#all in a lyre's serenade

[siredellcomputerblue]

Monsters and Hunters

Hi I'm back with another post it's been like a week I think according to my non-existent internal clock.

So a big part of Lyre is monsters. Monsters and monster hunters. In a lot of media it's slaying monsters and getting gold. Mine is a little bit different. I call them monster hunters because it sounds cooler but really it's more like monster pest control.

There's 3 different types of teams:

PACIFIST - relocate the monster, excludes termination

NEUTRAL - relocate the monster, includes termination if necessary

EXTIRPATE (fancy word that I just now found on thesaurus.com, I'm incredibly smart and I'm still probably going to change it again later) - terminate the monster

Each team has a relocation crew that are separate contracting that pairs with teams, if they are paired with a extirpate team, they'll instead transport the body to strip and sell the parts.

Each team sort of has their own bias and stigma. Pacifist teams often will have more casualties, regarded as a veteran only kind of team and hold high respect (though there are some that still angrily debate the inclusion of natural selection and the food chain like "monsters will eat people anyway, what's the harm of saving a few more hunters if a couple more monsters have to die?" sort of thing). Neutral teams are often the middleman that often gets hit with double standards; don't save as many monsters but save more people, but if they saved more monsters, they would probably lose more people. It's a constant back and forth argument in some circles. Extirpate teams are the black sheep of the group, similarly regarded as trophy hunters since there have been a fair amount of teams that show off their kill and disrespect the monster they had hunted. There are a few extirpate teams out there that try to act as the better options so if need be, people wouldn't have to resort to people that glorify killing animals.

Monster hunters take job requests and often have to set out and travel far from their native guild. In the case of emergency, it's required that each team possess a native guild mana crystal: two mana crystals that are linked together that can create a dimensional door to the other. One is always stationed at a team's native guild. They also only have a certain range, jobs that take place on other islands will require you to check in at one of the native guilds there and take a guest mana crystal. Monster hunters also have an extremely high pay rate, part of this is covered by the guilds and taxes in order to make filing job requests more affordable.

Monster hunters that work in larger teams (6-12 people, sometimes even 20) often take on megafauna and larger monsters, but there are larger teams that also have the sole purpose of dealing with divine entities. I'll get more into them and the gods later, but the primary creations that the gods use as sort of territory markers and puppets are generally referred to as divine entities or angels. Some people obviously find issue with this as the entities and gods were historically worshipped and praised. The gods as well aren't particularly happy either and have their creations fight back against these teams, though it doesn't have that much impact since these entities often get replaced--these big teams are also extremely rare as well because normally no one is insane enough to go after a god's creation.

Monsters themselves have a wide variety of classification (this part is still kinda a WIP). Monster is an umbrella term for all of them, but they can be divided into 3 classifications:

CREATURES - Standard animals and monsters that are more fictional and fantasy esc by design. I haven't worked on creatures specifically too much just yet.

BEASTS - Megafauna that have a more uncommon and rare appearance due to their sizes. Most dwell within oceans and bigger bodies of water, but some are able to survive on land like the dragons.

CRYPTIDS - Monsters that are very separated from creatures and beasts; these are creations of the gods that wander about the world and are often highly feared. There are no species linked to them, they are individual entities that possess awareness and high levels of intelligence.

The classification system is a system that is made to be able to apply to all 3 categories. First comes class then rating. Class describes the safety of the monster's appearance (NOTE, THIS EXCLUDES TEETH AND CLAWS). Rating will describe the behavior.

^^ courtesy of Milanote, great site by the way for fleshing out and organizing notes.

How these will be written out is similar to writing ratios. Reminder again that class comes first, as an example say there's a creature that's small and a class 2, omnivorous and has a rating of 2--this would be written as S2:O2, S2;O2, or S2.O2. Hunters, as well as textbooks, use this to gauge the intensity and danger level. New hunters are often only allowed to take on monsters with a class of 2 and a rating of 5 at the most.

Monsters as well have their own magic, similar to people, though it's much more muted and for self defense. Prey often use it to cast illusions to scare predators away, some prey specialize in it as their main defense mechanism, though aren't enough to fool more intelligent predators. For monsters of the same species, sometimes it can be used as a thing for mating season, seeing as which monster has the more impressive magic and intimidation. For some of the very intelligent monsters, they are able to use their magic to convey feelings and images to others. It's still ongoing research on just how much magic is utilized by monsters.

For monsters that are deceased and taken to have their parts sold, in many cases the meat will be sold to food industries. Some organs will also be sold to food industries and others will be sold to guilds and hospitals for medicinal purposes. The hide and other parts will be sold to craft into various things. As bad as the stigma against extirpate teams is, monster parts have become a crucial integration into society.

------

Well here we are at the end of the post. Again, thanks for reading, I'm having a lot of fun exploring different parts aspects and ideas for monsters and I'm hoping I can keep this up for a long while.

[kagamesayu]

v!genshin x gn!reader

includes . diluc, kaeya, childe, zhongli t/w . 18+ mdni, gn!reader, nsfw, fluff wc: 2.3k a/n . first time posting my writing :,> hope u enjoy! reblogs appreciated ✧

Diluc who loves waking up with you wrapped in his arms, snuggling into his warmth in the winter. Eyes soft as he watches you breathing softly, nose buried in his chest as your fingers gripped onto his waist.

Diluc who loves watching you try to sneak a glance at him working while you sit on the couch in his office, wondering when the hell he’d finally pay attention to you. And he’d be such an ass about it too. You’d get up and stand behind him, leaning on his shoulders and pressing your lips to his ears and neck. 

“Baby, take a break you’ve been working all day.” Really he’d been working for a few hours, you just wanted his love and attention.

“Soon my love,” He’d chuckle and press a long kiss on your cheek before dragging his lips to your own. “Just a little while more darling. Be patient for me.”

Diluc who loves you for the little things you do, like trying to cook him breakfast everyday even when you have a maid to do it. Or when you try to knit him a sweater, totally forgetting his pyro vision that kept him much too warm. Or even when you tried to serenade him by learning the lyre in a span of 2 weeks.

It didn’t matter to Diluc. Because he’d cherish all the food you made for him - specifically for him. Even if it were burnt, he wouldn’t care. Cause you put your time and effort into it. 

It didn’t matter to Diluc that the sweater you made him might have some loose ends, or that it might have been much too big for him. He’d just say that it felt like you were giving him a hug. He’d never tell you how he loved the domesticity of the entire situation. He’d cherish it for years and years and hold it tight if you ever were to leave.

Diluc who loves fucking you silly with his huge dick, and he doesn’t even know how to use it right. It’s just so big that it hits all the right spots. He opens your legs wide, watching his dick moving in and out of you. Your hands move to hold onto his hand that wrapped around your waist, the other holding onto the bed under you as you were drilled into the mattress. 

Diluc who loves to watch tears run down your face because of how good you feel. ‘Stop’ you say? But he hasn’t even cum yet! Don’t be so selfish! His stamina built from all the years of training definitely came to help him. 

Diluc whose oversensitive dick throbbed inside you as he lay beside you after cumming twice. His cum dripping around his hard cock and out of your hole, onto the bed sheet he definitely needed to get changed. He hums, nose buried in your neck as he breathes in the smell of sex, sweat and you. He’ll leave another bite right then and there - doesn’t matter if he already painted your body with hickeys, you can have more!

And it definitely didn’t matter to him that you might have played a note wrongly on the lyre and you couldn’t exactly stay on tune. Because you learnt a whole new skill just for him and he’d always say that you were a much better bard than Venti. You had the voice of an angel and you fucking bet that he was smiling softly, cheeks flushed pink as he tapped his finger along to your music, eyes trained on your fingers playing the lyre, lips shaking nervously. And afterwards he’d give you a hug and tell you that you ‘did so well my little Eagle. so proud of you.’ and he’d place a kiss right on your lips, smiling.

---

Kaeya who loves to kiss your neck, only to watch you shiver, lips curling up and squealing as he laughs at you. You playfully hit his exposed chest before pressing a cheeky kiss against it. The second you do that he holds onto your waist, pulling you close so when you look up you look right into his eyes. 

“Payback.”

“I’ll show you payback.” Kaeya who pulls you into an alley to makeout. You both leave the alleyway dishevelled and panting with red covering your necks and chests.

Kaeya who wrote his first poem for you during the Windblume Festival and beamed proudly as you read it. A smirk on his face once you read the part where he wanted to do...things with you.

Kaeya who entertains your thoughts by giving his own insight and questions. (you both were once in a heated debate on whether birds looked better with arms or not) 

“Okay but imagine if they had arms. They could fly and punch!” “Snowflake, would they even be able to fly if they had arms?”

“...fuck you’re so smart babe-”

Kaeya who loves to reply to you either snarkily or flirtily. He loved giving you a fuckboy face, lips caught in his teeth as he smirked, giving you those eyes. Sometimes you return the face, most times you look away embarrassed and questioning life.

Kaeya who would teasingly pull down his shirt just to show you more of his chest, wanting to see you drool for him.

Kaeya who treats you as a pillow prince/princess, living only to give you pleasure. He could eat you out for hours, loving the way you trembled from overstimulation as he sucked on you, licking and biting every piece of flesh available to him. Absolutely loved to fuck you till you were crying, begging him for more in a babbled voice.

Kaeya who loved to have you cockwarm him as he did his paperwork, giving you praises as you sat nicely on his lap, like the good princess/prince you were. He loved to tease you sometimes, asking you to move a little just to feel you grind against him, your velvet walls clamping down on him.

Kaeya who in his worst, most stressed and touch starved moments would cling to you and ask you to ride him. Whose eyes fill with over-stimulated tears as he came for the nth time, shooting blanks into your hot body as you rode him relentlessly, cooing at him and kissing the tears away.

Kaeya who loved to cook with you, loved how he could always hug you and give you kisses as you prepared your meals. Loved how you were always within reach of him. He’d finish his chicken skewers and just go up behind you, rest his head on your shoulders/on your head and sigh happily. His hands would always either be on your hips or on the counter, trapping you in.

Kaeya who always wakes up earlier than you just to watch you breathing softly. He lays his head on your chest, listening and feeling your heartbeat. Always reminds him that you’re alive. Always makes him feel better if he gets nightmares.

Kaeya who - even if he says it everyday - doesn’t feel that he could ever really show you how much he loved you. He’d had flings before and all those feelings were nothing in comparison to how he felt with you, around you, for you. Sometimes his face would flush darkly, heart beat fast as butterflies would race in his stomach, his chest. His skin would feel warm and he wouldn’t be able to stop smiling around you. 

He’d never show how flustered he actually is though. He’d always bury his face in your neck, lay small kisses against your skin as he whispered ‘I love you’s.

---

Childe who loves getting things for you. All the way from little trinkets to outfits, sometimes jewellery that he specifically gets handcrafted just for you. He loves spoiling his little pet. Anything for you. Anything.

