2022-07-21: The Moon Waxing

• Log: 2022-07-21 The Moon Waxing
• Cast: Kaworu Nagisa, Shinji Ikari, Misato Katsuragi, Asuka Shikinami Langley, Liam 7-020, Orpheus Zevon
• Where: Tokyo-3 Municipal Middle School
• OOC - IC Date: July 21, 0096 (2022)
• Summary: Kaworu returns to school after nearly being assassinated, only to be avoided by his classmates. Shinji notes, and resolves to do something discreet about it--but unfortunately, a crowd gathers.

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<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

                TUESDAY MORNING
        
        Kaworu Nagisa walks into his homeroom, the soft, rhythmic tap of his walking cane heralding his arrival. His classmates don't notice him immediately, but as he passes through the aisles, the other teenagers fall silent. He eases himself into his seat, absent these past several weeks, and hooks the cane on the edge of his desk. Rei, who'd accompanied him in carrying his school briefcase, rests it on his desk for him, then shares a nod with him and heads to her seat. He smiles, first at her, then at all the stares around him, as if he'd never been gone at all.
        
        "Good morning," he says.
        
        A handful of people say 'good morning' back, like the class rep, Hikari Horaki. The rest murmur among themselves and look back at their seats. Anywhere but the sling on his right arm, or the cane to support his left leg.
        
        Kaworu can sense their unease, but he doesn't think much of it. The teacher enters the room, adjusts his glasses, and makes a small lecture about how he'd been out due to injury and is now well enough to resume classes, though today and tomorrow he'll be taking make-up exams.
        
        A few people groan in sympathy. For a while, it seems like all is all right.
        
                TUESDAY LUNCH
        
        "Hey, Kaworu-kun?"
        
        Kaworu looks up at one of his female classmates. Mio Nakahara, as he recalls. She has a crush on a boy from another class, she has a pet rat that she loves dearly, and she's self-conscious about her braces so she always smiles with her mouth closed. He knows because she's one of the many girls who like to talk to him during school. Her smile is stiff now, and she's scuffing one foot on the floor while she keeps her hands behind her back.
        
        "Yes, Mio-san?" he says.
        
        "Um... congratulations on returning to school! All we heard is that you were hurt... a lot of people were worried about you."
        
        He glances behind her. Several other students, male and female, remain at their desks, watching them over their shoulders and whispering to one another. He looks back at her and resumes smiling. "Thank you for your concern."
        
        "Y-you're welcome! So, um... I know this sounds crazy, but there was this rumor going on... that you were that guy who got shot near Fourth Street a month ago...?"
        
        "Yes, that was me."
        
        The room goes abruptly quiet.
        
        "R-really?" She looks him over, maybe to try to find the bullet hole. Kaworu waits for her to focus back on her point. "S-so, um--does that mean it's also true that someone tried to kill for being--for being a Coordinator?"
        
        His smile dims. The class is trying very hard to watch him while not being obvious about watching him. They aren't doing a very good job. "The investigation into the perpetrator behind my assault is still ongoing. That includes their motive for attacking me."
        
        "Oh..." She pauses. "...but it is true you're a Coordinator, isn't it?"
        
        Kaworu has been asked this several times in the past. There's a different tone to it now, though. There's a certain fear among the girls, hostility among the boys. His smile fades entirely. He doesn't respond.
        
        "A-actually, never mind! That was silly of me to ask!" Mio blubbers, losing her nerve. "I hope you get better soon!"
        
        "Thank you," he says to her back, as she's already scampering away. She joins one of the groups of girls and joins in whispering with them.
        
                TUESDAY AFTERNOON
        
        "He didn't actually say, but..."
        "Isn't that proof? If he wasn't, he'd just say so, right?"
        "...He's never actually said..."
        "But he admitted he did get shot..."
        "--so scary--"
        "I feel sorry for him, he's the victim here--"
        "Who cares? Someone wanted him dead, and if we keep hanging out with him, we might be next!"
        "Yeah..." "Yeah..." "...yeah..."
        
                WEDNESDAY LUNCH
        
        Kaworu strolls over to join a few of his classmates at their table in the cafeteria. Before he can seat himself, though, they all shoot him a glance, alerted by the tapping of his cane, and scatter from the table. He's left alone in seconds.
        
        "..."
        
        He looks around the cafeteria to his left. He looks around to his right. Each way he looks, people swiftly look away.
        
        He lowers his gaze to the now-empty table. A faint smile creases his lips, but his eyes don't crease with them.
        
        Then he turns and walks off. It's pointless to stay where you aren't welcome, after all.
        
                THURSDAY LUNCH
        
        Kaworu sits on a bench outside on the school grounds, away from the other students, under a tree, and close to the gates. With his uninjured hand--though he doesn't actually touch the screen--he scrolls through the feed on his smartphone. He isn't smiling. One particular report makes it so. He sets it down and touches his chin in consideration. Misato should have received this report too, so she'll no doubt be on top of this for now... For the time being, there's only a day and a half of school until summer break. He should focus on finishing up the semester. He's already finished his midterms.
        
        With the most notable exception of Rei, who's been helping him a great deal with various things, most of his classmates have been ignoring him since the other day. But that's all right. It's true that it's dangerous for them to be around him. It's for the best this way.
        
        Reaching into his briefcase, he retrieves not a lunch--he has not had lunch any day this week--but a pair of earbuds. He plugs them into his phone, tucks the buds into his ears, and leans his cheek on his uninjured left hand as he shuts his eyes to listen.
        
        "Wednesday (good morning~), Xuary the Xth, sunny
        "The light smells water-blue..."

