Zuko's Redemption

Part Four

The next few days passed without incident. The girl came and went from the small room, bringing food and water and more medicine and bandages for Zuko's wound. He wordlessly bore whatever work she performed on his wound. Thankfully, she never seemed to feel the need to straddle him again.
Zuko was irritated and bored. Besides Lei's frequent visits to the room, nothing ever happened. She would disappear for hours at a time and Zuko could do nothing but stare at the ceiling.
Whenever she was gone, he attempted to sleep, but he quickly became so irate that naps seemed impossible. His uncle would tell him to be patient, but Zuko had never been good at that.
He did his best to hold still as he had been (numerously) told, but his boredom and frustration pushed him to fidget with the blanket draped over his legs and tap patterns into the wooden headrest of the bed.
Lei was the only respite. When she came into the room she would speak with him. Sometimes about the Dai Lee and how they had made no progress in tracking them, but other times simply about the patients she had been to see or the herbs she had gathered when she was out.
Zuko had come to realize that Lei was incredibly intelligent. She knew countless uses for every herb, where to find them, and how best to apply them. She was skilled in everything from sewing to swordfighting.
One evening, while she went through the basics with her father's katana, Zuko decided that the offer he had pondered wouldn't be too forward. After all, she had done so much for him and still planned to continue to aid him well beyond whatever debt was owed.
"I could teach you more advanced moves, if you like," Zuko said as neutrally as he could.
Lei halted her practiced parry and turned to regard him. She always took off her tunic when she practiced, leaving behind a small, fitted top which showcased her muscular arms and stomach.
"How are you going to teach me moves if you can't show them to me?" she asked good-naturedly.
The longer he spent with her, the less guarded she seemed around him. Despite her courageous attitude, he could tell that a part of her was still frightened of him. He couldn't blame her, she had watched him take down an entire squadron of Dai Lee by himself. And, of course, his reputation as prince of the fire nation probably didn't help his image. However, as the days wore on, she had been smiling more easily and conversing freely with him.
"You seem to be a fast learner," Zuko said gesturing to the desk filled with plants. "I could always describe the moves to you."
And so, the rest of the evening was spent with Zuko instructing Lei in some more advanced sword practices.
Zuko's prediction was correct, she was a good listener and a fast learner.
Lei was panting and her skin was shiny with sweat by the time she called an end to their practice session.
"Keep that up and you might be as good as me someday," Zuko said with a smirk.
"I'm willing to bet three gold pieces I could beat you in a sword fight right now," Lei said as she took a gulp from a pitcher of water.
"Most toddlers could beat me in my present state," Zuko returned. "I'm a much more formidable opponent without a hole in my chest."
"I know," Lei said, suddenly solemn. "I've seen you fight."
"Of course," Zuko replied, his uncharacteristically good mood dampened.
Lei sheathed her sword and swung a towel over her shoulder.
"I'm going to go bathe," she announced. "You'll be able to after."
Zuko narrowed his eyes in confusion.
"How am I meant to bathe if I can't move?"
"I'm going to wash you," she said as though it was obvious.
The heat began to creep back into Zuko's face.
"You don't have to do that."
"I do it all the time for my other patients, and you are well overdue for a bath. I just didn't want to risk jostling you before, but now—"
"You don't have to do that," Zuko interrupted more forcefully.
Lei cocked her head to the side.
"If you don't get clean, your wound could get infected or you could get sick. You want to leave and find your uncle don't you?"
"Yes, but—"
"Then you need a bath."
His whole face must have been as red as his scar.
"I don't want you to do that."
"Why not?"
"Because you'll have to touch—" Zuko couldn't bring himself to say it, "—me."
"I don't know if you've noticed, but I've been touching you since I dragged you into this room. I touched you when I stitched you up and every time I reapply medicine and bandages," Lei said matter-of-factly. "It doesn't bother me."
"It bothers me!" Zuko snapped.
Lei's eyes softened. The only other person who looked at Zuko like that after he shouted was his uncle. The fond smile on her face only made Zuko miss him more.
"There's no need to feel ashamed that someone is taking care of you," she reassured gently.
