Zachary yawned and rolled over in bed to check the time. He fumbled for his glasses, squinting against the bright light of the alarm clock, then sighed in relief when he realized it was still the middle of the night. 3:48 AM. Plenty of time to get some more sleep.
He snuggled up under the blanket and was just about to go back to sleep when he heard a small whimper next to him. Oh no. So that was what had woken him.
"Dorian?" he asked softly.
Dorian just whimpered again, but didn't respond.
Concerned, Zachary switched on the bedside lamp to take a closer look at his husband. Dorian was curled up tightly into a ball with his arms wrapped around his stomach. He kept whimpering quietly in his sleep, and his brows were furrowed in pain.
"Oh, Dorian." Zachary’s heart ached at the sight of his husband, and he reached out to gently stroke Dorian's hair. Dorian relaxed a little under the soothing touch, but just a few minutes later, he started to shift and moan in his sleep.
Zachary sighed. It felt cruel to wake Dorian when he was clearly in a lot of pain, but he couldn't just let him suffer alone in his sleep either.
"Dorian," Zachary whispered and kissed his forehead. "Dorian, my heart, wake up."
Dorian startled awake, confusion in his eyes, and immediately curled tighter around his stomach.
"Zachary," he whined, sounding close to tears.
"I know, sweetheart, I know. I'm sorry for waking you."
He began to stroke Dorian's hair again, and Dorian leaned into the touch, desperate for comfort.
“Zachary, it hurts..."
"I know, Dorian, shh, come here."
Zachary gently wrapped his arms around his husband, who immediately pressed himself up as close to him as he could, trying to escape the pain.
"It hurts," he moaned, and Zachary’s heart almost broke at the pain in his voice.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. You're getting your period, aren't you?"
Dorian nodded miserably.
"Do you want me to get your heating pad and painkillers?"
Another nod. But when Zachary tried to get up, Dorian clung to him even tighter, not wanting to let him go.
Zachary chuckled softly. "Dorian, my heart, you will have to let me get out of bed for that."
Reluctantly, Dorian loosened his grip on his husband and wrapped his arms around himself instead. Zachary gently cupped his cheek and kissed his forehead again before getting up to find the heating pad and painkillers his husband so desperately needed.
When he came back, Dorian was tossing and turning on the bed, trying and failing to find a more comfortable position. When Zachary climbed back into bed, Dorian immediately curled up against him and looked at him with big, pleading eyes.
"Here, sweetheart." Dorian took the painkillers and swallowed them dry, then grabbed the heating pad and pressed it tightly to his stomach.
He let out a long sigh, or maybe a moan, Zachary wasn't quite sure, and nestled closer into Zachary’s arms.
"Thank you, love," he said quietly. "I'm sorry I woke you."
"Don't apologize. You didn't wake me on purpose, and even if you did, you are in pain and I want to help you."
At the mention of pain, Dorian groaned again and closed his eyes.
"Endo sucks, hm?"
That drew a soft laugh out of Dorian, a laugh that quickly turned into a sob as another cramp hit him.
"I don't like this, Zachary, it hurts…"
Zachary held Dorian closer and pressed soft kisses to his forehead, feeling utterly helpless but needing to do something, anything, to make his husband feel better.
"It's okay, Dorian, it's okay. Shh, shh, I've got you."
Dorian barely seemed to hear him. Another stabbing cramp made him curl even further into himself, and he whimpered pitifully.
"Oh Dorian, my sweet Dorian," Zachary whispered and ran his fingers through Dorian's hair again, the gentle motion soothing him.
After a while the painkillers finally started to work, and Dorian uncurled a little, resting his head on Zachary’s chest.
"What do you need, Dorian?" Zachary whispered when Dorian's sobbing quieted. "Some tea? A warm bath?"
"You," Dorian answered immediately, and Zachary smiled fondly at him.
"That's very sweet, my heart, but what I meant was: what can I do to help you?"
Dorian went quiet at that. He didn't like to ask for help, even now, after all this time, but when Zachary asked so directly…
"Read to me?" His voice sounded so small that Zachary instinctively drew him closer. "I'm sorry, I know it's late, you don't have to—"
"Dorian," Zachary interrupted gently. "Anything you need."
Zachary got up to get a book he had saved for a rainy day, a beautiful poetry collection he knew Dorian would like. When he lay back down, Dorian instantly curled up on Zachary's lap, grateful for his warmth and softness and still mumbling apologies.
"You don't have to if you're too tired, it's just so uncomfortable and a distraction would be nice—"
"Shh, Dorian." Zachary readjusted the blankets around them and smiled at Dorian. "Anything you need. Just rest and let me take care of you."
Dorian managed a weak smile and curled into Zachary's side, letting himself enjoy the comfort and distraction.
Zachary’s voice got quieter and softer as he felt Dorian fall asleep against him, and he smiled. He hated that his husband had to suffer like this every month, but he knew that no matter how bad it got, they would get through the pain together.