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

After the assassination, Shinji kept thinking about red on white. It was a stupid, dull thought at the time. Red on white. Maybe it was that strange disconnect that kept Shinji from unraveling with the sight of it, the image lingering each time he closed his eyes. He returned home from the incident and it stopped being the basic truth that Kaworu had red eyes and pale skin and became far, far too much red. Then the red became blood.

He doesn't remember the rest of the day after that. Presumably, time passed. Presumably, he functioned through it, brushing his teeth a few extra times as needed. And, presumably, Kaworu was going to be all right.

It's all right, Kaworu had said himself. We'll meet again.

For all they were meant to be an assurance, the words were haunted by the implication of 'goodbye'. Quarantines. Classified information. Shinji could do nothing, and was once again being kept in the dark. Life could change abruptly. Usually, that was how. And adults were always quietest right before it did.

But then Kaworu was all right. He was back. Normalcy hadn't come with it. Where once it seemed people gravitated toward Kaworu, they had left a void behind. On Tuesday, Shinji could believe it would correct itself. Maybe people knew better than he did. Maybe Kaworu needed the breathing room. He thinks if it were him, it would be difficult being asked a lot of questions while trying to settle back in.

...At least, it made a convenient excuse when Shinji didn't know what to say.

On Wednesday, the void does not close. When his earbuds aren't drowning out the world, Shinji catches the whispers of students. If we keep hanging out with him...

Shinji remembers something Kaworu said to him once about a fear of bringing misfortune, his expression almost more pained at the time than it had been when he had been shot. He'd also confessed to being alone for a time. It was difficult to picture, Kaworu being so friendly and popular at school. Now Shinji was seeing it. Hearing it.

On Thursday, the decision has already been made whether or not the silence continues. (It does, of course.) Shinji stands on the tips of his toes in the cafeteria, straining to see over heads and across tables, thinking he saw Kaworu. Wasn't he just there? Where -- ?

...

A bento box wrapped nearly into furoshiki, chopsticks held fast within its knot, pops into Kaworu's line of sight. It's the same way Shinji packages lunches for Ayanami and the members of his household each day.

"Here," Shinji says, a little breathless, and all the more embarrassed for it. "If... If you don't have anything today."

<Pose Tracker> Misato Katsuragi has posed.

Misato Katsuragi obviously doesn't generally have a reason to visit the school unless she needs one of the Children for something or needs to give something to one of the students but sometimes she just wants to check on her kids especially lately because they keep getting sniped, assaulted, exploded, stabbed...while NOT on the battlefield.

Misato, at this point, just accepts that the School isn't going to update her on anything but she has already sicced Treize on them and that's what she can do for the moment about it. She hasn't even had the time to be a sneaky Misato because kaiju keep attacking.

Misato, due to her prestige class of 'adult' means that she has the debuff of 'not having any idea that Kaworu has been ostracized in class'. But she does find it strange as she's approaching the school--no doubt to talk to the teachers about Ouka (again) that she sees Kaworu sitting outside of school grounds. Under a tree. By himself--

--oh no wait Shinji's coming out with him. They must have just wanted to have some cute time together without other students harassing Kaworu or something. Misato deploys the :3-type Misato-Face.

She kind of takes her time slow-walking with the most innocent expression on her face. No need to interrupt the two having their funtime juuust yet.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.

TUESDAY LUNCH

Asuka's chopsticks stop in mid-air as she hears the word Coordinator invoked. Sideeyeing Mio and the classmates gathered around Kaworu. She tries to look bored as she eats the lunch Shinji made for her... when she's really focused on the conversation at hand. Unsurprisingly this is a topic of concern for her.

However... it's also none of her business.

When it comes to the two watching each other's back for this, like she intended, he rejected her. What happens next is on him.

WEDNESDAY LUNCH.

She notes the sudden distance of her classmates to Kaworu. All she does is cluck her tongue. "Tck." Again, it's not her problem, save for the fact that he's bringing more attention to her by proxy. There were already rumors circulating of her own status as one. What middle school girl is that strong and fast after all?

All she can do is pay attention, while pretending not to.

THURSDAY LUNCH

Asuka is eating the lunch that Shinji made for her. "Hmm, he slacked off again today..." She notes, grumpily, not quite in earshot of Shinji but she wouldn't have cared if he heard it. Seeing him up on his tip toes though, she lofts an eyebrow. What's he doing? As he departs the cafeteria... she notes the bento box in his hand.

"Who's that for?"

Asuka comments to herself, a green tinge of jealousy in her voice. It's not like she doesn't know he makes lunches for more than her. It's just... that's an extra.

Finishing up the rest of her lunch in a hurry, she puts the lid back on the box, puts it in her bag, and rises off the bench with an aggressive pivot and a snap of her skirt, as she storms right out of the cafeteria. If anyone looks closely, they'll see her leaning by an open door out onto the school grounds - pretending to be looking in the opposite direction, but there's a hint of red hair, and a blue eye watching this...

... very closely.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        Today, Liam has gone for a walk, alone.

        The young supersoldier left his apartment about twelve minutes ago, and headed down the street in the general direction of the nearest grocery store. He doesn't have bags with him; he put in an order for grocery delivery last week, and his stores are sufficient to last for another fourteen days at standard rates of consumption. This is, instead, a confrontation with a memory that still haunts him.

        Liam made it past the building front where Anti attacked him. That was a significant part of this confrontation. Bright blue eyes dart back and forth as he crosses the street, and approaches the school grounds. His heart thumps against his ribs. He can picture that small silhouette following him, even though he knows Anti isn't here. (Is he?) Anti has no reason to want to drag him back.

