"Yeah, and I don't wanna hear you complain," I slide my empty hand in my the pocket of my pants, and she sighs but shows me something. "What do you think?"

I take a look at the bracelet with a small bear on it. "Girly, but cute. Why?" I raise my eyes up to hers, and she shows me another one. This time, this is pink, with a bunny, but the bracelet and design is the exact same. "Even more girly."

"So you find them both cute?" she holds them in each hands and makes me understand what this means. "Yeah, why?"

"Good," she smiles and walks away, totally ignoring the question I asked twice. I do not tell her anything but walk right behind her to go to the checkout. She pays for the bracelets, seeming much more joyful now.

I do not wait behind her but step out of the store since she is going to be done, and in a few seconds, she does the same but already takes the bracelets out. She removes the protection of the black one as I am watching, and she holds it near me, then her eyes meet mine.

"Are you really gonna make me wear this little girl's bracelet?" I chuckle and hide how soft this makes me, and she nods. "I know you have a cute and girly side."

I smile but shake my head to not agree, and I roll my sleeve up to lift my hand up to her. I pass it through the hole and when it is around my wrist, she tightens it so that it does not fall, and the happiness I can read upon her face weakens my heart. "There," she pulls my sleeve back down and gets her pink bracelet to match with me. "You didn't even see this, but look," she brings my attention to hers and grabs my wrist.

"They're magnetic, so whenever these two parts get close, they both make one," she enthusiastically connects two parts of a heart, but I pull my arm away. "That's cringe."

"It's cringe?" she asks me to repeat, and I smile at her to make it obvious I am not serious. "Yeah."

"Fine, then give it back to me, and I'll offer this to someone else," she does not take it as a joke, believing I was sincere. "No. It's mine noire, too late," I shove my hand back in my pocket to not let her reach it out, but she wraps her small and softer one around my wrist. "It's not yours anymore. You're way too mean, and I forgot about it."

I get myself free from her grip and hold her wrist. "Too late," I do not let go but bring us back to my car.

•••

6 pm.

Y/n still lying down on the sofa after suddenly getting her period, I lower the temperature of the induction plate and stir one last time in the pot, and I look for some pills I could give her.

I hate to see her in a state like that. I know that every month, she deals with horrible pain, nausea, migraines, and dizziness that makes her nearly faint, and I cannot stand it.

Knowing what pill could work the most efficiently for her, I get one out of the box and take a bottle of water out of the fridge. With both in my hand, I head towards her. I check up on her and put the bottle and pill down, and I sit next to her head. "Take the painkiller, it will help," I graze the side of her face with my fingers and brush her hair back. "The food will be cooked soon."

"I can't eat today," she moves a bit up to swallow the pill and goes back in her position. "Nothing? What about some plain bread? Or toasted bread?"

"I can't..." she closes her eyes, holding the heading pad, which I gave her, against her stomach. I do not bother by telling her this will not help, I keep quiet and let her peacefully relax. I rub the back of my fingers over her cheek, her jawline, and temple, then run them through her hair, and I do this again, and again.

"It feels good," she mumbles, loving my touches. "Yeah?" I smile, feeling better whenever she tells me those types of words. "Hm. I was you were there whenever I have a migraine or headache."

"You can come here when you're in pain. I'll take care of you," I lower my voice to not worsen her pain in case she might be sensitive to sounds. Suddenly, she moves up, and she crawls up to me. She gets on my lap and curls up into a ball, and she rests her head on my chest, so I kiss her forehead, wrap my arms around her body, and slide my hand up and down her back to rub it.

"Could I come here this week if I ever run out of pads? I'm still scared to ask my parents for some," she speaks in a quiet voice. "Don't come. Just text me, and I'll come with them."

"Thank you," she hugs her heating pad even more tightly, and I cannot help pressing my lips against her forehead again. She should not have to feel that way with her family.

I wish I could tell her to stay here with me instead of going home and not being taken care of.

— Next day —

Wednesday, May 5th, 2021.

12:30 pm.

