Chapter 31: Reluctant Sleepover, Pt. 1
Rei awoke from her slumber from the sound of thunder. Opening her eyes, it was dark in the room she was in. She looked around and found herself in an unfamiliar room. Also, she was alone. Wondering why she was here and alone, she remembered what transpired before going to sleep.
'The Captain stated that we didn't have to sleep together being the last night before the operation. The Captain also said she was going to HQ for preparations. Pilot Souryu stated that she would sleep alone,' she thought when she heard there was background noise.
'It's raining.'
Listening to it for a couple of seconds, another dull thunder sounded. Slowly getting up from the bed, she exited the room. The entire living room was dark except for a couple of small lights that glowed. One was the stove clock in the kitchen as well as a couple of lights from the shelf under the TV. Waiting for her eyes to adjust, she could make out the outlines of objects.
Heading towards the bathroom, the dull sounds of rain were a little louder in the living room than in the spare room. Entering the restroom and closing the door, she turned on the nightlight. It was in the outlet next to the sink as it casted a dull orange illumination throughout the room. Having enough light to see, it didn't burden the eyes like turning on the overhead ceiling light. The sounds of rain were barely noticeable as she sat on the toilet. Finishing her business and flushing, she washed her hands. Wiping her hands dry, she opened the bathroom door and turned off the nightlight.
Entering the main space of the apartment again, the small roar of rain came to fill the silence in the room. Looking across it, there was the hallway next to the kitchen that turned right to go to the loft. About to head back to her bed, a dull flash appeared from the hallway. Seconds later, a thunder clap was heard. Strangely, it made her feel the need to go outside.
'…' she thought tilting her head a little. 'Why do I need to go outside? There is nothing there except the thunderstorm.'
Listening and waiting, the nagging feeling was still there. Not finding a reason to go out there, the First Child headed back to her room. Closing the door and entering the bed, she stared up at the ceiling. Closing her eyes, she listened to the dull sound of rain. A few minutes passed by as Rei was still lying in bed with her eyes closed. A loud thunder clap was heard followed by an increase in the volume of rain hitting the building outside. Momentarily, the rain subsided back to what it was before.
In the other room, Asuka was sleeping in her bed soundly. The sounds of the First Child going into the bathroom didn't disturb her slumber. When the loud thunder clap occurred, it woke her a little. Staying in bed, she rubbed her eyes a little. Feeling very tired still, she turned to the other side and quickly fell asleep again.
Back in the room across the living room, the blue-haired pilot was still lying down on the bed.
'…' Ayanami thought still closing her eyes. 'The feeling is still present…why?'
'I have no reason to go outside.'
'Is it supposed to mean something? It is just an impulse with no logical base. If that is so, it is pointless to do so,' she thought continuing to stay in bed. Turning over to her side, she tried to sleep and ignore it. Minutes and minutes passed by as the First Child still couldn't fall asleep. She pondered what else could keep her up.
'Is it the operation tomorrow? Am I anxious about it?…No…I am confident that both I and Pilot Souryu will complete the mission tomorrow.'
'Is it what will happen afterwards?…No…I am indifferent to the Captain's shopping.'
'Is it not being next to Pilot Souryu?' she thought. 'It does feel odd not to be. I must have gotten use to it. After the mission is over, I will not have to. Therefore, that feeling will dissipate.'
'Is it the aspect that this is my new inhabitance from the Captain's charge in?…At first, it was unacceptable.'
'However, both she and Dr. Akagi stated that my living standards and treatment of living alone was detrimental to my health. Since I could not provide evidence that my lodging at the apartment was not causing me ill-health, this became acceptable. Even the Commander did not deter the Captain's decision.'
After thinking of what else would cause her to be restless, it came down to the impulse she still had. A dull thunderclap sounded in the backroom with a soft booming rattle. As if responding to that, the impulse on going outside festered stronger. Opening her eyes, she frowned.
'…' Rei thought getting frustrated while staring at the ceiling. 'I don't understand…why do I need to check outside? There is nothing there.'
'If I check outside and find nothing there, will this feeling go away?…I do not know…it is possible that it will,' she thought.
Sitting up and removing the covers, she got out of bed. Opening her door, she waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness again. Once they were, she exited and closed her door. Walking down the same pathway toward the bathroom, she rounded around the dining table and headed for the hallway across the room.
