Gendo meandered down the street, hands stuffed in his pockets. There was a reminder running through his head, telling him that he couldn't stop at the bar or waste any more money than he absolutely had to. He had a better use for it.

Not right away or anything, but he was fairly sure there'd be something springing up in the future.

None of that changed the fact that he wasn't comfortable with all the work Yui was doing with that Professor Fuyutsuki though. She wouldn't like it if she knew, but he was definitely going to have to show up in person to see who seemed like his greatest rival.

"So, when will you be working again?" he asked as they sat at the counter, eating lunch.

Yui looked at her watch. "Tonight, actually. In a few hours."

"Working late again?" Gendo smiled, and it was one she was definitely starting to recognize.

"Maybe. Any specific reason you ask?"

"To get you into bed again."

Yui stopped eating for a moment. "At least you're honest about it. But I much prefer using the facilities I'm used to, and a clean change of clothes."

"End of the semester that'll change, you know. Then you have won't have anywhere to hide from me."

She smiled. "Professor Fuyutsuki's office. I imagine you'd stay away from a research office like a vampire away from sunlight."

Gendo, in response, did not smile. The only thing that might have been a reaction was the tightening of his jaw.

This did not go unnoticed by Yui. She looked at him, then leaned around to look right in his face. "What was that? I saw you react. Why?"

"Nothing."

"This again? What is it? Something about Professor Fuyutsuki?"

"No."

"So that's it. Jealousy." Yui sat back on her stool a bit. "I don't know why. I'm just working with him, but I'm eating lunch with you." She rubbed his hand across his back and leaned over a bit. "I've been sleeping in your bed, not his," she whispered. "Besides, he's twenty years older than I am."

"That... doesn't make me feel any better. You do realize there's a decade separating us, don't you?"

"Of course, but it's not two decades." She kissed Gendo quickly on the cheek. "Relax. He's not my type."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," he said tersely.

It was Yui's turn to get snappish. "We're going to or you can forget the idea of us getting an apartment."

Looking at her from the corner of his eye, noting the cross expression on her face, he said softly, "You don't hear yourself. When you say his name... I can hear it in your voice."

The answer was immediate. "Do you remember the other night? And I know you do... Gen-chan. What does it sound like when I say that?"

"The best thing I've ever heard."

Yui put her arms around him and rested her chin on his shoulder, "Mm hmm. You don't sound so jealous now. I tell you, there's _nothing_ for you to be worried about."

She stayed that way, just looking at him for a moment. "What do you want to do until I have to work?"

"Don't be a tease, Yui. I'm not in a good mood right now." Gendo frowned, creasing his brow. "If I knew you wouldn't kill me, I would demand you stop going to these 'appointments' and find work as far away from this professor as possible."

"Ah, but you know better. That means you're learning. You might be worth the trouble after all."