Angel Grace and Lilin Heart

Little Favors

"Hey! Are you done yet?!"

"Just a second!" Shinji called back over his shoulder. Had he not been so occupied setting the plates, he would've rolled his eyes. It's not like they were in different rooms; Asuka could just look to see if Shinji was done or not.

"Are you sure you don't need any help, Shinji-kun?"

Though he jumped, Shinji managed not to drop the glass pan of salmon he'd just extricated from the oven.

"R-Really, Kaworu-kun, it's okay. You're the guest - you shouldn't have to help."

Kaworu stood with his hands in his pockets as Shinji placed down the tray, divvying up the roasted cutlets onto the plates he'd gotten out.

"...Well, I don't see Second or the Major extending a hand."

Shinji shook his head, wiping sweat from his forehead. He quickly turned to the stovetop, the oven timer going off. "Er, they don't really help out with dinner... um, not usually."

"Hm," Kaworu vocalized loftily, eyebrows raised.

At the very least, he could pass off his overheated face as a result of leaning over the stove. Kaworu probably couldn't tell how self-conscious he was. He hoped not, at least.

This was the first time Kaworu had ever come over for dinner. Shinji had been excited to invite him since it'd give him the chance to maybe return some of the Angel's kindness back to him. He was sure he could at least please Kaworu with his cooking. Although... he wasn't so sure the people he lived with were really helping his efforts.

He had asked Misato to dress a little more appropriately than normal given that they had a guest coming, yet she had just laughed off the idea. 'Nagisa-kun knows me, Shin-chan! He won't care what I'm wearing! You don't have to be all uptight.' She'd giggled slyly. 'Or are you trying to show off for him maybe? Make him admire you?'

Shinji knew he had lost the argument when Misato laughed as he vehemently and embarrassedly denied the suggestion - although he was well aware how perfectly right she was. And he sighed as he finished plating everyone's dinner, turning to the sight of his caretaker wearing short-shorts, no bra, and a loose-strapped tank top. Really...

He placed Kaworu's meal down first, although the boy was still in the kitchen. And despite his insistence, Kaworu emerged a moment later, also carrying a set of food. So much for treating the guest...

"Here," Shinji said finally, placing Asuka's food in front of her. He realized - rather happily - that Kaworu had very neatly set Shinji's meal in front of his seat first while he'd had his back turned.

"Finally," Asuka grumbled, taking the fork Shinji offered her, tapping it impatiently against her plate of fish.

"Oh, this all looks absolutely delicious, Shinji-kun. Do you really put this much effort into dinner every night?" Kaworu asked praisingly, gracefully setting down Misato's portion.

"A-Ah, well-"

Asuka cut him off with a snort. "Yeah, right. Shinji just does this much every other week or so. Usually, it's only noodles or rice or something."

Still smiling, Kaworu's eyes narrowed at her. "Hmm, well I suppose you must be quite grateful. I'm surprised he's willing to put even that much work into cooking for you."

Asuka glared sharply back at him, sneering. "What are you? Jealous that I'm the one who gets to eat his undercooked rice every-"

"Thanks for the meal, Shin-chan!" Misato chimed in loudly, though Shinji was unsure if her interruption was fueled by a desire to break the tension, or if it was simply drunken obnoxiousness. Probably both, Shinji figured.