#uh. i think that's it. lmk if i need to cw tag anything else but there's nothing glaringly obvious

[coriander-candlesticks]

Introductions ✨✨

Hey! I'm Coriander. It's not what I go by in my other blogs on here but I want to keep things a bit more separate, at least at first. This is gonna be a long one (sorry) so I'm adding a cut.

I'm exploring Hellenic polytheism, and have only recently started, but it's something I've been considering, in a way, for over a year. I don't have a big, intense story that marks the beginning for me; I didn't necessarily feel a personal, spiritual connection to any of the deities from the time I was a young child in the way others describe, and I haven't had an intense experience that marked the beginning of my path.

I've always felt drawn to Greek mythology, though. I have a distinct memory of laying on my stomach on the floor of the school library in 3rd or 4th grade, reading a picture book about Hades and Persephone. It kept my attention the way others - even Egyptian mythology, another major interest - didn't. I, of course, had the classic queer kid experience of being super into the Percy Jackson series for a while, but my interest in it predated that. The specific deities I've been drawn to have changed somewhat as I've grown up, and they definitely shaped some of my interests. But delving into them again has helped me see connections that weren't explicitly connected to Greek mythology. I felt drawn to Athena growing up, for example, and my love of owls was definitely shaped by that. Even though that has settled into the background somewhat, that connection has persisted in things like my knitting and desires to dye yarn and learn how to weave (side note: I associate crochet more with Apollo, actually, despite it also being a fiber art). I felt connected to Artemis and Persephone as a kid, but that waned as I got older, discovered I was trans, and began my transition. I've felt connected to Hestia and her quiet hearth-keeping since I learned about her: I've always strived to make myself & my space safe and welcoming for others, and being told I succeeded in that is one of the best compliments I've received. But my interests in the morbid (ex Pompeii & the Paris catacombs), psychopomps, rocks & minerals, and keys weren't explicitly related to Hades. Some of the connections didn't click until I started to look into him more seriously about a year ago. I was an artist and had interests in writing, poetry, singing, and playing instruments long before it actually clicked that all of those fell into Apollo's domain, as I associated Athena far more with visual arts as a kid. I also didn't realize that he & Artemis cover diseases (another long-running interest) until very recently. The concept of xenia, too, was something I grew up with to some extent, even though no one called it that. My father modelled it to my siblings and I; I even learned about it within the context of ancient Greece at some point growing up and it stuck with me, despite not knowing the name.

I grew up Mormon, and was incredibly devout until college, when the pandemic forcibly separated me from that environment and I not only discovered that I was queer in several ways, but realized that the Church 1) wasn't safe to stay in and 2) wasn't actually true (which came later, when I started to get over my fear of reading "anti-Mormon literature"). During that period between those two realizations I got into tarot and using plants and crystals for their correspondences (two other interests growing up), as well as using rocks to ground myself. At that time, I considered myself a "liminal Mormon", and was reaching out to Heavenly Mother specifically via tarot. But as it set in that Mormonism specifically, and Christianity generally, wasn't for me, I got more and more interested in modern witchcraft separated from the belief system I was raised in.

It never quite felt right, though. The constant need for protections and doing something "the right way" lest things backfire and you invite the wrong thing into your home, or hurt yourself, or others, or or or, made my anxious & scrupulous brain go into overdrive. I wasn't even sure I believed in it spiritually, or if I was just interested in it from a mindfulness standpoint, and staring down the barrel of comically high piles of research without knowing where to start was exhausting. The concept of dual deities, the Divine Masculine and Divine Feminine, put a bad taste in my mouth (which bled over into Persephone for a while because she and Hades are often used to symbolize those archetypes- sorry Persephone). But, not wanting to listen too much to my discomfort (since part of it may have been, and probably was, prior conditioning), I pushed ahead and actually completed one ritual that had all of the steps - cleansing, representations of the four elements and directions, etc. - and was very carefully designed to leave room for growth and change. It represented the start of my path. I still have the jar I made during the ritual, though I'm still trying to figure out what to do with it.

Around that time, I was considering whether or not to work with deities- specifically Hades, as that was who I felt the most drawn to at the time. The idea interested me, but I wasn't sure if it was from an academic or spiritual angle. I'd really only seen deity work from a modern witchcraft/neo-pagan perspective which, again, didn't sit right with me. On top of that, I wasn't quite ready to let go of Christianity even though I already functionally had, and was terrified of doing something "wrong" and getting, for lack of a better term, sent to (figurative) hell. I decided to do a simple "yes/no" tarot pull and got about the clearest "no" you can get: a reversed Ace of Swords. So I decided to let it rest and that, if I ever felt drawn to it again, I could re-approach the topic.

