A/N: I've had this lying around for a while and since there aren't enough Genesis/Cloud centered stories out there I've finally decided to post it.
Fading
There are many rumors about the General of ShinRa that have the soldiers pissing their pants in fear, but none of them more terrifying than the rumors about the Red Commander. Tales of how the owner of Rapier barbecues and eats cadets for lunch have the poor souls too scared to even breath in his presence much to his immense delight. But he would give it all up, turn over a new page, become a saint and help out the homeless, if only the snow storm raging outside would stop so that he could call for help.
A whimper snaps Genesis' attention back to the cadet in his lap and his eyes widen in panic as blood flows from the now reopened wound on the side if the cadet's face. He curses and rips off a new strip from his shirt and carefully but firmly presses down on the wound. Cloud's body reacts to the pain and he flinches, trying to move away but Genesis holds him still, in spite of the pained sounds that leave the cold blue lips of his youngest lover. His clothes are torn and soaked with blood, both his own and alien, and his skin is covered in horrifying cuts and bruises. And it hurts. It hurts seeing Cloud like this, broken and bruised, Genesis fears beyond repair. It hurts having his youngest lover lying in his arms, slowly dying, and unable to even comfort him.
Not that he's much better off. Unable to stand, with internal bleeding and in an all over worse state than the cadet bleeding out on his lap, Genesis knows that if not for the mako in his blood, he would have been dead a long time ago. He doesn't know if it's a blessing, the thought of Cloud slowly dying all alone has him fighting back heart-wrenching sobs, or a curse as the knowledge that every breath his love takes may be his last keeps him in a constant state of panic and terror.
He could end it all. For both of them, right here and right now. Because he knows, that even though should he manage to contact base, there is no guarantee the helicopter will arrive in time to save Cloud. And Genesis is certain that even though he has three other lovers waiting for their return, that should Cloud die like this, Genesis will die with him. So he could end it now, and stop their suffering, but he can't.
Cloud stops struggling, stops moving, and for a moment Genesis fears this is it. Time stops, he swears his heart stops beating, and he leans down over the blond. His fingers can't find a pulse but Genesis can hardly feel anything anymore because of the cold. But he hears it, the slow and barely-there-breath of a dying man, but it's there and Genesis laughs at himself while tears streams down his face as clashing emotions wage war inside of him.
This should never have happened. He knows they're soldiers and that death is part of the job but this should never have happened. It should have been a quick death, and instant death like the other two soldiers who had stepped off of the helicopter with them. Not this prolonged torment. Not this hell.
He starts to curse. Louder and louder until he's screaming out every foul word he knows and he knows a lot. With a last burst of strength that he doesn't actually have, Genesis picks up Rapier lying on the ground besides him and throws it out screaming as the blade disappears into the white that's making its way into the cave.
This is it. He has nothing more to give. No more hope, nothing. All he can do now is lie down next to his lover and wait but he doesn't even have the strength left for that. He remains leaned back against the stone wall with his lover in his lap. Genesis watches him, traces the lines of his face, the coloring of the ugly bruises, the blond lashes lying against deadly-white skin, the bright red blood smeared into his blond hair. Cloud is beautiful, has always been beautiful and Genesis wishes for nothing more than to tell him. Tell him he loves him whether he's able to hear him or not, but his voice fails him and his vision is turning black. The sounds of the raging storm fade away as does Genesis. There is nothing left now but the blinking light on the small device that for hours has been trying to send out a rescue signal without success. And soon, that too will fade away.