Raju feels his lips tremble, and presses them more firmly together. He's quiet for a moment. He swallows. He turns his face away from the blankets and draws just far enough back to look at Francis, hands still on him, control over himself retaken by the skin of his teeth. His eyelids tremble as he focuses on Francis past the blurring in his view, drawing in a breath and holding it for a moment before he answers, not allowing himself to think in it in too much detail to say it honestly.

"Only a few days." He keeps the words quick enough that his voice, at least, is steady. "That doctor even told us, after that. We knew you were probably going to live."