Two of my friends thought Hanaski was looking up to Yugi by wanting to be like him lol. Guys, Hanaski and Yugi are best friends/peers. One is not looking up to the other. They're about the same size and their friendship is not like Jaden and Syrus. Hanaski just wishes he was like Yugi out of slight jealousy. It's nothing like looking up to someone. I mean, friends will sometimes envy the other and wish to be like them. Even Yugi looks at Yami like that sometimes in the manga (like around Battle City I think). I hope you get the idea. Review please!
Atem didn't trust the thugs would be gone for long. He needed Hanaski in safety, so those thugs wouldn't think of anything sneaky. Hanaski stayed at Atem's place to make some models of Zombire with Yugi. Atem normally wouldn't allow this, fearing that Joey might come over, but he made an exception for this day. They were making a collection of models with the garadge kits, hot glue, and spray paint.
The boys had fun laughing and playing along while making the models. Uka thought this little scene was so cute, but strange. She was wondering the whole time why Atem was getting involved with Zombire and when did he get into American Comic books. Atem claimed that he wasn't into American Comic books, but Hanaski was. It was something they did together as friends.
Yugi held up his model that was just made and needed spray paint. He grinned and giggled while getting out the can of spray paint. He pressed the tip-top white part where it was supposed to spray, but nothing came, just air and splatters.
"Uh oh, looks like we're out," Hanaski said with a casual smile. "I got some more at the house."
"Ok," Yugi nodded before him and Hanaski ran off downstairs and out the door. He was so busy wanting to get the spray paint, he forgot to mention to his mom and grandpa where him and Hanaski were going to be.
The two boys ran with their hands held. It was getting dark and the sun was going down. By the time the boys made it to the house, it was already passed nine. The boys faced the front of the house. Hanaski led Yugi to the side of the house.
"Why are we here? Don't we go inside through the front?" Yugi asked.
"Yes, but my parents are probably sleeping right now. Most likely Mom. I don't wanna disturb her right now," Hanaski explained before climbing on a climbable tree with low limbs. "We can climb from here. My parents know I'm not the type to sneak out, so they don't cut this tree down."
Yugi followed his friend and climbed up the tree that led the boys to the bedroom where more spray paint was located. After the boys made it, Hanaski climbed through the desk by the window they were climbing over, and then dug into the drawer to find another can of spray paint. While looking throught the drawer, Yugi spotted something.
"Hanaski look," Yugi pointed to a small rock with a note wrapped in it. He knew Hanaski's window was broken due to the time when Atem threw his puzzle through that window. Mrs. Tomoya never had the money to fix the window. So, when it rained, Hanaski just placed plastic over the broken window.
Hanaski got out the can and gave it to Yugi before unwrapping the note. He gasped and eyes widened. He looked up at Yugi in horror before staring at the note again.
"What is it? What happened?" Yugi asked in concern.
"Take a look at this," Hanaski muttered. It was a note read "We have your friend." On the bottom right hand corner was a poorly drawn Yugi, mostly showing spiky black hair, pouring tears and a talk bubble that read "HELP!" with two onomatopoeia words reading "waah" on each side of the picture. Yugi rose his eyebrows while Atem stared in horror. "But how can they have you if you're right here?"
Yugi changed to Atem and he replied, "because those thugs are leading you into their trap."
"Whew, good thing I was at your house," Hanaski grinned while rubbing the back of his neck. He dug into his drawer again to grab another spray can. "Anyways, we better go downstairs and let Dad know I'm okay just in case he finds this."
"Good idea," Atem agreed as the boys walked out the door and heard the front door slam shut. It made the boys jump. Not only that, they froze after hearing the door slam shut. Hanaski held fear in his eyes.
"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" Hanaski cried, tears streaming down his cheeks. He knew what had just happened. Mrs. Tomoya ran up the stairs with frightened red eyes. She grabbed her son who was dead scared.
"Hanaski!" Mrs. Tomoya cried. "My baby! Are you okay?"
"Where's Dad?" Hanaski asked sobbing. He clutched his mother's arms. "Please tell me Dad isn't looking for me!"
"Hanaski," Mrs. Tomoya muttered as a few tears leaked from her eyes. Atem sighed deeply while placing his right hand, with the index finger and thumb touching, on his forehead. He slowly shook his head.
"It's those thugs. They were at Domino High too," Atem said.
"What do you mean?" Mrs. Tomoya asked.
"Your husband bartered some thugs last night to pretend fight, making Hanaski seem like he could beat up any thug in town. On top of that, he informed them Hanaski's name and where he went to school," Atem informed the mother. She sighed sadly while covering her face with two hands.
"Oh my gosh. I knew this was going to happen," Mrs. Tomoya muttered. She looked at her son and his friend. "Hanaski, Yugi, there's something I should've told you, especially you Hanaski. When you were born, you never cried."
"What do you mean?" Hanaski asked confusingly.
"When babies are first born, the doctor cuts their umbilical cord and the baby cries to show signs of breathing," Atem explained. "If a baby isn't crying, it means they're not breathing."
