burnbrighter | inbox 🐾 songerein.

[ Thoma is quite observant - more observant than most people tend to give him credit for in his role as a mere housekeeper. He had planned to put those skills to good use during the course of the evening to figure out just how Ori and Diluc felt about one another, but only moments after arriving they have both made it painfully apparent. It takes a great deal of effort not to simply burst out laughing over how poorly they’ve managed to hide it.

And here he was worried.

He smiles brightly instead, both because he is truly touched by their kindness and because he can’t quite hide his amusement. ]

Well, if you want to get out some glasses so we can try some of this cider, I won’t say no. I have everything else well in-hand, so don’t worry about it.

[ He’ll be able to dish everything into plates and bowls in a few moments. There’s no small amount of food in his kitchen, so he certainly hopes they came hungry. ]

[ Ori has learned, by now, to always come to Thoma's ready to eat a lot.

She does her part in finding glasses to pour the cider into, and soon enough they have a full spread of the meal that Thoma has prepared for them, drinks, and dessert for later. Ori is rather looking forward to finally being able to share a meal with Thoma again.

(She's looking forward to miso soup, especially. She'd tried to recreate it on her own not too long ago, but it just wasn't the same. It only made her miss him all the more.)

Having Diluc here too brings forth fond memories of the first time she'd ever spent time with the two men together, too. It remains one of her most precious memories of her time in Reverein thus far, and she's grateful for the opportunity to experience that warmth and companionship once more. Despite the confusing feelings swimming around in the back of her mind about everything else about Thoma and Diluc, Ori is all smiles as they proceed with dinner, occasionally sprouting flowers when she takes a bite of something or drinks apple cider. ]

Ah, everything is so delicious...

[Diluc has also learned that lesson and come prepared. To visit Thoma is to be fed, and to be fed well.

He's more reserved in his enthusiasm, but he's looking forward to this time together no less than Ori is. It's been awhile since the three of them have been able to spend time together like this--due in large part to Thoma and Ori's mutual avoidance. While he's glad it's over (as much for his own sake as theirs, selfish as that may be), he finds himself curious about the terms of their reconcilation. And what place, if any, he has in it.

Dwelling too much on it threatens to sour the mood, however, so for now Diluc lets himself simply be happy with the company. Even if all he ends up with is their friendship, that's still more than he's allowed himself in years. If he allows it--and he's working on that--it's salve enough for long-festering emotional wounds.

Their dinner together (delicious, as always) is marked by the now-familiar flowers, light, and firebird, the lattermost of which perches near Thoma's replanted window garden and watches contentedly. Unlike the last time he saw the dreamotion creature, it's small and not a danger to everything around it. That's a good sign.]

It is. And I'm certain the cake will be, too. Thank you both for this.

[ Thoma is truly, truly glad for the company of these two people. They’ve brought him so much comfort and joy as they all try to settle into this strange new place with its strange new rules. There has been some turmoil, of course, though it was mostly of his own making.

As dinner winds down and Thoma has taken all the dishes to the sink to be dealt with later, he finds himself simply watching - not entirely for the purpose he meant to observe them either. He’s got one elbow on the table, his chin in his hand, and a soft, warm look in his eyes as he watches exchanged glances and conversation, the light playing off of them both, the way their emotions both manifest so beautifully.

He breathes out a soft laugh when Diluc offers his thanks, dropping his hand away from his face to let it rest on the tabletop. ]

Only the best for my two favorite people in all of Reverein.

[ It seems he can’t keep the affection out of his voice, so perhaps it’s better to move forward than draw this out any longer. ]

Actually… I’ve been wondering. Have the two of you thought about what it would mean to pursue a relationship in this place?

[ Ori and Diluc seem to be of the same mind, she thinks, because as soon as he mentions the cake, she pulls it closer towards her so she can begin to cut slices to serve. All the while, she's glancing up and back and forth between Thoma and Diluc, similarly unable to conceal the affection from showing through her smile, her gaze, and the flowers around her. Then it's made all the worse (or, arguably, better) when she hears Thoma call Diluc and herself his two favorite people in all of Reverein.

