Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Nightmare ❯ Basketball ( Chapter 2 )

(Many thanks to BBTT!! I shall not go back and fix the past two chapters, but, from here on out, Noa shall call Goza-san Chichiue!! Even better, BBTT is the first to review!! *hands BBTT a plushie* You decide who. Now, on to the ficcy!!)

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Mokuba is playing in his room. Seto and I are watching each other from across the living room. Chichiue is upstairs, working. "You know what?" Seto says suddenly.

"What?" I give him an annoyed look.

"This is boring."

"Duh."

"How do you stand this place?"

"Why do you think I was outside yesterday?"

"Humph. I'm not a mind reader, you know."

"Good. I was getting worried for a second there."

Seto stands suddenly. "Let's go."

"Huh?" I give him a blank look.

"Let's go, outside. Do you have a backyard in the place?"

"I'm not allowed outside." I grumble.

"Hasn't stopped you in the past." He walks over and tugs on my arm. "Come on. I wanna see the backyard. If Gozaburo-sama asks, you were showing me around."

"Fine." I stand and lead him into the kitchen.

The cook looks over at us as I reach to open the door. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Kaiba-kun."

I turn to glare at her. "Why not?"

The woman swallows. "Kaiba-sama said that if he finds out that any of us know when you're outside, he'll fire us."

"Then you'd better hope he doesn't find out you know I'm outside." I reply coldly, then open the door. "Come on, Seto-kun." I grumble, walking out.

Seto shrugs to the woman, then follows me out. He gapes at the tennis court, the pool, and the giant garage. "Wow..."

I smirk. "Can you play tennis?"

"I have an idea..." Seto glances at me suspiciously. "Why?"

"You said you were bored. Let's play tennis." I suggest, heading over to the shed with the tennis stuff in it. I open the door to the shed and feel Seto looking over my shoulder at all the sport stuff inside. "Like?" I inquire.

"Do you have a basketball court here too?" He inquires, picking up the basketball near the door.

"Yeah. It's on the other side of the garage." I shrug.

"How about we play basketball, instead?"

"It's right under Chichiue's study."

"So?" Seto smirks. "Scared?"

I glare at him, then grab the ball. "You're on." I slam the shed's door and lead Seto to the court. I've always hated basketball. I'm shorter than most of my classmates, so I'm horrid at it in school. Since Seto and I are the same height, this should be better. "Pick an end."

"No way. I hate one-on-one. Let's just toss the ball. Court's too long, anyway."

"Wimp." I grumble, then turn around and toss the ball. It hits the rim and bounces back.

Seto snickers and grabs the ball. "Who taught you how to throw a ball?"

"My gym teacher." I grumble, glaring at him.

"That's pathetic. You would think a gym teacher could at least try and teach you to be better!"

"You make it in, then!" I cry, frustrated.

Seto rolls his eyes and tosses the ball effortlessly. It goes in with a swish of the net. I gape at him. "My otosan taught me how to play before he died." Seto explains, going to get the ball. "And my technique improved at the orphanage."

"Can you teach me?" I ask, still slightly shocked.

"Will you teach me how to fight?" Seto returns.

"Not by myself, but we can go meat my friends tomorrow."

"Tell you what. We'll switch off. One day I'll help you with basketball, the next day you and your friends will help me with fighting." Seto suggests, dribbling the ball deftly.

"Except on weekends." I warn.

"Why not on weekends?" Seto frowns.

"Chichiue stays home on the weekends. He'll want us to stay with him." I explain, making a face.

Seto smiles. "Works for me." He hands me the ball. "Here. Shoot again. We'll work on your throwing first." I do as I'm told, and miss again. Seto catches the ball as it bounces back. "Throw with your hand, not your whole arm. Only move your wrist."

I make a face and try it like he says. I miss again. "That was a lot of help, Seto." I grumble, going to get the ball.

"It might help if you aim." Seto points out drily.

"Very funny." I grumble, getting back into position and narrowing my eyes at the net. ~Aim, huh? Never tried that before!~ I snicker to myself, then throw the ball the way Seto instructed. It goes in. "Alright!" I punch the air.

Seto laughs as he goes to collect the ball. "One might think that's the first time you've ever gotten the ball into the net."

"Fourth, actually." I reply, taking the ball from him.

Seto gapes at me. "Fourth?!"

I smile dimly. "You saw how I threw. No one picks me in gym, because I can't throw to save my life."

"Ra...." Seto shakes his head. "That's sad. And I thought I was bad at basketball!"

I gape at him. "What make you think you're bad?!"

"I'm horrid when I'm actually playing." Seto shrugs. "Just throwing the ball is fine."

"That's why you turned down playing one-on-one." I nodded. "I get it."

Seto shrugged. "I'm bad under pressure. What can I say."

"You're gonna hate it here." I inform him drily. "You're always under pressure."

"Heh. I blame it on you for bringing me here."

"Joy..." I roll my eyes, then turn back to the basket. I gasp and let the ball drop from my hands. "Chichiue!"

Seto turns around sharply to look at Chichiue. "Uh, konnichi wa, Gozaburo-sama..." He mumbles.

"Having fun?" Chichiue inquires.

"Yeah..." I blink at him.

"Here, toss me the ball." He orders me. I do so. He turns to Seto. "Noa-chan's right, you are under a lot of pressure here." Then he looks back at me. "You know you're not supposed to be back here."

