#yes the brainrot has set in it's incurable now

[sgcairo]

i was literally just abt to ask you of ur opinion of the pantalone/baizhu brothers theory before i read the latest chapters of a small telegraph… do you have any more headcannons yourself or will it be revealed more in the fic 🤨

I have many headcanons on these two, but a lot of them will be revealed in the fic! I'll throw some of them out there anyways though, because this brainrot has been living in my brain for months (quite literally)!

-Pantalone is the older of the two. I didn't specify if they were twins or just siblings, but Pantalone is also generally "bigger" (though they're so close in age that it's not super obvious when looking at their younger versions). Baizhu was always smaller because of his weak complexion, and often fell ill as a result.

-Because Baizhu was too weak to be running around all day, Pantalone often had him rest in the shade while he begged for money and scraps, and if he did scrounge up enough money, he would buy new clothes (especially shoes) for his little brother. Though this wasn't often, as Pantalone barely scrounged up enough to eat on a good day, let alone enough for decent quality clothes.

-Pantalone took several beatings for being caught thieving, mostly on his back and hands. He never told Baizhu except for when they were obvious, and several got infected because of this. Begging the local herbalist for a salve was humiliating, but he couldn't leave his brother alone.

-Once Pantalone was old enough to work, he took on as much of it as possible. Enough to put a (not exactly clean) roof over their heads, even if it was dinky and infested with vermin. It was better than laying out in the open, especially during monsoon season, when Baizhu would get especially sick.

-As you can guess, not many places would take him for work, but a dilapidated tea shop took him in, but it wasn't easy or rewarding work. Pantalone was sore, miserable, and overworked, for barely enough money to pay rent, let alone pay for food. It was better than starving with no home though, so he was happy to do it for his brother's health.

-Baizhu eventually managed to score a job at the pharmacy as an herbalist's apprentice. Pantalone was happy, but also jealous, as it was a well paying job, not to mention that Baizhu got to live in the back complex, which was much nicer than their current home. But he was also relieved that Baizhu would finally be able to take care of himself appropriately. Through that opportunity, Baizhu was eventually recommended to the Academia for his outstanding talents in botany.

-Pantalone fell in love with someone, once upon a time. They were both poor, with little to their name, but they had each other. His lover died shortly afterwards in the mines that surround the Chasm, and there was no way to retrieve the body. Baizhu had never approved of the man in the first place, but was silent about the death, focusing more on his studies than his grieving brother. Was that what caused their falling out? Partly, yes.

-Baizhu getting his vision was the final straw.

-The falling out between them happened shortly after Baizhu accepted the invitation to enroll in the Academia, the day before he was set to leave. After that argument, Pantalone stormed off in a fit of anger and hurt, leaving Baizhu to see himself off on the journey to Sumeru. His years at the Academia were long and arduous, and he returned home with in incurable illness, but it was well worth it, as he was now the owner of the pharmacy and adept in his knowledge surrounding plants. When he returned to their old home, however, he found that Pantalone was gone, his things still in the long since abandoned housing complex. After asking around, he found out that Pantalone had vanished that day, after storming off. No one had seen him since.

-Current time, Baizhu still worries about Pantalone, wondering if he was kidnapped or was lost that day. Perhaps his brother died, alone and where no one would ever find him. Or someone took him, undoubtedly to do horrible things and leave him for dead. Either way, he listens for any mention of anyone that sounds like his brother, often when he's out roaming the harbor. He occasionally buys things he thinks his brother would like, hiding them in the back of his closet- hoping. He's well off now, but he's long since realized that his neglect of his only family was the worst mistake he ever made. If he could go back, he would do everything in his power to bring his brother with him, tell him how grateful he is for Pantalone's work, let his brother cry on his shoulder after the tragedy that forced them apart. But it's too late, isn't it?

-Pantalone is satisfied with how his life turned out. Though he still wonders if his little brother is okay, occasionally sending a Fatui agent to Liyue to make sure he's alive and healthy. He knows about Baizhu's illness, and part of him wants to go back and spend as much time as he can with his brother before the inevitable... But he can't force himself to go back, for some reason. He's afraid, though he won't admit to the feeling. He's also hurt, his brother made it clear where he stands. That he hates Pantalone, that he wants him dead. He would go back, but he can't. It would be admitting that he misses his brother, his family, and that Baizhu was right. He is a greedy, horrible man, but he used that to his advantage. He holds his position because of it. Baizhu would hate him for it, surely. Especially after the stunt with Ozial.

That was more of a brief history, but there you go! Hopefully these two come back together soon, their dynamic will be interesting.