I do not own own any part of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
As always, love and respect to keamoose for kicking my butt and proofreading my work. Very special thanks to Silvermoonlight GJ and jcmoorehead for their feedback and friendship.
Hope you enjoy this chapter.
As always, constructive critiques, reviews and feedback are appreciated.
Pots bubbled, pans sizzled as Shinji almost danced between burners, keeping everything on time and moving towards finished. He moved effortlessly from fridge to sink to stovetop, tasting, testing. Seasoning each dish with his special collection of sauces and spices. A shake here, a splash there.
This was his zone. Everything else fell away as dish after dish was done to perfection and ready to pack. A collection of Tupperware was ready to receive everything, to keep the colds cold and the hots hot.
"Salted edamame beans, plum and tuna onigiri, tamagoyaki, potato croquettes. Check. Let's see. OK." He double-checked the salad; a mix of daikon, seaweed, sour pickles, and sesame tofu. "Cold soba noodles and sauce, check. Watermelon and yuzu soda water to finish."
He packed the basket carefully and closed the lid. Fully satisfied, he checked his phone.
"8:30? Ugh." His shoulders slumped and the queasy feeling started in his stomach again. The cooking had made him forget his sleepless night. Forget waking up around 6am anticipating today. Actually, it was more like a mix of anticipation and nerves. He'd selected several sets of clothes, stuffed and dumped out his backpack at least three times, showed, shaved, and eaten breakfast all in the first hour. If it wasn't for the 24hr market, he'd have gone stir-crazy waiting at home.
"This weekend. You could... bring your swim trunks... maybe, stay over."
Her words kept playing in his head.
"Shit!" He raced to his room. Rifling through his dresser, he managed to find a pair of barely-used swim trunks and threw them on the bed. He imagined the embarrassment of getting to the beach sans suit and blushed. Then he imagined Rei sans suit and his blood started to move south in a hurry. "Not a perv, not a perv, not a perv," he muttered over and over.
Rei pulled into the gas station, got out and filled the van with premium. She raised the hood, checked the oil, then gave the front window the once-over with the squeegee. The final touches included wiping down the tires, polishing the dash, and hanging a new, pine-scented air freshener.
"It'll have to do," she thought, looking at the faded blue van complete with primer spots. She knew it wouldn't matter to Shinji, but she wanted everything to be just right. And that included her not-so-glorious wheels.
On the way home, the stereo was going full blast but Rei was lost in her own head. "Don't freak out Rei, don't freak out. It's Shinji and a swimming lesson. It's fun at the beach and dinner and movies and Shinji. He's stayed over before, it'll be fun. Fun, fun, fun…" Unconsciously, she started to giggle and almost missed the turn to her apartment. By the time she was in her front door, "fun" had taken on all sorts of different meanings in her head.
"Hey, you. Do you remember where we put the guest list? You were working on it the other night, right?" Misato's face appeared in the corner of the bathroom mirror.
"Mmmmph, mmmm, mrrmph," Kaji tried to get the words out while brushing his teeth.
Misato smiled, walked in, rested one hand on his butt and leaned over his shoulder. "It's so hot when you talk like that," she whispered in his ear.
He let out a sigh, bent over, and watched the toothpaste disappear down the drain. Coming back up, he smirked and scratched at his unshaved chin.
"So, spitter not swallower huh? All this time and I never…. Good to know." Misato grinned wide.
"I haven't had my coffee yet, OK? The list is in the living room. I'll get it in a minute." Kaji glared at her in the mirror.
"Thanks." Misato gave him a kiss on the cheek and turned to go.
"Hey," Kaji called out.
Misato stopped and turned back.
"If you hop up on this counter when you're done, I'll give you my special whisker burn," he winked.