        But by the time Liam makes it to the school grounds, he is moving at a glacial pace--like someone trying to deal with a fear of heights by approaching the edge of a balcony. He is clearly not a student here, from the look of him. He's wearing a sleeveless navy-blue athletic hoodie, cargo shorts, and sandals. His head, as usual, is shaved, exposing surgical scars. He looks to be eighteen or nineteen at the most, and he's big and burly. He's probably not Japanese. Then--

        "Colonel?" Liam's eyes widen slightly. His brows rise, pulling that scar up with them. "Did something--" He trails off, not wanting to finish the sentence for fear something might happen.

<Pose Tracker> Misato Katsuragi has posed.

Misato immediately presses her hands over Liam's mouth and hushes hm, "Ssshhh...!" and lures him (and herself) over to a conveniently placed corner they can peek out from.

"They're being cute...! Are you going to interrupt their most important childhood memories??"

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

"Mmm. . . So it seems they finally did let him out. . ." The voice is calm as it passes through the wind. The words first passed by Misato's ear first. Even Liam who had been so cautious thus far, who seemed to be on such edge doesn't immediately catch wind of the young man till it feels like he makes his presence known. It wouldn't have been a big deal at first though. . .The voice had been so close without her noticing. One look, and she could see that the person it belonged to was assuredly no middle-schooler. He was definitely a few years older than those who were beginning to flock around the outdoor table. He was also a student if his uniform was anything to go by and yet. . .It was a high-school uniform. So. . . Why was he at Tokyo-3 Municipal? A young man of blonde-hair that was tied off till it reached his shoulders. A sharp emerald gaze that almost felt like it could pierce one with just a look, and a little beauty mark below his right eye. Though with such a charming face it's unfortunate that his lips don't seem capable of curling into a smile.

Again, such a matter wouldn't have been a big deal still, though, Between the two of them, his eyes are locked on Kaworu and he holds what appears to be some sort of large container.

        Unlike the two though his pace isn't as glacial. He has no qualms with entering into the lunch space if not interrupted.If anything the look on his face almost seems rather determined to make his presence known, to add some sort of impact to what was about to transpire.

Tap . .Tap. . .Tap. . .The sound of his footsteps is barely audible as he starts making his way through the entrance towards the table's path. A hand raising that container as he'd start making his way over.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        Liam's eyes shoot open, and he lets out a muffled little squeak.

        Then he goes silent and still, as though he could suddenly become a statue. The only thing moving is his eyes, which follow Orpheus like he could stab him at any moment.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        "In the cat's diary, there's a record of how many times it took a nap
        "In the swing's diary, there's a record of today's acceleration and dreams taking off
        
        Kaworu hums along to the sweet, clean melody, nodding very slightly to the beat as he taps a finger on his thigh. It's calming to listen to her voice, even on a recording. It would be nice to be able to share it with Shinji, but he doesn't want to burden him more than he already has. Maybe he could leave the promotional disc on his desk sometime... If he doesn't know who left it there, it would be fine, wouldn't it...?
        
        ... He of course feels Shinji approach. His presence is unmistakable, engraved into the annals of his heart--something he could feel from a distance of low orbit, streaking down to Earth like a meteorite. There are other familiar presences in the area, too, that he ignores in favor of his music. Asuka, who hasn't said anything to him or about him, and he had never expected her to; Misato, whom he has not troubled with his social troubles at school and sees no reason to; Liam, here by coincidence, working hard to conquer the trauma he experienced near Tokyo-3 Municipal not so long ago; and Orpheus, no doubt approaching to check up on him in a safer, more neutral environment as a fellow schoolchild. All of them important in their own ways, but each of them fades in the background compared to Shinji. It isn't anything against them (Asuka aside). That's just how Kaworu chose to set up his heart.
        
        He... wouldn't be happy to pretend not to notice Shinji in the same way, but he's willing to, for his sake. But he doesn't expect the lunch. When Shinji holds it out in front of him, he blinks his eyes open, first to stare at it, then up and over at him.
        
        "In the clock's diary, there's a record of how many times the one it loves looked its way
        "And so, in the diary of my lips, there's a record of how many times I've called your name
        "One, two, three, four, five, and six..."
        
        "Shinji...?" he utters slowly, as if processing that this is reality. He looks down and up again. His breath is a little strained, like he hurried out here. To give this to him...?
        
        At last, he breaks into a slow, small, but true smile. Taking the buds from his ears, he rests them on his lap where they continue to play a faint rendition of Ranka's song, and accepts the bento box. "...Thank you." He looks down at it in his good hand. His injured arm remains in its sling. He looks up again, eyes squinted shut again as he laughs a little. "It looks like you might need to feed it to me, though."
        
        "Thursday (good morning~), Xuary the Xth, dreamy
        "Will you and I get any closer?"

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

Shinji swallows as he waits for Kaworu to respond, the seconds stretching out to something much longer. Maybe Kaworu hasn't noticed him, lost to music in a way Shinji understands too well to put effort into shattering. Maybe Shinji should turn around right now and leave it be and try again later and act like this didn't happen, waiting for when he has something of substance to say. (That will be never.)

Any moment to retreat is destroyed when Kaworu speaks, but then Kaworu smiles and Shinji's hesitance transforms into a mirror of it. Relief washes out the lingering jitters.

He's halfway to fishing his own lunch out of his bag as a prop to ask if Kaworu wouldn't mind the company today when Kaworu mercifully fills the silence first.

...That's not merciful at all...?!

Shinji fumbles, staring, mouth caught open. "... Huh?!" He looks to Kaworu's hand, then to the lunch, face heating up with the shame of not having considered that. It's a conceivable enough issue that Kaworu might not be kidding but... obviously Kaworu is kidding! ...Right?

