Disclaimers: 
Neon Genesis Evangelion and all related characters, concepts, etc., are 
property of ADVision and Gainax. I only *wish* they were mine. 
This is my first stab at a Rei/Shinji fic. It take place between the 5th and 
6th angel attacks. 
Also, I have yet to see if I will continue this with more chapters. 
The types of reviews will determine the continuation of this story as long 
as they are constructive. Flames need not apply! 
I do need Pre-readers if I continue as well. Hope you enjoy! 
****Special Thanks go to my editor, Etsuriko (MadEdittor@aol.com) 
He has edited this story and I would recommend all to check his stories out at Fanfiction.net!*** 
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Of Comfort and Kindness 
Chapter 1: A caring feeling 
"Misato, Misato, when is she going to be released?" Asked an anxious Shinji. 
It had been a week since Shinji's Unit 1 destroyed the fifth angel, and Unit 
00's failed activation. He was worried about Ayanami Rei, Unit 00's pilot, 
and his new found friend. She received couple of bruises, a concussion, a 
sprained shoulder, as well as some burns from her synchronization with 
Unit 00. Due to this, she felt all the damage that the EVA unit had incurred. 
"According to Ritsuko, Rei is due out of the hospital this afternoon." 
Misato said in a hung-over tune. She had pulled an all-niter and was 
preparing herself to sleep all day with a pack of bear. "Misato, will you be 
up by the time they release Rei? If not, I'll take the Maglev Train to the 
hospital instead." 
"It's all right, Shin-chan. I'll try to stay awake by then...." To Shinji's 
surprise Misato had already fallen asleep. 
Shinji helped Misato to her bed. After he did so, he ate breakfast and 
packed his lunch. He then took some tokens for the train and headed to 
school. 
------------------------ 
As she woke up for the fifth day in a row, she saw the same ceiling. So 
familiar was the ceiling to her now. Though she wasn't too perturbed at 
staring at a hospital rooms' ceiling, she was getting quite impatient at 
having to spend more time in a hospital room rather than in her apartment. 
However, she never allowed her impatience surface around people. She was 
after all Ayanami Rei, Pilot of Evangelion Unit-00. She was not use to 
having or to publicly show such emotions to anyone. However, five days ago 
there was the small yet comforting time she did show her feelings to 
another. That was after the second person in her life had gone through all 
the risk to rescue her. 
First it was Commander Ikari, head of NERV, her father figure and guardian 
her whole life. Though she was not sure what his true feelings were for her, 
she regarded his acknowledgment of her achievements as important to her. 
This had been up to last week as her goals in life. To please the Commander 
on what ever he had her do. Now, she wasn't sure of the fact anymore. Now 
she had to contend with the idea that she now had feelings that she could 
not understand in regard to Ikari Shinji, Unit-01's pilot. Shinji was the 
commander's estranged son, was the second person that risked his life to 
save her. 
"Why would he do that? Why would he regard me as important enough to help 
me?" Rei thought. She was very confused. 
------------------------ 
Shinji was out of breath. He had run from his school to the train station, 
then from the nearest station, to the hospital. He was exhausted when he 
reached the hospital. When he caught his breath well enough he made his way 
towards Rei's room. He had visited her daily since she admitted following 
the fifth angels attack. When she awoke she smiled briefly at Shinji, he now 
knew that the moment they shared at the end of the battle was real Now. He 
had read to her some of the headlines and stories the media had said of 
their exploits, as well as some of the homework and other literature she had 
requested for him to read. Rei's eyes weren't damaged, but she like the fact 
that Shinji wanted to read to her, and she enjoyed the company, although she 
still kept her emotionless mask on. Shinji for his part started to recognize 
Rei's little quirks, which delighted him. 
"She's a real girl after all. I can see it even through her mask." Shinji 
had thought once. 
