2023-02-25: Housewarming Party

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<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhyZeHfcCsk

Rei Ayanami - and several others - now reside out towards the western side of the Tokyo-3 metropolitan area, near where the gridlike perfection of the new fortress city begins contention with the ridgeline of Japan's ancient mountains. It is a neighborhood that strongly evokes what was once the town of Hakone, although recent rail improvements mean a major rail station is only three blocks away from the address.

They're steep blocks, though. And a steep building. Something modern-styled, built in the late 0060s perhaps, it resembles a white staircase set among the brush and trees and stone of the ancient woods. In the cool damp of winter near the southern Pacific coast, it is still green, but barely so; pine trees and bamboo hold out against the gray, but the living world still sleeps.

The party is at the first apartment in the block: the one nearest to the train station. Access is either by a rather steep public staircase or a one-and-a-half lane road going upwards. There is parking at the top of the lot, but one must then go past five other apartments to reach the address.

The door is metal, painted white, and recently so. The doorbell-speaker plate is new. So is the mail slot.

BUT YOU'RE HERE FOR THE PARTY BABY

Past the space where you take off your shoes like a civilized person, there is another metal divider and then you go past the kitchen nook. The kitchen nook has the work lights on, highlighting a generously sized pot of hot tea and a half-dozen Rei Ayanami-style pizzas set out on a cutting board.

Each of those pizzas is on a crisp flatbread and holds a variety of vegetarian ingredients, none repeating in exact variety. They are relatively light, with less acid notes than are usually the case. There is abundant garlic, and a note of dill. (As for the refrigerator? A generous supply of bottled juices and waters. Industrious searchers will also find several convenience-store cold udon packs and closed and taped-shut boxes that are probably medicines.)

The living room has huge windows on the southern wall, and thus, it is bright; bright enough to set off the plain concrete floor and the white walls, decorated only by light collecting plates which pipe natural light to bedrooms below. The windows arc upwards, presenting a look rather like a solarium. On the sun-catching wall, several metal planter boxes lean against the wall, next to stacked bags of potting soil and an as-yet-unopened electric drill.

There is a dining table with three eclectic chairs set against a wall to the east, containing several miscellaneous party supplies (including some rice crackers and a roll of paper towels) and ample space to drop off Things or to set a Plate. Otherwise, a few folding chairs and a futon, brought up and set snugged against a wall as if to serve as a couch, are where one may come to light.

As for Rei herself, she is at this very minute closely monitoring another one of those pizzas in the oven, which is throwing a warm rich smell throughout the entire area. It's not a very large oven, which is perhaps why they aren't large pizzas. Rei is wearing gray leggings and a loose shirt in a pale lilac-violet, which the astute might recognize as the kind of change of clothes they give you on orbital/intercolony passenger flights if your coffee bulb blows up.

But they're cozy.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        A spinet piano--which is like a bite-sized grand piano--presses against one of the walls, near the bay windows that overlook the nearby mountains. Who else but Kaworu is seated there, eyes shut and smile content as he plays Chopin's Ballade No. 1 in G minor Op. 23, a piece that starts out gentle and majestic before elevating itself with fiery speed. He's barefoot, dressed in a pinstriped, long-sleeved lavender shirt and black slacks.
        
        As people file in, he seems at first not to notice them, if the way he continues to play without interruption is any indication. However, the first time someone addresses him, he opens his eyes and looks at them completely unfazed, his smile undisturbed. His gaze softens with affection for Shinji and Gridman in particular.
        
        "Hey. It's good to see you all come by," he says conversationally. Rei being Rei, he's apparently takes it upon himself to do the actual greeting. ...Even if he hasn't gotten up from the spinet to do so. In similar fashion, he adds, "Except for you, Second, but your presence is currently less distasteful than I've found it in the past."
        
        kaworu there is such a thing as being too honest
        
        "Rei prepared food for everyone, so please do help yourselves. There are drinks in the refrigerator as well if you desire," he continues without missing a beat, either in the conversation or in his piano. "Mary isn't presently home, but she should return... shortly." 

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

Today, Gridman has gotten dressed and looked in the mirror. Tokyo-3 will be far colder than Tsutsujidai, so he's put on his singular coat. A wrapped gift rests behind him on the bed of Max's guest room. It's really very nice -- a long, flat package in shiny white paper crowned with a bright red ribbon. Gridman watched a half-dozen video tutorials to get it just right.

"This is selfish." He mutters to his reflection. "Alexis could appear at any moment."

The coat is removed. Gridman flops back onto the bed, safely away from the wrapped package. Picking up his phone, his message history with Akane pops up, helpfully, right where they left off.

[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: but you do need to not think of yourself as the city's only protector
[VERTEX] aumerei_seijin: or you're going to go crazy.

Standing up, he returns to the mirror. The coat goes back on.

---

"And the second anything seems weird, you'll call me, okay? I don't want any of you leaving the city, just in case -- you can hold him off for a bit as Powered Zenon until I arrive, then we'll be able to fight together." Gridman instructs, as Max fusses over the way the redhead's coat fits his shoulders.

"W--we get it." Calibur mutters, poking away at a game Vit downloaded to his phone. Multiple cats perch atop friendly-looking objects.

Gridman's face is terribly serious. "And you all have Sayla's number. Remember to contact Akane, too, she'll be the fastest way to get to GGG."

Borr pushes the wrapped present into Gridman's arms. "Hey, the second you walk out this door I want you to focus on your party, yeah? This stuff's important."

"Right." Vit chimes in, spritzing a bit of product into Gridman's hair. The perpetually-sideways spikes do not seem affected. "Little moments like this are what connects hearts the most, aren't they?"

With a sigh, Gridman nods. Using his own words against him... that's cold...

---

Meeting up with Rikka for the train ride to the house eases a lot of Gridman's worries. Seeing her happy... it makes everything feel more worth it. There's something new to her smile that wasn't there before they saved Akane. By the time they've arrived, the Hyper Agent is smiling easily, the danger threatening his home banished from his mind.

Knock, knock knock! It's only polite.

Slipping off his shoes, Gridman's smile only grows brighter as he hears Kaworu at the piano. His coat is left behind as well -- no need for it inside. "Hi. Your playing sounds really great." Shyly, he places a hand on Kaworu's shoulder, before nodding. "I'll go see if I can help Rei!"

"Hi, Rei!" Gridman calls, leaving his housewarming present on the kitchen table. He walks up to her and takes her hand, briefly squeezing it, before letting go. She has important pizza duties to attend to.

"What can I do to help out? I really like your new place!" It's warm, and bright, and it already feels so home-y. Living with your friends -- and your partner! -- has got to be a great experience. "Seriously, put me to work!"

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

Shinji feels a warmth at seeing Rei's once stark home so populated, yet still retaining a certain Rei-ness about it in its simplicity. The pizzas are also a fitting match, and while Shinji does appreciate the juice, he wishes the refridgerator had a little bit more in it. One step at a time. There is plenty of food here right now, and plenty of light and company. Also, planters!

There's also Kaworu-ness mixed in, in its sound and in its atmosphere. Shinji's not sure where the Mari-ness enters the picture, but he expects it to be abrupt, sudden, and very startling.

He smiles with more ease than usual as he greets Kaworu and Rei. "...It's comfortable here," Shinji says. It's probably a little rude to keep thinking how much better it was than before, but he was never a fan of the two of them in that hotel. It seemed so... abandoned. They're here together, too. That's... good, he thinks. But there's a tightness in Shinji's chest about the thought.

It's a feeling he will bury shamelessly as he nibbles a bit of flatbread, already able to tell he's going to regret this pizza a lot less than the delivery he's used to with Misato.

Though Shinji has brought a gift (technically a second one), he's hesitant, as always, to call attention to anything, and leaves the paper shopping bag discreetly up against the wall.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


One cannot escape Mari Makinami Illustrious. It is something that Asuka is fast learning. Did she want to come to this housewarming party? Not on her life!

Is she here? Yes! Attempting to not be here would result in dire consequences.

                        D I R E

Asuka shows up deliberately a bit late, having not come with Shinji to leave it ambiguous whether she'd arrive at all.

She's currently in a red coat, with a pair of leggings showing, though as she hangs it up at the door it reveals a white sweater, a dark miniskirt, and black boots to the ensemble.

"... Why is this place better than Misato's apartment?" Asuka mutters, but she already knows the answer, it's because Misato lives there, and she's just a slob.

It's not all bad, sometimes living with PenPen was quite nice.

