𝚂𝚘𝚛𝚛𝚢 𝙰𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚝 [𝚐.𝚒 𝚟𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚡 𝚐𝚗!𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛]

XXVIII

"Hi." You said abruptly. His eyes flickered up and a strange smile appeared on his lips. "I need medicine."

"Well, I would hope that's what you need. This is a pharmacy after all." Baizhu's smile widened slightly and something about it made you uneasy despite its friendliness.

"Do you have medication for phantom limb pain? Like nerve blocking injections or something? Painkillers at the least?" You couldn't hold back some of the uneasiness in your tone. Your foot tapped the more antsy you got.

Baizhu's eyes glittered, and he says, "Let me see what I have." You watch as Baizhu leaves to go to some kind of backroom, wringing your hands.

"Why do you need medication for phantom limb pain?" Childe questions. There's something in his eyes that you couldn't identify.

"I just do. It's not really important right now."

"Well last I recall; Aether hasn't lost any limbs. Did you two have a wild night?"

You send Childe a glare. "No, and It's not really my thing to tell."

Childe raises his hands in a gesture of surrender, his lips quirking slightly. "Alright, alright. I won't push."

"Thanks." Your face softens slightly. "I'm sorry if I'm being rude. I really don't mean to be, I'm just..." you flap your hands in a gesture of anxiousness. "Ya know?"

"I think so."

It's at that moment when Baizhu returns with a bag of needles and some kind of medication in his hands. "Here's what you need."

You let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much. How much is it?"

"Well, there's something you should know." Baizhu says as he places the needles and medicine on the counter. "I have to administer the first shot to show you how, so you'll have to bring me to the patient."

You wave your hand. "Fine, yeah, sure. How much is it?"

"Two million."

Your heart drops to your stomach, eyes widening, and your hands freeze from their wringing. "Two... two million?" You take a deep breath to try and steady your voice. "I don't have two million. Is there any way I could negotiate?"

Baizhu tilts his head. "This medication is not easy to make, and I don't have much of it. It is expensive for a reason. The price is non-negotiable."

"I'll have to take out a loan or something. I don't have time to do that. Fuck." You murmur, trying to get your bearings. The only thing going through your mind was 'Aether's in intense pain, and I can't get the medication for it.' "I'll just need to get basic painkillers. Will that even do any-"

"I'll pay for it." Your subconscious muttering stops and you look at Childe in shock as he reaches for his own wallet. "Don't worry about it. It's not a dent on me."

Too overcome with gratefulness, shock, relief, and worry, you don't even have it in you to politely decline the help. "Thank you, so much."

Childe just nods at you with a little smile and soon enough the three of you are power walking back to the inn.

You all make it back to the inn and you fumble with the key before bursting the door open. You see Ariel sitting by Aether's bedside, looking down at him worriedly as Aether moans in pain, still laying on his stomach, his hands shaking. Paimon is floating nearby, nervously biting her nails and whimpering.

Ariel catches sight of you and the others as you slam the door open. "Who's the green headed guy? Why's Childe here?"

You mouth 'doctor' and gesture slightly for Ariel to get out of the way. Ariel does so and you and Baizhu move to Aether's side while Childe goes to stand by Paimon. Baizhu kneels down and looks to you, a more serious look on his face now that he's in doctor mode instead of snarky clerk mode.