SEVENTEEN | SICKFICS - HURTFICS I

Dino | Appendicitis Part IV

The morning light filtered softly through the hospital blinds, gently illuminating Dino's face. His eyes fluttered open slowly, a soft groan escaping his lips as he stirred. The feeling of warmth and security washed over him as he realized that his hyungs were still there, surrounding him.

Seungcheol was the first to notice Dino's movement. He smiled softly, though his eyes still held traces of concern. "Hey, Dino, you're awake," he said gently, his voice filled with relief.

Dino's eyes blinked, trying to focus. He looked around, spotting his hyungs nearby. His mouth felt dry, his body still weak from the surgery and the pain he had endured. "H-hyung...?" Dino's voice was faint, barely above a whisper. "Are... are you all okay...?"

"We're fine now, Dino," Jeonghan responded, sitting beside him and gently brushing his hair back. "You scared us, but you're safe now. Don't worry."

Dino's eyes flickered with exhaustion, his chest rising and falling slowly as he took in his surroundings. He could still feel the soreness from the surgery, the heavy sensation of the bandages around his lower abdomen, but at least the pain wasn't as intense as before.

"Did I... did I cause trouble?" Dino asked, his words slurring a little from the lingering grogginess. He winced, as if the very thought hurt him.

"No, no," Minghao quickly interjected, noticing Dino's discomfort. "You didn't cause any trouble. We're just happy you're okay now."

As Dino looked around, he noticed the others had settled in various spots around the room. Jun was standing by his side, adjusting the hospital tray that held Dino's breakfast, while Mingyu and Wonwoo had left the room to grab breakfast for everyone.

Jun gently lifted a spoonful of the bland hospital food. "Here, Dino," he said softly, lifting it to Dino's lips. "You need to eat, okay?"

Dino opened his mouth weakly, but the food felt heavy on his tongue, and the thought of eating made him feel nauseous again. "I... I don't want to eat," he mumbled, his voice faint. "My stomach... it still hurts..."

"Just a little bit, okay?" Jun encouraged, his voice gentle and understanding. "It'll help you feel better. You need energy to recover."

Dino hesitated, but after a moment, he allowed Jun to feed him a small bite. He winced slightly, his stomach protesting, but he forced himself to swallow it. "It's... so... bland..." he mumbled, the taste making his face scrunch up in discomfort.

"It's not gourmet, but it's what you need right now," Minghao teased lightly, trying to ease Dino's discomfort. He gently adjusted the angle of Dino's bed, helping him sit up a bit more, but the movement caused Dino to gasp, a sharp pain shooting through his abdomen.

"Ahhh!" Dino yelped in pain, his body tensing up as he instinctively reached for the bandages around his stomach. The pain wasn't as intense as before, but it still made his entire body tremble with the sudden shock.

"Dino!" Seungcheol immediately moved closer, his hand gently pressing on Dino's shoulder to steady him. "It's okay, it's okay. Just take a deep breath. You're alright."

Dino's breathing came fast, shallow gasps as he tried to adjust to the discomfort. His eyes were wide, blinking rapidly as he fought to keep himself together. "H-hyung, it hurts... it hurts so much..." His voice was shaky, barely audible, and tears welled up in his eyes as the pain surged again.

"I know, Dino. I know," Jeonghan whispered, rubbing his back gently. "You're doing great. Just breathe, okay? We're here. You're not alone."

Dino nodded weakly, biting his lip to hold back a sob. He hated feeling so helpless, especially in front of his hyungs. "I... I'm sorry... I didn't... want to be a burden..." he murmured, his words coming out in a soft, stuttering mess as he clung to the edge of the bed.