Asuka is carrying in a brown paperbag, with no effort made to wrap a doormat that's still in the platic wrap sticking out. The plastic wrap reveals its contents to, the sticker barcode tag shows 'Go Away' Welcome Mat.

It's a thoughtful gift! She knows she'd want a doormat which told people to get lost. Misato won't have it though. The bag is dumped near Rei's feet, not even demanding she take it.

Eyeing the flatbread and pizza, she deliberately makes a point of not eating it, or really greeting anyone other than Shinji with a nod at first. She might be listening to Kaworu at play.

She can at least allow that his music is objectively passable.

<Pose Tracker> Shota Hebikura has posed.

Of course it is the one with the white door. Unfortunately, the rigors of command - and plausible deniability - force a certain Captain to not be the first through that door.

EARLIER:

Shota Hebikura practically tiptoed through the STORAGE hangar space, skirting a loud shift-break arm wrestling match to slip out.

'Ah, Captain! Are you heading out?' Calls a voice.
Hebikura startles to a stop, frowns-into-grimaces, and then turns with an unfelt smile. "Ah. . . Yes. I have an off-site meeting to attend. It's a critical one for the Evangelion program."

'Of course, sir! I'll prepare the STEGG.'

"Ah, no, that's okay, you can--"

NOW:

While people file into the door, the adjar entry reveals a smooth smartcar scrolling slowly past the street. Hunched forward with both hands on the wheel and an awkward, twitching smile on his face, Hebikura cranes his neck as he drives past to seeing the party already started, and maneuverse the vehicle away to loop around again once more and find parking for the government property he accidentally became responsible for when he just wanted to Show Up.

Asuka, late but present, is bumped into from behind by the captain on his way in. Dressed in his grey jumpsuit-pants, the roll of the top curls around his belt in a practiced fold, tucked like a deliberately half-peeled banana. Above, a black button-down collared silk shirt with the top button undone. Below, black socks and shiny black dress shoes. In both arms is a newspaper-wrapped box with a red bow taped to the top (to allow for extra opening takes, obviously) that rattles only slightly with a boxed object when he bumps the pilot.

"Langley." The Captain greets calmly, peering over her shoulder at the 'Go Away' mat and chuckling.

"Their apartment is better than mine. It is want, I think. And the audacity to ask for what you deserve."

Hebikura transitions to the table to place down his gift, and then moves to patrol the pizza, waving and grinning to Kaworu as he's greeted. "You found the light switch and everything. Most impressive, both of you."

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

A housewarming party is always a big event, and Rikka is happy to be invited to Rei's. It feels like a lot of people are having big changes like this in her life... it's good to see life grow and move on.

She meets up with Gridman at the train. They're both going the same place, so they might as well go together - and it's a good opporunity to catch up!

...Plus, she might need a bit of an extra hand transporting her gift.

"Hey, Kaworu." Rikka greets with a smile, and then peeks around to where Rei is monitoring the pizzas. "Hey, Rei - thanks for inviting me!"

She moves to carefully set down her gift before taking a seat. Asuka gets a glance - and, a brief smile.

Rikka then takes a moment to take a glance around the apartment.

"This place looks really nice. I'm happy for you guys." She comments, impressed. 

<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.

An invitation was floated to Asuka Shikinami Langley about this housewarming party, of course. It specifically noted the consequences for refusing would be

                        D I R E

and also, importantly, noted:

Attendance might come with a <3 very special gift! <3

(it should be noted that the aforementioned DIRE CONSEQUENCES were also surrounded in hearts)

And yet, when Asuka arrives --

Mari Makinami Illustrious, eloquent author of her invitation, is nowhere to be found.

So where is she? Kaworu affords that she's out, and, indeed, that's about the long and short of what she offered her housemates; ever-mysterious, the bespectacled and unnumbered Child of NERV disappeared roughly a few hours earlier. So where is she...?

The answer comes as something UNBELIEVABLY COLD presses against the back of Asuka's neck -just- where the first ridge of her spine begins, some minutes after everyone has properly arrived, and the Second Child is just trying to do her best not to greet anyone at all.

The source? A chilled bottle of brown glass, rapidly condensating in the open air, held by --

"Welcome, to all our lovely guests~!" <3

Mari Makinami Illustrious stands, directly behind Asuka, holding that very cold bottle; she's been outdoors, that much is clear. But despite the cold winter weather, the young, bespectacled pilot of NERV wears the loosest of long, sleeveless sun-yellow sundresses and flipflops, reddish-brown hair worn long and loose and a long, long ribbon of darker gold tied into an eloquent bow at her throat. Despite the decidedly NOT winter clothing she wears, Mari looks perfectly fine, grinning her bright, sunny grin and waggling that brown bottle in greeting. It's the best that she can do; after all, her other arm is busy --

--hoisting a -very large- cooler on her shoulder.

"I was prepared to just welcome our guests, but then I thought, guests deserve gifts too! And then I thought, 'we need a gift that honors all of us who are taking our first steps into adulthood'! And so, after some consideration, I decided..."

And here, Mari brings down that big cooler with a THUMP upon the nearest tabletop, and pries it open --

--revealing a multitude of bottles of something labeled 'MOON BEER' well-chilled inside that auto-cooler, sharing a label with the bottle she now temptingly waves through the air.

"... Why not celebrate right~? From us to you, a gift of beer*, to properly celebrate the adult responsibility of home ownership!"

Mari smiles brightly. In a way that suggests she'll be VERY HURT if people don't accept her offer. And just to sweeten the pot, for certain others who might be too stubborn to read facial cues:

"... That is, if you're brave enough to take that step with us~."

Smile!



*THINGS MARI HAS MENTIONED THAT ARE TRUE: This is beer!

*THINGS MARI HAS NOT MENTIONED THAT ARE ALSO TRUE: It's non-alcoholic!

sometimes you just want to see psychosomatic behavior in action

is that so much to ask, from a responsible home owner?

<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.


Rei stays where she is. She is perhaps doing something beyond the limits of a formal recipe. There are fine details; no pizza is the same as any other. Even one made in a factory holds this truth; the box may tell you how to get something decent, but these are not factory made.

Rei glances up at the pasing Gridman with a smile. (The interior of the house is reasonably warm, though not enormously so. It's definitely inclined for passive warmth, perhaps a holdover from the days when fusion fuel was dearer.)

While he's with Kaworu Rei reaches a critical point. She opens the oven and lets out another burst of hot air (which is also helping the thermal environment), grasping a pan and reaching in with her bare hand --?? But she seems to know what she's doing, and with a sort of twist-tug of her hand, she knocks the pizza onto the pan and raises it upwards, bringing her knee up to close the oven along the way. THEN she faces Gridman again. He has a question.

"Tell me which pizza you enjoy best," Rei tells him. "I want to know." Rei then puts the pan down, as the pie needs a little bit to cool beore she slices.

There is Ikari. Rei's eyes soften a little, and she -- was that a smile? It was certainly a benign and warm expression and that inevitably comes close to one. "Is that so?" she asks. "It's interesting, now that it is not silent." At least, not all the time.

There is the Second. Rei looks at her. The Second ejects an object of personal property onto the ground, where it lands. Rei looks at the bag. Rei says nothing to the Second, instead crouching down to pick up the bag and walking over to put it with the other offerings, even as Asuka avoids dining on the faery-food on offer.

Captain Hebikura is there. Rei looks up at him, with a different sort of air. "Yes," she says. "Though I have not been able to find the switch for this room." The room with the enormous open window facing towards the south? Rei looks at the gift for a moment, then over towards Rikka. "Yes," she tells her. "Please, tell me which pizza you enjoy. I have changed some of the recipes."

At which point Mari arrives bearing a gift...

of BEER.

MOON BEER.

Rei gazes at it in silence. She blinks several times, nearly audible. She does not volunteer for the mission, nor does she demur - not yet.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        When Gridman rests a hand on Kaworu's shoulder, he might feel a uprised line under the fabric. It's not much, really. It's already been more than half a year. But the scar from when he was stabbed remains. Kaworu himself smiles up at him with such warmth that one might think that scar is only a bad dream.
        
        "Thank you," he replies. "I'm especially glad you had the chance to make it here, Gridman. I missed you." He glances to Rei as she retrieves more pizzas from the oven, unbothered by her lack of oven mitts; he'll let her tell Gridman what she wants.
        
        That smile floats over to Shinji, who in turn seems more comfortable than usual. "It is," he agrees. "I'm glad you think so too, Shinji. I hope to see more and more of you here in the coming days."
        
