The Past Life

As usual, I showed up at my Master's door shortly before the other two Tennou did. It took him a bit longer to greet me, but I didn't think anything of it at the time. He smiled and held the door open silently for me to enter.

He closed the door behind me and then drew me into a short embrace. “They'll probably be here soon. While we're waiting, why don't you go change. I've left a spare yukata in my bedroom.”

He was up to something, he had a mischievous look in his eye. When I gave him a questioning look, he just smiled and gestured to the entrance to his bedroom.

I opened and slid the door closed behind me. There was indeed a yukata on that bed. It was dark blue with a simple white and silver pattern, similar to the one Master wore, but with the colours reversed. It was not the only thing I found in the bedroom however.

A fire burned in the fireplace. By this point the weather had cooled considerably, and the palace along with it. The fire was not out of place, the soft looking throw rug laid out in front of it was. It was probably white or off-white in colour, but the fire gave it an orange glow.

I was in the process of removing my sash and jacket when I noticed yet another change in the room. A bottle of white wine sat on the round table complete with two glasses. I looked over my shoulder at the closed door behind me. So this was what he has been up to.

Once changed I folded my uniform and placed it on a free chair. I had yet to hear Jadeite and Nephrite arrive, so I took a moment to look myself over in the mirror. Struck with an idea, I removed my hair tie and let my hair fall as it liked. It almost reached my waist, which was why I kept it tied back, as I could never bring myself to cut it for some reason.

Now free, my hair fanned out over my back and shoulders. Borrowing my Master's brush, something I had done so many times I didn't bother to ask permission any more, I ran it through my hair, removing the knots and tangles that were always present by the end of the day.

Just as I sat the brush down, I heard a knock on the main door to Master's chambers followed by a brief conversation. I returned to the bedroom and took a look at the wine. I didn't know a whole lot about the drink, and I am sure that anything in the palace would have been top quality, but I wanted to have it in hand when Master entered the room.

I heard the door slide open and closed behind me, and I turned, raising an eyebrow at my Master.

“I know you don't normally drink,” he said, reaching for the bottle in my hands. “But I thought that tonight we could indulge a bit.”

“What's the occasion?” I asked as he poured the glasses.

He handed me one of the glasses and took the other for himself. “There needs to be an occasion?” he asked, taking a sip. “Not bad.”

“Well, you don't normally do this when I join you for the evening.”

Master gestured to the chair for me to sit and then sat in the one opposite. I looked down at the glass in my hands and tasted the drink myself. It was actually quite good, and I took another sip. It was then that I caught Master staring at me.

He reach a hand across the small table and ran his fingers though a piece of my hair. “You let your hair down,” he commented. “I never really noticed how long it was.”

He allowed the piece to fall and I brushed it back behind my shoulder. “I don't know why I let it get that long...” I replied.

“I like it.”

It was the first time he had ever commented on my appearance. I found it surprising that it made me feel good, but also awkward in that I didn't really know how to respond. I looked down into my glass, not noticing of the heat in my cheeks.

“You're blushing.”

I looked up to a very amused expression on Master's face. I brought my hand to my face and felt that it was indeed warm. If I didn't know what to say before, I was certainly speechless by this point.

I watched as Master stood, leaving his own half-finished wineglass on the table, and walked behind me. He gathered my hair behind my back, and whether it was on purpose or not, his fingers grazed the back of my neck, reminding me of the evening before. “You should leave it down more often,” he said as he allowed his fingers to slip through my hair, “at least when we are alone.”

With one hand he moved my hair to one side and with the other he pulled at the fabric of the yukata, opening it slightly. “Speaking of which...” his breath was warm against my neck and the lips that followed soon after were soft. I immediately tiled my head to the side and sighed softly as planted soft kisses down my neck and to my shoulder, pulling the loose garment out of the way as needed.

When he pulled away I couldn't help but make a quiet sound of disappointment. He smiled and reached for the bottle to top off both of our glasses. “I don't want to rush things tonight,” he explained, “we've been doing that too much lately.”

It was true. Most nights we were in such a hurry that we hardly said two words to each other, at least not until afterwards. So consumed with our lust that we barely made it past the first room, on more than one occasion. “I suppose we have,” I replied, readjusting my robe.

Master pick up both of our glasses and gestured to the throw rug set out in front of the fireplace. The heat from the fire was soothing I found as I picked a spot to sit, neatly folding my legs under me. Master had never been particularly comfortable sitting that way, and instead choose to lean back against the end of the bed after returning my glass to me.

It was silent in the room for a while. Master seemed lost in thought as he stared into the fire, sipping from his glass occasionally. I watched him, his eyebrows furrowed as if he was trying to sort something out in his mind. “Master?”

I startled him out of his thoughts and he looked over at me. “Is everything alright?” I asked. He was looking so serious, a complete change for only a few moments ago.

“I'm fine, it's just... there is something I've been wanting to ask you. I just don't know how.”

The way he asked, the tone of his voice, it made me nervous for some reason. We had never had a serious discussion about our relationship, which is what I assumed he wanted to talk about.

While I waited for him to speak again, I occupied myself with my drink, which, I was surprised to find, was mostly gone by this point. Master had finished his as well, so I offered to refill them.

Master was quiet throughout this. After I returned his glass to him, I decided to sit next to him. For the most part he continued to look into the fire and away from me. “How much longer can this last?” he finally asked.

“You mean until Kunzite figures it out?”

He shook his head, “no, forget Kunzite for now. I mean... What happens if I start courting a woman, plan to get married...”

I looked into my glass as I spoke, “if you want to end this when that happens, I understand.”

“And if I don't?”

Thankfully Master was still looking away or he would have seen me almost drop my drink. “If you... still want me... I'll stay with you.”

Master turned to face me then, and I studied the rug beneath us. I couldn't bring myself to face him, what I was suggesting, what we both were suggesting, was far worse that what we were doing now. For him to be seeing another behind his future bride's back...

“Zoi... Zoi, look at me.”

His voice was calm and I tentatively raised my eyes to his. He looked worried, as though my last response was not the one he wanted to hear. His next question was the last I wanted to answer.

“Zoi, do you love me?”