I dont usually recommend bgms for reading but... for those absolutely precious moments, I do. In this case: 'Promise of That Day - Sen no Kiseki III OST'
You'll know where to play it.
Shizhen closed his eyes. "I'm afraid I will not be of much use anymore."
Damn.
"The disease seemed to have been festering for a while," the doctor said. "With proper care and early treatment, it hardly poses a threat. However, it does lead to complications. Had she been showing signs of a fever or fatigue, or is this the first time?"
Aether couldn't answer him.
"I see… She does seem to be the type to work herself through illness. I can imagine the storm did her no favors either. The stress of it all probably pushed her beyond her limits."
"Isn't there anything we can do?" Aether asked, clutching Keqing's hand. While her temperature has gone down, she still hasn't woken up. He squeezed it tightly.
C' mon Keqing, this isn't like you… Where did that stubborn girl I knew go?
Her chest heaved in a gentle rhythm, which was a good sign, at least. Shizhen had treated the wounds on her neck and the innkeeper wiped the vomit from her and changed her into clean, dry clothes. Aether had gathered herbs nearby for medicine, but it still wasn't enough.
Shizhen patted him reassuringly on the shoulder. As a doctor, he most likely has faced similar situations before. "We've done all we could," he said. "The disease isn't contagious, so there is no reason to worry. It is simply up to her now. Let her rest for a bit and soon you will see her smile again. Have some faith."
"...Alright."
The door to the room closed behind Shizhen, leaving Aether alone with his thoughts.
He heard a soft whisper.
"Faith, huh?"
"...Good morning," Aether said.
Keqing steadily sat up on the bed. She didn't look at him and fixated her gaze on the sky. "What time is it…?"
"Midnight."
Silence.
Should he ask how she was feeling? It was probably a redundant thing to ask, so he didn't.
"Want some water?" He poured a cup and placed it on the drawer next to the bed. There was some warm water left in the pot so he decided to brew some tea too. It wouldn't turn out as good as Zhongli's, but he could manage.
Keqing still refused to look at him, only staring vacantly through the window.
"The sky's beautiful, isn't it?" he said.
It was a dim, starry sky, painted a deep royal blue. It wasn't as bright as Mondstadt's but coupled with Liyue's already colorful landscape, it had its own charm too.
No response. Sighing, Aether reached out to pat her head.
"If you could travel to a different world and leave this one behind, would you?" she asked before he could touch her.
Would he? That seemed like a very specific question. Although, the answer was obvious.
"Of course."
"Even if it meant abandoning the people you've met along the way?"
"...Yes."
Goodbyes weren't new to him. He and Lumine had to bid their farewells to countless friends before— most of the time for good. There was no telling when they might visit the same world again. And even if they had, the people they knew would have died from old age.
So, to form any kind of bond that was deeper than friendship… he wasn't that masochistic. He had his sister. That was enough.
"I would, too," Keqing said. "Any human being would. It is part of their nature to want to run away from the things that hurt them. Anything to escape their cruel reality. And, if there is something they want in life, they grab it at every opportunity they can with both hands. Those are the words humanity has lived by."
Keqing glanced at him ever so slightly. He saw her eyes. They were filled with contempt.
"But…" A frown formed on her lips as she spoke. "We are just humans; transient beings with a finite lifespan. Godly powers like that are far beyond our reach. The more we try to escape our mortal cages, the harder it is we fall. Such is the tragedy of mankind."
She looked at him now, and that was when Aether realized that her contempt… was directed at him.
"But you?" Keqing hissed. "You're different. You're not shackled by the confines of human limitations. I see potential in you that you don't see yourself."
The scorn in her voice only seemed to grow stronger, "You don't wait for an opportunity, you carve one for yourself with your own hands. You could climb the ladder to the heavens tirelessly and never fall off no matter how high up you go."
She held out her hand, and in her palm was her Vision, flickering with Electro energy.
Aether held the Vision close to his face. When he did so, the sparse glow it emitted became a purple sun. It suffused the air around them with a faint warmth.
Keqing narrowed her eyes. "There is a power within you. An illimitable strength that far surpasses any man or mortal; strength that can challenge the fates themselves. However, for reasons I do not understand, you choose to repress it— you deny it. When there is absolute power before you, you deafen your ears and turn away, ignoring power in favor of suffering."
"..."
"Why is that, I wonder? Is it pride? Kindness? Do you pity us so much that you hold yourself back when in fact you were hiding your true nature from us— from me, all along?"
Only the quiet ambiance of the night could be heard. Keqing spoke unhesitatingly. Her expression demanded only the truth from him, no matter how harsh it may be.
"Traveler… are you…"
...A god.
...
"...it's not fair…"
"Keqing…"
She refused to look at him again, her eyes unfocused as if she no longer acknowledged his existence. She asked one thing from him, and that was it.
