Dan bundles himself up and drains the tub. He picks up one of the bottles of wine and drinks the miniscus in a futile attempt to fight the hangover. He shuffles out after Aster, hangdog and glum.

"Sorry I scared you." Aster isn't even making eye contact with him, which Dan takes for a bad sign. He doesn't blame Aster. Aster gave Dan hospitality and generosity and Dan not only didn't quit his destructive coping habits but leaned further into them. Dan's enlisted Aster in his most unseemly traits and made Aster complicit. "I know it looked bad, but I wasn't in no danger."

He sits in front of the fire, rubbing the bridge of his nose with one hand as he warms up. He probably was in danger, laying there in cool water only getting colder, but there are worse ways to die than in his sleep. The worst part would have been the unkindness of letting Aster find him like that.

As soon as he starts getting color back into his skin, his cheeks start flushing with embarrassment and disappointment.