"It's not the craziest thing I've ever seen," Asuka mutters in response, cold and prickly. She's seen monsters - fought them, too. She's see the end of the world. Something size of a small building is cake compared to that. Or it would have been, if it hadn't killed someone who had been intimately, horrifically wrapped up in her own head. She still can't shake the feeling of missing something. It's like a phantom limb. Where there should be noise and chatter there's silence. Ominous, empty silence. And she feels alone. Completely alone. More alone than she ever has.

"Smoking? Maybe in your tent. Not like anyone here is going to yell at you for it."

Well, she won't. Other people might. Her voice drops and she glances over her shoulder to make sure no one is really paying attention to the pair of them.

"We're nto supposed to blow our cover."

Her tone is equally flat, stripped of emotion. Better than focusing on the hurt. Even if his own confusion and pain is flaring up, bright and harsh, and it's setting her on edge, fingers curling in against her palms.

( Didn't anyone teach you how not to shove your shit in everyone's face? )