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Despite how it typically appeared, Kaeya was a very busy man.
With Grandmaster Varka gone on his expedition it meant that most of the Captains left behind as well as Jean, had to take over the majority of the work. Although considering Jean’s tendency to run herself ragged, Kaeya didn’t mind adding more to his workload.
Plus it still left him time to swing by Angel’s share to get a drink and annoy Diluc if he wished. However lately for the past day or two, he hasn’t had his usual taste for alcohol, or much of anything for that matter.
Kaeya was pretty sure he was coming down with something or he might’ve already currently been sick, if the heat that seemed to be burning his body from the inside out was any indication.
It started small, with some lightheadedness and a lack of appetite, although he still forced himself to eat but more because he needed the energy than he was legitimately hungry.
Then came the headache, but Kaeya gets migraines all the time so this was nothing new. But with this headache came an intense wave of nausea that left his stomach churning angrily.
He was coughing as well since despite his ragged breathing he was left feeling as though he couldn’t get enough air in his lungs.
Kaeya has been incredibly busy lately, not just him but most of the knights as a whole. Between Stormterror finally being quelled, the abyss order’s activities temporarily being disrupted, and the new Traveler Aether who seemed to appear out of nowhere, Mondstadt has been anything but quiet these past few days.
Which was okay, Kaeya could handle a little activity, but with that activity came something more mundane and tedious, paperwork. A near mountain of reports split between him, Jean, and the rest of the Captains.
While Kaeya was used to it by this point, that didn't make it any less boring. Which led to his current predicament. Sitting in his office, rereading the same piece of paperwork for the fifth time, trying to focus on the words that seemed to swim before his eyes as his pounding headache disrupted any attempt he made to actually understand what was even written.
Sighing loudly Kaeya set the piece of paper down resting his head in his hands for a moment.
His stomach gave a loud gurgling noise and he glared down at it, flinching when a particularly sharp throb made his brain feel as if it were falling out of his head.
Kaeya was absolutely exhausted and he desperately wanted all of this to just stop, cause he just did not have the energy to deal with this right now on top of everything else.
Besides it wasn’t as if could just stop working because he was sick, not when things were already incredibly busy as it is.
He sits there for a moment, squeezing his eye shut when the world seems to tilt and blur before his eye. It was hot, uncomfortably so and Kaeya’s usual clothing felt as though it were too tight, almost constricting.
Opening his eye, Kaeya shifts, moving to stand up. He couldn’t stop working but he could take a very small break to attempt to clear his head a bit.
When he manages to pull himself to his feet he has to frantically grab onto his desk when a wave of dizziness and nausea washes over him leaving him swaying on his feet.
Panting, Kaeya blinked away the black spots in his vision as he took a deep breath. He swallows thickly feeling bitter-tasting bile burning at the back of his throat.
His joints are aching, screaming at him to sit back down and rest but he doesn’t listen. Kaeya waits until he’s sure that he won’t faint or puke everywhere before he slowly releases his grip on his desk and takes a careful step around it.
When his legs don’t start shaking like a newborn deer he continues walking, slowly making his way to his office door. Kaeya’s office was on the second floor of the Knights of Favonius headquarters, which meant that if he wanted to go out into the courtyard he needed to walk down a long hallway, a set of stairs, and make his way through the foyer.
On a good day, this would be effortless but right now just the thought of doing all of that makes Kaeya feel even more exhausted. Forever stubborn though this doesn’t deter him if anything it only encourages him even more.
If he was able to actually make it outside to the courtyard, then maybe he wasn’t as sick as he’d first assumed. Then he could just power through the rest of the paperwork before going home and passing out in bed.
He walks or rather staggers his way to the door, his once careful and silent way of moving becoming clumsy and uncoordinated. Kaeya pauses for a moment panting, his hand resting on the doorknob.
He swallows rapidly as his stomach gives a low growl, feeling his breakfast sitting heavily inside of it refusing to digest. Kaeya takes a deep breath, well as deep as he can manage anyway before he opens the door to the office and begins his trip.
He makes it halfway into the hallway before he has to stop to catch his breath. He places a hand on the wall, leaning on it heavily as he pants and coughs he can feel his stomach churning beneath his hand as a wave of dizziness washed over him.
The world swims in a blur of colors and light before his eye, and the sight makes his stomach swirl as he gags emptily over the tile floor drool dripping from his mouth.
“Kaeya?”
