As much as he loves Asuka, he has no faith in her being able to deal with his love in a functional way. Even when he told Shinji, and he numbly expressed apathy about it, Kaworu could tell he was jealous and only approving because he was a coward.

But Asuka is different - Asuka doesn't share.

Kaworu sighed and closed his eyes. Why was this so much more difficult, now? The words I love you once rolled off his tongue so easily, as if it were nothing. Was it because he truly understood what they meant, now? Was it because he was now so much more sensitive to the needs of those fragile individuals whom he loved?

His hands moved again, leaving Asuka's shoulder and hand only to slide under her arms and pull her into an embrace. Kaworu wasn't sure how else to express what he was feeling. All of it had become so knotted.

"Does there need to be a reason?" he asked as he pressed his cheek against the side of her head. "I want to. What reason must there be?"