C H A P T E R - T W E N T Y - O N E

Kadaj couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. Everything was a blur. The world was spinning around him. He was drowning in a sea of emotions and pain. The skin surrounding the area where the wing had appeared burned in the freezing wind. He could feel the warm sickening wetness of his own blood roll down his back, soaking the leather. The snow was stained red beneath him. He could feel himself slipping, fading into the darkness, but he held back. No, no he would not surrender. He couldn't.

Around him, the blurry forms of his friends and family moved in. They were saying things, but Kadaj could hardly make it out. It all sounded muffled, like he was underwater. It was just a sea of shadows and colours. He could feel strong arms folded around his body, and he immediately knew they belonged to Reno. Yet, he could hardly see his redheaded lover. He could hardly feel him. He was…numb.

Deep inside him, his mother's cells coursed through his veins. They burned and melted his insides like they were acid. The pain was excruciating. He felt as though he would go mad if the agony continued. It fried his mind and made his heart race. He couldn't stop it. Couldn't control it. Sephiroth's presence was stronger now. It was so close, the young Remnant felt it envelop his very being. He was taking over his mind, body, and soul. He was killing him.

"Baby?" Reno's voice was a little more understandable now. It cracked with worry and panic. "Oh God, baby, no! Kadaj, please talk to me. Say something!"

Kadaj blinked a bit to try and get his vision to clear. "R-Reno…"

He felt the redhead lean in and kiss his lips softly. His hands were shaking. "I'm here, Kaddy."

The youth groaned, feeling as though his brain might explode right out of his skull. "…Reno…h-he's…he's coming…"

"Shh…" Reno held him tightly. "Don't talk like that. It's going to be okay, baby, I promise you. It's going to be okay."

Kadaj shook his head. "N-No…"

Reno kissed him again, deeper. He felt a warm wetness hit his face, and he guessed the ex-Turk was most definitely crying. Kadaj reached a hand up to gently brush the tears away.

"It's going to be alright, Kadaj." Reno whispered gently. "You're strong. You can beat this, babe. I know you can. Fight him."

Kadaj clutched his lover's shoulders, crying out as another electric shock coursed through his body. He whimpered. "I…I can't…"

"Yes you can!" This time it was Yazoo who argued. He felt his older brother grab his hand. "You're the strongest, Kadaj. The strongest one out of all of us. You always were. You, of all people, can beat him. Please…"

Kadaj's breath hitched through the pain. He couldn't even think anymore. Is mind felt like a television screen without reception; fuzzy and unreadable. The single black wing on his back swayed on its own accord. He wasn't even the one controlling it. It was Sephiroth. There was nothing he could do. Nothing he could say that could make everything just magically go away. Sephiroth was in control now. He was the stronger being. Just like he'd always been.

No. No, Kadaj would not let him win. He could not let him win. That maniacal bastard was not going to take over him again! He would thwart his plans. He would be the one with the last word, even if he had to lose everything to do it. There was no other choice.

He looked up into Reno's eyes. "…Reno, you n-need…you need to stop him from…c-coming out..."

"How?" Reno asked desperately. "That's what I've been trying to figure out, Kaddy. How do I stop him?"

Weakly, Kadaj looked over at his brothers, who were sitting very close to him. The snow blew through their silver locks, and made the leather on their strong bodies creak. Lifting his weak arm, Kadaj reached a hand over and grabbed Velvet Nightmare, which was attached to Yazoo's belt.

Yazoo blinked. "What are you doing?"

Kadaj didn't answer him. Instead, he placed the pistol in Reno's hand, and led the barrel up to his own head. "You…you have to kill me."

"What!" Reno shouted, pulling the gun away. "No! Kaddy, I will not do that!"

"Are you insane?" Loz gaped at him. "We're trying to keep you from being killed, brother!"

Yazoo gripped Kadaj's hand. "No one is killing you."

"Sephiroth is…" Kadaj muttered. "You have to beat him to it."