It's a small miracle that the cake isn't suddenly covered in flowers of all sorts when she hears those words; Ori feels her heart swell and soar in her heart and her cheeks growing ever-warmer as she makes an incision into the cake. She knows that she feels the same way - that they're her two favorite people in all of Reverein too, but she can't seem to find the words to reciprocate she sentiment, instead finding herself looking down at the cake as she poises herself to make a second cut.

And then he asks that.

Her hand slips as her head snaps up to look at Thoma with a bewildered expression, and she presses the knife down into the cake with too much force and all too quickly, making a rough run of it and smushing that first slice of the cake a little in the process. It's a small miracle, too, that she hasn't just cut her finger off by accident. ]

O—Oh.

[ ... It's not as though she hasn't thought about what he's asked about, but. It's been a passing thought, an idle daydream on more occasions than she'd like to admit, even. But - even after she and Thoma kissed after he helped pull her out of her nightmare, she's simply been content in knowing that their feelings are mutual. A relationship sounds - despite all evidence to the contrary - still like something that she can't have. ]

I, um—

[ She looks down at the sad piece of cake she's just sliced. ]

Oh.

[The "my two favorite people" comment earns a soft, almost embarrassed huff from Diluc, especially because he knows that it's painfully earnest and not just Thoma laying it on thick. It's a distinction he finds himself proud of, and a sentiment he returns wholeheartedly. He's made several other... friends, he supposes he should start calling them... here in Reverin, but these two stand apart as something else entirely.

Then Thoma follows it up with a clearly loaded question. It seems that Diluc isn't the only one who has been thinking about things. He shouldn't be surprised that Thoma would want to talk about what's on his mind rather than bottle things up like he's inclined to do. But it manages to surprise him anyway, and he finds himself a touch flatfooted by the question.

Luckily, he doesn't have to answer right away. There's a clatter from where Ori's sitting, and the sound draws his attention. The poor woman is clearly flustered, as thrown by the question as he himself feels, and makes a sorry mess of the slice of cake she started cutting before Thoma spoke up. Gently, he reaches over, takes the knife from her hand, and sets it down on the table. Dessert can wait.]

I haven't, specifically.

[It's a true enough answer. He's still untangling his own feelings--the thought of a relationship with either of them--or anyone, for that matter--is another thing entirely.]

Where are you going with this?

[ Oh, perhaps he should have noticed that Ori had a knife in her hand before he up and sprang such a sudden question on them. Diluc is kind enough to relieve her of it, though they both show their shock over the leap in subject in their own way.

He feels better about where they stand in regards to each other, but he knows that the idea of a relationship - and an unorthodox one at that - is still going to be something of a hard sell. ]

I’ve had a lot of time to be alone with my thoughts in recent weeks, and… well, if I’m being honest it’s only in the last few days that things have started to make any sense.

[ Thoma leans back in his chair, spreading his hands as if to say, “Cards on the table.” ]

I washed up on the shores of Inazuma after a shipwreck. Lord Ayato and Lady Ayaka saved my life; they took me in and gave me a place to stay. I owe everything to them, and everything I have ever done has been in their service. Whenever I leave this place - whether that’s today or tomorrow or years from now - that’s the duty I will return to.

But I’m also my own person, with my own feelings and desires, and I’m not in Inazuma right now. My duty doesn’t change, but I can’t… I won’t ignore my heart. It isn’t right to let myself or anyone else wallow in anguish because I can’t reconcile the two.

I have feelings for both of you. I… want to be with both of you. And unless I’m wildly off the mark, I think you two feel the same.

[ With the knife easily removed from her hands, Ori now finds herself fidgeting with the ends of her hair. She's glad, for one, that Diluc asks Thoma to get straight to the point, because wherever this is going has her mind racing and swirling with various thoughts, resurfacing some of the confusion she'd felt earlier in the evening - why does she feel so much for both of them? What happens with the fact that she's from an entirely different world from them? ...What happens if she leaves? Would she remember them?

