Shinji Ikari clung to you as if you were the only source of light in his gloomy, melancholy abyss, into which he fell deeper every day, as if it were endless. He will not let go of this light, even if it is ghostly, and will hold the last hope with his fingers, as gently and carefully as he can, while at the same time as tenaciously as possible.

A suffocating embrace before the battle with the Angel. He needs it, and it gives him at least some optimism in the matter. As much as he hates piloting Eva-01, he'll do it for you. And he'll be damned if he ever runs away again. Not this time. Not now. He doesn't care about the other residents in Tokyo 3, only your safety. They won't give him the light that only you can.

Gendo Ikari noticed his son's strange affection for you and decided that if you were the reason the Third Child would pilot Eva-01, then so be it. As long as you don't know the secret of NERV.

And there are many skeletons in the closet that only a select few on this planet know about.

"I won't run away, I promise," Shinji swore quietly, gripping your body so tightly that it seemed he would strangle you like that.

He won't break that oath even if he dies.