[Despite having lived with Misato and Asuka, along with being friends with Toji and Kensuke, years of being averse to touch has left him still unused to it, regardless of what little progress made being acclimatized to it. It rings true when he's snapped out of his thoughts, more so by the hand suddenly on his shoulder. The words register secondary to the contact as he tenses up, already starting to curl in on himself.
He's a bit unsteady on his feet but manages to stay upright as he turns to look at the individual who went out of their way to approach him (another surprise). His lips part for a brief moment only for them to shut again as he digests the question.
Was he all right? It's been awhile since someone asked him that. At the moment, he can't even recall who exactly was the last person to ask after him like that.
But, back to the question - was he all right? Of course not. Shinji Ikari was destined to live a life of misery and he'd just recently killed the first person who had ever told him that they loved him. The boy isn't even remotely close to being okay and yet somehow, he's still functioning and standing.]
...Have I?
[A sense of time is lost on him, it seems, as he stares at the boy before him. It's the only answer he gives. If he said he was fine, it'd just be a lie.]
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He's a bit unsteady on his feet but manages to stay upright as he turns to look at the individual who went out of their way to approach him (another surprise). His lips part for a brief moment only for them to shut again as he digests the question.
Was he all right? It's been awhile since someone asked him that. At the moment, he can't even recall who exactly was the last person to ask after him like that.
But, back to the question - was he all right? Of course not. Shinji Ikari was destined to live a life of misery and he'd just recently killed the first person who had ever told him that they loved him. The boy isn't even remotely close to being okay and yet somehow, he's still functioning and standing.]
...Have I?
[A sense of time is lost on him, it seems, as he stares at the boy before him. It's the only answer he gives. If he said he was fine, it'd just be a lie.]