Royal River || Ayato x Reader Fanfiction

{ 3: Dry Tears }

Y/n was practically fumbling for words. They had no doubt in their mind that their cheeks were tinted pink at this point. "You just—No...wait...you... Huh?!" Y/n said, trying to form a coherent sentence. Ayato laughed, although he himself was also quite flustered. "Did Thoma—" y/n attempted, "Did he—did you guys... and Ayaka..." y/n's mind was full, and trying to voice what they were thinking, was quite the task as it stood. In an attempt to calm down the frantic y/n, Ayato held on of y/n's hands and smiled, "Well? How do you feel?" Y/n was breathing fast. It felt like their heart was going to burst. Right there. In that moment. "I don't..." y/n said, "I don't know." Y/n could immediately feel the change in Ayato. His grip on their hand loosened, and it felt like he became distant. It just broke y/n's heart. They made themself feel terrible. How could I say that. Y/n scolded themself.

I know I love him. I do. So why can't I say it...? "Well, if it's time you need..." Ayato spoke, his voice seeming distant. He stood up and opened the door to the hallway. He paused for a moment and looked back at y/n, he had a smile on his face. Not a happy smile, persay, but a regretful one, "then it's time I'll give." Tears stung in y/n's eyes as they bit their lip, trying not to cry on the spot—the pain in their throat only growing. Then Ayato looked away and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him, leaving y/n to their own devices. As if the closing doors were a stage cue, y/n's tears could hold back no longer—so they spilled. Y/n tried keeping their sobs quiet, but there wasn't much that could be done.

Y/n couldn't even bother to wipe their own tears before they fell. Each one, falling onto y/n's legs, the tear quickly being absorbed by the fabric of their pants. I messed up. I really messed up.

.-~*♡*~-.

Ayato sat on the floor, on the other side of the doors. He felt numb. Like he was zoned out, but still aware of everything that was going on. He just couldn't feel. All he could feel—was sorrow. It only grew worse as he heard the quite sobs from the other side of the doors. He knew Thoma and Ayaka would arrive at the estate soon, and he didn't want them to get dragged into this... this mess. Ayato tried to relax as he sat on the floor, the faint sound of cries resonating in his ears. He tried controlling his breathing, perhaps it would help. In—two, three, four. Out—two, three, four. In—two, three, four. Out—two, three, four. He repeated the pattern in his head as he breathed.

His eyes closed, darkening the room around him. Before too long, he fell asleep.

.-~*♡*~-.

"Sh! Be quiet!" Ayaka whispered to Thoma, "Look!" The blue haired female pointed to a figure asleep on the floor. It was clearly her brother but, why would he be asleep outside of his own room? "Oh no..." Thoma muttered, his voice heavy. The two carefully approached the sleeping Ayato, doing their best to make sure the floorboards didn't make any sound. Ayaka kneeled down and examined her brother carefully. He was, most definitely, asleep. She looked closer at his face, and noticed strange streaks on his face, with the wrong angle she would've never seen them. They came down from his eyes to his chin and that was it. "Dry tears." Thoma whispered, his concern rising. 

Ayaka looked down at her brother's clothing, there were some spots that appeared to be moist. The crying had been recent. "Didn't you say y/n would be taking care of him?" Ayaka questioned Thoma. His face flashed with worry, then quickly became analytical. "I think... I think they're in there." He said, pointing to Ayato's room. "Maybe, they fell asleep too?" Ayaka wondered, her mind trying to understand what could've happened. Thoma bit his lip, he hadn't planned for things to go like this. Not at all. "It's not like we can get in with Mr. Kamisato sleeping on the floor like that. We'll have to wait." Ayaka frowned at Thoma's response, desperate for answers.

"I can wake him." Ayaka assured, poking her brother's shoulder. Thoma was going to object the prospect, had Ayato not woken up so quickly. Ayato's blue eyes found Ayaka first, then found Thoma. "Y/n... are they alright?" Ayato muttered, his voice hoarse. Ayaka and Thoma both sighed in relief before Ayaka responded to the question, "We don't know, Ayato." Ayato began to stand up, with a bit of difficulty. Ayaka followed and stood up as well however, she did it quite simply. "Thoma, could you...check on y/n?" Ayato asked, his eyes tired. "Yes, right away, my lord." With that Thoma entered Ayato's room and, as predicted, found a sleeping y/n, huddled on top of Ayato's bed. They, just like Ayato, had the same line of dry tears on their face, causing Thoma to frown.

"What happened to those two?" Thoma whispered to himself as he sat on the edge of the bed. Very gently, he shook y/n awake, "C'mon, y/n. Wake up, please." Y/n groaned in distaste as they woke up. They sat up from their sleeping position very slowly but, didn't look at Thoma. "What happened?" He asked, treading carefully on what could be a spread of land mines. One wrong move and a mine will explode, unpacking a load of tears. "Oh, Thoma." Y/n muttered, "I'm terrible." Thoma prepared himself for many things, but this... this was not one of them. "What do you mean, 'I'm terrible'? You're anything but that." Thoma tried to assure but, y/n shook their head.

"I love him. I do. But for some reason—I didn't say it." Y/n explained as they began to fidget with their hands. Thoma placed a reassuring hand on their shoulder, "It's not to late, you know." Y/n looked up at Thoma, their eyes sorrow filled, "I don't know..." Thoma shook his head and gripped onto y/n's shoulder a little tighter, "At least try. Please?" Y/n sighed, feeling defeated. Thoma wouldn't take no for an answer, he almost never did. "Alright. I'll try" Thoma smiled and stood up. "I'll bring Ayato in here. You've got this." He said, holding up a thumbs up as he left the room. Soon enough, his presence had been swapped with Ayato's. He stood awkwardly at first, his arms crossed over his chest. "You want the truth?" Y/n questioned, their voice low and quiet.

Ayato looked at y/n. Even now, he thought they looked like an angel from Celestia. He nodded a yes as he gulped, undoubtedly nervous. "I..." y/n began, then paused to take a breath, "I love you too." Ayato looked over at y/n, his eyes a bit brighter than before, "Truthfully?" His voice was sprinkled with hope. "Yeah, truthfully." Y/n assured him. Before they knew it, Ayato had pulled them into a tight hug, and the two smiled. "So, we're a thing now, right?" He asked, teasingly. Y/n blushed a tad, "Yup." Ayato then moved his hands from y/n's upper back to their lower back and pulled them back in. "May I have your consent?" Ayato asked in a low voice. Y/n nodded, "Yes, you may."

Just like that, Ayato pulled y/n into a gentle kiss. Despite the softness, y/n could feel the passion behind it, so they did their best to match it. Every now and then, the kiss would separate so the two could take a quick breath before continuing. At some point, y/n had snaked their hands up to the back of Ayato's head, feeling his soft, blue hair which they had brushed so carefully that morning. After a while, Ayato pulled away, "Alright." He whispered, "Ayaka and Thoma will get worried if we take any longer. With one final pout from y/n, the two separated, leaving only their hands clasped together as they left the room. Y/n went off to go make lunch with Thoma while Ayaka and Ayato stayed behind.

"How'd it go?" Ayaka wondered. Ayato smiled in response, "Very well." Ayaka laughed quietly, ready to tease her brother, "At least I know I'll have a good step-sibling."

"A-Ayaka, please!"