Tatsumi nearly knocked over the coffee table after scooting back hastily. What was Lubbock's body doing in this man's house? No, the blanket was moving. Which means Lubbock... no. He saw with his own eyes at how his friend met his fate on those spikes. There is no way...
Tatsumi tremulously kneeled back in front of the couch and held a hand over his friend's chest. It is moving. There is an active heart beat. Lubbock is breathing. Lubbock is alive. How did Armon return Lubbock to his cabin safe and sound? How did he patch up Lubbock with just those threads? The headache returned and Tatsumi lowered his head, tears spilling on his lap. It can't be real. But those serene breaths of air. He can not be alive. However the chest rose and fell lightly. He saw. Despite the occassional muttering. Muttering?
Tatsumi shut his thoughts up to listen to Lubbock's sleep-hazed words.
"... CrossTail... Najenda... Tatsu..." Tears spilled even more on the couch as each word was spoken. Tatsumi could hardly believe Lubbock is alive, breathing, and talking. It filled his heart with every ounce of desire to protect him this time. He did not want Lubbock or anyone to baby him anymore. He wanted to make sure it was his comrades who are safe. Otherwise, the tragedy of Lubbock's likely death that replays over and over would happen again.
"I promise, Lubba." His sorrow-filled voice cracked. He no longer felt empty. He had his best friend back and the mental pain stopped. This is the last time he leaves anyone on their own and this is the last time he is weak.
His hand moved from the rising chest to Lubbock's smooth hand. To be this close to Lubbock again and yet it felt like forever. A strange flutter hit his heart and Tatsumi lied down on the carpet, keeping their hands clasped tightly.
This is all the motivation he needs.
Tatsumi awoke to a quiet, peaceful morning. He was almost ready to throw a fit at the light until he realized that it was the sun. Being in the dark dungeon too long really affected him. He sat up and recalled last night's events. Armon appears, he's saved, he's taken to a cabin, and Lubbock... Tatsumi whipped his head to the side and his breath hitched when his hand laid by itself on the floor, there was no print on the couch, no blanket, no sign of Lubock, had it all been a dream. Is he perhaps in another part of the dungeon? Is he still on the run? Is Lubbock really...?
Tears threatened to spill but foot steps snapped Tatsumi from his hopeless thoughts.
"Ah you're awake. Good thing because you can start on my vegetable patch."
"Of course sir." Tatsumi muttered monotonely with no desire to help at all. It felt so real, and now it was just gone. How could his mind be so cruel to him?
Nonetheless, Tatsumi stood and sweated when Armon handed him a basket.
"Pick out the radishes and onions. Do that, and I may cook up a nice curry for lunch. I'll be out to the Capitol for some errands. Don't blow up my cabin while I'm out."
"Yes sir."
"And drop the 'sir', you're a comrade, not a guest." Tatsumi wanted to say 'Well technically...' but he kept his mouth shut and followed Armon out the door. For once he could finally appreciate the nature in the beaming morning sun. His memories wandered to the moments where he and Lubbock would effortlessly climb a tree and sit on the branch. Lubbock would point out how some clothes look like lingerie and Tatsumi would blush and sigh.
"... in the garden too. Take care." Shit. He was too wrapped up in his thoughts to fully hear Armon. Tatsumi said "You too" and hoped it was nothing too important. In moments, he carried the basket to the patch, set down his basket, and began picking at the radishes. No doubt the garden stretched around the house because the onions were not in the front of the house.
"Dammit. I should have asked him where Lubba went. If he was even here at all..." He whispered his thoughts aloud. Of course his eyes burned and his head swam from the many questions he had. Any more and he might explode.
He apologetically loosened his grip on a leaking radish he happened to be crushing with a sigh.
"Careful now. Waste even one and he might not cook at all." Tatsumi whipped his head up at the voice, perhaps going mentally insane, and gazed above transfixed on the person. And it seemed the person was taking a good look at him as well.
"Lubba...?" Please let this not be some sort of sick mind game again,
"... Tatsumi?" Tatsumi focused on the bright green eye staring back at him. Finally, without a moment's wait, he tackled Lubbock to the ground in a bear hug.
"O-ow!" He ignored Lubbock's pain and buried his head in the nape of his friend's neck. His heart fluttered wildly and his body heated from the contact he has not had with Lubbock for such a long time.
"Tatsumi let go for a bit." Tatsumi reluctantly did as he was told and once again, his tears spilled on the other teen's shirt.
"I... I-I really thought you were..." Tatsumi stuttered emotionally. He was so glad it was not a dream. He learned his lesson on being a push over. There is no way he plans to lose Lubbock again. Not to a fate like before.
"Tatsumi..."
"How did you... come back?" Tatsumi asked at once and Lubbock sat up.
"I'll tell you. Let's just be productive before he comes back." Lubbock said and kneeled beside Tatsumi, who absentmindedly pulled out a tampered radish.
"So what happened?" He asked. Lubbock pulled on a carrot and lazily twirled it in his hand.
"I can only recall so much. Last I remembered was falling on something painful. I became numb and just blacked out. I was sure I was done for but next thing I knew I woke up in this cabin and he sent me out here."
Tatsumi sighed.
"In other words you know just as much as me. I would ask him but Armon scared me even more by the second." He smiled at Lubbock's small laugh.
"You should have seen earlier in the morning. Imagine waking to a wrinkled old bat's face."
Both boys laughed and Lubbock held a hand over his chest.
"When I woke up though, I found some stitch over where I was peirced. Turns out the last of my threads were used, so technically I'm useless now." He humored and Tatsumi frowned.
"Don't say that. You're one of the strongest people I know. I sorta lost my sword on the way here so we're both weapon less as of now." He spoke calmly, forgetting about his job. "If we showed up to Night Raid like this, especially in the middle of a war like this... I'd agree with being worthless. Which makes me worry." He thought aloud, becoming flustered when he noticed Lubbock's stare, "N-Not that I'm saying we have no luck! If anything, we could get swords or something."
"I'm not much of a blade person." Lubbock intercepted plainly. "I'm too used to CrossTail so I have no interest in trying to train with other weapons. The closest I could work with is a bow and arrow but even then that's too much of a hassle."
"You were always the laziest one." Tatsumi muttered and grinned when he felt a pathetic punch on his bicep. "But it's amazing with the number of things you could do with strings, which makes you very interesting." He added, feeling his cheeks burn a little when Lubbock's face reddened as well.
"I-I just get the ideas from some books I read." Lubbock said modestly and Tatsumi stood to go fetch the onions.
"And to apply it to a weapon is what's truly amazing." Tatsumi finally decided to shut up before he said even more embarrassing things. They sounded like compliments in his head but when he says them allowed, it becomes some sort of... flirting tone.
"Tatsu." The basket was dropped as Lubbock hugged him tightly. Tatsumi immediately hugged back with clenched-shut eyes. "I'm home for now."
"Huh?" He questioned, wondering what Lubbock meant in that phrase. Lubbock looked into his eyes with a smile that made Tatsumi's stomach drop several feet.
"You. I'm not alone since I have you. So... you're like my home. I-It's sounds dumb I know-"
"I promise to protect you." Tatsumi instantly responded. Lubbock hummed curiously.
"What are you talking about?"
"I don't want you to leave me again like that. Or anyone for that matter, from now on my top priority is you." Tatsumi grabbed his basket and left to the back side of the cabin to avoid having his burning face show. Now was not the time to cry or get embarrassed over this. He needed to focus on protecting Lubbock, finding their weapons, and possibly Night Raid.
