Guarded (Sugawara x OC)

Chapter 25

Machi let out a shaky breath she didn't know she was holding, waves of relief crashing over her. "Are you sure? It won't exactly be much easier now that dad knows, and I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to get out while you can..."

"Nope," Suga pecked her on the nose again, this time proud to see the faintest of smiles starting to form, "you can't get rid of me that easily. What, did you seriously think I'd ditch you?"

"Well, yeah..." She wiggled sheepishly in her seat, which only made Suga want to hold on tighter.

"Then I guess it's a good thing you were wrong." He teased lightly, earning a real smirk from her for the first time in days. "And I promise, no matter what, we'll get through it together."

***

"So how bad is it really?"

After another hour of sitting together in the gym, watching the rest of the volleyball team clean the floors and put away all the equipment, Machi and Suga now lounged comfortably outside, enjoying the evening chill and chirping of cicadas. Having cleared the air of all the worries they had both harbored around for days, Machi felt incredibly light, even for someone in less than ideal circumstances.

"It could be a lot worse." Machi kept her voice low, this time hoping no one really was eavesdropping on them. Even after sitting the rest of the time in the gym with her leg propped on Suga's, he had outright refused to let her put any weight on it as they moved outside to wait for her ride home. When Suga had taken a seat on the low wall outside the building and immediately requested she prop her foot up again, Machi had tried to argue it was fine, but was met with a lighthearted 'you-literally-have-a-knee-injury-and-need-to-keep-it-elevated' scolding from Suga. Rather than continue to argue, Machi had complied, letting Suga use his bookbag as a pillow for her knee while she leaned against his shoulder. They had remained like that for a few moments of comfortable silence, before Suga spoke, finally addressing the second elephant in the room. Rather than respond right away, Machi took her time, watching a trail of ants crawl along the brick of the wall, "The doctor said it was a minor MCL tear, which can often repair itself with a bit of rest."

"Well that's good news." His shoulders dropped in relief. After watching how much pain she'd been in, Suga had feared the worst. "A few days of ice and rest will hopefully do the trick. It's just a shame it has to happen right before the Qualifiers. I know you were really excited about going."

"Yeah, um, about that—"

"Hey, Machi" Tadashi had poked his head out of the gym door, an apologetic smile stretching across his face for interrupting, "My dad just called, said he's here but parked at the wrong building. Are you ready?"

Jumping up, Suga offered his hand to help Machi to her feet, then swiped up her bag with his own while she readjusted her crutches. "It's really nice that you can stay with Yamaguchi for a few days. Honestly I was a little worried about you going back home right away." Suga had actually been ready to ask his own parents if Machi could stay with them for a few days when Machi had mentioned staying with her cousin. While neither had heard from or seen much of Reo since that afternoon in Tokyo, neither really wanted to risk what would happen once he did show up again.

Setting a slow pace around the parameter of the building to the waiting car her uncle had parked by the library, Machi mumbled her agreement. "They've been really great, and I know Tadashi is happy about it too." Secretly, Machi had been so relieved when her aunt and uncle had welcomed her into their house with open arms and minimal questions that she almost cried. Could she have managed at home, skirting around the house to avoid confrontation? Absolutely. But it was a relief to know she wouldn't have to. And wouldn't have to see her father for a bit longer.

In an effort to be helpful, Tadashi had the side door to his father's van already open and ready when Machi and Suga approached the vehicle. While he helped his cousin into the back seat, her complaining the whole time that she wasn't a child and could put a seatbelt on by herself, Suga and Machi's uncle chatted amicably. Hoping to sneak one more moment together before he walked home, Suga placed Machi's bag at her feet and leaned in for a goodnight kiss.

"See you tomorrow, beautiful." He hummed softly, "Maybe we can talk about what movies to watch this weekend now that it'll be free." Machi gladly returned his kiss, flipping her uncle and cousin off behind Suga's back when they started a chorus is 'ooohhhs.' But when Suga pulled away, he was a bit surprised to see a steely determination had returned to Machi's eyes. A cold pit dropped into his stomach when she spoke.

"That's just the thing Suga, I'm still competing this weekend."