Reliability

By: Aviantei

20—Campus II

Some winds can blow every other weather away

"Play a match with me."

The words were, lucky for Megumi, not enough of a trigger to make her drop the shogi pieces still in her hands. They were, however, enough to make her pause. The request was a simple one, with that quiet pressure Akashi put behind everything, but it wasn't an outright demand, either. Yūta would have never been able to make a request like that, nor would he have worded it the same way. It was always, "Let's play a game of shogi," until it was "We're playing another game," until it was—

Until it was an excuse.

Megumi lowered her hands, releasing the shogi pieces in her grasp onto the table so they wouldn't fall as she trembled. "Was that," she asked, her voice unable to grow past a whisper, "an order, Captain?"

If it were an order, Megumi doubted that even the progress in their dynamic would be enough to let her get away with refusing.

Even so, she managed to meet his gaze. That, it seemed, was no longer something taboo—not that Megumi had any disillusions about that meaning they were equals. Akashi took a few more beats before he answered, "Would it get me a willing match if I said yes?"

"No."

"I assumed as much." Did the fact disappoint him? He was so difficult to read with that controlled expression of his. If Akashi admitted that he was always keeping his emotions in check, with even the display of anger he'd shown during Inter High as an intentional choice, Megumi would have believed him. Akashi resumed placing the pieces in their positions on the board. "In that case, no, it's not an order. I will say that it is a genuine request, though. As of late, I haven't had anyone to play against besides Reo, and my schedule hasn't left much room for me to evaluate the members of our school's Shogi Club."

"But you'll make room to take one of their boards without permission?" For a moment, the corner of Akashi's lip seemed to twitch, but it didn't complete the expression, whether that be mirth or guilt. Megumi couldn't tell what to be more surprised by: that Akashi had had a visible reaction, or that she still had it in her to say things like that. "Well, since it's just a request, I'm afraid I'll have to decline, Akashi-kun. Even if a match with you wouldn't have as high of stakes, I don't have it in me to play again right now." Not so soon.

"I see." Akashi had finished filling in the board where he could; Megumi held the remaining pieces. Picking up one at a time and observing the kanji, she got to work on positioning the rest. Akashi watched her, but he offered no complaints or observations on her technique. "In which case, if not now, I'll look forward to a match sometime in the future."

Megumi opened her mouth, but she found that an immediate response didn't come. Part of her wanted to reject the possibility, to never sit down to a shogi board with the intention of playing ever again. Another part of her wanted to agree, even if it meant binding herself to some promise, because wasn't she fine now, sitting before this board, the last remaining pawn in her hand, as if she were about to make the opening move of a match? Because wouldn't it be nice to play without worry?

I mean, you wanna win, don't you?

Nobody wants to lose. But a totally different group of people want nothing else than to win.

Nebuya had been right. He'd seen right through her. Because every single time that she'd ever swallowed down her ambitions for a shot at safety, she'd hated it. Because you could hold back and accept the punishment as the loser, or you could play with everything you had and accept the punishment for incurring the wrath of the one who couldn't handle their loss. And since the end result was going to be the same, no matter what approach Megumi took, she'd decided—

That I'd rather give it my best and get the whole thing over with as quick as possible.

If she accepted the proposal for a match that Akashi was giving her in the future, she wouldn't need that. She could play for the sake of enjoying a game. For the sake of seeing how she matched up to someone else. If she was going to do that, then she wanted to be able to play when she was at her best—not when she was—

"I believe this board will do just fine," Akashi said, having completed his assessment while Megumi was stuck in her head. He slid the pieces off the board, getting ready to return the things to their box. "If you happen to have it in you to play while we're away for our training camp, I'll take you on with no problems."

Somehow, Akashi's complete confidence made Megumi feel a little better; he, if nothing else, was a constant in how he acted, and it was comforting to know what to expect. "Just during training camp?"

