Misato:“Misato's arrogance leads her to try to help him out.”
Sailor Star Dust: I really love what the Renewal/Platinum booklet for Episode 2 has to say about this, it really captures the start of their relationship perfectly: In order to try to close the gap between her and him, Misato acts silly around Shinji and as if in response to that, Shinji acts exaggeratedly surprised by the presence of Pen Pen, the hot spring penguin. Seeing Shinji's true intentions in his actions, Misato says to herself, "Maybe I'm the one who's transparent." It is a most Eva-like depiction concerning "communication." In the preview, the idea of her taking Shinji in is clearly stated as "Misato's arrogance." The sense with which they coolly capture such events is also part of the appeal of Evangelion.
