If you want a scene to define Rei and Cirus' relationship, this is it. A vital scene for the entire story arc of Kenosis, I took this one extremely seriously, and enjoyed it to no end. The mechanics of the scene are simple, though. Cirus doesn't feel like showing off his injuries (he hates to seek out pity), but with Rei standing outside, he's not going to make her leave. The awkwardness of both is one of my favorite aspects of the scene. Cirus, whom we know for being quite adult and mature most of the time, is very much a normal boy with a crush, and Rei, awkward at being social at all, comes off in a similar manner. Again, she knows Cirus appeals to her in some way, but she doesn't know exactly why. On the other hand, her intuition into others, especially Cirus, is without question. The actual reason for Cirus' blush is her proximity. Those entry-halls are tiny, so even with his back to the wall, she likely brushed her sleeve across his shirt to enter.
It is Ayanami-sama's lack of social etiquette that actually lets this scene work at all. Though she wouldn't necessarily articulate it, she knows Cirus wants to let his eyes be openly seen, but is afraid of what might happen. So she just walks right up and reaches to take them off. Only Rei would do something this blatant, and for me, it's always been part of her charm. When Cirus moves to stop her, she reacts to his sincere fear, and so falls back on asking his permission. Yes, Cirus is already quite flustered by the fact that a gorgeous young woman is hovering inches away from his face. At this point, the scent of her hair, breath, and any unique scents to her clothing or perhaps bath-soap would be filling his senses. Rei attracts him on many sincere levels, but those don't eliminate the superficial fact that Ayanami-sama is extremely beautiful physically. All that said, Cirus is still preternaturally mature for his age, and can think clearly enough to make a choice. Cirus finds Rei's eyes beautiful and captivating, that she finds his appealing, for whatever reason, is simply overwhelming. Rather like not just learning you won't be going to death-row, but rather you've inherited a multi-billion dollar estate and the gorgeous lawyer informing you is asking you out to dinner (for the right reasons). Yes, that is not an exagerration for his position.
The actual dialogue the two share here is one of my favorite interchanges in Kenosis. Rei's line in particular: "I don't understand why. I find them comforting. They do not hold me out like all others do. They let me look into you." I think this is the most believable aspect of her attraction to Cirus. Rather than the aggressive aspect of staring into eyes most people instinctively feel, and despite the fact that black surfaces where eyes should be is entirely creepy, they pose no barriers. Everyone in Evangelion has issues with the barriers between people (a core concept of the series itself), and so having Rei feel like Cirus has less obstruction to her is something deeply attractive in the purest sense. Again, her natural directness makes for an excellent addition to the scene, where she reaches out and actually touches the skin around his eye. Visualizing this action is one my favorite moments in Kenosis. Just over the surface, not a violation of privacy, but rather an expression of welcome and innocent intimacy.
Later in the scene, I thought it quite fitting to have her hesitate on the word 'happy'. In lovely scenes like these, I'm keenly aware of how Rei is treated in the actual series. And have other fans noticed how little the word 'happiness' is even uttered in Evangelion? It's not even a concept of contemplation. Cirus finally takes a bit of action himself, and says exactly what Ayanami-sama has been wanting to hear, but fears it to be a lie. The combination of a gentle, indeedy shy, touch, and a vow of her value to another, is something that would uniquely affect Ayanami-sama. If her tears remind the reader of the glasses from the series, it was intentional. I'm transferring the theme of grateful happiness from Ikari, who betrayed her, to Cirus. Rei doesn't quite realize what she's feeling, and it's still just starting to form, but it's there. The scene ends in the only way I could think fit. Cirus finally lets his emotions out, at least to himself.
The next section, the scene between Misato and Asuka in the kitchen, is minor, but is very good character interaction, and shows a rarely seen (in Kenosis...) shrewdness in Asuka. She knows Cirus would tell her they wouldn't work, and while that doesn't really matter with Kaji around, it's still a blow to the ego. The comments about Rei are the very ones that drive me nuts in the series, but would not be Asuka without them. It's obvious Asuka's issues around dolls project onto Rei, I just make that more blunt.
Establishing that the cover is almost finished, and giving dialogue-voice to the idea that Cirus was exagerrating his sway with SEELE are the only two real points of the beginning of this section, but I always enjoy character interaction. Character interaction is the real fun of any story. The three perspective set between Rei, Asuka, and Shinji is little more than abstract character comparison. I love writing from Rei's perspective, to help establish her personality to the audience even if they know her well already, and showing the bickering from both Asuka and Shinji's perspectives is simply authentic character description. The end of the section may seem a bit random, what with Ritsuko cracking up and Misato storming out in a twitching huff, but I wrote it to help show some humor (obviously), and to establish that life is approaching some semblance of normalcy, even in the Evangelion universe (at least in Kenosis). The series was so depressing because the simple pleasures were gradually sucked out of it toward the end. It was reduced to apocalyptic narration and high-end abstract theo-psychology as it relates to interhuman relations. In other words, so far beyond the pale of colloquial character interaction that it can't even see it on the road behind. Obviously done deliberately, as the true thesis of the series, I take it and toss it in the receptacle. No one can live like that, and we all have to deal with the 'hedgehog's dilemma'. It's part of human nature. Whining about it through a medium that attracts numerous viewers doesn't make it more than whining.
The short scene foreshadowing the 'dinner' between Rei and Misato is just too adorable to think of removing. Again, confused Rei=KAWAII!!! And the idea of Misato explaining microwave cooking is just so... Misato. And, of course, this scene helps show Rei's shifting character. She would never have accepted in the middle of the series, but things are changing.
To explain the disparity between 'the cover almost being done' and 'no wonder it's going so slowly', I am referring to the support systems (sewage, water, electricity) with the second remark, and the actual cover apparatus itself with the first. The humor I have going with the Misato/Ritsuko relationship seems to verge on senility, but I think its cute. Misato's frozen, face-vaulted awkwardness after spinning around to look at Cirus is just so clear in my mind. It makes me giggle. So there. Now, more seriously, the lack of time between Cirus leaving and Ritsuko's comment is so obviously defying reality I may have to fix it later. There is just no way he got from the CC to his the surface in his Eva in less than thirty seconds. (No, his odd penchant for 'appearing' behind people is not an excuse for this level of time-disparity). If I fix it, I'll probably keep the original and post a link to it here. Check updates for info on that. If you think it's serious enough to fix, email me (see bottom of page for address). The rest of the scene, up to the suspicion of an Angel arrival, is little more than character interaction and development for Cirus. Actual page-time from Rei's perspective is conspicuously absent, but the scene appears to work anyway. I stopped this part with a minor cliff-hangar. It's always realistic to have consequences visit a major character, and if it gives the excuse for great drama for another character, all the better. Read on.