seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from China
seen from Malaysia
seen from China
seen from Morocco
seen from Germany
seen from El Salvador
seen from Malaysia
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seen from Uzbekistan
James lifted his face to the water flowing out of the shower head, eyes closed and holding his breath, counting to ten, then starting again.
You can do anything for ten seconds. Then you start again. And again if you need it. It's just ten seconds.
His fourth set of ten seconds done, he allowed himself to turn around and look down, confronting the image of blood stained emerald shower tiles. The tiles they had picked carefully for their vibrant color. A color that would shine through a stain here and there, even if that stain was bright red.
Ten seconds at a time for this too. Ten seconds for looking, then ten seconds of cleaning, then maybe one more. The stain fades soon enough, the blood on his body mixing with the water down the drain before he knows it. And he allows himself an extra ten seconds of silence and solitude before ten seconds of consideration and thought. That's the hardest ten seconds of all.
Ten seconds at a time. You can do anything for ten seconds.
James finishes his last set of ten seconds allowed in the bathroom and walks back to where Remus is set up in bed, currently asleep or unconscious, James isn't quite sure which and he doesn't have the required ten seconds to think about it right now. Instead he keeps moving, getting dressed, checking that the window is locked again, locating a second blanket to place at the end of the bed for Remus for later.
Ten seconds to look at Remus' uninjured hand, which was washed clean of blood before James started on worrying about himself. He starts to reach to touch Remus' hand lightly, thinking of allowing himself a single set of ten seconds of comfort, of warm skin to skin contact that won't hurt anyone, but Remus shivers suddenly and startles back into consciousness loudly with a sharp intake of breath and a groan that turns into a sob all without Remus opening his eyes.
"Shh baby, you're okay. Come on, breathe with me, just ten seconds. You got this for the next ten seconds. Slow breath in with me, okay?" James coaches Remus through several breaths until Remus is calm, approximately 12 ten seconds later.
"That's it, baby, you're doing so good. Just another ten seconds." Remus finally falls asleep again, or back to unconsciousness from the pain, James isn't sure.
"We'll get through this," James whispers to himself. "Just ten seconds, just ten seconds."
An order is an order-Zhongli & Xiao
Summary: In which Xiao is asked by Zhongli to keep a watchful eye over Childe during a planned trip to Jueyun Karst. It ends up being one of the worst most embarrassing days in Xiao's recent memory.
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Xiao had served Rex Lapis for decades, centuries even always at the god’s beck and call, although Rex Lapis gave Xiao the freedom to live his life as he wished. Xiao only wished to serve him, if Rex Lapis told him to jump it was not a question of when but how high.
Xiao would be eternally grateful for the new lease on life his master had given him, although admittedly there were times he did disagree with him. This...was one of those times.
“Sir...forgive my forwardness but wouldn’t Ganyu be a better fit for this?” Xiao asked slowly.
Rex Lapis, or as he was now known as Zhongli, gave him a small smile. “Perhaps, however, Ganyu is busy at the moment helping Lady Ningguang in the process of rebuilding the jade chamber. I do not know if she may even be able to find time to go to Jueyun Karst of her own volition.”
Xiao merely nodded slowly. They stood outside of the city of Liyue Harbor, and the sun was just setting in the distance, painting the familiar land in orange hues. Xiao had not imagined that this was what his Master would call his name for after all these years truthfully.
Still, it wouldn’t be Xiao’s first time going to Jueyun Karst, although admittedly he hadn’t visited the area for a few weeks.
“I understand, keep a close eye on your human companion, and see that he does not get himself into trouble,” he sighed, closing his eyes for a moment.
Zhongli nodded, a small smile on his face. “I will be there as well, so this is just a precaution. I am aware that you and Childe do not get along, so if it was not a serious matter I would not ask this of you.”
Not getting along was a big understatement, Xiao despised Childe for his attempts to not only drown Liyue harbor by awakening Osial, but also because he’d been so foolish as to believe he’d be able to take Morax’s gnosis by force.
In Xiao’s eyes, the human lacked respect for his elders, was a nuisance and a very danger to Liyue itself. He still could not fathom the reason that Rex Lapis seemed to love Childe either.
Xiao gave a soft sigh as he closed his eyes for a moment, just thinking about Childe was giving him a headache.
Xiao eventually nodded again, his expression remaining neutral. If the human made his master happy then that was what mattered, not Xiao’s personal feelings.
“I will do my best to serve you,” Xiao told him softly.
“Thank you, I knew asking you would be best, while Childe has been excited to see Jueyun Karst I found it best to air on the side of caution,” Zhongli chuckled.
His words probably meant that neither Moon Carver, Cloud Retainer, or Mountain Shaper had been informed that a human would be visiting their domains. This meant that Xiao would essentially be babysitting the man to make sure that he one, did not awaken another sealed god or anything of that sort, and two make sure that he did not anger any of the other three Adeptus living in Jueyun Karst so that maybe he wouldn’t be encased in a prison of amber and cor lapis.
“Understood, may I be dismissed?” Xiao asked with a scowl.
This whole situation left a bad taste in his mouth, smothering much of the enthusiasm and joy he felt at his master actually being alive.
When Zhongli nodded, Xiao gave a small bow before disappearing in an instant immediately returning to Wangshu inn.
He felt strangely exhausted or perhaps emotionally drained by the whole ordeal, which brought with it a dull ache at the base of his skull. Instead of appearing on the balcony of the inn as he usually did, he appeared in the room that Verr Goldet had given him.
