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Casey wakes up alone, sweaty and stiff. He eases himself out of bed, wincing at the rush of blood that follows. Luckily it's a Saturday, so he can hole up in his apartment to nurse his misery in solitude. But then he hears a mug being set down in the kitchen and is faced with the sudden reminder that he's not alone. Colt's here. While he would normally find a reason for Colt to go home, the fact that Colt had moved in with him less than a month ago made that complicated. Colt knew he was trans, but that hadn't mattered yet in their relationship. Now Casey faces a decision: hide what was going on or let Colt see this gross, painful part of himself. Hustling his way through his morning routine in an attempt at normalcy, Casey chooses to hide it.
He steps out to the main space of his apartment, bare feet quietly padding across the floor. Colt turns to wrap him in a hug, but Casey subtly adjusts course to beeline for the fridge.
"Good morning Casey." Colt called after him softly.
Casey hummed his greeting back.
"How'd you sleep? You looked a little rough when I got up."
Casey circles around to bump his forehead between Colt's shoulders. Colt huffs a fond laugh at his antics, well used to Casey's particular brand of private affection after nearly a year of dating. He spins around to press kisses into Casey's hair, grinning in triumph as he melted into his embrace.
"Feeling down?"
Casey shook his head quickly.
"No?" Colt rubs a large, warm hand up and down Casey's spine. Casey shudders, melting further into Colt's embrace, still surprised by the easy, gentle affection Colt pours his way and how much he loves it.
"Mmm dunno?" His will to hide his suffering from Colt is melting in the face of the warm safety of his embrace. He gently wriggles himself free, slinking back to the fridge to wrangle a breakfast together. Colt flits around behind him, despite having already eaten his own meal. He joins him at the counter, sliding over a glass of orange juice and Casey's iron pills. They sit in companionable silence, only broken by the occasional crunch of Casey's breakfast.
After breakfast Casey wants nothing more than to find a hole and fold himself smaller and smaller until he disappears. He stands awkwardly by the bedroom door, shoulders near his ears as he contemplated his next move.
"Casey?" Colt calls uncertainly. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Nothing unusual." Casey murmurs.
"Okay, well if it's a usual problem I'd still love to help you. You do the same for me." Colt was right. Casey didn't mind when he needed to get stuff from the lower cabinets or help Colt with his shirt or anything else he needed when his back was being a pain. But this feels different to Casey. More shameful. He knew Colt's pain was the result of cruel sabotage, his pain was just how he was born. And to most people, it was a gross and unspeakable ordeal, to be dealt with in the dark and only sympathized about between women in private.
Colt slowly walks closer until he can reach his socked foot out to tap Casey gently. "Hey. I'm here."
"Blood." Casey hopes that's enough to get his point across.
"What? Where?!" Or not.
"No it's… normal. Just sucks. 'S fine." Casey ducks his head.
"Oh." Colt breaths. "Oh Casey, is it your period?" Casey nods his head shamefully. "Tell me what hurts."
"Just kinda sucks. Squishy and bad. Wish I could disappear."
Colt makes a face like his heart is breaking. He could tell words were hard for Casey today, on top of everything else.
"Will you take me for a drive this evening?" He asks, hoping something to look forward to will help Casey get out of his head a little. Casey nods and Colt gently grasps his hand.
"It's a date." He grins, pulling Casey over to their couch. "Have you taken anything?"
Casey looks up at him in confusion.
"Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Midol?" Casey shakes his head. "What do you usually take."
"For what?" he asks quietly.
"The pain??" Colt asks incredulously.
"'S not pain. Just squish and hollow and weird."
"U-huh. Listen buddy. I dated and am still best friends with a very smart woman who has informed me previously that that DOES count as period pain."
Casey looks startled at this revelation.
"So sit tight mister, or I'm calling Jody so you can argue with her. I'm getting you medicine, and whatever else I deem necessary for you to have a less-shitty time than you seem to have been planning for today."
Colt hustles off to round up the promised pain meds, as well as some water, Casey's favorite blankets, and Colt's stuffed shark that he got from Ryland but Casey had taken a quiet shine too. After insuring Casey is properly medicated and hydrated, he starts arranging a little nest for him and Casey to hide in.
"I'm not going to let you disappear, but this is the next best thing." Colt says as he tucks a fuzzy blanket next to Casey where he can enjoy the texture. Next is a squishy pillow so his gangly-limbed lover could rest comfortably. A weighted blanket and Sledge the Hammerhead finish off the arrangement. A shy smile creeps onto Casey's face as he wraps his arm around Sledge.
"A good shark for my good Casey." Colt says softly, remembering the conversation they'd had after Casey had started intently at the stuffed creature curled in Colt's arms for too long one night. Colt had been worried his shy, gentle boyfriend had been about to make fun of him - a seasoned stuntman and full grown adult - for his attachment to Sledge. Turns out the sight of a shark (even inanimate) being handled like it was precious struck a chord with Casey's own insecurities. Rather than ridicule him, Casey had cried silently as Colt pulled up Wikipedia pages and articles to show him that no, there are good sharks. Sharks hurt people when they are defending themselves, or when they confuse a surfer with a seal. They aren't inherently violent just because they have big teeth. Not all of them even have teeth, like the whale shark! Casey's picture in his contacts was now a shark with a mouthful of Cleaner fish, replacing the "C" that had represented his photo-avoidant partner up until then.
Said partner looks exceedingly soft and lovely where he's curled up, looking up at Colt with a small smile. "Join me?" he asks quietly. Colt nods and settles in next to him, passing him the remote. Casey puts on a car race, of course. Colt grins fondly and pulls Casey's legs into his lap, rubbing gently across the lean muscles and soft skin. His boy hums and cozies closer to Colt, a silent thank you clear in the kiss he leaves on his shoulder before relaxing back again and letting his boyfriend's care wash over him.