"Where are we going?" Son questioned Perth that morning when the lad woke him up a bit too early for his liking. He was grumpy and groggy, half of his fringe sticking up from his forehead, wanting nothing but to lie back down and close his eyes under the covers.
"We're going to see Boun" Perth answered simply, tugging on Son's pajama top (more precisely, his pajama top) signaling him to lift his arms up so Perth could take the clothing off him.
Son groaned and pouted, eyes barely open yet he obliged to Perth's orders. Perth pulled Son up and gently guided him into the bathroom, telling the boy to wash his face and brush his teeth while he pick out Son's outfit for the day. Son rubbed his eyes (though they were still closed) and nodded; reaching out blindly for his toothbrush that Perth bought him.
Once he was sure Son wasn't going to fall asleep standing infront of the sink, Perth walked back into his room and opened his drawer. He pulled out a Ramone's t-shirt and a red jumper with a green collar his Nan knitted for Christmas two years ago (or longer). But then he realised that the red was too bright, too Christmas-y and if Son was to wear it outside, he would definitely attract attention. No doubt he'll look adorable in it, like how he looks every single day, the jumper being (as usual) too big for him. Not today though, Perth thought, he didn't want any attention on the boy, he wanted to make Son as invisible as possible knowing how the men who was looking for him was out there - still searching.
So he chose his thick black jumper (his favourite), the pair of skinnies Son wore last time he went out and he also pulled out a dark green scarf to go with his beanie. The outfit was set out on his bed and he searched around for his old glasses. When he decided to overlook the outfit for Son again, he face palmed because it looked almost the same with the outfit he made Son wear the last time they went out. He had no choice though, he wouldn't want to make a single mistake and ends up with losing Son by the end of the day - no he wouldn't risk it. Not ever.
"I thought Boun is coming over to have a look at me?" A small voice spoke making Perth turn around. Son was finished, his face pink from the short wash and eyes still hooded from the sleepiness. He was fidgeting; his arm crossed over his lower abdomen in attempt to hide the scar that has been there since god knows when. Perth knew Son was insecure about the scar, having it remind him every time he looked in the mirror what happened to him in that dreadful place and even to Perth, every time he sees the scar he felt the familiar heat of anger rush within him, knowing people had hurt Son, his Son. Wait, his?
Perth walked over to where Son stood and cupped his face within his hands, pulling his head gently towards him so he could kiss the smaller boy's cheek "He was supposed to, but he remembered he didn't have any portable equipment he could bring over so we have no choice, babe."
"But I don't want to..." Saint whined, pouting once more "I'm tired. I want to sleep and I want you to do that thing where you would lie behind me and hug me and kiss me and we could fall asleep together."
Perth chuckled, "you mean spooning, my dear."
"Yes, spooning. Please, Perth?"
"I'm sorry, Son, we could go later but Boun is only free before office hours today and we really need to know what's going on with you before we take further action." What Perth meant by further action could mean two things and he didn't know which was more important.
Son leaned into Perth's chest, whining in incomprehensible words about how he didn't want to go and how he hated the hospital.
"Alright, how about a bargain? Have Boun look at you and later, I'll take you to the theater you wanted to go so much?" Son's head perked up a bit - he was listening "you be good and let Boun check you up the rewards would be; we'll go see a movie and get ice cream - I promise you."
"Can we?" Son asked again, his eyes brightened at the bargain.
"Yes, babe, anything you want."
"Okay!" and Son gave Perth one of his brightest smiles ever. A smile Perth didn't want to see fading away from the boy's face. Even though he'd be risking getting caught by the men from his father's laboratory, it would all be worth it when Son smiles at the end of the day.
They managed to get to the hospital without getting caught even though Perth spotted a familiar greasy man that came knocking on his door the other day by the side of the road stopping a civilian and even when Perth couldn't hear anything he was saying, he imagined it must've been the same words he told Perth the other day - the same lies.
The first thing Boun asked them when they walked into a small examination room was of Prem. His face trying to seem like he was non-chalantly asking, as if he barely cared for his ex-boyfriend, but Perth saw right through him. They ended the relationship well; both of them said it was their differences that tore them apart yet, Perth felt it was their differences that brought them together closer than ever. And even though they might not be attached that way any longer, it was clear that both Prem and Boun really do care for one another because the truth of the matter was - you don't fall out of love that easily.
The next thing he does was hand Perth a piece of paper - a familiar one - with Son's face and apparent description of him, saying he was missing from a mental institution.
"I was walking to work and saw this plastered onto the wall next to the bakery."
"Boun, you couldn't possibly believe this shit-"
"Of course I don't" Boun stated firmly, pushing his thick rimmed glasses up, "I saw with my two eyes what is in that boy, ran tests that were positive - of course I wouldn't believe that he had escaped from a mental institution."
Son hid behind Perth when Boun's eyes landed on him. No matter how careful Boun was to him, how caring, how nice, how lovely - Son was always on the edge around doctors. He might seem comfortable around Prem, Yacht and especially Perth, but it never seems so around Boun. And the doctor with gentle eyes understood that such trauma never disappear magically. It takes trust and Boun was quite surprised by the trust Son had in Perth in such a short period of time.
"If anything, I'd say Son was a science experiment. Not a mental patient" Boun said, crossing his arms.
"And I'd say it's unlucky for me to know who is actually responsible for that."
Boun's eyes widened on Perth "you do?"