He's paralyzed waiting for the punchline, oblivious to the most dangerous of Misato faces and the most dangerous colored lenses through which Asuka spies.

Until -- Colonel? Shinji looks up toward the voice, but there's no one there...? "Did you hear something?" He scans the gates before slowly returning his attention back to Kaworu.

...Only to jerk back toward Orpheus' approach instead at the last moment, going still as a baby fawn all over again.

<Pose Tracker> Misato Katsuragi has posed.

Misato's hand is already occupied.

"Pssst!!" Misato hisses at the boy she doesn't know approaching Shinji and Kaworu. "Pssst!" Oh they already noticed him.

Misato sinks back behind cover and--

--is that Asuka?

Misato's face beams brightly. Her eyes twinkle at the promise of CHICANERY as she finally lowers her hand from Liam's face. And dusts off his shoulders. "Okay," She says to Liam. "Kaworu is being totally smooth but--"

She glances around. "Can I count on you to be my love detective partner?" She asks Liam.

She is so professional on the field but off it...

Off it Misato lives.

As a love detective apparently. "If you go up around the side entrance, you can get around behind Asuka. You know what to do."

She pats Liam on the arm once before peering back out carefully to see what new might be transpiring.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.

It's an awkward position she's put herself in, trying to watch, but pretending like she's not interested. This constant glance over her shoulder. She sees Kaworu's reaction. And distantly she can hear the conversation. However...

'It looks like you might need to feed it to me, though.'

Her eyebrows just shoot up in surprise, before she glowers at him. He isn't serious right? What boy wouldn't have so much pride as to desire being fed by another boy-

...

...

The gears in Asuka's brain grind partially to a halt, as something about past conversations with Kaworu get placed in a new light, a new lens to see them through. Slowly a hand clinches at her side into a fist.

'Did you hear something?'

Abruptly Asuka leans back out of sight.

At that moment Hikari Horaki comes out of the cafeteria and approaches her, "Hey Asuka-" She gives her a strange look, "-what are you doing leaning right-"

Abruptly Hikari's arm gets grabbed, as Asuka gently but quickly pulls her over into cover and puts a finger near her mouth, "Shhhhh!"

Hikari gives her a look of confusion, then leans out just slightly as she spies, "Ohhhhh!" There's a small giggle from her throat that she stifles with a hand.

"What are you giggling about?" Asuka glowers at the other girl, "~Nothing~" she lilts out. While Asuka just gives her the biggest stare.

Hikari looks entirely unintimidated.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        Liam's eyes are almost perfectly round. His hands start twitching. He knows Misato doesn't want him to ruin something, and that means he doesn't want to ruin something, either. But being grabbed like that sets off every alarm bell in his head, and he thinks back to the knife he stowed at the small of his back, just in case--

        Misato lets go of him, and smiles brightly. For a moment, Liam looks like he wants to either run away or melt into the ground. "What?" he says, his voice a soft monotone. "Unclear." But... instructions. Side entrance. Asuka. Liam nods, once, and slips through the gate.

        He is not a small person, and there is very little cover here. But a few steps into the yard, and he can see Asuka talking to someone. He makes it to the bole of a tree. pauses a moment, and then hurries the rest of the way, trying not to think of what he's supposed to do--what Misato was insinuating. What's a 'love detective'?

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

'Pssssst! Psssst!' The slight whispers are enough to garner the young man's attention. His gaze peered back to see someone that's familiar if only in the brief moment before her tactical retreat. Not because she's known him, but more importantly because he's seen her. Or at least heard her, and seen her file. Misato Katsuragi. . .Why in the world is one of their commanders at the school. . .? Are they still on guard for an attack. . .? If that's the case. . .

He'd find himself looking back towards Kaworu, and then towards Ikari Shinji who had apparently caught a glimpse of the older student. Again another person who's appearance he's borrowed on occasion, though had been asked to withhold from doing so into the future. Something that has him. . .Curious. What was it about this young man that could make Kaworu make such a request? It's such an unfamiliar situation that even as Shinji stares him down, Orpheus is just looking him dead in the eye and then well. . .Just looking him over. His stature, his demeanor, the way he interacts. It almost probably feels like he's being. . .Checked out? Or at least, that'd perhaps be the first thought to come to mind if he kept looking between the two. Though there's another issue that needs to be addressed.His attention pulls away from the two boys at the lunch table as he speaks up to another. "There an issue?" He figures if anything he needs to put their commander at ease before he ends up put on watch list. It would assuredly make getting into Tokyo-3 from here on in much more difficult.

Misato was in fact able to get the unfamiliar boy's attention. There's just a few problems. The first, it's a little late in the game, the second. . .Even while Misato and Liam are in fact behind cover, he is still viewing distance from the table, and he's CLEARLY talking to someone behind said cover.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        Wouldn't that have been something, if Shinji had run off thinking he was bothering Kaworu? The two of them really are very similar in some crucial ways.
        
        But that doesn't happen. Kaworu opens up his world to let Shinji in--he just can't help himself, no matter how much he's become convinced that he can't do anything for him--and when he blushes, he likewise just can't help but laugh in affection. He's just so adorable. He knows he shouldn't, he knows this will only hurt him in the end, he knows he's being selfish--but he's just so happy right now.
        
        His relationship with Shinji waned, and in return, his relationship with Rei has waxed. Has his relationship with his classmates waned so he could treasure one more (last?) moment with Shinji?
        
        ...No matter what Hebikura thinks, the world really is something that must be held in two hands. The price for it is always so high. It should be, for such a treasure.
        
