very slight nsfw warning in this chapter :3

.

.

.

Thoma

"They're asleep."

Thoma laid your head gently on the hard ground, and put on his backpack.

Thoma

"I'm leaving them in your care, okay, Xingqiu? You guys can keep the sleeping bag."

Xingqiu nodded.

Once Thoma had his backpack on, he picked you up and took you all the way from Liyue to Inazuma. Absolutely no stops.

Thoma didn't sleep that night. The idea of seeing Ayato again for some reason scared him. 

He sat in your bed and had your head lying in his lap while he played around with your hair.

.

.

.

Thoma

"... What am I doing?..."

.

.

.

-MORNING, INAZUMA, HOME-

Thoma

"So... I'm thinking of visiting Ayato today. It's been a long time."

You nodded, as you stared into space while Thoma cleansed your body of blood. 

Thoma took a look outside the cavern and noticed a heavy fog. It still hasn't gone away since the last time you both were in Inazuma. 

Thoma

*Sigh* "I better bring a mask."

.

"Okaaay... Aaand... There we go. All fresh and clean! How are you feeling Y/N?"

Thoma asked while putting the bloody cloth aside.

You

"..."

Unresponsive.

Thoma

"Could I do anything to make you feel better? Even in the slightest bit, Y/N?"

Still unresponsive.

Thoma

"I'm sorry I shattered your necklace. Genuinely."

"I don't want to see you like this..."

You

"It isn't your fault. It was mine for being too scary."

"I made you walk backwards."

Thoma

"Don't talk like that, Y/N."

"Listen to me, I'm going to work really really hard to find this gem, okay?"

You

"You don't have to."

Thoma

"But I want to."

You

"..."

Thoma

"Now, I'm heading out, but I will be right back, okay?"

"Stay safe, Y/N."

He said, and then walked out of the cavern with a face mask. 

.

.

.

Ayaka

"What a surprise."

Thoma

"Heeey Ayaka..."

Ayaka looked absolutely drained. Heavy eyebags, messy hair, lazy clothing.

Thoma

"... Are you okay?"

Ayaka

"Fine."

"Come see him. He's been waiting for you."

.

.

.

Thoma

"..."

"What is this?..."

Ayaka

"Well... what does it look like, Thoma?"

Thoma walked into Ayato's room to find numerous wires including an IV attached to him, along with monitors and such that were regulating his health.

Thoma

"Ayato?..."

"Hey-"

Ayaka

"Tell me Thoma, what the fuck does it look like?! He's not waking up! Nothing's getting better, he can't eat, he can't drink, fucking medicine is useless! Morning pills, nightly pills, they're all fucking useless!"

"It's a coma! He's in a fucking coma!"

Ayaka snapped, and started biting at her fingernails out of anxiousness.

Ayaka

"My- My fucking- My- My wallet is in shambles! All because I have been endlessly spending for Ayato's healthcare!"

She uncontrollably began to stutter.

Ayaka

"And you know what the doctors told me? Hm?"

"Ask me, Thoma."

Thoma

"Wh-"

Ayaka

"Fucking ask me!"

Thoma gulped nervously.

Thoma

"What... Wh-What did the doctors tell you?..."

Ayaka

"It was..."

.

.

.

"The fucking fog."

"Can you believe that?"

"The fog! Hah!"

"Inazuman doctors will do anything but tell me what's actually wrong with my fucking brother!"

"Fog?! Do you doctors hear yourself?!"

Thoma

"The fog?..."

Ayaka

"Yes! The fucking fog! It cleared up for a few weeks and now it's back!"

"Can you believe this bullshit?"

"Fog. Fog is what's 'killing' my brother right now."

"Huh, Thoma? Would you believe that?"

.

.

.

And suddenly, Thoma's vision went blurry, when he finally got a sense of realization. A sense of realization that totally broke him. 

A sense of realization...

That made him want to kill.

Murder. 

Slaughter.

.

.

.

