Injury - NanoFate

Upon hearing that Fate was to return the next morning due to some happening during their mission which caused many of the crew to be injured, Nanoha heart lumped into her throat. She swallowed hard when she received confirmation that Fate, too, was injured. She had tried to pry for more information but to no avail; only telling her that Lindy hadn't send in the full report of her extend of injuries, merely stating that it wasn't anything too serious. And that Fate's life wasn't in danger for they had attended to her injures for the most part.

Rushing down the next day immediately after breakfast that she forced herself to have despite having no appetite, she stood outside Shamal's lab with some others. She couldn't help tapping her feet impaiently, her eyebrows furrowing further as minutes passed.

It had been half an hour since she has arrived but Shamal hadn't left her lab. Not even a single person from the crew had left the lab.

Were they really okay? Thoughts like that flashed through her mind.

Her questions were soon answered 15 minutes later when the lab's door creaked open and many crew members flooded out, most without visible large bandages but small ones that seem to cover up little cuts and bruises.

Shamal walked out last and her eyes settled upon Nanoha's nodding, giving her permission to follow her and enter the lab.

Nanoha followed behind Shamal until they reached a closed door in the corner of the lab. Shamal twisted the knob gently and opened the door.

White curtains came in her line of sight as Nanoha walked in the room after Shamal. There was a small opening between the drawn curtains.

Giving Nanoha space, Shamal nodded that she will be at the table in the room writing her report on Fate's condition.

Walking towards the opening, Nanoha felt her heart racing with each step.

'Is Fate really okay? Nothing serious?' questions like that were whirling inside her mind.

Upon reaching the opening, Nanoha pushed it a little further for more space. The first thing her eyes settled on was Fate having trouble with buttoning her shirt single-handedly.

Noticing Nanoha's presence, Fate quickly pulled her shirt with the hand that was busy just moments ago with her buttons, to cover herself fully, hiding the bandages underneath.

"Nanoha..." she said softly with a small curl at the end of her lips.

"Fate-chan!"

Nanoha rushed to hug her, causing the blonde to flinch at her contact with her chest.

"...Fate-chan?" Noticing the flinch, Nanoha pulled away immediately. When she saw Fate's face her heart sunk.

Fate had her right eye bandaged. Nanoha hadn't noticed it since she had walked to up the blonde on her left and was else too busy taking in her presence. She raised her hand and caress the area around her bandaged eye with fingertips barely touching to avoid unintentionally hurting the blonde. Her eyes stayed at the blonde's injured eye for a few moments before it trailed down her face, neck then finally where the blonde was clutching onto her half buttoned shirt.

Gently, she tried to pull the blonde's hand to allow her access to what was underneath her shirt. She grimaced when the shirt fell apart, the blonde sighing as she had reluctantly released her hand.

"Fate-chan..." Nanoha could feel tears brimming up in her eyes, threatening to fall any moment. She traced above the blonde's bandaged chest, hands trembling ever so slightly. "Fate-chan... why..." she struggled out in a strangled voice between her sobs as her shoulders started to shake violently from her outburst.

Fate pulled Nanoha's head lightly to rest her on her uninjured shoulders. Rubbing her back in an up and down motion, Fate tried to coax her until she finally calm down and her trembling stopped. She pulled apart then went to wipe some tears off Nanoha's face with her left hand.

Peering up at her companion with sadness still filled in her eyes, Nanoha took Fate's hand and squeezed it lightly. Fate leaned down to press her forehead against Nanoha's then stared into her eyes with silent answers saying that she was okay.

"I'm glad that you're okay…"

A/N: A short one-shot about Nanofate that I had written quite a while ago but didn't publish. I felt it was too short to even be considered posting - though eventually I thought I'd share it anyway since I've gone through the trouble of writing it.