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Virgil groaned and curled into himself. Not for the first time, he cursed the Mindscape’s sick sense of humor for not only making him the only trans Side, but also for giving him the period from hell. After researching his symptoms and checking in the Subconscious (he tried not to think about how he could see everything in there), he had discovered he had endometriosis. It certainly explained what he’d been experiencing. He didn’t even want to think about the number of tampons and pads he burned through. Alternating ibuprofen and acetaminophen could only take the edge off so much. The websites he visited suggested some, ahem, all-natural pain remedies, but Virgil was the opposite of “in the mood” when he was on his period. He felt tired and dizzy and light-headed and nauseous, and he always seemed to get migraines at the same time of his period because apparently God hated him on a personal level.
He ground a fist into his lower abdomen during a particularly painful cramp that felt like his internal organs were ripping each other in half, and kept it there until the pain subsided somewhat. He wasn’t sure why, but pressing his knuckles into the spot where he felt the most pain seemed to help lessen the severity of that particular wave.
Virgil sighed, trying to figure out if he wanted to ask the others for help. He was exhausted, having dealt with this for a day already on his own. They’d all accepted him being trans, including Thomas (thank fuck), but he didn’t know if they wanted to deal with everything that came with him being a trans guy. Yet, now that they knew, even though he’s dealt with this on his own before, being alone feels even harder.
What if they’re grossed out? They weren’t grossed out by me being trans, they seemed sad whenever I had even asked, but this is… yeah. I don’t know, I don’t want to push it. Just as he finished that thought, an excruciating pain ripped through him. He bit his knuckle and held his breath to keep from crying out.
“Virgil? You okay in there buddy? You missed breakfast, so I brought some up if you want any,” Patton offered through the door.
Virgil had to breathe through his nose to battle his nausea at the thought of breakfast food. “Thanks Pat. I’m good, just not feeling too well. I’ll be fine in a bit.” It’ll be manageable in a few days.
“Oh honey, I’m sorry to hear that! Is there anything I can do? Would soup help?”
Actually… “Yeah, I think I might be able to handle soup.”
“One bowl of soup, coming right up!”
“Thanks Pat.”
“Anytime!”
Despite his pain, Virgil smiled fondly. He’s too good for me. Before, if he’d shown any indication that he was on his period, the consequences would be more pain, some kind of humiliation, and a nightmare sequence courtesy of Remus that always lasted so long he’d bleed over.
Virgil rode out the waves of pain, unable to concentrate enough to follow Buzzfeed Unsolved, until Patton knocked on his door again.
“Virge? I have your soup,” Patton called quietly.
“Alri-” Virgil’s voice cut off as he was bowled over by a powerful tearing sensation that left him seeing stars.
“Virgil? You okay in there? Are you hurt?” Patton called, much more loudly this time.
Shitshitshit, I can’t let him see me, he’ll know I’m in pain and he’ll ask why and then I’ll have to tell him!
“I’m worried you’re hurt or unconscious, can you answer me?”
Virgil took a few deep breaths. “I’m here,” he croaked out.
“Oh honey, you sound like you’re in so much pain! Are you okay?!”
Since he wasn’t holding his breath, a pained keen left him against his will.
“I’m coming in.”
Fuck.
Virgil tried to uncurl his body, but he couldn’t find the willpower to counter the pain. As soon as Patton caught sight of him, he quickly set the bowl of soup (with crackers and cheese, Virgil noticed) on the nightstand and rushed over.
“It’s okay, I’m here. What’s wrong? You look and sound like you’re in so much pain!”
The worst of it passed, and Virgil managed to relax his body a bit. “I’m okay, I’m… kind of used to it.”
Patton’s expression darkened. “Did they hurt you again?” he asked, voice nearly a growl.
“No, nothing like that!” Virgil quickly promised. Patton sagged in relief.
“Thank goodness.” Patton frowned. “This has happened before? Do you have a stomach bug?”
Virgil thought about lying for a brief moment, but was too scared of accidentally summoning Janus to risk it. “No…”
He cursed when Patton’s puppy dog eyes came in full-force. “Is it something bad?”