-A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER, INAZUMA, OUT BY THE SHORE-

You

"Lookie! My sand castle!"

Thoma

"... That's a sand castle?"

You

"Yeah, duh! This is the bottom portion, and the top portion is supposed to look sharp and pop out to the audience. How did I do?"

You asked, as Thoma stared into the clumpy, messy, contraption you've made out of completely wet sand. It was basically mud.

Thoma

"Err... You know what? I think it's an amazing sand castle. A+!"

You

"Hooray!"

"Come here Thoma!"

Thoma

"Hm?"

You

"Now sit in the sand..."

"I'm going to transform you into a beautiful mermaid."

Thoma chuckled, and sat down. 

You began to bury his legs using sand, forming it into a mermaid tail.

You

"Yes! All done!"

"You're looking very... Mermaid-y."

Thoma

"Hah, thank you, Y/N. I appreciate your very kind words."

You

"Of course!"

"Now this... This is my empire of sand castles. What are we thinking, Thoma?"

You turned around to look back at him and his mermaid tail, but instead saw his face extremely up close to yours.

You didn't even know—

.

.

.

He had kissed you. 

You

"Thoma?... What are you-"

Thoma

"Shh..."

"Don't talk..."

"Just kiss me."

Thoma went right in with no hesitation. This slut was quite literally on all fours, kissing you intensely while he slowly was crawling over you. 

You

What is happening right now?

It's so strange... But- That doesn't mean I'm not liking what's going on...

Why out of nowhere?

Is he drunk?

No... He didn't drink last night or at all today.

This is just like... That night...

Enough said.

.

.

.

-THE NEXT MORNING-

You

"Mmh..."

You groaned as you awoke after a pretty rough night. 

Thoma was lying on your chest, pretty much naked.

You slept in his shirt with only underwear on the bottom.

You gently tried rising out of bed without disrupting Thoma's sleep, but it seems that he was already awake before you.

You

"Hm?"

You felt a squeeze on your waist. As you tried getting out of bed, Thoma stuck himself to you like glue.

You

"Thoma?"

Thoma

"Nooo..."

"So warm... Don't go..."

You

"Did you take something last night? Alcohol? Drugs?"

Thoma shook his head no. He drowsily lifted your shirt and began to kiss you all over your torso. 

You

"Hey- That tickles! Haha!"

Thoma giggled.

Thoma stuck his head into your shirt.

Thoma

"Now we are one."

You laughed. 

Thoma

"Hehe... You're never getting rid of me! I'm stuck with you forever!"

You

"I swear you took something last night! Come on, what was it?"

Thoma

"I'm telling you, I didn't take anything!"

He said, muffled under your shirt. 

Thoma

*Sigh* "I need to get ready for work."

"Date tonight?"

You

"Huh?"

Thoma's question was so sudden, you didn't know how to react or process what he had just said. 

Thoma

"Let's go on a date tonight. You and I can dress up pretty and go somewhere. I'll take you."

You

"A date?..."

Thoma

"Mhm."

Thoma nodded.

You

What does that make me and Thoma?

Only couples go on dates... And stuff like that.

Thoma

"The moment my shift's done, Y/N. Be ready so I can take you somewhere, okay?"

You

"Where is this somewhere?"

Thoma

"Secret!"

Thoma said as he threw on a bunch of clothes and walked out of the cavern. 

Thoma

"Just... Meet me by the huge tree right in front of Inazuma City."

"Then, I'll bring you to the secret place."

You

"Isn't that dangerous?... Meeting at the front of the City, where it's crowded and shit?"

Thoma

"Nope. I'll make sure the area's clear. This night is for you and me."

You

A date with Thoma...

Tonight...

How could my day get any better?

.

.

.

You utilized the water's reflection like a mirror, making yourself look the best you could.

not that you're already so good looking :3 👀

You didn't know how to feel.

You were excited.

You were nervous.

You were angry.

.

.

.

A little bit?... In some sort.

You began to overthink things.