(Untitled)

[kingofloyalty]

He didn't like to be by himself sometimes. His thoughts caught up with him, surrounded him and made him remember that time. He was broken when they found him, and he wasn't sure he was fixed now. He wasn't sure he'd ever really be fixed. It made him angry, that those people, the enemy, would do something like that to him. It frightened him, to know

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[kingoftruth]

There's another shitennou standing at the door of that dark room, keeping a silent watch on the youngest of their number. It is not the first time he has done so, nor will it be the last, since he had brought that bloody and broken form back to the Golden Kingdom once more. There is something... something about seeing a man like that, someone you were meant to protect, someone who looked up to you... something about knowing you had failed them so horribly... It made the eldest shitennou more protective than he had ever been. So, once again, Kunzite stands at Jadeite's door silently, watching.

[kingofloyalty]

The physical wounds were mostly healed except for scars he would probably always bear. It was the wounds inside his mind that would take more time. But he was safe now, mostly. He wouldn't truly be safe until that man--Demand--was dead. Until the Black Moon was nothing but a memory.

Something makes Jadeite turn around after a time, and his eyes find the older shitennou. "Kunzite," he says, a little in surprise. His hand leaves the window sill and he comes closer. "Is something wrong?"

[kingoftruth]

Oh? When Jadeite's attention turns upon him, it is only a split second before any brooding expression vanishes upon his face, replaced by amusement. It is not for the younger man to know, exactly how protective he feels, so there is that mask, that guise of mentor, and perhaps eldest brother, that slips easily into place.

"Not at all. I merely wondered why you were awake so late. I thought, perhaps, to be sure you planned nothing insidious. After all, it has been long since you, Nephrite, or Master have made any moves to cause trouble." The tone is light, his lips turned up into that amused smirk. None of the worry shows. The mask is perfect.

[kingofloyalty]

There's the hint of a little smile that comes at that, an attempt at the same mask Kunzite wears. But the younger shitennou doesn't have the practice, the control, and he shakes his head instead, the thought of the smile fading after all. "You should be worried more about Nephrite," he tells the eldest shitennou.

[windunchained]

"It is late," a voice remarks, low and quiet and calm as if it really is only remarking on the weather. It can only belong to Zoisite. He steps towards the window - open, he doesn't fail to notice, with a breeze he can feel from outside - and glances into the darkness, still giving Jadeite his privacy.

"You have not slept yet?"

[kingofloyalty]

When had he-- Jadeite starts a little. Zoisite is quiet, always, but shouldn't he have heard something? Jadeite turns immediately to face his comrade. "Zoisite," he greets, a curiousness to his tone.

That question makes him avert his gaze for a brief moment. He shakes his head then.

[windunchained]

Zoisite tries not to feel the tiniest pinprick of amusement at the thought of the storehouse of lullabies he has, all composed for the Jadeite of his own world and apparently needful here as well.

"What keeps you from sleep?" he asks first. The question is mild, and he does not tear his eyes away from outside. The sense of pseudo-distance always seems to make it easier to speak, somehow. His eyes fall to the curtains.

[kingofloyalty]

It's an uncomfortable question, and one that seems like it should be an obvious answer. Why isn't it? Jadeite's sure Zoisite doesn't mean to be cruel. "The same reason as always," he replies.

There's a pause.

"It was too quiet."

[aroyal_pain]

Endymion's lips form what might almost be a pout if his eyes didn't make it into something a bit less sullen and a bit more serious. His eyebrows draw together just a bit. Somehow, he has ended up in the bedchamber of the youngest shitennou without any idea how he's gotten here.

This really calls for a ribald joke (and a brief fantasy of finding a way to sneak the princess in just that easily), but something about Jadeite's posture stops him.

"Jadeite?" He doesn't know what to say aside from the name at first. "Aren't you going to bed this late?"

[kingofloyalty]

"Master!" Jadeite turns around, looking visibly startled. He relaxes immediately though, aside from a slightly awkward sheepishness. He shakes his head just a little.

[aroyal_pain]

"You need rest," Endymion insists, "Or you'll never make it up on time tomorrow morning." He stifles a yawn of his own, mostly successfully. Turning politely away from Jadeite while he does so gives him a better look at the room, and he sees a few things he remembers and a few he's sure he doesn't.

[kingofloyalty]

"Yes, Master," Jadeite replies dutifully. "I'll be sure to be prompt." But it's fine. He's spent many nights where he didn't go to bed until this late, and later. "What about Master?"

[waterfell]

Here. Him.

Here. She's in the Earth Palace that has so many conflicting memories of trauma and of peace for her. She knows it from the graceful lines of the architecture to the rich fabrics and furnishings. By instinct she reaches for her teletia-S... only to discover she's already caught.

"Jadeite..." Mercury finds herself staring at the youngest shitennou. Caught off-guard, her expression looks almost uncertain.

[kingofloyalty]

That voice--in his room?

Jadeite turns immediately, expression a little severe. "Mercury," he acknowledges her, and his voice is somewhat tight. He knows which Mercury too, by the fuku and her apparent age. She better have a good explanation for this. But maybe it was the nexus. His hands relax by his sides, but his shoulders are still tense, as if he isn't quite comfortable with such an encounter--and he's really not.

There's the tiniest twitch of his head, as if to shake it. Maybe to remind himself to be cordial, this is someone to whom he owes a great deal of thanks, even if he resents it, just a little.

[waterfell]

She hadn't done anything she did for him. Oh, maybe a little; she's never been good at separating alternates when her examples have shown her how similar they are, and maybe she saw a kinder expression in those blue eyes and didn't want these cold ones to suffer more. But mostly, it's his world, a world that hasn't fallen and that still has a chance. If it really can survive, she wants to see that.

And mostly it's Kunzite. And she thinks of him immediately, like the fool she can still be. "I didn't come to see Kunzite!" she insists at the same time, assuming he'll assume she is, and disapprove (the disapproval, she takes for granted).

"It was the nexus."

[kingofloyalty]

There's a smirk that thinks to come to Jadeite's lips, but he doesn't make the effort, and his expression comes out more annoyed than smug. "Are you sure?" he quips. "I wasn't thinking of that, but saying it immediately makes me wonder."

He glances away. "It doesn't matter anyway. You wouldn't show up in my room if you came to see him right now." Unless she'd lost her touch, but it's a jab he doesn't feel like making, not right now. He doesn't hate her.

[kingofloyalty]

The eldest two shitennou have a way of watching over Jadeite, and he appreciates it, even as little as he might notice it sometimes.

Jadeite glances behind him, and then turns. "Zoisite," he says, and it might almost be apologetic. "You don't either," he remarks, and there's the tiniest attempt at a smile. He comes closer. "Is something wrong?" He has a feeling there's not, except for Zoisite's concern. But Jadeite is glad for Zoisite's presence right now. It's comforting.

[kingofloyalty]

"I'm all right," he reassures Zoisite, but he looks away anyway. He can't really lie to Kunzite and Zoisite, even if he might to prevent their worry. Master too, but he was easier to slip by sometimes. He was busy, so it was okay. And Nephrite was just generally dense. All brawn and no brain, Jadeite sometimes taunted.