Plutonian

Chapter 36

Thankful for the thick steam laden air that surrounds me, I wrap my bare arms around myself and walk through the narrow opening between two ceiling high lockers and approach a small green pool. It took me awhile to gather my courage and walk out in my swimsuit so I'm not surprised to see Lucian already lounging inside with his head resting comfortably on small pillow-like extension. 

My feet rejoice at the warmth from the damp floor and I quickly slip into the pool before Lucian opens his eyes and sees my back. The warm scented water immediately soothes my skin all over and a sigh escapes my lips. I slip further into the pool, feeling more relaxed than ever.

"Like it?" Lucian's voice is drowned out by the soft lapping of water behind my back and under my feet, massaging me into a blissful calm. 

I barely catch his words but I nod my head as my lips form a lazy smile. If I were Lucian I would be sitting in this pool day and night. 

My relaxation falters when he shifts from his position across me and moves till we are next to each other. I turn my body awkwardly, wanting to hide my back from him as much as I can.

"Don't get too comfortable. We're here to talk, remember?" He chides with a smirk and for some reason I feel shy again. His face and his bare body is so close I can feel the heat radiating off of him. 

Yes, we have trained together before, slept on the same bed and have had multiple conversations but this feels different. Maybe it's the fact that I've never been so close to a half naked man, maybe it's because I myself am so bare. 

This feeling in my chest and burning in my cheeks feels so foreign to me, I hope Lucian doesn't notice. 

"Talk about?" The words tumble out of my mouth quickly hoping our conversation can distract me from admiring such a horrible species.

"About your win. About joining the army. About what it means to be my lover," Lucian says this quietly and I sit up straighter wondering about his last line. "As you know after your fourth match I will nominate you to my squad regardless if you win or not, so you joining the army is a given."

Lucian stares at me expectantly, probably expecting me to look overjoyed and of course I should be overjoyed - slave Aria would have been ecstatic- but I just feel like a cheat. It doesn't help that the humans now think I am some sort of superhuman for winning my first three fights in a row but I know I would never have done so without Lucian. 

"Talk to me, Aria. I thought you would be happy with this news."

I look up into Lucian's ice cold blue eyes, now more piercing than ever with his face gleaming with sweat and his wet hair slicked back. 

"I am happy, Lucian. And I am extremely grateful for your help. I don't want you to think otherwise."

"But?" He asks.

"It's just me adjusting to the fact that everything I believed when I was a slave is a lie. Watching those matches gave me hope, they made me think I could do the same. I never thought it went beyond the fights. I know about the matches, Lucian. I know why some fighters have become army officials whilst the others stay fighters till they die."

"Good."

His answer makes me do a double take, the water swishes around me as I turn to face him fully.

"It means you are now looking at the bigger picture instead of the smaller one fed to you," He explains.

"What?" I ask him hoping he will give me an explanation that doesn't make me dislike him again.

"Aria, nothing in this universe is a linear straightforward prerogative. You are not Aria the bone breaker because of your persistent drive and unquestionable determination. You are Aria the bone breaker because you won three fights in the row right after joining as a slave. That is why they love you because you did something most slaves thought was impossible. I am Lucian X, a feared Trinity member because that is what people speak of me. Just like how you don't know Lazarus well but you already know Lazarus is a ruthless, war hungry future powerhouse of the Plutonian empire."