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A twinge of pain in his abdomen and a distinct lack of warmth at his side were what greeted Will one morning. Bleary eyes fluttered open to an empty depression in the bed, cloaked in a filter of blue early morning light. He yawned and gradually stretched his hands, his arms, his legs, all stiff with the cold of approaching winter. Will pushed himself up and scanned the room. His heart fell at the chilly, quiet emptiness of his chambers.
Leon must have had something to do early, he thought with a sorrowful sigh.
Why was he awake again? Will rubbed his heavy, aching head with a groan. Another pang of discomfort pulled at his attention, accompanied by a light, rolling nausea. Then, his eyes widened.
He rushed first to his dresser to snatch a pair of clean underwear, then to the bathroom, and closed the door. A sigh of relief left his chest after a quick examination of his clothes. Only his undergarments were marked with blood; his sleep pants remained spotless.
I completely forgot, Will sulked to himself. At least the sheets are probably okay.
The elda cleaned himself and replaced his ruined clothes with fresh ones, as well as extra padding fabric. It was while he soaked the stains into cold, soapy water in the sink that he heard the bedroom door open and shut. There was shuffling and quiet footsteps, then a light knock on the bathroom door.
“You alive in there?” A deep, muffled, and familiar voice spoke softly.
“Yeah, I’ll be right out,” Will responded. He wrung out the water and hung his garments, then opened the door.
Just as Will was about to step out, the muscles in his abdomen and thighs twisted and squeezed hard. He reeled and doubled over with a harsh breath, nearly falling to the floor, but was caught by two strong, dependable arms.
“Whoa—easy there,” Leon breathed as he supported him.
Will clung to Leon, legs shaking subtly. “Sorry,” he rasped. “Pain…”
“It’s all right, I’ve got you,” the clemar soothed. He dipped down and picked Will up in his arms, then carried him to his soft and comfy place in bed.
“Apologies for my absence,” Leon said, settling his husband down in the silk sheets with a kiss to his forehead. “I didn’t think you’d be awake yet.”
Pulling his knees up to hug them against his chest, Will leaned his head back into the pillows with a sigh. “Where did you go this early in the morning?” he asked.
“Just fetching some things for you.”
“Like…?” The king gave a quizzical look.
Leon reached over the bed and picked up an armful of fluffy pillows that rested beside a pile of blankets. “It is that time of the month, is it not?” he said as he gently swapped the pillows under Will’s head with softer ones.
Realization dawned on Will. Right. He keeps track. Ever since Leon had been made aware of Will’s monthly struggles, he remained mindful of it to a strangely accurate degree. Once they were married, it was revealed that his partner had in fact kept track of the exact day every month.
“Why wouldn’t I?” Leon had responded when questioned. “It’s my duty to ensure you are taken care of.”
Never had Will even considered the possibility. Why make this affliction a burden for others when it could be quietly shouldered? It was never a big deal. He could manage it, treat it, plan around it when necessary. But Leon took him under an arm and helped him through it anyways. Anything, all of the little difficulties of everyday life, Leon was there to ensure he never had to be alone.
He only hoped he could do the same for Leon, too.
A clinking of glass brought Will back to the present. Leon had opened his coat and taken out a glass bottle.
“Here’s some medicine,” Leon stated, holding out the bottle to Will. “Just a sip should do it, but it takes time to do its work.”
“Thank you,” Will mumbled. He took the bottle, popped off the cork, and sipped the syrupy liquid inside. The taste initially made him grimace from bitterness, then quickly mellowed into a more tolerable sweetness. The cork was replaced and the bottle placed on the night stand.
Then, the cramps returned with a vengeance. His insides contracted forcefully and churned his stomach with hot acid. Will hugged his knees with an abrupt gasp. It was quickly becoming apparent that this was going to be one of the more difficult cycles.
“Lay down, darling,” Leon said softly. Will nodded and sank into the bed. He curled up on his side in the fetal position, shivering from stabbing pain and the creeping cold of the room.