Misato chuckled as she made her way back to the living room. She remembered the first time her thighs had encountered his five o'clock shadow. It was a horribly painful few days at work afterward. She spent most of the time sitting at her desk, as walking was nearly impossible. Not to mention the knowing looks and smart-assed smirks from Akagi. From then on, she put uniform pants into her regular workwear rotation. Still, the thought of the pleasure was worth the pain and she started to get warm all over.
Eyeing the wedding guest list, she added a few names and thought about how the seating should work at the reception. Her thoughts were interrupted as her phone went off with that all too familiar ringtone.
"Fuck," she muttered to herself. Switching to official mode, she answered.
"Hello Commander. What's the situation?"
"And a happy Saturday to you too, Major!" an eerily cheerful Gendo responded.
"Uhmmm….. OK. How may I help you?" Misato readjusted.
"Enough with the small talk. Put me on speakerphone."
Misato rolled her eyes and proceeded.
"I'm here to review the plans for your wedding and reception." He shifted gears. "I've got Fuyutsuki here with me. Say hello, Deputy Commander."
"Hello Major." He sighed painfully.
"Whoa there, Mr. Chatty Pants. We've got a lot to cover, no need to talk our ears off," Gendo scolded. "Anyway Major, we've got the guest list and invitations printed."
Within seconds, two files popped up on her phone.
"Wiiiiith all due respect," Misato gripped the phone tightly, but sounded as sweet as humanly possible, "how do you know about the wedding? We haven't discussed our plans with anyone yet."
"No need to worry about that. Sub Commander and I are here to reassure you everything is covered. All you and Kaji have to do is show up on time and greet the guests."
"Sir, that's after the ceremony," Fuyutsuki interrupted.
"Right. The "I do's" and then greet the guests." Gendo paused. "Wait. I've just had a flash of inspiration. Fuyutsuki, is there any way we could squeeze some sort of meet and greet, like twenty minutes before the churchy stuff?"
Misato's head was spinning as Gendo just kept going.
"I'm thinking nothing too formal. Just a chance to meet the biggest VIP's and thank them for their donations."
"I think you mean gifts sir," the sub commander cut in again.
"Riiiight. Gifts. Check. OK, that's done. Now, for your dress…"
"Again, no offense, but we haven't confirmed a date yet, or a church, a hall. None of that stuff," Misato blurted out, hoping to slow down this runaway train.
"It's all on the invitation," Gendo replied cheerfully.
"You did put all that information on them, didn't you?" His voice was muffled.
"Yes sir," Fuyutsuki responded clearly.
Misato missed the next bit as she frantically checked the two emails. Her face suddenly went pale.
"Th… this is in 3 weeks!" She couldn't hold her voice down.
"Heeeeey." Kaji appeared at the doorway. "I was looking forward to my morning mouthful of Misato. What's the hold up?" He moved closer and gave her a playful squeeze.
She slapped his hands and eyed her phone.
"What was that Major? Fuyutsuki distracted me," Gendo asked.
Kaji almost keeled over with laughter. Misato smacked him again.
"My apologies sir. I just thought Kaji should hear about the wedding plans." She emphasized the last bit to get Kaji's attention.
He looked up and saw her wide-eyed, panicked expression.
"Good idea," Gendo answered. "I was a bit concerned by your reaction, but I'm sure Kaji agrees. Three weeks is more than enough time. After all, we've got everything covered. All you have to do…"
"I know sir, we just show up," she sighed.
Kaji's face was bright red and ready to explode.
Misato knew that expression and muted the phone.
"What the fuck is he talking about!" Kaji's shoulders rose up. "Is that bastard trying to say NERV has taken over our wedding? He can take all his fancy, idiotic ideas and shove them up Fuyutsuki's wrinkled old butt. You do remember Asuka and Mari's introduction, don't you? And what about Shinji's birthday? No way! Not gonna happen!"
Misato looked at her man and just smiled.
"What?" Kaji was in full rage mode.
She just smiled wider and kissed him on the cheek.
Kaji's face scrunched up.
