Daniel watched her eat, even though she didn't seem to have much of an appetite. He knew she was hungry, though, because her stomach rumbled softly.
She doesn't want to eat much, but she was definitely hungry. Earlier, everyone had managed to eat their own portion, even though it wasn't much. Daniel had a few smaller meals he could eat later, but he knew the others didn't have that luxury. They were all just trying to make do until the sun went down and they could find something else to eat.
While Tina took a bite of her food, but then she just stared blankly ahead. She looked back at the food, as if she was getting tired of it, even though she had only taken one bite. She managed to take another bite, but then she couldn't keep up the pretense any longer. She knew she couldn't eat anymore.
She handed the chicken back to Daniel. "Come on, you need to eat too," she said, offering him the remaining chicken. Daniel just looked at her, not wanting to take it.
She waited for him to take it, but he didn't even seem to want it. After a while, she swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and started eating the chicken again. She was pretending she wasn't hungry, but deep down, she knew she was. The truth was, she had just lost her appetite.
Tina was starving, but she forced herself to eat. It was her only option. If she didn't eat, she'd be left with nothing. They had very little food left which is the one she's holding, and if it ran out, there wouldn't be anything to eat until they went out to find more at night. It wasn't guaranteed they'd find anything, though. They'd just have to hope they could find something.
They would go out anyway, to try and find more food. It was dangerous, but they had to try. The police were a problem, but they were usually off duty by 6 pm, leaving the city feeling insecure. This was just one of the many problems Daniel was fighting against, but most people didn't see it. They hadn't suffered enough to understand. Probably maybe when they are at the point of death they will understand.
"I know you're hungry, and I know you don't have much of an appetite, but you have to eat this. It's the last food we have. I managed to get it for you, so you can't just throw it away. You'll starve," Daniel said. Tina stared at him for a moment, then took a bite of the food. It was clear she had something on her mind, something she wanted to tell him, but she decided to hold back.
Even without her saying anything, Daniel could see it in her face. She wanted to talk, but something was holding her back. Maybe she was waiting for him to ask her what was wrong.
Daniel was waiting for her to bring it up herself. He'd tried to ask people about their problems in the past, but it never ended well. He was afraid to ask her what was wrong. It would be better if she spoke up, and then they could find a solution together. He knew he had bad luck asking people if they are okay, it's more better they say their problems themselves, and his destiny was always following him around, so he was afraid to ask.
The air between them crackled with unspoken tension. Neither Daniel nor his companion, Tina, could bring themselves to break the silence. It was as if they were locked in a silent competition, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Daniel felt a familiar frustration bubbling up inside him. He knew Tin was struggling, but she seemed just as hesitant to confide in him as he was to pry. He wanted to help, but he also understood the vulnerability it took to admit weakness.
He tried to push aside his own anxieties, focusing on Tina's troubled expression. He had seen her strong and resilient, but now her eyes held a flicker of fear that was both unsettling and heartbreaking. He yearned to understand what was causing her distress, but he was afraid of pushing her too far.
Tina finally broke the silence, but her words were not what he expected.  
"But what about you? Are you not going to eat anything? I saw you didn't touch your food when you came in, and you shared everything with everyone else. Shouldn't you be the one to eat instead?"
Her words were laced with a playful tone, but Daniel could sense the underlying concern. He realized that she was trying to deflect, to avoid talking about her own anxieties by focusing on him. He appreciated her concern, but he wanted her to understand that he was there for her, let her talk her problems, say the thing that's eating deep in her.
"Of course, I'm not going to let you or them starve," he said, his voice laced with a hint of amusement. "But I'm also not going to let you ignore your own feelings. You came here because you believe I could protect you, all of you, and I'm here for you. Whatever you're struggling with, I want you to know that you can talk to me."
He reached out and gently took her hand, his touch a silent promise of support. He knew that the journey ahead might be difficult, but he was determined to walk it with her, side by side.
Tina, mid-chew of her chicken, stopped abruptly at Daniel's words. The piece of meat, now abandoned, hung precariously between her fingers. She didn't understand what he was saying, and it didn't make sense to her. "Why would you say that?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion. "We're all adults here. It's not like we're kids who need to be fed. We should share, even if it's just a little bit. You should eat too, Daniel. You can't stay hungry."
Daniel shrugged, a nonchalant expression on his face. "Don't worry about me. I have my own food. It's in my fridge, in a different tree."
Tina, watching the exchange unfold, couldn't help but stare at Daniel. "Well, you could have just said that earlier," she began, her voice tight with frustration. "Instead of trying to make it seem like..." She trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. The words stuck in her throat, leaving a gaping hole in the air. She didn't know what to say next. The weight of her words, and the unspoken truth they carried, left her speechless.
Tina knew exactly what she wanted to say, but the words caught in her throat. She could see the offense it would cause Daniel, the damage it would do to the good he'd already done. It was like a delicate balance, one wrong move and the whole thing would crumble. So, she pulled back, choosing silence over confrontation.
"Come on, don't hold back," Daniel said, his voice gentle. "Say what's on your mind. I won't be angry. I'm not that kind of person. If I was, I wouldn't be here, trying to protect a city that hates me so much."
Tina smiled, a flicker of relief in her eyes. "Well, I guess you're right. You already know what I was going to say. Let's just forget about it. I was just joking, I didn't mean it." She apologized quickly, her voice laced with sincerity.
Daniel smiled back, nodding his head in acceptance. "Alright then. Is there anything else you want to talk about? I'm here to listen."