Work Text:
The Tanabata festival on Amakane island was in full swing. People enjoying snacks and playing games as far as the eye could see, all with wide smiles on their faces and laughter on their lips. Thoma was pleased with the turnout, after having put in long nights planning the event and ensuring that everything was in place, it filled him with pride to see people enjoying themselves.
There was only one thing that would make this day perfect, but Thoma knew that it wasn’t going to happen no matter how much he wanted it to. During a festival that honored the relationship between two star crossed lovers, it seemed ironic that Thoma would spend the evening without his beloved husband. Ayato had been called away to deal with an emergency and had been gone for several days now. Word amongst the Shuumatsuban was that he would be away for at least a week still after needing to leave the island entirely to deal with the situation. Thoma had given up hope that he would return in time for the festival that morning when a message arrived requesting several documents regarding Watatsumi island to be prepared and sent back to the commissioner. He had sifted through the many scrolls on his husband’s desk and selected the requested ones, sealing them in a travel pouch along with a note of his own before handing it to the ninja to be delivered.
As the sun had begun to set, Thoma had donned his yukata and made his way to the festival grounds alone to ensure that everything was going according to plan. To his delight, the Yashiro commission representatives in charge of the event had everything running smoothly and his assistance wasn’t needed at all. In a strange change of pace, he was actually able to relax and enjoy the festival himself for once.
But idle hands and an unburdened mind made Thoma feel his loneliness a bit more than usual.
He purchased a skewer of dango from a vendor and found a spot off to the side to enjoy it. People flowed around him, sometimes giving him a polite nod or greeting as they passed, and Thoma was always quick to smile and nod in return. He was a master at hiding his emotions, especially to the casual observer, so no one was privy to the sadness he felt in his heart. The only time he almost cracked was when he spotted Tomoki selling his signature milk tea at one of the food booths. The vendor had asked if he should prepare the commissioner’s favourite drink for Thoma to bring him and he had to explain that Ayato wouldn’t be attending the festival. Tomoki’s face had fallen, finding out that his best customer wouldn’t be around, but Thoma had purchased a drink for himself instead, taking advantage of the opportunity to enjoy a totally normal flavour of milk tea and ensuring that the vendor was happy once again.
If only Ayato was here with me…
Thoma continued to wander the festival until he reached the temporary shrine that had been set up towards the back of the island. The many bamboo branches required for this festival had been set up and there was a table arranged with slips of paper and pens for people to write out their wishes. Thoma approached the table and selected a slip of blue paper, the colour reminding him of his husband’s silky hair. He picked up a pen and quickly wrote out the same words he does every year:
May our love last for all eternity
He fanned the ink to make sure it was dry before making his way to a bamboo branch, tying it amongst a group of wishes written on red paper. Thoma stood back and placed his hands together, closing his eyes in a silent prayer.
After a few moments, Thoma takes a deep breath and leaves the shrine area, taking the winding path upwards until he reaches the viewing area for the fireworks show. He finds a spot out of the way, separated from the crowd of people that was quickly forming, and sits down on the lush grass. The ache in his heart continued to grow as he waited, and he contemplated just leaving and heading back to the estate, knowing that there was a long list of things he could be doing instead of sitting around feeling sorry for himself. Sometimes he needed to distract himself with work when he was feeling like this, and he was sure that nothing else would help this time.
“Master Thoma?”
A quiet voice startles Thoma out of his thoughts, and he turns to find one of his husband’s ninjas crouched next to him. The man was dressed in all black, indicating it is one of the undercover agents that had accompanied the commissioner on his mission as opposed to the plain clothed ninja who lurked in the shadows all over the nation.
“Yes, what is it? Is something wrong?” Thoma keeps his voice low, not wanting to let anyone else know of the ninja’s presence.
The agent shakes his head. “No, nothing is wrong. I have a message from the lord and was instructed to deliver it to you here.” Sure enough, the ninja reaches into the front of his tunic and pulls out a small scroll, sealed with a drop of wax embossed with the clan seal. He hands it to Thoma and, as soon as his hand pulls back from the scroll, he disappears in a cloud of smoke.
Thoma looks at the scroll in his hand, his heart thumping painfully in his chest. With trembling fingers, he breaks the seal and unrolls the parchment. When he spots the curling font of his husband’s writing, he smiles.
My dearest Thoma,
How ironic that, on this day, the day where we remember the story of two lovers separated by a body of water, we find ourselves in the same situation. I very much wanted to spend this evening with you, but despite my best efforts, I was not able to complete my mission in time.
My heart is lonely without you, my love, and I know that you feel the same. I can not wait for the moment I am back home and we can hold each other like we always do.
If everything goes to plan, you should be reading this when the fireworks are about to start. I sent a message to Naganohara fireworks, and hopefully they were able to include my custom fireworks into the show tonight. I hope you like them.
I love you, my heart, and I will be home soon.
Ayato
As Thoma read the final words of the letter, the first few shells of the fireworks show began soaring into the air, and he pulled his attention away from the scroll and looked upwards. The first explosions of the show were a signature opening, the classic fireworks that the Naganohara family are famous for, and Thoma didn’t pay much attention to them. His eyes scanned the sky for anything unique, something that would stand out as being something designed by his love. Next come a few custom fireworks, clearly paid for by other noble families. Clan crests combined with hearts and stars, veritable rainbows of different colours mixed in ways that made Thoma blink, and graceful shooting rockets that left streaks of gold across the night sky.
Suddenly, there’s a pause. The crowd whispers to themselves, wondering if the show was already over. Then, a series of shells shoot upwards, blue orbs leaving trails of red sparks behind them as they soar into the sky. When they explode, Thoma grins and his eyes water from the sight. The Kamisato camellia flower, portrayed in glowing blue with his red ooyoroi pattern woven around the petals. Their colours of crimson and sapphire light up the sky, and the crowd claps and cheers in appreciation for the beautiful creation while Thoma chokes back tears of happiness. More volleys of the custom fireworks are launched, accompanied with busts of silver and gold, creating the most beautiful display of pyro that Thoma has ever seen. Once the show continues, he turns his eyes back to the scroll in his hands and reads the hand written words once more, hearing his husband’s voice read the letter to him in his mind.
When he finishes reading the letter again, he closes his eyes and holds the parchment to his face, pressing a kiss against the words.
Thank you, love. Happy Tanabata, and I hope to see you soon.