"...Leave."
Unable to form an argument, Aether did as he was told.
A rustle of leaves. A cricket chiming in the distance. If he really listened close, he realized he could hear the joyful laughter of a spirit that liked to play tricks on unsuspecting people.
With nowhere to go, Aether decided that the inn rooftop was the best place he could gather his thoughts. He gazed at the stars. His body didn't actually need sleep— it was more of the psychological factor attached to it. Not to mention that it would sound strange no matter how he sliced it. Taking the time to tune out the world and relax in their own headspace would do wonders for anyone.
He just wished he could do it on a bed or something.
That said, it's been some time since he's had those nightmares, hasn't it? Of him falling through eternal darkness— he couldn't remember clearly. Maybe his life had been too peaceful for nightmares. Teyvat was a peaceful land.
First was Mondstadt, the land of the wind and the City of Freedom. Nobody dictated what you can and where you can go, yet it enjoyed a lasting peace under the watchful eyes of its knights. There he met an Outrider that loved to fly more than anything else— certainly not the rules. He also came across a knight captain without a shred of integrity on him and a lazy mage that insisted on slacking off instead of working, both strung together by a workaholic Grandmaster that honestly did ninety-percent of everything.
Then, he went on to slay a dragon with a dark hero-by-night winery owner and a tone-deaf bard. He was also healed by a singing idol priestess, cooked with a chef with crack taste buds, fought a giant wolf, blew up an abyss mage, and found a home for a Mora-less astrologer.
Next was Liyue, the land of Contracts, where he was saved from a life of imprisonment by a two-faced smooth talker, gave almond tofu to a vigilante yaksha, thwarted an extortion racket with a geeky martial artist, hunted milk for a zombie girl, prepared a burial with a Mora-less (there seems to be a pattern here) funeral parlor consultant— before finally, meeting a bossy-thunder-lady that threw jobs at him as if it was going out of style.
Aether has met a lot of people in the past months, all with their own sets of colorful personalities and quirks. He liked them all, some more than others— even the bossy-thunder-lady. He liked her a lot. If he had to explain why, it was because she was the one that reminded him most of his sister. Her headstrong personality, her firm, and noble heart, and her inclination to speak to him whatever was on her mind, even if it was something as simple as egging him for how he dressed or how he didn't brush his hair.
Lazily, he touched the hair clip Keqing bought for him. Come to think of it, this was one of the few gifts he has ever received that was given to him out of pure kindness. Most of the time, people rewarded him out of gratitude. She didn't need to buy this; he was already getting paid. She gave it to him simply because she wanted to.
He hasn't even thanked her for it yet.
He's met a lot of people in the past months, all with their own sets of colorful personalities— and he liked them all.
"'All I need is my sister'...? How stupid…"
"Sums you about right."
From the corner of his vision, Aether noticed the lone figure approaching him. He didn't have the energy to deal with anyone right now, especially someone with frankly less social skills than him— and that was saying something. He only managed a listless "Hey."
Xiao poked his head over Aether's, still with his trademark apathetic frown. If he had wanted to say something jerkish, he was definitely missing his chance.
But instead, the Adeptus sat next to him, quietly taking in the night's breeze.
"Have you…" Aether decided to ask. "Have you ever met someone you didn't know how to deal with?"
"One's speaking to me right now."
There it is. Something jerkish. Typical. Beat him while he's down, why not?
"Yes, I have," Xiao said, more seriously. "A long time ago."
"What did they do?"
"Saved me from a life of eternal torment, then gave me a name."
"I… see…" Aether didn't expect him to be so forthcoming all of a sudden. "And… how do you deal with him now?"
"He's dead."
"…Oh."
Talk about a mood-killer. Where was Paimon when he needed her?
"That girl..." Xiao said. "She is of the Qixing."
"Yes."
"The mortal protectors of Liyue. She is someone who stands at the epoch of humanity, guiding them towards a better future. Her ideals are for a land free from the meddling of greater powers. A skeptic; she believes that one day the gods watching over them will someday forsake them and that her race should be prepared for that eventuality."
A bird landed on Xiao's finger. He let it clean its feathers before he flicked it away. He spoke in a tender voice, almost compassionate. "She fears she will be abandoned, and despite all her efforts, she is powerless to stop it. She is unable to— because just as mortals should have their pride, immortal beings should keep theirs."
A god's… pride?
Xiao nodded. "She knows this. Thus, all she could do is to steel her heart and move forward, relentlessly— bridging a path to the stars for others of her kind to stand on. Together.
"Let me ask you this, Traveler of a distant land." He turned Aether with a questioning glare. "Where will you stand in this dream? Beside her? Or somewhere far away, beyond her reach?"
