Chapter Text
“Welcome to the first session of our support group,” Jean started off, staring at everyone gathered in the room with her today.
They were all sitting in a big circle in her office, crisscrossed on the floor. “Before we begin, may I remind all of you that this is an open space, for all of us to vent and help each other. Any questions? ”
Albedo raises his hand, “Yes Master Jean, what am I doing here?” He asks blankly, he just wanted to visit his brother at his new job when Kaeya decided to drag him into this weird… coven circle?
“You're here because you know the secret of course!” Lisa giggles.
Albedo blinks, “What secret?”
His brother, Kintsugi, gasps at him with eyes full of amazement, “Wow, you're really good at acting brother! I’ve been struggling not to spill Ventis' secret ever since I came here, thankfully Boss Jean has been helping me with my lying !” He smiles.
“Acting ,” Jean corrects automatically, “My assistant, acting is a more… honest term.”
“But isn’t it the same thing? Also acting has nothing to do with being honest!” Kintsugi says brightly.
“Aaaand that actually sounds like the perfect place to start our support session!” Jean yells out awkwardly. “Would anyone like to go first about how they feel about… this burden we all carry.” She mutters.
“Oh I do!” Kaeya yells out while raising his hand like an excited child. “Hello my name is Kaeya Alberich-Ragnvindr, I got my name officially recharged - again - last week!” He said with pride. If he had a Mora for every time he had to legally change his name, he’d have three Mora now!
“Hi Kaeya Alberich-Ragnvindr” everyone repeats.
“So I actually learned about Venti’s secret the day me and my brother reconnected… and that day was a hard one… for both of us.” Keaya started off, like he was reminiscing a funny story and not the tragic drama that has been the last four years of his life.
“Let’s just say there was a lot of crying involved! But before I came to Mond I was actually told that Venti would kill me for who my family was, that turned out to be a complete lie . We all know that bard couldn’t even kill a bird… but let’s just say when I first learned I was a bit of a mess! And I try not to see my friend differently now but… We haven’t had our usual drinking get-togethers in a while now. And I know he’s busy but sometimes I feel like he’s avoiding me .” He confessed with a heavy heart, his brother patting his back in comfort.
“Hi Jean Gunnhidr here,” said Jean.
“Hello Jean Gunnhidr,” everyone else said as Albedo felt more and more overwhelmed.
“Keaya,” Jean started off sweetly, “I wouldn’t worry about that. He’s been avoiding all of us…”
Her Solemn tone made Kaeya feel less alone and hopeful.
“He hasn’t been avoiding me!” Lisa said, ruining the moment.
“ Pardon , Lisa?” Jean said sharply.
“Well my darling ~ unlike you, me and the bard have tea every Sunday!” She smiles slyly, and Jean couldn’t stop the jealousy from radiating off her.
“Oh yeah I remember that stunt with the shirt…. Way to keep a secret ‘ secret’ Lisa.” Diluc glared.
“Don’t look at me like that Diluc, it’s not like anyone believed it,” Lisa huffed.
“What shirt!?!?” Albedo yelled, getting frustrated at how lost he was.
“You didn’t see it? Awww that’s a shame , it was truly hilarious!” His brother smiled.
“Hi, I'm Bennett, leader of Benny's adventure team.” Bennett said, raising his hand.
“Hi Bennett, leader of the Bennys adventure team.” Everyone parroted and Albedo bagan to wonder if maybe he was dragged into a cult meeting.
“I just want to confess I messed up last weekend at church! I accidently said Dear Venti instead of Dear Barbatos in front of Sister Victoria! I 'm sorry !” The unlucky boy cried.
Albedo had… no idea why that was relevant.
“It was really funny, first time at church. Smells like books!” Razor said happily.
Bennett has been taking him into the city more often, now the two were never apart, Bennys adventure team officially had another permanent member.
“Hello Lisa the librarian,” Lisa said.
“Hello Lisa the librarian,” everyone once again parroted, except Albedo.
“Bennett don’t worry sweetheart. It’s not like anyone in this city is going to figure it out if they didn’t after my stunt. And Razor, how dare you visit the city and not visit me. Also how did you learn of our dear bard's alter ego?” Lisa asked the wolf boy, everyone curious about how each of them came to find out this crazy secret.
