Chapter Text
Venti is frustrated.
Now that’s not an emotion he’s unfamiliar with but goddamn is he going to go grey or tear a mountain apart gnosis or not with stress if Izuku takes off one more time as soon as he spots him.
Every time Venti tries to approach him, he runs for his life. And no matter who he roped into helping him keep Izuku in place, from those teen adventurers to the Knights, the not so mortal enigma would still somehow get away.
How on Teyvat he is able to avoid the literal god of the domain he resides in is beyond the bard, especially when his energy presence is so big and dense that any elemental being within 5 miles would be able to locate him. It’s impressive, but also very annoying because really, all Venti wants to ask for is a small chat.
Why is the boy suddenly scared of him?! Don’t tell him he somehow pieced together that he’s the archon and is now fearing him for it?
"DILUCCCCC!!!!!"
The bard stomps into Angel’s Share, pouting with annoyance and slumps himself down on one of the bar’s chairs. It’s still early for regular operation but when has that ever stopped Venti from barging in to bother the man whenever he felt like it.
Said man takes a deep breath, picks up a clothes and cup and turns to the archon, "What is it." he demands, albeit feels slightly amused at the dismayed looking bard.
"WHY DOES HE KEEPS RUNNING AWAY AT THE SIGHT OF ME?!" Venti screeches out the complaints, it's a wonder he isn’t already demanding or simply just taking a bottle to chug.
But from his words, Diluc could guess that this is about that enigmatic boy, "Izuku, I presume?" and the god only moans in despair against his wooden bar in response.
He lifts his face, frowning hard at his predicament, "MASTER DILUC WHAT DID I DO?! I'M SUPER KID FRIENDLY!!! WHY DOES IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S SCARED OF—" and he gets an apple shoved into his mouth instantly by the redhead.
Diluc rubs his temple, sighing deeply, "Stop your screeching, you're making my ears bleed." he starts, glaring straight at the bard who cheekily shrugs back, "As to why he keeps avoiding you, maybe because he felt guilty when you ran out on him last time."
Venti made a face, confusion written all over, "Eh, guilty?" He tries to recall anything that could provoke that sort of reaction from the boy but comes up with nothing.
"For making you leave, probably thinking you don't like him or something." Diluc fills in the blanks for him, wondering once more just how in Teyvat did this bard end up being their archon.
The male’s eyes widened, he didn't realize his outburst would make Izuku guilty, "Wah! This can't do! I want to get to know him too!! But I can't if he keeps bolting..." he whines, now trying to come up with a way to approach the situation, preferably without needing to send the boy flying hundreds of meters into the sky again.
"You did what—No, don't answer that.” Diluc curses lightly when he almost drops the glass in his hand when he hears it. Venti spares him not an ounce of attention, face still drooping, deep in his thoughts.
Venti is scheming, which is bad news as it is a disaster that’s waiting to happen. The bard and the Spark Knight do both share the same love for trouble.
If he plans on dealing with Izuku any similarly to how he dealt with Dvalin…...Diluc might as well step in and save a few people the trouble that’s bring, as much as he respects Venti for the archon that he is, the god did try to steal—albeit it is his own possession and it’s more borrowing than stealing—the holy lyre to help his dragon friend.
“Fine, I'll talk to him for you." he offers and immediately regrets it when he gets a faceful of green and azure glowing braids. Venti has managed to climb onto the bar top counter on his knees and is cupping his face with a bright grin.
"Really?!"
A traitorous part of Diluc is flustered by the action, it’s bad enough he finds the childish antics at times practically endearing even if they sometimes annoy him, the archon has no business being so……adorable.
Like an annoying but cute little brother he once had.
He would’ve thought these big brother instincts would’ve died alongside his trust in Kaeya all those years back but clearly it hasn’t if he is able to look at his archon—Archon! That’s his goddamn nation’s god—and has an inkling desire to dote and tease as if he hasn’t already grown attached to a number of individuals.
He helped Bennett with his vision, never liked how easily he got hurt even from using the gift he was blessed with. Had offered Fischl a place to stay each time she camps near the Winery on her expeditions, those are the times there would hardly be any wild monsters around the winery.
