He didn't expect it and yet he did expect it; the moment Jin Li turned up in his dusty courtyard.
Leon was picking out the weeds that had begun to grow on the hard ground, while thinking a few flagstones might be nice out here when the man suddenly appeared before him. He stood, as tall and regal looking as usual wearing those silks with the koi embroidery that Leon had first seen him in, though they were looking a little more worn and frayed now. But this failed to detract from his aura. His long, silky black hair partially cloaked his back as the wind gently breezed past, separating the strands as it did so. The scarlet red jade in holding the upper part of his hair in place was a vivid contrast. Leon felt his heart skip a beat then sped up.
Swallowing to moisten his throat, he voiced a slightly cracked greeting; "G-good morning."
Jin Li nodded his head in response and what followed was an awkward pause. The matter that had occurred almost a ten day ago was not quite resolved between them. After Leon had carefully brushed and helped pin his midnight hair upon his head, blushing all the while; Jin Li had voiced in his usual way a 'well, I guess it will do' before bidding his good evening and leaving for the martial arts school.
However, seeing Jin Li standing there, gripping his sword handle until his knuckles had turned white, Leon decided to break the silence. "W-What is wrong?"
"Nothing is wrong," Jin Li automatically denied, before adding; "This lord simply has a request to make of you. Let me be clear that it is nothing important though."
"Alright," Leon said, wiping the dust from his robes and approaching the man, who remained standing beside the hut. "Would you l-like a c-cup of t-tea?"
"En," Jin Li agreed and followed him inside. The silence stretched onward as the kettle was boiled and tea brewed. Sugar biscuits were placed upon the table. They had been a little extra something given to him by Mino's mother (along with other food supplies) after he had eaten at the Food Hall the other day, although a few had been swiped by Maimai. The girl had been seated with him, chatting away happily about this and that, when the treat had been offered. Maimai had asked for nothing, not even as they walked back to their respective dwellings, merely had stolen a couple from his basket before laughing and closing her door leaving him to frown and shake his head. He would have shared with her, as she was his friend, if she had only asked!
By the time the tea had been brewed, only one biscuit remained, the rest were consigned to that Lord's stomach.
Tea poured, Leon asked him what it was he needed. Jin Li looked just a little in thought as he pondered on his words before eventually saying; "My talisman was lost, make this lord a replacement!"
Leon tilted his head, his eyes flickering to the sword tassel that now was alone on the handle of the blade. Without questioning the phrasing of the words, Leon reached for his knife and a reasonable solid piece of wood and let his hands begin to shape it. He was happy enough that Jin Li requested he carve another. This meant he had liked it, right? "H-how was it l-lost?" He asked as the koi began to take shape. It was slightly more curved than the original, as if it was slipping through water more fluidly and its fins and tail were a little more flamboyant.
"A runty little beast stole away with it," Jin Li grumbled as he sat at the small table, his elbow upon it as he watched Leon carve. Leon felt that that was not much of an answer, but the men lapsed into silence as Leon poured more attention upon the carving, gently detailing its scales, gills and eyes before slowly bringing more life to its delicate tail and fins. Jin Li unknowingly began to smile, contentedly. It seemed that the alchemists carving skills had improved a little more. This koi was more attractive than the last and was not just detailed upon one side, unlike the other. The strange symbol was also formed of it's scales this time, instead of simply carved into flat wood.
"What does that symbol mean?" Jin Li asked this time, causing Leon to realise that he had added the symbol without thought. In fact, he had added two, one on each side.
"Oh," Leon looked at both. "St-strength and f-f-fortitude." He had carved 'good fortune' last time and Jin Li had still lost it! He couldn't help but smile over that thought. "H-here." He offered the finished koi to the man, who happily attached it to the handle of his blade.
Leon's stomach began to rumble and he quickly came to realise that a few hours had passed since he began. Jin Li had finished the remaining biscuits and tea, though his own was stone cold within his cup. He had a little bread and meat remaining from yesterday, so he formed a couple of simple sandwiches before cutting some vegetables to boil into a soup.
"Staying f-f-for lunch?" Leon asked as he placed the sandwiches upon the table and took one to take the edge off of his hunger.
"You owe this Lord for making him wait so long," Jin Li stated, before devouring one of the remaining ones. They ate quietly, but neither sat still for long as Leon finished preparing the soup and Jin Li fidgeted uncomfortably after watching Leon lick his lips after tasting the soup. He couldn't help recall how those lips felt pressed against his own... he inwardly cursed. He had thought that he'd managed to resolve those strange thoughts this week and now realised that he had failed. What to do...
Once they had finished eating, Leon then began to clear the dishes, placing them onto his workspace next to his largest bowl, which he filled with soap and water.
Jin Li stood up a moment later, a slightly wicked glint in his eyes. "Come here," he demanded of Leon, who innocently did as instructed, moving closer until he stood, looking up at the man, curiously. Jin Li moved swiftly covering Leon's lips with his own before Leon could even wonder at what he wanted of him. Jin Li stepped back a moment later, satisfied yet somewhat unsatisfied at the same time. "This is how you expressed your thanks to me that time, so I will do the same," he declared of his actions.
Leon blinked a few times, gaping a little like the koi fish dangling from the sword.
Jin Li looked at the youth before him, ignoring the beating of his heart in his own chest. It was definitely no illusion, those lips really were that soft and tasted just a little sweet... he buried that thought down and replaced it with a harsh notion of ridicule. Right now, Leon looked as dumb as the runt as he stared up at him... not at all cute... but still...
"What is it?" Jin Li sneered at the dazed youth, tilting his head arrogantly to one side. "Was my appreciation not sufficient enough for you? I suppose you require more."
