A Kindred Spirit [Reader x Zuko]

Chapter Fifteen

A Kindred Spirit

Chapter Fifteen

The ocean was beautiful at night. Though perhaps that wasn't saying much as you found it beautiful during the day too. There was just something extra special about the way moonlight glittered off of the waves as Zuko laid beside you. Even with yours and his arms as barriers, you could feel the rhythmic rising and falling of his chest as he breathed.

There was a significant amount of discomfort between your legs as you shifted onto your side. And following that discomfort was a searing, cutting pain. You winced and bit your lip as you rode it out. You must have made a sound as you turned because it caught Zuko's attention. He turned towards you with brows furrowed in concern.

"What's wrong?"

"It just hurt a little, that's all."

Zuko pushed himself up. With how close he was and with the moon illuminating the area, you could see his expressions change. First there was embarrassment and a sort of awkwardness that quickly gave way to a realization. That realization apparently horrified him. Or at the very least was shocking. He pushed himself away from you as the realization of his actions set in.

Zuko got up from the sand and pulled his pants back up in the same motion. He'd turned his back towards you as he did so. After he finished refastening his own clothes, the Fire Nation Prince scooped up the undergarment he'd removed from your body earlier and tossed it back to you.

Sitting up wasn't fun. Standing was less so. But you managed. Though the warm, sticky feeling between your legs as you went to put your underwear on once more gave you pause. Without a word you moved past Zuko and into the waters. Compared to how warm you'd just been, especially with Zuko's body heat nearby, the ocean felt cold. And though Zuko seemingly stood guard or something as you waded into the water, it felt lonely. That wasn't a new feeling for you of course but you had rather enjoyed the five minutes it had been banished.

When you'd gotten chest high, you started cleaning the blood and other viscous liquids away. Then you focused on healing what had been torn. It was an odd sensation - you'd never really given thought to what was between your legs. The fact that something had given way to Zuko's entrance, causing you to bleed, was new territory for you. Though you healed it up all the same.

You put your underwear back on once every ache had been soothed. Only then did you head back to the shore to find your discarded dress and shoes from earlier. Zuko kept his back turned as you clothed yourself but he turned back around when you'd taken a couple of steps towards him.

His body language, what you could see of it in the moonlit night, was contradictory. There stance he had and the way his shoulders were set told you that he wanted you to come closer. The look on his face and the way he held out his hands were signs to stay away. You glanced up towards his eyes briefly, confused. You did your best to make eye contact but what you saw only made you more uncertain. Sadness and anger swirled all over his features.

"I'm sorry," Zuko's voice was every bit as confusing as his body language.

"Why?" You voiced a part of your confusion.

"I shouldn't have done that."

You tilted your head slightly as you dropped your gaze. You didn't understand why he felt like he'd done something wrong. The only thing you could think of was the fact that you had told him that you'd been in pain after. That was when he'd seemed to get upset after all.

You spoke out to him in a quiet, reassuring voice, "I know you didn't mean to hurt me. Besides...It doesn't hurt anymore."

You motioned back to the ocean with your eyes downcast. It seemed obvious to you that the pain would have been gone after you spent time in the water. You thought he'd have gotten the fact that you'd healed yourself. Apparently that hadn't been so obvious to him.