Getting closer, the floor got colder and the sound of rain started getting louder. At the front of the balcony door, she looked out of the door window. It was raining very hard and she saw a flash. White web streaks stretched out from the dark clouds in the sky. The thunder sounded louder from the door when it came.
"…damn rain…shut up…" the Second Child stated in a sleep stupor from her room.
"…" Rei said hearing the pilot's rant. Continuing to watch the rainfall, she stated to herself that there was nothing there. Also, that she didn't want to get drenched for not seeing anything there. However, the feeling was still festering.
"…" she said narrowing her eyes.
Grabbing the door handle and opening it a little, a cold damp air came through. It made her shiver as the rainfall roared louder. Quickly moving outside, her feet touched the ice cold ground. Gritting her teeth and closing the door quietly, she turned around. Despite being undercover from the balcony extension above, the strong wind misted the rain horizontally to the building. Finding nothing out here except the thunderstorm, the feeling still did not go away.
"…" Rei said.
Clenching her hands into fists, she looked irritated. Deciding that if she went to the ledge with the railing and looked over, she would go back inside whether the impulse went away or not. Walking toward it, she became drenched in a couple of seconds. Only wearing underwear and a dress shirt, they added little protection or warmth against the heavy rain.
At the railing, the entire city was covered in the drenching downpour. Feeling very quickly that what she was doing was pointless, she looked down on the street. The concrete was completely drenched as very little cars would go by. Seeing nothing of interest, she was about to turn away when she looked straight down. There she saw a lone figure walking. He was in a suit with no rain protection.
'…' Rei said squinting at the individual due to the rain visibility.
The individual seemed to have something on his back as well. It came to be in front of the apartment complex and stopped. Slowly turning toward it, the person walked forward. The person's black jacket was unbuttoned in the front showing a white dress shirt and red tie. Something on the person's left wrist flickered with reflective light and a hint of orange.
"Ikari?" she said surprised as his figure went out of view. Blinking, she walked back to the door and entered the apartment. Closing the door quietly, it felt much warmer inside. Standing and dripping wet, her mind was turning and asking questions again.
'Why is he walking in the rain?'
'Did he finish being with his old acquaintance? It seems rather short.'
'Why did he stop here? The direction of his home would in the opposite direction.'
'Is he going to go home if the rain stops or continues?'
The nagging feeling from before changed. It became a form of restlessness that made her feel even more awake. Knowing this sensation, it gave her dread. From a past experience, she wasn't able to sleep all night and it caused her to suffer the next day. Given that tomorrow was the day of the operation, she needed to find a way to get rid of it.
'…if Ikari is here,' Rei thought then acted. Moving away from door, she entered the living room. Not even going to dry herself off, she headed toward the entrance hallway.
'He can assist me,' Ayanami thought. Reaching the front door, she got a jacket on that Misato let her borrow. Getting her slip-on shoes and grabbing an apartment keycard, she opened and closed the apartment door quietly.
'If he plans on continuing home, I will counter him,' the female pilot continued. Walking quickly on the floor walkway, she headed towards the elevator. Once she reached the lift, she entered and pressed the lobby floor. Standing in front of the elevator doors, they closed and it started to descend.
Asuka stirred a little from her sleep. For some reason, she thought she heard the apartment door open and closed. Too tired to know for sure, the red head adjusted a little and felt more comfortable. However, she remained in a state of half-asleep and half-awake.
The elevator made it to the lobby and the doors open. Stepping out, no one was in the lobby. The receptionist desk was vacant. Turning toward the main entrance and walking towards it, the First Child looked at the glass doors. Initially, there was no one standing there. Getting closer, there was a person standing to the right of the doors drenched and dripping wet. He was looking out at the rain with hands to his side. Going towards the automatic sliding doors, they opened.
The sound of the rainfall roared louder here than when she was on the balcony. Seeing from the street level, the rain was coming down at slight angle than straight down. Watching a car go by, a splash of water hit the sidewalk. Turning toward the individual, it was the Third Child. However, his jacket's collar was flipped up and covered his neck. Ignoring that, she approached him.
"Ikari," Rei said quietly.
Slowly, his head turned toward her. Oddly, his body did not move except his head. Passing 90 degrees, she heard his neck cartilage crack. His face was expressionless as usual. However, his eyes looked different. They didn't have the eerie shine to them. In fact, they looked dull. She then noticed his pupils were very small.
"Good evening Miss Ayanami," Shinji said with a blink. "Is there something I can do for you?"
