Set Against the Grain
Drabbles following the exploits of Zack and Cloud, via Final Fantasy VII/Crisis Core.
--8--
There was never a moment he feared more than right then. He wasn't afraid to die—he had overcome that long ago—but fear still remained. It reminded him why he was standing there—sword unpolished from years of being untouched, body haggard and covered in dirt from weeks spent on the run, Midgar's most western sectors visible in the distance—why he was alone. And he would readily admit that he had never felt more alone than right then.
Alone, afraid—very uncharacteristic of a SOLDIER.
And after more than four years of separation, he wasn't quite sure who he was anymore. Yet, with every breath, every beat of his heart, he could feel the effects of the mako coursing through his veins. It was so deeply embedded at the cellular level—burning, tearing, and severing every connection to his old self, to the man he used to be. And the only part of it he didn't regret was the strength it provided at his last hour—his finest, he hoped. But at what cost? The stamp of Shinra was so deep, he could feel it on his soul. He lived so long aiming to be the best, to make it to the top, that he never realized how far it would take him. He never realized the sacrifice it would cost—and still he was no closer to his goal than he'd ever been.
Instead, with the final countdown beating like a drum on his heart, he marveled at it all—at Shinra, at Sephiroth, and Genesis, Angeal, Aerith… and especially Cloud.
All he'd ever wanted to be was a hero. Looking back, he wondered if he'd even tried hard enough. How misguided had he been? Was there any hope left that Cloud would come back from this?
But there was a part of him—a greater part—that fought back. It tore at his heart and brought unwanted tears to his eyes as he prepared himself to walk away from the only friend who hadn't left him alone. It was ironic.
For all the deceit, broken promises, terror, and treachery Shinra carried out, he hoped his last moments would change that—that it would all change.
Above all, Zack simply hoped Cloud would remember.
