Work Text:
Ayato was well aware of Thoma’s homesickness which would come up every once in a while. He listened to him ramble on about Mondstadt for hours at a time, especially when they were newly acquainted. Over time, Thoma dedicated himself to staying in Inazuma with the Kamisato clan, and memories of Mondstadt—though sweet—eased away.
It had been a long time since Ayato had seen Thoma in such a state—silent tears rolling down his cheeks as he played with the petals on some foreign flowers. Ayato couldn’t remember the last time he witnessed Thoma cry. A pit grew in his stomach at the sight and it wasn’t long before he was at Thoma’s side.
Thoma cradled the bouquet like a baby.
“Are these flowers from Mondstadt?” Ayato asked gently.
“My lord!” Thoma jolted, snapping out of his reminiscing, and set the bouquet down. He wiped his tears. When he calmed down, he answered, “Yes, the traveler gave me some from when they explored Mondstadt. I never thought I’d see these again. They can act as actual windwheels!”
Ayato sat beside him and tried to spin one. “Oh!” He laughed at how exciting a childlike activity was to him. Thoma recovered from his previous crying session, but his eyes were still puffy and red. “What is it about these flowers that evoked so much emotion from you?”
Thoma turned his head and flushed.
“Now, now.” Ayato reached out to hold Thoma’s chin. He gently guided his head back to look him in the eye. “I want to hear about your memories.”
And that alone brought Thoma to tears again.
Head buried in Ayato’s chest, he mumbled out the best he could, “I don’t receive gifts often, let alone Mondstadt specialties. I love Inazuma and my job. I just miss everything I had. It’s hard to put up a tough face sometimes, y’know? Well, not tough, but one that makes it look like I’m enjoying every moment here. Really, it’s unbearable sometimes.”
Ayato and Ayaka had lost their parents. Of course they understood Thoma’s longing to see his family and friends again. They kept him company as much as the they could when the three of them had free time, but there was a hole he could not fill.
Ayato released Thoma’s hair from the tie and headband. His fingers ran through it all as if it was strung from gold. He looked at Thoma like he was his god. “Let it all out. I’m here for you.” Thoma leaned into his touch.
So he did let it all out.
He told stories of his closest friends when he was a child, how the traveler notified him that one of his closest was now the Acting Grand Master, how others had turned into courageous knights and heroes. His experiences of Windblume Festivals, his first time playing the lyre in honor of Barbatos, the little blonde girl who liked to tell wild stories still keeping up her reputation even through teenagehood.
Everything he could remember about the City of Freedom, even the things he’d already told Ayato years ago.
The good, the bad.
Whatever it was, as long as it was within Mondstadt’s borders, Thoma longed for it.
As Thoma went on about the difference in how he fit in between Mondstadt or Inazuma, Ayato felt a burning in his chest that extended to his fists which itched to punch a few samurais.
“Their rude remarks don’t matter to me, I swear! I know that they don’t matter. I do good work regardless of what they choose to believe. It’s just, it’s hard to completely ignore things,” Thoma insisted when he noticed the change in his lover’s expression from tender to borderline homicidal.
He quickly changed the topic.
And when his rant was over, Ayato said, “Now that we are able, I will arrange for a way to contact your old friends without needing the tedious travel between Inazuma and Mondstadt. I also plan to do more for you from now on, if you’ll allow-“
“No! You’re busy enough, Ayato.”
“Is it really such a bad idea?”
“I-I just don’t want to waste your precious time.”
“Anything that makes you happy is not a waste of time. Please write down the names of those you’d like to contact and I will get in touch with them as soon as possible through the most efficient route I can find. It won’t be a hassle. Even if it was, I would do it anyway. You can’t refuse.”
Who was Thoma to say no to that?
He hugged Ayato tight. He couldn’t possibly hold him closer but he wished he could.
“Even though I said all that, I don’t plan to leave you.”
“I know, love.”
Thoma’s heart leaped. “May I sleep in your bed tonight?” They had already been an official couple for a few months and he was still shy to request such a thing.
He was too cute.
It was bad for Ayato’s heart.
“No need to ask. It’s already late. Would you like to get ready for bed now?”
Ayato woke up first with Thoma in his arms.
He was such a wonderful sight. He could get used to seeing this first thing waking up every morning. Though, it was normally Thoma who woke up first. He had a habit of waking up at ungodly hours in the Kamisato siblings’ eyes and looking perfectly fine throughout the day.
The puffiness was almost gone but still visible around Thoma’s eyes. He had a long night. Ayato was more than happy to scatter kisses on his forehead, run his hands over Thoma’s soft skin, and bask in the warmth until he was awake. His golden hair fell around him like a halo. Ayato set his chin on Thoma’s head and tried to calm his racing heart. No matter how much time they spent together, Thoma still gave him butterflies without any effort at all. He wasn’t even conscious.
Thoma was likely the one and only man who he could completely trust would never leave his side.
So he would be willing to go to great lengths to reconnect his love with something important to him in a heartbeat. Their loyalty was mutual. And Ayato was unbelievably, uncontrollably, unconditionally in love.
“Morning,” Thoma mumbled. It was a slow process of forcing his eyes open. He scowled at the light shining in from outside.
Ayato lit up. “Morning.”
“Rare that you’re up before me.”
“I was just thinking that.”
Thoma’s language skills were sloppy when he was exhausted. Though he was fluent in the language of Inazuma, his Mondstadt accent unintentionally slipped through a few words. He grumbled and curled up even further into Ayato’s bed.
It took quite a bit for Ayato to convince Thoma to get up.
He only could under the promise that he would be granted extra nap time after their morning walk and a filling breakfast.
After see Thoma break the day before, Ayato knew he still wasn’t in the greatest of moods. So he held his hand openly and kissed him quick. They got surprised looks from everyone else in the estate except Ayaka. It wasn’t as if their relationship was a secret. It was just rare for them to show it off in order to maintain a professional setting when needed.
But he could see the extra affection eased Thoma’s mind.
Thoma’s list of Mondstadt friends was already submitted and did not go ignored. Ayato always fulfilled his promises.
Their lips met when Thoma became so overwhelmed with love he could no longer hold in the urge to grab Ayato’s jacket and kiss him for everything. Ayato smiled into it and wrapped his arms around Thoma’s waist. He truly didn’t do much. But he was happy with how much Thoma appreciated the gesture.
“Nothing you ask of me is too much,” Ayato whispered against his lips. “I love you. I will do just about anything for you.”
Thoma thought his heart might just explode. “As will I. I love you!”
As they went in for another kiss, Ayato already made a mental note to get more of Mondstadt’s flowers sent to Thoma each time the ones he had began to rot.