Hi! I know, it's a new story, one of a series some of you have probably never even heard of until now.

But I really wanted to do this, especially when I found the image that's this oneshot's cover image.

Either way, you'll all see how much my writing style has changed and I hope you enjoy the story!

WARNING: It's kind of depressing.

The day had started normally enough for Lubbock, who had been sat comfortably on the couch with his mind focused entirely on a manga he was reading. His knees would occasionally either pull up slightly against his body or flatten out, causing his legs to sprawl over the cushions, and soon he found himself sat with one knee up, tucked against his chest, while the other leg precariously balanced the book as he read.

Then, Tatsumi walked in. At first, the thread-wielder paid no mind to the brunette, too absorbed in the plotline of the manga to even realise the younger teen had entered the room at all. However, soon his attention was pulled onto the boy, not the book, when he felt arms wrap over his shoulders and gently press him into a trembling figure behind him.

His green eyes went from the page, which was now forgotten and dismissed, to the shaking arms that were crossed in front of him from behind.

"Tatsumi? You okay?" he inquired gently as he placed a hand on the younger boy's elbow, a lazy attempt of reassurance typical of the usually carefree teenager.

"Please don't die…" the brunette muttered softly, his eyes screwed shut – not that Lubbock knew that – as he held onto the older teen. "Please… I don't… I can't…-"

"Whoa, whoa. Hey… What the hell bought this on?"

"I… Remembered Chelsea's…- I had a dream and-"

Tatsumi seemed to violently shake and, though he was hesitant to, Lubbock turned himself around as best as he could and hugged the boy.

Even after all of this time… You're still a kid, huh? He thought as he gently rubbed Tatsumi's shoulder blade through the cream sweater the boy often wore.

"I've already lost Sheele, Aniki and now Chelsea. I can't lose my best friend as well," Tatsumi muttered into the green haired teen's shoulder. "I don't want you to die as well."

"Then I promise to make it through this," Lubbock spoke calmly, despite the screaming in his mind. "I promise not to die."

Tatsumi seemed to freeze up before he felt a slight smile form on his lips.

"Really?" he inquired, not moving at all once he was able to see Lubbock's face. He wanted to hear confirmation that Lubbock meant each of those words. "You really mean that? You promise to survive, Lubba?"

"Yeah, I swear to you," he gave a reassuring grin to Tatsumi before he gently pushed the boy away by his shoulders, "By the way, I think Akame's in the kitchen. Maybe helping her out with dinner will calm you down?"

"Maybe…" Tatsumi murmured before he shifted and got up. He stopped his motion and looked at the green haired teen again. "Thanks Lubbock… I… I'm glad you're usually there for me."

Lubbock hummed lightly before he gestured for Tatsumi to go on ahead. The boy nodded and walked off, a warm grin on his lips.

"Liar," a new voice spoke up, feminine and mature, "you shouldn't lie that easily, Lubba. Not about something like that."

"I had to, Leone," Lubbock responded, his eyes trained on the doorway that Tatsumi had just left the room through. "he shouldn't look, hell shouldn't even sound, that sad. No one should… He was…"

"Was…?" Leone prompted.

"Terrified? Traumatised? There's a lot of words I could use to describe what he looked like, what he seemed like to me."

Leone gave him an absent-minded hum as she walked over to Lubbock and propped herself on the sofa's arm.

"Still," she spoke as she shifted her position so that she had Lubbock in-between her legs. "You lied so easily to him, like it was nothing. Y'know that though, don'tcha?"

"Yeah, I know. And I do that a lot. You girls are too harsh on him," Lubbock deadpanned, and he soon found himself fidgeting when he realised he was in-between Leone's legs and felt her fingers running through his hair, "don't forget, he's still a kid… You're all too blunt with him."

"And you're too soft on him, Lubba," Leone scolded him lightly as she messed with the red goggles on the younger's head. "You shouldn't make promises that are impossible to keep."

Lubbock's lips pressed together in a thin line.

"I know. But I had to calm him down… Somehow."

Tatsumi's legs felt weak suddenly. Lubbock... Lied? He falsely promised something like that to Tatsumi; knowing fully well that he may not be able to keep it.

How could he?

The remaining members of Night Raid stared at the seat Tatsumi usually occupied during dinner, which was currently cold and empty.

"He's rarely missed dinner…" Akame stated, her red eyes fixated on the furniture with silent worry.

"Yeah… This is pretty weird, even for him to do." Mine commented, and despite her acting like she really couldn't care less, the group simply needed to glance at her pink eyes to see her own hidden concern for the lack of their brunette.

Lubbock and Leone exchanged glances, a silent conversation between the two, before he got up from his seat with a groan from the wooden legs as he shoved the seat back with his heels.

"What're you doing?" Pink eyes went from the seat to the teen when she heard movement.