A minute of silence passed between them before Aether could come up with his answer,
"I… don't know."
Where? He wasn't sure. He could be in another country— or in an entirely different world altogether.
A world where she wouldn't be able to follow. And he was a fool for not realizing it sooner.
She was different from him. She was mortal. Even if she possessed a Vision, she will refuse her entrance into Celestia on principle. She will never be like him. She will never be a god.
He remembered the nightmares he had of his sister— of how she walked away from him as he watched helplessly. He remembered the pain of losing someone you cared for, and how much he wished for it to stop. Wished for her not to leave.
How ironic.
"Do you finally understand?" Xiao asked.
Cradling his knees, Aether nodded.
"Good." Brushing off the leaves and dust from his legs, Xiao beckoned to Aether. "Do not fall behind. I cannot guarantee your safety otherwise."
"Huh?"
With those ominous words, Xiao vanished, and soon after, a gust of wind blew Aether to his feet before he could even respond. It pushed him towards the edge of the rooftop, all but telling him to follow.
Left with no other choice, Aether grabbed hold of his glider and jumped.
It was hard to discern Xiao's figure as he blurred away like a specter in the night, rolling through the trees and valleys and leaving trails of Anemo which then spun into a wind current that pushed Aether in the right direction. They circled the plains, accelerating even faster as they traveled across Liyue.
Aether felt the wind on his face. The speed they were going at was incredible. The last time he was flying like this was when he fought Dvalin, and that was forever ago. Whereas Venti's wind was kind and gentle as it carried him afloat, Xiao's wind domineered— as if it was inviting him to challenge its might.
He accepted it without a second thought.
The Vigilant Yaksha never let up his pace. Like a verdant comet, he soared through the vast mountains and sailed across the seas, skimming the water as he sped past. Flying fishes fluttered their wings in salute to the Adeptus while an enormous whale-like creature breached the surface. It whistled in harmony as it dove beneath the depths it called its home.
The current propelled Aether up a cliff before continuing upwards. He ascended higher and higher, and higher until he eventually reached the top.
And at the peak, he saw Liyue. In the distance, he saw the harbor. Its numerous lanterns lit the city like an orange beacon in the night. He saw the reddened peaks of the Adepti mountains farther away, the springs and rivers underneath it sparkling like crystals in the moonlight. Cherry blossoms swept across the land, carried by the wind currents they had created.
High above, Teyvat's moon basked him in a dazzling glow. It watched over Liyue as an everlasting sentinel, granting them light where there was darkness. The stars behind it twinkled like jades embroidered on fabric. If he reached out, he imagined he could pluck from the sky.
That feeling of weightlessness, of grandiosity. It was... liberating. Nostalgic.
Almost as if he was traveling between worlds again.
The sea of clouds greeted Aether as he descended into freefall. Xiao flew beside him, staring at him with an unsmiling face. They glided across the seas again, finally coming to a stop on a plateau overlooking Liyue Harbor.
Aether panted for air, his breath literally taken away. He spotted Xiao at the edge of the plateau, slouched atop a boulder as he gazed into the city. A hint of melancholy shrouded his face. Aether sat on the grass next to him and fixed his windswept hair.
The city below bustled with nightlife, oblivious to the two. Tourists were sauntering the streets, asking all sorts of random questions to the merchants still awake and peddling their wares. In the harbor itself, a gold-encrusted galleon blared its horn as it left the port, their flag indicating them to be from the nation of Inazuma. On the opposite end, sailors whose ships have just docked drank in the various taverns. They celebrated the completion of yet another safe voyage with their peers, losing themselves in alcohol and singing the night away.
A forge roared to life as the blacksmith hammered on his anvil. The alchemists brew a concoction that belched out a puff of smoke. Fresh-faced adventurers come and go through the guild, their eyes hunting for that one bountiful but elusive commission to pay for their aching bellies. Yuijing Terrace, shining above, vivified the dreams of the people. Someday, when all goes well, they too could become wealthy enough to enter it. However, there was no doubt that those who worked there were the busiest of them all.
The Land of Commerce never slept, and so too were those tasked with governing it.
'...I think that you must first possess a yearning for the boundless skies before you would have any inclination, let alone the courage, to spread your wings and try to fly. For me, Liyue is that boundless sky.'
A boundless sky... Aether thought. Is this what you meant, Keqing?
"What do you think?" Xiao asked.
"Liyue… is a beautiful place."
It truly was.
"Why did you bring me here?"
"I wanted to show you this," Xiao said. "The land, the sea, the city, and all of its inhabitants. Those under my protection, and the peace I have restored to them as was my obligation to a departed friend."
He spread his arms wide, gesturing to the prosperity of the land before them. "I wished to show you Liyue in all its entirety. My pride and my joy. Nothing more."
