No one had noticed just how far Cid was falling back in the battle. No one had noticed just how pale he had gotten. No one had noticed the gash on his chest, or the limp of his arm, or the way blood pooled in the corners of his mouth whenever he took a breath. No one noticed, because he hadn't said anything. Maybe if he wasn't so self sufficient, maybe if he hadn't insisted on being a rock of a man, if he hadn't be so goddamn fucking selfless, maybe it wouldn't have happened. Maybe the team could have helped him. Or stopped him. Something.
All Vincent saw was the flash of blue denim that had cut between himself and the snarling, fanged face of what he could have only assumed was going to be his impending death. There was the sound of fleshing ripping, and something thin cutting the air. An animalistic shriek. Something-a body-hit the ground, accompanied by the plip, plip, plip of blood in the dust as it dripped from Cid's lance, which remained poised in the air, even as Cid laughed a contrived laugh. Even as he stumbled back. Even as the plip, plip, plip met the plop, plop, plop of the blood dripping down his arm, down his abdomen, down his everything, to pool at his feet.
He wobbled. He fell. Vincent caught him desperately around the waist, cursing fruitlessly as his hands were immediately soaked in hot, sticky blood. The lance fell from Cid's hand, and he laughed again, staring up at his companion with baby blues that seemed to grow duller by the second.
"Ya gotta be more careful, Vince..." He murmured, grinning despite what could have only been excruciating pain. He grunted as he was lowered delicately to the ground, and Vincent hovered over him, eyes wide.
"Hold on-" Vincent muttered, tone hitting a fevered pitch, and Cid just laughed again, making Vincent wish that he'd stop it. It was such a final sounding laugh, as if Cid was being presented with something he'd known all his life, and was just waiting for someone to finally bring up.
"Hey Vince-" Cid whispered, words barely a breath. "Ya scared?" Vincent leaned in further, and exhaled in a dry sob, hand fumbling in the dirt and catching Cid's. Yes, he was scared. He was petrified. But Cid just grinned, much weaker than Vincent had ever before witnessed, but a grin nonetheless.
"I ain't scared, Vince. I always kinda figgered-...ya'd be the death a' me."
Vincent lost it. That it, that's all, he lost it. He bowed his head, resting his forehead gently against his comrade's, and choked, and those pretty red eyes that had always seem to offer nothing but icy indifference filled with tears that spilled down his cheeks, forming tiny rivulets across his skin. And Cid didn't know what to do, so he just kept laughing, and he wrapped his arms oh-so-weakly around those familiar, broad shoulders.
"Vince, don't do this." He mumbled pleadingly. He squeezed his lover as tight as his arms would allow, fingertips making weak circles against his shoulder. "I-…want ya t' smile fer me, darlin', 'cause it's gonna be a real long time b'fore I see ya again, an'…I wanna make sure I got a good memory t' hold on to."
Vincent choked again, rivulets becoming torrents. He pressed the bridge of his nose against Cid's cheek, and swallowed a dry sob. He rested that way for a very long time, simply feeling the faint rhythm of Cid's chest rising and falling against him, each breath becoming just a sliver more shallow than the last. It was with reluctance that he finally did pull away, rightening himself over Cid, and dragging a longing hand down the pilot's cheek.
"I love you, Cid." He murmured hoarsely, forcing a smile. Cid smiled back weakly, eyes sliding closed.
"I know, Vince. I…I love ya…too."
Cid's chest heaved a few more pitiful times, as he laid there, basking in the final touches of his lover, and Vincent merely sat there beside him, stroking his skin, holding his hand, and smiling, smiling, smiling, right up into that very last faint breath escaped those bloodstained lips, leaving him alone to wonder, as he allotted his beloved one final kiss, what he would smile for now.
…guess I'll just have to keep smiling for you, darling.