Work Text:
Today was going to be a day like no other. That much could be seen if you simply just glanced at the streets of Mondstadt. There were street lamps decorated with ribbons and flowers, and an elaborate carpet was rolled out onto the staircase that led up to the church, and every citizen of the city wore an excited smile on their face. The reason being that their beloved Grand Master Jean and honored owner of the Dawn Winery, Diluc were to be wed this day. A happy union celebrated by all, including Bennett who was heading to the cathedral to check up on preparations and specifically his lovely girlfriend Barbara.
Bennett could feel the energy and excitement fizzle in the air as he stepped into Mondstadt’s grand cathedral. He was already impressed seeing the flowers and garlands draped across the building’s exterior but when he walked inside, he was blown away.
Literally.
The minute his foot crossed the wide threshold of the church, a strong gust of wind threatened to push him back out and over the stairs that led up to the structure. The adventurer shielded his face with his arms and squinted to see what the ruckus was. Small papers and cecilia flowers flew past and a horrified yell could be heard over the powerful gale.
“Venti!!!” the person yelled.
The wind eventually died down, and Bennett’s line of sight cleared to reveal the aforementioned bard making a run for it. He was as nimble as a mouse but Bennett was quicker as he reached out his arm and grabbed him by the back of the bard’s cloak.
“Woah!” the bard exclaimed, clutching his lyre in one hand and the other pressing his hat to head so it wouldn’t slip off. His blue eyes looked up to meet the adventurer’s and let out a gasp.
“Bennett?! Wow, it’s been ages since I last saw you! You’ve grown so tall, so manly!” he exclaimed as he dangled from Bennett’s grasp.
A partial truth. The two have made idle chatter not even a day ago, but what was true was that Bennett indeed grew up to be tall and rather handsome. He outgrew his sixteen-year-old body and is now a few centimeters taller than Diluc. Muscle filled out his body due to the several years of constant training, and his light-colored hair grew out enough he could tie it back into a small ponytail.
“Oh, thank you for catching him, Bennett!” the person who yelled said gratefully. Bennett whipped his head around, recognizing the voice instantly.
“Barbara!” he greeted cheerfully. He watched the deaconess rush over to their direction, her platinum blonde ponytail bobbing up and down with each step. He felt his mood boosten instantly as he saw her approach.
“Ah, the lovers are reunited! If only you could lovingly embrace, but alas! This silly, old bard is standing in your way. Perhaps you should let me go?” Venti suggested, giving his best puppy dog eyes.
“Don’t think you can get away with this, Mr. Bard!” Barbara frowned, raising her pointer finger.
“I think…” Venti started as he began to wriggle under Bennett’s clutch. “I can!” Soon, he popped free from his cloak and made a mad dash down the stairs and to the city.
“Ah!” Bennett exclaimed as he watched Venti’s retreating figure become smaller and smaller. “Sorry, he managed to escape…”, he apologized as he turned back to face Barbara.
“No, it’s fine. I just wish he could come back and clean up after his mistakes.” she replied with a shake of her head.
Bennett quirked up an eyebrow that silently asked, “What happened?”
“He’s supposed to play the music for when Jean walks down the aisle so during rehearsal he got carried away and activated his Anemo vision. He blew all the itineraries and flowers away, and now there’s a big mess! Ah well, good thing we decided to prepare early. We still have time to reorganize everything!” she elaborated.
Upon closer inspection, Bennett could make out the dark circle forming beneath his girlfriend’s light blue eyes. “You woke up earlier than everyone else, didn’t you?” he chided. “You should take a break.”
“Urgh, you caught me. But I did rest for a bit, don’t worry!” With that she bent down to begin picking up the sheets of paper and flowers off the ground.
“Are you sure you’ve rested properly? You look exhausted!”,he said, stooping to help her.
“I will never be able to rest easy until the wedding ceremony is over. Even if the preparations have been completed, I can’t resist the urge to double check, then triple check!”
“I know a wedding is a pretty big deal, but shouldn’t you calm down a bit? Enjoy the event, and celebrate with the others!”
“But this is Jean’s wedding! My sister is getting married! I want today to be one of the best days of her life, and I’m going to do everything I can to make that possible.” she replied with renewed determination sparkling her eyes.
“Then why don’t I lend a hand? Double checking, triple checking, and maybe quadruple checking will go by faster with another pair of hands!” Bennett offered.
“I can’t possibly let you do that, you’re a guest!” she exclaimed.
“But I’m dating you and you’re a helper, so that makes me a helper too!”
Barbara laughed at his way of thinking and said, “Well, if you insist, I’ll gladly take you up on the offer.” She picked up the last of the scattered items and handed them over to the adventurer.
“Can you pair the flowers and itineraries together then? Then arrange them into a neat pile so the guests can take one as they walk into the cathedral.”
“Of course!” Bennett nodded, taking the pile of papers and flowers.
“Thank you so much! I’m going to go check on the other helpers and see if they need any assistance. Just call me if you need any help, okay?” she said, standing on her tippy toes and pressing a quick kiss on Bennett’s cheek before scurrying off.
