He tips me forward slightly as he moves his head to the side so he can look, his large body caging me against the trunk of a tree. His claws are digging into the bark and his tail is anchored on a limb above us.
"No, just the one in front."
"Shit. Can you dig it out?"
"What? I don't think I should—"
"It has to come out, Thivoll."
"Won't your body just expel it? Mine is already out."
"The fuck? No, it won't."
His eyes are wide as he looks back and forth from my face to my arm. "My fingers won't fit."
I growl and push my back against the rough bark so I can do it myself. "Hold me tight, then."
"Don't you think you should wait for . . . Alright. I see your point," he admits with a shaky voice as he moves a hand to grip my waist.
I wipe the blood away so I can get a better look.
It's a smaller hole than it should be.
"Nanites are working, at least. I need something to bite down on so I don't scream."
"Wait. Why? They should dull the pain as they heal you."
I snort out a breath. "The slimes wanted us to feel pain."
"Thela-cursed pieces of . . ." he trails off as he snaps off a branch.
"You're going to have to use a claw to cut it open anyway. Fish it out."
"I can't—"
"You will," I cut him off with steel in my voice.
"I can't have a bullet in my muscle. The scar tissue will make it harder later."
"But the pain and the blood . . ."
"I've had endometriosis most of my life. It's fine."
His whiskers droop. "I don't know what that is."
"It's . . . never mind. I can take a lot of pain."
I snatch the branch from his shaking hand.
"Just do it."
I cram it between my teeth and brace myself.
He closes his eyes for a long moment, then opens them. He raises a shaking hand as the claws extend from his fingertips. My heart is pounding and I look away.
Then I can't stand not knowing what's about to happen so I dart my eyes back to my arm. Just in time to see him fold back all but one of his fingers and make a quick slash with his claw.
After that, it's all I can do to keep myself from screeching out in agony.
