#taroumaru is ready to help too

[sleepyorchidmonster]

Despite being incredibly protective and loyal to them, I don't think Thoma truly realises the lenghts the Kamisatos would go for him.

Just Ayaka making tea for him when she realizes he is feeling homesick, Ayato feeding the stray dogs he cares for when the housekeeper is too busy, the Shuumatsuban having extra orders to take care of anyone who insults Thoma

The fact that no one in the Tenryou Comission dared to hurt Thoma, lest they face the wrath of the Yashiro Comissioner....

Even if we hadn't saved Thoma's vision in time, I doubt it would have stayed in the statue for long...

[thatonegenshinsimp]

Miso Soup (Thoma x reader)

Notes: I decided to write for Thoma today because I’ve never written for him before so sorry if it’s not exactly all that great but I hope you enjoy!

Masterlist

Thoma was a busy man during the day, and rarely got a day off. When he wasn’t helping Ayato with his tasks, he was accompanying Ayaka around Inazuma and helping her. However, he had the next week off for vacation, and he wanted to spend it with you. He dropped by Komore Teahouse and got Taroumaru, before going back to your shared home with him. When he got to the house, he saw that you were cooking dinner, humming softly to yourself as you stirred the Miso Soup you were making. You heard the door close and turned to see your husband walking over to you. “Hey, what’re you making? It smells delicious.” He asked, wrapping his arms around you and hugging you. “It’s Miso Soup, and it should almost be ready if you want to go clean up and change into something more comfortable.” You replied, reaching one of your hands up and running your fingers through his hair. He sighed deeply, leaning further against you as he let you play with his hair. After a few minutes, you pulled your hand away and he grumbled a little bit from the loss of touch. He then pulled back and nodded at you, walking to your shared bedroom and changing out of his work clothes. He then changed into something more comfortable and walked back out to the kitchen. You took the pot off of the stove and got a ladle, before grabbing two bowls and two sets of cutlery from the cabinet and drawers. You were about to serve the soup when Thoma gently caught your hands as you reached for the ladle and a bowl. “Let me, you cooked tonight.” He coaxed, watching as you sat at the table before he served you a bowl and got a bowl of Miso Soup for himself as well. He then sat at the table beside you and took a bite of the soup, humming softly to himself at the taste. “Thank you for cooking tonight, it’s so good, (Y/N).” He said, looking at you as the two of you ate. “You’re welcome, I know how stressful work can be for you sometimes.” You replied, finishing your bowl and walking back over to the pot to put the leftover soup in a container. You then put it in the icebox and closed it, before going back over to where Thoma was seated. He finished his soup and took the dishes over to the sink to clean them, before he walked with you to the bedroom and watched as you got under the covers. He joined you shortly after, pulling you close to him and wrapping his arms around you. He usually would talk to you before bed, telling you about his day and going on about what he did, but tonight, he was silent, nuzzling his head into the crook of your neck as he sighed deeply. “Thoma, is everything alright?” You asked, looking at him and watching as he slowly pulled away from your warmth. “I just missed you today, that’s all.” He replied, hugging you slightly tighter. You returned his embrace and leaned against him, feeling drowsy from the comforting warmth he provided. “G’night, Thoma, I love you.” You mumbled sleepily, drifting off in his arms. He looked down at you and gently pressed his lips against your forehead before he spoke. “Good night, (Y/N), I love you too.” He whispered, closing his eyes and falling asleep with you nestled comfortably in his arms.

[l1tw1ck]

It’s horny hours in the zoo, so since it’s soon Halloween, what do you think the different genshin boys will dress up as? - and most importantly will they dress up slutty??

Halloween Costumes (Headcanons)

Bottom!Characters x MascReader

Characters: Thoma, Ajax, Xiao, Heizou

NSFW below the cut

I think Thoma would dress up as Taroumaru, thinking it would be cute to dress up as his favorite pup.

He wanted to be as accurate as possible so the only coverage for his torso was lightly wrapped white bandages. He added shorts to the costume along with fake ears and a tail all similar to Taroumaru's fur color.

Upon seeing his outfit, you knew you couldn't let him go out like that. He'd likely be hit on by almost every person that passes him by.

