Chapter 4. Dinner Party

"So kiddo, are you ready for school tomorrow?" a drunken Misato asked. "No" Shinji

unenthusiastically answered. He couldn't believe it he just survived the Third Impact and

brought everyone back to life and his parents were making him go back to school. It just wasn't

fair. For now though he was having a good time at the dinner party his mother and father had

put together. Misato, Asuka, Kaji, Kensuke, Toji, and even Rei was there, things couldn't get

any better. "Gendo, where did she get that beer, I made a point not to serve any tonight." Yui

asked her confused husband. "It beats me, she just seems to have an unending supply of alcohol

in her coat pockets." Hearing this Kaji laughed because he knew that every time Misato "went

to the bathroom" she was secretly sneaking into Shinji's new room and grabbing a can from the

twelve pack she hid under his bed. Kaji had advised against putting beer under a kid's bed but in

Misato's drunken state she thought she was helping the poor kid out. "Maybe he'll get lucky

with someone besides his hand one night and find the booze necessary." Misato suggested.

Most of Shinji's attention was on the beautiful girl sitting next to him. He adored everything

about her, the way she talked, the way she walked, the way she ate. The image of Rei sitting on

top of him naked kept popping into his mind, but Shinji tried his hardest to beat that image

away because he knew Rei was more than a sexual object. Unknown to Shinji, Rei knew how

much the Commander's son was watching her. It mad her blush a little but she controlled it. She

was so used to being ignored that she secretly loved all the attention the young man was paying

her. One day she overheard the class rep and her boyfriend Toji talking lovingly in class. Toji

commented on how cute Hikari was. Rei watched Hikari do all sorts of unnecessary things such

as drop her pencil "accidently" or play with her hair. Rei did the best she could to imitate the

class rep in being "cute". She dropped the fork she was eating with and almost immediately

Shinji happily offered his utensil. He then picked Ayanami's fork up, wiped it off with his shirt

and began eating again. Rei also tried playing with her hair, though it wasn't really long enough

to play with she tried. She could tell Shinji was having trouble keeping his eyes off of her, she

was happy, the boy she loved seemed to at least find her cute.

Unknown to either of them Gendo was silently watching this little game. He was filled with

fatherly pride that his son was making time with a pretty young girl. He was really enjoying

himself because this was the first time he could look at Shinji as a son and not as a tool. Yui

caught on that Gendo was staring at Rei and Shinji and promptly told him to pay his lonely wife

some attention. He smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

It was well past eleven now and Misato was as drunk as you can get while still being able to

walk. "I had a great time Ms. Ikari, I think it's time we head home now." Kaji said politely. As

soon as Misato caught on to what he was saying she jumped up from where she had been laying

on the floor and yelled "Guess who's driving!?!" Asuka, who had been fighting with Kensuke

and Toji all night gave Kaji a worried look. "I guess that means I'll be walking home." Asuka

worriedly said. "You can't possibly let her drive Kaji." exclaimed Gendo. "Don't worry sir, I

would be surprised if she even knew what side of the car to get in.

As Misato, Kaji, and Asuka left, Rei said "I should be getting home now, thank you for dinner

Ms, Ikari." "Oh, not at all Rei, you're welcome here anytime. How do you plan on getting

home?" Yui asked. "I was going to walk." Rei innocently said. "Wait a minute, it's way to late

for you to be walking home!" Shinji exclaimed. "You're right son" Gendo calmly said "Rei you

are most welcome to stay here the night, you can walk to school with Shinji in the morning." "I

don't want to impose" Rei shyly remarked. "You wont be imposing at all" Shinji explained

"You can have my bed for the night." Rei blushed and gave Shinji a small smile that warmed

his heart. "Thank you Shinji." the slightly embarrassed girl replied. "You know, they could

always just share his bed." Gendo whispered to Yui with a sly grin on his face. Yui just rolled

her eyes and said she would get Rei some clothes to sleep in so she wouldn't wrinkle her school

clothes.

"Which one of you wants to shower first?" Shinji's mother asked. "You know, they could always

just show at the sa-" Yui cut Gendo off before he could finish his sentence. "Rei can shower

first father" Shinji said who knew exactly what his dad was going to say. Rei's little feet made

no sound as she walked into the bathroom and closed the door. Shinji was listening for, and did

not hear the lock fix itself into place. *Rei forgot to lock the door* Shinji thought. He nervously

walked over to the bathroom and lightly knocked on the wooden door, Rei, who was already

half undressed opened the door and seeing it was Shinji let out a little shriek. Shinji's eyes got

soup bowl wide as he began to turn red from ear to ear. Rei was standing in the doorway having

taken her dress off and already unbuttoned a few buttons on her blouse. Shinji instinctively

closed his eyes and apologized a million times. Rei regained her composer and asked "Shinji,

can I help you?" With his eyes still tightly shut the poor embarrassed boy explained "I...I came

to tell you that you didn't lock the door. She thanked him and then softly closed the door to let

Shinji know she wasn't angry with him. Rei was waiting in the living room making Shinji's bed

on the sofa. Rei, seeing Shinji come in on this unusual sight quickly explained it to Shinji in one

of her monotone voices "Since you are letting me have your bed, I figured it would only be fair

if I made your bed on the sofa." "Thank you, but you really didn't have to, it's no problem."

Shinji happily said. With that Rei finished what she was doing and walked out of the living

room. The blue haired angel (as Shinji would soon come to call her) did something then that he

never expected. Rei turned around and walked toward Shinji, she then opened her arms and

gave Shinji a little hug. "Goodnight Ikari."