You Can (Not) Forget

Deviations ~ Breaking Point

Ikari Shinji sat in the living room of Misato's apartment, busying himself with his cello. The melody was helping him clear his head; as it stood, there was too much going through his mind for him to be able to think clearly. According to Leliel, he and the other pilots would be called to Nerv in just a few hours in order to meet their new teammates. Mari seemed rather curious of their identities, but Shinji already knew. Despite the somber melody he was producing, Shinji's lips turned up into a small smirk as he imagined how Asuka would react when she found out it was Toji and Kensuke.

The true cause of his worry and jumbled thoughts came tomorrow, however. With today being a Sunday, his father and Misato (to some degree) set today up as a chance for everyone to try and bond as a team somehow. Tomorrow, however, would shake up their typical schedule when it came to sync tests. It would be the first activation test for Toji and Kensuke. He silently hoped they wouldn't be able to sync well, though he figured it wouldn't be an issue in the slightest, what with how evangelions acquired their life in the first place. Still, he was much more concerned with what he'd have to do at the time.

Shinji and Leliel had decided to use the sync test as their cover for his conversation with his kin. They reasoned that they could play off a potential A.T. field activation as a one off occurrence of him syncing too deeply. It was a risky plan and with how cautious his father tends to be, if his field did ultimately activate, Gendo may try to have him killed no matter what Shinji said to try and explain the occurrence. None of this even addressed what his friends may feel from his field showing up.

Taking a deep breath, Shinji willed his mounting worry away and once again let the music fill him. Exhaling, he let his mind wander to trivialities. By the time his playing ended and he opened his eyes, Shinji was far more relaxed than he had been all day.

"That was amazing, cutie!"

And there went his calm.

"Wha-" Sinji spluttered as his eyes focused on the people gathered at the entrance of the living room. Misato, Kaji, and his fellow pilots were standing there, watching his face slowly change shades in embarrassment.

"How... how long have you all b-been here?" Shinji stuttered out, inwardly cursing himself for not noticing their entrance. He was an angel, damn it! What good were all his newly enhanced senses if they didn't help with something so mundane?

"For about ten minutes," Kaji replied, a single brow raised at Shinji in amusement. Groaning, Shinji set his instrument to the side.

"I didn't know you played the cello, Shinji," Misato smiled, "you're very good," she added as she took a seat on her couch. Kaji followed after her, taking up the cushion at her left.

"Ah... yes. My father said my mother enjoyed classical music once... I picked it up afterwards."

"Why haven't you ever played until now? It was... nice." Asuka's words brought a small smile to Shinji's lips, while increasing the red in his cheeks. She was certainly more inclined to give compliments than her counterpart from his past was.

"I usually only play to clear my head..."

"What's on your mind?" Misato inquired. Shinji looked to her, noting the motherly smile in her face. He doubted she even realized she was making such an expression. Still, he didn't like her question. Something about it just felt off.

She's fishing for information, he thought sadly. He wasn't surprised at all. No. He expected something like this. That didn't mean he was happy about it though.

"Um... just about the new pilots. And whatever our next fight will be... the last one seemed too easy once Asuka and Mari got out there and fought it. I guess I just have a bad feeling." His words drew a nod from her. It seemed she could agree with him there.