He didn't understand what was so weird about his outfit, he thought it was cute and he planned on bringing Taroumaru with him. You were convinced otherwise and already too turned on to let him leave the house

Ajax would definitely be a vampire, using his costume as an excuse for all the blood that may appear on his clothes later in the night...

He'd come over to show you his costume, bearing his fake fangs and going in for your neck. You'd probably wake up the next morning with an unusual amount of hickeys and bites littered along your body

Ajax would wear a nice lacy set of red lingerie underneath his outfit, a pleasant surprise for when you undress him

He'd be a sadistic and sultry dom, teasing you and making you beg to be inside him. The costume would give him a huge power trip

Both of you would end the night with new kinks ;)

It wouldn't be Xiao's choice, but he'd dress up as a slutty succubus. The costume didn't leave much to the imagination

You'd managed to convince him to wear the exposing outfit on Halloween night, assuring him that it'd only be you who saw it. Since he's able to change his form, you had him 'grow' a demon tail and horns. He found the whole thing embarrassing and ironic but eventually agreed to wear it, the thoughts of what you'd do with him after helped with the convincing

You even got him to add makeup to the costume, he got help from Ningguang (she owed you a favor) and Beidou. It was a mix of red and black with sharp eyeliner, he looked dominant with it on but he couldn't even try to dom. Being a submissive bottom is practically ingrained in him

Xiao's embarrassed and flushed expression when he came out of the room with it on only made you more excited. He couldn't even say a word before you pounced on him

You'd have him ride you backwards and tug on his tail to hear his cute mewls. The first time you touched it, you weren't expecting it to be so sensitive. His horns were the same *wink wink*

By the end of the night, Xiao was disheveled and well fucked. His makeup was ruined by his tears and drool, the look almost encouraging you to go a second round

Heizou would dress up as an officer with you as his convicted criminal and use his office to roleplay, using Halloween as an excuse to play out one of his fantasies

"Perhaps we could form a deal?"

He told you that he'd shorten your sentence if you could pleasure him well enough

Heizou was expecting to be dom in this but welcomed your dominance with open arms, letting you lie him down on the desk and have your way with him

You made sure to show Officer Heizou a good time, earning you only a few days 'in jail'

Let's just say, Heizou was glad he had a pair of handcuffs ready in his office.

[lnlywar-god]

order for nex <3

one grande ( hot ), with a purple yummy cake !

include thoma

“i haven’t seen enough of this world yet.”

told ya i’d participate >:)

NEX :D !! i cannot thank you enough for participating. i must admit, the moment i saw the request, i realized how much of a fitting prompt i made for thoma 😭oh well, anyways, order up! kakigori is a japanese dessert made of shaved ice with flavored syrup and sweetener btw, keep in mind for this oneshot!

ONE HOT GRANDE PURPLE YUMMY CAKE (THOMA) FOR weakestpoint !

wc : 1.1k

“I haven’t seen enough of this world yet.”

Thoma tells his mother, bag in hand and a bottle of dandelion wine in the other. Sweet precious boy wanted to go visit his father in Inazuma and bring him the bottle of wine after he’d left to return to his hometown, and now, he was ready to leave.

Tearful goodbyes were exchanged with the promise of returning home in one piece.

Growing up, Thoma had learned to love the free spirited folks of Monstadt as easy as it is to breathe air. Easy as it was, it was no surprise that he’d also gained that quality of being able to mingle with others easily.

He tells you of his journeys back in Mondstadt. The places he’d used to go to and spend his time in. All the way from Cider Lake, Springvale, up to Cape Oath, and on one occasion, Dragonspine.

“Dragonspine was cold! Caught a cold and mom had me stay in bed all day while scolding me about it being dangerous and going there without any heavy coats or at least someone to accompany me.” He laughs fondly at the memories. He could almost remember the sting of cold in his nose and the fresh mountain air that he breathed in, painfully so far away.

You sympathize with him, recalling your own memories of your distant homeland. His laugh rings in the air, mingling with the soft bustling sounds of Inazuma as you tell him one of your own childhood mishaps.

