There is more Japanese in this fanfic than... well. At least I didn't write all the dialogue in Japanese, which is what had been done in the Evafic which was my inspiration....

I'm not entirely happy with this either. But I need to hold it further away so I can see it better. Ack, I'm getting philosophical... I have to eat something.

"The Day the World Ended"

He froze as soon as he heard the voice, only half-surprised.

"Don't move."

Kunzite turned around. The figure facing him looked confident enough; confident, determined, and angry.

(He had better be determined enough.)

Calmly, the tall man's eyes took in the weapon, poised and ready, gleaming--

"She sent you," he murmured.

"To kill you." the slightest tremor ran through the slender body; and the assassin seemed to wince, "You're the one man holding Beryl's forces together. Without you--"

He broke off suddenly. And Kunzite grimaced.

"Sou ka." he said, finally. She knew you could find me.

"You're the highest-ranking officer of our greatest enemy!" the other exploded at him, trembling with rage, "I-- I-- kuso!" he stamped his foot, "I-- never should have had anything to do... with..."

"No, Zoisite, you shouldn't have." Kunzite ran a hand over his hair. I ought to apologize. But if I do--

"Even when I first met you, you told me you would side with Beryl." the gun shook slightly in the slender grasp,

The taller shrugged. "She is my Queen."

"Oh, is that all."

Kunzite flinched at the deliberately bitter tone. "Yes," --then realized if he'd lied, maybe--

"Kunzite--" shaking more violently now; and Kunzite knew he should not look into the emerald eyes. They want to know-- they want explanations and apologies-- they want to forgive me.

(And I can't let that happen.)

"Zoisite," he could see the fine young soldier breaking down before him, "Zoisite, now."

The eyes were raised to him, red-rimmed, with a angry feral look that Kunzite could only hope meant that this man had the courage after all.

(because I'd never forgive myself--)

The weapon clattered to the floor, and Zoisite collapsed to his knees.

"Kami-sama... shimatta... I--" he buried his face in his hands, sobbing wretchedly, "--I can't kill you, Kunzite-sama. I can't. I love you, I..."

"...When did you develop such a sense of respect?" Kunzite asked idly, without moving.

"When I thought you deserved it." but there was no fire in the words now; only a tired defeat.

"Zoisite," the figure above him sighed heavily, wondering if he'd lost, "Zoisite, get up and finish the mission."

"Iie."

There was silence a moment, tainted only by Zoisite's ragged breathing.

Finally, he said, "Atashi o koroshi nasaimase."

(--because I couldn't.)

Kunzite... closed his eyes, a long moment.

(so my reputation is meaningless)

He knelt to pull the smaller man to his feet, and held him at arms' length. "Zoisite," he murmured, almost sadly, "get out of here."

"Iie."

"Zoisite, she'll kill you. You won't ever be able to get out of here if you don't go now."

"I don't want to leave."

The emerald eyes looked defiantly, (desperately) into his own.

(Ano baka--)

"You'll have to be taken and interrogated."

"I'll tell them everything." the tone held true conviction now, "I'm not leaving."

"You can't stay here." Kunzite shook him, almost roughly, "The strength it takes to hold up under Metallia--"

"I thought you, of all people, knew not to underestimate me." Zoisite moved forward, shaking the hands from his shoulders, to bury his face in Kunzite's shoulder. And Kunzite, almost instinctively, wrapped gentle arms around him.

"...Hai."

There was a long pause, before the taller man could bring himself to speak again. "Even touching you like this-- every minute, she's strengthening her hold on you."

(But he didn't move away.)

"I'm not leaving, Kunzite-sama."

He drew back slightly, tipping his face upward to look into Kunzite's eyes. And Kunzite trembled slightly, pulled him close.

"Baka."

Zoisite did not reply.

Kunzite sighed, moving away, still clasping Zoisite's hands. He closed his eyes briefly; and when they opened again, it was a tragic, desirous, apologetic--

Painfully honest. The final glimpse. And Zoisite brushed away a single tear, staring determinedly.

(Yes, I know what I'm doing.)

"Omae o kawaigaru." Kunzite said tiredly.

(And the world went black.)

Look fast, I wrote a story where Zoisite betrays the Moon Kingdom.

As I said, inspiration-such-as-it-was had to do with an Evafic whose title I can't remember, in which there was a line (in Japanese) translated as "I brought the world to an end."

"Atashi o koroshi nasaimase" essentially means "Kill me." ...Zoisite does refer to himself with a feminine pronoun.