"Why? You wanna follow me?" Lubbock joked lightly before he sighed and slipped his hands in his coat's pockets and he soon started to walk away after he casually stated: "I'm going to check on Tatsumi. I have a few ideas on where he'd be."

The girls simply watched as the branded 'pervert' of the group walked off, with slightly hunched shoulders, unsure of what to expect from his sudden disconcerted attitude.

Lubbock hesitated at the door, his red-clad hand only a few inches from the wood in front of him. He was reluctant to enter, though he was unsure why. It was like his thoughts were in overdrive, making him overthink everything. He took a deep breath before he gently knocked on the door.

"Tatsumi? You in there?" He noticed how his words seemed shaky, as if his own voice was going to betray him at any moment. What if Tatsumi didn't want to see him? What if he should've just left the boy be? Maybe he should just go, pretend everything's okay; that everything's fine.

Lubbock froze.

Why was he scared of seeing Tatsumi right now?

He shook his head to remove that thought from his mind as he cleared his throat. He hadn't heard Tatsumi respond at all.

"I'm coming in…" he casually called out, then opened the door to pure black. The only light in the room was from the corridor behind the green-haired teenager.

It was dark… Too dark. As if someone had blocked out the light to prevent it from releasing even a single spark into the room. And Lubbock hated it. It made him so… Uncomfortable.

He turned the light on after quietly making a joke about it being darker than Esdeath's heart and her so called "love" in the room.

His green eye caught a glimpse of a moving lump on the bed, hiding under the blanket. A gentle huff came from the thread-wielding assassin as he walked over.

"Tatsu," he sat himself down on the bed, near the blanket mound. "you missed out on dinner. Akame even cooked your favourite meal."

A shift in the blankets then a gentle nudge on his lower back, near his tailbone, which he knew was most likely unintentional. He just scoffed lightly and started to move himself away.

"Fine. Stay in here. Just came to check on you anyways," he paused, "you worried the girls a lot, Tats."

He said nothing else, refusing to admit to his own gnawing unsettlement at the brunette's absence at dinner, and he simply got up from the bed with one push; then started to walk away. The sound of sheets rustling entered his ears accompanied by the movement of clothes against skin.

Then, an inaudible whisper.

He paid no mind at first and continued walking. Then the whisper grew louder, but he only managed to distinguish some syllables. Yet, by the time he had reached the door, it had become much louder and the words he heard hit him.

Hard.

"Please don't go... Don't leave me alone."

Lubbock immediately felt himself freeze up. Tatsumi sounded so… So broken… So sad…

And the teenager hated it. Tatsumi wasn't supposed to sound like that! Not that destroyed. He was supposed to sound like Tatsumi! Stupid, kind, naïve, friendly Tatsumi who had matured over time.

Not like a lost child crying out loud. Not like a fragile doll that could break and shatter at any given second.

"Tats-"

"I don't want to be alone," the brunette's voice trembled as he spoke. "I don't want that."

Against his better judgement, Lubbock walked over and pulled the teen into his chest, as gently as he could. He felt like if he didn't, and he was too rough, Tatsumi would just crumble in front of him.

"Of all the things you could do… All the things you could have done…" Lubbock listened to the tremulous voice as unsteady hands grasped at his signature green jacket. "Why did you make a promise you knew you couldn't keep?"

Lubbock gnawed at his lip.

"I… I don't know," he whispered, his eyes directed downwards in shame. "I guess, because I wanted to see that stupid smile of yours again…"

A teary laugh, almost bitter sounding, came from the Incursio-wielder before he just buried his now tear-stained face into Lubbock's white shirt.

"I... Please, don't leave. Stay with me, with the team," Tatsumi looked up and met Lubbock's green gaze with his own, "survive and continue living, okay?"

"I can promise two of those three things," Lubbock murmured. "I'm never leaving, you're stuck with me, and so's the team. But I can't promise I'll live..."

He paused; he looked away. He breathed in deeply before he spoke again.

"Is that okay with you, Tatsumi?"

"Yeah," A small, sad but understanding, smile formed on the brunette's lips, "that's fine, Lubbock."

The teen smiled as he sat himself on the bed and soon, he closed his eyes. He didn't even realise how tired he was until now...

He wasn't sure how long he had been led there, asleep, but he didn't want to move for two reasons. One: he was extremely comfortable, and it felt like a waste to move now. Two: He felt a weight on him, and specifically on his abdomen. He glanced down to see Tatsumi led there, head on his stomach, slightly bared skin visible under brown strands as his shirt had rolled up while he slept, quietly sleeping.

I promise, Tatsumi, to always be there for you when you need it most.

There you guys go! That was Promises~!

My most kid friendly and wholesomely sad fanfiction yet. I'm surprised at myself and proud.

Anyways! Feel free to leave reviews and favourites! I'd love to hear people's feedback.

It's a shame that this fandom isn't bigger, because Akame Ga Kill is such a good, violent and emotional series.