redheadcarrier | [DDD | 037 | Dream Virus] It all returns to nothing, it all comes

The cockpit of Asuka's Eva unit flickers into view and the viewscreen shows a scene of devestation and death. All around her, the land is laid waste, the scattered wreckage of helicopters, tanks, missile launchers. The remains of an army. And Asuka's laughter is ringing inside (but it's hollow, empty - she knows how this ends). And then it happens. Tiny dots come spiraling out of the clear, blue sky. White birds with wings, machines of war, like her Eva, like her - "Mother," she mutters to herself, "We can take them!"

But there's a count-down playing it's way across one small section of the HUD. A few minutes. Less. She's running out of time. But still, she launches herself at these new foes (the Eva series), and still she fights her way through them. One, she simply slaughters with her knife, before it snaps and shatters. Another is killed by a series of spikes launched from her Eva's neck. Yet another she engages with a giant blade. And one she rips apart with her Eva's bare hands. And others go down, spurting life-fluids. And she's winning, and she knows it, even as she grunts and strains with the effort. But that countdown is almost out.

She turns, looking for her next foe, in time to see a giant sword coming at her, hurled through the air. She lifts her hand and the AT field flares for a brief second, just enough time for the spear to shift into a dual-pointed spear. She has the time to look surprised, to mutter, "The Spear of Longinus?"

And then it blasts through her AT field and goes right through the Eva unit's head. There's a shriek from Asuka, even as her unit loses power and collapses. There's pain. Lots of pain. But she has to get up, she has to kill them because they enemy are getting back up! They're not staying down, they're regenerating and getting back up! She has to kill them. She has to fight, but her unit won't respond as she tugs on the controls uselessly. And then the enemy descend on her and tear Eva 02's guts out and there is more pain, more hurt, before they abandon the unit, flocking and flying upwards on their wings.

Asuka clutches at her eye, at her stomach. It feels like she is the one being dismembered. But yet, Eva 02 seems to regain power. There is a feeling of protection, of hot fury as the unit tries to stand up, one hand reaching skywards.

"I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill you. I'm going to kill-" Asuka is murmuring in anger as she tries to force herself up. And then the spears rain from circling Eva series, pinning the Unit 02 to the ground and Asuka flatlines as everything goes black.

And Asuka wakes up screaming again.

(( OOC note: this is basically this scene, although very much from Asuka's POV. ))

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[And he can feel her fingers tightening. And he can feel the toll it takes upon her body. The harshness of her breathing. The ragged edges. And he's listening to her speaking. Listening to her words. (The pauses and the stresses. The effort it must take to talk on this, at all.)

His hands are stilling, for a moment. Letting his understanding seep in through his quiet. Letting it seep in through the way he curls his fingers. After a moment. After a beat. (Still glancing down at her. Quietly.)

And it takes another, before he is murmuring, almost too softly. I do know.]

_{[Those murmured words are enough for her and she just finally lets go completely. She breaks down, feeling her knees go weak for a moment, before she tries to will herself to stay up, clinging to Kaworu for support. She can't be weak. She can't help herself, though. The sobbing increases in intensity for a few moments as even more of it spills out, not in words, in formless cries and tension. She finally begins murmuring, over and over again.]}

_{I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die, I don't want to die...}

_{[She's not about to, the words are meaningless, but they just keep coming, again and again as she clings to him.]}

Edited 2009-07-01 07:43 (UTC)

[And he's listening - and he's curling his fingers. Just a bit tighter. And he can feel the sobs increasing before he hears them. Can feel each and every inhale. Exhale. Each formless word - the growing tension. But, he keeps a hold on her. But, he's supporting her. Feeling the swell of emotions, the way they wrack through her body. The tangibility of her weight. The weight of the idea that he's anchoring her. (And he's listening to the mantra. And he's half-murmuring her name. Letting her cry, letting her release this - Just holding her through this.)]

_{[The mantra slowly trails off, until she's simply sobbing quietly again. And, eventually even that stops. For several long moments she continues to stand there, trying to wipe the tears out of her eyes and then, slowly, reluctantly, she starts to loosen her grip on Kaworu and she takes a shaky step back, eyes looking away and down. She shouldn't have done that and she's a bit angry - more with herself then anything - but she reigns in the sharp emotion and swallows, wipes at her eyes with the back of one hand again and sniffles, trying to think of the right words to say.]}

[He's listening as the mantra slows, quiets. And he's listening as her sobs taper, thin. And for a long moment, he's reading into her silence (not curling his fingers into the corners, not pushing against it or willing it back). And for a long moment, he's listening to her breathing. The gradual leveling of her inhales and exhales. (The way the smooth and steady. No clear distinction between his and her own.)

However, when she pulls back, he is letting her go. (And he can feel the faint pause, his and her own. Hands oddly empty and far too exposed.) But, he's watching her quietly. Reciprocated or no. But, he's studying her gently. Letting her gather herself. His expression softer. A little more open.]

_{[She hesitates, clenches her fists. She meets his gaze for a moment, then her eyes slide away from his and her arms fold defensively across her chest. Her weight shifts slightly from one hip to the other, then back. And for a moment, she wants to step forward again, into the comfort of that embrace. She reigns herself in; to be more correct, pride pulls her back in. Instead, she mutters a quick, low, "Thanks..." and then she moves past him and out into the hallway.

A moment later, her door opens and then closes with a 'click'.]}

[He can feel the weight of her hesitance before he sees it. Before she meets his eyes. Shifts her weight. And he can feel the faint decision before she makes it, the low thanks going unanswered as she passes him - his words stilling, silencing. She needn't have thanked him. He had wanted to tell her as much, but the click of the door is a sufficient response.

And for a moment, he's quiet. Still. Before his hand going up to rest against his neck. Fingers rubbing absently. Thoughtlessly. (And he is not baffled. He is not uncomprehending. He is not - But, there's the quiet barb of something. For a moment. A beat. Before he's rounding it off. Soothing it. Smoothing it down.)

Still, he's glancing back at where she had gone. Still, it takes a moment before he might nudge himself into motion, gathering their mugs. Taking the kettle off the stove. Gently gathering up his laptop and shifting their chairs back into place. (Closing draws. And cupboards as he goes.

And it is not long before he follows. Goes back to his room. (Almost pausing as he passes hers, just to listen or confirm.) Echoes the click of her door.]

[DDD | 037 | Dream Virus] It all returns to nothing, it all comes

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