“Sorry,” Dane offered, seeing the distress on Reggie’s face as he continued to recount awful happenings around Avernus. “Thanks for your help, okay? I’ll try to keep my mind open and all of that..”

“Yeah. It’s alright.. Try to rest and we’ll walk around tomorrow. I’ll show you all the.. I guess, ‘relevant’ places in our immediate area, okay? Later.” With that, Reggie left with a polite nod and left Dane to the slightly less empty room.

Dane closed the door and laid out on the bed, sighing deeply. The ceiling was peeling like the rest of the room, wires running across it in places. As technology advanced, it took over building foundations like vines. The solution was new and better kinds of buildings, of course. But not everyone could afford rebuilding a home or an entire apartment building. He liked these relics of the past, though. A little paint and love and old and new world could unite into something interesting.

But he didn’t have paint or love, an empty void in him emotionally and literally as he realized he was starving. He sat up, uncomfortable as his empty stomach compressed on itself. “Shit..”

“You’ll be weak in the morning if you don’t eat, Dane,” ANDI ‘helpfully’ pointed out.

“Yeah.. I can’t ask for more, though. They've given me a lot.”

“Check the bag he left you. Also, he seems like a valuable friend to have here, don’t you?”

Dane shrugged, digging in the plastic bag of toiletries. “He said not to trust anyone. Even Dekartha just brought me here because she wants something..”

“I wouldn’t dwell on that. Some people are good, even here. If they release you after you help them, well-- at least they’ve taught you something.”

“I guess.” He sighed, finding a silver tube that looked a lot like paint. “.. oh no, not nutrient paste.”

“Nutrient Pâté,” ANDI corrected. “Is that fancier?”

Dane took the heavy tube of ‘food’ and sat down on the bed again, squinting at the label. “All of your daily nutrients, carefully measured macros, safe for diets and allergies.. now in a pleasant dessert flavor.”

He sighed, “Well. They didn’t have to give me any food at all, I guess. Bottoms up.”

Dane popped the cap off and squeezed the dark paste out of the tube. It curled out thicker than toothpaste in a color that imitated dark chocolate. He bit it and chewed, sighing again.

“Egh.. the ‘dessert’ flavor helps mask the awfulness, but.. it’s not ideal. And the texture will never be great.” He flopped down on his bed, eating out of the tube. What a life.