#i cannot imagine a time when venti genshin impact was not everything to me but whatever | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

pen-observing · 3 years ago

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- to live between shadow and light

a genshin impact mafia/cop au, brought to you by @sailormakoto and me keke.

a/n: so in my mind this is the ‘imagine your life in a mafia/cop otome game universe’ but combine it with genshin characters for maximum effect. we have been brainstorming and talking about this for 6 months straight i am not joking with you. enjoy!

warnings: (only mentions, nothing explicit): manipulation, fwb, baizhu is your uni prof. and you date him (but uni so no gross stuff tnx.), gun shooting practice, broken glass and furniture. are mafia/cop aus ever really appropriate for minors? (don’t think so.) w/c: 3,4k characters: baizhu, kazuha, scaramouche, xiao, albedo, thoma, zhongli, venti, itto, ayato part ii with ei, kaeya, childe, klee (plationic obvi), rosaria, sucrose, diluc

baizhu was your biggest sin and your biggest mistake. they always say that the devil does not come like an enemy and instead comes like everything you ever dreamed of.

how stupid were you to think that having a relationship with your academy professor would amount to something good in the long run? sucrose, your best friend and colleague, watched you gaze at him. she did warn you as soon as you started to change but blinded love sees no signs of permanent ends. she watched the effect he had on you once you became his assistant. you’ve always been curious and baizhu was ready to test the limits of science and humans even if that meant shady business. you became his lover, his accomplice and partner. with science as the main mission baizhu did not care who used his products or how: and, because you fell in love – neither did you. who cares about who offered the biggest price for poison that you made if it was a creation of love? dark rooms in which you made deals with mafia gangs made you feel nothing as you sat down next to him and his hand found way to your thigh. after a closed deal his kisses tasted like the sweetness of honey. little did you know, baizhu was poison himself. he put a ring on your finger, whisked you away to a new house with a secret underground lab. he gave you jewelry constantly and while it did sparkle, it was nothing compared to his eyes. how were you supposed to know he’d betray you and that ideal love made in devilish lies? how were you supposed to know he put a tracking device in your ring? baizhu has no sincerity for anything or anyone. you were a naïve fool that enjoyed his game of play pretend.

‘the wind has carried me to you; it’s voice was gentle even if you are the opposite right now’ is the first thing kazuha kaedahara ever said to you. the road of redemption and healing is not an easy one and you did what zhongli told you – you went away for a while, tried your hand at alone time being the crux of healing but loneliness is overbearing. even if you were betrayed, before the betrayal you were not lonely. now, it hurts, it causes you to choke. kazuha showed up at the moment when your healing journey streamed towards a violent outburst from a simple inconvenience. the wind is gentle and you are not but he still stuck with you somewhere along the way. he was light as air, he was poetic in the way he brought peace. he would randomly show up, unexpected but welcomed, because fate was at play, right? you cannot call him a soulmate, a friend or an acquaintance because those labels do not fit him. he was a temporary break from the darker side of the world on your healing journey where you’ve learned the difference between being alone and being lonely. he is not a soulmate but: he has to be a kindred spirit. you still think of him when filling out paperwork and wonder if, by any chance, you are gentler like the wind of first meetings.

scaramouche is entirely boasted upon his ego and thinks his subordinates are not fit to carry out underground meetings with potential suppliers; that is the reason he goes to them himself and he supposed he has that quality to thank for meeting you. scaramouche was used to baizhu, frankly he was annoyed by him too, so seeing you sitting next to him stirred something. intrigue and interest? perhaps. wonder about how baizhu found someone to love him while being the sly serpent? definitely. scaramouche was certain he would eventually betray you but he was also certain you were competent if you were sitting next to him. he never approached you directly but he did research into your past. when baizhu arrived alone at a meeting, without his engagement ring, he was certain the collapse he foretold had taken place. what was he supposed to do? just leave someone that competent alone and waste their talent? obviously, his ego got the better of him and he kept tabs on you. the face you made once he knocked on your new apartment was priceless. but seeing a new dimension of you that wasn’t glued to baizhu or made in his image was even better. were you vulnerable? yes? did he hate it? not particularly, he was able to touch your skin under the sheets and make sure that the serpent did not ruin you completely. scaramouche became a ‘friend’ with benefits and it was similar to a business arrangement. it was a good fit for you both; passionate even while rarely together, only known to the two of you but no lingering promises to keep. scaramouche is sure that his strings really aren’t attached or interwoven with yours but he keeps wondering about that red scarf and occasional bandages next to your nightstand. they clearly aren’t for you, so who are you keeping them for?

