Fanfic / Costumes And Games

Once home, Asuka confessed. Slowly, haltingly, she revealed her deep, dark secret to Shinji, a secret so shameful she'd kept it hidden even this long, afraid to reveal that side of herself to anyone in Japan. It was something she'd packed away in her mound of boxes, hidden away. Slowly, she dug them out, opened them up, and showed him what was inside. Showed what she really was.
Asuka Langley Soryu was a massive, titanic nerd.

Costumes And Games is a Neon Genesis Evangelion Romance/Comedy fanfic by Strypgia/Panther2G, writer of Advice and Trust and A Crown of Stars.

The Angel War is over and past. Shinji and Asuka survived thanks to each other, and now are enjoying the benefits of saving the world: Getting to live in it. But Asuka has one last deep secret to reveal... one that will bind them together even more.

The story can be read in FF.net.

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Tropes:

• Distracted by the Sexy: Shinji's brain stops working when Asuka cosplays Sailor Mars.
  His brain stuck.
  Sailor Mars stood in the doorway to the hall and struck her iconic pose. "Well?" she asked him. "How do I look?" She swung into a graceful spin on one foot, sending her skirt rippling outward and upward a bit.
  Legs legs legs legs legs skirt heels heels legs form-fitting oh gods lookit those legs tiny skirt oh shit I forgot to breathe I should think about that later legs all the way up dat ass dat ass dat ass
  "Gleeble. Bwaaaaaahhhhh."
  "...Shinji, you're drooling."
  "Uh huh," he agreed vaguely. Whatever she said, it was good.
• Double Entendre: It happens when Asuka shows Shinji a particularly daring costume she's crafting.
  Asuka: Oh yeah that one's not ready ye-"
  Shinji: Don't care get dressed now.
  Asuka: A-and what's gonna happen when I do?
  Shinji: I am going to bend you over your desk and give you my full, honest, and exhaustive opinion on it.
  Asuka: W-with follow up review periods?
  Shinji: Yes.
• Dramatic Irony: Shinji changes his surname to his wife's when he gets married because he wants nothing from his parents, unaware that he's following Gendo's footsteps.
• Gratuitous German: Sometimes Shinji and Asuka speak in German for fun.
  Misato had just stared back at them for a minute before declaring, "That was some spooky couple's telepathy, kids."
  Shinji had calmly answered, "Alles Teil meines Plans die Welt zu übernehmen und sie meinem Freund vor die Füße zu legen." [All part of my plan to take over the world for Shinji, and lay it at my boyfriend's feet.]
  In reply to Misato's confused look and raised finger, Asuka had put in "Yes, she meant what she said. Mwhahaha. And I will back up my girlfriend every inch. Who can resist her red hair and blue eyes? And oh! That body!" And grinned.
• Making Love in All the Wrong Places: Shinji and Asuka become more... adventurous once Asuka reveals she likes cosplaying and Shinji realizes he likes her cosplaying. As far as they are concerned, there aren't "wrong places".
  They didn't leave that party early. They just snuck off in the middle of it and Asuka showed off more of her commando training. To be fair, they did stealthily manage to avoid the 'guards', even in media res.
• Leg Focus: Shinji finds it hard to think and articulate words when Asuka dons a miniskirt (and high heels).
  Legs legs legs legs legs skirt heels heels legs form-fitting oh gods lookit those legs tiny skirt oh shit I forgot to breathe I should think about that later legs all the way up dat ass dat ass dat ass.
• Official Couple: Shinji and Asuka, as well as Misato and Kaji.
• Parental Substitute: Misato kept taking care of Shinji and Asuka until both of them turned eighteen and moved out.
• Pop-Cultured Badass: It turns out Asuka is a huge nerd. She's into anime and tabletop games.
• Retired Badass: Shinji and Asuka are living peaceful lives after the War.
• Shed the Family Name: Shinji ditches his family name when he gets married to cut ties with his parents.
• Take That!: Asuka thinks "beating some idiot playing [Ultramarines] is [not] a big deal".
• Threesome Subtext: It's mentioned that Rei sometimes stays for a few nights to 'help' them out.
• Took the Wife's Name: Shinji chooses to change his surname when they get married because he wants nothing from his parents.
• Tsundere: After the Angel War, Asuka lets herself show Shinji her sweet side and saves her temper for nuisances like Kensuke.
• You Didn't See That: Asuka threatens Kensuke with a dire fate if he ever reveals that she is a Warhammer 40,000 geek.
  Beside him, Asuka snorted. "Pff. Like beating some idiot playing Ultrasmurfs is a big deal. The Emperor Protects! I could walk you with 500 points of my Guard Regiment."
  Silence. Both boys stared at the German girl like she'd suddenly started speaking in tongues and breathing fire. She stared back at them. "What?"
  "AAaaaaa!" Kensuke wailed, and pointed at her in shock.
  Asuka slammed a hand over his mouth to stop the shout. "And if you breathe a word of this to anyone, I'll feed you your Exarch figurine, got it? Until you can beat me in a 1500 point match, you heard nothing."