Work Text:
When it happened, Yu Liang wasn’t even surprised.
From the moment he’d met Shi Guang, he'd been preparing every part of his game, his situation, and his life so they could meet again and Yu Liang could prove his worthiness.
As a rival and– whatever else might be relevant.
So, of course, Yu Liang knew he’d need to answer to the highest of authorities sooner or later.
Eventually, he’d been to explain to Shi Guang’s mother. About his intentions.
“Thank you for coming,” Shi Guang’s mother said graciously, putting down a tea cup on either side of the intimately-sized table.
This is the table Shi Guang ate breakfast at before he started his practice games for the morning, and the table where Shi Guang ate dinner after his games were done for the day and went over how his pieces have lived and died, and maybe the table where Shi Guang would let his tea go cold while he got distracted thinking about when he’d play Yu Liang again, just as Yu Liang did at his own table.
“Thank you for having me,” he said, meaning it. This was an invitation based in respect. The respect that Yu Liang might be a more permanent fixture in her son's life. Someone worthy of assessing.
Yu Liang let his hand linger on the softness of the tablecloth before picking up the cup and taking a polite sip.
“I’m sorry that it’s not much,” Shi Guang’s mother demurred, her own hands unsettled around the handle of her cup.
“Not at all,” Yu Liang assured her. “This blend is lovely.”
“Thank you,” she returned, folding her hands back in her lap.
Yu Liang waited. This was her home. She had black’s right of first play here.
Now that they had set the board, he could only hope he was worthy of returning her moves.
“I was wondering,” she started at length, careful.
“Yes,” Yu Liang agreed.
“My son,” she picked up, as if looking for the best way to connect her stones in an unfamiliar shape.
“Yes,” Yu Liang repeated, straightening further, ready to prove himself equal to whatever task or inquiry. He was willing to fight to stay at Shi Guang’s side if needed and had the justifications she might need lined up in his head. He had practiced some of these speeches in the mirror, determined to be seen as steady, not flitty or a passing flame.
Eternal rivals were eternal. He’d spend the rest of his life showing he could be worthy of her son.
Starting here. At this well-loved table. Assuring her that his son was in the care of someone who cared for him.
“What exactly,” Shi Guang’s mother said.
‘Are you to my son?’ Yu Liang guessed. ‘Are your intentions towards my son?’
“What exactly,” Shi Guang’s mother continued, “is….”
‘The manner of your relationship?’ Yu Liang guessed. ‘The future you can provide him?’
“My son’s…”
’Interest in an unfilial son like you??’ Yu Liang started to sweat. ’Doing settling on someone who didn’t even take the placement exams until so late in life??’
“What exactly is my son’s profession like?” Shi Guang’s mother expressed earnestly.
Yu Liang blinked.
And blinked again.
“Pardon?” He asked, in case he had heard incorrectly in his rising anxiety.
“You’ll have to forgive me,” Shi Guang’s mother said, picking up his tea cup and putting it down without taking a sip. “I don’t have any experience or understanding of the professional go world. I want to know what is in store for my son in this career and Xiao Guang speaks so highly of your background and character that I thought…”
Yu Liang blinked once more.
“Oh,” he managed in surprise, taking a sip of his own tea.
This…
This was unexpected. But a gift nonetheless.
To be part of someone’s path into understanding the go world…. That was a true honor that he would gladly take on with her.
And it was a trust born from someone who had already assessed his intentions.
And found him worthy.
He fought down the twitch of his lip upwards and began to explain.