butterflies ઇଓ matt sturniolo imagines

𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯

ॱ⋅.˳˳.⋅˙ॱᐧ.˳˳.⋅ઇଓ

     "hey, you've been in there a while... is everything okay?" matt's voice asked from behind the bolted bathroom door.

     you were leaning over the counter and taking a few deep breaths, trying to let all the water settle in your stomach. after taking two tylenol, you chugged just a tad too much water too fast, and if you moved you felt like you might throw it all back up.

     it was only a few minutes ago that you were sat in matt's bedroom refreshing your makeup while your boyfriend rifled through his closet for some real clothes. the boy decided he wanted to take you out to the movies, since they were doing a reshowing of the batman, which is his favorite; you were eager to agree, and the two of you got up to shimmy out of your pajamas and into something presentable. but, as you sat and swiped a clean coat of mascara over your lashes, you felt a sharp, pulsing pain right between your hips. you let out a stifled groan, knowing exactly what kind of pain it was, and hopped up to run to the bathroom. of course, when you locked yourself inside and checked for proof, the red was there.
shit, you worried. matt kept the pain medicine in his bathroom cabinet, so you swung the little door above the sink open and shook out a few of his tylenol, knowing that it would take a while for them to kick in but it was better than nothing; then, you filled up the glass you'd left on the bathroom counter earlier that morning with water and drank it in one shot.

     you were well aware that the first day of your period was always the most painful. the cramps were paralyzing at times, the discomfort was unavoidable, and the attitude came out swinging. you realized as you stood quietly in matt's bathroom that you've been quite snappy all day, and felt like an idiot for not seeing the signs earlier. instead, you were stuck with an oncoming wave of period pains and a boyfriend waiting for you to go out with him.
     you grabbed the box of pads matt had started keeping beneath his sink and fixed yourself up, feeling guilty. you knew there was no reason for it- but the cramps were crashing down now, and all that water made you feel sick. you thought about swallowing your pride for the night and toughing it out, but the idea of sitting in those rickety cinema seats sounded worse than death. so, you shuffled embarrassedly out of the bathroom and met matt with your bad news.

     "i... i don't know if i should go out."

     matt's expression immediately sombered, and you wished you'd never said anything in the first place. "what's wrong? are you feeling okay?"

     "not too hot," you shook your head, "i, uh..." you gestured across your hips, offering him a meek smile. even as grown as you were, it was still awkward to say out loud.

     "oh. okay. makes sense, actually."
     to that, you gave the boy a cheeky smack on the shoulder.
      "i'm joking!" he giggled, rubbing you shoulder to elbow in that soft, reassuring way. "we can just stay home if you want, watch a movie here."

     "i wanna go! i just don't know if i'll be able to get comfortable. you know how i get on the first day. i'm sorry."

     matt did know- he knew very well. despite only having been together for just a few months now, he has picked up a few tricks. you started your period on one of the first real hangouts he'd invited you to; when you doubled over from a particularly bad cramp in your lower back, he thought maybe you'd gotten appendicitis. or you were dying. you awkwardly explained what was the matter, and since then he's learned how to take care of you. there's been three or four cycles since, and with every one, he's become more invested in learning how to help you feel better as you go through it. there is nothing that boy is if not doting, and your chest swelled every time he showed you how much.