Leon swiftly grabbed a thick, warm blanket from the pile—a patchwork quilt from Maria, one of Will’s favorites—and pulled it over the elda. Then, he shook off his coat and slipped under the blanket next to him, facing him.
“Come here, sweetheart,” Leon murmured. His arms carefully wrapped around Will and pulled him into an embrace.
Will slipped his hands around Leon and buried his face into his chest. Another influx of pain had him clutching Leon tightly with a faint groan. Involuntary tears pricked in the corners of his eyes, and his jaw clenched in a vise.
The consort’s hands were gentle as he massaged circles into Will’s back, pressing lightly into his rigid muscles, coaxing him into a feeling of calm and safety. Tender kisses were pressed into his head and soothing words whispered into his ear.
“Shhh… It’s all right,” Leon said in hushed tones. “The pain will pass. Just hang on to me. Squeeze me as hard as you need, I don’t mind.”
Leon’s comforting touch, the warmth of his body, his slow breathing and steady heartbeat lulled Will into relaxation through the ebb and flow of his sharp spasms. Gradually, the debilitating pain tapered, and Will relaxed his grip.
Exhaustion swept over him. The warm coziness under the blankets in Leon’s arms pulled at his consciousness, willed him to close his eyes, just for a little while… It only took moments for him to doze off in peaceful sleep.
Will slowly stirred and found himself in the same position he was when he fell asleep. Leon’s hands around him were unmoving, and his chest rose and fell in deep, even breaths. At Will’s subtle movement, the consort sighed and shifted slightly.
“Mmm… Hey there,” Leon mumbled in a sleepy voice. “Any better?”
“Yeah, much better,” Will responded.
“Good.” The consort slowly stretched his legs with a yawn. “I’m still at a loss as to how you manage this every month, if I’m honest. Can’t say I would relish the feeling of a blade twisted through my stomach so frequently.”
“I sure don’t,” Will looked up and quirked a smile. “Maybe I can do a demonstration sometime.”
Leon’s chest rumbled softly with a laugh. “Please, have mercy on your poor husband,” he pleaded jovially.
Will’s grin betrayed his mischief, and he withdrew a hand to give him a tame but unexpected jab in the abdomen. Leon flinched with a sharp inhale. “Hey! What was that for?” he pouted.
“See? It feels something like that,” Will giggled. A retort formed in Leon’s mouth, but before any words could escape, Will took his husband’s face in his hands and pressed their lips together. Leon flustered, just for a moment, then easily melted into the soft kiss.
Reluctantly, the couple parted after a few moments. They withdrew from the embrace and sat up slowly. Through the curtains of the bedroom, yellow sunlight shone bright on the new day.
Must have been asleep for a couple of hours, Will thought with a yawn. His empty stomach announced itself with a rumble in protest of its extended neglect.
“Hungry?” Leon inquired.
“Starving.”
“All right, I can seek out a servant to bring you something to eat. I must get going.” He nodded and made a move to stand up from the royal bed.
“Noooooo…” The king whined and trapped Leon by the waist in a tight hug. “Stay.”
“Will,” Leon scolded, but failed to suppress an affectionate smile, “You may have time off to rest, but I still have responsibilities.”
A groan of protest left Will’s chest as he hugged tighter. “Stay,” he mumbled. “King’s orders.”
Leon shook his head in feigned dismay. “What am I going to do with you?” he sighed. “All right, I suppose some things can be delayed this time, on account of my needy husband.” He made a move to get up once again, but Will maintained his grip. Leon laughed, “Okay, at least allow me to arrange something to eat.”
The consort was released with a pout. It only took a moment for him to peek outside the bedroom door, ask a servant to bring something to eat (as well as inform any necessary parties of the delay), then returned to Will’s side in bed. He sat upright, reclining back on the pillow-cushioned headboard, and Will snuggled in close.
“I assumed you want something sweet?” Leon said softly as he wrapped an arm around his husband.
Will grinned wide, leaned up, and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. “You’re the best.”
A warm smile spread across Leon’s face, and he settled his cheek on the top of Will’s head with a soft, content sigh. “Anything for you, my dear.”