Chapter Text
"Shit!"
Chris stares at the spot where his usual brand should be presented. An empty space is staring back at him.
He brushes over his stubbly head like he always does when nervous or irritated. The stubble is almost hair again. Feeling how long it is makes him even angrier, seeing it as a reminder that he still didn't manage to go and have it cut.
"Fucking shit!" he almost yells.
"Language please, there are children here!"
The voice sounds offended as if Chris had attacked the man it belonged to on a personal level.
"Oh yeah? If you take your children shopping at this late hour I would consider it your fault if they heard any swearing.”
Chris doesn't even turn his head but keeps staring at the empty spot.
"You should be ashamed of yourself. What are you even doing in the lady-aisle?" the voice replies.
Chris flips his left middle finger in his general direction. He just isn't in the mood to deal with the human equivalent of a cramping uterus who is transphobic on top of it all when the actual one is trying to kill him.
The painkillers' effect had worn off a minute after he had realized that he forgot to stack up on pads and now he's standing in the sanitary products aisle at ten twenty-one at night and staring at the shelf where he hoped to get something to save his pants from being ruined.
Chris stares at the product range of maxi pads to 'light days' pads and tampons from the size of his pinky finger to a large pickle. Maybe the diva-cup isn't the worst option to consider here.
Chris had used it four periods before deciding that he just can't work up the patience to sterilize it before and after every period; and pads are exchanged way faster than the cup is emptied so they are not so bad after all anyway. Now it's stashed in one of his drawers, retiring among band aids, tweezers, pens that aren't working anymore and probably one or two candy bars nobody should eat anymore.
Chris sighs and reaches for a pack of Always. He had despised that brand from the very beginning not seeing any sense in paying twice as much for this brand when the home brand works just fine.
"The devil it is."
He takes one pack, maybe his brand will be back in stock tomorrow.
"Band aids." Chris doesn't even notice that he is talking out loud when he goes a few steps down the aisle to where the band aids are.
"Are you fucking kidding me!?"
The store's brand is out.
"Fuck this!" he turns around.
"Fuck you!" he looks at his belly.
His uterus had replied to the continued swearing with another cramp.
"And most of all, fuck Always!!!" he shoves the pack of pads back to where he retrieved them ignoring the amused look the man next to him shoots in his direction.
"Rough night?"
A soft and slow voice reaches Chris’ ears.
Chris turns to shoot something back - assuming the man from earlier or another douchebag had appeared - before his brain processes what he heard. His mouth gapes open, a witty come back on the tip of his tongue.
A dark haired man is looking at him. A little bit of something that looks like worry shining from his eyes.
Maybe it's the generic light in the store but his eyes are wicked blue; they compliment his high cheekbones that lend his face a certain sharpness but don't draw attention from his long lashes. His lips are full and his mouth is naturally curled upwards distracting from his broad jaw.
Although wrapped in a black faux leather jacket his arms look slim but strong holding the packed shopping basket in front of his slightly curved body. His light blue shirt hugs his upper body just right. He had tucked it in his black jeans that are ripped on his left knee and just above his right one. He is wearing pine-green Chuck Taylor's. They're of the low kind and allow a glimpse on his socks. Chris notices with delight that they're mismatched. One is yellow and the other one has foxes on a gray background on it.
His dark hair reaches just under his earlobes and is held back with hair slides that secure strands to fall in his face; one broke loose and is hanging right next to his left eye just out of his field of vision as he doesn't seem to have noticed the runaway.
There is no doubt. That man is beautiful.
Chris had probably stared at him a little too long with his mouth gaping open and clearly checking him out.
H is now staring back at Chris. His expression changing from displaying amusement mixed with worry to what can only be described as a resting bitchface.
"Um," Chris' right hand is still resting on the shelf where he had replaced the pads.
"You have no idea." he scratches the back of his neck with his left hand.
"I could tell by the sound of an angry person shouting at people. And things. In case you were wondering."
The stranger makes a vague gesture above his head, still holding his shopping basket in front of his body with the other hand.
Chris sighs.
He didn't realize how loud he had been until now and frankly he doesn't care, really.
The other man chuckles.
"Hey, I'm not judging. I was just passing through to stock up on essentials before it’s my turn again."
He nods down, his eyes at his own belly now.
Chris takes a look at where his hand is still resting among the packages of sanitary products and takes a step back.
"um, sure. Sorry. I didn't mean to stand in the way."
This man makes him very nervous for some reason.
"Thank you." he says and steps up to the shelf.