Teasingly, you poke a bit of fun, telling him to lay off on you. You were just a child, you definitely didn’t know that laying down in the sand without a blanket was terribly hot until you felt your skin searing with heat.

“Lay off on me too you know! I lay off on you, you lay off on me.”

“Deal.”

It was home all over again. You walk the streets of Inazuma buying groceries for the Kamisato estate with Thoma, and you feel at home, right where you are and as if nothing has changed. Thoma looks blissfully out into the distance, at the falling sakura petals everywhere and feels the same.

Taroumaru comes around, barking happily at you both as you approach the Komore Teahouse, groceries in hand. A new face comes around, greeting you and Thoma as they tell you to sit down and busy themselves preparing tea.

Instinctively, Thoma is immediately petting the owner of the teahouse, praising and complimenting him. Right after, Taroumaru is now sat infront of you, head bowed down expectantly, asking for a pat.

You laugh and give it to him, placing down the list of groceries you had in your hand for a bit to take some time to give affection to the lovely shiba inu and have some tea.

Thoma lets you have your fun. He won’t bother to tell you that it’s nearly lunch and that you two have to be back at the estate before the afternoon with all your tasks finished. He knows you deserve a little leeway for all you’ve done to help him adjust to this new lifestyle in Inazuma, you’ve been here longer than he has.

He deserves a little leeway too, he concludes, drinking his tea and letting the time run just a bit more. Even if much to his dismay, it didn’t run as long as he expected it to.

“Thank you for the tea! See you around!” Thoma waves a cheery goodbye to Taroumaru and the worker that had served them tea and you follow, already walking ahead, nose in the list of groceries and other tasks you still needed to accomplish and buy.

“What else do we have left?” Your companion leans over your shoulder, peeking at your list as you dictate out places to stop by and receive some packages from for the Yashiro Commission, and to meet with the Traveler and finish some tasks with them as well.

“Just that. Did I miss anything?”

Thoma thoughtfully puts his hand to his mouth while he looks dazed in thought, standing still in the middle of the concrete pathway. You tilt your head, waiting patiently for him to speak. It’s not long, and he looks back at up you with a grin.

“Nope, let’s split up and get to work so we can fetch some food for Ayaka and get home early. You handle the groceries, I’ll get everything else, alright?” You both shared large grins and nodded. Promising to meet at the entrance of the Kamisato Estate, you both went separate ways.

Albeit Thoma’s constant presence in your day-to-day activities being something that you’d grown used to, you wouldn’t say that you weren’t used to venturing out alone on the streets of Inazuma as well.

The sellers at the markets always recognized you and greeted you with friendly smiles, giving you some of their best produce to take home or simply striking you up for a friendly chat to ask how you were.

You’d been asked many times in the past if you were adjusting well, but that question had faded to the grasps of time. All of them, especially the elderly, didn’t need to ask to know that you have been adjusting.

Could you even call it that when you already knew the ins and outs of Inazuma like you were just taking a stroll through the park? Long gone were the days of asking around on where to go and how to get to places, and well alive were the days of simply staying put in one particular spot you always enjoyed resting at.

You wave the vendors goodbye and bid them a good day. The sun’s well and high over Inazuma and the streets are bustling with familiar faces. Although the concept of meeting new people was well obscured because of the closed borders, it’s not as if you can’t find something new with what you already have.

You learn that as you spent much more time with Ayaka, from the day you met her up until now. You’re reminded of her while you look at the freshly made kakigori, buying one to give to her once you return.

Meeting new people wasn’t too bad either. You’d grown used to the same faces when Thoma came around and had gained the trust of everyone in the Kamisato Clan. You buy two more kakigori, having three in your hands (the groceries on your back in a large bag), in the colors of a tri-colored dango.

Home is a place where the heart belongs. And as you belonged in your hometown, you belonged here too, in Inazuma, in a home far away. That which you know now, clear as ice and as radiant as sakura, as you walk with Thoma inside the Kamisato Estate.

[ryqoshay]

Tri-Arame: Sleepover Night

Primary Pairing Trio: YuuAyuSetsu Words: ~3k Rating: G Time Frame: During their 2nd year in high school Story Arc: Stand Alone

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Author’s Note: My µ’s muse is rebelling against the drama I’m trying to write for my PTX set. So here’s some more fluff.

