Broken (M - V)

[Chevi]

After a few years at the ludus, Theo was learning to anticipate his work from the sounds he heard coming from the arena. A roar always mean something dramatic; depending on the tone, it could be a kill, or a win, or something entirely unexpected. Death rarely horrified the spectators. But gruesome moments did. Theo could tell this one had been a bad one, judging from the collective gasp from the audience. He wondered the gladiator lived, and whether he belonged to the Ludus Magnus. Not leaving anything to chance, he got ready for some hard work.

"THEODORUS!" the slave sent ahead stood in the door, panting. "You better get ready for this..."

He was ready. The windows and door were open, with a lot of light streaming in to the operating table. He had his tools, bandages, he had a lot of water and towels, unwatered wine and poppy milk. The patient arrived a few moments later, carried by two other slaves on a stretcher. Blood was dripping behind them along the way.

@Mobius

[Mobius]

Things in the arena were never good when they went South. It was something of a rarity for things in a fight to go South for Amatus, but it was never pleasant when they did. This time it was far beyond unpleasant to something else entirely, and perhaps the worst part was that he'd seemed to have the upper hand at one point in the match. How the mighty had fallen... quite literally. One minute he was on the defensive and the next he was crumbling to the ground like a shattered pot, releasing a wail from his throat that echoed over the crowd's collective gasp. His head was spinning, overwhelmed by the searing pain coursing through him. Something was broken or, no, had he been stabbed? He didn't have the time to clear the mental clouds in order to figure out the exact problem, for his opponent was preparing his final move. The deathblow the crowd so desperately wanted loomed over the fallen gladiator like death's shadow itself, but desperation won over the system-shocking pain. Gripping his sword, Amatus swung with all the strength he could muster, turning the tables on his foe. The lifeless thud went unnoticed by the victor, though, as the pain drowned out all else. He couldn't even stand, but a weak glance downwards revealed why— his left leg was pointing in a direction no human leg could natural go in.

Rendered immobile, two slaves had to hoist Amatus onto a stretcher (a most unpleasant ordeal). Try as he might, he couldn't stop the groans of pain from escaping him, especially not as his head began to feel light. He was covered in blood and unfortunately more of it was his than his victim's, with even more trailing behind as the stretcher was carried to the medicus' realm. Another unpleasant ordeal soon followed as the slaves managed to move him from the stretcher to the operating table. It was then that Amatus' gaze landed on Theodorus, though no words came from his mouth. He was gritting his teeth too tightly for any words to slip out. However, the pained crossed between a growl and a groan surely painted the same picture words would have.

[Chevi]

Even Theo sucked in a breath when they placed Amatus on the table. That leg... It was going to be a miracle if the man walked on it again. How did he even survive the fight? He looked half dead, and bleeding from multiple wounds. Blood was seeping from his shoulder as well. Theo had some quick decisions to make.

"Well, Amatus, this will not be pleasant." he sighed as he hurriedly took a cup of wine and poppy milk, lifting the man's head to help. "Drink. Drink a lot." It would dull the pain at least. If Amatus was lucky, he'd pass out soon. "Let's see what we are dealing with."

He had to choose between treating the leg or the shoulder injury. Once Amatus was done drinking, Theo turned him to see the wound on his shoulder blade. Deep, and bleeding, but not bleeding a dangerous amount. He bunched up a towel and secured it tightly with bandages over the wound. He'd have to get back to it later. He placed a folded towel under Amatus' head and held a piece of wood to his mouth. "Bite."

@Mobius

[Mobius]

Within the next couple of minutes, Amatus would no doubt be wondering why he didn't just let the other gladiator kill him. As it was, he was in the worst pain of his life and it was only going to get worse once the man started to attempt to patch him up. If simply being moved jolted the pain to a new level, his injuries actually being treated would amplify it far more. Was it worth it? Possibly not, but his instincts had kicked in and he somehow saved himself. Now his life, or at least the quality of it, was in the hands of Theodorus. "No... shit..." he somehow managed to reply through his gritted teeth, sounding as rough as he looked. Things already weren't pleasant. In the best case scenario he would pass out, if not from the pain from the amount of blood he was losing.

Amatus didn't have to be told twice to drink from the cup. Though it was no doubt the worst, this wasn't his first time being patched up by Theo. Whatever help the concoction would give him, he couldn't get it into his system fast enough, but that did leave him coughing a bit by the time he was finished and that only aggravated the shoulder wound further. Being turned so the man could see it for himself had the gladiator groaning again. Even thinking about moving in any way, shape, or form seemed to make the pain flare even more, but of course he didn't argue with Theo. Hell, he barely had the energy to.

