Chapter 8- Confusion

Shinji briskly walked to his room, upset by the happenings taking place. He stopped in front of his door, listening to a few more words. Bowing his head in anger, he closed his eyes, frustration etched on his young face. As he placed a hand on the door, a light touch registered on his shoulder. It was as though he was not even being touched by a full feather, the feeling so odd and almost surreal to his senses.

He turned around to see a very blank familiar face looking at him. Rei stood before him, not too close but not too far. Her red eyes betrayed no emotion and every muscle in her face was still. She was the perfect doll. No, that was what everyone called her. To him, she was just perfect.

She dropped her hand and stepped back, blinking her eyes just once. She acted as though she had something to say, and she did, but she would wait for his words. She believed that since Asuka's words were not directed towards him, his reaction would be different from hers, would it not? But now she wasn't so sure. Her mind was already in an over-drive trying to figure out her own emotions, let alone attempt to comprehend Shinji's.

Shinji's hands tensed by his side as she resumed her silence, neither willing to be the first to break the quiet. Why did she not speak? What could she expect of him? Why did she always have to do this? He knew the routine by now. He would speak first (he always spoke first), asking about the mission, she would tell him, he would then ask why she did this, and then she would say something like 'because she has nothing else' or that 'she must' and then leave.

Perhaps that was why he said nothing. He was afraid. Terribly afraid. Afraid of her leaving him; of not being there at his side; of her disappearing just like everyone else that he knew. What a foolish little boy, I say, what a foolish little boy.

"I… I… I don't know what to do, Rei. I want to hurt her for being so cruel to you for all these years, but I know that will make her worse at school tomorrow. I know she said she hurt you a lot, but I promise with all my heart I will protect you," he declared with conviction, stepping closer towards her. "Better than my father."

The last four words he uttered ever so softly, attempting to give her a hug. Her eyes widened and she panicked, ducking swiftly out of the way, causing Shinji to fall rather comically into a wall.

He slid down the wall slowly, a very slightly cringing Rei as she took in the sight. She had not meant to cause him harm in any way, but didn't these things come with a warning label?

She bowed a small bow, her hair obscuring her crimson eyes as she did so. "I am sorry. I thank you for your protection, Shinji-kun, but why did you just try and attack me?"

He turned to her, a look of slight disbelief written clearly on his features. Getting up and limping past her, he opened the door to his room and flopped down half dead on his bed. He hurt. Period. No ands, ifs or buts about it.

"Come here and let me explain a hug to you," he said, still lying down, motioning for her to approach him with his left hand.

The blue haired girl walked in obediently and shut the door quietly, thinking that this was some big secret that she was being told. She sat down on the floor, her gentle hands resting on her lap as she waited for Shinji to sit up.

"I wasn't trying to hurt you; I was trying to give you a hug. Hugs are used to show a person how much you care or appreciate them, I suppose."

"So you care for me then?"

"Well, they can also be used as a sign of friendship," he replied almost too quickly, his cheeks heating up furiously

"I see," Rei said thoughtfully. "Then may I give you a hug?"

Such a simple question cannot be answered so easily by a boy. He may have saved the world, but nothing in life came easily to him. His eyes darted around nervously and his palms became sweaty. Why was she asking him this? Why couldn't she just do it?

"Y-y-yes," the raven-haired boy stammered out as best as he could manage.

Slowly the girl got up and closed the distance between her and the boy. Rei clumsily enclosed him within her arms, trying to find a comfortable place for them. This was defiantly a bit more difficult then it sounded. Where was she to put her head? Should she of asked this beforehand? Finally she decided to rest it upon his shoulder, her cool breath caressing his neck as she did so.

At first, Shinji was very tense. It would have been easier if he had hugged her. He had been about to do it anyway. But this… it was totally different this way. Slowly he brought his hands up around her as he shivered at her every breath. He held on to her firmly as they stayed that way a little longer, neither wanting to let go, both feeling as though the imperfect world was finally complete and eternity had at last earned its meaning.

Suddenly the door slammed open to reveal a very surprised, and sneezing, Misato. She took a few steps into the room before her eyes immediately bugged out at the indecent, or at least in her opinion anyway, sight before her.

"OH. MY. GOD! You guys are already living in sin! AHHH! What'll happen when I'm not around to stop you? Out! OUT!" she screamed, but they seemed not to hear her. Upon noticing her words were having little to no effect, she began waving her arms in a shooing manner akin to a panicked mother hen, as if that could improve things. "Off! Shinji, get ready and pack your stuff! Rei, go sit in the kitchen or something! NOW!"

They finally broke off and began to get ready to leave, Misato watching the two of them the whole time like how a starved hawk watched its prey. Soon enough they were out the door and in Misato's car, heading towards a decidedly strange week…

NeoAthena: I know the chapters are short, but I think that it is better to have short, good chapters, than long boring, rambling ones that tend to lose your interest really quickly. Also, it's not that the characters are OOC, it's just that they have grown over the end of the series (which I am using the movies for). I'll try not to change too much, I like the universe just as it is, but hey, poetic license, ne? Thank you so much for reviewing and then also thenks to my Beta Lone Wulffe!