Disclaimer: I hold no rights to Hikaru no Go, its characters or stories.

a/n: I just felt like exploring some cliches in the follow up story of the eternal rivals.

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Though the moves be black and white, the story formed is grey.

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Part 1. Too Far Ahead

"Should I even bother pointing out your mistakes?" The achromatic massacre charted on the goban was unusually severe. "If you weren't serious, you should have told me. I don't like wasting my time." Ordinarily, such a statement would have brought immediate rebuttal, bristling annoyance or at the very least a rapid (and much improved) rematch. Today, however, Shindou sat back in his chair and ran a hand through his slightly over-grown hair, staring bemusedly at the stones.

"You're right. I wasn't concentrating." He began clearing the stones from the board, swiftly and with an economy of movement that was testament to their years of playing.

"You weren't concentrating?!" Touya felt his cheeks flush with a hint of indignation and noted the spark of familiar annoyance kindle in his rival's eyes.

"I was preoccupied." His tone was still calm, but there was an edge to it.

"Since when do you become preoccupied in the middle of a game? You're often too laid back, but giving me less than your best... that's not like you. Unacceptable." Touya quickly began sweeping black stones into their coffer.

"Sorry I don't schedule my life around your ego, but I've kinda got other things on my mind right now!" He finished clearing the last of his stones and slammed the lid shut with a rattle, preparing to stand and storm away. This wasn't the first time it had happened – indeed the first year they'd played here, it had been the ordinary course of events. Still, such displays had become few and far between in the past five years, with the last one over six months ago.

"Wait, Shindou. What's bothering you?" He allowed a trace of genuine concern to permeate his words, and noted its effect with satisfaction. Across from him, Shindou's shoulder's slumped a little and he stared at the goban. Touya waited patiently.

"Akari's pregnant." His words were almost too soft to hear, but Touya caught them and smiled at his rival's discomfiture.

"Your mother will be happy." He managed to keep his own amusement from showing. It wasn't as though such a turn of events was unexpected. Akari and Shindou had been married for over a year now, and while Hikaru's schedule did keep him on the road a lot, it didn't keep him away from home that much.

"She's thrilled." Shindou looked about ready to break something. Touya pointedly placed a single black stone on the goban, and watched as habit took over and his rival set a small handful of white stones across from it. The guess was correct, and Touya made the first move. "I'm still preoccupied, you know." Shindou muttered darkly, while making a perfectly acceptable counter.

"You'll play better, this time." Touya continued with their almost ritualized opening sequence. "And Akari? Is she well?"

"Yeah. She's fine." pa-chin. "She's already thinking up names."

"And you?" Four more moves went by in silence.

"I don't know," he said finally. "I mean, how am I supposed to know how to be a parent? I'm only twenty-one years old, for crying out loud. I don't know how to raise kids." He drew his fan from his pocket and opened and closed it in what had become a recognizable gesture of nerves. "I never even had little brothers or sisters. I'm not that smart. I'm sure as hell not rich. Akari works full time," open, close, "My schedule's getting busier every year. When are we even going to have time to be parents?" He placed a stone in a seemingly weak central location, and Touya peered thoughtfully at the board.

"You're thinking too far ahead," he murmured, setting his reply on an overlooked position in the corner. Shindou noted the choice as well as the words, and scrutinized the patterns of their game. Touya could almost see him running projections in his mind, and smiled. Finally, his rival made a move, to which he replied almost immediately. pa-chin. pa-chin. The game progressed with greater intensity as both players focused on their moves. Shindou's were slightly more cautious than usual, but with an elegance that almost made up for it. As the game replaced his worries, he resumed the brilliant confidence and inspirational excellence which Touya had come to expect.

They waged a lovely war for the next hour and a half, neither speaking much. Finally, Touya was forced to resign. It both rankled and satisfied him. At least Shindou had gotten into the game. They exchanged thank you's and looked over the goban.

"I don't see it," commented Shindou, looking at one of his earlier moves. "Why did you say I was looking too far ahead?" In point of fact, that play had worked out rather nicely for him.

"I wasn't talking about the game," replied Touya, his voice overly casual to obscure his irritation at losing, and at Shindou's automatic assumption that his mind could only encompass matters of black and white. Still, in Shindou's life, Touya was nothing more or less than his rival. On the board, they were closer than lovers. Off of it, however, Shindou seemed to forget at times that his rival also considered him a friend. Their relationship was not easy, but then, struggles had always been very motivating to both.

They began cleaning up the stones, and Touya decided to explain himself. "What works on a goban may not always work in life. Sometimes you have to focus on the play at hand, and not worry too much about the future." He stood and stretched, Shindou doing likewise. "Anyway, there are ways to balance parenting and go. You can always talk to my father. He managed pretty well."

"Oh, and have my kid wind up like you? I don't think so." But Shindou was grinning. "I'd better get home. Akari was saying something about painting. God knows what colors she'll pick." They walked to the front counter of the go parlor, and Shindou retrieved his backpack from the attendant. "Thanks for the game, Touya."

"Any time, Shindou."