The creak of the floorboards made Thoma look up from the counter he was wiping down. Ayaka stood there in the doorway, her arms crossed over her middle and wearing a pretty lilac yukata. “Thoma, what are you still doing up? It’s almost midnight.”
“It’s alright,” he said, giving her a tired smile, “I couldn’t go to sleep knowing I had unfinished work.”
Ayaka suppressed a yawn and smiled at him, she knew full well why he was still awake and it had nothing to do with unfinished housework and everything to do with her brother still not being home yet. She would let him have that though, and inclined her head to him. “Well, don’t stay up too late, you were going to escort me into the city tomorrow and we were going to have tea, remember?”
“Of course I remember, and don’t worry, I won’t be up much longer.”
“Make sure you’re not. Goodnight, Thoma.” She quietly left, leaving Thoma to finish cleaning the counters that he had already cleaned earlier that evening. He then tidied the pantry and made note of things that were running low and finally sat down at the table. Perhaps he should just go to bed, but… he just couldn’t. Not until Ayato returned home and he made sure he didn’t need anything.
It wasn’t for another hour, when Thoma has nearly fallen asleep at the table, head resting on his folded arms, that he’s gently shaken awake.
“Huh?” Lifting his head he blinks, looking around as his vision comes back into focus. Why was he in the kitchen..? And then he sees him. “Oh. Oh! My Lord, you’re finally home.”
“Thoma, why are you not in bed?” Ayato asks as he looks down at him, exhaustion all over his face.
“I was… finishing up some work.”
“At one in the morning?”
“I… yes.” Thoma decided he was sticking to that story no matter what.
“I see... Well, as your master I’m ordering you to bed now.”
“How did the meeting go?”
“It went as expected. Be careful, in the city tomorrow, Thoma. As you know the vision hunt decree is getting underway…”
“I won’t let anything happen to Ayaka.”
“Good. And make sure you don’t let anything happen to yourself either.”
Thoma nodded and was surprised when Ayato extended a hand to help him up. Without much hesitation, Thoma took it, enjoying the warmth of his master's hand clasped firmly around his own. That alone, Thoma thought, had been worth staying up for.
Genshin Impact, Ayato/Thoma
“It’s alright,” he said, giving her a tired smile, “I couldn’t go to sleep knowing I had unfinished work.”
Ayaka suppressed a yawn and smiled at him, she knew full well why he was still awake and it had nothing to do with unfinished housework and everything to do with her brother still not being home yet. She would let him have that though, and inclined her head to him. “Well, don’t stay up too late, you were going to escort me into the city tomorrow and we were going to have tea, remember?”
“Of course I remember, and don’t worry, I won’t be up much longer.”
“Make sure you’re not. Goodnight, Thoma.” She quietly left, leaving Thoma to finish cleaning the counters that he had already cleaned earlier that evening. He then tidied the pantry and made note of things that were running low and finally sat down at the table. Perhaps he should just go to bed, but… he just couldn’t. Not until Ayato returned home and he made sure he didn’t need anything.
It wasn’t for another hour, when Thoma has nearly fallen asleep at the table, head resting on his folded arms, that he’s gently shaken awake.
“Huh?” Lifting his head he blinks, looking around as his vision comes back into focus. Why was he in the kitchen..? And then he sees him. “Oh. Oh! My Lord, you’re finally home.”
“Thoma, why are you not in bed?” Ayato asks as he looks down at him, exhaustion all over his face.
“I was… finishing up some work.”
“At one in the morning?”
“I… yes.” Thoma decided he was sticking to that story no matter what.
“I see... Well, as your master I’m ordering you to bed now.”
“How did the meeting go?”
“It went as expected. Be careful, in the city tomorrow, Thoma. As you know the vision hunt decree is getting underway…”
“I won’t let anything happen to Ayaka.”
“Good. And make sure you don’t let anything happen to yourself either.”
Thoma nodded and was surprised when Ayato extended a hand to help him up. Without much hesitation, Thoma took it, enjoying the warmth of his master's hand clasped firmly around his own. That alone, Thoma thought, had been worth staying up for.