For once Xiao legitimately decided to use it, knowing that he’d most likely never get a moment of peace tomorrow during the trip.
From what Aether had told Xiao, combined with the few things he’d seen of Childe, the man was a nuisance in every sense of the word. Loud, talkative, overly friendly, and abnormally stubborn especially for a human.
Xiao had met him only once, in passing through Aether, and during that moment he also released something else, Childe had the scent of the abyss on him. Xiao did not know how or why, but if what Aether had told him about his encounter with Childe at the Golden House was true then Childe was not an ordinary human.
With a sigh, Xiao ran a hand over his face, the exhaustion weighing heavily on his shoulders as the dull ache at the base of his skull spreads upward threatening to evolve into a full-blown migraine.
He sets down on the bed placing his polearm to the side within arms reach as he begins to get ready to sleep for what was probably the first time in decades. After all, he would need the energy for tomorrow without question.
After Xiao takes his bath he returns to the bedroom to find a plate of almond tofu placed on the nightstand, along with a spoon. He’d heard Verr come into the room earlier, easily recognizing her footsteps, but had just assumed she was checking on him due to the fact that Xiao very rarely used the bedroom she’d given him.
The almond tofu is a small comfort truth be told, being one of the few foods that don’t make him feel sick to his stomach upon eating it and because he genuinely enjoys the bitter creamy taste it carried. It never failed to invoke a small sense of warm, almost soothing nostalgia whenever he ate it.
Xiao is quiet as he eats, the scowl on his face relaxes slightly, it feels like the exhaustion weighing down his shoulders and the dull ache spreading through his head slowly eases up ever so slightly, and although they do not completely disappear it admittedly does lift Xiao’s mood for a moment or two.
He finishes eating, savoring the small moment of peace before he went into the inn’s kitchen, invisible to human eyes as he placed the plate down on the table before returning to his room once more.
Turning off the light, Xiao climbs into bed and closes his eyes. Xiao can count the number of times he has willingly gone to sleep on one hand, and now he has one more to add to the list.
~~~
When Xiao wakes up he feels noticeably off, not particularly bad per se but definitely a change in his usual condition Despite having just gotten a pretty good night’s rest exhaustion still weighs heavily on his body, making him feel as though he’d been up all night fighting rather than laying in a relatively comfortable bed.
That dull ache still exists at the base of his skull, nagging at him and refusing to leave him alone more of a nuisance than an actual hindrance.
It is earlier in Liyue, the sun has yet to even rise beyond the horizon, the sky still black although with fewer stars insight.
Taking a deep breath Xiao rises from the bed and begins to get dressed. He knows that Rex Lapis is more than likely awake as well, however, he does not know about Childe.
In fact, Xiao tries very hard not to think about Childe at all right now, the dull ache at the base of his skull only growing and spreading whenever he does.
As Xiao goes onto the inn’s balcony once he was dressed he sees Verr Goldet placing a plate of almond tofu for him in the usual spot on the balcony railing. Unable to see him she gives a small wave in the direction of the balcony before returning inside.
Sighing softly Xiao walks over to the plate of food with a scowl, he doesn’t feel hungry which isn’t surprising since he doesn’t exactly truly need food but along with his lack of appetite, there’s also a slight queasiness in the pit of his stomach.
To Xiao this isn’t surprising either, there were often times his body just decided to not want food which it had normally enjoyed. Xiao just assumes that this was one of those times, even so, he picks up the plate of almond tofu and begins eating, chasing that warm, soothing nostalgia he could desperately use right now.
After placing the now empty plate in the inn’s kitchen Xiao leaves Wangshu Inn, heading for the outskirts of Liyue harbor for Zhongli to arrive.
“Are you sure he’s not going to stab me the moment he sees me?” Childe asked Zhongli as they made their way through Liyue harbor.
They had both woken up early, as usual, to prepare for their trip to Jueyun Karst. Childe had almost been too excited to sleep, that excitement not dying down in the least when he found out that Xiao would be tagging along for their trip.
Truthfully Childe didn’t have much of a personal opinion of Xiao, outside of what he’d heard from Aether and Zhongli he didn’t know too much about the Adeptus, well other than the fact that he was pretty sure Aether and Xiao were dating. And that Xiao did not like Childe one bit, but Childe was used to people not liking him after all it came with the job so what else was new.
Still, he’d like to know if he was going to get surprised attacked, just in case. While he welcomed any chance to fight a strong opponent he also wanted to be prepared.
“I assure you despite how he may act, Xiao would not harm you,” Zhongli told him with a small smile.
Childe merely gave a small snort, a smile on his face as he grabbed Zhongli’s hand.
“I can’t wait to see Jueyun Karst though, I’ve always seen it in the distance while walking around Liyue but hadn’t found the time to go yet,” Childe said as he gave Zhongli’s hand a slight squeeze.
“I am glad that I can show you around then, it is quite beautiful this time of year and I have always wanted to take you,” he told Childe, his smile growing a bit.
Childe paused as they approached the outskirts of Liyue harbor. He could sense a pair of eyes on him but when he looked around he saw no one else but Zhongli and himself.
Childe was always aware of his surroundings, he trusted his own sense after all they had never steered him wrong before.
“I think...someone’s following us. Or at the very least watching us,” Childe informed Zhongli as he slowly almost lazily scanned the area. There’s a gentle buzzing in his veins as his attention focuses almost instantly.