Childe who loves watching you from a distance, eyes always trailing your form, watching you do even the most mundane tasks. He’d watch you go around, buying food, or even just doing laundry. He loves watching you do the most domestic of tasks. It always makes him feel like he has something to come home to. That after every mission he has someone to come home to, to hold, to love.

Childe who loves teasing you - be it in the bedroom or out. He loves to say something and watch you struggle to answer, an amused smirk always on his face as he watches you flush and struggle to grasp for words. Loved having you that way on his cock and tongue as well, trying to breathe as you babbled nonsense - you were always pleading him to either keep going or to stop. In the end it didn’t matter, he does things at his own pace. 

“Sl-oow down please - nghh! Gonna - ahh~!” Your body spasms, hands gripping his hair as he continued eating you out through your orgasm.

“Doesn’t feel like ya want me to stop?” He chuckles, slick dripping from his mouth down to his chin. “You can give me ‘nother, right pretty? Wanna keep tastin’ you~”

Childe who loves having you sit on his lap, panties soaked and in his pocket. You could be impaled on his cock or just riding his thigh, he didn’t care. He just loved to see you act this way, bashful and embarrassed yet so needy. He loves having you this way, particularly when he’s giving commands to his underlings. And if anyone were to look too long, well...they would be ‘missing’ tomorrow. 

Childe who loves the sparkle in your eyes, the absolute excitement whenever you see him, the overwhelming joy when he does something for you or gives you something, the terror and concern whenever he comes to you, all bloodied and hurt. He loves seeing every expression you give him, every emotion he could feel from you. It almost makes up for the lack thereof from his side. 

Childe who never needs to act around you. Who smiles and frowns whenever he wants. Who laughs genuinely whenever you make a joke and scoffs - playfully - when you give him a terrible nickname (One of his personal favourites was the one time you had called titty twistin’, panty lickin’, toe lovin’ dick wad. It cracks him up everytime.)

Childe who looks at you like you strung up the stars everytime you patch up his wounds. Or make food for him. Or hold him tight at night when he misses his family. Childe loves deeply and selfishly and never wants to let you go. You’ve ruined him for anybody else, so take responsibility.

---

Zhongli who looks for you in a crowd of people, and when he sees you smiles that gorgeous smile of his. He’ll quicken his pace to reach your side before offering you his hand to accompany him for his walk. 

Zhongli who greets you everyday with a kiss on the forehead, then to the right cheek, then the left before finally stopping at your lips. Nobody knows when he started doing this, and who were you to stop him? He holds your face in his hands and looks at you like you’re Celestia. Like you’re his world. 

“Good morning Honey.” His voice is low and breathy, content as he goes in for another kiss.

“Mm…good morning handsome.” 

Zhongli who very regularly buys gifts for you. With Childe’s money of course. Personalised chopsticks, hair pins, handkerchiefs, vases, flowers, etc. He’s a traditional man and loves showering his beloved in gifts, even if he didn’t buy it with his own mora.

Zhongli who is mature and talks with you about any misunderstandings. Who never lets an argument go too far and always knows when to stop and give you space. He always calms down before you - and you didn’t know if it was because he’s older or because that’s just Zhongli - and brings you back down to his level. 

Zhongli who makes you use your words when asking him for things. For hugs, for kisses, for sex. Even while you’re lying on the bed, face warm and sweaty, panting and drooling and dumbed down. He almost cruelly asks you questions about whether you want more, if you want him inside, if you want to go another round. 

Zhongli whose love-making and fucking styles are different. Love-making consists of sweet kisses, gentle touches, breathy moans and intimately long looks. When Zhongli fucks, he becomes a beast. A dragon who plays with his possessions as he likes. There are more marks left littering your body, bruising kisses, tears and so much more cum.

Zhongli whose marks glow a bright yellow when he fucks you. His arms glow brightly and his horns come out. It won’t matter what gender you are, he has you in a mating press with your thighs above his shoulders and his hips at a brutal pace. You have to wear long pants or skirts to cover the bruises and scratches left on your hips. And even though Zhongli apologises for his roughness, you can tell he  doesn’t mean it with the way he smiles proudly at the way you stumble around.

Zhongli who can never control himself when he sees you in his clothes. Doesn’t matter if you’re dressed underneath his huge coat or if you’re wearing one of his white dress shirts and only that. He can feel his dragon instincts acting up, his cock twitching and he can barely hold himself back before pouncing on you. Who can blame him though when you look so cute? Really you should blame yourself for getting into this situation, silly!

Zhongli who loves walking around Liyue with you. It doesn’t matter if you’ve walked past the same road like five times, he just wants to have company! You walk with your hand in the crook of his elbow, listening to him go on and on about ‘history’ which is really just him talking shit about Venti. Do you say anything and interrupt his one sided podcast? No. 

[mikashisus]

Light In The Darkness

summary: venti isn't often vulnerable with you, but the one time he is is when he needs a whole lot of reassurance. and you have no problem giving him just that: expressing just how much he means to you.

pairing: jealous!venti x gn!reader

cws: slight angst, hurt/comfort

notes: originally posted this a few hours ago but quickly realized that i made a mistake bc the req was for a jealous mc instead of venti 😭

so instead i’ll post two versions!! this one is the venti version, and the mc version will be posted hopefully tmrw!

wc: 2k

A bard was well-versed in all things poetry. It was their job to serenade those around them.

It was no surprise to you that your lover’s angelic voice touched the hearts of many. After all, that was his job— to sing and dance and play the lyre throughout all corners of the world, gaining popularity as he did so.

Sometimes, you thought the popularity got to his head a little. All those compliments and love struck looks from both men and women alike definitely stroked his ego to a degree.

He could do without all that praise, you thought, watching from afar as your lover sang a classic tale that was well known in Mondstadt. He gets enough praise from the church.

You were well aware he was the Anemo Archon. It was easy to put two and two together after taking a glance at the statue in the center of the city.

Tapping your fingers along to the classic tale, you failed to notice the figure of the Traveler approaching your all but empty table. Aether and Paimon greeted you eagerly, their faces a welcome sight after not having seen them in months.

A smile broke out onto your face instantly. You returned their sentiments, and the three of you fell into idle chatter about their recent journeys. Before long, you were laughing loudly like you always did when Aether came to visit.

He and Paimon were no strangers to the City of Freedom. They often stopped by for a visit around the festival seasons, though this year they had missed the annual Windblume Festival because of a music event in Inazuma.

You hounded them for missing the festival, though it was all lighthearted fun. You told them about Venti’s performance during the Windblume Festival, and how he gained the hearts of many afterwards.

“Wow, sounds like the Tone-Deaf Bard is doing as well as ever.” Paimon’s deadpan expression made you chuckle.

“Indeed. I think he could do without having his ego stroked all the time, but he really is an amazing performer, so I guess it’s alright.” You said.

Paimon huffed and crossed her arms. “Still! He should at least be a bit humble!” She tossed a glare in his direction. “Who knew the Anemo Archon could be so greedy!”

You sighed, a laugh tumbling out of your mouth. It was good to know that Paimon was the same as always. Aether looked just about ready to leave Paimon here, what with all her grumbling and complaining. You were happy to see them in good health.

An hour later, the two were bidding you farewell, claiming they had to knock some commissions for the Adventurer’s Guild out before sundown.

“Take care of yourselves, alright? If you need us, you know where to find us. Please do stop by sometime soon!” you told them with a smile, “Venti bought a vintage recently and we’ve been saving it for a special occasion. It would be the perfect time to break it open!”

“Sure thing!” Aether nodded with a kind smile. “See you around!”

You watched them leave with a small smile on your face before you directed your attention back to Venti. The bard was entertaining a group of drunkards, singing an old Mondstadt tale. It was one you’ve heard only a handful of times.

In the past, it was extremely popular in Mondstadt. However, as the years came and went, it grew to be forgotten amongst the people. As you watched Venti light up with life and rile up the patrons he was singing to, you realized he was doing his best to bring back those old, forgotten melodies.

The door to the tavern creaked open, and from your table near the bar, you could see Diluc take a huge sigh. That could only mean one thing…

“(Name)! Why, it’s quite the pleasure to see you here.” Kaeya’s smooth and charming voice entered your ears.

“Well if it isn’t Captain Kaeya!” You beamed, standing from your seat to give him a nice big hug.

It had been a few months since you’ve seen him last. The last time you saw him was four months ago when he left for Fontaine to speak with a few merchants there on behalf of the Knights of Favonius. Since then, your days were a little duller without his presence.

Though, the void left behind by your best friend was quickly filled by the affections from your lover.

Kaeya chuckled, the sound buzzing in your ear as you kept your head to his chest. “Miss me while I was gone? It’s not like you to get all emotional.”

You pulled from the hug and slapped his arm playfully. “Of course I missed you! Can I not miss my best friend?”

The two of you began catching up as Kaeya called for a few drinks. Diluc sent him a glare as he placed the drinks down on the table, warning him not to order too many, before he retreated back to the bar.

The more you talked and laughed with Kaeya, the more you realized just how much you missed him. It felt like the two of you were kids again, when the both of you were training to become knights and didn’t have to worry about anything at all.

All the while, a shiver ran down your spine as you felt the weight of divine eyes peering at you from afar. This was a feeling you commonly had; whenever you were on a commission for the Adventurer’s Guild, or more importantly, hanging out with Kaeya.

The feeling of a divine force watching you so closely was a little frightening, but knowing where the source was coming from made it less scary and more intriguing.

You knew what your lover’s divinity felt like by now after having been around him for so long. It was a slight pressure on your shoulders, a shiver running up your spine, and a soft breeze that mysteriously came from nowhere. It was quite ominous, though you supposed that word described him perfectly.

In these situations, you knew he was staring at you and Kaeya with that adorable pout on his face and waiting for the right time to pounce on you like a cat. Then, he’d drag you away and the two of you would cuddle and you would whisper words of affection in his ear to assure him how much you loved him and only him.

And so, you waited for the moment he’d interrupt your conversation.

Kaeya was always the type of best friend that made you laugh until your stomach hurt, and playfully flirted with you just because. He was loyal to a fault and not as honest as you wished he could be. But he had always been there for you, a light in the darkness when you needed him.

Gradually, over time, Venti filled that spot of being your light in the darkness, but no one could replace your best friend.

You and Kaeya had been inseparable in your youth, along with Diluc, who tagged along with you both. So, naturally, your bond was quite strong. It stayed that way between both of you even after he told you the truth of his origins.

As he opened his mouth— a teasing smile on his lips that made you realize he was about to ask how you and Venti were doing —your lover in question slid his arms around your neck and dug his face into your collarbone.

You caressed his arm lovingly and placed a kiss to the side of his head. You sighed, a dopey smile pulling at your lips. He was no doubt faking being drunk to pull you away from Kaeya.

