Tags and trigger warnings: emetophilia, vomiting, hurt/comfort, can be read as platonic or romantic

Summary: In which Diluc finds himself struggling with the fact that he's sick after closing Angel's share for the night.

Posted to Ao3: July 10th 2021

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Illness was just something that Diluc didn't do well with.

He could deal with blood and gore just fine, but when it came to illness particularly vomiting Diluc tended to panic. There was just something about the lack of control and feeling of helplessness that he absolutely despised.

A bartender who hated alcohol and may have a phobia of throwing up, it seemed as if the Archons just like normal people had jokes.

Taking a deep shuddering breath Diluc lifted his head slightly from the counter.

Angel's share had closed for the night, and he really should've been cleaning up, so that he could return home but at the moment Diluc just did not have the strength to do anything besides sit there and feel like he was dying.

He'd awoken that morning feeling off, not exactly sick but definitely a noticeable difference compared to how he usually felt. It had only gotten progressively worse as the day went on, all culminating in his current condition.

To say that Diluc's stomach was killing him was an understatement, every time he moved or took a breath pain would go streaking across it.

His uniform which was usually form-fitting now felt as if it were digging into his stomach.

He winced when his stomach let out a particularly nasty sounding growl, his hand going to his stomach, eyes widening slightly when he realized how bloated and tight the skin there was.

His stomach growls again and Diluc's cheeks flushed pink. There may not be anyone else in the tavern at the moment, thankfully, but he couldn't help but feel embarrassed.

Diluc runs a trembling hand over his face, a low groan leaving his mouth when his stomach seems to flip inside of him. He swallowed when he felt bile burning in the back, a sharp jolt of fear running through him.

No, just no, Diluc wasn't going to be sick. He wouldn't allow that to happen, absolutely not.

He groans again as he rested his head on the counter once more, the cold wood feeling amazing on his clammy skin.

Diluc closes his eyes tightly trying his damnedest to simply breathe around the almost dizzying waves of nausea crashing over him. He'd held it together until now, what was another hour or two so he could clean up.

All he had to do was stand up and grab the cleaning supplies from the upstairs closet, but he couldn't move.

His limbs were weak and shaky with the effort of fighting the nausea that was currently consuming him. He takes a deep breath, swallowing rapidly as he tries to clear away the saliva nearly overflowing in his mouth; it barely works, the excess falling from his lips and onto the floor of the tavern.

Diluc grimaces as his stomach growls again. A jolt of fear pierces his thoughts as a splash of bile coats his mouth.

His eyes go wide in horror as he clamps a hand over his mouth, taking small panicked breaths in through his nose. Diluc's hand goes to his stomach as it hitches again, churning just beneath his fingertips and Diluc barely stops himself from gagging although the bitter taste of the bile coating his tongue only makes it harder.

He squeezes his eyes shut and forces himself to swallow, drool leaks from the corner of his mouth as he shakily lowers his hand panting, his eyes wide.

He shudders, swallowing as he tries to get rid of that disgustingly bitter and sour aftertaste coating his mouth.

His mind is panicking at the fact that he came so, so close to throwing up. So close to that horrifically helpless state he despised.

Diluc rested his head in his hands for a moment, having given up on trying to get rid of the salvia filling his mouth. If he hadn't felt so awful he might've been ashamed of himself.

He gave a low hiss when his stomach hitched again and he felt bile burning at the back of his throat.

What was even causing all of his suffering? Was he just sick? Had he'd eaten something bad? Maybe that was it, he could still feel his lunch sitting in his stomach like a rock refusing to digest.

But that wouldn't make sense considering it started this morning.

Diluc didn't know and admittedly that scared him.

Taking a deep breath he lifts his head, his eyes wandering around the tavern until he finds the small trash can he was looking for.

He gives a soft huff as he grabs it, wincing when the motion makes his stomach slosh like an overfilled glass.

Diluc closes his eyes panting as he places the trashcan in his lap allowing some of the excess drool to trickle into it. He tries his damnedest to convince himself that this is necessary, that he'll feel a lot better once whatever was making his stomach ache like this was out of him.

This does not stop his mind from panicking, blaring like a siren. A warning that if he does throw up things will get so, so much worse for him.

That fear only provides fuel for his nausea and Diluc groans when his stomach gives a low sickly sounding gurgle. He feels bile bubbling at the back of his throat and he swallows, almost out of reflex at this point, despite having the trash can ready.

His eyes snap open when he suddenly burps loud and wet, so focused on trying to convince himself that this is a good idea that he doesn't try to stop it. His cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment as he slowly opens his mouth, closing his eyes again.

It would be fine, things would be alright. He just had to get it up, then he could stop feeling miserable, clean the bar and go home. This is what Diluc tells himself but it doesn't stop the fear that shoots through him when he suddenly gags, unfortunately however nothing comes up leaving him a miserable, drooling mess.

For all of his stomach's whining and complaining it won't give in, the mass of food in his stomach feels almost as if it's stuck refusing to budge. One part of him is incredibly happy about this, while the other part of him is annoyed and just wants the misery to end.

Then he hears something, a very, very familiar voice outside the front door of the tavern. Diluc's eyes widen, a different kind of panic consuming him but he can't move, he can't rush over a lock the door.

Kaeya appears in the doorway, a smile on his face. That smile turns into an almost smug grin when he sees Diluc's current condition and he gives a small laugh.

Diluc's face practically burns with shame and embarrassment, his face turning almost the same shade of red as his hair.

"Well, well, well look at you. What got into the alcohol again?" Kaeya chuckled. "And to think you were telling me to pace myself."

Diluc says nothing, merely glaring putting as much anger as he can into it. Which isn't much considering his current condition.