after the recuperation of your broken heart, you made a decision. the best way to get revenge on baizhu (the way you now realize zhongli directed you towards) is not to kill him or hunt him down. no, the best way is to hide your sins while making his known, working with the police and making sure you get justice and he gets pain. for a long time, you were protected by him (even if he was the serpent) and you were kept at a good enough distance; never to be in direct confrontation with danger. alas, no one is naive enough to choose revenge, name it justice, and stay in that safety. the person you have to thank for your edge and sharp shooting is none other than xiao. you wanted to get stronger fast, regular classes with self-defense teachers just wouldn’t do. you had to be quick and you decided to take the last of the money leftover and hand it into xiao’s hands to train you. from the moment you saw him help a young girl in the alleyway with his back facing you and his tattoos on display – you knew he had to be the one to train you. xiao wanted to turn you down, he was a car mechanic and did not want anyone to know his side dealings. however, in your eyes, he saw fear like that of the little girl, and he saw that the embers of your revenge were too strong to be left alone. mr. zhongli told him that people with that spark can easily end up in worse positions than he has – so he changed his mind. xiao taught you krav maga hoping you’d never have to use it, he held your hand to steady the gun during practice shootings – begging that it never meant an end for you. once he hears you say a sincere thank you after 5 months and sees your back exit his shop, xiao is well aware why some people want open endings. you are looking forward because the end with xiao means a new beginning. he hopes you believe his last words to you: ‘if you need me, call me.’ he hopes you are never in such danger than you need to but his shop is a bit too quiet now – almost lonely.

to albedo, you are a fable; something similar to a folklore being that his closest friends have encountered but he has not. ever observing, albedo hears your name plenty before he has a chance to connect it to your face. while he was instructing sucrose he heard it a lot. way back, from the days when she was even more naïve than now. it would be rare for her not to mention you. a short funny tale or one that shows your intelligence would be uttered before sucrose’s voice grew quieter and her gaze unfocused for a split moment. after years of that; he hears your name from kaeya, apparently you would be joining their unit. albedo wants to ask kaeya, his close friend and superior by rank, why that was suddenly decided but his infinite curiosity knows that eventually he will learn; and finally, finally – he can see you; the person so beloved and mentioned who had apparently taken a wrong turn somewhere in the maze of life. and when he finally sees you walk through that door on their floor (which makes a creaking sound he hates) albedo is sure – you could still be called a folklore creature. he has not understood all the complexities of love but with the sunlight gently touching you; something tells him that he will have a chance to explore emotions more; with you as a catalyst.

what was wrong with you that day thoma will never know but he swore he will never again fill in as a cook at his friend’s restaurant. he wasn’t supposed to be there that night; and it looked like you weren’t either because the table for two reserved in your name became a table for one. thoma was the cook for that night and when he heard that someone refused to give their comments on a new dish he spent 3 weeks creating, he had to see who it was. as soon as he saw you, his disappointment was replaced by pity. thoma pitied you. horrible, he knows, but you looked like every single puzzle piece of your life was slipping away and you were frozen in place. left there at that table just to wait and watch it all disappear. he approached you and before he even had a chance to say something; you stood up and held his face in your hands. your eyes were wide and thoma did not know what to do. they were teary too, that is why perhaps you said: ‘oh. oh, you are not him. i-i apologize. i thought it was him; i-i really wished to see my friend tonight, you see. i am terribly sorry.’ and you practically ran away before he had a chance to react. who were you? who did you want to see? does he resemble a man who failed you so much? thoma will never know still – but he hopes you might walk into his own restaurant once. he sees you buying apples in the same grocery store as him and you feed the cat on your way out. the two of you exchange simple greetings and comment on new sales. he doesn’t want to take it further because his presence disturbed you that much and he was not glad to see you suffer but..it seems like you are doing better. just a bit more and he might get the courage to.