As the folded towel was placed beneath his increasingly cloudy head, Amatus began to feel a sense of heavy dread. Theo had seen to the shoulder blade wound, at least for now, and there was one major injury remaining. His leg. Oh, that was going to be a bitch. When he was told to bite the piece of wood, he looked to Theo for a moment before sucking in a breath and doing as he was told. This wasn't going to be good.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

The leg was not going to be good. Theo frowned as he inspected it. It was an open break, one that somehow twisted his entire knee in the wrong direction; bleeding heavily, and no doubt torn the ligament too. He was not sure yet if he could save the leg at all. 

"Alright, first things first I need to realign the bones here, and you will definitely hate me for this. But if I don't do it, you won't keep the leg. So." Theo motioned to two of the larger slaves; a bunch of people were crowding at the door and windows now. "You two, come in. The rest of you, leave! I need the light. Gods." Theo sighed, looking at his new helpers. "Hold him. Whatever you do, just hold him down. Here." Theo showed one man how to put weight on Amatus' hip and leg, and the other to hold him from the other side.

Theo examined the leg again, trying to find the best angle to do his work. He looked up. Amatus was pale from the blood loss and the pain, and Theo could see a look in his eyes he'd seen in many people before. Not all of them made it. "Amatus? Just hold on, alright? Bite down, scream, whatever you need to do. You are strong enough to survive this."

Realigning a break like this was not only difficult, it also took physical strength. Luckily, Theo had had a lot of practice on the frontier. Taking hold of the injured leg, he pulled and twisted, shifting the bones back to as close to normal as was possible.

@Mobius

[Mobius]

Yes, it was really beginning to sound like letting the other gladiator kill Amatus was the better option. What was about to take place would surely make him feel like he was being dragged through the underworld itself and would he survive it? Perhaps he'd only delayed the inevitable by giving his opponent the ultimate taste of payback. Theo was going to have to realign the bones, if it was even possible, but if he didn't the leg would be lost. A grunt was all the good doc got in return. Neither option sounded good and they both would hurt, but at least the one he was facing now gave him some kind of chance of being able to walk again. The people who had begun to crowd around had gone completely unnoticed to the wounded man. Even the immediate world around him was beginning to blur, let alone the outskirts. He did notice the two muscular slaves when they approached to aid Theo in his work and their presence was nothing if not unsettling. What faced him really wasn't going to be good.

Amatus' jaded eyes flicked back to Theo as he was spoken to again. "You are strong enough to survive this." Did he believe that? Not necessarily, but considering he fought to stay alive in the arena... he was going to try no matter how badly it hurt to. Another grunt was his response, though he bolstered it with a slight nod. He could only manage a slight nod, it would have taken more energy than he felt he had to do more than that in that moment. Then it was time and no amount of preparing himself could have, well, prepared him for just how painful it was. Needless to say, it was a good thing the slaves tasked with holding him down were strong. The piece of wood would walk away from the situation with some scars of its own, for he bit down with a force that challenged the weak state he was in. And the scream? The wood had no chance at muffling that scream. Suddenly, the scream faded and the slaves had a much easier time holding him down. He'd passed out.

Sometime later, Amatus' eyes fluttered open. He might have passed out, but he somehow managed to hold on to life while enveloped in the dark, if not merciful, void. Everything he saw was blurry no matter what way he tilted his head. "Am I dead...?" he groggily questioned whoever, if anybody, happened to be near.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

Amatus screamed, and mercifully passed out. Theo got to work on the leg, securing the bones as much as he could, stopping the bleeding, stitching up the wound. He doubted the leg would ever be the same, but with some blessing from Aesculapius, it would heal. Once he'd bandaged it and set it in splints, he told the slaves to carefully tilt Amatus to the side so he could take care of the shoulder wound. It was deeper than he'd first thought; it had also hit some ligaments in the shoulder and cracked the shoulder blade. Theo cleaned the wound and sewed it up. They wouldn't know how it would heal until days, maybe weeks from now.

Theo improvised a way to have Amatus' leg propped up on towels, and placed more towels under his back so he was not resting on his shoulder wound. It was going to be a very uncomfortable healing process. He was cleaning up, keeping an eye on the patient and regularly checking him, until Amatus' eyes finally fluttered open.

