Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Liyue Harbor, nighttime

Keqing, also known as Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing, sat alone on the pier, her eyes fixed on the shimmering night sky. This was the exact spot where Aether had made a promise to her before departing for Inazuma - pointing to one of the brightest stars, he vowed to wait for her there, no matter where their paths may lead.

Wherever you go, whatever life throws at you...the stars in the sky will always have a place for you.

She agreed and kept his promise.

Regardless of the weather or her physical condition, no matter how busy she was, she always spent a significant amount of time every night at the pier, gazing up at the sky. Sometimes her assistants grew worried and had to watch over her from afar. They couldn't understand why she kept standing there. Was she waiting for someone?

Day after day, month after month, year after year, decade after decade…

She could feel the stars were getting closer each time she looked at them.

Until one day…

The waiting had finally come to an end.

Somewhere outside of Liyue Harbor.

"I’m sorry for being late, Lady Keqing," Ganyu said as she presented a bouquet of flowers. "There's been a lot of work lately, so I had to do overtime yesterday to make time to visit you today. Since Teyvat was saved by the Traveler, Liyue has become very prosperous. That's your dream, isn't it? It has finally come true."

Ganyu went on to update Keqing on the situation in Mondstadt, Liyue, and Inazuma. She explained how everyone was working hard to rebuild their countries better than before.

"I feel like I've grown immensely from my travels with you. If, one day, I manage to make my dreams a reality, I wonder if you'll still be by my side."

The question had lingered in her thoughts for a long time, waiting for an awnser.

"But since then, we haven't heard any news from him. No one knows where he went no matter how we tried to find him. It took us countless years to find this piece of paper, saying we'll meet each other within the stars. And after all these years, he's still waiting for you.

After their talk, Ganyu placed the bouquet near the stone tablet. "I think that's it for today, Lady Keqing. I'll see you again."

Just as Ganyu was leaving, a bright star appeared next to the one Aether had pointed out to Keqing in Liyue Harbor before his departure.

She didn’t regret her choice

She had become the star

Now she could be with him…

Forever

Chapter Text

Yujin Terrance

Amidst the usual hustle and bustle of Liyue, Yuheng of the Liyue Qixing could be found buried in her work, as diligent as ever. Many wondered what could possibly motivate her to toil away endlessly.

Aether, the adventurous traveler, had set out on a quest to save Teyvat and find his long-lost sister. Before departing, he had made a promise to Keqing that he would return to Liyue to visit her. In turn, she had assured him that he would discover a changed city upon his return, one that he would witness with his own eyes.

Perhaps it was the thought of Aether's return that fueled Yuheng's tireless work ethic, her heart brimming with anticipation for the day he would come back to Liyue.

Time flew by as quickly as lightning, and the day he had promised to her had finally arrived.

Keqing had heard rumors that Teyvat had been saved by the Traveler, but they had purposely kept the most crucial information from her. However, secrets couldn't be kept hidden from the Yuheng forever, particularly when it concerned Aether, the person she loved. When she found out what had happened to him, she was devastated.

In the final battle to destroy the last threat to Teyvat, Aether had made the ultimate sacrifice, but everyone had kept the truth from her. She wondered how long he had promised to return to her after all these years. Was it two, three, or even four years? Regardless of the promised duration, it was now broken, leaving her heartbroken and alone.

"We've been on our fair share of adventures together, haven't we? The more time we spend together, the more I think you're the person of my dreams, and— Huh? Why so shocked? You're a crucial part of my dreams for the new Liyue" - she once said to him.

And now, her dream remained forever unfulfilled.

He was no longer with her in this world.

Her dream was shattered into a million pieces.

What was her purpose now?

…

The next day

Keqing instructed her secretary to keep her schedule free for an important meeting. Initially, the secretary complied without issue.

Two to three hours had passed, they realized that no one had arrived for the meeting.

Then the only person Keqing wanted to see now was...

With a sense of unease, the secretary attempted to contact Keqing, but received no response after knocking several times on her office door. Fearing the worst, they gathered a group of colleagues to open the door together. Upon entry, they were immediately struck with terror upon discovering that...

