dragon-ascent

[dragon-ascent]

After a point, Zhongli had gotten used to having his dronings tuned out or dismissed. He’s always been quite the yapper, after all.

It hadn’t taken him long to realize most people were seldom in the mood for his endless chatter, a stream that would flow tirelessly unless something else sprouted up during the conversation and they were able to excuse themselves. Well, figures—he has far more knowledge about most things than the average person, and his repertoire would often encompass things people had little interest in.

But you’re here now, and you’re always eager to listen to him speak, no matter how drab or mundane the topic. Zhongli found he could speak to you about anything and everything under the sun and you would sit there, a smile on your face and a sparkle in your eyes as you clung to each word that left his lips.

Really, it’s pleased him so much. It’s truly endearing just how willing you are to sit and listen to him talk about anything ranging from the history of the tea leaves in Chenyu Vale to how the animal kingdom has come to be classified.

One day, after he’s finished telling you a story about the origins of platinum jewellery, he finally says, “You are always an enthusiastic listener to my tales. Truly commendable, dearest, that you do not tire of me.”

“Oh, I could never tire of you,” you say earnestly, supplementing it with a dreamy sigh as you lean against him. “You could tell me a story about dust bunnies and I’d laud it as the most interesting thing ever.”

He chuckles, nuzzling you affectionately. “I am glad my ramblings please you so.”

“I could listen to you talk forever,” you sigh happily. “You’re just so cute when you talk about the things you’re passionate about!”

“Only you perceive me as such.” He pats your head, a pleasant warming sensation abuzz in his heart.

“But I’m being honest. I just really like listening to your voice. It’s soothing and puts me at ease.” You gaze up at him lovingly. “So do tell me about dust bunnies, won’t you? I’m serious!”

Ah, how long has it been since someone unironically asked him to meander with his words? This is but one of the reasons he loves you. With a little laugh, Zhongli launches into a tale about dust bunnies as requested—because he does indeed have a story for everything—and internally coos as you latch onto every word keenly with nods and wide eyes.

[dragon-ascent]

YOU are a gacha character, and Zhongli is a gacha player who mains you.

Zhongli had been interested in you ever since learning tidbits about your lore scattered throughout the virtual world that has immersed him so. Being a lore player, reading every text and interaction comes second nature to him. So he gathered every bit of information on you he could find, and eagerly held onto the hope that you would be playable.

Months passed, new areas were added, and he collected more crumbs on you—and finally, leakers suggested you had a playable model. Ah, his patience has been rewarded! He diligently set about collecting enough wishes for you, and even prefarmed some materials you seemed likely to use.

When you were finally drip-marketed, your design was perfect. Just what he’d been waiting for. Your banner could not come any sooner…but Zhongli was a patient man. He waited calmly until the day the patch update dropped and then went to town with his saved wishes.

Ten-pull after ten-pull after excruciating ten-pull, and you were at C4R1. Two more constellations until you were maxed out, but Zhongli’s primogem reservoir…was drained dry. Well, he had spent some pulls on your supports, too.

Ah, well. Hu Tao probably didn’t mind when he swiped her card and put it down as a business expense.

Zhongli was your #1 main, literally—on Akasha he had the top build for you, and on the mains subreddit everyone turned to him for advice on how to play you. Figures, considering all the artifact grinding he’d done to make sure you had nothing but immaculate, god-tier substats without a single roll wasted. Boundless patience pays off, after all.

Ah, but he wasn’t just a meta player: he maxed out your companionship points within a day and listened to all your voice lines keenly, smiling at your sweet ‘good morning’ and ‘goodnight’ messages. Your lines about other characters were silly and endearing, too. 

Zhongli prepared a nice, cushy place for you in his teapot, too! Complete with the prettiest flower arrangements, crystalflies and even limited furniture from buying the premium Battle Pass. A castle and its enchanted garden with a flower swing in the center! There were also unique floating tricks he employed to make some of the lanterns float. 

Every time he logged in, he made it a point to visit you in his teapot creation to greet you. You definitely loved his arrangement, right?