"Am I dead...?"

"No you are not. But you were seriously injured. Don't try to move." Theo walked to the table to help Amatus raise his head enough to drink some watered wine. "How are you feeling?"

@Mobius

[Mobius]

Passing out was most certainly a blessing to the severely wounded gladiator. From the aches and pain that still radiated throughout his body, being awake for the rest of the work Theodorus did would have been a living nightmare. Not only was his vision blurry, but his mind was equally blurry. He didn't immediately remember what had happened to him or where he was. At least the blurry vision began to clear up as he repeatedly blinked several more times. It didn't take working eyes for him to realize just how uncomfortable the position he was laying in was and if it wasn't for a voice answering his question he would have attempted to move. Turning his head towards the voice, he seen a face that he wished wasn't familiar to him. The medicus. He wasn't dead, but he felt as good as dead. Sighing quietly, he fought the urge to shift on the table, resigning himself to the necessary position Theo had settled him in while he was out of it.

The drink Theo offered Amatus was welcomed, but he paced himself unlike earlier with the medicated wine. "Like I've been run over by a thousand chariots..." he answered through a sigh, sounding as beaten down as he was. Quite stupidly, he attempted to move his right hand towards his eyes to rub them, only to be met by a sharp pain that prevented him from seeing it through. "Don't try to move means don't try to move," he grumbled to himself. Sighing again, he did his best to look down at his leg. Everything was starting to come back to him. The fight, the incredibly bad ending to the fight... the way his leg had been mangled. From the looks of things, Theo worked a miracle, somehow getting the bones to a semblance of straightness. Swallowing, he looked towards Theo again. "Will I be able to walk once it heals?" he hesitantly asked, assuming the worst.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

"Like I've been run over by a thousand chariots..."

That was to be expected. Theo made sure Amatus drank some more watered wine; he had lost a lot of blood, and would need to regain his strength. The injuries were severe enough that it was too early to tell whether he would take a turn for the worse. But he was a strong, healthy young man. Theo saw the wince as he tried to move his right arm.

"Don't try to move means don't try to move... Will I be able to walk once it heals?" 

"Only the gods know. I've done my best" Theo sighed, walking around the table. He touched Amatus' sole and then the sides of his foot. "Do you feel that?"

@Mobius

[Mobius]

Understandably, Amatus felt like he could drink the well dry so any kind of drink the good medicus offered to him was downed without question. He was at his absolute weakest and, boy, could he feel it. He hoped that the more he drank, the less weak he would feel, but he wasn't very optimistic about it. Admittedly, he was at a complete loss for optimism, though who could blame him? The odds of things turning out well were slim and he didn't even want to begin to think about what would come after he healed. Fighting again? It wasn't like he was eager to get back to it. Again, who could blame him? Groaning quietly, he smartly used his left hand to rub his eyes before rubbing down his face. He hated feeling the way that he did. It made him want to crawl out of his own skin.

As to whether or not Amatus would be able to walk, well, that was up to the gods. Theo had done what he could do. All Amatus could do was hope that the man was a miracle worker. Looking down at the man, he watched as his foot was poked at. "I'm not ticklish if that's what you're trying to figure out," he grumbled as he rested his head back down against the towel. Not even his whit could lift his spirits in that moment, though. "But, no... I can't," he finally answered almost defeatedly,"and I'm guessing that's not a good sign?" He didn't need to be trained in the medicinal arts to figure out that having no feeling there after such a break wasn't a good thing.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

Amatus was putting up a fight, although he looked like death warmed over at the moment. Theo sighed as he touched his foot. He couldn't feel it. That was generally not a good sign, but this son after the injury it was not yet tragic either.

"We will have to wait and see" he admitted. "I put the bones back into place, but they will take a long time to heal. You have torn the ligaments and the wound needed to be stitched up too. That's a lot of injuries on one leg." Theo walked around the table to check the bandages on the shoulder wound. "This one was also fairly deep. It cracked your shoulder blade... Don't try to use your arm." He could tell it was the dominant arm. Pity. "Honestly, I am surprised you survived that fight."