So, for over a year, I didn't touch it. Continuing with witchcraft after the ritual didn't feel right, either, so my altar collected dust while I tried to sort out my spirituality (or lack thereof). I settled on "I don't know and that's okay" and left it at that, trusting that when the time came, and I had more energy and mental space, that I would be able to start looking into things again.

I never truly stopped thinking about the idea of deity work/worship, though. It was always in the back of my mind. I figured it was because of the way I was raised and tried to sever my idea of spirituality from how I was conditioned while I worked through my religious trauma, got on anxiety medication, and learned more about myself and how I interacted with the world (including that I have both ADHD and autism, something that surprised no one).

Recently I talked with a witchy friend about my thoughts on divinity and what is or isn't out there (neither of us were sure but we both felt like there was something), and that conversation gave me the button I needed to start looking into paganism again. I realized at work a week or two later that I could just look up the different paths of paganism (a term I'd recently heard that hadn't clicked before then) and see if there was one that did fit. The first site I found not only had a clear, concise explanation for belief systems I hadn't knowingly come across before, but it touched on Hellenic polytheism and gave a recommendation for someone to watch to learn more about it. And unlike the sharp knot in my chest that warned me away from attending BYU, and going on a mission, and delving further into modern witchcraft as I'd been introduced to it, learning about Hellenic polytheism felt right. It was heavy and grounding and like home. Many of the issues I'd had with other neo-pagan systems - the constant vigilance & protections & concerns over trickster spirits, for example - simply didn't exist there, or were approached very differently. I still had a mental block about it, though, and realized it was because of that tarot pull a year prior. So I did another one, and got a clear "Yes, jump right in. We're waiting for you". And that's where I've been since which, granted, hasn't been for very long. I've felt especially connected to Apollo and Aphrodite recently, who I believe reached out in a different tarot pull recently - using the same card, actually - which is interesting because while I've appreciated different ways Aphrodite has been depicted, I haven't felt very connected to her in a way I realized was her until recently. It makes sense, though- I got into my first relationship around the same time I did that ritual, and not only are we still together a year later, but a trinket I used to ground myself during those first few months is also pretty directly associated with her. I'm planning on adding it to her altar/shrine area as soon as I find it (it's also still amongst the moving wreckage).

But anyway, hi! If you read this far thank you for taking the time out of your day to do so. If anyone has recommendations for books or other educational resources, or discord servers/other online forum-esque communities, please feel free to share. I've been enjoying looking through the tags and getting a feel for the community here, too; hopefully I'm here to stay.

[byanyan]

content warning: self harm. no explicit descriptions or anything, but definite discussion of the habit

byan has self harm scars. they're a bit difficult to differentiate from the myriad of other scars scattered across the skin of their arms and legs from things like knife fights, but you can pick them out if you know what you're looking for.

self harming is a coping mechanism they picked up in their preteen years, a time where they were struggling a great deal with a lack of stability in their life, a difficult time in school, less than stellar foster homes (which occasionally ended with them in the street), bullying, and all assortment of challenges in figuring out and expressing their gender identity. they were miserable - depressed, angry, and deep in their self-worth issues. self harming was a way to release all their pent up emotions, a way to do something with them and make them less overwhelming, however briefly. there was also something about the self care that came afterward in treating the injuries that they found... not comforting, exactly, but maybe soothing, in a way.

eventually, as they got older and began to turn their anger more outward than inward, byan would start taking their emotions out on others and slowly dropped the habit for the most part. every now and then the urge to self harm resurfaces, but 99% of the time they'll use that urge to go out to get into fights and inflict harm on others rather than themself. in a way, their habit of picking fights is still a method of self harm - there's more to their penchant for fighting than that, of course, but it fills that same void and still results in the process of taking care of themself afterward.

[tartigglez]

"i know it hurts..."

headcanons of some genshin boys when you have your period (pt.1??)

kaeya, diluc, thoma, childe, zhongli (separately) x afab!reader (pronouns not mentioned)

genre: fluff

word count: 800-ish

tags: periods, no distinct mention of blood, wholesome boys (for the most part), a lottttt of physical touch + petnames, kaeya is teehee, diluc is clueless as shit, thoma is absolutely whipped, childe is also clueless, zhongli is wayyyyy clued in

tw/cw: zhongli is written as genderfluid, mentions of foods/drink (soup + tea), kisses in zhongli's, i don't think there's much else to add here, lmk if i missed smth

a/n: surprise? hi! i've had a very emotional night, so its time for something extremely self indulgent. i wrote this mostly for the genderfluid zhongli agenda. also i'd like to remind everyone that i am genderfluid, my pronouns are they/she/he!!! ty, enjoy.

kaeya’s personality seems to go through some sort of shift when you’re on your period, seriously! he’ll go from being a flirty, unserious captain with an eye catching smirk to a kind, gentle, soft spoken man. he will quietly hold you if you’re in pain, and try his best to distract you. will kiss you softly and assure you that it will pass, without ever making you feel like you’re exaggerating. strokes your cheek and does whatever you want to do in order to stay distracted. 

