...
tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap...
Asuka looked down at her foot. Why was it doing that?
tap tap tap tap tap tap...
She shrugged and looked back up. It must be because it was so boring here.
tap tap tap tap tap...
Asuka's foot paused, as the fact that someone was speaking to her registered in the back of her mind. "Huh?"
Hikari sighed a little, and tried again. "I asked, 'what are you so impatient about?'"
"I'm not impatient. I'm just bored."
"Oh."
...
tap tap tap tap tap tap...
They both looked down at her foot.
"Right, Asuka. Are you sure that's it?"
She crossed her arms, a little indignant. "Of course. What else could it be?"
... A big grin appeared on Hikari's face.
"W-...what?" Asuka asked, slightly nervous.
"Are you sure that you're not just itching to get back to your apartment?" Hikari's grin widened.
"Why would I want to go back to that idiot?"
"Maybe because said 'idiot' is staying with Rei?"
"Feh. Yeah right."
"Besides, who said I was talking about Shinji? You were the one who brought him up first."
"N-...... As if!"
Hikari sighed. "Whatever you say, Asuka." She turned back to her homework.
....
....
tap tap tap tap tap...
Hikari smiled and shook her head, and Asuka looked away as if wasn't _her_ foot making all that noise...
]|[
Shinji looked up at the girl across the table.
Rei was immersed in her homework, and was not paying attention to him. He watched the pale girl, fascinated.
The way her fingers delicately held the pencil...
The way her crimson eyes moved back and forth, taking in the text in front of her...
The way her slightly unruly light blue hair was scattered over her forehead...
The way her eyes bored right into his... oops.
"Ikari? Is something wrong?"
Shinji jumped a little, startled. "No, it's nothing," he said nervously as he threw himself back into his homework.
Rei tilted her head slightly and watched him for a couple seconds before returning to her text.
Blush fading, Shinji focused on the papers in front of him. But even though he looked like he was working hard, his mind was elsewhere.
They had not kissed again since that night. He was not sure why, but it never came up again. Shinji, being as nervous as he was around girls, would never be the one to initate things. What, was he just supposed to ask, 'Can I kiss you?' Uh-uh. No way. How awkward would that be?
Unfortunately, this left Ayanami to be the one to initiate things. While she had been the one who initiated things yesterday, it was a direct result of seeing it happen in the movie - almost as if she was... experimenting. They both got caught up in the moment, though, and it ended up lasting a lot longer than she probably intended...
His cheeks colored again, and he shook his head a little to clear it. Rei glanced up at him for a moment, but went back to her work.
But after that night... she never mentioned it again. Why not? She hadn't... lost interest in him, had she?
Shinji knocked that thought away; of course that wasn't it.
... Maybe it hadn't crossed her mind at all? Shinji's mood fell slightly at that thought - it was possible, but he'd rather not think that way.
... Was she leaving it to him to initiate it? He hoped that wasn't the case, because he certainly didn't have the guts to do so...
But she had mentioned feelings before... maybe she was dealing with new feelings after her first kiss? Was she... embarrassed?
He grinned inwardly. That was kind of cute.
Looking at the quiet and passive girl in front of him, it was hard to imagine her doing something so... bold. He wondered if it really happened...
Shinji's fingers drifted up, gently touching his lips. He blushed profusely - yes, it definitely happened.
As if sensing him, Rei looked up at him. Seeing his fingers on his lips, she must have guessed what he was thinking.... she blushed a little as she watched him.
He realized she was looking, and immediately dropped his hand into his lap. "Um... I... I was..."
"... thinking about our kiss?" she finished for him. Her voice seemed calm, but her colored cheeks indicated otherwise...
"Y-yeah, k-kinda..."
The room fell into an uncomfortable silence.
Finally, after some time, Rei ventured, "W-... would you like to... d-... do it again?"
'Chance!' his brain cried in joy. "Y-Yes!" he squeaked out.
She nodded in what he assumed was acceptance.
They stared at each other for a minute. Realizing that she would not be the one to make the first move as she had before, Shinji hesitantly made his way around the table and sat beside her. He swallowed nervously as he faced her.
Rei watched him as he took a little time to gather the courage for what he was about to do.
