A/N: This is another attempt by me to mix in two elements, anime and sports. I know, some will argue that the two do not belong, but why not give it another shot? This one will be a little darker than heart of the hoops, and will contain only minor OCs who will have relatively little to do with the actual story. Some things I want to clear up before I get started.

The Yamis and the Hikaris all have their own bodies.

This is definitely AU, as about as AU as things can get.

Mokuba is about 14 years of age, Rebecca about 15. Serenity is about 18. Mai's age will be closer to that of the rest of the cast, at about 22 years old.

Everyone else is aged between 19-21 years.

You're still here? Well, I won't delay you with any more idle banter. Hope you enjoy the story.

Summer Burns, Winter Scars

Chapter One

Seto Kaiba walked into the locker room, his gym bag strapped comfortably across his shoulder. His cerulean eyes looked over the bulletin board, and he was instantly made aware of the task at hand. Life at Notre Dame University had its perks but it definitely had its share of pitfalls, including the school's expectations for its football program.

2005 Notre Dame University Football Schedule

Sept. 3: Wyoming

Sep. 15: Purdue

Sept. 30: Nebraska

Oct. 3: At Louisiana State

Oct. 15: At. Michigan

Oct. 21: Oklahoma State

Oct. 28: Pittsburg

Nov. 7: Navy

Nov. 13: At Tennessee

Nov. 21: Rutgers

Nov. 28: Boston College

Dec. 7: At Southern California

Yes indeed, life as a star football player was hard.

"Kaiba…ya here early."

The brunette whirled around to see one of his teammates standing behind him. The young man was several inches shorter than himself, and had tussled blonde hair. His dark brown eyes scanned over the board, and his face immediately turned into a frown. "Who schedules dis crap?"

"I don't know Wheeler. Why don't you make yourself useful and find out for us?"

Joey shot a death glare in the direction of his rival. The two came to the school in the same year to compete for the starting job at the quarterback position. Kaiba eventually won that battle, and the two did not get along very well by any means.

"Whaddya mean make myself useful?"

"Hmm...let's see. You don't understand, do you? Would it help if I went slower?"

The blond clenched his fists at his side, trying to hold back his temper. "You're pissin me off, Kaiba!"

Kaiba sneered at his teammate. "And that's supposed to scare me, puppy?"

The two continued to exchange words, and had it not been for one of their fellow teammates, they probably would have started to exchange fists.

"That's enough, you two. Coach has already had to kick five people off the team for senseless fighting already." The two rivals turned to see one of their other teammates, his arms folded across his chest. He wore black jeans with a tight-fitting black-T shirt, heat of the summer be damned. His hair was a spiked mess on his crown, comming in three different colors.

"Yami, dis moron Kaiba is makin' fun of me again!"

"If you weren't such a dimwit Wheeler, maybe you wouldn't be made fun of as much!"

Yami sighed. Two-a-days (A/N 1) haven't even started yet and they're already at each other's throats.

About one hour later...

Most of the team had arrived for what would be the start of their brutal training for the upcomming season. Not only would they have to deal with the heat, they would have to deal with each other, screaming coaches, and a playbook that was so large it was divided into three parts for the benefit ofthe players.

"Hey Yami, had any luck with Ishizu yet?" A young man with a surprisingly slender build for a star athlete spoke, doing his best to arrange his jet black hair so that his helment would fit on his head.

"Um...well, you see..." Yami had started blushing at the mere mention of her name, and he knew that the egging would continue.

"Oh come on, Duke! Leave him be already!" Another teammate cried from across the room while he adjusted his thigh pads.

"Leave him be, my foot! He's been trying to hook up with her since we got here in the first place!"

"Um, there is a difference between trying to hook up with her and just admiring her beauty." Yami put in, his blush getting deeper.

"Come on, dude! Just grow as set and ask her out!"

"You ever think that he just doesn't want to ask her out, mate?"

"Keep out of this, Varon!"

The young man who spoke with a thick Austrailian accent smirked as he put on his football gear.

"Man, she is hot...but dat Mai...whoa!" Whistles and clapping could be heard as Joey pointed out another one of the school's dance team members.

"You're right bro, she is smokin'! And what about that Tea chick? How does that song go? Her ass is a spaceship that I want to ride!"

Seto sat by his locker, reading the team's lengthy playbook. He shook his head at the comments made by his teammates, and dismissed them as common horndog chatter.

The room once again erupted in applause and laughter as Tristan continued to sing the song he had mentioned. Everyone was loose, carefree, and eager to get practice going. Well...almost everyone.

"Hey Kaiba, ya gotta date afta practice?"

Kaiba looked up from the playbook he was reading and glared at his arch nemesis. "If I do, is it any of your damn buisness, Wheeler?"

"Oooh, touchy! C'mon Kaiba, we know if anybody around here is gettin' some ladies, it's gotta be you!" Tristan added.

"I don't have time to live out perverted fantasies...or spy on the girl's dorms."

"HEY! How many times da I gotta say dat we weren't spying, we were visitin!" The room again burst with laughter as Joey attempted to defend his actions.

Kaiba smirked at the remark. "Yeah, hiding in a tree near by the bathroom is a great way to visit someone, Wheeler."

Joey and Kaiba again exchanged some heated remarks and had to be restrained by their teammates once again.

"The Wheeler boy does have a point, Kaiba. I'm interested as to how many conquests you have claimed recently." This comment came from a pale-skinned boy sitting in the corner of the room, his snow white hair setting him apart from most of his peers.

"Quiet, Bakura. My lovelife is none of your damn buisness either."

The albino simply chuckled at the retort, and went back to his locker.

Truth be told, Seto Kaiba didn't really have that much of a lovelife. Not much of a social life either. He spent most of his time playing football and managing the rather large inheritance left to him by his stepfather. Any other time was spent on helping his younger brother Mokuba work his way through school and actually going to class himself. There was no time for women...especially the one he actually had his eyes on earlier that day...

Hmmm...I wonder what the pairing is! Love it? Hate it? Think I should burn in the depths of hell for writing it? Let me know! If I get some encouraging reviews, I'll probably continue. Oh...for all you non-football experts, I can easily help you find a list of some of the rules, and I promise to do my best not to put in to many details about the game. Well... that's it.

A/N #1: Two a days means just what it says, a team practices twice a day. Usually those might be one in the morning and another in the evening.

See ya!

BDB...out