        Kaworu has visited Shinji a few times at Misato's apartment, but an apartment with only one's peers around hits a little differently.
        
        Rikka, right behind Gridman, gets another smile back. "It's still a work in progress in some ways, as you might see." Kaworu nods towards the planters and potting soil. "But the journey has been a wonderful one so far. I have no doubt it will continue to be so."
        
        Asuka doesn't acknowledge his greeting, and that's fine by Kaworu. Were it not for knowing how persuasive Mari can be, he'd be surprised she's here at all. Instead, he leaves her be (to instead be harassed by Mari) and grins at Hebikura as he waves over at him.
        
        "Haha, thank you, Captain. It took some time but we made it eventually," he says affably--an oblique reference to how Rei moved in several months ago, and he only a few weeks after Mari eventually invited him to join them. The long wait on finding housing for Kaworu, after ceding first pick to Rei, ended up paying off.
        
        His fingers don't still on those faux ivories when Mari slams down that cooler full of non-alcoholic beer. His eyebrows do rise, though, at her rather overt suggestion that they all get drunk. He's not worried about getting in trouble, and wouldn't be even without the perfectly adult chaperone that is Captain Hebikura right there. He does, however, mildly remark, "That's so very you, Mary."
        
        And the fact that she is always so quintissentially herself is what makes her so charming.
        
        As he finishes off his performance, Kaworu stills for a few seconds; then he rises, rising and stepping back, then scooting in the chair under the spinet, before padding over to the others while he tucks his hands into his pockets. He does not either take one of the flatbreads or one of the beers.
        
        "Would you all like a look around?" he instead offers. He looks over at Rei and adds, "If that's all right with you, of course." 

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


Why does a <3 very special gift! <3 sound even more Dire than the idea of showing up?[

Despite being bumped into from behind by Hebikura, she goes from "Watch-" to interrupting that thought and glowering as she salutes one handed with the bag in her arms, "Captain."

There's this small arch of an eyebrow at the 'audacity' to ask for what you deserve, and it being better than his, as she mutters, "Sounds more like NERV plays favorites, even over many of its officers."

And who might those favorites be? Well...

Rikka gets a nod, at her smile when, "AAH-!" Mari earns a pleasing startle from Asuka as the bottle is pressed against her spine, "HEY-!" Seeing who it is though, she goes, "Oh. It's you." As if that explains everything, grumpily crossing her arms. As Mari then dumps the COOLER of BEER down.

Asuka does not want to drink beer. Asuka has been challenged by Mari. Asuka is thus drinking beer. She does not know it's non-alcoholic! This could not possibly go wrong!

Bending over, she takes one, exactly one, and pops the top. Staring at the fizz that burbles out for a moment, she eventually takes a sip, and despite her best efforts, makes a face.

"I don't know what makes you think this is celebrating right, you Catty Four-Eyes." She asides to Mari with a glower, before looking at Kaworu when he makes his offer to show them around. She doesn't do anything notably to indicate acceptance, but she'll at least, follow him around.

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

"It would be easier to play together," Shinji muses of visting Kaworu here, as if he needs the excuse. Part of him feels like he does.

There are slight smiles and warmth. Even Asuka's presence doesn't move the room toward violence. Good food made with care, pleasant company, and --

Mari Makinami Illustrious.

Shinji does not jump this time. He is not the target. He nibbles his pizza with a tranquility that surprises even himself as he watches the incomprehensible predatory descend, instead, on Asuka. He does, at least, shudder in sympathy for how that must feel, wincing a little. But Asuka is strong enough to survive it.

...With... some screaming.

Okay, he's feeling a little guilty. (Shinji could not have stopped it.) (That has never stopped guilt before.)

But Mari would not be Mari without an actual surprise, and it turns out the trap she laid is delayed. Shinji coughs as he swallows his bite of pizza wrong when he finally reads the side of the box. "W-Wait, why would you -- we shouldn't --"

He looks to everyone urgently. Surely everyone knows this is a bad idea?!

Asuka takes a drink and Shinji pales.

<Pose Tracker> Shota Hebikura has posed.

Captain Hebikura returns Asuka's salute with a maneuvering of his own hand, willing to return the gesture formally if Asuka was going to give him one. Despite his laggard behavior and laconic eye-rolling towards general responsibilities: It's important, to Asuka. She stands apart, doing it - so Hebikura stands apart answering it.

He passes with the softening rigidity of motion - and she's sure he winked at her - but he's on and off to settle between Kaworu and the pizzas.

"There is something I find very interesting. It's quite the..." Hebikura, for a moment, is very amused, leaving words out and smiling instead. "... well. Custom? Culture? For all this white space, I'm surprised there's no dark canvas anywhere around here. Over the piano, perhaps? Black and ivory do go well together."

Mari deposits her thunderously arranged <3 MOON BEER* <3 and Hebikura, without missing a beat, grins and snaps his fingers. "Ah! Yes! Ex-actly!"

Worse, perhaps, for Shinji, and delightful, perhaps, for Mari, the Captain is fully engaging the concept: "A canvas painting of the moon! I have seen such creations of ink and pulled fabric. Hmm, but, what sort of moon?"

Hebikura draws from the keg while speaking, engaging in dangerously indulgent levels of Official Adult Chaperone-ing. 

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

An array of unique pizzas are laid out, and Rikka looks upon them curiously. She smiles up at Rei, then.

"Don't worry, I will." Rikka replies with a nod. She's famously something of a picky eater with strange tastes, so it's hard to tell how useful her data will be... but she'll do her best!

She nods toward Kaworu, too.

"Let me know if you guys need any help, or supplies. I can get you a good deal back at Aya." Rikka offers.

And then Mari appears, with a challenge. Rikka looks at her curiously... and then, at Captain Hebikura.

"...Doesn't it kind of defeat the point to do this with an adult in the room?" Rikka asks with a smirk. She takes a bottle... and then, frowns at it. "...Is this carbonated, though? I can't do carbonated stuff..."

It might sound like a convenient excuse, but it's a real Thing.

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

Always ready to help Rikka, Gridman is available to lift, carry, or transport anything she could ever ask of him. Should her gift need to be moved, it will be moved with care and skill!

Gridman seems alarmed to feel the scar on Kaworu's shoulder, but as Kaworu simply smiles at him, he doesn't make a fuss. If Kaworu wants to talk about it, he will. If not, Gridman can ask in private. This is supposed to be a happy occasion. Besides, Gridman has a scar of his own, now, and it hardly feels like a big deal to him.

"I missed you too. I've got to tell you about something Rei and I figured out when she came to visit, Kaworu. It was kind of amazing." He beams.

"R--Rei!" Gridman calls out, alarmed, as she just... reaches into the oven with her own hands. "Please be careful, you'll get burned!"

She seems to be alright, but still..! Maybe he should've brought oven mitts as a housewarming gift instead.

"U--uh." Gridman tries to recover from that sight. "I... like the ones with the red circles. Pepperoni. But I'm not picky, honestly. They're all pretty good. I like the melted cheese best."

As if to prove this, Gridman takes a piece of pizza -- though he waits for it to cool. Chomp. Despite having the soul of a Hyper Agent, he has the body of a teenage boy. More food is always better.

"Hey, Shinji." Gridman offers to the young man, a nervous smile on his face. They haven't talked since that disastrous meeting at Aya... But Gridman still really, really wants to be friends. What does Shinji want, though?

Mari brings... beer. Gridman blinks. Once, then twice. A glance to Hebikura. Is he going to bust them? Technically, Gridman isn't really a child... right? But the law probably wouldn't take that excuse. Vividly, he thinks back to Calibur trying a singular sip of cheap beer and fainting to the floor of Aya. Is that going to happen to Gridman? Calibur is a piece of his heart, after all...

"I do want to take steps with all of you." Gridman admits. He takes a bottle, looking it over. Moon Beer. "I've never had anything like this before. Is it really a big part of adulthood?" May as well be direct. Those yellow eyes turn to look at Hebikura. "Are you going to get us in trouble if we drink this?"

"I'd love a tour." Gridman answers Kaworu, the Moon Beer still held in one hand. It's pleasantly cool.

So far: Hebikura and Asuka are drinking the beer. Gridman observes this, thinking the situation over. He does want to be a cool adult. 

<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.

Rei gazes on in silence, neither accepting nor rejecting -- this is the nature of Rei, which Mari Makinami Illustrious adores and would not change for the world.