Beside him, Zhongli gives a soft hum, although he doesn’t seem surprised.
“Xiao,” Zhongli said softly.
And Childe jumps slightly as Xiao instantly appears, seemingly out of nowhere, just a few steps ahead of them.
“Sir?” Xiao said, tilting his head to the side as he looked up at Zhongli. As if waiting for orders.
Childe merely blinks as he stares down at the Adeptus, he has never actually seen Xiao only knowing what he looks like based on Aether and Zhongli’s descriptions.
“Small,” Childe said softly as he stared at Xiao. Noting that he was slightly shorter than Aether and thin as well. Childe hadn’t known what exactly to expect but this hadn’t been it.
Xiao’s eyes briefly shift to him before going back to Zhongli and Childe does not miss the way Xiao’s eyes seem to narrow a bit as his grip on his spear tightens ever so slightly.
“This is Childe,” Zhongli told him with a small smile.
“You’re human companion,” Xiao muttered with a small nod.
Childe grinned waving at Xiao. “Tartaglia works as well, but that can be a mouthful for some so Childe works,” he said cheerfully.
Xiao does not spare him a glance, his eyes instead remaining focused on Zhongli.
“Aether’s told me quite a bit about you, if you’d ever like a sparring session please let me know,” Childe continued and his grin grows ever so slightly when Xiao’s eyes flick over to him for a brief moment.
And Childe can see the annoyance and frustration burning there despite the neutral expression on his face.
The dull ache that had been nagging at Xiao almost relentlessly since last night, has now grown into a constant piercing throb that makes him feel as though his eyes are attempting to squeeze themselves out of his skull.
Along with the slight queasiness, there is now a strange heaviness in his stomach that brings a noticeable ache with it. Xiao does not know what is causing this and he doesn’t like it one bit but he does know that Childe’s presence is only making things worse for him. His body so tightly coiled with tension that an ache begins to form in his muscles.
Xiao however does not say anything about it, today is going to be a long day and he has a job to do so he saw no use in complaining anyway.
As they set off for Jueyun Karst Childe continues his attempt to talk to Xiao despite Xiao not acknowledging these attempts because one, he’s not much for conversation in the first place so even if he did not hate Childe as much as he did Xiao would not speak to him at all anyway and two because he knows that Childe is just waiting for a reaction.
Xiao does give a soft sigh, closing his eyes for a moment when they stop briefly to rest on their journey. He already feels exhausted, even more so than when he woke up this morning, his condition having only gotten worse as time went on.
His head feels as if it’s splitting open, Childe’s constant talking grating on Xiao’s ears practically snapping his already frayed nerves. It’s a headache from stress most likely and the fact that he’s been dealing with and watching over Childe for the better half of the day by this point.
This was fine, Xiao could handle that. There is another issue however that is actually causing Xiao a bit of worry. And that issue was a strong ache in his stomach, that brought with it waves of nausea and sensitivity.
The normally form-fitting clothing he wore felt uncomfortably tight against his stomach, the cloth feeling as though it were digging into his skin. His stomach was churning angrily as well, his breakfast sitting in his stomach like a rock just refusing to digest, the uncomfortable heaviness it brought only adding to the pain he felt in his stomach at the moment.
The waves of nausea crashing over him are almost unbearable, leaving Xiao feeling light-headed and sickeningly dizzy, the world seemingly swaying around him despite the fact that he was standing perfectly still.
He opens one eye looking over at Childe although he quickly looks away, slightly startled when he sees that Childe is giving Zhongli a quick kiss. This was another thing Xiao had trouble with, he was incredibly grateful that Rex Lapis entrusted this job to him but at the same time, he couldn’t help but feel like he was intruding on a private moment between the two that he was not supposed to see.
Xiao’s hand goes to his stomach when it makes a soft gurgling noise, his face flushing slightly with embarrassment as he stares at the ground and hopes that neither Childe nor Zhongli heard that. That’s when he notices something that has his eyes widening slightly, his stomach is bloated, and taut his fingers sinking slightly into the abnormally soft skin there.
He can feel his stomach churning as well, the mass of food shifting around in his stomach. Xiao swallows hard trying to clear away the excessive saliva building up in his mouth before crossing his arms once more with a soft sigh, a scowl on his face.
Xiao has no clue why this is happening or what is causing it but he needs it to stop. It is becoming a distraction, one that he does not need right now while he’s trying to focus on his task.
As they resume their trip Xiao’s focus returns to Childe once more, as he pushes away the slight amount of worry and panic that had begun to crop up in the back of his mind.
He could do this, this was nothing compared to what he usually endured. He would get this to stop somehow, by any means necessary.
~~~
“I will be back momentarily Childe, please wait here a moment,” Zhongli told him, glancing back towards Hulao mountain.
He could sense Mountain Shaper there, clearly awake and waiting for him. Mountain Shaper had a great disdain for humanity, often trapping the humans who traveled into his domain on Jueyun Karst in the large amber-like stones known as karst crawlers. Viewing humans who would dare disturb his domain as little more than thieves. Usually resulting in Zhongli having to free some of the humans without Mountain Shaper’s knowledge.
Zhongli was very sure that the Adeptus had many questions for him, the number one being why he brought a human to Jueyun Karst. Which meant that it would be best to go see him now before Mountain Shaper decided to come down from Hulao mountain and deal with Childe in a manner he saw fit.
Childe sighed seeing the serious look on Zhongli’s face. “Alright, go I’ll just wait here until you get back. Besides, the other Adeptus probably wouldn’t be happy to see me walking around.”
