Guarded (Sugawara x OC)

Chapter 6

"So how long have you been doing taekwondo?" Suga asked curiously. The two walked slowly side-by-side, Machi staring off down the dimly lit sidewalk, Suga gazing up at the cloudless sky. The evening was cool and crisp, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves on the nearby trees. Both seemed content with the slow pace, neither in a hurry to be home.

Machi hummed thoughtfully, "About seven years. My dad owns a taekwondo studio so you could say I've been around it all my life, but didn't start competing until I was nine." She kicked a pebble down the street absentmindedly. She'd never been very good at smalltalk, never having needed it before since the only people she talked to she already knew well enough to bypass it entirely. Luckily her walking companion was more adept.

"No wonder you're so good!" The admiration clear in his voice, "I've played volleyball since middle school, but I'm sure I'd be a lot better if I had a coach as a parent too."

Machi grimaced slightly, "It's not as great as it sounds, believe me." All those early morning workouts, the constant pressure to be perfect, the subsequent screaming how much of a disappointment she was when she wasn't perfect. It was all more exhausting than anything, not that she was going to complain about it though. "It just means I don't get to slack off, ever."

Suga snuck a glance at her now, curious about the tone in her voice that he couldn't quite place. "That does sound pretty rough, I'm guessing your dad is really strict, then?"

"I think he invented the concept." She grumbled, kicking another pebble with more force this time. "I train every morning and at club after school...not to mention weekends."

"Seriously? How are you not exhausted all the time?" She made that fight look so easy today, but she must've been ready to collapse.

Machi waved off his incredulity, "Oh you get used to it after a while," Or you at least grow numb to it. Wanting to lighten the mood she could feel slipping, she decided to subtly change the subject, "It can't be any more exhausting than wrangling all those idiots on the volleyball team though."

Suga gave a loud laugh, his voice carrying through the night, "That is so true! It was enough with just Tanaka and Nishinoya, but now we have these new first years,I think they might make Daichi go bald before he leaves high school."

Machi grinned up at Suga, turning around to walk backwards and talk at the same time, "You can't be talking about Tadashi who is too sweet for this world, but Tsukki definitely fits that description. I only saw those two others during the 3 on 3 match, but that little redhead looked like a hellion." 

Machi's distraction seemed to work wonders for both of them, as Suga launched into an animated retelling of Hinata's first day at volleyball club and knocking the vice principal's toupee off. Which lead Machi to share the time when Kaido and Nakagawa tried to impress a cute new first year but ended up breaking Kaido's nose. The invisible tension that seemed to linger was suddenly gone and both teens were sharing embarrassing stories of their friends and laughing louder with each rendition. Much sooner than he would have liked, they found themselves in front of Machi's house. Except for a porch light on by the door, the windows were dark, reminding Machi her father was away again this weekend and making Suga wonder how often she was left home alone.

"Thanks for walking me home." Machi mumbled, keeping her eyes on her fumbling hands as they reached for her keys, "I mean, I could've walked alone, but it was nice to have company."

Staring down at the brown haired girl in front of him as she sheepishly tried to look anywhere else, Suga felt a flutter in his stomach. Without warning he reached a hand out, intending to brush a stray strand of hair behind her ear, but chickening out at the last second and pulling his hand back to scratch his head instead. "I was glad to, thank you for giving me the chance." They stood there a few moments longer, neither quite sure what else to say but not wanting to leave just yet.