The words he's been desperate to hear, the confirmation that he did well. Slowly, he turns around. While the pain is subdued now, it isn't gone. If he's lucky, there will be scars to mark this day. For a brief moment he watches Jade through half-lidded eyes, still a bit breathless.

"Yes. Thank you."

He doesn't pick his own bed, but Jade's. After all, the futon is his safe haven and that's not where he wants to be at the moment. Out of Jade's reach. Not really, naturally, though the meaning is more important to him than the facts. He'd felt like hiding before any of this. Now? No. He's ready to receive orders, to follow them.

Lying down on his stomach, he makes sure the sheets won't get dirty. The cuts seem to sink deeper into him, as if gravity could pull them into his bones. Just his imagination, he knows. Maybe he's gotten a little high on the pain after all.