As Zhongli leaves, Childe turns to Xiao who is leaning against a tree, his arms crossed and his eyes closed. He’s been quiet, only speaking one or two words to Zhongli when needed, well mostly quiet anyway since Childe could hear his stomach growling loudly.
“If you’re hungry, you could’ve just said something you know,” Childe told him with a grin.
Xiao sighed, opening his eyes, they flicked over to Childe before going to the ground and Childe didn’t miss the slight pink blush that appeared on his face. Xiao doesn’t say anything, however, although he feels absolutely mortified.
Despite his headache easing up, ever so slightly his stomach is killing him, disrupting his attempts to actually focus. That and the ever-increasing nausea that leaves him feeling light-headed. As if to make this situation worse, his stomach will not shut up, growling and gurgling loudly as if yelling at him, filling the silence between him and Childe, where Xiao will not.
Xiao swallows thickly, trying to clear away the near river of saliva building up in his mouth; it tastes salty and vaguely sour which Xiao dislikes greatly.
“You don’t talk much do you, but Aether already told me that after one of our sparring sessions earlier this week,” Childe said with a shrug.
Although he pauses when he notices Xiao glaring up at him.
“What?” He asked with a slight frown.
Xiao says nothing, his lips pressed into a thin line as his stomach gives a low sickly growl and practically flips inside of him. He can taste bile burning into the back of his throat, disgustingly bitter and sour. He’s fighting a losing battle against his body and he needs to leave, he can’t let Childe see him like this because he just knows the moment he lets his guard down around Childe is the moment he’ll strike.
Childe’s eyes widen in surprise as Xiao pushes away from the tree, and in the next second vanishes before his eyes.
Xiao leaves but he does not go too far, or rather he isn’t able to. The moment he reappears behind the large tree in Nantianmen he crouches down, nearly falling to his knees as he wraps his arms around his stomach panting as he allows the near river of saliva that had been building up in his mouth to drip onto the ground.
He groans, his grip on his stomach tightening slightly as he gives a loud gurgling burp. The pressure and pain in his stomach don’t ease up, however, not even slightly.
Xiao grits his teeth, tears in his eyes as his body begins trembling, a cold sweat prickling at his skin. It hurts . It hurts so, so much he can barely breathe around the pain and nausea making his stomach slosh, and Xiao just wants this to end.
Then he hears footsteps, familiar ones and an almost visceral fear grips him.
“Here you are, I was wondering where you ran off too,” Childe sighed.
But Xiao doesn’t look at him, he feels as if shame and embarrassment are etched into his very skin and it doesn’t help matters when another loud burp leaves his mouth.
“Woah, are you okay?” Childe asked as he stopped in front of Xiao. But Xiao still doesn’t look at him or say anything, hoping that if he doesn’t acknowledge him maybe just maybe Childe would go away.
Xiao should know better than anyone that the universe is not that kind. Childe reaches down his hands gripping Xiao’s arms as he begins moving him, practically picking him up off the ground with ease.
And Xiao absolutely hates it, his body and frayed nerves already sensitive to sound and touch practically begin screaming at him. Xiao hates it even more though when the motion makes his stomach flip inside of him a sharp cramp stabbing at it, his eyes widening in horror as sour and metallic tasting saliva rapidly begins filling his mouth.
“Would you stop,” Childe huffed as Xiao began struggling almost frantically in his grip. “I know you hate me but I’m trying to help you okay? Why are you even-”
Childe froze, his eyes going wide as Xiao gave a loud guttural retch, bringing up a large, thick wave of pale slightly watery vomit splattering onto the ground between them.
“Oh...that’s why,” Childe said slowly, merely blinking at Xiao for a moment.
Xiao doesn’t answer him or rather he can’t even if he wanted to, tears in his eyes, as a loud, wet gurgling burp has him choking up another wave of slimy pale mush, adding to the sick slurry of a puddle at their feet.
Sighing softly, Childe reaches out, moving the longer strands of hair away from Xiao’s face, as he lurches forward with another retch, threads of saliva hanging from his mouth. His other hand holds onto Xiao making sure that he doesn’t end up falling into his own vomit with how violently his small body was lurching forward with each heave.
Xiao wraps his arms around his stomach as he pants, getting that single moment to breathe before he hiccups then he lurches forward again, another as another sickly gurgling burp leaves his mouth bringing up another thick wave.
“Do you think you’re done for now?” Childe asked as Xiao’s retching began to taper off.
Xiao doesn’t say anything, however, his arms wrapped around his still aching stomach. It still hurts so much. Xiao thought that if he threw up things would get better but the pain is still there twisting like a knife in his gut. Too focused on the pain and even a little delirious from it at this point Xiao doesn’t even try to stop the soft whimper that leaves his mouth.
“H-hey, it’s alright. Don’t cry you’ll be okay,” Childe tries to reassure him, but from the soft groan, Xiao gives Childe doubts that he even heard him.
Xiao has his eyes squeezed shut but that doesn’t stop the tears from rolling down his pale face.
Childe bit his lip as he lifted Xiao up and into his arms, grimacing as Xiao practically curled up into a ball, his hands practically clawing at his stomach. Childe can see that Xiao’s stomach is obviously what’s bothering him, but he has no clue as to why.
Was he just sick? Could Adepti even get sick like normal people or was he sick with something that only Adepti could catch? Hell, was it just something he ate?