"I love it when you get all riled up about us." Misato blushed. "I'm sure you would kick Gendo's ass all day for me. I'm just happy this all means so much to you. Truth is, it doesn't matter to me where we do it. I love you and I'd marry you anywhere, anytime. All I need is you. Guess we could invite PenPen, Shinji, and the rest of his friends. So why not accept Gendo's offer? It'll all be over in a few hours. Then we'll have the rest of our lives."
Kaji kissed her deeply. He pulled back and wiped some tears away. "Yeah, well, I do. OK? If you're sure, then let's do it.
The touching moment was ruined as repeated IM's appeared on her phone.
"Hello! Hello?"
Misato unmuted Gendo.
"I swear to Adam. If you've fucked up this phone, call Fuyutsuki!"
"It's OK Commander. I'm sorry, but Kaji was so excited about your generous offer I had to mute the phone. Thank you sir, we accept."
There was another pause. "Well good. That's an order then," Gendo said happily. The line went silent for a second. "I mean, you're officially welcome."
There was another moment of silence, then muffled voices.
"If you don't hurry sir, you'll be late for Command-level pilates and your juice cleanse."
"You've got my towel and yoga mat, right?"
"Yes sir."
"Must go. Duty calls, Major. Over and out." The call ended.
Misato just stared at her phone and shook her head. "He's cracked."
The water lapped quietly against his ears and kept muting and unmuting the sounds around him. Floating on his back, Shinji opened his eyes. Blinking against the bright sun, he felt strangely calm. The sky was so high and blue, dotted with small powder puff clouds. He closed his eyes again and relaxed, feeling the sun on his face and noticing the pink of his eyelids from the inside.
"I could stay like this forever," he thought.
Alas, it was not to be, as a shadow suddenly blocked the sun.
Shinji opened his eyes, only to find Rei looking down at him with her beautifully bright smile. She was wearing a bathing suit and obviously standing, supporting him.
He smiled back. "Hiiii."
"Hi," she said calmly. "You've done great so far, but this next part is where the trunks have to come off."
Shinji's eyes snapped open and he recognized the ceiling.
"My room. It was a dream?"
He felt a familiar ache, lifted his head, and noticed the tent in his shorts. Dropping his head back down, he let out a frustrated sigh. In another split second, he was filled with panic. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit," he muttered, reaching for his phone. It was 11:50, and Shinji was off like a shot. In the next five minutes he'd cleaned up, stuffed some more clothes in his backpack, and collected the food. One last look around and he was out the door, running to the station. Ten minutes and he was gasping for breath as he leaned against the window and the train pulled away. He pulled out his phone and dialed.
Rei bounced around her living room to the wall of sound coming through her ear buds. She alternated headbanging and air guitar with loud guttural growls. Arms and legs flailing, kicking. Big veins in her neck, straining. Face red, throat raw. Sweat flying, rolling down, tickling her ribs, dotting the floor as she moved. The music had her and she wasn't fighting it. As the volume rose and her vocals bottomed out, Rei noticed something out of place. It was a subtle irritant, enough to throw off her rhythm. Finally, she realized what was happening and reached for her phone. Shinji's name popped up on the screen. She stopped the music.
"Huh.. huh.. huh.. Hi," she panted.
"Hi, I," he gasped. "Just wanted.. to let you know," he had to pause and catch his breath, "I'm on my way. Should be at your stop in about 20." He leaned back and let out a long breath, his heart pounding fiercely in his chest, his ears.
"OK, do you mind walking up? Sorry, I still have some things to do, but I'll be ready when you get here," she asked.
"Sure," he replied happily. "See you soon."
"You too." She was about to hang up.
"Rei?"
"Yeah?"
"I can't wait to see you."
