Title: none
Author: ChimeraDragon
Warnings: Slight spoiler about end of Advent Children
"Yazoo, daijobu desu ka"? Loz asked his long-haired brother who lay limply on the couch of their current hideout.
"Daijobu," Yazoo replied, opening one eye to glance at his short-haired brother before flopping back onto the couch.
"Don't lie to us, Yazoo," Kadaj reprimanded gently. He came and sat down next to Yazoo on the couch. "You've been sleeping a lot lately."
"So? We've been fighting a lot lately," Yazoo countered.
"How is your Geostigma?" Kadaj asked.
"Fine," Yazoo replied flatly. He stood up and moved to go outside.
"Prove it," Loz demanded, standing in front of his brother, preventing him from leaving. He crossed his arms over his chest defiantly.
"Why should I? Do you not trust me?" Yazoo demanded moodily.
"It's not that…" Loz began looking worried and as though he was about to cry.
"It's alright, Loz. Don't cry," Yazoo soothed. "I'll show you." He quickly unzipped his coat and let it fall on the couch, revealing smooth pale skin that was broken up by patches of slightly oozing blackened skin and bandages.
"Yazoo…" Kadaj began, moving to touch one of the darker patches and saw it ooze as Yazoo grunted quietly in pain. "Take of your gloves too."
"Fine," Yazoo replied defeated, and threw his gloves on top of his coat.
"Yazoo, your hands," Loz said worriedly picking up Yazoo's right hand which had large dark black patches; the left wasn't quite as bad.
"Is this why you've been shooting left-handed more as of late?" Kadaj asked noticing the black oozing from Yazoo's hand where Loz was holding it.
"Partially, it's not that painful," Yazoo replied. He looked at Kadaj, "How is your Geostigma?"
"Not too bad," Kadaj replied removing his gloves and showing that his hands only a hint of darkness dusting them. "My hands are just fine, but my back is doing worse. We should change our bandages before we go see Rufus today."
"I'm fine," Loz insisted. Yazoo and Kadaj gave him a withering look. "Okay, okay. I'll change mine too," Loz said with a pout.
"We all have to take care of each other," Yazoo replied sitting down with a sigh. "Loz, would you go get the med-kit?"
"Sure!" Loz replied happily, and quickly made his way to the back of their hide out where the med-kit lay.
Kadaj unbuckled the belts on his legs and laid his coat on the couch. Loz came back with the kit in hand. Yazoo carefully began removing the bandages from around Kadaj's chest and upper arms.
"Got it!" Loz said triumphantly as he set the kit down on the table next to Kadaj and Yazoo.
"Thank you, Loz," Yazoo replied distractedly. He took an alcohol swab out of the kit and began cleaning the ooze from Kadaj's torso. He then carefully and tightly bandaged the black marks across Kadaj's chest.
"Thank you, Yazoo," Kadaj said as Yazoo worked on his left arm.
"No problem, what are brothers for?" Yazoo replied brushing his hair out of his eyes. He quickly finished with Kadaj and turned to Loz.
"What?" Loz asked trying to pretend to be innocent.
"Sit," Yazoo commanded looking up his brother.
"Okay," Loz consented and grudgingly took off his coat and gloves. Loz was the luckiest of the three of them; he only had 2 spots of Geostigma. One on his right bicep and the other on his left forearm which he protected with the Dual Hound since it was the worst spot. "Ow," Loz whined at Yazoo as he cleaned the spots.
"Don't cry, Loz, it doesn't suit you," Kadaj jeered as he finished re-buckling his coat to his legs.
"I'm not crying!" Loz insisted as Yazoo finished binding the infected areas.
"Your turn, Yazoo," Kadaj said as he took up Loz's place next to Yazoo while Loz put his coat back on.
"I know," Yazoo replied. He sat perfectly still while Kadaj removed the bandages. Yazoo's whole right arm was streaked with Geostigma, as was his back with patches going up to his collarbone and a bit of his neck, a few streaks dipped onto his chest and a bit on his stomach.
"Geeze, Yazoo," Loz commented looking at all of the Geostigma on Yazoo's body. He sat down behind Yazoo and helped Kadaj clean Yazoo's injuries.
"I know, Loz," Yazoo replied. He winced as Loz accidentally pressed too hard on one of the spots he was working on. "Don't say anything," Yazoo mouthed to Kadaj who was looking right at him. "He's only trying to help, and this didn't use to hurt."
"Okay," Kadaj whispered back and began binding Yazoo's neck and chest.
"Don't wrap my hand," Yazoo said as Kadaj moved down his arm with the bandages.
"Why not?" Kadaj asked cocking his head.
"I want to be able to use my hand," Yazoo replied. "I'll be okay, since the rest of it is bound up."
