My Promise Will Be Kept

Jake Xavier was walking down the street with a brown paper bag in his hand. He entered a small apartment building and headed up the staircase. As he did, he ran into Zel.

"Oh hi, Zel. What are you doing here?" Jake asked her.

"I was at Tsuki's apartment last night…" Zel answered then blushed as she realized what she just said. "W-we didn't do anything! I just wanted to make sure his wounds were alright and such!"  Jake laughed as she panicked.

"No worries Zel… I knew you two wouldn't have done anything." This made Zel sigh in relief.

"Well… I'm headed over to Fuyu's. See you later!" Zel smiled and headed down the stairs. Jake walked up to Tsuki's apartment and opened the door to find the blonde elf lying on the couch.

"Honey, I'm home." Jake laughed. Tsuki sprung up at the sound of Jake's voice.

"Welcome back my love…" Tsuki grinned. Jake set the bag on the counter.

"I saw Zel on the way down… you two do anything fun?" Jake asked.

"Fun? Not my kinda fun… we just kinda talked and such. I let her stay the night because it was late." Tsuki sighed. "I probably should make the guest room bed… but I'm still a little sore from yesterday's little fight…"

"Don't worry about it… I'll make it in a few minutes." Jake blushed and looked away. "Darling…" Tsuki's ears twitched at him saying that.

"What did you just call me?" Tsuki asked.

"I called you darling… is that okay?" Jake asked, being a Tsudere as usual. Tsuki looked away, ears down and a sad facial expression.

"If you want…" He mumbled.

"What's wrong Tsuki?" Jake asked, going over to him. "Are you sick?"

"I'm fine… don't worry about me…" Tsuki said. Jake sighed.

"I do nothing but worry about you." Jake kissed him on the forehead. "Now tell me what's wrong… was it something between you and Zel? Or was it something I said?"

"I'm serious… it's nothing." Tsuki pouted. Jake gave a solemn look.

"Please tell me, Tsuki… I don't like you being upset."

"I'm not upset!" Tsuki barked, making Jake jump. He looked away in remorse.  

"Please Tsuki…" Jake begged. Tsuki sighed and buried his face in a throw pillow.

"I just… I just… don't like it when people call me darling. It brings up too many memories for me." Tsuki mumbled.

"What kind of memories?" Jake asked.

"Nothing of importance…"

"That's a lie… if it wasn't of importance, you wouldn't be upset. Now tell me…" Jake said and stroked the back of Tsuki's head.

"Do I have to…?" Tsuki groaned.

"Yes… now spill it." Tsuki sighed, giving in.

"Alright… I don't like people calling me darling because… because… that's what my mother used to call me. It was actually the last word she ever said to me…" Tsuki said. Jake's eyes widened and he felt a little guilty for calling him that and bringing up painful memories. Jake felt Tsuki's cheek; it was wet with tears.

"I-I'm sorry Tsuki… I didn't know…" Jake said. Tsuki shook his head.

"You didn't know… it's no big deal… really." Tsuki mumbled.

"If it isn't a big deal… why are you crying?" Tsuki froze, not realizing he was crying.

"I… I guess the memories are more painful than I thought…"

"Do you want to talk about them? Maybe it will make you feel better?" Tsuki shook his head.

"No… I don't." Tsuki said and got up. Jake looked at him

"What are you doing?" Jake asked. Tsuki ran to the door.

"Out…" Tsuki ran out the door. Jake quickly jumped up after him, but couldn't keep up. Tsuki ran out of town and into the woods. There, he ran through the thick forest to a small village… the village he used to live in. he wandered throughout the old, weathered down huts. Memories of his past flooded him. He couldn't help but shed tears. All of his loved ones… gone. His home… gone. The life he knew in a peaceful village in the woods… gone. All because of the girl who once was his friend, his love, his family. He pressed his back to a tree and fell to the ground, sobbing. Suddenly, he felt a presence before him. He looked up assuming it was Jake who finally caught up to him. But that wasn't the case…

"Aw… look at the little elf boy crying~!" Tsuki's eyes widened as Lluvia stood before him.

"You!" Tsuki called and jumped up.

"I have a name, you dumb boy." Lluvia pouted.

"What in god's name are you doing here?!"

"What? I can't come home every now and again?"

"You aren't welcome here!" Tsuki yelled. This caused Lluvia to laugh.

"What? Are you the protector of this worn down village?" Lluvia laughed and pinned him to the tree.

"Let go of me and leave!" Tsuki growled.

"And why would I do that?" Just then, Jake came running up into the village.

"T-Tsuki?! Are you here?!" Jake called, out of breath. Lluvia was quick to notice him, giving Tsuki a painful punch to the stomach and going after Jake. She grabbed Jake by the throat and pinned him high to a tree.

