— Characters: Thoma, Ayaka (slightly Thomaya hint), Ayato. Honorable mentions: Yoimiya, Itto.
— Summary: Thoma has been feeling as if everyone at the Kamisato residence is neglecting him. He decides to find out what's going on and discovers a sweet surprise.
— Word count: 1498
— Ao3
Thoma's Birthday Fanfic
At a leisurely pace, the sky changed to red. Thoma looked at the shiny hallway he had just cleaned with pride, then stood up and packed his cleaning tools. He had polished all the corridors and staircases of the Kamisato residence, and rearranged the rooms neatly. When the owners of the place returned, they would surely be happy to see their house sparkling like that.
Strangely enough, for all day, Thoma did not seem to see anyone in the residence. Lord Ayato and Lady Ayaka went out early. For normal walks, they would call Thoma with them. Yet they had merely passed by as if they did not see him waving a hello at them. Was it something he had done that upset his masters?
Even the servants in the house also seemed to have some secret that they wanted to keep from him. Thoma caught them huddling and whispering about something. And when he got closer, they quickly dispersed and moved away. Neither the guards at the door opened his mouth to tell him what was going on in the palace. And that drove Thoma crazy.
No way! He remained the housekeeper in the residence still. He was Lord Ayato and especially Lady Ayaka’s most trusted servant. I can't believe she left me behind. I always go to her protection when she's out! So Thoma thought. He must find out the truth of this neglect himself!
Thoma picked himself up, dusting off all the dust on his clothes after a day of cleaning. While he was about to **** out of the place to look for his masters, he suddenly saw Lady Ayaka’s silhouette at the doorway.
“You’re here, Thoma! I am in need of your help.”
Lady Ayaka smiled, but the corner of her mouth hidden behind the delicate hand fan made him feel a little unusual. Yet, how could that stop the feeling of happiness that seemed to break when his lady had called for him, when she was in need of him?
"Yes, milady!" Thoma shouted loudly, as if he were trying to tell everyone in the palace that he was still valued.
Lady Ayaka smiled, fan folded in her hands. She turned around and said:
“Follow me.”
Thoma walked as if darting toward the distant lady's back. They went down the street as the sun was setting. He had many things to ask, but Lady Ayaka never turned to look at him once. All along the way, he could only see the top of her bun swinging in front of his eyes as she looked all over the street, left and right.
Lady Ayaka bought a lot of things; items from the Yayoi lacquerware, and the kimono they came to pick up at Ogura Textiles and Kimonos. All the items were wrapped in wooden boxes and covered a very thorough layer of fabric that Thoma could not see inside. He was tasked with carrying them and following the lady as she walked the streets. This made him feel even more strange. He was always with the lady, and she would ask him about specific items from time to time. He even repeatedly used his bargaining skills to help the Kamisato minimize the amount of money spent. But that day, every time he was going to say something, Lady Ayaka focused her attention on another shop on the side of the road.
Thoma decided to take a risk:
"Milady..."
"Oh, is this the new wagashi shop?" Lady Ayaka interrupted him. "You’ve noticed my current sweet craving, Thoma? You really know me so well!"
Thoma scratched his head. This was not what he meant! But looking at the lady’s beaming, he could not kill the mood.
So they went into the store. Lady Ayaka was happy to see one wagashi after another on display in the shop. She kept asking about Inazuma's traditional pastries without even noticing Thoma standing crossed in a corner.
She did not even look at me for once. Thoma was a little hurt. Lady Ayaka was not like her normal self today. She was behaving like other servants in the house, ignoring him and not telling him what was going on, or what he had done wrong…
“Thoma?”
And yet as soon as the lady called his name, he immediately went to her side.
Lady Ayaka whispered something to the shopkeeper when Thoma was not close enough to hear it. The shopkeeper in the elegant kimono nodded slightly, then disappeared behind the veil. Only Thoma and the lady remained in the shop. He must take this opportunity.
"One more place to go still. You must be hungry too, are you not?" Lady Ayaka asked, but she still did not look at him as her gaze fell on the wagashi in display nearby.
"Milady... Have I done anything to upset you?" Thoma finally said the question in his heart all day long.
Lady Ayaka gazed up at him. It seemed she was about to laugh, but she quickly turned away. Thoma guessed that he looked pitiful, like a puppy about to be abandoned by his owner.
"It's nothing. You think too much." Lady Ayaka replied.
"Then why are you and everyone else–"
Thoma did not have the chance to finish the sentence as the shopkeeper reappeared, holding a box of wagashi carefully wrapped behind the fabric. He swore he had seen her wink at his lady!
Servants, guards... Even the wagashi shop owner was plotting something! And it was so hard to understand why Lady Ayaka also colluded with them. Thoma's heart was very much in a storm as he followed the lady out. It was dark, but they did not follow the path back to their residence. They turned to another small street, as the lady had said, there was still one more place to go.
They stopped in front of Komore Teahouse. Before entering, Lady Ayaka turned to see Thoma falling and failing behind her. It might be interesting for her. At least he could make his lady a little happier, even though the Kamisatos no longer needed him.
Lady Ayaka gestured for him to follow and walked inside. She nodded to Taroumaru, the shiba who owned this place, and moved into a small room with Thoma following close to her steps.
Suddenly he was greeted with a bunch of petals fluttering over him, hands dragging him into the room and then everyone was in sync:
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, THOMA!”
Thoma rolled his eyes all over the room. Lord Ayato with his face behind the hand fan and Lady Ayaka standing beside him. There was also Yoimiya, Gorou and Kokomi, along with the servants at Kamisato residence. Everyone was welcoming him with warm smiles.
“You guys… You guys…”
Thoma was out of words all of sudden. He had forgotten it was his birthday. He was too busy with his job at the palace and heart heavy with negative emotions all day. Meanwhile, everyone was preparing a surprise party. A party dedicated to him only.
Just as he was about to burst into tears, Lady Ayaka and Yoimiya pulled him to sit with them at the banquet table. Was that your favorite rice cake soup? And when Lady Ayaka opened the boxes Thoma had carried along the way, he learned that they were all presents for him.
The wasagi box contained lots of wagashi made into an exquisite, eye-catching shape: cherry blossoms, naku weeds, onikabuto; there were even dandelion ones that reminded him of his hometown of Mondstadt... The box from Ogura Textiles and Kimono turned out to be a kimono made specifically for him. There were other beautiful decorations as well... These were all gifts from the Kamisato and the servants, as well as his friends.
"I... Guys... I don't know what to say..." Thoma laughed in happiness. He would most likely hug each of them so tightly and tell them how he appreciated them so much. Of course, if Lady Ayaka would allow him to hug her…
"Did you think we'd forgotten your birthday?" Lady Ayaka spoke.
"I... I thought I was left alone..."
On the opposite side, Lord Ayato waved the fan in his hand and said:
"This was Ayaka's idea."
Thoma caught a glimpse of the red-faced lady. Maybe he was wrong because of the lights? He was happy anyway. This was probably the most memorable day of his life so far.
“Thank you, milady… Thank you, everyone…” Thoma beamed.
But that was not the last surprise for the day. In the other corner of the room there was a drum. Thoma's eyes were on it. It did not take long for him to recognize the person standing in the middle of the stage – Arataki Itto.
There was still a play for him. Arataki Itto said something about himself but Thoma could not hear him. He was crying tears of joy and might cry until he passed out before they could get back to Kamisato residence!