Bennett smiled as he gently touched the place she planted her kiss and went over to sit on a pew to sort out the mess Venti had so thoughtfully created. He began his work and glanced over the itinerary.
It was going to be a busy day for Jean and Diluc it seemed. Wedding festivities in Mondstadt usually stretched until the next day, but the sheer size of their wedding probably took careful planning and preparation. He knew that Barbara helped the soon to be married couple with planning and it showed on her tired figure. After the wedding kicked off, he was determined to make sure she rested and had fun the rest of the day.
He couldn’t help but laugh a little at his goal. Many years ago, it was Barbara who urged him to rest. He was quite the youthful spirit, getting up at the crack of dawn to train and perform guild duties. Oftentimes he found himself overworked and a concerned Barbara pressing a warm towel to his forehead.
He began to sort the slips of paper, pairing them with the freshly picked cecilia flowers for the guests. That’s when his loving thoughts of his girlfriend evolved into a deeper reminiscing of the past. Exactly seven years ago, to be exact.
The sun was sinking beneath the horizon as Bennett returned wearily from the day’s adventures. Today was no different from any other, just a typical, run-of-the-mill day of another failed mission.
He let out an elongated sigh. It was becoming increasingly difficult to keep his chin up, especially after recent events of his crewmates coming up with a variety of excuses not to make it to adventures. That eventually led up to them just ghosting him, but Bennett tried not to let it get to him. Keyword “tried”. His optimism faltered as he watched his companions leave one by one all because of their so-called “leader”’s terrible luck.
Each escapade they went on ended in a complete disaster, in varying degrees; the mild failures being ambushed by hilichurls or getting lost and the worse end of things being struck by lightning or getting seriously injured.
“Nothing like this ever happened when Bennett was around! He’s cursed with the worst luck I’ve ever seen!” he heard one of his crewmates gossip to another.
Bennett let out another long sigh as he sat down at the table where his colleague Fischl and her familiar Oz had their plentitude of maps spread out for scouting purposes.
“My Auge der Verurteilung senses that something dark is plaguing you. Why I think any commoner can see as much with the naked eye! Prithee, enlighten the Prinzessin der Verurteilung of what storm is thundering within your heart?” Fischl asked in her usual flowery language, rolling up the maps.
Another sigh slipped through the adventurer’s lips as he slunk deeper into his chair. “Oh you know, the same old same old. Another adventure ending in complete disaster.”
“Take heart, my dear companion, for indeed the gods from above are still smiling down on you!” she encouraged rather strangely.
“Thanks, Fischl,” Bennet said with a weak smile. He truly did appreciate his colleague’s words, and it cheered him up but not enough to put him back to his usual self.
Fischl discerned as much and had one final card up her sleeve to encourage and put him in a better mood. “I’ve heard that there was to be a fabulous performance in the town square today! The people say that the girl who’s performing shines brighter than the morning star. Come, let us be off, else we miss the show!”
Without giving Bennett a chance to speak, she took him by the arm and took off to the town square followed by Oz.
Their destination was bustling as if the sun wasn’t setting already. People crowded around a wooden platform where Bennett assumed the rumored star was to perform. Excited chatter could be heard clearly, and bar owners even sent out their employees to pass out beer for the occasion.
“Wow, so many people are here…!” Bennett commented.
“Of course! The sea of people here can only affirm that the performer is indeed one of a kind. A true star in the night sky. I hear that her voice is akin to that of a siren, captivating all who hears it, ” Fischl added.
Soon Bennett spotted a figure making its way onto the stage, and he felt his heart flutter a bit at the sight. The highly regarded singer was a cute young girl his age. Her wavy platinum blonde hair was tied neatly into a pigtail and she wore what seemed to be a deaconess’s attire. Was she also a member of the church as well as an entertainer?
“Hello, everyone! Barbara here! Thank you all for coming to cheer for my performance! In fact, I’m so grateful that I wrote a new song to sing! Sometimes life can get really tough and I feel very discouraged and sad.”
Bennett couldn’t relate more to Barbara’s words at that very moment. It was difficult for him right now to find hope in himself.
Before he could wade deeper into his negative thoughts she continued. “But then I remember that I have all my wonderful supporters by my side, and I’m full of energy once again! So I’m dedicating this song to all of you in hopes that I can encourage you all just like you’ve done for me. Alrighty, here we go! One, two, three!”
After the idol counted down, she burst into song, and immediately the crowd broke into loud cheering and whistling. They clapped along with the beat, some even dancing along mimicking Barbara’s movements on stage.
Bennett couldn’t help but share their excitement, feeling moved by her small speech beforehand as well as her new song. She sang words of happiness and about finding joy in the little things of life. To never give up when things get tough and obstacles seem too tedious to overcome. Her bright and cheery song reached Bennett’s heart and he instantly felt lighter as if a heavy object had been lifted from his shoulders. The singing and dancing performer just gained a new fan it seems.
“Fischl, she’s amazing!” he exclaimed, not tearing his eyes away from Barbara for even a millisecond. His fellow adventurer didn’t need to make eye contact to see the newfound exhilaration and glee shining in his green eyes. The singing and dancing performer just gained a new fan it seems.
“Bennett?”