“darling? are you alright? are you sick?”

“no, just cramps.”

“ahh, here.”

“how does this feel? you okay? comfy?”

“yeah, I’m okay. thanks kae”

“not a problem at all, lovely”

“so, how was work? 

diluc is lowkey confused at first in your relationship. he’s never spent much time around anyone who has a period, let alone having to live with one, so it makes sense (a little) that he really doesn’t understand anything that’s happening to you, or what hurts, or why, or how he can help. the first time he finds you curled up in his bedroom in dawn winery he’ll be really confused and awkward, run to adelinde and try to very discreetly ask her what to do (he doesn’t do a good job), but eventually she gets what he means, and tells him to just ask you, which he builds the confidence to do after hyping himself up for like twenty minutes.

“hi”

“hi, 'luc”

“uh… are you okay?”

“ish?”

“uhm… may i talk to you about something?”

“yeah, of course! what’s up?”

“what is… happening to you right now? it’s painful, i know, but how do i help? what do i do? what do you need? how can i make you comfortable? i don’t want you to be in pain.”

“pah, how sweet. come, sit, i’ll explain”

thoma knows exactly what is going on, and when its going on. keeps track of your periods (with your knowledge and consent ofc) just so he knows what days to bring you whatever you may need. he’s a BIG BIG acts of service and gift giving kinda guy, because he’s always in the city, so he always picks things up for you. this happens even more when you’re on your period. of course, sometimes, his estimates of your starting days will be a little bit off, so he might end up randomly doing something and it seems like its out of nowhere, and he tries to play it off like it is too. 

“thoma? what’re you doing home this early?”

“oh, I thought i’d come home and make you soup!”

“make me… soup? that’s a little strange…”

“no it’s not! it's just because i thought you liked it, especially when…y’know”

“hah, your guess was off darling, you’re two days early. still, i appreciate the thought love. let’s eat?”

childe is clueless. extremely clueless. but he’s also super duper sweet, and a very fast learner. he tries his best to understand what’s happening and what to do, but unfortunately he doesn’t really have anyone to ask about it. so he’ll literally read a book, which is rather rare for him but he would literally do anything for you. if you’re feeling really unwell, he will insist on taking the day off work to look after you. he’s extremely attentive and gentle, which is the side of him his “co-workers” don’t get to see. 

“morning baby! how’re you feeling?”

“mmhh,, morning chi. ‘m okay, a bit crampy”

“okay, i’ll stay here then.”

“what? no, you have work. you gotta go!”

“i’ll call in sick, they can live without me for a day”

“chi you can’t do this agai-”

“i’d do anything for you”

zhongli. understands. everything. okay hear me out. zhongli can take any form he wants, so sometimes out of curiosity he would change into another body. he’d get completely, utterly shocked the first time he got a period whilst in this form (it was unexpected.), but learned how to cope with it, because he wanted to be able to fully understand the struggles that some mortals might go through.

he knows exactly what to do when this happens to you, speaks to you calmly and holds you if you get cramps. will brew tea for you, and get the latest herb combinations for pain relief from baizhu. will snuggle up to you, place his hand on your stomach because it’s warm, and hold you close. kisses your neck gently and asks if you need anything, overall just a big sweetie. if you want him to, he’ll go into his half-dragon form, so he can wrap his tail around you. loves you more than anything and will do anything to make you comfortable. you need something? it’s yours, no matter the extremes he has to go to in order to get it. constantly making sure you take your time with everything, and making sure that you don’t overexert yourself.

“my love, i know you’re in pain, please don’t push yourself”

“i know, i know, i just have a little more work to do”

“i trust you, but i’m staying here with you, just in case. have you eaten? are you comfortable? do you need any pain relief?”

[duckugou]

Hey could you do a NSFW one-shots w/ the MHA characters with "first one to cum pays for dinner" or something along those lines... it doesn't matter who but something abt this prompt makes my brain go blank

hey hey- lmk if you want this with more characters!!!

Hawks x fem!reader

cw: light breath play/choking, teasing, light coercion, unprotected sex, breeding kink, oral (fem & male rec.), daddy used, power play a little, aftercare if u squint, face fucking (lmk if theres any i missed!!), not proofread lmao

MINORS AND AGELESS BLOGS DNI

!!come to my asks to be a part of my taglist! just let me know what kinds of fics/ what fandom/ what characters/ etc you want to be tagged in! Requests are open!!!!