It’s his name and Kaeya can tell that someone is calling him but it sounds muffled as if he’s underwater. Kaeya slowly looks up, still panting as he swallows, trying his damnedest to force back the bile bubbling in his throat. He needs to keep it together, this was nothing. A little setback at most, nothing he has dealt with before.
“Jean,” he said softly, giving the woman a nod and a smile. He can only hope that it doesn’t look too forced. He takes a deep breath intent on pushing away from the wall to stand up straight but it feels as if the air doesn’t even make it to his lungs.
He hears rapid footsteps approaching him as black spots begin filling his vision and his legs shake beneath him. Gritting his teeth Kaeya squeezes his eye shut as he tries to put what little energy he does have into just staying upright and conscious, he knows that if he passes out here it’s all over.
All his work activities will be put on hold, which meant one of the other captains or worst Jean adding to their already strenuous workload.
He feels Jean’s hands on him. “You’re burning up Kaeya,” she said shock and concern clear in her voice.
Kaeya does not look good right now, his face is pale all color except for the red feverish blush he has is gone leaving his skin an almost sickly ashen grey. He’s also sweating and trembling whether from the strain of forcing himself to keep standing or because he felt cold Jean didn’t know.
Kaeya doesn’t look at her when she speaks but she does see him bring a trembling hand to his stomach and swallow almost convulsively.
“Do you think you’re gonna be sick?” She asked as she adjusted her hands so that she was gripping his arms. She wanted to know if she should take him to the bathroom before sending for Barbara.
To her surprise, Kaeya slowly shakes his head despite the soft gurgling noise his stomach makes. He takes a deep breath before slowly straightening out and opening his eye. It’s glazed over and glassy, any of its usual sharpness nowhere to be found giving Kaeya a dazed almost half-conscious look.
“I’m fine. Did you need something?” Kaeya asked, his breaths still coming out in shuddering pants. Good, he didn’t faint, nor did he throw up, that meant he wasn’t as sick as he thought he was. Although Kaeya now desperately wanted to go back to his office and sit down, his body clearly having had enough activity for now.
For a moment Jean just looked at him in disbelief, was he really trying to tell her that he was okay despite clearly looking as if he were going to faint any moment.
Kaeya blinked slowly as he waited for Jean to answer him, the feverish haze blanketing his thoughts made it incredibly difficult for him to focus on anything. Now that he was in the hallway the bright lights felt as though they were stabbing him in the eye.
Jean sighed and crossed her arms as she looked at Kaeya. She opened her mouth to say something when Kaeya winced, his grip on his stomach tightening slightly as he glared down at the floor.
“Come with me please,” she told him as she gave a quick glance around. There was no one in the hallway at the moment but she also knew that it wouldn’t stay like that, she also knew that Kaeya probably hadn’t wanted anyone to see him like this.
Still, as Kaeya pushes away from the wall she raises one hand, intent on catching him in case he were to collapse.
But Kaeya merely shakes his head gesturing for Jean to lead the way.
It is a long walk to Jean’s office, what would normally be only a minute or two makes Kaeya feels like he’s trying to walk across the entire city of Mondstadt.
His lungs are screaming at him and every breath is a challenge to draw in air. His head is killing him the constant throbbing leaving him feeling as if his brain was numb. His stomach is sloshing angrily like an over-filled glass as his breakfast sits in there as heavy as a rock, refusing to digest.
Kaeya says nothing as he enters Jean’s office a soft sigh of relief leaving his mouth as he makes his way over to the sofa and sits down on it, the ache in his joints easing up ever so slightly as he practically sinks into it.
This sofa has never felt so comfortable to him in all his time as a knight as it did now. He hears the door close softly behind Jean but doesn’t look at her, his eye closed as he absentmindedly rubs at his stomach. Kaeya has to struggle not to grimace, swallowing hard when he feels it gurgling beneath his hand and excess saliva begins to fill his mouth.
That probably wasn’t good and was more than likely a sign from the Archons that he should probably just lay down and go to sleep. Continuing his disobedience however Kaeya doesn’t listen though.
He opens his eye and looks at Jean when he feels her gaze on him. The look on her face is all too familiar because he’s seen her use it before on him and Diluc back when the three of them were younger.
“You need to rest,” Jean told him, plain and simple.
Kaeya gives a soft snort, although it comes out sounding more like a strained wheezing noise. “I need to finish filling out the paperwork in my office. Thank you for the walk however, I needed the fresh air” he said ignoring the way Jean’s eyes narrowed as she looked at him.
