Rock Bottom: Season Zero

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At lunchtime, Seto was working on his homework for Monday in an empty classroom when he was interrupted by a granola bar being dropped on his calculus book. He glanced up, and Ryou offered him an apple as well, wearing an expression that told him he wasn't allowed to refuse it. He accepted it with a mumbled "thanks" and took a bite.

"Yugi told me what happened between you and Joey this morning," Ryou said before perching precariously on the back of the seat in front of Seto's desk, taking a bite of his own apple.

"What about it?" Seto asked defensively without looking up.

"He said you got hurt," Ryou answered calmly. "If you got hurt, you should see the nurse."

"I'm fine," he answered, and Ryou grunted in response.

"Would you tell me if you weren't?" he challenged, raising one eyebrow as he dared Seto to say yes.

"No."

"At least you're honest about it." Ryou didn't seem angry or upset by this. "But you know that it's safe to change your mind, right?"

Seto took another bite of his apple to avoid answering, and Ryou rolled his eyes.

"I've been asking Mokuba about... home life lately."

Seto looked up from his homework, trying not to let alarm register in his expression.

"He says that you told him he wasn't allowed to talk about it."

"Why does that matter?"

"Because you lied to me."

"About what?"

"Your mom. You told me she was sick. Mokuba told me the truth."

Seto grunted noncommittally as he went back to doing his homework.

"I get that you don't want to talk about it. That's okay. But don't lie to me again, alright?"

"Why does it matter if I do?" Actually, Seto loathed lying, but there were some lies that had become a necessity in his life: lies about his job to keep people from getting involved, lies about his mom to keep people from pitying him, daily white lies about being "fine" so that maybe one day it'd actually be true.

"Because friends don't lie to friends."

"We're friends?" Seto feigned indifference, but deep down, he liked the idea of having Ryou as a friend.

"I think I'm the best friend you've got, if I do say so myself."

After a few moments of silence, Seto glanced up at Ryou, blue eyes studying the other's face.

"You're doing it again."

"Doing what?" Ryou became confused.

"That's your mind-reading look." Seto scowled faintly. "I don't like people reading my mind."

This surprised Ryou into a light laugh as he realized that Seto had just kind of made a joke.

"Nobody can read your mind, Seto, but I'm flattered that you think I can."

~~~~~~~~~~

"Did you get a chance to talk to him?" Yugi asked as he panted alongside Ryou during gym class last period.

"Yeah, he said he's fine, but... I don't believe him," Ryou answered. He wasn't athletically inclined, and neither was Yugi, so they ran at about the same, comfortable pace as they completed their assigned laps. Seto was faster than both of them, and he never did anything halfway, so he was farther ahead, competing with Joey for the lead, even though it wasn't a race.