Work Text:
Bai Jiu woke up in the middle of the night. His whole body ached. He felt another cramp and curled up into a ball in the center of his bed, hugging his knees with his arms. A soft sob escaped his lips.
He had been cursed or poisoned.
The pain was unlike anything he had ever experienced before in his entire life. His hands trembled as he tried to force them to reach for the small chest containing his medicines. He couldn't do anything. He cried in pain, his vision blurred, his gaze unfocused. He couldn’t concentrate on anything, not even enough to diagnose himself. The greatest danger for a medic is when they themselves are injured.
He had to focus.
He drew in as much air as he could, his chest heaving against his curled-up posture.
Inhale and exhale.
Calmly, he couldn't afford to panic.
Inhale and exhale.
He jerked his head as another wave of pain washed over him. The cramp forced his eyes shut, and another sob escaped his lips.
Ding-ding.
The movement of his head had jostled the small bell still tied to his hair. He had fallen asleep before he could take it out. This was his chance. Bai Jiu forced himself to loosen the grip of one arm and reached toward his hair, pulling and tugging at the bell. He didn’t care about the pain it caused; the familiar, small pain was nothing compared to the brutal and unknown agony radiating from his abdomen.
When he finally had the bell in his hand, he exhaled softly in relief. Two things happened simultaneously. Bai Jiu, using all the strength left in his body after the brutal attack he had endured, threw the bell against the wall. The impact created a loud, unpleasant sound, but that wasn’t his goal. Bai Jiu had known for a long time that Zhao Yuan Zhou had placed a monitoring and tracking spell on his bell. The demon knew how much Bai Jiu loved the bell and would never allow it to be damaged unless he was in danger.
The second thing that happened was... a release. Bai Jiu felt as if something had flowed out from between his legs. He sobbed again. He couldn't straighten up on his bed, and his vision was too blurred to see anything in the darkness of his room. Bai Jiu reached a trembling hand between his legs. He felt moisture. When he lifted his hand to his face, his sobbing turned into open weeping. His hand was covered in blood.
Bai Jiu didn’t know what was happening, but he felt as though he was dying.
He hoped Zhao Yuan Zhou would reach him in time before he bled to death. Before that thought could fully settle in his mind, the sound of hurried, heavy footsteps approaching his door reached his ears. Another sound followed, like an echo. Bai Jiu almost sighed in relief. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he trusted that if Zhao Yuan Zhou was there, nothing bad could happen to him.
“Xiao Bai!?”
Zhao Yuan Zhou's voice called from behind the wooden door. Bai Jiu could only groan louder in response. The demon didn’t wait for any further confirmation or invitation. He opened the door, scanning the room with his keen eyes. Not spotting any physical threat, he quickly approached the bed, kneeling beside it. This brought the demon’s eyes to almost the same level as Bai Jiu’s.
Zhao Yuan Zhou immediately noticed the blood on Bai Jiu's outstretched hand and furrowed his brow.
“Xiao Bai? What’s happening? How do you feel?”
He asked seriously. Bai Jiu appreciated it. The demon was always ready to act like a child and joke about everything whenever the opportunity arose, but in serious situations, he was always the most composed among them. They could always count on him. Always trust him.
“It… hurts…”
Bai Jiu groaned, curling up even more.
Zhao Yuan Zhou didn’t wait for more information. He gently grasped Bai Jiu’s wrist with his long, slender fingers, listening to his heartbeat for a moment. Then he sent a faint stream of his energy into Bai Jiu, letting it circulate through his entire body, searching for the source of the pain.
There.
He found the cause of Bai Jiu’s distress. Furrowing his brow, he directed more energy toward the bleeding wound inside him. He couldn’t heal Bai Jiu entirely but could assist and ease the process. He did all he could before opening his eyes again.
Zhuo Yi Chen stood in the open doorway of Bai Jiu’s room, unsure whether to step in or return to their own room. He wasn’t certain if his presence would be helpful or if he might be intruding. Zhao Yuan Zhou turned his gaze to his partner.
“Prepare… a warm bath for Bai Jiu, please.”
The demon asked, a gentle smile playing on his lips.