Childe does not know and that worries him. While he knows that Xiao clearly hates him, Childe knows that he means a lot to Zhongli and so he doesn’t want to see him suffering like this. Plus he admittedly has a slight soft spot for Xiao considering the Adeptus’s standoffish behavior reminded him all too much of his younger brother Anthon.
“Childe?”
Childe looks up giving a sigh of relief when he sees Zhongli approaching. Good, now he wouldn’t have to go looking for him and risk getting mauled to death by one of the three Adepti living in Jueyun Karst.
Zhongli froze for a moment, his eyes instantly going to the trembling whimpering form in Childe’s arms. “Childe, what happened?” He asked desperately hoping that Childe had not attempted to fight Xiao in Zhongli’s brief absence.
Childe shakes his head. “I-I don’t know, he seemed fine when you left, and then he just vanished back here and I found him crying and crouched on the ground,” Childe informed him.
Frowning, Zhongli approaches the pair, reaching out he feels Xiao’s forehead sending a soft pulse of his power through him. “He does not have a fever,” Zhongli said, sounding surprised.
Xiao groans curling further in on himself, his stomach giving a soft gurgling noise right before he retches, the noise strangled and wet as he brings up a wave of pale vomit that splashes down the front of both his and Childe’s clothes.
Childe grimaces, it’s disgusting yes and he tries not to think about the fact that the sticky mess feels almost searingly hot against his skin as it soaks into his clothes. Childe knows Xiao’s sick and he can’t help it besides considering the fact that he’s grown up with quite a few siblings it wouldn’t be the first time someone’s thrown up on him.
“We’ll return to Liyue harbor,” Zhongli said as he brushed Xiao’s hair out of his face.
Considering Xiao was technically not sick, taking him to see Cloud retainer would do no good, so all Zhongli could do was take him back to his home in Liyue harbor to rest, and tend to him while he waited for his pain to stop.
~~~
Xiao is pretty sure he must've passed out at some point from the pain because he awakens in an unfamiliar bedroom, in unfamiliar clothing his stomach still aching violently. And Xiao groans softly wrapping his arms around his stomach as it churns violently beneath his touch. His mouth is coated in a disgustingly stale, bitter, and sour taste.
“Xiao?”
Opening his eyes Xiao turned his head to see Zhongli sitting in a chair at his bedside, a book in hand and no longer wearing the long coat he’d had on earlier.
“Sir?” Xiao manages to rasp flinching as a sharp cramp twisted in his stomach, bringing a wave of nausea with it.
“How do you feel?” Zhongli asked placing the book on the nearby nightstand.
Xiao is quiet for a moment trying to breathe around the pain and nausea swirling in his stomach, then he feels something a slight gurgling in his stomach although it's lower than before.
“S-Sir I need...to use the bathroom, ” Xiao said, glancing away, his face burning with a mixture of shame and embarrassment.
He feels as though he can’t look the man in the eye, especially when Zhongli lifts him carefully out of bed and into his arms since Xiao clearly can’t walk to the bathroom in his condition.
This is probably one of the worst days in Xiao’s life, at least it feels like it at the moment which is saying something and Xiao still feels as if he can't meet Zhongli’s eyes once the man returns him to bed.
“Where...is he?” Xiao asked, panting as he rubbed his stomach trying to desperately find some relief.
“Childe? He returned home briefly to bathe and change clothes, ” Zhongli informed him.
“Oh, ” Xiao whispers desperately wishing that he could go back to being unconscious both to escape the pain and the sheer amount of shame consuming.
At least he now knew why he was wearing a loose nightgown rather than his own clothes.
“Here, allow me, ” Zhongli said as he reached out, his hand replacing Xiao’s own on his stomach. It seemed like Xiao’s own attempts weren’t working after all.
Zhongli gave a soft hiss noting that the skin was taut and bloated beneath his fingers.
Xiao bit his lip glancing away, his eyes looking everywhere but Zhongli. What exactly had he done to deserve this? Was it because he didn't do his job correctly?
“Did you eat something odd?” Zhongli asked as he rubbed Xiao’s stomach.
He was well aware that there weren’t too many foods Xiao could actually tolerate. And despite his history of being an incredibly picky eater, it seemed like the only reasonable answer for his current predicament.
Xiao nodded slowly looking embarrassed. “Aether brought food with him from Mondstadt the other day, ” he muttered softly.
Then he flinched away from Zhongli’s hand when a particularly sensitive spot was touched, a loud burp leaving his mouth. Xiao freezes as his eyes wide as he wonders if he had enough energy to vanish but also knows it wouldn’t do him any good considering Zhongli would still easily be able to see him.
Besides, Xiao doesn't think he has the energy anyway, at least not in his current condition.
Zhongli merely nodded before he continued rubbing Xiao’s stomach after a moment. It was just as he thought.
Xiao groaned softly, swallowing thickly when he felt bile burning at the back of his throat. No, just no, he’d already been through enough pain today hadn’t he? He really didn't need to add throwing up in front of the man he valued and respected above all else on top of that.
“It’s alright, Xiao, ” Zhongli told him gently as he picked up the trash can he’d set by the bed.
He can practically see what little color Xiao has left in his face drain out, as he gave a sick-sounding hiccup.
“Just let it out, hopefully, the pain will stop once you get everything up, ” Zhongli tried to reassure him.
That doesn't make Xiao feel any better however but at the same time, he can’t really protest against his body as he lurches forward.