Finally, Shinji slowly leaned closer. He watched her slightly parted lips as he leaned in, ever so slowly... tilted his head...
He shivered a little as he felt her gentle breath on his cheek... felt her breathing speed up slightly, just as his was certainly doing...
His eyes slowly slid shut as he approached... so close... almost there... almost-
"Tadaima!" Misato called as she entered the apartment. She dropped her things in the kitchen, and entered the main room.
Misato paused as she saw the Children... doing their work. She raised an eyebrow as she noticed both of them blushing, though.... "Homework?"
Shinji nodded quite vigorously. "Yes, of course!"
Rei nodded in a slightly more normal manner, with a simple, "Hai."
She watched them for a few seconds.... and then, "... You're writing in the textbook, Shinji."
He jumped slightly. "Oh! Am I? Oops... it... I mean..." he got out before laughing nervously.
They stared at each other in an uncomfortable silence for a few seconds. Shinji could not think of any excuses to cover for his slip-up...
Finally, Misato shrugged. It probably wasn't a good idea to press the issue when the boy looked as if he were about to have an apoplexy. "Well, whatever." she said, and left the room.
He sighed, relieved that she wouldn't question any further.
However, both children had the same thought running through their heads.
'Damn it...'
]|[
Asuka was scowling. While this was nothing new, it did warrant inquiry.
"Um... what are you so angry about, Asuka?"
"Nothing," she responded curtly.
"Ok..."
Hikari watched her friend. Although Asuka had said it didn't bother her, it really did. She _was_ irritated about Shinji and Rei staying together. No, she would never admit it; but it really was obvious to anyone who knew her.
Hikari sighed. She had teased her earlier to get a rise out of her, but she really did care - they were friends, after all. Asuka didn't deserve this.
... And besides, being around an irritable Asuka was dangerous.
She decided to say something... but she had to speak carefully, and avoid really angering the girl. "Look... why don't you go back?"
"Why? I don't care."
'You do care,' Hikari thought. "I know... but I really think you should go back. I don't want to sound like I'm kicking you out, but don't you think you've stayed long enough?"
"What, so you don't want me here anymore?!"
So much for that. "It's not that... but didn't you make up with Shinji already?"
"So?"
"So why don't you want to go back?"
"Because..."
"Because... ?"
"... Because he's a jerk!"
Hikari looked at her strangely. "But I thought you already forgave him."
"I did!"
"Then why don't you want to go back?"
"... Because!"
Hikari sighed; this wasn't going anywhere. She had one more option. It wasn't nice... but it really was her last resort. Deep breath. "So how long are you going to keep running away?"
Asuka stiffened a little. "... I'm not running away." It struck an odd note in her mind... Baka Shinji is the one who's always running away...
"Sure you are. You don't want to see him or Rei, so you're hiding here at my house."
She looked quite angry now. "What?! I'm not hiding from anybody!" ... Baka Shinji is the wimp!
It was time to drive the point home. "You're not... afraid of seeing them, are you?"
That was the last straw... Asuka stood up angrily. "There's no way that I'm afraid of that... that... JERK! I'll show you who's running away!"
In one smooth motion, she stood up, grabbed her things, and stormed out.
After she left, Hikari paused, and a small grin appeared on her face. "I win."
]|[
"Ikari."
Shinji looked to his left. "Yes? What is it, Ayanami?"
She blushed a little. "I... wanted..."
"... to kiss?" Shinji timidly finished for her.
"... yes..." She averted her eyes.
He smiled - her behavior was really cute.
Rei stiffened a little, and looked to him in surprise as she found her hand in his.
"Don't worry about it, Ayanami." He turned bright red. "I'm sure... t-that... there will be... o-other... c-chances..." he forced himself to stutter out, and squeezed her hand gently. He couldn't believe he was daring to say such an embarrassing thing...
Rei blushed a little more. Nodding, she squeezed his hand back, and smiled gently.
... and seeing her smile made all the embarrassment worthwhile. 'Right,' he thought. 'That's why I dared to say that.'
He almost lost himself in her red eyes again...
... until he recalled something he had been meaning to ask. "Ayanami... I was wondering... why weren't you... as... uh... um... a-aggressive... as when we... kissed... before?" he struggled to ask, memories of Rei's... forceful... kiss that night making him timid once again.
