Raju looks up, for a moment alert to the idea that Francis is in pain and Raju isn't being careful enough—

It isn't pain. Not judging by the expression on Francis' face, anyway. It's Raju's hand that put that noise in Francis' mouth, Raju realises, looking startled. His gaze darts between his hand and the rag, the skin underneath where his hand's gone still, and Francis' face. He feels his face going hot. "Should I, ah..."

Stop? Run the cloth over just that spot on Francis' chest again? It doesn't matter what Raju would want to ask, and so what answer he would want to hear, if he doesn't say it.