Summary: Setsuna took a rain check on watching the anime series that inspired her Koppe Pan order back in Ne, Wanna Bite? Now it’s time to cash in.

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“Uhm, Okaasan?” Nana asked trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice.

Why had she waited until the last possible minute to ask permission? What if she was denied? She’d have to cancel the plans to which she had looked forward all week.

“Yes, Nana?” Mrs. Nakagawa replied, looking up from her paperwork.

“Would it be alright if I stayed at a friend’s place tonight?”

“Oh? Someone from the student council?”

“No, a friend associated with the student council who is assisting with a project.” Nana explained. “There is a lot of preparation work that still needs to be done and I wasn’t the only one busy with tests this week.”

It wasn’t a complete lie. Ayumu had indeed helped her with student council work several times. So had Yuu, for that matter, as well as several other members of the idol club. Usually, their aid was reasoned away by them simply wishing to assist a friend, as well as allow her to more easily participate in club activities. This often led to her wondering if they knew how much their help was truly appreciated.

As for the mentioned project… Well, the club did have a Live coming up. And a member of the student council was participating. Granted that member was her, but…

“I see.” Mrs. Nakagawa nodded. “Very well then.”

Excitement bubbled up within Nana, but she quashed most of it, offering only a polite smile. “Thank you, Okaasan.”

Her mother offered a similar smile in return. “Have fun tonight.”

“I will.” Nana said before turning and heading to her room to pack.

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Setsuna was giddy with excitement as she undid her braids on the train. Her first sleepover with friends!

It wasn’t her first time visiting a friend’s home, but she hadn’t even done that in years. She had lost track of her childhood friends over the years, due in no small part to increasing expectations from her parents as she advanced in grades. The ban on her favored pastimes had been the final blow as she had to sneak around to continue to indulge, and that was best done alone.

Then she joined the student council and managed to become its president. Suddenly she had an excuse to stay out later or even just be out on weekends. She hated having to lie to her parents and did strive to be as truthful as possible, though she knew full well that a lie by omission was still a lie. But that had become her only way to become a school idol, to join the new club, to shop for manga and doujin and to hang out with friends.

And to spend time with those two.

Ayumu and Yuu had quickly become her closest friends after she joined the idol club. They had graciously given her an outlet through which to focus much of her enthusiasm for her hobbies. And this weekend they had agreed to marathon one of her favorite anime series with her. For the second time, Setsuna would be able have an actual conversation with friends about a beloved story, instead of just a one-sided explanation; the first being earlier that week as the three hung out together and purchased the latest book of Heavenly Life.

And she couldn’t wait.

Honestly, the train couldn’t arrive at the station quickly enough. And Setsuna knew she would have to resist the urge to run to the apartment complex where Ayumu and Yuu lived. For the sooner she arrived, the sooner they could start watching. And the sooner they finished the series, the sooner they could start talking about it.

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“Ah, Nakagawa-san.” Mrs. Uehara said upon opening the door. “Welcome. My daughters said you would be coming.”

“Daughters?” Setsuna couldn’t help repeating. Did Ayumu have a sister?

Mrs. Uehara chuckled. “I’m sorry.” She said shaking her head. “It’s a bit of a habit of mine. But Yuu is over here so often that she’s pretty much family at this point.”

A tiny flash of envy shot through Setsuna. How nice to be so close to someone. And not just them, but their family as well. Perhaps someday she could be that close to someone, or someones…? as well.

“Ah, pardon me.” Ayumu’s mother said after a slightly awkward moment. “Come in. Come in.” She opened the door fully and ushered Setsuna inside, introducing herself along the way. “Forgive my asking, but do you prefer to go by Nakagawa-san or Yuki-san?”

“Oh, uhm, actually,” She calls Yuu-san by her name, so maybe “Setsuna is fine.”

Mrs. Uehara smiled. “Setsuna it is then. I’ll go tell my daughters you’re here.” She laughed lightly again at her joke before taking a couple steps toward the hall. “Ayumu! Yuu! Setsuna is here!”