“Hi my love,” you said sweetly, “did you drink too much?”

He grumbled into your skin, and that was enough to confirm he was only doing this because he wanted your attention all to himself. It made you laugh loudly, your chest bubbling with life as the sound rolled out of your mouth.

Venti couldn’t help but smile. He loved the sound of your laugh more than anything, especially when he was the cause of it. He adored bringing you happiness and joy. He adored hearing your melodic laugh. He gripped you tighter, not wanting to let you go just yet.

“Well, I think this is where our fun ends, Kaeya,” you told him with a smirk, “I should get this one home.”

He returned your look with a knowing one of his own. He was very familiar with Venti’s antics by now. “No worries. We’ll continue catching up another time. Be safe on the way back to Springvale.”

You ruffled his hair like you always did when you were children. “We will. Stop by sometime, you’re no stranger.”

Standing up, you removed Venti’s arms from around your neck and relocated them to your waist, knowing he wouldn’t be letting go anytime soon.

Outside, the chilly nighttime air was refreshing on your hot skin. You ran your fingers through Venti’s hair and let out a content sigh.

“You know,” you started, a teasing lilt in your voice, “if you wanted my attention so badly, all you had to do was ask.”

Venti looked up at you with that adorable pout you were always so fond of. You cupped his face in your hands as he let out a small whine.

“Were you jealous, my love?”

Stubbornly, he looked away. “No—“

“Uh-huh, sure. I know how you get when you’re jealous.”

He bit his lip before all his worries came tumbling out of his mouth like a broken dam. “How can I not be? Kaeya’s always flirting with you and making you laugh! Sometimes I don’t know whether or not the way you smile at him is… is for something else.”

Venti was not one for being vulnerable. He absolutely despised sharing his true feelings, and preferred to bottle things deeply inside his person. For him to tell you how he felt in this moment was a huge step forward.

It not only meant he trusted you deeply, but it also made you realize that the effort you were helping him put in with his emotions was working. It touched your heart, but his words broke it all over again.

You kissed him, sweet and slow like he always enjoyed. When you pulled away, you placed your forehead on his and smiled.

“For you, I would go against the heavens and sooner make myself an enemy of the divine. I’d follow you to the edge of the world— hell, to the far reaches of the universe just because I love you. My heart and soul are yours, Barbatos.”

You could see it: the way he tried so hard to mask his sadness and how much he tried to avoid letting any tears spill. He inhaled shakily, squeezing his eyes shut in another attempt to deter his cries.

In the end, it was all futile, as the tears fell from his eyes like waterfalls anyway. This time, you waited for him to make the first move, and he did.

After a few moments, he searched for your lips and brought you into a slow, passionate kiss. It was a kiss that told you how much he appreciated your words, as well as one that so very obviously conveyed his undying love.

When he pulled away, he let out a small, sheepish laugh. “I’m sorry for that, love.” His cheeks were red with embarrassment.

“Don’t be,” you told him softly, forcing him to look at you, “Never be sorry for that. Thank you for sharing how you truly feel.”

He was eternally grateful to have you, someone so patient and understanding. He smiled, pressing a kiss to your palm that was on his cheek.

“I love you. To the far reaches of the universe and back.”

Hand in hand, you returned home, laughing all the while as he shared stories of the night’s events. Amidst the wind, he could hear both your hearts beating in unison.

notes: this was not supposed to be 2k words, this was supposed to be less than 1k but u guys know me by now, i always end up writing more when it comes to venti 😭 if u’d like to join my disc server to chat and hangout, u can do so here!

© 2024 mikashisus. do not copy, repost, or translate my works to any other platforms.

[yuyinesque]

WINDBLUME BARD | “𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇 𝖺𝗋𝖼𝗁𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝗇𝖾𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀…”

⚘ précis. = you’ve noticed changes in your lover’s temperament the closer the two of you have grown. they’re not negative changes, per se, but you’re having trouble comprehending how exactly a guileless face could inure such terrors.

⚘ disclaimers. = blind!gn reader x venti/barbatos, poetic writing (he’s a bard, hadda switch up my groove), the baby gust of air goes by they/them, major character death mention (the nameless bard), not proofread.

⚘ category. = sfw fluff/angst headcanons/drabble.

⚘ wc. = 708.

𖦥 m.list. oc.list.

𖤥 Venti is the ballet dancer to your boxer. While all bards possess the ethereality to poetically enact stories that pertain to universal crises, this surrealist in question is the one that stuck out to you the most. You like to imagine that when you're in their vicinity, listening to them charm the ecstatic crowds with their intangible anecdotes, ivory cecilias scampered to flourish each time the mysterious individual would ramble, their trusted diaphanous lyre rejoiced in their memorable tunes to influence the tear-inducing plots, and their guileless giggles mistaking songbirds for melodic flirts from their mates. You naturally developed the obsessive need to protect them, casually and uncharacteristically threaten the ones who would dare disrupt his silly stories, earning a mischievous titter from Venti. Especially since they've been assisting you and your cecity ever since you've moved to Monstadt.

𖤥 You didn't need it, but you didn't say anything, for you believed that they'd leave you alone since there was no reason for them to linger around you anymore. Meanwhile, you're their anticipated fan, adoring the fact that you're the first one there when they're going to sing another song. The nostalgia was overwhelming for the both of you; they could never forget how concerned you were when they received minor backlash that didn't move them in the slightest. It left quite the reputation. How fast you almost ditched your walking stick to follow the voice of their awkward replies to the said outsiders who dared treat them in such a way; it was truly an adorable sight to keep embedded within their memory for eons.

"Well, aren't you as sweet as an ambrosia apple? Ehehe, thank you! Buuut, if you really wanna ensure my peace, I accept libations in decanters, if you know what I mean~... Huh!? What do you mean I "seem" too young to drink!? I'm as old as the Anemo Archen themself!"

𖤥 Meanwhile, Barbatos is the boxer to your baller dancer. As the two of you've grown closer, you've learned a thing or two about the bard who derived from an Archon. Or perhaps is an Archon; your expression was utterly priceless when they confided in you! They would seem to carry more of an aura of an Archon the more you ponder about it; was it because they seemed rather... serene with you now? Previously, they were the personification of bustling billows of suffocating winds, but now the winds practiced tranquility, converting into whispering zephyrs who implored to tell you all the truths needed to understand their character. Their implores were merely in vain, resulting in the bard to continuously quaff down bounties of alcohol to subdue the helpless sentiments they wish not to sing about. To think that he was a retired boxer all this time, subtly swaying you away from the evil of Teyvat to avoid another important loss. The idea of losing you was overwhelming; the thought of being incapable of burying themself in those achromic eyes of yours as they serenaded you under the moonlight was heartbreaking.

𖤥 You could tell that something was bothering them that specific day with the way the tunes were drearier than usual, slower than before, and even some notes were uncharacteristically misplayed.

𖤥 These were one of the rare times they adored the fact that you couldn't see, but loathed the fact that they could. The more they doted at your concerned expression, the more their face suffused with crimson, the more their under eyes surged, reddened, and swelled with disruptive tears, and the more their throat seethed with fears they failed to subdue. Although it's been a while since they last cried to someone, they refused to ruin such an amazing time with you. Because of such, they wiped out their doe, viridian eyes with a feigned giggle, scooting closer to you in order to cuff your hand, which only proceeded to worry you even more.

"Very intuitive. Hehe, as expected from my flawless lover. There's something that's been pestering me a bit, but don't you go worrying about it. Even Archons need to feel something every once in a while. Come on, come on! Let's indulge more in each other, I promise that your presence will wash every dread I have stored in my heart."

yuyinesque | translate with permission & peruse without theft.

[hottpinkpenguin]

I'm in desperate need of sub Thranduil × dom fem reader

Don't care what it is, but i need to see this man put into his place tbh

Slap him, pull his hair, peg him, sneak up on him, drag him away to a secluded area, make him get on his knees and beg. Literally anything 😭😩 Luv ur work

A/n: there's nothing here but toe-curling smut :) hope you love it. MINORS: THIS WORK IS NOT FOR YOU!! DO NOT INTERACT. 18+ only.

Crawl To Me

Sub!Thranduil X Dom!FemReader (gotta be honest, Daddy Thranduil doesn't stay sub forever)

Warnings: smut smut smut, absolutely not even a whisper of a plot, P in V, creampie, squirting, dom/sub vibes, smacking - Word Count: 3646

You jerked upright against the carved wood of the throne, catching yourself just before slipping into sleep. The council of advisors assembled around the dais stifled chuckles at your reaction. The bard from Lake Town who was serenading you and your husband, Thranduil, didn’t notice. He pressed on, his reedy voice warbling over the painfully mistuned notes of the cheap lyre he plucked. You’d appreciated the gesture of appreciation from the residents of Lake Town for the role your people had played in rescuing them from Smaug almost twenty years ago, but after a long and tedious day of presiding over the business of Mirkwood, you desperately needed some excitement in the throne room to grab your attention. Next to you, Thranduil watched the bard serenely, his expression hovering between interest and fondness. He didn’t react at all, although you knew that he had sensed your uncharacteristically obvious disruption. Although you knew you should have been paying studious attention to the performing bard - like your husband - you found your restless mind wandering to other distractions. His handsome side profile did nothing but further escalate your scheming mind. A wicked smirk spread across your face as a plan took shape. Get rid of the bard, and release some of this damn pent-up energy. 

As the plan took full form, you knew that Thranduil was tracing the direction of your thoughts. He could feel your eyes roaming across his face, lingering on his full mouth, remembering the feeling of his lips discovering every inch of your skin… down the long line of his throat and over those broad shoulders that you loved to cling to as his fingers and tongue and cock drove you wild with pleasure… drinking in the sight of his long, smooth hair, imagining how it would feel twined between your fingers. With a shudder, you dragged your distracted mind back to the throne room, uncrossing and recrossing your legs in the other direction, savoring the barest hint of friction in your legs. Thranduil marked the motion, his eyebrow raising imperceptibly. He knew you too well. It was almost a damn liability, and the knowledge that he could sense your awakening lust made it even harder to focus. You sensed his consent in the soft curl at the corner of his mouth and the way his long fingers ran over the smooth wood of the throne’s carved arm in languid, teasing circles. The image of his fingers sent a flicker of warmth curling up your spine from deep within your core. Biting down on the inside of your cheek, you forced your focus away from your husband and back to the crooning bard, resolved to wait until the two of you were alone later that night to see your plans fulfilled… 

**Three Hours Later**

“What do you think you’re doing?” You demanded, stepping into your bedchamber and closing the door behind you with confidence. You heard the guards outside quietly leave to reposition themselves further down the halls, granting you and Thranduil privacy.

