Mini Series: Wander In Wonder - Tumblr Posts
MOONLIT DREAM
SUMMARY a budding jade aficionado receives a personal lesson from her lover
WARNINGS established relationship, outdoor sex, boat!sex, blasphemy, sensory deprivation (use of blindfolds), sensory play (with a brush), dirty talk, petnames (little love, little one), soft!zayne, orgasm control, edging, begging, fingering, dirty talk, marking, pulling out (zayne cums in his own hand cause he's a mf gentleman like that), astra hate, allusions to theories of zayne's myth, mdni, 18+
DAWN SAYS FIRST ONE IS HEREEE istg this event has me by the THROAT I know it isn't very canon-compliant but I wanted to do something based on the vibes I got from the cards so I hope you all enjoy this! I will eventually cross-post this to a03 so if you want to follow me there, it's under the same username! <3
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ─── SYLUS ⊱ XAVIER ⊱ RAFAYEL
The art of jade carving was slowly dying out.
Touted as a precious stone the color of rich grass, its value was placed not in its glossy, green finish, but on the weight of meaning it carried.
To gift someone a jade pendant meant you wished luck, prosperity and success on them. Mothers would often lend their sons their necklaces hidden in the lapels of their hanfu as they took their official tests, while a groom’s parents would adorn their new daughter-in-law with jade jewelry to bestow upon the newlywed couple blessings of marital bliss and harmony.
On nights like these, you liked to wander these grand, opulent hallways, lost in thought as the glimmering green gems twinkled from ceilings, pillars and statues.
The moon was bright tonight as you caught sight of Zayne, a royal court physician your family had connections to.
(And who was also, your secret-not-so-secret lover).
He was struggling under the weight of his documents, and you rushed forward to greet him, calling out his name.
“Y/N—there you are,” he gave you a small smile, warmth twinkling behind his green eyes. The sheen of them reminded you of how jade shone. “What’re you doing up so late? The moon is bright tonight.”
You flushed, gathering yourself before you divulge your deepest thoughts to him. “I was up till yesterday night trying to read up on jade carving. Did you know the practice is diminishing?”
Zayne, though not much of a man of the arts, could concede on your astute observation. “I see,” he teased, “And you thought that by devouring clips of them, you might have a chance to save this dying art?”
Used to his teasing, you huffed and wagged your finger. “At least I am dedicated to a cause that matters. Tell me, Mr. Zayne, don’t you have a passion you want to protect, too?”
At your question, his eyes softened.
“Perhaps.” He glanced at the number of documents in his hand. “I have some summons to work on. Maybe you might like to keep me company and tell me all about your discoveries of jade carving while I work?”
The offer sounded too good to resist. You followed him down the hallway and into the vacant space—an unoccupied room linking right to the court library. It was connected by a veranda, where the man-made lake ran around it, a shallow body of water meant for aesthetic purposes commissioned by the emperor himself. A pile of scrolls laid on the shiny, mahogany desk, and you realized too late that you were in his private office.
“Zayne—”
While the idea of spending more time with him was intriguing, you couldn't risk a court scandal by being seen with a man at such late hours. He didn’t stop you when you stood, though the look in his eyes held you back from leaving too soon.
“It is fine, Y/N. I have checked for guards and there are none at this hour. Besides, aren’t we both past the boundaries of such careless affection?”
He grabbed your hand, and you let him tug you closer. Sitting in his embrace, you relished in the secrecy of your meetings under the moon, this hidden fondness belonging only to you two.
“I wish to hold you forever like this.” Zayne was not someone who waxed lyrical about his feelings, but tonight felt different.
Far more intimate.
His touch echoed with shades of absolute need when he tilted your face up, tucking a lock of hair behind your ear.
“I have a surprise for you,” he whispered.
Intrigued, you let him take your hand, stepping out of the balcony and onto the connected veranda. You hadn’t immediately noticed a line of candles sat by the edge of the water, too caught up in his embrace. Zayne led you right to the makeshift dock where an ornate boat rocked in the man-made lake, stepping on its deck first before holding out a hand to you.