Before Setsuna could even finish removing her shoes, a twintailed girl was scampering around the corner.

“Setsuna-chan!” Yuu greeting joyously.

“I’m glad you could make it, Setsuna-chan.” Ayumu added, following at a more modest pace.

“I’ll have dinner ready soon.” Mrs. Uehara said, moving toward the kitchen. “I’ll send your father to fetch you once he’s home from work, Ayumu.”

“Thank you, Mama.” Ayumu replied.

“Thanks, Ayumama!” Yuu added, earning a blush from Ayumu and a chuckle from Mrs. Uehara. “C’mon, let’s go.” Yuu then said, grabbing both Ayumu and Setsuna’s hands before leading them down the hall.

Yuu opened a door, pulled the other two inside and…

Pink.

That was the first thought that came to Setsuna’s mind upon entering Ayumu’s room. The walls were pink. The clock and lamp on the headboard were pink. Pink curtains framed the balcony door, pink cloth decorated the shelves on the wall and a pink blanket covered something under said shelves. And what wasn’t pink was still some other light, fluffy pastel color. It was all… very Ayumu. Yes, that was the best description Setsuna could think up based on what she knew about her friend.

But beyond the cute colors, it was also very comfy, soft and warm. And welcoming. Setsuna immediately felt at home in the room.

Then her eye caught something. Or rather, a lot of somethings.

“They’re so cute…” She said, finding herself drawn to a display of plush animals.

“I know, right?” Yuu was the one to respond. “Ayumu wanted to pack them away because she thought they were too childish.”

“Y-Yuu-chan…” Ayumu protested.

“I should show you my collection sometime.” Setsuna said, resisting the urge to grab several animals and hug them, as she did not yet have such permission. “I have Kirara, Kyubey, Tamago Onsen, Dera Michimazzi, Kuroneko-sama, Sakamoto, Taroumaru, Ryo-Ohki…

Yuu started to chuckle. “Aren’t those all anime animals?”

“Yes.” Setsuna affirmed with a nod.

“I thought your parents forbid anime? I mean that’s why we’re having the marathon here, right?”

“Oh, uhm… my parents… don’t know they’re all from anime…” Setsuna admitted. “I haven’t told them, and they don’t seem to have looked into things online or anything. Posters, figures, and the like would be too obvious, so they’re the only merchandise I can display openly; I can pass them off as just being cute plushies.”

“Ah, I see.”

“And they’re not all from anime. I have Toothless as well.”

Yuu grinned. “A good choice.” She declared.

“Anyway, these are really cute too, Ayumu-san.” Setsuna turned her attention to the redhead.

“Thank you.” Ayumu replied. “You can touch them if you want, Setsuna-chan.” She added with an amused tone in her voice.

Was my desire that obvious? Setsuna wondered to herself. How embarrassing…

Setsuna swallowed down a blush and offered a smile instead. “Thank you.” She said, reaching for a pink rabbit to inspect. A pink bear had also caught her eye, but the rabbit seemed so Ayumu-like that she couldn’t help picking it over the others. It really was very cute, and she could easily tell why Ayumu liked it.

I wonder if there is one like Yuu-san here… Setsuna thought to herself as she continued to investigate the display.

“So, should we get a couple episodes in before dinner?” Yuu suggested.

“Yes.” Setsuna agreed enthusiastically, her attention reverting back to the original reason she was visiting.

“What site is the show on?” The twintailed girl asked as she sat down on a green pillow and opening what Setsuna assumed to be Ayumu’s laptop. “My parents have several accounts, so if its on one of them, I can sign in to it.”

“Actually, the series is old enough to be on the free sites.” Setsuna explained, choosing the blue pillow, and leaving the pink one for Ayumu.

“Oh, alright, uhm… here.” Yuu slid the computer over.

Setsuna started typing in the address, though as she did, she noticed both Yuu and Ayumu moving their pillows to either side of her. “Hm?” She hummed quizzically as they sat down.

“Since this is one of Setsuna-chan’s favorite series, she should have the best view of the screen.” Yuu answered before she could actually give voice to her question.