"I'll accept a challenge from you anytime." Megumi felt herself give a small smile, one that wasn't a feint in the slightest. "That said, I have no intentions of losing, either. My victory—"

"—is absolute, yes." She didn't doubt it. But Megumi liked the fantasy of at least giving him an enjoyable match regardless. With the board secure back in its box, Megumi reached out to drop the pawn she'd had a hold on inside. It was such a casual gesture that she didn't think anything of it, but Akashi's gaze sharpened, and Megumi realized the mistake she made as she dropped the pawn and snatched her hand back, tugging her sleeve back down though it must have been too late.

He couldn't have seen, he couldn't have, it was just for a second, my sleeve didn't even ride up that high—

But if anyone could have seen it under those circumstances, it would no doubt be Akashi Seijuro.

"Megumi," he said, as matter of fact as ever, "I thought it was strange that you were wearing long sleeves when the weather is meant to be warm. And you kept them on even when you were moving all the equipment. Am I going to have to ask for an answer?"

"If you don't want me to be indirect with you, then don't do the same with me." Oh, she could still irritated. Funny, how Akashi always managed to bring her ire to the surface, when it otherwise almost never survived long enough to reach there. Maybe it was because he could manage to make almost anything sound so condescending, and Megumi couldn't stand it. "You're all but asking already. So just do it."

"Very well. Why?"

"What I wear is no one else's business besides my own." It was better than making up some pathetic excuse like getting cold easily. Outright lying would never work against Akashi, but she still didn't want to admit the truth. They had been having a nice (if not strange) conversation until then; why couldn't he have just let it be? "Last I checked, how I dress has nothing to do with my role on the team, so I fail to see how my wardrobe matters to you. You don't see me commenting on your casual wear, now do you?"

"Do you think I'm stupid enough not to figure out your real reasons, Megumi?"

"It's because you're not stupid that I'm not bothering to lie to you, Akashi-kun." She hadn't said anything that wasn't true.

Akashi let out a breath that sounded close to a huff. "I won't try to argue semantics with you about whether a lie of omission is still a lie or not." It would have been nice if he were that easy to pull off topic, but wasn't it also nice that he wasn't that easy to pull off track? "I thought you said that your family doesn't live in Kyoto."

Was he not asking direct questions on purpose because he knew it would be much harder to get an answer from her? Akashi sure knew how to approach any situation with a focus on sheer pragmatism; the possibility of consideration for her feelings seemed a bit too unlikely. Either way, Megumi continued to speak, though she had taken to staring at her lap. Considering that she'd still been able to wear shorts without any worries, she felt like she'd gotten off lucky.

Except there's nothing lucky about this at all.

"They don't," she said. If they had, Megumi would have worked her tail off to get into some other high school so very far away. "But Nii-san has friends who live nearby. They're taking some trip together, but the friend he was supposed to stay with had some issues. Ka-san said he should stop by and stay with me for a bit since it was easier. I mean, I think he has some part time job or whatever, but she couldn't contribute any other way. So, why not stay with his younger sister? That's what…families just…do…."

Families could let each other into their homes to help, and it wouldn't be any problem. Megumi couldn't help but wonder—what would her mother do if she knew? Would she do anything? No, she would do something, but the stress, that would break her mother's heart, because she loved all of her children so much. Megumi couldn't do that to her, even if it meant she herself might be safer for it.

Megumi couldn't bring herself to look up, either. What was running through Akashi's head right now? What if she looked up and it was obvious that he was disappointed in her for getting into such a pathetic situation? She couldn't bear that thought, either.

I kind of wanted to be a new me had been her foolish wish, but Megumi was well aware that she was the same as she'd ever been, and the one thing that changed was where she lived, nothing else.

"Is he still there?" Megumi started at Akashi's question, looking up at him despite herself. There it was again, that smoldering displeasure in his expression, but it still wasn't directed at her, and that was almost enough for Megumi to tear up in relief—because maybe he wasn't disappointed in her after all. She was so caught up in the surprise that Akashi spoke again: "Your brother. Is he still at your apartment?"

