driftfleet | [video] we'll turn the moon to blood

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[video] we'll turn the moon to blood

Who: Asuka Shikinami Langley
Broadcast: Video, Fleetwide
Action: SS Red Fish
When: 3/8

[Asuka is sitting on her bed, with a bright red notebook and pen in hand and a slight frown crossing her face. She's still wearing the same form-fitting red-and-purple combat plugsuit she's been in since her arrival. For once, she doesn't look so much annoyed as she does wary, though honestly, with her, it's hard to tell.]

This is Asuka Shikinami Langley. [No wave. She scribbles something on a notebook page that's probably just a line and not any kind of script.] I have a few questions for everyone. The more people that answer, the more accurate the survey, so I suggest you tell me.

[All business. Asuka would applaud herself for her own professionalism if there was any point. There's no telling how long it'll last.]

First, I want to know your nationalities. Second, I want to know what your occupation was before the Fleet. I'm trying to figure out if there's a pattern to the kidnappings or any groups that get targeted more than others.

[Which is what the notebook is for. She really doesn't trust the network not to bungle everything at Atroma's whim. There's a brief, reluctant pause, and then--]

Before you ask, I was born in Germany. I was a pilot before, too. That's all.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I don't have a set schedule. Just, whenever the mood strikes me. Sometimes Shinji-kun is asleep when I do it, but not always. I might do it on the Vanquish, or on the Heron. It just depends on the day.

Fine. Let me know next time you do it and I'll take mine over.

How does two hours from now sound? We need a load done anyway, which is why I decided to ask you now, but I want to give you time to be ready.

I'll be there. Which ship?

[Before he answers that, he has a question of his own: ]

Would you like to wash the clothes with me, or am I doing it myself?

[He's not great at being crafty, but he can... try...]

Come on. You don't actually want to spend time with me.

Now, I don't blame you for having little faith in me, but...

Elaborate, idiot. If you're putting one over on me, don't think I won't figure it out.

I'm not trying to put anything over you. I just want to talk.

Because we have so much in common.

How do we know that we don't? We've never tried to look.

Regardless, we do have one very important thing in common, which should be incentive enough for us to get to know each other.

[They don't have one important thing in common.]

[They have two.]

[Asuka takes a full five minutes just considering his message. He's probably trying to get her away from Shinji. If Nagisa can't be with him, he'll keep Asuka from Shinji as well. Underhanded. Just like her.]

[But it could be a boon. She can't reject Nagisa outright in public. It'll make her look bad in front of Shinji, make her lose favor. She can't have that when Nagisa already has all the favor with him there is.]

Fine. We'll do it together. I'll come by.

I'll meet you on the Vanquish.

[It's a calculated intention on his part. If an argument breaks out, no matter which of them incites it, he doesn't want Shinji to get wind of it.

Whether this is a mistake or not... No, Kaworu can't think about it as a mistake. Just an opportunity. Before, he had fourteen years to plan. Shikinami isn't the Commander, but he still needs to get a feel for this situation.]

[Asuka arrives, as usual, ahead of schedule, dressed in one of those hateful charcoal utility jumpers, her plugsuit draped over her arm. Her hair, for once, is completely down, no headset or pigtails to be seen. It doesn't make her look much more mature, but it does make her feel better. She's not facing him in an Eva battle. There's no reason to make the pretense.]

[She ends up in the cargo area and then impatiently wandering around the main hallway, taking stock of the ship's layout. It probably wouldn't hurt to find things out about whoever else is on board here-- Shinji's probably around at times, after all, so she ought to make sure the crew here is decent, at least. Once she catches sight of Nagisa, she's only got one banal, irritated thing to say as she steps towards him, suit in hand.]

There you are.

[Kaworu's wearing the charcoal jumper, too. They match. It's not something Kaworu planned, but now they have another thing in common, right? He's ready to smile. He does smile, when she approaches, welcoming to her — or, he's really trying to welcome her. Could be a little like someone with allergies intentionally shoving their face into a bouquet of flowers. Not that he would know. He's too pristine to ever get the sniffles, of course.]

Here I am. [Banal, too, but perfectly pleasant.] You look good in that. Is it really the first time you've worn it? [Kaworu wears his all the time. He hasn't bought any other clothes for himself.]

[Don't snap. Don't snap. This feels like a twisted version of a staring contest. Whoever sheds all veneers of politeness first loses.]

