Disclaimer: See Prologue
Evangelion: Any place can be Heaven, if you let it (A sequel to Random1377's Crimson and Azure)
Chapter 9
In the men's dressing room
---
"Here," Kaji handed the groom a towel and a bucket with assorted toiletries. "The showers are through that door." He pointed. "Hurry, you don't have much time."
"Where's his suit?" Touji asked.
"Still in my car. Here." Kaji tossed the boy his keys and he ran out to retrieve the garment.
In the women's dressing room
---
Sitting on a chair in front of a mirror in only her underwear, Hikari was busy touching up Rei's hair, while Asuka was removing the bride's dress from its box.
"I can't get over how simple, yet beautiful this dress is. I have to hand it to you Rei. You developed wonderful taste." Misato said with a smile.
"Thank you mother." Rei replied in all seriousness.
Misato giggle. She walked up beside Hikari. "I love it when you call me that." She smiled at Rei's reflection and her surrogate daughter smiled back.
In the men's dressing room
---
"Whew! That looks great on you Shinji." Kensuke said.
The groom smiled. "You think so?"
"He's just saying that because his being a suck up." Touji snapped.
"You're just pissed I said it first." Kensuke countered.
"What are you two arguing about?" Shinji stared at them with a look of bewilderment.
"They've been like this all morning." Kaji explained. "Their waiting for you to decide which one will be your best man."
"Oh?" Nerves suddenly shook the groom to the core.
"Yeah Shinji, you've got to decide. Which one of us is your best man?" Kensuke asked.
"Yeah Shinji, which one?" Touji added.
"Jeez guys. I…I don't know." Shinji sighed. "You're both great friends. I can't decide."
"But you have to decide. You're getting married in … " Touji checked his watch. "20 minutes."
With nervous sweat threatening to excrete out of every pore in his body, Shinji cast a pleading eye to Kaji for help.
The older man gave him a crooked grin. Then said, "Well, since Shinji values both your friendships equally, there is only one fair way to settle this."
In the women's dressing room
---
Rei's dress was a simple strapless pale pink silk dress that came down to just below her ankles, with a matching silk bolero jacket. Asuka and Hikari wore a similar bridesmaid dress also in pink with a brilliant red rose-colored bolero.
"You look beautiful." Misato's eyes sparked as she looked at Rei. "But something's missing." She gave a wicked smile. "I'll be right back." And she left the room.
Hikari grabbed her purse and went over to Rei. "You know Rei, you could use just a little color on you cheeks and lips, otherwise you'll end up looking washed out in the photographs."
"I prefer not to wear makeup." She stated candidly.
"Hikari's right Rei. Normally, I'd say you don't need it but just a touch will make sure your wedding pictures come out right." Asuka added.
"Well… if you both feel it is necessary, I suppose a little will not hard." Rei conceded.
"Good." Hikari pulled out her compact and put just a small amount on the applicator.
In the men's dressing room
---
"Okay, this is it, the third and final match. This will decide it." Kaji said with mock excitement as he held their arms firmly on the table. "Let the thumb war begin!"
Touji and Kensuke glared at each other as well as their hands as each tried to gain the advantage over the other. Shinji stood back by the door shaking his head at the absurdity of it all but glad he didn't have to choose between them. After an intense four and a half minutes, Kaji counted, "one…two…three…four" and released their arms.
"Yes! Yes! I win! I win!" Kensuke screamed jumping up and down like a mad man. "Woo Hoo! Woo Hoo!"
"Aaa shut up before I clobber ya!" Yelled an angry Touji.
"Just look on the bright side Touji. At least you have Hikari as your partner." Shinji tried to rationalize for his friend.
"Aaa you shut up too. This woulda never happened if you woulda just picked me." He snapped at Shinji.
Shinji just raised his hands defensively.