A voice called the adventurer out of his trance and he immediately looked up to see the same exact woman he was daydreaming about.
“Barb!”
“Are you okay? I noticed you slowed down on your task. Are you stuck? Do you need any help?” As always, she was quick to offer her assistance.
“Ah, no need. I was just lost in thought, hehe,” he replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Oh? What were you thinking about? Here, I’ll help out anyways as we talk.” The deaconess sat down beside him and began to work with deft hands.
“This is kind of embarrassing to say out loud but I was just thinking about the first time I watched you perform. You really cheered me up, it’s a day I’ll never forget!” he said with his signature sunny smile.
“Ooh, I remember that day too!”
“Y-you do?” Bennett stuttered genuinely surprised. He didn't think she would remember as they barely interacted that day.
“I do! I showcased a new song that day, and after my performance you very enthusiastically thanked me. You even asked if you could shake my hand! You turned all red, it was really adorable, haha!”
Bennett turned pink recalling how after they shook hands he blurted out a loud “THANK YOU VERY MUCH!” and dashed away with a silly grin on his face.
“I guess I made a weird impression, huh?”
“I would say it was a cute one, but weird or not it helped me remember you for when you stopped by the church a few weeks after right?” Barbara smiled as she picked up another stack to sort out.
“Ahhh right, I remember that too. That’s when we first became acquainted, right?”
The idol nodded, with a twinkle in her blue eyes. “You were badly injured, I was so shocked to see you walk around like it was nothing!”
That’s right, that day’s adventure ended even more severely than what Bennett was used to.
He took a commission to take care of a hilichurl camp that was too close to Mondstadt’s borders. If the issue wasn’t taken care of swiftly, it could put local citizens in grave danger so of course, Bennett decided to lend a hand. The battle with the monsters quickly went south when he used his Vision powers to launch a pyro attack which hit an explosive barrel. He went flying and experienced a rough landing, causing several injuries.
He was making his way to the guild to make a report of how he successfully took out the camp yet at the expense of his own wellbeing. That was when he ran into one of his greatest inspirations, Barbara the deaconess and shining idol.
She had a basket of what seemed to be medicinal herbs slung around her arm and was merrily humming the tune of one of her songs when she beheld the bloody mess that was Bennett.
The deaconess let out a horrified gasp at the sight and rushed to aid the wounded adventurer. “You’re injured! How are you feeling? You’re in no condition to walk, here lean on me,I’ll take you to the bench over there to get you treated.”
Giving Bennett no time to talk, she led him to the nearest bench and pulled out a few medicinal supplies from her pouch. It was only until she reached for his injured arm that she took notice of her patient who was incredibly red in the face. Barbara seemingly came out of nowhere and was now only a few inches away tending to his wounds.
“Oh, you’re the guy from last time! Uh...Bennett right?”
“Y-yeah! Thank you for helping me patch up,”
“Of course, it’s my duty both as a deaconess and an idol. How did you get this hurt anyways?” she asked as she dabbed the herbs she gathered earlier that day on the wound.
Bennett winced a little at the contact but explained how he wound up in this situation. “Usually my adventures end up in a disaster and a few small injuries but this one ended on a particularly bad note,” he added after he finished his story.
Barbara finished tying up the bandage around his arm when she exclaimed, “What? Do you get hurt often? You have to be more careful,” Her blue eyes looked at him, shining with genuine concern.
“I do...It might be because I can be pretty careless, but I do everything I can to be as safe as possible! It’s always been like this for some reason. Every adventure or commission I do always ends in a disaster. I probably have the worst unlucky streak ever to exist, to be honest,” he tried joking to make things less disheartening.
“Ahh, I see,” she responded, folding her hand in her lap and looking up at the cloudy sky.
“You know, I can kind of relate to the whole ‘failing a lot of times' thing. Before I debuted as an idol, I did everything I could to be just like my older sister. I worked hard every day but kept messing things up, but eventually, I found a calling in singing!” She sighed happily before turning to the adventurer with shocked eyes, “Oh, but I’m not saying adventuring isn’t for you though! Just keep doing your best every day and I believe that eventually, you’ll succeed in some way. No matter how hard it gets, I’ll always be cheering for you okay?” she continued with a bright smile. “You can always come to me for help or to tend to your wounds!”
Bennett felt his heart race at that very moment. Not many genuinely cheered him on, and her words held more weight since he looked up to her as a role model. He was determined now more than ever to do his utmost best every day.
The adventurer felt his palms become sweaty, and it was not because of the sun beating down on his back. No, this was something on a much larger, stress-inducing scale.
“Yup, I think this is the right place, Bennett!” a sweet voice hummed in satisfaction. There stood Barbara, clad in clothes fit for any adventurer and blue eyes shining bright with excitement.
Bennett was about to leave for today’s expedition when the deaconess approached him, already dressed in comfortable dark pants, a cloth shirt, and thick leather boots. Her usual pigtails were swept into one singular ponytail, and she had a knowing grin on her face as she waved at him.
“B-Barbara?” he sputtered out.
The idol giggled saying, “I found some time off and thought I’d accompany you on one of your adventures! Oh, if you don’t mind of course,”
“No!” he said instantly. “I’d be happy to have you!”
