Disclaimer: Characters from Neon Genesis Evangelion have been used without permission. They aren't mine and I'm not making any money off them, but you ought to know that, right? Warning: This story contains female/female undertones in case you don't stomach that kind of thing. ====== Tell me who you love Part 1 ---- By Ka-Wing Tam A Neon Genesis Evangelion Fanfic ====== I suppose I'll never forget the day I finally admitted it to myself. We were having a lazy kind of lunch break in front of the terminal. Time moved sluggishly, the brain wasn't functioning at high-speed computer level as it was supposed to, and conversation topics drifted towards the boundary of meaninglessness. "Why you always strumming on that fake guitar of yours?" Makoto was saying into his homemade sandwich. "Aren't you too old to play make-believe?" "Hey, you don't talk about my pet projects and I won't mention yours," drawled Shigeru, eyes half-closed, feet on desk, leaning back in his chair. His arms stayed in the guitar-playing position. "A man your age still tinkering with toys? Shameful. Don't let Maya ever know what you like to do behind closed doors." "Toys?" Makoto was indignant. "They are NOT toys. Call them antiques, relics of the past -- knick-knacks if you will -- but never toys." "Little plastic figurines ranging from ten to twenty years old that little kids used to play with. I call them toys." "Collecting old toys is a very healthy hobby, and it sure beats strumming the air like a schizophrenic. At least girls aren't scared off by _me_." Inevitably, the conversation had to turn in that direction. "Fat lot of good that is," retorted Shigeru. He put his invisible guitar down and sat up straight. "You ever seen Makoto's girlfriend, Maya?" "Does he even have one?" I laughed. "My point exactly," smiled Shigeru. "I'm not as desperate as some people, not to mention any names, _Shigeru_," Makoto sniffed. "I'll meet a girl when I'm good and ready, say when I have a steadier income and a bigger flat. Then I'll be sure of securing a better relationship. I'm not just going to settle for any girl." "You hear that, Maya? He's not just gonna settle for any girl. He needs to meet one who is willing to talk to him first, I suppose." "Oh ho, cheap shot." Makoto shook his head and turned to me. "How about you, then? Never heard you talking about _your_ love interests." I shrugged. I'm not ready for that kind of thing yet." Makoto latched on immediately, grateful for the diversion away from his own love life, or lack thereof. "So, you have yet to meet a man that can touch your icy heart, oh Miss High-and-mighty?" "As a matter of fact, Hyuuga, I'm sorry to say that no one I've met so far has even come close to my standards, you especially." "And thank God for that." Makoto chuckled when I made a face at him. "Maya's got a good explanation for being single and unwanted. How about you, Shigeru?" Shigeru set his imaginary guitar down and tapped something into his computer. "The same. Have yet to meet a girl that can touch my heart." "Try again. That lame excuse has already been taken." "Well, it's the truth. I have nothing further to add. But let's get back to you," Shigeru said. "Maya, I'll let you in on a secret of his." He glanced towards Makoto. "Should I tell her?" The spectacled technician rolled his eyes. "What could you possibly know about me that's worth telling?" Shigeru ignored him and turned to me. "You see, Makoto's already met the girl he wants, but he doesn't have the guts to tell her." "Really?" I peered at Makoto curiously. "Who is she?" "Aoba!" Makoto growled. "Don't you dare." "Well," Shigeru smirked, "It's REALLY not for me to say... but I'll give you a hint: Hyuuga likes older women." Makoto groaned. "Quiet, you idiot! She might hear you!" "What do you mean?" I said. "She's here? Right now?" Makoto slapped his hand against his forehead and moaned, "Sure, why don't you just tell the whole world now?" Shigeru grinned. "Can you guess who it is?" "Shut up, Aoba," said Makoto, his face turning red. It couldn't be. Not him as well. Right on cue, two pairs of high-heeled footsteps echoed on the floor around the corner and came into view. Makoto tackled Shigeru in a headlock and hissed, "If she heard you, you're deader than a--" "Playing on the job again, boys?" Makoto looked up and froze. "Dr. Akagi. Mi-Major Katsuragi." He said in embarrassment. Shigeru smirked as well as he could in his awkward