He waited for the all clear before coming in, then set the bag of medical supplies down on the counter, and the folded clothes on top of the toilet tank.

"You look better."

Not great, or even good, really--he could tell Hijikata was in pain--but compared to the sight of him lying largely incoherent in bed that he'd gotten used to seeing, this was a vast improvement, a final, reassuring sign that things were going to be all right again.