.

.

.

Ayaka

"... What?..."

Ayato

"I said..."

.

"Stop."

Thoma

"..."

The silence in the room was deafening. The tension hung thick in the air, making every second stretch interminably. It was a silence filled with unspoken words, heavy with the weight of emotions.

Ayato

"Thoma."

Thoma

"Y-Yes, My Lord?..."

Thoma stuttered, his voice faltering as he tried to find the right words. The intensity of Ayato's presence and the weight of the silence made it difficult for him to speak clearly.

Ayato

"You care for Y/N. Yes?"

Thoma

"..."

Ayato

"Well?"

"Your answer doesn't affect me."

Ayaka gave Thoma a concerned look, her eyes filled with a mix of worry and urgency. She waited anxiously for him to answer the question Ayato had just asked, the silence stretching out uncomfortably.

Ayaka

"..."

Thoma

"I... Do care for Y/N."

"And I always have."

Ayato

"So be it."

"Come Ayaka. Let's leave him be for a while."

Ayaka

"Wh... Wait, what?!"

Ayato

"You heard me."

Thoma watched as Ayato turned and began limping back to his room with his cane, his movements deliberate and composed. Ayaka followed closely behind him, her voice rising in protest as she tried to argue with his decision to let you stay in their house. 

Her words were sharp and insistent, echoing down the hallway as she desperately attempted to change Ayato's mind. Thoma stood there, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety, as the siblings' voices faded into the distance.

Soon enough, the only sound that filled the house was Ayaka's muffled voice emanating from Ayato's room. Her words were indistinct but carried an unmistakable tone of urgency and frustration. 

Thoma did his best to block out the noise, focusing intently on caring for your wound. His hands moved with practiced precision, cleaning and dressing the injury with a mixture of tenderness and determination. Despite the distraction, his primary concern was ensuring your safety and well-being.

.

.

.

-A WEEK LATER, KAMISATO RESIDENCE-

Thoma

"Ayato, just talk to me, will you?"

Thoma begged, his voice filled with desperation, as he watched Ayato limp past him with his cane. Since that incident, Ayato hadn't said a single word to Thoma in the past week. 

The silence between them was heavy with unspoken tension, and Thoma's pleas seemed to hang in the air, unanswered and unresolved. The sight of Ayato's determined stride, despite his obvious discomfort, only deepened Thoma's sense of guilt and helplessness.

Ayaka

"He's not talking to you."

Thoma

"I-"

*Sigh*

"Come on!"

Ayaka

"I'm dropping him off at physio. Goodbye, Thoma."

.

.

.

Thoma

"If only people saw you the way I saw you, Y/N..."

Thoma practically talked to himself, his voice barely above a whisper as he tried to make sense of everything. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

Thoma rose from the edge of the couch, glancing down at you one last time to ensure you were comfortable. He then made his way to his room, his steps heavy.  After a moment of searching, he found a book and returned to the living room. 

.

.

.

CRASH!

Thoma's concentration shattered as he heard a commotion coming from the kitchen—the sharp sound of glass breaking and the clatter of utensils hitting the floor. He immediately set the book aside and hurried towards the source of the noise. The sounds grew louder as he approached, each noise fueling his worry.

.

.

.

You

"Ugh... Where the fuck do you keep your Sunsettias?!"

Thoma

"..."

"Y/N?!"

Thoma stood awkwardly, watching as you frantically searched the kitchen for sunsettias. His eyes followed your every move, uncertain of how to help. The sight of you rummaging through cupboards and drawers, your determination evident despite the disarray, left him feeling both amused and concerned. He finally cleared his throat, hoping to offer assistance, but the words seemed to stick in his throat, leaving him standing there, awkward and unsure.

Thoma

"Uh..."

You

"Well?! Where are they?"

Thoma

"Uhm... They're in-"

You

"I found them! Yay!"

Just as Thoma was about to direct you to where the sunsettias were stored, you discovered them right in the middle of a cupboard you hadn't checked yet. With a triumphant exclamation, you grabbed the entire bunch and began gobbling them down voraciously. A small smile tugged at the corners of Thoma's mouth.

You

"Ah... It's been so long, I started to forget what they tasted like..."

Thoma

"..."

You were now perched on the kitchen counter, eating away at your sunsettias without a care in the world. Thoma couldn't help but chuckle softly at the sight. The tension of the past days seemed to melt away, if only for a moment, as he watched you indulge in the simple pleasure of the sunsettias.

Thoma

"What's... Going on with you?"

You

"What are you talking about?"

Thoma

"Aren't you... Upset? Angry?"

You

"Why would I be upset?"

Thoma

"Uh... Because..."

"Y'know,"

Thoma tried to bring up the events of the past week without making things awkward, but his efforts were faltering terribly. He shifted uncomfortably, clearing his throat as he spoke.

Thoma

"The... stuff?"

You

"What stuff?"

You asked, your speech muffled as you continued to stuff your face with sunsettias. Bits of the fruit tumbled from your mouth as you spoke, making the question both endearing and slightly comical.

Thoma

Do they seriously not remember anything?... That can't be...

You

"Stuff... Oh! You mean like the whole thing about how I'm gonna kill you stuff?"

"Yeah. I remember everything now."

"And then that flashy traveller and her little flying pet came along and took me out..."

"And now I'm here."

.

.

.

"Why am I here, Thoma?"

Your sudden change of attitude caught Thoma off guard. Thoma blinked in surprise, his mind scrambling to keep up with the shift. He cleared his throat, trying to regain his composure.

Thoma

"I... You were hurt really badly..."

You

"So? Why didn't you just leave me there? You knew I'd be just fine. Immortality fucking sucks, man."

Thoma

"I didn't leave you there because Lumine would've brought you back to the Archons... A few more people know about your existence now. The fact that you've escaped."

You

"Oh, shit... That can't be good, can it?"

*Sigh*

"These few weeks were fun while it lasted."

You leapt off the counter, landing lightly on your feet after finishing the entire bag of sunsettias. Your sudden movement startled Thoma, who took a step back, his eyes wide with surprise. 

You

"Well come on now, I'm ready to go."

Thoma

"What?..."