[MODERN AU] Gorou and Y/n have been competing in pretty much everything for the majority of their lives, hating each other to the very core. And immediately once their sophomore year starts, Y/n finds a new competition for them: Getting a lead role...
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IV. THOMA ⁽ᵖˡᵉᵃˢᵉ ʳᵉᵃᵈ ᵗʰᵉ ᵃʸᵃᵏᵃ ˢⁱᵈᵉ ˢᵗᵒʳʸ ᶠⁱʳˢᵗ ⁾
Thoma had been in love with Ayaka since middle school, but he never thought he had a chance with her. He'd always given hints that he liked her, but she always seemed to ignore them. However, that wasn't the case. She thought he was only joking.
When he finally told her how he felt with full seriousness and she accepted him, he was the happiest he possibly could've been. He practically ascended to the clouds in his glee! And no matter what was going on, he couldn't think about anything else for the entire day.
Unfortunately, it was ruined during the late hours of evening. He was completing his homework at the coffee table in the living room when the continuous noise of someone falling down the stairs resounded through the house. His head whipped around so he could see what happened and he saw his mother on the ground, groaning in pain.
He gasped and rushed over, "Mom! Are you okay?!"
"Oh, I'll be fine..." She exhaled, trying to catch her breath as she sat up, putting her weight on her bony arms. She was unbelievably skinny and weakened.
"You should've called for me," he sighed, helping her stand. "What did you need?"
"I was just looking for something to eat," she sighed. "Can't even get my own damn food without collapsing..."
"I'll make you some soup, then," he offered.
"I appreciate it, honey, but I need actual food," she smiled as he picked up her cane and handed it to her.
"I thought you couldn't stomach anything else..."
She stayed quiet and limped into the kitchen, where she opened the fridge and scanned the contents. Thoma followed after her, wanting to make sure she didn't hurt herself again. He couldn't bear seeing her so weak...
"I'll whip something up for you, just go and rest," he said, gently taking her arms and pulling her away from the refrigerator.
She frowned, but still nodded, "Okay."
He was accustomed to taking care of her, but it did get tiring at times. He always had to go get her medicine, clean the house, cook meals, etc. He was happy to, since he loved her dearly, though it would've been nice if his dad was still there.
Unfortunately, he disappeared when Thoma was only eleven years old.
⊱✿⊰
"Mom...? Why are you crying? What's wrong?" Young Thoma raced over to his mother as she sobbed, her body quivering with each breath.
The police had just left after letting her know they called off the search for his father. She'd told Thoma that his dad was simply on a business trip and would be back eventually. At the time, she hoped she wasn't lying, but it turned out she was. And now she had to break the news. As she sat on the sofa, he desperately sat beside her and pulled her hands away from her face, holding them with his own.
"Mom?"
"Honey..." She sniffled, her voice cracking up. "Your father isn't coming back."
His eyes widened and his brows furrowed. The realization slowly sank into his head and suddenly, the ocean of emotions in his brain flowed out in the form of tears. He may have been a child, but he wasn't stupid.
"He wasn't on a business trip, was he..." He whimpered, resting his forehead on her shoulder.
She bit her lip and shook her head. Her vision continued to blur, but she still wrapped her arms around her son and kept him close to her. He cried against the fabric of her shirt and embraced her, gripping the cloth on her back as tight as he could.
"What... What happened?" He hiccupped, trying to keep his voice steady.
"They don't know," she whispered. "He's just gone."
He gritted his teeth and tried holding back the tears, but he couldn't. He unleashed them all and wailed, though it was muffled by his mother's clothes. They remained like that for a while until their eyes dried out and night had set in. Then, they finally broke apart. Thoma wiped the areas around his eyes with his sleeve and sniffled quietly.
"He's never gonna see me graduate..." He murmured. "Or teach me how to drive... Or have my first drinks with me..."
"It'll be okay, Thoma," his mom reassured him, putting one hand on the back of his head while she kissed his forehead. "I'll always be here for you, I promise."
He always felt it unfair. He never got closure on the situation. They didn't do a burial or a cremation because there was no body. They couldn't even be sure that he was dead, but he most certainly wasn't going back to normal life, so he might as well have passed away.
He didn't have Ayaka to comfort him at the time, but she was there for him a few years later, on the anniversary of his father's official disappearance.
"Thoma, it'll be okay..." She whispered softly into his ear as she stroked his hair, letting him cry into the crook of her neck as they sat in a field under a giant tree, protecting them from the brutal rays of sun.
He took a deep breath, "Every time he comes to mind, all I can think about is what I didn't get to do with him..."
She furrowed her eyebrows and wondered what she could possibly say to make him feel better, "I know it's difficult... I'm here for you. I'm aware it's much more complicated than just not lingering on the past, but perhaps you should try replacing those thoughts with good memories you did share."
"...I'll do my best."
He appreciated all that she did for him. She always did her best to comfort him when he was upset, and it made him feel so loved. After realizing just how head over heels he was, he decided to put a gift in her mailbox for Valentines Day. Alas, within all his excitement, he forgot to sign the card. He even made the chocolates himself, too...
Still, he did the same thing for two years until she started dating Itto. He lost most of his hope when she told him about her relationship. After all, he was nothing like Itto, so if she liked him, how would she ever like Thoma? That was his thought process.
He didn't enjoy admitting it to himself, but he did cry when he returned home. It felt like such a childish reaction, but it was a genuine one. He feared that Ayaka would stop spending time with him in favor of Itto, or that he'd be a bad influence on her and convince her to do things she didn't want to. He was afraid for her.
During their relationship, Thoma showed constant worry by asking questions about Itto and whether he was treating her right. At some point, her answers began to dwindle in confidence. At the start, she would firmly state that he was an amazing person who would never hurt her. But that turned to he hasn't done anything, or he's alright, calm down.
Thoma was endlessly thankful for his relationship with Ayaka, but when she called him while thinking of Itto, he felt an instant fear strike his heart and it almost started rotting. He didn't want to lose her so soon after finally reaching her.
"...Do you miss him?"
"No, I don't! I only have eyes for you now, Thoma, I promise."
He awoke the morning after she asked him to stay over, and she was still out cold. Her face was inches away from his, and his arms were still wrapped around her figure. He smiled at the sight of her and reached up, tucking some hair behind her ear to get it out of her face. She looked elegant, as always. He couldn't stop himself from whispering under his breath, hoping she was still asleep so she wouldn't hear him.
