With You | Thoma x Ayaka | Genshin Impact

From Ritou to You

   Thoma entered his new house for the next three months with a heavy heart and slow steps. It was the same storage unit that he had lived in while Ayato taught him everything to know about Inazuma.

  "Hm... I should open the windows," Thoma nodded, "To think that I was able to live with this smell for all those years..."

  The storage unit smelled musty and foul as he kept the door open to give the room some light and hung the windows out so wind could blow through.

  Next to an old and springy bed was a lamp, the only light source in this room for the nights, like everything else, it was covered with a thin layer of dust.

  "Oh good, there's still pots and pans here," Thoma said after opening the cabinet, he looked to the left and studied an old sand and clay kamado stove, "I wonder if there's still wood out back."

  Setting all of his luggage down, Thoma walked to the back where an old shed was, he forced the rickety door open and was glad to see bundles of logs, sticks, and branches filling the room.

 "There's the laundry basin," Thoma picked up the bamboo washing machine and checked it to see if any part of it had been damaged over the years with no use, "Alright! I'll head out later to collect things for dinner!"

  "Thoma."

  "Oh! Yes, M'la-?" Thoma turned to see no one there, his face fell sad, "Ah... right.. M'lady isn't with me right now."

  When Thoma had first been told about this temporary relocation, he had planned to adamantly refuse. But then when he had heard it was the Traveller and saw both Ayaka and Ayato's faces filled with hope, he realized that the news of such a renowned person coming to Inazuma was more than just a simple visit, rather, it was something that could free Inazuma from the horrors and fears that haunted many every day.

  Even though Ayaka had shaken her head and seemed completely against the idea of Thoma leaving her, Thoma could still see the hope that had filled her eyes when she first heard of Traveller's arrival. 

  "Please be safe," Ayaka had told him on their last night, he was on top of her and they were holding each other in a strong embrace.

  Leaning against the wall of the storage shed, Thoma watched as the world began to spin. He took fast and short breaths as he thought about the Kamisato estate.

 This would be his first time being alone outside of the estate for this long.

 "I can do this.." he told himself, "How pathetic is this? It hasn't even been a day."

  Slowly going back inside, he landed on the bed and watched as the dust flew. 

  Thoma covered his eyes with one hand , the other one by his side.

  "Geez... this just reminds me of the old days..." Thoma mumbled.

                                                                           ...

  Ayato watched as Thoma flipped the pages of a book all about Inazuman etiquette.

 "Let's see.... so this... and then this..." Thoma did a sloppy dogeza bow, "Mister Ayato, how did that look?"

  "Terrible," Ayato said simply and harshly, "Your form needs work."

  "Eh...? What's wrong with it?" Thoma asked.

  "Why is your back so arched? Your arms look off, and too much of your head is on the floor." Ayato pointed out.

  "How is it supposed to look?"