Taking his familiar, calloused palm in yours, you lost your footing for a split second, tumbling right into his arms.
“Oh—”
“I got you,” he murmured, righting you on your slippered-feet.
Zayne made sure you were alright and tightened his hand on yours, taking you into the anterior single cabin, where a smaller version of his desk stood, the light of the moon illuminating his warm cheeks.
“I thought we could spend some time here—away from any prying eyes.”
A smile spread across your face, delighting at this romantic and secluded initiative.
“I see. So, you have me trapped right in your hands while I ramble on about jade carving?”
You should have known your lover always had a special trick up his sleeve. He wasn’t called the brightest official without his uncanny knack for deciphering what it is people around him truly wanted.
“No.”
He gestured for you to sit on the plush cushions, and removed a box from the side of the hull, opening it. Bringing out paint brushes, scrolls, newly minted jade pendants and glass bowls which he filled with water. Zayne let you touch them, enamored by your bright gaze and excitement.
"You... remembered?"
He smiled. "Of course, I did."
Touching your cheek, he said, "When your lover develops a fixation on something, you do your best to try and satisfy her."
Pleased and slightly flattered, you turned your attention to the rows of jade waiting for you.
“Are we sending our wishes to be carved on these pendants?”
Fondly, he nodded.
“Yes. I thought this would be a great step in our courtship—to have our wishes bestowed on these jade jewels for us to wear. A memento of our love.”
You flashed him a smile so bright, it could rival the moon up above.
Sitting down next to him, Zayne watched as you dipped your brush in ink, slowly filling up the scroll with your earthly desires which the jade carver would put onto these pendants.
I wish for Zayne to always be healthy and happy, you fluidly etched onto the paper. I wish for him to find success in court. To grow in his filial piety and strength. May he always be kind, courteous and brave.
Glancing at him, you were surprised to find him dozing off, elbow perched on the mahogany desk, head laid resting against a closed palm. The lights from the palace veranda and the moon in the sky played with the shadows on his face, making him look younger than his years of twenty-seven. The innocent curve of his brow, the slight parting of his thin lips, stirred a desire within you.
A need to push him and see how much he could take before he broke.
Grinning to yourself, you picked up the prep calligraphy brush, still dripping with cool water, and gently ran the bristles over his lower lip. Zayne grunted in his doze, but didn’t stir, exhausted from his duties to pay your foolery any mind. You smirked, wondering if he would feel it when you dragged the brush down his jaw.
Still—nothing.
Besides a furrow in his brow, Zayne remained locked in his slumber. A part of you wondered if the sensation felt akin to cool wind brushing his skin, and you decided to up the ante.
Taking the brush down to his neck, this time you managed to garner a sweet, sweet visceral reaction from him.
Zayne’s nose twitched, a sound of consternation and… desire?... leaving his lips.
He sighed. You paused.
Tucking your lower lip in between your teeth, you took the brush now to the hollow dip of his collarbones. Another sigh, another baited breath.
But, he didn’t open his eyes.
Growing bolder, you glided the brush down the groove of his toned chest, mesmerized by the silvery trail of water left behind—a delicate mark of your teasing on his pale skin.
A part of you wanted to see what his entire body would look like ‘painted’ with these slick marks; your curiosity mingled with a stirring desire to have him completely under your spell.
As you dragged the damp brush down to his chest, intent on finishing up your canvas for the night, you felt the gentle grasp of his hand around your wrist, stopping your descent from going any lower.
“I see I woke up at the wrong time,” he teased.
Whatever remained of his nightly exhaustion dissipated, his breathtaking green eyes gauging your reaction with the ghost of a smirk tugging the corners of his mouth.
Zayne’s skin and lips were tingling from the effects of your little ‘painting session’.
As much as the hunger inside of him was roaring to overcome you, he wanted to see what you would do next; how else you would surprise him.
Deciding to tease him even more, you dropped the calligraphy brush, hearing it roll onto the barge’s floor somewhere under the desk. You slid your fingers across his hand, feeling his touch gliding on your open palm.
