Promise

Arthur raced up Francis and hugged him tightly, tears pouring down his face though he made no move to stop them.
"Please," he begged. "Please don't ever do that again!"
Tentatively Francis put his arms around the smaller man.
"I'm sorry cherie...I thought that it was best..."
Hard hits to his chest punctuated Arthur's words.
"Don't." Hit. "You." Punch. "EVER." Sob. "Think." Slam. "That." Whimper. "AGAIN!"
One final hit to his chest ended it as he started crying hard into the other's shirt.
Francis stroked his back gently, trying his best to calm him down.
They slid down the tree Francis had been resting against and Arthur ended up in Francis's lap.
Eventually he stopped crying and looked up at the older man's face, eyes red and puffy.
"Promise me," he started in a whisper. "Promise me you won't ever do that again."
Francis nodded silently and Arthur pulled him close, holding him tightly.
"Don't ever scare me like that again," he whispered, voice muffled against the other's shirt. "I was so afraid I was going to lose you."
"Desole mon cher. I didn't it would affect anyone but moi. I wasn't thinking straight."
Arthur stared at him, shocked.
"Didn't think it would affect anyone but you?" He repeated. "What about Alfred? Or Matthew?! They need you too!"
"Je sais. I just didn't have my head together. I was too lost in pain. It was the only way out I could see."
Arthur bit his lip and looked down.
How could he have missed it? How could he have completely ignored everything HIS Francis had been going through?
"I am so sorry Francis," he whispered. "This is all my fault. I should have paid more attention. I just thought it was a phase you were going through. Soon enough my cheerful, flirty Francis would be back like I knew him. I shouldn't have teased you so much. I should have tried to help you but I laughed at you and made things worse. I should have-"
He was cut off as a mouth was pressed firmly against his, silencing him.
Giving up, he pressed back and closed his eyes, trying to focus on Francis kissing him rather than anything that had happened in the last few hours.
When they broke apart, his eyes were filled with tears again.
"Please...please don't ever even think of that again. I need you too much."
Francis nodded and kissed the top of the younger man's head gently.
"I promise."