Do You Really Know Me?

Yes, yes, I know- it's my first non-Fire Emblem fic. Be nice. Don't worry, to all my other Fire Emblem fans, Person's Unknown will be going ahead as scheduled. I'm gonna be pulling out a few NGE one-shots, so be prepared!

a/n: BTW, I haven't seen any Evangelion past the episode where Toji gets smashed by EVA-01, so don't kill me. I also haven't seen Neon Genesis for the longest time, but I've kept up with extremely frequent listenings to the theme song and plenty of spoilers. It's due to those massive amounts of spoilers that I know what happens. Anyway, I might still get some of the dates/times/events mixed up, so don't kill me.

Serra: Hey, cool! A new fic!

IceBlade28: Yes, and it isn't an FE fic. So you're not my muse.

Serra: What? How could I not be your muse!

IceBlade28: Because you aren't from this series, moron.

Serra: Then who's your muse for this fic?

IceBlade28: My favourite character- Maya Ibuki, assistant to Ritsuko Akagi!

Maya: Hi everyone!

Serra: Maya Ibuki! What kinda name is that?

IceBlade28: Maya is a fine name. And if you're here any longer, you'll corrupt the fic. This isn't your universe, and it definitely isn't a crossover fic; go back to FE. big poof of smoke and Serra disappears.

Maya: What was that all about?

IceBlade28: Really long story. Anyway, enjoy the fic!

Do You Really Know Me?

Asuka watched him intently from her desk, trying to read the boy's expression. He was gazing almost hopefully out the window, not paying the least bit attention to the lesson. Then again, who was?

The German shook her head, drawing curious glances from a few of her classmates. She ignored, them, typing a couple of words onto her laptop in annoyance. Trust Shinji not to be paying attention. Asuka took a quick peek at her room-mate. He was looking away from the window now, staring sadly at his computer, before stretching his fingers and typing slowly on his assigned laptop.

Asuka's computer winked, and an Instant Message flashed up in Japanese. Asuka ground her teeth, her trademark anger coming to the rise. She hadn't learnt all of the characters yet. Still, from the majority of the words . . .

Hey Asuka, it read. Such a sudden interest in Shinji! Do you have a crush on him or something?

The redhead swore quietly in German, her finger flying around the keyboard in a sudden rush that drew more than one surprised glance from those close by.

He's my room-mate! she wrote furiously. I'd never be interested in him- besides, he's an idiot!

Beaming with savage pride, she sent the message off and sat back, answering a few of the easier questions assigned to her.

Shinji looked curiously at Asuka, before looking away hurriedly. Knowing his unwelcome (well, perhaps unwelcome was too strong a word-) room-mate, she'd have fierce words with him for no particular reason. He sighed quietly, before typing a few more characters on his keyboard and looking back out the window again.

I wish they wouldn't insist on keeping us in school on days like this, he thought. The sun was shining brilliantly, and Shinji's seat was located in the centre of a rather warm sunbeam. Judging by the way the grass on the soccer oval rippled, there was a cooling breeze out as well. It would have been a really nice day to sit under a tree and read a book . . . and grin behind the pages while Asuka 'accidently' K.O'ed a hapless soccer player that made the mistake of getting in her way. And maybe even given Rei a happy smile or two . . .

Shinji looked across the class at his fellow EVA pilot. Ayanami was deep in her work, her gaze unfaltering from the computer screen. Rei was 'a weird one', as Miss Misato has put it. Shinji had mixed feelings about such a blunt observation. Certainly, she wasn't like normal people . . . the way she had been so automated when he accidently intruded upon her in her room, when he had come to give her the message.

The youngest Ikari smiled slightly at both their reactions. He had cleaned up the papers on the floor, smiling slightly as he did so. Then she walked in on him-

Shinji winced, shying away from that memory quickly. She had been completely naked; and yet she acted if nothing was wrong. The boy wondered what she had thought. I must have been a strange sight, he thought. Your typical Japanese schoolboy come to deliver a message, and instead of acting completely perverted about the fact she was naked, I clamp my eyes shut, blurt out my message and allow her to steer me to the door.

His eyes flicked back to her form, and they made eye contact. Rei had been watching Shinji apparently, and when their eyes met, she looked away, as if embarrased. Shinji kept watching her, amused, and he gave her a gentle smile when she saw him again. She blushed, watching her monitor with an embarrassed- was it really, Shinji thought, peering hard.

It was indeed. Rei was smiling, gently, with the embarrassment plain to read, but it was still a smile. Shinji grinned, and typed the answer to a question on his computer. He had gotten Ayanami Rei to smile.

Asuka, meanwhile, was still holding a furious I.M debate with some of her classmates as to whether or not she 'liked' Ikari Shinji. The German was growing tired of the debate.

They're my feelings- and they do not gravitate towards Ikari Shinji! Gimme a break- he's a worse E-

Asuka quickly erased the last letter. She hated these new Japanese systems; they sent each letter off, instead of writing the whole message and then sending it. No-one was supposed to know that the famed pilots of Evangelions were fourteen-year-old children! Heck, most people knew anyway, but if they knew that not just one, but all three EVA pilots were in the same class . . . . Asuka shuddered. They'd never get a moments peace.