Across the room from where you stood, Thranduil froze, his hand mere inches from the green velvet robe he’d been reaching for. You’d timed your entry well; you’d entered just in time to find him shirtless, stripped down to nothing but his soft linen trousers, moments away from covering his exquisite frame in the robe you’d gifted him at the celebration of your marriage anniversary the year prior. 

He heard the note of demand in your voice. He turned half to face you before you issued another command. “Don’t look at me,” you purred as you crossed the room to him. The muscles of his upper back flexed in anticipation as you approached. The sight of his body tensing in your presence was intoxicating. Your fingers came to rest gently on his muscled bicep, tracing a line along the ridge of his shoulder as you whispered in his ear. “Does my lord wish to be commanded, or take commands this night?”

You knew before he answered what he would say; the obsequious way he held his eyes from meeting yours told you that he was in no mood to make decisions. But, nevertheless, it was your practice as a couple to express your wishes in words, even if you were so attuned to one another that a mere glance could say more than your mouths ever could. 

“My wish is only to please,” he replied softly. His blue eyes burned as he turned halfway to face you. “I will do whatever my lady commands of me.”

Your blood sang at Thranduil’s concession. You felt your smirk deepen as the plans you’d been scheming of in the throne room clamored for your attention. Where to begin?

“As you wish,” you replied smugly. 

“Turn to face me.” You took a step back from Thranduil, allowing him to turn and face you fully. The candlelight danced across his muscled torso - a sight you drank in greedily. You kept your eyes glued to him, lingering on the trail of dark hair that started below his bellybutton, tracing a path downward to the part of him that you wanted the most. Your skin danced with heat as you undid the corseted laces at the small of your back, your dress loosening around your shoulders. You shimmied out of it, leaving the embossed black and silver fabric in a heap upon the floor. The cool of the night air mixing with your appetite for release made your skin pucker in goosebumps. You saw Thranduil’s gaze begin to move up the expanse of your bare legs before you issued your next command.

“I said, don’t look at me.” Your words burned with taunting, the feeling of power growing as you saw Thranduil’s expression crumble in disappointment. His eyes fell back to the floor. 

“Your job, right now, is to listen. Can you do that, my lord?” Confusion flashed across his face. This wasn’t your usual fare, but you were set on a path and wouldn’t be turned from it now. He nodded once, swallowing thickly. 

“I can’t hear you, Thranduil,” you continued seriously. He shifted with frustration as he replied, “Yes, my lady, I can listen.”

“Good,” you cooed, stepping back until you felt the bedframe connect with the backs of your legs. You sank onto the mattress, spreading your legs wide and displaying your naked pussy to him. Although his eyes never left the floor, you sensed that he knew what he was missing by the way he chewed his bottom lip, a large bulge beginning to form in his trousers, just below the flat planes of his lower stomach. His hands twitched aimlessly at his sides, almost as if asking your permission.

“You’re not to look, or to touch anything, without my permission,” you added, relishing in the way Thranduil, Elvenking of Mirkwood, the most powerful and regal being you’d ever seen, crumpled in begrudging submission at your words. He nodded, biting down harder on his lip, eyes glued obediently to the floor.

“I can’t hear you,” you said teasingly, one of your hands coming to cup your breast, the other snaking its way down between your legs. Wetness was beginning to accumulate at your center, and you ran your fingers through it. The soft, squelching noise was quiet, but you knew Thranduil heard it. His eyes widened, almost darting upwards before he caught himself, swallowing down a muted moan. 

“Yes, my queen,” he replied. 

“Good job. Kings who follow orders always get rewarded.” You let the promise drip sweetly off your tongue like thick honey. Thranduil shivered with restraint, his head tilting on his neck as his eyes bored holes in the wooden floor. The bulge in his pants grew as the V-shaped muscles atop his pelvis flexed. His fingers found the edge of the dressing table he was leaning against and curled under the edge, desperate for something to grab. You thought about correcting him - reminding him that he didn’t have your permission to touch the table - but your mind was easily distracted by the sight of him getting increasingly needy. Your breath quickened as your fingers found the sensitive bud at the top of your slit, tracing soft and teasing circles around it. The tantalizing sensation and the vision of your subservient king caused you to gasp softly. Thranduil heard the sound and shifted with discomfort. A small spot of moisture at the end of his erection had formed in his trousers, and his knuckles were turning white where his fingers gripped the dressing table.

“Get on your knees for me, my king,” you commanded. Thranduil knelt almost instantly, his desire to please you so consuming that the floorboards shook under his weight. His cock bounced eagerly in his pants, and the sight only tightened the hot coil that was beginning to build deep in your core. 

You shimmied yourself towards the edge of the bed until your pussy hovered right at the edge of the mattress, your feet flat on the floor and knees splayed wide. Thranduil still hadn’t lifted his gaze from the floor. 

“Crawl to me.” The command was so delicious that just hearing yourself say the words pitched you an inch closer to your own orgasm. Thranduil’s eyes flashed with blatant desire as he obeyed, dropping to his hands and knees and moving towards the sound of your voice. The sight of him - half undressed, a faint sheen of sweat dancing across his creamy skin, long hair the color of fresh butter gleaming in the candlelight - on his hands and knees at your command was intoxicating. The pace of your fingers sped up against your clit, and you had to fight the urge to close your knees and rub your thighs together. 

He closed the space between you quickly and hesitated. The sound of your wet fingers moving quickly against your slick center filled the room. 

“Take off your trousers.” Thranduil did as commanded, undoing the lacing of his trousers. His cock burst free from his pants with a satisfied groan from you. His length was impressive, and even after the countless times you’d taken him, you found yourself practically mewling for him to be inside you. But you were resolved to draw this out, to extend your pleasure, and undoubtedly his as well. 

“Kiss my thigh, Thranduil.” Your breathing was shallow, your command not quite so drawling as before. Thranduil lept at your words, his hand instinctively coming to grab your leg as he sat upright.

“Tsk tsk tsk,” you interrupted, momentarily moving your hand away from your clit to slap his arm down. “I said, kiss my thigh. Not touch.” 

Thranduil looked half-crestfallen, half-crazed as he nodded with a quiet murmur of “yes, my queen” before he pressed his lips to the inside of your knee, his hand returning to the floor. 

“Higher,” you ordered. “And close your eyes.” Thranduil did as commanded, his eyelids fluttering shut as he traced a line of kisses up the inside of your thigh. You brought your fingers back to your clit, letting your head fall back against the mattress. Your orgasm was close, and you had designs on how to get yourself there. 

“Keep going,” you murmured, your voice rising in pitch as you felt yourself climbing up one side of your climax. Thranduil’s lips were close to the seam of your thigh, so close you knew he could smell your sex, perhaps even taste you. 

“When I tell you to, I want your lips on my pussy,” you heaved out, eyelids fluttering closed as your fingers strummed needily against your clit. Your toes were curling under, your calf muscles clenching as your thighs began to shake. 

“Say the word, my queen.” Thranduil was so close to your center that you felt the deep baritone of his voice vibrating at your core. The sensation plucked just the chord you needed, and as you felt yourself beginning to come undone, you cried out. “Now!”

Thranduil’s mouth was on your pussy before the syllable had tumbled fully from your lips. He lapped and sucked and ran his tongue over and into you. Your orgasm crashed onto you like a thousand cresting waves, your ears filling with cotton as the earthly world fell away for a moment. You grasped at Thranduil’s head, pulling him harder against you as your walls fluttered and your thighs quaked. Your cries turned silent as Thranduil’s tongue sent you into bliss over and over again, the sounds of his slurping and groaning against your slit the only thing left tethering you to the moment. You drifted there for a while, catapulting from one trembling orgasm into another, until you didn’t recognize the words your lips were trying to form. Everything turned to a shimmering vapor except the mouth between your legs. 

You felt yourself beginning to fall back into your body, your legs collapsing in exhaustion. Thranduil, much to your delight, had stayed true to his orders and kept his eyes closed and his hands unencumbered. You propped yourself up on your elbows, enjoying the view as he lapped at your juices greedily. His mouth and chin were wet with your sex, his cock so swollen it looked painful. Gently, you pushed against his forehead, breaking the contact of his mouth with your pussy. He pushed back somewhat, but your insistence won out, and he eventually sat back on his haunches, chest heaving slightly with exertion and desire. 

“Well done, my king. I wonder, is it time to reward your obedience yet? Or should we play a bit longer?” Thranduil grimaced at the prospect of enduring more time without being given free reign to touch you and fuck you. You smirked, rising up from the bed on slightly quaking legs. 

“Lie down.” Thranduil hesitated briefly until he caught up with your plans. With an eager grin, he rose from the floor and got on the bed, lying on his back. His cock lay against his stomach, its veins engorged, a small drip of precum oozing from its head. You felt yourself clench automatically at the sight of him, your core desperate to feel his girth inside you, stretching you. 

You straddled him on the bed, deliberately letting your hair fall around your face and tickle his neck and shoulders. You hovered your pussy a hair’s width above his cock, letting the heat from your center dance across his member. He felt it too, because he jerked automatically at the faintest hint of contact. His cock twitched eagerly, barely grazing the moisture of your center. He hissed loudly, his hands balled into fists as he resisted the urge to grab you.

“Your eyes stay closed and your hands stay at your side,” you reminded him. He nodded, not bothering to answer you at this point. You weren’t sure if he could speak; he was straining not to break the rules and grab your hips to drive himself shaft deep into you. 

You sank slowly, not taking him into you, but letting your folds barely envelope his cock as you dragged your pussy up and down the length of his shaft, coating him in your juices. He groaned, the sound deep and feral. “You are cruel,” he protested darkly, bringing a fist up to his face so he could bite down on his knuckles. You laughed, thoroughly enjoying seeing him so utterly undone by the lightest touch. You sat back, your weight balancing on your knees, freeing your hands to come to your hardened nipples, rolling them between your fingers. The sensation caused you to gasp. Beneath you, Thranduil thrashed at the noise, a desperate growl emanating from his chest. 

“Stay still, my lord,” you told him, one hand reaching underneath you to grab the base of his member, holding it upright until he was positioned at your entrance. He froze, chest heaving in exertion. You let your hips sink slightly, the head of his cock beginning to penetrate your core. Your pussy trembled, aftershocks from your previous orgasms mixing with the shudders of more to come. 

Beneath you, Thranduil’s head was turned, his eyes glued to the wall. His face was contorted in focus and restraint, his brows knitted and his lips pursed. You reached down and cupped his cheek with your palm, gently but firmly turning his face towards you. “Look at me.”

Thranduil obeyed, his winter blue eyes locking with yours instantly. His gaze burned with an intensity you’d rarely seen from your husband. The neediness on his face matched yours, and it was almost enough to make you want to sink onto him. Just a little more play, you told yourself. 

“Tell me you want me,” you ordered. Thranduil groaned impatiently. 