Actually, he was more than ecstatic that she made time for him out of all people. However…
“But you know I always get hurt right? What if you get injured, or something even worse happens?”
“That’s why I studied medicine and healing under my father! Don’t worry, I have us covered,” she assured, pumping her arms to add effect.
“Okay then, glad to have you on board, Barbara!” Bennett welcomed enthusiastically.
And here they were, a few hours later, standing in front of a large dilapidated building that was covered in thick vines and tree roots. The goal for today was to retrieve some treasure located in the building, a simple enough plan.
Trying not to let his nervousness show through his voice, Bennett said “Let’s scout the area and see if we can spot the treasure chest!” He did his signature pose, raising a fist to the air with a toothy smile, and Barbara copied him, her blue eyes sparkling with excitement.
Together they searched the surrounding area and found a way through the multitude of plant life. Inside, it looked like the remains of an old stone storage area. The room was dimly lit, except for what looked like a lamp in the sitting by the corner.
“Huh, how’d a lamp get in here? Maybe someone lost it?” Bennett mused, making his way to inspect the strange light.
“Bennett, wait!” Barbara called, fear apparent in her voice.
But it was too late. The lamp flickered even brighter and the ground shook as it rose into the air. Bennett just startled a ruin hunter to life, it’s sharp blades increasing in speed to become a whirlwind of danger.
It charged towards the adventurer, and he managed to dodge after years of built up instincts.
“Bennett!” Barbara called out again over the noise of grinding steel.
“I’m okay!” he shouted back. “These guys are weak to arrows shot in the engine core!”
“But we don’t have any even if we knew how to shoot! I think we should retreat, it’s no use fighting an enemy we’re incompatible against!” she advised, after she swiftly sidestepped the ruin hunter’s attack.
“O-okay!” Bennett agreed reluctantly. He wanted to at least snatch the treasure, but it was nowhere to be found.
The two quickly began to escape, but a loud whirring resounded from behind and Barbara gasped loudly in shock. The hunter began to change shape, four large engines forming to become an lethal weapon. Together, the engines shook as power built up, an orange glow emanating from inside.
“It’s gonna launch its missiles! Hurry!” Bennett yelled in warning. With little time to think, he grabbed the deaconess’s hand and bolted out the building before the attack launched. They took shelter in the nearby rubble outside the old stone building and waited.
As the missile hit the ground one by one, Bennett could feel the impact even from far away. Eventually the noise and ruckus died down and they both let out a breath of relief.
“I think it gave up.” he deduced with one last cautious peek over the boulder they hid behind.
“Thank Barbatos.” Barbara murmured, pressing a hand against her rapidly beating chest. “Are you alright, Bennett?”
“Yeah, not even a scratch!” he said in awe as it dawned on him that he didn’t get hurt at all. “Amazing!”
Then he looked back up, examining the idol for any signs of injuries of her own. “And you? Are you okay?”
“Yup, I’m a-okay!” Barbara grinned. She leaned back into the rock and looked up to the blue sky that faded into orange, a sign that the day was already drawing to an end.
“That was a lot of fun!” she added.
“Fun?!” Bennett said, startled. “But we nearly died!”
“Yeah, but thankfully neither of us got hurt. And it was pretty thrilling! I always dreamed of exploring like this with my sister.”
“You have a sister?”
“Oh!” Barbara exclaimed, glancing back at the adventurer and covering her mouth.
“Well, I guess the cat’s out of the bag now…”
Bennett raised a brow, clearly confused.
“I do have a sister, she’s the Acting Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius,” Barbara explained.
“...Wait...You mean Master Jean is your sister?!” the adventurer nearly yelled in surprise.
“Yeah, though we don’t see each other that much because she’s constantly working and I’m always performing as an idol or deaconess. Our schedules never seem to line up,” she said ruefully, putting a hand on her chin.
Her expression grew more melancholy as she continued, “I want to spend more time with Jean. but other than us being busy it’s also...Very awkward when we do hang out.”
“Why?” Bennett asked, pulling his knees up to his chest to get more comfortable.
“We were separated at a young age. I went with my father, while Jean went with our mother. We haven’t seen much of each other in years until recently…”
The adventurer’s green eyes widened slightly, shocked by the new info. “I’m sorry to hear that, Barbara.”
Barbara shook her head, her blonde hair swaying at the movement. “It’s fine, we get along well! We just avoid talking about the dragon in the room when we’re together.”
“That’s good! From what I’ve seen, you and Master Jean seem very happy when you talk.”
“Really!?” Barbara inquired suddenly, taking Bennett’s hands in her own.
“U-uh, yeah! Definitely! Like sisters!” he answered, very aware of her warm touch.
“That’s the first time someone commented about us being sisters, it makes me really happy for some reason!” Barbara smiled, and Bennett thought she shined brighter than his pyro vision or even the sun at that moment.
“Ah, the sun is setting, we should head back now.” the deaconess continued, letting go of the adventurer’s hands. Bennett felt like his hands were feeling sort of chilly.
