𝘤𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 , shuri udaku - discontinued

LOVE AND WAR

CITY OF STARS.
12. ❛ love and war. ❜

AFTER THE WAR WAS WON, everyone went their separate ways to go freshen up. At the moment Aria was grabbing a bowl of warm water, a cloth, gauze, bandage tape, and rubbing alcohol. She lifted her shirt above her head and threw it to the side as she stared through the mirror at the deep gash that was bleeding across her lower abdomen.

Aria sat up as straight as she could on her bed and dipped the cloth in the rubbing alcohol before holding it up to her wound. As soon as she touched the sore gash, Aria hissed out in pain and put down the cloth, trying to breathe through the pain.

A knock on her door stopped Aria from cleaning her wound again which she was mildly thankful for. She put down the cloth and cleared her throat, "Come in!"

Shuri twisted the handle and opened the door, it seemed as if she just got out of the shower since some of her hair was dripping and she held a towel in her hands. "Hey,  I was coming to check on you-" her sentence was cut short as her eyes lifted up from the ground to see Aria with her shirt off cleaning her wound.

"O-Oh." Shuri blinked and cleared her throat, getting flustered. "Are you okay? Would you like some help?" Shuri offered.

Aria swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, "Sure."

Shuri nodded and placed her towel on a desk and walked up to the siren, sitting in front of her. Her eyebrows scrunched up as she examined the gash, "Aria... this is really deep. It could've gotten infected, why haven't you gone down to the healers?"

Aria shrugged and leaned back against her bed frame as Shuri grabbed the rubbing alcohol and poured some of the liquid on the gauze, "I didn't want to bother since they're probably overworked with everyone else. It's not that bad anyway."

"Do you want me to take you right now? It's been a while and things might've slowed down." Shuri suggested and Aria just shook her head so Shuri pursed her lips, "Fine, but this is gonna hurt."

Aria sucked in a deep breath and grabbed a hold of Shuri's free hand. As soon as the alcohol touched the wound, Aria's face contorted with pain as she threw her head back against the pillows on her bed. She mumbled incoherent curses under her breath as she pulled her eyes shut.

Shuri clenched her jaw at the pain that surged through her hand when Aria squeezed it and continued to clean the wound. "I'm sorry, I'm trying to be as gentle as I can," Shuri reassured softly.

Shuri could feel tight squeezes every time the towel would meet Aria's skin and she rubbed her thumb across her knuckles reassuringly. The metallic smell of the blood filled Shuri's senses. The blood was painting the gauze as she cleaned the wound but all she could focus on was Aria.

Aria breathed heavily and tried to control her breathing. Shuri was so gentle on her and it was as if she were scared Aria would shatter like brittle glass. Her strokes were soft and swift against Aria's skin.

"Okay, okay, okay." Aria pushed away Shuri's hand, the pain was overbearing, "Just...give me a second, it hurts."

"I'm almost done, I promise. Let me continue." Shuri caught Aria's eyes and gestured to the almost cleaned wound, "Aquaria..."

"Fine." Aria grunted and pointed a finger at the princess, "Only because you pulled out the full name, Princesa."

Shuri smiled softly and nodded, putting down the gauze and grabbing the wet cloth instead. Shuri just wiped the wound off a few times before starting to patch her up.

As she finished up, Shuri could feel Aria looking over at her with a strong stare. Shuri was slightly used to her silent staring, it was something Aria did whenever they were together, it was almost like she was trying to solve a puzzle.

When Shuri finished patching up the wound, she looked up into Aria's eyes, the stare felt different. The siren looked lost in thought and mostly confused.

"Talk to me." Shuri took Aria's hand in her and traced stars in her palm.

"I'm... confused," Aria replied with a tired grin. "So confused."

"About what?" Shuri muttered with worried eyes.

"I..." Aria let out a stained sigh and took her head in her hands, dropping Shuri's hand in the process. "I don't know where I stand. I don't-... I don't know."

"Explain to me." Shuri urged on as she tried to find Aria's gaze which was being proven to be difficult.

Finally, Aria took in a deep breath, "All my life I've been dealt with ultimatums. That's how I grew up. My father just became colder over the years after my mother was killed by surface dwellers and it's always been one thing or the other. And right now..." Aria swallowed thickly, "Right now it's my home or... you. If I stay I'll be treated like a prisoner back home but if I leave... I'll never get the life I want, I'll never get to explore every inch of this beautiful planet or be around you. My father always said nothing's fair with love and war. I'm starting to believe that's true."

Shuri took Aria's face in her hands, finally getting the girl to look her right in the eye, "Stay."

Aria inhaled sharply, "Shuri-"

"Stay." Shuri spoke like it was almost a command, "Stay and let me take you around the world. We'll travel the world together. Stay for just another year and if by the end of the year you've decided you want to go back home then I'll let you. But for now, stay."

Aria placed her hands up to Shuri's wrists as Shuri's thumbs brushed across the siren's warm cheeks. Shuri let one of her hands brush through Aria's blue hair. She started to lean in, their lips were dangerously close to one another's, just barely brushing against the surface.

Aria could feel Shuri's breath fan against her lips. Aria hesitated, her breath hitching. She shook her head, pulling away ever so slightly, "We shouldn't."

Shuri's paused and pulled back, "Oh." Her hands dropped from Aria's face and her face went stoic, "It's okay. Go home, I'm sure your kingdom misses you."

Aria opened and closed her mouth like a gaping fish, trying to form words. The sight of Shuri walking away felt equivalent to sticking a knife in her chest and twisting it. "Shuri!" Aria called out and hopped off of her bed, making a beeline for the retreating princess. "Wait."

"It's okay." Shuri nodded, "I understand." But as she moved to open the door, Aria slammed it closed. Shuri furrowed her eyebrows and sharply turned around only to be met with Aria pressing a quick kiss to her lips.

Shuri's heart drastically sped up and she looked into Aria's accepting eyes, "I said we shouldn't. Not that we couldn't, Princesa."

Shuri smiled and cupped Aria's face, bringing her back for another kiss. Aria let her eyes flutter close, her hands gripping Shuri's waist tightly.

Shuri leaned into the kiss and moved around until Aria hit the wall, one of her arms traveling from her face to Aria's bare lower back as she pulled the siren in to deepen the kiss.

Aria noticed how Shuri took her time, she didn't kiss like she was hungry, she kissed like she'd lose her if she stops so she held the siren in place with one of her hands cupping Aria's face and the other wrapped around her waist.

Aria giggled when Shuri broke the kiss to leave a trail of gentle kisses down her jaw and neck before returning back to her lips. Aria broke the kiss to grin up at Shuri, "I'll stay."

Shuri nodded, satisfied, and pecked Aria's cheek before pulling away from the girl. She picked up the towel she brought in earlier and opened the door, throwing a lopsided smile at Aria, "Good."

"Did you just seduce me into staying?"

"Maybe." Shuri winked playfully before leaving.