No matter what, though, he avoided social media like the plague. The game’s fandom could be…passionately vocal at times. He knew he’d find the worst opinions on you ever, and he was a self-care king. Never engaged in any discourse. Quietly enjoyed playing with you, deaf to anything other players might say about it.

And today, he’s the proud owner of official shiki, figurines, keychains, and plushies of you. It bleeds into every aspect of his daily life; when he reads a book, he uses the metallic bookmark of you he got from a museum collab. For work, he uses your official themed keyboard. To bed, he wears your official fluffy jammies!

[A little known fact about him: he is a bit of a yumeshipper. He’s commissioned tons of art of you and him, nothing too crazy. Maybe even written a self insert fanfic here and there, but honestly, his writing is fine literature. He ought to change the names and publish his work as an actual book.]

Life is great. Maining you is fantastic. The cherry on top is the con coming up next weekend where he gets to meet your VA! (Surely Hu Tao won’t mind if he puts down the signed merch as another business expense if he forgets to bring enough of his own cash. It’s for the greater good, after all.)

[dragon-ascent]

Imagine being a sweet, fluffy little creature. Something friendly, adorable; a bunny perhaps. Wayward and free and no concerns save for where your next head of lettuce will come from. You hop and hop and hop and find yourself barreling straight onto a well-polished, crease-free shoe.

When you look up, you meet two warm pools of amber, crinkling at the corners as the tall human gazes down at you with all the kindness of a sun kissing a flower field.

Before you can shimmy off his footwear and carry on your merry way, you are scooped up and brought to face level with him. You wiggle, because air jail is not very fun, but quiet down when you see the man's gentle smile.

"Hello, little one," he murmurs, and you think his voice sounds like if you had gone digging and found a fresh trove of bananas and squeaky toys. "Where did you come from?"

You blink; your nose twitches. You don't respond, mainly because you are a bunny and therefore cannot speak. So you stare at him, taking in his handsome features. His face looks like it could use a few nibbles.

Naturally, he takes you home, because you'd said not a word of protest. It's a comfy place, full of high-end vases and trinkets and tea caddies you will enjoy pushing off their mahogany tables when you have the chance. The fancy drapery ought to be chewed as well. It smells like osmanthus flowers here. You're hungry.

The man slips his gloves off, revealing smooth hands carrying a faint gilded undertone, like he's something far greater than what he appears to be. He gives you what he calls a 'bath,' in a tub full of water carrying a faint eucalyptus scent. He scrubs you thoroughly and you love the way he scritches your ears just right. All the dirt from rolling around all day goes down the drain, literally, but you don't mind it much. You smell like soap and you like soap. (It's not edible, unfortunately: you tried nibbling it when he wasn't looking and had to spit it out.)

After the bath he dries you off with a soft and fluffy towel, almost as fluffy as you are. He's very tender in his actions, never rough. He hums softly as he gets you nice and dry. You flop your ears in tune to his humming; he chuckles lightly and boops your nose.

You hop onto his bed, hoping to stain the fine velvet sheets with some puke, but he scoops you up again and plops you on his lap as he settles among the cushions. "Tired?" he asks you, caressing your soft head.

Your nose twitches and you curl up. You don't want to puke on him.

The man takes that as invitation to tell you a story, words flowing seamlessly into each other. You don't understand a thing, but he's petting you and it's nice. He's rubbing under your chin and that is wonderful. Every time his hand ceases its ministrations you paw at him and he resumes his affections without complaint, without pausing his narration.

Your eyes close in bliss as you snuggle into him for more warmth. The tea caddies can wait until tomorrow to be pushed; the tablecloths can be chewed another time.