“Good idea,” he agreed, getting up and brushing the dirt off his pants. He offered a gloved hand to Barbara, who gratefully accepted his help. He pulled her up gently without much effort, and the two set off back home.
“Hey, Barbara, can I ask you something?” Bennett asked once they reached the main road. The sun was dipping into the horizon, painting the world in golden orange hues, accentuated with bright yellow lights from the streetlamps posted by the road.
“What is it?” Barbara replied, tilting her head to the side.
The adventurer blushed at her cute movement, grateful that the evening darkness concealed his heated cheeks.
“If it’s not too personal to ask, why did you tell me about you and Master Jean?” It was a question that was nagging at the back of his mind ever since Barbara revealed to him about her past with the Acting Grand Master. He was just some guy she met a few times, he didn’t think they were close enough to know something so personal.
“Hmm.” Barbara pondered, putting a finger to her chin. “You just have this friendly and trustworthy aura about you! I’m not really sure, but it’s easy to be myself and talk to you, Bennett!”
This time, Bennett didn’t think shadows alone could hide his blushing face. “You think that about me?”
“Yup! Though I’m sure you hear that a lot. You’re always so positive and cheerful everyday, I really like that about you! You’re hardworking and you don’t give up that easily, the true definition of an adventurer if you ask me!”
The adventurer thought his heart was going to beat out of his chest at this rate. Someone he looked up to and admired from afar, just accompanied him for an adventure then complimented him!
Barbara’s sunny smile, with the lit lanterns and setting sun in the background, everything felt unreal. And in that moment, Bennett unknowingly developed feelings for the deaconess, a kind and caring girl who does her utmost best each and every day.
“That’s probably when I fell in love with you,” Bennett said, closing his recounting. His green eyes had a faraway look in them, as if he was already an old man telling the younger generations how he met the woman who held his heart.
Barbara, who paused her work to listen attentively, felt her face heat up a bit. “Really? I don’t recall doing anything special that day,” she said, then continued, “Actually, I think that’s when-”
“Barb! Barbara!” a feminine voice filled with urgency called out.
The couple turned their heads to face the source of the sound, their close friend Fischl who was speed walking towards them.
The deaconess immediately got up from where she sat, alerted by the scout’s tone. “What is it, Fischl?”
“The hour of the wedding is fast approaching and Master Jean has yet to wear her wedding dress!” Fischl explained, waving her hand around to add dramatics to her already flowery speech.
“What?!” Barbara practically yelled, her blue eyes widening. “It takes at least two hours to get ready, including makeup and hairstyling!”
“Make haste, my dear friend! The bride-to-be has to look as stunning as the radiant dawn!” Fischl urged.
The deaconess glanced at Bennett, a question forming on her lips, when Bennett gave her his signature thumbs-up.
“Don’t worry about me, I can finish up here! Go, your sister needs you!”
“Thank you, Bennett!” Barbara said, giving him a wide smile before she took off with Fischl.
Bennett let out an exhale with an upward turn of his lips as he watched her figure dip below the cathedral stairway. She was always going to and fro to help others, and it seems like today was no different.
He glanced back towards his workplace and noticed that over half of it was done already. Only around thirty or so pamphlets were left to be organized. Hyping himself up once more, he got back to work, carefully pairing the delicate cecelia flowers with the itineraries.
The adventurer successfully finished ten of them when he just realized how soft the cecelia’s cream-colored petals were. It felt like silk to the touch and when he brought it up to his nose, he got a gentle waft of it’s aroma. Immediately, an image of Barbara came to mind and he wondered if she was the one who helped choose this particular flower.
“I never thought of you as a lover of flowers, Bennett.” a honeyed voice pointed out.
Out of the corner of his green eyes, the adventurer caught a glimpse of purple before fully craning his head to meet the gaze of Lisa the Head Librarian. She was wearing a simple yet elegant dress that was in her usual shades of purple, and her signature rose was tucked neatly behind her unbound hair.
Lisa took a seat beside Bennett and picked up a cecelia flower as well. Twirling it around in a gloved hand and admiring its beauty she said, “Barbara was the one who suggested we give these out to the guests you know. Cecelias are known to grow in harsh conditions where the wind blows strong. With these flowers, Barb wishes Jean and Diluc a happy union no matter how difficult the time might be.”
“She’s always put so much thought into these things, huh?” Bennett said more as a statement rather than a question.
“And you’re always talking about Barbara with a lovesick grin on your face,” the librarian teases with a small smirk.
Bennett’s face blooms with heat but he doesn’t deny Lisa’s straightforward words. “I mean, I do really love her so it’s reasonable that I do.”
“Ah, youth!” Lisa exclaims as she gracefully stuck a flower to one of the pamphlets.
“I’m not that young, Ms. Lisa. I’m 23 you know,” Bennett pointed out.
“And you haven’t proposed yet?”
This time Lisa managed to draw out a more dramatic reaction out of the poor adventurer who began to cough, as if he were choking on his own words. “P-propose?! I don’t- I-”
Lisa then laughed, lightly patting his back. “Sorry, sorry. Couldn’t help but tease.” Once Bennett calmed down she continued on a more serious tone, “But really, you and Barbara have been seeing each other for five years now and have been friends for even longer! Have you really not considered marriage?”
