Soulbound: Dual Cultivation

Lucas's breathing was still uneven, the lingering heat of anger mixing with a sharp pang of regret in his chest, his expression tight with guilt as he reached Selene, who was slumped against the wall where she had fallen. Her hair was disheveled, strands clinging to her flushed cheeks, and her eyes were wide, not with fear exactly, but with the kind of shock that came when one's trust was suddenly shaken.

Without saying a word, Lucas bent down and slid an arm beneath her knees, the other behind her back, lifting her effortlessly. She didn't resist, but her gaze searched his face as though looking for some unspoken explanation. He carried her back to the bed, lowering her gently onto the soft sheets.

"Selene…" His voice was low, almost hoarse, as he settled beside her. "I..."

She winced slightly when she shifted her shoulder, and the sight made his stomach tighten. He reached forward instinctively, his hands hovering for a moment before finally resting lightly on her upper arms. "I'm sorry," he said, the words pushed out with genuine weight. "I shouldn't have done that. I… I lost control."

Selene didn't answer immediately, her lips pressing together as if holding back a hundred thoughts at once. She looked away for a moment, her gaze trailing across the room, before finally letting out a quiet breath. "It's fine… I just didn't expect you to react like that."

Lucas sat back slightly, his brows knitting. "No, it's not fine," he said, the firmness in his tone making her look back at him. "You were just… trying to talk to me, and I..." He broke off, shaking his head. "I was too focused. Too deep into my cultivation. I shouldn't have let my temper snap like that. That burst of Qi...." His jaw tightened. "I could have seriously hurt you."

She gave a small, almost rueful smile. "You didn't mean to. And I should have known better. You were clearly concentrating, and I… interrupted."

He frowned at that, leaning in a little closer. "Don't put the blame on yourself."

Her eyes softened, and after a pause, she reached up to touch his arm. "Lucas… I've been around cultivators my whole life. I know how focus works. I should have noticed the signs."

Lucas exhaled heavily, his gaze dropping to her shoulder where the tension still lingered. "You're still tense," he murmured. Without waiting for her to answer, he shifted behind her, gently guiding her to sit at the edge of the bed. His hands came up to her shoulders, warm and steady, his thumbs pressing into the knots of muscle.

She gave a small sound of relief at the first touch, the lingering stiffness beginning to ease. "You don't have to..."

"I do," he interrupted softly, his voice losing its earlier edge. "I owe you this much at least."

He kneaded the muscles slowly, his touch firm but careful, as though afraid that if he pressed too hard, he'd hurt her again. Gradually, the tension under his fingers began to melt away. Selene closed her eyes, her breathing evening out as his hands worked in steady circles.

After a while, she spoke again, her tone quieter this time. "Lucas… I know you didn't mean it. But when it happened, I…" She trailed off, shaking her head slightly. "It just caught me off guard."

He paused for a moment before continuing the massage, his voice low. "I understand. And I'm sorry you had to feel that. It won't happen again."

She opened her eyes and turned her head just enough to glance at him. "I believe you."

He gave a small nod, his hands gradually slowing until they came to rest lightly on her shoulders. "Good," he said quietly. "Because regardless of anything, I should never have directed my Qi toward you like that. Focused or not, it's no excuse."

Selene studied him for a moment, and then her lips curved in the faintest smile. "You really are too hard on yourself sometimes."

"Not hard enough," Lucas replied, his expression unreadable but his voice holding a finality that left no room for argument.

Even though Lucas didn't really like Selene's personality, her sharp tongue, her constant need to pry into his business, and that air of entitlement she carried like a second skin, he knew that none of it was a good enough reason to lash out at her the way he had just done. The guilt still sat heavy in his chest, the echo of his own uncontrolled Qi burst replaying in his mind like a warning he couldn't ignore. She had been thrown back so violently that he could still picture the brief shock in her eyes before she hit the wall. The sound of it still rang in his ears.

His hands moved slowly over her shoulders now, his thumbs pressing just enough to loosen the stiffness that had gathered there. The faint tremor in her muscles was fading with each careful motion, but Lucas could still feel the tension buried deeper, the kind that came from more than just the physical jolt. She hadn't said much since he helped her onto the bed, only short, almost hesitant breaths as if she was still piecing together what had just happened.

He kept his touch steady, methodical, kneading the knots out of her muscles with quiet patience. It wasn't about being tender, it was about fixing what he had broken in the moment he'd let his temper take control. Even if Selene could be difficult, even if she had barged in without considering how deeply he was focusing before, it didn't justify the raw, dangerous edge of his reaction. The more he thought about it, the heavier the weight in his chest grew.

Selene's shoulders began to loosen beneath his palms, her breathing smoothing out. The rigid way she had been holding herself, like she was bracing for another blow, slowly melted away. Lucas noticed the way her head tilted forward slightly, a small sign that the tension was ebbing. She didn't say anything, but the stiffness in her spine softened, her body giving in to the rhythm of his hands.

A faint sigh escaped her, not loud, but enough for him to hear. It was the kind of sound that told him the worst of her discomfort was fading. He stayed focused, working along the line of her neck and back to her shoulders again, letting his hands do the quiet work of reassurance. Her earlier defensiveness was gone now, replaced by something calmer, almost peaceful.

Her frame relaxed little by little until she was sitting there without the rigid guard she always seemed to wear, letting him guide the tension out of her entirely. The edge in her breathing was gone, and for the first time since she walked in, the air between them didn't feel as sharp.

"Lucas…" Her voice was soft, almost hesitant.

He didn't stop what he was doing, but his brows drew together slightly. "Hm?"

"Why… are you always so cold to me?"

His hands paused briefly. He could feel her turn her head just enough to glance at him from the corner of her eye. She wasn't smiling, and there was no playful tone in her voice, it was genuine, and that made it harder to ignore.

Lucas focused his gaze on her bare shoulders again, letting his fingers resume their slow, steady work. "…" He didn't answer right away.

Selene let out a small, quiet sigh, but she didn't push him. She simply waited, as if she knew he would eventually speak.

Finally, after what felt like a long moment, Lucas's voice came low, almost reluctant. "I don't like your aloof personality… the way you look down on others."

Selene's lips parted slightly in surprise, but she didn't move away from him. "You're… serious?"

"Yes," he said, his tone calm but firm. "Especially the way you treat Lira. You might not notice it, but it's there. And I don't like it."

Selene shifted under his hands, her spine straightening just a little. "So this is about her?" she asked quietly, her voice carrying a sharp edge now. "Tell me, Lucas… are you having an affair with Lira?"

His hands stilled again, but this time, he didn't look away. "Yes," he said immediately. "I like her."

Selene's eyes widened a fraction, searching his face for any sign of hesitation. "Why?" she asked, though her voice was softer now, almost wary.

"Because she's humble," Lucas replied without pause. "And she listens to me."

Selene swallowed, she could feel a dull ache in her chest, the kind that came from words you didn't want to hear but knew were true. He wasn't lying. She could see it in his eyes, hear it in the steadiness of his voice.

She turned her head forward again, letting her shoulders sink back under his hands. She didn't argue. She didn't defend herself. She simply stayed silent, even as the truth stung.