Jin has a condition.

A condition that caused his bones to be a lot more brittle than normal. But what does that mean? It means it'll take a lesser force than normal for him to fracture or break a bone, meaning he's been in casts a lot. It gets pretty frustrating having to be careful all the time, he's a teenager, he shouldn't have to worry about his bones a lot.

Well, unfortunate as it is, he was back in the hospital after getting tackled the wrong way in P.E., his arm back in a splint. The teen laid into the bed with a defeated sigh, looking up when a hand touched his hair.
    "How are you doing, baby boy?" His mother asked, the Junior shrugging slightly.
    "Tired and sore... Morphine is starting to wear off..." Jin mumbled, Night smiling softly.
    "Well, hopefully, the break isn't bad this time and we'll go get some ice cream."
    "Why...?"
    "Because I'm allowed to spoil my son."

Jin felt his cheeks dust a hot pink, looking away with an embarrassed smile. Night laughed and kissed his head, rubbing his toasty cheeks.
    "So handsome~" She cooed, her teenager trying to push her hands away.
    "Dad, save me...!" Jin whined, having only one hand to try and bat his mother's hands away.
    "Kiddo, I can't stop her, you know that." Hartz laughed, watching from the sidelines with baby Serenity. A knock sounded on the door to the hospital room, a doctor poking his head in.
    "How are we doing in here?"  He asked, stepping inside and closing the door. Night had finally left him alone and Jin let out a breath, leaning back into the bed.
    "Still in pain... Can we go home yet...?"
    "Well..."

The doctor looked down at his clipboard and grabbed the x-ray sheets, putting them up on the light table.
    "It's a much worse break than we previously thought. Your bone split in two places with another fracture here." The doctor explained, pointing to the different areas on the x-ray. Jin felt himself pale, looking over at his parents in fear.
    "Oh no... Does that mean what I think it means?" Night asked, rubbing her head slightly.
    "Unfortunately, that means we'll have to do surgery to fix the breaks." He told them, looking over with sympathy. Jin was on the verge of tears as his free hand curled against his hoodie in anger. Surgery? He needs surgery? "The sooner would be better in this case, so let's plan for the weekend. How does that sound?"
    "That's perfect. It'll let Jin finish the week at school and get his homework for the time he'll be out." Night nodded, petting her son's head gently. She could tell how angry he was, so hopefully it'll help pacify him.
    "Perfect. So we'll plan the surgery for Saturday morning at 8am."

~~~

Jin slammed his bedroom door the moment he was inside, throwing his backpack to the floor angrily. He's tired of the broken bones, of missing School just to go to the goddamn hospital. He screamed into his pillow as he collapsed to his knees, taking in a deep breath just to scream again. The teen tried ignoring his tears as he finally picked his head up from the cushion, taking in another deep breath as he calmed down from his tantrum. He was still angry but he was calmer, finally getting up and walking out of his room.
    "Hey pumpkin, how are you feeling?" His mother asked as he walked into the living room, the teen shrugging and staying quiet as he collapsed on the couch. Night frowned as Serenity babbled in her arms, obviously knowing something was up with her big brother. "I know baby girl..."

Night walked over before plopping the baby in her son's arm carefully, kissing his head.
    "The surgery is going to help, baby boy." She told him gently, smiling softly. Jin looked up with emotional green eyes, holding his sister close with a sniffle.
    "I'm scared, mama..." He mumbled, another round of tears in his eyes. The young mother pressed her lips together, sitting down next to her son.
    "I know you're scared honey but surgery isn't that bad. Remember how I had your sister?" She asked, looking at him with a smile.
    "A c-section...?"
    "Yeah, and do you remember how scared I was?"
    "Yeah... You didn't want it to happen... But it was to save both you and her..."
    "Exactly. It's just like this surgery for you, baby boy. You may not want it to happen, but it's what's needed for your arm to heal properly."

Jin sighed softly and looked down at his baby sister, the infant smiling cutely at him.
    "Okay..." He mumbled, emotional green eyes looking back to his mother. She kissed his head before cupping his cheek, smiling warmly to him.
    "Don't worry honey, your dad and I will be there every step of the way with you. No matter what." Night told him gently, her thumb gliding across his cheek carefully. The teen swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded, sparing a strained smile. Yeah, she's right. Everything will be fine.

Right?

~~~

Jin was forbidden to eat or drink the day before his surgery.

His stomach rumbled in protest as the small family drove to the hospital, music blaring in his ears to calm his heightened anxiety. This was the first time he needed surgery, what if something happened? What if he never- He shook his head before the thought could finish, tears in his eyes as he clutched his shark tighter in his arms. Now wasn't the time for intrusive thoughts, he'll be just fine. Mama would make sure of it...

Hartz dropped Night and Jin off at the front so she could get him checked in while he parked in the parking garage with Serenity. Jin clung to his mother's hand as they walked inside, watching her to the receptionist and not hearing what they were saying. A nurse came with a wheelchair and motioned to the teen, he sighing before having a seat and finally pulling an earbud out.
    "How are you this morning, dear?" The nurse asked sweetly as they all walked down the hall.
    "Hungry..." the Junior mumbled, his mother snorting beside him at the answer. The nurse laughed softly and ruffled his messy hair, rounding a corner and continuing down another hall.
    "I know hun, but think. After your surgery, you can eat as much as your little tummy can handle."
    "I better have something waiting for me when I wake up..." He huffed, hand tightening on his plushie. Night snickered and adjusted his bag against her shoulder, the three entering the room Jin would be recovering in after the operation.
    "Alright, go ahead and get changed and I'll be back to get your vitals and an IV in." She smiled warmly, sparing a wave before walking out and closing the door. Jin let out a breath and sat on the bed, looking at his mama as he tugged at his hoodie.
    "I can't even have my hoodie...?" He asked gently, Night shaking her head as she set the bag down.
    "Sorry baby boy, not for now. When you're out of surgery, then you can wear it." She told him, carefully helping him undress before tying the strings of the gown. "Want me to wear it to keep it warm?"

