I know. [His voice shakes a little, and he clenched his teeth harder, steeling himself.] It's fine. You're right. [With or without it, whatever that means here. Can he be a Marine, all by himself? The whole point is following orders -- what does that mean if there's nobody to give them?

The tight pressure of the makeshift bandage takes Koby's mind out of the spiral, making him flex his fingers a couple times, then nod. It's tight, the bleeding already slowing, but not enough that he'll lose feeling -- Mihawk might not need the knowledge to wrap wounds, but he still has it.] Unexpected, violent situations are exactly what first aid kits are for.

[Momentarily satisfied, Koby squares his shoulders -- a less impressive gesture without the starched, broad-shouldered shape of his uniform.] It'd be good to find a place to stay. A different house -- the one I came from was...strange.