"So can I shave your legs?"

"No, and quit being silly."

"I'm not. I'm just wondering the status of this... quid pro quo thing."

"There isn't one. I wouldn't let you shave my legs anymore than I'd let you shave my head."

"Armpits?"

"No!"

Gendo grinned at her then.

"No!" Yui repeated, knowing exactly what he was thinking. "But... if you really don't want me to do it again, I won't."

"It wasn't so bad," he admitted casually. "Just a little... weird to have someone else shave me like that. The sensation of a blade against my neck that someone else is controlling is terrifying."

"You should make more friends than enemies then."

"I don't need friends. I've gotten along without them so far. And I sure wouldn't let them shave me even if I did have any."

Tossing a pillow at Gendo, Yui said, "Don't be such a grouch. I know it wasn't that bad."

"You have steady hands, and that's all I'm going to say."

Yui was about to go and torture an answer out of him, but Gendo was able to stop her with two simple words.

"One month." He didn't use it exclusively to annoy her; it was weighing heavily on his mind as each day passed as well. Even if Yui had been upset that he had continued on full-time on the project, the fact that she was going to be married in a month kept her from bothering him about it.

She was almost able to ignore the comment, but in the end, she flopped down in a chair. "Is it really that soon? Just the other day it was still the middle of August." A more disturbing thought occurred to her. "So that means my parents will be..."

"Here in a week. Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up," Gendo finished for her, smiling slightly. "You need to relax though," he continued, standing behind her to massage her shoulders. "If you get too tense..." He leaned down and whispered in her ear, "You might explode."

Yui grinned, her eyes closed. "That sounds wonderful."

"I know what you need right now."

"Mm, what?"

"Something hot, wet, deep, long..."

"Yes, a bath sounds great. You always know exactly what I need."

Gendo smiled, still loosening up her tight muscles. "I'll go start one for you then. Relax."

"Thank you, Gen-chan."

Sighing a little at the tone of her voice, he kissed her cheek, then went to start to water.

Work, classes, her parents, the... wedding... It was all starting to come down on her. The pressure was really adding up. Especially concerning her parents and their visit. If she hadn't been in the middle of it, it might have been something she would have liked to see. On the other hand...

"Yui, your bath's ready."

Blinking, Yui sat up. "Oh, okay," she said quietly. "How long was I asleep?"

"Not long. Just enough to fill the tub." Gendo helped Yui to her feet and escorted her to the bathroom. "Do I have to watch you when you bathe so you don't fall asleep and drown?"

"I can manage on my own without you using it as an excuse to see me naked."

"I don't need excuses," he responded calmly and started to lift up her shirt.

Yui slapped his hands away. "Maybe you don't, but that doesn't mean I'll let you. Pig." She retreated into the bathroom and shut the door.

"You're lucky chivalry still exists," he said loud enough for her to hear.

"Oh really? You'll have to show me where some time."

"Smartass." The phone rang, putting an end to further conversation. Gendo went to answer it, allowing it to ring several times before finally picking it up. "Hello?" There was a voice on the other end he didn't recognize. "No, she can't come to the phone right now. Yes, I am." Silence, time freezing. "I'll... tell her."

Gendo dropped the phone back in the cradle.