vilakins | Ficlet: Bruised

This is another story for my big table of Vila fic for fanfic100, written for the prompt of 'purple'. 350 words, set just before the end of Orac.

Bruised

Vila lingered after the others had left.

"I can't give you another pill if that is what you want," said Cally. "I did tell you that you will not feel any effects for several hours."

"It isn't that." Vila shuffled his feet and looked embarrassed.

"Then what is it?" Humans were odd about some body functions. "You do have to expect some digestive upset with radiation poisoning."

"Oh, no! Well, I've been sick a few times, but--" Vila lifted a lock of hair and showed her a purple bruise just on his hairline, "--it's this. Can you fix it?" His eyes wouldn't meet hers.

Was that all? "I can help the swelling to go down." Cally picked up a resonator. "It may not work as quickly with your present condition, mind." She frowned; he must have been hit quite hard. "How did you get this, Vila?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

She was beginning to get suspicious. "I do."

"Oh, all right." Vila's shoulders slumped. "I walked into a door."

Cally was appalled. She had seen enough human viscasts to know this was a traditional and transparent excuse. She put the instrument down and looked at him, concerned. "Who hit you, Vila?"

"No one! I told you--"

"Are you protecting someone?" Avon had somehow got Vila on his feet and down to Aristo despite his illness. "Did Avon--"

"Of course not!" Vila was shocked into looking up. "I walked into my own door. Don't you see?" he said miserably. "I'm the expert at getting through locks and security systems and I couldn't even get out of my own cabin. Opened the door and walked right into it."

"It's not that bad." Cally rubbed some lotion into it.

"Yes, it is, for me! Look, you won't tell anyone, will you?"

Cally's mouth twitched. "No. And don't worry, it will be gone in a few hours."

Vila pulled his hair over the purple mark. "Um, don't happen to have anything for a bruised ego, do you?"

Cally gave him a fond smile.

Vila grinned, already feeling more cheerful.