close to dawn, zhongli got an emergency call on his private number. he was a man of many secrets and connections so his workers were instructed to call him first instead of the police if something were to occur. apparently, in one of his buildings the workers heard loud noises: glass breaking and things being thrown. but the door was locked and somehow the emergency keys got lost. zhongli asked for the number of the apartment and address and decided he had to drive down there on his own. he told baizhu not to make any wrong moves on his territory, zhongli was a mafia boss and couldn’t risk one of his contacts to create problems for him. curse baizhu for being so coy to actually learn his true identity. he did not know about you at all and imagine his surprise when he opened the door and found you sitting in the middle of the floor with shattered glass, a flipped table and furniture out of place. he saw no traces of baizhu and concluded that you did not pose any threat in the slightest with your current state so he texted his underling for information on you. zhongli was not the best at comforting but he certainly was a good actor who never revealed all his cards but still got people to trust him. it felt weird. lifting you off the floor onto the tattered sofa and sitting next to you. he hadn’t seen a vulnerable person so long, hadn’t felt the feeling of providing comfort. the most he could do is whisper cliché generic words of comfort until you calmed down. he got you water and some calming tea. it was the only thing he could find. his people worked quick and while your hands were shaking holding the mug, he saw your whole history. an energetic child, a close childhood friend, loved by their friends and peers but you chose to marry baizhu instead.. he saw that your relationships suffered because of this and he understood why this meltdown happened. baizhu’s stuff was nowhere to be found because he left you. you were no longer necessary for him and now the only thing you have left is that ring with a tracking device. zhongli did always consider that man a serpent. a betrayer, a torturer and he never understood him. how can you be strongly possessive over a ‘thing’ while you are preparing to leave them? and then, you just walk away like none of the emotions ever existed? zhongli decided that he would try to help you. he too has lost precious people because of his path but there was still a chance for you to be saved. he is not a myrtle or a hero but he can be a guide away from ‘his’ world. while you were sleeping, he took the ring off your finger and threw it in the shattered glass. for 3 days he stayed with you in that broken apartment. to you – he did not feel real. the line of reality was so blurred that you were sure zhongli was just a ghost that god sent to help you. on the 4th day reality finally felt real again but zhongli was nowhere to be found. he left, but you understood that healing was a process and that everyone and everything can eventually leave you. baizhu, zhongli, sanity – so now, you will never be so shocked that you lose yourself and naively follow someone again.

meeting venti was a blessing but the way that the two of you met was simply a disaster that scared you. after coming back from the grocery store you were busy placing things in their right spot when someone frantically knocked on your door. it sounded like an emergency. perhaps it was scaramouche – you hadn’t seen him in a while. it could have been childe too (he always did have a bad habit of coming to you after fights) maybe he was seriously hurt this time! but when you opened the door the only thing you saw was a person on their knees saying: ‘cat allergic! drunk! help me! help me, call the doctors!’ pressing the correct buttons to dial with shaky hands was so hard but you had to be fast. now, you can laugh about it because that same person turned out to be your new neighbor and is in your kitchen and cutting apples, but it was a truly terrifying first meeting. venti became a true friend. you learned that he has a personality that entertains, he studies music and he drinks too much for his own good but, his disposition is always genuine and true. it is odd how one moment can mean one emotion and the next one brings something new altogether. he is humming a tune while saying that he doesn’t really believe an apple a day keeps the doctor away and you would laugh if you did not know his meaning behind it. last night, while you were pretending to sleep; venti was on the roof singing a new song he composed to his friend. it made you cry because that same morning – the two of you went to visit the grave. venti made you realize how you can cling to certain parts of the past and honor them but he also made you realize that laughter, fake or not, can lead to a true remedy in the future.