[dragon-ascent]

Being honest, I feel completely unworthy of messaging such an esteemed writer as yourself, but hear me out

imagine, imagine reader from liyue, with very religious parents, like, full on worshipping rex lapis (offerings and crazy devotion level) , and then reader somehow got acquainted with our favourite dragon man ( I think that's all)

like, it's been living rent free in my mind

Have a great day 🤗

(sorry, English isn't my first language)

Oh pls don’t feel that way :] I’m not all that!! And wowie I can relate to super religious parents so here we go~

Growing up, Rex Lapis has been the centre of your world. It's been drilled into your mind that he is the sun that shines upon Liyue, the supreme being responsible for all the comforts of life you enjoy. The Mora you spend on the things you like, the rich soil that grows your favorite tea leaves, and even the structure of the residential buildings, meticulously designed by the Geo Lord himself. As such, for his millennia of toiling to bring Liyue to the pinnacle of flourishment, it is only natural that your parents would express their undying gratitude somehow.

So every weekend you're whisked off to the local temple (that people hardly visit after the death of the god) to pray that the coming week, too, shall be prosperous and joyful. A plate of silk flowers and some sweets for the deity, without fail. The priests even know you by name.

You also have clay models of the god in both human and dragon forms at home, and on special days you all make sure to pray nice and hard (though, honestly, your devotion only truly jumps out when you have an exam or an important date coming up).

The usual curses are banned at home--whenever you uttered a 'Goddamn it,' in annoyance at something, you would be met with a gasp.

"Do not use Rex Lapis' name in vain!" they would chide.

"I never specified which god I was damning," you would retort. "Maybe I was talking about the Raiden Shogun!"

Normally, such levels of devotion might be seen as exhausting. But one look at the various myths and texts surrounding Deus Auri and one thing becomes apparent--the god was a dashing man. Elegance and poise incarnate. That, alone, makes the fanaticism worth it. You suppose that even if he weren't a divine being, you would still find some way to worship him regardless.

At your parents' behest, you make sure to keep a small idol in Rex's likeness on your desk at your new job. Being a funeral parlor assistant requires a strong mind and a stronger heart, something only the rock-solid Geo Lord might be able to provide you with.

It's similar to how the Statues of the Seven portray him, that signature hood obscuring half his face. Tentatively, you reach out, hoping to siphon some strength for your first day at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor.

Then a tall figure steps in and, startled, you nearly knock the idol off your desk. "Wah!"

"Oh, forgive me. I did not mean to make you jolt." It's the funeral parlor consultant, gentle of disposition and handsome, amber eyes gazing into yours with a kindness that makes you feel a little tingly.

"It...it's okay." With trembling hands, you pick the idol up, examining it carefully. "Oh, good, it's unharmed." You heave a sigh of relief, cradling it to you for a moment before placing it back on the desk.

"A devout believer, I assume?" the man asks, his tone thankfully devoid of that edge of teasing or judgment other people generally seem to adopt. Refreshing.

"I guess you can say that," you answer, a shade sheepish. "He did do so much for us, after all."

A low, deep chuckle that turns your insides into goo. "Though he has passed, he will remain in our hearts forever." Ah, this fellow must also be religious. You wonder if he, too, goes to the temple on full moon days and if you might see him around. "Please, call me Zhongli. I trust you are settling in well?"

You introduce yourself, exchange pleasantries, and shake hands with him, and feel an electric warmth course through your being.

What on earth...?

You feel yourself start to grow a little hot, like you're basking in the presence of shining, molten gold...the grandeur of divinity wrapped delicately in a cocoon of innocuous humanity...

Oh, it must be because the fan isn't on. No wonder.

You laugh quietly, switch the fan on, pat Zhongli on the back and wish him a good day, and settle down to start your work for the week.

[dragon-ascent]

what do you think chonkli’s fur-to-scale ratio is? im stuck between 75-25 (scaley limbs) or 90-10 (scale pawpads/claws)

90-10! He’s a fluffy baby with scaley paw pads :) and in winter he’s 99.9999% fluff!

