Everybody Finds Happiness (Kawoshin)

You Made Me Wait

July 12, 2011

It was a warm summer day when he saw him again. He was as beautiful as ever, not more beautiful than he remembered, not less. He knew that face better than his own, after all.
He did not know how fate brought them together this time, not did he care to find out; the love of his life was just standing there in front of him and this time he didn't have to pilot a massive robot or kill any cruel angels.
Kaworu was lightly moving back and forth on a play ground swing that was far too small for him while wondering how he should approach him now that no NERV was there to give them a much need reason to talk and come closer to each other. It turned out that he didn't have to do anything though, since an angry looking Shinji was quickly making his way towards him.
"Well", he said once he stopped right in front of Kaworu's feet, "Don't you thing you must apologise for something?".
Kaworu was surprised to hear those words and a little pleased that this Shinji was a confident one. Once he realised he had to answer, even if he did not know what to say, he spoke so as not to embarass himself and look dumb since the first meeting.
"If this is about playing in the children's swing, I'll get up now", the albino stood up but the other boy did not move back so they ended up facing each other.
"Idiot, who cares about the swings?", Shinji laughed, "You just made me wait for too long".
Kaworu just stood there, completely frozen. Had Shinji mistaken him for someone else? Had he already found someone in those 10 years Kaworu had been searching for him? Or... Did he remember him?
"Kaworu", Shinji whispered, his voice broken, "Maybe you don't remember me?". Tears soaked his cheecks and Kaworu hated the sight. I will make him happy, he thought.
"I wouldn't be able to forget you even if I tried", the white haired boy smiled brightly.
*
"How?", Kaworu asked when they were walking side by side in the streets of the busy noisy city they now called home.
"I don't really know", Shinji answered, "I did not always, remember to be honest. One day though, I woke up and I just knew. That was 3 years ago".
"3 years ago?", Kaworu stopped walking and Shinji mimicked the movement, "You call that a long time?".
"Um h-how long have you been waiting...?", Shinji's voice sounded weak, making Kaworu regret his harsh tone.
"This time, almost 10 years", he answered, "I was born as a normal human for the first time in a while and it took sometime for the memories to return, but they did. Other than that, I've been waiting for lives. I would go through everything again and again for you though".
"I know", Shinji smiled, "I just wish I knew, too. Everything could have been better like that".
"It's okay", Kaworu comforted him, squeezing the hand that was already in his since they reunited.
"I always wondered why it was so easy for me to talk to you, why you were so familiar to me", the shorter boy admited.
"Now you know".
They started walking again, even though they had no idea where they were going. Nowhere and everywhere sounded right to both of them.
After some time of walking in comfortable silence, Kaworu felt the need to hear Shinji's voice again.
"So what now?", he asked, "There are no angels for us to fight"
"No angels", Shinji repeated, "But the problems seem never ending anyway".
"What do you mean?", the albino asked, already alarmed.
"We need to talk".
Oh.
*
They were siting inside a warm café Shinji claimed to be his favourite when he found out.
"So... Even since I can remember myself I had um...", Shinji struggled for the right words, "These um... Heart problems".
"What problems?", Kaworu whispered, but Shinji heard him.
"Heart... Failure", his voice dropped at the last word. When Kaworu did not speak, he added, "There is no need to worry though, there are many ways to treat it and I haven't lost hope... Not even when some of them failed".
"But", the taller boy couldn't contain his tears, "I thought I could make you happy this time".
"You can still make me happy", Shinji took his hand in his.
No, I should be comforting you, Kaworu's thought brought him to his senses.
"Come with me", he spoke softly and Shinji followed him.
Once outside, their hands were joined again, and this time, so were their lips.
It occured to Kaworu that no matter how many lives he had spent loving the beautiful boy in his arms, he never had the chance to kiss him. He felt like an idiot now. We should have done this earlier.
Only when they needed air did they stop kissing and even then Kaworu lay small kisses in his partner's neck and jaw.
"Wow", Shinji breathed, "We should have done this earlier".
I thought so, too.
***
AN: Inspired by a conversation I had with catnipx3 who also made the cover and motivated me with her enthusiasm. Title fro 3.0 ending theme, changed a bit.Weekly updates!