Metalia-sama

Before Metalia had taken over their Master, having breakfast together in the dining room had always been an enjoyable time. The tradition continued now, at Endymion's order, but was always a tense ordeal. Jadeite tried to ignore the fact that his stomach was in knots and force some food into his mouth. The other three appeared equally tense, but the Master seemed to have his usual appetite.

“How are the plans coming along, Kunzite?” the prince asked.

“Progressing, Master. I believe I'll have a way in shortly.” A lie, Jadeite knew, but telling the Master the truth would be a bad idea.

“The sooner the better,” Endymion replied, his tone threatening as always.

“Yes, Master.”

“Nephrite, I hear that my father is still alive and well and that someone has been bringing him extra food. I want you to look into the matter.”

“Yes, Master.” Nephrite replied, without any difficulty. Jadeite was impressed that both Nephrite and Kunzite could lie so easily to the Master. The truth was not often an option, but if the lie was found out, Jadeite hated to think what might happen to either of them.

“Zoisite,” the Master said, “you do remember what we discussed yesterday evening, correct?”

This question confused Jadeite, as Zoisite had said nothing about any discussion. The white haired man almost choked on his tea. “Yes, Master,” he just barely managed to reply, staring very intently into the cup in his hands. Jadeite could tell that every muscle in his body was now tense. What had the Master said to him?

“Good. Jadeite, I'll be seeing you an hour earlier tonight.”

Jadeite's head turned at the mention of his name, but quickly his gaze dropped to the table as well. “Yes, Master,” he replied, already dreading the evening.

“Well then,” Endymion said as he stood, both his business and breakfast finished. The Shitennou stood as well and waited until their Master exited the room before sitting again.

Nephrite revealed a small pouch, and quickly began grabbing a few extra breakfast items from the table. Jadeite watched him silently as he quickly concealed the pouch in his uniform, then returned to his own meal, a bit more relaxed now that the prince was gone.

Jadeite then turned to look at his lover. Zoisite did not appear to be any more at ease in Endymion's absence. In fact, he was still staring at his cup. “Zoi, are you alright?” he asked, but didn't get a response. “Zoi?” he tried again, this time resting his hand on the other man's shoulder.

This got Zoisite's attention, shocking him out of his trance. He quickly turned, a surprised expression that quickly changed to something Jadeite could only describe as distressed and frightened when his eye's met Jadeite's own. “Zoi, what's wrong?”

Jadeite knew, of course, how much it pained Zoisite when Endymion spoke of what went on in his bedroom, but never had he seen a reaction like that. It was like how Zoisite looked the night before.

“I'm sorry, excuse me,” Zoisite said quickly, standing and leaving the table in a rush. Jadeite watched him go, somewhat frightened himself. What in the world could have put Zoisite on edge like that? Without saying anything, he too stood and followed.

---

Zoisite went straight for his own chambers. He was scared, and his hands trembled and he paced back and forth across his bedroom floor. His Master's words to him the other night repeated over and over in his head, threatening his lover. Threatening to...

“Zoi, you're scaring me.”

Zoisite stopped and looked up, realizing that Jadeite would have followed him of course, but he had been too lost in his own thoughts to even think of it. Jadeite quickly closed the door behind him and made his way over to Zoisite. “Zoi, please. Tell me,” his voice begged.

Instead of answering, Zoisite pulled Jadeite into a tight embrace. He wanted nothing more in the world than to keep Jadeite safe. Keep him as far away from that sadistic creature that masqueraded as their Master as he possibly could.

He could feel Jadeite nuzzling close, always welcoming Zoisite's arms around him. “What did he say to you yesterday?” the younger man asked quietly. Zoisite still had yet to say anything, and he truly did not want to answer that question. “He threatened you, didn't he?” Jadeite said in a whisper, continuing to press for details.

Zoisite shook his head slowly. “No.”

Jadeite pulled away enough to look up into Zoisite's eyes, his expression filled with confusion. “What then?”

It hurt so much, knowing what he did and having Jadeite look up at him with those blue eyes of his. Zoisite pulled him close again, partly for the closeness, partly because he didn't want Jadeite to see the tears he knew were coming. “He threatened you.”

