Sparks Will Fly [Kawoshin: Kaworu x Shinji]

Chapter 14 - Dinner and a Show

<2023: Los Angeles>

"Kaworu," Shinji called into the hallway. "They're almost here, are you ready yet?"

"Almost."

Shinji sighed. "You said that twenty minutes ago..."

Kaworu walked in a few minutes later and hovered over Shinji's shoulder. "Can I have some?" he asked, pointing to the pasta salad.

Shinji hit his hand away. "I told you, you can't have any until they all get here."

"Whatever you say, Love."

Shinji's face went red. "Please don't call me that while they're here..."

Kaworu smiled. "Do you want me to revert back to 'Darling' like last week?"

"No..."

"Then it's settled, Love." Kaworu kissed Shinji's cheek and stole meatball from the opposite counter. "I won't embarrass you in front of them, though. Don't worry about it."

Shinji smiled. Kaworu always teased him but never actually did anything to make him uncomfortable. Even when they moved out of the little apartment hey shared, Shinji didn't want to immediately jump to buying a house together, so Kaworu suggested living in a larger apartment. He never rushed Shinji or forced him into anything, and he certainly didn't want lose his trust.

Shinji was washing his hands when the doorbell rang so Kaworu got up to greet their guests. He opened the door and found Toji and Kensuke. "Hey!" Kaworu said. "It's been a while."

"It's only been three weeks." Kensuke said before getting hit in the arm by Toji. 

~~~

"Should we start?" Kaworu asked. Toji, Kensuke, Rei, Ritsuko, and Misato were sitting at the table with Kaworu and Shinji. There were three chairs on each side and one at each end, leaving one chair and set place open.

"Not everyone's here, though." Shinji said. "It would be rude to start without her."

The doorbell rang and Shinji got up to answer it before Kaworu could ask him who else was coming. No one said anything while he was gone. They didn't know it could've been. Even Kaworu didn't know anyone else was eating with them. Shinji had said he'd "invited the team to dinner" but they were all there.

"We're in here," Shinji said, walking back in.

"Well," a female voice said from around the corner. "This place is definitely an upgrade from those crumby apartments we were all living in before."

"Oh..." Kaworu said when she walked inside. "Good to see you, Asuka."

"...Good to see you too."

She sat down in the empty seat and an awkward air set in. Everyone remained quiet for a while when they began to eat.

"Geez," Asuka finally said. "I haven't seen you all in months and you aren't even saying hello."

"Sorry," Misato said. "We just... We didn't think you would be coming."

"I was the project manager for the first ten months, of course I would come to the team dinner."

"Then maybe you should apologize." Toji said. "We aren't-"

"Please don't make her apologize," Shinji cut in. "At least not during dinner."