The moment Zhao Yuan Zhou’s energy began to heal him internally, Bai Jiu felt the change. It was like a bucket of cold water poured onto heated soil—almost evaporating, absorbed greedily by his body. The pain hadn’t completely disappeared but had diminished somewhat, becoming a quieter presence, an awareness at the back of his mind. Something he knew was there but wasn’t currently attacking him brutally.
He feared it would return. He sensed the pain would come back if Zhao Yuan Zhou refused to help him further. Bai Jiu had never been so scared in his life.
Now he almost trembled with fear.
“Am I dying?”
He asked the demon in a trembling voice. Zhao Yuan Zhou gently stroked his hair, calming his frantic thoughts and nerves.
“You’re not dying, Xiao Bai… You’re just… growing up.”
Zhao Yuan Zhou said. His eyes were soft, his gaze kind and warm.
Zhao Yuan Zhou said, his eyes tender, his gaze warm and gentle. The demon finally rose from the floor, not even bothering to dust off his knees, which were undoubtedly soiled from the mess in Bai Jiu's room. Zhao Yuan Zhou didn’t seem to care. He removed his cloak, one he had likely thrown over his shoulders in haste after feeling the tug of the spell placed on Bai Jiu’s bell and rushing to save him. Bai Jiu realized this belatedly. He’d have to thank him later, find some way to repay the constant reliability of Zhao Yuan Zhou’s presence.
Unfazed, Zhao Yuan Zhou draped the cloak over Bai Jiu, who had somehow freed himself from the quilt that now lay on the floor on the other side of the bed. Zhao Yuan Zhou wrapped Bai Jiu snugly in the cloak before lifting him effortlessly into his arms, as if Bai Jiu weighed nothing.
For the demon, Bai Jiu must indeed be light—certainly lighter than Zhou Yi Chen, whom Bai Jiu had more than once seen the demon carry or support without breaking a sweat.
They walked at a calm pace toward the shared room of Zhao Yuan Zhou and Zhou Yi Chen. Bai Jiu’s head rested against Zhao Yuan Zhou’s shoulder, whether he liked it or not. The demon’s arms carried an inexplicable aura of reassurance. For the first time since he had woken up in waves of piercing pain, Bai Jiu felt at peace. He felt truly safe. He knew he could trust Zhao Yuan Zhou.
They crossed the threshold into the room. Beside a large wooden bathtub stood Zhou Yi Chen, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Steam wafted from the tub, curling into the air in thick clouds. Deep within, Bai Jiu had a small desire to sink into the warm water. He desperately needed to cleanse himself. He couldn’t bear to let the bloodstains ruin his favorite set of clothes.
Zhao Yuan Zhou set Bai Jiu down beside the tub.
"Undress and get in," Zhao Yuan Zhou instructed.
Zhou Yi Chen quickly ran to fetch a folding screen, setting it up around the bathtub before Bai Jiu could even manage to wriggle free of the demon’s cloak. Zhao Yuan Zhou returned with a basin, placing it on the floor in front of Bai Jiu.
"Put your clothes in here. I’ll take care of them later," he promised.
Bai Jiu trusted him.
He quickly undressed, and before the chill could seep into his bare skin, he slid into the tub. Warmth enveloped him, relaxing his muscles in ways he hadn’t realized they needed. He tried not to look at how the water turned a faint pink as it washed away the blood. Sighing, he averted his eyes.
Bai Jiu heard hushed voices beyond the screen. He tried to ignore them but found he couldn’t. Something told him their conversation would concern him.
"What’s going on?" Zhou Yi Chen asked, confusion evident in his tone. Bai Jiu could sense the same bewilderment he felt himself.
"Well...our little boy is growing up," Zhao Yuan Zhou replied, moving about the room. The sounds of bubbling water, crackling embers, and the rustle of fabric reached Bai Jiu’s ears, familiar and soothing. They calmed him as much as the bathwater did. He leaned his head against the edge of the tub, closing his eyes. The water stayed warm, defying the usual cooling effect of time. Bai Jiu suspected Zhao Yuan Zhou’s boundless magic had something to do with it.