[dragon-ascent]

Hii I dont know if you take silly zhongli fic requests, and if you could fit it into your schedule, would you mind writing something? Basically, an older cousin of mine is pregnant right now (yipiie) and she's like 6 months along and cravings hit HARD. like she was legit crying about the lobster not arriving fast enough as she could smell the aroma of it wafting from the kitchen lmao. So as a zhongli adorer, I was wondering about a small zhongli x reader pregnancy little shenanigans, with reader having cravings. Its a little silly but I ve been hit with baby fever now and I love the way you write zhongli so I shot my shot haha. Have a wonderful day either way ♡

Oh my goshhh!! So cute!! Congratulations to your cousin and family, the baby will for sure be so loved and cared for :) here you go! Pregnancy shenanigans with soon-to-be papa Li~

Zhongli would absolutely be attuned to every little tick of yours; he’s the most observant being out there after all. The slightest mar of your brow? The softest of sighs? He’ll immediately come to ask you what’s bothering you and what he can do to make you feel better.

Craving noodles? He’ll get right to cooking exactly what you want, down to the spice levels and choice of veggies.

If you change your mind just as it’s being served and say you want it a little less spicy and without the tofu he added? Not to worry, he’ll prepare it just the way you asked for without hesitation. Perks of a man with boundless patience! (And if the ingredients aren’t at home, he’ll go out and purchase them so you can be happy.)

Even if you cry or stomp your feet in frustration when the food takes long, Zhongli would never tease you for it. Pregnancies are hard! He’ll offer you a taste of the broth in the meantime while the main dish simmers. Slow and steady ensures you get the best outcome after all ~

And hey, the dragon blood in his veins probably connects him to you on a much deeper level than anyone else, so when he’s at work and suddenly gets the feeling you’re dying for something sweet—you got it! He’ll purchase a box of your favourite sweets to surprise you with when he gets home! Seeing your look of disbelief melt into sheer happiness at getting what you’d been secretly coveting is priceless.

[dragon-ascent]

this is kinda angsty butttt

what do you think would cause zhongli to break things off with mc?

Gasp!

Well! Thank you for making me think about this. In my opinion, it would have to be something quite substantial such as infidelity, especially when agreed upon that the relationship will be exclusive to the two of you and not an open one. (And why on earth would you cheat on the Zhongli?! But entering a relationship is a contract of its own, and when you breach its terms then fairness is lost. The contract is now null and void.)

In times of yore when he held an important position in the war and in divinity, he might break things off simply to keep you safe. There's a big target on your back by just being in close proximity to him, so pushing you away, no matter how much that cleaves through his stone heart, will protect you.

In general, he might end things simply just because he...falls out of love. When life grows so monotonous, the relationship so strained and fragmented that even all his earnest attempts to piece the shards back together yield no results. The broken pieces are glass, not jade, and the kintsugi that brings them back together is clear water, not liquid gold. Not like it used to be.

Zhongli would try. He'd try and try, but if that spark is gone with no way to rekindle it...he will let go, only holding on to the memories, looking back at how things were. The shared laughs, the impromptu dances, the homegrown flowers. The smiles fall, the dances cease, and the flowers wilt, but so be it. He has millennia of life experience, after all, so these things are part and parcel of the world.

He will keep walking, even when the sun sets on the day and the sky grows bleak, the pages of his latest chapter blotting out in shadow. Because he will stick around long enough to see a new dawn, a new day, a new chapter. Such is the life of an immortal.

[dragon-ascent]

There are plenty of ways Zhongli would make it up to you after an argument. I've already mentioned how he might transform into his lofty form and fetch a piece of the moon for you if you so asked, or how he might go gather precious riches and jewels to ameliorate the situation.

But when Zhongli is being a particularly wet cat, he might appeal to your heart in his tiny chonk form.

You'd be sitting in your room, door shut because you'd like your maelstrom of emotions to be contained within four walls, ignoring all the times your husband knocks on the door to get you to come out. It's a while until you hear a faint scratching sound at the door. You turn, head tilted. The scratches continue. Rolling your eyes, you make your way to the door. "Zhongli, I really don't care what antics you want to get up to-"

You pause. There's nobody at the door--unless you look down at the floor, where Chonkli is curled up, just a pathetic little ball of fur gazing up at you with two black glistening gems for eyes.

"Mrow," he peeps, whining softly.

"Oh, you..." A sigh, then you pick him up. He's even tinier than he usually is in this form.

He paws at you and whines again, then licks your cheek. "Mrrrp?" he asks.