        "Forgive me. I shouldn't fluster you," he says, though he does nothing to hide his fondness. This will no doubt delight Misato and infuriate Asuka. "I won't make you do something like that." (In another world, he would. But in this one, he won't.)
        
        He does glance at Shinji reaching in his bag for something else, and hears the voices that Shinji just barely catches, but opts to pause his smartphone's music player (which he does not directly touch) and set the bento lunch down on his lap.
        
        "Hey, senpai," he calls to Orpheus, unruffled and reassured as always. Perhaps that calm will help relax Shinji out of his deer-in-headlights stance at the approach of the Britannian student. "We crossed paths at the GUTS interschool relief trip to the Kyushu Zone, didn't we?" he continues, to give himself and Orpheus both a public reason to be familiar with one another already. "There's no issue," he adds, which is not a lie because he genuinely does not think his ostracization at school is an issue (though of course Orpheus is not actually asking him). And finally: "What brings you here, though? Something else GUTS-related?"
        
        There's no table out here--just a bench under a tree, one of a couple leading in towards the school's main doors--but there's plenty of space all the same.

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

Shinji breathes out an almost-laugh of uncertain relief as Kaworu clarifies that it is a joke. A friendly tease?

"Right. Of course not."

He thought he'd gotten more used to this sort of thing hanging out with Toji and Kensuke, but Kaworu's sense of humor is more difficult to read... and what he says is harder to brush off.

Where Kaworu's trying to put Shinji at ease, Orpheus is undoing his work. Checked out or sized up (and Shinji assumes the second, if he assumes anything other than confusion), there's not much of a Shinji there. Under the scrutinizing gaze he's instinctively trying to make himself smaller. It isn't until Kaworu speaks up that Shinji's posture normalizes.

"Oh." They know each other. That would explain the approach. Maybe he wasn't being stared down at all...? Maybe he was only ever looking at Kaworu.

"Y... Yes?" They're familiar now(??!), Kaworu made it so, and the more Kaworu talks the more Shinji doesn't have to, glancing between them both searchingly, nervous energy still coiled up. This... isn't ideal. He wanted to try and speak to Kaworu, but if he interrupts and cuts short anyone else who's trying to, that defeats the whole purpose...!

... Wait, and who was he talking to? Shinji leans forward awkwardly, trying to peek around the cover where the lurkers hide. "An issue...?"

<Pose Tracker> Misato Katsuragi has posed.

Misato will always ship. If she had her way everybody would be shipped with everybody. It's called the Human Shipping Project. Will this be the day her dark schemes come to fruition?

Probably not. Nevertheless, Orpheus is ... just talking to her like she isn't obviously hiding in front of the people she's hiding from.

She rubs at her forehead. "Seriously...?" She mutters. "I was trying to give them space--they were clearly looking for some time alone together."

She may be misinterpreting the situation but since Kaworu is already speaking up to Orpheus she sighs, running her hand down her face. "Well there's nothign for it. Go on, have fun...!"

She needs an excuse though. "I'm on overwatch in case someone else tries to take a shot. Don't worry, don't worry."

She slaps Orpheus on the back with Misato grade exuberance.

Shinji can probably get a good glimpse of her while she's distracted by Orpheus. Or at least her back-slapping arm.

Hopefully Plan Liam will go off without a hitch. It surely will.

He knows what to do.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.

Asuka's starts looking again from just around the corner, hearing Kaworu's response, asking for apologies and how he shouldn't fluster him. Or make him do something like that. Asuka seethes lightly. Hikari watches her face, thinking this is adorable.

She's someone who's been watching Asuka for some time in between keeping the boys of the class in line, seeing her get jealous over a boy is a great delight for her. It makes her even more relatable to her.

Hikari suddenly teases her, "Would you want him to feed you one of the lunches he makes for you?"

Asuka flusters and tears herself away to face her, "Who would!?"

Hikari giggles, "Just kidding." She lies.

Asuka glowers at her, a bit red-cheeked, and looks away flustered.

Shinji though seemed to brush it off like it was a joke. And Asuka sighs with relief... because if Shinji doesn't realize, all the better for her.

Asuka glances out again, briefly, she doesn't catch Liam from his vantage point, but she certainly sees Oz. "What's he doing here?" Asuka whispers, of the boy who asked her hard questions about how to console victims of a tragedy. 'GUTS' is an easy answer of course, as it's what he was here for the last time.

Hikari glances too, "Oh I think I've seen him around." Of course, the Class Representative would know.

That he's familiar with Kaworu is interesting, and she's not suspicious about it really other than that nagging feeling that she knows him in a way that she can't quite remember. She's just upset and relieved in equal measure that he's interrupting what's going on here.

And then MISATO shows up? "Is everyone here watching this!?" "Looks like." Hikari says. As Asuka grumbles, "Knowing her she's probably ditching work on some paper thin excuse like evaluating school security."

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        Liam holds perfectly still. He listens to Asuka as she talks to another young woman, one he doesn't recognize. Classmate. They're familiar. Familiar enough that Hikari feels comfortable teasing Asuka.

        A slow blink. Feeding her lunch? What is that implying? There's something /there, but then Liam hears footsteps, and subtle changes in volume that indicate the conversation's moving again.

        Liam looks up into the branches of the tree. He plants a hand on the bark, digs his fingers in, and dips down.

        Liam launches himself upwards, landing with a soft rustle of branches, and a dull wooden creak. Might be just the wind. Or an animal.

        He tucks into the branches as best as he can, and goes perfectly still.

<Pose Tracker> Orpheus Zevon has posed.

"Alone together. . .?" It's the first phrase that comes out of his lips when he hears Misato talk. "Wait. . .Give them space. . .?" All of a sudden he finds one of his eyes slowly twitching as something comes to him in a swift realization.