"Me too," she blushed. "Me too." Somehow, her whole body felt lighter. She closed her eyes and smiled, then dashed into the shower. A few minutes later she was searching through her clothes. She settled on a bikini, slipped it on, pulled on some cutoff jeans and a loose black t-shirt. Checking herself in the mirror, something bugged her. She turned and looked multiple times before tying off the t-shirt at the waist. Her belly button piercing and smooth, flat stomach peeked out. Happy with the look, she headed for the living room and double-checked everything. That major cleaning last night had really paid off. Everything was tidy, but not out of character. Walking into the kitchen, she did the same once over, then pulled a can of Royal Milk Tea out of the fridge and returned to the couch. The next 25 minutes just crawled by. She wanted to be up, dancing, moving around, hugging Shinji, laughing, kissing his face. Her foot tapped anxiously, and when the knock finally came, it was like a starter's pistol. She practically flew to the door before stopping to catch her breath.
Shinji was fully weighed down, having stopped for six-packs of Cold Shot and Royal Milk Tea. When her door opened, he smiled so wide his face hurt.
Rei reached out and hugged him hard, before realizing his situation. "What's all this?"
"Can I come in first?"
Rei let him go. "Sorry." She felt her face get warm again.
Shinji walked in and handed her the drinks. Taking off his shoes, he opened the cooler. "I made lunch, I hope that's OK?"
Rei looked at the amount of food, then back at him. "You did all this? I love it. Thank you." She gave him a big soft kiss. "Is it OK if we leave this here? I just wanna show you around, then we can get going."
"OK." Shinji looked a little puzzled.
She took him by the hand and led him through the apartment.
The whole place looked brighter, more organized than he remembered. "She's been busy, but… she doesn't usually make such a fuss," he thought. He looked at her face and it dawned on him. "She's nervous!" Part of him wanted to laugh out loud, but he simply smiled and relaxed.
"What are you grinning at?" Rei asked.
"You. You're very cute, ya know. The place looks great." He smiled back at her.
"Thanks." Her face was beet red. "Do you wanna change now, or..?"
"Let's go. I can do it at the beach."
"Sure. My stuff's in the van."
He followed her to the front door, watching her cutoffs jiggle back and forth. They gathered everything and were off.
Rei opened the back of the van. "Just put the food in, I'm gonna take the drinks up front."
Closing the back, Shinji climbed into the passenger side.
"Ready?" Rei grinned. She fished in the bag and pulled out two cans. "Want one?"
"Sure." He cracked it open and took a swig.
"Here we go!" She leaned forward and looked at the ignition. Rolling her eyes, Rei reached into her front pocket and pulled out the keys.
Shinji watched as she took the ice cold can, put it between her thighs and started the van.
"Let's try this again. Are you ready?" She smiled at him.
"Lead on," he grinned back, stealing another glance at her legs.
With the sun beaming and the windows open, it felt like a perfect day. Music filled the van, and a warm breeze blew their hair back. Shinji looked out his window and watched as the scenery changed. Seagulls circled overhead, the sand started to stretch out, and the smell of the ocean filled the air. Shinji saw people in bunches, laying out or playing in the waves. They drove on for a while, passing a few beaches until the crowds thinned out. A bit confused, Shinji spoke up.
"I thought you were gonna teach me how to swim and stuff."
Rei never took her eyes off the road. "Change of plans. I've decided to kidnap you."
She said it so convincingly, Shinji's throat got a little dry and his stomach lurched. "Uhhhhhh…"
Things only got worse when Rei shot him a stone-faced look. Then she doubled down with a sly wink.
"Gawd, don't do that!" The surge of adrenaline almost pushed him out of the passenger seat. Gathering himself, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and spoke calmly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to freak out. It's just… I've been so excited and nervous since you invited me." He recapped his morning and waited for her reaction. When she slowed down and pulled the van over, he wasn't sure what to think.
She let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry too. To be honest, I felt the same way. Then I worried I came on too strong. I missed you and I wanted this weekend to be perfect, then I got in my own head and…" she blushed again, "you know." She fidgeted with the keychain and mussed her hair.
