Asuka woke slowly. She was extremely comfortable. Given she was wrapped around a warm body in a hot room with sweat dripping down her back this should not have been the case. She could hear his heartbeat. She could feel his breath on her hair. She smiled. He wouldn't mind if she lay here for a while.

Asuka woke slowly. She was extremely comfortable. Her head rested in a slightly different position than her memory of Rei's had. She could be angry about that later, when she was less content. Rei had probably optimised for the perfect position. She shifted slightly. All she succeeded in doing was noticing that while he was still scrawny, his muscles were more defined. Making him swim every time they were in the Geofront was paying off.

Asuka woke slowly. She was extremely comfortable. She was also hungry. She reluctantly broke the silence.

"You awake enough to make breakfast?"

"As long as you don't fall me asleep again. Anything particular you want?"

Asuka shakes her head just enough for him to be able to tell, but without actually moving.

"Asuka," he says softly, "if you want food, you need to move."

She feels him close his eyes and his face warm. As she peels herself off him, she realises why. Her sweaty sleepwear was clinging to their skin. Eww. She needed a shower. Unfortunately that will have to wait. It might be almost meaningless but she still wanted to feel like she was showering alone. She untangles her legs and steals the light sheet to pull around herself.

He pauses in the doorway and turns, knowing she is safely wrapped in the sheet, "I'll fetch her after breakfast. I'm sorry I'm not her."

'What the hell was that supposed to mean?' but he's gone before she can ask the question.

A few minutes later, Asuka, dressed in a dry t-shirt which is also going to have to go in the wash later, plops down at the table.

"What were you on about?"

"Rei. You were asking for her in your sleep. I know you'd rather have her."

Asuka blinks, "I just slept a full night without nightmares for the first time in days. Don't pull this shit with me now. You know she can't do that. She told me how many times you woke. You're mine baka, you don't get to think I don't need you here."

She waits until he turns back towards the kitchen before possibly correcting herself almost inaudibly, "want you here."