Nothin' But Net [Active / Open]

[oldglory]

Characters: America, Lithuania, open to spectators
Content: Sports! AAAH! You'll be good at 'em!!
Where: the basketball court outside the cafeteria
When: Monday, early afternoon
Warnings: none

Comments

[letunityblossom]

Lithuania had decided that maybe a walk would be good. And it was a nice day out--warmer than it would be at home--so he took advantage of the weather by taking a walk outside. He'd since removed his jacket, though, leaving him in a t-shirt, and was mostly lost in thought, wondering just how he was going to get out of this mess. If Russia and America could only cooperate, things would go much more smoothly. But as it was America hadn't seemed to quite understand the gravity of the situation, and Russia was, well, Russia.

He was pulled back into reality by the sound of a basketball, first bouncing off of something and then rolling near enough to catch his attention. He blinked down at it and followed its trajectory back to the court, where he couldn't help smiling at America. Lithuania had always been fond of basketball.

"You dropped this," he said, picking up the ball and passing it back easily.

[oldglory]

America nearly went to get the ball himself, but noticing Lithuania saved him the trouble, and he cast his friend a smile that faded within a few seconds. "Thanks." He caught the pass just as easily, and dribbled on the spot a couple times, then turned on his heel and shot again from where he was. Two points.

Really oughta say something, he thought absently, as an aside to everything else on his mind. How are you, you like the weather, or maybe you were right-

The next shot didn't go through as cleanly, and he wound up not saying anything.

[letunityblossom]

Lithuania watched America sink his next shot, and by the time the one after was sailing through the air, had decided the normally outgoing country's silence was worrisome. Maybe America had realized just what sort of show he was on. If he had, this wasn't the time for an I told you so. Lithuania set his jacket on a nearby chair and darted forward before the basketball could return to the younger country.

"That shot wasn't your cleanest, are you getting rusty?" he asked, grinning just a bit wider than he might have been feeling, but hoping to get America's mind off of things for at least a little bit anyway.

[oldglory]

The taunt pulled America back to reality like opening a stuck drawer. "- am not," he protested belatedly, hands on his hips. "I was just -"

Thinking? Who'd believe that?

"- you threw me off," he finished.

[letunityblossom]

Lithuania smiled--it seemed to be working--and, turning, sunk his own shot.

"That's unfortunate," he said. "I guess you wouldn't be much good to play against, if I throw you off."

He caught the ball as it bounced back, dribbled it innocently enough, and turned to face America. His face was just as innocent as his posture.

[oldglory]

America just blinked at him at first, until he realized what Lithuania was getting at. He was here for a game? Did he even play basketball? Granted, it didn't matter; he'd sparked America's competitive spirit, and was in for a schooling either way.

Smirking, he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "In your dreams. Half court?"

[letunityblossom]

That was more like the America he knew. Grinning a bit now, Lithuania made his way over to the three-point line and tossed America the ball almost carelessly. This, hopefully, would get his own mind off things, too. And who knew when he would get the chance to have a decent game again, until the Olympics.

"That's fine," he replied, sounding quite cheerful.

Now to pretend we actually know things about basketball!

[oldglory]

America caught the ball, bounced it once, and caught it again, already feeling better now that he wasn't just shooting hoops by himself. There was just something about being around friends that could pick him up on its own.

"Alright," he said, and dribbled toward the basket. Casually for now, he was still kinda warming up; but at any rate, the game had started.

hooray bluffing!

[letunityblossom]

Lithuania suspected America didn't quite remember how the smaller country usually preformed in the Olympics. Rather than let this slow him down, though, he simply decided to use it to his advantage, darting in expertly and snatching the ball from America mid-dribble.

"You're better than this," Lithuania said, smiling as he circled around America to get at a better angle to the basket.

[oldglory]

"Hey!" America exclaimed as he suddenly lost control of the ball. That cleared the last of the fog from his concentration. Yeah, he was better than this, and if it was a serious game Lithuania wanted, by golly he would get one.

Light on his feet, he moved in close, keeping his body between Lithuania and the basket, and keeping an eye out for an opening. But he spotted one shortly, jabbed in and took advantage of it to get the ball back.

Already the closer one to the basket, he wasted no time quick-stepping back and underneath it, getting into position to shoot.

[letunityblossom]

This was much better. Lithuania was startled as the ball was removed from his control, but scrambled after the larger country, even though he knew America would probably get this shot, just based on their positions. That was okay, he could get the next one.

And he would get the next one. He wasn't going to let America win, after all.

[oldglory]

So America made the shot - two points for real this time - and passed the ball back to Lithuania. He was on defense now, and kept just far enough back that he could get in front of him whichever way he went.

[letunityblossom]

Lithuania was quick to react, darting right and then abruptly feinting to the left before attempting to circle around America and get to the basket. It felt good to just focus on this, and not on their situation. This was something he knew the rules to; Unreal seemed to be hiding the rule book.

[oldglory]

Unfortunately, America went for the feint, which gave Lithuania enough room to get around him. He tried to get back in a position where he could block the shot, but he'd need about a second more than he was going to get.

[letunityblossom]

Not about to let America get anywhere near that second, Lithuania surged forward to get at a preferable angle to the basket, sinking a two-point shot easily enough and, once the ball had bounced back, throwing it over to America with a grin that seemed almost too competitive for Lithuania. But this was basketball, so it was a different matter entirely.

[oldglory]

And this was the form of the game, for a while. Three-point line, move in, shoot, score, pass. And sometimes they blocked, or were blocked, but never excessively. To America's surprise, they were about evenly matched most of the way, neither one ever pulling more than two or three baskets ahead.

But more to the point, it felt like he was playing a defensive game, even when he was on offense. Straight back-and-forth basketball got tedious after a while, and whenever he got a couple points ahead, he took the opportunity to liven it up. His plays got bolder, his defense more up in the grill, and whenever he could make a spectacular slam dunk, you better believe he went for it.

40-38. He was two points down now, in possession... and with an itch to do something special. He moved in fast and intense, trying to get close enough to pull off a surefire flying hook shot, tie things up.