Fic Dumping Ground: 2017

[yrindor]

A new year, a new place for fic. As with last year's, this is a place for fic that I want to share but don't want to post to AO3 for whatever reason. Some of them may make it there eventually, some of them may not. Series, pairing, rating, and any relevant warnings will be in the subject of each post.

Comments

Haikyuu!!, Kuroo/Suga/Kenma, medical procedures/needles, G

[yrindor]

After a morning spent dealing with a steady stream of kids sick with a stomach virus that had been going around, Suga was happy to retreat to the relative quiet of his office the moment he could break free for lunch. He ate quickly, then called Kuroo. Kenma had come down with the same bug, and while Suga knew Kuroo would have called if anything happened, he still worried.

"How are things?" he asked.

"About the same as when you left. Kenma's napping now, but he's still miserable, still can't keep anything down."

"Nothing?"

"Not really, and he feels awful enough he doesn't really want to keep trying either. Not until he feels better."

Suga sighed. "I was afraid of that. This bug is a nasty one; I admitted three kids to the hospital this morning for dehydration, and it sounds like we're heading in that direction too. If it doesn't break soon, we may be making a trip to the clinic tonight."

"You know Kenma's not going to like that."

"Keep trying to push fluids, but if that doesn't work, then he's going to need an IV. It's either the clinic or we do it at home."

"You know he'll want to stay here."

There was a long pause before Suga replied. "I know," he said eventually. "I'll call his doctor and see if she'll put in the prescription. Barring any emergencies, I'll be home around 6; see if you can't convince Kenma to have at least a little something before then—broth, diluted juice, anything really at this point. He's never an easy stick, and the dehydration's only going to make it worse. I don't want this to be any harder on him than it already is."

He heard Kuroo sigh on the other end of the line. "Sorry, Koushi," Kuroo said. "I know this is hard on you."

"I don't mind."

"You do mind. You wouldn't be you if you didn't care too damn much about everyone, especially Kenma."

"It's easier than bringing him to the clinic would be. How's that?"

"I'll grant you that much at least," Kuroo conceded.

"If that's the plan, then I should sign off now so I can make that call before my break ends."

"Thanks, Koushi."

"No problem, and thanks again for taking today to stay home with him."

"Like I said earlier, not a problem," Kuroo replied. "I only had a couple of meetings, and none of them needed me there in person; I can work from home just as easily."

"Thanks anyway. Call me if anything urgent happens, but otherwise, I'll see you in a few hours."

"See ya."

Suga looked at the clock as he hung up; he had less than ten minutes before the next appointment on his schedule, so he sent up a silent prayer to whoever might be listening that he wouldn't get stuck on hold.

Luck was with him, and the receptionist answered on the second ring, and his luck held when she said Kenma's doctor was available to take his call immediately. Suga explained the situation, and after a few more questions, the doctor agreed to send a prescription to the pharmacy.

"Call us back or take him to the urgent care clinic if anything worsens, but I agree it's probably the same virus everyone else has right now," she said. "Tell Kenma I hope he feels better soon."

"I'll pass it along," Suga promised as he hung up. He was down to five minutes until his next appointment, which gave him just enough time to put away his lunchbox, wash his hands, and hurry to the front desk to pick up his next stack of charts.

His afternoon was crowded with all of his normal appointments, plus a couple of sick children who were squeezed in somehow, but they were all fairly straightforward, and by some small miracle he actually managed to leave at close to his scheduled time.

After the detour by the pharmacy, he practically ran to make it to the station on time for the next local train, but it was worth it. He was unlocking the front door less than half an hour later..

"I'm home," he announced as he stepped inside.

"Hey, Suga," Kuroo called from the bedroom.

"Hey, Kuroo," Suga said as he joined them. "How are you feeling, Kenma?"

Kenma whimpered and curled into an even smaller ball in Kuroo's lap. "It hurts."

"What hurts?"

"Everything."

"I know. I'm sorry," Suga said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Did Kuroo explain what needs to happen now?"

Kenma shook his head. "Don't like needles," he said.

"I know, but I can tell just by looking that you're already badly dehydrated, and that's just making you more sick. Especially when you aren't feeling well, your body needs fluids; it's dangerous if you can't give it that. Did Kuroo tell you I could do this here if you wanted? Or we could go to the clinic."

"Want to stay here," Kenma mumbled. "Can Kuroo stay too?"

