So, when he brought up stopping at a store you guys frequent, you reluctantly agreed. You could do one store, and it did sound nice, but you had your mind set already. Get food, go home, take a long shower, and pass the fuck out, to hopefully sleep off some of the pain.

After the first stop, he suggested another. You should have said no. He wouldn’t have been mad, or even disappointed. In fact, he’d have been more than content to get dinner and head home, but he assumed some shopping might make you feel better. He loves spoiling you, and if it would make your day better, why would he not?

Not to mention, you and him regularly go “lurking” as you’ve come to call it. It’s always spontaneous, usually the same spots, and even after going multiple times a month, you never seem to get bored of it. Maybe it’s just because you’re doing it together. It’s familiar, and just domestic enough to not be draining.

Given your state of discomfort, though, you simply weren’t in the mood. You were under the impression that Martin specifically wanted to make the stops, not necessarily that he was doing it to try and put a little pep in your step.

Which is why you powered through. If he wanted to go to the various stores, you didn’t want to stop him from having fun just because you felt like shit…but then the pain relievers you took started wearing off.

By the time Martin was suggesting another store, you were overheating, cramping, tired, and damn near starving.

You snapped at him. It wasn’t cruel, just a harshly spoken “I thought we were getting food.”

Martin blinked, eyes flicking up from his phone screen—where he was likely finding directions to that next stop—to meet your gaze.

He stared at you for a long moment, clearly taken aback. Yet, he simply nodded, and with a simple, “Let’s get food, baby,” started the car and began towards the restaurant you both had picked.

Martin moved on fast. He didn’t take it personally, and somehow, that made you feel worse than you had already felt about snapping at him.

It wasn’t like you’d been seriously mean, but the way he looked at you kept replaying in your head. You weren’t sure if he actually looked that pitiful, or if your brain had contorted it to be a hundred times worse as a reflection of your guilt, but either way, you felt terrible for it.

You’d already been extra irritable and sensitive the last few days. You woke up to your period, which only seemed to further push your buttons. The cherry on top was letting your emotional state get the best of you.

Which is why, by the time Martin pulls up to your house, you’re in tears.

“Text me when you— Baby.”

Martin says the petname with such tenderness, it makes your heart squeeze its way into your throat, choking you up even worse.

“What’s wrong, my love?” He asks, reaching out to take your hands in his, his brows furrowed with worry.

A broken laugh mangled with a pitiful sob escapes your lips, and Martin frowns deeply as he lifts his hands to wipe your tears, cupping your cheeks.

“I feel so bad,” you manage to cry out, bawling in the passenger seat of his car, “I was mean to you—“ You sob, sniffling as his thumbs caress your wet cheeks.

“You didn’t do anything wrong and I was just overwhelmed because I feel so gross and my cramps are so bad and—“

Martin listens intently, despite your jumbled and choked out words. You curl into his touch, letting his hands support your head, and he gently guides you to lean over the console, placing your head against his chest. It’s not the most convenient position, but it’s good enough for the time being.

When your words morph into sobs, he shakes his head slightly, rubbing his thumbs against your skin.

“Baby, my love, mamas, you were not mean,” he assures you, rubbing your back in big circles, his free hand lingering on your face. “You’re not feeling good. It’s okay — and, like, you’re on your period. That’s a perfectly valid reason to be more sensitive. I get it….matter of fact, I don’t, because I don’t get periods, but you know what I mean,” he laughs at himself, and your lips threaten to curve into a smile, just because he’s such a dork sometimes.

“I’m sorry,” You sniffle, sighing shakily at the feeling of his lips on your head.

“Don’t be sorry,” he muses with a shake of his head. He holds you there for a long moment, car idling outside of your house.

“…Don’t want you to go home,” You mumble after a few minutes of silence, pulling back to look up at him.

He looks down at you, wiping your eyes once more. “Want me to stay the night?” He asks quietly, voice a soothing hum.

You nod, the pitiful look on your face making his heart ache because how can you be so cute?

Martin has grown familiar with your bedroom, and your house in general, so he makes himself comfortable while you shower.

He’s sprawled across your bed when you come back into the room, his eyes half lidded with sleep as a youtube video plays quietly on your tv.

“Feel better?” he asks lowly, blinking a few times to wake himself up. You sigh, tossing your dirty clothes into your laundry basket, before crawling onto the bed with him.

“Head hurts. Sleepy. Cramps.” You sit on your knees next to him, resting a hand on his abdomen.

He hums sympathetically, reaching out to gently rub your arm. “Going through it today, aren’t you, mama?” He asks, smiling knowingly at your sad little nod.

“S’ okay, baby,” he gently grips your hand, guiding you to lay down with him. You hook your leg over his hip, his hand finds your thigh like it always does, and he wraps his other arm loosely around your back, while yours drapes over his chest.

He kisses your head, then your forehead, then your lips, when you tilt your head up at him. The kiss is soft and sweet, a silent reassurance that he’s got you, that he gets it.