There was a split second of silence, then laughter, as they realized everything was going to be alright.
Back on the road again, the mood had definitely shifted.
"So… kidnapping huh? That's a very serious crime." Shinji grinned.
"That's right. You're my hostage now. Mwa ha ha." Rei raised an eyebrow, doing her best to look evil. "If you make a fuss, I have rope in the glove compartment."
"Ooooo… kinky." Shinji smiled. "And then what? Fifty lashes with a wet noodle?"
The van lurched sideways as Rei cracked up, then regained control of the vehicle.
Ten minutes later, they were unpacking everything. They were parked in a small spot off the road in the middle of nowhere. Rocks and grassy hills made this seem like a nice picnic spot, but not the beach and waves Shinji had been expecting. He picked up the cooler and blanket.
"Lead the way."
Rei collected the umbrella and everything else. She looked at him and knew what he was thinking. "Just wait for it." She led him along a twisty path that disappeared into the rocks. A few turns later, she stepped aside to let him get a good look.
He looked over and saw the ocean, then followed the path with his eyes. It ended on a pristine, sandy beach, surrounded by flowering bushes and large rocks. Crystal clear, green water lapped at the shore. Further out, well beyond this sheltered piece of heaven, waves crested and crashed.
They made their way down to the beach and put everything down.
"I figured you might want to have a private lesson. Plus, this means we won't be bothered."
"It's beautiful," he said, turning to her. "Just like you."
She smiled. "I really just wanted you all to myself. Guess I'm selfish."
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Then I'm selfish too."
They spent the next bit setting up, then dropped down onto the huge blanket and relaxed. Rei controlled the music, while Shinji broke out the spray suntan lotion.
Shinji looked over at Rei, who was wiggling her feet and staring at them. "Whadda you want to do first?"
She gave a little smile and leaned over. "I want to…. dance!" Leaping to her feet, Rei kicked off her shoes, frantically thrashing, twisting, turning. Swinging her feet, punching the air, bobbing her head madly. She felt an energy rushing through her entire body and almost bursting out her fingertips. Endorphins flooded her brain, making every move more powerful and filled with joy. She started yelling along with the lyrics, but ended up laughing uncontrollably and dancing even harder. Sweat started to fly and run into her eyes but it didn't matter. She just kept on.
Her excitement was contagious as Shinji joined in and did his best to keep up. Staying back far enough to avoid getting clocked or kicked, he jumped, bopped and wailed away. He was having more fun watching Rei let loose, but he bounded around and even started growling at her like an unhinged lead singer. She didn't miss a beat, barking the actual lyrics back at him. This went on, each line getting more fierce from her and more ridiculous from him.
"Bodies consumed, the rotting flesh exhumed. Crushing death, crushing death!"
"Lunch for you, fancy meal for two. Chicken breasts, chicken breasts!"
Rei broke character and burst out laughing.
The minute she turned away, Shinji rushed in, hugged her around the waist and lifted her up. "Raaaaaaaawwww! Raaaaaaaaaaaaawwww! Raaaaaaaaaaaawwwwww!" he roared, carrying her squirming, laughing body shin-deep into the waves. With one final growl, he leaned over and toppled them both into the ocean.
They both came up, spitting and laughing.
"Hostages don't… hahahahaha…. kidnap... hahahaha!" Rei gasped.
Shinji stuck out his tongue, then hugged her. They stayed locked together and enjoyed some long, salty kisses as the water washed against them. Eventually, they made their way back to the blanket and collapsed into an extended makeout session.
During a break, Shinji lay back and closed his eyes. Relaxing completely and sinking into the sand, he felt something blocking the sun. Opening his eyes, he saw Rei's smiling face looking down at him.
"I think it's about time to lose the shorts."
Feeling a rush of deja vu, Shinji sat up quickly and noticed Rei was now sporting a white bikini top with her cutoffs.