"A-ah, yes." And I came here early to run away from him. Megumi swallowed down the self-depreciating comment; Akashi wouldn't accept that. What you did was remove yourself from a poor situation, he'd said. Was that what she'd done today, too? "He's still there. But he's also leaving today. He'll be gone on his trip by the time we get back, and he plans to head back home without any pit stops afterwards."

"I see. That's good then." Megumi wasn't sure why, but she felt as if she'd just avoided some sort of disaster. Akashi, though, didn't look any less agitated than he had before Megumi's answer. "When did he get there?"

The lump in her throat was back, having snuck up on her while she was busy observing the small fluctuations in Akashi's expression, the unrelenting hard stare in his eyes. "…Four days ago."

Four days. It wasn't any time at all, when you looked at it. Not after living in the same space as the past fifteen years of her life. He'd even gone easy on her, because she'd mentioned having a club trip to go on. Kaizuto Yūta let his temper get the better of him often, yes, but even he knew how to control himself to keep things a secret. If not, Megumi didn't want to think about what all she might have gone through.

Akashi let Megumi's response linger in the air for a while, as if he were waiting for the variable of her answer to register. Whatever probability she had triggered, Megumi wasn't sure what he was trying to accomplish. Give her a verbal outlet, so the secret wouldn't fester inside of her and impact her performance during the training trip? Maybe. And since that was the case, the next thing to understand would be—

"Is there just that one bruise?" Still holding her sleeve down, Megumi shook her head. She'd said so much already, she couldn't make the words happen anymore. If nothing else, Akashi seemed to pursue yes or no questions that could be answered without speaking. "Is there anything worse than a bruise?" Megumi shook her head again, this time with enough force to send her ponytail bouncing against the back of her head. Several of the bruises were already healing, nothing more than faint yellow imprints of what they had been, but others were fresh from the night before, and they'd left purple and blue shadows across her skin without any remorse.

Akashi's lips parted again with a gentle inhale, but Megumi managed to squeak out, "Please" first. Akashi stayed silent and waited. "No more questions. I don't…I don't want to remember."

"Very well. Though allow me one more question: do you need any medical attention?"

"No, I…" Megumi felt pathetic for saying it, but she didn't even want to entertain the possibility of someone else seeing what had happened. She thought about forcing a smile, for reassurance, but that seemed like it would have the reverse impact on Akashi, so instead she focused her efforts on at least sounding like she had a fraction of his confidence. "I've been through this before, so I know how to take care of it. As long as I keep eating and sleeping, everything will heal on its own without any problems. I shouldn't have any issues throughout the training camp, so you don't need to worry about that." Even when it wasn't a game, every performance as a member of the Rakuzan Boys' Basketball Club mattered, and Megumi wanted to be part of that.

She wanted to be someone they could all rely on, even just a little.

Akashi seemed satisfied enough, as he finished packing and closing the shogi board's box with a nod. Megumi was prepared for him to stand and declare that it was time to head back—but Akashi reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, the color a vibrant red that his hair still managed to put to shame. It was also a newer model, the sort of thing that Megumi couldn't imagine affording, but that didn't matter.

"We're exchanging contact information," Akashi said, as a statement of fact. "I already have Shota's information, so I should always be able to reach you as a manager." There wouldn't be too many situations where it would be necessary—Megumi and Higuchi had exchanged numbers and mail addresses to handle club duties, for one—but it wasn't like Higuchi could be their intermediary forever, so Megumi went for her phone, preparing to add Akashi's name and info to her contacts.

"I guess this is useful to have," she said, working her way into conversation now that the topic had changed away from her experience for the past few days. Megumi could go back to acting like everything was normal, as she'd intended to from the beginning. "I should have thought of it first, all things considered. I suppose I have a way to go." It was a simple exchange, and she was grateful he'd taken the initiative. Asking for things like this wasn't Megumi's strong suit in the slightest. It took a few scant minutes, and then Megumi had the in to message or call Akashi as needed, though she suspected it would much more often be the other way around. She flipped her phone closed, returning it to her pocket. "If you do need something for club, please feel free to reach out to me at any time. Though, looking at the time, we should get back—"

"One more thing," Akashi said, and Megumi sat right back down in her seat. "You can contact me at any time now. Do you understand what that means?"

