Between the efforts of Zevran and Anders, he's looking less rough than he had been. He's also been mostly lying on his cot, sleeping on and off, and his very bones still feel bruised. Lumpy, sparse pillows and a cot felt like bliss at first, but now it just feels like it puts pressure on every painful point, no matter how he moves.

He pushes himself up at the sound of someone approaching, on edge, and there's not time to smile even when he realises that it's Merrill bursting in and wrapping arms around him. Hercules mouth quirks, and he slowly brings one hand to settle on her back, between her shoulder blades.

"I'm still in one piece. How's you been, Merrill?"