“My queen, you cannot be ser-”

The slap surprised him. You struck him - not enough to damage, but enough to get his attention - squarely on the cheek. Without giving him time to recover, you grabbed his chin between your thumb and forefinger, jerking his head back squarely to face you. His eyes were wide with surprise, but beneath that shock you saw that the contact had stoked the flames of desire, just as you’d intended. 

“I said, tell me you want me.” 

“I want you,” he uttered breathlessly. You slapped him again, this time harder. His cheek reddened, but he smirked wickedly before bringing his eyes back to meet yours. You let yourself take him deeper, the head of his cock now entirely embedded in your pussy, your walls tightening around it. You gasped at the stretch, another orgasm beginning to tighten your core.

“Again.” Your lust for dominance was so thick it felt like honeyed wine in your veins. 

“I want you, my queen.” Thranduil’s voice was stronger this time, more insistent. “I want you so desperately I can’t think straight-” he paused to lift his head off the mattress, mouth connecting with one of your nipples. He nipped and sucked on it, quickly and roughly. You cried out, your head tossing back, composure and restraint crumbling. His mouth released your nipple to move to the other breast. “-I want you to scream for me-” Another rough nip dragged a cry of pleasure from your throat. He was gaining control over you, your body reacting to his touch and his words. And he knew it. His hands ran down your back until they locked over your hips, grabbing you so tightly you knew you’d have bruises there the next morning. “-I want you to cry out my name until your throat is raw.” Holding your hips exactly where they were, he drove himself with a hard jerk upwards until you felt his cock bottom out inside you. Your legs quivered, the sudden sensation of fullness extinguishing all semblance of control you had. You felt tears prick at the corner of your eyes. “-I want you to remember-” another hard thrust, your pussy trembling as you began to cum, crying out his name “-that you may command me-” you were coming undone, words turning to gibberish, legs trembling as your mind went white “-whenever you want-” your legs buckled, your weight coming down on top of him “-but I fucking own this pussy.” 

He stopped talking, his focus exclusively on driving himself up inside you, again and again. You couldn’t breathe, couldn’t speak, couldn’t do anything except let him take you. He relentlessly pumped his cock in and out of your core, your pussy squirting each time he almost withdrew from your slit, the sensation driving him mad with lust. He roared with pleasure as he pounded, once, twice more, the third time slamming himself as deep as possible into you and stilling. His roaring turned to mewling. Somewhere in the haze of your own fucked out pleasure you became aware that his cock was pulsating as he emptied inside you. You felt boneless, entirely dependent on his arms to hold you up, his hands gripping your hips with delicious intensity. He gasped as the pulsing in your center slowed, his face smoothing from white-hot climax to the warmth of a hard come-down. He let you collapse on top of him, both of you sick with sweat and your wetness. Your breaths synced and slowly, inch by inch, you both began to soften. 

After a few moments, you felt his strong arms wrap around you. You lifted yourself off his still-twitching penis and lay on the bed beside him, your body pressed against his as you lay your head on his shoulder. From this angle, you could hear his heart beating against his ribs, and you counted each beat as the heaving of his chest gradually diminished. He turned his head, pressing a kiss into your hairline. He chuckled slightly. 

“You truly are wicked,” he murmured appreciatively. You lifted your head, feeling drunk from the aftershocks of your orgasm, and gave him a lopsided grin. 

“You don’t seem to mind, my king,” you shot back. He shook his head fervently.

“Quite the contrary,” he replied. After a few moments of silence, he added, “I think we should have that bard to court more often.” 

You only pretended to be offended as you playfully smacked his shoulder. He smiled, a dazzling sight, before he caught your head gently and connected your mouths for a deep kiss. Before you knew what was happening, you felt him roll you onto your back, his weight coming to press down on your body, his cock already beginning to stiffen again as his mouth set to work on the line of your throat. You were about to protest, unsure if you’d be able to handle any more of him, but he caught your mouth with his palm. He looked up from where he was nibbling on your earlobe, his eyes simmering with an emotion you could only describe as eagerness. 

“My turn.”

[poisonsage808]

♡ Indirect ‘I love you’s ♡

w/ podrick payne, tyrion lannister, sandor clegane (should i do more?)

♡ Podrick ♡

• Podrick is absolutely enamored by you so his heart, lungs mind- everything simply stops when you tell him you love him

• The words are stuck in his throat and, bless his kind heart, he apologizes for it! He thinks he falls for you even harder when you smile and kiss him softly, “Don’t be sorry, I only wanted you to know.”

• Brienne thought you would be a distraction but was proved wrong. Pod’s never been late to training and works harder in the yard, especially when he catches you watching as you pass by. Words may fail him but he can make sure that his sword won’t

• She and Tyrion can attest to it, Pod has always done his damnedest to protect the ones he cares for, he wants you to see that you’re no exception to that

• Said people from above also notice Podrick starts humming when doing tasks or strolling from one place to another

• Tyrion watches his old squire bid him goodnight after only an hour of drinking, faintly hearing that same tune fading down the hall. One doesn’t need to have the mind of a Lannister to see a fool in love, and this fool somehow proudly sings for all to hear

• His voice is wonderful. He knows it too that damn smirk on his face tells you so, “Podrick Payne, what are you doing?” You ask with a cheek hurting grin as he takes your hands into his

• He continues to serenading you, swaying you in small, slow circles. Pod enjoys how the tables have turned, now it’s you who’s as red as a tomato. Redder when his hand slides to your back as he dips you, kissing you passionately

♡ Tyrion ♡

• You’ll never want for anything if you’re his, he’ll do everything in his power to make certain of that

• Howeverrr if what you want is to hear the words then you’ll need to be patient. There’s been two people in this world that've both shown and told him he’s loved, his brother and his first wife. He’s just not ready but don’t they say that actions speak louder anyways?

• Tyrion doesn’t just throw money at situations regarding you, he’s very meticulous in his gifts and he listens to you as much as he speaks

• Your shoes are worn? Here’s five new pairs, take any or all of them. You liked that wine you had months ago that you can’t remember the name of? He’ll have it served with supper tonight. You offhandedly mentioned wishing you could play the lyre? A tutor will be present shortly and Tyrion wants a private performance as soon as possible

• Tyrion’s a busy man and any spare moment he gives to you but sometimes the hour is already so late you’re fighting sleep just to spend more time him

• He’s also a smart man that’s good with his words, he has a soothing voice that suddenly turns smug and your eyes open to glare at him

• “I know what you’re doing,” You say, struggling to hide a yawn. “I would hope so, I only do this every night. How else am I supposed to get you to rest?”

• A compromise is found, Tyrion lays with you in bed and tells you stories until you pass out with your arms around him, trapping him there with you until morning

♡ Sandor ♡

• Tell him you love him and Sandor softly replies with, “I know,” pressing a kiss to your crown

• The words scare him. Not as fiercely as fire but he sees them, sees you, as a weakness nonetheless

• Saying them outloud puts a target on your back and not only for the people around him, if the gods hear he’s acknowledged the words and decided to take you away from him— No. Sandor couldn’t live with that.

• Protection has always been the most natural way for him to show you that you hold his heart

• “I’d kill for you, y’know that?” He starts saying after you tell him you love him, or “I’d die for you,” while cupping your face in both his hands, he needs you to know he means it

• It doesn’t bother him one bit to know blood was spilt by his hand as long as you’re safe at the end of each day

• A less obvious way is when he feeds you— sometimes literally, Sandor will make sure you’ve eaten one way or another. Don’t tell him you’re not hungry, he’ll say, “Didn’t ask if you were hungry, open your mouth.”

• He’ll also let you pick off his own plate and grab you seconds without asking. Don’t worry about wasting, if you’re truly full then Sandor will finish off the rest

♡ requests open! ♡

[shadowcatzone]

vampire venti had 24% of the votes, but here are shorts prompts for the others that didn't win.

Demon Barbatos (Venti) 15.2%

Barbatos (aka venti) as the literal actual demon barbatos from the spinoff of the christian bible, making a pact with you aka you're selling your soul to venti.

Siren Barbatos (Venti) 14%

Barbatos with a fishtail, or maybe just fins, serenades you, and one day you get dragged to the bottom of the sea by him (and may or may not turn you into one too, afterwards)

Fae Venti 11.8%

you find a good looking young man in a circle of cecilia flowers. others warned you not to go, but it can't be dangerous considering the young man with the lyre is standing in it too. so you step in and give him your name (which you should never do when dealing with fae)

Fae Barbatos (Venti) 9.6%

barbatos as leanan sidhe, becoming your lover and giving you inspiration beyond imagination. all at the low low price of your life.

Ghost Venti 5.6%

you hear a haunting melody in the place you pass by every night. OR: venti possessing you/ parts of you to have some fun

Hexenmeister (witchmaster) Venti 5.6%

venti put a spell on you, and now you're his.

Harpy Barbatos (Venti) 5.1%

barbatos picking you out of a field, mid flight deciding you'd make a great final addition for his nest. don't worry, he'll take care of you feed you... but the nest isn't complete without eggs, is it?

"monster under the bed" Venti 4.5%

venti with a somewhat montrous appearance, drags you under your bed and has his way with you.

Nightmare Barbatos (Venti) 4.5%

(this was a mistake on my part. should've written "incubus barbatos") visits you in your dream and... well, you know.

[dymme]

What instruments I think the BG3 origin companions would play (and other musical tidbits):

Lae'zel

As the Githyanki are a very warmongering nation, I'd say music would be used for training and morale rather than expression and enjoyment.

Dance is used to show stamina, skill and strength. I imagine something like a cross between ballet and wrestling. Some creches will have war dances that they perform before battle to intimidate the enemy.

Typically very powerful and rhythmic instruments, such as percussion and the big brass; think marching band, but without the higher pitches. All Gith would be taught to perfect all these instruments from a young age to teach discipline.

I headcanon that Lae'zel (perhaps like all Githyanki) has perfect pitch but doesn't think it's impressive.

"You don't know a G#7sus4 chord when you hear it? Pathetic. Even your ears are inferior to the Githyanki."

Higher-pitched instruments (e.g. violin, flute) hurt her sensitive ears, but she likes the lower-pitched string and reed instruments (e.g. oboe, cello)

She is unimpressed by the clumsy and jovial nature of the folk music they come across in taverns and on the road, but Gale shows her the art music of Faerûn and develops an appreciation of music for the sake of music through that.

Everyone is surprised at how poised and graceful she is when she one day busts out some of her ballet moves when having a music session with Gale.

Shadowheart

She can't remember if she ever played an instrument or how, but finds a certain familiar comfort when plink-plonking on the strings of a lyre.

She found it in the goblin camp a little beat up and missing a string, but felt a warmth in her hand when she wrapped her hand around the wood - right before the pain shot through it from her wound.

But she didn't drop it.