She looked down. "I... don't know. For some reason, I was... reluctant... to do so... but at the same time, I wanted to... it is confusing..."
"... You wanted to, but you didn't want to act as forceful as before?"
Rei nodded hesitantly. "I do not understand how I could be so reserved about it, when I... want to. Somehow, I am more..."
"... self-conscious?"
She looked at him, tilting her head as she pondered the term. "Self-conscious?"
Shinji nodded. "It's when you're... concerned about yourself and how you appear to other people. Like... you worry about... what I think of you, I guess."
The Rei in Shinji's mind.
She thought about it for another minute. "I... suppose. But why is this happening?"
"You're... shy, I think."
"Shy?"
"Well... kind of. Embarrassed. Bashful. There are a few words you could use to describe it."
"But why am I suddenly becoming... shy?"
Shinji paused to think. "I can't really say for sure... but I know I'm usually a very shy and quiet person. I get extremely embarrassed, especially when it comes to things such as... k-kissing. ... Maybe you're the same way. Are you concerned about what... other people in our class think, for example?"
"No," she replied with some certainty. "Just you..."
Shinji's heart soared...
"... and Commander Ikari."
... and crashed. And burned. That's right - he had forgotten about that.
As if somehow sensing his change in mood, Rei gave his hand a slight, reassuring squeeze. "But... somehow... it is mostly... you."
Shinji shook off the depressed mood - he had to help her with her feelings. He smiled and squeezed her hand back. "It sounds a lot like how I feel when I'm embarrassed."
"But... the fact that I only care about what you think... indicates that the way I... feel... about you is significantly different from the way I feel about everyone else... correct?"
He felt his face heating up. "Er... um... yeah... I g-guess..." he stuttered out nervously, scratching his head.
Rei looked down, contemplating this new development.
'... embarrassed...?'
]|[
As Asuka stormed down the street towards Misato's apartment, she froze.
"... I can't believe I fell for that."
After a minute, she shrugged and continued walking. Even if Hikari did trick her, she did bring up some valid points.
She really couldn't stay at Hikari's house forever. No matter how long she tried to avoid seeing the other two Children, she was only delaying the inevitable - they did pilot together, after all. She was bound to see them at the next battle, if not at an earlier sync test.
She gritted her teeth. Plus, Wondergirl was staying with Shinji. It wouldn't do to leave those two alone and... unmediated.
... She backed her thoughts up to amend that statement: Shinji was a pervert, after all, and Wondergirl was a doll that wouldn't raise complaint if Shinji tried to... do something perverted to her.
Right. That was it.
...
... And if nothing else, she had to prove to Hikari that she wasn't afraid... of anyone.
]|[
"Ikari?"
Shinji started slightly; it was the first word Rei had said in 15 minutes. "Y-Yes?"
"Can I call you... S-... Shinji?"
Huh? "Uh... s-sure, I don't see why not..."
"Alright... Shinji."
His heart rate sped up slightly, just by hearing her say his name for the first time. "Uh... but... w-... why the sudden change?"
"... Somehow I... felt like... dissociating?... you from the Commander."
What? ... Oh. She didn't want to call him and the Commander by the same name anymore. ... He didn't know whether to feel glad or not - was it because she didn't want to call him by the name reserved for the Commander, or was it actually because... he himself was the one she held in higher regard?
"O-Ok, that's... fine..."
Somewhere in the back of his mind, Shinji registered the sound of the front door opening. Misato was in the kitchen; maybe she had a guest? The thought was quickly dismissed; there were more pressing issues at hand.
"Then I guess I s-should do the same... d-do you mind... if I c-call you... R-Rei?"
She blushed a little, and shook her head.
He sighed a little in relief, and smiled. "All right then, Re-AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
Rei gave him a strange look, and turned around to see what he was staring at...
...
Asuka was standing in the doorway.
She did not look pleased.
"You two are pretty close, I see."
"A-A-A-Asuka! Uh... f-fancy meeting y-you here..."
"... I live here, idiot." She arched an eyebrow at him.
Belatedly, Shinji looked down, and quickly removed his hand from Rei's. After a couple seconds, she too returned her hand to her lap.
"Uh-... well... I... wasn't expecting you to b-be back so soon!"