[ hey, how are you doing today? Do you still have enough pads for the rest of the week? >

Since I am convinced that she will be a bit afraid to bother me, I text y/n when I know she is having a lunch break and drink some coffee to get some energy.

I have been feeling so exhausted and weak since this morning, it makes me sick, and I hate this.

< hey, I'm fine and you? I won't. I only have enough for today, but it's okay. Matt knows about it and he said he'd go buy some for me after school ]

[ why do you ask that guy? And what about the pain? Do you need some pills? >

< I bother you. I had a dizzy spell in class this morning bcs of the pain and he's the one who took care of me, that's why he knows ]

[ Stop saying that bullshit. You don't bother me. When do your classes end today? >

< 4pm bcs one teacher is sick ]

[ I'll come and pick you up. You'll stay at my house if you want >

< REALLY?! ]

[ yes >

< I'll tell him and wait for you then:D I'm happy now ]

[ if you're not feeling good, tell me and leave school. I'll come earlier >

< aren't you working? ]

[ I am >

< Don't get into trouble just for me ]

[ don't worry. Are you feeling better or still sick? >

< I'm okay now, just a bit of pain but Matt gave me a pill ]

[ what about Eve? Shes a girl but she doesn't have some stuff for you? >

< we don't talk much anymore ]

[ why? >

< she talked shit about you again so I dont want to argue someone who only supports women. On top of that she's now talking behind my back bcs I spend time with Matt ]

[ lmao alright stay with the one you can trust then. She seems to be a bitch >

< She is. She always treated me like a dumb girl who doesn't understand or knows anything anyway, idk why I stayed friends with her for so long ]

[ You should have told me. Don't let people treat you like that. You're smarter than them >

< it's okay now ]

[ that's all that matters then. I gotta go back to work now, see you later and don't forget to call me if you need to leave earlier >

< alright! See you later and take care of yourself<3 ]

[ Take care too sweetheart<3 >

I leave the conversation and put my phone back in my pocket, and I drink the rest of my coffee as I can already feel the caffeine run through my veins.

•••

4:30 pm.

Y/n walking up to my car after saying goodbye to Matthew, I look at her getting inside.

"Hey," I smile at her and stretch my hand out to take her bag. "Hey, how are you?" she gives it to me, so I get it in the back. "Good, and you? How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling a bit sick, but I'm okay," she puts her seat belt on, doing as I want her to. Now that I know she is safe, I turn the ignition on and get on the way to my house.

"That was Matthew you were with, right?" I question her to confirm my thoughts. "Yeah. Why?"

"I wanted to make sure," I shrug and keep my eyes on the road, always being more careful when she is with me. "Hm. We changed of seats in classes, and I'm now next to him, so we talk more."

"Good to know, I'm glad you have him," I speak with sincerity, not showing any jealousy or worry. "What about your day at work?"

"It was fine," I do not tell anything more, hiding how horrible my state was throughout the day. "Did the valley girl annoy you?" she mentions the intern but gets me to chuckle. "No, someone else took care of her, so I was left alone. That was great."

"Good, I hope it's like that every day," she takes her hoodie off and catches all my attention for a minute. "Why aren't you wearing a jacket?"

"Because I get tend to get easily hot when I'm on my period," she drops it on her lap and fixes her hair that got messy. "And by the way, why didn't you take a pill this morning if you were in pain?"

"I didn't have any, my parents didn't buy a new box," she answers with worse than expected, and a sigh naturally runs out of my mouth. "I'll give you a box so that you can always have something when you're in pain."

"Thank you," she tilts her head and rests it on her hand.

•••

5:10 pm.

I drop my keys on the kitchen counter and look at y/n heading to the sofa. She collapses on it and uses her hoodie as a plush toy to hug, and I leave my shopping bag and hers on the chairs around the table.

"There's a pack of pads here you can take home, and I got you some snacks too," I tell her about what I forgot I bought before picking her up, and she raises her head up. "Thank you, husband material man. Which snacks did you take?"

