Maybe My Soulmate! (GL)

"Did you have to be so rough then?" Su Yubing repeated, half-growl, half-whimper as she shifted again and the soreness along her waist flared.

Mo Yuxin let out a pitiful noise and nuzzled her arm with a pout. "Sorry… I just missed you too much." She rubbed her cheek against Su Yubing's shoulder like a cat seeking forgiveness.

Su Yubing's lips twitched despite herself. She didn't want to smile, but the sight of Mo Yuxin acting like a spoiled child was hard to resist. Especially when her eyes were filled with such guilt and devotion. Mo Yuxin didn't even try to defend herself further—she just clung to her like a wronged wife begging to be coddled.

Su Yubing sighed, long and theatrical, before letting her fingers tangle in Mo Yuxin's tousled hair. "You're impossible," she whispered.

"But you love me like this," Mo Yuxin whispered right back, her voice smug even as she clung to Su Yubing's side like a large, warm koala.

That earned her a weak swat, which she dramatically flinched away from with a whimper. Su Yubing rolled her eyes but her expression had already softened. Mo Yuxin's hand found hers beneath the blanket, squeezing it gently, thumb brushing across her knuckles.

After a beat, Mo Yuxin sat up, brushing stray strands of hair away from Su Yubing's forehead. "Let's get you cleaned up," she said gently.

Su Yubing blinked. "I can—"

"No," Mo Yuxin said firmly, slipping one arm under her knees and the other behind her back. "You're not moving an inch on your own."

Before Su Yubing could even protest, Mo Yuxin had already lifted her into her arms. Her hold was steady, but not without care—one hand carefully braced beneath her hips so she wouldn't jostle her waist too much. Su Yubing let out a surprised sound, clutching at her shoulders, but Mo Yuxin was already walking toward the bathing room with slow, even steps.

"I can use my spiritual energy to clean myself," Su Yubing mumbled, not sounding very convincing.

Mo Yuxin's smirk returned. "But then I wouldn't get to bathe with you."

Su Yubing's cheeks flushed, and she buried her face in Mo Yuxin's neck, biting back a sound of protest. "Shameless…"

Mo Yuxin just laughed, low and warm in her throat, the vibration curling against Su Yubing's skin. "Only with you."

The bathing room was filled with steam by the time they arrived. Mo Yuxin had already drawn the bath earlier—hot water infused with calming herbs and soft floral oils, the surface shimmering faintly with spiritual energy to keep it warm and soothing. The moment she stepped inside, the heat kissed Su Yubing's skin, relaxing the lingering tension from her muscles.

Mo Yuxin knelt beside the bath and lowered Su Yubing in carefully, supporting her until she was completely submerged in the fragrant water. Su Yubing let out a quiet moan of relief as the warmth seeped into her sore body, easing the dull ache in her back and hips. Her eyes fluttered closed, lips parting in a soft sigh.

"You okay?" Mo Yuxin asked, watching her closely.

Su Yubing gave a faint nod. "Better."

Satisfied, Mo Yuxin stood, slowly removing her own sleep-wrinkled robe. Her skin was still marked faintly from last night—faint red trails and love bites trailing down her neck and collarbone. The sight of Su Yubing in the bath, cheeks flushed from heat and eyes glazed with contentment, stirred something molten in her belly again—but she pushed it down and slipped into the water with quiet restraint.

She settled behind Su Yubing, her legs bracketing her lover's body, arms slipping gently around her waist. The water lapped at their shoulders, steam curling around them like a silk veil.

"You really didn't use your spiritual energy either," Su Yubing muttered, noticing the way Mo Yuxin's skin was still slightly sticky against hers.

"I didn't want to cheat," Mo Yuxin murmured, her breath warm against Su Yubing's ear. "If I'm going to wash away last night, I want to do it with you."

She reached for a soft sponge and began gently running it over Su Yubing's shoulders and back. Her touch was slow, reverent, like every inch of Su Yubing's skin was sacred. She dipped the sponge, then squeezed warm water down her spine, following the trail with her fingers.

Su Yubing leaned back against her chest with a sigh. "You're too good to me."

"I should be better," Mo Yuxin whispered, her lips brushing against Su Yubing's temple. "I should have been gentler."

Su Yubing tilted her head, eyes still closed. "You already are. Just… don't look at me like I'm fragile."

"You're not," Mo Yuxin said immediately, voice low. "You're the strongest person I know. But that doesn't mean you have to be strong with me."

That silenced Su Yubing for a long moment. She reached for Mo Yuxin's hand beneath the water and laced their fingers together.

They bathed like that in silence, the sponge forgotten. Mo Yuxin eventually began washing Su Yubing's hair, lathering the strands with gentle hands, massaging her scalp until she melted into the warmth like honey. Then Su Yubing insisted on returning the favor, carefully untangling Mo Yuxin's long hair with her fingers, her movements full of quiet care.

They rinsed each other off slowly, never rushing, as if trying to make the moment stretch a little longer. The heat from the bath had nothing on the warmth curled between them—the kind that had nothing to do with desire and everything to do with being known, being held, being seen.

Mo Yuxin pressed another kiss to Su Yubing's cheek as she reached for a thick towel and wrapped it around her. Then, without hesitation, she picked her up again, bridal style.

"Again?" Su Yubing laughed softly. "I can walk, you know."

"Nope," Mo Yuxin said, kissing her forehead. "I'm not risking your legs giving out and you falling in the hallway."

Su Yubing rested her head against Mo Yuxin's shoulder, the rhythm of her heart steady against her ear.

"You're not going to let me lift a finger today, are you?"

