REI:“Well, Captain Katsuragi and Doctor Akagi are waiting at the cage.”
Kendrix: Rei's lack of concern for her own person tends to inspire lots of it in both Shinji and the audience, like they wanna take care of her because she can't. I think most of her fanboys are in it for the fragility appeal. The "fun" in "cold" characters is not the coldness itself, but the defrosting process. We all want to feel needed. We all want to hope that we can earn someone's love and dedication if we "find" them and are nice to them, and we all hope that people will find us... "The hope that people can understand each other", as EoE puts it.
After her line she moves out of view, covered by Shinji’s back.
Shinji leans forward, as if to follow Rei as she withdraws.
SHINJI:“Ah...”
SE <<Sound of the door opening off-screen.>>
Kendrix: His sudden movement here also shows how much that line affected him. This is completely new to Shinji - she isn't doing anything to urge him to fight in EVA, and she isn't angry or at very least displeased.
There's also his protector's instinct kicking in here, when she says she's going to prepare for the battle and he shows that almost instinctive "following movement".
