Chapter Three: Together Again

Naoe sat in the zashiki, the furthest room in the back of the house, reading up on the day's stock quotes. He really was not in the mood to check them; it was just an excuse to do something. Something other than thinking and stewing on the past few weeks like he had done for, well, the past few weeks.

Lord Kagetora…

That name, that man, was never far from his mind. Even when separated they were still linked together. It would be three weeks officially on Thursday. Three weeks of being separated from his master. Oh granted he had separated himself from him of his own accord, but that did not make it any less painful.

'And if you ever get tired of being a loser you can try and beat me and if you can beat me, Naoe, that will be the day you can have me.'

Those words, that challenge, echoed in his mind ever second of the day since it happened. Those golden eyes flashing green as it was declared. His Lord Kagetora had declared war on their relationship and then… Takaya had blushed. Of course the teen could blame those pinkish cheeks on the icy nip in the air, but Naoe knew better. He had blushed and his heart had tripped in his chest making him want to reach out and touch the one thing he was never allowed to touch.

He laid his paper on the coffee table. His whole body ached, especially his heart. He had a damn good reason for avoiding Ohgi Takaya and that was because of how irrational he became around the teen; and Takaya did not deserve that even if, at times, he felt he did. His lord and master, however, did deserve his irrational behavior. Lord Kagetora had always tried to push him away, but would never truly let him go. He felt like a yo-yo and Lord Kagetora held the string. But Takaya, he could tell, wanted him around even though he did not always say that.

He was not quite sure when he had started thinking of Takaya and Kagetora as separate people. In the past Lord Kagetora was himself simply in a different body. But now without his memories he was just an easily flustered, awkward and fiery young man who did things his way and no one else's.

Takaya lived his life.

Possessors always seemed to be stuck in the past, even he was, but Takaya was living. He still did things to help the common man just like Lord Kagetora. He was still sulky and bristly. He still had the tiger-eyes and the commanding voice of Kagetora. He was still fiercely loyal to those around him. He was still the same! Hell, he still took his tea with a splash of milk. So they were the same, right? And yet… Takaya was a bit more wide-eyed and innocent. He definitely did not carry around the same bitterness that Kagetora had. He also seemed much more forgiving. Takaya had still allowed him to live when he was sure his master would have killed him for his indiscretions.

It was Takaya's innocence, though, that he found the most attractive. He was like a small child ready to take the world by storm. And yet, as child-like and innocent as Takaya was he was still a young man with wants and needs. Needs that Naoe really wanted to meet.

Even though he thought of them, as different people one big thing remained the same: he desired them. Before it did not matter what body Lord Kagetora was in as long as it was his soul, but now, now he really wanted both the body and the soul. Eventually, he swore to himself, he would have it. He would take and possess Ohgi Takaya, his Lord Kagetora, because he desired him, he needed him, he loved him.

And that was all there was too it.

The screen door separating his little sanctuary from the rest of the hall opened and one of the servants bowed to him.

"Yes, what is it?" he muttered slightly annoyed at having his thoughts interrupted.

"Sir, I'm sorry for intruding, but the main gate has just informed me that an Ohgi Takaya has entered the grounds and shall be here in a few moments."

"Takaya…" he whispered his heart suddenly flying into his throat while his stomach plummeted to his toes. "Takaya is here?" he asked more to absorb the reality of this than to question his servant.

"Yes, sir. He is on his way up now."

Taking a few calming breaths he stood and walked towards the door. "Good. Usher him into the nakanoma."

"The middle part of the house, sir?"

"Yes. I do not wish to be disturbed. Also make sure there is tea and…" he looked at his watch: 10:42am, "make sure there is a light lunch prepared as well."

"Yes, sir!" the servant bowed and walked off to do his master's bidding.

Naoe watched him go then ran a not to steady hand through his hair. Why on earth was Takaya here? Of course he was just fooling himself into believing it was because he missed him. The young man had basically told him – on more than one occasion – to get the hell out of his life. But no matter how many times he would try to leave he always seemed to come crawling back. Today it seemed that even though his lord had told him to leave he needed him for something and had sought him out.

Perhaps Kagetora really did need and want him after all.

Naoe calmly refrained from clicking his heels instead he had himself a smoke.

Takaya parked his bike right outside the front gate of the Tachibana Temple. He could tell, by taking a quick look around, that the temple must be beautiful in the spring through autumn months, but in the winter, covered in ice and snow, it just looked dismal. Gods above he hoped it was warm in there!

His twenty-minute bike ride had nearly frozen his fingers not to mention every other part of his body. The only warm part was his stomach and that was only because of Helena. Unzipping his coat the fuzzy black head popped out and meowed up at him, taking in her surroundings.

