Fieber

A/N: Konnichiwa minna-san! I don't know if anyone knows me here in the Evangelion section, cuz I have been purely writing about Rurouni Kenshin for 4 years now. But anyways, this is my debut for Neon Genesis Evangelion, and it's just a two-part fic. I don't know, I think I still have to accommodate Evangelion into my system first before finally being able to write a multi-chap fic for it.

This is a ShinjixAsuka pairing (yes, I am a big time Shinji and Asuka fan!). I have nothing against Rei or to someone else you might want to pair Shin-chan with, but since this is my ficcie, SxA rules! Haha! Also, since this is just a two-part fic, do not expect the major characters to appear. This story came to my mind while watching one of the episodes where Shinji reflects on Asuka's past, although it's just an itsy bitsy portion. The thing is, the series never really showed (correct me if I'm wrong) how he learned about Asuka's mom and all, so this is my way of "looking at it".

I am writing this with the thought of having a Psychology final exam tomorrow. Bleh...But hehe...I felt like writing this now. So yes, without so much blabbering, I give you "Fieber" (fever).

Warnings: As earlier mentioned, this is my first time to write an Eva fic, and you might find the characters a bit OCC. Forgive me for that.

Timeframe: A tangent from the original series. Happens somewhere after episode 15. Think of it as a time-stretcher, or even a filler! laughs

Disclaimer: EVA is not mine.

PART I

"Arggh...Why didn't she just let baka-Shinji do it anyway!" Asuka grumbled in her breath while hastily pulling out the grocery list from her uniform's pockets again. She has been doing so for the last 10 minutes, and the paper was already frayed and squashy. It was actually Misato's turn to do the grocery today, but as Asuka was walking back home, Misato called her up, dictating the grocery items over the phone. When Asuka asked why she won't be able to do her turn of grocery, the older woman said she had to stay over at the headquarters due to some "unintended emergency".

Yeah, I bet that unintended emergency has something supposed to do with Kaji! Asuka scornfully told herself raising her eyebrow at no one.

"Let's see, what did I miss..." her eyes scanned the frayed grocery list and then to the items in her grocery basket simultaneously.

"Eeeehh! Verflucht! (Darn it)" Asuka grumbled, turning a heel with the realization that she forgot the box of eggs which was in a few aisles back from where she was.

Walking back with a strained look on her face, she noticed that not too many people were around the grocery. She could clearly hear the sound of her leather shoes against the marble flooring of the grocery store.

Suddenly, a child's voice caught her ears.

"Mama! Mama!"

Asuka stopped looking down at the small child who was on her left side. She predicted the child was somewhere between 4 or 5 years old. She was a plump girl with shiny brown hair.

"Mama!" the child's call turned a bit frustrated while warily biting the hand of the doll in her arms.

"Mou, come here Mikako-chan!" A sweet voice uttered the girl's name from behind Asuka.

"Mama!" delight was clearly seen on the little girl's chubby face and she hurriedly ran to her mother's presence.

Asuka gulped, feeling a sense of jealousy within her and slowly craned her neck to take a glimpse of the child and her mother. She hastily removed her eyes off them though, and pretended she didn't see anything. But the joyous giggle and the Motherese tone of the woman betrayed her.

Asuka returned the piece of paper in her pockets, crumpling it completely in the process and then smiled sarcastically to herself. "Well, what do you know. That child might be one of those Secure Type Infants when she was still a baby."

"Zeitverschwendung. (Waste of time)" Asuka said flatly, and with a quick "hmp" continued to do her bidding.

o0O0o

"Hmm, I can't start cooking without supplies. Misato said Asuka will be doing the grocery, but I wonder what's taking her so long." Shinji closed the empty fridge--with the exception of Misato's cans of beer--with a wry look.

"Qwwwwaaa!" Pen-pen came into the kitchen looking up at Shinji who was leaning on the fridge with arms crossed.

Shinji forced a smile. "Eh, gomen ne. I know you're hungry, but I don't have anything from you yet. Not until--" Shinji's words were cut off as the random patter on the roof suddenly came down in full force accompanied with the usual lightning and thunder. Looking outside the window, everything seemed to be silenced by the rain's heavy downpour.

