Echo of a Friend

Part 3

H- It's a while before they return, though, without any windows to allow light, it's impossible to tell exactly how long they were gone. WHen they do return, it's with a Dr.pepper in one hand, a back pack on their back and a bag of supplies in the other that smells like warm human food.

"You awake?" they ask gently before flicking the light on.

C- Daki had thankfully gotten some much needed rest during his time left alone, though he was soon awakened by the sound of Sam's return.

He yawned and stretched, then glanced up at them as they approached while he blinked the sleepiness from his eyes. "I am now," he murmured.

H- "Sorry about that - and the wait. Got pulled away to do some other things." they're disconnected, empty for now. Just don't think about it...

"How are you feeling? Hungry?"

C- "Yeah, starving, actually," Daki frowned, partly surprised at this. He didn't expect to feel hungry so soon, after feeding two days ago. And now he felt starved as if he had waited weeks. He glanced up at what Sam was holding, nervous about whatever was in their bag. He also wasn't looking forward to trying human food, but as they say, hunger is the best seasoning, and he certainly had plenty of that.

H- "I know you're not too enthused about eating human foods, so I brought some different things to try." they set the items on the table at the center of the room and begin to root through them, pulling out various cooked meats, boiled eggs, various nuts, berries and - even a small bag of jerky.

"I didn't know whether it best to bring you all meats or a mix of things - I don't know what giants eat besides people....Brought some nuts and berries I found myself. Thought, maybe, since you guys live in the woods, maybe you forage when not eating people?" They fix up a paper to-go plate, seperating each portion as neat as they could into each divet. They make 3 plates and set two on the desk by the gate before digging for the keys in their pocket.

Once they open the gate, they stay behind the orange tape but place the plates just beyound it for him.

C- Daki glanced between the options, smelling each of them. He could recall eating dead food back from when he was a kid. Maybe this wouldn't be so different. It would just take some getting used to again.

He tried out the jerky first, not really bothering to chew it first, then immediately choked on it. He wasn't used to feeling this kind of obstruction in his throat, and his airway was significantly more limited than his default form would allow. He quickly grabbed for the water bottle and chugged down half of it to get rid of the blockage in his throat.

He kept coughing even after that, and it eventually died down. His face reddened and he put an hand to his throat as he gasped for breath.

"I don't think... human food... agrees with me," he rasped.

H- THey snort. "You gotta chew it." they tell him gently, amused. "You know, with you're pathetic human teeth now. Jerky is the toughest thing here to bite into, but - the best tasting in my opinion." they reach over and snatch one of the pieces to gnaw on it.

"THe rest is pretty soft in comparison." they reach out of the cage to grab the third container and sit cross legged near the gate.

"I got your steak rare cause I thought you might like that more? But, here." THey proceed to messily cut up their own steak and dip it in the vegetables in the other corner of their own plate before eating it.

C- Daki cringed, feeling partly embarrassed by himself being reduced to this, and partly just dreading having to go through this unfavorable process multiple times a day, since human diets were so demanding apparently.