@Mobius

[Mobius]

Listening to Theodorus explain the extent of his injuries was far from encouraging for Amatus. When it came down to it, only time would tell how things would turn out, if he would be crippled or if he would be able to function again. The gladiator had a bad feeling about things, but everything felt bad at the moment so perhaps he couldn't trust the dread within. It would take time for him to heal. Patience wasn't necessarily his strong suit, but he was resigned to the fact that there was nothing he could do about it except wait. "How did you even manage to get them back in place?" he wondered after he finished hearing about the many problems with his leg. The gruesome image of the injury was all too vivid in his mind's eye. It turned his stomach just thinking about it.

Amatus sighed as he then learned about the injury his shoulder took. It had cracked the shoulder blade. "Fantastic," he muttered, closing his eyes for a moment. That was his dominant arm. How was he supposed to function without it? Well, he had his left arm, but still. Things were much easier with his right and now he had to try to not use it. Hearing that Theo was surprised he survived the fight, he reopened his eyes and raised a brow. "The cocky son of a bitch didn't see my blade coming," he explained, though his voice lacked the pride of a victor,"but from the sounds of things I should have just let him kill me..." It felt as if he had only delayed the inevitable. Sure, the medicus had been successful in his endeavor to save Amatus, but the latter still felt like he was on death's doorstep, which wasn't encouraging in the slightest.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

"How did you even manage to get them back in place?" 

"You don't want to know. It's a good thing you passed out" Theo noted. As bad as the leg looked, he was worried more about the shoulder. It seemed like the easier wound, but it was too deep to tell what damage it had done.

"The cocky son of a bitch didn't see my blade coming. But from the sounds of things I should have just let him kill me..." 

So, even in the state he was in, Amatus had managed to win a fight. Rome was going to be talking about that for a long time, Theo was sure. Moments like that were the highlights of the arena, for better or worse. In this case, Amatus lived. But he did not seem sure that it had been worth it.

"Seems like the gods made a different decision" Theo said. He filled another cup with watered wine and helped Amatus drink more. "Do you... wish to go back to fighting if you heal?"

@Mobius

[Mobius]

Hearing Theo say that it was a good thing Amatus passed out told all the man he needed to know about the process that went into getting his bones back to as close to their rightful place as possible. The thought of the unspoken details was enough to make him grimace. How Theodorus held such a job was a wonder to the gladiator, but considering he was a gladiator... a medicus' job shouldn't have made him squeamish. Admittedly, he didn't think as much about the injury to his shoulder. No, he couldn't move his right arm without a good deal of pain, but he didn't realize just how crippling a wound there could be. His focus was on the leg and whether or not he'd be able to walk again, though that was likely understandable. It was the more glaring injury after all and not being able to walk on it was harder to deal with than not being able to use an arm.

At his own expense, Amatus had put on quite a memorable show. The roar of the crowd still dully rang in his ears, though that could have been some kind of side effect from being so weak in the head. "Seems like the gods made a different decision." His expression scrunched up slightly as he made a little grunt. At the moment, the gods were sounding like sadistic bastards, but he did know there was a chance that he would feel differently once he got over the difficult first steps in the healing process. If he got over the difficult first steps in the healing process. Once again he didn't hesitate to drink what Theo offered to him, but with the way he was laid up he didn't like where drinking too much would eventually lead him.

The man's question caught Amatus off guard. His eyes briefly widened, as if he hadn't considered such a thing before (he really hadn't), but soon his expression turned serious as he thought over it, staring at the ceiling as he did. When his gaze returned to Theo, his expression had shifted to one that almost read like Amatus was questioning whether or not honesty would be a smart move. However, he did end up answering the man honestly,"... no. Not to offend you, but I'd like to never see this room again if I ever get to leave it and fighting again just means I'll inevitably end up back here." If he were speaking completely honestly, he never really enjoyed fighting to begin with, but he kept that tidbit to himself.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

Theo had worked with (and on) many gladiators over the past years. And many soldiers before them. He had enough experience to tell when a man was a survivor, or someone who reveled in fighting. Amatus was not someone like Thessala or Alexius. He was brave, and strong, and fought well, but he did not take enjoyment from it. Theo smiled a little.

"Not offended at all. Somehow I had the feeling that fighting is not something you have a passion for. Believe me, I have been doing this long enough."

@Mobius

[Mobius]

It had been a long time since Amatus had any sort of say in what he did with his life. He'd gone with the flow, done whatever it was he was told to do, but that didn't mean he enjoyed it. His pervious role as a guard wasn't so bad. It got monotonous and boring at times, but it was a sense of purpose that he actually did appreciate. Being a gladiator? Not so much. There was something about shedding blood for a crowd that rubbed him the wrong way. Perhaps it was the violence he witnessed growing up thanks to his father. He wasn't really sure, honestly, but at least the medicus didn't want any kind of explanation, and at least he wasn't offended by his charge never wanting to see him again. It was nothing personal, of course. The wounded man simply never wanted to be wounded again.