"My father-"
"Perth is not like his father" Son cut Perth off timidly behind the older lad, he had poked his head out and he was furrowing his brows to Boun "Perth is kind and he would never hurt me."
Boun chuckled as Perth reached over fondly rub the top of Son's head.
"I have no doubt. Perth must've been an angel to you."
Boun's statement made Son blush (Perth, too) and he buried his face into Perth's back, his dainty fingers fisting Perth's jacket.
"So, your father is the genius behind all of this eh?"
Perth sighed "I wouldn't call him that but yes, I learned about it the hard way."
"It's no surprise. Your father is a visionary man."
"Can we not talk about this? It's making Son and me uncomfortable."
"Alright, alright, come on, Son" Boun gestured towards the bed "Hop on."
Son did, reluctantly, with Perth holding his under arms so he wouldn't fall. It was just like last time, Son lifted his shirt up, exposing his belly like it was a routine but Boun stopped him telling him that this time, Son needed to take off his pants.
"It's alright, babe, I'll be right here" Perth ensured him, holding his hand and giving it a little grip when Son looked at him for assurance. That was what Perth gave him - assurance that if Boun tries anything funny (which he doubt the doctor will), Perth wouldn't hesitate to punch him in the face.
As Son took off his jeans, Boun prepared what seemed to be an instrument for an ultrasound, but instead of the usual wand, the one he was preparing was vertical and thin. Perth recognized it immediately as a transvaginal ultrasound and gave Son a peck on the forehead.
"Do you know what this is Son?" Boun asked softly, smiling at the boy who was eyeing him suspiciously since just now.
"The-the doctors put that insi-inside me to see stuff I did not understand" the boy answered, shifting his eyes from Boun to Perth then back to Boun.
"I guessed they had done the procedure already. Well, I'm going to do what they do and see if there's any viable eggs in you."
Son shook his head and turned to Perth, eyes glossy and red "It hurts the last time - can I not do it, Perth?"
Perth caressed Son's head "Is there any other way we can do it, Boun?"
Shaking his head Boun apologised, "I'm sorry; this is the best way, the least invasive way to investigate his ovaries - if there's any. Anything else would either harm him more or it'll raise unwanted suspicion."
There was no other way. They needed to know whether Son was still producing eggs and this was the safest way. So, Perth kneeled beside Son, hand still gripping on the boy's small ones while the other went to wipe the tears that were now shedding from the boy's blue eyes.
"Babe, Boun promises he wouldn't hurt you as much as they did, he'll go slow and gentle because we really need to do this, to see if you're alright. And I'll be here all the time, I'll be here and if it hurts, I want you to look at me and I'll kiss the pain away, is that alright?"
Son pulled his lower lip with his teeth, "If the kisses will make them go away.... okay."
With the permission Son gave him, Boun asked him to spread his legs apart while bending his knee. Perth helped Son pulled his boxers off and in the position he was in, Son couldn't help but flush red, the last time he was in this position, a man in white tied him to the bed while they take turns entering him without his consent. Son knew though, Perth wouldn't do that, Boun wouldn't do that and he wasn't tied down this time.
"Son, whatever you do, don't resist, it'll hurt more, alright?" Boun said, applying lube all over the long wand generously, trying to minimize any further friction.
Son nodded and Boun positioned himself, aligning the wand with Son's entrance. Asking Son to breathe in, Boun pushed in, Son gasping at the intrusion.
"I just need to find out if his ovaries are hidden anywhere else the transabdominal ultrasound couldn't detect..." Boun spoke, mostly to himself as he moved the wand around while his eyes trained on the screen in front of him.
A couple of times, Boun made a few turns and Son would cry out in pain. Perth was there to the rescue and just like he said he would, he captured Son's lips with his own, delicately kissing him and rubbing the boy's knuckles with his thumb. Son relaxed almost immediately, whimpering into the kiss as tears continued to shed. Perth could only imagine what Son had to go through; it was painful here with Boun operating the system as carefully as he could but what about back when he was in the laboratory? Were the doctors there careful with Son? Perth doubted it.
"Ah!" Boun suddenly exclaimed, an obvious excitement written on his face "found one! Wow, oh god, wow."
The screen was showing different densities of grey patterns; Perth couldn't tell which one is which because it takes experience to notice such things on an ultrasound.
"If you see this, this is his ovary, completely overshadowed by his uterus, which was why we didn't notice it on a normal ultrasound. The surgeons who planted the reproductive system in Son must've been trying to save space, more precisely, wanting to use the least space as possible knowing that the male body might not be able to support a gravid uterus."
"They technically hid it?"
"I suppose" Boun's enthusiasm was enticed and he was moving the wand rather carelessly now, having made a new discovery. Son grunted in pain, squeaked even, and it angered Perth, he literally screamed at Boun to be careful.
"Sorry, sorry, I just got a little bit excited" Boun apologised sincerely.
"It's not me you have to apologise to, it's Son."
And Boun went up to Son's face, apologising once more yet he received a slap from the boy - even though he was forgiven. Perth found it rather funny.
"So, is Son producing eggs, then?" Perth asked after a short minute laughing at Boun's hand printed cheek.
Moving the wand to a specific view, Boun froze the screen and pulled the wand out of the little boy's body, Son sighing in relief, having freed from such an object breaching him. Clearing his throat, Boun pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. If he was trying for suspense, it was certainly working because Perth was literally dying to know.
"I'd say, if he was to have intercourse with anyone right now, the chances of him ending up pregnant would be 90%."