'Whoa,' the child voice stated looking at the First Child's outfit. The other voices were looking at it as well. Despite wearing a jacket, it wasn't zipped up. They saw how soaked she was and that the dress shirt didn't hide what underwear she was wearing.
"Why are you walking in the rain?"
"I am heading home."
"Why did you not take a cab?" she asked. It felt odd that there wasn't a murky aura around him.
"I did not want to."
"…" Ayanami said with a blink then sneezed.
'Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!' the child voice said quickly pulling on Shinji's arm. 'She is gonna catch a cold! Do something!"
"A hot shower should stop a cold from developing Miss Ayanami."
"…" she said shivering and looked at him. "Are you still going home?"
"Yes," he said ignoring the child voice kicking his shins hard.
"That would be an illogical choice. You will catch a cold and your performance will suffer. I suggest you reside at the Captain's apartment for tonight," Rei stated sternly.
'Stop freaking arguing and listen to her!' the child voice raged monstrously in his ear. It caused him to blink and caused his face to tighten. However, his expression stayed stoic. Shinji's vision suddenly became static until it changed. Looking at where Ayanami was, it looked like the teenage girl from the family he was a servant to.
"…" he said. Staring at her, he felt his resistance to the voices growing numb. His right hand slowly formed a murderous fist staring at the faceless female teenage.
"…" she said. Sneezing again, she did not notice the growing hostility his eyes were forming.
"…" Shinji said blinking. Seeing the person change again, it was the First Child. Immediately letting go of his fist, he complied.
"…very well," he stated quietly.
"…" Rei said watching him close the flipped up collars around his neck with his hand. Too cold to wonder why he did that, both headed to the elevator. Inside the lift, both were creating their own small pools of water on the lift's floor. Neither of them said anything. Exiting it and heading to the apartment door, both continued to not say anything.
"…" Ayanami said.
Shivering from feeling cold, she inserted the keycard to the panel. Seeing the green light, the Third Child opened the door and she went in first followed by him. The temperature inside the apartment was noticeably warmer despite their clothes being soaked. Taking off his boots, Rei put the jacket back on the wall rack. Ready, both started walking toward the living room.
Asuka couldn't get back to sleep being still locked in a semi-state of being awake. Frowning at not being able to to fall asleep, she was about to get up when a door opened. Blinking her eyes a little, she heard the same door close.
'Probably Misato forgetting some…thing?' she thought.
Freezing, she heard two different types of footsteps. One sounded barefoot and the other sounded wet. Stiffening and becoming more awake, she quietly got out of her bed and made her way to her door. Putting her ear to the door, she waited. Both Rei and Shinji walked out of the hallway and were standing in the living room still dripping water on the ground. With eyes adjusting to the dark, the First Child turned around. Despite how dark the room was, his eye color seemed to be distinctive.
"Please go ahead first Miss Ayanami. I will prepare tea to warm our insides," Shinji indicated in a quiet tone.
'Ya know…there are better ways to warm the insides,' Shino stated matter of fact. Both the child and crazy voice became flushed from his statement. The Third Child's right eye twitched from the statement.
"Okay," Rei responded in the same volume and turned toward the bathroom. Shinji turned toward the kitchen.
'Damn…couldn't they talk a little bit louder,' Asuka thought.
She heard murmurs but couldn't distinct who they were. A set of footsteps went a short distance and a door closed. Deducting that it was the restroom, it was confirmed with the shower turning on. Listening for the other set of footsteps, she couldn't hear anything.
'Maybe the second person is just standing there,' the red-head thought and opened her door ajar. Looking through the gap, she didn't see anyone. Opening it a little more, there was no one standing there. Looking down across the room, the First Child's door was open.
'What is she doing up this late?' Asuka thought closing her door quietly. A thought came to her making her smirk.
'I bet she is nervous. Anyone would be when they are partnering with the best Eva pilot there ever lived,' she thought smug of herself. About to turn away and go back to bed, she started to smell something.
'What is that?' the red head thought taking a few sniffs. 'I think it smells like tea or something.'
About to ignore it, the running water from the shower stopped. Thinking that it was probably the First Child brewing the tea, she went back to her bed. Lying down, she stared at the ceiling. Something in the back of her mind kept nagging her as she glanced at her door. Shaking her head, she stared back at the ceiling.
"…" Asuka said blinking and looked back at the door.
