That night, Zoisite was reluctant about sleep. He wanted to forget the past, completely. This place, the Dark Kingdom, was almost like another world where his past had never existed. He didn't want any reminders of it. None whatsoever.
He sat up in bed, watching Nephrite and Jadeite play chess. He wasn't really paying attention, just avoiding sleep. At the same time, he was also trying to read a copy of Homer's Iliad, but not having much luck in that department either. A million thoughts were running through his head, Kunzite not being the least of which.
Nephrite glanced over at him as they played, and Zoisite smiled at him slightly. The other boy looked away, and again Zoisite felt a twinge of guilt.
Jadeite groaned as Nephrite triumphantly announced "Checkmate!" and Zoisite grinned at them.
"What? No way!" Jadeite protested.
Nephrite watched him as he smiled innocently. "Nope, just the Iliad. Must've been hard, being that beautiful you're whole life."
Jadeite shrugged, but Nephrite grinned. "But you are, Zoi."
Zoisite smiled slightly as Jadeite laughed.
Nephrite seemed to blush, as if he hadn't meant to say anything, and then he recovered by flashing Zoisite a wide grin. "What? He is! Don't deny it!"
Jadeite just shook his head. "They're going to have to move the two of you to a different room soon, for my sake... especially after last night." Zoisite and Nephrite stared at him, but he just laughed. "You think I don't hear what goes on around here? You'd have to be stupid not to. I'm surprised Kunzite-sama hasn't put a stop to it already."
Suddenly Zoisite felt a surge of hope. Could... that possibly be what had been bothering Kunzite today? Don't be stupid, Zoisite. He hates you. He's probably worked up because of something else. Maybe stress... don't get your hopes up.
"Nothing happened last night." Zoisite said sternly, not being able to hide the remorse after having said it. Nephrite visibly flinched.
"Well, if you say so." Jadeite continued to laugh gently.
Later that night, Zoisite tried to desperately to sleep. It took him awhile, but he managed it by thinking about the concept of nothingness. If you think about nothing, than nothing can invade your dreams.
It was nightfall. Julian was watching the ducks on the lake, smiling as a petal of cherry blossom fell onto his nose. They smelled beautiful, reminded him of his mother. His mother. Vainly, he tried not to cry.
Mother.
Your mother is dead Zoisite. Your father is dead. You killed him. You killed them. You deserve to be punished, Zoisite. And, eventually, you will be.
By whom?
The Prince of Earth.
Excuse me? Prince of Earth? Of no such animal I'm afraid.
Deny it all you like, Zoisite. It will come to pass. He will be your death, your father's avenging angel in a black cape and mask.
Angels don't wear black capes and masks.
You joke now. You will not laugh when he is the cause of your destruction. All that you love with perish in his grasp.
You lie, whoever you are. You lie.
No, Zoisite, you lie to yourself. Wait and see.
The other boy flinched back into the shadows. "You were having another nightmare, kept muttering about a Prince of Earth or something. Are you all right?"
Zoisite sat up. "Yes...it was nothing.... Seems I'm destined never to get a good night's sleep in this place." He stopped as he saw Nephrite staring at him, and the other boy quickly looked away.
"I'm sorry, Zoisite... but after last night..."
"What about last night?" Zoisite asked softly, afraid to let him go on.
"I... I've always been attracted to you, Zoi, ever since the first day you came here... but last night, I realized I really do care about you, I want to help you, and..."
"And?"
"I'm lonely," he confessed, looking away from Zoisite towards the door, meeting his eyes again hesitantly.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Nephrite asked him softly.
Zoisite shook his head. "Please don't leave me alone," he heard himself say. The prospect of being alone for another night seemed preposterous. He wanted to be held, to be kissed... he wanted to be loved. That had always been denied to him... first, his mother's death, his father's hatred of him, and now Kunzite....
Nephrite's extraordinary blue eyes were filled with understanding, and also undisguised desire. Zoisite felt his entire body grow unbearably warm, as though he was suddenly consumed with a fever.
Slowly, almost as if he was afraid, Nephrite leaned forward and kissed him gently, giving Zoisite the same jolt of desire he had felt the night before. He felt a stirring in his groin, suddenly wanting nothing more than to have Nephrite make love to him. Reaching down to touch Nephrite's bare chest, he let the other boy know it.
Nephrite gave a little low groan in the back of his throat, joining Zoisite on the bed. Zoisite closed his eyes, loving the sensation of Nephrite's lips against his own. He pulled away for a moment.
"Hush. Jadeite will hear us."
"I don't care." Nephrite's voice was husky, low, and Zoisite again thought of Kunzite as Nephrite kissed him. The thought of Kunzite kissing him like this caused a rather painful erection in Zoisite, and he blushed.
Nephrite eased him down, placing one finger to his lips. "Don't be afraid," he murmured. "Gods, you're beautiful." Again, he sounded like Kunzite. Zoisite closed his eyes, trying not to cry out as Nephrite teased his nipples, biting them slyly. Zoisite tried to kiss him again, but Nephrite shook his head, that same cocksure grin returning to his face. Zoisite smiled, and wriggled slightly as Nephrite teased him, kissing his chest and lower abdomen in a place that made him shiver. Nephrite gave a little low chuckle, and that inflamed Zoisite even more. He wanted to cry out, but knew he couldn't; Jadeite's presence taunted him from the other side of the room.
"Do you want me to stop?" Kunzite asked him.
Zoisite's head snapped up in surprise... to see Nephrite leaning over him. He shook his head, breathing heavily.
He gave a little cry when Nephrite kissed his inner thighs, purposely excluding the root of his passion almost maliciously. He continued to move back and forth amid his thighs, and Zoisite groaned impatiently. "Please..." he whimpered, and then felt Nephrite's lips on his organ, teasing it gently with his tongue. He clasped the bars of the headboard in two fists, biting his lips and closing his eyes.
Zoisite almost groaned as Nephrite stopped, coming back up to kiss Zoisite's mouth. He was unsure of what Nephrite was planning for him, but Nephrite seemed to know what he was doing. In fact, he was grinning. "You see, I can make you suffer too."
"When... did I make... you suffer?" Zoisite gasped, trying to whisper.
"The first time I kissed you, and you pushed me away," he murmured in Zoisite's ear, biting it gently. Zoisite closed his eyes again, trying to stay quiet. It was just so difficult.
"This might hurt, Zoi, but not for long."
Zoisite felt a moment's confusion before he felt a painful thrust inside of him, biting back a cry. It did hurt, but only for a moment, and then as Nephrite closed his hand over Zoisite's organ the pain mingled with pleasure and they became one. Nephrite groaned slightly with each thrust, pressing his lips together to stifle the sound. His eyes locked to Zoisite's as he moved within him, those blue jewels never leaving his face. As they both reached the climax Nephrite covered Zoisite's mouth with his own and they cried out into each other.
For a moment, they just lay there, panting slightly, and then Nephrite moved off of him and took him in his arms.
Zoisite closed his eyes, feeling content, safe, for the first time in eleven years. Nephrite tangled his fingers into Zoisite's hair, kissing him gently. "You're so beautiful, Zoisite. So beautiful."
Zoisite drifted off into sleep as Nephrite continued to stroke his hair, his only treasure. As the darkness took him, he thought he heard Nephrite say, "I love you, Zoi-chan."
That night, he didn't dream at all.
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