Kaworu does not partake of the carbohydrate hell that is pizza OR beer, and really -- that, too, is quintessentially Kaworu.

But Asuka...

Asuka has been dared.

And as she takes that sip and makes a face, Mari's smile blooms bright and cheery, hands clapping together.

Because she's found her foothold, exactly where she wanted it! <3

"It's just another part of the grim march to adulthood, your highness," intones Mari quite gravely. And then afterward, she mouths a little 'thank you~' before her attention turns towards Shinji.

Coincidentally just as current Resident Adult Hebikura gets himself a drink, too.

"Ufu."

[foothold achieved]

And so it is that when Hebikura is done getting himself a comfortable amount of Definitely Totally Alcoholic Just Believe Mari About This drink, Mari plucks a bottle, and sliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiides it all the way across the counter towards Shinji. She looks sidelong at Asuka. She says nothing. She leaves the unworded suggestion, lingering in the air.

        'Are you really going to let your girlfriend go through this alone...!?'

Is Mari Makinami a bad influence? Well. She never claimed to be an Angel.

Quite proudly far from it~~~.

"Don't worry, Rikka-chan!" <3 Mari insists, even as she plucks another bottle, sets it down, and slides it slooooooowly towards Shinji with a conspiratorial side-look and a wink.

"Adulthood comes to us in a multitude of ways! It's all a matter of deciding how you want to face it~."

Though it also doesn't stop her from remarking Gridman-wards: "A -very- big part of adulthood. Just ask Captain Misato!"

And thus the authority of another Cool Adult is invoked.

"Ah! A tour would be great. I'll defer to Vanilla Bean. She knows the lay of the land like her own heart!"

<Pose Tracker> Shota Hebikura has posed.

SHOTA HEBIKURA, known ADULT and AUTHORITY FIGURE, stands accused of Harshing any potential Buzzes that may be Partaken of.

Rikka! Gridman! Doubters!

Helpless before such direct inquiries clearly spoken by Rikka, the STORAGE Captain lifts his own <3 MOON BEER* <3 cup and takes a bit of a loud 'slururup' sip. "Well."

Taking a breath, Hebikura looks to Kaworu. "The Administrator of this program invited me, a fellow, for program activities. And... Hmm... Miss, you're very right." Overcome by consideration, the black-shirted man grins, moving his cup-equipped arm to sweep towards Kaworu. "Administrator, are you not overseeing these activities? While Miss Takarada is correct, that I may be forced to make a report if you don't take part, if you do, then... There won't be any need for my report, will there be?"

Please, get him out of this report on the Evangelion program's team development! Be a pal, Kaworu! Just... Indulge Mari! For managerial reasons.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


If Asuka is surprised by the infamous slacker, Captain Hebikura, returning her salute, she makes no show of it. She does perhaps seem more surprised by him digging right in to the ritual of adulting known as beer drinking.

It's Misato's style to drink in front of teens, then again it's not as if its uncommon in the military.

'grim march to adulthood'? "If there's anything grim about it, its your insistence on clinging like a barnacle every step of the way." Asuka complains, but quiets as she mouths the Thank you.

Asuka sideeyes Shinji as she takes another sip as Mari slides Shinji a bottle, totally missing the signal Mari is giving him. All the same she is definitely looking at him-! Bottle in hand! Is she judging him!?

You don't know! (She probably is, but in what way?)

She takes another sip, making another small face. The taste is bitter and she just hates it, but she's got to keep drinking!

Watching the exchange between Hebikura and Kaworu, she remembers her every time Misato has pressured her into doing a thing. As such she mutters to herself, "He's definitely Misato's colleague alright..."

Another sip of moon beer. Ew again, though at least its getting less bad with every sip?

<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.


Kaworu seeks her permission. Rei gives it with a single nod, if a decisive one, before she goes back to staring at the Moon Beer. It's a kind of vacant expression. This is an outside context probem. The Second moves first, and opens the brew, and takes a swig.

Well, she can do that. Isn't she from Germany? They invented beer there - Rei dimly recalls hearing that, somewhere, though she can't remember rom where. She looks towards Shinji for a moment, blinking once.

"Should there be?" Rei asks Hebikura. "When the plants have grown, they should be dark, but this is not yet prepared." Rei indicates the stack of things, but they are not even set up yet - the dreams of plants, not even trellises and watering cans!

But there is a question of the MOON then. To Gridman, Rei says hesitantly, "I don't like meat - but, if you do enjoy it, I will see what I can do." She did not seem to be burned by that little trick - maybe she had a piece of cloth in her hand that just wans't obvious? It was clearly something she's done a few times, at least.

Rikka expresses a preference, or a desire, or the lack of one, too. Rei glances at her, a menta note being made. Her arms fold loosely before her as she gazes at the beer. To Mari, she poses a question:

"Is it from the Moon?"

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        Asuka grumbles about NERV playing favorites, and Kaworu breathes a sigh of--what is this?--contentment. Langley's in her bad mood, all's right with the world. Beyond that, he doesn't acknowledge her accusation. Based on her volume, she didn't mean for it to be generally responded to, anyway.
        
        "Yes, it would be. It's much quieter out this way," Kaworu says to Shinji, his fond smile returning. "Rei and Mary will be a good audience if they're here at the time, too." It might be hard for Shinji to carry his cello all the way out here every time, but perhaps they can arrange overnight visits on the weekends for that.
        
        When Shinji stammers at the arrival of Moon Beer, and pales at the sight of Asuka drinking it, though, Kaworu looks between the two before settling on his dearest friend. Leaning in close, he murmurs, "You don't need to drink if you don't want to, Shinji."
        
        Certainly he himself has yet to take up a can at this point. Of course, Mari follows up by sliiiiiding a can over to him, so who knows which way Shinji will sway?
        
        Kaworu gives Rikka a curious look when she claims she can't do carbonated beverages, but he follows it up with a chuckle and a shrug. "Captain Hebikura doesn't seem to mind," he says mildly. "As for the supplies, we'll be sure to let you know."
        
        To Hebikura himself, he gives a thoughtful look. "It is a work in progress. Do you have any suggestions?" And then: "A canvas painting of the Moon... That does sound wonderful." He smiles at Rei, even as he continues to say to Hebikura, "We'll have to add it to our project list. As you say, Captain, the balance of light and dark is a must."
        
        To Gridman, he smiles again. "Oh? I look forward to hearing all about it." He leans in closer to murmur, "Perhaps when the party is over, you can stay a little longer...?"
        
        He reaches out to touch Gridman's hand--and that's precisely when Hebikura interrupts. Kaworu straightens to raise his eyebrows at him. "No, I'm just entertaining guests in my home," he says mildly. "And if you're in a position to need to make reports on my activities, I imagine you must whether I imbibe or not."
        
        A beat. "Still, you do raise a valid point about the responsibility of the host to his guests, Captain. And I admit, I'm curious about the flavor of this 'Moon Beer.'" Another glance at Shinji. "You still don't need to drink if you don't want to," he says gently before reaching over and taking a can for himself.
        
        A *clik* later, he takes a delicate sip. Swishing it in his mouth as if it were a fine wine, Kaworu considers the flavor; then he swallows and looks over at Mari. "You say this is beer?" he wonders, a knowing smile curling up the edges of his lips. "Interesting."
        
        ...And yet, he does not call her out.
        
        "It has some effervescence," he asides to Rikka.
        
        And Rei consents to a house tour, which is also met with general approval and acceptance, so Kaworu tilts his head towards the stairwell leading down before heading that way. The rest are free to follow him as they please, though they can continue to mill around upstairs, too.
        
        The downstairs is fully underground; however, there are lights strung up along the ceiling to pipe in illumination collected from the sun, so it isn't at all gloomy. The first thing that greets everyone at the bottom of the stairs is a closet; it's partially open, and shows a washing machine under shelves of linens, sheets, towels, and so on. Next to the stairs is a hallway that loops around itself. Kaworu nods at the first door.
        
        "That's my room," he says. The next door down, he says, "That's Rei's room." There's a pair of doors opposite it; "That is the water closet, and that, the bathroom." (The room for bathing, he means. There's a second WC upstairs.) And then, at the end of the hallway: "That's Mary's room."
        
        He steps to one side to allow room for people to join. "Is there anything any of you would like to see more closely?"
        
        ...Not much of a tour, but then, these are mostly personal bedrooms, and aside from the other WC, they already saw what there was to see upstairs. 