"Why hello there human~!" She laughed. Jake choked at the sudden attack.

"N-not you…" Jake panicked.

"Who else do you want to see~? A zombie?" Lluvia laughed and started to cut off Jake's breathing. Tsuki saw her attacking Jake. That sight broke him. He summoned his hammer and barreled towards her. Just as his hammer was about to hit her, he mumbled a spell. Water bursts from the ground and engulfed Lluvia, holding her in place. Lluvia let out a scream of pain; water was her one weakness. Tsuki slammed her into a tree with a full force blow. Lluvia hit the tree, coughing up a little blood. Burned from the water and a few crushed bones from the hammer, she wobbly stood up.

"You really do hate me Tsuki… don't you…?" She muttered weakly.

"I do… you are a dead woman Lluvia." Tsuki said and walked over to her.

"What? You're going to kill me? Fat chance!" Lluvia laughed.

"I will kill you… if it's the last thing I do. I made a promise." Tsuki said.

"A promise to whom?"

"My mother… you will die Lluvia."

"Hah! You want me to think a weakling like you can kill me?!" Lluvia laughed, almost taunting him.

"Like I said… I made a promise… I will make sure it is executed if it's the last thing I do…" Tsuki said confidently.

"You really are a fool Tsuki. You haven't changed one bit."  Tsuki finally made it over to her and kicked her in the stomach, slamming her against the tree behind her.

"I will have her blood on her hands no matter what mother… I love you. Those were the last words my mother ever heard." Tsuki said, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"Oh boo who… grow up Tsuki. She's gone, never coming back. Let her go and come join me!" Lluvia told him. "Ancelin with give you all the power you crave! He will make you strong." Tsuki kicked her again.

"Why would I ever join you!? I'm with Sage! My goal is to kill every single one of the assassins!"

"A weakling like you? Kill all of us? Have you not realized how strong we are? There's no hope of all you losers at that shop winning! The assassins will take over and this world will finally be ours, we will be worshiped and feared. There's no hope for any of you useless humans, nor the useless elves I left live." Lluvia laughed and opened the gate to the nightmare realm.

"You're escaping?! Coward!" Tsuki yelled.

"No… I'm just bored. But remember Tsuki… my offer still stands. You are stronger than those at the shop. You just haven't found your true abilities… if you join us, we can show you them! We're waiting for you Tsuki. But before I go…" Lluvia got up and leaned against Tsuki, kissing him. "I do still love you." She gave an innocent look and left, closing the gate behind her. Tsuki looked at the ground, clenching his fists. Jake watched the whole thing… the ending kiss bothered him.

"W-why… why now…?" Tsuki said, tears rolled down his cheeks again. He brushed them off his face and went back over to Jake.

"Did she hurt you too bad?" Tsuki asked as he helped Jake up. Jake shook his head.

"No… I'm fine…" Jake said, looking rather sad. Tsuki gave a suspicious look.

"What's wrong?" Jake shook his head

"Just light headed from being choked." He lied.

"You're upset at the things she said aren't you?" Tsuki asked.

"…A little bit…" Jake said and looked away. Tsuki sighed.

"No need to worry… I'm not going to join them. And that kiss was just her way of bringing up old memories…"

"Still…" Jake said. Tsuki kissed his forehead.

"It's okay Jake… I'll be fine. I can deal with them memories." Tsuki said.

"What you said to her earlier… you said those were the last things your mother heard before she died… is that true?" Jake asked. Tsuki nodded.

"They were. The last thing my mother ever said to me was, 'I know how special she is to you… but she needs punishment. I love you… my little elf, my darling." Tsuki said, looking towards the sky. "And that was my response. Those words haunt me every waking moment of my life…"  Jake looked away.

"I'm really sorry Tsuki…"

"Don't be… it was before we met. There was nothing you could do… nothing I could do. Hell, probably nothing Sage or Pat could do." Tsuki said. "C'mon… we better get you home…" Jake nodded and they walked in silence all the way back to the apartment. After a long walk, they arrived home.

"You should rest Jake… you ran a long ways and got attacked…" Tsuki said. Jake nodded without protest, knowing Tsuki was upset and didn't want to make him more upset.

"Are you going to be joining me?" Jake asked.

"I will in a few minutes… you go ahead without me." Tsuki said. Jake agreed to it and went off to their bedroom alone, leaving Tsuki by himself in the living room. Tsuki picked up the picture of him and his mother when he was little. Tsuki started to cry heavily.

"I promise mother… I will have her blood on my hands… I love you, mother…" Tsuki cried.