A gurgling retch leaves his mouth, bringing with it an enormous, thick wave of lumpy beige vomit.
And admittedly Zhongli can’t help but be slightly surprised, faintly questioning how someone so small could bring up so much.
Xiao coughs, not getting a single moment to breathe as a deep gurgling burp brings another wave of vomit with it.
Zhongli scowled as his other hand reached up, tucking Xiao’s hair back behind his ear, before going to rub his back.
Xiao feels absolutely miserable as he retches again, bringing up a smaller thinner wave of vomit. A sharp bitter and sour almost taste coats his mouth leaving behind a slimy disgusting texture as the remnants of his barely digested breakfast and dinner forming a rancid tasting mixture as he chokes it up.
But there is one saving grace, the fact that that unbearable ache and pressure in his stomach is starting to ease up.
Xiao leans back panting, not even bothering to clear away the threads of drool from his mouth. An almost euphoric wave of relief washing over him as he merely sits there rubbing at his stomach, a slightly dazed look in his eyes as soft hiccups continue to leave his mouth.
Zhongli gives a small smile as he sets the almost filled trash can down, ignoring the noticeable weight it now held as the sickening slurry sloshed inside of it. “There we are, do you feel any better?” He asked.
Xiao merely nodded, still staring into space for a moment or two. He's still embarrassed without a doubt, in fact, he doesn't think he’ll ever be able to live this down, and he just knows he’s gonna have to apologize to Childe as well, but at the moment he just feels relieved.
Relieved that finally, the pain had stopped, and that was all he wanted.
Imagine...
...going to sleep waiting for Murdoc to get home and waking up, still alone in bed. You get up to go to the bathroom, and when you open the door back to your bedroom, there are a bunch of lit candles and Murdoc's laying in bed. His eyes are full of lust and smiles at you as he rubs the sheets, beckoning you closer to him. You walk slowly towards him, smiling in the gentle orange candlelight, stumbling slightly from fatigue. You fall into bed with him, and the two of you make sweet, slow, love and fall asleep in each other's arms.
Absolutely exhausted-Kaeya/Diluc
Summary: In which Diluc comes down with food poisoning and spends the night feeling tired and miserable.
It started with a slight stomach ache and a strange heaviness in the pit of his gut. At first, Diluc believed he’d just eaten too much, despite the slight queasiness that started nagging at him soon after.
The stomach ache hadn’t been too bad either, nothing more than a slight annoyance that had irked him. He desperately wished that was all it had been.
At the moment he was laying in his and Kaeya’s bed at the winery, Kaeya had fallen asleep hours ago and yet Diluc couldn’t.
It wasn’t for lack of trying either, each time it seemed as if he was finally drifting often to sleep a sharp pain would stab at his stomach dragging him back to wakefulness.
This, combined with the exhaustion, left him in an almost dreamlike haze.
Just below that was something else, the other reason he couldn’t sleep the almost dizzying waves of nausea crashing over him that left Diluc feeling light-headed, weak and shaky.
His hand goes to his stomach and he winces as it churns beneath his fingers, a loud gurgling echoing out as his dinner practically writhe the mass of food sitting in his stomach like a rock simply refusing to digest.
He groans softly as he glances over at Kaeya, his face flushed slightly as he desperately hoped that Kaeya hadn’t been woken up by that.
He gives a shaky sigh of relief when he sees Kaeya still asleep beside him.
Diluc closes his eyes, swallowing rapidly as he tries to get rid of the saliva that’s suddenly filling his mouth. A particularly nasty cramp has him giving a soft hiss, his hand clenching at his stomach.
The skin there was tight and bloated beneath his trembling fingers, and Diluc gives a soft groan when another sickly sounding growl from his stomach has slimy, bitter-tasting bile burning at the back of his throat.
His eyes widened slightly as he swallowed hard, the disgusting aftertaste left at the back of his throat only served to increase his nausea.
Diluc closes his eyes, small hushed pants leaving his mouth as he puts all his focus into attempting to breathe around the nausea making his stomach churn like a whirlpool. He could practically feel the mass of food sloshing against the walls of his stomach and his breathing turned shaky as he swallowed thickly.
He manages to swallow back the bile threatening to creep up his throat, his face tensing in pain as another cramp stabs at his stomach making him groan.
He’s so dizzy and nauseous that all he can do is rub at his bloated gurgling stomach and hope that it will pass.
Maybe dinner just wasn't sitting well?
Diluc didn't think he was sick, his stomach was killing him, yes but he didn't actually have a fever. He was just sweating and shaky from the effort of fighting against the nausea threatening to take over.
Along with the nausea, exhaustion, and pain, something else lingered. Fear.
Diluc had never done well when it came to vomiting, he could deal with the pain that it typically brought just fine. But, the loss of control and feeling of utter helplessness was something he actively despised.
He would do just about anything to avoid feeling like that ever again in his life.
Diluc swallows again, clearing some of the excess saliva from his mouth, but it just feels as though it only adds to the sensation of fullness in his stomach.
Diluc whimpers, his eyes opening slightly as he stops rubbing his stomach for a moment when his fingers brush across a particularly sensitive spot.
His stomach hitches slightly beneath his fingers, a small amount of bile splashes into his mouth, bitter and sour, and Diluc swallows almost frantically.
He shudders slightly, panting softly when he manages to swallow back the small wave of bile, a slight amount of relief flowing through him despite the bitter slimy taste coating his mouth.
