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[fifthchildnagisa]

"What? What is it?"

"But it…"

"…Yeah, I guess."

[fifthchildnagisa]

"It's nothing you should worry yourself over, truly."

"I wish I could help."

[fifthchildnagisa]

[fifthchildnagisa]

"Some days, I feel as if I'm missing something important."

[fifthchildnagisa]

The Photographs of The Painted Girl

"Bleecker Bob’s - NYC"

Compiled by and Copyright Brian Neuls

[fifthchildnagisa]

hedgehog-in-dilemma replied to your post:Thanks to much coercion from sh-inji, I’m finally...

me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me

You're too much

[fifthchildnagisa]

Thanks to much coercion from sh-inji, I'm finally back.  Hello, who missed me?

[fifthchildnagisa]

"You've nothing to be sorry for." Kaworu runs the back of his hand over the boy's cheek, giving him a warm smile. One of the girls peeks in. A girl in pigtails with glasses, who crinkles her nose when she smiles. Her nametag reads 'Yura'. Moving into the doorway, she places her hands on her hips, standing tall. "Is everything okay here?"

"Yes, Yura, everything is fine." Kaworu continues to wipe at Shinji's runny nose, tossing the dirty tissues into the small garbage can near the tiny couch. Reaching up, he ruffles the boy's hair, a little smirk on his lips. How strange this day had turned out to be...

When he rises, he brings the shy, hiccuping boy up with him. "Up you go," he breathes, making sure the boy had steady footing before he let him go.

It was quite a sight, especially for the girls working at the store, who had piled on top of each other at the door to watch curiously. One girl, Suki, elbows another girl, Rin, and wiggled her eyebrows with a grin. It appears that they were all getting the same idea.

With a wave of his hand, Kaworu is able to dismiss them, causing them to scatter with a few giggles. He cleans the last of the tears from the boy's face, then leads him out of the back room into the store.

"Now, I'm sure you didn't come here looking for a shoulder to cry on. What is it you needed? I'll be happy to help," his voice was smooth as silk, sweet as syrup, "Then maybe we can get to know each other after."

Familiar Faces

Shinji’s easily steered and seated. He’s inconveniencing Kaworu now, and it just makes him want to hit himself. But, just like he remembers, the other is nothing but kind. Sweet, warm, caring. Alluring… Shinji doesn’t take any tissues, but he doesn’t have the heart to push away when the angel starts babying him.

The angel. Is Kaworu still an angel, Shinji wonders?

"I’m sorry," he says again, more clearly this time. His tears are finally starting to dry. "Maybe I’m wrong," he lies, "I’m probably mistaken." It’s too late to take anything back, but if he can make it seem like he really is looking for someone else, Kaworu can still have a normal life. No weird snippets of memories or uncomfortable conversations.

At last, the tears stop coming, leaving him with only a runny nose and uncomfortable hiccups. He looks up again, meeting the other’s gaze, and frowns. What did he mean, “I would like to get to know you again”? Shinji silently begs him not to buy that. Reject me and live a better life without me, he halfheartedly wishes.

Actually, he doesn’t wish it at all. He just wishes he wished it. He’s so selfish, just like his father said.

[fifthchildnagisa]

"Remember you? No, I'm afraid I don't--oh, please, don't..." Kaworu didn't want someone crying over them, especially not this poor boy with a thousand-yard stare and soft face. The girls watched as Kaworu hopped over the counter just to comfort the poor, crying customer.

With a hand on his back, he began leading him to the back room. "Come on, shhh."

In the back room, the boy was sat on a small couch, a box of tissues handed his way. When the tissues weren't taken, Kaworu took it upon himself to dab at the tears with them himself, then wipe away the snot.

The tears seemed neverending. There was a nagging feeling in the back of his head, like he'd seen something like this before. But he could never be sure. Kaworu took both the boy's hands, "I can't be... whomever you're looking for."

Yet how many people on this earth were named 'Kaworu Nagisa' with pale white hair and crimson eyes?

"If I am, then I would like to get to know you again."

Familiar Faces

That’s it, that’s the voice. My life was meaningful because of you. Shinji’s shoulders tremble with the effort he puts towards keeping it in. He’d almost forgotten Kaworu. How could he forget Kaworu? What kind of trash must he be? He swallows hard and looks down. For now, he just needs to ask about the strings. That’s all for now, since Kaworu doesn’t seem to recognize him in return. He can always come back another time and try to befriend him.

It’s fine as long as Kaworu never remembers what Shinji did to him.

His effort goes to waste as soon as he opens his mouth. Barely a squeak escapes, and he catches that in his throat just in time for tears to start pouring from his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he whispers, desperately wiping them away on his sleeves. They won’t stop—the tears, the shaking, the memories, Kaworu’s eyes.

Good, good, now his nose is running in front of Kaworu-kun. This is exactly the kind of first impression he would have wanted to make, he snips at himself. “I’m sorry,” he says again, finding it easier to calm himself when he feels like the other can’t see his pathetic face.

"You don’t remember me." A statement which he could have easily kept to himself, but he wants confirmation in that sweet voice he missed so much.