But Thoma's words have her full attention soon enough, she her heart twists and turns at the same time as it beats wildly in her chest as she listens on. She admires, so much, the way that he's able to put words to his feelings and bravely forges on, and she can't help but want to feel brave, too, despite all of her insecurities. By the time he's finished talking, Ori finds herself looking right at Diluc, and her hands have dropped down to her lap, one hand clasping the other tightly. ]

I...

[ Then she looks at Thoma. Then back at Diluc. And then ultimately, she finds the spot on the table that's perfectly in between the two as she takes a deep breath. ]

Both of you have seen... a lot, about me. In those nightmares. There's something very important that I must do, and I can't let my loved ones down. But you both showed me... that I'm more capable than I think I am. And that I'm enough, that the dawn will always break. [ Her eyes flick briefly between the two of them before she looks back down at the same spot. ] And you— both of you hold a special place in my heart for saving me from my own nightmare - from myself.

But I... can't help but feel like something like a relationship is something I can have. And if we all leave this place, I'll be separated from you both forever. Is that really okay?

[ Her hands ball into fists on her lap as she finally looks back up at them, her eyes gleaming with the threat of tears brimming over. ]

I don't know what to do. You both mean so much to me, but I don't know if I deserve to even be with anyone. Is that really okay...?

[Of all the directions that Thoma could have been going with this discussion, "I want to be with both of you," is not among the ones that Diluc expects. For the second time in this post-dinner conversation, he finds himself totally broadsided. As his brain processes that yes, he did hear that correctly, he stares blankly across the table.

Then he ponders it a bit more, replaying previous conversations and interactions with each and both of them. It's a poorly-kept secret by now that they both have taken up residence in a heart that was determined to keep them out. He thinks of recent conversations with Ori, both being forced to bare the ugliest parts of themselves and still finding the other worth caring for. And he thinks of how the illusion of platonic distance with Thoma has already been shattered thanks to his unwillingness to let Diluc continue to emotionally sabotage himself.

It's amazing, the difference that a few nights and some brutal honesty makes. Just a few weeks ago, he would have found the idea utterly ridiculous and found an excuse to make a quick exit.

Thoma's suggestion is unorthodox, certainly, but it's also an elegant one. If they all feel similarly (and if Thoma and Ori are willing to put up with him), then there's no reason not to try. They're in a world of dreams, and perhaps a little bit of dreaming together like this is what they all need.]

I can't promise that I'll be an easy man to be in a relationship with, but I suspect you know that already.

[He gives Thoma a smile, fond and a bit lopsided, and leaves his response there for now. He's smart. He should be able to pick up what the statement actually means.

Poor Ori, however, seems to be having a harder time with this. He watches her as she talks herself through it, stumbling over her own insecurities and worries, then glances across the table at Thoma to silently ask 'what do I say?' Meanwhile, the firebird flies over from its perch on the windowsill to sit on Ori's shoulder and nuzzle her cheek. The sensation of its is warm, not scalding or immolating like its appearance might suggest.]

[ He could not have imagined a pair of more different reactions to the offer he’s just put forth. Diluc’s quiet acceptance - that comes with a caveat that is so very Diluc - is a pleasant surprise, one that makes his heart do a little somersault in happiness. His moment of brutal honesty the other day has served them both well, it seems. It is something that he will remember to bring to bear if Diluc ever gets too caught up in his own head again. ]

I do know that.

[ It’s gentle, and soft, and full of the promise that no matter how difficult it is, he means to see it through.

They are all their own worst enemies in a lot of ways, and Thoma is intimately familiar by now with how Ori’s insecurities can get the better of her. Can make her think there are a great many things she does not deserve, even when they’re being offered to her freely. Diluc seems a bit out of his depth, but the manifestation of his feelings makes his intentions clear enough. Thoma can only smile warmly as he pushes himself up from his chair and moves to place a gentle hand on Ori’s other shoulder. ]

If you didn’t deserve our affection, you wouldn’t have been able to capture it in the first place. I don’t know where that nasty little voice in your head that tells you that you’re not worthy came from, but I’m here to tell it that it’s wrong. We both are.