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

Gridman's approach makes Shinji jump. Gridman, not Yuta. Shinji reminds himself in his mind three, maybe four times before daring to speak. "...Gridman. Hello." Embarrassment bubbles up readily. It really has been since then, and Shinji's stomach isn't any more settled at the idea. Is it the Gridman thing? That's... not fair. That's wrong. Gridman didn't ask to be like this, or have this happen. But there's still this uncomfortable buzz Shinji can't ignore.

It spikes with how easily he touches Rei and Kaworu and knowing that means something. That's awful of Shinji, too. He should not think that. He doesn't know why he does, he doesn't think he thinks there's anything wrong with any of it...! His friends are happy. That should be enough.

And he's still being invited to come play with Kaworu. "I... guess I'm better with audiences now," he says, half smiling. The concert wasn't that bad, in the end.

This is before dangerous shenanigans. Shinji stares at Hebikura, frozen. They're dead. They're in trouble and also dead.

Then Hebikura takes a drink and this is still true, but in a new and more horrifying way than before. Adults are useless! Rikka picks up a bottle too. What! Mari slides a bottle toward Shinji, and he catches it like it's going to fall otherwise. Then he realizes it like it were a fire.

Shinji gives Mari an incredulously stare, his own unworded protest in his eyes.

    'It's precisely because she's drinking that I shouldn't!'
    
What, is he trying to be the designated walker?

But Mari is powerful. So is Asuka. Shinji looks ruefully into the bottle and takes a deep breath before attempting the world's smallest sip of anything to ever happen, only to pull it away from his mouth with his face screwed up in disgust.

Asuka's continued looking at him inspires him to struggle to try again. If she can do this then... he can be an adult with her! That's what he's supposed to do, right...?

S... ip.

Ew.

He will not be sipping again during the house tour. But why does his head already feel foggy...? It's like he can barely pay attention to whose room is whose as Kaworu points them out. Oh, no, is it happening? It's happening. (From... a sip and a half of non-alcoholic beer. Nocebo at its finest.)

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Gridman's help is greatly appreciated - and Rikka can't help but smile a little at how he interacts with Rei and Kaworu. ...She's glad there's something that makes him happy in this world.

Rikka tries some of the pizza. There's a considering look on her face as she goes through a couple more and she eventually decides.

"...This one. I think I like this one the most so far." Rikka says with a nod toward Rei. She doesn't mind vegetarian pizza - in fact, Rikka's not much of a meat eater except for fish, though she certainly will. This suits her tastes just fine. As for the Moon Beer, though...

Mari tells her not to worry. She cracks a slight grin at Hebikura, too.

"...I guess adults are good at making excuses, too." Rikka comments.

And then she looks down at her bottle.

"...Some, huh?" Rikka replies consideringly to Kaworu, then experimentally pops the lid. For a moment, she stares back at the bubbles that rush up to meet her. A slight frown crosses her face and after a moment she decides...

"...Nope. Can't do it." Rikka decides, replacing the lid with zero shame and setting it aside for someone else to take. Even the effervescence is a bit much.

She gets up from her chair to go raid the fridge, and...

"Oh, you've got juice, too... Thanks." Rikka calls back, before returning to join everyone on the house tour. She takes special note of everything they have - and *don't have, for future gift ideas.

"Hm, not especially, unless there's anything you'd especially like to show us?" Rikka asks. 

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

"Right..." Gridman answers Mari. "That's true. I guess if we've all been in deadly combat, who cares if we're doing something like this?"

"It's really good to see you." Gridman offers, encouraged by Shinji's greeting. Even if he did jump... It's okay, that's just Shinji's way. He's probably not used to Gridman's spooky weird eyes yet. "Um, if you've got any free time coming up, and you'd want to, I'd love to hang out again..?" It comes out as a nervous question. He's doing his best.

As for Hebikura... he passes the responsibility right to Kaworu. Gridman frowns. What kind of adult is this guy? "Kaworu doesn't have to do anything he doesn't want to." He says, stiffly. "Report or not."

Maybe things are different for the NERV children... For a moment, Gridman stops envying them their cool pilot suits. Being around adults like these must be really exhausting... Orie and Sigma are the only adults Gridman really cares about. What would they think of this situation?

Sigma is like Gridman, though his host is an adult. He'd probably be okay with Gridman drinking, as long as everyone was safe. Orie... Hmm. She's always been pretty free with what she's allowed Rikka to do. Orie would probably allow them to as well. Gridman nods to himself, having found the approval he was searching for.

"It's okay, Rei. I'll love anything you make." Gridman's eyes are soft as he reassures her. For all that it's a ridiculously lovey-dovey statement, he means it sincerely. "I'd like to try cooking with you sometime. I want to learn what you enjoy, too."

In response to Kaworu's question, Gridman pulls his phone out. No new calls, no new messages. Tsutsujidai is safe for now. There's a long, long moment of hesitation, before Gridman closes his eyes and smiles. "Yeah. I'd really like that, Kaworu! As long as I wouldn't wear out my welcome."

Hebikura has prevented Gridman from achieving a treasured Kaworu Hand touch. Another point against the poor Captain.

"It's not like NERV has any authority over me. Report me if you want." Gridman shrugs, probably coming off far less mature than he hopes. If Kaworu's going to drink, then so is he! "Here goes!"

Opening the bottle, squeezing his eyes closed... He takes a sip!

...it's not very good. "Bluh." Gridman reacts, before he can stop himself. He wants to seem cool. "That... is..." Think of something to say! "...bad."

Well. Alright.

"Don't worry, Rikka. It's really weird tasting." Gridman smiles at her. He kinda wants some juice, too... "You're not missing out!"

Time for the tour, anyway. Slightly blushing from embarrassment, Gridman follows after Kaworu. Once they come to a stop, he takes another sip, managing to contain his reaction this time. Still tastes bad, though.

"I like the twinkle lights." Gridman smiles at the sight of them, reminded of his sleepovers with Kaworu, Shinji, and Orpheus. Is it too intimate to ask to see their personal rooms? "Can you go up on your roof?" That seems like a safe area to ask about.

<Pose Tracker> Shota Hebikura has posed.

'Adults are useless!'
Hebikura is being useless on purpose, thank you.

Hebikura smiles a bit when he hears Misato's name taken in vain, dipping his head and pursing his lips trying to play off a little 'heh'. He doesn't hide or dissemble away the amusement at being compared to his fellow in NERV and the minder of the Children. Misato might have more dialogue on the comparison: Hebikura is here as a guest of indulgence towards the discovery of those younger on the paths, and so mostly gets the heck out of the way of the bonding rituals.

"I'm excellent at excuses, when the mood strikes. Now, I am in the mood for them." He asides, taken about the space in a grand tour. Appreciating every part of the space, he's quite cheered by Kaworu and Rei going through the acts of actually showing off and being proud of their spaces and constructions, happy to add his own thoughts: "Yes. If you have a great amount of negative space, you must make that positive somehow, hmm? So... Perhaps a representation of the moon, rather than a..." Rattling his beer, Hebikura is easy on the indication. "... temporary trip towards the lunar surface."

And, over Kaworu's piano, maybe... "Do any of you paint? Perhaps it would be nice to feature your creations on the walls? To bring some color, shapes, places and things here. Whatever things you fancy."

<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.

Hebikura grabs a beer. Asuka grabs a beer. Rikka - tentatively - takes a beer, even if carbonation denis her. And, like the toppling of dominoes, so goes Shinji.

"Awww, you want me to remain at your side like the most tenacious of parasites, your highness? I'm touched~~" coos Mari sweetly in the wake of Asuka's accusation. No; there's no insult in this life that Mari cannot twist towards the affectionately profane.

There is a very innocent gleam in Mari Makinami Illustrious' eyes as she plucks free one last bottle before the tour begins in earnest, sliding it towards Rei's waiting hands.

"Imported -direct- from the Moon," she promises, and in these matters, Mari does not lie. "I made sure to pick it up as soon as it arrived so it'd be as fresh as possible for the grand event!"

She just omits the one, crucial factor.

But really. Who can blame her? The power of MOON BEER should be experienced without preconception!

"Vanilla Bean has been improving a lot on her culinary craft," remarks the bespectacled pilot with a warm sort of sincerity. "She cooks with an eye towards others' enjoyment, while not forgetting her own." Those bright blue eyes shift, considering the vegetarian array of pizzas before them. They are not, necessarily, her preference, but...

"I think that's wonderful."

This, Mari says, without a single ounce of hesitation or pretext.

