Work Text:
Naim always had horrendous periods before he got on testosterone. He would be curled in his bed and missing weeks of school, sometimes it was his abdomen cramping like a million knives stabbing him at once, sometimes he would get a migraine so unbearable that he had to sleep against the toilet so he wouldn't puke anywhere.
When he came out to his parents it was odd, his dad supported him no matter what but Arlene was more skeptical. Tom had eventually managed to make her understand and they'd taken Naim to see their GP. After a few gruelling years of convincing Arlene, Naim had managed to get on testosterone and after that he had completely forgotten about his periods, its like they just disappeared and he hadn't had one for years. Until his dad died. The doctor said it was stress, his body started producing more hormones or whatever - that period had lasted about 2 weeks before disappearing again, and Naim had forgotten about them again. Until now.
---
Ryan and Naim were both staying in a seedy motel in whichever city they were in now, and they're both fucking exhausted. They're both led on the creaky twin beds that they'd pushed together to make a small double when Naim feels the urge to pee, he nudges Ryan, "I gotta piss." They haven't really left each others sides since they got on that first bus, so Ryan gets up with him and they walk the few steps to the bathroom together.
Naim had had a bad stomach the last few days, but he chalked it up to the little nutrition he'd been getting, so imagine his surprise when he sat on the toilet and saw the crimson staining his boxers and thighs. He stared for a minute silently, Ryan must've noticed the quiet because he looked over concerned. "Jesus Naim! Are you alright what the fuck happened?", Naim looked up at him blankly,
" 's my period"
"oh- oh shit okay I didnt realise you still-"
"I don't. Not for ages- fuck-", Naim hid his face in his hands and tears started to fall down his face, his periods had always made him dysphoric and he's already extremely fucking emotional after the last few weeks. He starts to sob into his hands and he can already feel the nausea creeping in.
Ryan doesn't know what to do. He just stands there wringing his hands together, Naim is clearly upset but Ryan doesn't really understand why, is it because he's in pain? or is it like scary? He doesn't know what to do so he just kneels next to Naim - who's still sat on the toilet - and wraps an arm around his shoulder,
"What's wrong? does it hurt or like- fuck Naim I don't know anything about this i'm sorry-", Naim lifts his head from his hands,
"No- I mean yeah it hurts but like- fuck I don't- I don't know- we don't have anything, fuck. 'm sorry Ry.",
"Don't be sorry cunt, it's not your fault eh? lets just clean you up and we can talk? if you want?", Naim nods slightly as he sniffles and wipes his eyes before grabbing some toilet paper,
"can you um- get me some more boxers, please?", Ryan hesitates for a moment, not wanting to leave Naim alone even though the bathroom is two steps from the bedroom, after a second he nods and quickly leaves the room to grab some more boxers from his backpack, he grabs two towels whilst he's there.
---
They shower together in the small room, Ryan scrubbing gently at Naim's thighs whilst Naim cries quietly, he doesn't even know why he's really crying.
After they're dried off Naim wraps a few sheets of toilet paper around his boxers, its all they have for now, and he goes back into the room to flop onto the bed, face hiding in the pillow. Ryan joins him a minute after and pulls him against his chest and strokes his hair until he falls deep into sleep. Ryan stays awake for a while, already trying to plan their trip to the store tomorrow to get whatever shit Naim needs.
---
Naim wakes up to an excruciating pain in his head, and his abdomen, and his legs. He feels genuinely awful. He immediately remembers last night and internally groans, he knows he's gonna have to explain something to Ryan, another shooting pain shoots through his head and he jolts up, running to the bathroom before spilling yesterdays lunch into the toilet. He hears shuffling from the room, and before he can mutter out an 'im okay' Ryan is already beside him, his hand resting on Naim's lower back, he doesn't even care to check if its the real ryan, in all honesty he doesn't think he'd be upset if the entity killed him right now, as long as it ended the excruciating pain he was in at this current moment.
