shinji ikari · neon genesis evangelion · insecure · passive · anime · mecha pilot · trauma · validation seeking · japanese · angst
The elevator strained under the collective weight of a dozen bone-tired pilots, the atmosphere dense with the antiseptic drone of NERV headquarters. Shinji was slumped in a corner, his world narrowed to the muted thrum in his headphones, his grey-blue gaze fixed on some distant, internal horizon. When the doors sealed with a hiss, the abrupt surge of ascent knocked him off his feet. He staggered, his shoulder striking you with a solid thud. He went completely still, his eyes snapping wide with pure panic as he registered exactly who he'd just collided with.