There’s a very real chance that one or all of us could disappear from this place. You would be worlds away, and there’s no guarantee that Diluc and I would even remember what happened here despite going back to the same place - and that’s not even considering that Inazuma and Mondstadt are an ocean apart. That’s a risk we’ll all have to take, but I think that even a small chance at finding happiness is worth pursuing.

[ Ori is the sort to get caught up rather easily in her worries, often spiraling into further anxiety and worry if it gets the best of her - but the feeling of a gentle fire on her shoulder catches her attention enough to pull her out of the nervous looping of her mind, and she lets that sensation of warmth soothe her aching heart. Her eyes find Diluc's all the while, her gaze full of knowing that this gesture, this manifestation of dreamotion is exactly what she's always known him to be capable of - a quiet, but severe sort of gentleness and kindness. It means everything to her in this moment.

Dawn will break soon.

And then she feels the warmth of Thoma's hand on her other shoulder, and her head turns to look up at him.

The voice in her head that tells her she's not enough comes from herself. It comes from a lifetime of loneliness. It comes from her shouldering the burdens and fault for things that are, in actuality, out of her control, but that she can't help but feel responsible for regardless. It comes from a great many things, but...

You're enough, Ori. More than enough.

Diluc and Thoma's calm agreement catches her heart and holds it tightly. She's earnestly happy for them, and a part of her feels maybe it's best if she leaves them be. But... she's enough. She's strong. Maybe... she doesn't have to hide away the feeling she has in her heart, like it's overflowing with so much affection for the both of them. Maybe she can chase happiness and bravely face whatever toils and struggles may face them. After all, they'll both be there for her. With her.

It will take her time to wrap her head around how she fits into this puzzle of two incredible people who've been pulled into a realm of dreams together from the same world - who then met being from a different realm and somehow found themselves liking her. But they make her feel like she can at least try. ]

I'll... I'll do my best to make you happy, then. Both of you.

[It's a good thing Thoma is here and is as good with words as he is. He manages to calm her down with a little help from Diluc's dreamotion familiar (which is basically what the firebird is, he's long since realized) and soon Ori agrees as well. Diluc feels a swell in his chest at her response, and he knows he's made the right decision in accepting this relationship rather than continuing to fight it.

The firebird dissipates as he reaches over to brush a bit of hair out of her face. Halfway through the gesture, however, he hesitates and frowns softly with thought. No, this won't do. If this is to be a romance, he's going to have to put in more effort than that.

Wordlessly--and more awkwardly than he'd like--he gets up to move his chair immediately next to hers. Once that's accomplished, he re-takes his seat and wraps his arm around her shoulders. That's better.]

You already do.

[ Even if he wanted to, Thoma couldn’t hide the smile on his face. This is… going a lot smoother than he expected, but perhaps he underestimated just how deeply they all feel for each other. If he has to be wrong about something in this endeavor, he’s glad it’s that.

His grin only hitches wider when Ori seems to accept their genuine desire to have her be a part of this, and Diluc moves closer as a result. ]

Truer words never spoken.

[ Those few weeks without Ori were absolutely miserable. Having her back in his life, letting her into his heart, has truly felt like the dawn breaking. He moves around the back of them both, slinging an arm over each of their shoulders to lean down and press a soft, affectionate kiss to each of their temples in turn. ]

This is the best gift I could ever ask for.

[ Ori is someone who often gets caught in the moment, and at times, it takes her an additional few moments to truly realize what's going on.

Which is why it's not until Diluc has an arm around her and Thoma plants kisses on the both of them that it truly, really dawns on her: she's not just confessed to having feelings for two men at once— she's now also entered a romantic relationship with both of them. At once. When she never even thought it was possible for her to have any relationship, no matter how much she might have wished for it.

The fact that they both agree that she already makes them happy just moves her further, tightening at her heart in a good way, and she can't help the way that tears finally spill over. Her heart feels so full in a way that she never thought would be possible for her and she's incredibly relieved to know that she doesn't have to hide any of these feelings away anymore. Though she sheds tears, she's smiling with all the gratitude and warmth and affection she feels for them, and she reaches up to wipe her tears away. ]

Sorry, I'm just— relieved.

