[April 2] Fire Emblem: Fates - Bladetalk

[kalloway]

Title: Bladetalk
Day/Prompt: April 2/the grief at the center
Fandom: Fire Emblem: Fates
Character/Pairing: Hinoka, Xander
Rating/Warning(s): AA
Word Count: 300
Summary: She catches him, not quite training...
--


Hinoka paused, listening to the sound of steel cutting the air, and wondered who might still be training even as the moon began its half-heavy meander to the far side of the sky.

Who other than her, she supposed-- Her own training had been interrupted several times, she'd ended up rescuing Setsuna twice, taking over tasks that Azama had abandoned, and oh, she hadn't felt like sleeping even though she was sure she was tired.

But she had a lance in hand anyway, old and maintained only for practice. It was the sort of weapon that was good for fighting straw dummies.

And hadn't that already been her day.

Hinoka frowned when she saw Prince Xander, shamelessly shirtless as he worked through repeated exercises. She stared, really, at the force and passion in his movements, in the obvious practice.

Ryoma took his training seriously. Hinoka took hers seriously. But this--

It wasn't training, really. It was probably something she had no place watching. The expression on Xander's face, in the moonlight, was one of quiet anguish. Hinoka could almost feel it, where she stood in shadow.

Perhaps it would be best to step back, like one of Ryoma's retainers, and forget what she'd seen.

Surely, she'd just...

"Stay."

Hinoka froze.

"Or come, work out what you need to."

Xander let his sword rest, tip against the ground. This was not his holy weapon, but a battered bit of metal with its best days long behind. Yet when in motion, Hinoka had not thought it anything lesser--

He held out a hand to her, though nothing quite like a smile crossed his face.

Nodding, Hinoka stepped forward.

"You can say quite a bit without words," Xander continued.

"Can you?" Hinoka asked, her voice a harsh whisper.

"Yes, you can."

"Let's talk."