EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 12: Ikari-san, do you want to live with me?
"Together...stay...?"

Ayanami Rei's small eyes were filled with great confusion, as if she had never heard of the meaning of this word.

No...it should be said that in Rei Ayanami's life, which was as brilliant and short as fireworks, she had never experienced the feeling of living with others.

That's why when he heard this word, he reacted as if it were a fairy tale.

"Me... and Ikari-san?"

"Ah! Of course it's not just us. There's also Asuka... the second qualified person, and Misato-san. The four of us are together. We're the EVA pilots and the combat commanders. The purpose is to strengthen our bond and facilitate teamwork."

In order to prevent Rei Ayanami from having any misunderstandings, Shinji Ikari said a lot of things in one breath, and then he realized that if he was so busy explaining, wouldn't people think he was trying to cover up the truth?

"Is it... an order?"

However, Rei Ayanami did not think about that. She just pondered for a short while, wondering when to ask whether it was a mandatory order issued by Misato Katsuragi, the combat commander.

"..."

Shinji Ikari frowned. According to his understanding of Rei Ayanami, he only needed to nod here, and the child would definitely pack her few luggage and move into Misato's house tonight.

And with her personality, she would never confirm with Misato Katsuragi whether what she said was true or not, but would just accept it quietly like a puppet.

But - I don't want to do that.

"No, this is not an order."

"Then I won't..."

It was an expected reaction. The moment she heard that the order was not given by her superior at NERV, Rei Ayanami's eyes dimmed a little and she shook her head.

"But I hope Ayanami can move in!"

Before Rei Ayanami could finish her words of refusal, Shinji Ikari interrupted her rudely and forcefully.

"I hope...Ayanami can live with us."

This is not an order from anyone, but I hope that Rei Ayanami can make a choice based on her own consciousness.

Although it was just a trivial matter of where to live, Shinji Ikari still hoped that this doll-like girl could express herself.

"...!"

Feeling the strong will in Shinji Ikari's words, Rei Ayanami swallowed back the second half of her refusal.

The light in his pupils that had previously dimmed became bright again.

"... Ikari-san, do you want me to come... with you? Why?"

"because--"

Shinji Ikari paused, frowned slightly and looked around.

The air was filled with a sour smell, the light was oppressive and dim, and the apartment looked like a tombstone, without any sense of human living environment.

"Because I don't want you, Ayanami, to have to live alone in a place like this. Is that an okay reason?"

"I don't mind..."

Following Shinji Ikari's gaze, Rei Ayanami understood what he meant by this kind of place. It seemed she was also somewhat aware of how poor her living conditions were.

"I do care. Your injuries haven't healed yet, and living here alone will definitely be inconvenient. Just like just now, just wearing..."

As he said this, he thought of Rei Ayanami's graceful and elegant figure, her tender and tender body. Shinji Ikari's face flushed and he changed the subject.

"Anyway, if you can move in with us, Miss Misato and I can take care of you in terms of daily life."

"Ikari-san, do you want me to live with you?"

"We're together!"

Is this guy deliberately emphasizing this just to embarrass himself?

Although he emphasized that everyone would live together, Shinji Ikari still nodded in affirmatively.

"Really? I understand. I will...I will apply."

……Apply?
Shinji Ikari frowned. Isn't Rei Ayanami an orphan without parents?
Even need to apply? Who should I apply to? Could it be that NERV controls the home addresses of its employees? If they really did control that, would they let Rei Ayanami live alone in this place?
Could it be some blind guy who started some kind of workplace bullying?
However, realizing that this might involve sensitive areas that Rei Ayanami didn't want to be touched, Shinji Ikari did not ask.

"Okay, I understand. I'll tell Miss Misato... Well, sorry for bothering you today. Goodbye."

"what…"

Hearing the farewell words, Ayanami Rei's expression froze, and she subconsciously tried to persuade him to stay. However, she didn't know what to say, and could only sigh and stand there in a daze.

"what happened?"

"........."

After a long silence, Shinji Ikari realized that the girl had something to say. He did not urge her nor leave, but waited quietly.

Rei Ayanami looked around, as if looking for something to talk about, but she didn't know what to say.

"...Um, do you care?"

Finally, her eyes fell on the desk. To be more precise, they fell on the clean, broken glasses placed there.

“…Is it, my father’s?”

"you know?"

After hearing Shinji Ikari's guess, a hint of panic flashed in Rei Ayanami's eyes, and she didn't even realize why she was panicking.

"No, I just had this feeling."

"……Is it."

After hesitating for a moment, Rei Ayanami told the story of the glasses.

During a previous experiment, Unit-00 went berserk and Ayanami's plug was ejected. As a result, it collided with the wall of the narrow laboratory and fell dozens of meters.

That's how Ayanami got injured, and at that time, Ikari Gendo acted out of character, losing his usual calmness and composure, and ran towards the plug in a panic, opened the hatch, and rescued Ayanami Rei.

It was at that time that the glasses fell into the LCL solution and were corroded and damaged, and then they were picked up by Rei Ayanami.

"That's it..."

"Ikari-san...you're smiling?"

Rei Ayanami stared blankly at the smile that involuntarily appeared on Shinji Ikari's lips.

"Ah, really?"

Shinji Ikari himself didn't even notice.

"Because, that old man has always been cold and unkind... I didn't expect him to have this side. I feel a little happy."

Although it is possible that most of this is Rei Ayanami's own preconceived ideas, the robot-like Gendo Ikari also has human emotions, which does make Shinji Ikari feel fortunate.

"Really? That's great."

Looking at Shinji Ikari's smile, Rei Ayanami's mouth corners also raised into a beautiful arc.

Afterwards, Shinji Ikari left.

It was clearly just a... trivial matter, but Ayanami Rei couldn't just brush it off like usual.

Looking at Shinji Ikari's leaving back, Rei Ayanami felt that the thoughts churning in her heart could not calm down for a long time, but she... did not know what these emotions that seemed to be about to burst out were.

"...Thank you. I'm expressing my gratitude to someone... for the first time."

Even that person [Ikari Gendo]... himself never said it out loud.

But, he spoke to that man's son naturally. And...

Thinking back to when I asked him if he wanted me to live with him...Ikari Shinji's determined look.

This inner turmoil that I don’t know how to describe is growing stronger and stronger.

It seemed like joy, excitement, but also fear or anxiety... This was an emotion that Rei Ayanami had never experienced before.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Rei Ayanami stood up and began to pack her clothes and necessary medicines into a suitcase that had not been used since moving in.

"…………"

And, Ikari Gendo's glasses.

Rei Ayanami picked it up countless times, put it down, picked it up again, and put it down again...

Finally, I decided to put it neatly in a glasses case and leave it in the drawer of my desk.

No, put it in the suitcase.

(End of this chapter)