WARNING!!: This fic is YAOI, meaning it has two men smooching, cuddling and doing other, more questionable activities. Don't come whining to me when your tender, Christian, Catholic, Baptist or whatever sensibilities are injured. I warned you. I don't want flames either. They will be deleted, possibly even sent around so my friends can laugh at your stupidity. If you have praise, please for more or CONSTRUCTIVE criticism you can mail me at cgraffeo@bellsouth.net. Now enjoy!

Kunzite went over the spell one last time, checking to make absolutely sure it was perfect. The spell was without flaw, inarguably the most ingenious thing he and his little rat had cooked up yet. There was no way the Senshi would escape this time. And Zoisite would make sure that nuisance Tuxedo Kamen wouldn't interfere. He just hoped Zoisite wouldn't get carried away. He knew how much his koibito hated that damned cape boy, and agreed with Zoisite's view of him wholeheartedly. However, the little rat would have to control himself tomorrow. Beryl wanted Kamen in her service, and more importantly, in her bed. Anything that might cause problems with that plan would severely upset her majesty, and she was already angry enough at their many failures at the hands of those meddling Senshi.

There was a tingling on the edges of his senses, and Zoisite appeared in a flurry of cherry blossoms, hovering cross-legged in mid air. Kunzite didn't turn around, catching Zoisite's reflection in a polished shield mounted on the wall. He spoke to the reflection, watching Zoisite cock his head to the side as he listened.

"The spell is perfect. There is no way the Senshi can escape it, and with you keeping Tuxedo Kamen occupied, they have no assistance from the outside. Just remember, all you have to do is keep him there; get him to hand over any crystals he might have, and leave it at that." Zoisite frowned at the reminder, unhappy he wouldn't be able to unleash worse on his foe. When it looked as if he was about to protest, Kunzite cut him off, saying sternly, "You know Beryl wants him. There's no room for mistakes, and that is one of the worst ones you could make tomorrow. We've stretched her patience to the limit, and one more mistake could well be fatal."

"Hai," Zoisite pouted, heaving a great sigh and supporting his chin with one slender hand. Kunzite allowed himself a small smile at Zoisite's expression. Zoisite floated gracefully down to the floor, making sure his uniform was straight, and his hair immaculate. His obsession with his appearance had at first annoyed Kunzite, striking him as a weakness and a waste of time. He still thought the little rat spent an undue amount of time worrying about it, but he knew better than to comment on it. Once, Kunzite had seen Zoisite get into a tussle with a youma who had dared to mar his face; in addition to the immediate physical damage, a string of particularly wet and nasty accidents had followed that youma for a long while.

"You're beautiful as always," Kunzite remarked as Zoisite peered over his shoulder to study his image in the shield.

"Do you really think so?"

"There is no one here or on earth that can match your loveliness," he soothed, reassuring him in case he was inclined to throw a tantrum. As he said this he turned from his work and faced Zoisite. He ran one gloved finger down his lover's cheek, delighting in the silken feel of his skin. Zoisite reached up and caught his hand as it reached his jawline, squeezing it and moving in to nestle against his side.

"Don't worry about tomorrow; the plan is perfect. Beryl-sama will be very pleased with us. And just think, with the Sailor Senshi gone, earth will be ours! And then you and I can lay back and relax; we'll be the most prized of her kings. It would be nice to spend an entire week alone; no Senshi troubles, and an almost endless supply of energy. We could even spend the entire week in bed," Zoisite said slyly, reaching up to run a hand through Kunzite's mane of white hair.

There was still an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach, but Kunzite told himself that Zoisite was right. After all, what could possibly happen? Ignoring the nagging feeling at the back of his mind, he let Zoisite steer him out of the workroom and through a gate back to their quarters.

The light in the room brightened as they emerged from the portal. The light in the rooms of the Dark Kingdom came not from a singular source, like a lamp, but instead permeated the entire area. Zoisite sat down gracefully on the edge of the bed, studying the uniform hanging across the room. It was a replica of the costume Sailor Moon wore, and the first step of their plan. Zoisite had been masquerading as their despised enemy, trying to lure the Senshi into position for the final blow. Zoisite smiled, twirling a lock of hair around his fingers. It had definitely worked, and tomorrow would be the culmination of all their planning. Zoisite would pretend to be in danger, and with him disguised as Sailor Moon, Tuxedo Kamen would come running. It was so wickedly perfect just thinking about it sent Zoisite into peals of laughter, earning an amused look from Kunzite as he removed his cape, draping it on the back of a chair.

