Double-edged sword

The confrontation

Fubuki noticed that Shu was working a lot now.

Not that it was unusual or anything. Shu often worked long and hard, in everything he did. Failure was not in his vocabulary. While it was sometimes admirable, it was also a bit difficult. Shu's perfectionist tendencies could get rather troublesome, from time to time.

Shu was sitting on the couch, laptop with him. He fiddled around with his necklace. Fubuki was pleased to see that Shu rarely ever took it off. He seemed to really like the reminder that his team was always by his side. Fubuki hoped he would remember for a while. Shu often acted like he had to fight all alone.

"What are you working on?" Fubuki asked. Shu sighed.

"Different things. I just have to kind of compile everything into a coherent structure. It's taking a while."

"I see."

There was slight beep. The sign that Shu had just received an email.

Shu suddenly let out a curse. It was worse than what Fubuki usually heard from his mentor. There was also a slight panic in those words of his.

"What's wrong?"

Fubuki hurried over to the couch, but Shu had already closed his laptop and was still cursing.

"This is not good," Shu muttered under his breath. He noticed that Fubuki was right behind him. "I'm going to have to work through the night. Sorry."

With that, Shu stood up and almost ran up the stairs to his office. Fubuki tilted his head a little, trying to understand what had just happened.

It wasn't like Shu to hurry away without explanation. Fubuki knew that. Yet, this time seemed important. And he seemed to have it under control, for once.

Fubuki sighed. Shu wouldn't tell him a thing, surely, so all Fubuki could do was wait and see. And, of course, step in if necessary.

Fubuki hadn't expected that the situation would escalate so quickly.

True to his words, Shu had worked through the night. When Fubuki found him in the morning, still in his office with papers scattered all around him, he had just sighed. He had made some strong black tea for Shu and had just waited for his mentor to gather his bearings. He had even suggested they stay home today. Shu had refused.

So, here they were, at the training centre. Fubuki watched as Shu taught the younger Bladers how to properly launch, not a sign of exhaustion around him. How he managed to make an all-nighter look easy was beyond Fubuki's understanding.

"Try to hold your hand steady," Shu was explaining gently, kneeling next to the kid. The young Blader he was teaching had only very recently started blading. Fubuki smiled a little. He remembered how Shu had taught him much in the same way he was teaching now. It was nostalgic, in a way.

"Hey, Shu!" Daniel called, sounding a little nervous. "Someone's at the door. He wants to see you, apparently."

Fubuki was sure he wasn't imagining the tension in Shu's posture. He knew who had come, didn't he? Had he expected the person? And Daniel seemed to know who it was as well.

"Tell him to join me in my office."

"Sure thing."

Daniel left, presumably to do as he was asked. Fubuki followed him. It was easy enough to find him in the corridor.

"Daniel, wait!"

Daniel turned around. He smiled a little, though it seemed strained.

"What is it, Fubuki?"