Last Breath

Disclaimer: Not Mine, Don't Sue

AN: I was in -such- a mood, and my muses suffered. Uhm. Yeah. Hope you like it.

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~Last Breath~

Jade eyes narrowed in pain, but he would not die alone. His vision was clouding over with tears, making his target watery and almost impossible to see. Fingers clenched and he put as much power behind the weight of his sword, the force sending his small body off-balance. The tears he didn’t permit to fall clung to silvery lashes and he was falling. The cement and rubble beneath him was rushing up to his face. What a humiliating defeat, he was weak, pain-ridden, the world was spinning around him. Just as he was about to lose himself to the psychosis of his imminent death, warm arms gripped him and he lifted his own eyes, met with the most beautiful blue ones he‘d ever seen.

Weakness made his hands clench, pain made his features wince delicately before his lips parted in a dying breath, “…Nii-san.” Why did it have to end like this? The tears that had been frozen in his eyes were drifting into his hairline, the sight of matching tears in his brother’s eyes making him feel less weak for his own emotional betrayal. The pain was fading with the warmth of breath that cascaded over his paling cheeks, one hand weakly flexed and lifted to rest against his brother’s cheek. His breath was being stolen too quickly and his lungs were begging for air. He didn’t want to die.

Lips pressed warmly against his own and air was forced into his failing lungs, tasting faintly of sweetness and strength. Tears intermingled as the blonde drew back and inhaled sharply, only to meet the dying man in his arms halfway, forcing another breath into his body. Just as he was about to pull back to repeat the process a leather gloved hand rested against his hair, gently holding him in place. Sea-blue eyes opened and he found himself peering into accepting jade eyes, too bright with untainted innocence. It wasn’t fair for someone so young to die so early.

The boy in his arms, he realized, had accepted his death. Gentle love had replaced the torn look that had flashed when he’d first caught the boy. Fingers threaded through silvery hair and he gently pressed their lips together in a kiss, neither of them closing their eyes. Slowly, oh so slowly, the elder brother drew back and smiled down at the wounded boy. Blood was making the skin of his arm tacky, but he wouldn’t move. Clutching the boy closer, he stroked back a few strands of his hair. “I..didn’t...want to die, Nii-san.” The thin voice of a child threaded through the air and more tears had gathered in Cloud’s eyes.

Lips drifted over lips and Cloud forced a gentle smile, “I know, Kadaj. Don’t talk, okay?” He whispered, pleading. Wanting nothing more than to save the boy, his brother. Cloud didn’t want to go back to being alone. First Sephiroth had abandoned him, and then Zack, why did another have to leave him, and so soon? Kadaj was smiling in understanding, the hand that had rested against the blonde’s cheek falling to his own lips and he fought for a moment to tug off the leather glove that had always encased his hand. Chilled, soft fingertips sought out the trails of tears on his cheek and Cloud turned his head into the touch, delicately pressing a kiss to the palm of the smooth hand.

The boy was so beautiful and so naïve to life. To love. To every emotion but hate, but here he was, showing Cloud more feeling than he’d ever seen before, “..It’s..okay.” Kadaj murmured, then gave a soft cough, the blonde watching as blood tinted the paling lips red. Pain wrenched at his heart and he drew the boy closer to his chest, cradling him like the child he was, “..No, don’t talk..please..” Cloud was begging now, wanting to spend more time with the fading boy. Despite the tears in his eyes, Kadaj continued smiling, stroking his fingertips along Cloud’s brow, “I…didn’t want…to leave you. I wanted…to know what…it was…like…” The words were disjointed and the boy was attempting to draw in a breath, choking on blood and death.

Blue eyes widened in fear as the hand began falling from his cheek, he gave the boy in his arms a gentle jostle, “No….no, not yet…please…not yet..” He urged in anguish, taking in a harsh breath as the hand lifted to rest against his cheek once more, “…What…what what was like?” He urged gently, accepting the boy’s death, but wanting to hear his final words. Kadaj smiled knowingly and let his eyes close for a moment, terror tearing at Cloud’s heart, afraid it would be the last time he’d see those beautiful eyes. But they opened again, a mix of emotions behind glassy orbs, “…Love…family.” The boy whispered, then gave another choked cough and clutched closer to his brother, his only source of security.


“I would have given that to you, Kadaj…” ..if things were different. The words remained unsaid but the boy nodded his understanding, “…I would have showed you all the love and affection you ever wanted. So much so you’d have gotten sick of me.” A tear-stained chuckle erupted from his throat, an echoing one leaving the boy’s lips in a coughed breath, “…You and your brothers, Kadaj, I would have loved you all.” He promised gently, stroking his fingers along the boy’s hair, “..So beautiful..” Cloud murmured, leaning down to steal a kiss, biting back the pain he felt when he tasted the blood on his lips.

“Thank you..” Kadaj murmured weakly, blinking back water drops that landed too near his eyes. But he realized that it wasn’t Cloud’s tears but raindrops. They soothed his heated skin, took away the pain and replaced it with a gentle sensation, “..A..ah…Kaa…san?” The boy whispered, looking past Cloud’s worried eyes. The blonde glanced upwards to where the boy was looking and seen nothing, but felt the cool drops of rain splash against his skin, “…The sky is crying for you, Otoutou.” The blonde whispered, then looked down to catch the faintest of smiles at the nickname, “..It’s crying just for you.” Fingers drifted over Kadaj’s cheek and Cloud watched in a mix of amazement and fear as the skin beneath his hand became a disjointed mass of glitter.


