A day with Rei (Hey it rhymes!)
Shinji and Rei were riding up the elevator, Shinji holding two bags of groceries and Rei holding one. Shinji was still slightly red from the event that occured at the supermarket.
*****
"We have absolutely nothing in the fridge" Shinji said to a confused looking Rei. Shinji had a cart full of food, drinks, etc. Rei had been walking behind him the whole time observing Shinji as he placed many items into the cart. They were now about to pay for everything and the cashier was taking a long time counting up all the items.
"Doesn't Major Katsuragi and Pilot Soryu buy..... that" Rei says as she looks at the groceries. She didn't quite know the right term to use.
"I don't think either one of them can cook" Shinji replies.
"....."
"They survive on instant food" Shinji clarifies.
"I see..." Rei says somewhat distantly.
"What do you do at home? Do you cook?" Shinji asked, expecting the answer to be no.
"Sometimes" Rei says.
"What?"
"Sometimes" Rei repeats in the same tone.
"Ayanami, you cook?"
"Yes..." Rei says somwhat confused at Shinji's lack of understandment, "Sometimes"
It took a little while for Shinji to digest that. An image of Rei wearing a cute apron humming a tune while cooking made him smile. Only when the cashier gave him the total did he snap back to reality. Shinji paid tha cashier and picked up all three bags.
"I'll hold one" Rei offers.
Shinji, caught somewhat off guard by Rei's willingness to help stuttered "No, that's okay". The two walked out and headed back to the apartment. Halfway there Shinji regretted declining Rei's offer. The bags were very heavy.
Rei watched silently as Shinji struggled with the bags. 'I offered help' Rei thought, 'And he declined, so he must not need assistance'
Shinji, who was concentrating on the bags, did not see the sidewalk ending and becoming a street. He tripped, fell, and two of the bags spilled.
"Ikari-kun, are you sure you do not need assistance?" Rei asks again, although she was still quite unsure if he needed help or not.
"Uh... actually could you take this bag?" Shinji asks. Rei takes the bag that did not spill and after Shinji collects everything back into the bag, he picks them up and continues the journey home
******
And now here he was riding the elevator up the the apartment. They two walked silentely out of the elevator and to the door. Shinji opened it and the two put the bags on the floor next to the refrigerator.
"I'm going to put everything into the fridge, just make yourself at home" Shinji says as he begins taking things out of the bags and putting them into the refrigerator.
"...." Rei just stands there looking confused.
"I mean you can go do anything you want. You know, watch TV or something." Shinji says again begin reminded of Rei's strangeness. (A/N: If that's even a word)
"TV?" Rei asks curiously.
Shinji remembers there had been no TV at Rei's house. Actually it would be more wierd if she did have one, considering he character.
"Uh, it's that thing over there" Shinji says pointing at the television. He walks over to the couch and get's the remote. "
Here, this is to change the channel, this is volume" Shinji says as Rei walks toward him. He hands her the remote and Rei pushes the channel button that Shinji just pointed out to her.
"Oh you have to turn it on first" Shinji said "Just-"
A click is heard and the TV is turned on. Rei had guessed the power key controls the power. Rei stares intently at the TV absorbing everything that went on.
'Phew' Shinji thinks, 'That will take care of awkwardness for a while' and with that he goes back to the groceries.
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It had taken Shinji longer than expected to find a place for everything to go. Rei had not said a single word to him, she just watched the screen. Some movie was on, Shinji did not know what it was. He walks over to the couch and sits down next to Rei. It was already six o'clock, and Shinji was getting hungry.
"Are you going to have dinner here?" Shinji asks when a commercial break comes up.
Rei looks over at Shinji as if she just noticed he was sitting there. "May I?" Rei asks.
"Sure, I don't mind, but I have to say I haven't cooked in a while so I might be rusty" Shinji says.
"I don't understand" Rei says simply.
"Nevermind, I'm going to cook" Shinji says as he stands up, smiling.
"May I help?" Rei asks.
"Uh... I guess if you don't mind" Shinji says, again surprised by Rei.