Back at camp, she sneaks off so that she can pluck at it in peace and marvel at he pretty, if out of tune, notes that are drawn from it by her tentative fingers.

Sometimes, she finds herself humming a tune she almost remembers along with her playing.

Wyll offers to teach her one day and she is completely embarrassed and brushes him off. However, whenever he plays his lyre she finds herself enraptured with how his fingers move across the instrument.

At her next private practise session, she tries to mimic what she saw. She groes a bit frustrated, as it doesn't sound the same as when he plays it, as she somehow knows it should sound.

Next time she sees Wyll, she asks him if he can replace the missing string. He is happy to help. He even tunes it for her. He offers to teach her again and she declines, but more kindly this time.

When she plays again, her fingers play with a muscle memory even she can't recall. Then, her hand is struck with that familiar pain that she will never get used to.

But she didn't drop it.

Astarion

I've headcanoned Astarion as a rogue roleplaying as a bard, so even though he can't cast any magic with it, he has picked up a few instruments in his long (un)life.

He had tried a few and abandoned them before deciding on the violin. Impressive-looking to play and such pretty notes to serenade his pretty prey. He isn't brilliant, but technically good enough to play a pleasant tune.

He can even sing a little, which he enjoys a lot more, although hasn't sang in a long time. The last time he sang was to himself while locked in the tomb by Cazador to try and keep himself sane, but that was soon snuffed out.

He slowly starts to singing to himself again while with the gang as the weeks go by. He would play violin with Wyll and Karlach every now and then, but it didn't spark the same joy.

One day, Wyll is inevitably playing an instrument around the fire at camp; a well-known tavern songs. Astarion starts off mouthing the words to himself, then humming, then joining in on the chorus and eventually dancing around with Karlach, singing and trying to get everyone up to dance with him.

He is very embarrassed about that for the next few days. He does do it again, though.

Gale

Gale had a lot of time to study when he locked himself in his tower and some of his books are to do with music: the history of Faerûn art music, studies on how magic and music intertwine and even sheet music of famous symphonies.

He mentions that the Weave is akin to music and poetry; he likes to "try his hand at poetry" so of course he would explore this different kind of magic!

He has a beautifully crafted upright piano in his library that is enchanted to always stay in tune. It is covered in different piles of books and unfortunate drippings of candlewax from late-nights of scales practice.

Tara likes to lie on top of it when he is playing calmer music and scolds him when he starts getting into the fortissimo stuff and wakes her up.

Extremely technically good, beautiful musicality and has even trained himself to have perfect pitch, but can't improvise for shit. So he would rather enjoy the show that the party put on than join in, however Astarion or Karlach will persuade him by dragging him up for a dance.

Bit of a snob when it comes to tavern songs, but enough wine and he will be singing along with the rest of the group.

His eye twitches a bit at the fact Lae'zel thinks perfect pitch is inherent.

Wyll

As the son of a Duke, he would have had the privilege of a number of specialist tutors in his youth, including a music teacher.

He can read music well and can play a number of different instruments. Music comes naturally to him and can figure out unfamiliar instruments fairly quickly.

For all his technical ability, he still prefers to improvise, jam with others and play bawdy tavern songs. His favourite instruments are the more humble and accessible sort, such as the fiddle, wooden flute, basic lutes, etc.

As well as teaching the tiefling kids how to fight, he would gather them around after training and play simple tunes while telling them heroic stories.

Is That Guy who takes out his guitar in front of the campfire without fail, but is actually good. He is especially gratified when Astarion eventually joins in on the festivities.

He notices Shadowheart has a lyre at her tent, but never sees her play it. He offers to teach her. She splutters and scoffs that she doesn't need the distraction.

After that he plays his own lyre a little more as he can see how her eyes light up when she hears it.

Karlach

She loves dancing so of she loves some music to dance along to! She loves life and has her own soundtrack going in her head.

She would play makeshift instruments on the streets of Baldur's Gate as a child to make some extra coin.

Besides doing her little dances, she'll hum, sing and whistle aimlessly. Always the one to start the group singing in a tavern and is the first to get up and dance to the tavern's bards playing, even if they aren't very good.

Hasn't been able to play any instruments since she started burning up, as they'lljust disintegrate, so has had to do with body percussion, singing and beatboxing.

When her engine calms down, she wants to play anything and everything she gets her hands one. Wyll graciously (if somewhat hesitantly) allows her to play his instruments, but she is more than able to improvise.

Not technically good on most instruments that arent her body, but more than makes up for it in enthusiasm and creativity.

Is good at drums, because girl's got rhythm and, well, SMASH!!

Begs Lae'zel to teach her about the ballet-wrestling of the Gith when she sees her bust a move. She enjoys the wrestling aspect a lot and uses her moves in the next tavern brawl. Lae'zel approves.

[ninasmovingcastle]

Can I request Venti reuniting with s/o he hasn’t seen in years?

your wish is my command anon !!

forevermore - venti

venti x gender neutral!god!reader

word count: 526

in which you reunite with your beloved after being assumed dead following the archon war

content warnings: alcohol

↳ god!reader disappeared after the archon war and hasn't been heard from since.

↳ as a last resort during a battle in the war, you used up most of your divine energy to protect yourself, taking on the form of a mortal.

no matter how much time had passed, barbatos could not go one day without thinking of you. he refused to move on and simply assume you were dead.

he knew he had responsibilities to attend to in his city, but he would have traveled all across the universe to rediscover any trace of you.

and you felt exactly the same, though you were no longer strong enough to reach every corner of teyvat. you devoted your mortal-like life to roaming far and wide. anything to reach him again.

your immortal spirit confined to a commoner's body wandered every street of teyvat for centuries, waiting to be reunited with your dear barbatos. your travels had taken you from the icy wastelands of snezhnaya to the thriving forests of sumeru; to the depths of enkanomiya and the furthest edges of the abyss.

no number of fruitless adventures would interrupt your motivation, however. you were always completely devoted to finding barbatos, to let him know you never gave up on him.

your journeys led you to mondstadt, the idyllic city of freedom. throughout teyvat, the region was known as one of romance and bliss. what better place to find your lover than here?

the locals treated you like any other tourist. you were invited to a tavern by a welcoming monstadter, which you did not decline. you sat around a small table outside the bar while your newfound acquaintance ordered for you.

a thousand years' worth of memories flashed through your mind as you heard it, barbatos' tune once again. it must be a dream, or perhaps your drink was a little too strong. behind you was a young-looking bard, serenading tavern patrons.

locking eyes with the one you instinctively knew was yours was a feeling too intense, even for the immortal. he realized it was you, too, immediately setting down his lyre to approach you and pull you away from the table.

"i knew you were alive," he says, his eyes dancing with joy. "call me venti."

you spend the night with him exploring mondstadt, taking shelter beneath a great tree he claims is a historic landmark.

"what's so special about this tree?" you ask. not that you particularly care about the tree, but you're simply so infatuated with your lover that you'd ask an eternity of stupid questions just to hear his voice.

"oh, it's a long story," he laughs, leaning against the trunk.

he reaches for your hand and holds it gently. to feel his skin on yours, to feel his pulse and his warmth, it tethers you to him.

"we have time," you smile, resting your head on his shoulder, exactly as you did eons ago.

[siredellcomputerblue]

I'm a fiend for magic systems so here's mine

Alrighty. Magic systems. Yes, love em. Mine is very crucial to know when getting into world building since it's heavily integrated into society and everyday life. This post is going to be long so uh sorry not sorry.

In terms of this magic system, the basic rule to know is: magic is only limited by imagination, experience, and the varying state of being.

Mana in your body has a similar upkeep as your circulation. Physical exercise will help your mana flow correctly and at the correct pressure. While still in your body, not converted into magic, it's a fluid, like blood, plasma, saliva, etc. and acts as such. It's necessary that physical condition is decent at least to have good magic flow and to be able to perform magic at a basic standard. Sickness and emotional health will affect magic just as much as physical condition.

There's a phenomenon in which people can accidentally trigger magic without meaning to that can be referred to as Mana Sparks; there is a small and distinct crackling sound that occurs during the event.

When something is created with magic, it is an imitation of the original object or element. Mana, similar to blood or hair, cannot be ingested, it will cause illness. It's just as well each magic user will have their own unique interpretation or imitation of an object or element. If one were to create water, the color, temperature, and taste may vary from someone else's creation of water. If one were to create food to be consumed (it will make you sick it's not real food) the taste would be the creator's expression of their own taste buds; you would taste something how the creator would taste it.

There are 3 general aspects to magic: density, control, and stamina. Density is the overall strength and concentration that your mana and magic will display. The other two are more self-explanatory, though with more control means more fine tuning details and having higher quality magic. Demons have higher magic density, humans have more stamina, and elves have more control. That is the trinity of balance.

In terms of casting magic, it must come from one of your extremities, there is no casting magic separate from your body--in order to do that you would need to have a trail of mana leading to the spot where you would want to cast magic.

Mana is often invisible outside of the body unless in active use, meaning you can let it leak out, but it's not ignited. The actual color of your mana depends on your eye color. In uncommon cases, your mana color will be a relative's eye color.

Eye color as well can be influenced by strong emotions, though the color will change based on the color you associate the emotion with. Since this was confusing in terms of socialization, there came about a chart linking emotions to certain colors. In serious cases like depression, your eye color can be altered indefinitely which in turn affects your mana color.

Due to the amount of visualization that's required to cast magic, the ability to visualize in this world is much higher than ours--but that doesn't stop conditions like aphantasia and hyperphantasia from existing. In the context of this world, aphantasia is regarded as a disability considering it's the main technique of casting magic. For people with aphantasia, casting magic is much harder and requires a lot more effort to shape and mold magic. Hyperphantasia depending on the case can also be regarded as a disability. For some, it helps strengthen the foundation of their magic. For others that get intrusive thoughts often or have multiple strings of thought at once, it's more of a hindrance and interrupts concentration more often than naught. It also mixes badly with a horrific condition called Hunter's Syndrome. For monster hunters, they are required to recall the pain they have experienced to get the job done. In general, dreams and nightmares are more vivid, but for those with Hunter's Syndrome, they may end up experiencing episodes of pain and in bad cases they unintentionally hurt themselves, so they are prescribed Mana Stone bracelets--the stone absorbs magic and slowly releases it back into the air over time. Basically it makes it so that it requires more mana to be used to cast magic, but it also reduces the likelihood of one hurting themselves.

Using magic in an ill-intended or harmful way against another person is ENTIRELY illegal.

-----

Healing Magic:

My idea of healing magic is a very simple mechanic; speed up the healing process, not necessarily "healing" on its own if that makes sense. If it's used on say a bare patch of skin that's perfectly healthy, it can cause an overgrowth in skin tissue, even causing cancer at times, so the magic has to be used carefully. Like with tinctures, mixed herbs can help aid the reception of healing magic and help support a healthy recovery. By standard, healing magic has to be done at a slower pace, both to reduce the likelihood of causing cancers and to reduce friction from cell reproduction. Field medics are knowledgeable in treating physical wounds and such, however in terms of sickness/disease, one would be recommended to go to a doctor or hospital depending on the case (not that medics can't treat sickness, but more advanced illnesses are more out of their scope of knowledge).

