Howard pauses for a second, then decides on honesty. "We starved back home, for almost a year. Not just like hungry starving, but cannibalism and eating garbage starving. So it's not practical to need more food, in case it happens again."

He doesn't say 'in case I have to go back' because he doesn't want anyone thinking he'd sabotage the crew's efforts to restore their world to spare himself a second round with his homeward. He wouldn't, but it would be a bald-faced lie to say he doesn't bounce the thought around in his head at night. "And anyway, eating in front of other people is just weird. It always feels like a performance or something."

He tilts his head a bit, subtly appraising Daja. He supposes she does look a little more relaxed than the last time he saw her, but it could just be that she's not at work, and not in a business setting at the moment.

"I never had any siblings. Are you two, like…?" He links his middle finger over his index finger, the gesture for 'close' or 'tight'. "Because even though I don't like the people Spacey Stacy brought over from my home, I think it helps just having them around. It's nice not having to explain everything all the time to anyone."

And then realizing he's spent the last few minutes explaining advertising to Daja, he catches himself. "I mean, no offense."