Here we go… first Yu-Gi-Oh fic! Actually, I have a habit of writing one then not releasing it… so I actually decided to let it go this time :P

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh… or even sadder, I do not own Yugi… sadface anyway, enjoy the story! xx

Alone…. I'm all alone… why does it have to be me..? How come I have to suffer like this..? Every day… and all the time… I have no one… not a single… person…

Yugi hid inside a storage closet crouched into a ball on the floor, hugging his knees in and burying his face into them.

"Got any idea where the little runt ran off to?" Yugi heard someone say from beyond the safety of the closet door, making him hold his breath.

"Not a clue. He'll show up later. We can get him then." Said a different voice.

As the two voices got more distant and Yugi could no longer hold his breath, he exhaled and released his grip on his legs, crossing them and staring at the floor. He hung his head and raised his hand to the side of his head, wincing at the pain that enveloped under his touch. He lowered his hand again to look at it. Not as much blood as last time, at least… Those guys were brutal. Joey and Tristan. The two bullies of Domino high, constantly tormenting him, just because they thought it was fun. Every day, every time they catch a glimpse of Yugi, it's like they have to do something to him.

Shove him against the wall.

Lock him in a locker.

Throw a book at him.

Lift him up by the collar of his shirt and throw him to the ground.

Or their personal favorite, ram his head into the edge of something nearby. Why is it their favorite? Because occasionally, it makes Yugi bleed. Something about seeing their favorite little victim lose the luscious crimson needed to live made them feel bigger. For some reason, Yugi's blood made them feel like they were invincible. And often, it made Yugi feel that way too.

Why can't I do anything about it… how come I'm so helpless that I can't even stand up for myself… I'm sick of this… I'm so sick… Yugi leaned back against the wall and slipped into a light sleep, hoping only to be woken by the sound of the bell that released him from one hell… to another.

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A loud ring sent Yugi's eyes shooting open and his head ramming into a shelf as he quickly got up. He gritted his teeth and rubbed the top of his head, running his fingers through the rest of his hair, glad to feel that it was now dry. He rested his hand on the handle of the close door and let out a sigh before opening it, and slowly – cautiously – stepping out of the small refuge of a room and into the halls of his high school.

" Heyyyy, look who decided to show back up!" Yugi jolted around – eyes wide – to see Tristan and Joey, both a few yards away from him, fists balled and lightly tapping the palm of their opposite hands.

"We been looking all over for you all day, squirt." Taunted Joey, with a smirk.

"R-really…" Said Yugi quietly, taking a step back.

"Yup" said Tristan, both him and Joey slowly stepping forward. "We weren't done playing yet! Come on, just a little longer. Come here and let's play awhile"

Yugi then flung his backpack over his shoulder and darted down the hallway as fast as he could, trying to weave in and out of the traffic of the other students without causing a fuss for them. Without looking back, he ran as fast as he could, desperately trying to reach the door: the thing that could set him free – for now.

Tristan and Joey were hot on his trail, shoving anything that got in their way, chuckling to themselves and smirking widely as they ran through the halls after Yugi.

"You're just making it worse on yourself the more you run, pipsqueak!" They yelled after him, gaining on him closer every second.

Yugi finally reached the front entrance doors and burst through them, taking off towards his house. Without stopping, he ran as fast as he could, not stopping to take a breath – which eventually started to take its toll on him as he could barely breath. He slowed down and fell to his hands and knees in the middle of an empty street, panting and coughing, choking from lack of air. He held is sides and doubled over in pain, squinting his eyes and gritting his teeth, trying to bear everything. His heartbeat gradually started to slow to a normal stance as his breathing started to pace better, and he managed to lift himself up off the ground, grabbing his backpack and looking off into the distance. Guess I finally lost them… too bad they'll be back at it tomorrow. Yugi sighed, and started walking away down the street and heading towards his house.

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Yugi opened the front door to his house and slipped in, closing it and letting out a small sigh of relief. Finally… He started up the stairs to his room when he heard a loud – and irritated - voice coming from above. He sighed again and kept up the stairs, dreading what awaited him at the top. As he reached the top of the stairs, he was immediately knocked back down to the last step by a large and hard hand, causing Yugi to become dizzy, and he strained himself to look back up.