“I’m sorry about earlier,” you mumble against his lips, and when he pulls back, you look like you’re about to burst into tears all over again.

He smiles slightly, sighing fondly. “Even though you don’t have to be, I accept your apology,” he murmurs promisingly, pressing a kiss to your forehead.

When he looks down at you again, his smile grows, like it always does when he’s being cheeky. “You look like sad glorp,” he teases quietly.

“Sad glorp?” You echo, with a sappy little laugh that makes his chest hurt.

“Yeah,” he chuckles lowly, rubbing his hand up and down the length of your thigh. “You look cute,” he adds, making you roll your eyes.

You don’t feel cute. In fact, you feel ridiculous for various reasons, but you do feel loved, and that is something you cherish wholeheartedly. Something Martin has always managed to make you feel, and feel it sincerely.

“I love you so much,” you mumble, eyes watering as an overwhelming wave of emotion washes over you, making your throat tighten, and your eyes burn.

“Oh my gosh,” Martin laughs breathily. He’s not mad at you for being emotional. If anything, he’s so utterly endeared to you, that seeing you like this is near intolerable. How is such a miserable being—in this moment—going to look this precious?

“You’re adorable. I love you more,” he murmurs, kissing your temple. “Come here, mama,” he whispers lovingly, as a tear rolls down your cheek. He pulls you against his chest, wrapping his arms snugly around you.

When you shut him out, he tries to be rational, not pushy: maybe you need space. Maybe you’ll open up to him soon. Maybe him pushing and prying would do more harm than good.

However, he can only take that for so long, especially because I feel like Martin’s someone who would really value being open and honest in his relationship. He wants to be your safe space, and would want to be with someone he feels safe with.

Which is why he is probably going to be the quickest to try and break down whatever walls you build up. He reminds you that he’s there for you, and firmly so.

“I’m not going anywhere, baby. If you need time, that’s okay, but I just want you to know i’m always here for you.”

୨ৎ JAMES takes mental health very serious. He always encourages you to feel how you need to feel and do what’s best for you. So, he’d initially assume you need the space, some time for yourself, and let you breathe. It’s when it lasts longer than he expected. A few days of short replies and radio silence is fine, but when it draws out for more than a week? He’s worried.

I think his way of taking care of you is subtle—not too much or too little—but meaningful gestures. He’ll stop by, bring you your favorite snacks and drinks, give you a good, long hug, a sweet kiss, and let you decide if he’s staying or going.

He’s consistent, not persistent. He doesn’t push, but he keeps his support steady and available. Which is why he’s there with open arms, ready to listen when you do let your walls back down.

“Do whatever you need to do, but don’t think I don’t care or worry, when something’s wrong.”

୨ৎ In a similar fashion to James, JUHOON thinks you just need space. However, Juhoon is also a softie, in my humble opinion, so he freaks out more than he’d let on.

Especially given his calm demeanor, he might worry he gave you the wrong impression at some point. Maybe his response wasn’t enthusiastic enough, or maybe he worded something wrong, or maybe—

I doubt he’d talk to anyone about it, at least not right off the bat. When his emotions are high, while he can express feeling that way, he probably has a hard time finding the words to explain why.

So, he gives you space, but he checks in often. Your short responses and dim demeanor are the bane of his existence in that moment. However, he is patient. He gives you time without letting you slip too far away.

“I try to be casual about this stuff, but I was so worried about you. I’ll give you all the time you need, but I’m always here for you.”

୨ৎ SEONGHYEON cares a lot. More than he lets on, given his usual suave, playful demeanor. He’s not quick to worry, or even notice the shift, because he always trusts that you’ll come to him when you need it, but he had never considered you pulling away.

When it does become apparent, he’d be upfront. He’s not aggressive with his confrontation, just worried, concerned. Had he done something? Had something completely unrelated to him happened? He just wants to be let in, because how is he supposed to help otherwise?

Though, I could also see Seonghyeon being the type to also distance himself from you. He might get in his head about it, even if he tries not to and usually wouldn’t. That doesn’t last for long, though.

He can probably give you space without over-worrying himself about the reasoning, but he fixates on what he could do to make it better.

“Just be honest with me. I can take it, whatever it is, but I won’t know how to help if you don’t let me know what’s going on.”

୨ৎ KEONHO takes it the worst. I say this because of that clip where Juhoon said Keonho would sulk if he picked Seonghyeon over him, and granted that wasn’t like super serious, but my point stands. Whereas Martin gets worried about you, Keonho spirals about what he’s done wrong, and how he can fix it. He would be more than willing to acknowledge his wrongs if it meant stopping you from distancing yourself from him. Keonho likely confides in others. Ironically, I can see him talking to Martin in particular, just because I feel like Martin is an emotionally intelligent person, without being as “intimidating” as James.

Keonho lowkey begs you to talk to him, and asks if he’s done anything wrong, as well as constantly reminds you that he will do anything to make it better.

“Don’t push me out, please. You’re everything to me, you know that? I don’t want to be overbearing, but I can’t handle this.”