paperwork was annoying to you but whenever the papers would be signed by the name ‘itto’ it was even worse. was this dude a child? did he ever actually pass his middle school classes? how is anyone able to have such an ugly handwriting? after leaving notes for a month that said ‘please don’t write in a hurry’, ‘pay attention to your handwriting.’, ‘this is not what a responsible adult should write like’, ‘how do they even allow you to sign documents in the bank?’, and ‘if you don’t work on your hand writing right now i am going to bring you a kid’s practice notebook !!.’; they all came back the same. as soon as they were set down on your desk for checking, you took the practice books from your bag, rushed downstairs and threw them on the messy table with the ‘itto’ nameplate. you should have guessed his desk would be messy too: papers everywhere (some even on the floor), 2 mugs and 4 water bottles, just one pen next to his lunch and,,,was that a photo is his pet bug? reptile? ‘admiring my homie, are you? he really is a fine specimen! you have quite the eye!’ and when you turned around you had to look up so much you swore never to date a man so much taller than you. it became painfully clear that this man, who writes itto like you drew the sun at 3 years old, was meant for this job. paperwork was an unnecessary concern for him; he preferred being out in the middle of action. since then, he always says hi and runs up to you with the goofiest grin on his face. he brings you coffee and talks about his ‘homie’ winning another fight. it is endearing. he is so joyful, and he actually tried to do those practice books, so you cannot be mad at him. the most you can be is annoyed because he feels it is appropriate to always be shouting your name.

inside of that coffee shop close to your new neighborhood that offers a quiet place solitude your soul felt unrest. solitude can only go so far before it turns into a new ache called loneliness and while you were finally moving forward, taking roots in a new place away from your past – there was this overwhelming need to suddenly share. such things always catch you off guard; the need to be listened to. because of a new attraction in the park across the shop; it was unusually crowded that day. the man who resembled shining moonlight choose to ask if you would be okay with him sitting at your table while he drank his tea. you said yes. despite your sudden wish to be heard you would not tell your life story or any struggles to this stranger. so, for a couple of minutes the two of you shared that small space, the table resembled a full moon and somehow you were getting lost in it and reminiscing. it caused your cup to fall down and break as you extended your hand. when you looked down, perhaps from all the lonely moments and the definite realization that even your past was not filled enough with joy – you almost started crying. certain things are a spiral and even with understanding that you have no idea how it all ended with you spending hours with that handsome stranger; how it ended with the two of you talking about life and philosophy and some struggles. it was a shame that he got an urgent call and had to leave before you even had a chance to learn his name. but, life is still a spiral, the moon shines and that same man stood in front of you once again. his name? kamisato ayato. his occupation? professional psychologist working with the favonius police. your surprise upon meeting him again was certainly interesting; but the surprise expressed by everyone else inside the meeting room when he told you ‘oh, how nice to see you once again’ was something completely different.

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kirwond · 3 years ago

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To Catch The Wind - A Genshin Impact Playlist

A playlist for Genshin Impact, following characters and events for Prologue: The Outlander Who Caught The Wind.

Notes from the game. Cover art by zi13591@pixiv.

Listen at Spotify.

Even more playlists here.

Tracklist and notes below the cut.

Dream Aria (Genshin Impact main theme) - Yu-Peng Chen/HOYO-MIX

Dark Doo Wop - MS MR

Unknown God: Outlanders, your journey ends here!

7 - Prince

Lumine: And just like that, the god took my brother away. Some kind of seal was cast upon me, and I lost my power. How many years ago was it? I don't know... but I intend to find out.

Learning To Fly - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Amber: Let me officially introduce the city of wind, dandelions, and freedom. Travelers under the protection of the Knights of Favonius! Welcome to Mondstadt!

Riders on the Storm - Simple Minds

Mysterious Voice: I'm preventing your fall with the power of a thousand winds. Now, concentrate. See yourself grasping the wind. Harness its energy.

Who Are You, Really? - Mikky Ekko

Kaeya: You've actually got the power to go up against the dragon. Are you a new ally... or a new storm?

Surface Pressure (Encanto soundtrack) - Jessica Darrow

Jean: The Grand Master entrusted the Knights of Favonius to me. I cannot let him or the people of Mondstadt down. I must get to the bottom of this.

Something In The Water - Brooke Fraser

Barbara: My dream is to bring a smile to the faces of all the people in my life! As long as I can help you on your journey, I'm happy.