“But I’ve already seen it…” Setsuna rebutted.

“Setsuna-chan is also our guest and should have the best seat.” Ayumu added.

“Oh, uhm… alright.” Setsuna conceded. “Will we all fit?” She noted the tiny table did not have room on any one side for three people.

“It’s fine if we do this.” Yuu scooted in until her shoulder touched Setsuna’s.

So close… Eh? As Setsuna’s focus was on Yuu, Ayumu slid in from the other side, though not quite close enough to touch like Yuu. Setsuna wondered how red her face was as she quickly typed the title of the anime and found the first episode.

Setsuna was very much not used to watching anime like this. For so long she had watched alone, hiding from her parents and anyone she worried might not keep her secret. But this was simultaneously comforting and distracting.

Distractingly comfortable… Was that even a thing? While most of Setsuna wanted to pay attention to the anime on screen as the opening title began, there was no denying the part that wanted to focus on the surprisingly soothing warmth radiating from her two friends. She had only sat this way with her parents as a child, and the frequency had decreased dramatically as she grew older and her parents became busier with work.

As Setsuna felt her heartrate start to return to normal and the heat dissipate from her cheeks, she started to settle into the idea that this was a nice arrangement. She could get used to watching anime like this. She could probably even get used to Ayumu leaning in closer.

Yuu giggled, bringing Setsuna’s attention back to reality.

Ah yes, the protagonist’s introduction. Definitely a humorous moment, but there were funnier scenes yet to come, even in the first episode. What would Yuu think of those? Well, they did intend to talk about everything afterward, so perhaps she should just enjoy the show for now.

Setsuna relaxed and turned the entirety of her focus on the anime.

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Setsuna startled at the sound of knocking on the door. She turned her head to see said door open and a man she assumed to be Ayumu’s father poked his head into the room.

“Ayumu?” Mr. Uehara spoke. “Your mother sent me to say that dinner is ready.”

“Thank you, Papa.” Ayumu responded, starting to get up.

The man’s gaze shifted. “Hey, Yuu.” He greeted with a smile. “And… Setsuna, was it?”

“Yes.” Setsuna replied, getting up as well before bowing. “It is a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for having me tonight.”

“The pleasure is ours.” Mr. Uehara’s smile grew. “Ayumu and Yuu have told us a lot about you. It is nice to finally meet you.”

Ayumu-san and Yuu-san talked about me? Setsuna hoped it had been at least more good than bad, though judging by both Ayumu’s parents’ actions towards her thus far, that had been the case. And that realization caused warmth to spread through Setsuna’s chest.

Setsuna couldn’t help smiling as well as she followed the other three out to the Uehara dining room.

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The notification chime sounded on Setsuna’s phone as she got out of the bathtub. She padded one hand dry on her towel and unlocked the screen to find a message from Rina. The first-year was inviting the school idol club second-years to join a game she was playing. Well, except Ai, though Setsuna assumed she was already playing. She tapped the link so the app could download as she dried off, deciding the game might make for a fun activity to pass the time while Yuu and Ayumu took their turns bathing.

A few minutes later, Setsuna padded down the hall back to Ayumu’s room, already fully engrossed in the game’s tutorial.

“Yuu-san, Ayumu-san, this game… oh…” Setsuna cut off as the other two girls looked up from their own devices.

“It’s fun, isn’t it?” Yuu grinned as she set down her phone and stood before heading toward the door.

Ayumu had also put down her phone and traded it for a hair drier. “Come have a seat, Setsuna-chan.” She motioned to the pillow she was in the process of vacating before kneeling behind it. “I’ll dry your hair for you.”

“Oh, I can do that myself.” Setsuna declined. “Thank you for the offer though, Ayumu-san.”

“Are you sure?” Ayumu seemed confused and… disappointed? “I’d be happy to do it for you, Setsuna-chan.

“Ayumu just wants an excuse to play with your hair, Setsuna-chan.” Yuu chuckled.

Setsuna startled. She hadn’t realized Yuu was still in the room, apparently having stopped to watch. In response to the teasing, Ayumu’s cheeks flushed and Setsuna imagined her own were close to matching.