"It would please me" Rei says as she stands. The two go to the kitchen and get started. Rei opens the refrigerator and finds more than half of the space being taken up by beers. Rei stared at them, very interested.
"What's that matter?" Shinji asks after a while.
"This must be a very good drink if Major Katsuragi has so much of it" Rei states.
Shinji decides not to explain what an alcoholic was.
"May I try one?" Rei asks.
"Um... sure I guess she won't really mind but-"
"Thank you" Rei says as she takes a can out of the fridge.
"Wait the thing is that it-"
"Would you like one as well?" Rei asks, not meaning to interrupt.
"Um... no thanks. I don't think it tastes good"
"I see" Rei says as she opens the can.
Shinji thinks about this for a moment. She probably will not like it if it's her first time, but then again he was still letting a minor drink. He was sure Misato wouldn't mind but what if she lieks it? The thought of Rei being drunk scared him.
"Uh Rei, would you mind only taking a little?"
Rei took a sip and put the can down, "It has a.... distinct taste"
"You don't like it?"
"I believe other drinks are much better tasting." Rei says.
Shinji sighs in relief and then goes back to cooking.
Rei is silent for a while looking back and forth from the can and Shinji. She then says, "Aren't you going to try any?"
"Huh?" Shinji says confused, "Oh... well... I guess so....." He walks over to the can and takes a sip. He immediately puts it down in disgust.
"It's horrible" Shinji says wiping his mouth and going to the refrigerator to get a drink.
"Oh... I'm sorry?" Rei says in a somewhat confused tone, yet she still somehow managed to sound monotoned.
"Why?" He asks.
"Well, if I had not suggested for you to drink any, you would not have been horrified" Rei says.
"Oh.. no it's not that bad. I just don't like it. Don't worry about it" Shinji says as he sips on his drink, "Do you want a drink?"
"No" Rei says and then walks over to the kitchen to cook.
Shinji watches her for a while and then puts his drink down and goes as well.
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"Why are you acting so different?" Shinji asks after a long period of silence and cooking. He could no longer stand the question that had beein lingering in his mind and annoying him like an itch he couldn't reach. Only after he said the words did he realize how blunt the question had been.
Rei didn't respond and continued her cooking. Shinji, who thought he had offended her, says "I mean-" but was interrupted.
"What do you mean?" Rei says not looking at Shinji.
"Well you're usually more... well... " Shinji tried to find the right words, "reserved" he finishes.
Again Rei does not respond for a while, only after Shinji had given up talking did she say "I wanted to get closer to you", repeating Misato's words.
"Oh..." Shinji says, a bit taken back.
Suddenly the door opened and Asuka walks in.
"Tadaima" she says as she slips off her shoes. She then looks up and sees an unexpected guest. Her emotion of sadness that had lingered from her visit to the hospital turned to annoyance.
"What is she doing here?" Asuka asks, not bothering to be polite.
Shinji, although disapproving of Asuka's tone of voice, replies "Ayanami came after school"
"I see" Asuka says, trying not to look angry. Then the open can of beer reaches her line of sight. So much for trying.
"And what the hell is that doing here!" Asuka yells while pointing at the beer on the table.
Shinji, at first not knowing what Asuka is talking about follows her finger and sees the fcan.
"Uh that... well uh..."
"Ikari-kun and I tried some" Rei says not looking up from her cooking.
Only then did Asuka realize Rei was cooking. "What the hell are you doing?" Asuka asks regardless.
"Cooking" Rei says simply.
"....Why?" Asuka asks, genuinely confused.
"To assist Ikari-kun", again a simple answer.
Asuka, now filled with fury storms out of the dining room and into her room. Rei continues cooking and Shinji looks confused.
"Uh..." Shinji says trying to find something to say.
"Ikari-kun, the fire is too strong"
"Huh? Oh.." Shinji says as he turns down the fire.
The two then continue cooking in silence.
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Rants
Yes it's short, but I typed it up pretty quickly so it's expected. I was actually going to have this in the other chapter but I forgot, so I decided to put it up as soon as possible. Well, I have no other comments (for once), please R+R.