What? You want me to thank you for bestowing me with the honor of your info? Megumi thought, but didn't quite feel like saying out loud.

"It means," Akashi continued, "that there's no excuse next time." Megumi mouthed the words No excuse, trying to figure out just what she'd messed up on enough that being in touch with Akashi was the solution to the problem. "If you ever encounter either of your siblings again, I want you to contact me as soon as possible."

Megumi gaped at him, not even bothering to close her mouth from where it was now hanging open. "You…" Akashi didn't retract his statement. Megumi took a moment, replayed his words, then did it again. The results didn't change, no matter how much they felt like a joke. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I want you to contact me if you ever encounter either of your siblings again." Oh, he meant it. "No one else knows, so that means there's no one else to do anything about it. But I meant what I said before, Megumi: What happened to you was wrong. And while I'll respect your decision on not involving anyone else in this, I won't stand to the side and let it continue. So I expect to know next time. Understood?"

"I…" Was it okay to hesitate? Was it okay for Akashi to declare such a thing in the first place? His words were serious, she knew that. "When I do contact you. What do you plan to do, Akashi-kun?" She needed to know, needed to know the possibility of what her actions could bring. Because, while she'd never wished harm on her siblings, she still remembered the way Akashi's hand had tightened around her neck over something as simple as looking him in the eyes—what would he do over this?

And for the first time Megumi had seen him, Akashi's lips formed into a smile, though it was just as razor sharp as everything else about him. "That should be obvious, Megumi. I plan to stop them."

"…Whatever it takes?"

"Whatever it takes."

Ah. This is—Akashi-kun is—

The word absolute didn't seem farfetched in this context whatsoever.

"If you understand, we can head back," Akashi said, standing with the shogi box tucked underneath his arm. "After all, I got what I came for."

"Just hold on a second!" Akashi had started to walk towards the door, but Megumi's protest was somehow enough to make him stop. "What makes you think—how can you just say things like that?" How could he make keeping her safe sound so natural, like it was the way the world was supposed to be? How could he make her believe him with just a few words?

"I've told you already: I am absolute. Not to mention that there's no need to sound so surprised. Not when this is an opportunity you won't pass up." When he glanced over his shoulder, Akashi's smile was just the slightest bit more satisfied than before. "After all, Megumi—

"You didn't say if you contact me, you said when."

[Author's Notes]

Akashi may be a canonically violent little shit, but I feel he'd also not stand for stuff like this. So, yeah, he has officially stepped into the Protecc Megumi Squad, even if no one else notices.

Extensive thanks to BethxAngel, Clang (Guest), GinaLiz, the-apple-seed, Uchiha D- Allie, sunshine78, Cinnamon Roll and sweets, andrealapirada, PoisonPen19, paulavara140, bloop (Guest), Momochii11, AmariMalfoy, Almathia, YaoiLovinKitsune, Rose Potter4, and Ikoo for the favorites, follows, and reviews! Y'all are all too gosh darn good to me.

I don't know if I can describe exactly what, but something about this chapter is super satisfying to me. Megumi's changing, even if she doesn't realize it (but Akashi does, because Akashi realizes everything). And the summer camp arc has a lot of fun moments in it, so I'm looking forward to that.

No guarantees, but I keep thinking about attempting to draft the rest of this fic in 2022? It still has a lot of ground to cover, but it also is one I have a clear concept for where each of the major arcs are going, so it could happen? That means it may still take a bit to have consistent updates, but if I could announce that to you all in the coming year, it would make me happy, so I'll try my best!

Meanwhile, the next chapter gets into the summer training camp in earnest and it will release sometime next year. Please look forward to it!

-Avi

[12.29.2021]