Just as Virgil was about to hedge around the answer, he felt a telltale dampness. “Uh, nothing dangerous for us since we’re Sides, but I do need to go to the bathroom.”
Patton immediately scooted aside. “Okay! I’ll be here when you get back,” he reassured.
Shit. “Thanks.”
Virgil uncurled himself from his position on the bed, then carefully made his way to the bathroom. He cleaned himself up since he had bled over a bit, and changed out his pad and tampon. Just as he was about to flush away the bloody water and toilet paper, there was urgent knocking at the door.
“Virgil, are you okay?!”
Virgil was a little annoyed, but knew to rein himself in. “Yeah Pat, I’m good, just about to wash my hands.”
“Sweetie, are you sure? There’s blood on the bed.”
OH FUCK.
“Um, I’ll be out a in a minute. I’m fine.”
Think think think think THINK!! Okay, what can I tell him? I could just fudge the truth a little bit, but that might be too close to a lie. I could just tell him I don’t want to tell him, but he’d be so sad that I don’t trust him and he deserves better than that. Shiiiiiiiiiiit.
Realizing he’d been staring into space, he dried his hands, then went out to face the music.
Patton was studying the comforter that had gotten stained, and looked up and smiled at Virgil as he emerged. “Hey Virge, I was just gonna wash this for you, is that okay?”
Virgil could feel another wave of agony coming on. “Yeah, but you don’t have to.” Let me lie down so I don’t double over in front of you.
Patton waved him off. “Nonsense, you’re sick and I wanna help!”
SHIT. “Okay, I can help get it off.”
“Sure!”
Virgil frantically tugged at the comforter, while Patton calmly gathered it up in his arms. As soon as the comforter was off the bed, Virgil laid down and curled up, hopefully in a way that made it look like he was just lying down.
“Virgil, can I ask you something? You don’t have to answer!”
Virgil assessed Patton. Patton was looking nervous himself, biting his lip and eyes averting themselves.
“Yeah, go ahead.”
Patton took a deep breath. “Well, I know you’re in a lot of pain, you’re not feeling well, you said it’s happened before, and there’s blood that you don’t seem too worried about.” He fidgeted uncomfortably, trying to figure out how to ask. “Is there anything I can do to help with… this?”
Virgil sighed. Of course he’d figure it out. “Honestly, the soup is more than what I usually get-”
“What?!” Patton cried.
Oops.
“Um, usually I just kinda deal with it on my own?”
Virgil kicked himself for the devastated look on Patton’s face. “Oh Virge…”
“It’s fine, I don’t mind dealing with it by myself!”
“I know, but you shouldn’t have to! And you don’t have to anymore!” Patton declared. “You’re in so much pain, is that normal? Is there anything we can do to help?”
“Normal for me, yeah, and I don’t think so.”
“Normal for you? Why just you, are you in more pain than other people who get periods?”
Way to put it on the nose Patton. “I-”
“What’s this regarding?” Logan asked as he walked in.
Patton didn’t close the door, shit!! “Nothing!”
“Patton seemed to be implying that you’re in a great deal of pain-”
“WHO DARES HARM YOU?!” Roman thundered, sword already drawn.
GODAMMIT. “NO ONE. Okay, Jesus Christ. Look, I’m fine, I’ve just got the period from hell. I’m sorry you guys found out, I didn’t mean to, I’m fine dealing with this on my own, I know it’s weird and-” Virgil cut himself off at the sorrowful looks he was getting. He sighed. These guys aren’t the Dark Sides, they probably don’t think it’s weird and gross and something I’m doing to them on purpose. “Sorry. Just, I have this thing that makes this harder, I can’t think of the name because I can’t think during this, and I’m fine. I’m just miserable for a week and then it’s manageable. This is better treatment than I usually get, and now I can at least get food. Just ignore me.” Virgil cursed God as another devastating cramp chose that specific moment to be an asshole. He held his breath, but couldn’t stop from curling in on himself. Concerned Patton noises could be heard, and Logan was trying to encourage Virgil to breathe. Roman just stood there, feeling helpless.