In the women's dressing room
---
Misato walked back in with a box in her hands. "I know you didn't want one when we picked out the dress but I thought that perhaps you may have changed your mind." She set the box down on the vanity dresser and opened it, taking out the veil she used on her wedding just a few months before and held it up for Rei to see.
Rei looked at the veil then over to Misato and the expression on her face. An expression that spoke of boundless pride and joy in the mature girl who was now a young woman. Misato never looked more like a proud mother in her young life than she did at that very moment. Rei smiled and walked over to her surrogate mother, allowing her to pin the veil in place then she hugged her with all the warmth and love a daughter could have for her mother.
"Thank you mother." She struggled desperately to keep from crying as they shared a moment together.
"Are they always like that?" Hikari whispered to Asuka.
"Yeah, it's becoming a pretty regular occurrence these days." She whispered back, smiling widely.
In the men's dressing room
---
"Well, let me go see if your bride is ready." Kaji made a quick exit, laughing to himself as he walked over to the women's dressing room.
Touji walked over the groom, "So where are these rings you almost ruined your relationship with Rei over?" He asked.
Shinji went over to where he had placed the clothes he was wearing earlier and retrieved the ring box then walked back to his friends. "Here." He said with a certain sense of pride as he opened the box.
"Man! Those are incredible!" Kensuke said as he picked up one of the rings and marveled at the craftsmanship that went into making it.
"No kidding." Added Touji as he did the same with the other ring. "Man, seeing these rings makes me feel like putting up with Rei and Asuka's cross examining was worth it."
"Cross examining? What do you mean?" Shinji asked.
"Man, they must have come to grill me about four different times to see if I know where you went." The taller boy explained. "While I tried to assure Rei that you loved her and would be back soon, I flat out refused to say anything about where you were going or what you were going for. And it wasn't easy. You know, for as stoic as Rei used to be, man, when she's hurting inside she shows it as plan as day now. Looking into her face and saying I didn't have any clue where you could be was about the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I still don't look forward to having to go and apologize for lying to her like that. I imagine she'll probably hate me for the rest of her life."
Shinji was completely taken aback by this revelation. He never imagined his little journey would have caused Rei so much pain and sadness, or put is friend Touji in such an awkward position. At that moment he made a decision.
"Touji, will you be my best man?"
"Hey! You can't do that!" Kensuke screamed. "I won fair and square!"
"I'm sorry Kensuke but what Touji did for me was what a very best friend does. I can't, not have him be my best man. Please try and understand." The groom explained to his other friend.
Touji placed a hand on Shinji's shoulder as he gave his friend a look that he had never seen before. Shinji knew at that moment that their bond of friendship had just grown measurably stronger. "Thanks man, it really means a lot to me, you know." Then he bowed his head for a moment and when he raised it a very serious expression crossed his face. "But I don't think I should be."
Shinji was shocked.
"It's not that I don't want to be. I do, more then anything. I just don't think you should start off your marriage with having something like this hanging over your heads."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't want Rei mad at you because you picked me to be your best man. That's no way to start a marriage."
Shinji thought about it for a moment then looked at his friend and said, "You're right. Come with me." And they walked out the door.
Kensuke dropped himself on a seat with a thud and sulked. "It's not fair."
At the women's dressing room
---
Kaji had just verified that the women were ready and went to find the commander. Hearing the knock at the door Misato went over to answer it expecting to see the head of NERV on the other side.
"Shinji! What are you doing here? You know it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding." She said with mild shock in seeing the young groom standing at the door.
"Well, I guess it's a good thing that Rei and I don't believe in superstitious nonsense like that. I need to speak with Rei. It's important." The young groom said in all seriousness.
Taken back by his serious manner Misato obliged him by calling Rei over. "Yes my love. What is it?"
"Can you step out here for just a moment Rei? I really need to speak to you about something." Shinji said, gently taking her hand.
"Of course. I'll be right back." She said over her shoulder and followed him out the door. Seeing Touji she said, "Hello Suzuhara."