"...Your pride as a god."
Xiao nodded. "Just as mortals dedicate their lives to a cause they deem fit, we have our own divine purpose. It is what gives us meaning in our eternal existence."
"So you already knew about me," Aether said, grasping at Xiao's implications. Can't say he was surprised.
The stoic yaksha gave him an unimaginably dumbfounded look as if he had just said the most obvious thing in the world. "I know not where you are from, Traveler, but I know what you are, and what burden you possess."
His burden?
"You mingle freely with these mortals, and forsake the balance of the realms for mere adventures. Simply put, you enjoy doing so, and you do not wish to stop. However…"
In an instant, Xiao disappeared from his perch. Eyes wide, Aether twisted his body to the side, barely dodging the spear as it impaled the ground under him.
"You are different from them." Xiao hefted his spear and lunged forward, aiming the blade directly at Aether's chest.
Aether caught it with his bare hands just before it pierced his heart.
"'An illimitable strength', 'untapped potential.' These words barely begin to describe what you are capable of." Xiao attempted to dig the spear into Aether again, pushing it with all his might. His eyes were engulfed with killing intent. "Show it to me. The power of an outlander— hm?"
Before Xiao could even finish speaking, something broke his concentration
There was a solid crack of steel as the spear seemed to distort. Geo energy gathered in Aether's hand and, with a shattering crunch, he bent the spearhead as if it was made of clay. Now rendered useless, Xiao sent it clattering away.
"Hmph. Impressive," he said plainly.
As if almost killing each other was the most normal thing people do. In just a day, Aether's already had two of his 'friends' attempt to murder him for some godawful reason. he sighed.
Now back in his previous spot, Xiao raised a small flask to his lips. It was kind of surprising to find out that he drank alcohol; Aether thought the Vigilant Yaksha was far above such material desires.
Xiao looked at him as if he had just said something stupid again. "Yes, I do sometimes drink. If you meant to ask for a sip, I suggest jumping off a cliff."
Shaking his head, Aether laid down on the grass and groaned. He felt exhausted, in more ways than one. Despite all that, he still had to do something about a certain sickly bossy lady back at the inn.
It's been a long day.
"You and I are different from them," Xiao said. "But for millennia, we have lived alongside them in coexistence and in harmony. We have forged irreplaceable bonds with them. Hand-in-hand we constructed a great city for them— one that can stand with their own power, free from our intervention."
With a flick of his finger, a gust of wind plucked a nearby plant from its roots. Xiao held it in his palm and blew on it. A beautiful, white flower blossomed from the stems in response.
"But just as a flower blooms, so too must it inevitably wilt."
Crystalline Anemo encased the flower, the pressure within crushing the petals into a fine dust. Xiao poured the dust into his flask and shook it gently.
"Liyue's sun will soon set upon the age of gods and adepti," he said. "And in its place, seven stars will guide its citizens to new heights, unburdened by the traditions of old. Yet… We shall remain. We who were born first in these lands. As its silent progenitors, safeguarding it until the end of time."
He spoke softly, the melancholy clear in his voice. "When that day comes, humanity shall soon forget us… but we shall never forget them."
"Xiao…"
"Take this." He tossed the flask before standing up and began tending to the flowers. "You should know what to do with it."
Realizing what it was, Aether gripped the flask and smiled. "Thank you."
"From one immortal being to the next," Xiao said. Maybe it was just his hallucination, but Aether saw the slightest hint of a smile curved on his lips. "And remember: Never forget your pride as a god."
"I'll try."
"Good."
Chuckling, Aether winked at the self-proclaimed cold-hearted vigilante yaksha in front of him. "You're actually quite the softie, you know that?"
"If you prefer to walk all the way back, be my guest."
Aether nodded. "Shutting up."
'Leave…'
She was alone. Alone, huddled in her bed like a helpless little girl. She didn't want to be, but there was nobody else there. No one she could call out to. No one who could accompany her.
At the frontier of destiny, the human Keqing stood alone… as she ought to be.
Friends? She had them. But they couldn't keep up with her. If she matched their pace, she would have gone nowhere. She would find herself buried in their incompetence, and like a festering wound, she had to leave them behind.
Lovers? Who could love her? She was already married to her job. She couldn't find the time for it. She didn't need to. The suitors came to her. She shot them all down. They only loved her body. Worse, they only sought her out for her status. Who needs them?
What about family? She had none. Her mother had long since passed away, and her father couldn't look her in the eye for what she has become. She wasn't her parent's little princess, and she didn't have any siblings either. She broke away from their tradition to become the woman she wanted to be. They couldn't help her anymore.
All she had left were her dreams. They were fleeting dreams, but they were hers. Nobody could grant them except herself. Not even the gods.
Thus, she was alone. And that was fine.
