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In his retirement, Zhongli had resolved to get to know the people he once ruled over on a more personal level, desiring to learn more about mortal life. With this goal in mind, Zhongli began to regularly meet with the doctor in charge of Bubu Pharmacy, Baizhu. During their meetups they would discuss various subjects together over tea, with topics ranging from personal philosophies to the finer details of ancient medicinal techniques. After months of continuing these meetings, Zhongli had come to view the other man as a dear friend, and Baizhu felt the same towards Zhongli.
When Baizhu failed to arrive to their scheduled meetup at the teahouse one evening, Zhongli grew deeply concerned, knowing that Baizhu wouldn’t skip these meetings, not without letting Zhongli know beforehand at least. To ease his worry and check on the doctor, Zhongli made his way over to Bubu Pharmacy to see if he could find Baizhu there.
Surely enough, Baizhu was there behind the counter, looking exhausted and rumpled. Zhongli noticed the presence of dark purple shadows underneath Baizhu’s eyes and his pale complexion, and his heart panged with worry. Zhongli approached the counter slowly, as if he were afraid of startling the other man.
“Baizhu, are you alright? You’ve never missed our meetings before.” Zhongli asked, his eyes full of deep concern for the doctor’s overworked state. Baizhu seemed to take a few moments to register Zhongli’s words, blinking slowly as the words processed in his tired mind. Baizhu shook his head slightly, as if he were trying to shake himself awake.
“Hello Zhongli! I apologize for missing our meeting and for worrying you, I assure you I’m quite fine, just a bit tired is all.” Baizhu lied, fighting against his exhaustion to remain upright. He began to walk out to the main reception area of the pharmacy to properly greet the other man when Zhongli saw him stumble slightly before stopping in the middle of the room, his head drooping and arms dangling by his side.
Zhongli quickly rushed over to Baizhu just as his body went entirely limp, falling forward to Zhongli’s arms. Zhongli’s heart began pounding in worry as he drew back slightly and adjusted the listless body in his arms to get a proper look at the overworked doctor. As he shifted the other man's head, he saw that Baizhu’s eyes were closed, a serene expression on his face. Zhongli could feel the slow, steady rise of Baizhu’s chest against his own as he realized what had just happened: Baizhu had fallen asleep standing up.
“Baizhu? Baizhu, can you hear me?” Zhongli whispered, halfheartedly trying to gain a response out of the green haired man. Baizhu remained deeply asleep, the only sound in the room being his soft, sleepy breaths. As Zhongli tried to figure out what to do next, Baizhu’s assistant came out from the back, halting as he took in the scene before him.
“Did he fall asleep standing up again?” Gui asked, used to these kinds of occurrences after years of working side-by-side with the doctor.
“Yes, he did. Do these kinds of things happen often?” Zhongi inquires, his voice full of gentle concern.
“Not very often, but often enough that I’m used to this happening. He needs to learn to stop overworking himself, especially with his health already being frail as it is.” Gui responds, slightly shaking his head.
“What do you usually do in these situations?” Zhongli asked, returning his attention to the man sleeping in his arms. Seeing that Baizhu wasn’t going to wake up any time soon, Zhongli shifted the slightly shorter man from his somewhat standing position to carry him in his arms. Baizhu’s head gently lolled onto Zhongli’s shoulder, where Zhongli was acutely aware of warm breaths puffing onto his neck.
“I usually take him into the back room to get some rest while I continue working the front fo the store,” Gui began, “But I’ve never seen him quite this deeply asleep. Since you’re a close friend of his, would you mind bringing him back to your place? You’d be able to provide more care for him than I could while still running business operations. I can also watch Qiqi tonight for him so he can get some proper sleep in.” Zhongli spent a moment contemplating Gui’s idea, looking back down at Baizhu’s peaceful sleeping face.
“I’ll do it,” Zhongli decided, “Thank you for caring so much for him and for caring for Qiqi in his absence.”
“I’m happy to help any time. Thank you for being willing to care for him as well. I hope you both have a restful night.” Gui replied, watching as Zhongli walked out of the pharmacy with his precious cargo in tow. Gui let out a deep sigh, eyes creasing with worry before turning to go into the back and inform Qiqi that her father wouldn’t be home that night.
As Zhongli walked to his apartment in the harbor, he couldn’t help but worry about Baizhu. He could feel how limp the other man was, could feel the way his arms and legs dangled lifelessly in his arms. Zhongli was resolved to give Baizhu the care he so desperately needed.
Zhongli eventually made it to his apartment and walked through the door. He went straight to his bedroom and gently laid the still unconscious doctor down onto his bed. Baizhu’s head lolled to the side slightly, otherwise unresponsive to the change in position. Zhongli decided that his top priority was getting Baizhu comfortable, and with that goal in mind he set about gathering various supplies necessary to complete his task. He grabbed a soft sleeping robe from his closet and set it on the bedside table, and briefly entered the bathroom to fetch a hair brush, a cloth, and a bowl filled with water.
Zhongli returned to the bedroom to find Baizhu still asleep on the bed, his chest rising and falling in slow, gentle breaths. Zhongli set his supplies down on the bedside table, and pulled a chair up to the bed. Zhongli began by unbraiding Baizhu’s hair, running his fingers through the green strands before brushing it out. As Zhongli brushed his hair he couldn’t help but marvel at how soft and silky the other man’s verdant locks were, and how beautiful he looked with his hair spread across the comforter like a halo .
Zhongli then gently undressed the other man, taking care not to disturb his rest as he removed his garments and set them to the side. Baizhu’s body moved easily to Zhongli’s ministrations, his limbs lax and heavy with sleep. Taking the cloth and wetting it, Zhongli gently cleansed Baizhu’s body, running the damp cloth along his face and body to remove any built up sweat and grime that had accumulated from working for days on end. Finally, Zhongli pulled the soft sleep robe onto Baizhu, guiding his arms into the holes in the garment as if he was just a doll.
Zhongli carefully shifted Baizhu to lay underneath the covers, and tucked him in, bringing the blankets up to his chin. He gently cradled Baizhu’s head as he lifted it up to slide a pillow underneath. Zhongli took a moment to adjust Baizhu’s position and the pillows and blankets, determined to make Baizhu as comfortable as possible.
Zhongli stepped back once he was satisfied with his work, and took a moment to observe the other man in his slumber. He couldn’t help but notice how beautiful Baizhu was, even in his unconscious state. Baizhu’s emerald hair was spread across the pillows like a waterfall, his long eyelashes casted delicate shadows across his pale cheeks, and his soft lips were gently parted, a small hint of pink showing. Before Zhongli realized what he was doing, he reached out and caressed the doctor’s face, running a hand down his cheek, tracing the outlines of his features with gentle fingers. He marveled at the softness of his skin, enraptured by his angelic, serene expression.
Acting on impulse, Zhongli leaned over and placed a soft kiss on Baizhu’s forehead, savoring the warmth of his skin. Zhongli held his breath as Baizhu stirred briefly, murmuring something incomprehensible before dropping back off into dreams, a small smile on his face. Zhongli smiled softly at the other man, his heart swelling as he realized the feelings he had come to harbor for the young doctor. He had come to admire Baizhu’s passion for his craft, his compassion towards the sick and injured, the way he so lovingly cared for the tiny zombie child he came to view as his own daughter. Zhongli sat back down in the chair at Baizhu’s bedside and took one limp hand into his, gently running his thumb over his knuckles as he resolved to tell the man how he truly felt one day. Zhongli knew at that moment that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with the man in front of him, and he could only hope that the doctor felt the same way towards him.