Author: Crystal the Demon-Touched

Title: After the Beep

Summary: Yuugi-angst. Yuugi feels alone, bla, bla, bla. The usual with an unusual theme. YYxY (kind of but not really) YyxS (mentioned)

Warnings: self-mutilation, suicide, shonen-ai

Disclaimer: Me no own

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Aibou. Hikari. Yuugi. The names of the slender boy filled his head. So many names, yet he didn't even know who he was anymore. And he wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Ever since Yami had gained a body of his own, Yuugi had felt out of the loop. Yami had only needed him as a vessel, and now that that task was completed, he was no longer of service to the pharaoh.

His friends had liked him because of his upbeat personality and his picturesque innocence, but Yami was him, and Yami could give them something better. Yami could give them protection. Yami could give them strength. Whereas Yuugi . . . was usually the one needing protection.

It hadn't helped that Yami had begun to go out with Seto, the gorgeous CEO having admitted his feelings for the former king several months ago. Whenever Yuugi was in the same room as those two, Seto would go out of his way to show off his relationship with Yami, all the while glaring at Yuugi out of the corner of his eye.

A little over two weeks ago, Yami had found Yuugi on the floor of his room, crying, after having returned from a date with Seto. Yuugi's hands had been nervously twitching around the puzzle, as if threatening to break it. Yuugi had passed out as soon as Yami had removed the puzzle from his hands.

When Yami had questioned the light the next day about it, Yuugi claimed to have no memory of the situation.

But he remembered. He remembered the call on his phone a scant ten minutes before Seto picked Yami up for their date. He remembered the silky voice of the CEO on the other line. He remembered wondering if that was the voice a murderer used before killing someone. He remembered Seto telling him to stay away from Yami, that he'd seen through Yuugi's facade. That he knew Yuugi liked Yami.

And he remembered, he remembered wanting to rip up the puzzle, do away with all the problems it had caused. After that, Yuugi never wore color again.

No one knew, but Yuugi kept a small blade under his bed. He became somehow more alive when he caused himself pain. Somehow, it made the world seem less important, all that mattered was him, the blade, and the blood. Yuugi wore long-sleeved shirts quite frequently.

The pain was never enough though, to do away completely with the troubles in his life. It couldn't do away with Seto's glares. It couldn't do away with his love for his Yami. And it couldn't, couldn't do away with the _other_ pain.

The pain that ripped across his chest like a carnivorous animal when his friends ignored him.

The pain that bit deep into his neck with a vampire's kiss when he saw Yami kissing Seto.

The pain that fired a bullet through his chest when he knew, with all his body, mind, and soul, that when he did die, no one would care.

It was a night like any other night when Yami returned home late to find Yuugi sitting at his desk in his bedroom working on homework. Yuugi watched the Yami out of the corner of his eyes. It was obvious that Seto and Yami had gotten into a fight. Yami's morose posture told the tale.

Yuugi listened as Yami wandered into the bathroom to take a shower. His ears picked up the almost imperceptible sound of crying.

He heard the door open to his room when Yami was done with his shower. He knew that Yami's hair would be limp and wet, sensually hanging about his form. He knew that all Yami would be wearing was a towel.

He felt Yami move up behind him. The wet hair dripped onto his own head. Yami's unmistakable aura, warm and caressing.

He felt Yami's hand slip around him, slipping under his arms and turning the small boy around to face his 'protector.' He gasped when he felt Yami's lips crushing against his.

'No, no, this is wrong. He doesn't really want me,' the sensible part of his brain said. 'But how could something that feels this nice be wrong?' questioned another part of his head.

Yuugi shoved Yami away. "What the hell, Yami?" he managed to gasp out before Yami slammed him against the wall. Forcing his tongue into Yuugi's mouth, he slammed his hips against the small hikari.

Yuugi whimpered. 'I've wanted this for so long,' he thought. 'But I can't, can't accept it, knowing it's not me he's kissing.'

He shoved Yami away again, glaring daggers at the lustful pharaoh. "Yami, how DARE you?!" he questioned hysterically. "You're with Seto for crying out loud!" This seemed to catch Yami's attention. He took a few steps towards Yami, so they were mere inches from each other. "You can't have us both, Yami," he whispered. In his voice, Yami could sense more power than he could ever dream of. The voice washed over Yami's mind, forcing him to listen to what he had to say. "Don't you ever do that again, Yami. It is your decision which of us you want, but I swear if you two-time someone I know, _you_ will suffer a fate worse then death. Even if I have to take myself down along with you." With a final sigh, Yuugi released his dark from his mind-death-grip. "Go." Yami quickly backed away from Yuugi with wide eyes and scurried out of the room.

Yami never spoke of the incident again to Yuugi, but it became very clear that he had chosen Seto. No one noticed the knife wounds got worse. No one even knew they were there. No one _ever_ knew.

And then, one night, Yuugi knew it was time. He could feel it like a dark dragon awakening in his gut. He pulled out the knife from its hiding spot under his bed. Yami was out with Seto. Grandpa had passed away months ago. There was nothing to stop him. Nothing but his own will.

Gently, he removed the puzzle, laying it on his pillow. Then, he took the knife and slowly brought it up to point directly into his chest.

"I'm sorry, everyone. I couldn't be your light," he whispered. Those were his last words whispered into the darkness, swallowed up by the shadows where no one would ever hear them.

Suddenly, his phone began to ring, but he was dead before the second ring.

"Hello, this is Mouto Yuugi. Sorry I can't come to the phone right now. Please leave a message after the beep."

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What do you think. Creepy? Sad? Beautiful? Please review if you can. Reviews are more than appreciated and keep me writing. May the plot bunnies keep you in good fortune!

Crys