She heard heavy footsteps down the hallway where her room was located. She 
looked up to the room's door as the knob began to turn, only to be greeted 
by a panting Shinji who almost doubled over as he tried to catch his breathe 
yet again. 
"You did not have to run Ikari-kun. I was not going to leave so soon." Said 
Rei who was already prepared to leave. She sat on the hospital bed; a bag of 
clothes lay beside her. Shinji was finally breathing normaly; he smiled at 
Rei. He gave her a card and some sugarless chocolates in a box. Dr. Akagi 
had warned him of Rei's dislike for meat and intolerance for sugar. 
"I just wanted to make sure I didn't miss you, Ayanami-san!" Spoke Shinji. 
"Hope you like the chocolatesÉtheyÕre sugarless." 
"Thank you, Ikari-kun." Rei spoke with a mildly surprised look in her face. 
No one, not even the Commander had given her anything in the previous times 
she was in the hospital, and this gift Shinji had given her did surprise 
her. She stood there looking at the gift with a bewildered look. Shinji saw 
Rei's expression and asked, worried, "Are you okay, Ayanami-san?" 
"Yes, I'm fine. I must go, I am being released." She just walked passed him 
when he spoke. 
"Well, that's why I'm here, would you like me to walk you home?" 
"I have been cleared by the doctors so I am healthy enough to walk home by 
myself." Stated Rei. 
Shinji wavered for a second then said, "It would worry me if you went home 
alone. Remember that a concussion is a lingering injury. I want to walk you 
home, to guide you so that you would be safe and I would have no need to 
worry." 
"There, I said it, wow was that hard!" Shinji thought inwardly. He stared 
into those brilliant red eyes; they mesmerized him. 
"Why do you worry for my safety?" Rei asked. Shinji did not answer. "Why do 
you worry for my safety, Shinji-kun?" She asked again. 
"Because I care for you. Didn't you know that from earlier this week?" The 
boy answered. 
Now he was worried that she didn't really mean that smile she had given him 
while inside Unit-00's entry plug. Now he too was confused about what he 
felt for her. He knew it was a warm and comforting feeling being near her. 
However, he had never in his life felt this feeling. The only time he had 
felt anything like this was of his vague memories of his mother. Moreover, 
he knew that was a love of a mother and her child. This was different. 
However, now he was confused as he awaited Rei's answer. She did have a 
habit of waiting in silence as she pondered any answer that would have a 
great affect either on her or on others. In addition, she was not used to 
interaction with other people. 
Shinji was the first new person she had to deal with on a daily basis since 
she was born. Before that, she had only had to deal with the Commander, Sub 
Commander, and Dr. Akagi. Shinji was so different from the other people she 
had dealt with in the past. He was a teenager, and he wasn't as mature as 
they were. Which tended to irritate her. However, she saw in him a kindness 
she didn't see in the adults she associated with. When she looked up at 
Shinji's face, it had a confused and hurt look. She realized that her 
pondering and non-verbal response was affecting him greatly, and this she 
felt was wrong to do. 
"Why do I care for how he feels now?" She questioned this within her mind. 
"Very well, Ikari-kun, you can accompany me." With that she picked up her 
belongings and headed for the nursing station. Shinji after a moment's 
hesitation, walked behind her with a warm smile on his face. 
The walk to her apartment was uneventful until they were a block from her 
home. 
"Ayanami-san, can I ask you a question?" asked Shinji nervously. 
Rei had not knowingly stared at Shinji, but felt his nervousness when he 
asked. "Would you be interested if I showed you something?" he continued. 
"Can you be more clear on what it is you want to show me Ikari-kun?" asked 
Rei. 
"Well if I told you, you won't be surprised would you?" 
"Why would I want to be surprised?" She stared back at him with her normal 
emotionless look. 
"I think it would make you feel good, Ayanami-san." He looked at her with 
the same smile he had given her in the entry plug. It felt warm and 
comforting then, and given the way he had asked her, it might be a chance 
for her to feel that again. 