"Oh no! Asuka! She, she never brings an umbrella with her!"

A sweat drop went off Pen-pen's head.

Meanwhile, in the streets of Tokyo-3 a sullen Asuka walked lazily with her grocery and school bag in her arms. Somehow, the child's voice calling "Mama" reverberated through her senses and then it unconsciously tapped into the back of her mind--with her own inner voice replacing that of the child's, waking up the suppressed memories she had tried to get rid off for such a long time.

Mama! Mama! Look at me! I was chosen! I was chosen to be the pilot of the Evangelion! The only one in the world! The best there is! Please look at me Mama!

Please don't kill me Mama! Noo! I don't want to die! Please don't kill me!

Mamaaaaaa!

That last word echoed throughout her being, fading into the numbness of her consciousness.

Before that final vision made its way into her psyche, she sturdily closed her eyes and shook her head sideways. "Iya..." she calmly whispered to herself. "I promised...I can't...I won't...cry anymore."

Suddenly, something moist struck her cheek. And then her arms. Her head. Once, twice, thrice.

"Eh?" Looking up, she realized it was going to rain.

"Sheist! (shit)" She fumbled and then started to run as fast as she could. She thought she could outpace the rain since the building of Misato's apartment was already in her view. But to her dismay, the rain came down with all its wrath. She tried to use her bag to cover her from the rain while hugging the groceries to herself, but the rain was just too strong. Giving up, she put her school bag on top of the grocery bag and then started to run while in a semi-ducked position, trying to protect both her bag and groceries from the onslaught above. She succeeded a bit, but not without her being soaked from head to toe. Cursing, she just ran faster even though the rain obscured her view.

o0O0o

The sound of the door being opened made Shinji go straight into the hallway.

"Okaeri na--" There, he was greeted by a soaked and panting Asuka whose clothes and hair were dripping as if water came out of her body.

"A-asuka...You're soaking wet!" He exclaimed unsure of what to say or do. Sure, she was a mess--her red mane was plastered at the sides of her cheeks and neck, her clothes clung tightly to her skin--there was something about it that made her look so helpless yet so beautiful at the same time. And he couldn't think of anything but to stare at her with a half-open mouth.

"Anta baka! I already know that! You don't have to tell me! dummkopf!" Asuka glared at him while hastily taking her water-filled shoes. "Make yourself useful and take this for me!" Asuka gave him a look and then almost threw the groceries and her bag onto Shinji's arms waking him up from his stupor.

"Uh, hai!" Shinji retorted quietly following her actions with his eyes.

Asuka made her way inside with her socks making wet markings on the floor while her clothes and hair continued to drip with water. "Argh! Kisama! Why didn't you just do the groceries anyway? You were at NERV with Misato the whole day!"

Shinji followed cautiously from behind. "But I was with Dr. Akagi for some maintenance on Unit 01's back-up data. I never saw Misato, except that she called me up on the phone saying you'll--" For the uncountable time, Shinji was again cut off.

"Ah! For the love of God! Enough of this!" Asuka raised her hands up expressing her dissent. "It's already done! Hmph! I'm going to my room!" And all that was heard was a loud snap. Without anything, she opened her door again. "Make sure you cook something nice for me!" With a nippy glare at the Third Children, Asuka closed her door yet again.

"H-hai..." Shinji returned nodding his head although he knew she didn't see it anyway. Removing his eyes from Asuka's room, he looked at the grocery and Asuka's bag in his arms.

Her school bag, was well, as soaked as its owner. He was sure all her notes and anything in there was bathed in water. Putting it aside, he decided he'll try to "salvage" and dry whatever was salvageable first before cooking dinner. And then it hit him. The grocery bag was, of course, wet on the outside, but the things inside showed almost no sign of water or even moisture.

A small smile crept upon his young face. "Silly girl."

o0O0o

The crisp sound of knife cutting something on the chopping board hummed through the kitchen where Shinji was preparing food that was "something nice for Asuka". With the rain still rummaging outside, Shinji decided to make pasta with soup. He put the chopped lettuce and cabbage leaves onto the casserole which was already filled with cooked macaroni and chicken stock. He picked up the ladle on one side and slowly stirred it.

