[ It's interesting how pervasive self-hate can be. Annie is certain she's the trashiest trash to ever be trash. She knows what she's done, even if sometimes she won't admit it out loud that she does. She's weak and cowardly, and that sure is a pathetic way for Earth's savior to behave. Sure was pathetic that Earth got its ass saved by a psychotic junkie. She bites at her lower lip. There's no one who can possibly hate themselves more than Annie does. That's just the way that emotion feels.

And she looks at Asuka and thinks... she can't even know. She can't even know how much worse things can get for you on the inside. Doesn't even know how much more disgust and suffering there is to go as the world shits on you, as you lose more and more loved ones, as the spark to keep fighting drains out of you and you have to keep going.

She bites at her lower lip, wearing at it. ]

This time, doesn't make it permanent. Maybe there isn't time now, but we can go over it again.

[ It makes her nauseous to say that, to enable Asuka's need for perfection but Annie doesn't know any better way to ease that ache either. She has it. She has it because she knows that every imperfection can let someone down, can let someone die. ]

We've got backup, this time. It's ok.