Kaoru dusted off his hands as the final bird flew away. He turned back to Hakuei who was smiling warmly. He wasn’t sure what to say. He kissed him lightly on the lips. "Show me the rest of the house." He held onto his arm as they walked out of the room.

"Taizo!" Kozi dropped down in the snow, flinging his bow and arrows somewhere to the side as he scooped Taizo into his arms and cradled him. The arrow bag caught on his arm and he shook wildly to free himself of it. It dropped pathetically in the snow beside him. "Oh God, Taizo! Are you okay!?"

Taizo stared with huge eyes at the arrow in his shoulder as he held his breath. It hurt like hell and was throbbing horribly. The blood was dripping down over his shoulder blade and left almost beautiful trails over his chest. He winced as he felt the blood tickle his chest as it crawled beneath his shirt and across his nipple.

He had been so close when he fired the arrow… Kozi held his breath and turned Taizo slightly. The arrow had gone through the back and just the tip poked out. "Don’t move…" He whispered as he pulled the knife from his boot. He held the arrow as steady as he could as Taizo held his breath. He quickly cut off the head of the arrow and easily slid the rest of the arrow out.

With a sigh of relief Taizo fell against Yuki, on the shoulder not wounded and looked up at the bleak sky. The snow was nearly covering them now, and he knew that very soon they would have to move. Kozi was human and couldn’t sit in the snow like Taizo could. The sky was very beautiful. The snow had slowed down somewhat and the sky was a dull grey.

What had he done!? In his greed for simple money he had hurt his beloved lover! The only person he did and would forever would love! Kozi rocked Taizo for a moment before coming to his senses and lifting him up quickly. He ran back into the shelter of the trees and found the dryest spot he could.

It was a thick patch of moss at the curve of a fallen tree. Kozi set him down and tore off the sleeve of his shirt. He shivered violently as the cold hit him but he held it in and wrapped the sleeve tightly around Taizo'’ should and beneath his armpit and tied it off tightly.

"That should stop the bleeding." Kozi was almost crying, shocking himself more than Taizo was.

"Don’t cry, Kozi." Taizo said and smiled weakly. "I can’t die, I’m not human." Even as he said it Taizo was very aware of the awful truth that loomed over himself and his lover. Kozi was human… and therefore someday he would die.

A tear dripped down his face and he pulled Kozi to himself. Kozi hugged him back eagerly as he seemed to realize the same thing. "I promise I won’t hurt him, or anyone. I can’t believe you jumped in front of my arrow… I don’t want to lose you, Taizo…"

Taizo remembered when he was human, and how he changed and he felt a flash in his heart. "Kozi, we can always be together… I know a way. Let’s go see Nao."

Nao sat down on a feather stuffed chair and smiled mockingly at Taizo. "Do you like the chair? I stuffed it myself."

Kozi expected a fight but as he looked at Taizo he realized he was surprisingly calm as he eyed Nao cooly. He must be very used to Nao, Kozi had only spend a few hours with him and had noticed it would defenately take getting used to to stand being around the man.

"It’s nice." Was Taizo’s simple answer though his body was tense. It couldn’t be easy for him to sit there with the way Nao had used Taizo’s precious nature for every aspect of his cottage.

Kozi noticed his lover flinch and slowly raise his hand to hold his shoulder. Kozi gasped and held him and with a look asked if there was anything he could do. Taizo shook his head and rested his palm on the other man’s knee. Kozi felt so guilty that he was the cause of his lover’s pain and squeezed his fingers tightly.

"I can’t give you what you came for." Nao said regretfully as he sipped his tea. "You were my last, Taizo. I can’t turn anyone else, I shouldn’t have turned you!"

Nao watched Taizo’s face go from disbelief to desperation and he suddenly yelled, "But you have to help us! You can change him into a spirit and we’ll never be apart!"

Nao was shaking his head even as Taizo was speaking. "You don’t understand, Taizo. I will change him but not yet."

"Why not?" Kozi asked as his fingers were nerviously stroking Taizo’s.

"Something could happen and he could die tomorrow!"

Nao stood. "Than that would be his fate." He started to walk from the room as he spoke. "There is a great danger coming to you.

Kozi ran after him. "What do you mean!? If there is a danger than you should change me so I won’t die!

Nao shook his head again. "I’m not going to change just anyone. If you want me to change you, you have to prove you are worthy of it." Nao paused as he bent to feed a treat to his cat, who proceeded to purr and rub happily against his leg, unaware of the anxiety in the room. Nao ignored Kozi from then on, he was starting to get on his nerves. He looked at Taizo, "You can stay here and sleep on the couch if you’d like." He looked distastefully at Kozi. "Since he is with you I suppose he can stay too."