Dane slept restlessly as he absorbed the situation slowly, alone in an empty room. No family, no possessions, no sense of direction. Stuck somewhere he could get killed at any moment.. just because of something he could not control and didn’t even ask for. He woke himself up crying in the middle of the night, alone until he heard a polite shuffling near the door.

It was Reggie, peeking inside and looking apologetic. He was dressed down for sleeping, looking even taller when he wasn’t covered in black. He had two horizontal scars under his chest and a tattoo of a cat face on one shoulder. He blinked slowly at Dane before speaking.

“Hey.. sorry. I didn’t want to just leave you here upset, I guess. I’m bad at this, uh… here.” He handed him a cat mug with hot chocolate in it, broken pieces of white chocolate and a little pile of marshmallows on top.

“... I get it, you like cats,” Dane joked, embarrassed and sniffling.

Reggie smirked, “Give it back tomorrow. Get some rest.”

Dane managed to sleep after he left. Maybe it was the warm drink or the temporary relief from the kindness, but he slept enough to not feel like death upon rising.

His door opened again while he was getting dressed. Dekartha.

“I need you, but we’re eating first. Come downstairs--” She paused to look around him room, “You really just brought the shirt on your back, huh? Shit, kid..” She sighed as he scrambled to put a shirt on.

“Gods,” she continued, rubbing the side of her face, “Okay. Reiji said he wanted to take you on a tour around the block to show you what’s safe around here and who we work with. I’m gonna’ give him some money and you two buy you some stuff for your room and.. Whatever makes you happy, kid. This is depressing. We’ll get to work this afternoon. Got it?”

“Got it-- thank you, uh.. ma’am.”

“Don’t call me ma’am.” She left, presumably back upstairs.

Dane went down to breakfast, comforting by the simple smell of coffee and eggs. Creature comforts.

“Drink water, Dane, you’re getting dehydrated,” ANDI chimed in. Dane sighed and found Reggie, “Hi-- are you cooking? Do you like.. to cook?”

“Yep.” Reggie was wearing an apron, looking pleased with himself as he plated cheese omlettes.

“Can I bother for a cup for wat--”

“Get a bottle out the fridge. We haven’t trusted the taps in years,” Reggie grumbled, dropping a couple strips of bacon onto the omelette. He held the plate out to Dane. “Voila. Don’t get used to it; sometimes I can’t afford eggs. And eat quick.. we have a lot to see."

Dane wondered how he could afford white chocolate.