Airborne

Summary: The Blue Peak snowboarding competition. Only the best, like national snowboarder Seto Kaiba, can win the grand prize. But with the arrival of a new, crimson eyed competitor…will more than just Seto's reputation change? SetoxYami AU

Notes: Enjoy! Sorry for the wait.

Disclaimer: Don't own anything except my keyboard!

CHAPTER THREE:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yami groaned, pushing his palms into the concrete and lifting himself up once more. This was the eleventh time he had fallen flat on his ass. Of course, this was the first time he had tried to skateboard in what, ten years?

Yami narrowed his eyes at his bruised and stinging hands, slightly bleeding on his fingertips. Ignoring the pain, he bent over and picked up his skateboard off the ground, flipping it over on wheels. Placing his right foot on the board, he gave a good lift off with his left and wheeled over to the stairs, leading back up to the top of the half pipe.

I am going to do this...if I can't nail this half pipe I can kiss my snowboarding dreams good bye! Yami gulped, positioning the skateboard over the edge of the half pipe. He looked down. Ah, shit…why'd I have to look down?

He shook his head, determination flowing in. Giving it all he was worth, Yami flooded his mind with memories of his childhood...shredding the poles...getting gravity-defying height on the pipes...full 360 degree circles...

Yami took a deep breath, and leaned forward...

For Yugi…

---------------------------------

Kaiba closed shut the door of the limousine. With sunglasses on, Seto looked over to the entire perimeter of the skateboard park, a setting sun in the distance. A cool chill filled the air, silent gusts of wind blowing every now and then.

He took a step forward, opening the gates to the public park.

As the walked through, the gates swung closed behind him, the loud sound of rattling metal echoed throughout the park.

Kaiba's ears twitched to the soothing sound of a wheels rolling on wood. Someone was here...someone was skateboarding...

Kaiba looked around. He walked up to where the large half pipe was located, confirming that the sound was being emitted from there. Kaiba stopped, a good distance from the half pipe to get a clear view of the person riding it...

He looked up...

A teen, by the looks of it, dressed in dark blue jeans, a gray sweatshirt, and a black helmet covering his head was skating down the half pipe...

Catching speed... Seto observed. He listed in his mind each and every move the individual was making. 180 Flip...backside tail slide...Why's he getting faster? Kaiba raised an eyebrow, lifting his hand up to remove the shades over his eyes. He wanted a better look at this individual...

Kaiba didn't expect what happened next.

The individual suddenly flew off the pipe.

Kaiba widened his eyes. Hovering above the pipe, the teenager was doing flips he couldn't name...it was a mysterious yet magical combination of ollies, hardflips, and mid-air pivots...so complicated yet done so...rhythmically...

Does he have experience? Kaiba thought.

Kaiba had to stop himself from dropping his jaw at the magnificent grace...

Within seconds the stranger was back on the pipe, nailing one more tailslide before rolling down at a slow speed...stopping at the base of the pipe. The stranger removed his helmet, adjusting his tri-colored spiked hair. Seto stared at the odd hair-do. Interesting...yet, fascinating. Seto thought. The stranger hopped off the pipe, landing on the concrete with his two feet. He reached down into a bag located on the ground, pulling out a water bottle.

Seto Kaiba walked toward the stranger.

Perhaps there was some competition in this city after all...

-----------------------------------

"Yes!" Yami shouted to himself, pulling off his helmet. He had a large grin plastered to his face as he hopped down off the pipe. "I've still got it." He said smoothly with a small smirk.

Yami reached down to the bag that contained his first-aid kit, just incase he was hurt badly. He lifted out a cold water bottle, twisting the cap open and hissing a little as the bottle pressed against the scratches on his palms. Ignoring the sting, Yami silently drank from the bottle, wiping the excess water off his mouth with his sleeve and tossing the bottle back into the bag.

Footsteps reached his ears.

Yami spun around to the sound, eyes wide. He hadn't expected anyone to show up, especially since night was about to fall. Besides, this skate park had been long abandoned since snowboarding moved in…

The footsteps stopped.

"Impressive stunt."

Yami's heart nearly stopped as a baritone voice rang in his ears. He looked up, and did a triple take.

Stunned crimson eyes met icy cobalt ones. Captivated, they trailed up to a stern yet handsome face, brunet bangs slightly moving with the wind.

The poster on his wall flashed through his mind.

It...It can't be...! Yami mentally stuttered.

There, standing in all his glory was the National Snowboarding Champion, Seto Kaiba. Winner of the Blue Peak Competition four years in a row, and the newest member to the Winter Olympics...the Seto Kaiba.

Yami could have died right then and there. Literally, and he would be happy. Sort of, at least. But instead of dying, Yami remembered he still had Yugi to fight for...

So he did the next best thing…

He fainted.

-------------------------------------

Cloudy crimson eyes opened. Closed. Opened. A moan escaped the boy's lips.

"What…?" Yami blinked his eyes, adjusting them to the light.

Blue walls filled his sight. Wait...blue walls? Yami sat up swiftly, instantly regretting it as his head pounded, nearly sending him into darkness again. He felt himself fall back toward the bed again…

Until two hands held him upright by his shoulders. Yami widened his eyes, startled as he flinched a little. He looked up, crimson gazing at icy blue.