“Carving jade requires a clear mind,” you murmured, your fingertips breaching the hem of his ornate cuffs, touching the warm skin of his wrist underneath the clothes. “This is a test.”
Zayne was not expecting you to tighten your grip on his wrist, or for you to boldly drag him on top of you.
His gasp brushed the tender shell of your ear, the heat of his body on top of yours made you shiver.
“How bold you are, little one,” your lover murmured, settling on his elbow to gaze down at you, brushing a stray lock of hair from your face. “You are quite commendable indeed—getting a court official into such a… compromising position.”
The moon glowed, the broadness of his shoulders eclipsing its luminescent rays from fully spilling onto both your tangled bodies.
“I merely wanted to share my passions with a certain court official, but it appears he found the entire ordeal boring,” you quipped back, throwing in an eye roll for added effect.
His thin lips twitched in amusement, the hand on your cheek moving down to briefly cup your jaw. “Alright, then. Why don’t we make your little session a bit more interesting for me?”
Before you could ask, he took the discarded brush you had dropped, dipping it in a pot of water. Dabbing off the excess, he touched the firm tip to your cheek, his jade green eyes darkening with an unnamed emotion.
“You speak while I simply… listen... and return your little painting favor. Whoever can retain their composure without breaking first will win a month’s worth of rabbit candy.”
Not one to refute his games or back down from a dare, you raised a brow. “Are you questioning my resolve, Mr. Zayne?”
He forced back a huff of laughter, trying to retain his equanimity.
(Which was steadily chipping away the more you provoked him).
Zayne hummed. “I do not question it. I want to test it.”
As he spoke, he glided the cool paintbrush from your cheek to jaw. “And to make this more fun for me since I have not heard of the intricacies of jade carving, I want to test your knowledge further with this—”
From his lapels, he removed a silk ribbon, one which you recognized to wrap up mooncake boxes.
Flushing warmly from the implications of what he wanted to do next, you attempted to keep your voice steady, but failed.
“Playing dirty, Mr. Zayne? I never mistook you for such a bad sport.”
A glimmer of mischief ignited in his eyes, and he placed the paintbrush down next to your neck, coaxing you to raise your head so he could wrap the soft strip around your eyes.
“You are always testing my resolve. You should know I always repay the favor.”
Despite the intensity of his request, a playful intimacy remained between the two of you. Whatever happened, you always trusted Zayne to put your wellbeing and dignity above everything else.
“Alright.”
You raised your head, letting him tie the makeshift blindfold around your eyes.
Hidden in darkness, you could only rely on your senses of touch and hearing to guide you on what was happening. You heard the rustle of the paintbrush picked up again by your ear, felt the damp tip on your jaw. Zayne glided the brush down the side of your neck, secretly enjoying your quiet gasp of surprise.
“Now, little one,” he hummed. “Tell me all about the intricacies of jade carving since you know them so very well.”
Your heart was pounding, but you managed to keep your calm when you recited the first fact to pop into your mind.
“U-um… j-jades were known as the ‘essence of heaven and earth’.” Your gasp melted into a stifled moan at the sensation of his warm lips chasing after the cool trickles of water left behind.
“I see. Enlightening. Do tell me more.”
His husky voice brushed the shell of your ear, and your stomach tightened in knots.
Unfair. Zayne was unfairly using your weakness against you.
He knew you were always sensitive to his kisses; his touch.
A bead of clear water trickles down your neck, and you struggle to think of the next fact as his lips follow the winding trail the liquid carved along your skin, each kiss soft and deliberate.
“Jade has a sharp resonance and that is why it was often used as chimes—mhm.”
He nuzzled his nose into your pulse point, inhaling the sweet scent of jasmine from your skin.
“I am listening,” he reassured, and you could imagine the smirk playing on his lips. “And I am interested. What else is there for me to learn about jade, little one?”
As you fought hard to recall another fact, your hands instinctively tightened, crumpling the soft material of his hanfu in your grasp.