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"I'm ready!" You exclaim, shutting the bedroom door behind you.

Hawks turned around in his chair where he was waiting for you and gawked at your appearance shamelessly.

The two of you had been dating for just over a year, deciding early on that you would have a date night every month on the 15th. It was to keep the two of you close and make sure the fun and quality time was never lost in your busy schedules. There were a few months when something would come up emergency wise- but youd always make it up by the end of the month. It was a staple.

This month, youd decided on a classy dinner. Being with a pro hero meant that you could go to really nice places and not have to worry about the cost- it was nice. Not that you used him- he made sure he treated you in every way. This restaurant was his choice in fact- when you choose date nights, it s usually mini golf or star gazing.

Seeing you in his favorite color dress- the hem falling in the center of your thighs made him lose his train of thought.

You fixed your makeup as best you could in a solid minute before putting your heels back on, stumbling lightly out the door where he waited for you. Keigo laughed at how you stumbled, knowing he would make it much worse later.-

If he had anything to do with it, you would need to change out of your heels and still need help walking to the car.

Standing up from his chair, Hawks unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, your eyes widening, not expecting this.

Kiego walked until he was backing you into the bedroom door that you had previously closed, arms on either side of your head as he looked down at you. He was significantly taller than you even in your kitten heels.

"U-uh babe? What are ya doin? Dont we have reservations?" You asked hesitantly as he licked his lips, looking at you like prey.

"Oh sweetheart. I'm Kiego fuckin Tamaki. The reservation is whenever I walk in." He told you in a low tone.

The cockiness in his voice went straight to your core. You'd always loved his audible "Im better than everyone else" attitude, though you knew that he didn't actually think that. Not all of the time at least. You knew the real him but in situations like this- you knew he meant it.

"Kei-" You started, setting him off. The sound of his name on your lips was all he needed to be pushed over the edge after spending the day thinking about having you for dessert, not realizing that you would end up being the whole meal.

Attacking your neck with his mouth, his hands found your hips, grabbing them harshly and making you moan lightly.

"Kei baby, we have to go to dinner." You moaned out, wanting to keep the night on track. Date nights were important to you, but even you could admit that right now the thought of his cock was slowly taking over your mind.

"I say we make a bet then, huh dove?" He continued his assault on your neck, working it down to your clavicle.

"Hmm?" You hummed, lost in the feeling.

"First one to cum pays for dinner." He gripped the back of your thighs, making you jump and wrap your legs around his waist. His face was buried in your neck as he reached behind you with one hand to re-open the bedroom door.

"Fuck- 's not fair Keigo." You tried sounding stern, but the wetness in your panties distracted you.

"Gonna have to try hard, huh birdie?" He teased, laying you on the bed and hovering over, not able to get enough as he began rutting his hips on your leg. Kissing you on the mouth this time, Keigo wasted no time putting his tongue in your mouth, stifling the moans you both let out from the smallest bits of friction.

Pulling away, he looked down when your bodies met, his cock hard in his nice pants.

"Better take these off before I make a mess of them, huh?" He chuckled, getting off of the bed.

"Mmhm." You replied, laying there speechless. How did the night take this turn?

Pants and underwear discarded, Keigo looked to you expectantly. "You wanna tell me why your panties are still on, sweetheart?"

"You didnt tell me to take them off...daddy." If you were going to win this bet and make him cum first, you were pulling out all the stops, nicknames included.

"Good fuckin girl." He growled, tugging your panties down your legs himself as you lifted your hips for him.

He took his place laying on the bed in front of you, ready to eat your sweet pussy, but you knew he was cheating.

"Nuh-uh... Thats cheating." You said, rising up to rest on your elbows behind you.

"Oh, birdie. You dont make the rules." He chuckled, licking a stripe up your already wet cunt.

Your arms gave out and you moaned, your upper half and head landing back on the bed and Keigo ate you out like this was dinner.

You allowed yourself to enjoy the moment, hands rushing to his hair as you messed it up and pulled it, making him moan onto your clit. The vibrations made you look down and gasp, remembering that this was a bet.

"Daddy... let me- fuck. Let me suck your dick pl-please." You begged in the sweetest voice you could muster.

Your begging worked as Keigo momentarily forgot about the bet and could only think of your lips wrapped around his cock. He made a noise almost like a growl as he stood, allowing you to sink down onto the floor in between the bed and your boyfriend's massive cock on your knees. Reaching up, you stroked his length, rubbing your finger along the tip, making his knees a bit weak. He held your head, not pushing it but using you as leverage, as you sunk your mouth over his cock,

"Shit, dove. Your mouth is- fuckin phenomenal." He groaned out, gripping your hair.