"Of course he can," Suga replied.

"I'll be right here the whole time, okay?" Kuroo said, running his hands through Kenma's hair.

"I'll be right back," Suga said, and Kenma nodded miserably. While Kuroo whispered quietly to Kenma, Suga retrieved the bag he had picked up at the pharmacy and washed his hands. Inside the bag was everything he'd need to start an IV, plus several bags of normal saline and one smaller bag of medication to help with Kenma's nausea. He set up as much as he could in the kitchen, out of Kenma's sight. He knew waiting made Kenma nervous, but watching and waiting was worse.

When he was ready, he stepped back into the bedroom. The question of where to hang the IV bag was solved for him when he remembered the old picture mounting hook they had never gotten around to removing. He clipped the tubing securely out of the way before asking, "Kenma, can I see your arms for a minute?"

Kenma shifted until both of his arms were free, closing his eyes as he held them out. Suga ran his fingers over the inside of Kenma's elbows and his forearms, looking for a good site. Unlike Kuroo, whose veins were visible from across the room sometimes, Kenma's weren't prominent even at the best of times and dehydration didn't help. Suga briefly wished they were at the clinic where they'd have access to an ultrasound to help, but it was only a fleeting thought. He was used to dealing with children and their tiny veins; he'd manage somehow, and there was no point in putting things off any longer.

"Kenma, this is going to be tight, okay?" Suga warned before he wrapped a tourniquet around Kenma's bicep.

Kenma flinched anyway, and Kuroo kissed him on the top of his head while Suga stroked his arm.

"Squeeze my hand for me," Suga instructed, and Kenma did, though his grip was weaker than Suga would have liked. Suga studied Kenma's forearm and picked his site. It wasn't ideal, but he thought it was going to be his best option. He ran his fingers down its length.

"I'm cleaning off your arm now," he said as he tore open an alcohol swab. "This is going to be cold."

Kenma whined, and Kuroo took his other hand. "Go ahead and squeeze as hard as you want," he said, and Kenma grabbed on until his knuckles were white.

"Kenma, don't forget to breathe," Suga reminded him as he waited for the alcohol to dry. Kenma's tendency when confronted with uncomfortable sensations was to hold his breath, which was often counterproductive, but Suga didn't even have to ask before Kuroo started rubbing Kenma's back and nudging him whenever he stopped breathing.

The sound of Suga opening the needle packaging had Kenma's eyes flying open as he flinched away. Suga waited until Kuroo had pulled Kenma's attention away with a kiss on his ear before he took hold of Kenma's arm and lined the needle up to the vein.

"Kenma, little pinch," he warned. "Just keep breathing."

Kenma squeezed Kuroo's hand even more tightly and hummed as Suga slid the needle through his skin. Suga waited to see the telltale flash of blood in the needle hub that would tell him it was in place. To his frustration, he saw nothing.

He tried advancing a little farther.

Still nothing.

Kenma was whimpering now though, and fidgeting at the covers with his feet as he tried not to move

"You're doing great, Kenma" Kuroo said as Suga withdrew the needle partway. "Keep breathing."

Suga adjusted his angle and tried again. To his relief, this time he saw the flash he had been waiting for. He quickly advanced the catheter a bit more, withdrew the needle, and put pressure over the vein with his thumb before it could bleed everywhere.

"The worst part's over," he told Kenma as he untied the tourniquet. Then he attached the tubing, checked the line, and taped everything in place. Kenma squirmed as Suga pressed a dressing over everything.

"I know it feels weird," Suga reassured him, "but this way it's harder to get it dirty or knock something loose by mistake. There, all done."

Kenma looked down at his forearm, rubbing his fingers over the dressing curiously.

"The medication will help you feel less sick," Suga explained, "and the fluids will help too. I want to keep this in overnight, but depending on how you're feeling tomorrow, we may be able to remove it in the morning."

He gathered up all of the trash, but Kenma tugged on his wrist before he could go far.

"I'll be right back," he promised, and he was. As soon as he threw everything out and changed into something other than his work clothes, he crawled back into bed with Kenma curled up between him and Kuroo.

"Try to get some sleep, kitten," he said as he ruffled Kenma's hair. "You barely slept at all last night."

"I'll try," Kenma mumbled as he snuggled closer. "'Night, Suga."

"Goodnight, Kenma."