“I have...I guess. I don’t want to rush things, you know?” he explained.
“Well, you certainly are taking your time. Actually, if I recall correctly, the Adventurers’ Guild made bets on when you were going to confess to Barbara right?”
Bennett let out an embarrassed groan, rubbing the back of his head. “I bet all of Mondstadt knows about that by now.”
“Ah!” Lisa exclaimed, clapping her hands together with a sparkle in her eye. “And once you finally got together, they even celebrated at Good Hunter too, right?”
“Ahaha, yup!” Bennett confirmed, getting that faraway expression once again.
Songbirds chirped merrily as Bennett strolled through the dense woodland surrounding Mondstadt’s city walls. Warm sunlight filtered through the array of golden, red, and orange leaves, casting an ethereal glow throughout the forest. Leaves crunched beneath his leather boots as he made his way to the clearing where the river connected to the salty ocean beyond.
Bennett had no plans for today other than his usual morning training, so he decided to relax a bit by taking a leisurely walk outside of town. With nothing but the wildlife as his company, he was left to his thoughts and he found his mind wandering to the one and only deaconess.
It has been a few months since his friendship with Barbara had solidified after that one eventful adventure with the ruin hunter. Since then, they’ve spent time together whenever they had free time. Oftentime they went out and explored and went on adventures, and though the results were rarely fruitful no one got hurt and that’s what mattered. Bennett began to think that whenever he goes adventuring with the idol, he never gets hurt like he usually does. She’s kind of like his lucky charm!
“Waaahh!” Bennett exclaimed at his own thoughts, shaking his head with vigor.
His lucky charm?! No, no, no, she’s just a normal girl who just happens to brighten his entire day with just the sight of her...Yeah, she’s not just a normal girl.
Just then, the deaconess’s angelic voice flowed through the trees. It was soft and melodious, and sounded like it came from the clearing up ahead. As if in a trance, Bennett headed towards the source of the tune and felt his heart jump up to his throat when he beheld Barbara singing one of her merry tunes as she cleaned the Statue of the Seven.
She wore a sunny smile that rivaled the sun and she bounced around letting her arms swing as she moved about to reach certain corners of the statue.
Bennett felt pulled to her like a magnet and his feet moved on it’s own to approach the singing idol.
“Hello, Barbara!” he greeted cheerfully, waving his hand.
“Oh, Benny! Good afternoon!” she called back, putting down her washcloth. “What brings you here today?”
“Just felt like going on a walk after training, it’s a nice day out today,” he answered.
“Yes, it is! That’s why I decided to spruce up Barbatos’ Statue. The other deaconess noticed it was getting a little muddy so I-”
Suddenly, the deaconess staggered, as if she were on a ship in the midst of a stormy sea. She pressed a hand to her head, and her face scrunched up in clear pain.
“Barb!” Bennett cried out in alarm as he rushed to catch her in his steady arms. “Are you okay?”
“...Yeah, I just had a dizzy spell.” Barbara replied, trying to stand up properly.
“Here, why don’t you rest for a bit? I have some water, so drink some of that too.” the adventurer said, helping the deaconess sit down in a soft patch of grass in the shade. He handed her his canteen which she accepted gratefully.
Barbara took a long swig of water before lowering it back down and looking upwards to the blue skies. “I must’ve looked pretty pathetic just now, huh?”
“What?!” Bennett nearly yelled, green eyes wide with shock. Barbara being pathetic? He would never think of her that way! No, not after all she’s done for him. “I don’t think that! What makes you feel that way?”
“Ah, I mean I almost fell flat on my face, you know? I looked pitiful.”
"Well, you've seen me trip over nothing plenty of times, I don't think there's any shame in you feeling ill once in a while. It happens to all of us!"
Barbara let out a weak laugh, but her face showed that she wasn’t quite convinced.
Bennett sensed as much, and took it upon himself to see her crack her usual sunny smile.
"I think you're pretty amazing, Barb. You're always so hard working and cheerful. You're an amazing deaconess and idol, and you're singing reaches the hearts of thousands! And there's so much more to you but those are just some of the things I love about you!"
It wasn't until he saw the deaconess' shocked expression that he realized he admitted that he loved her. His face turned as red as a tomato and he began to stutter and wave around his hands frantically.
"You...love me?" Barbara asked at last.
"U-uhm…" The adventurer gulped and drew in a large amount of air. He knew he'd have to act on his feelings eventually and it seemed that today was the day. He settled on nodding shyly instead voicing his feelings further, else he'd embarrass himself even more.
He meekly glanced at the grass before his feet, shuffling awkwardly. The short seconds felt like centuries as he waited for her reply. She'd reject him for sure, he could feel it in his bones.
Soft laughter filled his ears and on a normal basis, he would have loved it but now dread pooled at the bottom of his stomach. It was a sure sign that she was laughing at the ridiculous notion that he loved her.
He was still refusing to look up when Barbara's laughter died down. Then she spoke in a softer and gentler tone, "Bennett, I feel the same way."
“You...you do?” Bennett whispered in disbelief, his green eyes shot open in surprise. He couldn’t believe that she actually liked him back, she would never. Not with someone like him.
