nottheshoe | i did it. i wrote a thing

It was late.

Some impossible hour, noise from outside had quieted down and the only noise was the buzz of the TV, and Athena’s quiet contented purring. Nike, in comparison, was restless. She wasn’t tired yet, maybe she should head out to the roof top, listen to some music, organize notes in her head—It was never easy to sleep for her. Always too much on her mind, too many ideas, too many feelings, too many memories. Even here in this relative peace.

Though, tonight wasn’t exactly peaceful. She had a spit with Shinji. It wasn’t as though she wanted to start a fight, but he took everything she said the wrong way—okay no scratch that, he wasn’t taking what she said wrong. She just—God—She doesn’t know. These people, Shinji and Yoshie, were sucking her into their life. Bit by bit. She didn’t want that, but she couldn’t leave. Maybe in some screwed up way she thought that if she pissed someone off enough she’d be kicked out and that would be the end of it.

It’s not like she liked to see him angry. Not especially. It was the same feeling she got in her gut when one of her siblings would get angry at her. Something personal and almost offensive to her very being. Yeah parents and teachers and whoever else got mad, but someone who was with you since the start and was on your side—they shouldn’t get angry.

But what had happened had happened. She couldn’t change that now. He had left in a huff a few hours earlier, hadn’t taken the keys to his bike, so he couldn’t be far. She had assumed he’d taken a walk, but… this was much longer than a walk.

Eyes dart to the clock, checking the time again, she almost considers getting up and putting on some real clothes to go search for him (All she had on were bed clothes, shorts and a tank, not much else)—then the door slams open. She nearly leaps from where she’s sprawled out on the couch, but then there’s a murmured—

“Tadaiimaaa.”

Oh. She feels the pressure in her chest leave, something she wouldn’t acknowledge later. She’s about to sit up and greet Shinji when all at once he’s falling straight on the couch. Which also means he’s falling on to her.

She just barely manages to hold in that started yelp and lets it dissolve into something of a whimpering strangled noise.

“Shinji.”

No response.

“Shinji--!” Plus as much of a jostle as she can manage from her squished position beneath him.

He simply murmurs something in slurred Japanese and nestles his face closer.

Which would have been fine, sure, if he hadn’t managed to land on her breasts.

This would also be the moment that the smell of alcohol hits her.

“Y’gotta be kiddin’ me,” said in one swift breath as she leans her head back, simultaneously trying to give him the hardest look of judgment she possibly can. “It can’t be that bad dealin’ with me.”

Okay, maybe it had been.

Her lips press together as she watches him sleep (More like passed out) on top of her. She hadn’t really been this close to someone in a while—maybe when he first got her away from those partisans, but she could hardly remember what happened then. Her eyes wander his face, tanned skin, long eyelashes—it’s criminal that guys can have longer eyelashes than girls—the fact that he just looked so… relaxed. She sighs, and puts a hand around him, trying to keep him steady as she tries to move—she can let him have the couch, whatever. Then his arm clamps around her and her breath catches, heart is in her throat. She wonders if he’s actually awake—

And then he just snuggles into her more, wiggling almost like a child would in his mother’s hold.

Alright, she’s been defeated, at least for tonight. Oh well, she supposes he’s not the worst blanket around. (She’s still not sure how the hell Athena managed to sleep through this entire episode.)

“Y’win this time, handsome,” she pulls a hand through his hair, pressing lips to the crown of his head. “But y’gotta take me out for a drink before this happens again.”