She hated being alone.
There was a knock on the window.
She closed it beforehand. Couldn't stomach looking at the stars. What use was there to reach for them if for so long she has tried to, yet failed every time? The noise must have been nothing; a cruel trick her fever played on her mind. She ignored it.
A gust of wind blew the window open.
"..."
It wouldn't do well to leave it open as is. There had been a storm earlier; it was probably a sign of it coming back. Begrudgingly, she lifted her head up and waited for the wind to pass.
She saw a man there on the windowsill, flailing about with his wind glider. He was about to fall.
"Woah, Woah Woah!" he screamed.
Without thinking, she grabbed the man's shirt and pulled him inside. He thudded to the floor and groaned.
Brushing his golden locks, the man sighed and uttered something inane.
"Safe…"
...
"...What are you doing?" she asked.
Aether shot to his feet and gave her an idiotic grin. "Wait here."
Not like she had a choice. This was her room, and last time she checked, he wasn't invited. Aether hurriedly left her by herself, just as she wanted.
He came back holding a pot of tea and some snacks. "This should help you feel better."
She didn't feel hungry, nor thirsty. She could only watch as he placed the snacks beside her on the bed. He poured green tea into a cup and handed it to her. She shook her head,
Aether smiled. He pointed to the cup. "Alright. I'll just leave this here. I guarantee you that it will make you feel better, so don't forget to drink it."
He stood up and gently patted her hair. "Goodnight."
Something tugged his cape and stopped him from leaving. Her hand had grabbed on to it, asking him to stay.
She didn't want to feel alone.
Aether sat again beside her, his smile still radiating the same warmth it always did. She leaned into his shoulder.
"..."
A few seconds passed, and eventually, it turned into minutes. They said nothing. They did nothing.
She felt nothing and started to move away.
An arm wrapped around her and pulled her into an embrace. Her head was now buried into his chest. She heard his heartbeat.
It felt warm.
"I'm sorry," was all he said.
And, it was enough.
She didn't feel so alone anymore.
Luminescence had returned to her eyes, and the color rushed to her cheeks. Keqing looked at his face and noticed the dirt caked in his hair.
"Where did you go?" she asked.
"Here and there," Aether said. "I'd say all over Liyue, but you wouldn't believe me."
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." He patted her head again, but it only made her worry even more.
After what she did to him, shouldn't he be the one in bed? How could he be 'fine'? What time was it, anyway? They should both be asleep.
Aether handed her the cup of tea again. She drank it all in one gulp.
Her face winced in delayed protest. Perhaps her tastebuds were still a bit raw, but it took her several seconds before she realized the tea tasted absolutely disgusting.
She retched. "Urk… It tastes like grass…"
Don't ask how she knew. Or why.
"Because… it is?" Aether said, looking somewhat guilty. "Grass Tea. To go with your Almond Tofu."
"Please tell me you're joking…"
"It'll work, you'll see."
Better than nothing, she supposed. Medicine usually tasted awful, and the bitter ones were the best kind. Keqing moved to grab the chopsticks. Aether beat her to it.
"Allow me," he said, raising a piece of tofu to her lips. "'Ahh.'"
"...ahh."
She barely opened her mouth, honestly feeling too embarrassed to give him a proper retort. The Almond Tofu tasted good, though. Palatable, as opposed to grass.
"'Ahhh…'" Aether tried to feed her again. She leaned into it this time, biting on the tofu with a little more dignity. "There we go."
Keqing stole the chopsticks from him and picked up a larger slice of tofu. She glared at him vengefully. "C 'mon, you too. 'Ahhhhh….'"
Would this be considered blackmail or force-feeding torture? Aether sure didn't seem to mind.
"Ahhhh…"
"Shouldn't you feel the least bit embarrassed?" Keqing asked, a slight red blushing her cheeks.
"Food is food," Aether answered in the sincerest tone she's ever heard him say while still chewing on the tofu. "I'm not gonna complain."
"Seriously…"
Aether held out his index finger and smiled coyly. "'In adventuring, as in business, you always have to seize the opportunity while it's there.' And in adventuring, you eat when you can eat because you never know when you wouldn't be able to."
Keqing gawked at his simplistic yet sound logic. There was some wisdom in it… It just didn't stop it from being so ridiculous.
She had a counter-argument prepared, though. "But, all you do is eat; how is that any different? And besides, you've been eating a whole lot the entire day! You were practically guzzling down that restaurant's entire menu earlier."
No one man, immortal or not, should be eating that much food in a single sitting. No freaking way.
"Half of those were Paimon's," Aether offered as a rebuttal. "She eats more than me sometimes, and it's a complete affront to her status as emergency— Ah."
He stopped.
From the look on his face… it probably meant nothing good.
"..."
