The Past Life

The few days that followed my close encounter with Kunzite's sword resulted in me seeing a lot more of him than I would have liked. I was getting odd looks from Nephrite, as he had probably been spoken to by Kunzite, but he never said a word. I hardly even saw Jadeite, but when I did he made sure to avoid me at all costs. I found it odd that he could be so accepting of it and yet detest it at the same time.

I kept telling myself that Kunzite didn't actually know what was going on. I'm sure he had a few theories, but nothing concrete. I planned to keep it that way.

He would come into the music room and lean against one of the walls, possibly in complete silence for several minutes, once he lasted a full half-hour. Whenever it seemed appropriate to him, he would ask a question. Sometimes in regards to my activities, sometimes the Master's activities. Those questions made sense. There were others that I couldn't figure out why he was asking, and it made me wonder exactly what was going through his head.

“I was looking for you yesterday. Where were you?”

I was playing one of my favourite pieces at the time, something I could play in my sleep, so his questions did nothing to falter my fingers as they slid across the ivory keys. “I was in a few different places, Kunzite. Could you be more specific?”

“Just after noon.”

“In my room.”

“I went to your room, you didn't answer my knocks.”

I had actually been telling the truth. I had gone to my room for a few hours to work on a piece I was composing away from the piano. It was entirely possible that I simply hadn't heard him when he knocked. “I was writing music. You know I tend to tune out most of the world when I do that.”

Kunzite lapsed into a few more minutes of silence. I rearranged the sheets of paper in front of me while I selected the next piece to play. Just before I struck the keys, Kunzite spoke again. “Did the Master leave the palace at any point yesterday?”

What? His question caught me off guard and I stopped my fingers before they could play any notes. “You would know if he did.”

“Not if you two didn't want me to know, I wouldn't.”

I drew my eyebrows together in confusion, how was Master leaving the palace connected to our relationship? “You're not making any sense, Kunzite.”

“Where was the Master just after noon yesterday?”

“I told you that I was in my room, I don't know where he was exactly. I saw him that morning at breakfast and later in the afternoon walking down the hall.”

“Which hall?”

“The east side bordering the courtyard.”

“Could he have just come in from the courtyard?”

I gave Kunzite a most bewildered look. “I suppose, but it's freezing outside. Why do you think he would be out there?”

Without answering, he pushed himself off the wall and walked out of the room, leaving me to wonder just what he was thinking. Whatever suspicion Kunzite had about mine and Master's secret, he was well off the right track. At least I could be grateful for that.

“You are on night watch again tonight?”

I nodded, understanding my Master's confusion. “Kunzite asked me to replace Nephrite tonight.”

“Oh, is Nephrite ill?”

I shook my head. Nephrite was probably in perfect health, but lately Kunzite had been looking for as many excuses to keep me occupied, specifically where he could keep an eye on me. I knew what he was doing and had stopped asking why I was being given the extra work a couple weeks ago.

Kunzite still seemed to believe fully in whatever mistaken theory he had, though I might have been partially to blame for that. After I had figured out that he didn't know what was really going on, I would answer some of his many questions with half-truths that continued to push him in the wrong direction. Kunzite probably would discover the real truth eventually, but if I could manage to spend a little more time with my Master, I would take it.

“Does he know?”

“No, but he still thinks he does. So long as he keeps beating away at this idea of his, I don't think we have much to worry about.”

Master smiled with relief and walked over to stand beside me at the piano. He looked at the music I had in front of me, even though I knew he understood less than half of what was written on it. “What about tomorrow night?” he asked, lowing his voice. He placed his hand on my back, softly rubbing the spot between my shoulder blades. I resisted the urge to close my eyes and lean into this, for now if anyone walked into the room, it wouldn't look as if anything was suspicious.

“I have the night off,” I replied, keeping my own voice low as well. “Tomorrow will be f... fine.”

Master's hand was now rubbing the back of my neck. He was doing this on purpose, knowing that even if someone were standing at the door, they would not be in a position to see what he was doing. He also knew that it was a very pleasant and sometimes arousing sensation for me.

Just as his fingers were making the lightest of caresses down the side of my neck, he pulled away. I almost though that someone had walked into the room, but that was not the case.

“Kunzite's probably waiting for us.”

Was it that late already? I hadn't even noticed. I closed my eyes for a moment and let out a breath. “You'll have to give me a moment, Master.”

“What? Oh... right. Sorry.”

The look Kunzite gave us when we turned the corner and approached Master's chambers almost stopped me cold. He was leaning against the wall opposite Master's door, his arms folded, his eyes glaring daggers. Thankfully it didn't seem to bother our Master and he continued walking, and so I continued to follow.

“And what kept you two?” he asked, a dangerous tone in is voice that I has come to be quite familiar with in the last few weeks.

“We were talking and didn't notice the time. Sorry to keep you waiting,” Master calmly answered for us. “Good night.”

Master offered me an apologetic look before escaping into his own rooms. I took my seat and didn't bother looking at Kunzite, the long line of questioning would come regardless.

“Talking about what, exactly,” he asked. He hadn't moved from his spot on the wall, seemingly wanting to remain there while he spoke to me. Mostly likely to try to appear intimidating.

“Among other things, my excessive amount of work,” I said, meeting his gaze.

If it was even possible, Kunzite's eyes narrowed even farther, “it might make you see exactly what your duties are supposed to be, or at very least, keep you from endangering our Master further.”

This was the most I had ever gotten out of him as an explanation. I had wanted to keep him thinking whatever it was that he was thinking, but what he said then shocked me. “Kunzite, what is it exactly that you think I am doing?”

I knew he heard the sincerity of my question, and looked at me for the first time with doubt. For a moment, it looked like he was questioning his own assumptions, but that moment was short and the disdain was back in his voice. “That you, of all people would...” he trailed off, not finishing his sentence. It was almost as if he didn't want to say the words, whatever they were, for fear that they might be true.