Desperation passed over bright blue eyes and he leaned swiftly in to catch the other’s lips in a loving kiss, choking back a sob as he felt the pressure against his own drift away. He could feel the weight of the boy’s arms leaving him, fading into sparkles. Jade eyes met the blonde’s, and they were smiling in happiness, “…I’m going now, Cloud, please don’t be too sad. I’ll be with Kaa-san.” The voice, no matter how disembodied, was so happy that Cloud couldn’t fight back a smile, “…I’m going to miss you, Nii-san..” And then, the faintest of whispers, “I love you, Cloud…” Tears drifted down the blonde’s cheeks and he stared up at the fading glimmer, “…I love you too, Kadaj.” He whispered, breath catching at the lightest of touch against his cheek, “I’ll be waiting for you.” And then he was gone.


Slowly Cloud lifted himself to his feet, eyes drifting to the now non-lethal weapon Kadaj had wielded. Hands curled into fists and for one self-depreciating moment he hated himself and his weakness. He hated the fact he couldn’t save his brother. More tears followed, mixed with the rain that continued to fall, matting is spikes down. The soft click of the hammer of a gun being pulled back was the only warning he received before pain sliced through his back, bursting out of his chest in a ray of red drops. Cloud’s breath left his in a rush and it was all he could do not to fall to his knees. Turning, he stared at Yazu, who was gripping Velvet Nightmare, his lips turned upwards in a satisfied smile, “We’ll all go back together.” He whispered, watching in silence as the blonde moved forwards a few steps then fell to his knees. Yazu and Rozu moved forwards, leaving a trail of glimmering dust in their wake, identical to Kadaj’s, and knelt beside Cloud. The two brothers smiled gently as Cloud’s eyes became glazed before allowing their own bodies to erupt in a shower of sparks.

It was white, everywhere he looked was white. He was sure his eyes were open but all he seen was white, like the scenery during his many flashbacks with Aerisu. He remembered being shot, remembered Kadaj… “Kadaj..” He murmured, almost jumping when another voice spoke, “Nii-san, you’re not supposed to be here yet.” Kadaj admonished, lightly shaking his head at the blonde, “Kaa-san will be so angry, she said we’re supposed to take care of you and what does Yazu do? He shoots you. Stupid Aniki.” The teen continued, while Cloud was busy staring before starting forwards to hug the boy, “Uh uh, Nii-san.” Kadaj dipped out of the touch, a sad smile on his lips, “You can’t touch me, or you’ll be stuck here. No. You have to go back and protect everyone until it’s your time. And then you can come back…and touch me all you want.” The teen purred teasingly, then wagged a finger at Cloud.

The blonde stared as Kadaj faded slowly from sight, the surrounding whiteness fading also until he was staring up at his friends, each looking worried for their hero. When blue eyes flickered gently, each gave a sigh of relief and moved to help the blonde, his hand coming to the place he’d been shot to find the bullet hole gone, then to his lips, remembering the feel of Kadaj against him. And then the boy’s promise, “Are you okay, Cloud?” Tifa questioned gently at his far away look, and for the first time in a very long while, the blonde cracked a smile, “Yes. I’m just fine, Tifa, just fine..”

Years later, after Marlene had taken over Tifa’s bar, after Denzel had proposed to her, after Cid had died of lung cancer, and Vincent had returned to his coffin. After Barret was made a proud grandfather, and Tifa had married, Cloud had lain on his deathbed, surrounded by what was left of his friends. He’d smiled then, looking past each of them at the figure waiting in the doorway. After giving his last heartfelt goodbyes, he’d passed on. Though his body grew cold and everyone had sobbed over their loss, the blonde, in all of his youthfulness of twenty years earlier had moved past them unseen. Unseen to all, he had gathered the figure in the doorway close to his body, unheard to all was the playful giggle that erupted from the spirit’s lips. The two, Cloud and Kadaj, were rejoined.

“Ne, Nii-san, I can’t wait until you see Yazu and Rozu, I bet they’ll be so sorry for what happened..” Cloud glanced down at Kadaj, raising a brow, “It’s been almost twenty years…” Blinking widely, Kadaj had laughed, “Really? It’s been that long? My, how time flies..” Cloud laughed and shook his head, drawing the smaller boy up for a kiss, “..I can’t wait until you see Kaa-san, Cloud!” Kadaj called, running ahead of the man and into the mist before them. The man fought to keep up, despite his lack of physical bounds, encircling Kadaj’s waist with his arms and resting his chin against the blonde’s shoulder as he paused, “Why’d you stop?” Cloud murmured against the junction of the boy’s neck and shoulder, watching the other spirit shift and shiver, “We’re home.” Blue eyes lifted, staring wide eyed at the expanse of green grass, and the small cottage before him. The door opened and a woman stepped out on the porch, “Well come on, Cloud, Kadaj!” She called, and the boy in Cloud’s arms broke away to run down the small slope and into the waiting arms of the woman, “Kaa-san!” He cried in childish glee, then turned in the hold the woman had on him to wave happily at Cloud, “Nii-san, come’on!” Kadaj cried, and the blonde stared silently, then gave a small smile and moved closer to the pair, “Hello, Aerisu.” He murmured softly, watching as she gave a little wink, then herded the two into the house and the awaiting eternity.

“Love is eternal. The aspect of it may change, but the essence remains the same.”
- Vincent van Gogh, In Love

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Uhm, yeah, -Offers tissues.-, I'd like reviews if it's not too much trouble.

Also, I'm kind of looking for more ideas for some makocest pairings (i.e. Cloud x Kadaj x Yazu x Rozu) Any mix of those four. So..help me out?