"Uh, sure," he managed to get out. He grabbed his trunks and a towel. As he moved away, Rei stopped him.
"Don't run off," she grinned.
He shook his head and smiled back. Peeling off his t-shirt, he wrapped the towel around his waist, and dropped the shorts and his underwear in one go.
Rei's grin grew wider. "Naked…. Naked….. Naked… he's naaaaaaked." Her brain was stuck as she felt a rush of blood all over.
In a flash, his trunks were on and he removed the towel with a flourish. "Ta daaaa!"
Rei got her first full-on view, and liked what she saw. In a pair of dark purple trunks, he was a perfect V shape. Nice full chest, flat stomach, and toned legs. His arms were well defined but not overly muscular, and his shoulders were broad and straight. A thin trail of hair ran from his belly button and disappeared under his waistband. Her eyes lingered there a while before she heard him again.
"Whadda ya think?"
"Pretty hot." She smiled, fanning herself. Not to be outdone, she reached down, undid her cutoffs, and let them fall.
Shinji swallowed hard as his heart started to race. Rei's all-white bikini left little to the imagination. The top was held on with spaghetti straps, while the bottoms rode low and snug on her hips. Toned and tanned, with wonderful flowing curves, her athletic build was made for the suit. Her stomach showed the faint signs of a six pack along with her navel piercing.
Both of them were suddenly grateful for all the physical training.
From the look on his face, Rei knew her suit was the right choice. She stepped out of the cutoffs. "Ready?"
"Yeah."
They headed for the water and stopped when they were about waist deep.
"Just relax, I've got you," Rei assured Shinji. She put her arms out, just under the surface. "OK. I want you to lay back and I'll support you. Just let your feet and legs float up and put your head back."
It took a few tries before Shinji got the hang of it, but Rei secretly enjoyed the incidental touching every time she adjusted her hands. Eventually, he was floating on his back, on his own, staring up at Rei. Carefully, she moved over to his head and pulled him along by the shoulders. They did this for a while before she had him lay out on his stomach and repeat the process. Slowly, they progressed, with Shinji learning to kick and even dog paddle a little. After about two hours, Rei spoke up.
"You've done really well, but I'm starving. How about we have some lunch?"
"Absolutely."
Back under their umbrella, they practically inhaled the food. Considering the work he'd done, Rei felt bad for gobbling down her meal. That was, until Shinji let out a series of low, long burps.
"Impressive." Rei grinned sleepily. She scooted over and sat between his legs, leaning back on his chest. "Mmmmmm, this is nice."
"Mmmm hmmmm," he responded, putting his arms around her.
Mari was enjoying the sun. Slouched in a folding chair with her feet up on their balcony railing, she put down her book. Fumbling around, she found her glass and took a drink. "Ugh, warm." She leaned back and called out, "Hey! If you're going to the fridge, can you get me another Yuzu Fizz?" The faint sound of the fridge opening made her happy. She relaxed and closed her eyes. Her joy was short-lived as a short cold shock snapped her eyes open. "Fuuuuuck!" Asuka was standing over her, holding the unopened can to her friend's forehead. "Shit, that's cold! You coulda warned me!"
"Where's the fun in that?" Asuka laughed.
Mari sat up and took the can. "Thanks." She cracked open the can and took a big slurp. "Wanna join me?"
"Uhm… hello? Red hair, freckles, pale skin? I'm lucky I don't burst into flames in this sun. Speaking of which, you're looking kinda red yourself."
"I'm fine. I've decided my goal this summer's to get a great tan and leave my pasty British self behind."
Asuka touched Mari's arm and watched it change from white to red. "You're getting burned, idiot. You need suntan lotion and a hat."
"Fine," Mari sighed.
Asuka headed inside. "Face it. We're just not used to this much sun." She grabbed the lotion and headed to Mari's room for her hat. Searching around, she moved Mari's sewing basket and noticed a neatly stacked pile of red clothes. "Not her style. What the…." She pulled up the first piece, a t-shirt, and let it unfold. In stylized glitter across the front was 'Der Donner Ninja'." A quick check of the rest showed coordinated socks and a headband in airbrushed red, yellow, and orange.