[ She laughs through the tears a little before she turns her head to look up at Thoma. ]

What an eventful birthday for you, huh?

[Diluc shrinks a bit against the kiss to his head, unused as he's become to that sort of easy affection. It feels weird. Between that and Ori crying with relief and happiness, he finds himself suddenly overwhelmed by what it is he's agreed to be a part of.]

There's no need to go that far, Thoma...

[If either of them see the pink in his cheeks, no they don't.

Despite the instinctive recoil, Diluc stays right where he is. Their emotional openness is part of why he's fallen for them like he has, after all. He's going to have to learn to live with it as much as they're going to have to learn to put up with his comparative closed-off nature. Besides, it's not wholly unpleasant. It's just something he's not entirely equipped to handle.

He looks over at Ori to make sure the tears are actually just a release of emotion and not an indication of anything worse. The smile on her face and the earnest bit of laughter that rise out of her are evidence enough that she's just fine. Satisfied, Diluc contents himself with rubbing her back and avoiding further eye contact while she and Thoma continue to talk.]

Sorry. I just get excited.

[ This, directed at Diluc. He doesn’t mean to take him too far out of his comfort zone, though some part of him is hoping for a goodnight kiss before he and Ori take their leave for the night.

They’ll figure it out as they go. It’s a new experience for all of them in a lot of ways, he’s sure.

When Ori starts crying, he steps away just long enough to fetch her a tissue, but then he’s back, both of his hands on her shoulders, making soothing little motions along with Diluc’s hand on her back. ]

I think it’s been eventful for all of us. How about some tea?

[ She takes the offered tissue with thanks, and their combined gestures go a long way to soothe her emotional state as she wipes her tears away and takes a deep breath. It will take time for Ori to fully wrap her horned head around the fact that it's okay for her to have this— to have them both, but she cannot deny that even now, just being with them both like this is already such a wonder for her weary soul.

Ori had been fully prepared, even after she and Thoma set their hang-ups aside after her nightmares, to hide her feelings away in favor of keeping their friendship. That, to her, is the most precious thing she's found in Reverein - but at the chance for things to blossom into something more... it gives her such a feeling of amazement and gratitude; and as always, flowers bloom in her hair, conveying her happiness in a way that her words often can't when she has difficulty articulating them.

Her hand reaches for Diluc's hand - the one that's not at her back - and squeezes it tightly as Thoma offers tea. ]

I think... You should take a seat and let us handle tea - right, Diluc?

And, um, I'll make sure I don't ruin the cake this time.

[At least Thoma is being gracious about Diluc's knee-jerk reaction. Not that he expects anything less. In the time that Diluc has gotten to know him, Thoma has proven himself again and again as a master of people, knowing when it's best to push and when it's best to let things breathe. It's one of many things about the man that leaves Diluc in awe, even in instances where Thoma turns the tables on him.

(Maybe especially then, if how he reacted the last time that happened.)

Ori, meanwhile, is so overwhelmed by her own joy that she can't help but extend herself into his space. Which is only fair, since he's been in hers while trying to soothe her. But he still doens't entirely know how to handle the way his heart skips a beat when she squeezes his hand.]

I suppose we could handle that. And you haven't ruined anything. I'll take the squished slice--it'll taste the same regardless of how it looks.

[He squeezes her hand back before letting go in order to stand up and take Thoma by the shoulders, directing him toward the vacated chair.]

Sit. You've done enough for us tonight.

[ Watching Diluc and Ori be openly affectionate with each other is like a breath of fresh air, and he’s glad that he could help facilitate them being more open with each other as well as themselves. They all needed a bit of honesty. ]

Oh!

[ Still, he’s not used to being waited on, himself, and he starts a bit when Diluc guides him to sit down - though he ultimately goes where led. ]

Okay, okay! I’m sitting.

[ She looks on with affection and gratitude as Diluc guides Thoma back to his seat, although he will most certainly have to fight her for the distinction of being the one to eat the slice she had squished earlier.