"Yes?" Leon murmured, who still looked a little lost in the moment.
Well, if you insist, Jin Li's sneer turned a little wicked as he bent down to eat a little more tofu...
"Jin Li! How could you leave me... again!" Leon snapped from the spell woven over him by Jin Li's audacious behaviour and his own wishful thinking and quickly stepped away from Jin Li. The taller youth clicked his tongue in irritation, but sat lazily down upon the bed as if it mattered neither way for him. Sun, unaware of what he had interrupted, appeared in the doorway, continuing his tirade; "That man seems to think that a four day break is unnecessary! If it weren't for Teacher Corne wishing to take him out for a drink and a meal, I would still be swinging a sword about in the arena!"
"What m-man?" Leon asked, as he furiously began to scrub the dishes, hoping his face wasn't too red. What had just happened? Fortunately, Sun seemed too bothered with his own problems to be concerned with whatever had been occurring before he arrived.
"Sun attracted the attention of a new Teacher," Jin Li replied, with a slight smirk, unconsciously licking his own lips as his eyes caught sight of Leon's flushed face. "That Teacher took Sun on as his personal student."
"Oh, c-c-Congratulations...?" The questioning sound of the word came as Sun began to glare the moment he began to speak. Clearly Sun had issues too...
Sun stared at the alchemist for a moment and then asked; "I don't suppose you know of a recipe that might create a sleeping pill or draught?"
Leon couldn't remember reading of such in his diaries, but then he didn't know of the white warming potion until given the recipe by Pharmacist Clawse, so could only shake his head. Jin Li rolled his eyes and stated; "Don't you think a pill of such an effect created by an apprentice would overwhelm a man of Corvus' cultivation?"
"It could work," Sun pouted, before flopping down upon the floor. Leon remembered his manners, dried his hands and served fresh tea. His hands shook a little as he passed Jin Li his cup, but the other did not seem to notice, just taking the beverage as his due.
"What are you doing here, anyway?" Jin Li asked of Sun. And why did you deem it necessary to interrupt me, wasn't this Lord simply resolving this whole kissing matter once and for all? Surely once one had sated this curiosity, one would be able to stop dwelling upon it.
"Well, I was going to soak in a herbal bath, on Teacher Corvus's instruction," he replied. "And then I remembered about that weird, flower stuff of Leon's and that we hadn't tested whether it's better or worse that what we get at school and I figured you'd be here anyway, Jin Li, seeing as you disappeared so early this morning..."
"Weird flower stuff?" Jin Li questioned.
Leon considered all of Sun's words. "You m-m-mean the b-bath salts?"
"Hmm," Sun agreed.
"I c-can p-pack you some, if you l-like," Leon replied, before wondering what he had spare to store it in.
"No need," Jin Li interrupted whatever Sun had to say in the next breath. Both youths turned to him. "If he wishes to use it, he should just use it here! Unless you wish others to look down on you as you bathed in bath water better suited for women..."
Sun flinched, then chuckled loosely. Jin Li was right, the bath salts may be useful, but they had a perfumed scent that would definitely be favoured by girls. At least Chi Elixir had a more grassy smell, could be used by either gender. Jin Li was a good older brother to remind him. How foolish would he have looked if he had followed his thoughts through and used them in the communal baths?! It was difficult enough when comparing his smaller, slender frame with his lack of bulky muscles and refined chest to others. But at least no one ever dared comment about his thing!
"However," Jin Li suddenly added as he sipped his tea in a carelessly refined manner, "he can still get the water for his bath himself." Sun blinked, feeling as if he had missed part of the conversation (which he had as Leon was saying that he may need to get water from the lake first) before widening his eyes pitifully at Jin Li. Why was he being asked to do servants work, when Jin Li's servant was conveniently here? "The lake is that way," Jin Li pointed in its general direction. "And there is a barrel outside of the door."
Sun pouted as he rose to his feet and stormed out of the hut.
"Sh-shouldn't we h-help him?" Leon asked, thinking that a barrel full of water was too heavy for a boy such as Sun.
"Don't pity him," Jin Li sneered, with a touch of annoyance, "he carries greater loads daily. 'Tis Nothing for a secondary stage Martial Artist." He placed down his tea cup on to the table. "Now that the obstacle in the room has been removed..." Leon felt his wrist tugged before he fell back upon the bed and Jin Li's shadow fall over him.
He pressed his hands against Jin Li's chest, the image of what was beneath the cloth flashing across his mind. "W-w-w-w-what are you d-d-doing?" Leon whispered, his heart racing and butterflies fluttering in his stomach. He knew of his own feelings for Jin Li, but was confused by Jin Li's actions. He had kissed him again earlier and seemed to want to do this again for a third time, but why? What did he mean by it? Was this really just giving thanks?
"This Lord wishes to end what was started," Jin Li confirmed Leon's notions with dry sentiment, before removing the barrier that was his glasses. His thin lips then pressed once more upon Leon's, the tip of his tongue instinctively pressing forward to taste. Leon's lips parted with a slight sigh, welcoming in that appendage, which slid in after a moment's hesitation. Jin Li's tastebuds confirmed his notion that Leon's mouth tasted sweet and dived deeper to explore more thoroughly the depths, his mouth moving until it more comfortably dominated over the youth beneath him. They parted a minute or so later, slightly breathless. Jin Li inwardly preened as Leon's flushed face and large glazed eyes. That was much more satisfactory.
Leon blinked a couple of times before asking; "J-Jin Li, d-do you l-like m-m-me?"
Really sorry that this is so late today! I’ve been reading Chinese translation novels and totally lost track of time x
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