However, before Razor could respond Bennett yelled out, “ HE KNEW! HE KNEW FOR YEARS BECAUSE ANDRIUS TOLD HIM!”
“Ha Ha.” Razor smiles cheekily.
“Hmm, that makes sense.” Lisa hums.
“How did we all find out anyway?” Kaeya then asks, “Am I the only one who's going to share?”
Diluc, who was sitting right next to Kaeya, turned to answer his brother, “I found out along with Master Jean during the Dvalin situation .”
“I found out because Andrius called him by his ‘other’ name in front of me…” Bennett giggled.
“Ohhh that’s funny.” Kintsugi laughed.
“I found out when he sent my dead friend's spirit to the afterlife-” Stanley shrugged.
Everyone stared at him a bit shell shocked, unsure what to even say to that.
For the moment the room was filled with awkward silence before, “Stanley,” Bennett spoke up, “Are you okay?”
“No…” the man hums, “Also my names not Stanley, it’s Hans… felt like I should get that off my chest.” He laughs.
Everyone continued to stay silent, unsure how to even process that.
“So… Barbatos can send souls to the afterlife?” Bennett asks.
“Affirmative.” Hans nods.
“ Awsome .”
“Wait Venti’s Barbatos?” Albedo whispers out loud, finally using his brain and clicking the pieces together.
“Wow! You have to teach me how to act like that! Your shock looks so natural!” His brother applauds, oblivious to the panic setting into Albedo’s core.
Venti is the Anemo Archon, how is he not dead?! Kintsugi knew he was Barbatos— they’re friends for goodness sake! Klee is friends with Venti! She told him the bard was teaching her poetry! Oh Archons, he’s Barbatos?! And everyone except him knew?!
“ Wait… Kintsugi wait !” Albedo begins to whisper but his brother ignores him.
“I found out after I absorbed the memories of my dead brother who witnessed Barbatos in battle.” Kintsugi said smiling, like that wasn’t more odd than the dead friend thing.
Jean gives her assistant a grief stricken look, “You and Albedo had another brother? Oh dear, I’m sorry for your loss.” She says, both Kintsugi and Albedo gulp down a wheeze, oh wait till she finds out about the other ones—
“Don’t be,” Kintsugi hums, “He ate me and I’m still petty about that.”
“….pardon me, but what?” Jean says bluntly.
“Wait, how do you absorb memories?” Bennett questions and Kintsugi realizes that he made a mistake saying that.
Albedo gives his brother a panicked look,“…. Alchemy ?” The man says, lucky for the both of them, that lie seemed to save the day.
“Wow, I didn’t know alchemy could do that! That’s so cool!” The Adventurer gushed.
“Anyways, how did you find out Miss Lisa?” Hans questions.
“I… I’m just surprised I was the only one who figured it out.” She said, trying to suppress her laughter.
“ Figured it out?” Hans repeats in confusion.
“Yeah, on your own. It was quite obvious for me,” she winked, “But surprisingly you all found out either by someone telling you, or the bard doing some godly act that you couldn’t deny he wasn’t Barbatos. Now I realize why no one pieced it together after the shirt incident, you're all just dense.” She huffed, feeling her ego explode with pride.
“Okay not all of us attended the Great Academia, Lisa.” Diluc rolled his eyes.
“It’s not book brains you need to figure this out Diluc, it’s called common sense .” She glared back.
The room fell silent and the two interlocked in a childish staring contest. No one noticed Kaeya picking up a floating wooden board and began reading the message that appeared on it. “ You’d think he’d have common sense but this kid tried to kill his younger brother because of a diary secret…” Kaeya mumbled his dads message under his breath.
“Hey!” Kaeya yelled out loud causing everyone to turn to him as he stared at the board in his hand, “my secret wasn’t—” Kaeya’s lips shut as soon as he realized he yelled that out loud, blinking sheepishly at his friends who have no idea why he started ranting out of nowhere.
“So if no one else figured it out on their own then how is the rest of Mond going to finally grow a brain?” Lisa retorts, breaking the silence.
“Well the kids know.” Bennett shrugs.