This woman. . .She's not doing reconnaissance for security. . .She's just. . .Just. . .She's just like Milly Ashford. Something about that comparison leaves him a bit more concerned about who he's left Kaworu in the care of. Immensely so. He's going to need to seriously investigate this woman more thoroughly later but for now-- "O-Oi?!" Whether it was Milly Ashford, or this woman it seemed he wasn't the type that was used to being pushed around, or slapped in the back as such and in something that might seem out of character for only one person he. . .He stumbles away as he steps towards the two. Though at the same time. . .

For the first time, there's a smile on his face as he hears that voice call out to him. He looks towards the two with an expression that seems much more relaxed, and honestly the most welcoming he's been to any of the Tokyo-3 students since his last appearance here. His attention is more focused with Kaworu this time, to which hopefully might put Shinji more at ease not being in the spotlight of a stranger's attention. All the same he'd start making his way over to the two, "Indeed, a good memory you have. Your service there was immensely appreciated. Allow me to reintroduce myself though. Ashford Academy's GUTS representative Orpheus Zeveles." Obviously Kaworu had no need for such an introduction, but for Shinji, a proper introduction and even a smile of all things is awarded to the young man.It's rare he gives out such things but well...If it's for the one that Kaworu's seemed most intent on protecting, wellA friend of Kaworu's is someone he'll put the extra effort to accommodate for.

"I do apologize for interrupting your lunch. Though it's as you said. This is a bit of a GUTs related matter. After your. . .Contributions in the Kyushu Zone, and notice that you had been unwell, we wanted to make sure that you were enjoying your last days of school. To that endeavor, Ashford Academy wanted to make sure that your return as well as your last few days of school were properly celebrated. . ." As if to emphasize that remark, he finally takes out the container he'd been holding onto before slowly opening it up to which would appear was something that was assuredly Japanese in appearance though for someone like a Britannian to have it felt out of place. Within this container appeared to be a larger-sized bento with what appeared to be an extravagant array of sushi. Excessive amounts of salmon, tuna, mackerel sashimi in one portion. Tempura rolls in another part of the box, even a small container of sushi rice. Overall. . .It was an excessive amount of food for one person.

"I had hoped I could have left this with the school for you to share with your friends at this time, but it seems I was a little late in doing so." At this point, it almost sounds like a familiar bit of shouting can be heard off in another corner, a rather familiar voice if anything that does trigger the word 'friend' in his mind when he thinks of Kaworu. His eyes only glancing towards the direction, his eyes surely bridging Asuka's with only for a moment. He almost thinks to call her over, but well. . .If what Misato was saying was true. . .

"Though, it seems I've meddled in your lunch affairs a bit longer than anticipated, while it's a bit much I do hope you both will accept even if it's only to pass around to your friends later. In the meantime, I'll take my leave." At this time he'd start turning around as if preparing for a proper departure though before he does, he does look back one last time, towards Shinji this time, "Please do look out for Kaworu. It's rare to find friends as reliable as that one. . ." It's perhaps an off-handed comment to say. One meant to emphasize the contributions he made to the GUTS alliance, but something in the way he says it to the young man almost feels like he's trying to say. . .More. Either way, he'll try to give one more respectable smile as he begins to step away. It seems as much as he worries, Kaworu doesn't really need a big brother constantly watching over him anymore. . .At least not at school.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        Hmmm... Did Kaworu ever actually say that it was a joke, though? Well, surely it was. Listen to him laugh like that. But surely that's a good thing--it means Shinji cheered him up after their classmates started avoiding him. Even if they aren't getting the opportunity to talk in private that Shinji had hoped for...
        
        His gaze tracks over to Misato as she finally concedes defeat and makes her presence officially known. She may not quite come out from cover, but... on overwatch, hm. Isn't that a job for Section 2? It's not necessary for her to come here herself for that. ...oh. Is she telling a falsehood? Does she suspect Orpheus...? Kaworu's lips thin, but he opts to keep his mouth shut. Orpheus seems to take her boisterousness in stride, at least. When he approaches with a smile, Kaworu gives him another in return.
        
        "Thank you. I'm just glad I was able to help," he replies graciously. When Orpheus introduces himself, Kaworu likewise raises his hand and gestures gracefully at Shinji next to him. "My name is Kaworu Nagisa. This is my friend, Shinji Ikari. We're in the same class here."
        
        He looks down at the tray of sushi--/absolutely/ extravagant, and far too much for any one person to eat by themselves, even if they did need to eat and/or didn't already have a lunch prepared--and smiles with a different sort of fondness. "That's very kind. Ashford Academy has my gratitude for their generosity," he replies. He pauses in thought, giving Orpheus time to address Shinji; then he says, "Wait."
        
        He looks over his shoulder towards the door. "Second, Miss Horaki, why don't you join us?" he calls. "Col. Katsuragi, you too--and Liam as well, of course." He looks back at Orpheus. "You came all this way to deliver this; I'm sure you must be hungry as well, Orpheus-senpai. Would you care to join us?"
        
        Shinji definitely won't be getting that private talk at this rate. But Kaworu seems a lot happier now--even went out of his way to invite Asuka--so maybe it's fine for now after all.

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

In all the time Shinji hasn't been talking to Kaworu, he's had time to overthink a number of things about Kaworu. The presence of Kaworu now makes past absences sharper. Worries buzz in his head, itching and silenced by the company around them.

Which is growing.

"Miss Misato?!"

This surprise allows Asuka and Liam to go unnoticed for a while longer. All part of a love detective's plan?!