Soldier, Poet, King (Venti Version) - Erika Harlacher + Joe Zieja

Venti: I cannot hide anymore! My disciples, rejoice! Behold, the God of Anemo, Barbatos, has descended! Shocked, aren't you? How does it feel to finally meet the god you've been serving?

Partners In Crime - Set If Off feat. Ash Costello

Venti: Looks like borrowing it is not going to be possible. We're simply going to have to steal it.

Burn Out - Imagine Dragons

Diluc: Listen, as long as you stick to your own path, it doesn't matter what Mother Nature throws at you.

Stronger - Sam Feldt feat. Kesha

Noelle: All in a day's work for a maid of Favonius! If I want to become a knight, I need to take all aspects of training seriously.

Ninja Re Bang Bang (Steve Aoki remix) - Kyary Pamyu Pamyu

Klee: Dear Anemo God, please make Klee's bombs blow in the right direction and only blow up bad guys. The end.

People I Don't Like - UPSAHL

Diona: Dawn Winery is the heart of it all. They have no boundaries when it comes to selling alcohol. Their one and only goal is to make sure that people keep drinking, and that their own pockets get filled with Mora. Not only is it a crime, but it's also a scam! No good can come from alcohol!

Everybody Wants To Rule The World - Lorde

Cryo Abyss Mage: The time has come for the dragon to serve its true master... while you bewail your pathetic selves and watch the world tremble with fear!

Let It Go (Frozen soundtrack) - Idina Menzel

Eula: We're not so different, you and I. We're both outsiders in Mondstadt. Difference is, Mondstadt welcomes you with open arms, but they treat me with hostility and suspicion.

Clocks - Coldplay

Albedo: Those born of earth are bound by its imperfections, but those born of chalk are free of impurities. You and I are alike, both composed of a substance that has yet to be fully defined. If one day, I lose control... destroy Mondstadt... destroy everything... can I rely on you to stop me?

The Lazy Song - Bruno Mars

Lisa: Today's no good for going out... hmmm... Did I say that yesterday as well?

Oh What A World - Kacey Musgraves

Sucrose: The essence of research is the process of finding the answer. Sometimes, working through that process can be tedious, but every time I see the cumulative result of my efforts... I know that I'm doing what I love.

Storm Song - Phildel

Dvalin: Just now... Why... Why did you not ask me to protect you like the last time?

Venti: Me not wanting you to listen to the Abyss Order doesn't mean that you have to listen to me. Freedom, if demanded of you by an archon, is really no freedom at all.

Howl - Jake Houlsby

Razor: When I run with you, when I hunt with you, I am happy. With you, I am not a wolf, I am not a boy, I am just me. I am Razor. Because you are my friend. You are my Lupical.

Goodnight Moon - Shivaree

Rosaria: Pray. Not for the gods, nor the betterment of others... but for yourself.

My Strange Addiction - Billie Eilish

Signora: So. This is a Gnosis? Wouldn't be caught dead wearing this ugly thing in public.

How To Disappear Completely - Ane Brun

Fischl has but one identity: she's the Prinzessin. As long as she remembers this simple and perfect logic, with a little bit of nobility and a touch of kindness from others, nothing can ever hurt her.

Astronomy - Conan Gray

Mona: The golden rule all fortune tellers abide by is: never offer advice. Only state the results of the divination. Otherwise, you risk your fate becoming tangled up with that of your subject. But for you, I will make an exception, because our fates have been intertwined from the beginning.

Safe and Sound - Capital Cities

Bennett: Getting recognized by the gods was the last thing I expected, seeing as how I'm so unlucky all the time. But if the gods haven't given up on me, I guess that means I shouldn't give up on me either.

Invasion - Eisley

Kaeya: The situation is this: The Abyss Order... they are united under a single leader... They call him "The Prince."

Hey Brother - Olivia Penalva

Venti: Traveler, if you seek the rest of The Seven, many difficulties lie ahead of you still. The destination is not everything. So before you reach the end, keep your eyes open.

#genshin impact #playlist #fanmix #lumine #amber #kaeya #jean #lisa #barbara #venti #diluc #noelle #klee #diona #eula #albedo #sucrose #razor #rosaria #fischl #mona #bennett

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