Thanks to Ammadeau, Donny Cheng, Alan Harnum, Richard Lawson,
and the C*B*L for pre-reading duties.
Characters belong to Gainax, and they need the money more than I
do probably - unless they get audited for fun.
P A G E S
by Lara Bartram
---------------
Page 60
"I'm sorry this isn't much of a honeymoon. We're both in
the middle of things right now..."
Yui kissed Gendo to quiet him. "I understand. It's
enough... for now." She smiled as he looked at her, leaning on
one elbow.
"Here, try this," Gendo offered, holding a small orange
candy near her mouth.
"What is it?"
"I don't know. That's why I wanted you to try it.
besides, it's free."
"Your generosity amazes me," Yui deadpanned before trying
to take the candy from his fingers.
Gendo pulled it away though, tsking. "You thought it
would be that easy?"
"Why are you such a pain in the ass? You want me to try
the stupid thing, then let me," Yui snapped, not in the mood to
play a game of keep-away.
"So the tease doesn't like to be teased... Too bad." He
allowed Yui to take the candy, keeping his fingers away from
where they might be bitten. "So... what should we do now?"
"What's wrong with what we were doing?"
"On general principle nothing, but I'm getting hungry.
What can I say? You wear me out."
"You could shave..."
"God no! Not with you in one of your moods. I'm not
insane enough for that."
"You will be eventually. Then I'll be at it every
evening, and you'll love it." She ran her fingers lightly over
his ribs.
"You don't want to ruin this weekend by doing that, do
you?" Gendo warned.
Yui just smiled. "Maybe... Besides, you teased me, and I
don't like that. And you don't like that, so we're even."
Gendo rolled on top of her and growled. "You like to play
with fire, don't you?"
"The hotter the better."
"Yui?"
"Hm?" she asked sleepily from his side.
"Your father was going to ask me something and I told him
I'd think about it. I wanted to hear what you thought."
"What was it?"
"If I would take your name."
Yui's eyes popped open. "You're kidding. He actually
asked you that?"
"No, but he was going to. I told him I'd think about it."
"You didn't have to say that. You should have just told
him no." How embarrassing for her father to go and do something
like that.
Gendo shrugged. "Why? I wasn't insulted. A little
surprised, but..."
"You're seriously considering it?"
"Yes, I said I would. It's not terrible, is it?"
"No, but... but..."
"You're Yui Ikari and I'd be Gendo Ikari." He actually
laughed then. "It sounds quite a but different from Rokubungi.
That would take some getting used to."
"Why though?"
Gendo looked at her with one eyebrow raised. "Because,
you see, Ikari is much shorter than Rokubungi, and they don't
sound anything alike..."
"Thank you. I suppose I should have been expecting it,
but I hold out hope that someday I'll get a straight answer from
you."
"Not likely." He kissed her, silencing any comebacks.
"Mm, fruity," Gendo commented after breaking the contact. "I
think I will."
"You will what?"
"Change my name. The Ikari family has produced far too
lovely a daughter for it to go to waste."
"You're so sweet. Sometimes I wonder how other women
resist you."
"They know you'd kick their butts if they got too close.
After all, I'm legally spoken for now. The government said so."
"I have to admit, that was one of the best and worst
places to start a honeymoon. You could have let me change
first; I felt silly with all those people staring at me."
"As they should have. There's never been anyone more
beautiful than you in that building."
---
Page 61
For the first time in almost a month, Yui wore white to
work. And she smiled with real feeling.
"Hey there, Mrs. Rokubungi."
"Nope, Satoshi. You may refer to me as Mrs. Ikari. Or,
if you must, Doctor." Yui turned her nose up a little and did
her best to look snooty.
Satoshi blinked. "Doctor? When did that happen?"
"Well, it didn't, but you can call me that if you want
to." She smiled at her long-time co-worker and shared a chuckle
with him.
"But seriously, Mrs. Ikari? What happened that I missed?"