Diluc closes his eyes, his hand carefully rubbing at his stomach once more.
With disaster averted his fear fades slightly a bit despite the fact that he can still feel his stomach violently churning beneath his hand. Although the ever-present nausea still keeps the fear alive.
He swallows again trying to clear the saliva from his mouth, at this point Diluc wouldn’t be surprised if he was drooling slightly and he is.
He's on the very edge of drifting off to sleep. His eyes closed, despite the hushed panting breaths he takes.
Diluc hears a strange noise, a low sickly sounding gurgling noise, and he really hopes that noise hadn't come from his stomach because that hadn't sounded very good.
Diluc scowls, opening his eyes slightly as he hears the noise again, he feels strange. There’s more salvia flooding his mouth, although it brings an odd almost metallic taste with it.
A slight chill runs across Diluc’s skin, leaving a small prickling sensation in its wake.
Then he feels it, a slight stinging burn from the bile bubbling up his throat.
A wave of fear and panic washes over Diluc in an instant, he turns slightly intending to wake Kaeya up, to tell him that something was wrong.
“Kae-” Diluc is cut off by a sudden gurgling retch, that brings with it a thick, lumpy wave of orange and brown vomit.
Gasping he rolls over on his right side, away from Kaeya, his hands coming up to cover his mouth as if he’s desperately trying to reduce the mess. He retches again, his aching stomach practically convulsing, as it forces up another thick wave.
It coats his hands, spraying through his fingers as it splatters heavily on the bedsheets and blankets. Diluc has just enough time to note that the thick almost oatmeal like sludge feels hot and slimy on his hands before he hiccups then burps, the sound loud and wet as his stomach heaves again
Diluc presses his lips together, trying his damnedest to hold everything back. The bitter-tasting bile and the sour salty remnants of his dinner flooded his mouth, his cheeks bulging out from the effort of trying to contain everything.
He tries to swallow, a futile attempt to force his stomach’s contents back inside of it. His mind is screaming at him, as he practically hyperventilates.
No, just no, Diluc needed to make this stop now . There was no other option.
He attempts to swallow again, but his stomach heaves, a loud ominous growl splitting the air as it forces even more of its contents up.
Diluc gives a small, weak, desperate moan and a second later he feels Kaeya shift in bed beside him.
“Diluc?” Kaeya said, his voice still heavy with sleep.
And Diluc’s face flushes red with shame and embarrassment. This was the other situation he wanted to avoid.
He can’t really say anything, especially not when his bloated stomach heaves again, forcing his mouth open and adding to the thick lumpy slurry already soaking into the blankets.
“Huh...wait,” Kaeya muttered.
Diluc hears a soft click as Kaeya turns on the bedroom light on the nightstand. But he's too busy retching up another thick wave of vomit to say anything.
And Archons it is getting everywhere, the sheets, the blankets, and on Diluc’s skin. It's hot, almost searing, slimy, and sticky.
“Oh Diluc, okay, okay, ” Kaeya whispered once he saw the state Diluc was in.
He quickly left the bed coming around to where Diluc was, his eye roving over the mess before settling on Diluc who was gasping and coughing tears in his eyes.
Kaeya didn't know if it was from the exertion or the fear and panic he was experiencing.
Kaeya reached out, brushing aside Diluc’s bangs and wiping the sweat from his forehead. “Hey, what happened? Are you alright?” He asked gently.
Considering that Diluc looked like he was one or two steps away from a panic attack, Kaeya knew that he clearly wasn't alright but he also needed to know what was wrong before he could actually help.
Diluc shakily lowered his hands from his mouth as he took a deep shaky breath. “Kaeya, ” he groaned. “I don't feel good.”
He closes his eyes, taking another deep breath, when a cramp stabs at his still churning stomach bringing a wave of nausea with it.
“I can see that, but is your stomach hurting? Are you sick?” Kaeya asked, to which Diluc only nodded slightly a low groan leaving his mouth.
“Right, you need rest. But before that a bath, and I need to clean up, ” Kaeya muttered.
He reaches out and carefully grabs Diluc’s arm, helping him sit up. Despite Kaeya being careful, the motion still causes Diluc’s stomach to flip and he frantically swallows back the bile trying to creep up his throat.
Diluc cringed when he noticed that some of the mess had gotten in his hair, which isn’t surprising because he unties his hair when he goes to bed but that doesn't make it any less disgusting.
Shame and embarrassment feels etched into his skin, so much so that as Kaeya carefully helps him to his feet and out of bed he can’t look him in the eye. Especially not when he sees the extent of his vomiting episode, not only is it all over his side of the bed it's also splattered on the floor slightly as it drips from the edge of the bed.
Diluc groans, a wave of fear mingling with the nausea as his body lurches forward with a barely suppressed retch. And Kaeya gives a low hiss, as he brushes his hair back trying to keep it from getting any more vomit in it.
As he chokes up a wave of bile and saliva onto the floor Diluc’s mind is still panicking but Kaeya’s touch helps a lot, grounding him almost and letting him know that he wasn't alone.
“Do you think you’re done?” Kaeya asked once Diluc had stopped dry heaving.
Diluc says nothing, merely nodding. Afraid that opening his mouth would set off his still sensitive gag reflex.
Kaeya is careful as he helps Diluc to the bathroom, he sets Diluc down for a moment on the hardwood floor as he turns the water on for the tub.
The next thing Diluc knew Kaeya was carefully tugging dirty night clothes off of him, then Diluc felt almost weightless as Kaeya picked him up, cradling him in his arms.
