( runningcxrcles ).
Feeling the metal of his knees grind against the pavement, his hands braced against the concrete to keep himself from collapsing. Vaguely he could hear someone close, though his mind was too hazy to pick up what they said. When he felt hands touch his face he FLINCHED, his body tensing in preparation for something else to deal damage. Focusing on her words, he relaxed now aware of who he’d fallen before. His eyelids felt heavy, his sight blurry and barely able to make her out. Was she.. crying? Why? “Stop,” he breathed weakly, his right hand reaching up to squeeze her left in comfort. “I’m fine,” he lied. “Y- You should see the other guys..” Despite trying to inject humour the gravel and exhaustion in his voice left it feeling FLAT. “I’m not.. not going to die. I just.. I need to regenerate.. Promise.”
“ okay, okay, ” she said, more to herself than ANYTHING, blinking back the tears that stung at her eyes, before she heard the words that fell from his mouth. and the tears fell easily ; half in anger and half in fright. “ NO. you’re NOT fine, you... you giamoke!! ” the young demigod cried out, a frown on her lips. his hand touched her soft one, and she pressed her lips into a thin line, swallowing down whatever other insults she wanted to call him. “ can you stand up?? we can go to a hospital. we SHOULD go to a hospital, ” she said, the last part more to herself. “ regenerate...? “












