[ Thoma nearly opens his mouth to ask, but then Ayato's stripping off his top and his gaze flickers down to take in those traces of injury across Ayato's body. There's that flash of guilt that happens every time he's seen his lord in some state of injury, as if it's fault directly that he's injured even though he knows reasonably that he can't protect Ayato every hour of the day. Even more so here, where all of them would head out for days at a time on quests. ]

[ This is just what can happen. ]

[ All the same, his eyes soften, but he holds back those unwarranted feelings of guilt and failure of protecting Ayato to focus on him and his words. If he lets himself get caught up in this, he feels like they'll never be able to step past their relationship as master and servant, and it'd hurt too much to lose that chance. So he reaches out instead, letting his hand fall to Ayato's waist opposite that patch and leans in to murmur softly. ]

I won't stop. Though I hope you will forgive me for being gentler from now on.

[ Emboldened, he dares to press a kiss over Ayato's shoulder, in part to hide the small, shy smile he gives as he hopes again. ]

Or let me make it up to you once you are fully recovered.

[ At least this has done miracles for his patience. ]