Why today…
EVA fanfic by Rickettz

After eating his breakfast, Shinji had a brief conversation with Misato while Pen-Pen went for a bath and until Asuka was ready for school. Misato drove them to school and then left for NERV headquarters for a meeting or something. Asuka immediately went off to her little group of friends. Rei Ayanami, one of Shinji's classmates, ran up to him and started to walk beside him.
"Hey." She said.
"Hey." he said back with a bit of hesitation. Noticing her decrease in shyness.
"How are you?" Rei asked.
"Fine, you?" he replied.
"Ok." She said plainly.
"How's unit 00 coming?" he asked.
"Yeah, ok, unit 01?"
"Yeah, same."
By now they were in class and seated, waiting for the teacher.
"He's always late!" Shinji told Suzahara.
"Yeah, but you gotta think. He's gotta put up with us all day. He's probably packing his bag full of chill pills." Suzahara joked.
"Probably." Replied Shinji. Laughing a bit.
Shinji then glanced over to Rei as she was looking out the window like she always was but then she looked over at him with a happy look on her face.
'Well that's a change.' Said a surprised Shinji.
"What?" Questioned Suzahara.
"Rei, she looked happy for once. The only other time she looked happy was when I pried her from a entry-plug once and told her to smile." Laboured Shinji.
"Well, that is rare."
"Yeah, oh, here he is!" said Shinji talking about the teacher.

At recess Shinji was quietly eating his self-packed lunch when Rei came up to him and asked where Asuka was.
Shinji said, "I don't know, probably over with her friends."
"Thanks" was all he got as a reply before she ran off.

Puzzled the rest of the day, Shinji got home to find Misato on the couch with a pile of her favourite beer beside her.
"Hi Shinji." She shouted after he got into his room.
"Hi." he shouted back.
"Wadda you want for dinner tonite, Shinji?"
"I don't know, you're choice?" he replied.
The front door opened up and in came a bursting Asuka.
"Do I get a say in this matter?" blurted Asuka.
"Hahahahaha, no, if it was up to you we'd have pizza twenty-four-seven."
"What's the problem with that!"
"Except for the nutritional value of null, lots of things."
"Quark" agreed Pen-Pen.
"Like what?"
"For one, you're weird choice of flavourings."
"What's wrong with Seafood with capsicum and pickles?"
"Quark-quark" Pen-Pen squeaked again in anticipation.
"Ewwwwww. You just saying it makes me wanna hurl!" teased Misato.
"Oh, Shut up." stated Asuka.
"Then it's gotta be Chinese."
"As long as you get me those little things with chicken in 'em." pointed out Asuka.
"Ok, Ok."
"YEAH." Screamed Asuka, jumping up and down with joy.
"Thanks, I didn't need my eardrums." complained Shinji.
"Now you shut up." ordered Asuka.
"Sure, whatever." Completely blowing her off.
"You would if you knew what I know." teased Asuka.
"What's that?" Shinji said hesitantly. She paused, as if to think how to say "it".
"Rei likes Shinji, Rei likes Shinji." she chanted in a melodic tone.
"WHAT." Shinji and Misato shouted and screamed in synchronization.
"Yeah, when she came up to me today she was asking stuff. As in what you like and stuff."
"Why, what have I done." replied a stunned Shinji.
"You rascal, Shinji." said Misato while rubbing Shinji's hair.
"Like, what should I do, or how should I act?" stuttered Shinji.
"Don't worry Shinji, after all, who do you live with?" said Asuka.
"Two girls." Replied Shinji, not bothering to think.
"Two women!" yelled his flatmates.
"Ok, Ok, I think I got the point." He said sort of half laughing and half crying.

The next morning went off with out a hitch. Shinji got out of bed, got dressed and grabbed his Walkman, had breakfast and went to school where he met up with Rei. "Hey." She said.
"Hey." Shinji replied shyly.
"What's up, it looks like you just saw an angel?" joked Rei.
"I sorta just did." He said quietly. Remembering to last night's lecture on how to be nice Rei. She turned as red as EVA's/Unit 02 armour.
"Well, I, uh…" Shinji deliberated.
"Thanks." Is what he heard as she ran towards the school.

I class Shinji could feel Rei looking at him but he didn't want to turn around because if he did she would turn to look at the window so he didn't notice but he did, even without looking around. At lunch he sat over with Suzahara and Ayda for the weekly gossip among the fellas.
"Dude did you see Rei looking square at you in class?" Suzahara started.
"Yeah man, she must really like you or something Shinji." Noted Ayda.
"I know, but when I tried to say something nice to her this morning on the way to school all I got was a "thanks" and then she ran away." Shinji told them.
"Does that mean…"Started Suzahara.
"That you like her too?" Finished Ayda.
"Yeah, I guess so." Replied Shinji.
""You guess. Damn man, she's the hottest next to Asuka, and you virtually live with them both! And your guardian Misato, 'groan'." Suzahara gestured with a thrust of his hips.
"Toji?" Said an embarrassed Shinji. Red and all.
"Don't mind him." Said Ayda. "Most of the guy's in class think Misato's a honey." As if in a daydream.
"If you only knew." Shinji said quietly.