He's an idiot! she wrote again, this time in bold. Discreetly, she glanced at her fellow pilot. He was staring at that weird girl, Ayanami Rei.

Could Shinji and Rei . . . like each other? Oh, this is too choice! Shinji is bad enough, but Ayanami . . .

Asuka opened a writing program and began typing furiously, her smile growing wider as she wrote. Perhaps a little extra help wouldn't go astray . . .

Shinji opened an I.M, his fingers shaking surprisingly. Why would he be scared? It wasn't as though he had a crush on her . . . and he wasn't scared of her- that he knew of. Although, her reaction might be enough to discourage all further attempts. Shinji took a deep breath, and started to type her name, when he was suddenly interupted by the bell.

"That's it, people. Off you go. Chapters Twelve and Thirteen for homework," the professor called, as each computer was saved and logged off, and students filed out in ones and twos. Shinji sighed, exiting the I.M and closing the lid on his laptop. Maybe later . . .

Asuka 'conveniently' hung back to see what would happen between her room-mate and the schizoid. If there was chemistry here, Asuka would see it, and . . . well, she preferred the term 'gently ease unwilling participants into an unknown area which may or may not be to their benefit'. Most called it meddling. She liked to call it blackmailing.

"So, ah . . . Rei," Shinji stammered, fumbling with the zip on his bag. The girl turned her blank eyes towards him, the standard indifference shining through. "Yes?"

"Um . . . I-I was wondering . . . I mean, you usually eat alone, and I'm sorry if I sound rude, but I know what it's like to have to eat alone, and I thought-" Rei looked at her fellow pilot curiously, somehow silencing his babbling.

"Are you offering to eat lunch with me?" she asked, intrigued. Shinji nodded dumbly, flushing. Why did he have to go red now? Why? Rei paused, unsure of what to say.

"I'm used to eating alone," she said simply, turning and walking out the front door. Shinji watched her form vanish amongst the mass of chattering girls and talking guys, a forlorn expression on his face. Asuka chose her moment perfectly.

"Aww, cheer up, Shinji!" she chirped. "It's not like you wanted to ask her out or anything . . . besides, you'll see her- um, in that place we go," she said, stumbling around the subject of NERV. The boy gave her an odd look.

"Anyway, you can have lunch with me!" she said, grabbing his arm. "C'mon!" Shinji didn't even bother to argue; when Asuka wants to do something, she'll do it even if you argue. Since all arguing does is slow the end result down, Shinji had already learnt to just get out of the way.

They wandered into the netball courts, Shinji examining the cliques and circles of friends that dotted the concrete. And, of course, Rei sat by her lonesome, leaning contentedly against the wire fence with a small red book in her hand. Asuka followed his gaze and frowned.

"Come on!" she said angrily, convincing herself that it was an act. She had to act this way if she was going to get Shinji and Rei together. They found an unoccupied bench, and Asuka promptly sat down and opened her lunchbox. Shinji took a little longer to sit down, looking at Rei one last time before 'accepting defeat' and sitting down to lunch with Asuka.

"Geez Shinji," Asuka mumbled, her mouth full of food. "You gonna be cooking lunches every day? These are great!" Ikari gave a start.

"Sorry?" Shinji winced. He knew she hated him apologising.

"Don't be sorry!" she said angrily. (a/n: See?) "I'm giving you a compliment!"

"O-Oh," he said, taking a small bite of his own bread roll. Asuka looked at him side-on, admiring him-

Wait, she said. Admiring him? What on earth? There's no feelings for him in my heart! Still, the way the wind ruffled his bangs, and those sky-blue eyes that caught her attention every time she looked at them-

No. Just- no. It was the ditzes. The idiots that were I.M.ing me during class. I put up with them, and now I'm feeling the side effects. I do not like Shinji. I'm going to put him with Rei. End of story, she told herself firmly. But watching him take periodic glances at Ayanami irked her- until she figured out why.

"Honestly, Shinji!" Asuka shouted, causing those sitting nearby to inch slightly further away from the volatile German. "If you want something, go after it wholeheartedly! Don't just take tiny shots from the shadows! If you don't pursue what you want aggressively, someone else is going to take it!" she screamed. All pretense had been dropped; those nearby stood up and moved a good ten feet away from the crazy chick. Asuka was feeling really stupid by this point, and buried her face into the bread roll.

Shinji was speechless; Asuka's ranting usually did that to him.

"Um . . ." he began. "Asuka . . . you know I don't like you anymore than a friend, right?" The redhead froze.

"What?" she said, her voice dangerously soft. Shinji felt a bead of sweat form on his forehead.

"Uh . . . I don't really like y-you more than a friend?" he asked in a tiny voice. Asuka turned slowly to look him in the eye, and Shinji gulped. He had made some pretty bad mistakes in his life, but this . . .

Asuka rose to her feet, her hands balling into fists. There was no way Shinji could miss a gesture that obvious.

