Yazoo lay in his bed, his eyes heavy, refusing to stay open for more than a couple of seconds at a time. His silver hair framed his angelic face as it lay on the pillow. His body felt numb and impossible to move. A dry sigh left his lips as his eyes closed once more. He knew the time had come. He could feel it, he didn't know how he knew but he knew it was certain. It was as if someone had held a sign up in front of him and in large black letters it said,

THIS IS IT, THE TIME IS NOW.

He could feel his thoughts slowly numbing as he reached for his phone. He flipped it open and the buzz of light stung his eyes. He could barely make out the words on the screen but he didn't need to look at the screen to know how to direct to his phone log. He scrolled down, his thumb twitching onto the buttons, as he saw the name highlighted he took a breath and pressed call.

The youngest remnant lay on his couch, his eyes closed and hands folded across his chest, he looked calm and serene but inside his head he was enduring metal torture. His lips twitched every now and then as if he was answering a voice, communicating with someone who wasn't there. It was Mother, 'be patient my child, the time will come, just be patient.'

How can you expect me to be patient when I'm waiting for…. This?

No answer just silence. Deafening ear splitting silence.

[buzz] [buzz] [buzz]

The remnant jolted up off the couch and pounced on his phone. The display read,

INCOMING CALL
YAZOO

He swallowed. No no no, I'm not ready! He flipped his phone open and pressed answer.

'Brother…. Come..' the husky voice on the end of the phone told him,
'I'm not ready,' the younger whispered.
'Come… now…' the voice pleaded and the line went dead.

Frustration sparked in the youth's chest and he hurled his phone against the wall with a sharp grunt. He sprinted out of his apartment and onto his bike, driving through the night to his Brother.

'It's okay Kadaj, I know you can do this.' Mother's voice purred in the back of his mind. His eyes narrowed on the road as he sped faster to Yazoo.

He sprang off his bike and let it spin to a halt as he ran to the window of his Brother's room. He stared up at the ledge and clenched his fists. He could feel his Brother's presence but it wasn't bright and sultry like it should have been, it was weak and hollow. He gritted his teeth and shot himself up, gripping one hand tightly onto the window ledge and pulling himself up, slinking into Yazoo's room.

There he lay in nothing but pale grey shorts. His body looked worn, his skin was almost transparent and it hugged desperately at his bones. Kadaj's body froze as he watched him lay there. He looked so different, so empty, yet still so beautiful.

'Brother…' the same husky voice from the phone call escaped Yazoo's lips. 'Come, closer.' Without a thought Kadaj dashed over to his Brother, sitting beside him on the bed. He traced a finger over his perfect sculpted face and whispered, 'I love you.'

Yazoo's eyes opened with grace and he kissed Kadaj's finger. 'Of course Brother.' He moved his arm and lay it across Kadaj's legs, 'you are … not close enough.' He swallowed harshly as he tried to push the words out of his mouth.

The younger jumped up and removed his jacket leaving him topless and crawled onto the bed like a small cat. He wrapped his arms tightly around his Brother and closed his eyes. He knew these moments were precious, possibly the only ones that mattered. Yazoo's memories were fading and the ones that they would create here would be the ones that he took on with him.

'The light…' Yazoo whispered gesturing with his chin to a small lamp that lay on the bedside table, Kadaj nodded and turned it off. They lay in the darkness holding each other, each treasuring the others presence. Kadaj could feel Yazoo's life slipping away from him and he clutched him as tight as he could, thinking maybe he if he clutched hard enough the life would have no means of escape.

A soft laugh echoed in the back of Kadaj's mind, 'You cannot stop this my child, do not think you can. You must prepare yourself.' Mother said, coaching Kadaj through. 'The time is running out, he knows it too Kadaj.' The youngest shook his head and buried it into Yazoo's hair, 'No, no, please no,' he whispered into the silver locks. He felt Yazoo reach up and take his hand and place it onto his angelic face again. His cheeks were wet, he was crying, delicate droplets running down his face. It was haunting to know Yazoo was crying beneath him, he wanted to make it stop but he was powerless.

Time slipped by, neither of them moving or speaking and the silence was broken by Yazoo's final whisper, 'Brother… tell me something….' Kadaj opened his eyes, his mind startled by the request. He didn't know what to say, he couldn't remember how to speak.

'Tell him what you have always wanted to, tell him something to treasure, this is what he will take with him Kadaj, your words.' Mother's voice, clear in his head. Kadaj swallowed, feeling pressured into saying something flawless and meaningful. He spoke the only words that came to his mind, 'I loved you more Brother, I always did. May I say that? May I say I loved you more?' He felt Yazoo nod and suddenly his body felt weightless, empty.

'No, no, wait! Please, not yet! No!' He pleaded, tears streaming from his eyes. He leaned over and turned the light back on. Yazoo lay in his arms, a hollow empty shell, no longer breathing, no longer alive. He lifted his Brothers body up, it was lifeless, his head dropped back and his arms lay limply by his side, Kadaj wiped the tears away from his eyes and stared at his face. That beautiful, perfect, seductive, haunting face, now drained of any emotion. Once the face of an angel, now the face of a ghost. Kadaj leant down and placed a kiss on Yazoo's cheek, he waited for a reaction and he could have sworn he saw a flicker of a smile grace Yazoo's lips, a small laugh teased at his own.

'That is it my child.' The echo was unwelcome, 'he is gone.' Yazzo's body fell from Kadaj's arms and he watched as his Brother's body melted into the atmosphere around him. Kadaj stood up from the bed and his eyes darted over the room, willing a sign of Yazoo's life to show itself. A haunting chuckle mocked him.

'No, no, WHY?' Kadaj shouted and dropped to his knees in agony. A pain was stirring inside of him as if something was being ripped out of him. He howled in pain as he lay crippled on the floor. It was his Brother's soul dying inside of him, for he was alone now. He lay on the floor, a heap of screams and tears.