The Past Life

“Over all, I'd say it was satisfactory. We need to work on our speed however, the palace could have been searched faster and more efficiently.”

We were seated at one end of a large conference table. Jadeite, Nephrite, and I had handed our reports into Kunzite earlier that morning and we were now discussing what went well and what went poorly the day before.

“That is all,” Kunzite concluded and the rest of us stood to leave the room. “Zoisite, I'd like to speak with you privately for a moment.”

I stopped and gave Kunzite a questioning look, but returned to my seat. Kunzite waited until the other two had left the room and closed the door behind them.

Almost instantly a collection of papers was shoved across the table at me, scattering pieces as it travelled. The cover page of my report landed in front of me while the rest of it littered the table. “What the hell is this?” Kunzite asked, his voice low.

I looked down at the report. Last night I had fallen asleep when I had intended to properly finish my writing. I had been left with very little time in the morning to complete my work, and had to hurry to finish it.

“The first half is what I would expect from you, the second half is what I would expect from a ten-year-old. Your penmanship was lousy, and you made so many spelling errors that I could barely read it. What happened?”

“I was a little rushed.”

“Why? What happened to take away so much time suddenly last night?”

I was in dangerous waters now. This was not going to be so easy to get out of. “It's nothing that should concern you. I'm sorry about the report. I'll re-write it if you want.”

“This has something to do with what we talked about at the ball, doesn't it?”

“No..”

“Don't even think about lying to me. You told me then that it shouldn't concern me since it wasn't interfering with your duties. Well, guess what, it concerns me now.”

I couldn't look at him. I almost felt that if I did, he would suddenly know everything. Instead, I did the one thing I probably shouldn't have done. I stood and walked away.

Or, at least I tried to. I managed to get to the other side of the long table before Kunzite came around, grabbed my collar roughly, and pushed me against the wall. I grabbed his hand with mine and tried to pry it off of me, but that only resulted in him reaffirming his grip and shoving me against the wall once more. “Let go of me.”

“What could be so damned important that it's effecting your work and you can't tell me? Do I have to beat it out of you? Or maybe just strip you of your Tennou title until you come to your senses.”

Before I could reply I was pulled away from the wall and sent sprawling across the marble floor. I landed on my stomach, facing away from him and when I rolled myself over, I was met by the tip of his sword. Instinctively I froze, looking from the blade back up to it's keeper. “No, you'll tell me right now.”

I wasn't going to tell him, that much I knew, but I also knew that if I told him anything but the truth I would be feeling it the next morning. I had no idea how to get out of this situation. Staying quiet and staring back at Kunzite wasn't going to do the trick either.

“Kunzite!” Master's voice came from the door. He ran into the room and looked from one of us to the other. “Lower your sword,” he ordered.

I was surprised that Kunzite obeyed that order, but he did withdraw the blade and re-sheathed it at his side. Master shot Kunzite a glare before kneeling down and helping me to my feet. “Now, would you care to explain what just happened here?”

The Master was standing almost protectively at my side, his eyes fixed on the leader of his guardians. I felt relieved that he was here, but didn't know if it would actually help matters any.

“Something has been preventing Zoisite from fulfilling his duties as one of the Shitennou,” Kunzite began. “Something that has been effecting him emotionally for several months, and now is somehow cutting into the time he needs to do some simple paperwork. Also, it is something that I know involves you, Master.”

This bit of information was news to him. I had not told the Master that Kunzite had suspected anything. Master looked at me and then at the papers scattered across the table. He walked over to them and picked one of the pieces up, glancing over the contents quickly. “This is all?” he asked, turning back to Kunzite. “A messed up report and you draw your sword on your fellow Shitennou?” Master placed the page back on the table exactly as it had been before, as if there was some order to the chaos. “In my opinion, your actions are much more detrimental than anything Zoisite has been doing.”

“Then maybe you will explain to me what Zoisite has been doing, because apparently it's bad enough that he won't tell me.”

“Then simply take my word for it, Kunzite. It's not serious, and you should let the matter drop. You are excused. Be thankful I do not tell my father of this.”

The anger and frustration in Kunzite was evident. He gave Master a fiery stare, but the look he gave me was pure venom. He then left the room without a word and closed the door heavily behind him.

I was suddenly aware that I had been holding my breath, and let it out in a sigh. I gave Master a thankful smile and he returned the gesture, but it was gone quickly as he grew concerned. “When were you going to tell me that Kunzite had been threatening you?” he asked.

“I'm sorry Master. I knew that he suspected something, but that was the first time he reacted in that way.”

“I see. If I had known you had a lot of work to do, I wouldn't have bothered you.” He put his hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eye. “I don't want to make things difficult for you.”

“No, Master, it was my own fault. I should have told you, but I... didn't want to. I thought I would just finish after, but it didn't work out.”

“Zoisite...” he said, using my full name. “You're not... feeling pressured by me about this, are you? You don't have to be with me if you don't want to...”

“No, Master,” I protested. “It's nothing like that. Albeit at first, I didn't think it was a good idea, but now that I've...” I trailed off. What was I going to say? 'Now that I've fallen in love with you?' 'Now that I want to spend the rest of my life at your side?' I couldn't say any of those things.

“You've?” Master pressed me for more. His hands were still on my shoulders and he was standing close. I couldn't help but remember what had happened in the music room.

I shook my head, “It was nothing, Master. I just... I do want to keep doing this, and I don't care if Kunzite would have my head if he found out. I don't believe that what we ha... that what are doing is wrong.” I corrected my slip up quickly, he didn't seem to notice.

Master then pulled me towards him then, holding me against his chest. I did the only thing I could think to do and wrapping my arms around him as well. “Thank you,” he said, speaking softer now, into my ear. “Do you think that... maybe... tonight...”

The thought of being with him again in combination with his body pressed close to mine was starting to arouse certain parts of my body. Master noticed and released his hold on me, smiling when he did so. “I assume I can take that to mean 'yes'?” he asked.

I nodded, silently praying that I would be able to keep my mind free of such vulgar thoughts for the rest of the day. “I'll be there.”

“I'll be waiting.”