274 Chapter Seventy Four - Jin Li and I are back together

"They made it until the end!!" Sun squealed cheerfully, earning himself a raised eyebrow from his grandfather and a series of other reactions from others. For instance, while Maimai was openly chuckling, Merylin had a small smile upon her lips that seemed to translate into the words; 'I am tolerating your behaviour.' Carmen was less generous, simply rolling her eyes while not in the observation of her grandfather.

Still, while not impressed by his grandson's foolishness, he couldn't help but express how he was also feeling pleased; "As expected of my adopted grandson!"

"Oh?" Jian Juren, Jin Li's maternal grandfather, smiled, a glint of mischief in his black eyes. "And here was I under the impression that you'd yet to formalise such a relationship with the boy."

"Well, well," the General stuttered, slightly flustered by the other man's teasing, "that's really only a matter of time."

"I admire your confidence," Jian Juren replied in amusement. "Don't you, Jin Li? Jin Li?" But that wayward third grandson of his was nowhere to be seen. Fortunately Jian Juren had the face of a young man or his pout would look terribly out of place.

Carmen straightened her spine, not noticing that Merylin echoed her movement and both girls glanced about themselves hoping to see the missing youth only for both to be disappointed. "Where did he go?" Carmen blurted out.

Sun and Maimai exchanged knowing glances but said nothing.

*****

Sheltered on the back of the large griffin and surrounded by enchantments to make the journey easier on its passengers, Leon could forget that he had passed from a tropical warmth to a land still in the grip of winter, at least until landing. He tightened his thin cloak about him, glancing down at the people waiting to cheer for him, the only outer school student to enter the competition this time. The inner school students were not jealous, they would receive their own receptions in due time, thus Leon was allowed this moment uninterrupted.

After Leon climbed down the ladder leaning against the griffin's tall side, he was first met with his Teacher, who congratulated him and spoke of his pride. Leon thanked him, wearily, suddenly feeling the strain of the two tendays. Teacher Sagi was an observant man and although he wished to hear of Leon's adventures through his own words, he could see that now was not the time. Especially when Leon became distracted, his eyes focused on something or rather someone behind him.

Teacher Sagi wanted to sigh, with the weight of one jealous of the luminous world of two young lovers that outsiders simply could not breech. "Go," he told his student, "rest. Tomorrow begins the judging of your team's spoils, after that they'll hold the auction and individual battles. You'll be busy for a while. Once all is settled, we can talk then."

"This lord didn't give you permission to leave." The words were harsh, but there wasn't any heat behind them, just a touch of sourness.

As usual, Leon needed to translate Jin Li's words into their true meaning. "I m-missed you t-too," he replied with a warm smile. Jin Li's scowl softened and melted away, he even loosened his stance to reach for Leon's hands warming them, allowing Leon to forget how cold he was.

"Should have remained here instead of galavanting about," Jin Li mumbled in complaint, "would have missed less."

Leon wanted to point out that Jin Li had been in closed cultivation, no one could predict just how long such would take. However, he was too pleased to see him to wish to fall into argument with him. So he said instead; "N-Not a lot of ch-choice, T-Teacher Sagi insisted if I or m-m-my b-brothers were asked to j-join a t-team, then j-join."

"Pike asked for you?" Jin Li asked him.

Leon failed to here the sour note; "En."

His lover's scowling expression reformed and he found himself tugged forward at rapid pace towards the domiciles. "W-what's the m-matter?"

"You require a bath," Jin Li declared, startling Leon to question him.

"Why? I k-kept quite c-clean."

"This Lord feels it was not sufficient," Jin Li replied in a tone that brook no arguments. "This Lord can only rest assured once all places that others touched are washed thoroughly." Leon frowned, trying to understand for a moment, though it took him a while distracted as he was trying to ensure he did not trip over loose stones and tree roots as they made their way through the woodlands. But after a short time, he shook his head with a light sigh. It seemed Jin Li could drink vinegar even when the wine had not aged enough.

*****(18+)*****

In the small bathhouse within a wing room of his home, the coal in the wide stove was smouldering to ash, while the now empty pots cooled on top.  The air was translucent with steam and small puddles of water coated the clay tiled floor.  Water sloshed up the sides of the metal bath, spilling over the side to run down its length, creating new puddles.

Inside the bath, two men moved together ambiguously.

Leon groaned as his dark hole was stretched by two long fingers, the tight space resisting as it had been a while since it was last tempered into obedience.  All the while, his hands moved over his tormentor's chest, coating the hard plains with soap as he'd been instructed.  It was not easy to concentrate on the task.  As he rinsed the body beneath him with water, he felt those fingers remove themselves from his body, instead coming to grip his pelvis.  He was pulled forward and a new object invaded him, causing him to gasp aloud.  If he'd forgotten how it felt to be so full, he was reminded now with full force.

Jin Li's face could also not hide how he felt about them reuniting in this most primal of ways.  His eyes were filled with lust, love and satisfaction.  He savoured the feeling of wholeness for a moment, allowing Leon's body to adjust to him, the tight resistance altering to become that familiar shelter to suit him and only him.  As the tinge of pain in Leon's eyes faded, he reached for the soap sand in the jar beside them, pouring out a generous handful before laving it and smoothing the suds upon Leon's soft skin.  He was not yet satisfied that he had removed the remnants of others yet, uncaring that only Leon's clothes had been touched, not beneath them.

The rose buds upon Leon's chest puckered as the man beneath him paid much attention to them, his mind assaulted by the teasing pleasure as well as the more demanding one between the cheeks of his bottom.  Leon gripped the sides of the bath as Jin Li thrust his hips upward, deepening their connection over and over until Leon could barely tell where he began and Jin Li stopped.  His body began to demand he partake in their wet dance and more water escaped the metal tub as their movements became more involved and frantic.  Jin Li's hands stretched about Leon's back, their chests pressing together then sliding as the soap reduced the friction between them.  Leon felt fingers grip his bottom pushing him upward, the member inside of him withdrawing to the bulbous head, but before he could moan in complaint, his mouth was blocked and his tongue became occupied.

They parted to gasp a breath and Leon soon found himself fully seated in the cradle of Jin Li's hips once more.  He was tossed about some more, unable to form coherent thought as their bodies' needs overwhelmed them and all of the concentration poured into the task of reaching their completions.  Leon came first, he couldn't do otherwise when his manhood became trapped in his lover's firm grip and he began receiving pleasure from inside and out.  He wailed as he came, painting their previously clean bodies with his seed before flopping over Jin Li's body.  But Jin Li was not yet done and his sensitive body had to endure riding out his orgasm until his already blurred vision turned white, only then did he feel the heat of the man pouring his release deep into his insides.

Jin Li wiped them both down, more than satisfied that he had marked Leon in more ways than one, claiming his lover's body and soul as he should.  Leon dozed happily in his embrace. "Your performance, in the competition, was... not disgraceful," he heard Jin Li whisper into his ear an attempt of compliment.

"En."