Slumped over his desk, pen slipping from his grip as his head got heavier and heavier against his palm, his eyelids fighting to stay open despite the drowsiness. The notes, once neatly composed, were now a scattered array of papers before him, much like how his mind felt. He should’ve called it a night by now, or maybe hours before when Jayce and Sky had left. But he persisted despite the protests and warning signs his body gave.

He set the pen down, trying to relieve the ache in his joints from the constant write and rewriting of formulas and equations, trying to perfect it. He picked his head up off his palm, looking up at the Hexcore in front of him, the sight taunting enough to provoke him into staying for longer.

Slowly his vision became less and less focused, becoming more tunneled until the sound of a knock and the door hinges creaking snapped him out of it. He blinked out of his daze, turning his attention to the figure in the doorway before he felt the red liquid trickle from his nose.

“Can I help you?” he asked tiredly, turning back towards his work as he attempted to brush away the blood from his nose, a clear sign of his over-exertion.