"You were hospitalized, Hanaski. The doctors said your body was so weak that you wouldn't live over three years old. We did therapy and everything to make sure you grew stronger. Your father and I did whatever it took to keep you strong, so you could live. As you got older, your body became strong enough to live for a normal amount of years. Your father had to sacrifice everything, even working in America, so we would have the money to do therapy or surgery, in case it was needed, to keep you healthy and strong," Mrs. Hanaski admitted with every bit of truth in her words. Hanaski was so shocked and yet knew somehow that there was something physically wrong with him. "So far, you seemed to be doing okay. Your father was always wanting to make you stronger. That's why he gives you all those Zombire models and why he did that. He just wants to make you happy in case these would be the last years of your life."
"So he risked his son's endangerment just to keep him happy?" Atem asked rhetorically.
"He's not perfect, but he does try. I can't really say he's made every decision the right choice. I know you must be furious with him, Yugi," Mrs. Tomoya said, as if she could read him like a book. Though, she could see it since Atem's expressions were mostly grim and Mrs. Tomoya had rarely seen Atem's side instead of Yugi.
"Mrs. Tomoya, we need to get your husband away from those thugs. I don't care if you have to call the police," Atem demanded with seriousness to his tone. "Hanaski and I are going after him. I think it would be best that you come along for the ride."
Mrs. Tomoya nodded as the trio left outside. Atem spotted a motorcycle and stared at Hanaski with question.
"That's Dad's. He never lets me ride with him," Hanaski shrugged. Atem smirked in response.
"You might not have the keys to this baby, do you?" Atem asked as the mother nodded and threw the keys.
"Be careful!" Hanaski's mother warned Atem as he opened up the backseat and put on the helmet that was inside.
"Can I ride too?" Hanaski begged with a grin. Atem looked at the mom with one brow rose.
"How long have you been riding those things?" Mrs. Tomoya asked.
"Since middle school," Atem replied with a smirk.
"Fine," the mother sighed while rolling her eyes. She figured Yugi would keep her son safe and sound while riding the motorcycle. Mrs. Tomoya had never seen Yugi ride a motorcycle, but heard he did and was good at it. Hanaski had every right to live a normal life and be free, even riding a motocycle.
The mother had a car to drive. She followed Atem in her car. Atem was riding in the night with Hanaski hanging on in the back. He was laughing while riding the fast bike. The wind blew on the boys' faces as the motorcycle kept driving faster and faster. Though, Atem was careful not to drive too fast or the bike would knock over.
Luckily, the location of the thugs were addressed on the note sent to them out the window. Atem stopped his bike and spotted the thugs waiting in a secluded spot. There were three this time and the two other thugs weren't there. Atem knew the two thugs were part of a gang and probably used the advantage of numbers to move the father on one location and Hanaski to another. This was where the thugs expected to capture Hanaski.
"What should we do?" Hanaski asked in a whisper.
"Stay with your mother," Atem smirked while eying his friend. Hanaski rose his eyebrows, but did what Atem said.
Hanaski got off the motorcycle and ran by his mother's car before Atem drove his motorcycle toward the thug trio. They turned their heads and gasped as the headlight from the motorcycle blinded them and Atem elbowed one thug in the jaw, knocking him cold. His bike made a turn and the two thugs faced the biker boy with anger. Atem smirked as he snatched one guy and knocked him against the tree with the speed that was driven. He was also knocked cold.
Atem finally came to a stop, leaned the motorcycle against the tree, and then grabbed the last thug by the throat before slamming him against the three.
"Now, you will tell me where Mr. Tomoya is headed!" Atem threatened with a deep hatred in his eyes.
"Why should I tell you?" the remaining thug asked. Atem tightened his grip held against the thug's throat.
"You... really don't have room to talk, now do ya?" Atem smirked deviously. He put his lips next to the thug's ear. "Now, I ask you again. Where's Mr. Tomoya?"
"Fa... i... fine," the thug gasped while trying to grasp for air. Atem loosened his grip on the throat. "He's located... at the alleyway... behind the old warehouse."
"Thanks," Atem smirked after letting go of the thug. "I'll let you go, for now."
Atem rushed back over to Hanaski and his mother. She was very shocked seeing Yugi handling those guys so roughly. He was always calm and gentle, never rough. Little did the woman know, Yugi was not the one handling the thugs. Hanaski seemed not surprised by this, but wanted to stay out of it. Atem hopped on his bike with Hanaski in the back.
"I know where he is!" Atem said before driving off to the location specifically given to him.
Atem drove through the streets and stopped near the alleyway where Mrs. Tomoya could park since the location was at an alley. Atem drove slowly through the walkway with Mrs. Tomoya behind the boys. She was very fearful. Atem stopped and turned his head toward the woman.
"Call the cops. We'll see if we can find Hanaski's dad and perhaps distract those thugs," Atem said as the woman nodded, not being sure why she was agreeing to let her son and his friend go in the midst of danger.
Atem drove off with Hanaski on the back end. He made it to the other secluded location where five thugs and Mr. Tomoya were located. Two of them were the same ones that Atem saw earlier at school. He narrowed his eyes and flashed his headlight at the gang with Mr. Tomoya in front of the thugs.