"Hello Rei." He whispered. "You look beautiful." He added with a hint of sadness in his voice.
"Thank you." She replied granting him a small but rare smile.
This felt like a dagger in Touji's heart as he hung his head low.
"What is wrong Shinji?" She turned to her groom.
"I've decided to make Touji my best man but he's worried you may get angry at me for choosing him." He explained.
"I do not understand. Why?" She asked.
"Because"
"Because I lied to you Rei." Touji said still looking down at his feet. "When you asked if I knew where Shinji was, what he went to do. I didn't know exactly where he went but I knew what he went to do. But I promised Shinji I wouldn't tell no matter what. So I didn't. I'm sorry it caused you so much heartache. I never wanted to hurt you. I… I'm sorry Rei."
Rei walked up to him and to his surprise, instead of slapping him, she gave him a gentle hug and even more surprising a kiss on the cheek. "It is all right Touji." She smiled up at him.
He gasped at the surprise of the kiss and at being called by his first name by her. That was the first time she ever called him by his first name. And he searched her eyes trying to understand how she could so easily forgive him.
"I assumed as much after I read Shinji's letter. I was a bit angry at first, but then I realized something. Something very important."
Touji gave her a questioning stare.
"My love has chosen his friends well." She smiled again.
Touji returned the smile on quivering lips as tears threatened to escape his eyes. "Thank you Rei."
"Thank you Touji for being Shinji's friend, and mine I hope."
"Always. That's a promise from Touji Suzuhara." He said as his smile grew.
"Okay tough guy, don't start getting all weepy eyed on me." Shinji said giving Touji a light shove, ending their embrace. He took his bride's hand and escorted her back to her dressing room. "I'll see you in a minute Miss Ayanami." He smiled.
"I cannot wait Mr. Ikari."
Shinji frowned.
"What is wrong?" Rei asked with a concerned look.
"I don't know if I want to be Mr. Ikari. I know it was my mother's maiden name but my father was Mr. Ikari. I don't want to be reminded of him each time someone refers to us as Mr. & Mrs. Ikari."
Rei looked deeply into his eyes. "You are serious about this?"
Shinji nodded, "Yes, I am."
She thought for a moment then smiled, "well, how would you feel being called Mr. Ayanami?"
Shinji smiled. "Mr. Ayanami." He tried it out. "Mr. & Mrs. Ayanami." His smile grew. "I think I like the sound of that."
"Very well." Rei smiled back. "Ayanami, it will be." She leaned forward and kissed him softly. "I look forward to our next kiss my love." And she walked back into the dressing room.
While walking back to the men's locker room to get Kensuke, Shinji told Kaji of their decision to use Rei's name rather than his. Kaji smiled then went to the judge who was to perform the ceremony and informed him of this change.
A few moments later, there was a knock at the door. This time, as Misato expected, Commander Fuyutsuki was standing on the other side.
"Is the lovely bride ready?" He asked as he walked in.
"As ready as she'll ever be." Misato assured, gesturing toward Rei who was observing the child like wonder that Hikari and Touji's little sisters were having with the whole event. Each was dressing in a flowery yellow on yellow dress with bright yellow ribbons running through the sleeves, around the waist and along the hem. Nozomi was to be the flower girl while Kimiko was the ring bearer.
Seeing her like this took his breath away. "Lieutenant Ayanami, you are truly radiant." He walked up to her and took her hand.
"Thank you Commander." She replied politely.
Looking deeply into the eyes of the child whom he had seen grow from an embryo, he smiled with a warmth and tenderness she had never seen before.
"Commander?" She asked puzzlement filled her expression.
"I am simply grateful that this day, a day I thought would never come for you, has. Be happy Rei, if anyone in this world deserves to be, you do." He said then casually wiped a stray tear from his cheek. "Well, shall we go?"
The young bride held his hand tightly in hers and nodded.