Jin sat down on the bed again after getting the gown on, holding his favorite piece of clothing in his arms.
    "... Would you really?" He asked softly, holding the article out to her shyly. The young mother smiled and kissed his head, taking the hoodie gently.
    "Of course I would, honey bun. Whatever I can do to help you ease your anxiety." She told him, slipping the sweatshirt on and throwing the hood up. Jin smiled and immediately felt better, looking at the door when it opened. Hartz walked in with the baby carrier, smiling at his family while the nurse walked in behind. The man shared a kiss with his wife and ruffled his son's hair, setting the carrier that held a sleeping Serenity in it.
    "Alright Jin, ready for vitals?" She asked, giving him a friendly smile. The teen took in a deep breath and nodded, leaning against the bed to relax his nerves.

With vitals being normal, besides an increased heart rate thanks to anxiety, and his IV placed in the vein in the crook of his elbow, it was now time to get another x-ray to see if anything changed. It would give light on how to proceed and where to put the plate and screws. Jin was wheeled back to radiology and received another round of x-rays, those getting pulled up and printed for the operating room.
    "Alright, everything is looking good, so we can proceed with the surgery as planned." The doctor said when he made an appearance before the scheduled operation time. The weight of reality had finally set in as the poor teen started crying, clinging desperately to his mother who held him close.
    "Baby ghost, everything will be fine. Your dad and sister and I will be right here when you wake up..." She told him softly, pressing soothing kisses to his head to help keep him calm. Jin sobbed into her chest and further broke her heart, choking back her own tears to stay strong for him. "I promise honey... We're right here..."

The nurse helped the anxious high schooler relax into the bed, Night brushing his hair from his face gently and kissing his head.
    "We love you, my little spirit..."
    "I-I love you too..." Jin whined softly, the nurses wheeling the bed out of the room as the young mother put her hand over her mouth, stopping the sob that bubbled up. Hartz held her and kissed her head, rubbing her back as she cried into her chest.

Jin was hooked up to many different machines to help monitor his vitals through the surgery, tears stuck to his cheeks and the nurses and doctor prepared to start.
    "Are you ready Jin?" His doctor asked, chuckling when he shook his head. "I know buddy, but it'll be over in no time."
    "I-I'm so scared..."
    "Oh I know, but I want to make you feel better. That's why we have to operate."

One of the nurses passed over a syringe to the doctor, holding the anesthetics in it.
    "Alright, so I'm going to give you some medicine to put you asleep. I want you to relax and close your eyes when you're feeling tired." He explained, pushing the needle carefully into the nozzle of the IV. Jin took in a deep breath as his hand curled into the fabric of one of the blankets. The anesthetics started to take effect shortly after the administering, green eyes suddenly fighting to stay open.
    "No..." Jin whined softly, shaking his head slowly as he glared at one of the monitors.
    "Are you ready to go, Jin?" The doctor asked with a slight chuckle, watching him fight.
    "Oh, yeah... Where am I going again...?"
    "On a trip."
    "Sick... What do you need while I'm gone...?" Jin drawled tiredly, his eyes finally closing. As he went under, the doctor and nurses had started laughing, the teen's eyebrow twitching. "Shush... I'm trying to... sleep..."

The laughter continued as he finally fell asleep, the surgery finally going under way when it ceased.

~~~

The surgery was a complete success.

Jin woke up four hours after the completion, nuzzling his nose further into his plushie since he wanted to sleep more.
    "Good morning, honey bunny!" Night smiled, petting his head gently to wake him up.
    "No... Bedtime..." He mumbled bitterly, trying to shrug her hand away. Hartz chuckled, watching on the side with a smile.
    "Alright, I guess you don't want any of the avocado egg sandwiches your mama made then." He shrugged, watching in fascination as their son perked up at the mention of one of his favorite foods.
    "Gimme..." He drawled, sitting up carefully and making a grabby motion to his dad. "I'm so hungry..."

Night laughed and kissed his head, grabbing the little cooler bag Hartz had brought and opened it, pulling out one of the crafted sandwiches and unwrapping it for him.
    "Be careful, make sure you chew." Night told him, handing him the sandwich warily. Jin rolled his eyes and took the food, taking a large bite of the delectable meal. "And take reasonable bites please."
    "I haven't eaten in nearly forty-eight hours, cut me some slack..." The teen retaliated, eating his sandwich peacefully.
    "I have, but I don't want you to make yourself sick. You just got off of anesthetics."
    "Those were nothing..."

The young mother suddenly had a sly glint grace her eyes, having a smile to match.
    "Oh really? Then what's this I hear about you making the entire operating room burst out laughing?" She asked, her arms crossed. Jin paused mid bite into his sandwich, cheeks flushing red upon remembering what he said while fighting anesthesia.

    "... I have no idea what you're talking about..."~

NightBear15 signing off...