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Daeyoung woke up sweating. He could hear the A/C buzzing, so that wasn’t the issue. The sheets on him were kicked off, leaving him exposed to the air, so that wasn’t it either. As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes late at night, he felt the source.
Riku, even though he ran hot normally, was burning hot. Feverishly hot. He was puzzled, remembering the night before his boyfriend was feeling just fine, he was even more energetic than usual, he thought.
Daeyoung lifted the covers off of Riku, trying to let his body cool off in the air conditioning slowly. Just as he was getting ready to slowly wake the elder up for medicine is when all fell into place. His boxers were dark, sure they were a navy blue as is but towards his core they shined with a deep maroon. And as Daeyoung looked further down, his suspicions were confirmed. Red pooled on the sheets below him, staining deep into the grey fabric.
Riku’s cycle had started.
He remembers clearly how Riku told him how feverish he would get within his first couple days, and how nausea would wreck his body alongside the painful, body wide cramps. Every scattered puzzle piece suddenly fell into a perfect picture.
Riku was sleeping so peacefully, with only a soft furrow in his brow that Daeyoung resisted to kiss away. Instead of waking him, he let Riku sleep calmly while he could. In the darkness of the night Daeyoung crept from his bed, tip-toeing slowly into Riku’s room to get him fresh clothes that weren’t sweat soaked, underwear, and his forgotten water bottle off his nightstand. He silently returned to settle the items at the foot of his bed, leaving the room once more to grab something light that Riku could eat once nausea relented and pain killers from their medicine cabinet.
While he needed to change his sheets before the blood soaked into the mattress, he couldn’t bear to wake Riku just yet. He knew the second Riku woke up that the pain would start, nausea would overwhelm his body and the heat of his body would only worsen.
He hovered over his sleeping frame, watching him silently. His arms were thrown up by his head like a bracket, lips slightly parted with his soft snores, and the mess of dark brown hair fanned around his head like a halo. Daeyoung bent down, pressing a feather light kiss to the crown of his head. His heart fluttered with the unconscious noise Riku made, a smile stretching on his lips.
He pushed himself back off the mattress to gather a towel, taking the fresh clothes and setting the items by the shower nearby. He knew the second that Riku got a hankering of what was going on, he would want a fresh start to falling back asleep.
Daeyoung returned to his room with a huff in his lips, not wanting to wake the elder but knowing he had too.
“Hyung.” Daeyoung whispered, his hand resting on Riku’s sternum. He gently rubbed over the skin, watching his body stirred before relaxing again, “Hyung, wake up.” He carded his fingers through Riku’s hair, scratching at his scalp slowly. Riku made an uncommitted sound, resisting Daeyoung’s attempts to stir him.
“Just a little longer…” He whined, rolling over to his side before his whole body stilled. Suddenly hyperaware of everything clinging to his body. Daeyoung didn’t have to say another word before Riku was sighing followed by a groan. “Fuck.” Riku cursed, suddenly awake as he pushed himself up the bed, stilling his breath as he locked eyes on the soiled sheets.
“Hey, it’s okay, I’ll get it.” Daeyoung murmured, sliding his hands over Riku’s shoulders. He gently kissed where Riku’s dimple usually laid, pressing one more to the seam of his lips. “I got you some clothes out, you can go shower while I change the sheets.” The elder’s body deflated a bit, already feeling the ache of cramps beginning.
“You shouldn’t have to deal with my mess…” He croaked, sleep still laced in each word.
“I don’t have to deal with anything, I’m just caring for you.” Daeyoung whispered, squeezing his warm body once. Riku turned to face the younger, his eyes softening at him.
Slowly, he wrapped his arms around Daeyoung’s middle, pressing his head into his chest. “Are you sure?” He asked hardly above a whisper. The younger could already see how his legs were tensing up with the pain in his belly.
“I’m very sure, hyung.” Daeyoung dragged his nails over Riku’s spine, pressing his nose into the crown of his head as the elder shook the last remnants of sleep before peeling away. “I got you a towel, it’s on the counter.” He spoke as Riku began to shuffle out of Daeyoung’s bed. The shorter bent down, kissing Daeyoung on the cheek as his own sleepy form of thanking him before pattering off to the hall.
