They were in the kitchen together, cooking dinner and sharing a bottle of beer.

"Don't backwash in that," Yui warned as she watched Gendo take a drink.

"You couldn't tell mine from yours so don't worry about it."

"Just knowing you spit up in something I'm drinking is enough. Whether it's mixed with mine or not." Yui had a disgusted look on her face as she watched Gendo drink.

After she said that though, he looked at her, then the bottle in his hand, and then poured the rest of it down the sink. "Thanks. That was just what I wanted to hear _while_ I was drinking."

"Now that you're done finishing off another beer can you help me here? I'm sure you'll end up eating at least half of it."

"Probably more. Yui, you just don't eat enough."

"You want me to get fat? If I ate like you, I would."

"Then who bought the ice cream in the freezer? It sure wasn't me since I wouldn't eat butter pecan," Gendo said, looking at Yui skeptically as he stirred the cooking noodles.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with ice cream. As long as it's eaten in moderation."

Gendo smiled. "You don't need to make excuses for yourself. We'll work off the extra calories together."

Putting her arm around his waist, Yui just shook her head. There was no reason to battle him in his current mood. It would probably pass shortly and he'd back to his usual self.

"Besides, I don't think you have any extra calories to work off," she said anyway. Her fingers moved lightly over his ribs.

"Stop that!" Gendo twisted away from Yui, who started laughing.

"I know your weak point now." She reached out for him again, smiling, and watched him quickly move to the other side of the kitchen.

"Hmph. It's not a weak point; you just caught me by surprise." He had his arms crossed over his stomach, hands guarding his ribs.

Giving him a knowing look, Yui nodded. "Of course. Caught by surprise." She knew his weak points anyway, and they weren't really related to how ticklish his ribs were.

"Come back over here, Gen-chan," she beckoned. "I won't do it again since I know how it wounds your pride." She held her arm out to invite him to stand next to her.

"I hate when you do that," he mumbled and walked to her. He stood, arms still crossed, next to her and let her put her arm around him.

She glanced at him, still smiling. "I said I wasn't going to do it again. Are you going to help me or not?"

"Yui..."

"Gen-chan, don't be so touchy. You take things too seriously. I remember when you were accusing me of that." She tightened her hold on him. "Just because I get the best of you every now and then."

"It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

Gendo paused, then slowly put his arm around Yui. "I suppose it might be that."

"I always knew you were a closet control freak. If you want to take over dinner, be my guest."

He shook his head. "I wouldn't say that. I'm a little..."

"Possessive? Controlling?"

"There you go again. Really know how to improve my mood. If I was nearly as bad as you say I am, I would have gotten you out of that lab a long time ago."