Breath

Final Fantasy 7 Fan-fiction

Author: Mizu99

Disclaimer: I do not own FF7 as it belongs to Square Enix!

Warnings: Yaoi!

Summary: Hah, a sound. He is still breathing… No, he is not.

Pairing: ZackXCloud

One-Shot

Story:

The rain was splashing onto the ground washing off the dirt. He laid there staring at the sky breathing. Red, is what he saw at his sides. He knows the color, working in Soldier; that color somehow never occurs to him as not normal. It splashes the ground whenever he done his missions.

"I'm with Soldier so…fighting's all I do. Sorting things out is someone else's job…"

He recalled those words and he wondered if they ever applied to him at this moment. What does he have to sort out? His life before he was in this mess and if he will be known as a hero after this moment. The person he is to travel with; his life will be fine from now on, right? He doesn't need to worry.

"You got Christmas cards? From who, I wonder! Let me see!"

He remembered laughing and the frown marred on his face. He closed his eyes and looked up to the gray sky. The rain was pouring harder than before. Tomorrow will be sunny; he believed feeling the ache all over his body. Clink! He heard a metal sound at his right.

"You know I never saw you use that before."

He never really used it in front of him before that moment. He imagined that conversation in the motel. He was happy there watching his face fall asleep on the bed. No scratches, no injuries, he was just exhausted to the point that he fell unconscious.

"Stop…! Someone will hear. Ah, we won't be able to wake up on time."

Laughter rang across the room, shuffling of sheets were heard and the creaking of the mattress. They were in his room holding one another while they breathe in sync. He didn't mind that every night that they would spend time together either be it at night time or during the free hours of the mission. They talked endlessly and played cards before they began to hold one another. A kiss and a touch made sounds that were music to him.

"Don't worry, we will wake up."

He laid on his side watching him look down holding his hand. A blanket covered his frame as well as his. He didn't move but touched his hair softly while he spoke. He smiled gently hearing him complain how that he had to get up being unable to walk. He heard that his room was that of a monkey or some animal. He laughed and placed his head on his pillow looking at the blue eyes before him. They slowly closed in front of him hearing a gentle breath. 'He's asleep,' he thought before he too rested.

"Night…"

He turned his head towards the prone figure next to him and heard his sword fall to the ground. It clanged loudly but no one seemed to notice. He looked at the confused deep sky raising his hand up to his face. His fingers caked with dried blood along with the wet new blood that flows from him.

"You…"

He whispers telling him that he will be alright and that everything will be fine. That he will become his hero. Yes, he knows that he will become a hero to him. A big hero that will be on the pages of history books, he does not know. He smiled and touched the gentle locks of his face not minding that his blood will run down.

"Za…"

He heard while he touched his ear gently rubbing. He remembered the conversations and the laughs.

"You cheated…"

He laughed at him leaning against his bed, a beer bottle on top of the table. Playing cards surrounded the cover in disarray.

"It's poker, what else you would think I do?"

He saw him pout throwing down his cards. His face flushed to the point that he clearly knows he is upset.

"Unfair… You are unfair."

He mutters to him hiccupping. 'Cute, he is drunk.' He laughed at his thought wrapping his arms around his small frame pulling him close to his chest smoothing the soft locks in a petting gesture.

"Mm'm tired…"

"You are already?"

He felt his body slump against him while he sighed and placed him on the bed. He kissed his neck and lips gently.

"Don't leave…"

He smiled and lay down next to him closing his eyes going to sleep.

"I am here."

He is still here. He is still breathing. His blue eyes looked at the prone body before him touching the face. He felt his hand touch his own face before he listened closely to his words.

"I'm… sorry…"

He frowned, why is he apologizing? They were to go together to some place to meet his friend who can help him. He doesn't need to apologize unless he accidentally dropped a spoon somewhere. He looked around and saw nothing but red and dirt with a bit of dead grass. He saw in the distance a gray city; was that the place they were going too? They are near, so near.

"Sorry?"

"We can't play poker or… I can't cheat anymore."

Poker, they have no cards to play and they had to leave before the train leaves them behind. He looked around believing the station was somewhat near but he couldn't comprehend yet on what was the red liquid around him. His hands were also red that it stuck on his face. He saw the same liquid pour down his lips.

"Poker… We… don't have cards…"

He whispers and he saw him smile before he got pulled down to touch his lips. He felt the lips that were somehow warm yet a cold lingered with it. He closed his eyes and let's goes when he needs to breathe. He saw that he was having a hard time.

"I can't be with you forever, I have to go."

He didn't understand. Maybe, he had another mission and that they can't meet his supposed friend in that gray city. He felt the hands touch his cheek gently.

"I love you, Cloud."

He blinked and frowned. He only said those words when they were alone in a private room, not somewhere out in public. He saw the tears down his face that he raised his hand to wipe it.

"I love you, too."

He touched the face gently seeing his smile.

"Take care of yourself…"

He coughed looking at the blue eyes that he will probably never see again. Those same blue eyes he longed to be with.

"Blue your favorite color?"

He asks the blonde beside him while they waited to be called on.

"I guess so."

"You guess? You should have some sort of favorite color."

"My eyes are blue. The sky is blue. I guess blue is kind of my favorite color."

"Yes, I like blue too."

He kissed him while no one was looking.

"Zack…!"

He shouts at the male before looking around sighing in relief that no one saw.

"I like your eyes."

Those eyes he loved are filled with confusion and yet all he could do was smile. He felt that his heart could no longer pump him what he needed. He felt unbelievably cold and wanted to drift to sleep.

"I love you, Cloud, forever."

He couldn't keep them open any longer. He felt tired, too tired that he just wanted to sleep. He said what he needed to say and all he could do was lay there and wait. He didn't want to cry but he can no longer stay. He looked at the said blonde and touched his hand squeezing it.

"Zack…"

He felt his hand being squeezed and saw the man's eyes slowly closing. A twinge of pain reached his heart and yet he couldn't understand. Why does he want to sleep here? It's raining and it's cold.

"Zack… Wake up."

He told thinking that they will be late for going to the gray city. He touched the face gently in his hand noticing that the skin was cold.

"It's cold here. You will get sick. Zack…"

He called out a bit louder shaking the body dropping the sword besides him. He wanted him to wake up so that they can get a move on. He turned to see the liquid before his eyes and saw the holes in his body. His mind finally registered why he was cold and he couldn't move. His eyes wide and he couldn't breathe. He was fine just later ago and he placed his ear to mouth. He was still breathing.

"No…"

He is not, anymore. He sat there before he contemplated on what was happening before he looked at the sky feeling the rain on his face letting out a scream.

"CLOUD…!"

He snapped his eyes open looking around the room. It was the same, outside it was raining. He stared at the pitter patter of the water.

"Zack…"

A tear fell down his face. He remembered that he couldn't breathe anymore. His air was no longer entering his body. He curled himself on his bed holding his legs together. He was glad that his door was closed. He closed his mouth letting the tears fall.

"I love you too, Zack."

End of Story:

A/N: What do you think? Please review!

R&R