they suffer together, they escape together, they go on the run together. zack lugs cloud everywhere, looking after him, talking to him, encouraging him. doting and affectionate as if he isn't just dead weight. wouldn't think of leaving him behind for anything. protects him from everyone and everything, then eagerly tries to take him home.
but they don't make it. zack tells cloud to run, faces down the shinra army all alone, and goes down in a horrible hailstorm of bullets. bloodied and battered and broken, he collapses on the cliff outside of midgar and bleeds a river of blood as the storm that's been building above them breaks.
only this time, he doesn't die right away.
he's still got the strength in him to crawl away, but not now. in a minute, when he's gathered himself, maybe. staring up at the sky, his eyes squinted against the rain, zack breathes shallowly with his fingers curled loosely around his sword. the damage that's been done, a potion and a cure materia aren't going to fix it this time. but he thinks he might be able to get back up. the light doesn't fade yet from his eyes. he's just—catching his breath, that's all. yeah. maybe, if he can grit his teeth and bear it, he can get cloud to midgar after all. as for himself, well...
well, we'll worry about that later. his eyes blink open again and a familiar face comes into view. guess it would've been too much to hope that he'd really run. zack tries to smile, his teeth colored red, blood pooling over his lips only to be washed away by the falling rain. ]
6/1+2?!/1+5!
they suffer together, they escape together, they go on the run together. zack lugs cloud everywhere, looking after him, talking to him, encouraging him. doting and affectionate as if he isn't just dead weight. wouldn't think of leaving him behind for anything. protects him from everyone and everything, then eagerly tries to take him home.
but they don't make it. zack tells cloud to run, faces down the shinra army all alone, and goes down in a horrible hailstorm of bullets. bloodied and battered and broken, he collapses on the cliff outside of midgar and bleeds a river of blood as the storm that's been building above them breaks.
only this time, he doesn't die right away.
he's still got the strength in him to crawl away, but not now. in a minute, when he's gathered himself, maybe. staring up at the sky, his eyes squinted against the rain, zack breathes shallowly with his fingers curled loosely around his sword. the damage that's been done, a potion and a cure materia aren't going to fix it this time. but he thinks he might be able to get back up. the light doesn't fade yet from his eyes. he's just—catching his breath, that's all. yeah. maybe, if he can grit his teeth and bear it, he can get cloud to midgar after all. as for himself, well...
well, we'll worry about that later. his eyes blink open again and a familiar face comes into view. guess it would've been too much to hope that he'd really run. zack tries to smile, his teeth colored red, blood pooling over his lips only to be washed away by the falling rain. ]
Still with me, buddy...?