As Shinji got home and took off his shoes he realised that there were four pairs of shoes. "Someone must be here." He said to himself.
When he reached the kitchen he heard talking in Asuka's room. "Rei's here." Misato shouted catching Shinji by surprise.
"What, where, when." Said a startled Shinji looking about.
"Rei, here, now." Answered Misato.
Shinji calmed down for a second. "She in Asuka's room?"
"Yeah, they're having a bit of a talk."
"Oh, ok." Shinji said as he walked into his room but he had a funny feeling that Misato was smiling as he walked away. When Shinji got changed he put on his Walkman and rested his eyes. He heard Asuka's door close and a knock at his door followed. "Yes, come in." Shinji replied. Rei walked in and closed the door.
"Hey." She greeted.
"Hey."
"Thanks for what you said this morning."
"Oh, That's OK." Taking off his earphones.
"Did you mean it?"
"Wha, well, yeah, sort of."
Rei had a puzzled look on her face and tilted her head a bit to the right.
"Well, uh yes, yes I did." Shinji said in a bit of a hurry.
Rei smiled and blushed a bit. Shinji could hear giggling outside of his door. He went and opened it only to find Misato and Asuka lying on the ground in a heap, after a loud crash. "What the?" he said with one of his eyebrows twitching.
"What was that for?!" shouted Asuka.
"What's with the eavesdropping?" Questioned Shinji.
"Well, uh, bye." Said the girls and they both bolted to there're separate rooms.
"That is that." Said Shinji as he turned around to see Rei laughing.
"You do look better when you laugh." He remarked.
"Sorry." was all she could get out before laughing some more.
"Don't apologise, it's a good thing." He said and proceeded to sit next to her. It wasn't long before they were both laughing hysterically. When they were done laughing at Misato and Asuka's accident Shinji proposed, "You want something to eat?"
"No thanks, it's almost time for dinner." She replied.
"Oh, ok. Hey, Misato, what's for dinner?"

That night Asuka got her way and had a whole seafood with capsicum and pickle pizza to herself while the others made do with simple Meatlovers. After that Rei left for her single apartment after waving goodbye to Shinji. After Shinji got inside he had a talk to Misato and Asuka. "Has anyone noticed that she seems to talk more lately?"
"It's been like that ever since the 17th angel was destroyed." Commented Misato. Shinji went into a silent, listening mood.
"Oh well, it seems that getting out of NERV and into everyday life was good for her after all." noted Asuka.
"You may be right. Before-hand she basically lived at the apartment, NERV or at school." stated Misato. Shinji looked down at his legs in dismay.
"You really like her, don't you Shinji?" said Misato.
"Yeah, but I just don't know what to do." He complained.
"Just be your self, dorcus." Prompted Asuka. Shoving a piece into her mouth.
"If it was that easy, I'd have no problem doing the dishes on your night's." Shinji joked.
"Are you saying we eat to much!" screamed the female duo. And with that, Misato pounced over the table and started to mock-strangle Shinji for his comment. After the bickering that followed they decided to hit the sack.

As it was Saturday, they all slept in until about 9:30. That's when all hell broke loose. "Shinji!"
"What, what did I do now?" Shinji answered.
"These pancakes taste awful." Misato and Asuka complained.
"Nothing should be wrong, I used the… right… flour." Pausing between his last two words as he checked the flour.
"Corn Flour! What are you trying to do, poison us?"
"I didn't mean to!" he waited "Accidentally." he said under his breath.
"What was that half-pint?" cried Asuka.
"Uh, nothing Asuka."
"Oh well, looks like it's cereal then." whined Misato.

When breakfast was over, Shinji decided to go for a walk to the cliff edge he liked because of the nice view of Tokyo 3. He caught the train and found that Rei was also on it. "Where can she be heading?" he thought to himself as he walked over to her.
"Boo."
"Oh, hey. What are you doing here?"
"Going up to the mountain."
"What for?"
"I don't know, nice view I guess, you?"
"Nowhere imparticular."
Shinji paused for a second.
"You want to come up with me, to the mountain, I mean?"
Rei smiled a bit. "Sure."
After a very uneventful trip Shinji and Rei made it up to the cliff Shinji was going to. Once there they both sat on the bench that was placed there because Shinji was a frequent visitor.
Rei started "Why do you like me?"
"Well, uh, I don't know."
"Why?"
"I think it's just that I'm not very good with emotions."
"How come?"
"Probably because having your father leave you out in the cold, alone, takes a toll, I guess."
"Why do you keep all your feelings inside?"
"Because I don't want anyone to take them for granted and then stomp on them."
"Oh."
Silence.
"Rei?"
"Yes."
"I don't know why, but I feel as though I can tell you anything."
"And?"
"I usually don't tell anyone, anything, especially about me."
"Well, I feel … privileged."
Shinji laughed and then Rei started. When done laughing they both just sat and admired the view.

When Shinji got home, Asuka and Misato were waiting.
"Well lover-boy, how was your voyage?" said Asuka.
"Ok, I guess."
"You guess a lot don't you, Shinji Ikari?"
"I guess."
"Give me a definite answer, god-damnit." Slamming her fist on the table.
"Asuka, leave him alone." growled Misato.
Shinji was in his room and put on his Walkman and tuned out and didn't even hear Misato walk in and 'FLASH'.
She'd taken a picture so she could give it to Rei. Shinji rose and saw Misato run out and proceeded to chase her for it. This carried on for a couple of minutes before Shinji gave up and went to look for something to drink. "Shinji, could you grab a beer for me while you're there?" cried Misato from the lounge room.
"I'll give you a beer." Said Shinji as he smirked evilly. He shook up the can and gave it to Misato. She opened it and it went all over her white top and within seconds it was see through. Now the tables had turned and Misato was chasing Shinji round. Within a quarter of an hour it was all over and Asuka was the only dry soul in the place, not to mention Pen-Pen whom was always wet.
"I'll cook tomorrow's breakfast." called Asuka.

The End