He hoped that the wedding hadn't been abandoned and his gift
gone to waste.
"We talked about it and... he took my name." Cheeks
glowing pink, sharing more information than Gendo would have
approved of, Yui added quietly, "He said he didn't want the name
to go to waste."
Satoshi blinked again. "Roku... Ikar..." That was too
weird to say aloud. "He said that? Wow, Yui. I never thought
anyone could make him lighten up."
"He takes work very seriously, otherwise he's very nice.
You should get to know him."
Laughing a bit nervously, Satoshi scratched the back of
his head. "Ah... I wouldn't even know what to say to him. He
just looks at me and... and I have no idea what to say." He
studied his shoes in embarrassment. "He's pretty intimidating."
"Let me tell you a secret," Yui whispered. "He practices
very hard. The easier to get what he wants from people."
Nodding, Satoshi whispered back. "It works."
"Some time, you'll have to come over for dinner. Then
you'll see." Yui put her hand on Satoshi's shoulder and started
walking slowly down the hall. "Let's go out for lunch today.
What do you say?"
"Uh, sure. If... if your husband doesn't mind."
"Don't you worry about it."
"I was thinking about having a little get-together."
"Ah."
"Just some people from..."
"Uh huh."
Yui looked at Gendo to find his nose buried in the
newspaper. "I thought we'd play some naked Twister."
"I see."
"And you could take pictures and post them on the
internet."
"Of course."
Yui smirked. "Gendo, pay attention or who knows what I
might slip by you." That didn't earn her any response at all.
"I'm quitting."
Gendo turned to the next page of the paper.
"I'm having an affair."
Silence. She knew he had to have heard her.
"I'm pregnant."
"By who?"
Yui glowered. Not bothering with a spoken response, she
walked over to him and dumped her glass of juice in his lap.
"Certainly not by you." To punctuate her annoyance, she smacked
him in the back of the head.
Gendo just sat there, pants soaked with juice, glasses
knocked askew, and stared sightlessly at the paper. "What'd I
say?" he asked quietly.
That earned him another smack to the head. "Remember?
Innocent doesn't work for you. Don't try it," Yui warned, then
marched off to finish getting ready.
"What'd I say?" Sighing, Gendo would remember next time
that Yui was not to be teased in the morning.
"Still," Yui said, returning a moment later, seeming to
have forgotten what had just happened, "I was going to invite
some people over, have a little party. You don't mind, do you?"
"Of course not. Just don't let it turn into a drunken
orgy."
Yui laughed and put her arms around him. "I get enough of
that from you; I don't need anyone else."
"You know, I do need to change my pants... I think you
planned this all out. Sneaky woman."
"You wish I would put that much effort into having sex
with you. Don't flatter yourself."
---
Page 62
"Yeah, a Christmas party. And then we'll exchange gifts
or something, and just have fun."
Satoshi returned Yui's infectious smile. "I think it's a
great idea! I'd..." Then he saw Gendo standing back, just...
looking at him. "Er..."
Yui looked back at Gendo and made a face. "I know you
want to. Don't let the Grinch scare you off. He just thinks
with all those people over, someone will find the bodies he's
been hiding in the closet."
Satoshi swallowed hard, still held by Gendo's disapproving
gaze.
Laughing lightly and chucking his shoulder, Yui told him,
"You'll have fun, and I know you need to get out more than you
do."
Tearing his eyes away from Gendo, Satoshi looked at Yui
and nodded hesitantly. "Okay, I'll be there."
"Great!" Yui gave him a quick peck on the cheek, much to
his horror.
The smile, turned sickly, stayed on his face as he watched
Gendo scowl. That look didn't change, nor did it move off him
when Yui started to drag her husband down the hall. Or maybe it
was just his imagination, but either way, he didn't think Gendo
would ever be his friend.
"Were you trying to scare him to death?"
"What do you mean?"
