Injuries

[for_everyone]

It's never good when one of the crew takes an injury on a job, but close-range blaster-fire leaves some of the worst marks.

Which is why Hera's currently carrying a tray into Kanan's bunk, loaded up with food that's a little tastier than nutrient paste, as well as replacement bacta and bandages.

"Are you awake?"

Her voice is soft, which means that if Kanan is asleep, the question won't startle him awake (unlike knocking).

Comments

[for_everyone]

Hera isn't feeling self-conscious, but that's because she's breathing slowly, focusing on picking up the bacta and bandages.

Right. There's work to be done.

"Here, hold this for me for a second while I unwind what's already on . . . you."

She's careful to not be too overconscious of touching his skin, behaving like this is just business as usual and everything is perfectly normal here.

After a minute or so -- once the blaster wound is fully in view -- it really is.

[notallofus]

He takes what she hands him, eyes not flickering from the floor.

"How does it look?"

[for_everyone]

"Well, it's not infected."

She hisses a short breath through her teeth.

"And the edges look better. The middle's still a mess, though. Hand me the bacta, please?"

[notallofus]

He carefully lifts his good arm to hand the bacta back to her.

"I think that counts as good news." All things considered.

[for_everyone]

"It does," Hera agrees, mouth downturned in what isn't quite a frown.

"I just hate -- "

She shakes her head, lekku twitching faintly with all the things she's not going to say so Kanan can understand.

"Try not to flinch."

Bacta's cold.

[notallofus]

He takes another sharp breath, but stays still.

"I was trying not to think about it," he admits. "Maybe not the best thing to be doing, but..."

Dwelling on almosts doesn't seem like a good idea, either.

[for_everyone]

"No, I try to do the same."

Her fingers are gentle as she smooths on the bacta, her own skin shivering just the slightest bit.

It's definitely to do with the bacta's chill. Yes.

That.

"Bandages, please? I keep thinking it'll get easier."

[notallofus]

He's not quite as prompt this time, breathing slowly and deeply for another moment before he seems to hear her, and hands back the bandages.

"I should be thinking about what I did, or should've done differently, but -"

Being shot at is an inevitable hazard in their line of work.

[for_everyone]

"It'll just be something more unexpected next time."

She sounds tired, reaching up for the bandages and starting to apply them to his freshly bacta-ed wound.

"I know there'll be a next time. For all of us."

[notallofus]

Kanan's quiet for a moment after that.

"It's true," he says, finally.

"We can't always rely on Stormtroopers being terrible shots."

[for_everyone]

Hera snorts, tugging a little on the bandages -- but not too hard.

"Unlucky ricochets happen, love. Especially to you."

Obviously.

[notallofus]

"Ow -"

As he's half-laughing, it's not that convincing.

"Yeah, and dodging a squad of blasterfire isn't exactly easy."

Especially when deflection isn't an option.

[for_everyone]

"Maybe you should practice more."

Hera smiles a little, shaking her head and tucking in the end of the bandage.

"I'm sure the crew would be glad to help. Especially Zeb."

[notallofus]

"All right," Kanan sighs.

"I shouldn't have called you overprotective."

[for_everyone]

Hera smirks for a second, then picks up Kanan's shirt and arranges it to make it easy to get it over his wounded shoulder.

"I suppose I am, a little. I just -- keep it until the mission's over. And how much it annoys you is a great side benefit."

[notallofus]

"It definitely annoys me."

Again, it's not all that convincing.

[for_everyone]

She cups his cheek in her hand for a moment, gently shaking his head back and forth.

"That's why I keep doing it."

(His griping about it ineffectually is definitely not comforting, either.)

[notallofus]

That takes him off-guard, and without thinking, Kanan catches her hand when she pulls it away.

And then, well -

Say something clever, idiot!

He takes a deep breath, and releases her hand. "As long as you don't hand me off to Chopper."

[for_everyone]

Hera takes a deep breath, quelling the sudden flutter in her stomach, smile gone slightly overbright.

She makes it a smirk a second later, because --

"I promise I'll wait to do that at least until you don't need any more bacta treatments."

[notallofus]

"I don't think he'll be any better at wrapping bandages."

Then again, Chopper's bedside manner is about as good as some medical droids he's known.

[for_everyone]

"He's good at holding them in place?"

Which is almost as good.

[notallofus]

"He could do that."

Though the things Chopper can do and is willing to do don't always overlap.

[for_everyone]

"I'd have to supervise, though."

Kanan is not wrong about the lack of overlap between 'can' and 'will'.

"Which sort of defeats the purpose."

[notallofus]

Kanan grins at her, briefly, before he glances down, and -

"Maybe I should, um -"

Not thinking, he lifts his hand toward his head, then winces and remembers not to do that.

"- get my - shirt back on."

[for_everyone]

"Oh. Right."

The view's nice, and --

Now is not the time.

"Stop with the banter and maybe we can get this done."

Yeah, Kanan. Stop being funny. That'll help.

Hera moves to slide the shirt over his bad arm, careful to keep her hands away from Kanan's skin. Now that it's really registered with her that he's currently shirtless.