Chapter 10
"Wait, so if a female child does not get pregnant from the ages of twelve to fifty-two you bleed monthly?"
"Just about, yeah. Sometimes you start and stop earlier or later but those are the most common ages. I should be approaching menopause -what it's called when you stop having periods for good- pretty soon."
"And what causes the bleeding again?"
"Well, once a month an egg drops, right? So if a male's sperm doesn't fertilize it then you aren't pregnant. Well, during the egg drop your uterus grows layers as like a nest for the egg to stay in if it gets fertilized so it can grow into a baby. When it isn't fertilized all the additional layers in the uterus are shed and come out as blood. It's a painful process and usually lasts a week." He paused. "I just can't believe Asgardians don't have periods."
Loki's face screwed up. "That sounds terrible, how do you midgardians deal with it? Don't get me wrong I feel sympathy for you but I am glad I do not have periods."
"Medications usually along with other things that might help ease the pain like junk food and a heating pad."
He nodded his head. "Do you just, bleed everywhere?"
Tony laughed a little. "No, not intentially. They sale things that catch the blood, sometimes they leak though so you have to always be on guard and sit and lay a certain way so you don't bleed on everything."
"And you're sure you won't bleed out?"
"Sometimes people can bleed too much and it won't stop but that's pretty rare and then they go to doctors and get it sorted out. But I should be fine."
Tony took a sip from his soda.
Loki watched as he winced from a presumed cramp that Tony so vividly described. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah."
"Could be better though."
"Yeah, at least I'm not pregnant, though. Once upon a time I might have considered it if I had a normal life other than my transness but not only does everyone know who I am but I also fight evil more hours than I sleep so the baby would be in danger plus I'm way too old and even if I could carry a baby to term the child would likely have medical problems and be a target for people to get to me. And I'd die long before the kid was grown enough to be able to tale care of themself. So yeah, at least I'm not pregnant."
Loki rested a hand on his belly, "Yeah, isn't that the truth."