Elena gives him an injection. “And... that should do it. Try to lay off the guitar for a little bit until your hands heal and while you regain your strength. Can I.. talk to you? We’re friends, right?”

Ren sighs. “I’ve done too much to have any worth, self inflicted or not. Do you know why I smoke so much? A lot of people smoke so they don’t feel anything but the buzz, but I smoke so I feel something, [i]anything[/i], even if it’s temporary and false. That’s why I gave you my pack. I don’t want to be that smoke illusion around you, and that’s the thing. I don’t feel like I [i]have[/i] to.”

Angelica sighs in relief. “Oh thank the gods.”