You fully knew you could make him cum first, and you would. And you knew this wasn't going to be over just because he would cum and you would go to dinner. Oh no, this would last all night, you were certain.

Keigo didnt ever fuck you and make you cum less than 5 times. Ever. Its like it was an unwritten rule. You knew you'd be satisfied.

And you were determined to get- no- earn a free meal as well.

His mind blank besides the sensation of your warm wet mouth and throat, Keigo started fucking your face. Pushing your head down his shaft further until you reached his abdomen- his short hairs tickling your nose as you struggled to breathe. It was the first time you allowed him to nearly bottom out in your throat, as it was a special occasion. You reached up and caressed his balls as tears formed in your eyes while he thrusted in and out of your mouth. Something about your delicate fingers on his balls reminded him that this wasn't a normal quickie.

This was a bet. And you were doing everything he ever told you he loved.

Pulling you off of him, he grunted a few curse words.

"You little bitch. Tryin real hard to win huh?" He smudged the spit all around your face, ruining your make up.

"Fuck me, daddy. Please." You moaned out, looking up at him through teary lashes as his hand rested on top of your head.

"Fuckin hell, birdie. Youre gonna be the end of me." He granted your wish, pulling you up and laying you back down on the bed.

He hovered over you, looking into your eyes, breathing heavily as he lined himself up with you. His cock head rubbed up and down your slit, making you whimper. He pushed in slowly, looking down to where your bodies connected. Both of you let out a gasp and sigh as he bottomed out in your pussy.

"Fuck, youre so tight." He groaned out, mind becoming hazy.

"Fuck me please-" You moaned out, needing friction.

He pulled back and thrusted into you, both of you becoming lost in the feeling. His hand found its way up to your neck, well aware that this would bring you closer to the edge.

Two can play at that game.

Your hands found his hair, giving it a tug as he sighed from pleasure. Both of you enjoyed light pain and right now, everything was wound so tight, you could feel the tension.

He let go of your neck and pulled the top of your dress down and he began playing with your nipples as it became harder to hold yourself back.

"Da-addy please. Fuck- need your cum!" You moaned out, hoping for him to cum first.

"No fuckin way angel, youre cumming first." He sounded confident but he was twitching inside of you.

It was a race to the finish- but nobody wanted to be first.

" 's so fuckin good!" You moaned out, tongue lolling out of your mouth, drool sliding down your chin as he put his thumb on your tongue. You were becoming so fucked out that it was hard to hold back. You felt yourself losing and you didnt want that- but fuck did it feel good.

You knew exactly what to do. His eyes were fire and his face was burning. The look he gave you told you everything as his hips began to falter.

"Breed me- please! Stuff me- fill me up please daddy please!" You begged, his hand leaving your mouth and chin and going for your shoulders as he gave in, those few words shutting his brain off.

"Gonna fuckin breed your little pussy- shit gonna make you fuckin'- oh fuck angel- mine mine mine mine." He chanted as he spilled his seed into you, making you cum right after him as he fucked his cum further into your core.

"Yes daddy! Ah- fuck Keigo!" You screamed out his name as you reached your high, making it more intense for him.

He loved claiming you in any way- whether it be hickeys, holding your hand, giving you his own merch, or his favorite- stuffing you with his cum in hopes of tying you together forever.

As the two of you came down, Keigo rolled over next to you, his head resting on your chest. The room was filled with heavy breathing and soft, nearly inaudible, "I love you"s.

He helped you up, walking the two of you to the bathroom to get cleaned up in order to go to dinner.

Sitting on the toilet, wiping the slick off of your legs with a was cloth as Keigo wiped his face off, yo smiled at him.

"Dinners on you, fucker." You chuckled.

"Yeah it is- but youre gonna regret laughing at me later when its time for dessert." He said lowly, not looking at you.

Your face got red as you got up to wash your hands. Turning to leave the bathroom, he grabbed your wrist, turning you around and kissing you hard.

"This isnt over yet, birdie. After dinner, youre gonna be punished for all the smart moves you made tonight."

Heat surged straight down to your center and up to your face as he growled into your mouth before continuing the kiss.

Walking into the bedroom and putting a pair of panties on, your mind raced thinking about later.

"Oh thats what he meant by dessert" you thought to yourself laughing lightly.

"Lets go, dove! We have reservations!" He shouted from down the hall.

You fixed your makeup as best you could in a solid minute before putting your heels back on, stumbling lightly out the door where he waited for you. Keigo laughed at how you stumbled, knowing he would make it much worse later.

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taglist: @maggiecc @lovemegood

!!come to my asks to be a part of my taglist! just let me know what kinds of fics/ what fandom/ what characters/ etc you want to be tagged in!!!!