position in Makoto's grip. "He goes mad like this every few hours, Dr. Akagi. You can't blame him. After all, he's been infected by a serious case of lo--" Makoto wrapped his fingers tightly around Shigeru's neck and jovially cut off his air supply. "Please try to be serious, gentlemen," said Sempai. "Even though it's lunch, we're still on duty, okay?" She smiled slightly, her eyes meeting mine. "If their antics ever get too much to handle, just come to me and I'll take care of them for you." "Oh, I'll be fine, Sempai," I squeaked. I couldn't breathe normally for some odd reason. "Yeah, Maya won't have anything bad to report about us," assured Shigeru. "I'm sure Hyuuga will take good care of Maya," grinned the Major, peeking out from behind Dr. Akagi. "I think it's Aoba we really have to worry about." Makoto grinned. "Feh, I'm more than enough to handle him." He was looking at Sempai when he said it, though. "Glad to hear it," said the Major, casually draping an arm over Sempai's shoulders. "Don't want Aoba walking all over you two now, do we?" I couldn't stop staring at Major Katsuragi's slim white hand dangling limply in front of Sempai's chest where it formed a slight, well-proportioned bulge. Misato went on chatting with Makoto, triggering snickers from Shigeru, but I couldn't hear a single word they said. My brain wasn't working right and was processing the same thought over and over. Be careful, Major, don't move your hand, or you might accidentally slip and brush against-- Sempai shifted her weight slightly, and that was when the Hand came into contact with the top of Sempai's breasts and stayed there. I was staring so hard that I was sure my eyes were scorching holes into that horrible Hand. For some reason, Sempai didn't seem to notice it at all, or if she did she didn't object. "Well, we'd best be getting back to work," grinned Katsuragi, straightening and removing that damned hand of hers from Sempai's shoulders. "Yes," smiled Sempai. "Enjoy the rest of your lunch." "See you later," said Shigeru, and the two women walked away, occupied with more important matters. My eyes remained on Sempai's white lab coat until it disappeared from view. Makoto, gathering himself together, smacked Shigeru one more time on the head and returned to his seat. They glared at each other for a while in a death-stare match until Makoto lost interest and turned back to his lunch. Shigeru shrugged, mouthed to me "He's a loser" and went back to strumming his fake guitar. The three of us were quiet for a while. My heart thudded in my ears, getting louder and louder, until I couldn't bear it anymore. "Hyuuga," I said, trying to keep my voice neutral, "I had no idea you went for older women." "She's not that much older, only 3 years or so," said Makoto defensively, taking a sip of coffee. "Really? I always thought Sempai was a few years older than that." Makoto choked and sprayed coffee over his desk. "Whoa, whoa, hold it, hold it, Dr. Akagi?" Shigeru cracked up. "Maya, it's _Major Katsuragi_ he wants. Although, Makoto, I wouldn't be surprised if you were after Dr. Akagi as well, you sly dog you. " Makoto snarled and gave a curt response, but I wasn't paying attention. That was close. Too close. Thank God. He didn't like her after all. Wait a minute. Why was I feeling so relieved? ====== End Part 1 Started sometime September 2000 Revised February 27 2001 Revised again February 28 2001 Notes: I haven't been very consistent with names so far. Firstly, Maya addresses the guys by their surnames when she speaks but refers to them by their first names when telling the story from first person POV. This is mostly because I think of them in terms of their first names as well and worked better while writing it, but it did not seem appropriate for Maya to address them by their first names in the workplace. Secondly, when addressing each other, Shigeru and Makoto alternate between the others' first and last names. I did this firstly to emphasize the difference in their moods and intentions in the different sentences they spoke, and secondly because it was the name that came most readily to mind while I was typing it. Thirdly, everyone calls Maya Maya, also for convenience and to some extent because she's the lowest ranked female of the group in terms of social hierarchy. I hope it came out okay. If I've violated any Japanese culture codes or if it's just annoying to read, let me know and I'll try and fix it.