Once it passed, Virgil unclenched and took a few breaths. “Sorry,” he panted.
“Please do not apologize. Average menstrual cramps-” Virgil winced. “-have been shown to be at a similar pain level as a heart attack, and it sounds like you experience more severe cramping. If you wish to be left alone, then we will respect that,” Logan stated, agreements coming from each of the other Sides. “But there is still the concern of unusual pain. Do you require pain medication?”
Virgil shrugged. “Yeah, it helps me not lose my mind, but it can only do so much. I’m on the max dose for ibuprofen and tylenol right now, and I’m alternating them.”
Logan frowned. “This is your pain level even with medication?”
Virgil shrugged. “Yeah, it’s this thing that starts with an “e”… shit, what is it…”
Logan’s eyebrows shot up. “Endometriosis?”
“Yeah!” Virgil squinted. “How the hell did you know that?”
“I’m Thomas’ center of knowledge. Gracious, Virgil…” Logan trailed off. “Has a TENS unit ever proven helpful?”
“A what?”
Logan straightened up. “A TENS unit administers small electrical pulses to pain points or trigger points via electrodes placed on the skin. Research, as well as personal anecdotes, have shown them to be effective in combating menstrual pain. Would you like me to conjure one for you?”
Whatever, worst thing that might happen is it could hurt worse for a few seconds. “Sure, why not.”
Logan closed his eyes, and a few seconds later a rectangular device with a bunch of wires coming out of it appeared. “Would you like me to apply the electrodes, or would you like to?”
The thought of someone touching his bare skin, especially where he was in so much pain, still scared him, even though he knew these weren’t the Dark Sides. “I can put it on.”
No one said anything as Virgil rolled over to his side and placed the electrodes where Logan instructed. He turned back over, blushing slightly and feeling weird. He could feel another bad one coming on, and he hoped that this would work. Logan handed Virgil the unit.
“There are a few levels of electricity. Since this is your first time, it’s recommended you start at level 1 and see if you need to increase from there.”
Before the next bastard cramp could come to do its damage, Virgil just nodded and turned on the device, bracing himself for electrocution pain. Instead, the cramp was… not as bad? It still hurt like a motherfucker, but it wasn’t as godawful as it could be. He cranked it up a few more notches, and the pain dimmed to a level he couldn’t remember ever feeling.
His eyes widened as he uncurled and sat up, jaw slack. The pain was still there, and he could still tell that his muscles were freaking the fuck out, but the pain was down so much he could almost ignore it.
So Logan just made my life about a thousand times better. How do I let him know?
“What kind of bullshit wizard magic is this?” Nice, REAL kind of you to say after Logan literally changed your life.
Logan just did his proud little smirk of his and drew his shoulders back. “No magic involved, merely science, and,” he adjusted one side of his glasses. “logic.”
Virgil sighed, still light-headed and dizzy, but the amount of relief that flooded his body without the pain was helping him feel so much better.
Logan frowned. “If you’ll excuse me, Thomas requires my help with a business e-mail.”
Virgil looked out through Thomas’ eyes and Sanders what the HELL. “Yeah, you’d better go deal with that.”
Patton waved his hand over the bowl of soup to warm it. “Is there anything else I can get you?”
Virgil fidgeted. “Not to be a stereotype, but I’m currently willing to commit homicide for chocolate.”
In the next moment, Virgil found his lap full of his favorite dark chocolate-sea salt-almond bars.
“I should probably go too, make sure Thomathy gets the tone of the e-mail right,” Patton said regretfully.
Virgil waved him off. “No worries, go do your thing.”
“I’ll keep our brave knight company!” Roman declared.
Patton said goodbye and sank out. Roman and Virgil stared at each other. Silence reigned.
Roman broke first. “Soooo, friendo…”
Virgil sighed, putting Roman out of his misery. “I don’t usually feel like being a people, but this TENS unit thing is really helping. I’d be down to play some video games after lunch.”
“Sounds wonderful! I’ll get the game set up!” Roman sank out with his usual flair.
Virgil snorted and shook his head. Thank god for TENS units.
He flushed as he thought to himself, Thank god for famILY.