It had been one of those days.

The kind where your body ached in that unmistakable way, bloated and cramping, while your emotions simmered just below the surface like a kettle about to boil. You’d woken up irritated at nothing, everything Lando did was too loud or too cheerful, and even your own skin felt like it didn’t quite fit right. Still, you tried to play it off. You’d always hated making a big deal out of your period.

But by the time Lando got home—grinning, holding a paper bag from your favorite vegan Thai place—you were wound so tight you thought you might snap in half.

“I got dinner,” he said, voice all sunshine and pride. “Triple tofu, extra sauce, no fish stuff. I even let them convince me to try something. I think it’s called… tamarind? I don’t know. It smells weird.”

You were curled up on the couch, hoodie pulled over your knees, hair a mess, eyes tired. You didn’t even look at him.

“Cool.”

Lando blinked. “…Just cool?”

You let out a long breath through your nose. “I’m not hungry.”

“You’re always hungry.”

“I’m not now.”

He set the bag down slowly, watching you like he was trying to solve an equation. “Did I… do something wrong?”

“No.”

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t know, Lando!” you snapped suddenly, louder than you meant to. “Why do you have to ask a million questions all the time?”

His expression faltered. That soft, eager light in his eyes dimmed just slightly as he stood there, trying to make sense of your mood.

“I just wanted to help,” he said, voice lower now.

You instantly felt a twinge of guilt in your gut—but the tension in your body wouldn’t let up. You turned away, arms crossing over your chest, not because you were mad… but because the anger had nowhere else to go.

“I’m sorry,” he tried again. “I really was just trying to cheer you up.”

You didn’t answer.

He hesitated, then slowly sat on the edge of the couch, keeping space between you like he didn’t want to push too far.

His thoughts dissolved when he saw your chin tremble.

And suddenly, your entire expression changed.

From anger to guilt in the blink of an eye. Your face crumpled, and tears welled without warning.

“I’m sorry,” you whispered, eyes wide and wet, voice cracking. “I don’t mean to be like this. I don’t mean to make you feel like you did something wrong, I just… I feel horrible and everything hurts and my hormones are all over the place and I’m not actually mad at you, I’m just—I’m so uncomfortable, and now I’m crying like a psycho—”

Lando was already scooping you into his arms.

“Shhh,” he whispered into your hair, pulling you onto his lap, hugging you so tightly you thought you might melt into him. “You’re not psycho. You’re just human. And you don’t have to apologize for feeling stuff.”

You sniffled against his hoodie, clinging to the sleeves.