[Worst, he's wearing the same jumper. It's a petty thing to be annoyed by when there are only two colors available, but damn it, why did he pick that one? He's making more of an effort to be nice than her, too. Enough of an effort that it takes her aback, the generally gloomy look on her face tinged just slightly with surprise for about two seconds.]

Yeah. I don't like it. It's baggy. [The plugsuit is her own personalized prison, infinitely preferable. With the jumper, too much of her is visible. She doesn't know if she'll ever get used to that.] Let's get these washed.

[Mind you, Kaworu's particularly good at staring. Especially when he's resolved not to blink. He's telling himself that if he could coexist with the Commander for over a decade, he can definitely do this.

So, hands in his pockets, he turns to head down the corridor. He doesn't bother smiling over his shoulder, but the expression is clearly conveyed through his voice.]

Then, this way. We'll get the clothes from my bunk, first. So, is the plugsuit your favorite thing to wear? When we arrived here in this place, it was my first time seeing your new one.

[Small talk. He's doing what he can, but he might run out of steam if he tries too hard all at once.]

It's all I wear.

[That doesn't directly answer his question at all. Asuka keeps her lips tight just to keep herself from tearing into him already for what might have actually been innocuous. More than Shinji and more than Ayanami, he's to blame for what happened to her. He's to blame for being born.]

[Her fingers close against the jumper material. Airy. Not protective at all. Even her old suit with its tears fixed by tape didn't make her feel this vulnerable.] My other one was torn up. [No elaboration. As an Eva pilot, as the epitome of an Eva pilot, he knows why it was damaged. She'd oversynced, and kept on oversyncing.] You don't sleep. Why do you bother with a bunk?

[Kaworu's sympathetic to exactly that sort of non-answer — he makes so many himself — so while he wants to pry, he's not going to. Maybe that's another thing they have in common. See, Kaworu knew they'd be able to learn things this way.

So instead of asking her for more information, and instead of sharing some about himself, Kaworu just says,] Hmmm.

I sleep sometimes. When I feel like it. Not on this ship, though. The bunk is a convenience. I make use of what conveniences I can.

On Shinji's ship.

[Of course. Heaven forbid he sleep anywhere but around Shinji. Heaven forbid he have anything to distract him from Shinji. He's probably curled up with him, cozy as a cat. It makes her blood threaten to boil over.]

Didn't you spend enough time with him?

[He doesn't even pause in his steps. He doesn't even stutter. But Kaworu is so glad that Shikinami can't see the clouding of his features.]

I promised I'd stay with him. And I told myself that— [This time—] our friendship would be long-lasting. I thought that that was true. Here, it can be, right? We have more than we did then. We have 'for now'.

[Asuka stays silent for awhile, tugging at her plugsuit, staring at the seams.]

I didn't promise him anything.

[He hadn't wanted her to promise him anything. Really, he hadn't wanted her at all like he wants Nagisa. That's why things are always so awkward, every time she and Shinji are together. That's why.]

Don't lie to me. I know it's not just friendship.

You don't have to promise him anything, Shikinami-san. You're doing fine. [He still can't smile at that. It's hard. It's really hard to know that she doesn't have to try as hard as he does, yet still has an impact. Kaworu was never that naturally gifted.

He turns, leads her into a new room. Here is his bunk. At the foot of the bed is his plugsuit, folded neatly. Just above that, a pile of laundry, as promised. When he speaks again, he's still angling himself away from her, cautionary.]

I already said that I wouldn't lie to you. If he wants it to be friendship, it's going to be friendship. That's all.

[Asuka feels, if anything, like she's tried harder. It seems like all Nagisa has to do is approach and Shinji's putty in his hands. It's her that has to plow her way through to get him to pay attention to her, to hope that maybe, stupidly, he might like her or care about her.]

[She looks at his plugsuit when they come inside. Picks it up, even. There's not a drop of blood on it.]

[Being direct is painful, but meandering around is worse. She forces herself to look up to respond.]

That doesn't tell me what you want.

[It doesn't matter what I want, he thinks at first, except it does. This one thing matters, and is the only thing that does.]

I want him to be happy.

[It's soft, but finally he's earnest: there are no glassy pretenses filming over his expression or the care of his words. He watches her handling his plugsuit, and says nothing about that. Piloting, at least, he will share with her without complaint. As for Shinji...]

That's all I want, Shikinami-san. That's really the only thing I want.

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