I had to redo the ending of this chapter and have been thinking about it for ages, it took a while to get right but I think I've got it how I wanted it. It's such a delicate subject and one that I know too well, so if I go into too much detail sorry.

Major angst for this chapter, by the way. Poor little Yugi-kun.

-Angels Fall First-

Yugi sat down on the wall, just outside school. A light breeze picked up and rippled his hair delicately. He turned large shining eyes to Jou who just sat down next to him and wrapped an arm around the petite boy's shoulders, knowing he needed comfort.

Yugi looked up gratefully as the two silver haired boys looked on. Bakura's gaze drifted past them, however, when he saw a tall figure emerge from a black limousine and start towards the small group.

Jou tightened his grip around his friends shoulder as Seto Kaiba stood in front of them, glaring at all four in turn, before finally settling his gaze on Yugi.

"What do you want, Kaiba? Leave us the hell alone alright? Yug doesn't need this right now."

"Baka inu, this has nothing to do with you. This is between me and Mutou and that 'other him' person. Speaking of whom, I see he has failed to turn up to school."

"He got expelled, because of you."

"Oh yeah," a satisfied smirk appeared on the CEO, "I remember now. It was his own fault really, when you think about it."

Jou stood abruptly, fists ready. Yugi continued to stare at the ground, completely oblivious to his surroundings.

"Come on you two, stop it, okay? This is infantile. We all know about Yami, it was his fault in a way but Kaiba you didn't help matters. Right now why don't you just leave us alone and get on with whatever it is that you do on that laptop of yours."

Kaiba stared at Ryou, then back to Jou. Shaking his head he muttered something under his breath and walked away, Jou returned to his seat near Yugi and Ryou walked over to Bakura.

"You would have stood up for me, right? If he had hit me or something?"

"He would never have gotten the chance. No one hits my hikari." Ryou smiled slightly. "That is a Yami's weakness, and why Yami was expelled, right?"

Jou and Ryou nodded, Yugi continued to stare at the stone floor. The awkward silence was broken when the bell rang, although Jou had to shake Yugi several times to acquire a reaction.

They had maths first, Jou hadn't taken the class and was reluctant to leave Yugi's side, but Ryou insisted he go to PE, Ryou was also taking maths and promised to look after Yugi till break time.

The two hikari's chose seats next to each other, Yugi had been expecting Anzu to sit near them also, since she had this class too, but she hadn't acknowledged their presence and was sitting to their far right at the front while they were at the back. Yugi felt slightly upset at this but said nothing.

The teacher entered the classroom a few moments later, and straight away started handing out sheets of paper, a quick twenty question test to see what they already knew. Ryou got out his brand new stationary and calculator, Yugi took out his broken pencil and ruler.

"Does everyone have all of the equipment?"

Yugi put his hand up to reveal that he had no calculator or pen. The teacher was not pleased.

"Mr. Mutou, isn't it? I would have thought that an upper school student such as yourself would have come better prepared to a class where it is plainly obvious you would be in need of a calculator. And as for needing a pen…do you have no common sense at all?"

Yugi had to blink back tears as the teacher sighed and made other impatient noises while searching through her bag for the required things. She made a big show of being annoyed at the poor boy, and some of the other students started to laugh quietly. Anzu shook her head at him and went back to talking with her friends.

"Don't worry, Yugi."

Yugi offered Ryou a watery smile as the class quietened and began the test. Yugi took the question sheet and looked at the first question; nothing too hard, he had been the top student last year after all. But he soon came across a problem; his lack of stationary extended to paper too, he had nothing to write on.

Eyes widening he looked up at the teacher who was writing something on the board, quietly he whispered to Ryou his problem and requested a few sheets of paper. Ryou nodded and ripped a few sheets out, alerting the teacher.

"Mutou, Bakura, what are you doing? Are you conferring? Oh, it's you isn't it Mutou. You haven't got paper either? Honestly Yugi what were your parents thinking? They must be bloody idiots to let you come here with no equipment-"

"They're both dead, miss."