He made quick work of stripping the bed clean, breathing a sigh of relief as the blood didn’t soak deep enough to stain his mattress. Daeyoung threw the sheets into their washing machine, grabbing a different set of sheets from the storage closet nearby to replace them.
He could hear the shower running as he returned to his room, suddenly trying to rush through setting the bed knowing he didn’t have much time to get it ready. He fought with the fitted sheet, eventually winning before haphazardly tucking the top sheet in. For good measure, he changed the comforter too, laying out his old comforter over the bed. It was worn, but still comfortable and cozy.
The bathroom grew quiet with the water turning off, a silent reminder that Riku was finishing up. Daeyoung looked over his room, trying to think of anything else his boyfriend might need before he returned. His eyes wide as he checked his mental checklist.
Pain meds, check. Crackers, check. Changed sheets, done. Water, ice cold and on his bedside table. A/C, on. He breathed low, turning towards the hallway as the bathroom door opened. With a few quiet footsteps Riku entered his room, his hair towel dried and eyes half-lidded. It had hardly been twenty minutes since he woke and he was already looking exhausted with symptoms.
“Hyung, let’s go back to sleep.” Daeyoung whispered, walking over to place his hand on the small of Riku’s back. He carefully walked Riku back to bed, watching the elder crawl back into his spot on the bed, his hands shaking with the pain already in his body.
Daeyoung shook two pills into the palm of his hand, holding them out for Riku to grab. He silently plucked them from his hand, placing them onto his tongue. The younger rested the straw of his bottle to Riku’s lips, watching him with a sad smile as he sipped and swallowed the medication down.
The moonlight casted a soft light in Daeyoung’s room, letting him see the painful expression on Riku’s face. His lips trembled with nausea and cramps. “It hurts.” He whispered, shifting his body to lay on his side, his knees curling up to his chest. Daeyoung slid behind him, looping his arms around his middle loosely. He gently rubbed his hand over Riku’s stomach, lingering below his belly button a bit more than usual.
“I’m sorry.” Daeyoung whispered into the hot skin of his shoulder, his cheek rubbing against the strap of his tank-top. He could feel the tacky sweat on Riku’s body, but he couldn’t be bothered to care. He pulled the comforter atop of Riku, pooling it around his shoulders.
The latter quickly tried to pull the comforter down, already sweating in his own body heat and not wanting anymore. Daeyoung was faster, though, catching his wrist and bringing the cover back up. “You’re gonna get a cold,” He whispered into his ear, “A/C will cool you off, I promise.” Riku didn’t argue, instead, he curled himself further into Daeyoung, silently hoping that sleep would take over to avoid the worst of his cramps. “Is there anything else I can do to help you?” He asked, still eager to help in any way possible.
Without a word, Riku reached between his knees and his stomach, looping around Daeyoung’s wrist to guide his hand lower. He placed Daeyoung’s palm over his pelvis, the heat of his hand spreading over the skin. “Feels nice.” Riku slurred, swallowing down bouts of nausea. Daeyoung trailed his fingers over the waistband of Riku’s shorts and underwear, slipping just enough to rest on the bare flesh. He could feel the tension release in the elder’s taut muscles.
He breathed low and deep, fighting through each wave of cramping with steady breaths. He hated this, he hated feeling like this, but, he couldn’t lie in saying that he was in the best situation he could possibly be in. Daeyoung was endearingly attentive, so eager to help even if he didn’t have to.
And of course, he was no different with Riku.
He prepared so much for the latter, just so he wouldn’t have to lift a finger getting himself situated for bed again. The elder was sure if he asked Daeyoung to help him shower he would without a second thought. He squeezed Daeyoung’s hand a little tighter from where it lay over his abdomen, sliding up his forearm to pull him closer to his frame.
Their bodies laid flush against one another, with the shape of Riku’s frame slotting perfectly against Daeyoung’s larger one. Each wave of ache being carefully melted away with the comfortable warmth of the younger.
Silence filled the room, the only sound being the gentle whirr of the A/C on full blast. Daeyoung pressed his lips into Riku’s shoulderblades, peppering affirming kisses along his tan skin. Landing one squarely on a mole on his neck before resting. His chin rested against Riku’s crown, caging him in perfectly.
Daeyoung thought for a moment that Riku was beginning to doze off, the familiar feeling of his body getting heavier becoming noticeable, his fists unballing and going limp against the sheets below. But, that floating thought got whisked away as soon as it started. He was trembling, not with pain like Daeyoung expected, but breathily exhaling as his body shook.