"Hush now. Stay down and be good. I'll sneak you in. I doubt Naoe will mind… and even if he does I'll order him to let you stay. So don't worry."

"Meow."

He nodded and zipped up his coat then paused. "It's official… I've gone fucking crazy. I'm talking to a cat. Shit…" he breathed out.

Perhaps the only reason he was talking to Helena in the first place was because his legs felt like rubber and stomach was doing the tango. Not that he needed to be nervous or anything he was just going to see Naoe.

Naoe with his wet cardboard type personality and anal retentive-neat freak tendencies and his smoking. Honestly the man was like a freaking chimney. He constantly had a cigarette between his fingers. He always had the lingering smell of smoke, but then the smoke would mix with his really expensive cologne and create this sensual manly smell that would become more apparent whenever he would sweat. Tiny, shimmering beads of sweat running down taunt skin like water. Each bead on that smooth, ivory skin of his would sparkle and tantalize until it needed to be lapped up by a very eager young tongue; his nose would brush against the prespering skin and inhale that smoky scent as he reached the apex of his legs and…

Takaya pinched the top of his hand hard enough to leave a mark then cursed under his breath. Stupid Naoe and his intoxicating smell! He needed to stuff old sushi in the man's pockets or something to get rid of that smell. Oh no… what if his whole house had that smell? It would be everywhere teasing and tormenting him in the most inappropriate ways just as it was doing now when there was no smell at all and, oh shit… there would be no escaping it.

Okay, fuck it! He did not care who the hell Hanairo was. If she were really that important he'd remember on his own. He didn't need to be here, at Naoe's house, breathing in his sent and making him want to do all those dirty things his wet dreams had imagined. He was just going to turn around and try to call Nagahide or Haurie again and then things would be fine. Better than fine… perfect!

"Sir?"

"Shit," he muttered drawing his gaze from the stone path towards the door where a servant stood a smile on his old, wrinkled face. "Yes?" he mumbled bowing.

"Ohgi Takaya…" the little man bowed and extended his hand into the house. "This way, please."

Damn! Now that he was caught he had no way out. He had to go through with this. At least, he had to admit, he felt a little more comfortable with Helena safe in his coat. He smiled softly down at the bulge in his jacket and readjusted his arms under the feline then followed the servant.

Takaya was ushered into a room simply decorated with two cushions seated around a table. A steaming teapot and two cups were already placed at the center of the table as well as a pair of chopsticks, bowls and napkins.

Naoe always thinks of everything, he thought to himself and the slight rumbling of his stomach.

"Sir, your coat?" the servant offered again once more extending his old hand. Takaya had been very unwilling to relinquish the garment in the entranceway and now was no exception. The man seemed utterly shocked by the poor etiquette Takaya was showing, but he did not care. Helena was more important that manners.

Finally the little manservant left closing the screen behind him. Takaya let out a breath and was rather thankful that the room smelled nothing like Naoe. In fact it smelled remotely like aloes wood.

Unzipping his coat he let Helena out. The cat jumped gracefully from his arms to the floor. There she sat, all of her attention on him and not on the new environment she was in.

"You truly are very odd, you know that?"

"Meow." She rubbed up against his legs and he smiled reaching down and running his fingers along her back making her stretch.

He walked over to one of the cushions and sat down, cross-legged, and laid his coat next to him. "Hide under here, kay? And be quiet. I'll buy you a whole fish when we're done… promise."

"Meow! Meow!" She seemed to skip over to him and the coat and then she disappeared under the garment.

He sighed and put his hands in his lap. He was sure she would be fine and quiet; Helena was remarkably well behaved while Naoe, on the other hand, he was a totally different story.

He moved his hands from his lap to under his tights to help stop the shaking. His heart was fluttering like humming bird wings inside his chest making him feel light headed and dizzy.

What was wrong with him! It was just Naoe. Stupid fucking Naoe with his sick twisted love obsession and his 'I'm too perfect' complex and his chain smoking and his strong arms and chiseled chest and velvety lips and sexy eyes and… holy crap his teeth were chattering. Every part of him was shaking and twitching especially that part of him confined in his briefs. Then he heard footsteps coming from the screen directly in front of him.

And he forgot how to breathe.

In the span of two seconds, as that screen door slid open, Takaya lost all coherent function and thought. He forgot how to breath, how to blink, how to speak, how to think and most of all he forgot all about why he was angry with Naoe and why he had even come to see him on this school day when he should be in class. All that mattered in those two seconds it took Naoe to open the door was the fact that Takaya would get to see his face for the first time in three weeks.