he just offers Ayato another set of coping mechanisms, most notably writing (because not a day will go by without Xingqiu saying that you can quite literally write your problems away), which Ayato is hesitant on at first, but Xingqiu is a stubborn, stubborn man and manages to talk him into writing a little bit. sure, he isn't prepared to see Ayato of people break down crying, but no one ever said healing from a broken heart (among other things) would be painless. far from it.
#Contracelestiae

Xingqiu's general idea is that Ayato was very lucky to be blessed with passable coping mechanisms, a good sister, and even better genetics. you'd think this man would have more issues than he already does, but he doesn't, so it seems like whatever illnesses took his parents early didn't affect his psychological state. Thoma, not so much, but this isn't about him this time. Xingqiu doesn't even recommend therapy to Ayato (mostly because he knows that Ayato wouldn't go).
#Contracelestiae

that's not the wrinkle I was thinking about, though, because the real meat of the conversation is trying to figure out what happens to #thomato in this AU because they had just started officially dating when Thoma ended up in the Fatui. Thoma gets PTSD, yes, but what happens to Ayato?
#Contracelestiae

anyway in my #Contracelestiae AU, Thoma gets PTSD from being in the Fatui and Xingqiu realizes that he can't help him anymore, nor can he rush Thoma through his shock and stress from being taken right out of the Fatui, and wow, it's almost like being a clinical psychology major doesn't actually mean much because he doesn't have the knowledge or qualifications to be helping Thoma more than telling him to see a therapist.