It's been absurdly tentative since the beginning. Even if things weren't interdimensional -- we are in some farcical imitation of a war, and a temporary one at that.

Clinging to another person might be a futile aim, and nobody could blame you for giving up on caring after this. Independence is definitely a becoming trait for a soldier. If you give into isolation entirely, though... you never get the benefits of other people, after that. [She wonders if Asuka knew Haruka, had ever seen that hardening of heart firsthand.] So if you ever derived a real value from attaching yourself to someone... I think that still exists, even if the risk remains very high.

[Does that make any sense? It's all bullshit.]