Sorry it's short, sorry it sucks. Still pretty depressed, some of my A-level results sucked, so rather that cutting myself I'll have lil Yugi do it. Sorry Yugi-chan…

And to Luthien, Owari is Japanese and means 'end' - I use it when a fic has been completed, otherwise I put to be continued.

Angels Fall First

Yugi stared at the plate in front of him; Yami was sitting opposite and was trying his hardest not to stare at the smaller teen, but failing miserably in the process. Yugi picked up his fork and began poking at the carrots, after thirty seconds of poking he decided he really wasn't hungry. The microwave-heated meal wasn't the most appetising thing in the world to start with, but Yugi just wasn't in the mood to eat.

"Yugi, if you don't want to eat it's fine. How about we just go to bed?"

The smaller boy looked up through his bangs at Yami who was offering a small sympathetic smile. Yugi didn't try to return it as he nodded and dropped the fork with a metallic thud.

Yami sadly followed his hikari upstairs, leaving the remnants of the meal to lie forgotten on the kitchen table until tomorrow morning. Yugi collapsed onto the bed and attempted to fall asleep; his darker half sighed and began to undress the smaller boy. Yugi would occasionally half-heartedly swat Yami away but was too weak to actually try and forcibly shove Yami off him and soon he was being dragged into the bathroom.

"You need a bath."

"I smell?"

"No but it'll help you relax. We have bubbles."

Yugi couldn't resist, a nice warm bath might relive some of the tension he was experiencing…and he did like bubbles…

-

Soon Yugi was sitting in the bath popping the bubbles as they rose from the steaming water into the air. He was smiling for a change, and it wasn't forced. Yami watched as one landed on Yugi's nose, the amethyst eyes crossed as he tried to assess the situation. The bubble sat perfectly still on the tip of his petit nose, and suddenly popped. Yami expected Yugi to smile, or laugh, but he just sat there silently.

Until a single saline droplet disturbed the bathwater.

Soon it had company; Yugi was crying. Yami was by his hikari's side instantly, holding his thin wet form and whispering comforting words. The smaller calmed down a little, his sobs becoming hiccups as Yami lifted him from the water and towelled him dry. Soon they were in pyjamas cuddled under the covers of their shared bed.

"Yugi, are you alright?"

"…" No I'm not.

"I know you probably don't want to talk."

"…" Not really.

"I can help, you know."

"…" No you can't.

"Your friends want to help too."

"…" No one can help me now.

"We're always here for you aibou."

"…" I'm lost.

"Whatever happens remember that."

"…" I'm terrified.

"I will take care of you always."

"…" I'm so…so…

"Just remember that you're not-"

"Alone."

-

Yugi was watching anime; once again he was missing school. This was due to Yami who had convinced Yugi's teacher that Yugi was unwell and under too much stress and so would not be attending school for a few days.

Yugi sighed and changed the channel, the anime show had ended and the next one didn't appeal to him. He began surfing through the music channel, bypassing the 'pop crap' and heading straight for Kerrang. Yugi growled slightly as he just caught the end of the Rasmus, Guilty. He was about to change it again when he heard a strong male voice on the television. The words cut into him like a knife and he felt compelled to listen to the song.

A fantastic guitar riff followed and soon the voice was back, screaming words that meant so much to Yugi.

Cut my life into pieces, this is my last resort. Suffocation, no breathing, don't give a fuck if I cut my arm bleeding.

Yugi leaned forward; he hadn't caught the name of the group at the start and was interested to know who they were. The band was good, though Yugi was more focused on the lyrics. Strong and powerful, and so topical he thought as the wounds on his wrist began to itch once again. Unconsciously his fingers snuck under the bandaged covering his right wrist and scratched at the scabs, the dried blood easily tearing off with the gentle pressure.

He pulled his hand back and was shocked to see dirty dark red underneath his nails. He licked them clean and put pressure on the freshly opened wound. The skin had only just started to knit together, the bright innocent pink of new skin harshly contrasting against the paper white of his forearm.

He heard footsteps coming towards the living room and quickly switched the television over to something less-obvious. A gardening documentary. Yami raised an eyebrow at his hikari's choice of show, but said nothing.

He sat down next to Yugi and tried to put an arm around his shoulders, but was shoved away. Yugi curled into himself at one end of the couch and kept his eyes fixed on the gardening show. Yami felt hurt by this but said nothing, Yugi just needed some space. He tried to imagine how he would feel if his grandfather was dying…but couldn't remember what having a family was like so gave up trying.

Yugi sighed and switched the television off, he got up and was instantly followed by Yami. Angrily the shorten teen spun around until he was face to face with his shocked darker half.

"Why are you following me? Can I not go to the bathroom without an escort? Are you afraid I'll try to drown myself in the toilet or something?"

"No I-"

"Just leave me alone…please…"

Yami just watched as his aibou ran up the stairs and slammed the bathroom door shut after him. Yami sighed and drifted into the kitchen, randomly arranging objects in the hope that they might become tidy. He felt so useless, Yugi was acting strangely, and it wasn't all to do with his grandfather.

Yami shut an open drawer and put coffee cup in the dishwasher before deciding that the kitchen was spotless and really didn't need cleaning at all. He made his way to the shop area and stared at the booster packs. He briefly wondered what would become of the shop, and consequently their home. Would they sell it and get an apartment? Without Mutou-san there would be no income, Yugi had to go to school and a Saturday job wouldn't support two people.

He flicked through the newspaper, settling on the jobs section. Maybe he could make himself useful…

Yugi sat in the bath, though there wasn't any water in it. The bathroom was the only place he felt safe as there was a lock on the door. He sat huddled in the bath gently sobbing to himself. Yami just didn't get it…he didn't want to feel better, and he certainly didn't want anyone's help. He wasn't that weak.

"I'm not weak…not weak…"

With that thought Yugi drifted off to sleep.

To Be Continued

Please review.

-Completed: 22nd August 2004

-Dagger