"Can I...help somehow?" Zhou Yi Chen asked again after a few minutes. Zhao Yuan Zhou patted his shoulder gently.
"Straighten the bed, please. He’s staying with us tonight," Zhao Yuan Zhou said.
"Do you remember where I left the warmer?" he asked after a moment. Bai Jiu heard the sound of a chest opening, followed by Zhao Yuan Zhou’s pleased exclamation as he found what he was looking for.
The water continued to relax Bai Jiu’s muscles, and the faint herbal aroma from the bath—something he hadn’t noticed before—calmed his mind. He was on the verge of drifting off to sleep when he heard footsteps approaching the tub.
"I’ll wash your hair," Zhou Yi Chen said, stepping closer. Bai Jiu smiled sleepily, not moving from his spot. Zhou Yi Chen sat on a low stool beside the tub, his deft fingers undoing Bai Jiu’s hair decorations and untangling his braids.
When he was finished, Zhou Yi Chen switched places with Zhao Yuan Zhou.
"I’ll help you get dressed," Zhao Yuan Zhou offered. Bai Jiu didn’t have the strength or will to argue. If they left him alone, he suspected he could spend the rest of his life soaking in the warm water, free from all cares.
His mind drifted as his gaze wandered the room, taking in the various objects belonging to the hunter and the demon. Zhao Yuan Zhou took full advantage of Bai Jiu’s distraction, dressing him and tying his hair into a loose braid.
Once finished, Zhao Yuan Zhou led Bai Jiu to the bed. Bai Jiu noticed his clothes fit oddly, something itchy brushing against his thighs, but he decided to ignore it—Zhao Yuan Zhou had given him his own clothes, and Bai Jiu wasn’t going to complain.
Zhao Yuan Zhou sat him on the edge of the bed.
"Drink this," he said, handing Bai Jiu a small bowl of broth. Bai Jiu sniffed it. For some reason, it smelled familiar. He took a sip, letting the liquid sit on his tongue as he tried to identify the herbs used.
"This is..." Bai Jiu began, confused.
"Monthly soup," Zhao Yuan Zhou confirmed.
Zhou Yi Chen turned away, clearly trying not to embarrass Bai Jiu further. Bai Jiu’s cheeks flushed crimson as he stared at his stomach in disbelief and fear.
"I’m not...I’m not a girl! I don’t want to be like Wen Xiao..." he stammered, terrified.
Zhao Yuan Zhou sat beside him, gently taking Bai Jiu’s hand—the one holding the bowl—into his own and urging him to drink.
"Don’t worry. Everything is fine," Zhao Yuan Zhou reassured him softly. "You’re still a boy. You can still be a boy. This doesn’t have to change anything. You’re still our Bai Jiu."
When the bowl was empty, Zhao Yuan Zhou handed Bai Jiu a warm heater, wrapped in soft white rabbit fur. Bai Jiu instinctively began stroking the fur, finding the motion surprisingly soothing. Zhao Yuan Zhou placed the heater against Bai Jiu’s lower abdomen.
"This should help," he said gently.
"Lie down. The night is still young; you should rest some more," Zhao Yuan Zhou added, guiding Bai Jiu’s head toward the soft, sun-scented pillows.
"What if...?"
"We’ll be here. If the pain returns, I’ll be here," Zhao Yuan Zhou promised.
Bai Jiu trusted him.
Though he would never admit it aloud, he trusted Zhao Yuan Zhou more than anyone else in the world. His eyelids grew heavy. The soothing effects of the bath, the soft bed, the medicinal soup, and the heater left him no energy to fight sleep.
He drifted off before Zhao Yuan Zhou could even adjust the quilt over him. Gently, Zhao Yuan Zhou tucked him in, ever so careful. Zhao Yuan Zhou had always been good at taking care of others.
Zhou Yi Chen approached him. They clasped hands, fingers intertwining.
"Well...I guess I can’t call him a child anymore," Zhao Yuan Zhou said with a chuckle. Zhou Yi Chen, still baffled by the night’s events, merely shook his head at the demon’s words. He placed Bai Jiu’s bell on the bedside table.
No matter what tomorrow would bring, they would face it together, ready for whatever challenges arose.
Even growing up.