"You… did pay for your food… right?" Keqing asked. Slowly. Unsure if she even wanted to know the answer.
"...Well…"
She facepalmed. "You're hopeless."
Might as well add it to the list of stuff he did that completely screwed with her work ethics. It was a long list.
Aether scratched his cheek sheepishly, and she couldn't help but smile.
"Hey…" she said. "What would you recommend there? I heard that it was a decent place to grab some grub."
"The restaurant?" Aether closed his eyes in recollection. Put a hat on him and he'd look like a professional food critic. "I would say it has to be the Jueyun Chili Pork."
"How so?"
"For starters, the pork simply melts in your mouth. It's super thin, yet it hasn't lost any of its richness. Only skilled chefs could juggle the two and come out with something decent."
"Mhm."
Aether leaned closer to her face. When it came to food, he seemed oddly passionate. And talkative.
"Second, the blend of spices the chef uses offers just the right amount of heat and relish that would whet anyone's appetite. It's spicy, yet salty, yet sweet, yet flavorful, and it's specifically designed in a way that after your first bite, you'll start craving for more."
He crossed his arms and smiled arrogantly. "I could tell you the exact blend of spices he uses, but that'll ruin the surprise. There's no better way to describe it other than tasting it for yourself."
Yup. Professional food critic indeed. Keqing giggled.
"And the last point, even though it's a pork dish, it also has plenty of rice and vegetables to balance out the zestiness. The actual calorie content of the dish is surprisingly low too, focusing more on the healthy starch you get from the grains, so I think you don't have to worry about that. It's what makes it quite popular among younger women; I highly suggest you try it out sometime."
...
Her eyes narrowed. "So you're saying I'm fat?"
More silence. Aether looked away.
"... I'm never letting you carry me ever again."
"That's fair."
Keqing sighed. She nearly forgot about that part. Thinking on it now, his back felt incredibly comfortable— better than any bed, and his hair was like the perfect pillow. It smelled breezy, kind of like a spring zephyr. Probably because of a shampoo he bought in Mondstadt.
"Alright," she said. "I'll keep it in mind. Thank you."
"There's a whole lot of other places I would recommend. I can list them down if you want."
"How sweet," Keqing nodded and smiled.
Come to think of it, she didn't even know what his favorite food was.
She hugged him tighter, resting her head on his chest again as she listened to him talk endlessly and passionately about the restaurants in Liyue. It was amazing how someone of his build could eat so much, but then again, she already knew he wasn't ordinary, to begin with.
He seemed to have a preference for spicy foods because it kept him active during the day. At night when he needs to slow down, he goes for sweet, but fulfilling meals— the type that would make you fall asleep the moment you lay down. He also had a taste for wild berries and fruits, carrying around a pouch full of them for when he gets peckish while on his travels.
She asked him what it was like being in all those distant lands. If it was about Liyue she could write an entire encyclopedia about— but outside? She was green.
Aether hesitated to answer her question, but she told him it was fine. She didn't really care anymore. She just wanted to know more about him, whatever it may be.
And he complied, regaling her with outlandish fables of his adventures in different lands. First of his escapades in Mondstadt and how he heroically slew the dragon terrorizing the town. He told her of his sister, of how she treats him just like her and how that makes him smile, for better or for worse. He told her of his homeland, how he started to have a yearning for adventure, and how they began traveling between the dimensions— and how he had lost those powers by coming to Teyvat.
Keqing listened to it all, laughing as he awkwardly tried to make jokes aimed mostly at himself, and comforted him when she realized just why he wanted to find his sister so much. They haven't met yet, but she could already tell Lumine was such an adorable little sister— with an equally amazing and doting older brother.
She purred again when Aether petted her head. She wanted to listen more, but sleep was slowly starting to overtake her.
"I had a dream once," Keqing said. "I dreamt that I met a man— an awe-inspiring man. Everything he did was perfect. Everything he touched turned into gold. I dreamt that because of him, Liyue prospered to new and everlasting heights. He led the people with a charisma that was far, far above mine. I dreamt that I stood beside that man, helping him change the nation into the Liyue I dreamt it could be."
"Did he?" Aether asked.
"Yes," Keqing said. She playfully started to stroke his hair. "Believe it or not, he looks a lot like you."
Aether smirked. "Is he just as handsome, though?"
"Now, now. Let's not get carried away," she added, still giggling. "But yes, extremely handsome. Dashing. Unrivaled in battle, and his voice could seduce a thousand women. And his eyes... they were simply breath-taking."
"Did you like him?"
She nodded. "He was a man that could carry my dreams with me. Someone who could stand beside me at the forefront of humanity. Someone who I could put all my trust into… and someone who would never leave me behind."
Keqing buried her face into Aether's neck, nuzzling it gently. She knew she would only be deluding herself, but...