---
He must've passed out because he blinks awake and he's led on the bathroom floor with a folded up towel under his head and his legs across Ryan's lap. Ryan is tracing patterns along his calves and squeezing them every so often, it's nice. Ryan looks over and sees him blinking awake before leaning over and brushing the sweaty bangs away from Naim's face, "Hey sleepyhead, y'a feelin' any better hm?", Naim shuffles to sit up and folds his arms over his stomach before sliding over and curling into Ryans side, "Still feel bad? what hurts?",
"Stomach", Naim grumbles and keeps his head pressed under Ryans chin, Ryan moves one of his hands to Naim's stomach under his shirt and rubs his thumb over the surface causing Naim to whimper slightly, Ryan kisses his head and they stay like that for a while before Ryan speaks, "D'ya wanna talk about it?",
" 'bout what?",
"I dunno, last night you were pretty upset n this morning you've been pretty fuckin sick mate.", Naim hums and mutters an apology which Ryan shuts down quickly,
"I just- haven't had a period forever.. not since my dad died. And they just make me feel so shit, like mentally not just physically. Just makes me feel like a girl and like- I don't know how to explain it. They were always bad before n I had to have like so much time off school cuz they got so bad, and my dad would usually take the day off work to stay with me so now when I get it I just- he's not here anymore-", he starts to tear up and presses closer to Ryan,
"Hey, i'm here now, and you're stuck with me eh?... D'ya know why you got it back this time?", Naim stayed quiet for a second, trying not to cry,
"Doctor said that it can come back when im stressed," he sniffled before continuing, "something to do with like stress releasing more hormones or some bullshit... I just feel really sick and awful.", Ryan massages his abdomen again and plants sweet kisses to his head, then down to his face and eventually to his lips, Naim pulls back, "I was puking like half an hour ago", Ryan just laughs and kisses him again.
---
They spend most of the day in bed, but they both know they need to go to the store for pads and painkillers and honestly Ryan is willing to buy anything Naim wants, he knows they need to save as much as they can but if there's even a snack Naim mentions Ryan will swipe it.
Naim hasn't been eating a lot since they left, Ryan knows he's still been blaming himself for everything and its been killing him to see Naim so detached, he just hopes it's all gonna start to get better soon. All they have is each other now.
---
At around 4pm Naim starts to feel a little better and wants to take the opportunity to do what they need, they both change into something a little more presentable before dragging themselves to the closest store.
Naim holds his arms around his stomach pretty much the whole time as Ryan discreetly slides shit into his backpack, painkillers and random snacks that he knows Naim likes before they get to the menstrual products and Ryan just stares. He's not a fucking clue what any of it is and he looks helplessly to Naim, who flushes slightly and grabs what he needs, quickly turning away from Ryan.
They leave the store quickly, looking back every so often to make sure no one followed, after rounding the corner they take a breath and slow their pace. Ryan walks on, not noticing how Naim was still behind, with one arm holding him up against the wall and the other clutching his stomach. Ryan only turns round when he hears Naim let out a little sob, he quickly runs back over and slides one arm around his shoulders, "We're almost back yeah? can get these meds in you and sleep it off okay? Just 10 more steps baby." Naim nods and buries his head into Ryans neck before standing and letting Ryan guide him towards the motel.
---
They get back to their room and Ryan guides Naim to the bathroom and turns to let him do whatever he needs, after a few minutes Naim comes up beside him and rests his head against his shoulder with a sigh, Ryan turns his head to press a kiss to Naim's forehead before heading back into the main room, grabbing the painkillers and a bottle of water before coaxing Naim to take them, tilting his chin with his thumb as he holds the bottle to his lips.
Ryan takes a few of the snacks out of his bag - they're all things that Naim likes - he opens a bag of plain chips, assuming they're probably the easiest thing for his stomach to handle right now, and hands the bag to Naim, he shakes his head and leans back into Ryan but Ryan knows he needs to eat something, he threw up everything earlier and he'll just feel more sick if he doesn't get something in his stomach. "Baby, cmon, just a few? You've got nothin' in your stomach and you'll feel worse later.", he tilts Naim's head up and holds a chip to his mouth, thankfully Naim takes it and eventually most of the bag is gone. Satisfied, Ryan puts the bag onto the shelf and shuffles back down the bed to hold Naim against him.
They both fall into a deep sleep even though its only late afternoon, but neither of them have anywhere to be.