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The ki beam shot through the air and hit the lavender haired man behind him…

But it wasn’t Mirai Trunks…it was his own Trunks…

***

Trunks’s eyes widened as he saw the person he loved most in the world get thrown backwards with the force of the beam and bounce across the ground before landing heavily. “Gohan, no!”

***

Gohan watched as his lover stubbornly struggled to sit up using shaking arms before they gave out and let him collapse on the ground, while he squeezed his eyes shut from the pain. He ran over and pulled the bloody form into his arms. “Trunks…talk to me…”

***

Trunks panicked as he watched Gohan struggle to breathe, the air coming in short, sharp gasps, as the dark haired man focused entirely on the laborious task of getting oxygen into his aching body. “You’ll be alright Gohan…just gotta get you to Dende.”

***

“It’s too…late Gohan…” Trunks’s body jerked and his hand clutched at the front of the other man’s Gi, as if trying to find support within its cottony depths.

“No! No, it’s not! Trunks, you can’t die!”

***

“Please…you’ll be alright,” the young prince babbled as he took one of Gohan’s hands firmly within his own, and stroked his hair with the other.

“In…my…ches…t…”

***

“Please Trunks…hold on! I need you!” the older demi sobbed as he crouched down and gently gathered the smaller body into his strong arms to lift him onto his lap. “Please Trunks please, you’ll be alright…”

***

“…I’ll take care of you like you’ve done for me…for us…” He panicked as Gohan’s breathing became more rough and ragged. “No, Gohan, you can’t leave me! Stay with me! Stay awake!” He was dully aware of the tears cascading down his cheeks as he choked upon the words.

***

Gohan wanted to scream whilst he watched Trunks struggle to keep his eyes open. “You have to Trunks!” he sobbed, “Keep looking at me please!” His breath caught in his throat when the cobalt blue depths flickered to settle on his face.

***

He leaned down and kissed the middle Son’s forehead. “I love you, Gohan, and I can’t lose you! Stay with me!”

“I’m…try…ing…” He tried to lift Gohan again but halted in his actions when Gohan screamed in pain and squeezed his eyes shut.

***

“I’m sorry!” he wept as a small smile graced the features of the angel cradled in his grip “I’m so sorry!” he sobbed as he hugged the smaller form to his chest. Trunks smiled and inhaled the scent of his lover.

“You al…ways smell…so good…”

***

Trunks watched his tears fall onto Gohan. “Please don’t leave me…” Gohan’s head lolled onto Trunks’s shoulder as he gave up all attempts of conversation and concentrated on nothing but getting air into his painful, damaged, bloody lungs. “Come on Gohan, keep breathing for me, keep awake…”

***

His breath hitched in his throat as Trunks’s breathing became slower. “No, Trunks, come on! Don’t you dare!” He choked as Trunks’s other hand joined the fabric of Gohan’s shirt.

“Ca…n’t…”

***

“Yes you can!! Don’t give up on me!!” Trunks babbled desperately.

“Rem…em…ber I…love…you…”

“NO, GOHAN! STAY WITH ME! DON’T YOU DARE GIVE UP!! GOHAN! GOHAN!!” Gohan’s eyes began to slowly slide shut, yet he continued to breathe.

***

“OPEN YOUR EYES, TRUNKS! DAMMIT, OPEN THEM!” He shook Trunks slightly as if to aid him in his quest for oxygen, and gasped in horror as the uneven rise and fall of the smaller man’s chest slowed.

***

“NO, GOHAN!!!” He screamed as his love’s breathing slowed down to almost nothing, the sound of blood gurgling in the back of his throat becoming more prominent. Gohan jerked sharply and coughed, sending his life fluid out of his mouth and spattering onto the ground near them.

***

Gohan rested Trunks’s head against his arms and breathed deeply into his mouth, urgently trying to preserve his life for a little longer. His eyes filled with tears again as he watched the lavender haired prince accept the gift as best he could. “Come on, come on, come on…”

***

Trunks tipped Gohan’s head back and breathed deeply into him a second time, watching as Gohan accepted it again, desperately clinging onto his life. “You can do it, Gohan, stay with me…” he leaned down again, pressing his lips over the taller man’s mouth, fuelling the other’s lungs further.

***

Gohan grinned slightly as Trunks breathed in with him, and slowly opened his eyes. “That’s it! That’s it! Come on, don’t give up on me!” Trunks accepted another breath. “You’re not gonna die. I won’t let you die on me, Trunks, I love you too much…”

***

“I’ve…lost too…much…bloo…d.”

“YOU WON’T DIE! YOU HEAR ME!” Gohan flinched a little from the sudden outburst but Trunks ignored it and breathed into him again. Gohan accepted it, but his eyes began to slowly slide shut again. “No, no, no!! Don’t you dare!”

***

“You WON’T die!” He knew that Trunks’s attempts to accept the air were weakening. “No, you can’t! You won’t!” he begged as he breathed into him again. His attempts were weaker still.

***

“Oh god, you can’t, Gohan! I love you! No!” Gohan squeezed the shirt slightly in his fist, as Trunks leaned down and breathed deeply again. “Please…”

***

Trunks’s bloody chest rose in the air and his ki wavered slightly. “OH, GOD, NO!” Gohan laid him on the ground, tipped his head back, pinched his nose and breathed air into the abused lungs.

***

As Gohan’s chest rose, his ki became steadier, so Trunks did it again, and began compressions on his bloody chest to try and strengthen the pulses of his heart.

***

It didn’t work. Trunks just stayed limp as his ki inched lower and lower.

***

He renewed his efforts, holding on desperately.

One last telepathic message…~I love you~

And his energy vanished to nothing.

***

“NOOOOOOOOOO!!”

***

“NOOOOOOOOOO!!”

***

Two different men, miles apart from each other, sat up in their beds; the aftermath of the dream they had just shared evident with the sweat and tears rolling down their faces, as well as the heavy breathing forcing their chests to heave up and down.

***

Gohan was NOT dead, Trunks reasoned; the whole thing was just a dream.

***

Trunks wasn’t dead. He did not just die in his arms, blood spilling over his chest.

***

Then why were they both so upset?