Despite his body’s pleas he moves to stand up, a wave of dizziness and nausea crashes over him in an instant, violent and enveloping as the world blurs and tilts around him. A low groan leaves his mouth and he faintly hears Jean coming over to him.
Before she can make Kaeya sit down however Kaeya does it on his own, panting as he swallows rapidly his face pinched in pain.
“You’re not going back to your office, I doubt you can even make it back up the stairs in your condition. You’re staying here, while I-”
“I’m fine,” Kaeya said slowly cutting her off as he looks up at her, his eye narrowed. “Besides, you can’t babysit me when you have work to do as well,” he pointed out as if that made everything better.
Jean sighed massaging her temple with one hand, she knows Kaeya was stubborn but right now she can’t help but wonder where he has the energy for this in his current state.
Both Jean and Kaeya look over at the door as a soft knock comes from it.
“Come in,” Jean called ignoring the look Kaeya shoots her. But surprisingly he doesn’t say anything, truthfully though that’s more due to the fact that he’s trying his best to swallow back the bile bubbling at the back of his throat.
As the door opens though Kaeya has to bite back the curses threatening to leave his mouth, because as if the Archons and the universe hated him there stood Diluc in the doorway.
Diluc pauses as he looks between Jean and Kaeya for a moment, a scowl on his face as he notices the tension between the two.
“If you’re busy, I can always come back later,” he told Jean as he turned to her.
Jean is quiet for a moment still glancing down at Kaeya then she smiled as if realizing something. “Diluc, would you please wait here while I run an errand? Please don’t let Kaeya leave the room, he’s feeling sick at the moment and refuses to listen and rest,” she told him, ignoring the brief look of shock that flashes across Kaeya’s face.
Before either man could protest Jean leaves the room, to go to the cathedral and retrieve Barbara.
Once she was gone and the door closed behind her Diluc sighed, crossing his arms he turned to Kaeya. “Really? Giving Jean a hard time, what are you a child?”
Kaeya rolls his eye but says nothing, although his hand tightens slightly on his stomach when it gives a loud angry gurgling noise. He can feel the mass of food practically sloshing against the walls of his stomach.
He's sure Diluc is saying something else, but with the world shifting in and out of focus and the feverish haze blanketing his mind he finds it hard to actually make anything out.
He feels warm, almost sticky coppery saliva flooding his mouth and somewhere in the back of his mind, he feels a small amount of panic crop up. No matter how much he swallows the metallic taste just seems to spread around his mouth coating it.
“Diluc…”
Diluc pauses his lecture and teasing when Kaeya speaks. Kaeya’s voice is wavering and hushed, that's what makes Diluc stop and look at him, really look at him.
Jean had said that Kaeya was feeling sick, and Diluc can clearly see that between the dazed glassy look in his eye, the sweat covering his forehead, the raspy ragged breathing that fills the room.
Kaeya is pale as well, especially when what little color he does have in his face seems to drain away before Diluc’s eyes. And concern and fear grips Diluc in an instant digging its cold talons into him, easily overriding the urge to tease Kaeya.
Kaeya lurches forward suddenly, his hand coming up to cover his mouth as he gives a strangled retch over his own lap.
“Shit, okay, just-” Diluc begins as he picks up the trash can sitting by Jean’s desk.
Before he can give it to Kaeya however he retches again, the noise gurgling and wet in his throat as he brings up a thick wave of vomit.
The thick, slimy tan mush coats his hand, spraying between the cracks in his fingers and onto his clothes.
A disgusting bitter and sour taste coats his tongue as the bile and remnants of his undigested breakfast mix together. The taste only makes him retch again, barely giving him a chance to breathe as the vomit soaks into his clothes feeling almost searingly hot and sticky against his skin.
He does have some awareness at the moment, enough to clamp his mouth shut as another wave of vomit gurgling up his throat, the thick oatmeal-like mush fills his mouth in an instant and Kaeya whimpers tears in his eye, the sound weak and desperate.
“It’s okay, I-I’m right here, ” Diluc told him gently as he set the trash can on the floor in front of him. He sighed, reaching out and gathering Kaeya’s hair back as Kaeya lurched forward with another heave, his body trembling from the effort of trying not to throw up again.
