Request:LillianaBerry2003 💝
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I wasn't sure what was more unsettling-the ticking of the clock on the wall or the fact that it was almost 2 am and Shu still hadn't come to bed.
I sat at the end of the hallway, back against the wall, watching the faint light spilling from the open training room door. It was barely cracked, just enough for me to see him.
He was in there, as he had been every night lately. Practicing moves, taking notes, analyzing match footage. Nonstop. Like if he paused for even a second, everything would collapse.
Shu...I called softly, but he didn't hear me. Or he pretended not to.
I got up and walked quietly inside.
"Do you know what time it is?" I asked gently, trying not to sound confrontational, even though worry soaked every word.
Shu didn't even glance up from his laptop. "Just a bit longer. I'm almost done with this analysis."
"You said that yesterday. And the day before."
He still didn't look at me. I stepped closer, stopping beside him.
"That's three days now with barely six hours of sleep combined."
Finally, his red eyes flicked toward me, dull with exhaustion.
"I'm fine. I'm used to this pace."
"But your body isn't," I said quietly. "You're not fighting someone on the stadium right now-you're fighting yourself."
Shu gave a small smile, one that didn't reach his eyes. It was tired. Hollow.
"I can handle it. Just a few more days, until everything's in place."
I dropped to the floor beside him, crossing my arms.
"And then what? When it's all 'done'? Are you going to rest then? Or will you find something else that 'has' to be finished?"
He looked away.
Silence.
He knew I was right. But I also knew how hard it was for him to admit that.
"Shu, I'm not trying to hold you back," I said softly. "But when was the last time you slept without exhaustion knocking you out? When was the last time you had a proper meal, not just some energy bar between strategies?"
His hand gripped the edge of the desk. "I can't stop now. If I do... maybe I won't be good enough."
Those five words hurt more than anything else he could've said.
"What?" I whispered. "Shu, how can you even think that? You're one of the most dedicated people I know. Your name inspires people. It inspires me. But you can't even see how much you're draining yourself."
I reached out and placed my hand over his.
"Burning yourself out doesn't make you better. It just makes you emptier."
His eyes dropped to the floor. Silence again.
"I don't know how to stop," he admitted, voice barely above a whisper. "It's like I'm in a race, and if I slow down, I'll fall behind. Everything will slip through my fingers."
"Then let's stop together," I whispered. "Just for tonight. No pressure. No plans. No guilt."
Shu hesitated. His jaw clenched, eyes scanning the glowing screen again.
But then... he nodded. "Maybe... just tonight."
Getting him to bed was a battle in itself. Even once he lay down, he kept reaching for his phone, trying to check one more thing, write down one more idea, solve one more issue. Every movement was resistance.
"Shu," I said firmly, "leave it. It'll still be there in the morning."
"I just... I don't want to forget the idea I had for-"
I stood, gently took the phone from his hand, and set it on the nightstand. "You can. And you will. Because if you don't take a break now, your body will force you to."
He looked up at me, uncertain, almost lost.
I sat down at the edge of the bed, fingers brushing his soft silver hair.
"Let yourself rest. You don't have to carry it all alone. I'm here."
And finally... the tension started to melt away. Slowly, he laid his head against the pillow. I lay down beside him, pulling the covers over us.
His breathing was shallow at first, still fighting the urge to overthink everything. But gradually... it slowed. His shoulders relaxed. His eyes fluttered shut.
"You'll be okay," I whispered, pressing my forehead to his. "But you have to start caring for yourself even half as much as you care about everyone else."
He didn't respond. Just exhaled, long and soft, and within minutes-he was asleep.
For the first time in what felt like forever... he looked peaceful. There was no tension in his brow. No weight pressing on his chest. Just stillness.
Just peace.
I watched him for a few seconds longer before shifting closer, wrapping my arms around him in a slow, tender hug.
His body instinctively moved toward me in his sleep, burying his face in my shoulder.
And there we stayed-wrapped up in the quiet of the night, hearts beating in sync.
He was still Shu Kurenai: focused, determined, fierce.
But tonight... he was simply mine.
And I was his calm.
