A/N My first Cloudx Zack Fanfic! Please enjoy and comment! The more you comment, the better I'll get, which means better stories for you! :3

Warnings: NC-13? Shonen-ai, character death, fluff, bad angst, language :3

(A bit before and during the ending of Crisis Core)


Cloud stared at the small thing that had just fallen in front of him.

"There are cherry blossom trees in Wutai?" Zack laughed and pulled another petal out of the mess of soft blonde spikes that was Cloud's hair.

"You bet. Lots of them, especially in the springtime. They're really soft, feel." Zack held out the small pink petal as Cloud stroked a finger over it. He was about to reply, to agree with Zack, but something softer had already reached his lips. Zack... Cloud clamped his hand over Zack's hand that held the petal and leaned into the kiss, pressing his own lips against the blossom soft ones. Zack smirked and brushed the falling petals absently off Cloud's shoulder.

"Nn," Zack rubbed a gloved hand over his eye, blinking. Cloud stood next to him, chuckling softly.

"What's wrong? Snow fall in your eye?" Zack nodded and, as if paying no attention to what just happened, continued to stare up at the falling snow flakes. They were fluffy and bright, reminding Zack of his beloved's hair. He turned, dark amber meeting bright sapphire. Cloud brushed his hand over Zack's cheek, leaning in and kissing his closed eyes. "That should take the pain away." Zack's cheeks filled with a soft pink tint, and Cloud was sure it wasn't from the cold.

"Yes, but now my lips are cold." Cloud smirked sweetly.

"I can fix that." And licked the falling snow off of Zack's no longer cold lips.

One second, he was standing up, the next, Cloud was falling gently onto Zack's large comfy bed. Warm arms encased his body, giving off a true sense of security. Zack planted soft kisses along Cloud's bare chest, savoring his smell and the feel of his baby like skin with every touch. Cloud closed his eyes, taking in every touch that Zack placed. Suddenly, a coshined object was thrown onto his face. Opening his eyes, the pillow was taken off Cloud's face as Zack recolied to hit him with the pillow again. Cloud chuckled at Zack's playfulness and grabbed a nearby pillow, bringing it down onto his lovers face before he was hit again. Zack laughed and shoved the pillow out of his face and nailed Cloud in the shoulder. Feathers were flying out of the pillow as Zack tackled Cloud back onto his bed with a smack of the pillow. Spitting feather out of his mouth, Cloud nuzzled Zack's neck as he brushed feathers out his silky, dark hair. Zack kissed his forehead and laughed as he looked up to see white feathers, still falling softly and silently around them.

It happened in a blur. Zack was smiling faintly, singneling for Cloud to run over where he was, then he was falling onto the ground. Cloud screamed but remained where he was as shots rang through the air. The guards must have caught up with them while they were trying to escape to Midgar. Cloud hear Zack wince in pain, and he cried out loudly as a bullet was sent into his leg. He threw a hand over his leg and tried to stifle his cry so that the guards wouldn't find him before he helped Zack. After a few minutes of listening to gun shots and running feet, it died away. Cloud struggled to climb to his feet, but knew that Zack was gravely injured. He crawled to his lovers side, bending over him. Blood flowed down Zack's pale face, almost touching his amber eyes that were staring up at the sky at the falling rain.

"Zack." The SOILDER made no action to move or to get up, making Cloud worry. He's going to be okay, just shut up about it!

"My part until now-"

"Your part?" Cloud's blue eyes filled with worry, but he still believe that Zack and him where going to make it to Midgar together, just like they promised.

"That's right, your are…"

"…you are?" Cloud knew something was wrong, and tried to keep Zack talking, to try to get him to stay with him. Damnit. Slowly, Zack brought his arm up and placed it around Cloud's head, brining him to his chest.

"Live." Cloud couldn't move and made no attempt to as he listened to Zack's heart beat. It was slow and getting slower from what he could faintly hear. Zack! He felt Zack's chest vibrate as he continued to talk, "You're- the evidence that I lived." Cloud's heart stung and his stmouch filled with bile at his faint words. Cloud bit his lip, not wanting for Zack to hear him cry. Zack's hand slid off of Cloud's head, falling to the ground. The young guard slowly drew his head up, smelling the blood from Zack's wound that was now mangled in his hair and on his face. He was now too shocked to know what to think. " Zack's injured," were the only thoughts that went through his head. Zack smiled softly before pulling his heavy buster sword along the ground, bringing it in front of Cloud.

"My pride and dreams," he placed the sword in Cloud's reluctant hands, "have them all." He shoved the sword against him , still showing a faint smile. Zack wanted him to take his sword, his life, and the stories that came with it, and to continue on. Cloud shakily took the sword in both hands. Z-Zack- He looked at his friend as he turned his head to the side, shutting his eyes. Cloud knew that they would never open again. A howl of pain scorched up inside of him. His mental pain was now far grater than his physical one. He stared at the sky and the falling rain that was washing the blood of his friend and lover off his face. Cloud let the pain out and shouted into the air, hoping that something, anything, would bring Zack back. Pictures of Zack filled his mind and it felt as if his life had been flashing before his eyes, because Zack was his life. Zack smiling, Zack running, Zack laughing and kissing his head. He wished he could see him do those things one more time. Cloud stared up into the sky, and noticed that the rain had stopped falling. The gray cloud's were clearing, giving way to a bright sky and a ray of sun. It spread across Zack's still body first, then fled onto Cloud's. Silently, Cloud shook his head, fighting back tears. He knew Zack wanted him to move on, to accept reality. He couldn't afford falling behind, now that Zack wanted him to carry on his legacy.


wán bì! (Chinese for 'the end' :3 )

R&R Please! The more advice you give me, the better stories I'll write for you ;3

-ChocoboCloud