Written for the LJ 30wounds fanfic challenge, will updated in approximate order of completion.

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1. It's just a flesh wound

After one of their first missions Triela had been acting strangely. It wasn't so much her temperament – back then it ranged from bad to worse on a good day – but rather, it was her body language that really made him suspicious. It took him a while to pin it down, but he finally figured it out after she held all three of the shopping bags in her left hand, despite the cumbersome burden they presented. He waited until they were in a deserted alley before turning briskly around on his heel to face her.

"Let me see your hand."

He got only a glare that could freeze water in response. He held it, and finally she bit her lip and turned away.

"It's no big deal."

"Let me see it."

Seeming to realize that she was on the losing side of this argument, Triela withdrew her hand from her coat pocket and presented it to him glumly, her gaze downcast. He watched her face for a moment before turning to the task at hand. Sure enough, there was a thin trickle of blood running into her sleeve from the palm of her hand.

"What happened?"

He saw her hesitate, but with a resigned sigh she withdrew her hand and shoved it firmly back into her pocket.

"Perp had a knife. I caught it."

"Does it hurt?"

"No."

He took a breath, torn between feeling concerned and annoyed, finally settling somewhere in between.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's no big deal." She said stubbornly, pointedly avoiding his gaze. The way she squared her shoulders and parted her feet slightly made something click in his mind. She thought he wouldn't care.

Well, he'd just have to show her, then.

Without missing a beat he withdrew the handkerchief from his pocket and knelt in front of her, taking advantage of her surprise in order to snatch her hand and wrap the cloth firmly around it, putting just enough pressure to make her wince.

After he finished tying the knot he met her eyes, noting the genuine surprise on her face. This was the first time they'd ever been at eye level before with their height difference, but if Hillshire had his way it most certainly wouldn't be the last.

He rose to his feet and turned around briskly, taking a few steps before he paused and looked over his shoulder to where she still stood, surprised and bewildered.

"You coming?"

She did, with a noticeable spring in her step.