Tags and trigger warnings: Emetophilia, sickfic, vomiting, hurt/comfort, alternate universe-Modern/college setting.

Summary: In which after a long night of grading papers Zhongli comes down with the flu.

Posted to Ao3: May 7th 2021

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Zhongli is a man who's very particular about his appearance and the refined, cool, level-headed atmosphere he gives off.

So when he gets into the car, with his tie slightly askew and a button on his coat out of place, Childe instantly knows that something isn't right.

Looking up from his phone with a scowl he stares at Zhongli for a moment. The other man is just sitting in the driver's seat quietly trying to catch his breath.

His head is killing him, the sunlight practically stabbing him in the eyes, he doesn't know if it's because he was up most of the night grading exams or if it's the total of five hours of sleep he's gotten in three days. Either way, his stomach is churning, his head is pounding and he doesn't like it.

"Are you okay?" Childe asked after a moment.

Instantly the man's hazel almost amber-colored eyes looked at him. "I'm quite alright, why do you ask?"

"Your tie is crooked, and your jacket is buttoned in the wrong place, " Childe pointed out as he reached out to fix it.

"Thank you, " Zhongli muttered as he started the car.

Childe gives him a smile, as he holds up a coffee cup. "Made some tea for you too, mint and chamomile since you were up most of last night."

"Did you fix anything for yourself? You were up helping me as well," he said as he took the cup from Childe.

Childe chuckled "Yeah I got me a soda, besides I'm your TA, what kind of person would I be if I left my husband by himself to grade papers all night."

As he watches Zhongli sip his tea, Childe can't help but notice that the man looks a bit paler than usual.

Zhongli sighed as he placed the cup in one of the cupholders. The tea had helped slightly, dulling his headache and calming his upset stomach a bit.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Childe asked as he wearily eyed the other man. A bit of color had returned to his face but he still looked a little bit too pale for Childe's liking.

Zhongli nodded, glancing over a Childe before returning his eyes to the road. "Yes, just slightly tired, " he said, not telling Childe how many hours of sleep he'd truly gotten these past few days.

Childe gave a soft hum, a scowl on his face. While Childe was aware that he could be stubborn while sick, between the two of them he usually ended up admitting eventually. Zhongli however was a whole different breed, typically Childe couldn't get him to admit he was sick until the man was practically delirious from a fever.