Keqing lay motionless, her vibrant purple dress now a deep shade of crimson. A small hairpin clutched in her hand was stained with the same dark hue, as if soaked in blood.

Keqing's consciousness began to slip away, the world around her becoming a blur of noise and light.

"I'm going to see you soon…" her voice barely audible, carrying away by a gust of wind, lost in the vastness of the room. No one could hear her, and the silence that followed was deafening.

In the midst of it all, Keqing found solace in the memory of her beloved. She could hear his voice calling out to her, and though she knew she couldn't return to him, the thought of being reunited brought a sense of peace to her soul.

As her last moments approached, Keqing's smile never wavered, for she knew that her legacy would live on, and that the ones she cared for would carry her memory with them always. The only thing left to her now was to surrender to the darkness that was closing in, and hope that she would find her way to her love once more.

Chapter Text

A certain bar in Liyue, a lone figure sat at a table in the corner, keeping his distance from the other patrons. His blonde hair was a stark contrast to his heavy expression, weighed down by the burden of recent events. Even his sister, who had accompanied him, knew to leave him be for a while to process his thoughts and emotions. With a heavy heart, he stared down at the table, lost in his own world of grief and sadness.

His memory began to flow back in his thought, that fateful event was too hard to forget:

After the final battle for Teyvat, despite emerging victorious, he had fallen into the empty void again.

After he woke up, he realized that…

Another 500 years had passed in Teyvat.

Rushing back to Liyue, he frantically searched for Keqing, only to discover the painful truth: she was no longer in this world. He pleaded with everyone in Liyue to see if there was any hope for him, but the answer remained the same. It was too late.

She couldn't wait for him after all those years had passed. She was only a mortal, after all.

The person he loved the most was gone, never to return to him again. All hope was lost, and regret was the only thing left inside him.

"I've failed you Keqing, I...I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" Aether's voice trailed off into sobs as he collapsed onto the ground, his body wracked with guilt and despair.

As Aether lay there, lost in his own anguish, he heard the sound of someone's footsteps approaching. He looked up and saw a girl standing in front of him, a worn-out letter in her hand as she stared at him closely.

"Excuse me, sir. Are you Mr. Aether?" she asked.

Aether's heart skipped a beat. Could this really be Keqing? His mind raced with confusion and disbelief. But he knew that it couldn't be her. She was gone, lost somewhere in the vast expanse of Teyvat.

”There’s a letter for you…” The girl continued.

Taking the letter from the girl, his eyes fixed on her face, he noticed that she looked almost exactly like Keqing, with the same lilac hair styled in odango cat-ears, and even wearing the same dress. It was like seeing a ghost.

However, he noticed something on the girl's necklace that caught his eye - an Electro vision that had long been extinguished.

"Where did you get that?" he asked, pointing at the vision.

"It's from my mother. She gave it to me," the girl replied.

"Where is she now?" he asked.

"She... passed away a long time ago," the girl replied.

As he read the letter the girl had given him, he recognized the familiar handwriting, though some of the words had faded over time.

The letter read: "Please take care of her, Aether... She is our... - Keqing."

Then he remembered the promise he made to Keqing that he would be there for her on that night before he left.

He gazed at the girl, his heart pounding with emotion. Her pure golden eyes looked identical to his were staring back at him, hoping for an answer. A powerful energy emanated from her, much like himself and Keqing's.

As if there was an invisible connection, he knew that the girl was incredibly important to him. Without hesitation, he rushed towards her.

"I'm here now... I won't leave you again... Never," he said, tears streaming down his face.

The entire room fell silent as everyone looked on, feeling the weight of the emotional moment. It was like they had finally reunited after being separated for too long.

The girl tried to reply amidst her sobs while hugging him tightly. "Welcome home... I've been waiting for you for so long...

Dad."

This time he will fulfill the promise

Chapter Text

"And they live happily ever after…"

That's what most of the story would end.

But will they live "ever after" even though they are really happy?

...