Meanwhile, at the living room, Asuka's notebooks and school bag were neatly lined up on one side with two of Misato's hair dryer on both ends. This was Shinji's attempt to "save" what remained of Asuka's school belongings. To Pen-pen, however, the hair dryers' combined sound was completely keeping him from enjoying the show on TV.

"Pen-pen!" Shinji called out.

At that, Pen-pen didn't dare to blink and quickly ran to the kitchen knowing that the "Pen-pen" was a signal of food.

"Geez, you're that hungry, huh?" Shinji asked while looking at the penguin eating voraciously. With a shrug, he decided to go call Asuka.

He briefly stopped in front of the TV to turn it off mumbling that Pen-pen turned it on too loud.

Shinji stood at Asuka's door and knocked once. "Gomen ne, Asuka, but dinner is ready." he spoke out, enough for the girl to hear on the other side of the door. He waited for a response, but all seemed quiet.

He tried for the second time leaning closer to the door. "Ne, asuka, dinner's ready."

Again, not even a faint noise or clutter was heard.

Shinji's face crumpled a bit. "That's weird. I never saw her come out ever since she went inside a while ago."

With a heaved sigh, Shinji decided to open the door. "Asuka, pardon me, but I'm coming in now."

Though still a little unsure, Shinji gently pulled the door open. To his surprise, Asuka's room was dark though he could clearly see her uniform and socks--still wet--sprawled on the floor and illuminated by the light behind him. Poking on the wall, he finally found the light's switch and turned it on.

Apparently, she seemed to be sleeping with her usual shirt and shorts on. But then, as he looked closer, Asuka lay motionless and was barely on top of her bed with one leg lazily on the floor, the other one on her bed. One of her arms also lay limply inches off the floor while the other one was half-folded over her stomach. Her hair was scattered all around her pillow and she seemed to have had difficulty in breathing.

"Oi! Asuka! Asuka! Are you alright!" he asked worriedly as he ran to her side. He quickly but gently put her in a much comfortable position on her bed. He looked at her again, and it was then that he realized that her cheeks were flushed and she was indeed breathing quite heavily. He put the back of his hand against her forehead and he gasped.

Asuka was burning hot with fever. Shinji reached out for her blanket and covered her now shivering body. Unsure of what to do next, he raced to the living room and nervously reached for the telephone. He shakily dialed the number to Misato's cell phone. It rang once, twice, thrice, but no one was picking it up. To Shinji, it seemed forever, and so, he ended the call and dialed Kaji's number. Like Misato's, it just kept ringing.

Cursing under his breath, he tried his luck with Ritsuko's contact number. On the first ring, he looked back at Asuka's room agitated, he didn't even notice that Ritsuko was already on the other line.

"Shinji? Is that you?" the woman's voice woke his senses.

"Ah, h-hai. Ritsuko-san, I'm sorry to bother you right now, but..." came his worry-stricken voice.

"It's alright Shinji, what is it?" the other one supplied.

"A-asuka...she's having a fever right now! I don't know what to do! M-misato is not here, and I tried to call her up, but she wasn't answering, and...I, I--" Shinji retorted with his worry more eminent.

"Shinji, calm down." Ritsuko said sternly. "You have a medicine cabinet, right?"

"H-hai!" Shinji retorted, palms sweating.

"Good. Look for anything that bears the name of analgesic or paracetamol. Give it to her, but make sure she takes in food before or after that. Make her drink a lot of water too. Putting a cold ice bag or a wet cloth over her forehead can also help relieve the heat. You got all of that, Shinji?" Ritsuko spoke in such a confident voice which emanated her sense of control and authority over the matter.

"Hai, hai! Arigatou Ristuko-san!" Shinji returned while repeating all the things Ritsuko said in his head.