Rikka elects not to succumb to peer pressure, and Mari -- offers nothing but the same warm approval she offers anyone who -does- take a beer. She's accepting of all human choices! And so, as Gridman succumbs, and tastes the foul initial taste of beer's particular carbonation, Mari claps her hands enthusiastically, her smile beamingly bright.

"Welcome to the reprehensible taste of adulthood, Hyper Agent-chan~" coos the bespectacled Evangelion pilot, looking downright -proud-. Really! They're all doing great. Even Shinji, getting tipsy off a single sip or two of nonalchoholic beer. He's the greatest of all. <3

And that is why, as Kaworu begins his tour, Mari looks to companionably sling one arm around Shinji's shoulders to help guide him on the tour, as if her acting as if he needs the help to move from one place or another could help cement his nocebo fate. She's fairly easy going about the whole process -- at least, until Kaworu gestures towards the end of the hallway where the master bedroom resides and mentions 'That's Mary's room.'

Mari blinks. She looks sidelong at Asuka. Sidelong at her room. And then --

"Whoops! One sec, I forgot something important, be right back~!"

At which point Mari - fortunately?? - retracts her affectionately serpentine grip on Shinji to abscond into her room, cracking it open briefly as she slips inside. That littlest crack opens the briefest glimpse into her room.

And like gazing into the forbidden contents of the Ark of the Covenant...

BGM: https://youtu.be/IdG7OSnyQnE

... what lies within in that briefest glimpse is what looks like a maddening labyrinth composed ENTIRELY of piles of PHYSICAL COPIES OF BOOKS IN THIS DAY AND AGE, assembled like grand walls of an inescapable, monolithic maze--!

SLAM

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        "My art is generally limited to music. But I could try," Kaworu says thoughtfully to Hebikura. He look to Rei and Mari. "What do you two think? Shall we paint a mural of the Moon along the walls?" Over the piano would indeed be a fine place for it.
        
        It's okay if Gridman takes a disliking to Hebikura. All considered, that was probably inevitable.
        
        "You would never," he tells Gridman with a smile, of overstaying his welcome. He notes the way he checks his phone--looking for notice of any disturbance in Tsutsujidai, perhaps. They can talk about that more later, when it's quieter and more private.
        
        The twinkle lights were Rei's doing, but Kaworu is glad that Gridman appreciates it all the same. "Yes," he says, of going up to the roof. "You might not have spotted it, but there's a skylight in the roof upstairs, near the southern wall, so there's a need to go up to the roof on occasion to clean it."
        
        As for Shinji, he'd of course be invited to come by no matter what. Kaworu would be far more said if he didn't come by. Without interrupting, he watches over him and Gridman as the two of them make awkward conversation; it would be nice for both of them if they could find a relationship level they're comfortable with.
        
        "Art is a conversation between artist and audience," he remarks to Shinji, of audiences. "That of course includes a musical performance. I'm glad you feel better about audiences now. One day, you'll be able to convey all you wish to, to the ones you wish would hear."
        
        He says that with his usual calm confidence, like he's so absolutely certain it will come to pass that there's no need for even a mote of doubt. When Shinji seems to sway a bit during the tour, such as it is, and Mari leaves his side to sneak back to her room, Kaworu steps a bit closer to lend him his shoulder.
        
        He knows perfectly well that the beer isn't alcoholic, just from a single taste. But he'll always be by Shinji's side when he needs him.
        
        He chuckles at what Rikka says about adults making excuses. "Captain Hebikura is better at them than most. But it's true," he comments. He nods over to Mari's door, affording just a glimpse of a labyrinth of books within before she slams it shut. "Mary's room is actually quite fascinating," he adds to Rikka, "but it's not my place to offer you a look inside. You and anyone who wishes to can look inside my room if you like."
        
        If they do, they'll find more of those bright fairy lights clinging to the corners of the ceiling. A bed in one corner, a desk nearby with an extra chair in the corner, and bookcases and a wardrobe on the other end with shelving on the walls. A spiral rug decorates the otherwise bare concrete floor, and a calendar, several nature photos, and a full-length mirror decorate the walls. The bed has some extra storage beneath it; anyone who's nosy enough to open them up will find a robust collection of cosmetics there.
        
        The wall shelves, meanwhile, display a small collection of music boxes. Shinji will recognize a couple of them in particular.

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.



Kaworu makes it clear Shinji doesn't have to, earning him a look. Shinji takes a sip. A sip and a half. Asuka...

... nods, in approval. Not because he's drinking beer, but because he has accepted a challenge. Him getting out of his comfort zone when challenged will nearly always win Asuka points.

(For the record she still thinks the taste of beer sucks, same as him.)

"Very, good at making excuses." Asuka asides to Rikka, perhaps thinking of bunching up Misato into that one, but... honestly it's also most adults she's ever known. "That's not what I said! Stop twisting things around for your amusement you Catty Four-Eyes-!"

(She never will, Asuka even knows she never will.)

When the tour begins, Kaworu heads down, and Asuka heads down too, beer still in hand. Kaworu points out various locations, and Asuka's eyes shoot suddenly towards 'Mary's room.'

She eyes that door. She keeps eyeing it. What mysteries are held behind that door? It's siren's call is reaching even her. Asuka takes... another sip, her eyes still fixed upon that door.

Alas though, she's not going to break in in front of everyone as that would imply she CARES! She can't countenance a world where everyone thinks she's INTERESTED in the things Mari keeps in her room.

And then Mari glances sidelong at her and says she FORGOT something, and Asuka just keeps standing there. Siiiipppppppp.

The door cracks and... "Books?" Asuka murmurs, almost inaudibly.

However, it's not just books, it's books arranged like it's this maze, like it's a door into the library dimension, in which she might go mad merely contemplating why she's arranged her books this way.

Oh no her curiosity isn't sated! She wants to go in more than ever! Especially hearing Kaworu say her room is fascinating! He's been inside! Why shouldn't SHE know what's inside?

Upstairs Asuka goes, as she grasps another bottle of moon beer by the neck, then descends again, heading nonchalantly (Asuka looks anything BUT nonchalant) towards the door to the room. She hesitates, then...

Tap tap tap of the bottle against the frame.

When or rather IF she reemerges from the same direction, Asuka now at close range, she'll have a bottle thrust in her face with the simple exclamation/imperative of "Here!"

It's such a lame excuse to get a peek of her room up close, but... IT'S ALL SHE'S GOT!

<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.

Mari, pusher of MOON BEER, interjects,

"I love the moon~!"

at Kaworu's questions seconds before the door shuts on the non-euclidean book-based tesseract that is her room.

So that's probably a vote for the idea??

<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.


A painting of the Moon, Rei thinks, perhaps belatedly: that may mean she, or one of the others, will make it. The thought is a subtle thrill, somehow. If it isn't shocking, it's because she has had many such thrills, now.

Rei picks up one of the bottles of beer, although she doesn't open it. She examines it with curiosity. Feels its weight in her hand. Maybe she wants to know what the deal is. As this happens, Shinji learns the lesson of the AEUG and the EFF of the One Year War before him: Adults are the enemy!

Peer pressure.

Rikka discovers the orange juice. "Yes," Rei says to her. "There is also water in the other bottles. And tea, too." The tea is even warm, though it's winter out there! Well, that's not much of a 'though,' of course you'd be interested in a warm drink.

At Gridman's reassurance she gives him another of those 'oh gosh, oh golly' not quite smile looks, with a slight flush of the cheeks.

Mari assures her it is in fact from the moon. That's when Rei Ayanami...

cracks the beer.

*pshhhh*

A mural ON the walls. "Oh," Rei says, looking down. "... It might be," she answers Kaworu, but this demurral may be more the presence of the entire group. She does not follow close inside, staying near the top of the staircase as Kaworu conducts the tour. She doesn't sip from the drink just yet.

(Rei's room is almost wholly undecorated, but has the advantage of way less bloody garbage in it than the last time some people - such as Shinji Ikari - saw it. Bonus! And the bed looks comfier, too, if you can overlook the part about it being a windowless underground room. Maybe that's just familiar to her.)

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

"Y-Yeah," Shinji starts at Gridman. "Yeah! We should! I... miss the sleepovers. B-But it can just be us, too, um. Doing something. Not necessarily a sleepover." Some time with him might help Shinji adjust. Cement that nothing's really changed. Not because he's Gridman, and not because...

Not because he's going to take anyone away from Shinji. Kaworu still speaks like Kaworu. Rei is still Rei. Shinji... doesn't know how to convey anything. He'd like to think Kaworu is right.

