Flameheart | Zuko

FORTY-THREE

"Raise your sword. Higher, Chin!"

The boy turned to face his instructor furiously as he threw the long branch he had been holding - his sword - to the ground. His instructor raised an eyebrow.

"No! If it actually were a sword I might have considered it!" The stern expression on his instructor's face didn't falter as he let out a deep sigh. "Homura, we've been trying with this branch for days! Let me use a sword!"

Her eyes narrowed, "No. Pick up your sword, Chin."

He stomped his foot, "I don't want to! Why don't I try with your sword?"

"Because it's almost bigger than you are and weighs as much as you do," she replied at once as she folded her arms in front of her chest. "Retrieve your sword, Chin."

With a long sigh the boy reached down and grabbed his sword. He raised it as Homura had taught him, lowered his stance, and attacked, slashing his branch at an imaginary enemy again and again. Homura watched him, calling out instructions from time to time.

"A bit lower!" Then she called out, "You're leaving your left side unprotected!"

The boy stopped as he narrowed his eyes at her. "Unprotected against what, the wind?"

Homura's eyes narrowed as Chin looked up at her in a show of defiance. They didn't look away from each other, willing the other to look away first in a show of dominance - it was a rather amusing sight, a boy and a young woman attempting to appear threatening to the other - but the show was over soon enough as a laugh was heard from a few ways away. Homura and Chin looked away from each other, to Chin's house. Suki and Zuko had gotten outside, their weapons on their person. Chin's eyes widened as he caught sight of Zuko's swords strapped to his back and before Homura could say a word, he had rushed to him.

"Can you show me your swords?"

Zuko blinked, "They aren't just for show, you know."

"Please?" Chin widened his eyes. "Please, please, please-"

Suki's laughter cut him off as Zuko exchanged an amused look with Homura. He gave in with a small sigh and reached up with both hands. He slid the swords off and the boy couldn't help but gasp at the sight as Zuko took the swords all the way out and held them beside his body with a small smile. Just as Chin was about to touch the blade, he retracted his swords and seathed them once more. Homura was certain Chin would have pouted if he weren't so amazed.

"I hope Homura isn't too hard on you," Suki spoke up as she took a few steps forward. Chin sent her a small smile she returned at once. "Why don't you show me what you've learnt so far?"

With Chin preoccupied, Homura walked over to Zuko. She put her arms around him as she reached up to place a kiss on his cheek.

"He loves swords," she told him softly as she turned to the boy who was making sure Suki realised how many moves he had learnt in the few days Homura had attempted to teach him how to fight with a sword.

"I did too when I was his age," he murmured as he turned to face her. "Suki and I met the King of the Earth Kingdom today. We both thought our discussion wouldn't have taken so much time."

"It's politics, Zuko," she pointed out with a smile, "you should have known better."

He shook his head slightly with a smile as he turned to Chin and Suki, but not for a long time. Soon, he turned to face Homura once more. "We're leaving tonight, remember?"

"I do," she nodded as she turned to Chin. "Sokka will be here any second now."

"He's actually late," he pointed out as he looked at the sky that was orange and purple in the edge as dusk fell. The few clouds on the horizon were painted scarlet as the sun disappeared and above them, the moon was visible. His scrutinise of the sky came to an end, though, when he heard Homura sigh. He followed her gaze to Chin, laughing as he almost tripped over his two feet, and wordlessly, he placed a kiss on the side of her head. "You can visit him whenever."