Diluc also occasionally trains Razor whenever the boy wishes to fine tune his claymore skills or simply just to do his hair, a little surprised Lisa never taught him how to tie it up or braid it. And he’ll find baskets of fresh berries or paw shaped hash browns on his table the day after.
He drops a random bag with materials for Sucrose at times of things he thought she might like whenever he travels, and would later find trinkets and whatnot gifted to him that has her touch written all over. Made a drink that’s specially made for Albedo’s peculiar taste that helps him calm his mind so he can sleep and is on ‘just ask if need help’ basis with Aether.
If he has been ploughing through his connections and sources for information about a possible lost Inazuman child alongside his already large search for a blonde girl in white that has a striking resemblance to Mondstadt’s honorary knight then only Diluc alone knows of this.
No it's not because he missed his ex-brother, or wished he had been able to help Kaeya with his vision or that he missed training to be knights together. It’s not because providing shelter for the young adventurer is somehow like him making up for abandoning his brother out there after their father’s death.
It has nothing to do with the fact he misses doing their long hair together because he would be the one to teach Kaeya the art of braiding even if he never really braids his own hair. Not even because he would collect and show Kaeya anything he comes across that registers in his head as ‘Kaeya would like this!’ since Kaeya is so easily fascinated even by the most mundane things.
It’s not like he made Death After Noon according to Kaeya’s preferences or that offering favors is his own way of covering the guilt from those years where he wasn’t there for his ex-brother. As if tolerating Venti’s antics could remind him of his childhood with Kaeya or when sometimes the bard has this ghost-like smile that screams grief is so not much like his ex-brother, no it's not any of that at all.
Nope, he’s not doing any of this just for the sake of filling the whole Kaeya left when Diluc struck down his brother and tried to kill him—would’ve killed him had the archons not decided to intervene by giving Kaeya a vision.
(How long can he hang onto such delusions one can never know.)
Venti's azure eyes are twinkling, sparkling not in the sense that mark his divinity but just genuine happiness. It's a sight he…... knows…...just on another's face.
He looks…...young.
(He remembered him saying something once regarding his long life, "Two thousand years may be a long time for a human…...but to us…...what is a century or ten compared to a seemingly endless life? Did you know, sure I was the first of the seven to earn a seat but I was also the youngest back then? They all treated me like a child!")
Diluc grabs the bard by his shoulders and pushes him down back into his seat, "Yes, now I prefer you singing instead of screeching.” He pushes away the many thoughts that suddenly appeared in his head and begins to make his way out.
Venti giggles cheekily, the man swears, maybe their Archon is a child, “Awwww, so you do like my performances! Master Diluc, if you want me to sing, all you have to do is ask!” the bard singsongs, fingers strumming his lyre.
Diluc rolls his eyes, “I’m leaving. Give him wine only after the second song.” he tells Charles as the man walks into the Tavern, not even surprised anymore to see Venti already there.
However, Venti gasps and crosses his arms in protest, “Master Diluc, that's not fair! And you’re not even here to hear it humph!” It only made him pout harder when Diluc smirks back at him.
Reaching forward, the redhead patted his head as if he was a kid—Seriously? Why do people insist on treating him like a child, not that he minds it but still—and left without a word.
"He's really fond of you." Charles remarks with a laugh, being one of the very few that Diluc wouldn't mind seeing him being soft is a blessing he's always grateful for.
It's moments like those where he's reminded of the small redhead boy who would drag his brother with him everywhere when they were just two little kids.
Venti shakes his head, a fond smile of his own stretched on his lips, "Don't let him hear you say that dear bartender, who knows what he'll do to deny it?" They both laugh together till Charles has to go polish the other tables, leaving Venti to himself.
The archon hums a tune, twirling the glass of grape juice in his hand, he chuckles, “So cold……... Yet, your heart is really warm isn’t it Diluc Ragnvindr~?”
Let it be known Izuku is not a pushover, at least, he doesn't think he is.
Sure, he finds it a little harder than not to turn down requests but a delivery here, gathering flowers there or finding a missing pet favor greets him once in a while and there's just no reason he couldn't help out.
So he does, and well, here he is now. A package filled with Dandelion wine and apples in hand gulping as he ponders if there is a way he could deliver this for Diluc without going near the person he's supposed to deliver this to.
He was just told by the man to give this to the bard playing at the Anemo Archon Statue in front of the Cathedral and thought nothing of it, until he saw who exactly is supposed to receive the package.