"No way in hell!" Reno shook his head. "Baby, I ain't killing you. I can't. There has to be another way!"

Kadaj grabbed Reno's wrist with all the strength he could muster. "R-Reno, listen to me. Sephiroth is going to t-take my…my body. I'm going to disappear, and you'll all have to d-deal with him. I can't…I can't let him t-touch you…I can't."

Reno began to shake wildly. He pulled the young Remnant against his chest. Kadaj could hear his heart race with panic. "No…no, God baby, no. Please, don't make me do this. I can't kill you. I can't lose you, Kaddy."

Kadaj groaned, his body trembling in agony. "…P-Please…please don't let me disappear…If you do this, S-Sephiroth will never return…there would be no other w-way…"

The ex-Turk began to sob bitterly into Kadaj's hair. "No…no, Kaddy, no. I need you…your brothers need you…"

Kadaj felt tears roll down his own cheeks as he looked over at his two older brothers. "You two…must take care of each other…"

"No…" Yazoo breathed, his green eyes wet. "No, brother…"

"We can't." Loz shook his head. "Not without you."

Kadaj whimpered at another wave of pain. "…I can feel him inside m-me…he's going to come out. P-Please…I don't want to disappear…"

"I will not be held responsible for your death!" Reno shouted through his tears.

The youth wrapped his weak arms around Reno's neck, whispering softly. "You won't, Reno. You would have s-saved me…you would have spared me the agony and torture. He's going to rip me apart. My body, my soul…he's going to take it. You can't let him…please…"

Reno clung to him. "W-What about me? What the hell am I supposed to do once you're gone? I can't live without you, Kadaj."

"Y-Yes you can…" Kadaj pressed a soft kiss to his ear. "I believe in you…you're strong, Reno. Stronger than you may think. I know you'll be okay…"

"No!" Reno sobbed. "No, I can't do it! Please…"

Kadaj's eyes rolled to the back of his head with a sharp gasp. The wing on his back shuddered and gave a soft flap. He pressed against Reno. "…You need to do it…he's so strong. I can't….I feel so tired…S-Save me. Save me, Reno…"

Reno bit his lip, tears still pouring down his cheeks. He stared deeply into Kadaj's eyes. The hand that still held the gun was shaking like mad. He lifted it slightly towards Kadaj, then immediately pulled back. "I can't…I can't do it."

"Yes you can…" Kadaj whispered. "R-Remember what you taught me. You have to be able to shoot n-no matter…what's happening. Block out everything. Every sound, every thought, and…e-every emotion. It's just you and the target."

Reno let out a loud sob and pressed their foreheads together. His tears fell onto the Remnant's face like rain. Kadaj closed his eyes and held his shaking form. Simply held him. He didn't know how much time he had left, but he just wanted to take a few small moments to hold the love of his life for the last time.

Reno's free hand slid up Kadaj's back, and the young Remnant instantly thought he was going to touch his wing. Instead, the familiar ring of his Souba being unsheathed jarred his ears and his eyes snapped open. The redhead stared down at him, the double-bladed sword clutched firmly in his fist. Before Kadaj could open his mouth, Reno placed the hilt of the sword in his young lover's hand and pointed the gleaming blades straight at his own stomach.

"If you go, I go with you."

Kadaj's eyes widened. "N-No…no, Reno, don't do that. Don't end your life because of me."

"Without you, there is no life to live." Reno's voice was low, and weak. "I've lost everything I ever had. My home, my job, everything. I'm not about to lose you too. I would sooner die than let you go."

The Remnant's hand shook around the hilt. His heart raced. Never before had he felt such hesitation about killing someone. Before, he wouldn't think twice about driving Souba into the body of an enemy. Of the few things in the world he was afraid of, killing wasn't one of them. But now…he couldn't do this. Not this. Anything but this! Not Reno. Not his Reno.

Gleaming Mako eyes locked themselves onto powder blue orbs. Kadaj could almost see right into Reno's soul. He was in pain. He didn't want to live anymore. He was suffering just as much as he was. His beautiful Reno needed saving too.