Getting up quickly and quietly, she got near her door when the bathroom door opened up. Getting to be ajar again, the light in the restroom was on. The First Child stepped out with only a towel hanging around her neck. The ends of the towel draped over her breasts. Turning to turn the light off, the living room was dark again.
'…' Asuka thought watching her silhouette go out of sight. 'Damn…despite being a little thin, she has a figure...mine's better.'
In the kitchen, Shinji had got water boiling and had poured it in a tea pot. He didn't turn the lights on for he had memorized where most items were. Turning a burner on the stove and watch it glow red added with a little illumination. Getting two tea cups, the crazy voice stated getting another. Placing the third on a tray with others and grabbing the tea pot, bare feet were heard from behind.
"Ikari, I am done," Rei said using the sides of the towel to dry her hair. It raised the ends of towel up to barely cover her breasts. Everything else was exposed.
'…uhhhhhhhhh…' the child voice turning red all over staring at her.
'Definitely an Ice Queen with that figure,' Shino said nodding.
'Indeed. You can't argue with that can you?' Shoji stated elbowing the crazy voice that was staring.
'W-W-Well…y-yeah. Asuka's figure is better!' the red-copper eyed voiced stated blushing and staring. The silver eyed voice just chuckled at the sight. The red-blue eyed voice turned around and was flushed.
"Very well. I will set this on the dining table then take a shower," Shinji said not turning around.
"Where will you be sleeping Ikari?"
"I can sleep anywhere Miss Ayanami. If there isn't an extra futon, I will sleep on the couch if that is acceptable," he stated. Remaining stoic, he was ignoring the feeling of the adult voices trying to turn his head to look at his bare co-worker.
"There is an extra one in my room. I will bring it out," she said and walked away. Hearing her footsteps, he picked up the tray and headed slowly to the dining table.
Asuka heard bare footsteps coming back and looked back through the gap again. She saw the First Child's figure comeback into view. Despite getting the back view of Ayanami, the pilot was heading back to her room. Frowning again, she saw the female pilot enter her room and closed the door. The smell of tea was stronger which confirmed the thought that it was the First Child that made tea.
'Bah! Whatever,' Asuka thought irritated and started heading toward her bed.
'It was just Wondergirl all alon-!' she thought when a second door closed quietly. Blinking in surprise, she quickly went back to her door. Looking through the small open space, the bathroom light turned on. Momentarily, the shower was going.
"There is a second person!" she whispered out loud. Her curiosity was high.
'Has she been seeing someone before? No way, she has been with me for a week. Besides, she doesn't have any interest in dating. For all I know, I bet it is either the Commander or that psycho idiot that she fancies,' Asuka pondered.
'Anyway. I am going to sit here and wait. I'll see who Wondergirl's guest is at,' the red head thought looking at her clock. She grinned.
'10:30pm eh…The little sneak.'
In the bathroom, Shinji put his backpack down next to the sink. Beginning to undress, his vision started to change. It went from static to being upside down to objects starting to warp on themselves. Not being fazed by it, he continued to remove his clothes. Looking at the shower, it was shooting out hot streams of blood in a tub of decapitated children.
"…" Shinji said closing his eyes and placed a hand over his heart.
Going through a mental process, the male pilot started concentrating on certain past experiences. Thinking about them along with the chaos that was forming around him, his pulse started increasing. The heart started to beat faster and faster till it felt like he was sprinting madly. Taking deep fast breaths and breathing through his nose, he felt himself starting to warm up. Continuing for several sessions, he stopped concentrating on the memories. Calming himself down, his heartbeat started to slow down. His breathing became calmer. After a couple of minutes, he was back to his normal heart and pulse rate.
"…" Shinji said opening his eyes.
Every inch of the restroom was covered with the iron smelling red liquid. Not only that, the room itself was pulsating as a heartbeat. Getting a blood drenched towel on top of the morbid organic toilet, the Third Child started to "dry" his hair. Walking to the mirror that was above the sink, he looked at himself. It instantly web cracked everywhere and started to bleed.
Deciding that he was dry enough, he went back to the blood shooting shower head and turned off the water. Turning around and heading toward his bag, various scars and slashes started slowly appearing all over his body. It burned and stung badly as if acid was pouring into the wounds. Opening up his backpack, it cried like a banshee with a blood lurching screech. Ignoring it, he grabbed his body lotion. Opening it and squeezing, nothing came out.
"…" Shinji said sighing through his nose.
