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Pony yawned, blinking his heavy eyes open. The sun was starting to peak through the blinds, painting the room in a soft gold. He sighed, looking down at the boy resting on his chest. Curly looked unguarded when he was asleep, peaceful in a way that made him look less hardened.
Pony shifted to try to relieve a muscle that had tweaked without waking Curly up. That's when he noticed it. Where Curly was sprawled against him, there was something wet and sticky. His first thought was “okay, maybe he just had a… really good dream.”
But still, even if that was.. what it was, he didn't really want it on him. He shook him awake. “Mmmph…. What? Iss too early” He grumbled. Pony chuckled. “You might wanna get up.”
He suddenly shot up. “Shit. Shit, it's not what you think.”
Pony tilted his head, confused by the strong reaction. “Curly, it's fine, it happens.” Still, he looked at his boyfriend, who was trying to wrap the blanket around himself, and then at his leg. His stomach dropped. “Curly– oh my god, is that blood?!”
Curly tried to squirm away, but Pony wrestled him down onto the bed. “Stop– fighting me! Where are you hurt, who hurt you?” He stifled a gasp when he saw the other boy's boxers covered in blood. “Did– Did someone–”
Curly went pale. “Jesus! No, it's just– I'm on my period.” Pony froze, confused. “What? What do you mean?”
Curly ducked his head, swallowing hard. “You know what a period is, don't cha? Do I really gotta explain?”
Pony frowned. “I'm just trying to wrap my head around it, Curls. You're a guy…?”
Curly snorted. “Thought you were s'posed to be smart, Curtis.” His bravado withered when Pony didn't react. “I'm a guy. Wasn't born one though.” After a moment, Pony nodded, letting go of him. “Okay. Okay, I'm sorry. Can I do anything to help?”
Curly blinked. “What?”
Pony tilted his head. “What?”
“....You aren't mad?” His voice was shaky, and it made Pony's heart ache. “Of course not. You're the same as ever. Me knowing doesn’t make a difference.”
Curly took a deep breath, counting to five before exhaling, a trick Pony learned from his shrink and passed onto him. “Why don't you shower? Borrow a pair of my shorts.” Pony frowned. “Curly, you're covered in blood. You should shower first.”
Curly hesitated for a second, but Pony looked so earnest that he couldn't argue with him. “Fine.”
Ponyboy let him up, and he grabbed a change of clothes and a pad and got in the shower, the hot water a relief to his cramping muscles. He didn’t ever want to leave, but Pony still needed to shower and Tim would kill him if he used all the hot water.
When he came out, he saw Pony standing next to his bed. His sheets were already changed, and there was a water bottle and aspirin on his nightstand. He faltered. “What're you doing?” Pony blushed, grinning sheepishly. “Uh, for– for your cramps. And I didn't want the blood to get to your mattress, and I know where your laundry room is so…. Um, am I overstepping? Are you okay?”
Curly swallowed, shaking his head wordlessly. “Nah, no, um. Go ahead and shower. Thank you.”
Pony's smile softened. He snagged a pair of Curly's shorts and pecked Curly on the cheek before going to shower.
Curly sat on the edge of his bed, grimacing when a cramp shot up his spine. ‘Thank God for Ponyboy Curtis,’ he thought as he took the pain medication. Not even Angela had ever set out pain meds and changed his sheets for him, even when he was so dizzy he could barely stand.
He sighed, rubbing at his watery eyes. Stupid hormones, making him feel…hormonal and shit.
He shouldn't feel this surprised. Ponyboy was the most accepting person he knew, and he was such a caring boyfriend. He had so much love to give and he showed it everyday.
“Fuck…” he muttered, putting his spinning head in his hands, digging his palms in his eyes to try to ease the throbbing pain.
“You okay?” He jumped, whipping around to face Pony. “Holy shit, you're fast.”
Pony shrugged. “Just rinsed off. You ain't in too much pain, are you?”
Curly shook his head, despite the action making him vaguely nauseous. “Nah, not yet. …how do you know so much?”
Pony glanced away. “When my mama was alive, she had real bad periods. Sometimes my dad would just go lay down with her and rub her stomach cuz she was cramping so bad.”
He hummed. “I'm bad like that without meds, but I'll be fine in an hour or so once they kick in.”
Pony nodded, shifting on his feet. “Um. You know, Soda's really good at massages like Dad was. Think it's genetic, or something.”
Curly smirked. “Yeah? Mind giving him a call for me?”
Pony caught on and rolled his eyes, despite the red tinting his ears. “Oh, you asshole.”
Curly cackled, scooting up on the bed. “C'mon babe, you make it too easy. You wanna cuddle, just say so.”
“Hey, I'm not just trying to cuddle,” Pony whined, sitting next to him. “I really want to make you feel better.”
Curly's expression softened. “Yeah, I know. My knight in shining armor.” Pony pressed a kiss to his cheek. “This'll be easier if we spoon.” He teased gently. Curly rolled his eyes and rolled onto his side. Pony pressed his torso against his back, hands sliding to rest on his stomach. “Alright?” He murmured into the back of his neck. Curly hummed in response. “Your hands'r warm.”
Pony laughed breathlessly, sliding them under his shirt. “That's so much better,” He groaned appreciatively. “C'mon, get to work.”
Pony scoffed indignantly under his breath, but massaged soothing circles into his abdomen. Curly went boneless, finding himself dozing off.
“Ain't– ain't your brothers gonna be mad if you stay out later than you told them?” He mumbled as an afterthought.
Pony hesitated. “I kinda called them and told them you were sick while you showered. I said I'd be home after lunch.”
Curly snorted. He must have been in the shower longer than he'd realized. “Presumptuous, aren't you?”
Pony bit back a laugh, but his shaking shoulders gave it away. “Surprised you know that word.”
“I hang out with this nerd. Maybe you know him.” Pony huffed. “Yeah, and that nerd is currently giving you massages. Maybe the nerd will stop if you're mean to him.”
“Nooo,” Curly whined. “You wouldn't do that to me. I'm miserable. Pathetic, even.”
Pony buried his face in his hair. “Alright, alright, I yield. Unfortunately, I love you too much to leave.”
For once, he knew, without a doubt, it was true. Curly smiled, placing his hand over Pony's. “Love you too.”