Always
"Hey, Haruse…"
The voice was groggy and filmed over with sleep. One pink eye blinked against the light and settled on half-open as Kuroyuri partly ascended into the waking world. The intoxicating warmth of his environment, though, made him sleepier, and he had to make himself stay awake. "Hey, Haruse," he said again.
Haruse looked fondly down at the boy cradled in his arms and smiled, brushing pink hair away from Kuroyuri's good eye, gently grazing his cheek with large fingers.
"Kuroyuri-sama?"
He smiled at the sound of his Begleiter's voice, and nestled closer against his chest. "Haruse, you'll always be with me, right?"
"Always, Kuroyuri-sama."
"Because," he frowned as sleep began to creep back up on him. "Because if you leave, I'll…" he thought for a moment, trying to think of what he would do. "I'll cry. And then I'll follow you forever… And never… leave you alone…" This was punctuated by a large yawn. Haruse's smile grew softer and he shifted the boy in his arms.
"I don't doubt that," he said gently. "Kuroyuri-sama… I'll never leave you. I promise." The large man held him closer.
"Never?"
"Never, ever."
Kuroyuri smiled again and shut his eyes, content with Haruse's answer. He murmured something unintelligible before sleep claimed him again. The blue-haired Begleiter grazed the pad of his thumb fondly over the boy's cheek.
Never, ever.