Title: Here

Author: AppleL0V3R

Beta-reader: N/A

Fandom: 07 Ghost

Pairing: Ayanami and Hyuuga

Other Characters: N/A

Theme: Destination

Summary: It wasn't the place or the time. It wasn't the people or things. It was just the beginning or the end. It was another mark, another memory; it was proof.

Word Count: 700

Rating: T

Type: Ficlet: One-shot Collection – Complete

Genre: Philosophical, Pre-canon

Warnings: Shonenai (if you choose to look at it that way)

Disclaimer: If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

Started: November 21, 2012

Completed: January 9, 2013

Note: I love the complex relationship Hyuuga and Ayanami have. They're superior and subordinate, master and faithful servant, former-classmates, and close friends (depending how you choose to perceive their more personal moments). There's a lot to explore and I just wanted to do a glimpse of how they got that way, or what was needed between them for them to be as they are in the canon. Also, I'm noticing that whenever I write these two, I have the natural tendency to use their names rather than he, his, they and them or other descriptions. I hope that doesn't irritate anyone since it's not my traditional habit even if the only characters are both of the same gender.

They have together for so long, sometimes it is easy to forget they did not always stand united. There was a time when Hyuuga was the annoying black-haired classmate and Ayanami was the curious white-haired loner who was fun to poke and prod. Back then, they had both been young and mere academy students stuck with each other due to some random choice of room arrangements. Out of all the people Hyuuga could have latched onto, he had chosen Ayanami for the simple reason that for the first time he found someone like him. Someone not human. He didn't know then that Ayanami was more than just 'not human'; he was the human embodiment of Verloren. Not that it changed much of anything when he did find out, much to the Chief-to-be's obvious chagrin and secret relief.

They'd gone through their lives in stages, both together and apart. Grown individually but not without the support and assistance of one another.

Hyuuga had always intentionally ignored all the large thick walls his superior surrounded himself with. He did not ignore them only for the amusement, but because somewhere deep inside, he knew if he held on long enough eventually he could create a door for himself and no one else. It took time and effort, not mention pain and frustration, but eventually Ayanami did let all of his barriers absorb his subordinate into the dark depths of thoughts and ambitions. Soon, no one but Hyuuga held the level of trust and loyalty and respect, no one was closer.

But being close to someone like Ayanami came with a price, as Hyuuga found out quickly enough.

Hyuuga had to all but move mountains to earn his partner's respect, with loyalty came the restriction of never feeding Ayanami's paranoia, and the level of trust was given only when complete submission was offered and proven multiple times over. It didn't matter to the swordsman though because, as far as he was concerned, it was more than worth it. Being so close to Ayanami was a relationship unlike any other; as long as he never broke his superior's trust he knew he would never be betrayed and had no care of the future. Ayanami was strong and powerful, he always got what he wanted. And while Hyuuga knew he was not first on that list, Verloren's body and soul were first, he also knew that he was a high priority. Ayanami would always make sure there was space for Hyuuga to stand beside him.

The two of them had faced growing up, coping with their reality, fighting in a war, and still they stood together as an undefeated combination. Time and circumstance hadn't dragged them down, people had not separated them; because the only thing that could break them was Hyuuga. And never in a thousand years would he do something so regrettable.