As he raised his head and came back to sense, he was grabbed by his hair and dragged back up the stairs, being thrown onto the ground at the top and kicked in the sides, making him curl up and shield his head from any more attack.

"Why the hell are you home so damn late, kid?" Speared a voice that was like venom, above Yugi.

"I-I'm sorry, dad… It won't.." Yugi coughed and squinted in pain, trying to lift himself to face his steaming father hovering above him. " It won't happen again… I promise.."

His father kicked Yugi's head back down onto the ground and held it there, twisting his foot to keep his sons head in place. Yugi bit his tongue, trying to hold back a yelp of pain that was dying to be let out since the day had started.

"That's what you always say, boy. Every other day, you come home an hour late, or a half hour late, when you know you have things to do here. I swear to god, you're about as worthless as it gets." Yugi's father released his sons head from underneath his shoe and stared at him, laying on the ground, face to the floor, shaking slightly. "Get up and quit your whimpering, and go to your room for the night. Since you weren't here, I took care of your duties. Damn kid… why wasn't it you?" His father left the hallway and the staircase corridor, leaving Yugi on the floor.

He's right… why wasn't it me… Yugi got himself up slowly, and trudged to his room. When he got to his door, he opened it, and immediately slipped in, closed the door, and threw himself onto his bed, thrusting his face into his pillow, and sobbing. Tears flowed out of his eyes right after one another, soaking his pillowcase. Why…. Why…. Why! Yugi sobbed harder as he thought of his mother. His kind hearted, loving, beautiful, and dead mother. Just two years ago, Yugi, his mother, and his father had been a normal family. They did things together, talked civilly, and laughed. In fact, the time Yugi spent with his mother when she was alive were the happiest times of his entire life. Everything was fine. Perfect, almost. Until one day, everything changed.

Yugi had come home from school to find his house quiet. Usually, his mother would greet him sweetly. "Welcome home!" She'd say, smiling widely and lighting up the entire room. But not on this day… On this day, Yugi came home to complete silence. Yugi slowly walked up the stairs and into his parents room, to see the most horrifying thing he had – and ever would – lay his eyes on. There next to her bed, laid his mother, drenched in a mortifying crimson liquid, spilling from every wound inflicted upon her body into the floor, creating a large pool that spelled the end for the sweet woman who meant everything to her son. Yugi stood there, speechless and horrified, unable to move, speak, or barely breathe. She had been murdered, and Yugi wasn't even there to help her.

Yugi laid in bed, still sobbing, paying more attention to the ache inside his heart rather than the aches on his body. If only I had been there instead of her… If only I was there to protect her… If only…. Why couldn't it have been me? I'm so tired… I'm so tired of this… I'm so tired of everything! Why! Why is my life like this! Every day… I'm bullied at school to no end. And even when I come home, I have no escape.. I'm nothing, just like my father says… I'm worthless. I can't even stand up for myself… I couldn't even be there to stand up for my mother… My own mom… I have… to get away… I have to get away from here….

Yugi wiped his eyes and took a deep breath. He looked over at his bedroom door, then to his window. My dad will kill me for this… He got up and opened his backpack, dumping all of the contents out onto the floor. He waked over to his closet and started throwing random things – mainly clothes – into his bag, and zipped it up. Yugi slung his backpack over his shoulder, then went to his window and opened it, punching out the screen on the outside of it. He took one last look at his bedroom door, and then jumped down from his sill, landing on his feet, outside his house. I guess this is goodbye… I guess I never could truly call this home… My dad is gonna kill me… He'll kill me… if he can find me. With that last thought, Yugi turned away from what used to be his house, took a deep breath, and headed down the street, ready to look for a new beginning. Ready to prove to himself that he wasn't so helpless. Ready to escape from the torture of everything he had endured every day for the past two years. He was ready to move on.

Aaaaaaaaand, end! Ahh. That was tough :o Should I continue? Review and let me know what you think! Thanks for reading, xx ~