Nodding slightly, Amatus sighed. "I'll do what I have to do, but..." Now shaking his head as his voice trailed off, he decided to try to shift the subject off of himself. Well, sort of. Not really actually. "That must mean you've seen a lot. Where do my injuries rank compared to other messes you've seen?" he wondered as he draped his good arm across his forehead. Even though he couldn't picture anything worse than what he had been hauled into the room with, something told him Theo must have seen men who were messed up even worse.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

Amatus had little choice in how his life was going to turn out. If his injuries did not heal properly, he would not fight again. If they did, he would no doubt be sent back to the arena, whether he wanted to go or not. Apparently, he did not want to, and Theo could understand that.

"That must mean you've seen a lot. Where do my injuries rank compared to other messes you've seen?"

Theo frowned a little. He was an honest man, but he also believed in kindness. Amatus' injuries had been very bad, but he had seen worse. Not many that had lived, though. But it was enough to be truthful, without taking what little hope he had.

"I have seen worse" Theo answered finally "Your injuries are serious, but as long as we keep the wounds clean, you can live with them." For better or worse, as a gladiator or not. "I served in the legions for a full twenty-five years. I've seen a lot. But I've also learned a lot."

@Mobius

[Mobius]

Amatus knew that everything, from how he would heal to what he would have to do post-healing, was out of his hands. He had no control over anything, but he tried to not dwell on it or at least to dwell on it as little as he could. He already had enough reasons to feel hopeless, he didn't need the lack of control over his future to make him feel even worse in that regard. Thinking ahead, if he had to fight again, he felt like it would be a death sentence unless a real miracle happened and he had no leftover problems once the injuries healed. From the looks and sounds of things, them healing perfectly was an unlikely scenario. Gladiators needed to be in top form, on their best game, one hundred percent, et cetera. If not? Well...

To Amatus' surprise, Theo had seen worse than the busted up gladiator. The man even offered up a bit of hope amongst the aforementioned hopelessness. If they kept the wounds clean, Amatus would be able to live with them. He supposed, in the end, that was better than being dead. Though he looked surprised, he remained quiet, choosing to listen to what else Theo might have to say. His eyes widened when he heard just how long Theo had served in the legions. "Damn, I bet you have seen a lot," he breathed, shaking his rested head slightly. "What places did the legions take you to?" he wondered, seeing no harm in asking. A conversation made for a good distraction and Theodorus didn't seem to mind conversing with his patient. So why not learn a bit more about the guy responsible for giving him a, no pun intended, fighting chance?

@Chevi

[Chevi]

Conversation was good. Theo wanted to make sure Amatus would be alright; fixing his leg and shoulder, he barely had time to check him for a visible head wound, but concussion was always a possibility. And he didn't mind talking, if it took Amatus' mind off the pain. He set to work mixing milder poppy milk into some wine. He'd need it soon.

"To the East, first. I was born in Achaea" he explained, as if it had not been obvious from the Greek cognomen and the slight accent. "And then to the Rhine frontier, Germania." He glanced at the gladiator. "Where are you from? I never asked."

@Mobius

[Mobius]

At least Amatus could speak coherently and his thoughts seemed to be processing normally. There was that ringing in his ears, which had died down from resembling the roars of the crowd to something less distracting, and the overall clouded feeling, but he had been assuming it was just from passing out and being so drained. It didn't get in the way of him conversing with the medicus, and considering that talking was providing a good enough distraction he was thankful for that. His eyes followed Theo as the man began to mix something, though he stayed quiet as he listened to him answer the question.

It came as no surprise that Theo was born in Achaea. He was rather obviously Greek just based on the name he carried around with him alone. "Germania... weren't they having trouble out that way?" he tried to remember. It wasn't like he had ever paid much attention to politics. That kind of stuff had nothing to do with him so he didn't concern himself with it, but that didn't mean he didn't overhear things. He was a bit surprised when Theo asked where he was from, and he cracked a half smile because of it. "Northern Gaul," he started to answer, though he paused to grit his teeth as he shifted around on the table a bit,"Belgica. Not a bad place to grow up."

@Chevi

[Chevi]

"Germania... weren't they having trouble out that way?" 

