FXCK OFF (Yu-Gi-Oh Sports AU)

Friday 21st July, Entry 1.

This is it. This is Ryou's chance to prove himself. This is what he's been preparing for, sleepless nights of running drills in the garden, his absent parents not there to stop him. He's been training every second of every day and it's time he put those talents to good use.

Ushio doesn't know who he's messing with. Ryou will shove all his words down his smug throat. Or just break his teeth with the ball. That's always an option.

At least, that's what he thought would be the case sixty minutes ago, but these trials for the school's Under-Fourteen A-team next year aren't going to plan.

When he needs his skills most, nothing is working. There's only ten minutes left and he hasn't shown a single thing! People keep aiming the ball above him, but he's a winger - he needs the ball passes to his feet.

He's been in pain since the beginning of the match, too. He forgot to put his scar cream on this morning and the scars on his ankles are rubbing against his scratchy woollen socks. He's bleeding, he can see it coming through the sock. Ryou bends down and unties his laces. Maybe if he re-ties then looser, they won't hurt as much.

Just when he stands up, he feels a knee jar between his ribs. It knocks him sideways. He looks up to see Ushio sneering down at him.

"What's the problem, Grandpa?" Ushio always calls him 'Grandpa' on account of his white hair. Ryou glares at his evil smile.

"Leave me alone, you- you're Frankenstein!" Ryou growls as he pushes himself to his feet. Ryou knows Ushio isn't really ugly - he's just tall and mature-looking for his agev- but Ushio hates being called Frankenstein so he'll keep calling him it.

"Talk to me when you've actually touched the ball, Gramps," Ushio laughs as he runs past.

Ryou jogs back into his position of left winger. The sad thing is, for once Ushio has a point. Ryou has barely touched the ball this whole game! The gym teacher who runs the teams probably doesn't even know he's on the pitch.

Out of nothing, it happens. A chance!

The goalkeeper on Ryou's side kicks the ball forward. A huge kick and the ball hits the hard, dusty ground. It bounces so high that it shoots to the opposition defence!

Ryou sees what's going to happen before anyone else. Even through his hair. He dashes after the ball, too quick for any of the defenders to keep up with him. Latching his sight onto the ball, he steadies himself as he waits for it to drop. One sweet strike from his left foot. Then everyone will know who he is, alright. He could smash it on the half-volley but he lets the ball bounce to give himself that bit more time.

But just as he's about to drive the ball home, Ushio drives straight into him, knocking him to the ground. Ryou finds himself winded, lying on the dirt. His dream goal - ripped away from him.

"Get up, you diver," Ushio grabs Ryou by his collar and drags him to his feet.

"Get off me," Ryou spits through his teeth. He wants to knock the bully out but he's struggling to breathe. It feels like Ushio is inside his chest, strangling his lungs. The more he tries to gulp air, the more it hurts.

He sees the teacher approach and hand something red to a snarling Ushio. The blurred face swoops into his vision. "Bakura, are you alright?"

"I'm... fine," he wobbles to his feet, two pitches before his eyes now instead of one.

"I saw what happened, he's off," the teacher explains. Then she hands Ryou the ball.