Echoed Lullabies (Lunar Chronicles x Reader)

Chapter 33

When I opened the tent flap, Thorne was sitting on the edge of the cot and laying his cane against it.

He cocked his head. "Mira?"

"It's only me," I replied. "You don't have to use fake names."

"Where were you today?"

I shrugged, even though he couldn't see it. "Around. Helping. I was with Kwende prepping dinner for most of the afternoon."

"Oh." He slipped the blindfold off and hung it on his cane. "Well, close the flap. You're letting all the heat in."

When the flap slid shut, the room became considerably darker. I stumbled my way to the other side of the bed and it dipped under my weight as I sat down.

"How's Cress?"

"She's fine," I replied, starting to unlace my boots. "Jina says she might wake up tomorrow, or at least that's what Kwende told me."

He grunted acknowledgement and laid on his back. I finished with my boots and arranged them neatly by the edge of the bed before sliding under the covers as well, my back towards him.

The silence was suffocating. There was no sound other than Thorne's gentle breathing and the sheets moving every once in a while when one of us shifted to get more comfortable.

Finally, after what felt like hours, my eyelids began to droop.

"Did I say something stupid last night?"

And goodbye sleep. "What?" I asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice.

"Last night. When I was drunk."

I've been wanting to kiss you for a while now.

"Y/n?"

"Hm? Oh. Uh, no. You were fine."

"Are you sure? Because it felt like you were avoiding me a little bit today. Did—"

"You didn't do anything," I replied, more harshly than I'd intended. "And I wasn't avoiding you. I already told you. I was helping around the camp."

The bed shook as he adjusted into a new position. "Is this about what Cress said in the desert? About her...ah. Being 'in love' with me?"

I furrowed my brow and pulled the sheets tighter around me. "No. What would that have to do with anything?"

"I don't know. I just wanted to make sure it didn't bother you."

"Well, it doesn't."

"Right." His voice took on a bitter edge. "I forgot the whole 'not-friends' thing."

I peered over my shoulder. "That's what this is about? Are you kidding me?"

"I'm just making sure we've defined our relationship correctly."

I scoffed and turned over again. "Trust me, you've defined it perfectly," I muttered.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know!" I glared at the wall. "After the crash it was like I wasn't even there. You never even acknowledged me—it was The Cress and Thorne Show the whole way over here."

"Aw, do you want some attention?" he cooed in a sickly sweet voice. "Is that why you're so on edge?"

My cheeks grew hot with embarrassment at being talked to like a child. "No," I bit. "I couldn't care less about who you spend your time talking to."

"Then I'm glad we got that sorted out."

"Good."

"Good."

The fire seemed to be taken out of me all at once and replaced with a need to explain myself. A need for it to be understood that it wasn't him and Cress I was upset about. Because it wasn't. Definitely not.

I swallowed. "It's just...I could have helped more." I thumbed the edge of the sheet. "You could have let me carry the supply bag or steady you when you lost your balance. I could've been the one to readjust Cress' towels or lead you up and down the dunes. But instead you acted like I wasn't even there, like I wasn't a Commander who has gone through months of training for situations exactly like these. It made me feel useless."

There was another round of silence, punctuated only by the camels snorting outside.

"Look at me, Y/n."

I jumped. His voice was much closer than it had been before.

"Are you looking at me?"

"Yes," I breathed, focused on the wall, suddenly very very scared to turn around.

"I don't believe you."

My mouth twitched, and I took a moment before adjusting so that I was facing him.

I inhaled sharply. His eyes were clearer than I'd ever seen them. For a moment, it felt like his blindness was an illusion, and that he was able to see me again.

"Are you looking at me?"

"Mhm."

Underneath the blanket, his fingers brushed my wrist. I stilled, afraid to move—fearing that if I did, the moment would end. Snap. Crash down around us.

His hand came up to rest just below my shoulder. "You're not useless. In fact, you're the toughest, most capable hostage I've ever had."

At my half-scoff, half-laugh, one corner of his mouth quirked up. "And yeah, okay, I've been an absolute jerk lately. But one person being a dick shouldn't be enough to break down the unstoppable Commander Y/n L/n of the New Beijing Military Force."

I couldn't keep from smiling. "That was the cheesiest thing you've ever said."

"Oh my god, Y/n, I was trying."

The words should have sounded exasperated, but there was no mistaking the grin on his face.

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A/N: shorter chapter, but hope you enjoyed. I want to know what you guys think so far so please comment/vote!