"All right Ikari-kun, I'll go." 
"Great!" He then took her hand and led her toward a ridge that overlooked 
the city, not far from her apartment. 
It took the better part of a half-hour for them to make it to the overhang 
jutting out from the cliff. From there, all of Tokyo-03 was there spread out 
in all its glory. Shinji still holding Rei's hand led her to a spot 
equidistant from the front of the overhang. He sat down letting go of her 
hand and motioned her to sit next to him. 
"Now we wait!" 
"We wait for what Ikari-kun?" A puzzled Rei asked 
"You'll see, it will be the surprise I told you about." Shinji said jovialy. 
Now as they sat there, a cold front came through and the temperature dropped 
about ten degrees within about 15 minutes. As it got colder, Shinji noticed 
first that Rei didn't have a coat, sweater, or jacket. He had a sweater and 
a jacket, knowing the cold front was coming due to a previous weather 
report. He had heard that morning. Since he uses a clock radio to wake up 
everyday for school. 
He noticed her starting to shiver but giving no complaint what so ever. She 
just stared out looking at the city with the same expression she did have 
when she looked out the classroom window. With out prompting, Shinji took 
his jacket off and wrapped it around Rei. 
She gave him a quizzed look before saying "Thank you, Ikari-kun." 
"You welcome Rei-chan." The change in name took both of them by surprise. 
Shinji just couldn't believe he had said it. In the other hand Rei was in 
her analysis mode "Why had he called me Rei-chan and not Ayanami-san?" she 
asked herself. 
As this happened, the city changed and as the buildings came up, the lights 
went on, and they both marveled at the sight. The reflection of the sun 
towards the changing city mesmerized them both. While they stared Shinji, 
purely by reflex, put his arm around Rei and when she looked at him. She saw 
the contented look in his face, she then did something totally unexpected, 
and she smiled and laid her head on his shoulder while still watching the 
city change. Both had a look of comfort and kindness in their faces. 
After a few minutes, Rei asked Shinji, "Why do you care for me Shinji-kun?" 
The surprise was evident in Shinji's face, but then he thought about her 
question and answered, 

"Because you're so much like me. You're quiet, not wanting to associate with 
others much. Except living with others our whole life we are both alone, 
solitary. I feel that we need each other. I find that we should be friends." 
He gave her a knowing look. "We can share our problems with each other, and 
the pain of being alone can be overwhelming. Can you understand Rei-chan?" 
After her time to ponder an answer was over, she shook her head yes, and put 
an arm around Shinji's waist as they watched the sunset. The sat in silence. 
For all the time before that they had felt the loneliness of their lives, 
they now had someone to talk to, to confide in, to comfort them. True, they 
had not gotten serious yet, but that's not what they wanted now, they just 
wanted someone to comfort each other. And for the next few hours, they did 
that for each other. 
As it got dark and much colder, Shinji finally got cold enough to ask Rei if 
it was time to get her home. She nodded yes. They quietly let go of each 
other, gathered Rei's belongings then headed for her apartment. To say that 
a freezer was cold rightly expressed the room temperature in Rei's 
apartment. 
"Rei-chan, is it this cold normally?" asked Shinji. He shivered at the 
coldness of the room. 
"With the heating unit not working, this is how it is on a cold day here 
Shinji-kun." 
"Then why didn't you tell your landlord to fix it Rei-chan?" 
"NERV owns the apartment building, and I thought it was not important to 
bother them with this." 
"But Rei, you'll freeze here! How can you stay here like this?" Now Shinji 
was a bit angry with NERV, and with Rei. 
"I cannot say I like this, but I have no other choice now that it is too 
late for a repair crew to come, Shinji-kun." 
"Oh, yes you do. We have a spare room and until the next pilot or roommate 
comes you can stay there until your heater is fixed!" 
"I could not impose on you and the Major, Shinji-kun, I'll just stay here 
and....." Shinji talking on his cell phone appraising Misato of the problem 
cut her off. 