“I do,” she reaffirmed, grasping his gloved hands on her own. Bennett noticed how small her hands looked in his, and the reality of the situation finally began to sink in.
The adventurer’s mouth opened and closed, unable to find the right words to say. What do people do after they confess to each other again? Luckily, Barbara ,calm and radiating confidence as ever, seemed to have a plan.
“Why don’t I finish up here, and then we can go out to eat after?” she suggested.
“Y-yeah! That sounds fun, and I’ll help clean up too!” he agreed, his nerves slowly calming down.
Barbara smiled at his words and Bennett swore she was going to give him a heart attack with how beautiful she looked.
They immediately got to work with wiping the Statue of the Seven clean until there wasn’t even a speck of dirt left. Bennett tripped over his own two feet occasionally, but he helped the deaconess get the job done and he was feeling pretty accomplished.
“And we’re done!” he declared triumphantly, drawing out the “and” to add dramatic flair. He and Barbara changed a high five and he continued, “I don’t think I’ve ever messed that little before! You’re kinda like my lucky charm in a way, Barbara!”
Pink blossomed on the idol’s cheeks, his words having a greater impact on her than he thought. “Well, it’s a good thing we’ll be spending a lot more time together from now on, right?”
Oh Archons above, please save Bennett from combusting.
“Aww! You guys were really made for each other!” Lisa gushed when Bennett finished his romantic tale.
“Ahaha, you think? I’m glad you think so. We have arguments sometimes like every other couple, but I think we’re able to sort it out really quickly. That’s mostly thanks to Barb, though. She’s so mature and caring, I really don’t deserve her.” Bennett rambled on.
“You must really love her since you speak so highly of her, especially with that lovestruck look in your eye. So? Where’s my invitation?”
“What invitation?”
“To yours and Barbara’s wedding of course!” Lisa teased.
“WHAT? W-WEDDING?!” Bennett yelled out, failing to notice the looks his outburst gained.
“You really haven’t thought about marriage yet? You’ve been with Barbara together for years now!” Lisa said, mildly shocked.
“W-well...I...No?” Bennett sputtered out, still reeling from shock.
Lisa reached out and patted the adventurer on the shoulder. “You should give it some thought. I think you two are great together, really.”
Before Bennett could reply, Amber came bounding in announcing that the time for the wedding ceremony is almost here. Followed behind her was a well dressed Diluc, his fiery red hair tied up and a blue rose adorned his black wedding attire.
He seemed composed and calm compared to the other grooms Bennett had seen. He wasn’t surprised though, Master Diluc was always the silent and brooding type who seemed to fear nothing.
He said as much when Diluc stopped by to make idle chatter. “The stress of today doesn’t even hold a candle to the day I proposed to Jean.” was his answer.
“Ooh, maybe you should ask Diluc for tips on how to propose!” Lisa said with a sly nudge of her arm.
Diluc raised an inquisitive brow. “Are you planning to ask Barbara to marry you?”
The adventurer felt his face heat up at the bluntness of his question. “Well, no but-”
“I think her answer would be a yes.” Diluc continued, interrupting Bennett. “You two have one of the best relationships I have seen. It’s quite remarkable to see how you two build each other up.”
“See, I’m not the only one who thinks so, Benny!” Lisa chimed in, a twinkle in her eye.
“Mr. Ragvindr, the ceremony is about to commence. Please head to your spot.” one of the volunteers called out.
“Well, that’s my cue. Thank you both for coming, I know it means a lot to Jean. I included.” Diluc thanked with a curt nod. He adjusted his tie and made way to his spot by the altar, waiting for his bride to be. Bennett didn’t miss the way Diluc’s lips turned up ever so slightly as he spotted the wedding bands glistening on top of a cushion.
“Let’s find a spot to sit, shall we?” Lisa suggested. The adventurer agreed, and together they found a spot near the front.
Barbara arrived, completely out of breath as she rushed to arrive at the ceremony in time. “Jean is all ready! She looks beautiful!” she declared, clearly satisfied.
“With you and Fischl helping out, I have no doubt she is! Master Diluc will be in tears!” Bennett replied enthusiastically.
“Diluc? Tearing up? The likelihood of that happening is as good as having a hilichurl speak out tongue. But it’ll be a sight to see!” Lisa joked, the corner of her lip twitching upwards.
Before either could reply, the musicians began to strum a gentle and lovely melody (no thanks to Venti) indicating that the bride was about to enter. Sure enough, the large wooden doors of the cathedral swung open and everyone in the audience let out awed “oohs” and “aahs”. There appeared Jean, the Grand Master of Mondstadt in all her beauty and glory.
Her blonde hair, a tad bit brighter than Barbara’s, was hanging loose off her shoulders. Decorating her head, many delicate flowers were interwoven in the tendrils of her hair. The flowers harmonized with the lace patterns of her white wedding gown, which had a gorgeous trial flowing behind her. The kids of Mondstadt held the trial in their tiny fists, giggling at the attention they were receiving.
Bennett was taken away by Jean’s natural beauty and how Barbara and Fischl managed to bring it all out. He glanced at the red-haired groom and although he shed no tears, he looked close to doing so. He chuckled and thought if he were in Diluc’s place, he’d be a sobbing mess.