"Someone else --" Shinji does not have the composure to cover up the concerned look he shoots in Kaworu's direction. Kaworu, instead of showing his own concern (always so calm!), introduces Shinji, and Shinji hurries to get on board with being polite.

"Pleased to meet you," he greets with a smile forced past his nervousness. This is the first time Shinji makes any notable attempt to take quick stock of Orpheus, though it's far less sizing up (or checking him out, for that matter) and more trying to categorize him as a person who exists, and someone he might see again. Ashford Students are... a lot?

A whole lot. Shinji's eyes boggle at the display of sushi, and there is a budding sense of inadequacy for the bento he tried to serve Kaworu. This was unnecessary after all... Grossly so. It was presumptuous to think Kaworu might need his company. He's wilting under the dazzling aura of luxury sushi, and only a shadow of himself when Orpheus gives his request.

Shinji blinks once, glancing up. "Ah...?" A most eloquent response to a heartfelt request, surely. It's slow to dawn on him that he's still considered a part of this, and that Kaworu does look much happier with an opportunity to share a meal with every...o...ne...?

Wait what?!

Shinji looks shocked from one face to the next as Kaworu calls them out, ending with being unable to locate Liam, who is a person of a size he does not think should be this difficult to spot!

<Pose Tracker> Misato Katsuragi has posed.

You can do reconnaisance for security while shipping simultaneously! Obviously if Misato sees someone being real sketch she'd do something about it but...

....At the moment the sketchiest person here is Misato Katsuragi actually if you really think about it.

Fine!! FINE!! Misato will throw herself on THE GRENADE so that Asuka and Liam...can live! Assuming nothing ridiculous happens to Liam thus ruining the whole thing.

Misato exhales and just steps out into open view. "Ahh Shinji!! Don't worry, I'm just... doing some rounds because I haven't been happy with the security as of late, ha ha ha...! Don't worry about it!"

Misato has this expression on her face: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/33/0f/6b/330f6b02464f9a397882b0edd7b568a5--watch-sailor-moon-sailor-moon-funny.jpg

"Sorry for interrupting your lunch! Wow Shinji did you make that? It looks cute."

She wags her hand up and down in another Usagi-like gesture but she ultimately says, "Well I didn't want to interrupt you two," She giggles into her hand which barely smothers it.

"I haven't seen anybody suspicious though...!" Misato adds. "So I guess this place is pretty secure for right now, yes yes..."

She nods several times.

Some paper thin excuse like evaluating school security it seems.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.

Asuka and Hikari watch as Misato navigates to try and get Oz to leave. She listens to his discussion, his presentation of the sushi buffet, his apologies for interrupting, and the moment Oz looks her way she darts back into cover. It doesn't matter, he's still seen her. So has Liam obviously but Asuka didn't notice him up in the branches.

Kaworu calls out for Hikari to join them though, and Hikari's big eyes just blink. Asuka darts even more under cover. As the two look at each other.

Hikari suddenly straightens up, as she asks across the way to Kaworu, "Ah, I was just waiting my turn to speak to the GUTS representative. I didn't want to interrupt." It's a plausible excuse certainly as a class representative herself, "You're sure it won't be a bother if I joined you?"

Hikari then turns around and acts as if Asuka just came out of the cafeteria door. "Oh, Asuka! They're holding a bit of a feast out here. Care to join us?"

Asuka sidles upon the wall away from the door, before standing up, "Yeah? What kind of feast?" "Sushi it seems." "... Why not?"

It's an embarrassing bit of theater which causes Asuka to be supremely flustered, though none but Hikari might realize that.

The two walk out to join them, Asuka trying to look uninterested other than the Sushi. Then Misato comes in, and Asuka watches her expression as she makes her excuses. Longer. Longer. NNNNGHHHHHHH

SHE KNOWS YOUR GAME MISATO KATSURAGI.

Hikari joins them for the spread of Sushi, while Asuka hovers nearby... trying not to look like she's watching Shinji, as she takes a single piece of Sushi and eats it. If she says something right now she might explode, so she's trying not to.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        '--and Liam as well, of course.'

        Another rustle up in the tree, as Liam startles, his head snapping down to look at Kaworu. He shifts his weight to lower his stance, and in doing so, puts his right foot on a dead branch. There's a sharp, ominous crack of splintering wood--

        The branch falls first, landing harmlessly on the grass with a thunk. Liam falls after it, twisting in mid-air and bending his knees; he hits feet-first and skids like a trained paratrooper, spreading the impact onto his calf, thigh, hip, and back. He lies in the grass for a moment, quite possibly surrounded by the others. His face is sheet-pale as he seeks out Kaworu's eyes. "I cannot disclose the nature of my presence," he says, his voice tight. "Offer accepted."

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

CRACK

THUNK

Shinji shouts in surprise, leaping approximately six feet back from Liam in a single bound.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        Of course Shinji is still a part of it--but it is hard not to compare one's homemade bento with an extravagant tray of sushi. All the same, the fact that Kaworu didn't name Shinji in his invitations but still said 'us' means that Shinji was always a part of it.
        
        In the same way, when Misato steps out in the open and comments on his lunch, Kaworu holds up the bento for her to better see. It still isn't open--he hasn't had the chance to open it--but all thee same he says brightly, "It is quite charming, isn't it? I'm looking forward to tasting it." It might not be until dinner at this rate, but he will savor Shinji's cooking.
        
        Another fond look over at Shinji makes his smile wane, though. He looks uncomfortable... Has he misread the situation again? Is this too many people? Should he have kept it to those Shinji already knows...? He's about to lose himself fretting in silence over him when--
        
        CRACK
        
        THUNK
        
        ...granted, it doesn't really make the situation better, all considered.
        