[fifthchildnagisa]

Wait for me...

[fifthchildnagisa]

Short hair. Dyed blue. Pale skin. Named Yui?

No, he couldn't recall anyone like that. And he'd certainly remember someone with blue skin, wouldn't he? "No, I can't say I do."

He continued digging into the soup, doing well to keep clean and not drip anything onto his shirt. The way he eats is careful, yet graceful, almost inhuman.

Kaworu really does have no idea.

"Is it good?  I threw it together, so nothing had time to marinate."  He leans back into the couch.  "I might have put in too much salt to overcompensate.  Sorry.  I have some water here ready."  As he falls quiet, his eyes return to the scar clinging to his neck like a choker.  Shinji picks a hole in the knee of his pants. 

Memories elude this Fifth, probably for the better.  He wants to know anyway.  “Nagisa-kun.  Um, I knew this girl who described somebody like you once.  Do you know her?  She had this short hair. It was dyed blue, and she had really pale skin.  I think her name was Yui.  Do- Do you remember somebody like that?”

[fifthchildnagisa]

The business at Melodies had been slow that day. It was no surprise, it was a Tuesday, after all. Kaworu had been assigned to the cash register for the day, while the rest of the girls either wandered about the shop in wait of a customer to approach them and ask a question, or for something to happen. Occasionally, they'd sing along to a song on the radio, and Kaworu would join in joyously.

Leaning forward on the counter, chin propped up in his hand and red eyes looking bored, he can't help but notice a boy duck inside. A nervous looking boy, but a cute one, at that. The other employees noticed him, too, perking up to watch this curious, jumpy customer.

As he approached the cash register, possibly to ask a question, Kaworu stood up straight and flattened out his shirt. This one definitely was cute, and he wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to maybe get his number. Long, white fingers run through equally snow white hair and his red eyes go soft.

The way he says Kaworu's name only makes him curiouser. Questioning, as if they've met somewhere before. Kaworu can't quite recall, but he glanced down at his own nametag before nodding.

"Yes, I'm Kaworu. Is there something you need?" He asked kindly, smiling big.

Familiar Faces

He hasn’t been to this store before. It’s intimidating. If not for it being the only place he can get good strings for his cello, he might have just given it up and gone home. His cello practice has become something to ground him, though, keep his schedule regular after all he’d been through. He needs it. So he takes a breath and pushes the door open, slipping inside quietly.

It’s disorienting, being in a new music shop. He does his best to make sense of it, but he can feel someone watching him. He doesn’t look suspicious, does he? Maybe…he’s trying to figure out just what Shinji is… It’s a silly worry, he reminds himself. Of course an employee would watch the people in his shop. It’s not like everyone’s going to be scrutinizing his appearance and behavior and mannerisms and every little detail of his clothes and face and posture—

Shinji dives into an aisle that can’t be seen from the register, then curses his jumpiness. That dive probably looked incredibly suspicious, and now the employee will just watch him even closer. He’ll see everything. The peach fuzz, the smooth throat, the way his shirt falls over his chest. God, no, he needs to make himself less suspicious somehow. He supposes the easiest way to do that is to initiate conversation, isn’t it? That’ll be fine, he can just ask for help.

Hands stuffed in his pocket, he makes the extra effort to look casual, super casual. A little too casual. It comes off as forced casual, and he sinks back into his usual slouch as he gets closer to the employee.

"Excuse me—uh," he finally makes the effort to look up. White hair? Is this guy some kind of a punk? He seems familiar, maybe Shinji’s seen him around without realizing it. He eyes the employee’s nametag, and everything in his chest and gut sinks. He braves a look up further, coming to meet gentle red eyes. He knows those eyes. "Ka-Kaworu…kun…?"

[fifthchildnagisa]

Kaworu knows better than to dive right into the food while it's still hot. He doesn't want to burn his tongue! So he stares into the soup for a long time, then nods. "You're far too kind."

Scooping up a spoonful of soup, he slurped on the broth and munched happily on the meat and vegetables. The warm soothed the sore feeling that was beginning to invade his throat.

"Ayana- "  He remembers in the nick of time.  "Yes!  I am Ayanami-kun.  You have me so worried, I’m forgetting my name."  Vegetables, meat, and broth are thrown haphazardly into the pot.  "So get better!  Ehehehheh."

The minute it’s done, Shinji serves him a bowl and sits beside him.  “You should stay home from work.  Don’t worry about the money.  I- I can pay you back.”

[fifthchildnagisa]

"Oh, um, all right..."

He sits down on a random couch and crosses his ankles. "Thank you, Ayanami-kun."

I don’t like the sound of that.  I’ll make some soup.  You stay off your feet.  I don’t want to see you walking around.

[fifthchildnagisa]

I don't think so...! The piano is finished, so there isn't much hard labor for me to do. The girls haven't been bossing me around or anything, either...

[feels his forehead]  Have you been overworking yourself at that music shop?

[fifthchildnagisa]

hedgehog-in-dilemma replied to your post: “I might be coming down with something…”:

Oh, no. Do you have that lightheaded feeling?

Yes. I feel a little feverish.