Controlled Burn

Chapter 29: A Home

The apartment was quiet the next morning, bathed in the soft light of dawn filtering through the windows. The cold air still clung to the space, but it felt different now—less empty, more lived in. Cade moved around the small kitchen, his footsteps light, careful not to disturb Lucian, who was still resting in the bedroom. Every step Cade took was measured, a quiet attempt to keep the fire inside him controlled, to keep it at bay.

The guilt still lingered, but it had softened. Lucian had reassured him. Last night's conversation, though difficult, had offered Cade a sense of peace he hadn't felt in a long time. And now, as he stood in Lucian's kitchen, preparing coffee and something simple to eat, Cade found himself wanting to do something for Lucian in return.

He owed him so much.

Lucian had put his own body on the line to help Cade escape and had trusted him with the flames that could have killed them both. And now, the burns Lucian carried—Cade's burns—were a constant reminder of the price Lucian had paid for his freedom. Cade felt an overwhelming need to take care of him, to show him, in the quiet moments of domestic life, that he was grateful. That he was here.

Cade moved with a kind of nervous energy, his hands shaking slightly as he poured a cup of coffee for Lucian. He had never been the kind of person who fit into this kind of life—the normalcy of making breakfast, of quiet mornings in an apartment that felt like a home. His entire existence had been survival, fighting for scraps, for moments of control. But now, with Lucian, something about it felt right.

Cade prepared a small tray with the coffee and a plate of toast—simple, but something. He wasn't sure what Lucian would want, and the last thing he wanted was to overwhelm him. This was new for both of them.

Taking a deep breath, Cade walked toward the bedroom, his heart pounding with a mixture of nerves and something else—something softer. When he reached the door, he hesitated for a moment, his hand hovering over the handle. What if Lucian didn't want this? What if the idea of Cade, suddenly trying to step into a more domestic role, was too much?

But then he remembered Lucian's words from the night before—the calm reassurance, the steady confidence that had pulled Cade back from the brink. Lucian had taken care of him. Now it was Cade's turn.

He knocked lightly on the door before opening it slowly. The room was dim, the curtains drawn against the morning light, but Cade could see Lucian lying in the bed, propped up slightly against the pillows. He looked more tired than Cade had ever seen him—the exhaustion of their plan, the burns, everything had finally caught up to him. Bandages wrapped around Lucian's arms and torso, peeking out from beneath his shirt, a constant reminder of the flames that had raged between them.

Lucian's eyes flickered open as Cade stepped inside, and for a moment, there was only silence. Cade shifted nervously, unsure of what to say, but Lucian's cold blue eyes softened as they landed on him.

"You're up early," Lucian said quietly, his voice still rough with sleep. He shifted slightly in the bed, wincing as the movement pulled at his bandages, but there was no frustration in his eyes. Just a quiet curiosity as he watched Cade enter the room.

Cade swallowed, his heart pounding. "I thought I'd... make you something." His voice was hesitant, unsure. He wasn't used to this. He wasn't used to taking care of anyone, least of all Lucian, who always seemed so in control, so self-sufficient.

Lucian's eyes flicked down to the tray in Cade's hands, his lips curling into the faintest smile. It was small, but it was there. "Thank you," he said softly, his voice filled with something Cade couldn't quite place—appreciation, maybe, or perhaps something deeper.

Cade moved toward the bed, carefully setting the tray down on the nightstand beside Lucian. He stood awkwardly for a moment, unsure of what to do next, but Lucian's hand reached out, gently brushing against Cade's arm.

"Sit with me," Lucian said, his voice quiet but firm. There was no command in his tone, only an invitation.

Cade hesitated, then slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, his heart still racing. Lucian took a sip of the coffee, his eyes never leaving Cade's face. There was something in Lucian's gaze that made Cade feel grounded, calmer.

"You didn't have to do this," Lucian said softly, his fingers lightly tracing the edge of the coffee cup. "But I appreciate it."

Cade shook his head, his throat tightening with emotion. "I wanted to," he said quietly. "After everything... it's the least I can do."

Lucian's gaze softened further, and for a moment, there was a quiet understanding between them, a kind of unspoken bond that had grown stronger with each moment they had spent together. Cade had never experienced this before—this quiet domesticity, this calm after the storm. But here, in Lucian's apartment, it felt right.

Lucian took another sip of his coffee before setting it back down on the tray. He leaned back against the pillows, his body relaxing slightly as the tension from the burns eased. "You don't have to feel guilty, Cade," Lucian said softly, his voice filled with that same calm reassurance that had pulled Cade back time and time again. "You did what was necessary. You followed my orders."

Cade nodded, though the guilt still lingered in the back of his mind. But it wasn't as sharp as it had been before. Lucian had forgiven him. He had trusted Cade through it all, and now, sitting here in this quiet moment, Cade felt something else growing between them—a trust, a bond that went beyond survival.

For a few minutes, neither of them spoke. The silence between them was comfortable, filled with a quiet kind of peace that neither of them had known for so long. This wasn't about control or dominance or survival anymore. This was something new.

Lucian shifted slightly, his hand brushing against Cade's. The touch was light, almost absentminded, but it sent a shiver down Cade's spine. He looked over at Lucian, his heart racing again, but Lucian's expression was soft, almost tender.

"You're not just here because of what happened, Cade," Lucian said quietly, his voice gentle. "You're here because I want you here."

Cade blinked, his throat tightening as the weight of Lucian's words sank in. I want you here. The simple phrase hit Cade harder than anything else Lucian could have said. He wasn't just an obligation. He wasn't just a responsibility. Lucian wanted him here.

"I—" Cade started, but the words caught in his throat, tangled with the emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. He had spent so long fighting to survive, fighting to stay in control, that he hadn't allowed himself to believe that he could have this—a place where he belonged.

Lucian's hand moved to Cade's, his cold fingers gently wrapping around Cade's wrist, grounding him. "You don't have to say anything," Lucian murmured, his voice calm and steady. "Just... be here. With me. That's enough."

Cade exhaled slowly, his body relaxing as he let Lucian's words wash over him. For the first time in as long as he could remember, Cade wasn't running, wasn't fighting to keep the fire inside him from consuming everything. He was just... here.

He looked over at Lucian, who was watching him with that same calm intensity that had always steadied him. There was something different now, though—something warmer, more familiar. A connection.

Lucian leaned back against the pillows, his fingers still lightly touching Cade's hand. "We'll figure this out, Cade. One step at a time." His voice was soft but sure, a quiet promise between them.

Cade nodded, his heart swelling with a strange mixture of hope and fear. Lucian was giving him a place. A home.