Jadeite tried to pull away again, but Zoisite held him tight, afraid to let him go. Jadeite relaxed against him again, and wrapped his own arms around Zoisite's waist.

He could feel himself about to break down. In an unconscious attempt to not cry in front of Jadeite, Zoisite continued speaking, even though each word put him closer to the verge of tears. “He said that if I disobeyed him again, he would... he'd hurt you, and he'd make me watch while he did it.”

Jadeite's arms tightened around him and that was enough to push him over the edge. Zoisite tried to stifle the sobs, knowing that it would be better if he was stronger for Jadeite. He needed that strength.

Zoisite soon started thinking about his plan for that evening. He was going to sneak out of the palace and meet with Beryl, but now... “I can't do this...” he whispered.

“Can't do what?” came the quiet question, Jadeite's own voice shaking a little.

Luckily, Zoisite caught himself in time. He couldn't risk telling Jadeite, especially not now, so he held his silence, instead running his fingers through Jadeite's blond curls.

Suddenly, Jadeite pulled away, surprising Zoisite as he broke free of his grasp. Jadeite's face showed panic. “You.. you're not going to leave me, are you?” The question came out so quickly, it might as well have been spoken as one word.

Zoisite realized then that Jadeite had misinterpreted his meaning. “No. No, I wouldn't leave you. I'm sorry I scared you.”

Jadeite relaxed significantly, though he was still obviously worried. “Then what were you...” Jadeite trailed off and Zoisite looked away, unable to answer Jadeite's question. “It's that thing you're planning...”

Zoisite closed his eyes and nodded slightly. Neither did anything for a long while, both stood where they were. Close, but not in contact, and looking away from each other. Zoisite wasn't sure how long they stayed like that. A minute, or was it closer to five? He couldn't remember.

“You should... do whatever it is you need to do.”

Zoisite turned his head slowly in Jadeite's direction. Jadeite had his back to Zoisite as he continued to speak. “Our first duty is to the Master, our real Master. If you believe that whatever it is you are doing is in his best interest, then that is what you should do, regardless of the rest of us.”

“Jadeite...”

“I'll... make sure he's kept busy. So that he doesn't find out.”

“No, Jadeite...” Zoisite turned fully and wrapped his arms around Jadeite then, pulling him back against him. “Don't do anything you wouldn't normally do. You can't know that this is happening. Please.”

“If he finds out, he'll kill you. I couldn't go on if that happened.”

Jadeite's words shocked and frightened Zoisite. He grabbed Jadeite's shoulders and spun him around quickly. “Don't say that! Don't you ever do anything stupid like that!” The words were out of his mouth before he even realized that Jadeite was crying, and he had to scream at him on top of that. “I'm sorry.”

Tears streamed down the younger man's face and Zoisite reached out to wipe them away with his gloved hand. “I'm sorry, Jadeite,” he repeated before gathering the blond man in his arms once again.

---

Kunzite waited impatiently by a small side door of the palace. Zoisite was late, and he hoped that the man hadn't lost his nerve. Jadeite was making things more and more difficult. Zoisite was having trouble seeing his duty beyond his... what? His lover? Kunzite scoffed at the idea. That's the word Nephrite would use to describe them, but Kunzite knew that it was simply Metalia's abuse that had driven them together. Once they freed the Master of that demon, things would be back to normal. Or so Kunzite hoped.

The halls in this part of the palace where dark now, which was the main reason they had picked this area. It wasn't used much, and so the lamps where not often lit at night. Kunzite didn't even see the usually white-clad man until Zoisite was standing next to him.

He wore all black, a hooded clock on his back, which would hide his bright white hair. It wasn't just the Master he needed to hide from, but every member of the palace guard as well. While Kunzite knew some could be trusted, he preferred to keep them unaware. Without saying a word to each other, they both slipped out the side door, and closed it silently behind them.

The back gate of the palace had two men stationed at it. Others would be near by, but they would be Zoisite's problem. Kunzite's job was to simply get him passed this gate.

Leaving the other man, Kunzite stepped out into the open and walked up to the two guards, both of whom jumped to attention upon seeing the leader of the Shitennou.