"Say… even for just a day, can you be that man?"
He didn't reply.
"Hah… I'm pathetic, aren't I? You can laugh if you want."
Truly pathetic. It was her hypocritical attempt to cling to a dying hope. How much different was it to believing something that was prophesied by a god?
Instead of laughter, Aether smiled. "Sure."
"Huh...?"
"I'll be him," Aether said. "I may not be him, but in either case, it won't stop me from trying to do my best."
"You mean…"
Aether held her shoulders firmly. His voice was low but carried him with a sense of pride.
"I'm a mess," he said. "I'm not perfect. I don't know a lot about how Teyvat works, and I don't know as much about Liyue as you. For most of my life, I've just been an aimless wanderer, traveling from city to city in a desperate search for something that I had lost. And even then, I don't know what I will do after I find her. I'm not sure of a lot of things, Keqing, but I am sure of one…"
He clasped his hand over hers. "I know I will always believe in you and your dreams."
Her eyes widened.
"No matter what you say, I will always be there for you. I will support your dreams because I know just how much they mean to you. I know how much you sacrificed for it, and how far you're willing to go. That's why if you ever need me... I'll be there. Always. I know it sounds like an empty promise right now, but let me show it to you. Let me prove it to you. With my words, and my actions."
Aether smiled as radiantly as the skies themselves.
"Have some faith in me."
Faith.
Speechless, Keqing stared into his eyes. They spoke only the truth.
She slowly nodded.
For once in her life… she was willing to believe in the uncertainty. Despite her fears, she will choose to believe in him. She was willing to put all of her faith in him.
All of it.
Why?
…
"I see…"
She already knew why.
Why he felt different. Why he always seemed to catch her off-guard. Why his presence calmed her down. Why she went to him for help. Why she wanted to give him a present. Why she found his face cute. Why she liked to be hugged by him, and why she liked to hug him back. Why she wanted to be spoiled by him, and why it always made her feel like her heart was racing.
Why she always wanted to listen to him. Why she always wanted him to tell her stories. Why she always wanted to protect him. Why she always wanted to be with him. Why she always wanted to believe he would be by her side. Forever.
She already knew why, a long, long time ago.
"Aether," she called out, her voice filled with wonder. He tilted his head and let her caress his cheek.
Why? It was simple, really.
It was because…
"Close your eyes," she requested.
Aether looked confused at first but still did as she said.
And in that briefest of moments, their lips met.
Keqing pulled away. No matter how much she tried, she couldn't tear her gaze away from his bewildered face. All she could think of was how he felt on her lips.
She kissed him again. And again.
Her eyelids felt heavy now. They refused to open from the exhaustion that suddenly enveloped her body. She was getting sleepy.
So sleepy…
"Aether…" she whispered, unsure if he was still listening.
If she could have one wish, it was to see his face again. Just once more. Anything. Anything that would tell her that he would still be there when she woke up. A promise that he wouldn't disappear— that he will never abandon her. Not after all this time.
Anything. Please.
She counted the seconds as they passed. There was nothing. She prayed again, desperately, the tears cascading down her cheeks.
Anything!
The heavens— no. He heard her plea. He granted her wish, with a peck on her lips and a soft murmur to her ears.
"Goodnight, Keqing."
His voice was enough. She valiantly tried to speak past the tears.
"Goodnight…"
As her consciousness faded, she knew. She knew he would be there. Under that starry sky, she knew that their hearts would forever be connected— by a bridge of faith and trust they built with their own hands.
She never had to feel so alone ever again.
…
..
.
"And they both lived happily ever after… Well, until she woke up and slapped you, thinking you were a pervert~"
"Look, nothing happened, okay?" Aether said. Subconsciously, he scratched the sore on his cheek. A red handprint was still visible on the surface. "The medicine makes you sleepy; I couldn't do anything about it."
Not after he tasted some of it when he…. Nevermind.
"Suuuuuuuuure it did." Paimon rolled her eyes, very clearly believing him. Crossing her arms, she pouted irritatedly. "Hmph. Serves you right for abandoning Paimon like that. Because of you, Paimon had to work like she's never worked before!"
'But you never work anyway,' Aether really wanted to say. Paimon seemed to be in a good mood though, so if he played it cool and stuffed her full of food, she'll forget all about it by morning.
"How did you even get out of that?" he had to ask. Apparently, to pay off his debt to the restaurant, Paimon had to wait and serve the tables and do other miscellaneous odd jobs.
Lots of plates were broken that day. Or so he'd heard.
"Xiangling came and bailed Paimon out of there in exchange for the best places to farm slime juice. Paimon remembered Master Diluc's slime-attracting wine and pointed her there."
Well, that's one way to deal with a troublesome slime-obsessed chef. Aether did not feel sympathy at all for the man; Xiangling was his problem now.
