Sparks Will Fly [Kawoshin: Kaworu x Shinji]

Prologue - 5th Grade

<October, 2010 - Los Angeles>

Shinji wrapped his arms around his legs, which were pressed up again his chest, as he watched the other kids play from the side of the schoolyard. He hated school. It was less miserable than home, at least, but that didn't make it enjoyable. No one talked to him and no one told him why. He felt like there were rumors about him going around, even though he knew it wasn't true. What an awful pain this was.

At some point, another kid had wandered over to Shinji. The brunette tried not to stare at him and come off as rude, but it was rather hard. He had silvery white hair, pale skin, and red eyes. Not only that, but he had a very pretty face. The kid sat down next to him, but didn't talk. Shinji didn't know what to do. This had never happened before.

"Are you okay?" the kid finally asked.

Shinji didn't understand the question. "What?"

"The other kids don't talk to you, but you act like you don't mind. It hurts, though, doesn't it?"

Shinji tightened his grip on his legs. "You should stay away from me," he warned. "The others will think you're weird for talking to me."

"I've been here for three days, and you're the only one who's talked to me," the kid said. "They're all frightened by my appearance." He pointed to his eyes and smiled. "They think I'm a demon."

"And you're okay with that?" Shinji asked.

"It's amusing."

Shinji smiled. "I wish I were like you..."

"You wish you had red eyes?"

"No, I want to know why they don't talk to me."

The kid leaned back against the gate behind them and looked up at the blue sky. "Sometimes people don't have a reason for ignoring one another besides the fact that they're comfortable where they are," he said. "But you're reason for not doing so is because you assume you're the problem."

Shinji stared at him. "I'm not the problem?"

"Well, I certainly hope not. It's not like there're any rumors about you or anything."

"I guess..." Shinji sighed.

The two of them stayed quiet for a minute until the kid spoke up again. "We could be friends," he said. "If you'd want, that is. I've always wanted one of those."

"A friend?"

"Yeah, it sounds like fun to have someone by your side even when you aren't together."

"I-I mean," Shinji said. "If you're okay with it then I'm okay with it..."

The kid smiled. "Oh, good!" he said enthusiastically. "I've enjoyed talking with you very much so far."

"So then... What's your name?"

"Kaworu. You're Shinji, right?"

Shinji nodded. "Okay, um... what do we talk about?"

"I don't know," Kaworu said. "Anything, I guess. For example, I like cats and the color red. I hope that I can make the world a better place one day, so I want to be a scientist or a doctor when I grow up. I hate the taste of brussel sprouts and cream cheese. My favorite game is go fish and my favorite friend you."

"I'm your only friend, though."

"That doesn't make it any less special. What about you, then?"

Shinji rested his head on his knees and thought. "I don't know," he said. "I like music a lot..."

"What kind of music?"

"C-classical, I guess?" Shinji said hesitantly. People usually thought it was strange for him to listen to it at such a young age without learning how to play an instrument.

"Oh, me too!" Kaworu said with a big grin on his face. "I especially like the pieces with piano."

"My favorite's the cello."

Kaworu clapped his hands together excitedly. "Good, we already have one thing in common."

~~~

"Why are you always talking so formally?" Shinji asked as they ate their yogurt cups.

"I hadn't realized I was," Kaworu said.

"There it is again; who says hadn't?"

Kaworu considered this. "You're right," he said. "I haven't heard anyone our age say it before. I'll try and talk more like you now Shinji."

"You don't have to change the way you talk," Shinji said. "I was just wondering if you knew why..."

"I've always spoken like this, but I understand that it might not always be appropriate. I'll try to use more common speech patterns from now on."

Shinji frowned. "You're going to do all that just because I told you that you talk different from other people?"

"Of course," Kaworu said with a grin. "Your opinion is very important to me."

"I didn't say I disliked it, though..."

"It's fine. I'm happy to change for you."

~~~

<2011>

Kaworu yawned as he sprawled out on the floor. His eyelids were so heavy that it was a miracle he was even able to stay awake.

"Thanks for letting me stay over, Kaworu," Shinji said, coming out of the bathroom with some toothpaste on the side of his mouth. "I like your house better than mine."He lied down on his sleeping bag next to Kaworu.

"You're welcome," Kaworu said. "But thank you for staying over. It's a lot more fun to sleep next to someone you love than it is to sleep alone."

Shinji's whole face went red. "What did you just say?"

"It's more fun to-"

"No, did you just say you loved me?"

Kaworu smiled. "Of course," he said. "Isn't it normal for friends to love each other?"

Shinji covered his face with one of his hands. "You need to clarify what you mean..." he said. "It's weird for you to tell another guy you love him..."

Kaworu sat up and leaned over Shinji, who had rolled over and turned away from him. "Is it bad for me to love you?" Kaworu asked.

"Not if it's the love friends usually feel for each other."

"Then it would be bad for me to love you in another way?"

"Y-yes!" Shinji insisted. "Guys don't love other guys!"

Kaworu frowned. "If that's how you feel, then I won't argue." He lied down on his side and shimmied his way to the bottom of his sleeping bag. "Good night, Shinji."

"Good night, Kaworu..."

Thirty minutes passed without a word, but Kaworu was still awake.

"Are you still awake, Shinji?" He whispered.

There wasn't an answer besides Shinji's soft breathing, so he scooted closer to his friend, sat up straight, and saw if his eyes were closed, which they were. He stared at Shinji for a long time. "'Guys don't love other guys,' huh?" he whispered to himself. He bent down and kissed Shinji's cheek lightly, making sure he wouldn't wake up. "What a load of shiitake mushrooms..."

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was trying to think of what a little kid would substitute for a swear, but I couldn't do it so I just used what my friends *cough cough* Angel *cough cough* say when they're trying not to swear. So here you go: smol 10 year old Kaworu trying to cuss without really cussing because he doesn't want to have a potty mouth like the "bad kids." (WoaAH this is some edgy shit. That's some real internal turmoil right there, like wow.)

Yeah, it's been a while, and I know that for the two people reading this story it might be a let down that this isn't a continuation, but it's coming. Eventually.