[whumpqin]

Broken

This hurt me to write. But it would not stop haunting me until I finished it. So now you all have to hurt, too. I’m sorry, thank you for your sacrifice /pensive emoji

Elisha / Caleb tag: @faewhump @imagination1reality0 @galaxywhump @castielamigos-whump-side-blog @insanitywishes (if you’d like to be added just ask!)

CW: Dissociation, pet whump, referenced past abuse, referenced past trauma, referenced past torture, begging for pain (ish), broken whumpee, deconditioning, dubcon kissing, teeny dubcon reference, emotional and psychological whump in general, and maybe some other things that I missed! lmk if I need to tag something

Word Count: 1,762

There are two people that make up his entire world.

The first is his Master, who took care in binding his wounds and hushed him even when he had committed the greatest sin of his life. He had forgiven him and gave him a purpose when he had none left. Caleb wished he could love him, and couldn’t remember why he wasn’t able to.

The second was his Sir, who held him and soothed him when he cried and apologised wordlessly on the worst nights. He was much different than he remembered, lenient and kind in place of perfection, refusing kisses that he would once accept gladly. It was confusing, but it was Caleb’s Sir. He would never question him.

He loved them both. He couldn’t imagine doing anything without them.

Master had sat him down by the windowsill, allowing him to take care of the plants that sat there so that they wouldn’t wither and die. Caleb sat there, staring outside with a dull expression at one of the low hanging branches of the tree, swaying in the wind. 

Or maybe he thought he was staring. It felt like he was staring, but every time he tried to focus his mind went somewhere else, held underneath the waters of his head. All he could see was the low branch swaying in the wind over and over, like a record on repeat that he couldn’t reach out and stop. Instead, he was entranced by the way it moved.

He wished that he could move his limbs like that, back and forth the way some instinctual part of him knows how he’s supposed to move. But a long time ago he had given up trying to get them to do anything, instead letting his body move without provocation because there had been no point. His body knew how to be good.

When Caleb blinked slowly, everything outside had gone dark. Pitch black, and he could no longer see the tree branch swaying in the wind. Instead, he saw the dots of little stars. Holes in the prison.

The sound of something shifted, and his body lifted its head to see his Sir watching him from the lounge chair. Without even really processing the body moved closer while in a low crouch, settling onto its knees next to Sir and pushing its head forward into his lap. Sir’s hand held one of its horns, stopping its head from the motion.

The body’s mouth went slack, opening as several words to apologise rose to his head but didn’t come out. He couldn’t remember why it didn’t say anything, just that it couldn’t. Penance for its crimes, hushed to silence.

Pets don’t speak unless their Masters want them to, Caleb.

Instead, its one eye slowly drifted up to look at Sir’s neutral face. The two eyed each other; a pet with no commands and a Sir who wouldn’t give one.

“You’re not sitting on the floor,” he spoke, voice smooth. “Not if I have anything to say ‘bout it.”

The body blinked in response. Where was it to go then? It wasn’t allowed on the furniture or on the floor… should it stand? Reluctantly it drew away, standing straight up and looking down at Sir. Its hands drew behind its back, holding one wrist while it waited.

Sir stared at the body for a moment, some form of thought behind those eyes that Caleb couldn’t quite place. Ultimately it wasn’t up to him to ask questions, he was there to be a good pet and obey whatever they wanted from him. But then Sir sighed, and both Caleb and his body felt the immediate guilt stab him in the chest. He must have don’t something that displeased him, something that earned Sir’s disappointment. Something he needed to atone for.

The body must have had a similar idea, because its hands outstretched towards Sir from behind its back, forearms facing upwards. Silently asking for punishment that he needed.

After you’re punished, you do better.You be good, the thought bled into his mind, a voice that felt like his own but strangely foreign. It probably doesn’t help that he couldn’t remember what his own voice sounded like in the first place.

Sir’s hands brushed the body’s arms out of the way. “No, Caleb, I’m not going to hurt you. You’re not… look, it’s fine, okay? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Caleb felt frustration prickle against the body’s skin, against both of their skins. It was confusing not to be hurt. Pain made everything feel real and it was normal. What did Sir want him to do? Neither him nor his body could figure it out and that was wracking his nerves worse than the anticipation of being hurt.

Sir sighed again and he felt- no, the body felt tears prick at the corner of its eye and not-eye. What was he doing wrong?

“Hey, hey, it’s okay, um shit… uh… Caleb, come here. Come here, love.” His voice remained cool and smooth, turning a sickening sweet as Sir outstretched his arms, curling his fingers inwards to invite the body to come closer.

Obediently it moved forward, practically melting into Sir’s touch as it was moved into his lap. The body’s head curled into the crook of Sir’s neck as best as it could, their limbs tangling together so it could be held close. Both Caleb and the body sighed, the uncomfortable, frustrating prickling against his skin replaced with warmth and comfort.

