Dan stiffens in surprise when Aster touches him, then relaxes into the touch and sits on his heels. He rests his hands in his lap.

"I don't know. I don't want to be here. Not on the farm, not in this town, just..." Here in this world. "Drinking puts that out of mind a little. Takes it from a ten down to a six."

If Dan could become a black hole and collapse into himself, he would - he almost feels, constantly, like that's what's about to happen, like the sense of strain and tension is so unbearable that there's about to be a break, but there never is.