"Well, look who we got here!" The leader smirked with his hand over his face to prevent blindness from the light.
"Release Hanaski's father at once!" Atem demanded.
"Well, looks like someone doesn't want us to know your identity, but by the voice, I'd say you're Hanaski's little bastard," the first thug smirked evilly.
"Hanaski," Atem whispered. Hanaski rose his eyebrows. "I need you to make a maze on the roof of the warehouse using the spray can you packed in your bag. I'm going to challenge these guys to a game."
Hanaski smiled and nodded before jumping off the bike and running to the abandoned warehouse. He climbed up the fire escape to get to the roof faster. Atem smirked before his bike drove down the stairs in the middle of the gang, and than snatched up Mr. Tomoya.
"HEY!" The leader glared annoyingly. "GET THEM!"
The five thugs ran after Atem who drove into the warehouse before hopping off the motorcycle with the father running behind him up the steps. He father didn't care that Atem was driving his motorcycle. There was only one thing on his mind.
"Where's Hanaski?" Mr. Tomoya asked.
"He's safe!" Atem replied without looking at the man.
Atem kept running and running up the stairs to lead the boys into a trap. A smirk appeared on his lips as he made it to the door that led him to the roof. As soon as Atem made it, Hanaski was close to being done with the maze. He saw Atem and he smirked, giving a nod. Mr. Tomoya gasped, fearing his son would get hurt by the gang.
"Hanaski!" Mr. Tomoya shouted before the gang caught up behind the two.
"Time to go," Atem said before dragging the father to the fire escape. He got a match, scratched it against the matchbox, and then waited for the thugs to step into the maze before dropping the lighted match on the surface of the paint.
Before the thugs could catch up to the trio, a maze of fire surrounded them. They screamed and jumped up and down. One of them had his shoe on fire.
"WHAT THE HELL?" the second thug gasped with widened eyes.
"If you wanna get to us, you'll have to go through the maze," Atem smirked. He turned his head to Hanaski, sticking out this thumb. "Nice job!"
Hanaski grinned in excitement. He was joyful that he could help Atem fight the bad guys for once. The three males walked quickly down the fire escape as the police arrived to arrest the thugs. Mrs. Tomoya hugged her husband and explained to him that Hanaski was never in any danger. Mr. Tomoya was relieved that his son was safe and sound. He turned to Atem who seemed pretty upset. Probably from the thugs.
"Thank you so much. You don't know how much..." Mr. Tomoya thanked before Atem completely blew up in his face.
"DON'T GIVE ME THAT! IT WAS YOUR FAULT FOR BARTERING THOSE MOTHER F***ERS IN THE FIRST PLACE!" Atem screamed at the dad. Hanaski backed up, knowing that his friend had the worst temper yet. "I don't care if Hanaski has some sort of physical disability or not! Don't you know what kind of danger you put your son... no my pal in? That's just completely bizarre and stupid beyond comparison! Those thugs knew where Hanaski lived and went to school! That signals a red flag for kidnapping!"
"I... I..." Mr. Tomoya muttered. He knew Yugi, or Atem, was right. That was stupid.
"What really pisses me off is that you had them pretend that Hanaski could beat them up," Atem glared with his thumb and two first fingers on each side his forehead while closing his eyes. He opened his glaring eyes. "You can't even see how strong your son really is."
"Listen, I know my son is strong, but..."
"No, you don't or you wouldn't be pulling that shit!" Atem said straightly. "Did you know Hanaski saved me from a gang that threatened to kill my grandfather and rape my mother? If it wasn't for him, I'd be dead."
Mrs. Tomoya gasped, including her husband. Neither of them knew about this information.
"Hanaski, you never told me that," Mrs. Tomoya said with a hint of amazement.
"I... didn't wanna worry you," Hanaski admitted. "Remember when Yugi threw his puzzle out the window?" His mother nodded, before getting the idea. "That's... when it happened."
"I thought you two were just having a feud. Do you know how dangerous it was to be involved..." Mrs. Tomoya glared with a hint of worry before seeing Atem's longing look toward Hanaski.
"He's my hero and always will be," Atem said calmly for once. "He's the strongest person I know and not by his brutality, but by what he did up on the roof and what he did to save me from that gang."
"Son... I had no idea. That was really brave of what you did," Mr. Tomoya said in amazement. Hanaski stared at the ground. "Listen, I'm sorry for putting you in danger like this and I'm sorry for not seeing your true strength either. Even your friend knows your strength more than I do."
"Please. No more bartering or hiring people to fake fights?" Hanaski asked. He smiled and looked up at Atem. "Besides, I know now that I don't have to be strong and know how to fight to be a hero. I like just hanging with Yugi and playing with him. Fighting is just too scary."
"There's the Hanaski I know and love," Atem grinned teasingly before giving Hanaski a tight squeezing hug.
"Let's just go home before I die from lack of breathing," Hanaski said hoarsely as Atem released his friend.
Atem changed to Yugi and him and Hanaski ran back to the house happily. Atem also had to explain to his worried mother that he was with Hanaski. Another week of grounding.