A broken teenager hid the best he could behind his mother’s legs, his pale calloused hands holding the back of her shirt tightly. He was afraid, afraid of the person that was just invited to his new home.

His mother’s fiancé.

Even after finally leaving his deadbeat of a father, men still terrified him. He doesn't know whenever he'll get over that…
    "Jin, sweetie, it's okay. This is Hartz, my fiancé.” Night said sweetly, her hand petting his head gently to calm him down. Hartz, a tall pale-skinned man with long lavender hair, smiled brightly at the shy boy, kneeling down to be less intimidating.
    “Hey buddy! It’s so nice to finally meet you, your mama has told me so much about you.” He greeted happily, his arms resting on his knee. Jin whimpered softly and hid his face, causing Night to falter slightly. He had been doing so well with adjusting to life with her, she was so thrilled to have him agree to finally meet the love of her life. So why does it feel like a mistake all of a sudden.
    “… Mama…?” Her son called out softly to her, snapping her from her thoughts. “I’m sorry…”
    “Oh, baby, you don’t need to be sorry… I know you’re trying.” 

Jin frowned as tears filled his eyes, peeking out from behind her to look over at the man kneeling before him. Hartz gave him another friendly smile and moved slowly, sitting on the floor. The teen sniffled softly and waved, Night silently letting out a breath. It’s progress, that has to count for something

~~~

Jin hummed softly in the backseat of the car, sitting behind his mother who drove. Hartz sat in the passenger seat with the mother and son as they all drove to a restaurant. The thought of the fancy restaurant made Jin tug at the collar of his button-up, his cheeks tinting a soft red. He never really liked dressing up…

Everyone was dressed up so he didn’t feel as left out but he still wasn’t a fan.
    “The dinner was a very good idea baby, thanks for this.” Night smiled, glancing over to her fiancé.
    “Absolutely babe! I feel like this would be good for all of us, especially since we’re all going to be family one day.” Hartz smiled, reaching over and resting a hand on her bare leg. Jin watched their interaction as music played in his headphones, looking away and looking out the window. Hartz seemed like a good man, but the teen still isn’t comfortable around men. Not after all he’s been through…   
    “Jin, honey, are you excited?” Night called out to him, dull green eyes looking over to see her peeking at him through the rear view.
    “I’ve never been to a fancy place before so I don’t know…” He mumbled, fiddling with the brace on his wrist. The adults smiled warmly at each other before Night’s focus went back to the road.
    “Don’t worry buddy, we’ll help you pick something to eat.” Hartz told him, turning to him with a smile.
    “Do they have vegetarian options…?”
    “I believe so, this restaurant is normally good with that kind of thing.”

Jin smiled softly and nodded, leaning back into his seat. It was still pretty early in the night as they drove, a beautiful sunset cast over Beigoma City. What a nice night to be out with the fam-
    “Wait, wait, Night!” Hartz yelled, all right before a car came out of nowhere and slammed right into the side of the car. The impact was heavy as it shoved the family’s car into a telephone phone, doors smashed in and pinned to trap them. Hartz was out cold as the main point of impact was on his side, Night was trapped in her seat and bleeding while Jin whimpered in the back seat.
    “Baby boy, Jin, are you okay? Honey please answer…” Night cried softly, reaching back the best she could. Jin sobbed softly as he grabbed her hand, wounds bleeding slowly as he fiddled with his seatbelt. The mother sighed in relief and tried shaking Hartz gently, watching in horror as he slumped with blood leaking from his head.
    “M-mama, I-is he okay…?”

Night didn’t answer, sirens filling the air and passersby watching in anticipation. First responders had gotten to the scene rather fast due to the severity of the accident, handful at their vehicle as others went over to the other car.
    “M-mama…?” Jin called again, flinching as he moved. His door was pulled open with a god awful noise and a paramedic was there.
    “Get my son out of here first please.” Night whimpered, reaching and holding her fiancé’s hand gently. Jin felt his eyes widen as gloved hands grabbed onto him gently, helping him from the totaled car. The teen cried and tried to pull himself back so he could be with his family.
    “N-no, that’s my mama and my dad…!” He sobbed weakly, reaching out to them. Night covered her mouth to stifle her own sob as her vision blurred, looking over to her unconscious fiancé before blacking out.

~~~

The steady beeping of a heart monitor is what caused her to stir, heavy grey eyes slowly opening to a dimly lit hospital room. The mother grunted as she moved to sit up carefully, looking around and finding her fiancé in the bed just across from her. She breathed out at the appearance that he was okay and carefully laid back down and closed her eyes. Then her eyes flew open again as she slammed the button for the nurse, remembering something rather important.

She has a son-

The nurse barely stepped foot into the room before Night bombarded her with questions.
    “Where’s my son? How is he? How’s my fiancé-“
    “Woah woah, honey calm down! You’re raising your heart rate too much.” The nurse said sweetly, stepping in further to check her bandages and her IV.
    “B-but, my son-“
    “Is okay. He’s over in the pediatric wing playing with some of the kids. Very sweet boy, made it out of the accident with some cuts and bruises but unfortunately with a broken wrist.”
    “Oh no, both wrists now…” Night sighed, rubbing her head. “He has a condition, I promise we don’t abuse him.”
    “Oh sweetie, I know! Goodness, he was so worried about you and your fiancé  that it took bringing him into your room so he could see to calm him down. Children who were being abused wouldn’t be that attached.”

Night smiled softly and fiddled with her hospital gown, leaning back carefully.
    “Do you think you can bring him in? I really need to see that my baby boy is okay…”
    “Absolutely hun, I’ll be right back.” The nurse smiled, walking out of the door and closing it behind her. Night rubbed her pounding head and let out a breath, knowing exactly how her son was going to react.

He surely was a mama’s boy…

She couldn’t quite get a thought out of her head though. When the paramedic was getting him out of the car, she heard him call out to her and Hartz. He called him his dad for the first time… Talk about the progress~

NightBear15 signing off…