“With n-new drilling tools, jade can now be made in larger scales of production—”
The sensation of bristles on your skin interrupted your train of thought. Nothing could have prepared you for the sting of his teeth biting down on your neck. Zayne’s heated breath caressed your sensitive throat, leaving goosebumps on your skin in their wake.
“I think I have quite the knowledgeable grasp on this matter, little one.”
In a swift yet gentle motion, the blindfold melted off your eyes, and you caught Zayne gazing down at you affectionately.
The damp brush and these damn games were discarded to the side in favor of him dragging you onto his lap, letting you sit astride him.
Warmth suffused across your cheeks, and your entire body was tingling from the sensation of the rough bristles mingling with the contrasting tenderness of his lips on your skin. You felt the tension tightening in your belly, tensing the muscles on your thighs wrapped on either side of his waist.
Zayne took this opportunity to roam his hands across your back, down your sides—feeling the smoothness of your robe underneath his touch; the way you shivered as if caught in a chill.
“Are you afraid?”
His gentle whisper was followed by a sweet kiss on your temple.
Yearning sparked from the tips of your fingers down to your toes.
You shook your head.
“No, Zayne.”
Smiling to himself, Zayne cradled your head in his hands, nudging you further up the plush pillows he prepared for tonight. The sight of you, all sprawled out with the warm palace lights and the shining moon illuminating your flushed cheeks, looking far too ravishing for your own good filled his mind with a light-headed daze.
He couldn’t believe you were here, that you were his.
A low grumble resonated from his chest, and he pressed his lips to your ear, delighting in your little shiver in response.
“You have to forgive me, little one. I cannot control myself when I am with you.”
His traced circles onto your cheek with his thumb, absorbing your hitched breath, the way your body shifted under his broader, muscular one.
As he spoke, he planted a tender kiss on your cheek.
“It is not my fault that someone gets distracted easily when carving intricate patterns… and appreciating the moon.”
He pressed another soft kiss to your temple, worshiping you with his entire soul.
Never mind that the bright lunar rays were burning into his skin. Or, he felt the unseeing eye studying his every move.
All that mattered to him in this instant was you—your sounds, your sighs, the look of desire and love in your eyes.
It was everything and more that Zayne could wish on his fallen luck. He wanted nothing more than to claim you under his god’s eye, defying logic and order to demonstrate his undying love for you.
“Are you feeling what I am feeling as well, my little love?”
He looked to you for confirmation.
Consent.
You nodded wordlessly, threading your fingers through his hair.
“Yes, Zayne. I feel it.”
That was all the permission he needed. Zayne leaned in and captured your lips in a heated kiss, his desire for you pouring into every movement. Every breath.
He needed to make you his completely; needed to love you with his entire being.
His lips touched your ear again, his scratchy whisper igniting your desires. His nimble fingers, deft from years of practiced writing and studies, twined with yours, holding you impossibly close.
Another tender kiss right on your cheek. “Then we will just have to blame the craftsman… and the moon.”
Careful yet firm hands shed your robes from your body, the rocking boat adding momentum to your every movement. Zayne took his time to undress you, marveling as inches of flawless, moon-soaked skin appeared before his eyes. Taking his time to run his fingers over your body, he breathed you in, his eyes fluttering to half-mast as he savored this moment of peace.
When your body was fully bared to him, he sucked in a deep breath.
“Beautiful,” he mumbled.
Zayne’s hands roamed your body with a newfound possessiveness, his expression a mix of tender yearning.
The sight itself was too much for you to bear; the shame, lust, and need coalescing together to bring you to your knees.
You tugged him closer, unable to stand another minute apart from him.
He fell right into your embrace, your eager hands undoing the loop of his hanfu, baring his full chest, dragging it down his shoulders.
The act of undressing one another, meant for the marital doings of a husband and wife, felt natural when it came to Zayne.
Such love shared between the two of you sprung forth like a fountain, effortless in cascading your bodies in ebbs and flows. Zayne kissed you like you would disappear if he opened his eyes, his lips soft and tender against yours.
It made your heart full to bursting, overwhelmed by the love of it all.