Your jaw ticks, but you sit in bed and cradle him anyway.

The happy purrs that result buzz through your chest. He won't stop nuzzling you, but at least he's soft. And warm, and cuddly.

You're still mad, though.

[dragon-ascent]

Happy Birthday 🥳🎂

thank you so much!! ^-^

[dragon-ascent]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊

thank you sooo much! I had a great day yesterday :)

[dragon-ascent]

Happy birthday, Sini 🎉🎉🎉

I'm also turning 24 this year, and you probably too wondering how you got to this point?

Haha anyway I wish you lead a happy, long and healthy life!

Eeee thank you! :D <3

Yeah it's so surreal honestly like, how'd I get this far? Since I'm here, might as well be in it for the long haul lmao.

And thank u again eeeee!!

[dragon-ascent]

It’s my budday today :]

I really need to give my pinned post an overhaul but I’ll start by changing my age from 23 to 24 lol

[dragon-ascent]

It's nigh impossible to fluster Zhongli.

There he is, relaxing in his chair, gazing out at the way the evening light washes upon the sleepy landscape...and here you are, a mischievous grin firmly fixed to your face as you watch him.

Waltzing over to him with your latest bit of tomfoolery nestled up your sleeve, you won't stop grinning. Your husband notices you and his eyes crinkle warmly. Oh, how priceless it'll be when that soft look of his is knocked away.

"Darling," you begin sweetly, "I'm making dinner tonight!"

He smiles, a flash of his pearly whites as he regards you fondly. "Oh, how lovely. What are you preparing?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, pretty boy." You grip the arms of his seat, leaning closer to him until you're only inches apart.

"Indeed I would." He continues to smile.

Perfect. "I'll tell you...only if you call me daddy," you drawl, batting your lashes.

That ought to have put some colour in his cheeks, but Zhongli doesn't even miss a beat. "Very well. What's for dinner, daddy?" Never mind that you're the furthest thing from daddy material.

What on earth? Clicking your tongue, you pull away from him. "Do you even know what 'daddy' means? You're not embarrassed?"

"I do know what it means," he answers, gloved hands clasped together on his lap. "If it makes you happy to be called that, then I shall call you daddy."

Okay, switch tactics. You lean forward again, effectively caging him where he sits. "Ask again, nicer this time, babygirl," you tell---or rather, warn---him.

He leans forward too, unfazed, your noses almost touching. His fine ol' face is the very picture of composure and nonchalance. "Please tell me what you are preparing for dinner, daddy."

You whine and slump onto his lap. "Something or the other..." you mutter, defeated.

"And what, precisely, does that mean, daddy?" He pats your head affectionately. How un-daddylike you are now.

"Ugh! I'm making instant noodles and calling it a night!"

[dragon-ascent]

𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶཐི༏ཋྀ󠀮 Fanboy!Zhongli and Idol!Reader

((thank u for the idea @breivete !))

A spark of life and energy in a world otherwise mundane and rather dull. Zhongli finds it in you, someone whose singing and dancing bring splotches of colour into an otherwise sepia-toned existence.

It starts off with him hearing one of your songs at the store on a weekend out for a grocery run, the catchy beat and your voice working together to intrigue him. The beat is addictive, and you carry that tune with such ease he can't help but want more of it, ideally not in an environment where the cashier is hurrying him along. He memorizes some of the lyrics, enough for him to look it up back home, and thus he falls into the rabbit hole of idol music--your idol music, specifically.

You're part of an idol group, and while you are all talented as a whole, you stand out to him. Perhaps it's your smile, your voice, your dance style, or a combination of everything, but he can't take his eyes off you, even when you're not in the centre of the formation.

By the end of the day, he's watched every single music video of yours, as well as dance practices and miscellaneous clips on your channel. Suffice to say, he's hooked. He even watches one of those chaotic fanmade introductory videos (and while he doesn't get half the meme references added in, he thinks you're very silly and endearing).

