Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh (if I did tea and Tristan wouldn't exist)

I also don't own pantomime horse costumes or friendship necklaces (actually I do own one half, but that's not the point)

*~unnoticed~*

Tea and Tristan simply were not smart.

They couldn't notice anything that wasn't pointed out to them; even then you'd have to use small words. Joey sighed, and he was supposed to be the thick one!

"I keep telling you he's fine Joey," tea told him whilst she was packing up her books "it took him a while but everyone's coping fine now."

"Uh yea, what she said!"

"Tea d'ya really think I'd be sayin' this if he wasn't ok?" Joey was trying to use small words, though it probably didn't make much difference, like most teenagers tea and Tristan's brains switched off at the sound of the school bell. "I think he needs some help"

Tea turned to him with an exasperated expression and was about to say something when Yugi ran up to them.

"Hey guys, what ya talking about?" he asked, his usual smile spread across his face, though if you looked closely you'd notice the smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

"Huh? Oh yea, the new cards are comin' out today!" Joey grinned, speaking of duel monsters, how long had it been since they'd had a duel? Three months? "How 'bout we have a duel later?"

"Oh err right…" Yugi's fake smile faded slightly "I've got some new combinations I was going to try…"

"Yea, yea I'm still gonna beat ya" Joey ruffled the younger teen's hair.

"Umm…I gotta go, grandpa won't be able to handle the new merchandise on his own!" Yugi ran off as quickly as before. Joey ran a hand thorough his own hair, feeling exhausted just watching Yugi run around like a hamster on caffeine*

"You comin' tea?"

"Uh…no not today-"

"Dance practice" Joey and Tristan said at the same time, rolling their eyes.

"Yup! Don't wanna be late!" she swung her bag over her shoulders and dashed off. Tristan and Joey watched her turn the corner before turning around and heading for the kame game shop.

"Now I know why we let her hang out with us." Tristan smirked; Joey raised his eyebrow at his friend's random comment.

"Hmmmm?"

"Uh…um…I mean…" Tristan stuttered he was clearly blushing.

"Come on loverboy!" Joey sniggered "we don't wan' ya ta go all soft on tea"

"I'm n- I don-" Tristan was having difficulty stringing two words together and his blush was as red as a slifer with sunburn, it was so blatantly obvious. The silence was only interrupted when they stepped inside the shop.

"Well hello boys, I'm afraid Yugi's not here yet so-" Yugi's grandpa greeted them

"Whaaa? Waddya mean?" Joey exclaimed "we saw him set off before us! He should be 'ere by now!"

"Oh well, maybe he got sidetracked, you know what he's like!" Solomon chuckled.

Solomon Mouto was too trusting.

If he wasn't so naïve to think Yugi had merely gotten sidetracked he would uncover a lot of unsavoury acts his grandson had committed. Everyone else was naïve enough to think someone had challenged Yugi to a duel or he was simply running late on such occasions… so naïve.

Innocent little Yugi Mouto would never break the law.

But Yugi wasn't so innocent anymore.

Around the corner from domino high, Yugi took out a needle from his pocket and injected himself in the arm. A sharp burst of pain was replaced by a blissed out feeling

"Ahhhh…" Yugi sighed as he closed his eyes contentedly "maybe…"

He had become accustomed to this particular drug, unlike the ones he had tried before; it relieved all of the pain the regular beatings gave him. Being beaten up gave him a sense of normality, in truth most things had returned to how they used to be before Atem left, well unless you count the screaming hordes of fangirls.

After the acid trip** he stood up from where he had fallen and brushed himself down. What would his friends think if they knew what he was doing? He smirked; they never did understand anything about him. If you asked anyone about Yugi they would say he was kind considerate and loyal, however he only acted that way because he was scared of being alone. Being alone like before he had friends. In those days even Joey would barely recognise him.

In middle school he slit his wrist so bad he had to go to hospital…twice. The scars are still there, even whiter than his already pale skin. Everyone stayed away from him since then, so no one even tried to look past his strange appearance, passing him off as a freak.

In the time it took to walk back to the game shop he formulated a plausible excuse. An expert liar and an even better actor concealed his despicable acts from his friends and family so they never asked. Everything was 'how was your day at school?' or 'have you done your homework?' lovely normal conversations, the type of questions that want sugar-coated answers.

"Yuge! Where the hell were ya?" Joey yelled as soon as Yugi opened the door, Yugi blushed.

"I hope I didn't keep you guys waiting!" he smiled a well practiced apologetic smile "those fan girls sure are determined!"

"Blimey Yuge! What did they do to ya? You're shakin' like a leaf!"

"Huh?" he was trembling all over ('damn! Why did the Side effects have to start now?' Yugi silently cursed) "did I mention the hordes of yaoi fangirls?"

Tristan and Joey shook their heads in sympathy and understanding. It wasn't a complete lie though, Yugi had been caught by an avid yaoi fangirl who wanted him to act out her fantasies (*shiver*).

They didn't suspect a thing….

But then neither did his teachers, or the media.

When he started wearing armbands no one batted an eyelid. When he started looking pale no one said anything. When he started showing up late for classes people dismissed it. When he started bringing in homework late no one noticed.

No one saw the fits, heard the nightmares, saw the scars or unravelled the lies. Joey had his suspicions but they were without evidence.

Yugi was slowly killing himself, by every means he could.

Smoking, drugs, alcoholism, self harm, practically asking bullies, poison, trying to get run over by speeding vehicles, hanging himself, starving himself or trying to find a seal of orichalcos, he'd done it all.

He just felt so empty and lonely inside, every night he could feel that space inside him. It was like his body was a pantomime horse costume*** and one of the actors was missing, leaving him to drag around the excess material. It was like one of those friendship necklaces that came in two parts**** together they made a heart, alone they just looked odd.

'I wonder if he can feel it too…'

* If you've ever had a hamster, times its energy level by 9000! (Lol just had to say that.)

** Idk what it is, I don't take drugs, and basically he saw some freaky hallucinations and stuff (oh don't do drugs (cuz atem says so) or any of the suicide methods I mentioned please)

*** You know what I mean, so Yugi is the back end of the horse costume and Atem is the head part (oh no he isn't! actually I'm not even gonna start on that)

**** so there are sets of two necklaces and the pendants on each of the necklaces form a heart when you put them together, (one half usually says 'best' and the other half says 'friends' or something like that) alone they still look ok but a bit wrong if you ask me, it looks like heartbreak or something.

Btw grandpa hasn't noticed because he's getting a bit old and his senses aren't what they used to be (plus Yugi's downright lying to him)

These are my opinions you don't have to accept them.

Reviews would be nice.