A Love Beyond Time

Chapter 16-I love you, Seimei

It was the second hour of the Boar. The sky was a tapestry of rich, inky velvetiness encrusted with tiny sparkling crystalline stars and a large, almost flawlessly round, opalescent gem of a full moon in its final phase. Deep in the massif of slate grey mountains of the Valley was a large geothermal pool nestled within the scented embrace of a grove of plum blossom trees situated near a massive cave mouth. The area was awash in the silver-white glow of the moon, its reflection captured in perfect likeness on the luminous surface of the pool that was as tranquil as the night's quiet breath.

Something stirred beneath the water, causing a slight ripple to shiver across the surface. More ripples followed, fracturing the mirrored moon into glistening shards of water droplets. Then, a figure rose gracefully from the depths.

Seimei strode out of the pool, wringing the water out of his waist-length hair that hung over one shoulder, wet and gleaming like a sheet of obsidian. His skin, pale, smooth, and translucent, glowed in the moonlight, enhancing his unearthly beauty. He moved languidly, feline-like, as he entered his cave chamber, wrapped his silk sleeping robe around his sinuous frame, and sat before a large bronze mirror, flicking a quick glance at the entrance. As he ran a sandalwood comb through his already-dried hair, his mind ran through the day's events.

Mainly about his lack of interaction with Shion.

They had not spoken to each other the entire day, nor had they sat together during dinner. It resulted from Seimei's intentional withdrawal—not from avoidance, but to allow Shion to spend more time reconnecting with Tenza.

Seimei smiled inwardly as he recalled how both Master and Student, with the addition of Nurugai, of course, had chatted and laughed animatedly during dinner. The sight of the trio huddling close, piling one another's bowls with more food and sharing a private joke or two, had gladdened him. More, looking at Shion's handsome face lit with happiness, seeing him grin in boyish pleasure as his young students groaned in mock agony at his silly blind pun-jokes and watching how he threw back his head with amused laughter when Tenza complained about his lousy humor, brought tremendous joy to the Fox. Everything he had done to get Tenza back was worthwhile as long as he could make the silver-haired mortal happy.

For it had been aeons since he had seen Shion this joyful and light-hearted. Not since they parted after their time at the Kun Lun Snow Mountain. Not after the latter had gotten his human form. And most certainly, not when they were in the Celestial Kingdom. If it was even remotely possible to fan the already fierce flames of love and adoration blazing within him, then this rare and precious side of his little dragon had done precisely that.

It also proved to the Fox—hopefully—that a tiny silver of sweetness and innocence still remained within his beloved. Still intact and indestructible no matter how their enemy tried to corrupt and destroy it.

"Seimei? Are you still awake?" A familiar voice queried tentatively at the entrance.

The Fox's smile migrated from heart to lips, and he turned to welcome his late-night visitor. Bronze lanterns placed strategically around the cave blazed to life with a carelessly graceful flick of his wrist, illuminating the approaching figure.

"Shion," he crooned. "What brings you here at this hour?"

The 4th-ranked Asaemon felt like the proverbial cat on a hot tin roof, nerves taut with trepidation and excitement. He had paced around restlessly outside Seimei's cave for a good portion of the hour, mentally rehearsing his upcoming confession of love to the Fox.

Seimei, I want to talk to you. No, that sounded too serious.

Seimei, I have been feeling strange these days. No, too ominous.