--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------So in case you couldn't tell by the screenshot, this one-shot is gonna be pure, adorable and somewhat awkward sibling fluff between Griffin and Zoey. Also, this one-shot is actually based on a true event that happened with me and my IRL sister, an event that I inadvertently pulled my bestie out westie @killiancaptainhook into. Anyways, hope you guys enjoy!!!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------You know how everyone has at least one thing that scares 'em more than anything else in the whole world? Well, that seemingly wasn't the case with Griffin Campbell(unless it came to horror movies, but that doesn't count). For whatever reason, he was just "unscarable", as he said. He wasn't claustrophobic. Any nightmare could easily be taken care of with a drink of water and a hug from his girlfriend, Harper. And he was no stranger to the dark. And whenever anyone asked him why was "unscarable", he just said all his time-travel adventures and dealing with two different ghosts haunting The Tremont hotel, where he lived, must've just made him invincible to scary stuff. And everyone just thought Griffin was being cocky. However, he actually did have one secret fear. He just didn't even know it but he was about to. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Late one Friday afternoon, Griffin and Zoey were waiting in their dad, Ben's, truck while he finished up grocery shopping with their brother, Wyatt. The radio was set to a country station, the A/C was running and all was well with the world. Except it wasn't. See, Griffin noticed that Zoey was being super moody lately and he was super worried about her but whenever he tried to talk about it, she would either slam her bedroom door in his face, ignore him or go all feral on him, screaming and yelling at him at a frequency only dogs should've been hearing. Which is why Griffin was making sure to put some distance between him and Zoey these days. However, today was the first day in about nine weeks where he and Zoey were in the same, general vicinity of each other and it made Griffin super uncomfortable. He didn't know what to do and he was also afraid to say something that would upset his sister more than she already was because since last Wednesday, she'd been a loose cannon, going from happy to mad at the flick of a switch and that only added on to Griffin's discomfort. However, Zoey seemed to sense this. "Don't worry, Griffin. I'm not mad at you." Hearing her say that greatly confused Griffin. "You're not?" "No. I've just been going through some stuff right now and I'm well aware that I've made you feel super uncomfortable around me lately." said Zoey, slowly. "Really?" "Yeah. Me, Dad and Mom had a little talk about my bad mood on Tuesday night. And I just wanted to say I'm sorry. And in case you want to know, I'll tell you why I've been such an asshole lately." said Zoey, looking at Griffin. "Alright. Shoot." said Griffin nonchalantly. " I started my period." said Zoey simply. Upon hearing that, Griffin felt like the whole world was spinning on its axis. "Wait, what?!" asked Griffin slowly, starting to feel a little bit sick to his stomach. "Yeah. My period started." said Zoey, speaking a bit louder. However, Griffin didn't hear her. He was currently trying to steady himself and not throw up. Suddenly, Ben and Wyatt came back to the truck. "Hey, guys. Griffin, you okay? You're looking a little pale." said Wyatt as he climbed in the front passenger seat and then looked over his shoulder and pointed at Griffin's face. "Uh, yeah, Wyatt. I'm fine. It's just, did you know that Zoey had started her period?" asked Griffin, curiously. "Um, yeah. Didn't you?" asked Wyatt as he adjusted the butt warmers on his seat. "He literally just found out now." answered Zoey, now regretting telling Griffin she was in the middle of her journey to womanhood as she watched her brother's skin turn whiter and whiter. "What did Griffin just find out?" asked Ben as he got in the driver's seat and pulled out of the grocery store parking lot and began driving back to The Tremont. "Oh, just that Zoey started her period." said Wyatt with a nonchalant shrug of his shoulders. "You did?! Look, I know Mom and I told you you should probably tell Griffin, but I didn't mean today!!! You should've eased him into this more slowly." said Ben in a tone that Griffin wasn't sure if it was exasperation, pure shock or annoyance. Whatever the case, Griffin needed some answers, ASAP!!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thirty-five minutes later, Griffin was still freaking out and doing his best to not throw up. See, after he got home, he went to go find his mom, Sarah, and after he asked her if she knew Zoey had started her period, she guiltily admitted that she did and then went on to give Griffin this big speech about how it's all normal for girls and "it's just a part of life" or whatever(He kinda zoned out after she mentioned the cramps, which only made Griffin want to puke even more). Now, Griffin was currently on his bed, scrolling through TikTok after TikTok, doing his best to calm himself down. Suddenly, his phone dinged with a text from his Harper, whose family was currently in New York, seeing The Lion King on Broadway, because her mom, Jess, had won three tickets to the show after correctly answering the trivia questions on the radio show she liked to listen to.
