Shinji can't exactly deny it. There was a comfort in having Asuka with him, in being able to turn to a familiar presence that he doesn't have to work to break down and open up to.

If he thinks about it that way, could he really say that he cared about her? Or was he using her like she was using him? They aren't friends. They aren't anything anywhere near that anymore, not that they were on good terms in the first place.

"But you care about me." He doesn't answer the question right away. "Do you...?"