Alexander came back to his tent after doing the last rounds of the camp for the night to find Hephaestion already asleep on their shared cot. He smiled as he watched his love sleep peacefully, his long hair spread over his pillow as he breathed easily. Since the onset of manhood at fifteen, Hephaestion had been able to ovulate and bleed like a woman, much to the confusion and shock of the many doctors that had come from across the land to see him when it was first discovered, all of them spurred on by Hephaestion's father's handsome pay to them all.
The cause of the oddity had never been discovered. Nevertheless, Alexander had always been there to massage away the worst of the cramps, clean the bed of blood stains, hold Hephaestion's hair as he vomited, wipe away the tears, take the brunt of his anger, or cuddle when fatigue overtook Hephaestion's body, as it seemed to have done as of late.
Alexander eased under the covers, trying his hardest not to wake his exhausted lover.
"Xander?" Hephaestion's voice, filled with sleep, broke the silence, "Xander, is that you?"
"Hush, I am here, my Love. Is there anything you need? A new cloth?"
"N'. Rub my back please, it hurts..."
"Of course, Love. How is your belly? Still bloated?"
"Yes. Oh my Gods, what is that smell?" nauseated by a smell that was wafting into the tent, Hephaestion threw up into the dirt beside the cot. Knowing what to do in situations like this, Alexander got up and dipped a rag in oil made from ginger root, giving it to Hephaestion to hold to his mouth and nose to ease his nausea.
When Hephaestion was able to breathe without the threat of vomiting hanging over his head, Alexander got back onto the cot, waiting for Hephaestion to fall asleep again, before doing so himself.