"Alright," Kadaj consent, knowing how much his brother needed dexterity in his hands.
After the battle with Sephiroth and the rooftop explosion . . .
Cloud looked at the spot where the two brothers of Kadaj had been standing and saw the two lying unmovingly. He walked over to the two brothers and checked to see if they were still alive. Both of them were still alive but not doing well. He waved at the Sierra and Cid moved it into position above them. Cloud was not about to leave his enemies to die slowly, since it was obvious that the rain was killing them. He carefully carried both of them on board.
"What the hell are you bringing them on board for?" Cid demanded looking at the two unconscious males Cloud had just brought on board.
"I couldn't leave them," Cloud replied.
"Well," Cid paused for a moment. "At least tie them up," he relented. "I don't trust 'em."
"Why did you bring them on board?" Yuffie asked curious.
"The rain was killing them," Cloud replied solemnly as he got up to look for something.
"It what!" Cid and Barret yelled, shocked by Cloud's statement. Cloud quickly found a towel and some rope. He started with the short-haired one, as soon as he was dry; Cloud tied him up and laid him against the bulkhead.
Cloud then got a fresh towel and dried off the long-haired man whose face was twisted in an expression of agony.
"They are so infected with Geostigma that's it's too much of a shock to their bodies," Vincent replied.
"This rain is curing the Geostigma?" Tifa asked in disbelief.
"Yes," Cloud replied and showed her his arm which showed no signs of illness anymore. He carefully tied up the long-haired brother who was shuddering horribly and propped him up next to his brother.
"Do you even know what their names are?" Cid asked, looking over at the two unconscious men on this ship.
"No," Cloud replied bluntly. "Take us to the church, please, this children will be waiting for me."
Cid shrugged and did as Cloud ordered.
After the church . . .
Cloud went back on board the Sierra trying to figure out what to do with his prisoners, only to find that the short haired one was free and had moved to tend to his brother. Cloud watched as the short-haired man snapped the rope tying up his long-haired brother.
"What are you planning on doing?" Cloud asked quietly. The short-haired man spun around to face him, mildly unsteady on his feet.
"Nii-San?" he asked.
"I'm not really your brother," Cloud replied with a sigh. "But you can call me that."
"What are you going to do with us?" the short-haired man demanded, standing between Cloud and his fallen brother.
"I want to help you," Cloud replied honestly.
"Where's Kadaj?"
"He's gone," Cloud replied sadly, remembering Kadaj dying in his arms. "But at least you two are alive. What's your name?"
"Loz," replied sadly, mourning his brother.
"Hn," Cloud replied processing the information.
"Ah!" the long-haired man cried, body arching painfully. Loz whipped around and held his brother so he wouldn't hurt himself with his thrashing.
"Loz, what's wrong with him?" Cloud asked.
"Yazoo is very sick," Loz replied. "Will you help him? Can you, Nii-San?" Loz looked a Cloud hopefully.
"We'll try," cloud promised. "Can I trust you?"
"Hai," Loz replied as Yazoo's body calmed. "Ka-San isn't calling us anymore."
"Good," Cloud replied after a moment's hesitation.
Yazoo slowly opened his eyes and looked up at Cloud from Loz's brotherly embrace. "Nii-San?" he asked weakly.
Cloud nodded silently as he and Loz helped Yazoo sit up. Cloud opened a canteen of water and offered it to Yazoo.
"Kadaj?" Yazoo asked taking a careful sip with Loz's help.
"Dead," Loz replied with tears in his eyes.
"Don't cry, Loz," Yazoo comforted, placing a hand on Loz's shoulder.
"I'm not crying!" Loz insisted looking even more upset.
"Heh," Yazoo laughed before groaning in pain.
"Your bandages need to be changed," Loz said.
"And yours?" Yazoo asked.
"I'm fine," Loz replied. "You're sicker than me."
"Is it the Geostigma?" Cloud asked.
"Hai, Nii-San," Yazoo replied. "Loz, help me out of this coat."
Loz nodded and carefully removed Yazoo's gloves and Cloud gave a sharp intake of breath seeing how blackened Yazoo's hand was. Loz then carefully helped Yazoo remove his coat revealing the black and red bandages.
"I've been like this for a while," Yazoo replied to Cloud's unspoken question. "But there's no cure for the Geostigma."
"There is, but it nearly killed both of you," Vincent corrected coming into view with the med-kit.
"The rain?" Loz and Yazoo asked in unison.
"They life stream in the rain water," Vincent replied. "There is a pool of it in the church."
"Perhaps if we . . ." Yazoo paused holding his chest and hand in agony. A few moments passed and Yazoo could breath again. "We could dilute the lifestream in douched water."
"I'll try for you," Loz offered.