"Anyway!" Paimon twirled in the air excitedly. "Let's have lunch! Boss, we would like to order please!"
"Geh!" The chef did a double-take, his eyebrows twitching furiously. "You again?!"
"Just because you caused trouble for Paimon doesn't mean she won't patronize you! Start us up with a Lotus Seed and Bird Egg soup each please!"
Aether sighed. He was planning on saving the paycheck he received from Keqing, but the more Paimon drooled while looking at the menu, the more those shiny coins seemed to spirit away from his wallet.
Everything was peaceful. Sort of.
A bit quiet, too. Aether thought.
Another chill ran up his spine. He suddenly felt a sinking urge to call out Deja Vu.
He was right.
There at the entrance of the restaurant was an angry-faced Keqing, dressed properly for another day's work. Her glare was solely focused on him as she stomped towards their table.
Instead of slamming it, she brushed past Aether and sat on the chair opposite him. She looked away from him as she rested her chin on her hand, looking bored.
"Uhm…" Aether blinked, confused at her merciful behavior. "May I help you?"
Keqing glared again, this time stabbing it straight to his reddened cheek. Three guesses about what she's mad about. The first two don't count.
Aether sighed. "Again, I'm sorry."
"You should be." She turned away again. "I'm just here for lunch. Don't read into it."
Paimon seemed to have finally noticed Keqing when she mentioned the word 'lunch'. "Bossy Thunder-Lady's gonna have lunch with us?! Aether! Is the sky gonna come crashing down on us soon?!"
"Yes," was his blunt response.
"Wahhhhh!"
"Ugh, calm down will you?!" Keqing shouted. She glared at Aether again for the third time, which had become basically her default expression from now on. "And you, stop winding her up."
'You'? They were on a first-name basis just last night. How time sure flies. Guess it was back to the old Keqing. Talk about whiplash.
Paimon seemed to have stopped wailing and bopped up and down in the air. Her expression was a mix of mischievous and skeptical as she interrogated Keqing. "You really don't remember anything from last night? At all?"
Keqing shook her head, still looking away.
"Awww too bad. Aether was telling me all sorts of stories about you." Paimon chortled in her fist, eyes set to teasing mode. "I didn't know a Bossy-Thunder-Lady could act so shameful while she's drunk, fufufufu."
"I'm hungry now," Keqing said, face dead serious. "Can I eat your emergency food?"
"Go ahead."
Paimon shrieked as if death itself had claimed her soul. "NOOOOOO!"
She rolled into a ball on the floor, looking dead to the world as she rocked back and forth. "Paimon is not food! Paimon is not food! Paimon is NOT FOOD!"
"...What's wrong with her?"
"She's… traumatized." Aether shrugged. "I wouldn't worry about it."
"…?" Keqing said. She turned to him with a business-as-usual frown. "Anyway, there's a reason I came here other than lunch."
"What is it?"
"You remember the assistant I told you about? The one who got sick?"
"Yeah?"
"Apparently, she's deathly allergic to honey, of all things." Keqing shook her head defeatedly and sighed. "She won't be coming to work anytime soon. I wouldn't even be surprised if I see her resignation form on my desk by tomorrow."
Uh...
Arms crossed, she gave Aether a cold side-eye. "Seeing as this is partly YOUR fault, I want you to be my assistant again."
Hold on.
First off— that sounds extremely bad. Was her assistant okay?
And second, how did it become HIS fault?!
Thankfully, Paimon recovered enough to answer for him, flying up and down and flailing her fairy arms at Keqing. "Nuh-uh. You had Aether all day yesterday. We're going to go treasure hunting now, and nothing you say is gonna stop us! Isn't that right, Aether?"
"...I see," Keqing said.
She was still looking away, but Aether saw the tiniest trace of disappointment in her eyes.
He smiled. "Where do I start?"
"EH?!"
Keqing stared at him, clearly taken aback by his response. After a moment, she returned his smile, ever so slightly.
A young waitress, hired specifically because of yesterday's mishappenings, greeted them at their table and handed them a menu. "Welcome to our shop! What can I get you two today?"
Oh well. No use talking about work when it's lunchtime. He glanced at Keqing, and she seemed to have understood.
They ordered in unison.
"One Jueyun Chili Pork." "I'll have the Jueyun Chili Pork, please."
Aether blinked. "Huh?"
"What is it?"
...It couldn't be, right?
"But, I thought you didn't remember…"
Furrowing her brow, Keqing glared at him again. "Huh? What in the Archon's names are you talking about? Remember what?"
…
"It's nothing," Aether said.
"…?"
He laughed. Maybe just this once, he'd like to keep it to himself.
AND DONE. ENJOY PATCH 1.1 EVERYONE!