He bends down and grabs a pack from the lowest level and places it in his basket. He then grabs another one stands up and turns around.
"It’s not the store's brand but these are the best alternative, plus they stay in place a little longer."
He holds the pack in Chris' direction.
Chris had never noticed that brand before. Probably because it has a very small spot on the shelf and doesn't look too interesting.
In fact, the packaging is white with some light blue applications and basic font.
He takes it and nods at the stranger.
"Thank you."
"No problem." the other man grins at him; white teeth reflecting the white neon light.
Chris just stares back. He really doesn't know what to do or say.
"Um, I almost thought you'd tell me, too, to go and fuck myself, to be quite honest." the man is still smiling.
"what?" Chris feels stupid.
"After yelling at the man and the pads and your belly, I thought you might also yell at me to go and fuck myself." his grin reflects mischief.
"I was planning to anyway, so that wouldn’t actually have been a problem for me."
Chris is now full on gaping at the man. Did he really just say that?
'He's perfect' Chris thinks.
"I'm Chris" he awkwardly offers a hand while a smile is creeping on his face.
The other one takes his hand and shakes it. A firm grip. Hand warm but not sweaty.
"Sebastian. Nice to meet you, Chris.” he smiles “And your uterus.”
They go to the checkout together, occasionally smiling at each other.
Sebastian’s shopping basket is filled with veggies and wine. And a pack of pads.
Chris is still wondering about that.
“Didn’t you say you needed to stock up on supplies before it’s that time again?” he asks, feeling a little silly.
Sebastian looks at him for a second, confusion on his face. Then his gaze follows Chris’ and he sees that he is looking at the single pack of pads in his basket.
His face lights up.
“Oh, yeah.” I don’t actually need them but sometimes I just feel safer with them. He replies with a laugh.
Chris face must be displaying an even more confused look now because Sebastian lowers his voice as they get in line at the check-out.
“I have these underpants. Designed for menstruating people. They catch and absorb the blood so you don’t need a tampon or pad. You simply wash them out later.”
Chris raises an eyebrow.
“You can wear them up to eight hours. They’re better than a cup or tampons or pads.” Sebastian explains further.
Chris begins to understand.
“I think I need those too.”
“Oh, you definitely do. Everyone with a uterus should have them if you asked me. Unfortunately they’re a little expensive.” Sebastian begins to put his stuff on the band.
“But you save up on buying all the other supplies so it’s an investment worth to consider.”
He grins at Chris before looking at the pack of pads in his hand.
“You go ahead with your single item.” He gestures in front of him.
“Thanks,” Chris rushes to say. Sebastian is strangely open. Chris likes that.
“The best part,” Sebastian seems to be in chatting mood “is that it catches a lot of blood, depending on the type of pants you wear and you aren’t constantly reminded of your uterus.”
Chris doesn’t know what to add to that so he simply smiles at Sebastian and says “sounds good.”
Chris is next in line and he is once again amused by watching the cashier carefully scanning the pads with sharp fingers as if the item might bite him.
He shoots a look at Sebastian who is watching at well, although not as good at suppressing the smile on his face. Their eyes meet and a silent giggle breaks from his throat.
Chris pays and waits for Sebastian to get finished, watching his motions and admiring the beautiful person, hopefully not too obvious.
“You ready?” Sebastian approaches him, holding a jute bag in his left and shoving a zucchini into it with his right hand.
“Yep,” Chris replies and they leave the store together.
The sky is dark; the city’s lights make it impossible to make out a single star.
Only the almost full moon is visible. A sharp contrast against the black sky.
The air is chilly and Chris chides himself for not taking a jacket with him when he stormed out of his apartment earlier.
Sebastian had stopped. He takes a deep breath and looks up at the sky.
“It’s almost full.” He says.
“The moon, you mean?” Chris asks.
“Yeah.” Sebastian says.
“Isn’t she beautiful?”
“Yeah.” Chris replies.
They stand and look up at the sky for a few seconds and Chris almost forgets his cramping uterus.
An especially mean cramp pulls him back into reality though.
“Um, I gotta go this way.” He points left, over his shoulder.
Sebastian looks back down and at Chris.
“This is where our ways part then.” He smiles at Chris.
“It was nice meeting you.” Chris offers his hand and Sebastian shakes it.
He feels a rush going through his body.
“A pleasure.”
Sebastian lets go of Chris hand.
Did Sebastian wink at him?
Chris stands there and watches as Sebastian turns around and walks down the road.
He has rounded the corner and disappeared in the night when Chris remembers.
He didn’t ask for his number.