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"Do you know how often you come here, Thorns?"
Whisperain leads him to sit on one of the medical bay's patient chairs. Thorns' eyes are ringed with apparent exhaustion, and he takes a moment to speak: "No. There's a lot of other things I need to remember. You'll have to forgive me."
"It's actually very often," Elysium answers for him belatedly. His head pops through the doorway. "I think this is the third time this week --"
"...Fourth."
"Oh, yeah, fourth. Wait, I thought you said -- "
"I've been working on a new toxin and don't want it finding its way into my bloodstream,'' Thorns says. He shoots Elysium a look that the Liberi does not understand. Whisperain frowns.
"That's all fine, it's just… um…"
Her pause makes Thorns hold up his forearm in her vague direction. It's wrapped in a bandage that, while carefully put on, doesn't look passingly fresh if the medic is being honest. "This wound was especially inconvenient to deal with when it reopened. If you have other more pressing people to tend to, just take care of this one for the time being."
"No, no, I'll patch them all up. Only, er, I'm not sure what exactly is causing your wounds to flare up again… have you been exerting yourself?"
"I have not allowed the injuries to be a hindrance. In order to evaluate the efficacy of my new compound, I of course need to test it. Whatever operation the Doctor hands me, I take it."
Whisperain grips her umbrella by its handle. Thorns feels the regeneration under his skin start to accelerate. "Forgive me if I'm wrong, but they like putting you in… very key positions, don't they? Where you're free to target the most enemies, but vice versa?"
Thorns raises his eyebrows. "Yes. You don't trust them?"
"I'm not doubting their decision. It just… doesn't seem to be the best scenario to be going into, especially in this state."
"I have Destreza on my side. I'm really all right."
"You're really not!"
Both of them turn their gazes to Elysium, who wavers a little. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to disrupt."
Whisperain shakes her head. She's normally quiet, but her time in Rhodes has accustomed her to Thorns and company's antics. "...Please, continue."
"The several minutes he takes to get started open him up to a lot of attacks," Elysium explains earnestly. He enters the room and leans against the wall in what seems to be an attempt to look suave. "After a while he frequently comes back with aches and pains… but he doesn't care. Which -- I mean --" he casts an accusing glance at Thorns. "Now I have to care enough for the both of us, bro!"
"You don't," Thorns says matter-of-factly. "That's your decision."
Elysium huffs. "Well -- Okay, I can use facts and logic too. If you keep on going like this, you won't have energy left to do your prized experiments at all!"
"Hm."
"Don't you agree?"
Thorns does not respond. Whisperain offers, "As a staff member of the medical department, Elysium's evaluation is quite right. If a bit simplified."
"Yes!" Elysium flashes a smile at her, then looks back toward his friend. "Listen to -- Hey! Thorns!!"
He's at Thorns' side immediately. There is faint snoring heard. Thorns does not stir.
"...I, uh, think he stayed up too late yesterday.'' Elysium rubs the back of his head, like he's responsible for the other man's sleeping schedule. Actually, that might be true. Whisperain would believe it. "He's really a mess sometimes…"
"That's because he's very dedicated to his work, isn't it?"
"That he is!" Elysium perks up. His features display genuine pride. "The stuff he's been making is brilliant!"
"Yes, all of us in the department are genuinely impressed." Whisperain smiles faintly as she gives the peaceful Thorns another burst of healing Arts, stitching together the last of his deeper wounds. "I just wish his meticulousness in the lab extended to his physical welfare."
"So do I," sighs Elysium. "I've been doing my best to sway him, but he makes it difficult to say no… he's so happy to be in his element all the time, y'know?"
"Happy? I'm not sure I've seen him so much as smile."
"He's not a smiling sort, but you can see it in his movements. Sometimes he hums to himself as he works. Found out he'd gotten into Alive Until Sunset that way, which was very satisfy -- Sorry. I'm rambling, aren't I?" He clears his throat. "Anyway. Once you're done with him, I'll take him back to his room."
Whisperain nods. "If you wouldn't mind getting me fresh bandages from the shelf…"
The two of them work well together. The Liberi seems to know exactly how to avoid waking Thorns, while still successfully manoeuvring to redress his cuts following the Aegir's instruction. He would make a good lab assistant, but Whisperain suspects he'd play an effective role in any department.
Soon enough, their task is complete. Elysium hauls Thorns over his shoulder with an ease that Whisperain didn't expect. "...Pass me his sword, please? He'd hate to have it anywhere else."
Whisperain gingerly hands him the curved blade, taking care not to disturb the solution within its system. "Are you sure you don't need any help?"
"Nope! Don't worry!"
As Elysium shuffles over to the door, his friend supported with one hand and the same friend's sword in the other, Whisperain does a double take.
Thorns' eyes have fluttered slightly open.
She thinks -- beneath the sleepiness -- he looks almost amused.