Chapter Text
Your good mood faded quickly afterward. You dreaded the bad news you might hear about your father’s health once you arrived.
Zhongli seemed to pick up on your anxiety, and he slipped his hand into yours comfortingly. You immediately felt calmer, and you squeezed his hand and smiled at him gratefully.
Any time, his beautiful cor lapis eyes seemed to say.
Taking a deep breath, you knocked on the door of your house. In a few moments, you heard footsteps as someone rushed to open the door. It swung open to reveal your mother.
You smiled. “Hi, Mom.”
“Y/N!” She hugged you tightly and kissed your forehead. “I’m so glad to see you again!” She glanced at Zhongli. “Please, come in, you two.”
After you and Zhongli were seated, Zhongli introduced himself. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Zhongli. I’m Y/N’s…” He trailed off, unsure of what to say next.
“He’s my boyfriend,” you said, brushing your hand over his before entwining your fingers.
Your mother gasped in excitement before shaking Zhongli’s hand. “Oh, it’s so nice to meet you, Zhongli! I’m glad my Y/N found someone to take care of her. She can get so distracted by her work sometimes.”
“Mom,” you grumbled in embarrassment. She made it sound like you couldn’t take care of yourself!
She laughed. “I only jest. Welcome to the family, Zhongli.”
Zhongli looked surprised for a moment at how easily she accepted him, but then he smiled warmly. “It’s a privilege to be here.”
“Oooh, I like this one. You picked well, Y/N.”
“Mom!” True, though.
You talked for a little more about how you had been and what you were up to, but it wasn’t long until the real reason you were here had to be addressed.
“So, how’s Dad?” you asked.
The light-hearted mood melted away, replaced by a solemn atmosphere.
Your mother sighed. “He’s doing alright at the moment, but it seems to be getting worse. The doctor said he seems to have been exposed to high elemental concentrations, which doesn’t mix well with non-Vision holders.”
Zhongli stroked his chin in thought. “That is not something easily cured. There are no known ways to purge elements from your body. You simply have to wait it out until they drain on their own.”
“You’re quite knowledgeable,” your mother noted, not expecting his input.
You smiled, feeling a flicker of pride on his behalf. “Zhongli knows all sorts of things.”
“Anyway, the doctor said that depending on the dosage of elemental power, it could be lethal. But since she hasn’t dealt with situations like this very much, she isn’t able to accurately tell if this is serious or not. She just recommended that your father gets lots of rest and doesn’t exert himself while she looks for someone to consult about this.”
“Can we see him?” you asked.
“Of course.”
Your mother led you and Zhongli to your father’s bedroom, where he lay in bed resting. His skin was pale and he looked exhausted. He seemed to have lost some weight since the last time you saw him, too.
“Dad?” you said.
His eyes crinkled at the edges as he smiled weakly. “Y/N? Is that you?”
“Yup! And this is my boyfriend, Zhongli.” You took a seat next to his bed and held his hand. “How are you feeling, Dad?”
“Oh, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’m just tired is all.” Your father sat up, coughing into a handkerchief as he did so. It left Geo residue on the cloth, and you patted his back comfortingly. You wished you knew how to help.
“So it was Geo that you were exposed to?” Zhongli asked. His gaze was focused on the handkerchief, and his eyes seemed to almost glow golden in the dim lighting of the room. He seemed to be deep in thought.
“Yes.”
“How did that even happen?” you asked in confusion.
“I was taking a walk a while ago and I found a domain that hadn’t been there before. I wasn’t even trying to go near it, but I guess I stepped somewhere that the ley lines connected to the domain, and suddenly I was inside. I managed to find a way out, but the place was completely infested with Geo slimes. Luckily, I’m not so past my prime that I didn’t know how to avoid them.”
You frowned. “That’s odd. Did you report it to the Adventurers Guild?”
“Of course,” your mother said. “They told us they dealt with it, and it won’t be a problem anymore.”
Your father’s back heaved as he entered another coughing fit.
“Dad!” You helped him lay back down in bed.
“I’ll be okay,” he rasped. “I just need some rest…”
“We’ll leave you to rest, honey,” your mother said gently, and the three of you left the room.
“That’s much more serious than he’s letting on!” you exclaimed, turning to face the two of them.
“Indeed. That seems like a very serious elemental affliction.” Zhongli’s eyebrows were furrowed in concern.
“Will he be okay?” you asked him. Surely he must know something.
Zhongli hesitated.
“Oh, Archons…” Your stomach rolled with fear, and you exchanged a glance with your mother. “Is there really nothing we can do?”
“There might be something I can do,” Zhongli said pensively. “But I’ll have to see.”
“Thank you so much,” your mother said gratefully. “We’ll pray to Barbatos for his swift recovery. In the meantime, let me show you your rooms. Don’t you worry, Y/N, we’ll take care of your father…”
Later, you sat with Zhongli in the living room, sipping a cup of tea that he had brewed. You were too busy thinking about your father’s condition to make any conversation, and Zhongli seemed to understand that, as he always did. You leaned into his shoulder, letting his warmth comfort you. After a moment, he wrapped an arm around you, hugging you to his side.
“I’m scared,” you admitted quietly, pressing your cheek against his chest and breathing in his scent. It calmed you down.
Zhongli stroked your hair. You closed your eyes at the feeling of his skillful fingers carding through your locks.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to help your father,” he reassured you with that sweet voice of his.
You smiled into his coat, your eyes still closed. “Thank you for being here with me. It means a lot to me.”
He sucked in a breath. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he said softly.
You stayed seated like that for the rest of the time, his fingers tenderly stroking your hair as you listened to his steady heartbeat, his familiar presence slowly lulling you into soft and serene sleep.