"I suggest you don't do that again." Seto's deep voice spoke silently to him.

Yami was in a trance, eyes hypnotized…piercing into Seto's bright blue orbs. Everything else was detached from reality…and all Yami could feel were Seto's two, warm hands holding him upright. One on the base of his back, and one below left shoulder.

Yami suddenly became very stiff, fingers tensing as goose bumps rose on his skin.

Seto Kaiba seemed to raise an eyebrow as he felt the teen stiffen under his hold. He slowly slid his hands off of the younger male, letting them drop on the bed.

At the movement Yami snapped back to reality.

"I-I…" Yami seemed to murmur, shoulders making a small movement at the sudden lack of warmth. A slight pink blush tainted his cheeks. What the hell is wrong with me! Yami shook his head, fully kicking himself out of this tensed state.

Seto Kaiba could only stare as the younger tried to find his senses.

"I think it would be a good idea if you continue to sleep." Seto spoke. You act like you need it.

Yami froze. Sleep? He looked at his surroundings…a bed room. Seto Kaiba was standing next to him in his usual outfit he'd seen in the magazines and newspapers, and Yami was curled in sheets on a large bed.

"H-How long have I been here… sleeping? What time is it? Where am I?..." Yami asked, panic rising. He thought of his Grandpa back at home…Yugi in the hospital…

Seto raised a hand as to hush the younger one. Yami stopped rambling and looked up at him.

"One, you're at a hotel. You fainted when I met you at the skateboard park, so I brought you here." Seto explained, looking directly into crimson eyes. And completely ruined my plans of getting some air. He mentally remarked.

"Why?" Yami responded, pulling the covers off of him.

Seto extended a hand, grasping Yami's before he hopped out of bed.

"Because…I don't know who you are, or where you live. Also, I don't feel like dealing with security." Seto replied. Yami shut his gaping mouth, and snapped his hand away from Seto's.

"That doesn't mean you can just go and kidnap someone!" Yami retorted. "I've got a grandfather to get back to, and thanks to you he's probably worried sick!" Yami kicked the covers off with his feet, swinging his legs over and standing up. He swayed a little, but remained on two feet. His condition wasn't his main priority at the moment.

"I didn't kidnap you. You fainted. In front of me." Seto spoke, crossing his arms over his chest as he made his way around the bed toward Yami.

Yami stood there, slightly flushing at the thought of fainting in front of Seto Kaiba. He mentally slapped himself. God, I must've looked like a helpless fan freak. Yami thought for a moment. Which…I'm not, right? Yami spun around, looking Seto Kaiba right in the eye.

"Fine then, thank you." Yami said with a bow of the head. He turned around again, catching sight of his skateboard leaning against the wall. Leaning over, he picked it up and tucked it under his arm.

Seto's eyes flashed over to Yami, watching him lift the skateboard off the ground. The amazing image of the teen flying through the air filled his mind.

"Wait." Seto said a bit loudly, before the rebellious teen could leave the door. Yami stopped halfway before walking out.

"Yes?..." Yami said quietly, slightly turning his head to the side. He NEEDED to get home, as soon as possible. Grandpa is going to kill me…

Seto paused, taking in the full form of the teenager before him. Yami's right hand was pressed against the door frame, body leaning over a bit. His right foot was about to step out of the room, except with the delay it came gliding down to the floor in front of him. His head was tilted upward, as if trying to listen to what Seto had to say. Seto caught sight of the other's neck, tanned skin beneath the sweatshirt he was wearing. Yami's chest fell with every breath, a quickened pace than usual.

Inside Seto's mind and body flinched, but outside he was completely still. The teenager was rather….unique…in more ways than one.

"What's your name?" Seto said after finally dragging his eyes away from the other's body to his face. At the question, Yami fully turned around to face the snowboarder. He looked curiously at the elder, eyebrow lifting slightly.

"Yami." He answered smoothly. "Yami Mutou."

Yami…Seto repeated in his head. With a nod of the head, Seto turned around. His eyes glanced over his shoulder, but the unique teenager was already gone…footsteps racing down the hallway.

------------------------------------

Shit! Shit! Shit! This is BAD! Yami ran as quickly as he could out of the hotel, down the street and made his way to the nearest bus stop. While running, Yami lifted his gray sweatshirt from his wrist and looked at his watch. 10:04 PM. Grandpa's going to MURDER me! Yami screamed in his mind. He wiped the water falling from his eyes, the cold wind stinging and blinding him as he ran.

What the hell happened today? Yami asked himself. First, Seto Kaiba shows up as I'm at the park…then I wake up in his bedroom! Yami could feel the same warm hands holding …he just couldn't shake the feeling off…that feeling …

Yami grabbed onto the railing as the bus pulled up in front of him and opened the doors. Paying his toll and taking a seat, Yami chose to sit in the very back, away from the crowd.

He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Now what? Yami asked himself, opening his eyes clouded over with thought. He rested his elbows on his knees, hands running through his hair. Seto's definitely in this city for the… competition…in two weeks…

Oh shit….

Yami growled in frustration and kicked the back of the seat in front of him. Hard.

The slope couldn't get any steeper.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The last line is something I tend to say often now...it's another way of saying "Things can't possibly get worse."
Review for continuation! And thanks for everyone's support XD