Chapter Thirty Two - I’m the person who can walk beside him, always

Leon's gem-like eye's blinked rapidly beneath the crystal lenses that enhanced his vision, unable to stop staring at Jin Li due to the audacious claim made by the man still holding him in his embrace.  Jin Li said he was his husband.  A blush painted his cold cheeks and then his lips formed a slight pout that went unnoticed by most others, but not the one who was most conscious of him.  Since when had he married Jin Li anyway?  Not that he was against it, but it would have been nice to be asked and then there was supposed to be some sort of ceremony wasn't there? 

He wasn't really big on the specifics, not from this life nor the last.  He recalled that in this world, the villagers would put out red banners and dress up and there was a lot of food... his aunt had not invited him to his step-cousins weddings and it had not been appropriate for him to attend weddings for three years after his mother had passed and after that... well his small family unit wasn't close to the few families that held weddings since then and before he left for school and he'd never been that interested about it anyway.

But if it was for him and Jin Li... the heat in his cheeks increased.  Lessa noticed the red colour of his face and began to point her finger accusingly.  "I knew I should have made your mother get rid of you!" She began to scream in disgust.  "Your birth was a mistake, raising you was a mistake, you are just a disgusting creature born to bring your family shame!" 

"Lessa!" Leonard growled even as the sharp sound of steel against leather echoed through the air.  Jin Li had adjusted his hold on his lover, tucking him protectively at his side in order to draw his sword.  He would silence the woman by cutting her vicious tongue from her head!  How dare she insult his man!

"Father!  Has he not destroyed your reputation enough?!" She continued, ignoring the old man's warning tone as he approached the open doorway of his home.  "Why do you insist on keeping him on the family register?"

Leonard glared at her briefly, before turning around, his expression softened and he reached for Leon's hand.  It trembled as it settled upon the old man's rough palm.  Leon admitted to himself that he didn't care what his Aunt thought of him, but he'd rather have his grandfather's blessing.  He loved the old man, it had been them against the world for so long until his accident had broken the bond between them temporarily.  But in that time, he'd met Jin Li and despite the rather rocky beginning of their relationship, their fates had entwined to the point that he could no longer imagine life without him there.  Sure he was moody, his tongue was sharp, his nature flawed with obsession, possession, dishonesty, but he had his good points as well.  Such as now, when he would protect him from his Aunt's poisonous words.  Well, drawing his sword was a tad over the top, but the thought was there.  His spare hand tightened about Jin Li's tunic not willing to give him up.  His heart truly beat for Jin Li.

"Leo, my grandson," Leonard's voice was warm, but gruff.  "Are you happy?"

A smile that could compete with the brilliance of the sun on a summer's day appeared upon Leon's face.  "En."

Leonard patted his hand with affection as he was reminded of his dear departed daughter as he'd asked her if her entanglement with that man had been worth it.  She had smiled the same way, answered the same way, before tickling her one year old child, causing his laughter to fill their humble home.  It hadn't worked out for her and that man, cultivating to immortality had been more important to him than his ordinary daughter who had no chance of doing the same.  Aleora had been prideful and not asked him to change his mind when he had left to continue on his journey.  Instead, more than twenty eight weeks (tendays) later, she had packed up her bags and returned to her roots, with the little life that man had inadvertently left behind.

Ah, he clearly was no good at arranging his descendants marital matters, but he'd known years ago that despite his reputation, none of the families in the village wished to marry a daughter to his stuttering grandson.  Even if Leonard knew the boy would have to rely on his brain to live rather than his body in the future, his speech impediment was considered a worst defect to the narrow minded villagers than say Bral's scar.  At least the scar would not by chance be inherited by the man's offspring.

The old man glanced up at the cold expression upon Jin Li's face and suspected that this reflected the man's true nature, but the Martial Artist seldom had such a look or aura about him when he was with his grandson that he'd seen so far. That in itself spoke volumes.  He sighed inwardly.  He never would have chosen his precious grandson to wed a man, such things were taboo in the lives of most ordinary people, but he'd seen a few things in his time and was well aware that the world of a cultivator was different, even accepting of such things.

"As long as you are happy," Leonard patted his grandson's hand once more, before turning to his daughter, who had an incredulous expression etched upon her face.

"Father, are you mad!?" She cried out.

"Lessa, go home," Leonard told her before reentering his home.

"Father!  How can you allow this?!" She tried to follow him in, only to find the door shut in her face.  She stamped her foot, angrily, feeling somewhat thwarted and unable to vent.  Her eyes slid to the object of her disgust, but she was wary of the sharp weapon in the taller man's hand.  She was unable to tell whether he had skill with it or not, but she was not stupid enough to chance it.  Thus she turned on her heel, shoving Russ' sister out of her path with a hefty push.

"Ole cow!" Taru yelled at her, before tossing her hair and returning home.  If her da knew she were out this close to sunset, he'd likely use it as an excuse to beat her and her ma, calling it 'family rules'.  She couldn't wait to marry out of her gross family!  And as soon as her younger sisters were married out, she planned to help her brother get her ma out of there as well.  They just had to bide their time a few years longer...

"Are ye really married t' him?" Russ' jaw had lost tension completely as things had played out before him.  Ah, he'd just thought to marry Taru out to him sooner rather than later, never thought he'd have his three views blown away in the meantime. 

Leon's eyes wandered up to his man, who nodded curtly an affirmative.  Well, he'd clarify it with him later.  For now, there was no harm in agreeing.  At least this would settle other people's marital ideas for him as well as perhaps stop a whole new batch of butterflies swarming around Jin Li.  He'd already seen spring arrive early in the eyes of a few girls who'd ventured out in the cold for various reasons over the last couple of days and he was certain that he was not the one causing it.  Although Sun may have been responsible for a few... he was wealthy after all.

Inwardly he shrugged before he returned his wandering attention to his old friend.  "En," he finally answered.

"This is not an unusual thing," Jin Li declared, thinking of the few yang couples that had formed in school as well as a yin couple, the latter having thrown several amorous young men through a loop.  Their expressions had been a mix of despair and wonder and remained so for a few days, before they turned their attentions elsewhere.  Of course, he did not mention that he himself had only become aware of the existence of same sex couples in the last few months, not long before becoming a part of one.  "It is more important to find a person that can walk beside you always on the unending journey than worry about whether that person is of Yin or yang."

Russ thought about the meaning of his words for a moment, before letting go of his reservations.  Marrying the right person definitely was preferable than the alternative, just look at his ma's situation!  And if Bral was the right person for Taru, then he should be helping her to marry him rather than wanting Leo to rescue her from the family.

"St-still friends?" Leon asked him, cautiously.

The other boy grinned.  "O'course we are!  Bu' I'm a bi' pissed tha' ye didnae invite me to the weddin'!"

"Ha ha..."