Fear
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.
A/N: I was going through some of my older fics when I ran across Afraid of the Dark. That's when I remembered that a reviewer was asking for a fic that was sort of a prequel of it. So the idea came and went but here it is again so, I guess, enjoy the prequel of one of my first fics.
Why, why were they watching this? Five year old Tea hid her big blue eyes behind her hands as the creatures in the movie she and her parents were watching slaughter the poor innocent blonde victim. Biting back a scream, she wanted to prove that she was a big girl and could handle such a gruesome and gory film. Once the film had ended, once her parents laughs had died down, Tea looked up at her father. Usually, he would walk her to her bedroom and tuck her in bed, kiss her forehead and promise to protect her from the dangers of the outside world.
"Daddy?" Tea looked up at her father, her protector with big eyes as she hugged her teddy bear. She only hugged the bear when she was scared, much like a wubbie was to Yugi at school, (A/N: Movie Mr. Mom, a wubbie is a baby blanket). "Daddy, tuck me in bed?"
Her father, being a gentle soul, lifted his daughter on the couch, sitting her on his knee. "Now, Princess, remember the deal you and your mother made? You're supposed to be a big girl," he said, his heart pulling as he fought his urge to obey tradition. Tea's mother only nodded. Though she and the five year old did make the deal, she didn't want her daughter to be scared of everything and had therefore, had made an arrangement with her daughter. If Tea could go through a horror movie without screaming, she could go to bed without someone there.
Biting her lip, Tea just nodded as jumped down, her teddy's stomach starting to go flat with how hard and strong she was holding it. Listening to her parents talk, she slowly climbed the stairs, hoping her father would be right behind her to pick her up and carry her to bed. Though she did laugh, only when a monster wasn't popping out in front of the screen, she was still scared and the fact the lights weren't on only made things even worse for the five year old.
Pulling up the comforter and quilt, Tea looked straight up at the ceiling, watching as the tree branches shadows moved in the wind. "It's only a movie, it's only a movie, it's only a movie, it's only a movie."
-.-.-
Tea ran as the ball came flying towards her, picking up another ball and throwing it pitifully. PE was dodgeball, again, and she always got out because Joey or Tristan would catch her poorly thrown balls. Outside the school, a storm raged on, thunder rumbling in the sky as lightning flashed. Sitting on the bleachers, Tea watched the game, every once in a while, looked up at the flickering lights. She prayed that the lights wouldn't turn off, otherwise the monster would get her.
She didn't know that across the gym, a five year old Seto watched her. She had been kind of jumpy during school whenever the lights flickered but this was odd for her. It was usually Yugi who would jump, not Tea. She was supposed to be the one who was strong, always telling Yugi not to be scared. Looking up at the lights, he saw as lightning flashed brightly, thunder roaring very close to the school, the lights going out. Tea screamed at the top of her lungs as she flung herself from the bleachers to familiarity. She didn't know where she was going, who or what she was passing by, she just had to know that she was running away from the darkness.
Opening up the door to her classroom, she flew under seats and desks, hiding under her own. Tucked in the fetal position, she held her head, tears falling down her face. She didn't hear the door open until it closed loudly. Gasping, she looked up and looked up, cringing as the flashes of lightning showed feet as they walked closer and closer to her. Tucking her head under her arms, Tea prayed that whoever or whatever it was is just a figment of her imagination and that they would disappear soon. "Tea?" Looking up again, she saw the blue eyes of Seto. "What are you doing under here?"
She kept her mouth shut. Completely scared of whatever was in the dark, she just shook her head. "Are you scared?" She nodded furiously and backed up when he held his hand out. "Come on, I want to show you something." Taking his hand, she climbed out from under the desk and grabbed onto his arm. "Look ahead. You see that?" he asked, pointing at a tall thing in the corner of the room. Tea nodded and buried her head in his arm.
"It's a monster," she whispered. Seto looked at her with wide eyes. Something scared her. She was the fearless one in the class, second to him. He didn't even cringe when the tigers roared at him at the zoo when everyone backed up in fear. "It's a monster that will kill us."
His hand encircled around hers and held it tightly. "No, Tea, it's a coat holder. The teacher uses it to hold up her coat." Using his unoccupied arm, he wrapped his arm around Tea and looked back at the coat holder. "Look again, Tea." Once Tea's eyes looked back at the black mass, she knew he was right. Looking back up at him, her eyes slowly quit crying. "The only thing in the dark is what you see in the light." As he said that, all of the lights came back on. "Come on, let's get back to gym, I have yet to get out."
Walking down the hallway, hand in hand, Seto looked back at Tea. "You shouldn't be scared of the dark anymore." She nodded and giggled, a bright blush on her face as they entered the gym again.
As the coach looked grateful at Seto for bringing back Tea, the girl kissed Seto's cheek. "Thank you." Releasing his hand, she went to her friends, grabbing a dodgeball and throwing it at Joey, hitting him in the stomach.