Clenching his eyes shut, Kadaj gave the sword a quick jerk upward, driving the double blades straight through his lover's body. Reno gave a choked gasp, his body stiffening at the sudden intrusion of cold steel running through his stomach. His warm crimson blood ran down the blades, soaking Kadaj's gloved hand. The youth opened his eyes and stared up at the dying redhead. His heart almost shattered.

What had he done?

A gentle smile crossed Reno's lips and he slumped forward, pressing their bodies together despite the fact that the sword still remained between them. Kadaj could see the tips of Souba sticking out of Reno's back. They were stained red.

Kadaj buried his face in Reno's neck. "I'm sorry…"

Reno silenced him with a tender kiss, bringing the gun up and pressing it against the youth's temple. "Don't be. This…this is what I want. I need to be together with you…no matter what."

Kadaj turned his head to look at Yazoo and Loz, who had been watching the entire spectacle in horrified silence. The blood had drained from both their faces. He reached out and closed his hand over Yazoo's, squeezing weakly. "G-Goodbye…my brothers…"

Yazoo's eyes swam with tears. His mouth moved to speak, but no words came out. Noticing his distress, Loz placed his hand on top of theirs. "Goodbye, Kadaj…" he said softly.

At that instant, Yazoo leaned in and kissed Kadaj's brow. His voice was barely audible through his tears. "W-We will always love you, brother."

Kadaj gave a weak smile and looked back over at Reno, who was growing weaker by the second. He looked barely strong enough to hold himself up. His blood still poured from his wound and onto Kadaj's leather-clad body. The youth could still feel cold metal pressed against his temple.

"I love you, Reno." Kadaj whispered.

The redhead smiled. "I love you too, baby. I will see you soon."

Reno kissed him, deep and passionate. Kadaj slid his eyes shut and tasted his lover, his best friend, his whole world. He tasted him and savoured this last moment of life with him. Even as he felt Sephiroth's life force build in his body, threatening to tear him apart at any moment, Kadaj felt no fear. He felt no pain. Only the sweet warm taste of his beloved Reno on his tongue. So perfect…

With the blast of the gunshot, everything around the young Remnant disappeared in an instant. Every sight, every sound, every smell, every ounce of pain vanished without a trace, leaving only a deep peaceful silence and the ever lingering feel of Reno's kiss still on his lips.

At last, they were at peace.

The echo of the gunshot still hung in the air, even after the two lovers were finally gone. Yazoo stared silently at their bodies entangled together in an everlasting embrace against the blood-stained snow.

There were soft sounds coming from the surrounding group of friends as the realization of what they just beheld finally hit them. Nothing but soft sobs and shaky whispers. Yazoo barely heard them as he looked down at his fallen brother.

Loz was deathly quiet as well, which was unusual for him. He was always the emotional one, but this time there wasn't even a slight sob coming from his direction. Yazoo would have almost questioned if he was even there, but the feel of a strong arm wrapping around his waist was proof enough. Loz was still with him.

"He looks…peaceful." Loz whispered softly after a long silence. "Like he's sleeping."

Yazoo nodded slowly, eyeing Kadaj's angelic face slightly hidden beneath a fringe of silver hair. The black wing that once stuck out of his back had disappeared, giving everyone the sign that Sephiroth had finally gone. Reno lay snug in the crook of the young Remnant's neck, having bled out only seconds after the trigger was pulled. He seemed to have held on to the last shred of his life for one more moment so he could finally free Kadaj from Sephiroth's grasp. And he had done just that.

The morning sun shone brightly over them, accompanied by the gentle sounds of a city waking from its slumber. The start of a new day for some, the end of suffering for others. None of these citizens would ever know how close they came to feeling Sephiroth's darkness. No one would ever know the sacrifice Kadaj and Reno had made together to prevent it. To save them all.

No one but them.

"Sleep, my brother." Yazoo breathed with a soft smile, feeling that somehow, someway, Kadaj could still hear him. "You are free at last."

T H E - E N D