With a beep, the call was ended and Shinji automatically went to the bathroom to get the said medicine, a basin, and a face towel.

o0O0o

"Asuka, Asuka..." Shinji tapped her shoulder gently but enough to wake her up. "Sorry to wake you up, but you have to take this medicine." Shinji said raising his palm which held a tablet as soon as she opened her eyes.

"Mnnn..." Asuka returned meekly but her face expressed protest.

"Please Asuka, you're having a fever..." Shinji tried to persuade her with a crumpled forehead.

"I...iya..." Asuka returned. "G-go, go a-way... I don't...want...anyone...to see me...like this." a shudder went off at her last word.

A bit pissed off at her stubbornness, Shinji's grew a little determined. "Damn it, Asuka! You're having a fever and you're still so proud!" Shinji stopped. He was surprised at his own words. "G-gomen...I didn't mean to..."

Asuka, stared at him fiercely through enfeebled eyelid muscles. Still, those blue orbs managed to make Shinji even more guilty.

"Ba...ka..." Asuka muttered. At that, she tried to raise herself up. She succeeded, but her back wasn't completely off the bed when she felt her balance going away.

Surprised at her actions, his instincts prompted him to support her in sitting up the bed. Asuka, on the other hand, shrugged his hand off her back with her remaining strength and glared at him.

Shinji blinked, but he was relieved she was being more cooperative. "Kore.." he said as he handed her the tablet. Looking on one side, he got the glass of water from the bed side table and offered it to Asuka as soon as the tablet was in her mouth.

Asuka took the glass and then slowly drank from it, swallowing the tablet in the process.

Shinji smiled and took the almost empty glass from Asuka.

Asuka sighed, her eyebrows meeting each other. "What are you smiling for, stupid...?" she asked, strain apparent in her voice though she tried to keep her voice "strong" especially on the 'stupid' part.

"Oh, nothing. Uh, here, I made you some soup." Shinji replied while taking the tray up from the floor. He removed the bowl's cover and steam went up. "Sorry, but I had to heat it up again, so the vegetables are quite pale now, but I hope you'd still like it." Shinji was about to pick up the spoon from one side of the tray when Asuka spoke.

"I can feed myself." Came her stern voice.

Both looked at each other for a while. Asuka broke the contact leaning her head on one side looking down at her bed. "I, I, think you should go get yourself something to eat as well." She looked at him for a moment and then returned her gaze on her bed again realizing that Shinji put on the blankets for her.

Shinji smiled inwardly. She was right, his worry seemed to make him forget that he hasn't eaten yet. "I will, but I think I you should eat first. I'll just help you get water from the pitcher while you're eating." Shinji gestured at the pitcher of water on the bed side table. "Ritsuko-san said you have to drink lots of water."

"Anta baka?" Asuka's energy seemed to be coming back. "You mean you will just watch me eat? Don't be an idiot Ikari. Go get yourself some food." Again, another moment of silence crept upon them. "I mean, I wouldn't mind if you eat here with me. Just make sure you don't spill food over or something."

"Alright then." Shinji carefully placed the tray over her lap. "I'll just go get mine. Just call if you need anything, I'll be back quickly."

Asuka rolled her eyes. "Geez, you're just going to the kitchen. Now go, before I change my mind!"

Shinji stood up from the chair he was sitting on and then went out of the room. Asuka kept her eyes on his back and watched him disappear as he turned on the corner leading to the kitchen.

"Dummkopf..." she silently muttered. With a quick, but sincere smile, she picked up the spoon and started to eat.

TBC...

A/N: Well yes, guys, that's the end of Part I. Part II will be uploaded very soon! So, how was it? Tell me, ne? Arigatou gozaimasu!

Verflucht - "Darn it!" (i dunno if Asuka uses this, but, might as well put it up)
Secure Type Infant - Mary Ainsworth was a psychologist who studied infants and classified them according to how they will behave in a "Strange Situation" (e.g. the Mother disappears for a while, and then returns). One of the classifications is the secure type infants: explore, play, etc, as long as the mother is present. They show some distress when the mother leaves, but greet her return with great enthusiasm.
Motherese - a special tone of voice characterized by a high pitch, slow and exaggerated tones usually used by mothers/caregivers towards infants.

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