When he gets off work the next day, he goes straight to a merch store and purchases a poster of your solo debut single. There you are, bold and lovely on it, your smile radiating off the inanimate thing and warming his heart. He puts it up in his room, no hesitation. It doesn't matter if the loud colours clash with the more muted hues of his home.

It's not enough. He buys another few posters and prints, each of your different musical eras, making sure he gets the merch that has you as a prime focus. He even buys your group's albums, smiling when he pulls your photocard. Luck is on his side.

But soon having physical merch is nothing groundbreaking; he's bought practically everything that has your face on it. What's next? Ah, attending concerts, of course.

Premium ticket snagged, lightstick secured, and handheld banner created. He's ready, and when the spotlights go crazy, swiveling onto your ethereal face, shining and ready to party, his heart leaps over a mountain. Zhongli isn't the type to be whooping or cheering the loudest, nor would he frantically gyrate, limbs swinging around in frenzied mating rituals to try to get your attention. No, he stands there at barricade, waving the banner; it's got a heartfelt message for you, hand-calligraphed and designed by himself, with gold foil lining the edges. It glimmers under the flashing lights, and when you finally see it and your grin widens, the fluttering feeling in him amplifies tenfold.

He's one of the few people in the audience who doesn't have a phone obstructing his face--he's living in the moment, enjoying the vibes and singing along, and when your eyes meet his multiple times, he knows he's got your attention, just as you've got him transfixed.

Fansigns and fancalls are quite taxing on idols, but Zhongli ensures your experience with him won't be a drag, at the very least. He never asks you to do cringe fanservice and act cute when you don't want to. He doesn't make you sit through a horrible pick-up line where your so-done-with-this reaction would be circulated on social media to poke fun at your fan. Instead, he actually has regular...human conversations with you. How's your health, what are you into these days, make sure to eat and sleep well, all that.

It gets to a point where you start recognizing him at idol-fan events. You scan the crowd for him, and when you see him right there in front, waving at you with that gentle smile of his, you can't help but wave back excitedly (and the crowd in that section goes wild, but Zhongli knows who you really waved to, and that's enough for him). Even on fancalls, when Zhongli's face pops up, you light up instantly. "Hey! It's you, Mr. Zhongli!"

Zhongli is not one to get lost in the throes of daydreams. The line between fanboy and lover is distinct from everything else, and there is no way he will ever think of seeing that line blurred, of taking a step beyond the boundary. Ultimately, he hopes your idol career can remain a successful and safe one, because he'll be there with you, supporting you every step of the way.

[dragon-ascent]

who are yuo and why is whatever you write gold

Oh ♪(´ε｀ )！

Well, when you’re insane about the God of Gold/Deus Auri, a little bit of his power rubs off <3

[dragon-ascent]

So it's no secret that you have, like, a million and one plushies of Rex Lapis, or basically all kinds of paraphernalia in your darling Zhongli's image.

This time, it's Zhongli's turn to have merch of you.

You're not exactly a celebrity in the same way he is, of course, so nobody is mass-producing plushies or keychains or anything in your image... but Zhongli makes it work. He purchases a teddy bear in your favourite colour and asks you if you'd like to adorn it with something of yours. Perhaps an accessory you like, or a scent you commonly use, or a little trinket it can hold in its fluffy arms.

At first, you're confused as to why he's suddenly taken it upon himself to personalize this bear (that he randomly bought, mind you), but he says with earnest, "You own numerous articles of Rex Lapis, and thus now it is my turn to bear something--" and at this he holds the bear up so the pun does not skirt past you--"in your likeness."

Zhongli values fairness, after all. This should tip the scales.

And it does, very much so, because you're utterly touched by the way he cares for the bear, which now has imprints of you on it. He gives it headpats, takes care not to get it dirty, and cradles it tenderly (unlike you. Swinging your plushies around like nobody's business).

Oh, and he takes it to work to spruce up his desk as well. When the day is slow, he finds himself talking to the plushie to pass the time. It matters little if it can't respond; the mere thought of it being a representation of you means it makes for splendid company all the same.

[dragon-ascent]

I've often heard people say that aromantics write the sweetest fluff.

I'm aro myself hehe. Wonder what people think of that?