-----

Telekinesis:

Telekinesis is an idea I played around with for a while and decided I was going to incorporate it--with a rule set of course. You have a certain amount of reach, and the amount you can lift ties in with how much you can physically lift. You can have a higher ratio of magic strength than physical strength, but the two properties still go hand in hand. Trying to lift something that is farther away from you will also be more difficult (think of it as trying to reach and lift something that you can barely get your fingers around--like trying to lift a water bottle with the tips of your fingers is much more difficult than using your entire hand).

-----

Bio-mimicry Magic:

This kind of magic can be harmless or incredibly dangerous depending on the element that's imitated. Basically this is my version of elemental magic you might see in other media; you can copy the elements you see but depending on your experience with them, they may be more or less accurate to the actual element, or you may just be putting up a cheap trick that's all looks and no substance. As an example say, fire magic, if you've never been burned before, then your fire magic is simply the image or illusion of fire; a fancy light show that sometimes people use to prank other people. Another thing with bio-mimicry magic is in terms of temperature, the spell will have to be a concentration; if you're in extremely hot weather and you try and create ice, you may create the image of ice but the temperature will be a struggle depending on how good your focus is.

-----

Emotion Manipulation Magic:

This is very difficult magic to do, it requires a lot of control and experience to be able to do it correctly. With magic, experiences and drawing from experiences is one of the core mechanics--this is the same for emotion manipulation. It's very rare to see it in action in the proper manner, however, other instances can be sharing feelings for communication though, the legality of it is tricky since it can be used for actual manipulation. With the best control, a single emotion can be conveyed in a precise manner, almost like telepathy in the sense that it portrays a specific feeling with high accuracy. Normally what you would see would be whatever you feel in the moment, a wishy washy wave of feelings that are pushed towards the recipient. The area that this magic has to be performed on in terms of physical touch is anywhere above the shoulders and neck. Holding someone's cheeks or resting your hand on their head are the normal positions, though the first is generally reserved for intimate or close relationships. This kind of magic can be cast from a distance with a trail of mana.

-----

Form Magic:

This is kind of a magic that is generally used for social interaction or practical purposes. The limit of how much you can change your form ties in with how much control and stamina you have--less so with density--as well as your physical form itself; you cannot change your body shape, nor can you change your form from being humanoid. Most of the time, you will see people changing the form of their extremities or the texture of their skin. So, technically catgirls and whatever is relative in that category can exist and are part of the culture. Some people will end up with very high stamina as they try and maintain their form magic for long periods of time, other instances in terms of cosmetics are generally used for costumes. For practicality it may serve to change your hands into claws of some kind in case you require something long or if you need to reach something farther.

-----

Force Magic:

Force magic is sort of what it sounds like; you imagine you apply force to an object or being, and in that vein it's a little like an offshoot of telekinesis. Depending on what you use this magic for, its effects will be wildly different. Most of the time this is used for combat; in broad terms, force magic is like a wall, and you can still use that to bludgeon targets, but if you narrow the shape enough, it can act as a blade though you still need the intent and experience in pain to actually pierce skin (mana density also plays a factor in how much damage you do since it's the base strength of your magic). Since the principle of this is pretty much "more pain, more damage", it's created this trend in creation of illegal training camps that force (no pun intended) harsh and torturous methods onto hunters in training as opposed to standard training.

There is a subtype to force magic called psychic force magic--sort of the unholy combination of force magic and emotion manipulation magic. In a simple explanation, you shove your bad emotions, feelings, or physical sensations onto a target, though this can pair with drug use like psychedelics and hallucinogens. If the attack is sudden enough, it can put the target into shock and even potentially send the target into cardiac arrest. It's extremely dangerous and rare to see (also highly illegal to use in any application as it's inhumane in general).

-----

Damn that ended up being longer than I thought it would be--some of these sections were prewritten and I just edited and added onto them.

I don't really know how to end this so uh have a couple pictures-

[imthepunchlord]

If you were to make the Greek Zodiac into a set of magical tools, what tools would each Zodiac be?

Luckily, a few of the Greek Zodiac are already objects or are tied to gods and myths who are tied to objects.

Aries - Golden Fleece, based on the Ram that gives the Golden Fleece. Provides powerful healing.

Taurus - Sword, based on Theseus who fights the Cretan Bull, his main symbol is a sword (maaaaybe this could inspire Excalibur? If so, could do what Excalibur does). Otherwise could do the sword has a destructive cut, be a literal bulldozer.

Gemini - Castanets, lightly works off Castor and Pollux, twin gods of horses and sailors; working off that it sounds like casting nets and is an instrument that is a pair, and they look like clams. It's a stretch but I got nothing else. Idk on powers.

Cancer - Crab Claw Themed Club, works off Hercules who crushed the crab that pinched in the fight with the hydra, and one of Hercules' symbols is a club. I initially thought of a crab themed shield, but there's nothing protective about. This dude literally got into the Zodiac just cause he pinched Hercules and that's it. Idk on powers.

Leo - Lion Pelt, based on the Nemean Lion slain by Hercules, provides invulnerability to weapons. Ultimate defense.

Virgo - Blindfold, works off Astraea/Dike/Lady Justice, as sword and scale are elsewhere, Virgo gets the blindfold. Thinking it works off knowledge is power/truth related. Maybe lie detection. Rip Lila if this ever came up.

Libra - Scale, tied to Dike/Lady Justice. Uh, maybe karma influencer? This thing just knows what you did and weighs your actions.

Scorpio - Lyre, works off Scorpius being sent by Artemis or Apollo (who both are symbolized by lyres) to take out Orion; plays a ruinous discord that that weakens and diminishes life (playing off that Scorpius killed Orion).

Sagittarius - Bow, as this sign represents the archer. Uh, maybe an arrow fired never misses it's target?

Capricorn - Lightning Themed Spear, works off Capricorn lightly based on Amalthea, a goat who nursed baby Zeus, also can work off goats are tied to Thor. Summon and direct lightning.

Aquarius - Pot, works off the water carrier, and Aquarius is often represented by someone pouring out water. Might be just a straight forward water canon.

Pisces - Seashell, works off Aphrodite who has ties to Pisces myth, often having fish assist her in some way. I got two ideas for possible powers: 1. play the seashell to play a serenade, all who hear fall under your spell, coming to "love" you (though it can be a dangerous power to abuse). 2. Hold the seashell to your ear, and it can tell you your fated partner or give you the latest romantic gossip.

[dansconcepts]

GI Roleswap AU - Meeting Venti

"I am the last one." The yaksha- who's actually Venti, who knew?- admits. 

You seem pretty lighthearted about it was Aether’s immediate thought, but he noticed the tenseness he doesn’t often see in the bard/yaksha’s eyes, the unnatural glint of a smile that doesn’t match. His tease dies on his tongue.

However, in unsurprising Paimon fashion, she holds no such reservations as she goes, “You don’t seem the least bit upset about that!”

Venti's eyes immediately narrow, but his smile grows even wider, if that were possible. “Don’t tell me how I feel.” He hisses out, words dipped in honeyed poison.

“EEP!” Paimon screeches. The fairy’s head frantically bobs up and down. “Got it! Loud and clear!” 

Yet under her breath, she murmurs, “to think the bard can be so scary like that… what a terrifying change!” 

Venti’s eyes glare impassively at the small being, and she immediately freezes, wondering if he heard. 

The yaksha turns away. He has a more settled gaze, with an actual frown. She lets out a sigh of relief. Aether watches them, calculating. 

“If that’s all you needed, I best take my leave! Oh, to depart from you is quite the relief!"

"HEY! WHAT DO YOU MEAN RELIEF?!"

"Ehe~! Bye-bye Traveler and your little pet!" The bard waves in lieu of answering. Almost like an afterthought, he adds, "You're pretty decent for a human!"

And he disappears with a sudden breeze of the wind.

[Some angsty Venti in the form of the flute scene because Xiaoven under the cut]

Is this how he dies? 

The silence blares louder than his pained gasps of breath. Each sharp intake bleeds out of him like the gashes he's taken. His head pounds to a jarring rhythm, lyrics growled and snarled at him as they take delight in his pathetic attempts to stand up and find his lyre. 

He'd honestly cry out, if his throat was able to. Yet it feels like even that, too, is torn apart, and his tears flow more freely than he'll ever be able to feel. 

It certainly flows better than his rhymes. He snorts.

He honestly could use the rest, eternal as it’ll be. So many of his friends have done so already.  Vennessa… Dvalin… 

He wonders if there will be anyone who would tell the tale of the death of the final, and last, Yaksha. The one who sung lullabies to entrap monsters into eternal slumber. The one who used the winds to carry a voice razor sharp in both wit and piercing with wordplay. The one only seen by a few and trapped by the contract he had signed, dying on the same soil he vowed to protect. 

Voices grow louder with their resentment. Crescendos, really, until everything means nothing. All of it.

He is so tired.

This is what he deserves. He aches to close his eyes.

Yet he doesn't.

A soft melody calls to his soul. To his role. To the body that lays still, so unlike himself who never stops dancing to a phantom beat.

He is certain it belongs to a flute. 

Yet what flute's songs can drown out screams? What flute was a serenade, coaxing the burning of the wounds to soothe, the thoughts in his head to rest, letting himself focus on the forefront of his mind?

A stunning clarity did the flute bring. Even with his... talents, he cannot produce such a sound. Its playing coos at him, reaching out a metaphorical hand from its composer. 

It was unlike any song he's heard before, and he knows so many over the years from purely seeking it out. 

He wants to stand and cry and laugh and cry again.

So unlike his music.

Music acting to save, not to kill. 

He knows not of anyone, either archon, mortal, or adeptus, that plays an instrument like this flute.

However, he's presented the answer when the song reaches a bridge of calm, of promise, and of a cool caress against his cheek. Wind! 

He's taken, higher and higher, and he laughs. He laughs, even with the blood drying on his skin. He laughs, because he is weightless, and has heard the most beautiful thing in his whole lifetime. He doesn't want to let it go. 

The beauty of this world rushes through him, and suddenly he wants nothing more than to experience more of it. To remember it. The now and the then. Maybe even the potential of a future just as beautiful.

And, as if praising him, he feels the wind slowly die down around him, gently setting him back on the ground. 

It spins around him. His braids float with it. His hand trails after the winds with a giggle, before it drops something in his hand.

A Vision.

An Anemo Vision.

He recalls the name from his Lord Tartaglia, mentioned offhandedly with an indifferent shrug, slightly terse on his lips.