“The kids!? What kids?!” A majority of the room gasps out.
“All the little ones in Mondstadt know he’s Barbatos… like all of them.” Bennett shrugs.
“I’m pretty sure even Arther knows and he’s never even personally met Venti.” Hans mutters, remembering how the boy had been gossiping about Venti with three other children outside the Angel share one night.
“Huh,” Lisa muttered, the gears turning inside her head. “Maybe what the people of Mondstadt lack isn’t common sense but childlike thinking…”
“More like belief,” Kaeya huffs, “You have to admit when citizens of Mond grow up they mostly stop believing that Barbatos will ever return, some even stop believing that he even exists at all,” He finishes, knowing that people’s relationship to their absent god can become conflicted, goodness his own relationship with the Archons and the divine is still rocky and full of holes. He can’t blame people for their conclusions to the unknown entity that is Venti. “ Jean stop gaping at me like what I’m saying is a scandalous crime — it’s the truth.”
“But it does make me wonder, one of us or Venti is bound to mess up eventually. Right?” Lisa hums.
“Are you suggesting that we guess when the rest of Mondstadt will find out Barbatos has returned?” Hans questions suspiciously.
“Maybe~” Her smile sharpens.
“Let’s make it a bet!” Keaya yells.
“Yeah!” Bennett cheers.
“Guys! No betting!” Jean scolds.
“Jean, you bet first!” Kintsugi yells excitedly.
“What?!” She gasps.
“When will the rest of Mondstadt discover Barbatos true identity?!” Her assistant yells, everyone staring at her with anticipation.
“Ugh…i don't know! during Weinlesefest?!” Jean blurts out the first holiday that came to mind.
“Oh that’s a good one! Because Barbatos receives all that wine! So he’s sure to get caught or do something godly while drunk on all that wine!” Keaya laughs and Jean nods along pretending that was her intent all along.
“Hmm, Maybe we should make this year's wine batch stronger for the holiday.” Diluc mutters seriously.
“Do you really want to drug a god?!” Hans questions in disbelief, but Diluc’s gaze continues to glare into the distance as he ponders his new mission.
“Yeah, I’m betting my mora on Weinlesefest! ” Hans calls out to Jean.
“Hm, well we can’t all put our money on one horse,” Keaya mutters, “I’m betting 3000 mora that Venti’s secrecy will be revealed after three more months!”
“I’m betting 5000 mora that no one’s finding out within this year.” Kintsugi declares.
“20,000 Mora that he reveals his identity accidentally while performing at my bar.” Diluc says with a feral smile.
“Oh yeah that nearly happened already, when he blew up our wall!” Keaya gasps, upset that he didn’t think of that bet sooner.
“Yup.”
“I bet four potatoes that it happens when Miss Vanessa returns,” Razor shouts excitedly, finally understanding what’s going on.
“ Vanessa?! ” Jean gasps as Lisa corrects Razor's statement, “Razor you need to bet with Mora, potatoes aren't currency, sweety.”
“That’s just stupid, potatoes are much better than yellow coins,” Razor mutters, Bennett nodding along in agreement.
“Hey if potatoes were the currency Teyvat used, I wouldn’t be broke.” Bennett smiles awkwardly.
“But that’s not how economics work.” Diluc huffed.
“Are you sure Diluc? Are you positive? Or has Mora been an illusion all along?” The boy whispers ominously.
“I’ll bet Diluc One hundred-thousand Mora that Venti’s identity is going to be revealed on June 16th, during lunch! ” Lisa then screams at the top of her lungs, causing another wave of outcry among the therapy group.
“Wait, we're allowed to bet against each other directly?!”
“So specific… and she’s so confident too!”
“Lisa you can’t just bet against me this is supposed to be a group thing! This is targeting!”
“And who made those rules?!”
As the group devoured into chaos right before Jean's eyes, she took in another deep breath and questioned why in Barbatos name did her life end up here?
It could be worse, she thinks, Mondstadts safe and everyone is okay, everything is okay
“Hey Jean, you're keeping track of bets right?” Kaeya whispers to her, as they continue to watch the heated argument over valid and not valid betting rules unfold before them.
“Sadly, yes I guess I am.” Jean said mournfully.
