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[splendid_solitude]

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[splendid_solitude]

I just want to go home and get in my stupid Eva already. This is the longest I've gone without piloting since I was fourteen!

Then I wouldn't have to think about this dumb war, or how we've got an Angel right here in the open and no one seems to care.

[She huffed, though she may have become a bit more agreeable and a bit jaded over time ,even at twenty-eight Asuka still carried the temper and mentality that she did a decade and a half ago.]

Sorry...anyway, how've you been?

[samantha_grey]

[Samantha managed a hollow chuckle. Part of her dreaded talk like this. It meant, after all, forgetting the people involved in the war. But she wasn't going to bemoan that point with Asuka. After losing so many, she'd decided to just enjoy the time she had.]

Plotting the death of giants, brewing potions, sneaking into wretched hell-holes for the second time in my life when I never wanted to go once, and finding nothing worth finding this time. At this point, I'd almost say "The usual."

It's not old hat around here, but some things just seem to happen a lot, don't they?

[splendid_solitude]

It seems that way. But what can we do? I don't want to die before I get the chance to get home again so I've got to fight.


[So much depressing talk, seemed like a good a point as any to steer things to something else.]

And thanks for not thinking my eye was weird, I was a little worried about that.

[samantha_grey]

[She reached over to put her hand gently on Asuka's thigh, hovering for a second to make sure she could before finishing the motion.]

I'm a little afraid for you, but it's not weird. I live in a world that's forgotten old magics, but I haven't. Sealing something away in an eye makes sense to me, and you'll have to try a lot harder to scare me away. You should see a few of the people I've dated in the past.

[She grinned at her roguishly, offering her a raspberry and trying to keep the mood from being too depressing.]

And no dying on me while you're here. You're the one with regeneration, you know.

[splendid_solitude]

[Asuka took the fruit and ate it, the taste was nice. As was the feeling of Samantha touching her left.]

Don't worry. Ritusko and the rest of the science crew assured me that there is no way the contamination will spread to the rest of my body and I'd like to believe that for the time being.

Yeah? I've had crushes on some reason losers in my life. No one really nasty, just bratty, childish, and completely incapable of taking care of themselves. I was a dumb kid.

[Asuka had talked about that crush before, enough so that Samantha might have been able to figure out just who the red-haired girl had been so fixated on in the past.

Asuka sighed, there was no way she was dying now!]

Well yeah, I told you I'm not going anywhere. If I was lying I'd be a pretty crappy...[She thought for a moment. What word was appropriate for a situation like this? In the end, she went with the first thing that came to mind.] Girlfriend?

[samantha_grey]

[She blinked. There were things that she could have said about everything else, but really there was only one word that she found herself fixated on. It was kind of obvious, but for the most part she'd usually eschewed putting titles on her relationships, and then Asuka went and did it for her... and she didn't want her not to.

The girl's face went red and she swallowed, closing her eyes and leaning in a little, offering her another raspberry while she spoke.]

You can call yourself that if you want. I wouldn't mind... do you think of yourself as my girlfriend?

[splendid_solitude]

[Asuka had really never thought about it much up till this point. Sure, she enjoyed all of the company, attention, and other things that Samantha had provided her with. But being her girlfriend?

She had never bothered to attach the label to what they had. But it did make sense. She knew that much at least.]

I guess so. We go out on dates, and do all the rest of that couply stuff, so it makes sense.

[samantha_grey]

mmm. You know, I'm pretty sure this is not how most people decide they're girlfriends. [She let herself laugh a little.] Not that I mind. I like not being normal sometimes. But if I'm your girlfriend, I guess maybe we should... ummm, talk a little, yeah?

Just to be sure we're on the same page. I'm not going to drag you into something you aren't ready for or don't want.

[splendid_solitude]

Just let me sit down first.

[There was always a sense of lingering dread when someone stated that they "needed to talk." Asuka was nervous, but she could stand it for Samantha at least. And so she sat on a nearby coach.]

[samantha_grey]

[Samantha joined her after a moment and breathed in slowly before exhaling. Smiling a bit, she set the fruit where it could be reached and turned more towards Asuka.]

So... you know about the feeding. The thing is... I know you said that you're ok with the idea that I might have to feed off someone else, but are you.

Really?

[It wasn't like Eridan hadn't been stolen away and Elsa had disappeared too. Her only other 'prospect' was someone that, while a good lay, Samantha wasn't sure she wanted to be too serious about.

And it wasn't like she didn't have the runes. They worked. They hurt like hell, but they worked. Like it or not, she could try monogamy if Asuka asked. She had to at least offer.]

[splendid_solitude]

[Asuka squirmed a bit on the coach. She had expected a question like this, but it still made her nervous.

What was she supposed to say? She adored the attention Samantha gave her, but also couldn't stand sharing her things with anyone. It was just as true of her Eva as it was all of her other favorite things.

She sighed, what to say? What to say?]

It's a trade-off. I'm OK with you getting what you need from other people as long as you can give me what I need.

Attention, affection, all of that stuff. That sort of thing...I Want that reserved just for me.

[samantha_grey]

[She leaned in closer while Asuka spoke. Part of her knew jealous eyes when she saw them. One hand crossed the distance between their bodies, not quite touching her. Her head cocked.]