“Hyung, are you crying?” Riku’s ears were tinting rouge, visible even in the low glow of moonlight. He was sure if he peaked further Riku’s nose would be matching. He hooked his chin over Riku’s shoulder, “Is it hurting more?” He murmured, eyes wide like a puppy with worry.
Riku shook his head, digging his nails into the sheets. He balled them into his hands, pressing his face into the mattress to hide the overflow of tears. Daeyoung hoisted himself onto his elbow, removing his hand from Riku’s skin to grab onto his hand.
“What is wrong?” He laced his fingers with his, squeezing tightly. He didn’t poke or prod at Riku to speak, letting him breathe through the worst of his crying before lifting his head. Daeyoung barely blinked before Riku flipped himself onto his other side, burying his head into the younger’s chest. His hand still clutched tight onto Daeyoung.
After blinking away the startled expression on his face, Daeyoung slowly petted the back of his head. “I’m sorry.” Riku whispered, barely audible through the fabric of his boyfriend’s shirt. “I hate that you had to deal with me like this.” The younger softened his eyes, his own lips forming into a sad line.
“Jagiya,” Daeyoung breathlessly started, his tone laced with worry, “You don’t ever have to apologize for me taking care of you.” Riku separated his face from the other’s chest, looking up with his teary eyes. His lashes were in thick clumps, cheeks dusted red with a cherry tipped nose. His eyebrows remained furrowed, a silent reminder of the pain racking through his entire body.
“Don’t you find it gross?” He whispered, the shudder in his voice breaking Daeyoung’s heart further. “I bled all over your bed, ruined your sheets and am sweating into these. I’m probably messing these up too-” Daeyoung cut him off suddenly.
His head tipped low, catching on Riku’s swollen lips. His lips slotted perfectly into Riku’s, catching the fleeting words in his own mouth and swallowing them down. Sending them away to not be spoken.
“No. Not at all.” Riku remained quiet, silently processing his boyfriend’s words. Daeyoung slipped further onto the bed, sliding his bicep under Riku’s head for him to lay upon. He could feel the wetness of his cheeks, though he paid no mind. “There is nothing about you Riku that could ever gross me out.”
The words flowed into Riku’s brain like a ribbon, each candy coated word flowing by until they wrapped around his brain, tying a knot and tightening. His heart ached, crying a little more as the words fully processed. His breaths hiccuped, blinking out more tears in his high-strung emotional state.
Daeyoung slotted Riku closer to him, leaving no room for air between them. He held onto Riku until the stream of tears subsided, ignoring the build up of sweat on both of their skin. Their legs naturally slotted together, tightening the hold they had on one another.
Through the silence, Daeyoung’s words cut through. “A little bit ago, when I was sick you took care of me for that entire week.” His free hand raised to cup Riku’s cheek, thumbing away the tears. He couldn’t hide his smile as Riku subconsciously nuzzled into the touch. “You got me medicine, helped me get into the shower, got my clothes together…” He trailed off.
“I like caring for you, though.” Suddenly the words made sense to Riku, his breath stilling as the flush returned to his cheeks.
“Exactly, I want to care for you as well, hyung. No matter what it is.” Daeyoung spoke in a whisper against Riku’s lips. Their eyes met in the moonlight, both a little teary but holding love behind that.
“I love you.” Riku croaked, his voice watery with what remained of his crying. “I love you so much.” His face buried into Daeyoung’s neck, finally releasing his hand to wrap over the taller’s middle. The lithe fingers anchored down into his shoulder blades, staking claim into the skin. He took a deep breath, letting the natural scent of Daeyoung’s body flood his senses.
“I love you too, hyung.” Riku knew as the morning crawled closer and closer that the pain wouldn’t stop. Though the dread wasn’t as omnipotent in his mind, he could let himself relax knowing that he was being looked after. As long as he had Daeyoung, everything would be okay.
As the pain relievers kicked in, and Daeyoung’s even, slow breaths sang a slow lullaby into Riku’s ears, the lull of sleep began to pull him under. He pecked Daeyoung’s cheek gently, barely stirring him from his comfortable, relaxed state. They didn’t need words to communicate what it meant, Daeyoung knew without much of a second thought.
Thank you, jagiya.