Asuka scoffed. "Obviously." She turned to Rei. "So... you're still here, Wondergirl," she said, a definite note of distaste in her voice.
"... Yes." Any semblance of emotion Rei had shown before was gone.
Those two really were not getting along; he had to intervene before something... bad... happened. "Um... W-Why are you back so soon, Asuka? I t-thought you said you were going to stay longer?"
She crossed her arms and gave him a scathing glare. "I was, but then I thought you would do something perverted if I wasn't around. Seems I was right."
"I wasn't doing anything perverted!"
"You were holding her hand!"
"How is that perverted?!"
"Because you probably reached over and grabbed her hand without asking! She's too much of a doll to stop you."
"Rei- I mean, Ayanami is not a doll! And I didn't 'grab' her hand without asking!"
"Oh, first names already? You two are quite affectionate. I guess you didn't even have to ask before you grabbed her hand, huh? What's next, her breasts?"
As things degenerated into one of their typical little spats, Rei stood up and left the room.
]|[
It was not a pleasant moment for Misato.
She sat at the kitchen table, drinking her third beer. On the table was a rather large stack of papers - it was giving her a headache just _looking_ at all the paperwork in front of her.
'Work sucks,' she thought.
Plus, there was this irritating little clamor coming from the next room, which didn't help her head at all...
Rei entered the room, paused, and then made her way over to Misato. "Hello, Major."
Misato looked up. "Oh hi, Rei."
"Shinji and Pilot Soryu are fighting. Does this happen often?"
Since when does she call Shinji by his first name? "It happens occasionally. They're fine; don't worry about it."
Rei remained silent. It seemed like the girl had nothing else to say.
...
Shrugging, she grabbed her beer and took a big swig.
"I do not like it."
*SPURT* Misato sprayed a little beer on her papers; beer went down the wrong pipe.
"Are you all right, Major?"
"I'm fine," she got out hoarsely as she finished coughing the last of the liquid out of her windpipe. "Really, it's ok, Rei. Why does it bother you so much?"
"Have you forgotten, Major, that the injury on Shinji's cheek is the result of a fight?"
That's right. "That is true, but... it's a little different with these fights..."
"How? I do not understand."
"Well... that was a _real_ fight. A bad one. When they have little arguments like this, it's... almost... friendly fighting, I suppose. Neither of them is really serious about hurting the other. I think it's kind of like lion cubs play fighting or something - they're showing a sort of affection, admittedly in a slightly demented way..."
"I... see."
Misato blinked. She could have sworn she saw Rei's brow furrow slightly. Before she could say anything, though, Rei was already heading out of the room.
She stared after the girl for a few seconds, and then looked down at her now beer-soaked papers. "Oh, shit!"
]|[
Shinji and Asuka faced off, panting slightly as their fight died down.
Asuka's eyes drifted... to the cut on Shinji's cheek. Involuntarily, she winced slightly and averted her eyes.
Shinji's angry expression softened a little.
"I... really am sorry," she finally said quietly. "I didn't want to cut you..."
He relaxed - her mood seemed a little better, at least. "It's ok, it doesn't bother me."
"But-"
"No, really. Don't worry about it. It was my fault anyway."
Asuka sighed, and finally smiled a little. "Thanks..."
He returned the smile. "No problem."
...
After a minute, Rei re-entered the room, now that the noise level was back to normal. "You look exhausted, Shinji."
Asuka's eyebrow twitched. That whole 'first name' thing still did bother her...
"Perhaps we should go to sleep," the blue-haired girl continued.
Asuka's eyebrow twitched again. 'We?'
Shinji glanced over at Asuka. When he saw no immediate violent reaction forthcoming, he looked back at Rei.
Something... was off. He couldn't say what it was, but there was something... different... about Rei's demeanor, or her voice, or _something_. It was barely detectable, but it was there. "I... guess..." He turned. "Good night, Asuka."
Asuka was silent as she watched Rei and Shinji both leave the room... and enter Shinji's room.
After a minute of shock, she scowled in an extremely frightening manner. This was too much.
Balling up her fists, Asuka stomped after them, fully intent on beating some sense into that scrawny little pervert...
-TBC
xiphux@planetjurai.com
tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap...