"Maybe..." he replies, with a mote of that doubt. But someday...?

But Gridman says some words to Rei and Shinji suddenly wonders if he should be taking a bigger drink of foggy liquid bread. The wettest form of bread left out to become very, very old. And he put it in his body. ... Whose idea was it to make something like this?

Rikka proves the most powerful of all because she has personal boundaries and exercises them.

As everyone gives commentary on the house, Shinji feels increasingly awkward. He's not sure how living spaces work, down to the details. He knows this own seems comfortable and welcoming and nice, but he couldn't say why. He's trying to think of something to say when Mari's got her arm around him, and Shinji begins to think, 'oh, I am bad at words and walking now,' and he may regret the moon beer. A masterful plan. He's even stumbling a little.

So it is when Mari must retreet, Shinji half spins with Mari Momentum and topples. It's only because Kaworu is there he does not fall completely. He might be leaning onto Kaworu too much. (He is definitely leaning too much, he can walk fine.)

"I think I should sit down..."

He's not even aware of the danger Asuka's putting herself in, trying to explore Forbidden Territory only Kaworu could survive. 

<Pose Tracker> Rikka Takarada has posed.

Orie would definitely allow it. That might be part of why Rikka so readily took one... even if she ended up not going through with it for her own personal reasons.

"I'll take your word for it, then." She says with a wry smile, as Gridman experiences first-hand the taste of Moon Beer. She isn't judged for her choice, though - and she nods back to Rei as she rummages through the fridge.

"Oh, cool, I'll keep those in mind." Rikka replies. She smirks, then, as both Kaworu and Asuka agree with her about Excuses.

She'll continue to follow along with the tour - taking in the sights of her friends' new home. She hopes it'll be a good one. 

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

"Wow, all the way from the Moon?" Gridman looks at the beer with renewed interest. Another sip. Still bad. "That seems really fancy. Thank you for bringing it, Mari."

Mari seems proud! Gridman can't help but feel a little thrilled at her approval -- she's always so confident and cool, even if he doesn't quite understand her. "T--thanks! Sorry I called it bad. It's just not what I'm used to. But that isn't a bad thing." Another sip for good measure. Maybe it's not so bad, actually? And maybe he's starting to feel a little different..?

Kaworu... Gridman feels his heart accelerate at his boyfriend's smile. "Thanks, Kaworu. I'll let Max know I'll be home late."

"Another sleepover sounds fun!" Gridman says, eagerly. "I'll message Orpheus about it. And if you want to hang out just us two, you can message me whenever. Even if it's just... you want help gardening or doing chores or something. I'll be there."

Woah, Mari's room is --

SLAM

"Is... that okay? Is she okay?" Gridman asks, looking between Kaworu and Rei. "...why does she have so many books in there?"

A skylight, though! That's really cool, or at least a good distraction from Mari's mysterious behavior. "I always liked being on the roof of my high school. I'm glad you can go up there when you want. There's something peaceful about being that tall."

As Kaworu moves to support Shinji, there's no hint of jealousy from the Hyper Agent. They've all been honest with each other. Gridman feels the inevitability echoing from the sight before him, but... Just because something is temporary doesn't mean it doesn't matter. Every moment he gets to spend as Kaworu and Rei's partner is a moment he'll always treasure.

"Sure! I'm curious about your room!" Gridman answers Kaworu, pushing away his sad thoughts. With another sip of his beer -- it's definitely tasting better, for sure -- he peeks inside. More twinkle lights! Feeling a little bolder than normal, Gridman walks inside, reaching up to touch the tiny bulbs. "It's nice. I think it suits you, Kaworu. But... I'm going to win you a big teddy bear or something you can display in here!"

Gridman laughs at the idea. Yeah, he's definitely got to do that.

Rei looks so sweet with a blush on her cheeks. Walking out of Kaworu's room, he makes his way over to her and grabs her hand, squeezing it for a moment. "Can I see your room, too?" He asks, and if permission is granted... He'll wander around inside a bit. It definitely needs something to brighten up the space. "I'm getting you a giant teddy bear too, Rei. Count on it."

A brilliant grin, with those yellow eyes almost luminous in Gridman's excitement.

<Pose Tracker> Shota Hebikura has posed.

Gridman's soft dislike of Hebikura -- really is a respect paid to their host, so the Captain, well used to people's deference towards his lackadaisical leadership style when people with more rank bars than him were around, makes a soft effort to play the young hero's doubt off, still drinking that (strange) Moon Brew* with a quiet, deliberate gusto.

"Mm. Nothing he doesn't want to do... Yes, I think that's right. Excellent observation." Hebikura returns to the Hyper Agent.

He, as well, does not have a strong angle on a room full of books. It's... While slightly anachronistic in the Year Of Our Super Robot Lord UC 0097, also a young lady's room and not filled with a Palpable Evil Presence so there is certainly No Need to investigate it.

"There is a... theme? A theme! Of lunar enjoyment among the people here. Why not personalize? This space is yours, and so, together, you may make it your space... together?" Hebikura waxes on adulting advice, before laughing and sipping at the dregs of his truly weak moon beer. He laughs at the sound of his own voice giving such droll advice, and yet... It doesn't really feel bad at all. Barely annoying. The things that slip out. 

<Pose Tracker> Mari Makinami Illustrious has posed.

Tap tap tap goes the bottle against the frame.

Silence is there to greet Asuka. For one second, two seconds, three seconds, seven seconds, eleven seconds...

And, as if Mari had it perfectly timed to an art, the -exact- second it becomes positively unbearable for Asuka's patience levels is when that door innocuously pops open, revealing Mari Makinami's brightly smiling features seconds before that bottle is thrust so imperatively it nudges COMMANDINGLY against her sternum!

"Ara?"

Mari looks down at the bottle. Blinks. Looks back at Asuka. Blinks again.

The bespectacled pilot is positioned in the crack of the doorway in such a way that she - completely by coincidence of course - blocks out much of the mystery of her room. But books can be seen. So many books. On a wide range of topics. An entire pillar, for example, is dedicated to a selection of Tarabaman light novels that seem to predate even the Second Impact and god knows how long before then. There's a few that look like medical journals. One is about how to make kettle corn. There's another few books that are about the rise and fall of something called 'My Little Pony.' And even more still that are just... encyclopedias. As if the internet doesn't exist.

"... Hum," exhales Mari softly. She leans in. Slowly. Takes that bottle by its base. Slowly.

And, as she leans towards Asuka, she murmurs,

"How about an exchange~?"

... seconds before she looks to take away that bottle and replace it with... a package? A wrapped package, no less. Emblazoned with a sticker that reads "FROM: MARI; TO: HER ROYAL HIGHNESS OF HUMANITY (AND MY BIGGEST FAN)

"No looking until you leave! Or I'll smash it in an instant!"

With that, Mari will slip out of her room, intent to spin breezily past Asuka on her way back to the others. If Asuka thinks that's the last of it, though...

"Oh, and by the way--" She'll be sorely disappointed, as Mari airily announces as she passes: "If you ever want to see my room, you only need to ask me with an open heart~."

Because Mari Notices.

With that said, though, the bespectacled agent(?) of NERV(??) skips a merry path back to the others at Kaworu's room just as Shinji's world begins to truly spin, hands clasped behind her back and expression a beacon of innocence as she leans forward to whisper to the pilot of Evangelion Unit-01.

"Tabby Cat has a pretty lovely room, don't you think~?"

And with that! Mari will cheerily listen to the rest, sipping the beer Asuka gave (???) her as she does without hesitation.

"So!" she wonders, looking to their guests. "What do you think of our humble, NERV-approved home?"

FOR NOTE

Whensoever Asuka should choose to open her gift, she'll find one (1) boxed copy of the Wonderswan game Hataraku Chocobo -- a game less about violence, and more about the careful process of raising an adorable little fantasy bird all on one's own.

How did Mari get a Wonderswan game in this day and age? How did she get one so OLD, that still looks so pristine? Well--

That's a tale for another time. What matters is...

Mari promised a gift. And she's a woman of her word.

minus the things she omits

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        While Mari might poke her head out to chime in that she LOVES the moon, Rei seems somewhat less enthusiastic--maybe because of the crowd, maybe for another reason. "We can discuss it more later," Kaworu offers either way. He smiles at Hebikura, who waxes (ha) romantic about the moon. "The Moon is quite significant to us. And even without that, I enjoy being able to do things with Rei. I quite like your ideas." And Mari, too, but Mari's not the one who gets that soft, fond look Kaworu casts Rei's way just now.
        
