Vignette Summary: Mia has period cramps and Diego is more accommodating than she expected.
Tags: Humor/Slice of Life/Fluff
Word Count: 1,166
Date: Saturday, March 9th, 2013
Time: 10:33 am
Location: Diego's Apartment, Los Tokyo
"I don't think I feel up to the farmer's market today," Mia said, lounging on Diego's leather couch. She was still in her pajamas and snuggled under a blanket.
"Okay," Diego responded from the kitchen island, pouring his third cup of the day.
"You sound so disappointed," Mia teased.
He laughed. "You were definitely leading the charge on that outing."
"You don't like the farmer's market?"
"Not really."
"They have coffee there."
"Yeah, overpriced swill."
She smiled. "I thought money was no object when it came to coffee."
"If it's good coffee, sure. I've been dragged there many times before, and I've seen them make it. Sustainably sourced fair-trade beans, my ass. They buy their beans from the grocery store. Pre-ground."
"Who's been dragging you to the farmer's market?"
Diego laughed nervously. "You know, I can't remember now."
"Mm-hm," Mia replied skeptically.
"Why do you care if I like it or not? You don't want to go."
"Well, I'd like to go another day. The Village had a booth there sometimes. I always liked going."
"Maybe you only liked it because you got to leave your little Podunk hillbilly village for a few hours."
"We aren't hillbillies!" She sighed. "Honestly though, it could be boring living there. We didn't get internet until I was 16, and it was so slow."
"Trust me, going in eyes open, you'll hate it as much as I do."
She smirked. "We'll see who's right next weekend."
"Yes, kitten." He took a swig of his coffee. "What's wrong, anyway? You have a headache or something?"
"No, just… stomach pain."
"Something you eat not agree with you?"
"No!" They were only three weeks in, and Mia was still trying to maintain the illusion that she didn't have certain bodily functions. "More like… cramps, I guess."
"Ohhhh. Gotcha. You have… supplies?"
"Supplies?"
"You know."
"Pads or tampons?"
"Yeah, that stuff."
Mia shook her head in disbelief. "Yes, I came prepared. I have some in my bag."
"Okay, good." He grinned. "Because I'm fresh out."
"Very funny stuff."
"Yeah, I'm hilarious."
There was a brief silence as Mia nodded back and Diego sipped his coffee.
"Anyway," she said. "It's not a big deal. The first day just isn't very fun."
"No, it's whatever." He finished his coffee and then began looking through his kitchen cupboards. "Actually, I think I'll go to the store. You need anything?"
"I'm okay but thank you."
"No worries." Diego put his jacket on and then gave her a kiss goodbye. "I'll be back in a bit."
"Don't forget your car keys. I think you left them on the nightstand."
He was already by the door and waved her off. "I can walk."
Diego exited and Mia heard the door lock. "Okay," she said to an empty room.
She was a little concerned about the speed with which he left. Barely a minute after they finished discussing her feminine issue and he was out the door. Diego was pushing thirty and well-versed with dating; she didn't think he'd be so squeamish. Her ex was too and he's going to be a doctor in a few years. Maybe that's just how men are; she thought.
Mia brushed it off and focused on her comfort. She made herself a cup of tea and settled in on the couch, under the blanket, flipping through movies on a streaming service. She had just selected one and was watching the opening credits when Diego returned with a single plastic bag in hand. She pressed pause.
"Hey, kitten." Diego rooted through the bag. "Look alive!" He tossed one of the items to Mia and she caught it: a chocolate bar. "One more."
Mia set the bar down and grabbed the other item: a bottle of ibuprofen. She smiled. "What's all this?"
"You ladies like chocolate, right?"
"We do. I'm just surprised. The way you walked out of here earlier, I thought I'd be banished to the woods once a month."
"Would be better than your apartment."
She laughed. "Jerk."
He shrugged. "It doesn't bother me. I have a mom."
"Almost everyone has a mom."
"I wasn't finished. I have a mom who I was scared of once a month. At some point, I realized it was easier to… accommodate her."
Mia scoffed. "You were so close to doing something completely nice and then you say that."
"If you knew her, you'd understand. She's five feet of pure terror."
Mia rolled her eyes. "You're so dramatic."
"I'm going there tomorrow. You can see for yourself."
"I don't think you could risk that. What if our cycles sync up?"
Diego thought for a moment. "She'll be 53 soon. I think she's through all that. Don't want to ask though." He looked over at Mia who was unamused. "You were… joking?"
"I was."
He chuckled awkwardly. "Right." He held up the brand-new hot water bottle he had just filled up in the sink. "Does this make up for it?"
She nodded. "Yes, thank you. That will help my cramps."
Diego handed her the hot water bottle, and she made room for him on the couch. Once he sat down, she laid her legs across his lap.
"You know what else helps with cramps?" he asked.
"What's that?" He raised an eyebrow. "Oh my God," Mia said through laughter, rubbing her eyes.
"What? I'm very progressive."
"Progressive is not a word I would use to describe you. Do you realize that all your good deeds were undone the second you opened your mouth?"
"I thought you wanted me to be honest."
"There is something called lying by omission and I've just decided that I'm okay with that."
Diego held up his arms in surrender. "I'm just saying; offer's there."
"Thank you for your very selfless offer. I'll take that under consideration."
He grinned at her and then turned to face the TV. "What were you watching?"
"Oh, I had just started this rom com."
Diego checked his watch. "Do you think the farmer's market is still open?"
"Wow, you're really 'on' today. Look, I've had a long week, and I'm not feeling great."
"Nah, it's okay. I think I've seen this one though. There's some kind of misunderstanding and then they end up together in the end, right?"
Mia giggled. "I just want to shut my brain off, okay? As far as I'm concerned, watching this with me is penance for every horrible thing you've said since you walked through the door five minutes ago." She grabbed the remote and pressed play.
About an hour into the movie, Mia fell asleep. However, Diego finished the rest of the movie by himself anyway. When Mia woke up later, she was none the wiser as he had turned on a pre-season baseball game by then. When she asked him to put the movie back on, so she could see what she missed, he watched the last 45 minutes again.