Just how long had Kaeya been sick for him to get this bad in only a matter of seconds? Admittedly Diluc hadn’t seen Kaeya at Angel’s share these past few nights, but he hadn’t been particularly worried. Only now does he realize that he probably should’ve checked on him.
A part of Kaeya’s fever-addled brain is screaming at him to hold it together, he needs to. He's endured worse and that he could do this if he actually tried.
Him needing to go home because he was sick would mean more work for Jean who he knew was already saddled with enough stress.
And so he keeps his mouth closed, one hand clamped over his mouth while the other grips the edge of the sofa in a vice grip.
He tries his damnedest to swallow everything back but that's a bit hard when his stomach heaves again pushing more of its contents into his mouth.
“Kaeya let it out, before you hurt yourself, ” Diluc said, his eyes wide as his hand rubbed Kaeya’s back.
Kaeya opens his eye, it's glass and filled with tears as he glances up and Diluc then he quickly shakes his head before closing it again. Diluc sees his throat working as he swallows rapidly a few times.
Kaeya’s stomach heaves again and he whimpers loudly, he feels like absolute shit. His head is pounding and every time he lurches forward with a heave he sees stars bursting in his vision, he feels as though he's burning out of his skin and his stomach is in absolute agony at having its attempts to empty itself rejected.
The fact that he can actively feel his own vomit cooling on his lap and sticking to his skin definitely isn’t helping either.
Diluc bites his lip as he watches Kaeya for a moment or two. Kaeya is very clearly in pain, his face white as a sheet as his stomach gurgled loudly filling the silence of the room, but for some reason, he will not let himself be sick again.
Diluc is silent before he gives a soft sigh, then his hand is leaving Kaeya back to come up to the hand covering his mouth.
He pulls it down, prying it away from Kaeya’s mouth with very little struggling on Kaeya’s end, which isn’t surprising considering how sick he is.
A moment later Kaeya lurches forward, his mouth forced open as he heaves again, sending an enormous wave of thick, lumpy tan vomit cascading into the trash can.
It has an almost oatmeal or paste-like consistency, practically congealing together as it falls into the trash can.
Diluc grimaces struggling not to flinch away as Kaeya gives a loud, wet burp that has him choking up another thick wave that gives him no time to breathe.
“It’s alright...just try to get it up, ” he tries to reassure Kaeya searching his frenzied mind for the correct words.
Diluc isn’t the best at comforting people, but Kaeya seems to desperately need it so he tries his best.
Kaeya suddenly gives a low groan, his eye fluttering as his body begins to relax and Diluc’s concern and fear skyrockets.
“Hey, no, no look at me Kaeya, ” he said, frantically tapping Kaeya cheek. Him passing out was a worst-case scenario Diluc really, really didn't want happening right now and just the thought of it has ice-cold fear gripping Diluc’s chest.
Kaeya tries incredibly hard to do what Diluc says, his eye blindly searching for Diluc’s face as black spots fill his vision. Everything hurts, his stomach is killing him, his throat feels raw, his head is throbbing so much that it feels like his brain is falling out of his ears.
He thinks Diluc says something else but can’t hear him, the noise heavily muffled as though he’s underwater.
“Diluc….I...don’t feel...good, ” he manages to say the words coming out slurred and mumbled.
Diluc curses, his grip on Kaeya tightening as his eye closes and his body goes completely limp in Diluc’s hold.
He shifts Kaeya body so that he’s laying down on his side, which is a good thing he does especially when Kaeya gives a weak retch only seconds later his face pinching in pain as he chokes up a trickle of bile. Brushing his hair out of his face Diluc frantically glances back towards the door.
Where in the world was Jean? She said it was only a small errand but Diluc desperately needed her here right now, after all her healing abilities would definitely be able to help Kaeya a lot more than Diluc’s abilities.
He is about to leave Kaeya’s side to tell one of the first knights he can find to go get Barbara when the door opens and Jean walks in with Barbara quickly following.
For a moment both women pause, wide-eyed and stunned as they take in Kaeya’s unconscious form, the mess on the couch and floor, and finally the panicked almost fearful look on Diluc’s face as they meet his gaze.
Barbara is the first of the two to break out of her shock as she rushes over to attend to Kaeya. If she notices the way that Diluc is holding Kaeya’s hand she doesn't say anything.
“What happened?” Jean asked Diluc as she came over to them.
She glances down at Kaeya with a scowl. When she’d left, Kaeya hadn’t been in the best condition but he’d at least been conscious.