"Alatus." He breathes. The name of his saviour. 

And the music stops. Yet the wind- or perhaps it was himself, really- keeps the melody stuck in his head. 

It hasn't ceased. He doesn't want it to.

He doesn't ever try to replicate it. 

[yunessa]

The bard strums their lyre, the melody haunted Their fingers dance along the strings, feeling their loss A tale of loss and sorrow in the Bad Luck Tavern, sings in the night The box lyre weeps with them, in the pale moonlight

Every note a tear, every chord a sigh The bard's voice quivers, as they sing of memories lost

The box lyre moans as the bard's heart bleeds Their song of lament, of fellows sitting with them discussing their crusades A tale that no one at the Tavern heeds Strumming for the memories lost, singing for what's gone The bard and their box lyre, forever withdrawn

In the empty tavern, once filled with comranders the lanterns flicker low, faces forgotten, words lost The bard's mournful melody, a haunting echo The box lyre vibrates, with each heartfelt strum The bard's somber tune sung to the spirits that come

In the silence of the night, all alone the bard bears their soul Through the box lyre's strings, their emotions unfold

The box lyre moans, the bard's heart bleeds Their song of lament, a tale that no one heeds Strumming for the lost, singing for the gone The bard and their memories with their fellows forever gone

The box lyre weeps, the bard's tears fall Their melody of grief, captivating all The souls of the departed, drawn near As the bard's mournful song whispers in their ears

The box lyre moans, the bard's heart bleeds Their song of lament, a tale that no one heeds Strumming for the memories forever lost, singing for the fellows forever gone The bard and their box lyre, forever withdrawn

In the hush of the night, the bard's melody fades The box lyre's strings still echo the serenades A story of sorrow, performed with grace The bard rises, taking their box lyre, leaving without a trace.

[hitomisuzuya]

PLS IGNORE MY ASK UNTIL U FEEL LIKE ANSWERING SUZUUU!

Valentines is rolling around so! Headcanon of what Kazuha, Venti Xiao and Kuni would do for you on valentines? SFW ❤️❤️❤️ (Tomorrow where I am its valentines day 🥱🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻)

a/n: Hello dear and Happy Valentine's Day! I hope you enjoy❤️ I hate that I can't really find gifs of Kuni😔

Kazuha x fem!reader Venti x fem!reader Xiao x fem!reader Kunikuzushi x fem!reader Headcanons for what they would do for the reader on Valentine's Day. Fluffy fluff fluff. A little suggestive in Kazuha's part but not really.

Kazuha went all out on Valentine's Days . Flowers. Dinner. Dancing. A walk under the moonlight. You got it all.

When you asked him what he wanted for Valentine's Day, here is what this sweetie said: "All I want is you. But, you could wear a certain outfit for me when we go to dinner."

Be ready for him to trail off when he was talking to you just to admire you when you smiled or laughed at something he said during dinner. He couldn't help himself you just looked so beautiful tonight.

You would cuddle together after your walk on the beach with him.

Much like Kazuha, Venti would go all out on Valentine's Day.

He would write you poetry and songs. Give you big bouquet of Windwheel Asters.

He would serenade you in the street in front of a crowd of people. You were his muse. You deserved nothing less to be serenaded while he played his Lyre.

Venti would take you on a ride through the clouds on Dvalin's back, telling you the night sky paled in comparison to your beauty.

"Look, y/n, even the stars want to shine brighter for you!"

Xiao went to Zhongli for advice on what he should for you on Valentine's Day. Next to you, he was that one that Xiao trusted the most.

He would buy you a bracelet that had a small chunk of Cor Lapis in the leather of the bracelet. He'd always thought the color of the stone made your skin look even prettier than it already was. Please wear it everyday. It would mean a lot to him.

Zhongli would take care of his duties in protecting Liyue on Valentine's Day. Xiao had told him that it wasn't necessary, but Zhongli told him that it was important that he spend the whole day and evening together with you.

You were important to him. He loves you and he wanted to make you happy.

He would pick out a quiet spot to take you stargazing.

Xiao would rest his cheek on top of your head while you were cuddled up against him. All he wanted was to be with you, whether it be on Valentine's Day or not.

Kunikuzushi would would find a small piece of steel and pound it into the shape of a heart at Niwa's blacksmithing table.

"Here, I made this for you," he would say somewhat shyly when he gave it to you. Since he didn't have a human heart, it was his own way of giving his heart to you.

Bless his soul, even though he didn't like sweet things, he would try and hand make chocolates for you. (It took several attempts).

He would take you to a spot in Inazuma that constantly had Electro crystalflies flying around in it.

Kuni would watch you, his expression soft and endearing as crystalflies landed on your fingertips, immediately drawn to you. They reminded him of himself and the way he was drawn to you.

It was a mental image he would keep in his head forever.

[theflowerofhumanity]

Castaways

Five years in space was a long time. It could, on occasion, feel like a lifetime even on a starship as big and bustling as the Enterprise. Between their often death-defying missions and encounters with new alien civilizations, daily routines sometimes began to feel tired, stale, even suffocating. Tempers flared and attention wandered. Even the most dedicated Starfleet personnel were, after all, only human—well, most of them. After a while, they all wanted to stretch their legs, enjoy some sunshine (or at least some shopping), and see some unfamiliar faces off-duty. The captain of the Enterprise, arguably the most dedicated of all the ship’s officers, had sometimes been reluctant to take shore leave in the past. But he felt sorely in need of it now. His brother and sister-in-law were dead, his first officer had nearly been permanently disabled, and the remaining years of their mission stretched out before his eyes like a deep well full of endless, invisible possibilities, not all of them good. He loved his ship and his crew and was still looking forward to the rest of their journey...after a brief holiday.

Starfleet Command approved four days of general shore leave for the entire Enterprise crew on Beta Regulus II. During that time, outside technicians and engineers would crawl all over the ship evaluating its condition and making potential repairs and updates, much to the chagrin of Chief Engineer Scott.  The planet was dominated by a pleasantly subtropical climate and warm seas as well as several large, bustling commercial centers in its chief cities. It was an ideal place to take shore leave by just about anyone’s standards and could comfortably accommodate all four hundred of them.

Kirk had instructed his officer corps carefully regarding his expectations: he wanted the entire crew on their best behavior. “This is a pretty cosmopolitan planet, and we might cross paths with some people we wouldn’t consider friends. If I hear about any of our people making trouble, I won’t hesitate to cancel general shore leave for everyone.” Then he dropped the stern commander facade and smiled at them. With only the best serving on the Enterprise, he wasn’t really concerned about having to make good on his threat. Besides, there were no signs of any Klingons or other similarly unsavory characters in the area as far as he was aware and therefore little cause for real concern.

After procuring some appropriate civilian clothes from the replicator—since he rarely had any reason to be out of uniform and also had the most varied regulation wardrobe of anyone else aboard the Enterprise, he kept almost none in his quarters—Kirk beamed down to the surface with Dr. McCoy and Spock. The former was already fully decked out for a vacation in an old-fashioned polo shirt, sandals, and sunglasses, while the latter, still in uniform, had his Vulcan harp tucked beneath one arm. The three friends materialized in a small, sunny plaza from which they could just catch the roar of the sea in the distance. Numerous other crew members were milling about nearby.

“Planning to serenade the doctor while he sunbathes, Spock?” Kirk asked with a chuckle

Spock raised a brow. “Since Beta Regulus is, as you say, cosmopolitan, I intend to see if any shops carry a set of strings for my lyre, captain,” he replied.

McCoy rolled his eyes as he slid his sunglasses down over them. “Just don’t forget to relax a little too, Spock. That is the general idea of shore leave! Well, Jim, you comin’?”

Kirk smiled. “I’ll catch up, Bones.”

He headed towards the dispersing crowd of crewmen to say hello to people with whom he usually didn’t mingle. A few of the women who rarely got to see their captain in person blushed and smiled like shy schoolgirls as he passed through, shaking a hand here and grasping a shoulder there in the warm, congenial way that inspired so much personal loyalty. His sleeveless royal blue v-neck certainly did nothing to discourage them from glancing over their shoulders to steal a second look or from smothering giggles with their palms. As usual, Kirk paid no mind to the attention.

@multirptrash

[shadowcatzone]

-you get drunk, aren't yet together with venti-

You went to the angels share to get rid of some stress, maybe drink a little. Not to get drunk! But you were upset. And after eventually emptying 2 bottles on your own, diluc hands you a glass of water, "you drank way too much." So you pouted, but you took the glass anyways. After a sip you decided that actually, water is icky, so you set the glass on the table you're sitting at. Standing right next to you, Venti (the bard, you feel you should clarify to yourself,) just started another song. A Serenade? A ballad? ...you couldn't tell.

He must've been part of the reason you got two bottles... actually, there are five now. You can only assume he emptied at least two of them himself. You hand him a bottle when he rests his hands from playing. Then he continues. You tend to also take a sip of the bottle before setting it down. It's somewhat bitter, but the idea of your lips tasting where his have been seconds ago makes it oh, so, sweet. He's singing again. You can't even comprehend his string of words, but the taverngoers are cheering, as always. Maybe you're more then a little drunk. They cheer in between his singing, he smiles. Well, laughs. And sings. You still can't comprehend "what the beautiful bard brings" (he smiled at you, did you say that out loud?).

You go for the bottle, but remember he's still playing. So you watch him, leaning over the back of the chair you're sitting on. Looking at his face, following closely how his lips move, his beautiful, kissable lips, which have ingrained themselves into your mind on account of how many times you've hung onto them. You're certain they taste like the sweetest wine, something so truly divine you can't quite put your mind around it. You have no idea why you get up, but starting to kiss him in the middle of his song was, in hindsight, a plain bad idea. He puts his lyre away, you feel like the world fell silent... actually, the tavern went surprisingly quiet- that's when he hooks his arm around your waist and gently eases you out of the kiss. "I think you drank a little too much," you don't comprehend. Instead you just look up at him. "Ehe, master diluc, you wouldn't borrow me that room above the tavern?"

Diluc throws him the key with slight hesitation. "...if you do anything with her, you'll be banned from the tavern. Along with all your... future generations." The bard gasps "i would never! How could you even think that!" He exclaimed, in feigned hurt. He took you upstairs, to put you into the spare bed they had for emergencies. You tried to hold onto him, to kiss him again, but he was on guard this time, so he managed to dodge you and tuck you into bed. "Noo..." you weakly protested as he stepped away. So he cupped your cheek with his hand. "Aww, don't be sad. I'll go back down for now, and we can talk about what happened in the morning." You whined, "promise?" He giggles. "Yes, i promise." And he went back down as you fall asleep.

The next morning, you wake up to a soft melody. He greets you with a smile. You remember what happened the evening before, so, naturally, beet red, you want to sink into the ground.

[Part 2]