He gags again and he feels tears gathering in his eyes as his mind continues to scream at him, that he was going to be absolutely helpless and that fear weighs on him heavily.

Silence, the tavern is almost silent save for Diluc's panting. Kaeya merely stares at him in shock for a moment slowly blinking, crying, Diluc was crying.

Kaeya had in no way expected this, the glare sure but he knows that Diluc is used to his teasing. Kaeya frowns when Diluc retches emptily into the trash can, bringing nothing up.

This time Kaeya looks at Diluc, really looks at him. Diluc is pale, and he's always been pale, but at the moment his skin is bordering almost on ashen grey with a slight hint of green. He's also sweating and swallowing rapidly as if trying to clear the drool leaking from his mouth into the trash can.

Kaeya reaches out although he pauses briefly when Diluc practically flinches away. "D-don't touch me," Diluc snapped, but his voice is weak and thick with nausea his words slurring together.

Kaeya ignores Diluc's words laying a gentle hand on his shoulder from across the bar counter, his skin is cold and clammy to the touch which only makes Kaeya's frown grow.

"Hey, it's alright. Just tell me what's wrong," Kaeya tried to reassure him, or at the very least calm him down since Diluc sounded like he was on the verge of having a panic attack.

Diluc shakes his head tears still in his eyes. "It won't stop, it hurts. My stomach is killing me," he practically whimpers.

Kaeya glances down at Diluc's stomach before walking around the bar counter, once he's at Diluc's side he reaches out his fingers ghosting over Diluc's stomach, wincing when he feels how tight and bloated the skin there was, the organ churning angrily just beneath the surface.

"Perhaps, you'll feel better if you get it up," Kaeya said after a moment, concern clear on his face. He lays one hand on Diluc's shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze.

Diluc shakes his head slightly, gagging. He coughs, and Kaeya pats his back. "I-I'm trying but I can't," he whispers.

"Can't? Why does it feel like it's stuck or is it because of something else?" Kaeya asked choosing his words carefully.

Diluc shakes his head again wiping at the tears rolling down his face with one hand. "Both...I just...I can't ," he admitted after a moment.

He reaches down to where Kaeya's hand is on his stomach, and he grabs it moving his hand a bit higher to where it feels like most of the pain was located. "Help me, Kaeya...please," Diluc practically begs and Kaeya can feel him trembling.

Kaeya merely nodded, understanding what had to be done. He waits until Diluc turns back to the trash can, his eyes closed, before he presses down slightly. Diluc burps loudly, the noise almost echoing in the near-complete silence of the bar.

Kaeya doesn't wait for him to catch his breath before pressing down again, this time Diluc's stomach heaves practically convulsing beneath Kaeya's hand. A strangled retch leaves Diluc's mouth the noise abruptly being cut off by a large thick wave of vomit that gurgles up his throat.

Kaeya's other hand goes down to Diluc's back, rubbing it as Diluc heaves again a loud wet burp leaving his mouth along with another thick wave of vomit. Diluc looks like he's in pain as he chokes up the thick sludge, his eyes squeezed tightly shut.

"Shh, I'm right here. It'll be alright, your stomach will stop hurting once you get everything up," Kaeya tries to reassure him as he retches up another wave, the thick lumpy beige-colored slurry splattering into the trash can.

"Do you think it was something you ate?" Kaeya asked after a moment once he thinks Diluc can actually answer him.

"M-maybe I don't-" Diluc's words are cut off as he hiccups, a sickly sounding burp leaving his mouth along with another wave. "Just...stay with me...please."

Kaeya nods. "Okay I will, I'm not going anywhere," he told him gently.

Diluc eventually sits back panting heavily as he blinks as if trying to clear the tears from his eyes. Kaeya carefully takes the trash can from him setting it aside where Diluc couldn't see it.

The other man is rubbing his stomach almost absentmindedly a look of wide-eyed relief on his face, his stomach is still aching a bit, as well as sore but the pain is nowhere near like it was. The tightness it previously held is nowhere to be found either, maybe it had been something he'd eaten.

At least that's what he thinks until a sharp cramp suddenly stabs at his stomach leaving him gagging. He clamps a hand over his mouth his other hand frantically gesturing for Kaeya to give him the trash can again.

So maybe that'd been a lie, that he'd feel better after throwing up. Kaeya winces as Diluc retched suddenly bile spraying through the gaps in his fingers and splattering the tavern floor along with his lap.

Kaeya gives him the trash can, and Diluc takes it saying nothing as he lets his hand fall away from his mouth, his body lurching forward with a wet retch that brings up a watery wave of bile.

"Okay, so maybe it wasn't something you ate," Kaeya murmurs as he rubbed Diluc's back. Although it sounds as if he's talking more to himself than Diluc.

Diluc merely whimpers. "Make it stop, I just want it to stop," he groaned.

"I know, do you want any water before I take you upstairs?" Kaeya asked biting his lip.

Diluc shakes his head the mere thought of eating or drinking anything right now has him dry heaving into the trash can, he tries very hard not to think about the fact that it feels warm and noticeably heavy in his grip.

"I just want everything to stop," He groaned in between his panting.

"It will, that's why I'm taking you upstairs to rest in the bed that's in the attic," Kaeya explained, he doesn't take the trash can from Diluc this time mostly because Diluc still looks incredibly nauseous and miserable. "Do you think you can make it up there?"

Diluc is quiet for a few moments merely panting as he stares into space for a moment two noticeably daze, then he nodded slowly. "I'll try, you'll still stay with me right?"

Kaeya gives him a small smile as he carefully helps him up from the barstool. "Of course, I'm not going to leave you alone to suffer. That would be barbaric."

Diluc just nodded slowly. He still feels horrible but at least he has the small comfort that he wouldn't have to suffer alone. That he wouldn't be helpless.