Although, why was she declining anyway? Memories of the braided bun lesson from earlier that week were still fresh in Setsuna’s mind had certainly caused her to want to accept, and yet she hadn’t. But accepting wasn’t forcing those desires on Ayumu or inconveniencing her or the like. Ayumu had made the offer.

“A-Alright…” Setsuna said after an awkward moment before taking a seat in front of Ayumu.

“Back in a few.” Yuu tossed over her shoulder as she left to head to the bath.

Ayumu flipped on the hairdryer and began running her fingers through Setsuna’s hair to spread out the strands for easier drying.

For her part, Setsuna was just about to relax into the session, when her phone pinged. She checked the screen to find Rina had sent an in-game gift. She accepted excitedly and began to play again.

“Uhm… Setsuna-chan.” Ayumu said after a moment. “I don’t mind if you play, but can you stop moving around while you do?”

“Oh… uhm… Sorry, Ayumu-san…” Setsuna replied, chastising herself for being rude while her host provided a wonderful service. Still, it would also be rude not to use Rina’s gift to the fullest, so she resumed her game, but made sure to remain still for Ayumu.

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Setsuna stared up at the ceiling, laying on her back on one of Ayumu’s guest futons. As sleepy as she felt, she was still buzzing a bit with lingering excitement from the events of the night. The three of them had successfully powered through the entire season with a few breaks for snacks and stretching before spending the next couple hours talking about the story. It was well past midnight, but it was the weekend so they could sleep in late in the morning before having a late breakfast, or early lunch, before Setsuna would head home to study.

Or perhaps… maybe she could study here? She had brought her books, even though she didn’t really expect to use them. And she really liked the welcoming atmosphere of Ayumu’s room, though really her apartment and family as a whole, if she was being honest. However, she didn’t want to impose by overstaying her welcome, and she certainly wasn’t going to just invite herself to stay. Still, it was a nice idea. Perhaps someday…

“Yuu-chan?” Setsuna heard Ayumu murmur, distracting her from her thoughts.

She heard the mattress shift and turned her head to see Yuu’s silhouette sliding under the duvet. She couldn’t quite understand Yuu’s response, but both girls in the bed fell silent after.

Strange. While it didn’t surprise Setsuna that a dating couple would share a bed, she couldn’t help wondering why Ayumu would bother setting out a guest futon for Yuu. Or question Yuu joining her.

Perhaps they were hiding the fact that they were dating and setting out the futon was a visual prop to convince Ayumu’s parents? No, that didn’t seem right. Neither Ayumu nor Yuu seemed the type to hide much, if anything, from their parents. Unlike Setsuna herself… Also, if Yuu’s parents were anything like Ayumu’s, Setsuna believed they wouldn’t have much of an issue with their daughters dating. The Ueharas already considered Yuu part of their family after all.

Were they, perhaps, not actually dating? That would explain Ayumu’s protest. And knowing Yuu’s casual approach to personal space, it wouldn’t surprise Setsuna in the least if she just did as she pleased. And Ayumu would let her. Still, that didn’t seem quite right either. Setsuna was fairly certain they were a couple. Their close bond was obvious to anyone who spent more than five minutes with them.

In any case, whether they were dating or not really wasn’t any of Setsuna’s business. So perhaps pondering the possibilities was inappropriate.

What was far more worth her mental energy was focusing on memories of how much fun she had this evening. For the first time, she had been able to not only watch anime together with friends, but also talk about it with them. All in person. Not over the internet. She had shared a meal with her friends’ family and gotten to know them a little. Setsuna couldn’t remember the last time she had gone to bed feeling so welcomed, accepted and… loved? Was that the right word?

Surely, she didn’t mean to imply that she went to bed at home feeling unloved. She knew her parents loved her, even if their way of showing that love was apparently very different than Ayumu’s parents. But even having only been in the Uehara home for not even half a day, she felt loved here. They were all so kind and Setsuna hoped she could come back and experience it all again.

Setsuna closed her eyes, allowing her mind to begin yet another replay of the day. Sleep would come eventually, but right now she was content just being this happy.

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Author’s Notes Continued in Followup Post