Taking the lead, Zayne helped to reposition you on his lap, this new angle allowing you to control what came next.
The moon was his unwilling accomplice, painting you in the most alluring light. Its rays shone brightly, illuminating the brightness of your hair, your skin.
You gleamed like treasured jade right in his arms, and Zayne would never let you go again. Not in this life, or the next.
You were his to treasure, to hold. To cherish and love—his obedience to Astra be damned.
He wrapped his arms tightly around your waist, bringing you into his arms; feeling you lift your hips and gingerly take him. The tightness of you, enveloping him slowly, drove him mad with need.
But, Zayne reined his lust in, focused on your pleasure. He would never do anything to hurt you; all he desired for was to see you happy.
You are doing so well, he praised, his lashes fluttering against his cheeks. Good girl. That’s it—go on and make yourself feel good.
Emboldened by his praise, you braced your hands on his chest, wincing at the stretch.
It wasn’t the first time you had taken him, your months of courtship blooming into a rapid need of each other.
But, it was the first time you were doing it so publicly, boldly declaring your claim on one another.
If anyone walked by, word would soon reach the wrong people of this escapade. But, you couldn’t bring yourself to care.
You wanted Zayne, needed him like you needed air.
He was as enamored as you were, watching you take him.
You were a vision above him, a moonlit dream he could only wish to hold onto for the rest of his life.
“You truly are the most beautiful sight I have ever seen,” he breathed, placing his palm on your cheek. The melted look of devotion in his eyes was second to how secure and safe he made you feel.
With Zayne, nothing was closed off or too much—everything was in order, right and sweet as it was meant to be.
Your head lolled back, the pleasure taking center stage to this act of consummation burning your veins.
“Zayne… you feel so good…”
The sound of his lover’s praise drove him into a frenzy, and he let his immaculate self-restraint slip; giving into the vulnerability.
Zayne’s beautiful emerald eyes glimmered, taking in the heavenly sight of your smooth skin, your hard nipples carving a silhouette of erotic desire in the barely-lit night.
He leaned up to gently run his tongue over them, trailing goosebumps across your chest. You moaned, lost in the haze of the pleasure, putty to his whims.
“I cannot believe you all mine…” His voice broke, trailing off into awe.
Dedicated to showing you his entire devotion, Zayne let his innermost thoughts flow freely.
“The way the moon shines upon you… the luster of your hair in the night… gods above, you feel like a fever dream, my love.”
A soft whimper left your kiss-swollen lips. Zayne ran his thumb over your lower lip.
“Do you feel it?” His breath is heavy and desire-filled.
He could not wait to see you coming undone for him.
“How much do I belong to you?” Infused with yearning, his words made you tremble. “I am all yours tonight. I want to give you everything you desire.”
Zayne…
He grunted, the sound of his name on your lips a glimpse of heaven opening up.
Sweat beaded on his brow, a droplet trailing from between your breasts to roll down towards where you were connected.
Zayne halted its path with his tongue, lapping at it gently. He ran his tongue over the curve of your jaw, across your pulse point—stopping to nip and suck the tender flesh until he was sure the marks of his affection would bloom upon your skin.
The idea of anyone taking one look at you and immediately deducing you belonged to him drove him wild with desire.
He wanted to mark you, inside and out.
You belonged to him and no one else.
Not to the world, not to your people or your books.
But, to him.
And he belonged to you.
The moon rays seemed to blister his skin, an angry curse waiting to consume him whole. But, Zayne didn’t care for the warning, making a mockery of his god by claiming his beloved right under His light.
He brought you in for a tender kiss, just as your walls shuddered around him.
The romantic atmosphere, the way his tender gaze bore into your soul… was all too much for you to hold back.
But, before you could come undone, Zayne stilled your hips, a pinch on his brow.
He captured your lips in a heated kiss, one which silenced your moans and protests, giving you what you longed for.
Zayne picked up his pace, surprising you with a glint of mischief in his eyes.
“That look on your face,” he murmured huskily. “I love it. I love when you rely on me to come undone, my love.”
