AN: Next installment to my Questioning!Hephaestion series! Enjoy!

WARNING: ALLUSION TO BINDING IN THIS CHAPTER! PLEASE BE SAFE WHEN BINDING!

Alexander was just returning to his and Hephaestion's apartment after walking Peritas around downtown when his phone gave off the tone that warned that Hephaestion's period was starting today. However, the quiet gloom that hung in the air gave him a clue to that, as he had been tracking his lover's cycle for the past five years, having started to do so within five months of meeting the fifteen-year-old at the time.

Signaling Peritas to be quiet, Alexander slipped off his shoes and made his way to the bathroom. Once there, he checked Hephaestion's stash of pills and pads before moving into the dark bedroom.

"Phai?" The curled figure on their bed curled up tighter, moaning. Alexander moved to the bedside and sat down, rubbing a warm hand on Hephaestion's stomach which always rebelled during this time of the month, "Is there anything you need me to do, Love?"

"Rip out my uterus?" Hephaestion said huskily, showing Alexander that his lover had been crying. For how long, he had no clue.

"I'm sorry, Love, that's the one thing I can't do."

"I don't even know who I am, and then this shows up and makes it even more confusing. And it hurts!" Fresh tears of frustration and discomfort leaked from Hephaestion's closed eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Love. Is there anything- Phai!" A particularly vicious cramp had Hephaestion half sitting up.

"G-gonna-"

"O-okay, hold on," Alexander jumped off their bed to run to the bathroom and grab the empty trash can for his hurting sweetheart to heave into, "Better?" He rubbed Phai's back in wide circles, still standing at the bedside.

"No…" Phai collapsed back onto the pillows and curled toward Alexander stiffly, "My chest feels huge-"

"Oh, Sweetheart…" the last week now made sense to Alexander; Phai had worn his compression bras for four days straight, since he wasn't sure about a real binder yet. He had ended up bruised and sore for two days while Alexander forced him to not wear anything for those two days to give his body a break, "Is there anything I can do?"

"Cut them off?"

"Can't do that, Love. Not yet. But soon," Alexander had promised that if it was wanted, they could work on getting his other half top surgery. Phai just wasn't sure yet, "If you want to."

"And you'll love me still? After?" Phai's eyes became wet.

"Dearest, I will love you until the end of time."

Phai nodded miserably, silent and clearly holding back tears. Alexander reached out to hold Phai close, shushing and whispering sweet nothings into Phai's ear, before asking a very important question, "Pronouns, my love?" Hephaestion, miserable and crying openly now, just ignored the question and turned away, telling Alexander what he needed to know without saying anything, "Okay, it's okay. You don't have to choose right now… Shh, shh…"

"Alexander?" Hephaestion hiccuped.

"Yes, my love? What do you need?" Alexander moved closer to his suffering beloved, closing the gap that Hephaestion had put between them so that his chest touched Hephaestion's hunched back.

"Can we just sleep? I just want this waking nightmare to end."

It pained Alexander to hear Hephaestion talk this way, but he tried his best to understand, and nodded into the nape of Hephaestion's neck, silently vowing that one day Hephaestion would never have to feel this way again. Aloud he said, "Of course, my love. May Mor-" he was cut off by sort snores from his bedmate, and instead of finishing the wish for good sleep, settled down as well with his face buried in his beloved's long, soft hair.