.
Zoisite stirred, moaning softly. He hurt everywhere. He forced himself to stretch, assessing the damage. It wasn't too bad, really. Bone-deep bruises, shallow cuts and scrapes. He'd be fine after a few days of rest. He cracked his eyes, curious as to where he was.
The room was unfamiliar. Dark, heavy furniture, dark wallpaper and carpets gave the room an oppressive air. Groaning, he propped himself up on his elbows. The covers slid down, exposing bare flesh to the chilly room. He shivered, pulling the blanket back up. And suddenly very much aware of his nudity beneath the sheets.
"I see you're awake."
Zoisite sat up completely, fear causing his eyes to widen and his breathing to become shallow. "Who-?" The figure stepped out from the shadows. "Nephrite!"
Nephrite came forward, watching the smaller King with a concerned frown. "How are you feeling?" Zoisite instinctively recoiled as Nephrite tried to place his hand on Zoisite's forehead. Nephrite grimaced, letting his hand fall.
"Fine. Nephrite, I- why am I here? What happened?"
Nephrite regarded him soberly. "I hoped you could tell me. At first I thought it might have been the Sailor Senshi, but.. even if they could, I don't think they would hurt someone like this." Nephrite lightly touched an ugly bruise on Zoisite's collarbone. Even that light touch caused Zoisite to hiss in pain. "You've been unconscious for three days, Zoisite."
"Three days!" Zoisite's thoughts raced. "What about Kunzite-sama? Does he know where I am? Beryl hasn't summoned me, has she? Linarite-" He broke off, fear causing his stomach to clench. Linarite. The bastard had... Zoisite ducked his head to hide his tears from Nephrite. He suddenly felt very, very dirty.
"Kunzite doesn't know where you are," Nephrite said, oblivious to Zoisite's pain. "I haven't been back to the Dark Kingdom since you arrived, so I don't know whether anyone has been looking for you. Of course, considering our current positions, that seems highly unlikely.. Zoisite?"
The little King sniffled, bringing up one hand to wipe away his tears. "Nephrite, I..." Zoisite hugged himself, trembling. Nephrite sat on the edge of the bed, putting a tentative arm around his shoulders. Zoisite leaned against him, letting the tears come.
Nephrite pulled the smaller man into a tight embrace. "It's okay, Zoisite," he whispered into the little sakura's ear. "Just.. let it all out."
Time seemed to stop as Zoisite sobbed against Nephrite's comforting shoulder. He wasn't sure how long he spent in his rival's arms, but when he finally pulled away he felt soothed. Calmer. Disheveled.
He felt like a mess. Gods alone knew what he looked like. His nose was stuffy (and undoubtedly red and swollen from crying), his face tear stained, eyes red and puffy. Gods, I wonder what Nephrite thinks of me now! Reduced to such a state.. He regarded his former rival through lowered lashes. Maybe not so badly, after all.
Nephrite smiled and stood. "Well, the bathroom is two doors down to your left. I guess you probably want to clean up, right? Then come down stairs, and we can talk."
Zoisite watched him go with mixed feelings. How strange that someone who had been his worst enemy not so long ago was now a confidant and friend.
Zoisite stood next to Nephrite, looking around at Tokyo like he'd never seen it before. And he hadn't, really. Before, all he'd seen were victims, puny creatures to be used and cast aside. Now he saw people, with hopes, dreams, feelings.. people who didn't deserve to be treated the way Zoisite had treated them. The way Zoisite had been treated. It was amazing how much one action could change a person's whole view on life.
Nephrite had one hand on Zoisite's elbow, gently steering the King in the proper direction. Which was an expensive clothing store. "If you want to stick around here on Earth, you're going to have to fit in." Nephrite had told him. "That means wearing the right clothes.. having the right attitude.." The King had raised an eyebrow. "I can do it!" Zoisite had protested. Nephrite had shaken his head, and amused expression on his face. "Of course you can, Zoisite. I never doubted you could."