Asuka looked down at her foot. Why was it doing that?
tap tap tap tap tap tap...
She shrugged and looked back up. It must be because it was so boring here.
tap tap tap tap tap...
Asuka's foot paused, as the fact that someone was speaking to her registered in the back of her mind. "Huh?"
Hikari sighed a little, and tried again. "I asked, 'what are you so impatient about?'"
"I'm not impatient. I'm just bored."
"Oh."
...
tap tap tap tap tap tap...
They both looked down at her foot.
"Right, Asuka. Are you sure that's it?"
She crossed her arms, a little indignant. "Of course. What else could it be?"
... A big grin appeared on Hikari's face.
"W-...what?" Asuka asked, slightly nervous.
"Are you sure that you're not just itching to get back to your apartment?" Hikari's grin widened.
"Why would I want to go back to that idiot?"
"Maybe because said 'idiot' is staying with Rei?"
"Feh. Yeah right."
"Besides, who said I was talking about Shinji? You were the one who brought him up first."
"N-...... As if!"
Hikari sighed. "Whatever you say, Asuka." She turned back to her homework.
....
....
tap tap tap tap tap...
Hikari smiled and shook her head, and Asuka looked away as if wasn't _her_ foot making all that noise...
]|[
Shinji looked up at the girl across the table.
Rei was immersed in her homework, and was not paying attention to him. He watched the pale girl, fascinated.
The way her fingers delicately held the pencil...
The way her crimson eyes moved back and forth, taking in the text in front of her...
The way her slightly unruly light blue hair was scattered over her forehead...
The way her eyes bored right into his... oops.
"Ikari? Is something wrong?"
Shinji jumped a little, startled. "No, it's nothing," he said nervously as he threw himself back into his homework.
Rei tilted her head slightly and watched him for a couple seconds before returning to her text.
Blush fading, Shinji focused on the papers in front of him. But even though he looked like he was working hard, his mind was elsewhere.
They had not kissed again since that night. He was not sure why, but it never came up again. Shinji, being as nervous as he was around girls, would never be the one to initate things. What, was he just supposed to ask, 'Can I kiss you?' Uh-uh. No way. How awkward would that be?
Unfortunately, this left Ayanami to be the one to initiate things. While she had been the one who initiated things yesterday, it was a direct result of seeing it happen in the movie - almost as if she was... experimenting. They both got caught up in the moment, though, and it ended up lasting a lot longer than she probably intended...
His cheeks colored again, and he shook his head a little to clear it. Rei glanced up at him for a moment, but went back to her work.
But after that night... she never mentioned it again. Why not? She hadn't... lost interest in him, had she?
Shinji knocked that thought away; of course that wasn't it.
... Maybe it hadn't crossed her mind at all? Shinji's mood fell slightly at that thought - it was possible, but he'd rather not think that way.
... Was she leaving it to him to initiate it? He hoped that wasn't the case, because he certainly didn't have the guts to do so...
But she had mentioned feelings before... maybe she was dealing with new feelings after her first kiss? Was she... embarrassed?
He grinned inwardly. That was kind of cute.
Looking at the quiet and passive girl in front of him, it was hard to imagine her doing something so... bold. He wondered if it really happened...
Shinji's fingers drifted up, gently touching his lips. He blushed profusely - yes, it definitely happened.
As if sensing him, Rei looked up at him. Seeing his fingers on his lips, she must have guessed what he was thinking.... she blushed a little as she watched him.
He realized she was looking, and immediately dropped his hand into his lap. "Um... I... I was..."
"... thinking about our kiss?" she finished for him. Her voice seemed calm, but her colored cheeks indicated otherwise...
"Y-yeah, k-kinda..."
The room fell into an uncomfortable silence.
Finally, after some time, Rei ventured, "W-... would you like to... d-... do it again?"
'Chance!' his brain cried in joy. "Y-Yes!" he squeaked out.
She nodded in what he assumed was acceptance.
They stared at each other for a minute. Realizing that she would not be the one to make the first move as she had before, Shinji hesitantly made his way around the table and sat beside her. He swallowed nervously as he faced her.
Rei watched him as he took a little time to gather the courage for what he was about to do.