In the treatment room of Liyue's hospital, an elderly woman lay on the bed, looking frail. Numerous healthcare and monitoring devices were attached to her. Despite her age, her beauty still shone through, as her amethyst eyes sparkled when she saw the people who had just entered.

"We're here, Keqing," Aether said, as he entered the room with a young girl who resembled Keqing’s young self , followed by Ganyu, Zhongli, Xiao, and Yanfei.

"How are you feeling today?" Ganyu inquired, although she already knew the answer.

"Stop calling me that," Keqing giggled. "I'm just an old woman now."

"But to us, you'll always be Lady Keqing," Aether chuckled. "And my beloved wife."

"Aether, I love you too," Keqing replied, raising her hands as he embraced her. "Whenever I'm with you, time flies by."

From the moment they met during the Rite incident, Keqing knew she had feelings for Aether and wanted to follow him to the ends of the earth. She was thrilled to learn that he felt the same. Together, they embarked on countless adventures throughout each nation, including Inazuma, Sumaru, and Fontaine, until their decisive battle for Teyvat. Once peace had been restored, they decided to spend time enjoying family moments together.

It was a blissful time, and they hoped it would last forever.

But reality reminded them of the inevitable: There was no such thing as "ever after."

As each year and decade passed, Keqing grew older and weaker.

While Aether remained unchanged, frozen in time as an immortal being.

Keqing knew that she could not keep up with them much longer, but she did not want to burden them with her fate. She kept it to herself, hoping to spare them the pain of knowing.

However, the truth could not be concealed forever. One day, Aether found Keqing collapsed at their home. He knew that time had caught up with her, and she was nearing the end of her life. No matter what he tried to do, he could not escape the reality that Keqing would soon leave him.

For a whole month, Aether secluded himself and mourned. Only with the support and encouragement from his daughter, Keqing, and their friends, did he find the strength to accept the inevitable. From that day on, he cherished every moment with Keqing and tried to stay by her side as much as possible.

And today, Keqing took her last breath. Aether held her hand, surrounded by their loved ones, grateful for every moment they had together.

Keqing passed on her Electro vision to Aether, asking him to give it to their daughter and telling him that she would always be there for him. Aether received the vision with trembling hands, feeling powerless despite his immense strength. He could do nothing but watch as his dearest love slowly slipped away from him.

"Please don’t leave me, Keqing." Aether pleaded, holding her hand tightly as he tried to keep her with him. "You still have a family and friends waiting for you. I'll make you some Golden Shrimp Balls when you wake up."

"I'm sorry, Aether," Keqing whispered weakly as she looked up at his golden eyes, her own eyes welling up with tears. "This is as far as I can go with you. Please take care of yourself and our child."

"And finally, thank you, everyone," Keqing gasped, struggling for breath. "Especially you, Aether, my dear husband, and you, my little daughter, for being with me till the end. Thanks for everything."

Those were her final words before the monitor's beeping stopped, and the line on the screen became a flat one. The Electro vision on Aether's hand slowly faded from its bright color to a grim grey, symbolizing the end of a life that was once full of energy and light.

The story of the Driving Thunder has come to an end.

They knew that this day would eventually arrive when they chose to be together.

But they had no regrets.

They had been happy throughout their time together, and that was all that mattered.

"Don't leave me…please" Aether called out to her in desperation, Keqing no longer responded. Tears streamed down his face as he faced the reality of losing his beloved.

Yet it was still painful to witness your loved one leaving you

Zhongli, Ganyu, Xiao, Yanfei, and the others could only watch in silent anguish, knowing there was nothing they could do to ease Aether's pain.

It's how life works,

Beautiful and cruel at the same time.

And this was one of its cruel moments.

All that remained was the peaceful smile on Keqing's face, a testament to her satisfaction with everything she had experienced until her final moment.

"Mom," the girl mumbled, trying to reach for Keqing, but Ganyu stopped her. "NOOO…!"

"I'm sorry, but your mother is gone now," Ganyu said while holding the girl tight, trying to calm her down. Deep down, she wanted to cry with the girl. Keqing was like a little sister to her.