"I think it'll be soooooo cool watching you kick ass on national TV. Der Donner Ninja wipes the course with her competitors!"
Mari's words echoed in her head. "She made this…. for me." Asuka sat down and stared at the clothes. The feisty redhead felt her heart thumping and her face getting warm. What she didn't notice was her smile.
"Hey! I'm burning out here! Remember?"
Asuka scrambled to put everything back. Finding Mari's hat, she rushed back.
Mari heard the noise and looked up to see Asuka standing in the balcony doorway.
"You coming out here? Or do you want me to fry?"
Asuka walked out and handed her the gear. "Here ya go, sorry."
Mari looked at her friend. "You're lookin' real red yourself."
The sun had shifted by the time Rei and Shinji woke up. They took a quick splash, then started getting dressed and packing up.
"I can't believe I conked out again," Shinji said.
"It's OK. We were both up pretty early. And you got a good workout today." Rei smiled. "I was thinking we could just chill at home tonight. Pizza and a movie?"
"Sounds good to me. Think we could get two? Pizzas I mean. I'm starving again."
"No problem. Two Shinji Specials then!"
He looked at her sideways and pulled her in tight. "I'll give you a Shinji Special."
She laughed. "Reeeaally."
They walked in the door, dropped what they had and flopped onto the couch.
Rei disappeared into the kitchen and reappeared with two cans.
"Looks like Kensuke wants to meet up about the festival next week." Shinji looked up from his phone and took the can. "Thanks."
"Sounds good. I've got some ideas too," Rei responded. "Right now though, I'm gonna jump in the shower. You can go after me, OK? I'll order the food when I get out and it should be here by the time you're done." She leaned over, gave him a peck, and headed to the bedroom.
Shinji stretched and heard his shoulder crack. Rubbing it lightly, he reached for the remote and switched on the TV. He heard a door behind him close, then the sound of the shower. Flipping through the stations, he began to realize something. There were no nerves, no panic. Everything felt normal, whatever that meant. He belonged here, in this place. Here with Rei, having her shower and him watching TV. There was no wondering what to do next, no plans. This was it and there was no other place he wanted to be.
"I'm done." Rei touched his shoulder.
He looked back. "OK."
She wandered off while he retrieved a change of clothes and headed to the bathroom.
The room was still steamy as he put down his clothes. Clearing off the mirror, he got undressed and climbed into the shower. Standing there naked, he suddenly noticed everything. The half-used soap, the shampoo, and the disposable razor. "She was in here, naked. I'm in Rei's shower, naked." Suddenly the air was very heavy and sweat started rolling down his forehead and back. He turned on the water and was soaking his head when a knock came.
"Hey," Rei called out. "I left a new bar of soap for you in the shower. Feel free to use the shampoo." She cracked open the door. "And here's a fresh towel." She flipped it onto the sink and closed the door.
Ten minutes later, the cool air hit him as he opened the door. He inhaled deeply and felt the sweating start almost immediately. "Why does this always happen?" He pulled out his t-shirt and started flapping it.
"Plate's on the table. I got one vegetarian and one pepperoni, green pepper, with extra mushroom. There's Cold Shots in the fridge." Rei was on the couch, flipping through the choices for movies.
Without thinking, Shinji grabbed a slice and held it in his mouth. He pulled another onto his plate, grabbed a drink and headed over to join her.
Rei laughed. "Comfortable?"
He sat down and scootched over next to her. Grinning as he took a bite, Shinji's only thought was, "Yeah." Here he was, in a plain t-shirt and drawstring shorts, with the only person that mattered. And she was just as casual, in gym shorts and a tank top. What could be better?
"Yeah, I am." He gave her a little kiss.