        As for whether Mari's okay or not, Kaworu simply shrugs. "Mary is Mary," he says, as if that explains anything at all.
        
        Likewise, Mari and Asuka's antics go unremarked upon. But rest assured: Kaworu Notices, Too.
        
        Shinji weighs heavy on Kaworu's shoulder indeed. He looks at him with open fondness just the same. "There's an extra seat in my room. You can sit there," he offers, and whether anyone decided to poke their head into his room or not, they'll get that chance when Kaworu leads him inside and seats him at the desk, where he also sets down his drink.
        
        He still doesn't mention that said drinks have no actual alcohol in them. Shinji's experiences are his own, nocebo or not.
        
        Gridman at least comes inside to take a look around. Once Shinji is firmly seated, Kaworu turns to him, looking away just as Mari returns to whisper into Shinji's hear.
        
        "Yes," he says to Gridman of the roof. "I enjoy tall places." He laughs softly at the offer. "A teddy bear... That would be nice. I'll look forward to it." Perhaps if Gridman gets him and Rei both one, they can match. He likes that idea, too.

<Pose Tracker> Rei Ayanami has posed.


Rei is dangerously close to taking a sip of the beer when Gridman comes up to her and asks to see her room. "?" And then she slips down and forwards, moving to open the door, which she had closed. When Gridman offers the giant teddy bear or something, Rei's head tilts to the side.

She knows most of those words, but not what they describe. However, it's some kind of a gift. "Yes," she says. "Win one?"

Captain Hebikura makes an observation. "... We do enjoy the moon," Rei muses, considering the bottle she's holding. She even looks down, and says, "The floor itself resembles the regolith."

Shinji-- he is leaning on Kaworu. She looks at Shinji, perhaps she meets his eyes. She seems, maybe, obscurely apologetic, and then she wends her way through the enchanted hallway and back upstairs. Exhaling for a moment.

Momentarily alone in the upstairs, Rei sees an animal standing with its paws against the glass. The palm civet, again. Rei looks at the animal. The palm civet looks back. Some obscure sound comes - a door opening or closing, or someone laughing, or simply a sharp phoneme - and it turns to run back into the nearby woods, with a faint rustle of dry grass.

Rei, for her part, unpacks the gifts, setting down and probably forgetting the beer. (A world-possibility has changed from this event.) When someone else sees her next, she is holding up an enormous boxed rice cooker (the rice cooker being the contents of the box) and gazing at it, with a sort of bemused expression.

<Pose Tracker> Shinji Ikari has posed.

Does Kaworu-Cat have a lovely room? Why is he a cat? Why a tabby, specifically? Why is Mari Mary and why is Shinji's dad so complicated? Shinji squints at Kaworu's head all of the sudden, as if expecting to find ears. There was the concert, once. Kaworu would have looked -- something in those. What's the word?

Shinji feels like he's losing feeling in his legs despite being not drunk. The human body gets very strange if someone should focus on having one too hard, and that's all Shinji is doing right now. Are hearts supposed to be like that? How does breathing work? He becomes aware of his tongue in his mouth and clicks it to make it stop. It doesn't work.

"The Moon is good," he agrees of the conversation. "But I don't like the Earth." He's talking about something else entirely than what it sounds like. "I think I'm mad at it, a little."

It turns out Kaworu has the best room because Shinji can sit in it. And sit he does, slumped with the worst posture he's ever allowed himself to have. He's holding that moon beer like it's precious. It isn't, but if he spilled any in Kaworu's room, that would be mortifying.

Almost as mortifying as learning there's no alcohol in it.

<Pose Tracker> Shota Hebikura has posed.

"Then, when the need for-" Hebikura begins, and then stops, hiccuping with an 'uhu!' of laughter, and grinning widely. "-administrative supervision is over, Administrator, hopefully soon you'll find time to paint, and fill the space with more than the tired war between light and dark. I think Rei was right, and plants will be nice, too. Hanging, even. She had an excellent vision - and very clear eyes."

Hebikura, like Kaworu, shares a fondness for Rei in particular - but one picked up things when they stood in for incapacitated superiors.

Mari asks for opinions.
Hebikura, for all his laconic sass, has a clean and direct answer - even after his hiccuping before. Curious!

"It is... a beginning." Lifting empty beer to his temple he cants it in a vague salute. "But it is a good beginning. I'm glad you live together, and have enough friends - even from far away - to join you. It is... Different, than I'm used to." A note of somberness drops the cheer from the Captain's tone. "But you seem happy. And I have heard Rei's report on her wants, so we've been productive, too."

"I enjoyed myself. Excellent presentation, Administrator, Pilots."

The beer's fake.

Hebikura full-on deflates as he pouts, looking down at his beer. "No wonder I didn't even feel a buzz."

<Pose Tracker> Gridman has posed.

At least Hebikura agrees on the importance of respecting Kaworu's preferences. He earns a begrudging nod from Gridman.

"I think it's a great home!" Gridman says, enthusiastically. "And I like the idea of a mural! I'll help if you guys want!"

Gridman's not really any sort of artist, but he's not going to let that stop him! If Kaworu and Rei want a mural, they should have a mural, right? What's there to think about?

"Yeah! I saw it on a show." Gridman says, to Rei. "They have these festivals with all kinds of booths where you play games. And if you win, you get a giant teddy bear. It's something guys do to show off for the people they like."

As someone who has never even been to any kind of fair where you can earn teddy bears, not to mention tried a game where you can win them, Gridman may be overpromising. But. Come hell or high water, he WILL acquire those teddy bears.

"It's a promise." Gridman vows, to Kaworu and Rei. He clenches one fist. "I'll fight bravely."

Within Gridman's gift are... a dozen tall white candles! "Ah," He says, at the sight of them. "These are special. When you light them, the fire burns in all the colors of the rainbow. I wasn't sure what to bring, but when I saw these, they made me think of... At the end of fighting the angels, they make rainbows, right?" He blushes. Maybe this was stupid. "And how I feel so thankful we're safe when I see that. So... they're a wish. That you'll always be safe here."

That sounded so much cooler back at home. Ugh. 

<Pose Tracker> Asuka Shikinami Langley has posed.


Asuka tries to look nondescript about looking past Mari into the room, that's hard though, there may even be a bead of sweat on her forehead before its done.

Still she does catch glimpse of her RANGE of reading material. Mari though takes the bottle and offers an exchange with...

Asuka reads the tag, and scowls, "Your biggest fan in what universe!? As if I would!" Despite her acting like that, she does tuck the package under her forearm and keep ahold of it, looking away from it.

Mari spins past her and makes her offer, "I don't!" She protests to the idea she wants to see her room, "I was just making you drink more of your crummy beer if you're going to force it on the rest of us!"

Asuka will not open her gift until she gets home. She will be absolutely obsessed about attempting to raise that adorable bird in short order. (Damn you Mari Makinami!)

She stares at Mari's door for a moment longer before tearing herself away and heading back upwards.

When she comes upstairs, she hears Shinji say the Moon is good, but he doesn't like the Earth. 'I think I'm mad at it, a little.'

...
...
...

Asuka quietly resolves to take Shinji to that junkyard again soon.

<Pose Tracker> Kaworu Nagisa has posed.

        'The Moon is good. But I don't like the Earth. I think I'm mad at it, a little.'
        
        Kaworu's expression clouds as he looks over at his dearest friend. "Shinji..."
        
        He doesn't press on the matter, though. That's something that's between just the two of them--though Rei might understand at least some of what he means. She's already gone upstairs, though.
        
        He looks towards the stairs just outside his room, then smiles back at Hebikura, a touch rueful. "I quite agree about Rei. You've been a wonderful mentor to her--and to me too, Captain." With obscure humor: "The war between light and dark has been a little less tired with you here."
        
        He rests a gentle hand on Shinji's back, on the spot between his shoulderblades. Then he looks up at the others. "Then once Mary, Rei and I have discussed it, I'll let you know what we've decided," he tells Gridman. To everyone in general, he says, "Shall we head back upstairs, then?"
        
        There will be plenty of flatbread to eat, non-alcoholic drinks, and conversation to make--or not make, for those who'd rather sit in companionable silence. It's a pleasant time all around for those who want it to be, and the presents are... mostly... appreciated. (Gridman's rainbow candles in particular get a smile out of him, though--is it just the lighting?--something about his expression seems wistful. Yes. It definitely must be the lighting.)
        
        Though even then, they all take this apartment one step closer to being a home.

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