"Yeah," Dustin murmurs. "Didn't let it get this bad. Fuck."

He pauses to twist his head to the side and cough, spitting up a mouthful of the blood-and-Element mixture that's managed to drain into the back of his throat. It's like the world's worst sinus infection playing out in the span of twenty minutes, except it also includes hallucinations, manic paranoia, and a nontrivial amount of brain swelling. Finding a way to avoid this in future is now at the very top of Dustin's list.

...And now he's having a hard time remembering what else is on that list.

Dustin leans back on his elbows, face smeared with blood and looking oddly crestfallen. "...Fine," he croaks. "I'll be fine."