"Either way," Yazoo replied. "We have to do something soon, I don't have long. But . . ." he trailed off starting into the distance unseeingly.
"But what?" Loz asked. "Do you still hear Ka-San? Or Sephiroth?" Cloud and Vincent looked at him questioningly.
"I hear . . ." Yazoo began, eyes becoming unfocused. "I hear Kadaj and . . . some woman with a nice voice." Yazoo stiffened for a moment before collapsing sideways.
"Yazoo!" Loz cried, catching his brother.
"Ka-San's voice is gone," Yazoo murmured before falling unconscious.
"Eh, looks like one of those brats is awake," Cid commented as he stepped onto the bridge looking at Loz. "What's wrong with your long-haired friend?"
"Stop it, Cid," Tifa ordered walking past Cid to kneel next to Yazoo. "He's got Geostigma, pretty bad from the looks of it."
"Really? I thought they started it?" Cid replied taking a drag from his cigarette.
"No! We hurt more than you know!" Loz snapped.
"Easy boys!" Tifa ordered. "Now is not the time for this! We have a very sick man on our hands. Now . . ." she paused looking at Loz and giving him and odd look.
"Yazoo," he replied pointing at his brother. "I'm Loz."
"Thank you," Tifa replied. "Now, it looks like Yazoo needs those bandages changed and then we'll head to the church. That miracle water is there."
"But they can't touch it," Cloud countered.
"Right," Tifa replied with a laugh. "I forgot."
Cloud shook his head silently, mildly amused.
"Then what can we do for them?" she asked, looking at the two of them with concern in her eyes.
"Nii-San has an idea," Loz replied. "If we put some of the church water with regular water then we should be alright."
"But how are you supposed to test this theory?" Cid asked, looking as though he didn't care one way or the other.
"You'll test it on me," Loz replied as though it was the most logical thing in the world.
"Why you?" Barret asked
Loz's eyebrows furrowed for a moment. "Because my Geostigma isn't as bad as his, so if this doesn't work he won't have to suffer."
"You really care about each other, don't you?" Marlene asked, walking up to Loz fearlessly.
"He's my only family," Loz replied nodding sadly.
"I know Cloud will find a way to help your brother," Marlene replied with a not of finality in her young voice. She hugged Loz comfortingly and the others were surprised as Loz put an arm around her accepting the gesture. "Hey, why don't you come play with us while they help your brother?" she asked pulling on Loz's arm.
"But . . ." Loz tried to protest.
"He'll be fine," Tifa assured him.
"Okay," Loz consented after another moment's hesitation. He allowed Marlene to drag him outside. Barret followed the two, not trusting their new "ally" yet.
"Cid, take us to the church please," Cloud asked.
"Fine," Cid replied with a grumble. The Sierra took off and Barret waved to them. Loz was still being dragged along by Marlene who lead him to Tifa's bar, 7th Heaven. The last thing they saw was a mob of excited children; including Denzel, jumping on Barret and Loz.
Cloud gave a small smile before turning back to Yazoo. The long-haired man lay against the bulkhead. Cloud carefully began unwrapping Yazoo's wounds.
"Here let me help you," Tifa. She winced as she noticed how black Yazoo's right hand was. "It's a wonder he was able to fight at all."
"They're all stronger than they look," Cloud said as he removed the bandaged around Yazoo's torso. The bandages cam off slowly, reopening several scabs and causing fresh bleeding.
"Yuck," Cid muttered seeing the blackened ooze dripping from the Geostigma on Yazoo's right bicep. "Is that what the Geostigma looks like? 'Cause that's just freaky."
"Yes, that's what it looks like when it's extremely bad," Cloud replied. "Most people die when it gets this bad."
"The Jenova cells are what's keeping him alive," Vincent said walking up to look at Yazoo.
"I thought as mush," Cloud replied as he and Tifa began cleaning Yazoo's wounds.
"Do you think will be able to find a way to cure their Geostigma?" Tifa asked.
"I hope so," Cloud replied.
"You know, yer awfully worried about someone who was your enemy not that long ago," Cid commented.
"They were lied to, and confused," Vincent replied. "They've had Geostigma as long or longer than anyone. They thought that once they had Reunion they'd be like everyone else."
"Ungh," Yazoo groaned and opened his eyes weakly.
"Daijobu?" Tifa asked.
"Hn," Yazoo replied shaking his head.
"We're taking you to the church Cloud lives at," Tifa said after a moment. "Can we trust you to not try anything?"
"Hn," Yazoo replied again, only this time he nodded. Yazoo said nothing and laid back, allowing Cloud and Tifa to finish binding his Geostigma. "Thank you," he said at last standing unsteadily and putting his coat and gloves back on.
TBC . . .