Something's wrong here, Kunzite mused, turning to look at Zoisite as he dissolved into malicious laughter. It seemed he couldn't take his eyes off of him tonight. He shook the feeling off and turned to the mirror, running a comb through his long hair. As he glanced to the side, catching his lover's reflection in the mirror, he was struck by the image of Zoisite there. What he saw there alarmed him; it wasn't the right picture. Instead of his lover sitting prettily on the bed, it was his pained face looking up at him with love as the light faded from his gorgeous eyes. It was only there for a second, and then the image disappeared, replaced by the appropriate reflection of Zoisite perched on the edge of the bed.

"Be on your guard tomorrow," he warned gruffly. "Don't underestimate Kamen, Zoisite. Just stick with the plan; unnecessary risks are more dangerous than ever."

"I know the plan," Zoisite insisted, "and I can follow it. What is it? Is there something that's making you nervous?"

"Iie," Kunzite replied. He walked over to the bed, untying Zoisite's hair and burying his hand in the soft waves. To touch him tonight, the feel of his hair and skin, was irresistible. It was more than that; it was an imperative. There was something in the air tonight, something that drew him to Zoisite and wouldn't let him go. Don't go, his mind told him. No, it has to be done. This plan is perfect, without flaw. There's nothing to worry about from the Senshi. All of them will be trapped within my power, and Kamen will be unable to assist them. We will give Beryl the victory she desires, and the earth will fall at her feet. Zoisite just has to control himself and try not to do anything impulsive and stupid. Then Zoisite will get his wish. A week in bed doesn't sound all that bad.

"Kunzite-sama? Kunzite-sama," Zoisite said, shaking him softly.

"Nanii?" he asked, looking up into Zoisite's green eyes.

"You've been working too hard," Zoisite said firmly, rubbing soothing circles on Kunzite's shoulders. "Tomorrow we obliterate the Senshi, and then we can celebrate."

"Hai, my little rat," he said, forcing the churning feeling in the pit of his stomach to subside. He produced a delicate rose, one of Zoisite's favorite things, and ran it gently along his temple and down his face, finally smoothing it over Zoisite's lips. He watched Zoisite's eyes flutter closed, the brilliant green disappearing behind the lids and then peeking out between lush eyelashes. Zoisite sighed, and Kunzite moved up to cover his mouth with his own. Zoisite reached up, opening Kunzite's uniform top the rest of the way and pushing it off of the strong shoulders. The two tumbled backwards onto the bed, arms wrapped tightly around one another.

Through the rest of the night Kunzite held him, feeling Zoisite arch against him, running his hand through the coppery waves of Zoisite's hair, covering every inch of him with kisses. Don't let go, don't let go, echoed through his mind over and over again. Even after Zoisite fell weakly back to the pillows and fell into a deep, exhausted sleep Kunzite held him close, stroking his hair, kissing his lips and eyes, and burying his face in the crook of Zoisite's neck. He didn't even sleep, staying awake the whole night staring at his love, his koibito, his little rat. He felt as if, were he to let Zoisite out of his arms, there would be some horrible price to pay. It was as if something were hovering in the room with them, waiting for him to let go of Zoi-kun so that it could snatch him away. So he held tight to his lover as if to a lifeline, allowing him only enough room to turn within the circle of his arms.

As he watched that perfect face relaxed in slumber, those exquisite lips moving softly with whatever dream he was having, there was a pressure somewhere in his throat, as if some promise, some confession, some truth only to be spoken in the dark of night were struggling to escape, fighting to make itself known. And finally, as he buried his face in Zoisite's flowing silken hair and struggled not to weep (though for the life of him he couldn't tell why he was about to) that truth, that confession finally came out: the words that Zoisite acknowledged but had never been spoken so plainly.

"Aishiteru..."