He didn't feel any lotion on his hand either. Knowing this had happen before; he started applying the cream onto his body. The tattered and torn look of his body started to go away as he continued applying the lotion. At the same, the banshee bag screamed louder to make his ears bleed.
While the Third Child was in bathroom, Rei had put on another white dress shirt. Feeling no need to wear underwear, she went and got the extra futon. Asuka heard the First Child's door open and saw she had an extra futon. Watching, Ayanami looked down at the space behind the couch and laid the futon down.
'That's the large one that Misato stated about…what is she planning?' the Second Child thought a bit engrossed in the spying.
Spreading out the futon, Rei noticed that it was the one the Captain talked about. It was large enough to fit about three people in. The thought of sleeping with the Third Child came and went. Not sure why that occurred, she ignored it. Getting up, she walked toward the bathroom door and passed it. Turning toward the dining table, she could make out the tea pot and tea cups. Oddly, one cup was already filled with tea.
"…" she said with a blink.
Thinking about it, she was curious on how the boy seemed to predict what people's wants were. Taking the cup and sipping it, she felt the heated beverage warm her throat and her stomach as it went down. Feeling a little better and relaxing a little, she heard the shower turn off. Taking her time, she let the tea warm herself up a bit. A thought suddenly occurred to her.
'Does Ikari have a change of clothes?' she thought turning to the bathroom door. 'He did have his bag with him.'
'Do they have the clothes he wore earlier today? They are probably wet from the rain…If I ask, then I will know.'
Putting her tea cup down, she walked toward the bathroom. The closer she got to it, she felt strange. Not too sure what the sensation was and a bit tired to think, she tried ignoring it. Asuka heard the water turn off and saw Rei come into view after many seconds passed. She was standing in front of the bathroom door. Despite the small amount of light leaking from the bottom of the door, she could only see her without details.
Rei was about to speak when she thought knocking quietly would be better. Gently tapping on the door, it opened a little. Curious on why he didn't close it or lock the door, she heard him. Opening the door a little more to speak, she saw that he was standing naked in front of the sink. He was rubbing his face with his hands while a towel was on his head.
'W-W-What is she doing not wearing any underwear!?' Asuka thought feeling her mouth open in surprise. When the First Child opened the door, the light from the bathroom spilled a bit into the living room. It was then that the red-head noticed that despite the white dress shirt Ayanami was wearing, there was nothing underneath.
'This has to be a rendezvous type night!'
"…" Rei said looking down his figure. Warmth came to her face despite keeping her stoic expression.
"Can I help you with something Miss Ayanami?" Shinji said looking at the First Child with his hands going down to his side. He kept his impassive expression and ignored the voices. The child voice had a nose bleed from seeing her outfit while the others were making cat calls. Only the red-blue eye voice had hands over his eyes being red all over.
"…!" Ayanami said blinking and looking at his face. "D-Do you have clothes to wear?"
"Yes. Thank you for asking."
"I see," she said before turning around and closing the door quietly behind her.
'She was blushing?' the Second Child thought seeing a little red on the First Child's face. 'Is she really one of those types of girls? Cold in public, but into adult play in private?'
Seeing the door closed and the illumination die away, it took time for her eyes to adjust again. Rei contemplated why she reacted that way. She had seen boys and men in just swim trunks and Speedos from swim class at school. She knew what parts males had that females didn't have. Wondering if she had intimate feelings for the Third Child, she couldn't say yes or no. Part of her was attached to the Commander which seemed to cause confliction with her.
Going to the dining table, she grabbed her cup and drank more tea. It seemed to calm her down slowly. Thinking about what she saw again, her face felt warm again. Shaking her head to rid of the image, she felt she couldn't relax. It made her feel that asking the Third Child questions would become difficult. Deciding to calm down in her room, she could re-approach him later.
'Hmm?' Asuka said seeing the First Child come into view. 'She's going back into her room? She's going to do it there!?'
Seeing the First Child's door open and close, the bathroom room door opened quietly. The light from the room seemed brighter than normal making Asuka feel blinded a little. However, the light turned off followed by silence. Blinking, she failed to notice the person inside leaped across the doorway quickly and quietly. As her eyes adjusted, a dull thunder was heard in the background.
'What the hell? Where is this guy?' she pondered opening her door a little bit more.
No sounds were being emitted. No footsteps. No objects being moved. No creaks in the apartment. After waiting for a minute, nothing continued to happen. However, she didn't see the person slowly slip into the futon from the far end of the couch.