Your toes curled, his heated words making a shiver of need run down your spine.
“Zayne…”
Yes, my love. He moved his hand between your thighs, teasing you with delicate circles on your flushed nub.
What is it you desire?
“You.”
He smirked, hearing the desire and need in your tone.
“You have me.”
The ball of heat tightening in your belly demanded to be released.
No… I need you in a different way.
In what way? He raised a brow, looking irresistibly smug.
Your lover intended for you to say it out loud. To tell him explicitly what it is you needed.
Wetting your lips, you shifted your hips, feeling the head of his length graze your sweet spot.
You winced, and murmured, I need you to make me come undone.
But, Zayne was adamant on drawing out your needs.
“Just a little longer,” he promised. “I swear it will feel better once it is drawn out.”
You trusted him, letting him take his time.
“You’re pleasing me so well tonight, my love,” he praised in a soft voice, the look of devotion in his eyes never wavering. “I think I can give you what you are yearning for…”
However, his promises came with a caveat:
“Only if you beg for it nicely.”
A jolt of arousal sparked through your bloodstream, tightening your walls around him.
Zayne grunted, his composure hanging by a loose thread.
The circles on your clit grew sloppier, a sign of his unraveling.
You couldn’t hold back the need any longer, digging your nails into his shoulders.
“Please…” your thin whisper illuminated the dark interior of the barge.
Please, Zayne. I need this… I need you…
Not one to push his beloved too hard, Zayne relented instantly; his chest swelling with pride at your obedient response.
Surging forward, he wrapped a hand around your waist, bringing you down onto the plush pillows as he took over.
Undulating his hips, he felt you falling apart underneath him—your toes curling, fingers lacing through his hair, tugging hard.
Already coming undone? I can feel your control slipping, my love…
Yes, yes. You chanted, squeezing your eyes shut.
Languidly nuzzling your neck, Zayne’s command was a heated whisper into your ear.
I know you need this—I can feel how much you need it. Let go, my love.
It was the permission you needed. In an instant, you spilled over, following his command, always his obedient, sweet lover.
He worked you through your contractions, feeling your entire body tensing under his touch. His cock splitting your walls over and over again drove you to the peak of your second release, and Zayne took pride in how you dug your heels into his lower back, crying out his name.
The official didn’t care who would be hearing; if the universe would conspire later to end him for his disobedience.
He couldn't think about anything else, not when you slumped into his arms, his voice a low hum; mumbling reassurances into the hollow of your throat.
Careful to pull out and release into his own palm, Zayne didn’t care for your muffled outcry. He wouldn’t dare besmirch your body with his seed inside or out—prioritizing your dignity above all else.
The dark-haired man was careful to wipe his release on a spare silk handkerchief he brought onto the barge, taking another one to wipe the mess you made between your thighs.
Sated and glowing from your release, you let him work on you, quietly enjoying the devotion in his eyes and touch.
Zayne’s smile was soft and hazy as he pulled you on top of him, letting your head rest on his chest.
Longer, sturdier and calloused fingers traced patterns on your back, watching how the moon shone through the slanted windows, drawing shadows over the expanse of your skin.
His arms wrapped tightly around, pulling you deeper into his embrace, unwilling to let go.
Outside the boat, a storm began to brew, dark clouds closing in and concealing the moon from sight.
The balminess of the night gave way to a blessed, cooling drizzle, enveloping the boat much like his arms, keeping you safe and grounded.
With the light of the moon extinguished, the glow of your smile became the brightest thing in the night as you leaned in, cradling his face,
“Are you alright?” he asked softly.
His love for you shone brighter than any celestial being could, limitless and profound, as he lost himself in the warmth of your touch.
“I am perfect.”
Not one to give him a moment of peace, you cheekily quipped:
"So, does this mean you are giving me a month's supply of rabbit candy?"
Zayne's eyes twinkled, and he chuckled, shaking his head at your question.
"If I recall," he turned you over, pinning you back onto the pillows, desire alighting his usually stoic and steady gaze.
"It was not I whose composure wavered, my little one."
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