Rei snuggled in, and they spent the next few hours watching movies, laughing, crying, and being freaked out, making sure to take breaks for snacks and extended makeout sessions. Round about midnight, they came up for air and Shinji headed to the kitchen.
"Want anything?"
"A tea would be great." Rei ran her hand through her hair. The back was all sweaty and matted down. She stretched out, and yawned briefly, before standing up to let the blood circulate. The sight of Shinji with the drinks was a relief. "Thanks." She sat down again, took a big drink and rolled the cold can across her forehead.
He stayed standing, looking around the room, not saying anything.
"Whatcha thinkin'?" Rei asked.
"Mmmmmmm…. just takin' it all in. Y'ever have a moment where everything is perfect? Like, the music, the people, everything?"
""Sure, I guess," she replied.
"I'm just, I don't know, trying to take a mental picture. Like, freeze time. Cuz this is perfect." He turned and smiled at her.
She meant to say something touching, but instead started to chuckle.
Shinji's confused look only made it worse.
"I'm sorry," she laughed. "It's kinda hard to be all serious with that twitching all around." She pointed to his shorts.
He looked down and saw the obvious tenting.
"I didn't realize my apartment got you that turned on," she teased. "No wonder you like it here."
"Aw jeez." He sat down next to her. "It's not the apartment, OK?" He was glad the lights were out so she couldn't see him blushing. Grabbing the remote, he quickly started flipping through movie titles on the TV.
Rei's throat got dry as she leaned over and whispered. "I'm glad I get you that excited. You do it for me too, you know." She rested her head on his shoulder and let out a sigh of relief. She'd said it out loud at last and not burst into flames.
"You're dealing with so much and I didn't wanna make it worse," he said quietly. "I'm happy the way things are now…. but yeah, I think about you… and me, a lot." He gave her a shy smile, relieved he didn't sound like a perv.
The mood changed when Top Gun came up as a choice on the screen. They looked at the TV, then each other, and laughed out loud. Soon, the opening credits were rolling.
Even though they had been anticipating an action flick, they both ended up howling at the battle scenes.
"Hey Iceman! Nice hair! The Angels would eat you alive!" Rei joked.
"Yow, Maverick! I like your pretty plane! You call that dangerous? My Eva would kick your ass!" Shinji called out.
Later, at a particularly sexy part, Rei moved in close. "They're having fun," she whispered.
"Yeah." He quietly enjoyed her warm breath in his ear.
Outside Rei's apartment, the cleaning lady leaned against the door.
"Uuuhgh...Oh yeah!"
She pulled away and leaned on her mop. "Kids."
She smiled and pushed along.
Two hours later, Shinji shifted in his sleep then sat up. It was still dark and he was alone. The bedroom door was closed, but a faint light seeped in from underneath. He waited for a while, and when Rei didn't come back, he got up and quietly wandered into the hall. He could tell a light was on in the living room, but it was all quiet. When he peered around the corner, there was Rei, writing feverishly, then striking it out. He watched for a few minutes as she sat thinking, writing, and rewriting. Without saying a word, he went back to bed.
A while later, he was just drifting off when he felt the mattress dip as Rei climbed in and curled up to his chest, facing away. He pulled her in. "Missed you."
She hugged his arms. "Did I wake you? I'm sorry."
"You OK?"
She let out a sigh. "I can't imagine my life without you. And I'm not sorry for what we did tonight. But I'm scared I've fucked up all my hard work. It feels like starting at day one all over again." She paused. "And I'm scared shitless because... I'm falling in love. With you." Her heart was pounding and she felt sick with nerves.
He hugged her tight. "Just so ya know, I'm already in love with you. So I guess we're both in trouble. Seriously though, you're the strongest person I know. Plus, you have me and all your friends for support. You and I can go to couples counselling if it helps. And if it's OK with you, I'd like to go with you when your NA group has open meetings."
Rei turned to him, smiled, and started to cry.