When Diluc doesn't answer she places a hand on his shoulder and he jumps as if he’d been startled, his gaze going from Kaeya to Jean.
“Are you okay? I don't need you fainting on me as well, ” she told him, noting his pale face.
Diluc nodded slowly. “I just….” he began.
“Don’t do well with illness, ” Jean finished, vividly remembering what had happened when he’d gotten sick before in the past. Although she’d thought he’d gotten better at handling, and considering he hadn’t immediately had a panic attack or fainted as well it seemed to be true.
Diluc just nodded his gaze drifting back down to Kaeya.
He’d be fine, although he couldn't say the same for Kaeya at the moment.
Eventually, Barbara sits back with a sigh as she lowers her hands, the soft glow emitting from her vision dying down.
While Kaeya is still obviously sick, his ragged breathing has evened out a bit and his complexion has improved as well although he’s still a bit pale and the feverish blush is still on his face.
Diluc can’t help but feel more than a little relieved by that, especially when Kaeya’s pained expression relaxes, turning peaceful.
“I’ve gotten his fever down a bit, but he needs rest, ” Barbara informed Jean.
Jean nodded a slight smile on her face. “I told him that as well, hopefully, this time he’ll listen.”
“I’ll take him home, ” Diluc offered, which made Jean look at him slightly surprised.
“Are you sure you can handle it?” She asked her tone a bit low so that Barbara wouldn't hear her.
Diluc takes a deep breath before he nodded, feeling more confident in himself now that Kaeya didn't look like each breath he took was causing him pain.
~~~
Kaeya doesn't know what time it is when he wakes up, his body feeling abnormally groggy and sluggish.
It actually takes him a moment or two to register where he is and he scowls recognizing the ceiling of his own bedroom.
He sits up slowly groaning when the motion makes his head ache. That's when he notices something else, he’s not wearing his uniform despite clearly remembering going to work today in fact he's wearing his sleeping clothes.
“What…”
“You’re awake.”
Kaeya looks towards the door as Diluc enters the room, closing the door behind him. He's carrying a glass of water in his hand, which he sets on the nightstand before turning back to Kaeya.
“Yes, I am, would you like to explain why you’re in my house?” Kaeya asked slowly confused. He was definitely sure he went to the knight’s headquarters this morning.
Diluc gives a soft hum as he reaches out with one hand feeling Kaeya’s forehead. “Your fever is still down, that’s good.”
Diluc’s words have Kaeya’s eye going wide as he remembers what happened, or at least to a point. He remembered Jean dragging him to her office, Diluc coming in, and that he’d thrown up but after that, he didn’t remember much of anything.
“What time is it?” Kaeya asked as he picked up the water Diluc had placed on the nightstand. His joints feel stiff but at least they’re not aching every time he moves even slightly.
He’s still a bit nauseous as well but it’s more than a slight queasiness right now than anything. Still, he’s careful as he takes small sips of water, he’d already embarrassed himself of Diluc once today, he really didn’t want to do it again.
“Almost midnight,” Diluc told him softly as he took the now empty glass from Kaeya, setting it on the nightstand once more.
Kaeya closes his eye giving a soft sigh of frustration, great he’d slept most of the day, that was just more work he’d have to do later. “Go on, get your teasing out of the way, that’s why you’re here right?” Kaeya sighed crossing his arms.
Surprising insults aren’t the next words to leave Diluc’s mouth. “What were you thinking trying to work in your condition?” Diluc asked him a scowl on his face.
It takes his still groggy brain a moment or two to realize that Diluc’s question is spoken completely and utterly seriously and that makes Kaeya frown. Then he gives a small shrug. “Everything’s been incredibly busy, and leaving it to just sit there would mean that it’d either pile up or one of the other captains would need to do it. You know how it is,” Kaeya admitted simply. No teasing, no trick, he was telling Diluc the truth.
Diluc nodded closing his eyes as he took a deep breath. Then he looked at Kaeya. “Never do this again,” he told him, his voice firm.
For a moment Kaeya stares at Diluc silently, noting the small amount of fear still in his eyes. “I make no promises, but I will do my best not to let it get this bad,” Kaeya sighed after a moment.
“Good,” Diluc said softly nodding. He knew that, that was probably the best he was gonna get out of Kaeya. Diluc could only hope that he was telling the truth because he really, really didn’t want to experience anything like this anytime soon.