"I saw the way you were looking at him; he's just a
friend. You didn't need to scare him away."
"I know I didn't. I wasn't."
Yui made a disbelieving noise. "You still look upset.
I've known Satoshi for over a year. You've been aware of his
existence for three months, and you've managed to convince him
you eat human flesh for breakfast."
"So you want me to make an effort not to scare people?"
"Basically. Can you handle it?"
"I guess. You're so demanding."
"I'd ask who spiked the punch, but that would be
pointless, wouldn't it?"
"Probably. You were going to do it anyway so don't get
self-righteous on me now."
"You're right," Yui admitted, nodding her head slowly. "I
have to say you've been doing much better over the last couple
of weeks. Satoshi almost has the courage to start a
conversation with you." She giggled, putting her hand over her
mouth.
Tsking, Gendo shook his head. "How much of that punch
have you had to drink already?"
"Too much," Yui answered. For the most part she felt
fine. Things were just... funnier now.
"If you even start to _hum_ a song, I'm locking you in the
bedroom. Do you hear me? No singing."
"Party pooper." She pouted comically, not realizing how
ridiculous she looked.
"Keep that look on your face and you'll certainly be the
life of the party." Something finally caught his eye. Going to
stand in front of her, he gently admonished, "Leave your shirt
undone that far and you'll be the entertainment too." Gendo did
up a couple buttons and kissed her cheek. "Silly."
Yui smiled. "I'll never be like you. Being a grouch
isn't as much fun."
"But you could scare off anyone who bothered you while you
were working with just a look."
"Look," she explained, putting her hand on his chest,
"that's not necessarily a good thing. At least not in my book."
"But it can be. And besides..." Gendo's hands lingered
on the buttons of her shirt, tugging them slightly. "I have you
and I don't need anyone else."
"Sweet, but impractical. Friends or not, you're going to
need other people in life. I won't always be here."
"Sure you will. And now I think you need to finish
getting ready. Really, Yui, you drank far too much of that
punch." He smirked at the confused look on her face.
The confusion turned to embarrassed realization, and Yui
hurried back to the bedroom. "And I'm sure you would have let
me answer the door like that!"
"No, but if you want to walk around without pants on when
it's just us, who am I to protest?"
---
Page 63
"I saved one more for you." Gendo pulled out a small box
and held it up for her to see in the flickering candlelight.
"You didn't have to. I don't have anything else for you,"
Yui cooed with delight.
"Here. I just thought the mood would be better now as
opposed to this morning. It seems more personal."
The smile on Yui's face stayed for a moment, then she
looked hard at him. "This had better not be anything... kinky."
"No. You always think the worst of me. But if you don't
want it..." Gendo started to put the box back on the floor.
"I never think the worst of you. Sometimes I... question
your motives, but I don't think badly of you." She grabbed his
arm, pulling it back toward her. "Don't tease."
"Here."
Yui took the box and opened it, revealing a delicate gold
chain with a small oval pendant on it. "What's this for?" she
asked, holding it up to swing slowly in the light.
"Whatever you want. You can put pictures in the locket
too. I just thought..."
"I know. When they day comes, _when_, I'll put a picture
of our son or daughter in it." She slipped it over her head.
Gendo sighed. "That was a huge mistake..."
"No, it was perfect."
~ ~ ~
"It's a little early to be opening the champagne."
"No, it's the end of the 1900's. I think we can open it a
little early."
Yui watched Gendo pour two glasses. "I should give my
father a call..."
"It's been a week since you last saw him; the call can
wait until tomorrow."
Taking the glass, Yui sat down slowly. "I suppose. I
just think now is a good time to keep tabs on him. You know...
holiday depression."
"I know, but I don't think he needs mothering either.
Give him some space. Mother me for a change."
"Mothering is the last thing you want. I know better.
Let's just get drunk together and ring in the new year with a
snore." Yui held up her glass for a toast.