With one more smile at Thoma as he sits back down at the table, she stands up from her own seat and moves around the table to retrieve clean plates and utensils with which to serve the cake - and all the while, she can't seem to stop simply staring at the view before her, of two people for whom she cares so deeply. She hopes she can remember this scene for a long time to come.

It also occurs to her then, as she's stacking plates, that she has no idea how this is all supposed to work? She hasn't had much experiencing being in a relationship with someone, let alone two someones. Her blessing is that she trusts Thoma to be patient with her (and Diluc, she suspects) as they navigate all of this.

In any case, she returns to the table dutifully to continue slicing the cake while Diluc works on tea - and of course, she will set the wonky slice in front of her place at the table, while Diluc and Thoma will have perfectly sliced pieces set in front of theirs. All the while, she glances up at Thoma and asks, ]

How do you normally celebrate your birthday?

[Don't think that Diluc doesn't notice where you put the smashed slice of cake, Ori. But he lets it go. A slice of cake is hardly worth picking a fight over, even a well-meaning one, and if it makes her feel better to take that one far be it from him to stop her. Honestly, in her position he'd have done the same.

Besides, Diluc has tea to put on. It should feel strange, helping himself to someone else's place like this, but for some reason with Thoma is simply doesn't. Yet another sign that this sort of falling in with them was meant to be, perhaps.

He contents himself with listening as Thoma and Ori chat, as he has so often before. At least now, he doesn't feel quite so conflicted about the fondness he feels as he does so.]

[ It is a bit strange for him to be the one on the receiving end of being cared for, but he finds he doesn’t dislike it. There’s something almost comforting, new and yet strangely familiar, about watching Ori and Diluc move about his living space as easily as if it were their own. It’s a testament, he thinks, to how closely intertwined they’ve all become in each other’s lives.

He’s so caught up in dreamily watching them that he almost doesn’t realize he’s been asked a question at first. ]

Oh, me? Um, usually I’d spend time with Lord Ayato and Lady Ayaka and do something a little like this.

This is probably my favorite birthday dinner in recent memory, though.

[ Ori cannot help but giggle at Thoma's response, warmth finding its way onto her lilac cheeks once more. Naturally, she can imagine why exactly it is that Thoma's dubbed this his favorite birthday dinner, but the playfulness with which he says it lifts her spirits, as he always does so easily. She has always admired that about him. ]

I hope Lord Ayato and Lady Ayaka don't mind that we've taken the title from them, then.

[ She wonders if she'll ever get to meet them. Or maybe see them in a more pleasant sort of dreamscape. Not for the first time, Ori wishes that she could see more of the world that Thoma and Diluc are from, but she'll always be happy to hear them both talk about Teyvat instead. ]

Do you think they'd enjoy apple cider from Mondstadt's Dawn Winery and strawberry-chamomile cake, too?

[Thoma's assertion gets a chuckle out of Diluc.]

Well, it's not every birthday that you end up with a girlfriend and a boyfriend all at once. Your lord and lady can't be expected to compete with that.

[There's playfulness in his voice as he says it--as much playfulness as Diluc is able to express, anyway--but it's an accurate statement all the same.

Really, it's trying to compare apples and oranges. Thoma's relationship with the Kamisato siblings is no less dedicated, but it's very different from the one they're establishing here tonight. Diluc knows this both from conversations the two have had and from his own comparative relationships with Adelinde and Elzer.

Now that he's added his two Mora to the conversation, he returns to the business of their tea. He finishes steeping the pot and pours Ori and Thoma's cups, carrying them to the table and setting them down before returning to the counter to pour his own.]

Edited (I can't use the same icon twice! It's unseemly!) 2022-01-27 23:14 (UTC)

They probably would. I’ve told them both about Mondstadt a lot. Plus, I can’t imagine anyone disliking your cooking, Ori. You might put me out of a job!

[ He’s joking, of course. Though he has no doubt that his lord and lady would be happy for him, and would welcome his new partners just as warmly as they welcomed him.

Oh… he wasn’t prepared for how happy it would make him to hear Diluc refer to them as his boyfriend and girlfriend so easily, so casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. His expression lights right up - literally and figuratively, as beams of warm sunlight pour from his skin. ]

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