A Love Beyond Time

The little fox, the Five Venoms, and the serpent monster

Warning: There is a brief mention of sexual assault.

The Valley of the Foxes—Central Region

"Seimei?"

Sagiri's tentative whisper floated on the balmy morning breeze. Seimei turned to her, a soft smile on his face that was still pink from what had happened earlier.

"Mhm?"

She returned the smile, but her eyes remained solemn. After taking a sip of warm tea to moisten her suddenly dry throat, she looked into those tanzanite eyes.

"Seimei, please don't feel ashamed of your past. It wasn't your fault; you didn't do anything wrong. Those males...they were the true perpetrators, not you. Never you. We still adore and respect you very much."

The 12th-ranked Asaemon then turned her attention to her 4th-ranked senior sitting next to the Fox. Her heart ached at the look of wrenching contrite and self-disgust on his handsome face, and she reached out to squeeze his hand affectionately.

"Same for you, Sir Shion. And we are not going to abandon you or despise you just because you're still under Zheng-Yu's control. We will fight for you and Seimei and free you both from his clutches."

Shion inhaled shakily and nodded as Seimei wrapped his arms around the trembling samurai and cuddled him protectively, whispering words of love and reassurance. When his lover had regained his equilibrium, the Fox looked up at everyone.

"We thank you for everything. It's our greatest honor to know you guys, and to be able to call all of you my dearest family is something I will cherish forever."

He knelt and kowtowed deeply, much to everyone's shock. But they did not protest, for they knew it was a heartfelt gesture from Seimei, and to turn it down was to reject his sincerity. So they accepted it and bowed in reciprocation.

The emotional moment lingered for a long time until it was suddenly shattered by a loud, grumpy voice accompanied by a tiny zap of energy.

"There you are! We had such a challenging time navigating through this bloody Valley, but it seems like we have arrived on time to join the party, haven't we, Yu-Hu?"

There was a brief rustling as the thick shrubs were parted, and a sextet of males emerged. The elderly male leading the group folded his arms across his chest, and his bright green eyes narrowed at Seimei with irritated indignation.

"Speaking of which, why didn't you prepare a red carpet?!"

===

Everyone's wide-eyed gazes were riveted on the voice's owner. With his snowy hair and flowy beard, he emitted a sagely aura that would have anyone mistaking him for a wise elder if not for the seductive glint in his emerald eyes and his petulant pout.

"Hello, my dear former disciple," Seimei raised an appraising eyebrow at the bearded figure. "You look every inch the wizened old prune right now. How appropriate for your age."

"Shut up, you miserable ancient bat. You are the dried-up wrinkly prune, not me."

"Hmm...you need a mirror? You're the one with the wrinkles."

"I said shut up, you ungrateful idiot. I took this hideously unsightly form for your sake. Be more appreciative, will you?"

A sardonic smile adorned Seimei's face as everyone watched their bickering with avid interest.

"And you are still wearing it so proudly. Seems to me you enjoy playacting as an old man."

Upon hearing that, the male's brows contorted in distaste.