As he applauded Jean as she gracefully made her way to the altar, his thoughts drifted to the woman beside him. Barbara was clapping gleefully, her blue eyes shining as she watched her dear sister walk down the aisle.
He wondered what sort of dress the deaconess would wear. Perhaps a silk gown, swirls of flowers flowing down? Or maybe an elegant lace dress like her sister.
A mischievous hum sounded beside him and when he beheld Lisa’s teasing smirk he knew he was caught staring. Although the purple electro wielder said nothing, he knew she was silently asking “Well? When are you going to pop in the question?”
To be honest, Bennett was now finding the idea of married life very appealing. Being able to be with Barbara everyday and coming back to a home they shared together sounded more than amazing. He glanced at his girlfriend one more time before tearing his eyes away, back to the stars of the show.
Jean at last had arrived before the priest and altar. She and Diluc were hand in hand, staring at each other lovingly. The ceremony went on without a hitch, as they spoke their steadfast vows of eternity and love to each other. And when they closed it off with a tender kiss, the crowd erupted into turbulent cheering.
His heart clenched with happiness seeing two of his most admired peers wedded, but he wondered if there was more to it. A warm sensation pulled his attention and he saw Barbara sliding her hand into his. She had her usual warm, sunny smile on her face and Bennett reflexively returned it.
“Well, what did you think?” she asked over the clapping. Behind her, cecilia flowers were tossed into the air as the newlyweds made their way out of the cathedral.
The adventurer tossed his own and answered, “I’m happy they worked out! Master Diluc and Master Jean seem very happy with each other. I can’t wait for us to be the same!” That last part slipped out by accident, and he paused his clapping in favor of covering his mouth. “Uh, wait! I didn’t mean it like that, I uh-” he attempted to cover.
Barbara’s blue eyes widened in shock and a pinkish hue dusted her cheeks. “You think...We’re ready for marriage?”
“Uh...I mean...Yeah, we’ve had a pretty solid relationship for the past few years.” Bennett replied sheepishly.
“...Me too.” Barbara whispered, but her words were full of resolution.
“R-REALLY?” Bennett exclaimed loudly, putting his hands on her shoulders firmly.
“Oh? What’s all the commotion?” Lisa asked. Bennett almost forgot they were at a wedding ceremony.
“Uh…”
“I think Bennett and I will be planning our own wedding now.” Barbara giggled.
It was Lisa’s turn to look surprised. “Bennett! I told you that you should propose soon, but not that literally!”
“Wha- I didn’t-”
“Woah, who’s getting married?” Amber, who was sitting behind them, leaned forward eagerly and soon the three women were swept away in a torrential conversation. Chaos was only added once Fischl joined in with her frivolous speech.
The whole time, Bennett was in a daze. Was he actually going to get married? To Barbara? The love of his life? Excitement coursed through his body as people began to congratulate both he and his now fiance. Even Diluc and Jean caught wind of it and congratulated them during the reception festival.
The sun had nearly set by now when the four of them shared a drink courtesy of the Dawn Winery.
“I can’t believe you proposed right after our ceremony!” Jean laughed.
“Haha, well…”Bennett couldn’t answer. He felt bad that he never gave a proper proposal and he wanted to do so soon.
The conversation flowed on and eventually the newlyweds had to greet the other guests, leaving Barbara and Bennett alone to enjoy each other’s company. This was his chance to properly propose.
“Barbara?”
“Hm?”
“Do you want to get away from the party for a bit?”
“Why is something wrong? Are you feeling ill?” Barbara asked, concern laced in her voice.
“No, no, I’m fine! I just wanted to talk somewhere a little quieter is all.” Bennett answered hastily.
“Oh, of course we can!” Barbara agreed. “Lead the way.”
Bennett decided to take down by the river not too far from the Dawn Winery. The area was clear of any cryo slimes and the surrounding cryo flowers casted an ethereal glow to the waters. It reminded him of where he accidentally confessed to Barbara by the Statue of the Seven. He chuckled realising he accidentally proposed as well.
“What are you laughing at?” Barbara asked with a tilt of her head.
Bennett told her what he just came to realize, and she laughed as well. “Barbara, I brought you here to ,well, propose properly. You’re such a big part of my life, that a simple ‘I can’t wait to get married’ won’t do!”
“No matter what happened to me, you always stuck around giving me your support. Even with my bad luck, you never hesitated to help me out with adventures and always made sure I was safe. I love you, will you please marry me?”
Barbara gave him a gentle smile and cupped his face as if it were the most fragile of flowers. “I will, Bennett. I would love nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Bennett let out a gleeful laugh and spun the deaconess around in a circle. “Thank-you’s” spilled from his mouth as Barbara laughed with him. Suddenly the world tipped upside-down and Bennett realized they had both fallen onto the soft grass.
None of them seemed to mind though, both too entranced with each other’s gazes. Bennett leaned forward to give him a loving kiss and grinned.
As he tucked a wildflower behind Barbara’s ash blonde hair, he whispered, “I can’t wait to spend the rest of forever together.”