The motion made Diluc dizzy, the ceiling swaying before his eyes and he groaned, burying his face into Kaeya's chest as a soft queasy sounding hiccup left his mouth, his nausea making itself known.
“There, there Diluc, it’ll be okay,” Kaeya reassured him as he carefully lowered him into the water. “I put the trash can right there in case you feel sick again.”
The warm water feels amazing on his clammy skin, and Diluc cannot help but give a soft sigh, his hand carefully rubbing at his still aching stomach.
“I’ll be back in a moment, Diluc okay? I just need to clean up,” Kaeya told him softly.
Diluc just slowly nodded exhaustion weighing on him heavily, he can’t help but let out a soft whimper when another cramp twists at his stomach.
When Kaeya leaves the bathroom Diluc just sits there for a moment, his head resting on the edge as he tries to get his bearings.
As a wave of nausea rolls over him, he groans, grabbing the small wooden trash can as a wet gag has a trickle of murky pale bile falling from his lips.
Diluc has come to terms with the fact that he just needs to throw up and get everything out of his system, which doesn’t stop the fear from nagging at him however. It comes back full force, especially now that Kaeya isn’t in the room with him.
His stomach gives a gurgling noise, although this time it's a bit lower than where it had previously been and Diluc’s eyes widened in horror.
Almost frantically he uses what little energy he does have to clumsily climb out of the tub and stagger to the nearby toilet.
Food poisoning, Diluc most likely had food poisoning or the stomach flu either one would explain his absolutely humiliating condition at the moment.
Diluc sighs as he cleans himself up and climbs back into the tub, still rubbing his stomach. It's still churning beneath his hand despite its attempts to practically turn itself inside out.
When Kaeya returns to the bathroom he finds Diluc slightly slumped over the edge of the tub, retching emptily into the trash can.
“Oh sweetheart, it's alright, I’m right here, ” Kaeya whispered as he set the change of clothes he’d brought for Diluc aside.
He kneels beside the tub and reaches out, wiping away the tears rolling down Diluc’s face.
“I-I think...I have food poisoning...my stomach is killing me, ” Diluc whimpered.
If Diluc had been feeling well Kaeya might've chuckled and given Diluc an ‘I told you so.’ Instead, he merely gives him a sympathetic smile and a kiss on the forehead.
Then he begins helping Diluc wash his hair, handling the long, fluffy red strands with a delicate hand. Diluc is completely silent the entire time, exhaustion crashing down on him, that combined with Kaeya’s gentle touch and the warm water has him bordering on the edge of sleep.
He must've dozed off for a moment or two, because when he opens his eyes he was dressed in clean clothes and Kaeya was in the process of drying his hair.
Diluc closes his eyes leaning into Kaeya’s familiar touch. It relaxes him a bit, soothing his frayed nerves. He winces when a dull ache streaks across his stomach, bringing a slight queasiness with it.
Besides, even if Diluc did start retching again he’s pretty sure that despite his symptoms remaining his stomach has pretty much wrung itself out.
He says nothing as Kaeya finishes drying his hair and picks him up once more. Instead, he chooses to practically nuzzle his face into Kaeya’s neck, his eyes closing.
Kaeya carries him back to their now clean bedroom, a small smile crawling across his face as Diluc buries his face in his neck.
As he’s carefully tucking Diluc into bed Diluc’s eyes open slightly. “Sorry for making you clean everything, ” he said softly as he glanced away, Kaeya could see the shame and embarrassment in his eyes as his cheeks flush pink.
Kaeya shakes his head, sitting down on the edge of the bed beside Diluc he allows his fingers to gently run through Diluc hair. “It’s not your fault, you’re sick, ” Kaeya told him. Leaning down, he gives Diluc a kiss on the forehead.
“Try to get some rest Diluc, I’ll be right here, ” he reassured him.
Diluc just nodded slightly, his eyes already closed as he finally begins drifting off to sleep.
I really wish people would cease to use "bomb" to describe things they like. I vomit a little whenever I hear it.
Scorpal || Drabble
Suddenly the moment's here, I embrace my fears All that I have been carrying all these years Do I risk it all? Come this far just to fall? Fall I have entrusted, boy, I believe in us I am terrified to love for the first time Can you see that I'm bound in chains? And finally found my way I am bound to you
3 months, 6 days and exactly 11 hours passed from when they decided to give themselves another chance. All that time both have been faithful to one another.
And there Albus was, on Rose's birthday party with Bryan barely an inch away from him. Both drunk; he knows, he observed them when drinking together. And Bryan's lips are so close to Al's as he sways back and forth on his unsteady feet, that Scorp has to grip on the firewhiskey bottle in his hand hard enough to almost get himself cut. He does nothing.
Al smiles, and his eyes have that many times seen narrowness; completely wasted, unaware of his surroundings and most likely his actions.
So Scorpius leaves the party, passing by the crowd entirely unnoticed and when his foot steps on the cold empty grounds of Lake House courtyard, he starts heaving. 3 months, 6 days and exactly 11 hours had passed and he had yet to forget, he had yet to forgive. Not one day did pass without him being afraid, being so cautious that he might haven't enjoyed their love anymore, at all.
Bryan goes for the kiss. But Albus never kisses back; in fact, he never allows for the kiss to happen but pushes the other boy further away.
He's afraid, but he stays. It's the first time he feels trust creeping back into his heart; they're once again, bound to one another.
