Chapter Eighty Two - Things don’t always go our way

"Sold! For the price of 150 points!"

The first auction was bustling and quite fun, at least compared to the dryer more serious atmosphere to an auction in town. This auction was open only to students, who purchased the products which were sometimes uncommon, though not really that rare in exchange for points that they had earned throughout the year. Some genuinely wanted the items; Pike bid on some metal ore, Bowyer tried hard to obtain several pieces of sizeable leather, Leon raised his hand whenever a decent herb came to attention.

Then there were others who bid randomly, showing off their 'wealth' and others who used the auction as a psychological way to seek vengeance. One such young woman, for example, bid on a selection of lesser gemstones just to block another young woman, who happened to make jewellery to hold paper talismans to sell onward. Leon and the others didn't understand the grudge between the two women, but it was clearly deep.

"Lot number 73, this bottle of six high quality Hidden Fog Pills, do I have any bids?"

The auction itself was quite fast, there were many, many items to get through after all, so there were no flowery descriptions designed to lure in customers and besides that, generally the students already understood the value of what was on offer so didn't need eloquent words to draw them forth. The First Years were particularly enthusiastic; their participation in school events was always kept to a minimum, so they loved to be involved more in the things open to them, such as this auction. Most of the cheap and common items found their way into their pockets while most others held out for things with more interest or value. In this way, everything was sold in the end.

Leon didn't manage to get his hands on all of the herbs he wanted, but he did collect one stalk of the uncommon herb known as Whispering Juniper and a couple of common stalks that he didn't already have the seeds for. When he collected them, he noticed they'd wilted a bit, partly due to the conditions they were kept in, partly as they'd come from a warm place to a cold one. He borrowed a small bowl from Roman to water their roots in while waiting for the results of the closed auction.

The one to pick the winning bids were the team captains, reducing the time and possible arguments that could occur if the whole team gathered to discuss.  Leon didn't think that there was anything wrong with this idea; it was the Captains that formed the team's at the end of the day, without their initial decisions, they never would have had the chance to go on such an adventure and test themselves.

The closed auction was not completely discreet; although the names of those to make winning bids were not called out in front of the masses declaring to all what had been won, the winners did each receive a jade plaque with the details carved upon it.  This plaque also acted as a key to the pedestal on which their items were standing upon, lowering the arrays protecting them so the item could be retrieved.  As the plaques had to be handed out, there would be keen eyes who noticed them exchange hands after all.

Jin Li was not given a plaque.

This caused him to be completely sullen for the whole journey back to their small home on the outskirts of the alchemist's outer school.

Leon quickly potted the three plants, once more watering their roots and placing them somewhere relatively sheltered and light in the home, as Jin Li tossed a fairly large amount of coal into the stove to fire up the smouldering embers within.  Leon couldn't help role his eyes heavenward, thinking that it was a waste, but that was soon forgotten as the room became awash with warmth. 

The kettle began to steam and Leon grabbed a cloth to remove the iron pot from the stove so he could pour the water into the awaiting teapot with leaves ready to seep.  Placing the lid on the teapot containing the water that was turning a grassy green, he placed two teacups either side of it and lifted the whole tray to the low table in the middle of the room. 

"Is it such a b-b-big d-deal?" Leon couldn't help questioning his silent lover as he passed him a warm cup.

Jin Li hesitated on bringing the refreshing scented tea to his lips, but still drank it gracefully before replying; "This Lord wasn't expecting gratitude, but thought it might have some use to you.  Seems I would have been wrong."

"You wanted t-to g-get it for m-me?" Leon realised and felt warmth spread from his belly to his face.  "Thank you."

"What's the use of thanking this Lord now?" Jin Li grumbled, the tips of his ears slightly red.  He blamed the growing temperatures caused by the heated stove.

Leon didn't answer, just smiled and poured Jin Li a second cup of tea.

The amber pendant was a cultivation aid, much like Spiritual Pills, but without the side-effects, naturally it would be sought after.  Of course Leon didn't know what Jin Li wrote upon the bidding slip, it could have been a little or a lot less in value in comparison to whomever won it in the end, but Leon appreciated the thought in his heart.  Still, it was not meant to be and Leon would have to continue to cultivate without its help.

Naturally, he did not know that Jin Li's thoughts had run deeper.  Although the martial artist did not want to damage the foundation of Leon's cultivation by hurrying his advancement, a sense of urgency had developed in his mind.  This had been caused by the reappearance of his maternal grandfather in his life.  He'd always known that he'd have to return to the heart of his family in the Higher realm eventually, but he'd grown comfortable living and studying close to Leon's side.  He'd found companions to fight next to, Teachers whom he could respect and his small lover who was obedient and loyal; even if he was a bit stupid and naive at times.

As Leon curled into his embrace, fast asleep that evening, his eyes roamed that youthful and still tender face deep in thought.  They'd been together for two long seasons now, lovers and Dao companions for the majority of that time, but during that first time when he'd drawn his sword at that narrow back, he never would have imagined that he was meeting the man he was fated to be with.

That quivering, huddled form, adorned in the cheapest and plainest of cloth and with dirt marring his pale cheeks... not to mention those offensive things covering his eyes... how was he to have known this man who he'd mistaken as a threat to him, possibly the cause to his unforeseen fall into this realm, was actually going to be his life partner!  He looked like a beggar rather than a student of the alchemist profession.  After realising that he'd been a fool to even consider the timid rabbit as a danger to his life (he didn't even think his disorientation could be blamed for that idiot assumption), he'd sought to use him in order to return to his own realm, to his home.  Things hadn't gone his way, of course and slowly strange feelings had arisen in him the longer he'd spent with the alchemist.  The need to bully him had always been there, but there also developed a need to protect, a need to possess... a need to touch.

He placed a kiss upon the smooth forehead after brushing aside lengths of black and lengths of white hair, the silken locks running through his fingers as he did so.  Now there was the need to keep his small alchemist as close to his side as possible, even though that meant that he could not yet return home, even though that meant he needed to wait for a greater time.  But seeing his maternal grandfather appear before him, he'd come to realise that time might not wait for him.