He inhales sharply at the proximity, the pressure on his arm. Alex exercises patience, and Neil wishes not to test it. Not to mess things up more somehow. Opening his eyes, he reaches for the MRE packet. His fingers slip multiple times trying to fiddle with the opening, and Alex takes the packaging from him, eventually handing back an opened MRE.

Neil manages to start eating, taking pains not to look at Alex directly. Each morsel of food proves blander than their irradiated, pre-packaged brethren, but it is the blandness that stops Neil from throwing it all back up. While chewing, he glances down at Dogmeat and offers a weak smile, attempting to reassure the mutt.