"May the winds carry forth, my soul when I'm gone... may the harsh of the storm never linger for long…"
The bard in question is playing his lyre, surrounded by citizens and their children as he plays, a melancholy song chimes around with each strum of his fingers, his voice sweet as it is ethereal singing to the tune.
".. May the birds ever fly, where their journey leads them~ May the land and the skies be ever blessed with freedom...oh~"
Izuku finds himself huddled at the back of the crowd, the anemo energy that's always swirling around the winds of Mondstadt buzzes and bristles with each note he plays.
"Come, gather 'round and I'll spin you a tale. One of tyranny, of humble dreams and those who prevail~"
And his voice…... There's just something so entrancing with the way he sings, a curved smile tugging at his lips. The breeze blowing his braids lightly, azure eyes that almost illuminate under the light.
"It starts with a hopeful young bard and song, through his melodies the wicked king, he wouldn't rule long~"
Izuku admits he has been avoiding this person for the whole duration he's been here in the city, however it's not just because of their first not too sweet encounter at Angel's Share when he rushed out so quickly almost with panic.
“A kingdom of isolation……. Is as glorious as a prison.”
But this bard, young as he is yet speaks so poetically with his words, telling histories of the past in his song like it was a tale of his experience….
“With a feather of eagle, the bard was entranced. As a sliver of freedom, before him, it danced~”
"He…...his energy…." Izuku mumbles to himself, he's always been able to feel particles of elemental energy although he couldn't exactly harness it.
And this teen, his body all but beams with Anemo as if it was made out of it, the energy is potent in the atmosphere around him making Izuku feel light and airy as he steps closer to get a better look.
"What beauty may lie beyond these walls? With reason to fight, the king would soon fall.”
The vision laid by his hip glistens under the light of the sun but otherwise remains dull with no glow, a fake.
A fake vision yet he emits such tremendous Anemo energy.
"...In a moment it came, desire to see. The clouds, the rain, entire lands set free!"
It used to frighten him slightly, making his senses tingle up with caution, Izuku never stuck around long to let the feeling fester but now that he isn't…...
It's not really dangerous nor is it threatening, it was just simply large and powerful and appeared as such. It bristles and flows, dancing on skin but it does not feel malicious.
“The time had come to face the king…...In an accumulation of everything……”
Izuku narrows his eyes, the bard keeps singing without a care to his surroundings, his audience watching with awe, hanging onto each lyric.
The Anemo Archon Barbatos is also known as the god of Wind, Song and Freedom.
Nobody knew what he looked like, so instead, they depicted him to resemble the old hero of Mondstadt from long ago, a young boy who ignited the spark of rebellion with his tunes and led the charge against the god of storms for Mondstadt's freedom.
Izuku looks up to the statue, and then at the singing bard who coincidentally shares a striking resemblance to it, "Could he…." He wonders, more curious than anything now.
"Oh, the bard would shape the future.......With the message of his last words….."
Izuku blinks, he swore he saw those teal tips of his braids glow only for a second, the Anemo energy around stills as winds and zephyrs alike pause unnaturally. Everyone held their breath for the climax.
"May the winds carry forth……My soul when I'm gone……. May the harsh of the storm, never linger for long……. May the birds ever fly, where their journey leads them…. May the land and the skies be ever blessed with freedom~!"
And as the bridge ends and the tune jumps into its final chorus, gusts of Anemo burst from the bard who flew himself up to the palm of the statue's hand, all the while still singing with all his might as his spectators cheer and clap.
“May the winds carry forth……Your soul when you're gone.”
He appears to be an Anemo allogene and must've done so before since there's a lack of surprise or shock. But the vision doesn't glow, it always does when the user uses it but he doesn't react at all.
“May the harsh of the storm, never linger for long!”
The energy blowing the nearby leaves and leftover dandelion seeds from the morning's prayers into the air, swirling to the melody as stringing music of the lyre picks up pace.
“May the birds ever fly! Where their journey leads them~!”
His lips are smiling, singing each word but Izuku could also see the hidden sadness in those reminiscing eyes.
"May the land and the skies be ever blessed with freedom.... With freedom…"
Soon the music fades, and a round of applause breaks out from the group of gathered spectators. The bard clad in green takes a bow and leaps down, a beautiful teal glider popping out of his back as he safely lands to the floor again.
