13 Matters of the Hear (1/2)

As the night went on, everybody started settling into their rooms. Luna's house had a number of unused, but well maintained guest rooms and multipurpose rooms. Not to mention that if needed he had additional housing around the property that was normally reserved for servants.

Within Luna's room. ”Sura, I wanted to apologize about last night. It was thoughtless of me to do that in the heat of the moment.”

Sura gave him a meaningful look as she gave out a gentle smile and said ”It was also my fault. There was no way you'd possibly know of our traditions. I was just surprised, is all. Although, I am curious. Have you ever been with anybody before?”

”Would you believe me if I said that in my more than 27 years of life, I have never been in a relationship?” Luna gave her a self-depreciating smile as he gave his honest reply.

”Forgive me if I say that I find that hard to believe. You're a charismatic guy. So obviously that's not the issue. So I can only assume that it was by choice.” Sura furrowed her eyebrows, awaiting Luna's confirmation of her assumption.

He could only laugh bitterly as he replied ”Indeed. But don't get me wrong, Sura. You're the first woman I've actually felt warmth from. The so called 'potential' partners I rejected before, it all seemed fake. It was either ”I think you're handsome” or ”I like your personality” when they have never even seen who I really am. It's like when people start dating someone they find attractive, they go through 3 months of bliss, and the remaining time after that, they spend picking apart what they like and don't like about a person, trying to change them into something that they deem perfect.”

”Or when they try to force upon you a different fighting style, because it's more popular, when you're perfectly comfortable in the one you've chosen to train in. Mn, I understand.” Sura nodded in agreement.

”Uhm.. I gu-- Yes. Absolutely.” Luna didn't know whether he wanted to laugh or cry. He was amused a bit, but realized that, that statement seemed fitting, coming from someone who belonged to the Asuran race. And after thinking about it for a couple more seconds, he thought it was absolutely adorable.

”How about you, Sura? Have you ever been with somebody?” Luna was a bit hesitant at first, since Sura was basically the first girl he had ever had any semblance of romantic feelings for. Whether it was her straightforwardness or hypothetically, the fact that their souls were bound, or both.

”None. I've never met anybody worthy. It's always 'Hey Sura, learn this, it's more fitting for girls' ugh... Majority of Asuran men are in the running for the most dense and misogynistic out of the myriad races. That's why we've never been united as a race in any large scale. It's always just tribes.” Sura seemed very passionate about the discussion, which made her even more adorable in Luna's eyes.

”Sura.. why is it that you'd bind your soul so willingly to mine? Is your tribe in such danger that you'd give up so much just to grow stronger?”

”That.. partly, yes. Before you even summoned me, I already got to feel your soul. I felt comfortable, secure, at peace. The Gods were not lying when they said I would be summoned by somebody worthy. If it was somebody I didn't deem worthy, the spell would have just failed and dissipated.” Giving a light giggle as she explained, she looked at Luna with enamored eyes. It had only been less than half a week, and yet it felt as if she had known him for years. Such was the magic of being connected through the soul. There were no secrets. Personality, feelings, almost everything short of actual visuals of past memories, would be felt on a deep level.

She continued describing it ”Normally, it would be impossible to have someone be bound to a soul without permission, but the creatures of this Earth, are currently at the weakest, in terms of overall power. I hope you can forgive me for that.”

Luna smiled at her, sensing her sincerity through her soul, ”Gaining someone I know I can trust with my own life, I don't see how that's anything to apologize for.” giving her a rare smile, filled with warmth, Sura couldn't help but blush.

”Then you don't mind if I sleep beside you tonight?”