"It's all right? Great, Thanks Misato! Well pick up some Chinese food on the 
way there OK? Thanks!" Shinji hangs up his cell. 
As Shinji had a smile on his face Rei was guessing that his request was 
granted. 
"Misato says it's okay! You can stay with us until your heater is fixed. Is 
that OK?" 
"Yes, Shinji-kun thank you." Rei said after a short pause. "I'll gather my 
belongings and we will leave momentarily." 
"Rei-chan, we'll be making a stop at a Chinese restaurant near my apartment, 
we'll pick up some vegetarian dish for you all right?" 
"Yes, Thank you again." She had a small smile as they departed her cold 
apartment. 
After they got to Misato's apartment, Rei was led to the spare room and 
deposited her belongings there. Later as dinner progressed, Misato asked 
what they had done that day. Now Shinji didn't want to mention anything that 
would embarrass him and cause Misato to tease him. So he had planned on 
leaving out the time spent with Rei on the overlook. But before he could 
start Rei, in a most unusual turn explained what they did in specific 
detail. After a half an hour of explanation, Shinji was thoroughly 
embarrassed, and Misato was having a great time teasing him. What took 
Misato by surprise was the slight pink on Rei's cheeks as she explained what 
happened at the overlook. 
"Well, I guess you two have had a tiring day," She winked at Shinji. "So 
let's all get some sleep, since both of you have school tomorrow." 
"Okay, Good night Misato." 
"Good night major." 
"Good night kids; don't do anything I would do!" The she thought better of 
that statement "Just behave OK!" 
Both teenagers headed for their respective rooms then silently said 
goodnight to each other with smiles and squeezing each others hands away 
from the majors view so as not to get teased again by Misato. 
As the night wore on, Shinji was having a frightening and noisy nightmare 
about the fifth angel. Instead of saving Rei, he had gotten there too late. 
He saw her now dead body in the entry plug. He had tried to revive her with 
no success. He dragged her out of the plug onto the ground and continued CPR 
on her as the medical units arrived. Nothing could be doneÉ. She was gone. 
"She said good bye to me, she knew she would die, for an apathetic idiot 
like me. No! No! No!" 
He was on the ground pounding the ground again and again yelling at the top 
of is lungs, "Rei, Don't die Please!" He was suddenly woken up by something 
laying on him and encircling him. As he focused in the dark room, he saw 
strands of blue hair and two white arms around him. 
"Rei, Is that you?" He was still not sure what was real or not. 
She looked up at him. "You were screaming my name, so I got up and came to 
your door. I saw you were having a nightmare. I did not know what to do. 
Then I remembered what we felt on the mountain today, I then laid down on 
your bed, and comforted you like you had me then. Was I right in doing this 
Shinji-kun?" 
After a minute to take in her whole explanation (And that in itself was 
new) Shinji nodded "yes", and put his arm around her. With his other arm he 
awkwardly took his sheet and blanket and covered them both. He then thanked 
her again and held her tight against him. "Thank god she is wearing 
something to bed this time, I couldn't handle her next to me naked!" Thought 
Shinji. 
She for the most part accepted this without a word of protest. She had the 
same feeling she had experienced previously, and she didn't want it to end. 
She helped her friend, and now someone she cared for. So she snuggled up to 
Shinji's chest and soon fell asleep. Shinji waited for the rhythmic 
breathing of deep sleep from Rei. He soon let himself, too, drop into a 
dream filled sleep with positive and happy thoughts of himself and of Rei. 
---------------------------------------------------- 
Author's Note: 
So, is it a good fanfic, or is it too OOC to even try? Look, I like WAFF and 
romance; I'm not into too much dark or terror, so I can't write that well. 
All I'm asking: "Is this fanfic good enough to keep on going?" Well Read and 
Review and I'll base writing more on your comments! 
--Lord Dennisu