"Gozaburo-sama, that's my fault, actually." Seto says quickly. Chichiue looks back at him. "Noa told me that he wasn't allowed back here, but I insisted. I'm sorry."

Chichiue makes a face at the other boy. "Why'd you drag him out here, anyway?" My father inquires.

"I got bored. Staring at Noa across the living room isn't my idea of a fun afternoon." Seto replies darkly.

Chichiue narrows his eyes. "Watch your tone of voice." He warns. "And I really don't care how bored you get. You're not allowed outside. It's dangerous."

"How is it dangerous?! We're surrounded by a fence, and there are people just inside!" Seto complains. "It's not like no one will notice we're gone!"

Chichiue grabs Seto's chin and forces him to look up at him. "You. Are. Not. Allowed. Outside. Do I make myself clear?" He said coldly.

"Perfectly." Seto pulls away. "But that's not going to make me listen to you. You're not my father."

There's a `CRACK!' as Chichiue's hand goes across Seto's face hard. Seto goes down. I run over and get between my father and my new friend. "Chichiue, yamero!" I cry. "Don't hurt Seto!"

Chichiue gives me a death glare. "Both of you better be in the house in ten seconds." He warns. "Ichi... Ni..."

I help Seto up. "Come on." I mumble, then lead him back to the house. "You shouldn't talk back to him." I point out drily as we get back inside.

"It's stupid. He has all these guards and more security than anyone could imagine, yet he won't let two kids go play in the yard. What is he so afraid of?" Seto complains.

"I don't know, Seto. I decided a long time ago that he was seriously dense." I tell my friend.

Seto snickers. "How does he run Kaiba Corp?"

I smirk. "I don't know. I guess it's because his employees are terrified off him."

"What's to be afraid of? He's just a stupid ass who slaps little kids. More like a wimp, if you ask me."

"I'm a wimp, am I?" Chichiue asks from behind us. We both jump and turn around slowly to look at him. "Do I need to teach you a lesson, Seto?" He inquires mildly.

My eyes widen. I've been through enough of his `lessons' to know Seto didn't want to learn any. "Chichiue, onegai! Let him be!" I plead. "It's Seto's first day here!"

Chichiue gives me a grave look, then looks over at Seto. "I'll let it slide today, but, be warned, you'd better clean up your act by tomorrow." Then he spins around and stalks off.

I let out a sigh of relief. "That was close."

Seto makes a face. "Lesson?"

"Just, believe me when I tell you, you don't want to have any lessons." I sigh, rubbing my forehead. "Try and avoid them, even if it means begging."

"Wait, begging? What's so bad about these lessons? Noa, what aren't you telling me?" Seto asks, frowning.

I shake my head. "Trust me on this, and don't ask questions, please." I walk over to a chair and slump down into it.

Seto purses his lips. "Are lessons worst than getting slapped?" He asks, sitting on the arm of the chair.

"Don't sit on the arm." I say automatically. Seto gets off and sits in the chair next to me. "And, yeah. Chichiue's lessons are worse than getting slapped."

"How much worse?"

"Didn't I say not to ask me questions?" I glare at him.

"I'm going deaf in one ear, and can't hear out the other. You'll have to speak up." Seto says with a dry smile. "Are lessons worse that getting beat up with bullies?"

I shiver, remembering a past lesson. "I wouldn't know. I've never been beaten up before."

"Fine. Worse than what you did to Chilo?" Seto asks, giving me a look. I shiver again. "Noa?"

"Yeah." I croak. "It's worse than what I did to Chilo. One hell of a lot worse."

"What's wrong?" Seto frowns.

I shake my head sharply. "Nothing."

"You're a bad liar."

"Let it go."

"Noa, what is it?"

"Seto, let it go!" I glare at him.

Seto holds his hands up in defeat. "Whoa! Don't jump down my throat!"

"Gomen..." I hang my head.

"Noa, why won't you talk to me? Anyone with eyes could see something's bothering you." Seto says softly.

"Dinner!" Cook calls then.

I sigh thankfully and stand. "Come on. Chichiue expects us to wash our hands before we eat."

"That man is nuts." Seto grumbles, following me to the bathroom.

"Be careful what you say." I warn. "I may not be able to get you out of trouble next time."

Seto sighs. "Right...."

~~~

A/N: WHOA! That was not only a deep chapter, it was also the longest chapter so far!

Basketball!! Where did I get THAT idea?! Probably from a Seto/Honda fic I was reading yesterday. Seto-chan and Honda were playing basketball in the backyard. It makes you think. What was Seto-chan's real otosan like? I decided he liked basketball, so taught it to his eldest. Noa-chan doesn't know how to play, `cause there was never anyone to teach him.

I'm not to fond of Gozaburo, can't you tell? I don't know of a person who is. Wait until we meet him in the Noa Arc!! The man gives me the spooks!! *shivers* I killed him off in SP, but he came back in KB... *grumbles about characters who don't know how to die*

So, anyone wanna guess what a `lesson' holds? I tell you this, it ain't pretty, and I'm gonna move the rating up to R now, instead of the PG-13 it's been hanging on, due to this issue. It's a fairly well known fact that Gozaburo abused Seto-chan. Think along those lines. And, if you've read SP, you'll probably already know... *shivers again and hides from raving fans* HEY!! SETO-CHAN AND NOA-CHAN ARE MY TWO MOST FAV CHARAS!! DON'T KILL ME!!

~KK