When Jason awoke for the second time, it was evening, and the sun wasn't as oppressive against his eyelids. This time, it was Hercules by his head, ensuring the cool cloth with water was administered to keep the fever down. Jason blinked a few times, trying to get his bearings – his head, shoulder, and neck were al sore, but why? Oh yes, the pankration. Suddenly, everything came marching back – his previously separated shoulder, fighting Heptarian, having a knife at his throat, and through it all – Ariadne.
Hercules noticed the hazel eyes starting to grow wider as Jason's senses returned to him. The boy seemed lucid, at least for now. "Shh, take this," he brought the vial of the healing balm to Jason's lips again before the boy could try any other movement. He had seen this sort of exhaustion in the wrestling ring years ago, where it took a few days just to get over and heal from a fight. Jason had been fighting still, completing a cycle of writhing in his blankets, then suddenly pitching them off, and shivering from the cold again.
Jason lolled his head after taking the potion, taking in Hercules at his bedside. He scrunched up his face in confusion. "Wha.. why… why're you here" he finally panted out, looking as though the uttering those three words had spent all of his energy.
Hercules smiled gently – no matter what, Jason mustn't see the fear in his eyes or in Pythagoras, the fear that he would have never come to his senses. Lesser men had been known to lose their bearings in the pankration, and he never wanted to see that happen to Jason. "You've had a fever" he stated, answering Jason's question. "The pankration's over, so now it's time to rest".
The hazel eyes accepted this response, closing and resting as commanded. Hercules felt his forehead – it could just be him, but it felt as though the fever had finally broken. Pythagoras would be elated; it was only after Hercules commanded him did he finally fall into his bed after almost two full days of no sleep. It got to a point where he looked worse off than Jason; deep purple circles under his eyes, and his head falling in sudden sleep cycles by Jason's bedside.
It was Pythagoras who woke up next, blanket around his middle, as he came at midnight to relieve a snoozing Hercules. At this point, it looked like Jason was resting comfortably, which was something to say after the past few days. Just to be sure, Pythagoras took watch over his friend, taking in the slow, deep breaths that hadn't been there the last few days.
