When Minho woke it was dark, bed empty of Jinki as the city skyline streamed in through slatted blinds. He rolled over and hissed through clenched teeth, "..." He could definitely feel the stitches lining his pelvis now. He rocked forward, trying to get his elbows under him to assist in sitting up without straining his abdomen.

                He sat on the edge of the bed finally and peered down at his bandaged stomach. Still flat and completely deceiving to what he carried around in him. He wouldn't let himself get too worried yet; it might not even take after all. Right now though, he was completely starving and very close to peeing his pants.

                He gripped the end table and pushed, levering himself to a standing position as his abdomen screamed at him. Paper crinkled under his clenched fingers, a now wrinkled note lay under his palm. The pain dulled and he could stand, dragging the note from its resting place:

                'Went out to get groceries....Be back later. I'm sure you can feel your stitches now, so try not to move around too much.  - Jinki'

                "Ugh, no Sherlock.” Minho dropped the note back onto the table and shuffled towards the bathroom. Jinki bathroom was equally as huge and spacious as everything else in his damn apartment; every step forward amplified the pain ebbing from his stomach.

                He flushed and stood before the large mirror lining most of right wall, he caught his reflection as he shook his hands dry. He didn't look any different, didn't feel any different...Ok, he was in an ton of pain, but nothing painkillers wouldn't cover. He turned to the side and eyed himself, smoothing a hand gently down his front. Minho wondered how ridiculous he would look when he finally started 'showing'. It couldn't be a very pretty sight, but he was getting paid and that's what he wanted.

                "Whatever, it's for the money, I can just avoid mirrors for a while." He moved away from the glass.

                Jinki's kitchen was like the kind you'd find in a show room, everything was too clean and untouched. Not a smudge to be found on stainless steel or marbled counters tops. He opened the fridge, it was completely bare save for a few things that had turned a medley of blues and greens as Minho peered down at them through clear tops, too afraid to even open it. The cabinets were just as empty aside from crackers tucked in the back, he would have gone for them but with nothing to drink it wasn't worth it.

                Minho made his way to the living room, gingerly lowering himself onto the l-shaped couch as he grabbed up the remote. Nothing was ever on this late, nothing but variety reruns, infomercials and...apparently birthing shows. He didn't want to stop, he knew it was a bad idea to, and yet he found himself ensnared before he could press the remote once again.

                From what he could tell, giving birth . It was a lot of counting and screaming, tearing or cutting, body fluids and slime-covered screeching aliens. He was never more glad to be a man, women's bodily capabilities were ing terrifying.

                The women on screen was bleary eyed and breathing heavy, but the minute they placed her swaddled up, far less alien looking baby on her chest it all changed. She didn't look so haggard anymore, she almost looked refreshed if you could see past the sweat plastered hair and mild dark circles under her eyes. She seemed completely at peace and happy, ignoring everything but the blinky little pink bundle cradled in her arms.

                The door opened behind him halfway through the first segment of his second episode, Minho unaware as Jinki stepped into the apartment. Key trailed close behind him, arms equally heavy with bags. "Way to help out and hold the-"

                Minho turned, eyes big and wet as he froze, having got caught watching something so unlike him. He fumbled with a remote, caring less about what was on as long as it changed. He shot up off the couch to block the huge screen, pelvis wailing as he doubled over a bit. "God damnit..."

                Jinki stepped towards him, eyes flashing concern. "Are you ok?"

                Minho waved off his advancing steps, "I'm good, just got up too fast. The pain's dulled down again..."

                Jinki breathed a sigh of relief, "Take it easy, ok?"

                Minho rolled his eyes, tossing the remote once the channel switched over.  Yeah, yeah..."

                Jinki trailed Key into the kitchen to deposit his overhaul of groceries. Key returned soon after leaving Jinki to put the groceries away himself, and plopped himself down next to the younger man. "So...Watching baby shows already?"

                Minho frowned, eyes trained on the exercise infomercial flitting across the screen. "Shut it, I wasn't on it for more than a second..."

                A second really meaning he'd spent the last half an hour completely enthralled in something he never had given a second thought any other time.

