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#cutememes

still one of my favourite moments 💀

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Coddling Zhongli in his tiny dragon form can have quite the hilarious consequences.

Chonky dragon Li wiggles a lot when you give him treats. His whole fluffy body just turns into a noodle as he eagerly makes grabby-paws at the food - something utterly endearing.

This, eventually, seeps into his human-form behaviour. When you bring him tea in the evening, he looks up from his book and starts wiggling with a small smile on his face; you're internally cooing at this grown man and thereby nearly drop the teacups.

Belly rubs are some of your miniature lover's favourite things to receive! Whenever he sees you, he's immediately on his back, paws curled, ready to get some love.

Human-form Zhongli is lying in bed later. When you enter the room a short time later, he immediately twists his body so he's belly up, fingers and toes curled.

Suddenly having realised this, he relaxes his posture, but it's too late - you're clutching your own stomach in peals of laughter. Sighing and turning his nose up, Zhongli leaves the room.

"Wait! Come back, Zhongli! I'll still rub your belly!"

Sometimes, you like to pick Chonkli up and sway him around gently, going, “My stinky husband! My stinky, stinky husband! Stinky!” The little creature mrrrps in delight, his tail swishing like a fan.

Later that evening at a social gathering where he's your plus-one, his introductions are a little off. “I’m Zhongli, Wangsheng consultant and (Name)’s stinky husband- oh, forgive me. I mean husband.”

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Lantern Rite finally ended. I was expecting a Zhongli and Neuvillette convo but this also makes sense.

Atleast Furina and Navia are there. My fave girls and their tea addiction 😔✨✨✨

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An assortment of Zhongli doodles from last December when my friend @hearthfire2 made him a prompt list.

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Drew this instead of studying for exams, enjoy

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head in hands ill color this eventually

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Imagine Zhongli in his dragon form feeling a little playful when it comes to his human partner.

You'd be taking a dip in the river on a warm and peaceful day while your draconic husband keeps watch, and this damn glorified reptile thinks it would be funny to snatch your clothes from the riverbank and keep them in his mouth to watch you flail and whine and beg for them back. And this dragon is patient, so it would take a while until he decides to quit teasing you and return your modesty.

You'd find him lounging around in the garden, all coiled up, and ask him if he'd like some snacks. He'd eye you with that draconian gaze, eyes gleaming like stars, and utter a reverberating chuckle. Then he'd say, "Ah, how generous of you to offer yourself up for me," and proceed to chase you around the garden at a slow and gentle pace, his maw open and waiting to clamp around you. (Don't worry, he takes care never to actually hurt you.)

If you're trying to escape during one of his shenanigans while in his dragon form, you generally go into the house so his lofty self cannot pursue you. Alas, your home has way too many windows - so he simply presses his face against whichever window you're closest to and watches you expectantly. Then you'd run over to a different section of the house, after which he'd simply look for you through the other windows again until he finds you and resumes staring at his beloved. Rinse and repeat. (His tail wiggles whenever you come into sight.)

Speaking of his tail, Zhongli thinks it's funny to just...pick you up with it whenever he pleases. You'd be reading, minding your own business, and then your husband's tail would wrap around you and lift you into the air. He'd nuzzle you affectionately, perhaps give you a loving lick or two, and then set you back down and amble away like nothing happened.

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taking fate into one's own hands

04—acquaintance

Word count: 1.3k

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You look at him carefully. Perhaps this whole act he’s putting on is an attempt to be more personable. But it’s in your best interests to, at the very least, get along with the man you’ve been promised to. When it comes to loveless marriages to bind nations, divorce isn’t an option. There’s no going back. 

“Alright, I’ll eat dinner with you.” You say quietly, and the sides of Morax’s lips quirk upwards. You’re convinced for a second that you made it up somehow, for even when he’d spoken to you as a dignitary, he hadn’t smiled once.

“I hope your room is to your liking,” He says, as you follow behind him. “If there’s anything that it is lacking, please do let me or one of the help know.”

You glance at him, convinced that he can’t be in earnest. He’d been so stoic when you first met him, and even once he’d come clean in regards to his identity, his emotions towards you had seemed to be nothing more than detached amusement.

“Everything is alright, thank you.” you say, bowing your head in gratitude to the man who places your food on your table. You hadn’t considered the change in cuisine and you steel your expression as well as you can, in order to not show your hesitation to eat the unfamiliar food. The butler pours you each a drink, a glistening pale wine, and bows as he excuses himself quietly. Besides your plate, there are golden chopsticks, and then a fork by its side, its dark silver tone standing out against the rest of the tableware. Is it some kind of test?

You glance worriedly between the two, as Morax’s unruffled gaze settles on you. 

“You seem troubled. If I may, might I request that you speak freely?”

You glance down at the cutlery again and back up at him, shaking your head softly. 