"Always" Theo chuckled. It was somewhat of an understatement. "Never a dull moment along the river frontier." Attacks from the tribes, and also the inner politics of all the legions, and their attached leaders. Theo care about as much about that as he cared about the games. He asked where Amatus was from. He could see the man wince as he tried to shift on the table.

"Northern Gaul. Belgica. Not a bad place to grow up."

Gaul. He was a long way from home. Most slaves were, to be honest, one way or another.

Theo walked back to the table, with the cup in his hand. "Is there another name you'd like me to call you?"

@Mobius

[Mobius]

"Sounds like a great place to visit," Amatus joked with his typical sarcasm. If he were to lose anything about himself, he hoped he'd never lose that sense of sarcasm. Call it his way of dealing with the world and all its problems. From the sounds of things, Germania had plenty of problems. Far more than he even realized. If that was the case, he imagined Theo encountered quite a few gruesome scenes. Maybe it really wasn't so hard to believe that the gladiator's injuries weren't the worst the medicus had seen. At least the legionnaires had a more noble purpose, for the most part, than a gladiator like Amatus who wounded and killed people for sport...

Amatus was definitely a long way from home and sometimes he really felt that distance. He tried not to think too much about home since he knew he would never see it ever again, though there were times where he couldn't stop himself. Every now and then he wondered about his mother, if she ended up being okay after his father removed him from the picture. Naturally, he feared the worst, but for his own peace of mind he tried to think that things somehow turned out okay. Knowing that he would never find out was the worst part of all. Looking to Theo as he came over, he found himself momentarily stunned by the man's words. "Is there another name you'd like me to call you?"

Dago. The last piece of his past that had been taken from him upon being purchased for gladiatorial interests. Of course Amatus didn't have a say in the matter. He just had to accept that what was left of his former identity was gone, perhaps even as a tactic to get his head into the game. He never heard his real... his previous name again. Realizing he'd been staring at Theo without a word, he shook his head to snap himself out of it. "My... my original name was Dago..." It felt borderline foreign on his own tongue. Dago... that was still him deep down inside.

@Chevi

[Chevi]

"Dago" Theo nodded. That was a different name, more foreign sounding. The real name of this wounded man, not the one he had been given as a gladiator. Theo didn't much agree with the business of renaming slaves, although he understood the logical Roman reasoning behind it. A man with no identity had nothing to go back to. "When I became a Roman citizen, I got to keep my name. It seems to me calling someone by the name they had first, is... better. Not saying I'll do it in public, I don't want to get you in trouble." He moved to the head of the table, lifting Dago's head a little to help him drink from the cup. "Here. Drink some. Doesn't taste great, but it will help with the pain."

@Mobius

[Mobius]

"Dago." It was the strangest thing for Amatus... Dago to hear his original, his real name. It made him feel, well, he actually couldn't quite put his finger on just how it made him feel, save for the fact that it was a good feeling. The smile he couldn't prevent from coming onto his lips proved that. He liked the way Theo thought. If only everybody thought that way... or at least the person who renamed him. At least Amatus wasn't a bad name. He'd heard it meant "beloved" or something along those lines. There were far worse names to be given, especially as a gladiator, but he still preferred Dago for obvious reasons.

"I appreciate it... I haven't heard it in so long," Dago replied quietly, sighing softly afterwards. A positive did come out of the wild ordeal. Looking to the cup, he did as he was told, not wanting to argue since the benefits would be worth it. His nose scrunched up almost immediately, though. "Gods, you weren't lying about that," he grumbled after he'd drank his fill,"What's in it? That poppy stuff?"

@Chevi

[Chevi]

It was sad, someone not being called by their own name for so long. Especially when they were hurt and broken. Theo did not want Dago to also be alone, not when he was struggling with an injury this bad, and his life possibly changing forever. Again.

Dago frowned as he drank from the cup.

"Poppy milk, yes" Theo nodded "You can't have too much of it, that would be bad for you, but you'll need it for the pain, believe me." He would probably feel worse before he felt better. Theo checked his bandages to make sure the bleeding had stopped. "I'll help take you to your bed and make sure you are comfortable. You probably won't be able to move for a few weeks... your shoulder should heal faster but your leg needs time. I'll come visit you in your room a couple of times a day." There really wasn't more he could do, other than make sure the young man was taken care of. He looked up at him. He still looked pale and worn. "If you need anything else, tell me. I wish I could do more."

@Mobius