Finally, Shinji slowly leaned closer. He watched her slightly parted lips as he leaned in, ever so slowly... tilted his head...
He shivered a little as he felt her gentle breath on his cheek... felt her breathing speed up slightly, just as his was certainly doing...
His eyes slowly slid shut as he approached... so close... almost there... almost-
"Tadaima!" Misato called as she entered the apartment. She dropped her things in the kitchen, and entered the main room.
Misato paused as she saw the Children... doing their work. She raised an eyebrow as she noticed both of them blushing, though.... "Homework?"
Shinji nodded quite vigorously. "Yes, of course!"
Rei nodded in a slightly more normal manner, with a simple, "Hai."
She watched them for a few seconds.... and then, "... You're writing in the textbook, Shinji."
He jumped slightly. "Oh! Am I? Oops... it... I mean..." he got out before laughing nervously.
They stared at each other in an uncomfortable silence for a few seconds. Shinji could not think of any excuses to cover for his slip-up...
Finally, Misato shrugged. It probably wasn't a good idea to press the issue when the boy looked as if he were about to have an apoplexy. "Well, whatever." she said, and left the room.
He sighed, relieved that she wouldn't question any further.
However, both children had the same thought running through their heads.
'Damn it...'
]|[
Asuka was scowling. While this was nothing new, it did warrant inquiry.
"Um... what are you so angry about, Asuka?"
"Nothing," she responded curtly.
"Ok..."
Hikari watched her friend. Although Asuka had said it didn't bother her, it really did. She _was_ irritated about Shinji and Rei staying together. No, she would never admit it; but it really was obvious to anyone who knew her.
Hikari sighed. She had teased her earlier to get a rise out of her, but she really did care - they were friends, after all. Asuka didn't deserve this.
... And besides, being around an irritable Asuka was dangerous.
She decided to say something... but she had to speak carefully, and avoid really angering the girl. "Look... why don't you go back?"
"Why? I don't care."
'You do care,' Hikari thought. "I know... but I really think you should go back. I don't want to sound like I'm kicking you out, but don't you think you've stayed long enough?"
"What, so you don't want me here anymore?!"
So much for that. "It's not that... but didn't you make up with Shinji already?"
"So?"
"So why don't you want to go back?"
"Because..."
"Because... ?"
"... Because he's a jerk!"
Hikari looked at her strangely. "But I thought you already forgave him."
"I did!"
"Then why don't you want to go back?"
"... Because!"
Hikari sighed; this wasn't going anywhere. She had one more option. It wasn't nice... but it really was her last resort. Deep breath. "So how long are you going to keep running away?"
Asuka stiffened a little. "... I'm not running away." It struck an odd note in her mind... Baka Shinji is the one who's always running away...
"Sure you are. You don't want to see him or Rei, so you're hiding here at my house."
She looked quite angry now. "What?! I'm not hiding from anybody!" ... Baka Shinji is the wimp!
It was time to drive the point home. "You're not... afraid of seeing them, are you?"
That was the last straw... Asuka stood up angrily. "There's no way that I'm afraid of that... that... JERK! I'll show you who's running away!"
In one smooth motion, she stood up, grabbed her things, and stormed out.
After she left, Hikari paused, and a small grin appeared on her face. "I win."
]|[
"Ikari."
Shinji looked to his left. "Yes? What is it, Ayanami?"
She blushed a little. "I... wanted..."
"... to kiss?" Shinji timidly finished for her.
"... yes..." She averted her eyes.
He smiled - her behavior was really cute.
Rei stiffened a little, and looked to him in surprise as she found her hand in his.
"Don't worry about it, Ayanami." He turned bright red. "I'm sure... t-that... there will be... o-other... c-chances..." he forced himself to stutter out, and squeezed her hand gently. He couldn't believe he was daring to say such an embarrassing thing...
Rei blushed a little more. Nodding, she squeezed his hand back, and smiled gently.
... and seeing her smile made all the embarrassment worthwhile. 'Right,' he thought. 'That's why I dared to say that.'
He almost lost himself in her red eyes again...
... until he recalled something he had been meaning to ask. "Ayanami... I was wondering... why weren't you... as... uh... um... a-aggressive... as when we... kissed... before?" he struggled to ask, memories of Rei's... forceful... kiss that night making him timid once again.