Izuku is still a small distance away from him, unsure what to do. It felt awkward to approach the young man when he clearly had been actively isolating from him. The package in his grip feels heavy all the sudden.
The bard, Venti, is standing there, laughing and slightly crouched down as he fondly talks to the children who are likely asking questions about the song he sang.
There's no tension nor warning, just an eased steady rhythm of energy. Calming, it's nice in a way.
Izuku takes a deep breath, braces himself and makes his way over. Venti immediately notices him, their eyes locking and the other all but brightens up at the sight of him, it washes away some of the worry Izuku held in his chest.
"Excuse me, I……. h-have a delivery…... for y-you Mr. Bard…." He carefully gives him the package; Venti looks surprised but takes it nonetheless.
The male shrugs and ticks away the package, “Huh, how unexpected of Master Diluc hehe! And you dear friend, we haven't got the chance to properly meet, haven't we? I’m Venti! The—”
“Anemo archon? Lord Barbatos?” he couldn't help but blurt out, the curiosity had been practically killing him.
Venti chokes out a squeak, “Eh?! W-what makes you say that?! Haha!?” he clutches his lyre, laughing nervously with a startled look on his face.
Well, his cover got blown fast.
Even the traveler needed more time than that but Izuku noticed right away. 'Is it the braids?! I swear, it's always the braids!' The bard whines in his head to himself.
And the green haired boy, taking this as a legitimate inquiry, goes off. Never not the one to be excited to explain details of his thought process.
“You look exactly like the statue as if it was modeled after you specifically, I hang around allogenes a lot and your vision doesn’t glow at all, I always notice visions would be gleaming at least every few seconds even if the wielder isn’t actively using them, and it didn't glow either when you did use it. Your anemo energy signature is a lot potent too despite the fake vision. And your songs……you sung them with details that were never mentioned in books, as if you were there…...when the events happened.”
Izuku doesn't even realize he's rambling until his eyes catch the dumbstruck look on the bard in green's face. Eyes widened with his lips dropped open in shock, gaping like someone just pulled the rug from under his feet.
Venti had actually wondered if he had been too obvious but really, this one is simply gifted for his observation skills.
The male chokes on air, "O-oh wow…" The bewilderment is painfully clear in his voice.
Izuku pales, Oh no, he did it again did he? He's being creepy again and he scared the guy off even more now with his ramble.
“Oh my archons.”
Izuku hastily snaps down into a bow, “Oh archons, I’m sorry, I…... I didn’t mean to ramble and overstep and I’m probably wrong and you’re likely weirded by all this out and I'm so sorry! I’m sorry I’m sorry I’ll leave!”
He turns on his heels so fast that the Cecilia pinned in his hair is blown off by the impact, Izuku however flinches when a hand grabs onto his forearm Ina rush, the bard frantically stopping him from leaving.
“Wait!”
Izuku pauses and sees Venti exhale out a chuckle, then letting go when he's sure Izuku won't bolt, “Uh Izuku right? you’re……crazy smart! I’m impressed you figured me out right away!"
The archon finally admits, nodding approvingly at the greenette, "It's a bit…. scary too to be honest since no one seems to get it heh….” he adds because he's truly genuinely impressed with the boy.
Well he is not exactly mortal after all, it shouldn't have surprised him as much as it did.
(After much discussion with his Four Winds, if there's a word to describe Izuku's being, it would be somewhere in the middle of mortal and divine…...a demigod.)
“I…. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to make you—Wait, I’m not wrong?”
Although as things are, Venti could see that it appears their resident semi-divine is not aware of his true nature. Those green orbs blinking with shock, and soon colors with dread upon realizing what he did and found out.
Venti chuckles, raising a finger up to his lips Ina shushing motion. Just for a flickering second, he allowed his white divine wings to show. They spread wide behind him in white and gold yet only for a moment and even then, only those of divine or divine blessed mortals such as allogenes would be able to see it.
Izuku's face goes white, he really is the Anemo Archon?! He had his suspicions but Izuku never would've thought he could be right. All this time he's been bolting away from the Anemo Archon, the god that presides over the land he's temporarily staying in.
He ghosted an Archon.
