The new semester approached. The weather didn't much care and remained hot and humid.

"I'm going to die. I'm leaving everything to you." The electric fan combined with her paper one only helped Yui so much. It was by far the worst heat wave of the summer.

"No dying allowed. I'm not sleeping in that bed with those flowery sheets alone."

"I'm so hot I can't sleep. How am I going to be able to work tomorrow if I can't get any sleep?"

"I'm going out for a bit. I'll bring you back something," Gendo said abruptly, leaving before Yui even had a chance to question him.

"Bastard," she muttered. "Leaving like that. He's probably going someplace with air conditioning."

That had been awfully close. So close, Gendo hadn't even put his shoes on. Yui had that... tone to her voice, the one that meant he was to give her plenty of space. The heat wasn't helping either. Or the fact that they had come to a decision finally and set the date to get married just three months down the road.

All of that was enough to give Gendo a headache. Sitting on the edge of a concrete planter filled with bright flowers, he looked up at the sky. What had he gotten himself into?

A key rattled in the lock before Yui heard the door open. "And where have you been?" she demanded, marching out to meet Gendo.

"Eat at least one of these before they all melt." He thrust a wrapped ice cream treat at her before taking the box to the kitchen.

Yui looked at it quizzically, feeling like she had just missed something. "What..." she started.

"Just eat it or it'll melt all over," Gendo answered from in front of the freezer, hot and more than a little annoyed.

"But you didn't have to..."

"Yes, I did," he snapped at her. "I'm taking a shower."

"Then I'll..."

"Alone. I can handle this by myself, thanks."

Yui heard the door to the bathroom slam shut and bit down hard enough on her lower lip to almost draw blood. It was the only way she could stop herself from immediately crying.

The constant flow of cool water over his skin was refreshing. That was what he concentrated on, keeping Yui from invading his thoughts. He could just imagine the look on her face, about to cry, lower lip quivering...

Gendo leaned his hands against the tiled wall and hung his head. Damn, he didn't want to do that, start thinking about her. Pounding the wall once with frustration, he turned off the water. He'd be surprised if she was still even in the apartment.

Grabbing his towel and wrapping it around himself, Gendo quietly exited the bathroom. Yui wasn't in the living room, as he had expected, but the bedroom was pitch black. That was even worse. If she had just gone in there and... and...

"Yui?" he whispered, standing in the doorway.

"Leave me alone," was her muffled reply.

"I'm sorry, Yui. I was just... I was hot and irritable. I didn't mean anything."

"I don't want to see you." Her voice was still muffled.

She must have had her head under the covers. "I'm sorry. I really am." Gendo's footsteps were light as he approached the bed. It was just a dark mass; she wasn't discernible in it, and that was... oddly painful. To know that she wasn't waiting to make up, to hear him out.

"Please, Yui. Anything to make it up to you. I didn't mean it. I know I was being mean; just don't be like this." Gendo was almost begging, not even aware of it.

"All I wanted was to be with you," she answered, her crying evident now.

Gendo wasn't quite sure how that fit into everything, but it was still his fault she was upset. "I know. I'm sorry. Yui, let's... let's have a baby."

...

What had he just said?