“Nothing troubles me.” you whisper, picking up the two chopsticks as confidently as you can, arranging them in your hands as subtly as you can. You haven’t seen anyone eat with chopsticks for a long time, and suddenly realise you should have waited for him to start so you could copy his technique.

You attempt to pretend to take a sip of your drink or look at the spices on the table to delay your eating, but Morax simply watches you with an even gaze as you quietly panic.

“Is the food not to your taste?” he asks you, finally looking away from you to pick up a fork. “I find that sometimes chopsticks make eating take longer than necessary. I used your arrival as a reason to justify getting some new cutlery.”

You blink at him. “Pardon me if I speak out of turn, but I had always believed you were a firm believer in traditions.” you refuse to relinquish your chopsticks, too embarrassed to admit that using them was a front to try and impress him. You hadn't realised you were acting in a way that might win his favour—and the thought of it surprises you.

Morax’s eyebrows quirk slightly at your implied question, carefully trying to craft an answer that wouldn’t make you question your presence in the palace too much. Perhaps the reaction you’ve had towards him so far is out of fear that you’re not Liyuean enough from him and his people. It wouldn’t be an absurd thought, but if the situation in your home nation remains as rocky as it is now, he wouldn’t want you to return. He certainly want to be the reason you go back, either.

“Ah,” he says quietly, chewing his food. “That is a common misconception. Perhaps when it comes to certain meetings and negotiations, it is true that I remain true to the conditions that have always been stipulated by ancient Liyuean law. However, I myself, think there isn’t much to be learned by holding steadfastly onto tradition in day to day life.”

You gape at him. “So I’m not to be hated by every member of Liyue for not hailing from here?”

Morax sighs. “I cannot speak for my people. I sometimes find they can be stubborn and they often do not like change.”

“You are not filling me with confidence.” You reply drily. Morax fixes you with an even stare, wanting to make sure you listen to his next words.

“I do not seek to deceive you.” he replies evenly. “As of right now, our arrangement is unofficial. Thus you have every right to choose how you wish to proceed. If you cannot bear to stay here with me for a moment longer, you may go home at any point.”

“But what would come of my kingdom, or of me?”

“That would be subject to negotiation. But in situations like that, Liyuean law isn’t particularly favourable for foreigners.”

The word foreigner hits you in your chest. Of course, you didn’t expect to be treated as if you were from here, but to be categorised as something else entirely? It stings, regardless of how you feel about the situation with Morax.

“Your food,” he prompts quietly. Even though you’re almost certain that he isn't going to smite you for using the fork instead of the chopsticks, you refuse to put them down, instead choosing to use them with varying degrees of success.

He watches you carefully, before silently switching to his own chopsticks, quietly pleased with the way you snatch looks at him to copy his form. Slowly, but surely, he’s beginning to understand the way your mind works.

“Have you any interest in looking around Liyue? I’m sure a tour could be organised, if that’s what you wish.” he says to you, once you’ve finished. The food is good, almost as good as the food was at home before things began to go south. 

You want to say no, and to stay within the confines of your new room for as long as you can manage, but the lack of clothing is beginning to worry you. When you don’t immediately reply, Morax tries again.

“Have you everything you need?” He says. “If you aren’t interested in looking around the harbour’s stalls as of now, you can always request what you need from the help, and I’m sure they’d be happy to oblige. The choice is yours.”

You take a bite of your food, and try not to cringe at the sudden spice you taste, trying to calmly take a sip of your wine. 

“Let me finish my dinner before I make that decision,” you say quietly, and Morax simply nods, his eyes narrowing at you slightly. You don’t notice, almost entirely focused on trying to finish the rest of your food without falling apart.

Compared to where you come from, Liyue is loud. Even when you’re deep in the mountains as you are now, the birds and crickets and bugs are louder than they ever were at home, and it makes for a somewhat settling feeling.

“Whilst we’re on the topic of shopping,” You say quietly, ashamed in advance of the words you’re about to say. “It’s not a secret that my nation wasn’t the most prosperous, my existence here is evidence of that—”

“You are here as a guest. Nothing is expected of you in a monetary or emotional aspect unless you are able and willing to provide. Do not worry about things that are unnecessary.”

Your naivety manifests itself in the raucous beating of your chest in response to his words, and you find yourself utterly embarrassed by how easily swayed you are by a basic display of human decency and respected boundaries.

“Alright,” you say quietly. His words have removed him from the centre of your decision and it’s only yourself to consider now. But perhaps that makes the decision harder.

(didn't have enough character left to write what reader says like i usually do sorry lol)

notes: i'm afraid that doing the polls like this will nerf this series even more but its less work for me so :3

i like to pretend that i don't really care about notes and stuff on my posts but for this series specifically the lack of engagement is gagging me lol i've tried so much to get it more out there but ahhh

taglist: @ainescribe @tartigglez