She looked down. "I... don't know. For some reason, I was... reluctant... to do so... but at the same time, I wanted to... it is confusing..."
"... You wanted to, but you didn't want to act as forceful as before?"
Rei nodded hesitantly. "I do not understand how I could be so reserved about it, when I... want to. Somehow, I am more..."
"... self-conscious?"
She looked at him, tilting her head as she pondered the term. "Self-conscious?"
Shinji nodded. "It's when you're... concerned about yourself and how you appear to other people. Like... you worry about... what I think of you, I guess."
The Rei in Shinji's mind.
She thought about it for another minute. "I... suppose. But why is this happening?"
"You're... shy, I think."
"Shy?"
"Well... kind of. Embarrassed. Bashful. There are a few words you could use to describe it."
"But why am I suddenly becoming... shy?"
Shinji paused to think. "I can't really say for sure... but I know I'm usually a very shy and quiet person. I get extremely embarrassed, especially when it comes to things such as... k-kissing. ... Maybe you're the same way. Are you concerned about what... other people in our class think, for example?"
"No," she replied with some certainty. "Just you..."
Shinji's heart soared...
"... and Commander Ikari."
... and crashed. And burned. That's right - he had forgotten about that.
As if somehow sensing his change in mood, Rei gave his hand a slight, reassuring squeeze. "But... somehow... it is mostly... you."
Shinji shook off the depressed mood - he had to help her with her feelings. He smiled and squeezed her hand back. "It sounds a lot like how I feel when I'm embarrassed."
"But... the fact that I only care about what you think... indicates that the way I... feel... about you is significantly different from the way I feel about everyone else... correct?"
He felt his face heating up. "Er... um... yeah... I g-guess..." he stuttered out nervously, scratching his head.
Rei looked down, contemplating this new development.
'... embarrassed...?'
]|[
As Asuka stormed down the street towards Misato's apartment, she froze.
"... I can't believe I fell for that."
After a minute, she shrugged and continued walking. Even if Hikari did trick her, she did bring up some valid points.
She really couldn't stay at Hikari's house forever. No matter how long she tried to avoid seeing the other two Children, she was only delaying the inevitable - they did pilot together, after all. She was bound to see them at the next battle, if not at an earlier sync test.
She gritted her teeth. Plus, Wondergirl was staying with Shinji. It wouldn't do to leave those two alone and... unmediated.
... She backed her thoughts up to amend that statement: Shinji was a pervert, after all, and Wondergirl was a doll that wouldn't raise complaint if Shinji tried to... do something perverted to her.
Right. That was it.
...
... And if nothing else, she had to prove to Hikari that she wasn't afraid... of anyone.
]|[
"Ikari?"
Shinji started slightly; it was the first word Rei had said in 15 minutes. "Y-Yes?"
"Can I call you... S-... Shinji?"
Huh? "Uh... s-sure, I don't see why not..."
"Alright... Shinji."
His heart rate sped up slightly, just by hearing her say his name for the first time. "Uh... but... w-... why the sudden change?"
"... Somehow I... felt like... dissociating?... you from the Commander."
What? ... Oh. She didn't want to call him and the Commander by the same name anymore. ... He didn't know whether to feel glad or not - was it because she didn't want to call him by the name reserved for the Commander, or was it actually because... he himself was the one she held in higher regard?
"O-Ok, that's... fine..."
Somewhere in the back of his mind, Shinji registered the sound of the front door opening. Misato was in the kitchen; maybe she had a guest? The thought was quickly dismissed; there were more pressing issues at hand.
"Then I guess I s-should do the same... d-do you mind... if I c-call you... R-Rei?"
She blushed a little, and shook her head.
He sighed a little in relief, and smiled. "All right then, Re-AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
Rei gave him a strange look, and turned around to see what he was staring at...
...
Asuka was standing in the doorway.
She did not look pleased.
"You two are pretty close, I see."
"A-A-A-Asuka! Uh... f-fancy meeting y-you here..."
"... I live here, idiot." She arched an eyebrow at him.
Belatedly, Shinji looked down, and quickly removed his hand from Rei's. After a couple seconds, she too returned her hand to her lap.
"Uh-... well... I... wasn't expecting you to b-be back so soon!"