The body sniffed, a muted whine seeping from its nose. A hand slowly began to draw itself against his side, and it leaned into the touch.

“Shh, it’s okay Caleb. It’s alright,” Sir soothed. Something bumped against the body’s horns, and Caleb realized it was Sir’s own pair of antlers rubbing against his. “I’m not gonna hurt you. I won’t do that, okay?”

Sir and Master were always saying that, even though they should. They should, and then things would go back to normal and they would hurt him and everything would be okay and there wouldn’t be blood everywhere and they would be fine. Everything needed to go back to normal and those antlers weren’t real they weren’t there because they couldn’t be.

Something was wrong in the body’s chest and Caleb couldn’t decide between grief or guilt. He figured that it must have been both.

He needed to fix this. Needed some kind of normal.

The body lifted its face on the thought. If it asked nicely, maybe it would get what it needed to be good. So that it could go back to being good and do better until it was hurt the next time.

It pressed its soft lips against Sir’s cheek, ignoring the tears and hitched breath, slowly beginning to trail alone Sir’s jawline. Sir tilted his head gently, until their lips met in a warm and inviting kiss. Begging for the relief it couldn’t give itself.

Sir pulled away too soon, replacing the touch with an unequal hand against the body’s face.

“Caleb…” he said, voice tense and filled with more emotion than Caleb could understand. “Who am I? Tell me, please.”

Permission. A simple gift of a command, even if it was short. The body’s mouth opened, fangs exposed even though he promised he wouldn’t bite, I’ll never bite again I promise Sir, and no sound came out, the words getting choked in its throat before they even had a chance. Because Sir taught it never to bare its fangs again. The last lesson it was ever taught and was still being taught because it hadn’t learned because there was still all of that blood-

“Caleb. Look at me. Look at me, love, I’m right here.” A thumb against the body’s cheek slowly began to rub in circles, pressing intermittently. “Who am I? You can speak. You can always speak to me. Just tell me who I am.”

The body couldn’t speak. Wasn’t allowed. Shouldn’t be allowed. But it had to because it had been given a command and there was punishment worse than death if it disobeyed. So it voted for the next best thing.

“Sir,” it breathed, voice raspy and in the form of a whisper, barely audible. 

Sir frowned and shook his head sadly. The body and Caleb’s heart sank. How could that be wrong?

“No, Caleb. It’s me, it’s Quinn, Remember? Quinn.” The body’s horns and the antlers bumped together again, making a quiet clacking noise. It shook its head. That wasn’t right, it couldn’t be right, because there was no way out. Master and Sir made sure of it this time, the body was never going to get out. A desperate sob, silent but still shaking the body, fell pitifully from its mouth. “Hey, I know, I know, shh… It’s okay, you’re safe, Caleb. You’re safe, don’t worry. We’ll take care of you. You’ll be okay.”

Safe. He was safe. The body was safe. Caleb could cling to that, he could forget about everything else and be safe, with his Master and Sir and not think because that’s not what pets do. The body’s breath hitched as it leaned into the hand against its cheek, trying to rub the dull ache in its chest away.

Sir hushed and soothed the body like he always did, a hand at his side and his cheek, running against skin in an attempt to calm.

“Hey, Quinn, food’s… ready.” His Master’s voice echoed into the room, and the body didn’t bother to raise its head. It only curled closer to Sir, nudging against his neck as Master’s footsteps came closer. “Is he… what happened?”

“I was just… he… Me and my fuckin’ big mouth, Om, that’s what. Doesn’t help he’s having a bad day, already. He thinks I’m that fucker.” A hand carded through the body’s hair, gripping tightly and sparking just enough pain to feel comforting. The body sighed in relief, as the hand continued to move through its hair. “...Can you bring our food out, hon? I’ll see if I can’t get ‘em to eat something.”

“Um, okay. Is it… should we stop him from-”

“I… don’t think so. It seems to soothe him, but…” Sir sighed, and the body whimpered on an instant response. “Listen, just go bring the food out, and we’ll talk about what to do from there, okay?”

Caleb could feel the body tremble as Master walked away without another word, as it curled inwards. One of its hands against its side, the other balled up and gripping onto its own hair.

