Chapter 7: Fighting For His Honor
When Akali awoke to consciousness, she realized that the Summoners were preparing for the upcoming match. She overslept! If she wasted any more minutes, then her opportunity Zed would slip by her fingers. She needed to fight that match against him to show him that she was no child, that she wasn’t a weak little girl, and that she wasn’t a waste of talent. She would show him.

Akali braced herself by the bedside, supporting her body with wobbly legs as though she were a newborn fawn. They must’ve drugged her or something, to put her under control and to help ease the pain. Though Akali didn’t have to worry about that for now. She vanished out of the room, despite the protests of a nurse telling her to stay put where she was. But Akali didn’t listen. She needed to interrupt the Summoners from proceeding with the match, though this was a particular day that was the most crowded and had a lot of spectators coming to the area to watch the Champions. What could she possibly do?

Her hope of getting a match with Zed seemed to dwindle. If she couldn’t fight him, then what? Thresh would be disappointed in her lack of initiative and she made a promise that she would fight him. Though Thresh was a crafty being that manipulated others, and Akali was certain that she was being manipulated for dark purposes, she still felt that she must do this. She had to find out about her mother. If she could mend some wrongs that she did…if she could fix the mistakes from the past…

Though she couldn’t fix Zed. There was something wrong with him, she felt, and it was her greatest regret that she let Zed go on the dark path that he did. Which eventually led to Zed ultimately killing Shen’s father. If Akali…stopped him somehow, if she did more to prevent it, maybe Shen wouldn’t have the emotional scars that he had. Or the scars that he bore on his body. Even though Akali loved Shen and his scars, thinking that he’s a warrior and a survivor, she still felt guilty for the X-shaped cross that dug into his chest from Zed’s blades. It was all because of her.

While Akali was reminiscing, Akali felt a hand upon her shoulder. Shen looked back at her with solemn yellow eyes. The look in his eyes was gentle, though Akali knew that Shen also bore concern towards her after hearing about the training incident from Kennen, most likely. She wondered if he would scold her again today for being careless, though before Akali could say anything, Shen wrapped his arms around her in a hug. Stunned, Akali lay dazed in his arms, taking his scent and warmth, before she slowly returned his embrace.

“Shouldn’t you be in bed resting?” Shen murmured as he released his grip on her, guiding her towards the Infirmary bed.

“I suppose…but the match,” Akali said, her temper evened down from nervousness and anxiety about the upcoming match. “I need to stop it.”

“You’re in no state to be fighting against Zed,” Shen chided. “I thought I told you that. Come on Akali. There are other opportunities. Besides, I did not ask you to fight in my stead against him.”

Akali flushed. He didn’t know the reason behind her actions and motivations, did he? The fact that she was the one to blame for the scar on his chest. “I’m doing this for you. After what he did…”

Shen’s eyes softened. “I didn’t want it to be at the expense of you, though. You will need to recover and regather your strength.”

Akali protested, yet Shen guided her back into the Infirmary where the other Summoners were fussing over her as though she were a fragile, delicate thing that couldn’t handle something as simple as an injury. Some Champions could keep on fighting when they died, even, like Sion, for example. Akali wondered if it was possible to acquire that unnatural fortitude through years of training. Of course, being human, Akali wasn’t undead like Sion, but still…that seemed like an interesting ability to keep in mind for her training. To push oneself beyond their limits and keep on fighting, no matter what.

“I will keep you company if you wish,” Shen said before Akali intertwined her fingers with his own.

Akali smiled.

“Certainly, Shen.”

They held hands with one another, with Shen sitting on one side of the Infirmary bed and Akali next to him. Akali wondered what she should say. She was angry with him earlier, that was true, but when Shen showed his unguarded moments like these around him, she fell in love with him again. He was so strong and sturdy and reliable. She admired that about him. His impeccable work ethic and devotion towards her were qualities that she loved about him. Akali rubbed her thumb against his, pondering what to say. How to say it. She wondered if she should even request this. She knew it was selfish, but she wanted that match. He didn’t approve of Thresh and the match, and Akali was defying Shen’s will like she defied her mother’s will.

“Shen, I wanted to talk to you.”

Shen looked down at her curiously. Akali took in a breath, wondering what she should say. She felt like a child again, though she revered Shen’s patience with her. When she finally decided on the words she wanted to say, Akali decided to go ahead. She needed to do this.

“I wanted to apologize,” Akali murmured as she flushed slightly and turned away from him. “For acting…childish. My temper got the best of me. But please understand, this match is important to me. I know what you had in stake against Zed, and I would gladly lend you my aid as the Pruning of the Tree to punish him and—”

Shen chuckled a bit, catching Akali by surprise. She watched him as the man quivered with laughter, and Akali frowned a bit. Was he laughing at her? She was being serious! However, when he looked at her, there was a tenderness in his eyes that said that he wasn’t laughing at her, but rather at how things came to be like this.

“I’m not seeking his punishment or revenge, Akali,” Shen said before his eyes softened once more. “What I care about and prioritize more is you.”

Akali squeezed Shen’s hand tighter against her own. She appreciated the thought of him, and suddenly her anger and reservations about him melted away. Shen sometimes did stuff like this, showing certain thoughtfulness and coolheadedness, keeping his calm, and figuring out the best solution. That’s probably the reason why he was known as the Eye of Twilight, after all. This rational man followed meditations and books as well as devoting himself to the ways of a warrior, fighting with his twin swords and bearing scars from countless battles across his battle-worn body.

“Thank you, Shen,” Akali said softly, smiling towards him, her head tilted up to look into his eyes. “I appreciate it. Everything that you do for me. For understanding my reasons.”

Shen nodded.

“I vowed that I would protect and take care of you, Akali. And that means knowing when there are ways I could compromise. I suppose that…I’ve been trying to coddle you too much. The Eye of Twilight isn’t supposed to be biased and is to be impartial, but when it comes to you…”

He released her hand and then folded his hands in his lap.

“It’s hard to keep neutral. But I don’t regret any of my decisions, Akali. I hope that you don’t regret choosing me. I want to work hard at keeping you, and I suppose this means that I should start viewing you as a grown-up rather than the young girl that I mentored.”

“It’s all right, Akali said. “I know that you’ve done these things out of my best interests. So once again, Shen—I apologize. For being selfish, for being unable to let go of the past.”

“Our pasts shape who we are,” Shen said, looking towards her with tenderness. “But it doesn’t have to define us. You are stronger than your past, Akali, and you will overcome the hardships that you’ve endured. I will be by your side to help shoulder them with you. Even if there’s another scar on my body, I would take another slashing from Zed if it meant making you happy.”

Akali rested her head against Shen’s chest, closing her eyes. “Thank you.”

“If you insist on fighting against Zed,” Shen said in contemplation. “I made arrangements with a certain Summoner to have you fight Zed against midlane rather than Syndra. However, I will also be accompanying you in the match, so I’ll be sure to lend my aid if something goes on.”

“You’re the best, Shen,” Akali said with a soft smile before she turned away and flushed prettily. She was starting to get tongue-tied from all the nice things that Shen is doing for her, and she wanted to express how much he meant to her. Even though he was concerned about her injuries, he knew that Akali would find a way to get into the match itself, so he found some countermeasures against that which would let her in the match but also allow Shen to freely monitor her while he was farming at top lane.

“That sounds like a compromise,” Akali said with a smile. “I’ll recover a little, then. I promise that I won’t over-exert myself.”

“Be prepared,” Shen said, before he planted a loving kiss on her lips, before untwining his hand from hers. “Must go. But I’m counting on you, Akali.”