That was part of the problem, but Zuko didn't think he'd be able to voice the other part without combusting, and she clearly wasn't taking the hint. In fact, Zuko wasn't sure she knew much shame. She had already undressed in front of him, sat on his lap, and slept on the floor beside him. Perhaps working with sick people had desensitized her to such intimacies.
Zuko suppressed a growl and turned his face away from her.
"Fine."
Zuko heard her leave the room and then the sound of splashing water through the far wall.
In only a few minutes, she was back, her hair dripping onto her night shirt and her skin scrubbed pink. She carried a large bowl of water, a sponge, a container of soap and a soft-looking towel.
She placed all of these things onto the floor next to the bed and with steady precision, got to work.
Zuko did his best to keep his breathing even as she removed the blanket from his lap and undid the bandages from his chest.
She slid the towel beneath his head and began to dampen his hair with the sponge.
Zuko kept his eyes closed, not trusting himself to remain reactionless if he saw the proximity that came with her hands working soap through his hair. Her fingers scraping against his scalp felt wonderful, and even he had to admit that being clean would probably feel just as incredible.
The sponge was soft against his face, but he kept his eyes resolutely closed. Her hands were impossibly warm. Goosebumps erupted down his back as she worked the sponge against his neck. Every time she touched him there he felt so exposed, but somehow the sensation had stopped filling him with dread.
When she moved on to cleaning his chest, Zuko did his best to hold still. The pain from the wound was considerably less than it had been only a few days before, but each gentle swipe of the sponge still ached.
He breathed a sigh of relief when she moved on to his arms. She didn't need to use as much care, but all of her actions were still so gentle. Her hands were strong and calloused from years of hard work, but somehow still nimble and small.
The moment those same hands grabbed at the waistband of Zuko's pants, his heart rate spiked and he quickly latched onto her wrist.
He knew he was being ridiculous, but no one had ever touched him there. This situation was already humiliating enough.
"Please don't," he groaned, looking up into Lei's confused face. Realization seemed to dawn on her as he squeezed her wrist gently. Her eyes widened and her cheeks dusted pink.
Zuko expected her to argue or roll her eyes and insist, but instead she let go of his waist and simply rolled up the legs of his pants. She cleaned his legs and feet with calm efficiency, not looking up at Zuko once.
Without a word, she collected her supplies and left the room.
Zuko sighed in relief. He was now sufficiently clean and had avoided the most mortifying part of being bathed by someone else.
When Lei returned to the room, her eyes were downcast.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I should have considered that you would want—that that's what you meant. I'm just so used to—"
"You don't have to apologize," Zuko cut her off. "You were just doing your job."
Lei finally glanced up at him. The attractive flush hadn't quite left her face, but she was smiling.
"Do you mind if I reapply your bandages?"
That was the first time she had asked Zuko's permission for anything.
"Please do."
Lei quickly began performing her routine.
"The stitches are holding well and the medicine and rest seem to be doing wonders," she reported as she applied the poultice with those impossibly warm hands.
"So I'm good to travel soon?" Zuko prompted.
Lei turned her gaze to Zuko's without halting her work.
"Don't get impatient. The body still needs time to heal."
"How long?"
Lei sighed as she reached for the bandages.
"As long as we can avoid a fight with the Dai Lee, it should only be a few more days. However, when you travel, if you get tired, you stop and rest no exceptions. And I'll be sure to give you plenty of medicine, bandages, and extra stitching just in case."
"You've done so much for me already—" Zuko tried to protest.
"I'm giving you the supplies, so don't even bother," Lei said definitively. "And as long as you don't do anything stupid, you should be okay."
"I would never," Zuko replied with a smirk.
Lei quirked an eyebrow at him in disbelief, but her lips pulled into a small smile.
"Honestly, if I didn't have so much work to do here, I would come with you to make sure you didn't."
Zuko blinked in surprise.
"You would come with me?"
The light flush darkened across her face as she seemed to realize the implication. She turned away from him to put back her supplies.
"You've proven you need someone to keep you out of trouble. I just hope your uncle is that person."
Zuko felt something akin to disappointment burrow under his ribs.
"Yeah, he usually is."