"Do you think I was talking about me?" she asked softly, her voice laden with hostility. Shinji's heart beat faster- the likelihood of pain usually did that to him.

"Um . . . yes?" he asked. Asuka's eyes blazed, and Shinji dropped all barriers.

He got to his feet and started running, rapidly pursued by a roaring Asuka. Shinji didn't pay attention to the words; pouring all his concentration into running and trying to stay alive.

From her seat on the higher netball court, Rei looked briefly away from her book at her two co-pilots, the boy who had talked to her earlier fleeing from the psychotic redhead.

Honestly, Rei thought. They're acting like children. Hard to believe they're my co-pilots . . . harder to believe that Commander Ikari's son isn't that bad, she thought dismissively, turning back to her book.

-----

Shinji ran hard, prominently aware of the fuming redhead giving chase behind him. His lungs were contracting, and he knew he wouldn't be running much further. Better just to give in and let Asuka yell at him-

The young Ikari turned his head to look forward and crashed straight into an unaware Toji. The two boys fell to the floor, but Shinji scrambled up. He would've kept running if Toji hadn't grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer.

"What's the big idea!" he said angrily. "I'm minding my own business, and all of a sudden you knock me down!" Shinji looked away, trying not to incite another person's wrath today.

"Sorry . . ." he mumbled, wincing as he heard an unwelcome voice.

"Well!" Asuka said breathlessly, catching up to the two of them. "Looks like the idiot is good for something other than flashing people," she said with a dry look at Toji. The young boy was less than thrilled to have this crazy redhead at his side.

"You were looking for this little weasel?" Toji asked, tightening his grip on Shinji's shirt. Asuka nodded proudly.

"I was going to kill the little baka, but it appears I can get someone to do my dirty work for me," she said, satisfied. However, in the interest of Shinji-bashing, it was one of the worst things she could've said.

"What!" Toji said. "I don't do anything to help you- you're crazy!" He dropped Shinji to the ground and promptly had an experience exactly like the one when he first met Asuka.

After the sound had ceased, Toji keeled backwards with a pair of bright red, hand-shaped welts on his face. (a/n: Why? What were you thinking?). Again, an incident of bad timing, as Miss Ibuki had just rounded the corridor. The young woman surveyed the scene in front of her, shaking her head.

"Let me guess," Maya said. "Shinji accidently P.O'ed Asuka, Asuka tried to kill Shinji again, Shinji ran away and crashed into Toji, who wanted to beat Shinji for crashing into him; but when Toji tried to kill Shinji, Asuka slapped Toji because only she gets to beat the living stuffing out of Shinji," Maya said quickly, smiling at the dumbfounded looks she got from them all.

"Actually, that's pretty accurate," Asuka said, all traces of anger lost. Maya smiled sweetly, looking down at Toji.

"And Asuka, don't be so hard on the kid. He might be piloting alongside you someday; you never know when the Marduk Report finds someone new," she said, but Toji shook his head violently and sprang to his feet.

"I'd never pilot one of those things," he spat. "It's him-" he pointed to Shinji angrily. "-that destroyed so much of Tokyo-3. He's the reason my sister's in E.R even now!" he raged, storming off. Maya looked hurt; she didn't mean to hurt his feelings.

"M-Miss Ibuki, why are you here?" Shinji asked, glancing at Ritsuko's assistant. "Shouldn't you be back at NERV?" The young woman seemed to come to her senses.

"Oh, right," Maya said, a little flustered. "Commander Ikari wants to see you. Now, if possible," Shinji nodded and started back down the corridor.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Asuka shouted. The youngest Ikari paused, and turned back to his turbulent friend.

"To see Rei," he said simply. "My father wants to see us all, right? That includes Rei, and I don't think Maya's told her yet," Maya shook her head, proving Shinji right. But before Ikari Shinji could walk off, Maya started down the hallway.

"It's okay, though," Maya said. "You two are needed in Central Dogma; I'll pick Ayanami up and come later," Shinji looked disappointed, but he nodded and headed for the exit of the school. Asuka looked at his expression with a devillish smile; Maya just shook her head. Whatever Asuka was planning, it looked like more stress for Shinji in the future.

Miss Ibuki walked contentedly down the hallway towards the netball courts.

IceBlade28: That should do it for for the first chapter!

Maya: I wonder what will happen with me and Rei?

IceBlade28: Actually, so do I. I've always wanted to meet Maya or Rei in real life; or even just seen how the two reacted to each other in the anime.

Maya: Anime?

IceBlade28: You're better off not knowing.

Maya: Oh, okay.

IceBlade28: You wanna tell them about the next chapter?

Maya: Okay! In the next chapter: Asuka starts the blackmailing, hitting Shinji in a tender spot. I get to meet Rei, but (a/n: A MAJOR EVENT WHICH WILL REMAIN UNNAMED) stops us from reaching Central Dogma in time. Plus, how will Shinji react around his father?

IceBlade28: Hope we see you all in the next chapter! (Sorry if Asuka was a bit OOC this time- I'm working on it!)

Maya: Review everyone! smiles happily.