A Kindred Spirit [Reader x Zuko]

Chapter Sixteen

A Kindred Spirit
Chapter Sixteen

Zuko was quiet as he sat on one of the nearby logs. His gaze, like yours, on the ash and embers. Though his golden eyes would flick over to you every few breaths. With how intent you were not to make eye contact, however, you didn't notice. That seemed to frustrate the prince after a couple of minutes. He groaned and huffed all at the same time as he stood up from the log.

Zuko turned towards you as he moved in closer, trying to get your attention. You could tell that much from the way he'd stopped in front of you and from the unconscious way he'd cleared his throat. You gripped the wooden frame of the picture a little more and pointedly continued to stare at the last flickering ember. Looking people in the eye might have been difficult for you to do but finding a fixed point on the ground to stare at regardless of what was going on around you was something you had mastered long ago.

"Are you going to ignore me all night?"

"I'm not ignoring you."

You were just pointedly not acknowledging or engaging in a social interaction with him. You felt like there was a difference.

He'd been the one to say that every interaction to date was a mistake after all. You didn't know why he thought joining bodies for that brief moment had been a mistake. What you did know was what he'd told Azula - that he regretted being the one to train you. You'd tried to block out the words as they had cut deeply but it had been a feeble attempt to spare you more pain.

"Well you're not talking to me! It's the same thing!" He said in frustration. "Isn't that why you wanted to stay here? To talk?"

"No," you told him in a subdued tone.

Zuko looked where your gaze lingered. And then he intentionally sat down on the sand in your line of sight. Seeing him looking so smug and confident hurt. His words about wasting his time training you echoed with cruelty through your mind. You shut your eyes closed and clenched your jaw. When you opened your eyes you fixed your gaze on the ocean instead.

"See! You are trying to ignore me."

You still felt like not looking at him and ignoring him were two different things. But you didn't voice that aloud. It would have been rude and insubordinate to do so.

"I don't want you to feel like you've wasted more of your time," was what you said instead.

Zuko shifted in confusion as he leaned forward on his knees. "What?"

"You told Princess Azula that you regret spending your time on me," you elaborated. "So I was staying behind to not burden you."

You left out the part where pointless and petty destruction didn't seem fun to you. That was a reason that had nothing to do with him after all. Besides, Zuko already seemed flabbergasted at your answer.

"I didn't mean it like that," the conflicted Prince blurted out. "I had to tell her something...otherwise she'd know..."

You understood that he'd trailed off. That he was alluding to something. You just didn't know what it was.

"Know what?" You whispered in confusion, flicking your eyes to him for a moment before turning them to the ground between you and he.

"That we, you know..." he trailed off again.

You started to get that he'd meant the brief moment when two became one. What you didn't understand was why he thought it was a mistake. You didn't understand why he regretted those actions. Other than the fact that he'd said he felt training you was a waste of his time. Which had translated to spending time with you was a waste of his time.