Racing Hearts

By: Dreiser


Rei was alone.

She wasn't exactly sure why she had suddenly noticed this 
but nevertheless she had.

I mean, so what if Rei was alone? Rei was always alone. 
She didn't need anyone. That was Rei's strength.

Her strength in not needing people. Not needing approval. 
Not needing love. Not needing touch.

But if all of that was true then why was the sight of Rei 
sitting alone bothering her so much?

Heaving a sigh and straightening her shoulders, Asuka rose 
to her feet and crossed to where her fellow Eva pilot was sitting on 
the ground observing the other girls in gym class with her usual 
neutral expression.

"Hey, wondergirl."

The only reaction Rei gave to Asuka's given nickname for 
her was a slow lifting of her light blue head and scarlet eyes 
meeting blue ones.

Feeling a bit put aback by the power of Rei's gaze, as she 
always did, it took Asuka a moment to shake off the effect but 
when she did she gave a jaunty smirk.

"Sitting alone can't be any fun. You like swimming don't 
you? How about we have a race?"

"A race?" Rei echoed as a look of slight surprise crossed 
her delicate features.

Seeing that she had Rei's attention, Asuka grinned then 
said, "Exactly right! A race to see which of us is the faster 
swimmer. Come on, wondergirl. It'll be fun."

"Fun?" Rei echoed again.

Holding back the urge to heave an exasperated sigh, 
Asuka merely leaned forward and grabbed Rei's hand in her own 
and helped pull the other girl to her feet.

As she did so, Asuka was struck by how warm Rei's 
hands were. Frozen at this realization, Asuka found herself looking 
into the depths of Rei's gaze which didn't have the coldness that 
she'd always expected to see but instead held a sort of curious 
expectation.

"Yes, fun," said Asuka as she wagged her index finger in 
Rei's face who studied her intently. "I've noticed that you just don't 
seem to have any of it, wondergirl, and I'm going to change that 
right now."

With that, Asuka pulled Rei along after her as she ignored 
the looks of surprise that her classmates wore. She stopped near 
two of the blocks in front of the pool that were used for racing 
points. She then turned to Rei who observed her with the same 
curious look on her features.

"All right," Asuka announced. "On the count of three we'll 
start. Whoever makes it back here first wins."

"Wins what?" asked Rei as she stood on top of her cement 
block.

"The race of course!" exclaimed Asuka who finally 
revealed the exasperation she often felt with Rei. After a moment 
her features softened and Asuka said, "If I win then you have to do 
something that I want to do with me and if you win I have to do 
something you want to do with you. Okay?"

Considering Asuka's words for a long moment, Rei gave a 
short nod then said, "Very well."

Rei then moved into position and seeming startled at this 
sudden change in attitude, Asuka followed suit before she began 
the starting count.

On three, they dove into the water with little more than 
minor splashes on their parts and sliced through the water with a 
power and speed that caused amazement in their observing 
classmates.

They swam neck in neck before reaching the other side of 
the pool and pushing off the back of it, they propelled themselves 
forward to head towards their goal.

And as they approached it they remained equal in strength 
and in pace. Then suddenly, one pushed out in front of the other as 
her speed increased. A hand flew forward to hit the cement with a 
hard slap only to have a second hand follow it mere seconds later.

Rei won the race but it had been a close match.

Breathing heavily, they met each others gazes and to Rei's 
surprise Asuka smiled at her.

"Well, wondergirl," said Asuka through her deep breaths 
of air. "You won. So what do you want to do?"

Gazing at the sparkling blue of Asuka's eyes Rei felt her 
heart constrict. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she replied, "I 
want to race you again."

A slow smile spreading across her features, Asuka 
murmured, "I think that can be arranged."

Watching as Asuka climbed out of the pool Rei noted how 
the sunlight and water droplets falling off of the other girl's body 
seemed to make her luminous.

It was an effect that Asuka couldn't help but note too 
when she saw Rei rise out of the water to stand at her side as they 
prepared to race again.

And somehow who won the race didn't matter so much as 
whatever the winner ended up requesting of the loser because of 
their aforementioned victory.

Little did either of the girls know that what they both 
wanted was very much the same.

They both wanted their hearts to keep racing.

-End-


Both characters are from Neon Genesis Evangelion. This story 
came about from seeing a kawaii and rather funny picture of Rei 
and Asuka when I was looking through various image galleries for 
an art project. That and I think Rei and Asuka make a nice little 
couple. The address for viewing the pix is listed below if you want 
to see it.

"Your lips are a magic world."
-Echo and the Bunnymen-