For someone as clever and practiced as you are, I'm surprised you didn't think there would be a catch.

[After Avery returned to the bed, Val moved to a chair near the wall in his room and sat down, resting a hand on one of his own knees.]

However... I can still see where you were coming from in that line of thought.

[Even he could admit that, on its face, sounded like a win-win. And hunger could make one do... irrational things at times. He tried not to think about what his hunger pangs centuries ago almost made him do, even if he had the will to suppress them.]