It's been forever sinceI posted anything, but this is a little angsty song-death-fic I wanted to share and perhaps get some reviews on. It could be a one-shot, but it could also bethe prologue/first chapter of a multi-chap-fic. Let me know what you guys think I should do with this.

Warning: angst, blood, death(?), vague hint of shounen-ai

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, nor Keane's song "Untitled 1".

A Cold Winter's Morning

A series of shots tore through the early morning. While the sound ricocheted off the tiny terraced houses in the street, several bullets hit the wall in front of him, spraying dust and stone chips around as they lodged themselves in the brickwork.

A house on fire.
A wall of stone.

He just stood there, motionlessly, taking in what had just happened. Still, it wasn't until the others abandoned their shelter, a few houses down the road, that he realized something was off.

A door that once was open.
An empty face and empty bones.

Irvine jumped into his field of vision, aiming his gun straight at him. Disturbing as that was, he didn't move a muscle. Something else had claimed his attention: grey eyes, guarded but ablaze with the fury of anger, drilling holes into him.

Who ate your heart?
You're cold inside.

Several rounds flamed from the barrel of Irvine's rifle, and as he looked down at his chest, he saw there two dark stains, growing slowly. In his mouth, he made out the unique taste of blood.
Unsure, he glanced up at Squall, hoping for some kind of explanation for what had just happened. But the steel orbs didn't waver, and stared back accusingly.

You're not the one I hoped for.

This, more than anything else, made the true significance of the situation sink in.

I'll see you on the other side.

A sense of bewilderment came over him just before someone turned out the light.

I'll see you on the other side…

…

The wind wouldn't blow me home
to lie in your heart of hearts.

When the darkness lifted, he was lying on his back. He had to be, because the only thing he could see was the clear blue sky. It looked so peaceful, so serene. It almost made him smile.
He knew he should be in pain, if not from the bullets than at least from the freezing cold pavement. But he didn't feel anything. Nor did he hear any sounds, for that matter.

Will I ever see you again
and lie in your heart of hearts?

The morning sun shone down on him. High above, black silhouettes of geese flying over contrasted against the deep colours of the winter sky. To be free, like them. No cares, no worries… The thought alone gave him a warm, comforting feeling. Like Matron's hands, when she'd hold him, so long ago.
He could almost believe he felt her warm caress on his wounds, even if the last remaining rational part of his mind told him he was hallucinating. He'd been down this path before.

Who ate your heart?
You're cold inside.

The numbness, the silent and the peace… He'd all tasted it before, if only just once: nailed to the wall of a dark, twisted throne room occupied by a dark, twisted mind, bleeding from countless wounds and waiting for death to come.

You're not the one I hoped for.

Yes, there was no doubt about it.

I'll see you on the other side.

He was dying.

I'll see you on the other side…

And he couldn't really care less.

The wind wouldn't blow me home
to lie in your heart of hearts.

He thought about Squall, and the way he had looked just before the shots were fired. What would the younger man, his brother, his rival, think at seeing him lying here, dead save for dying? Probably nothing… Or had there been more behind that guarded mask than he could see? The thought made his heart leap with hope, but his mind resisted even the idea of contemplating the answer to that question.

Will I ever see you again

He'd never have to worry about or for Squall again. He'd never have to feel that scalding side of love again, or live with the scars it left behind.

The game was over for him, this time for real. And he welcomed it.

and lie in your heart of hearts?

He could feel death's touch now, a warm hand caressing his face. It surprised him, if pleasantly. He hadn't expected death to be so gentle. But now the tender strokes took the last of his doubt away, he tacitly gave in.

And as the blue sky turned black, a smile played on his lips.

Your opinion, please?