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Thoma had been feeling quite solemn for a while already; it was once again the time of the year when he would get awfully homesick almost every day. He found it strange to miss the times that didn't exist anymore. It didn't make any sense to him. Even if he went back to Mondstadt, what would he have there? And most importantly, the things he would miss the most were already with him in Inazuma. He didn't have any reason to feel like something was missing. So why, every year, he felt like a piece of his heart had been lost in the wind a long, long time ago. These thoughts kept echoing on his mind as he sat on the beach, looking at the calm sea.
It was already evening when Ayato came to look for Thoma. They had been together for many years already; he knew Thoma would come to that specific beach to sort out his feelings once in a while. When Ayato found him, he was sitting on the sand, without his shoes, so he could feel the waves under his feet.
“ Thoma,“ Ayato said while sitting down right beside his loved one.
“Waka?? Oh sorry, I completely lost track of time! I'll do whatever you need me to shortly. Let me - “Thoma started blabbering and tried to get up, but got interrupted before he had time to finish.
“You're not late from your duties; you can calm down. I'd only want to join you if you allowed me to.”
“Oh…Of course, join me if you want. I just don't think….this….this will be anything you'll enjoy….”
“What do you mean? It's beautiful and peaceful out here. More importantly, you're here. There's nothing more I need to spend my evening pleasantly.”
“Well…I'm glad to hear that. I am sorry that I'm not very pleasant company at the moment... I have quite a lot things on my mind.”
“All of them are about Mondstadt, right?”
“You know me so well, waka.”
“We have been together for a long time. It would be quite shameful for me to not to know my loved one in and out by now.”
Thoma knew that Ayato came here to help him sort out his thoughts a bit; he was always there to listen, no matter how busy he was. It was time to share some of those thoughts with him.
“So…I had this dream today. A dream that I couldn't shake off. There was this house in the dream... A house in Mondstadt. A house that I loved dearly. It wasn't my childhood home; a completely new house. After dreaming of the house, I dreamed of just roaming the streets there. Peacefully, without any worries. I...liked the feeling. After I woke up, I somehow ended up missing this place, this house I had never been to. Feeling that I could have had that if things were different. Not that I'm not happy here or wouldn't love our estate! I do. Really. But the dream….left me wanting something different.
“So why won't you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Get a house in Mondstadt?”
“ What? Why would I? I live here. I have work. And you….you're here. Ayaka is here. In the end, I don't have anything in Mondstadt....except the memories. My mother is the only connection I still have with my roots, and even she is rarely there anymore.”
“I think that a house there would be a good idea. Think about it; you would have a place that would be completely yours. Sadly, being with me is the reason your life is quite involved with my matters, my issues; you'd deserve to have things that are completely yours. And I'd really love to visit you. Your home. Your land. To understand you even better. To know your roots better.”
“I'm not sure if you will like it there…it's completely different from Inazuma.”
“Of course I know it is. Because I know you, and you're nothing like Inazuma for the most part. Free-spirited and positive. Always doing your duty without losing your absolute freedom, being loyal but still keeping the freedom to be you. What makes you think I wouldn't like Mondstadt. I happen to be quite fond of you if you happen to have missed that fact. For quite a long time already, “ Ayato said, looking as sly and mischievous as always.
Thoma blushed a bit, and smiled at Ayato.
“I'm...quite fond of you also. That's the reason I'm here, and not in Mondstadt. But yeah…getting a house there sounds like a great idea. It has always been my dream to build my own place….”
“Then you don't need to think about it anymore; get a house and renovate it. You'll have a longer holiday soon; you can start planning right away. My only wish is to get invited as the first guest in your house.”
“Sounds good….you're not a guest though. It's your house, just as it is mine. Like you always say to me about the estate.”
“If you say so,” Ayato said and gently kissed Thoma's forehead. Thoma was blushing deeply when he continued talking.
“But even if I have my own house, I won't be staying there for long periods of time. Only sometimes, only short visits. I can take missing Mondstadt anyday; I cannot take missing you. Not when I have the option to not to.” Thoma said quietly, and took Ayato's hand to hold. He intertwined their fingers to hold tighter.
“Oh. Then it is quite lucky of you that you don't have to miss me,” Ayato said, and started to play with Thoma's fingers.
“Yeah… Lucky me.” Thoma said. At that moment, he thought that no matter how dearly he missed Mondstadt, he would never regret staying in Inazuma. After all, his heart had found a home in Inazuma. It didn't matter that some pieces of his heart were missing. All of the pieces belonged to someone else; they weren't his own to keep anymore.