Chapter Text
“Hey, Leo... Nervous chuckle,” Donnie said while turning around. The softshell was holding his stomach and breathing heavily. It’s not that noticeable, right?
The softshell slowly sat down on his chair while staring at Leo, who looked at him with an invisible eyebrow raised. Stop looking at me.
“What are you hiding?”
“Whaaat. Nothing. Nothing.” Donnie looked at his twin who still had that same questioning expression. “Certainly not me going through a period. Which is causing dysphoria and an enormous amount of pain.” Nailed it.
Wait, apparently, Donnie did not nail it. Leo’s face went wide, and he walked closer to Donnie’s chair. He reached out a hand to Donnie’s shoulder. Oooh no. Ooh no.
“You know you can talk to me about this, right?”
The softshell just looked at Leo with a blank face and then looked back at his computer. He tried to keep down the sigh. But he eventually stated, “Scoff. Yeah, right. I’m fine.”
Even though he wasn’t fine. He was hurting, who could possibly understand? Unless maybe Leo…. No, he doesn’t need help from anyone else other than Shelldon. And doesn’t need comforting at all.
Leo put a hand on his chin, “Really?”
The genius, still having cramps, and his face pinching together, “Yeah… Yeah…” The softshell could feel the slight wet tears going down his face.
Maybe he could tell Leo, he was also trans. Maybe he could…
“No,” Donnie whispered to himself.
Leo still had his fingers on his chin, but suddenly put his fingers down. What was he thinking? If only I didn’t have a period, then this wouldn’t be a problem. Come on. You can do it on your own. Why did I say no?
Leo looked into Donnie’s eyes, “You know, I feel the same way too.”
“Really? You never say anything about it.” Donnie said flatly, with his arms crossed.
“Well, hah. Can’t be the face man if I do that, now can I?” Leo chuckled a little bit but looked down at the floor. “It can be difficult during this time of month. Can cause a little stress needing… help.” Leo took a slight pause, “especially with this.”
Donnie then looked at Leo, who was just standing there awkwardly scratching his neck. What should I do? I made it worse. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I need to fix this.
But before the genius could say anything, Leo looked at him softly, “So I’m going to ask you again. Are you okay?”
Barely keeping it together, he said “No.” Then continuing “No… I’m not.”
There was a bit of silence. Why was there silence? Did I say something wrong?
But to the softshell’s surprise, Leo extends his arms out to Donnie. The genius hugs Leo hesitantly. Keeping his head hidden in Leo’s neck.
Donnie, oh so quietly, states, “This sucks.”
“Yeah.” With a little chuckle, Leo continued, “But lucky for you, you have your awesome, handsome twin to help you through it.”
The softshell rolled his eyes and pushed the slider away “Yeah, yeah. Okay.”
After gathering himself together, Leo with determination in his eyes asked, “What do you need?”
The softshell took a breath and nearly squeaked out, “Ibuprofen, a heating pad, and water.”
“All that coming up.” Leo then flicked his bandana like it was hair while turning to Shelldon, “Can you please get the medicine and water while I get the heating pad?”
“Yeah, bro.” And Shelldon ported the medicine and water onto Donnie’s computer desk.
Leo walked out of the room and waved goodbye to the softshell. Donnie was just looking at the water and medicine next to his desk.
Step three, take the medication. He moved his hands closer to the water and medicine. Slowly, he put his hands on the glass. I should be able to do this on my own with just Shelldon. I should not need to ask Leo for help. He already deals with this. But maybe not…
Come on, for Galileo’s sake. You are a genius, just take the medication.
With that, he quickly picked up the cold water and threw the pills into his mouth. The taste of the water was cold, just like he always liked it.
Step three is complete.
Finally, revised step four, let Leo get the heating pad and Donnie go into his bed.
Donnie sluggishly walked towards the ladder leading to his tube-shaped bed. He put one foot on the ladder but felt his eyes almost closing.
Oh, banana pancakes, another side effect.
As he attempted to climb the ladder, his feet slipped from underneath him, crashing onto his back. You have to be kidding me. He attempted this again, and again, and again.
“That’s it” he yelled. And he pressed a button on his battleshell to hover up to his bed. He plopped onto his bed when he reached it, removed his battleshell, and gave it to Shelldon.
He moved more upright to slide under his soft purple blanket to get adjusted and fluffed out his pillows.
Now, more relaxed under the covers, he found that his stomach was hurting again. Leo if you don’t get in here right now…
Donnie’s thoughts were interrupted when he heard Leo, “Hey, hermano. Back with a heating pad as needed.” Thank goodness.
The softshell turned to look at Leo, and the slider did in fact have a heating pad with a pillowcase over it. Just as needed. But what was unusual was that Leo had a little laptop.
“What’s that?” Donnie pointed towards the laptop.
“You’ll see,” Leo said sticking out his tongue.
Donnie rolled his eyes while Leo climbed up the ladder and handed the genius the heating pad.
“Thank you, dear brother.”
As quickly as he could, the softshell attached the heating pad to the outlet next to his bed and put it on the hottest setting. With that, the pain slowly started to ease from the genius’s body.
But Donnie noticed that slider didn’t go down to ground level. The softshell waited for Leo to move but the slider didn’t. The genius just looked at Leo, twisting his face in confusion. “Hello.”
“Scooch over,” and Leo made room on Donnie’s bed for himself.
Donnie with his fake eyebrows slowly narrowing “Hey…”
Then Leo looked back at Donnie with a smile, “Wait a minute.”
The genius wanted to argue back but before he could, Leo opened his laptop, and revealed…
“Jupiter Jim and Pluto Vacation 4,” Donnie’s eyes widened when he saw the movie menu display screen.
“Yeah, hermano.” Leo gave a small chuckle.
“But you…”
“Well, you, need comforting right now.” Leo softly smiled and patted the softshell’s shoulder.
Donnie was unable to speak. What could be said? “Thank you.”
“Don’t worry, you can just call me your favorite brother.”
Donnie rolled his eyes “Never going to happen.”
Leo shrugged his shoulders, “Worth a shot.”
The softshell moved over slightly to make more room for Leo on his bed and opened up the blanket covers so they both got more comfortable. Then, Leo started the movie.
The softshell was originally leaning back on his pillows, but his neck became sore. Eventually, Donnie leaned on Leo’s shoulder and watched the soft shapes gleam against the screen. So soft before he heard someone.
“Are you feeling any better?”
Donnie just smiled and gave a small “Yeah.”
Leo just looked over at his shoulders. “Good” and stared back at the screen.
Slowly, Donnie’s eyes grew heavier, heavier, and heavier. Until the soft lights slowly turned into a black void. He snuggled up with Leo and continued to watch the movie. A good distraction.
Maybe he could ask for help, sometimes. Maybe… But only asking for help from Leo.
Leo looked down at Donnie hearing him snore, and he chuckled. “I guess you were tired.”
The slider softly patted the genius’s shoulders. “We will get through these together.”
Then, Leo looked at the movie’s credits roll on the screen, “Yeah, we will.”