                Key shrugged, "No need to get pissy, I would be curious too if it was me. So how are you doing? Do you feel any different?"

                Minho raised a brow, "It's been less than a day, other than the burning pain every time I move...No, I don't."

                "You are nuts...Like completely out of your mind, I hope you know that." Key was really good at being cruel, even when he hadn't meant it.

                "Thanks?"

                "I gotta admit though, I'm kinda excited. But, why of all men would you pick him?" He pointed an almost accusing finger at Jinki as he came into the room, box of cookies in hand. He quirked a brow, voice muffled behind the baked good shoved between his teeth.

                Minho laughed, "What? Did you expect me to ask you?"

                Key went to hit him, hand dropping instantly as he eyed Minho's stomach. "Tch...What's wrong with me?"

                "You, unlike Jinki, would get attached to it."

                "So?"

                "This...isn't an all the way thing." Minho shrugged.

                Key held back a frown, "Oh, than...How long?"

                Minho shook his head, "I dunno, a few months, I guess."

                Jinki piped up, "It probably won't go past three or four months. They just want to see if natural development is consistently possible with little to no defects."

                Key's eyes went sharp, " That's...messed up. Yeah, knowing what I know now, I would have said no."

                "This is why I asked Jinki..."

                Key's gaze cut towards the eldest, "And you're ok with this? With them-"

                He shrugged, "I'm an ER doctor, life and death are a part of everything and everyone. I can separate myself from this because it's something I'm used to."

                Key's eyes were on Minho now, "And you?"

                Minho looked at his hands, picking his nails. "I'm just trying not to think about it too much..."

                Key's fingers balled up taut in his lap, but he pushed down his rising anger. "Whatever, it's your choice I suppose. I'm grabbing a beer, hyung you want one?"

                Jinki nodded, grabbing another cookie from the plastic sleeve as Key strode past.

                The dull ache hit Minho as he shifted around to reach for a cookie, "Jinki, where are your painkillers?"

                He stopped mid-bite, "Why?"

                Minho gestured to his stomach, eyes rolling.

                 You can't take any..."

                "What?!"

                Jinki thought for a second, "Well, there are certain ones you can take...but you shouldn't because...you know. It's not good for...it."

                Minho sighed, leaning back into the couch. "Of course..."

                "Don't worry; give it a couple of days and everything will dull down some."

                Key came back, passing the extra beer to Jinki, who took a grateful swig to wash down the mass of cookie residue coating his mouth.

                "Where's-" Minho started, another realization hitting him before he could finish. He could add yet another thing to his 'don'ts' list for the next few months.

                "Hah...Yeah right, not on your life Choi." Key took a taunting swig, over exaggerated sigh followed.

                Jinki held up his beer, "Cheers..."

                Minho swatted at his arm, "C'mon, hyung...Don't."

                Key clinked his beer with Jinki's, "To Minho's ing retarded schemes."

__

               Two weeks later, Minho was fed up of being bombarded daily by Jinki and Key. He could still function perfectly fine, and didn't need to be babied. His stitches were healing nicely, starting to fall out on their own as the outer layer of his skin closed up. According to Jinki, it would be a couple more weeks until he could call himself full recovered.

                As far as the...other thing, no indications that it was doing its thing could be found, but Minho didn't really know much about this . He was sure of one thing though, he peed way too much now. No matter how little he drank, he was back in the bathroom what seemed like every fifteen minutes. And if he squinted hard enough his stomach might stick out just a little more than it had a few weeks prior.

                He stepped out of the shower, towel drying his hair as he walked out. He dried off the rest of himself lazily before slipping on a pair of underwear and heading to the kitchen for breakfast. He sat at the table with a bowl of cereal, stirring the little squares as they went soggy in the bowl.

                Today was the day he'd find out if it had worked, and he was beyond nervous. His stomach fluttered around and made it hard to want to consume the contents turning into a bowl of mush before him. He took a few bites, chewing slowly as he spaced out.