"How could I resist that offer?" Gendo touched his glass
to hers, and the subdued celebration began.
The only extra celebration when the clock switched from
11:59 to 12:00 was a simple kiss and a fresh glass of champagne.
"You want to head to bed now?" Gendo asked after draining
his glass.
Sitting for a moment in the darkness, Yui then stood and
went over to the glass sliding doors. She opened them and
stepped out into the chill air on the balcony. She stood still
and just listened, letting the sounds of celebration drift to
her ears.
"Would you ever celebrate like that? Loud and rowdy?" Yui
asked quietly as Gendo stepped up beside her.
"No," he admitted, standing close enough so that their
arms touched, but that was the only contact.
"They all sound so happy."
"Aren't you happy?"
Yui couldn't answer immediately, looking at the lights
that spread out before her. "Yes, but... not like that. Not
because of the new year."
"Why are you happy then?"
"You. And even if you didn't mean it like this, what this
locket means." She held the gold locket in her fingers, waiting
for the day she would be able to put something in it.
"You're too sentimental. You always will be, and that's
one of the reasons I love you." His arm slipped around her
shoulders and pulled her against him.
They stayed that way as the noise of celebration died down
into the morning. The sky darkened until it was a piece of
black velvet draped over them, and the entire world seemed to be
hushed.
"Always darkest before the dawn," Yui whispered.
"Not always."
The sky lightened gradually, coloring the few clouds dusky
orange, then shades of pink and purple until the sun finally
cast the first light of the new year on the two people watching
it.
---
Epilogue
[9 MONTHS LATER]
"Was it cold?"
"It was Antarctica; of course it was cold."
"You didn't need to bring it back with you."
"I'm sorry." Gendo leaned forward and accepted Yui's
kiss. "I'm just looking forward to relaxing someplace where
there isn't any snow for a little while."
Yui smiled, and that was as much warmth as he needed.
"There's no snow in the bedroom."
"The homecoming I was looking forward to..."
The phone was off the hook, and all pagers and cellular
phones and other means of contact were turned off. It was just
the two of them.
"I missed you. I missed coming home at night and having
someone here," Yui whispered, using Gendo's shoulder as her
pillow. She lay close to him, missing his presence in bed. It
was... cold, and lonely, without him there.
The gentle breeze coming in the window made her want to
pull the covers up, but after being in Antarctica, the mild Fall
must have been a picnic for Gendo.
"I'd think you'd be used to it by now." The one arm
around her squeezed briefly, pulling her closer.
"There's a difference between you working late and not
coming home at all. You were half a world away. That's nothing
like just being down the hall in a different office."
"You didn't visit that office enough."
"I know. But you're always busy... and I'm busy. It
would be inappropriate for us to... in the middle of work."
"Yui, you're too concerned about propriety. We could
just..."
"Get caught by someone, and I think I would probably die
from embarrassment. Just stop with those silly ideas. Besides,
we're here together; we don't need to worry about any of that."
"Mm, very true."
Yui looked at Gendo's face, not moving her head at all.
"Just after you left, I stopped taking the pill," she said
quietly.
"Oh really? Planning on something?" he answered with a
hint of amusement in his voice.
"Perhaps. Why don't we just... see what happens?"
Gendo turned his head and looked down at Yui. "You mean
it this time? You're sure?"
"No, but I'm willing to take the risk. What about you?
Are you ready to change some diapers?"
Instead of answering, he kissed her, rolling her on to her
back and pinning her to the bed.
"I know," she said, short of breath after the kiss had
ended, "that you won't disappoint me."
"Have I yet?"
Running her hands across his back, she shook her head and
smiled. "No."
- [ E N D ] -
And I wonder
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
- Foo Fighters
*** Yep, that's the end. Let me know what you think about it.
In the process of setting up a web page for it - most of it's
there, and the rest will be shortly.
http://www.thekeep.org/~lara/pages/index.html
Thanks for reading!