Disclaimer: Listen close cause I only say this once, I don't own any of this stuff.

A/N: Okay, got that Sinji/Asuak fic out of my system and have two brand new Shinji/Rei ideas. So I'll do this one the other. And as always, if you don't like Shinji/Rei and all you're going to do is whine and complain, then simply don't read.

In his 20 years Shinji Ikari had never been good an opening up to anyone. Very few people had even had the pleasure of getting to know him. Even fewer had stuck around after they saw him for who he really was. When his father had been left alone with the burden of raising a son on his own, Gendo had simply left the child with a teacher. Not a word was spoken between the two until that fateful day in front of Unit 01 on the day Shinji came to Tokyo 3.

Dr. Akagi had once called it the Head hog's Dilemma. No matter how strong his desire to get close to another one was, he was always meet with the same result: pain. Physical, emotional, mental: it was all pain. He was made to feel like he had to walk the world alone. Then he found that one person. The one person who understood him. They had so many similarities; though she would never admit it. Both had no real parental influence. Neither had any real family at all. When they were little and their elementary school would have family outings, both would end up being left out. One lived in Japan his entire life. One lived in Germany for the first part of hers. He was seen as spineless; she was seen a narcissistic.

Shinji took a deep sigh as he walked down the street to the same apartment he had stayed at since he came to Tokyo 3. Change had never been a big thing with him, so he just preferred to keep everything as they were. He fidgeted with a ring box in his pocket. He had questioned this choice But he had slowly started to learn how to stand on his own two legs and walk forward. He came to his apartment and took a deep breathe and took a deep breathe. 'Here I go.' He walked in. He immediately came face to face with Asuka.

"Where have you been? I had to order out for lunch just so I wouldn't have to eat that stuff Misato calls food."

Shinji bowed his head trying to hide his blush, "I was shopping."

Asuka's eyes automatically filled with joy, "Shopping? What did you get me?"

"Well, we need to talk first."

Asuka raised an eyebrow, but followed Shinji into the kitchen. Shinji started some tea as Asuka sat at the table watching him. Shinji smiled slightly. He knew that's he was watching. At first she had been in denial about their relationship, but after a while she became very proud of. She even went as far as to threaten any female that cast a second glance at 'her Shinji'. The water started to boil, and Shinji turned around and looked at her. He almost had to laugh. She was like a kid on Christmas. He pulled a chair up beside Asuka and sat down. He took ahold of Asuka's hand. He gently ran his thumb over the top of it. He took one last deep breathe.

Asuka stared at him, "You're kind of freaking me out here baka."

Shinji smiled, "We've been through a lot. We fought off the angels, protected a city, and most importantly each other. You know I love you right?"

Asuka hid her blush well, "I know baka. You only tell me every morning and then a million other times in the day."

"But I mean I really love you."

"Where are you going with this?"

Shinji summoned up the rest of his courage, "I want you to be there every morning when I wake up and every night when I go to sleep. I want you there through all of the hard stuff and the easy stuff. Asuka-" Shinji reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring case, "I want you to marry me."

Asuka gasped and snatched her hand away, "Y-y-y-you what?"

Shinji was taken back, 'Not the response I was looking for.' "I want you to marry me. You know: be my wife, spend the rest of your life with me."

Asuka stood up and started to pace back and forth shaking her head, "No, no, no, no, no, you can't be doing this."

Shinji stood up and wrapped Asuka in his arms, "Why not? I love you with everything in my being."

Asuka pushed him off, "Shinji-I"

"What?"

Asuka took a deep breathe, "A few weeks ago at work. We got this new employee."

"That's nice. What's her name?"

"She's a he, Shinji."

Shinji's heart stopped, "No."

Tears started to fall from Asuka's eyes, "We went out to lunch once. And then it just became a thing we did everyday. Then….I started to fall for him."

"But-"

"I thought you weren't the kind to do this kind of thing. We both know you've never been one to be so open with your emotions. I thought you would have just been happy living here together. I was planning on telling you; I really was."

They were both oblivious to the water for the tea had already come to a boil. Shinji turned his back to Asuka and stared at the kitchen door, "Do you love him?"

"I don't know."

Shinji clutched his fist around the ring case, "Do you love me?"

"I know I like having you around."

"That doesn't answer my question. Do you love me?"

"I DON"T KNOW! I'm only 20 Shinji. I don't even know what love is yet. No one our age does."

For the first time since the rejection Shinji looked at Asuka. There was no anger in his eyes. They almost looked like the eyes of a lost little boy who had no one to take care of him. "I know what it is." He then looked at the ring case in his hand and dropped it on the ground. He then walked out the door.

Asuka didn't make a move to stop him. She just stood there. It was then that she realized what she had just done. She had just pushed Shinji away. The one guy who understood her and how she ticked, and she pushed him away. She may not have known what love was, but at that moment, she experienced true heartbreak.

Shinji ran as fast as he could. He had no idea where he was going. Kensuke was out of the country with the Peace Corp. Touji was busy with his wife and their newborn baby. Misato was at her place, and that would mean confronting Asuka. Before he knew it, he was surrounded by the sounds of construction. He looked up and saw Rei's apartment. He sighed, "I have nowhere else to go." He climbed up the steps and finally arrived at Rei's door. He knocked. He heard movement on the other side of the door before it opened. There stood Rei. If Asuka was Shinji's one true love, then Rei was his confidant. He stared at her.

Rei looked up and saw the sad look in his eyes, "Her answer was not acceptable?"

Shinji shook his head.

"Did she produce a reason?"

"She said she found another guy."

Rei frowned, "She was dishonest with you. This is unacceptable. I shall speak with her and-"

Shinji shook his head again, "Just let me stay here tonight. It's too late to find a new place to live tonight, and I can not go back there."

Rei gave a simple nod and stepped aside.