“Zoisite would like to have a word with you inside. I'll watch the gate,” Kunzite explained to them.

“Both of us, sir?”

“That's right.”

Both men exchanged glances, but did not question their instructions. With a quick salute, they both made their way inside the palace.

Kunzite's gaze darted over to where he knew Zoisite actually stood, and his second-in-command immediately made his move. Kunzite opened the gate just enough to allow him passage.

“Don't be late,” he warned. “If you're not back by dawn...”

“I know. I will be.” Zoisite quickly disappeared into the night, and Kunzite felt some relief that the first part of the plan had gone over smoothly.

---

Jadeite wrapped his arms around himself as he walked slowly down the dimly lit hall. Endymion had obviously been wanting to make a point. He had called him to his room early, and hadn't let him leave until much later. His wrists and ankles burned where the ropes had been tied. Jadeite knew that Endymion had left those marks on his body for Zoisite to find later as a warning.

But Zoisite wasn't going to be in their room when Jadeite reached it, and so he walked slowly. His lover wasn't going to hold him tonight and tell him that things will work out, somehow. He wasn't going to be there to make Jadeite feel safe once more.

'No, that's what he's trying to do right now,' Jadeite corrected himself. Whatever it was that Zoisite was doing, it was something that he thought would make things right again. Bring their old Master back, and continue living as they once had.

Jadeite reached the bedroom door, and hesitated before turning the knob. Would everything go back to normal? If they somehow managed to get rid of Metalia and get their old Master back, would everything be like it once was?

He turned the knob and walked into the dark room. Quickly he found and lit a lamp, and saw that Zoisite's white uniform was thrown over one of the chairs. Curious, Jadeite went to the wardrobe and looked over the non-uniform items. He knew that among the few pieces of clothing Zoisite had other than his uniform, he had a set of plain black items. Those were missing.

He must have been in a hurry, otherwise he would have hung his uniform up. Jadeite picked up the jacket and hugged the rough material close to him, inhaling Zoisite's scent off the fabric. It helped.

He set the jacket down and began removing his own clothing. He always had a bath when he got back to their bedroom at night. He needed to wash away those things the Master did to him. He felt somehow unworthy of Zoisite's embrace when he returned from the Master's bedroom, and needed to cleans himself of that before letting Zoisite close to him.

The water slowly filled the tub and Jadeite looked at his reflection in the mirror. The person looking back at him made him shiver and he hugged himself again. A conversation from earlier that night replayed in Jadeite's mind.

“Tell me honestly,” the Master said, staring into the wine glass he held in his hand. “When you leave here and go back to Zoisite's bed, does he take you and fuck you like I do?”

Jadeite shook his head, “no, Master.” The thought that Zoisite would do some of the things the Master did scared Jadeite beyond words.

“No, I suppose he wouldn't. He's probably gentle and sweet with you, isn't he? Only taking you when you ask him too.”

Again, Jadeite shook his head, but kept his eyes fixed on the floor where he seated. “No, we don't...” he bit his tongue quickly, knowing it better to give simple answers rather than go into detail.

The Master stood then and Jadeite followed his movement out of the corner of his eye. “So that's the way Zoisite is...” Endymion said thoughtfully. “He's not interested in spoiled goods.”

Spoiled goods. As Jadeite looked at himself in the mirror, he knew then that the Master was right. Why would Zoisite want him when he came to the room each night looking like this? He hair was a tangled mess. Bite marks marred the skin around his neck and collar bone. The rope burns, a tell-tale sign of exactly how the Master had used him that night.

'It's not because Zoi thinks I'm afraid, it's because I disgust him.'

He turned away from his disgraceful reflection and slipped into the warm water. Was it really disgust, though? Jadeite knew that Zoisite loved him, there was no doubt in his mind about that. 'Can he love me and be sickened by me at the same time?' Jadeite pulled his hand out of the water and inspected the marks around his wrist and forearm. The Master always hurt him, in some way or another, each night. Jadeite knew that Zoisite wouldn't do anything like that to him, and he did want to go to that next level with Zoisite, but how could he when Zoisite thought of him as he did. Spoiled. Used. No good.

'Maybe... maybe I can hide this from him.'