine, and slid down to the floor in a crouch. She hugged her knees. "Tell me when they're gone."

Kensuke looked away from her back into the rain. He let his camera fall to his waist. From his spot, Asuka and Shinji were indistinct blurs of faint color in a crowd of gray.

/\/\/\/\

Mana dragged herself home in silence. Kensuke trailed beside her. She was usually so chipper and self-assured, even in the face of adversity. Seeing her broken expression made him depressed on sight alone.

She had shed her disguise, limply carrying it under one arm. The sunglasses dangled off her index finger.

The rainclouds had moved past Tokyo-3's mountains. The afternoon sun was sinking in a horizon of deep orange and red. The streetlamps were still dark. Mana trudged onward over wet sidewalks. Kensuke followed, not sure what else to do. They walked two blocks without a word.

"Sorry," she finally muttered at him.

"What?"

"I'm sorry for making you spend your Sunday like this. We shouldn't have come out here." She sunk further. "I'm such an idiot."

Kensuke never knew how to deal with sad people. His father was either exhausted or at work. Toji worked hard to make people think he had the emotional range of a starved chimp. Shinji was morose on a regular basis but Kensuke and Toji could shove him a little, make a joke, and force him to bury it. They were boys.

A sad girl was dangerous and unfamiliar territory. The extent of Kensuke's insight into the scope of female emotions was that tears and temper were a hair's width apart. Dealing with an angry girl was easy: you took the abuse and moved on. Depression was uncomfortable and awkward. It was handling a fragile vase and knowing you're about to slip and fall.

Mana sighed. "It only makes sense. Ikari and Soryu. They live together, they fight together, he's gorgeous and all the guys are in love with her. Not surprising. I should have figured it out sooner. I should have seen the signs… What was I thinking?"

She trailed off. There weren't any tears in her voice, just weary shock. Kensuke never heard anyone sound so utterly defeated. Not even Shinji.

He sighed a bitter breath away. He drew himself up. "Don't give up," he told her.

She turned and gave him a listless stare. "Huh?"

"That… What happened today… It doesn't mean anything. I mean, it probably doesn't mean anything. We don't really know what happened. So… you know… don't give up."

Mana stared at him a long moment. Her face broke into a wide, confident smile. "You're right! There's been no confirmation of possible relationship status! He was just being chivalrous! The mission is still go!" She turned away, already devising new avenues of attack. "Soryu's too proud to do anything. I can't give up now. It has to be me. It has to be."

Given Shinji's other paths to feasible romance, Kirishima was probably the best of a bad situation. Ayanami was too scary, Asuka was too Asuka, and Ms. Misato was off-limits. The other girls in class had given up from lack of interest on Shinji's part and the ruinous fear of Asuka's proximity.

It only made sense. Shinji got to pilot, he got to live with a beautiful woman; he lived a charmed life. Why wouldn't he get the pretty, popular, willing girlfriend? Kensuke hoped he'd at least be grateful for that.

Good luck, Shinji, he thought, half-meaning it.

Mana looked back over her shoulder wearing a dull expression. "Get those pictures developed by Tuesday. I'll need them for battle tactics."

"So is that it?" Kensuke asked. "Am I off the hook after that?"

She scoffed. "As if. As long as you're sneaking pictures of girls, you'll be sneaking pictures of Ikari for me. Got it?"

He frowned. Ending the photo business was a non-starter. Blackmail at the hands of a cute, insane girl was his new reality.

"At least," Mana continued, "until he's mine." She thought about it a moment. "Nah, even then. Your conscription is until death, soldier."

Kensuke fired a lazy salute at her. "Yes, ma'am."

"Keep that enthusiasm up and you'll be in line for a promotion." She turned and started walking away with a clipped stride. "Good job today. Now, dismissed!"

He watched her continue down the wet street alone. The streetlamps flickered to life above her. He brought his camera up and found Mana through the lens. She walked tall and proud, looking straight ahead. Kensuke snapped a single picture. He watched her until she turned down a side street and was gone.

"Don't give up," he repeated to himself.

He was sure Mana would forget he told her that, and Shinji would never know, even if her schemes succeeded. But it made her happy. A small, warm consolation worked over him: he made a girl happy.

Kensuke walked home. He pictured Mana's shining smile. At that moment, it was enough.

/\/\/\/\

End

Author notes: I seem to suffer under the popular malady of being unable and unwilling to see Kensuke attain any kind of real happiness. To be fair, he didn't get much in the series, either.

OMAKE

Shinji exited the boutique. He was now wearing clothes alien to his expected wardrobe: a frilly skirt with stockings, coupled with a bustier finished with delicate lacework. He looked surprisingly good. And fully at ease in his own skin for the first time.

"God damn it," Mana spat. "I always pick the weird ones."

Kensuke was frantically trying to contain a fountain-like nosebleed while firing off pictures. "Better than that female plug suit."