                He'd made it a good two-thirds of the way through when he looked at the clock, time had gotten away from him and he was going to be late if he didn't haul now. Minho pushed back from the table, traveling to his room to dress. His stomach flipped hard as he shucked on a pair of jeans, tank top already hugging his frame. "I know I'm nervous...But damn stomach, chill out...."

                He was heading for the door when the color drained from his face and he stopped. He felt faint and the telltale warning signs he was going to throw up hit him hard as he booked it to the bathroom. He dropped to his knees and heaved into the toilet.

                It took a bit for him to gather his bearings and stand, going to drown the bile from his taste buds with mouthwash.

__

                He was still nauseous when he made it to the doctor's office, but thankfully he'd made it out the door and the bus trip there without puking. It was by far the strangest thing he'd ever gone through stepping into a waiting room filled with nothing but pregnant women. Ok maybe second most strange, wedged right below agreeing to this in the first place but currently it was number one. Only other men in sight being their significant other, none of them solo like Minho as he stepped up to nurses’ station window.

                The young woman behind the glass slid the pane open, practiced smile painting her lips as she asked for his name.

                "Choi Minho."

                Her eyes widened, scanning him openly before she collected herself. "Of course, you can come straight back. Let me buzz you in."

                He nodded as the door by his side clicked and he walked through. Another young girl with glasses waited for him on the other side, "Mr. Choi?"

                "That's me."

                "Follow me; we have room prepared for you already."

                He was thankful they'd gone ahead and taken him back; it would have been too much to sit there on his own, never looking more out of place in his life. She brought him back to a room that was all thick drapery and an air of homey calm over the medical purposes it served. He eyed the several tissue boxes scattered around the room and held back a snort of laughter.

                The girl caught the sound and laughed, "I know it's fairly...girly in here, but that's who we cater to. I never thought I'd see the day we'd be having a male patient."

                "Nah, it's cool. I never imagined being in this position myself..."

                "Ready to get started?" Her pen hovered over the clipboard, poised.

                The girl took his weight, blood pressure, heart rate and drew some blood from him before she left. His phone buzzed in his pocket: So do you know yet? -Key

                'No, the nurse did some stuff and left.'

                'Stuff like?'

                'Drawing blood, weight, all that crap. Shouldn't you be working?'

                Key was quick to text back to every reply.

                'My client doesn't come until 9:30. So did they do the ultrasound yet?'

                'No.'

                'Well, remember to get a picture.'

                Minho sighed; the older man was far too into this when he was on the outside of the situation. He'd talked Minho's ear off over the 'do's and don’ts' of this over breakfast the other day and forget chancing a walk by the kids section of a department store.  'Will do.'

                His phone buzzed again, "Oh for sake!"

                It was Jinki calling this time, "What?"

                'My bad, something wrong?'

                Minho sighed, "Sorry hyung, Key's been blowing my phone up. Need something?"

                Jinki chuckled on the other end, 'Just checking in while I have time.'

                "I haven't found anything out yet, how's the ER? Are you very busy?"

                'It's the ER, what do you think? But everyone's got it together for the moment. , I'm being paged...Gotta go. Text me the verdict, 'kay?'

                'Sure, later Jinki.'

                His door swung open finally after a while long, Dr. Yu smiling bright as always with a clipboard of his file. "Hey, good to see you again."

                He deposited the pregnancy yoga pamphlet back into its clear container, "Hi."

                She made her way to the counter, hovering over the clipboard, "How are you doing? Everything going alright?"

                "As far as I know, it's all good."

                She flipped the page, "Any dizziness, nausea, vomiting or anything of that sort?"

                "Not until this morning before I left, but it kind of came out of nowhere...It could have been nerves, I guess."

                She hummed, writing on lines out of his field of vision. "Well, we just have to-"

                The door open, the glasses nurse handed her a sheet of paper before she slipped out the door once more, eyes twinkling just slightly as her glanced at Minho. He watched as Dr. Yu read the sheet, skimming until she hit the bottom and her smile spread all the wider. She peered up at him, hand the page tight.

                Minho's brows furrowed, "What?"

                "You're...The procedure was a success." He could tell she was trying her damnest to remain professional about it. "You're pregnant, Minho."

                His stomach dropped.