Angel Grace and Lilin Heart

Empatheia

Darkness spanned for what could've been miles around. Nothing was distinguishable past the glow of orange permeating from the large, liquid filled glass tube. And that tube stood alone, tucked far away in some unknown place.

He didn't know much about the outside world. He had seen glimpses, been let out on occasions, but for the most part, this was where he lived: floating in this glowing tube that burned a shade of green into the backs of his eyelids. He placed a hand on the inside of the smooth glass, watching the way the LCL bubbled up around it. At one point in his past, he'd been scared of the dark. He disliked all the hours he spent stuck here, fearing some unseen danger. Though he'd let go of that for the most part, as unfounded fear like that was a thoroughly human thing, and as it'd been ingrained into his head by the old men, he knew he wasn't bound to those human qualities. He understood that he wasn't a human, nor an animal, nor anything in-between. He was a child of Adam, not Lilith.

No, he wasn't afraid now. Though he still disliked the darkness. It was only that his dislike spurred from something other than fear. These days, it was because of how he yearned to go back outside. He'd been anticipating it for a while now. The old men had made it clear that his time was coming, and soon; it wouldn't be long now before he could leave. And of course, he knew what the purpose was. He knew what would soon become of him, and although he was sad to think of that moment, he couldn't help feeling excited anyway. Even if it was for a short time, he'd be able to experience the world - the place where lilin walked and talked and felt. For the first time, he would be able to experience what it was like to be one of them.

And above all, he'd finally meet that boy who he knew he was destined to.

He'd meet the Fifth Child.

Shinji smiled softly, loosening the press of his hand against the glass, allowing it instead to float as freely as the rest of him. He closed his eyes.

'Soon...Very soon.'

...

The sound of the ocean was always calming, so he found himself going there rather often, and even more so these days when it felt like his entire life was caving in around him. It was the occasional moments like these where he actually felt secure, where he didn't have to think about Evas or piloting, or wonder why it was that he was the one chosen for this position, and not millions of other people. Those questions never seemed to get him anywhere anyway.

So, it was here he sat, upon uncomfortable juts of rock just barely higher than the shoreline. The air was cleaner here than it was back in the city, so he breathed deeply, his eyes closed. He felt his strawberry blonde hair whipping up lightly around him. It was a pleasantly breezy evening.

Softly, he began humming. He'd had a recent bout of love for classical music, and the classics cassette he'd been listening to was thoroughly lodged in his mind. It felt nice to hum it out, as if it was a comfort to himself. And it wasn't as if he needed to be embarrassed or quiet; he was alone there, after all.

"You have a beautiful voice."

Kaworu started and looked around. There was a person sitting on top of a crumbled, headless statue only a few feet away. The statue had always been so unassuming, so Kaworu never took the time to look at it, but that person must've been sat there for a few minutes at least. Kaworu flushed in light embarrassment.

"Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there...'

Getting a better look at them, Kaworu realized how odd the sight was. Aside from sitting elegantly and still - like a figure in a Renaissance painting - they were pale, fair-haired, and red-eyed. It took Kaworu a moment to consider whether they were a boy or a girl as he looked over their androgynous features, their feminine voice doing little to help him evaluate. Though he realized a moment later that he was simply a delicate looking boy. He was wearing the same uniform as him.