“Then can you put down 3000 mora for Ludi Harpastum.” He asks.
“But… didn’t you already make a bet?” She blinks, recalling that Kaeya made a bet of a post three month range, and Ludi harpastum is ages away.
“Yes, But this one’s for dad-” the Calvert Captain says without a care in the world.
“ Kaeya ?!” Jean gasps, completely horrified at what she just heard “Have you gone mad?!” She hissed under her breath, praying for Kaeya’s sake that Diluc didn’t hear them.
Her friend stared at her in confusion, like she’s the weird one! Like she was the one who talked about her father who's been dead for almost five years like he was alive and well! Like she was the one going crazy! “No.” Kaeya blinked, “Dad told me.”
She stared at him speechless, eyes wide and her face as pale as a sheet. Kaeya did not at all understand her reaction, “On the magic board.” He said, lifting up the ouija board, hoping to ease her confusion.
It in fact, did not– for Jean began to question every second of her life, wondering if maybe nothing ever mattered all, because her best friend has now lost all his sanity.
“Alright! I bet Thirty Thousand Mora that Venti will expose himself! By saving someone's life in front of the entire city!” Bennett declares, full of faith that he will win this bet, for once his luck will shine through!
Everyone stares at Bennett with disappointment, “I revoke Bennetts betting rights because he’s too young to go into financial debt,” Jean states.
“And that bet was stupid.” Diluc adds on.
“ Oh Com’ on! ” The boy yelled, another senseless argument beginning again between the two pyro wielders.
“You know what if Kintsugi is right?” Hans then questions out loud. “What if no one finds out this year? Or ever? ” He says with dread, everyone in the room falls silent. Their disagreements and differences pushed aside, as they all ponder the same questions that leave Hans mouth.
“Will we have to bear this secret forever? Forever watching our words and always making sure we never treat our dear friend any differently because let’s be honest we all see how Venti freezes up and hides in shame whenever he even hears someone praising Barbatos or the ground Barbatos walks on!” Hans sighs, conflicted in a loss at what to do, what to think.
He doesn’t know what to think anymore, first he thought he knew all the details, that the new bard around Mond that has been so kind to him was just another child looking for some fun. Then that night happened, and his good old drinking buddy turned out to be someone else entirely. Then Hans felt like he and his Archon were the same, both wearing a false name. But Venti’s identity is more complicated than he had ever thought. It’s more than just pretending to be a lost loved one, Hans thinks Venti’s identity is his freedom.
“Do you think maybe it’s cruel of us to wish for his anonymity to be exposed? That’s we are blind to the true burden of godhood and naive to the cruel reality around us?” The man finds himself questioning.
No one answers, for a moment they are all silent.
“Huh, you know who we forgot to invite to the group therapy session?-” Kaeya then says out loud.
“This is not a therapy group, it's a support group!” Jean interrupts.
“Same thing!” Lisa yells back, interrupting Kaeya once again.
“-The traveler!” Kaeya yells.
“Ohhhhh,” everyone then gasps at once, “Right,”
“Okay,” Jean sighs, embarrassed that she forgot to invite the Traveler to the first meeting, “Make sure to invite her to the next meeting. And that’s a wrap of our first Official ‘I know Venti is Barbatos’ support club. Now everyone get out of my office!” She demands, unable to handle another second of all these people in her room.
“Wow Jean, way to end the session,” Diluc glares teasingly.
“Right when it was getting good too, How cruel.” Kaeya adds on, both brothers teaming up to be the bane of her existence. Just like old times-
“Oh hush you two.” She rolls her eyes fondly.
Everyone begins to pack up their belongings and slowly trickle out of Jeans office, all excited for their next support meeting and grateful of the fact that they are no longer alone. No one pays any mind to Albedo, who has not moved an inch from his spot since the meeting has begun.
“Hey Albedo, you okay? You don’t look too good.” Kintsugi asks his brother with worry, wondering why his brother looked so… shell shocked.
“Oh… yeah,” Albedo smiles weakly, “Yeah yeah yeah. I’m fine! I am great!” He says, chuckling weakly as one question plays on loop in his head, ‘why did this have to happen to me!?’