Asuka scoffed. "Obviously." She turned to Rei. "So... you're still here, Wondergirl," she said, a definite note of distaste in her voice.
"... Yes." Any semblance of emotion Rei had shown before was gone.
Those two really were not getting along; he had to intervene before something... bad... happened. "Um... W-Why are you back so soon, Asuka? I t-thought you said you were going to stay longer?"
She crossed her arms and gave him a scathing glare. "I was, but then I thought you would do something perverted if I wasn't around. Seems I was right."
"I wasn't doing anything perverted!"
"You were holding her hand!"
"How is that perverted?!"
"Because you probably reached over and grabbed her hand without asking! She's too much of a doll to stop you."
"Rei- I mean, Ayanami is not a doll! And I didn't 'grab' her hand without asking!"
"Oh, first names already? You two are quite affectionate. I guess you didn't even have to ask before you grabbed her hand, huh? What's next, her breasts?"
As things degenerated into one of their typical little spats, Rei stood up and left the room.
]|[
It was not a pleasant moment for Misato.
She sat at the kitchen table, drinking her third beer. On the table was a rather large stack of papers - it was giving her a headache just _looking_ at all the paperwork in front of her.
'Work sucks,' she thought.
Plus, there was this irritating little clamor coming from the next room, which didn't help her head at all...
Rei entered the room, paused, and then made her way over to Misato. "Hello, Major."
Misato looked up. "Oh hi, Rei."
"Shinji and Pilot Soryu are fighting. Does this happen often?"
Since when does she call Shinji by his first name? "It happens occasionally. They're fine; don't worry about it."
Rei remained silent. It seemed like the girl had nothing else to say.
...
Shrugging, she grabbed her beer and took a big swig.
"I do not like it."
*SPURT* Misato sprayed a little beer on her papers; beer went down the wrong pipe.
"Are you all right, Major?"
"I'm fine," she got out hoarsely as she finished coughing the last of the liquid out of her windpipe. "Really, it's ok, Rei. Why does it bother you so much?"
"Have you forgotten, Major, that the injury on Shinji's cheek is the result of a fight?"
That's right. "That is true, but... it's a little different with these fights..."
"How? I do not understand."
"Well... that was a _real_ fight. A bad one. When they have little arguments like this, it's... almost... friendly fighting, I suppose. Neither of them is really serious about hurting the other. I think it's kind of like lion cubs play fighting or something - they're showing a sort of affection, admittedly in a slightly demented way..."
"I... see."
Misato blinked. She could have sworn she saw Rei's brow furrow slightly. Before she could say anything, though, Rei was already heading out of the room.
She stared after the girl for a few seconds, and then looked down at her now beer-soaked papers. "Oh, shit!"
]|[
Shinji and Asuka faced off, panting slightly as their fight died down.
Asuka's eyes drifted... to the cut on Shinji's cheek. Involuntarily, she winced slightly and averted her eyes.
Shinji's angry expression softened a little.
"I... really am sorry," she finally said quietly. "I didn't want to cut you..."
He relaxed - her mood seemed a little better, at least. "It's ok, it doesn't bother me."
"But-"
"No, really. Don't worry about it. It was my fault anyway."
Asuka sighed, and finally smiled a little. "Thanks..."
He returned the smile. "No problem."
...
After a minute, Rei re-entered the room, now that the noise level was back to normal. "You look exhausted, Shinji."
Asuka's eyebrow twitched. That whole 'first name' thing still did bother her...
"Perhaps we should go to sleep," the blue-haired girl continued.
Asuka's eyebrow twitched again. 'We?'
Shinji glanced over at Asuka. When he saw no immediate violent reaction forthcoming, he looked back at Rei.
Something... was off. He couldn't say what it was, but there was something... different... about Rei's demeanor, or her voice, or _something_. It was barely detectable, but it was there. "I... guess..." He turned. "Good night, Asuka."
Asuka was silent as she watched Rei and Shinji both leave the room... and enter Shinji's room.
After a minute of shock, she scowled in an extremely frightening manner. This was too much.
Balling up her fists, Asuka stomped after them, fully intent on beating some sense into that scrawny little pervert...
-TBC
xiphux@planetjurai.com