"Not a chance," Mo Yuxin whispered, eyes soft as she carried her beloved back toward the bedroom, where warm sheets and quiet sunlight waited for them both.

..

..

After breakfast, Mo Yuxin and Su Yubing stepped out of their chamber into the cool morning air of Shanglong Peak. Mist curled between ancient pines like drifting silk, and the first light of dawn touched the mountaintops in pale rose. Beneath their feet, weathered stone paths wound past gurgling streams and flowering shrubs, each petal tipped with dew. The world felt impossibly still—almost as if it, too, were holding its breath for the moment to come.

Su Yubing inhaled deeply, the scent of pine and wild orchid filling her lungs. "It's been weeks since we walked here together," she said softly, her voice carried on the hush of wind through needles above.

Mo Yuxin squeezed her hand, eyes sweeping the vista. "Too long," she agreed. "I'll miss this view." A wry smile curved her lips. "But the world isn't built on stillness alone."

They fell into an easy rhythm, stepping over gnarled roots, their expressions warm with shared history. A pair of songbirds flitted across the path, and Su Yubing watched them vanish into the mist. "Once we set out, it might be decades before we return," she murmured.

"Decades or lifetimes," Mo Yuxin echoed. She paused at a low stone railing overlooking a waterfall that tumbled like liquid glass into the valley below. "You know… I've spent my life chasing power. Every step brought me here, and every step forward pulls me away."

Su Yubing leaned against her, shoulder to shoulder. "We chase power so we can protect those we love. But sometimes I wonder… what about moments like this?" She gestured to the roaring cascade, the mossy trunks, the slanting shafts of light. "Are we losing them by always looking ahead?"

Mo Yuxin pressed a soft kiss to Su Yubing's temple. "We're taking them with us," she said. "They're inside our hearts. Even if we can't see Shanglong Peak again for a long time, this place shaped us. It's part of us."

They moved on, passing by a small pavilion draped in wisteria, petals falling like confetti at their feet. The path narrowed into a tunnel of bamboo, where the stalks swayed in whispering unison. Mo Yuxin paused to tuck a stray lock of hair behind Su Yubing's ear. "Promise me something."

"Anything."

"When everything is over—when we've mastered death and rule—let's come back here. Together." Her voice was hushed, urgent with hope.

Su Yubing caught her hand, thumbs stroking comfortingly. "We will. When we integrate our powers—your dominion over death, my authority as sovereign—we'll roam the multiverse at will. Not even the boundaries of reality can hold us back. We'll return whenever we choose."

A shared smile passed between them—one born of love, of aspiration, and of the unspoken knowledge that power without each other meant nothing. They emerged from the bamboo onto a grassy terrace where a single cherry blossom tree stood, its petals drifting like snow. Beneath its canopy sat a small pavilion where Lu Wuqi often practiced meditations. Today, the little girl was already there, kneeling on a woven mat, eyes closed in calm concentration.

Su Yubing squeezed Lu Wuqi's hand as they sat beneath the cherry blossom tree, the afternoon light dappled through drifting petals. Mo Yuxin stood just behind them, arms folded loosely, watching with gentle concern. The air was warm, perfumed faintly by the blossoms—a perfect moment for family unity.

Yet when Su Yubing met her daughter's gaze, she saw something unexpected: resolve, bright and fierce in Lu Wuqi's dark eyes.

"Are you ready, little dragon?" Su Yubing asked softly. "Tomorrow we leave for worlds beyond imagination—"

Lu Wuqi drew a steady breath and shook her head. "I won't be coming with you."

Silence fell. Mo Yuxin's brow furrowed; Su Yubing's heart skipped.

"But why not?" Su Yubing pressed, voice gentle but urgent. "We need you—"

"I've found my calling," Lu Wuqi said, voice clear. She rose, standing between them so that both mothers could see her determination. "I won't follow you because… because I've felt something. A pull I can't ignore."

Mo Yuxin exchanged a quick glance with Su Yubing. "A pull?" she repeated, cautious. "What do you mean?"

Lu Wuqi's small hand drifted to her chest, fingers curling as if touching an unseen tether. "It's the soulmate bond," she said, almost in awe.

Su Yubing's breath caught. "Soulmate bond… but it's so mysterious—so powerful that it can tear through the fabric of reality. If you respond, you'll be taken straight to them."

Lu Yubing nodded, eyes unwavering. "Yes. I can't ignore it. If I hesitate, they might be in danger. I feel it in my bones—that if I don't go now, I won't be able to save them."

Mo Yuxin's hand rose to her mouth, stunned silence weighing on her. "We… we both share a soulmate bond, Yubing and I," she said after a moment. "Yet we haven't fully integrated it. We never thought it might happen to you so soon."

Su Yubing drew Lu Wuqi into a gentle embrace. "My brave girl," she whispered. "Are you absolutely certain?"

Lu Wuqi nestled against her mother's shoulder. "I am. This is my path now."

A soft breeze stirred petals around them, and Mo Yuxin knelt beside her daughter, brushing a stray lock of hair from Lu Wuqi's face. "Your courage astonishes us," she said. "But I will worry until I know you're safe."

Lu Wuqi offered a small, determined smile. "I'll be safe—because you taught me strength. But right now, I must answer this call."

They sat together in silence, the weight of what lay ahead settling like a hush over the grove. Then Mo Yuxin stood and opened her arms. Su Yubing followed suit. Lu Wuqi stepped into their embrace, the two mothers drawing her close.

They held her tightly, each planting a reverent kiss on her hair and forehead. No words could capture the bittersweet cocktail of pride and sorrow that swirled in their chests.