Knowing that trying to get Zhongli to admit that he wasn't feeling well would be an uphill battle, Childe simply sighed his attention returning to his phone. Zhongli had two classes to teach today nearly back to back before his noon lunch break, while Childe doubted that he'd be able to hold out until then he was willing to see.

~~~

Childe glances over at Zhongli as he changes the presentation slides, as Zhongli speaks the soft scratching of pencil on paper filling the room as the students take notes.

With the lights off, under the dim white glow of the projector, Childe can't help but notice that Zhongli is pale and sweating, his usual sharp eyes have a slight glazed appearance to them. Childe scowled as he flipped to the next presentation slide, if any of the students noticed Zhongli's gradually worsening condition they don't say anything.

Zhongli smiles slightly but it's a bit strained and doesn't reach his eyes. "Now then, does anyone have any questions?"

The room was silent for a moment or two before Zhongli nodded. "If not, then class is dismissed. Homework is due next Wednesday, and if you need any help please email me or Childe."

Childe walks over to the wall and flicks on the light switch, when he does he sees Zhongli briefly close his eyes, barely hiding a grimace. His headache is aching in full force, and the sound of his students moving around to leave the classroom practically grates on his ears.

Zhongli opened his eyes once more, and the moment the last student leaves the room he walks over to his desk. He removed his jacket, draping it over his chair before he sat down and leaned back in his chair, eyes briefly closing as he swallowed hard, everything felt too hot and bright. His stomach was aching, practically sloshing inside of him.

Zhongli feels a cool hand on his face and he sighed opening his eyes to see Childe standing in front of him. "At least take your reading glasses off if you're going to take a nap," Childe muttered as he removed the glasses in question from Zhongli's face, setting them to the side. Now that he is this close Childe can see the sweat dotting Zhongli's forehead, the slight feverish blush on his cheeks that he hadn't noticed before.

"What time is it?" Zhongli asked, his eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at the papers sitting on his desk.

"Eleven fifty-eight, almost time for our lunch break. I was gonna head to the cafeteria and get us some food," Childe told him, not missing the way Zhongli briefly closed his eyes, swallowing hard at the mention of food. His stomach making a soft gurgling noise.

Scowling Childe crossed his arms, "You know that you can get Ganyu or Ningguang to take over if you're not feeling okay right?"

Zhongli glanced up at him, giving him a soft smile. "I'm fine Ajax, just a bit tired. But I should be fine before the next class begins."

Childe closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Okay, I'll go get us lunch while you stay here alright?"

Zhongli nodded as Childe walked towards the door. "If you need anything before I get back just call me okay?" He told Zhongli, holding his cellphone up for the other man to see.

Zhongli nodded again but didn't look up from the paperwork on his desk that he's shifting through. It is only when Childe leaves that he leans back in his chair running a hand over his face.

As his stomach gives an audible gurgle he winces placing a hand over it. He was fine, he only had one more class to teach before he and Child could head home. He stretched, his stiff joints creaking before he turned his attention back to the paperwork yawning. He's exhausted, and aching, keeping himself awake becomes a struggle, and he begins to doze off.

When Childe returned food in hand he finds Zhongli asleep at his desk, his head resting on his arms. He places the food down on one of the nearby tables where the students sat, before approaching Zhongli.

Childe reaches out feeling the other man's forehead, a soft hiss escaping his mouth at the heat practically radiating off of him. Childe doesn't mean to wake him up, especially considering how much time they have until the next class begins, but Zhongli groans softly, his eyes cracking open.

He sits up a bit, blinking slowly, his eyes narrowed as he looked around. Childe frowned, "Hey, sorry to wake you up. Got us lunch though."

As Childe speaks he walks over to where he placed the food down, he turns back to Zhongli however when the other man groans loudly. Zhongli has his head in his hands, he groans again, a shuddering breath leaving his lips.

Childe frowned. "Zhongli? What's wrong?"

Zhongli however doesn't say anything, in fact he's gone incredibly still but Childe can see him swallowing rapidly. A second later Childe hears an ominous gurgling noise and Zhongli jolts, a loud burp leaving his mouth along with a small wave of vomit.

It splashes on his desk, and for a moment both he and Childe freeze. Childe's eyes are wide, and so are Zhongli's.

Zhongli blinks slowly, seemingly surprised as he stares at the small pool of vomit cooling on his desk, his hands trembling. It is only when Zhongli lurches forward a hand clamped over his mouth that Childe moves.

"Whoa, hey, hey," Childe said his voice taking on a frantic edge as he rushed over. Zhongli's shoulders shake with another heave and Childe hears a gurgling noise in his throat.

He grabbed the small trash can by Zhongli's desk before reaching out and grabbing Zhongli's shoulders, guiding him over the trash can.

"Shit," Childe hissed as he held Zhongli's hair back, while he retched and gagged. Childe had known that the man was sick, he just didn't know how sick. "Okay," he sighed. "Just try to get it up."

Zhongli does not to be told twice, tears gathering in his eyes as a gurgling burp crawled up his throat, sending another stream of his undigested breakfast into the trash can.

Childe winced, a grimace crawling over his face as he glanced back at the door. He needs to get one of the other professors or TAs but he also doesn't want to leave Zhongli in case he passes out or something.

Zhongli coughed as he leaned back a bit, wrapping his arms around his stomach. His skin is pale and he still looks incredibly nauseous.

"Do you think you're done for now?" Childe asked, biting his lip.

Zhongli is quiet, he takes a small shuddering breath in through his nose before giving a small slow nod, his eyes squeezed shut. Everything is too hot, every small noise grating on his ears and irritating his already fried nerves. The bitter aftertaste of bile coating his mouth only makes his stomach churn more.

He heard Childe move and he gets the urge to reach out and stop him from leaving but he also has the feeling that any movement would be a very bad idea at the moment.

Childe leaves the classroom walking two doors down to Ningguang's classroom. She's in the process of teaching her class so he tries to be as quiet as possible as he enters, making his way over to her TA Ganyu who is operating the laptop at Ningguang's desk.

Ganyu frowned, staring at him as he leaned down a bit. "Sorry to bother you, but can you come with me for a moment?" He asked her, making sure to keep his voice low.

Ganyu glanced over at Ningguang, and when the other woman gives a slight nod, she stands up and quietly follows Childe out of the room.

"Is something wrong?" Ganyu asked.

Childe nodded as he opened the door to Zhongli's classroom only to freeze for a moment. Zhongli was throwing up again, his eyes squeezed shut as he violently retched over the trash can, his stomach trying to turn itself inside out.

"Oh, oh my," Ganyu said her eyes wide as she followed Childe into the classroom.

Childe approached Zhongli and began to rub his back, a sigh leaving his lips as he looked back at Ganyu. "As you can see, he's sick," Childe sighed, wincing slightly at the painful sounding noises Zhongli was making. "I'd take over the next class but, I need to drive him home and take care of him, so I was wondering if you or Ningguang could cover for us?"

Ganyu nodded, as she gave a small smile. "Of course, I'll take over and get Xiao to assist Ningguang for the remainder of the day."

Childe smiled at her. "Thank you."

He gathered his and Zhongli's things, making sure to grab the car keys out of the pocket of Zhongli's jacket. When he helps the man to his feet, Zhongli sighed leaning against him a bit.

They manage to make it to the parking lot, having to stop for a moment as Zhongli dry heaves over the asphalt. Childe guides him to the car, carefully placing him in the passenger seat making sure to hand him one of the plastic shopping bags in case he needed it.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Childe asked as he started the car. He's not mad, of course at least not with Zhongli, but he is upset with himself for not intervening sooner. He knew what his husband was like after all.

Zhongli cracks one eye open as he leans back in the passenger seat. "I believed it would pass. For a while, I truly believed it was just the lack of sleep combined with staying up most of yesterday night," he murmured.

Childe frowned, as he glared ahead at nothing in particular. He'd noticed that Zhongli was coming to bed late these past few nights but had just believed the man was watching tv or reading as he usually did, after all, it wasn't uncommon for him to stay up late watching documentaries. He desperately wanted to slap his past self right now.

Childe glanced over as he heard the plastic bag he'd gave Zhongli rustling, one hand reaching out to rub Zhongli's back as he gags wetly. Zhongli takes a deep breath, shaking his head a bit before he burps, pale bile streaming into the bag.

He panted, swallowing a bit before he leaned back again closing his eyes one hand on his stomach and a small amount of drool running down the corner of his mouth.

Childe gently runs his fingers through Zhongli's hair as he waits for the traffic light to change colors. "Don't worry, I'll take care of you," he reassured him.

There was no way in hell Childe was ever letting something like this happen again.