A Different Kind of Game
Title: A Different Kind of Game
Author: vfic83
Rating: G
Fandom: Hikaru No Go
Pairings: Gen
Length: 249 words
Disclaimer: Hikaru No Go isn't mine, and I don't make any money from this.
Spoilers: None
Summary: A glimpse into what Akira's world would've been without Hikaru.
Warnings: AU
A/N: This was originally written for blind_go here- the "All or Nothing" mini round, so we were to write either all dialogue or no dialogue. I know it's an idea that's been done a thousand times, but I'd actually love to investigate this universe more- it's the "What if" ideas that are the most interesting to me. ^_^;
His fingers dug into the goke, the familiar coolness of the smooth stones relaxing him. This was no problem. It wasn't as if his opponent was actually anywhere close to his level. The real challenge was in listening to the man talk on and on about how the "new wave" that Akira was supposed to bring into the Go world had fizzled out a long time ago. If he wasn't so self contained he would've shouted at the man by now.
Not that the words weren't true. They were, painfully so. Everyone had expected so much of him in the beginning. It was impossible to live up to that over the long term. He'd needed a rival to push him, to inspire him to new heights, to the Hand of God.
But no one had stepped up to fill that space. Akira was one of the best Pros in Japan, but he knew he could be better. He felt it, someplace deep inside of him, that something was missing. Something- no, someone- was preventing him from being a complete player. A whole person. Without a true rival, there would always be that ache in his chest, reminding him of the pieces of his heart that weren't there. To have a stranger point this out was not only painful, but downright humiliating.
Akira looked up. He'd been treating this like a teaching game, despite the man's obnoxiousness, but he'd gone too far. This would be a completely different kind of teaching game.
Author: vfic83
Rating: G
Fandom: Hikaru No Go
Pairings: Gen
Length: 249 words
Disclaimer: Hikaru No Go isn't mine, and I don't make any money from this.
Spoilers: None
Summary: A glimpse into what Akira's world would've been without Hikaru.
Warnings: AU
A/N: This was originally written for blind_go here- the "All or Nothing" mini round, so we were to write either all dialogue or no dialogue. I know it's an idea that's been done a thousand times, but I'd actually love to investigate this universe more- it's the "What if" ideas that are the most interesting to me. ^_^;
His fingers dug into the goke, the familiar coolness of the smooth stones relaxing him. This was no problem. It wasn't as if his opponent was actually anywhere close to his level. The real challenge was in listening to the man talk on and on about how the "new wave" that Akira was supposed to bring into the Go world had fizzled out a long time ago. If he wasn't so self contained he would've shouted at the man by now.
Not that the words weren't true. They were, painfully so. Everyone had expected so much of him in the beginning. It was impossible to live up to that over the long term. He'd needed a rival to push him, to inspire him to new heights, to the Hand of God.
But no one had stepped up to fill that space. Akira was one of the best Pros in Japan, but he knew he could be better. He felt it, someplace deep inside of him, that something was missing. Something- no, someone- was preventing him from being a complete player. A whole person. Without a true rival, there would always be that ache in his chest, reminding him of the pieces of his heart that weren't there. To have a stranger point this out was not only painful, but downright humiliating.
Akira looked up. He'd been treating this like a teaching game, despite the man's obnoxiousness, but he'd gone too far. This would be a completely different kind of teaching game.