You do realize that I can get what I need from you too, don't you? I... I'm giving you a choice, Asuka. If this is your choice, then I'm ok with it. But if you want me to try and be just with you, you deserve that choice.

[She'd given it to Eridan, after all. Maybe he hadn't known what he was talking about, but he'd made his choice.]

So, make it. Do you want me to get what I need from you and only you, along with everything else?

[splendid_solitude]

[Goddamn it. Asuka thought that she had taken the high road with all of this and painted herself as a mature and selfless woman. So much for that.

Asuka squirmed even more under Samantha's direct gaze. Enough so to make her crack.]

I hate sharing, OK!? Is that what you want to hear? Then fine. You've got me. If I could have you all to myself, I would.

[samantha_grey]

Then you have me all to yourself. [And god help her if Eridan came back. That would get complicated. She leaned in closer, no judgment or anger there. Her lips brushed again at Asuka's cheek.]

No more worrying about sharing. It's just us and neither of us has to share. Just know that I can be greedy too.

But, I think it's your turn if you have a question. After all, we're getting serious.

[splendid_solitude]

If you can deal with my being a selfish girl, then I can live with that.

[Asuka breathed a sigh of relief. She must have lucked out big time when she met someone like Samantha who was willing to put up with not only her many issues, but also crap like this.]

I still want to know why you were drinking yourself stupid over that guy going home. I know he was important to you, but that doesn't explain everything.

[samantha_grey]

It's only fair. [She sighed.] He wasn't just important to me, Asuka. He was the 'other guy' you used to share me with. We'd been seeing each other for almost a year. It wasn't a normal relationship. No love, no affection. Trolls do things like that, but they also have rivalries that are like a romance. So... we kind of hated each other, but we were also a little obsessed.

[And by implication, she fucked him silly several times.]

He... was one of the people who never cared about my monstrous parts back when I used to go crazy. Losing him was... is hard. But you were never a replacement. That was the rule. His race does multiple partners... you and I were supposed to be ok for him.

[splendid_solitude]

That sounds complicated. But thanks for telling me. It explains a lot. I know it was hard for me to share, but I also knew that I wouldn't get anywhere by complaining about it either. So I shut my stupid mouth and just went along with things, mostly because I like you more then I do most people.

You didn't judge me for my issues or any of the weird things I've got going on. I've never known anyone like that before that didn't want to use me for something. [Except maybe Mari, but that was another story entirely.]

But since we're swapping stories I guess I should throw something out there to. That boy I'm always ragging on that I had a crush on? It was Shinji. Yeah I know, what the hell was I thinking? But I was only fourteen and didn't know any better.

[samantha_grey]

It could be a lot worse... though he did kind of almost destroy your world. [She sighed and offered a little laugh.] He could have been a drugged out dope-fiend masochist more interested in his next hit than going out on a date. Dated one of those once... well, maybe dated's a little too kind. We fucked. Let's leave it at that.

[She sighed and shook her head. She felt like such damaged goods sometimes, and yet Asuka... well, she'd been interested enough to put up with that just to get a foot in the door.]

There's nothing wrong with you. You've got a rough personality, but I like that about you... and I like the greedy side of you a lot. I think maybe we can both forgive having stupid tastes in men. At least hopefully our taste in women will fare a little better?

[splendid_solitude]

He did, and he's probably the biggest idiot I've ever known. But its nothing a good thrashing won't fix, and even if it doesn't, I'll feel better about things afterwords.

[Asuka blushed. Geez, did you have to lay it on so thick, Samantha!]

You like me, so your taste in women must be pretty damn good.

[samantha_grey]

I'd like to think so, yes. And I certainly believe I have good taste myself. [She smirked at the sight of color reaching Asuka's cheeks.] Oh but good, we needed a little more red here. It was getting too serious by far.

If it helps, you can still give me a bit of a thrashing. I can take the punishment and you don't have to be gentle.

[splendid_solitude]

No, that's not really my thing. I'd rather just cuddle for awhile.

[Behold! Asuka actually trying to express her earnest desires. Albeit delivered through a nervous combination of blushing and barely audible speech.]

[samantha_grey]

[Samantha first responded to that by trying to pull in close and curl her arms around Asuka. Her head would lean in close to the girl's throat, breathing in her scent as she spoke in a low voice that didn't carry far.]

I think I can manage that, and pretty much any other request you have, other than sleeping over. I'm half tempted to suggest you move in to my place, just because I hate Baldr watching us. It feels like he is here...

[splendid_solitude]

[Stupid sexy Samantha. By now Asuka had more or less gotten used to this sort of thing, but that didn't stop her from being rather demure about the whole situation. Letting her body go a little limp as Samanth grew closer.]

I really don't like the idea of someone watching us. Should we move somewhere else for now?

[samantha_grey]

[Her fingers twined around Asuka's waist, her lips leaning in close so she could whisper.]

If we hurry, we can beat the curfew and come to my place. I mean it, though... do you want to move in?

[splendid_solitude]

[She was quiet for a moment. This was a big decision. But really, what did she have to lose? It wasn't like she was very attached to this crappy apartment.

So why not?]

I wouldn't mind it. [She spoke quietly, exposing a bit of her soft side that was so often hidden beneath her rough exterior.] I'm not all fond of this place anyway.