I chuckle at her silly words and walk up to the fridge to find something to cook for us. "Your favorites. Some Poki's, Rice crisps, popcorn, the soft cookies you liked on Christmas, and the sponge cakes you always eat at school," I remember every one of them to not miss any. "Wow. You remember all my favorites."

"Of course I do," I rummage through my left overs I would not want to serve her. "You know how to make me happy."

I smile but close the fridge. "I don't have anything in the fridge for dinner today, is it okay if I order a pizza for us?" I flatten my hands on the counter and lean forth. "Yes, order anything you want."

"Alright," I grab hold of my phone to make a quick order, knowing her favorite pizza, I pick it and pay. Since we have to wait to eat, I grab a bottle of flavored water for her and serve myself a glass of Coke, and I take a milk bun to fill my empty stomach and go towards her.

I sit down next to her head and open my snack, and she looks up at me. "Are you hungry?" she heaves her body higher and lands her head on my thigh, and I put a piece of the bun in my mouth. "Hm," I nod. "Do you want some?" I touch her soft hair and move some strands. She parts her lips to give me a silent answer, and I smile but feed her a big piece. "Your cheeks are pink," I brush the back of my fingers past her skin and feel some heat radiate against mine. "It's my period, I told you."

"I thought you were blushing for me," I tease her and eat more. "Why would I? You're not saying or doing anything that could make me do it."

"You used to blush at the slightest eye contact we'd make," I tease her about what I have not forgotten, and she instantly regrets her words. "Not true," she denies it, but I do not insist about the truth. I hold some more bread in front of her mouth. "Open for a good reason," I wait for her to do it, and once I have access to the inside, I feed her for the second time. "A good reason? Uh?"

"Yeah, instead of shamelessly telling me lies," I bounce my leg that does not support her head, and she purposely chews as loud as she can. "Well, I shamefully tell them, so it's a bit better."

"A bit better," I repeat and cannot help scoffing. "Anyway," she raises her arms up and arches her back to stretch, so I stare down at her chest that is slightly exposed by her tank top. "Open your mouth again," I hold the last piece of the bread against her lips, and she parts them, but her hand, which was up for her to stretch to the full, ends against my cheek for a soft slap. "Sorry," she smirks and drops her arms down.

She is such a brat.

"Do that again, I dare you," I lick my lips and crush the empty wrapping in my hand, and she lifts her hand up to my face, but before she could try to slap me again, I grab her wrist, and she flies her other hand up, so I catch it too and hold them both in one hand. "You take every opportunity to look for trouble," I push her wrists down to her chest and keep her still. "Because you take every opportunity to annoy me."

"When do I?" I raise my eyebrows, not recalling a single moment where I did so. "All the time," she sits up, but I do not let go of her, which causes her to find it hard to move around. "I need my arms."

"Really?" I keep a strong grip on her. "Yes," she turns around to face me, kneeling down and smiling. "I have handcuffs, so if I free you and that you ever try again, I get them. Got it?"

"I don't believe you, I need proof. Let me go, I'm a sad girl in pain," she attempts to get me by the emotions, but I just laugh at her. I release my hold on her to see what she does, and she rubs one of her wrists. "They hurt now."

"Don't lie," I move forward to throw the wrapping of my snack on the coffee table, and she shows me her arms. "Look," she exposes her marked skin. I was not even harsh at all, I made sure not to hurt her. "You bruise way too easily," I decide to pretend not to care much, and she gasps. "You don't even apologize?"

"I'm mean you said," I quote her own words she says so many times, and her lips curve up. "That's right...I'm just gonna be in pain."

I stare at her sitting down in a proper position next to me, and once she is comfortable, I give her a kiss on the crown of her head. "I'm sorry."

"That's what I thought," she slaps my thigh, using violence all the time. I glance down at her, her hand remaining on my thigh, she smiles at me as if this was a casual thing to do, and I struggle to hide the one growing on my face. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Nothing," she pats it. "I'm gonna mark your wrist even more, so get your fingers off."

She does not listen but gives some more pats. "Alright," I bring my hands down to my belt and undo it. "What are you doing?"