"Then surely this is a step up from that, at least. Not being dead, always a good start in most endeavours." Despite the sarcasm, this is bordering on optimism, which almost feels dirty. But really, as being supportive goes, this is grade A work, relatively speaking.

"Why didn't you think you'd be alive past yesterday? Was it going to be a painful death?" He is, naturally, curious and morbid and morbidly curious. But there is also the matter of...what commonality might be behind them both turning up here. Not that pure chance isn't an appealing culprit, but one never knows.