An Adventure of a Lifetime (Nonbinary Version)

Meet Me Inside

"Meet Me Inside," but not really bc it's not Alexander, lol.

Trigger Warning: Injuries, pain

*** = stop and start

***

"John, I'm really sorry. I-" I began.

"I'm ready for the operation," the doctor said after he ran up to us with a tray of tools.

"?"

"I need to remove the bullet from your shoulder and clean your wound," he elaborated.

My face contorted with fear. I didn't want to feel the burning sensation of the alcohol.

A/N: I know rubbing alcohol wasn't invented until much later, but go along with it.

"It'll be okay," John and Alexander said simultaneously.

"Hold them down," the doctor instructed.

"W-what?" I shook.

"It's for your safety and mine. Now, please, gentleman."

"Yo, John, be a dear and knock me out, please?" I nervously laughed.

He shook his head, "You know I can't do that to you, Y/N."

I cursed under my breath. "Go on with it, then."

They stood up, and John placed a hand on my right shoulder, firmly holding it in place, while he still held my hand with the other. Alex placed one hand on the area above my left shoulder and the other on my upper left arm. One of the doctor's assistants came and pressed my knees down flat, so I wouldn't be able to kick—honestly, that just made it 100x scarier.

My breathing became heavy and labored. I knew the operation wouldn't take long, but I was scared out of my mind.

"Alright," the doctor explained," I'm going to take the bullet out first. You will unmistakably experience pain during this part since I have to search around and dislodge the bullet. I apologize in advance."

Like that makes me feel any better.

I gulped and held my eyes tightly shut.

The seconds ticking by felt like centuries as I waited for the sensation of the tweezers digging around in my open wound.

Then, pain radiated through my body as it happened. My eyes shot open to see John looking at me right in them, mirroring my expression. I tightly clenched my jaw and groaned at the throbbing pain.

"You're very lucky, kid," the doctor stated as he threw the bloody bullet away. "The bullet just barely missed your bones and major arteries. It's merely a flesh wound."

The next step was to disinfect the wound, which meant creating a lake of alcohol in it.

"Deep breaths," my friends repeated.

I cried out as my injury felt like it was on fire when it was poured into me. It didn't ease until minutes later. My hand was squeezing John's hand so hard I thought it would fall off due to lack of circulation.

"It's over. You're good now," Alex smiled as the doctor bandaged my shoulder one last time.

"Y'all, it hurts so bad," I laughed—situational irony.

They frowned.

"Here's some good advice," I continued. "Don't get shot."

"Leave them to rest," the doctor said as he left to go deal with other patients.

"We'll fetch Laf to visit you, then we won't bother you for the rest of the day," Alex declared.

I nodded and let my muscles relax into the shabby bed. The pain easing but still hurting like I fell off a two-story building.