Smiling at the memory, Zoisite obediently followed him into the shop. The clothing on display ran from dignified and conservative to exotic and foreign. Nephrite went directly to the sales clerk, who led him back among the racks. Zoisite allowed his attention to wander. The only patron at the moment was a lovely young redhead girl who was browsing through a rack of Chinese-style tunics. She seemed familiar, somehow. Maybe she had been one of Zoisite's victims?
The woman turned, and Zoisite's green eyes met her equally green eyes. A sense of déja vu came over him. I know this woman!
The redhead's eyes widened. She took a step toward him, frowning. "Excuse me," she spoke in a husky alto. "Have we met before? I feel like I know you from somewhere."
Zoisite nodded. "Yeah.. I think we have." He gave her a chagrined grin. "I can't remember where for the life of me, though." She returned the grin with a warm smile of her own.
"Zoisite?" Nephrite beckoned to him. "Come try on these." He held up a few articles of clothing. The sales clerk stood beside him, an irritatingly cheerful smile plastered on her face.
"Coming.." He bowed to the girl. "Excuse me. Perhaps we can continue talking later?"
She nodded, eyes narrowing. "Oh, yes. I think we definitely must talk some more." She dug a business card out of her pocket and pulled a pen from her hair, of all places. She jotted something down and gave the card to him. "Here's my number. Call me some time."
"Zoisite! Are you coming?"
He turned to Nephrite. "Yes, Nephrite. Just a moment, I was just talking to this young lady-" He turned back to the girl.
She was gone.
Nephrite raised an eyebrow at him. "Spending your time talking to phantom girlfriends now, huh?" He grinned wickedly. "Should Kunzite be jealous?"
Zoisite stalked passed him, giving him a hard smack on his arm. "Shove it, Nephy."
The sales clerk held up the clothing Nephrite had picked out. "Is your companion ready to try these on, Masato-san?"
Zoisite nodded. "Yeah.." He lowered his voice so only she could hear. "Who was that redhead that was in here a minute ago?"
She practically swooned. "Oh... you mean him!" Her voice was breathy. "That is Minamino Shuichi. Isn't he adorable?!"
Zoisite nodded absently, flipping over the card she- no, he- had given him. "Reikai- Your Afterlife Is What We Live For" the card proclaimed. He snorted. What an odd fellow. Zoisite looked at the number again. He fully intended to take Minamino up on his offer.
Kurama couldn't believe his luck. He'd never expected to just run into one of the men he was hunting. Two, actually, if the other fellow was Nephrite. He was quite positive Zoisite would contact him. That feeling of familiarity wouldn't allow the small man to leave things be.
But that feeling of familiarity also haunted Kurama. He thought back through his life as a ningen and as a Youko. He knew that he and Zoisite had met before, but what he couldn't figure out was when. Somehow he knew that figuring out "when" would answer all his questions.
He considered the problem all the way home. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't remember having ever met Zoisite. It seemed that the minion of the Dark Kingdom was more elusive in Kurama's memories than he was in real life.
Silence greeted him as opened the door to the home he shared with his mother. "Kaasan? Are you home?" Obviously not. Kurama went directly to his room, collapsing onto his bed with a sigh. If only he could figure it out!
Sometime during that afternoon he drifted off. The laughter of children and half-forgotten memories haunted his dreams. Echoes of happy times spent with childhood acquaintances stayed with him even after he awoke.
Driven by some unknown force, Kurama rose and went to the closet, where Shiori kept all the old photo albums in a box. He dragged it to his room, shutting the door behind him. He sat on the floor, then started to pull them out. He pawed through them from the most recent to the older ones.
When he found what he was unconsciously searching for, he went as stiff and still as a deer caught in the headlights. The pictures filled several pages, of him as a child with two other kids, a coppery-blond with green eyes and an older blond boy with blue eyes. The memories came flooding back to him, and he considered smacking himself. Hard. How could he have forgotten?!
He lifted one picture from the album, holding it up to examine more closely. He was on the right, the copper-blond boy in the middle, and the other boy on the left. They were all hugging. He closed his eyes, seeing his two companions in his mind's eye for the first time since they had disappeared all those years ago.
Sakura and Jirou.
Zoisite and Jadeite.