“You really are—by the seven I’m terribly sorry, I didn’t think…I—!” Izuku knows he's panicking, and from how worried Venti looks, the male probably doesn't mind what happened between them.
But by the seven, he can't quite reel in his emotions.at the moment, too stunned with shock, “Woah there, slow down! It's okay, goodness breath please or you’re going to pass out!” Venti urges him frantically, his hands cupping Izuku's, murmuring a call for his gentlest breeze to help soothe the young boy.
Not wanting to draw attention to themselves, Venti guides Izuku away from the open space and somewhere tucked behind some large bushes. The younger of the two breathes, trying to catch his breath and calm his racing mind he…. hasn't had a panic ever since that first day he woke up.
Venti stayed and waited for him to regain his composure, even going to strum a little song with hopes it might help to ground him.
In a bit, Izuku feels slightly better, "I'm...fine…." He insists, “And I'm so so sorry lord Barbatos—”
Venti shakes his head, glancing at him with a soft smile, “You may stop apologizing, you’re forgiven. And please, Barbatos who? I'm just Venti the bard ehe~" the bard winks at the boy, who in return only eyed him with an awestruck look.
Izuku sighs but smiles, "Still....is there…...anyway I can make it up to you?"
Venti frowns, a rejection on his lips until an idea goes off in his head. The archon grins harder, "Well…. maybe there is. Come, follow me!"
Venti dragged Izuku out of the city walls, the boy could do nothing but let the god lead him as they came closer and closer to the Whispering Woods. "Uh…. I’m not supposed to—" Venti shushes him with a finger, a playful grin on his lips.
They're standing on a higher platform of the ground; the bard looks around to scan the area before nodding.
"It'll be fine, we're going to fly. We'll be really quick!"
"What—"
He didn't even allow Izuku to fully process those words, suddenly there's winds.
"Time for take off!"
All at once a spell rune glowing teal appeared on the ground below them and a surge of Anemo much like from his gliding accident suddenly circles and blows, pushing his lithe frame off the ground.
Venti giggles, summoning his white wings with hoops of gold on its joints, he takes Izuku by the hand and guides him up the wind current, Izuku frantically snaps his glider open as soon as he's airborne.
"OH GOSH!! OH SEVEN, ARCHONS MR VENTI WHAT THE HECK?!?"
He screams but it isn't hard to find a balance and steady himself in the air, Izuku is a little peeved that no warning is given but at least he figured out who is behind that mysterious accident. The god chuckles, his green outfit morphing into one of white and gold, his divine form, teal patterned glowing tattoos appearing on his skin.
It's strange to be in this form again after so long, he couldn't gain enough strength after waking up in time to help Dvalin, and his gnosis was stolen now so his power albeit still fairly strong is limited. Yet…. Izuku, whose existence feels like a bundle of energy, being near him greatly boosts the power he has.
It's not like he's taking any energy from the boy, but rather, that monstrous energy simply flowed towards him in small yet significant specks. Resonating and boosting the Anemo within him and Izuku doesn't even seem to notice what's happening or aware of what he's doing.
Come to think of it, Izuku's elemental energy does feel …... familiar in a way.
'A vision? No…. he…. his energy…. is similar to that of a gnosis!' Venti realizes, which is incredible. Could the boy be a god that was eroded by time as many others? He is far too young to be that though….
What a mystery….
Venti saves the thought for another time, "Don't worry I won't drop you! Just glide~!" He cheers at him but pauses suddenly before continuing his remark with a frowny pout.
"And drop the Mr. I'm not that old!"
Izuku, high with adrenaline, snorts at the other, "But aren't you over dozens of centuries old?" he let the sass slip past his lips without even realizing it.
Like how it isn't quite sinking yet he's flying with Barbatos, the god of wind himself.
Venti gasps, throwing Izuku a scandalized face, “I’m only 26 thousand something-ish, I'm still YOUNG!! Youth these days, humph!"
Izuku burst out laughing, ignoring how Venti's face scrunched up with disgust right after his own remark, "Holy fates I sounded like that old blockhead Morax, ew!"
They're flying quite the distance away from Mondstadt, the sight of unfamiliar forest territory underneath makes the greenette feel excited for possible new
"Where are we heading?" Izuku asks him.
The bard hums, grinning, "Someplace special."