He's grateful Zerxus isn't fighting him. He doesn't know if he's just shocky from blood loss, or feeling more pain than he's consciously aware of - that tremble could be either - but holding Zerxus down to do this, after he's pretty convinced he caused it wouldn't be a good time for either one of them.

"Not exactly. Dad died when I was a couple of months old, and mom was a nurse. The lady who stepped in to help had a kid who was about my age I grew up with. Stuck together all the way through enlisting together. He died in action not long before I took a really long nap." That's more than was needed, delivered with an air of distraction since he's focused on sewing this shit up. And being as gentle about it as he can, given the circumstance (including equipment and severity and lack of experience).

While not at all convinced there is any point. At least, he hopes, it's keeping Zerxus distracted and thinking. "Was the assumption that you were older personality or something else?"