        "Are you all right?" Kaworu wonders in concern, astoundingly not to the young man who just fell out of a tree but to the young man who was spooked by it. "If this is too much for you, you don't need to force yourself to stay."
        
        It would rather spoil the event for him if Shinji did leave, but... his happiness trumps everything. If it would make him happier to be away from him, then...
        
        Nonetheless, he nods to Liam and Hikari in turn. "I see," he says to the former; to the latter, "I'm quite sure." To both, he concludes, "Please have as much as you like." To Misato, he says, "Oh? Thank you for your hard work, then."
        
        Why is she giggling like that...? Is Orpheus unrelated to her reasons for being here after all? But if so, then why did she come? What an enigmatic woman. Truly a soldier of mystery.
        
        He doesn't make any offer to Asuka beyond that initial one. He didn't invite her for her own sake, after all.
        
        For now, though, he tucks Shinji's bento away in his briefcase with great care; then he chooses a piece of tuna sushi and obligingly eats it. He won't have many more pieces, but with everyone else here, the tray should hopefully get demolished in short order all the same.

<Pose Tracker> Misato Katsuragi has posed.

....

Maybe Liam didn't actually know what his job was, Misato thinks.

...........But what exactly did he think his job was???

"Er, are you alright Liam?" Misato moves to check up on him. She seems confused.

She turns her head towards Asuka.

She gives her a big thumbsup. Maybe Liam's mission...didn't work out like she was expecting it to, but Asuka is getting to eat some bento sushi so that means this mission was a success.

She thinks fondly of her own academy days, hee hee...

"Well I think this means this is a safe place right now, I'll just go give it another walkaround--"

Her head turns to Shinji, recently spooked by Liam.

"I'll see you around, after school, alright?"

Happy school memories means her job here...is done!

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.

Before Asuka gets even gets all the way over to the table, the branch falls. Hikari for her part jumps back, with her hands over her chest. "Oh my gosh!" Asuka takes only a wary step back as she reaches into her bag. Asuka stares at him as he says 'I cannot disclose the nature of my presence,' Asuka's head just swivels and stares at Misato again!!!! As she gives her a thumbs up.

NNNNNNGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Asuka takes her hand out of her bag. "You do that Misato."

Hikari for her part admonishes Liam as she storms up to him, "What do you mean you can't divulge it!? You obviously don't go to this school, so you must work here! If you're supposed to be some kind of security guard then what are you doing climbing trees? What if someone had been walking under there when you fell?"

Yeah unfortunately Liam as a boy on campus that has appearance of misbehaving has caught the wrath of the Class Representative.

Asuka for her part instead looks at Shinji after his fright. Waits for him to return, as she picks up that single piece of Sushi and eats it, and stops... "Not really that hungry." As she glances sideways at him, "Today's effort wasn't bad."

As she amends her earlier private evaluation of the lunch he made for her.

<Pose Tracker> Liam 7-020 has posed.

        This is why you ensure your operatives have detailed briefings, Misato Katsuragi.

        Liam has endured far worse than a simple fall from a tree. He picks himself up--slowly, so as not to startle anyone further--and brushes grass and dirt off his clothes. "Apologies," he says, "I didn't mean to startle you." That hollow tone is still there, a clear sign that he's slipped back into what could charitably be called "objective-focused mode". (Uncharitably: "weapon mode".)

        Hikari happens. For a split-second, Liam considers executing a quick takedown and running for the fences. The rest of his brain catches up, and he settles for looking at her, stony-faced. "NERV business," he says. "Details personal. Is the offer rescinded, Administrator?"

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

"I'm all right. I'm all right," Shinji repeats for his own benefit.

The number of people isn't the problem so much as the suddenness of them, emerging from the earth like worms in the rain: the reveal of a wriggling disturbance that was there underfoot the whole time. No, that's... not the right metaphor, Shinji's uncomfortable squirminess aside.

But something like that.

"Sorry," he says after recovering from the Liam surprise, addressing him with the other students. "I didn't see you guys there..."

As Misato leaves, Shinji blinks again. She's leaving? Doesn't that contradict what she said before? (It doesn't contradict the second thing!) (Was it the second? There are too many things for Shinji right now!) "Uh... Yes?" he replies, which shouldn't be a question, but it's too late for answers.

This may not have been the plan, for as meager as the plan was, but it's difficult to be spiteful over a spread of sushi like this. "If you're really okay with it... Thank you, Kaworu."

He's about to eat a piece for himself when Asuka loses her appetite, pausing to stare in her direction.

Today's effort wasn't bad.

Coming off the low of thinking his bento just faced a crushing defeat, Shinji's eyes light up, face caught in a soft smile.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        "...All right," Kaworu says, watching Shinji. When he seems to settle, he offers him a small smile. "You're welcome."
        
        Liam asks if the offer is rescinded. Kaworu shakes his head. "Not at all. Please eat your fill. Anything that's left over..." He pauses to consider, then glances at Hikari. "Class Representative Horaki, would you mind sharing it with our classmates? Without telling them who it's from, preferably." He laughs far too amiably for someone who's being avoided. "If they knew, they probably wouldn't eat it, and it would be such a waste."
        
        Misato's sudden departure is strange enough, but Kaworu's willing to accept her claim on its face. It is true that there's been much to worry about lately, and she does worry a lot about Shinji. It's a good thing.
        
        Asuka, though...
        
        'Today's effort wasn't bad,' she says, and Shinji lights up at this meager praise. Kaworu's gaze lingers on him for a long moment before he finally lowers his eyes. "..."
        
        ...Despite all she is, she really does make him happy, doesn't she...?