[tartigglez]

"goodnight, dear"

zhongli x gn!reader

genre: fluff

word count: i forgot to get one then celeste reminded me and i was like "aaaaaaaaaa"

summary: you're exhausted. luckily, only comfort awaits you as you come home.

tags: zhongli is very soft and its adorable yet odd, reader is tired to the point of almost collapsing (uh oh), lot of physical touch/petnames

tw/cw: mentions of fainting, light mention of insomnia but its not really specified idk (lmk if i missed anything)

a/n: i have written too much and the fic hasn't even started yet. anyslays just had a bath just drank tea feeling soft time for writing. also this is lightly based on the lyrics of "goodnight, dear" by youngk bc yes

opening the front door of your home with a click was always a satisfying feeling, but especially today. the sheer amount of work and deadlines on your back at the moment would be enough to send anyone spiralling, so can you really be blamed for the aching in your bones, your dizzy head, or your eyes' constant will to close? there is nothing more on your mind than slipping under the covers of your bed and shutting your eyes until the weariness fades away...

entering the hallway, and shutting the front door behind you, you are immediately greeted by the scent of bamboo shoot soup wafting at you from the kitchen, an immediate giveaway of your lovers presence.

after a moment, you hear a lid being placed on a pot, and footsteps approaching you.

"my love? are you well?"

the soft baritone of zhongli's voice was exactly what you needed to hear right now. he placed a hand upon your cheek, and a gentle kiss on your forehead, before helping you remove your jacket, slowly sliding it off your shoulders. after hanging it on the rack he turned you to face him, and you could not evade the worried look on his face.

"did something happen? are you sick? you must rest now."

"'m fine, li', just-" you paused, trying to think of a word, trying to ignore the fact that the room was spinning, and trying to ignore the fact that your legs feel weak beneath you. "tired, is all".

in announcing this, you felt your legs begin to give out, luckily your beloved archon was there to catch you, wrapping one arm around your waist, picking you up effortlessly and carrying you to your shared room.

he placed you down gently on the bed, which was unbelievably comfortable, especially now, in your state of weakness. the sheets were made by the most skilled textile workers in all of liyue, the nation your lover prided himself on.

"darling, who worked you to this point? is there someone who must be taught a lesson? perhaps a few flying rocks would do the trick?"

you let out a weak laugh at his words

"no, it is mostly my problem for taking such a workload on, please don't worry about me."

"you're lucky i love you, or else i would not hesitate. i am still held under the impression that many problems can be solved by flying rocks"

you smile lightly, and whilst trying to form an adequate response to your lovers attempt at comedy, your train of thought is interrupted by a brief removal of the hair from your eyes, and a gentle kiss pressed to your lips.

"wait here my dear"

placing another gentle peck upon your lips, your beloved leaves the room, presumably in order to ensure his soup hasn't bubbled over the entire kitchen by this point.

he returns, much to your surprise, in his half dragon form. his hair has been removed from its usual ponytail, and now flows down his bare back. the horns on the top of his head glow with gold in the dim light of the sunset coming through the bedroom window, and his tail presents itself in its own glory, gracefully moving behind the ex-archon.

"i figured you may feel more comfortable if i am in this state. may i lay beside you?"

it was hardly the first time you had seen zhongli look like this, but it never ceased to amaze you. for someone who did not care about others perception of him whatsoever, he truly always managed to look ethereal.

you nodded your head to indicate for him to lay down next to you which he did immediately. although he disguised it as wanting you to "feel more comfortable", the true reason that he presented himself in this form was because he felt he would be able to take better care of you like this, to further protect you from any threats of the outside world.

he manoeuvred himself next to you, so that he was facing you as you lay on your side. he pulled you closer to him before rolling onto his back and pulling you onto his chest, so that your head was buried in his neck, breathing in his scent of slightly burnt caramel and vanilla. his strong arms wrapped themselves around your form, as did his tail.

"my dear"

"mm"

"you must promise to never let yourself get to this state again."

"mhm"

"now." he brought his pinky finger to yours and wrapped it around it, which was something he had seen the mortals of liyue do whilst making a promise.

you couldn't help but laugh at his blissful unawareness, and tightened your pinky around his.

"promise"

"good."

you can hear his heart beating, and his light breathing threatens to lull you into a slumber incomparable to any other.

"li'?"

"yes my dear? is everything alright? do you need anything?"

"can i touch your hair?"

this struck the archon as quite the puzzling request. why on earth would you want to touch his hair?

"if you so wish, my lily, just be gentle"

you let out a content smile, moving your hand to make contact with his brown locks, and pressing a light kiss on the side of his neck as a sign of your gratitude.

despite how lovely this was, it felt oddly silent to you.

"li'?"

"hm?"

"will you talk me to sleep? i missed you"

"of course dear. shall i tell you the story of the time streetward rambler brought that absurd gift to cloud retainer? perhaps i have already told that one, hm. what about the time i had xiao run an errand to mondstadt and- ah."

already, you had drifted off into a slumber, courtesy of the age old words of your beloved.

he wrapped his tail around you ever so slightly tighter than before, pressed a kiss to the crown of your head and sighed in content at the sight of his exhausted partner getting some sleep at last.

"goodnight, dear"