Hey, Griffin!!! Hope you're doing good. Topher, Mom and I just got back to the hotel and lemme tell you, the show was INCREDIBLE!!! All the sets, the costumes, the special effects, all of it just blew my mind. Really wish you could've been with us. You would've loved it almost as much as I love you!!! <3<3
Reading that text instantly made Griffin feel a whole lot better and he decided to get help from the one person he could trust when it come to stuff involving girls:His girlfriend, Harper Marie Dunn.
Hey, Harper!!! Glad to hear you enjoyed the show. Anyways, let's cut to the chase here:Apparently, Zoey started her period and I just found out TODAY and knowing that has made me more than a little bit nauseous and freaked out. And before you ask, I did go to talk to Mom, but she was absolutely no help at all. All she did was give me this whole speech about how "it's all natural" and "it's a part of life" or some crap like that. What I really need is you, right here, right now, to help me calm down so I can be able to help Zoey through this time in her life without it being awkward. Also, it's about 4:30pm here and Mom's making cheesy lasagna for supper tonite. Sorry, not sorry. ;p Love you!!!! <3<3<3
It was about two hours later when Griffin finally got a response from Harper:
Okay, why do you need my help with that? I mean, you were nothing like this when I got my period, remember? Also, your mom didn't get to talking about pads yet, did she?
Griffin responded a few minutes later, now annoyed:
Yes, she DID get to mentioning the pads. And believe me, I have absolutely NO intention of relieving that day. Besides with you, I'd done a bit of research beforehand, so I had a general idea of what to expect. But this is ZOEY we're talking about here. My little sister, for crying out loud. And, if I'm being honest, knowing that she's on her period is way, way, way, WAYYYYY scarier than any ghost we've come face to face with.
(In case you're wondering what "day" Griffin is referring to, about a year-and-a-half ago, shortly after she and Griffin got together, Harper had her period. And during that time, she had to teach Griffin how tampons and pads work, much to her shame and embarrassment and Griffin's pure shock and horror. Needless to say, that event left both of them traumatized, each in more ways than one, for weeks on end.)
Harper's response wasn't much better, although it did finally help Griffin calm down.
Look, Griffin, as much as I'd like to help you with this, it's almost 9:30 here in New York, and I need to be going to bed soon since our flight home is super early in the morning. But, you want my advice? Just man up, talk to Zoey how you're feeling(no matter how awkward it might be)and then get back to me in the morning. See you when I get back. Love you!!! <3<3<3
Realizing she was right(as usual), Griffin let out a deep sigh he didn't even know he'd been holding in, got up off his bed and walked over to Zoey's bedroom, where the door was open and Zoey was standing in front of a table that had a cup of water and a tampon on it and instantly began to freak out again. "Look, Zoey, I love you. You're my favorite sister in the whole wide world, but please, for my sake, don't you dare teach me how tampons work. I already had this happen with Harper, and I have no intention of reliving that conversation. It'd left both of us scarred as it is." said Griffin, hurriedly. "Um, okay. But, technically, it was Harper's idea. She figured it would help you calm down about finding out I'd started my period." said Zoey, simply. Hearing that confession from his sister only annoyed Griffin further, because of course Harper would do something like that. "Of course that sounds like something she would do. Look, all I wanted to say was, I promise you I'll make sure that you're well taken care of during this......complicated time in your life. Whatever it is you need, whether it be some emergency period chocolate, or a heating pad, or even just a shoulder to cry on, I'll make sure you have it or my name isn't Griffin Bennett Campbell!!!!" proclaimed Griffin dramatically, pointing his finger in the air for good effect. Zoey just chuckled at her brother's annoying, dramatic fashion. "Griffin, as much as I appreciate your offer to help, I think I'll get by just fine with only Mom's help. And occasionally, maybe Harper or Jess's if Mom's not around. But I'm glad you're willing to do so, regardless. Thank you, big bro-bro." said Zoey contently as she suddenly pulled Griffin in for a hug. Griffin just smiled at the show of affection.
"Anytime, Zoey. Besides, that's what big brothers are for, am I right?" asked Griffin, chuckling. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Hope you guys enjoyed this one-shot!!! And in case you're wondering why this one felt more realistic in a sense compared to my other ones, that's because about a third of this one-shot is actually based upon the day I found out my sister had started her period, and my reaction to the news was basically the same as Griffin's in this story. lol. Also, in case you guys are wondering how @killiancaptainhook fits into the picture, Griffin's texts with Harper are based on the talks I had with her after I told her my sister had her period and she helped me through accepting my sister was growing up. Next one-shot will be up soon. Love you guys!!!! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------