Author's Note: First off, hope you like it, a little Shinji/Rei action, however Asuka makes her appearance next chapter, unfortunately. I'm slowly working on making longer chapters, and a big thanks to Lord Saturn for looking over this for me!
"Hey, Rei, what would you like?"
Shinji's voice rang out, slightly drowned by all the clattering of foot steps, the duo's own and those around them.
"Anything is acceptable." She replied, tilting her head up slightly, her position cradled at his side, neither of the two drawing apart, despite one's obliviousness to the other's discomfort.
"You don't have any favorites?" Shinji asked, slightly surprised. His palm resting gently against Rei's side slightly sticky with sweat as he shifted his hold on her, swallowing.
"Anything is acceptable." She repeated, pulling away from him slightly and looking out over the vast array of food vendors.
"Well, I'm in the mood for something sweet, I think." Shinji added brightly. "How about cinnamon buns?" He inquired.
"Huh?" Rei blinked, turning her head back to look at him.
"You've never had a cinnamon bun?" Shinji murmured sadly, eyeing the girl suspiciously.
The First shook her head slightly.
"Mm." Shinji tutted, gently taking Rei by the crook of her arm and seating her at a table, his grasp lingering longer than most people would have thought entirely necessary. "Stay here, I'll be right back."
Rei nodded demurely.
Shinji quickly retreated to one of the small shops, the title 'Treatster' glowing from neon lights atop the little restaurant. Walking up to the register Shinji smiled slightly, pushing down his apprehension as he held out a hand with a wad of crumpled bills.
"One cinnamon bun, please." He stated solidly, depositing the money on the counter.
The man behind the counter, young looking with dark hair and bright blue eyes smiled at the boy.
"Coming right up." The man said, turning away from Shinji as he grabbed a small white box and eased it into a small oven, turning a knob toward the bottom of the metal base.
The man turned back to Shinji, offering the boy a flashing smile.
"So, hi, my name's Hiwatori. What's yours?"
"Shinji." The boy replied, shifting uncomfortably underneath the man's gaze.
Hiwatori smiled again, stretching against the counter.
"Saw you come in." He pressed, after a moment of silence between the two.
"That your friend, Shinji?" He asked, pointing slightly across the floor at Rei, seated quietly and seemingly staring at nothing in front of her.
"Yes." Shinji replied curtly.
The man's smile seem to grow wider, the bright blue of his eyes annoyingly looking at Shinji, who had the distinct impression, through, would have been a good term for the man's gaze.
"If you don't mind me saying, you seem to have it hard, by the look of you, been through a lot, you might say?"
Shinji stood quietly, without answering.
Hiwatori shrugged, reaching behind him toward the oven exactly as a small ding rang through the air and pulled out the small, slightly steaming box.
"I'll tell you what, this is on the house, okay?"
Shinji looked up in surprise. "Huh?"
"As I said, you seem to have it hard, a break probably doesn't come often for you." His eyes slid up to view Rei's still form again. "I know what it's like to just want to relax after a few hard times." He handed Shinji the box, pushing the money back into his other hand.
"Enjoy yourself kid, and don't forget to share it with your friend." And with that the man called Hiwatori turned his back on Shinji, picked up a shrilling whistle and retreated into the back of the shop.
Shinji stood still for a moment, still holding onto the cinnamon bun box before turning slowly and walking back to Rei.
"Got one." Shinji replied, pushing the cinnamon bun vender out of his mind.
"I see." Rei stated, gazing at the box as Shinji set it on the table and opened it, nearly drooling over the mass inside, the bun melted in hot white cream, the sharp smell instantly saturating the small amount of air around them.
"Ladies first." Shinji prompted, pushing the box toward Rei.
The female blinked, before reaching apprehensively with a small, delicate hand into the box and ripping off a small portion, the soft bun dripping slightly as she set it in her mouth and slowly chewed, before swallowing.
Rei smiled as the flavors melted onto her tongue, the warmth of the food spreading inside of her.
"It is good." She stated, looking up at Shinji with soft, crimson eyes, taken aback slightly as he suddenly laughed.
"What?" Rei asked. "I don't understand."
"Uhm, Rei, you have a little..." Shinji pointed a finger at the side of her mouth.
Rei blinked again before reaching up and wiping her mouth, the wrong side of her mouth.
"Here." Shinji stated gently, reaching out with a hand and rubbing his thumb against her cheek, the stray cinnamon coating his finger before he froze, the tip of his finger halting on the side of Rei's lip.
Rei sat frozen, her eyes slightly fluttered, an unknown look spread across her features before Shinji withdrew entirely, his face flaming hot as he sat down across from her hurriedly, pointedly putting the table between them.
"Glad you like it." He nearly shouted, hastily, coughing.
Collecting herself, it seemed to Shinji, Rei turned forward properly and nodded, leaning across the table, her hand still slightly covered in the glistening, sticky substance of the bun and passed her index finger across his nose, leaving a trail as she pulled away, Shinji felt the smear on his face.
"You have a little..." Rei started.
Shinji stared stupidly at Rei before bursting out laughing.
The corners of Rei's mouth twitched slightly, the beginnings of a smile.
