Bounded To You (Star-Crossed)

Chapter 57 - Dying Flame

CHAPTER 57: DYING FLAME

It was the day after as they stood outside in the front yard, sparing with each other when Lucius said, "Let me spar, Lazarus."

"You still don't remember how to, and your body isn't in shape." Lazarus said from where he stood next to him.

"Come on." Lucius whined, "I have to start somewhere." Lazarus sighed before he asked, "Will it make you stop complaining?" Lucius smiled widely, nodding quickly which made Lazarus chuckle as he called out to Noah, who stopped his spar with Edmur to face him. "Lucius is insisting he could spar. Want to give it a try?"

"But he's-..." Noah started saying when Lazarus sighed.

"I know." Lazarus said, "Can you indulge him for a moment?"

"Hey!" Lucius whined.

"You said you'd stop complaining." Lazarus glared sideways at him.

"Fine. Blayth is right when he calls you a grumpy old man."

"You really want to test me right now?" Lazarus asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Sorry." Lucius mumbled, "Swords."

"No." Both Lazarus and Noah said at the same time.

"Come on, you two. When did you become so cranky?" Lucius argued as he walked up to Noah, "Swords. I will only spar with swords."

"Is it because you think you'd have an advantage?" Noah asked with a smirk, which made Lucius angry.

"Shut up, or are you scared?" Lucius challenged.

"Bring it on." Noah laughed, grabbing two swords and handing Lucius one.

"Noah, be careful." Lazarus instructed.

"Don't worry, he can barely hold it properly." Noah teased.

"I will make you regret that." Lucius warned, taking a battle stance.

"Come on. Show me." Noah said, holding his sword in one hand as he waved Lucius over with the other.

"This should be interesting." Blayth said, all of them stopping their spars to watch.

"Want to bet on who wins?" Cylus asked.

"My money is on Noah." Ren shrugged.

"Nah, Lucius has that look in his eyes." Blayth said.

"Ready?" Noah said, but without answering, Lucius launched towards him, only a second before he tripped over his own feet as pain assaulted his back, sword in hand pointed towards Noah. Noah was quick to react, tossing his own sword aside so Lucius wouldn't get hurt before grabbing Lucius's wrist and pointing the sword away from both of them as Lucius landed on top of him, both falling to the ground. Noah grunted before he asked, "Very graceful. Was that a move?"

Lucius moaned in pain as he sat up, glaring down at Noah while rubbing his lower back as he said, "And whose fault do you think that is?" It took Noah a moment to understand as Lucius grumbled over him. Noah tossed his head back, letting out a hearted laugh as Lucius hit him against the chest, scolding, "It's not funny!" he moved aside, getting off of Noah as he yelled at him, "Stop laughing! Idiot!"

Lazarus relaxed as Lucius kept yelling at Noah while Noah laughed, he sighed, shaking his head before a small smile touched his lips. He hadn't heard Noah laugh in a long time, and hearing it now lightened his heart. It hadn't been a week even since Lucius's return and Noah was already returning to his old self.

Lazarus watched Lucius get to his feet when Noah wouldn't stop laughing, calling out to him, "Where do you think you are going? You argue to let you spar then you expect to just walk away?"