"I know this is sad, but we have to continue. It's getting late for the funeral," Zhongli said to everyone, and they all agreed that they needed to move on.

After the funeral, Aether and his daughter went to the pier to have some family time together after all they had been through.

"You may not be here with us anymore, but you will always remain in our hearts," Aether said to his daughter as they watched the peaceful night sky filled with bright stars. "I know you will always watch over us, Keqing. Thank you for being with me in this life.

Perhaps the ever after was the love they had for each other, which would never disappear as long as Aether remembers her.

He then gave his daughter Keqing's Electro vision. "It's belonged to you now, but the choice is yours."

His daughter took the Electro vision from Aether and held it tightly. "I will continue what you entrusted to me, Mom. I promise." The vision began to glow with a violet light and flickering orange sparks, signaling the start of a new chapter in their lives.

A new story has begun

A new star approaches.

Chapter Text

Stay.

A simple word with so many emotions.

Happiness, love, longing, and desperation.

"Will you stay here with me?" The lilac-haired girl asked the blonde Traveler with anxiety.

It was a selfish request from her, and she knew it. She had nothing to make him stay, and he had no reason to remain in this world after their journey was over. As a Traveler, he had wandered through so many places over the millennia.

Yet, he nodded his head in agreement.

"Thank you for staying here with me!" The girl embraced him tightly, overcome with joy upon hearing his answer.

They led a happy life together, with a family they both had always dreamed of.

Until...

Stay

Several decades later, Hospital…

"You asked me to stay with you! And I did like what you said!" The same young blonde Traveler said between sobbing to that old woman who was laying on the bed. "We've been together for nearly a century now… And now you are suddenly going to leave us…!"; "You are lying to me!" He shouted continuously while losing in his word "I hate you!...I…I…hate…you…"

Even with that saying, he still hugged her desperately to keep her back to him. She was too precious to lose.

"Sorry for lying…" The old woman replied while giggling lightly and brushing his bang "Don't worry, no matter where you are, I will always stay with you"

Stay

Sometime later, in Liyue…

The blonde Traveler sat, lost in thought. "Time flies so fast, doesn't it?" he said with a smile. "How many years have passed since then? I can't remember anymore because it feels like it was just yesterday..."

He continued, his smile fading. "When you asked me to stay in this world, I was so happy to hear that. I thought we could stay and live happily together until the end... but as it turns out, we couldn't."

"Why did this happen to us? We didn't do anything wrong. We lived our best lives, yet we were separated by life and death, morality and immorality... a border that couldn't be broken." He clenched his fist and his body shook with anger and pain.

Unable to hold the pain he had kept hidden inside for so many decades any longer, the Traveler fell to his knees and hugged the stone stele, tears cascading from his eyes. "Why is this so unfair to us!? Why did our fate have to end up like this!?... I miss you so much!"

His thoughts were interrupted as he felt a tug on his cape from behind, followed by a warm embrace. "Don't worry, no matter where you are, I will always be with you," said the innocent voice of their daughter, accompanied by a cheerful smile. Their daughter was the result of their love, and her legacy lived on through her father.

The Traveler was startled for a moment, but hearing her daughter's words reminded him of the woman he had always loved and cared for. He took a deep breath, looking up at the faint orange sky with the gentle breeze of the sunset. He felt relieved and at peace when he realized she was still there with him.

"Thank you," the Traveler smiled, patting his daughter's head. "Let's go back to the city. The Lantern festival is about to start."

"Yes, Dad," the girl nodded.

Before they left, the Traveler looked back for a moment and said, "Happy Lantern Rite. I hope you will enjoy this year's fireworks." Behind them was a small firework launch tube, a Golden shrimp ball dish and a bouquet of Gaze Lilies placed beside a carefully and solemnly made gravestone with an inscription that read.

In loving memory of Keqing

xxxx-xxxx

A great leader of Liyue

A great friend of everyone

Once met, never forgotten

No matter where he was, he knew Keqing would always be with him.

He would never be alone.

Stay

A simple word with so many emotions