The teacher stood still, her mouth open. Softening her gaze slightly she turned back to the board. Yugi felt tears stinging in his eyes, he was no more than ten minutes into his first class and he was already miserable.

His hand unconsciously lifted the bandage on his hand, and he began to scratch at the dried blood covering the unintentional cut. It was already beginning to scar, the skin knitting together to form pale pink at the edges. It was itchy. He was itching to make the blood flow again, it was terrifying, but somehow satisfying. It made him feel in control, and he needed that feeling right now.

A prod from Ryou brought him back and he realised he had been day dreaming, and that he had small specks of blood under his nails. Fortunately Ryou had not seen the cut so he smiled and got back to his work. Yugi looked down at his own paper and realised something else. He didn't have a ruler. A feeling of utter helplessness and depression washed over him, he needed to get out of the classroom.

Not even bothering to ask the teacher's permission he hastily got to his feet and headed for the door, mumbling something about needing the bathroom to the teacher who simply shook her head in annoyance. Ryou stared after him, but didn't bother to follow, knowing his fellow hikari needed to be alone.

Yugi ran through the halls, forgetting the rule about not running, straight into the bathroom. He stopped at the sinks which lined the wall, leaning heavily on the marble counter-top. He looked up into the large mirrors, and saw the tears streaked, pale face staring back at him. This seemed to upset him even more, and he smashed his hand into the mirror.

"Ow…"

Yugi whimpered pathetically, cradling a now bleeding hand. He looked up into a thousand different reflections of himself, all staring back with the same hollow, dead expression.

"Dead…death…"

Yugi stared calmly, and slowly picked up a piece of the mirror, as if he were in a trance. Without even looked he dragged the glass along his right arm, feeling the cool shard penetrate the skin, then the warm flow of liquid quickly follow. This was his first intentional cut, and it was terrifying for him.

He wanted to stop, his mind was screaming for him to stop, but it was as if he had no control. Faster he brought the shard down again, deeper this time. Blood dripped down his arm, forming pools at his feel on the chipped tiled floor.

"Gotta stop now…Yami will be disappointed in me…stop cutting now…"

Whatever his mind was thinking didn't seem to matter, the shard of mirror ended up in his other hand and started on the other arm, making little cross shaped patterns. He watched as his hand cut into his body. He wanted to stop, but why couldn't he? His white shirt was now stained red, and the room was beginning to spin. He dropped the mirror piece, and took delight in hearing it shatter on the ground, tiny crimson tinted diamonds scattered over the floor.

"No more…no more cutting…Yami will be mad…upset at me…"

Disjointedly, he tried to clean up the mess, stumbling to a toilet he took some paper towels and began cleaning the sink and floor. He didn't get very far before he dropped the tissue and swayed dangerously. A hand flew to his head as the world once again spun and he vaguely heard the bathroom door opening.

"Yug? Are you in here? Ryou just texted me in class, said you've been gone for a while. Yugi?...oh shit."

"Jounouchi-kun…I made a mess all over the floor…I'm sorry, I'll clean up…"

Jou ran forwards and caught Yugi just before he fell to the floor, commendably the small boy, despite losing so much blood, was still awake, though not very coherent. He kept apologising and asking for forgiveness.

"Yug, I don't know what you're on about. But right now we have to get you to the nurse so she can call an ambulance, okay? Then you can go to hospital."

"Hospital?...Jiichan…dead…death…"

"No, Yug, your grandpa is still alive remember? Come on, buddy, lets get you out of here. You really did make a mess didn't you? We need to get you help fast."

Easily lifting Yugi into his arms, Jou ran for the nurse's office. He arrived in record time and while the nurse did her best to stop the bleeding Jou called for an ambulance. And then began the dreaded task of calling Yami and telling him that his hikari had attempted suicide…

-To be Continued-

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Written: 24th May 2004

Latest edition: 25th May 2004

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