How did I carry Y'all??? [private to sniggle and Tortuga]

Thirsty. Torin was really, really thirsty. His lips were cracked and his skin was pale. His greasy hair was matted to his forehead With sweat and his face was still locked in a grimace. There was a throbbing in his abs, chest, and the back of his head. He let out a weak groan and tried to open his eyes. The room was bright and for a moment all he could see were faint outlines of things. Eventually his eyes adjusted and he recognized the infirmary. He let out a small cry as pain welled in his torso. What...what had happened? The dance, and then the blood, and then Ben. Oh gods, Ben. Using the little strength he had, Torin tried to get up and search for his brother. He only managed to sit up, already exhausted with breaths coming in pants. He looked to his side and saw Lexi and Ben. "Lex..." He breathed, his face relaxing somewhat.

Ben let out a low moan. He shifted slightly, but didn't try to sit up. He hurt to much all over, especially in his femurs. This, he realized, was because his marrow was still on overdrive regenerating blood lost saving Torin. Saving Torin. He had done it! Torin was alive! He let his head fall to the side, and with some effort, opened his eyes. "Big bro..."

Torin attempted a smile at seeing his brother. "Hi, Ben. I'm... right here." Slowly he twisted his body, extending his arm out to touch Ben's hand. Then he fell back into his bed with a sigh. His arm dropping over the side. He was too lazy and tired to pick it back up. He shut his eyes, swallowing the lump in his throat before calling out to Lexi. From what Torin could tell Lexi was the only one of them who hadn't nearly died...Or in Torin's case, legitimately died. In his head he prayed to the gods for her safety, and for Ben's survival.

Ben tried to twist to reach for Torin, and winced. "Big bro... I... I hurt everywhere... C-can you help me...?" He whimpered. He had gone so far past his limits saving the older Asclepius boy, that he had nearly taken his own life in the process. And now, he was paying for it in the pain that coursed through his body.

Torin looked back at his brother and wanted to cry. Cry at how much he was hurting and more importantly how much Ben was. He downed nearily all of the water and took some of the nectar too. The nectar was sweet and tingled pleasantly. He thanked Lexi quietly and looked back at his frail, helpless brother with a frown. He like helping people, not being helped. It was weird being on the recieving end. "Sure, Ben. Anything..."

Ben drank slowly, spilling a little water on himself, before setting the glass down. "Hand... Take my hand... You can make it hurt less..." He remembered his brother's numbing touch. He managed to extended his arm partway to Torin, tears falling from the pain and effort. He opened his eyes again, and stared at Torin piteously.

Torin nodded, reaching over the bed again. Normally he might've questioned the request but Ben was hurting so badly, he didn't hesitate. Torin reached out and touched Ben's fingers, before pushing himself forward more with a grimace. "Morphine," he grunted, looking up exhaustedly at Lexi. "Get him morphine...please."

At the touch of Torin's fingers, the pain began to flow out of Ben's body, starting in his hand and numbing his whole body. He sighed, and his face relaxed. His eyes closed, and the tensity the pain had brought on left his body. "Thank you..."

Torin nodded, smiling softly at his brother's apparent improvement. He pulled his arm in and laid back down in his own cot, exhaling. "Lexi, thank you. For everything. And Ben, too... I'd be dead without the both of you." Still dead, he meant. Dying hadn't been a fun feeling, and he didn't want to relive(HAH GET IT) the experience anytime soon. He looked up at Lexi and frowned, extending in arm towards her cheek. He couldn't reach, though. "You face... what happened?" Concern filled his voice and he looked protectively at the girl.

((TIMESKIP: 4 DAYS))

Ben wandered around the infirmary. He was feeling much better now, as was Torin, but the Apollo kids presiding over them insisted they stay at the infirmary for at least another three or four days. Thinking of Torin, the younger Asclepius boy turned to look at his brother, who stood a little ways away. After much griping on their part, the Apollo kids had agreed to let them help out, even as they were recovering. After all, they were in their natural habitat in the infirmary, being sons of the god of doctors. He was still having trouble coming to terms with the fact that his brother would have died if not for him. Brother. It felt good to call him that, felt good to give name to the feelings Ben had, which otherwise were so confusing. Still, it felt insufficient. "How ya feelin'?" He called out.

Torin turned and smiled at his younger brother sincerely, taking a short pause from assorting the ambrosia cubes he had cut up. "I've been better," He admitted, "But I've certainly been worse." To prove the point he rubbed his abdomen and chuckled. He looked his brother up and down quickly, protectively. "How about you?"

"Like you, I've been better, but I'm not hurting anymore. I've got my blood back, too." And it was true- quite a bit of color had returned to Ben's face, enough for him to blush a little at Torin's concern. Wait, what? Blushing? Why was he blushing? And then Torin's girlfriend walked in and kissed him. Ben felt a pang of something, something that he didn't want to call jealousy, but couldn't be anything else. "Welcome..." He grumbled.

Torin lowered his head to kiss her and slid her arms around her waist, holding her close to him for a moment. It hurt a little, but it was worth it to feel her soft lips. He looked back and Ben and wiggled his eyebrows, as if to say, can you believe this girl is into me? Before letting go of her. He went and sat on the edge of an empty cot. "That's good. I like when my brother isn't dead." He chuckled softly and pat the spots next to him with both hands, beckoning Lexi and Ben to sit on each of his side. Birds whistled outside and the Apollo kids talked amongst each other, moving around the infirmary to treat all of the wounded. Torin was so used to the noise he tended to block it out. "Sit?" He requested innocently, sounding more like a question than anything else.

Ben stifled a laugh at his brother's wiggling eyebrows. He sat next to Torin. It felt good to be there, even with the girl- what was her name, Alex, Lea, Lexi? He didn't really care- sitting on the his other side. He placed his hand on top of Torin's, in a manner that made it look like an accident, and hoped two things- one, that Torin wouldn't mind, and two, that Lexi wouldn't notice.

Torin glanced down at his hand, which was now under Ben's, and looked up with a smile. Torin didn't much care if Ben was touching his hand. He could lean his head on Torin's shoulder, if he wanted. Physical contact, well, Torin only got the hint if he happened to be going out with the person. Lexi, on the other hand... He kissed Lexi's head and sighed in content, then threw his arms around both of them, one around Ben's shoulder and one around Lexi's. He drew them close and sucked in a huge breath, exhaling rather loudly. "Don't you just love being alive?" It was a beautiful day, even if he couldn't go outside and enjoy it, and he was with his two favorite people working in his second favorite place. What wasn't there to enjoy?

Ben huddled up closer to Torin. Jealousy burned hot in his chest, but he pushed it down. "Definitely. I'm glad to still have you here, big Bro." He smiled slightly.