Rave: I own nothing! wheeeeeeeeeeee read, please! I'm running on zip energy, so I can't stop going "wheeee!"

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Chapter One: Listless News

"Of course we'll be there, Honda. We'll meet you outside the shop. Yes. Bye."
Yuugi hung up, tears flooding his amethyst eyes as he turned to Yami, who was sitting on the egde of the bed. The Pharaoh looked up.
"Anzu didn't make it. She's gone.." the boy's voice trembled as he said it. Yami got up, and had barely reached Yuugi before he fell into his arms, crying. Not knowing what to say, Yami stood and held his hikari close. Yuugi's sobs echoed through the room; a haunting sound that was hollow and did not belong.
"Ra...he didn't deserve this. I tried to meddle with fate, and it backfired. Now I'm to blame for my love's suffering." Yami thought to himself privately, "and I hate myself for it."
Yami knelt down and picked up Yuugi, who was now reduced to a soft whimper now and then. His usually bright eyes were glazed over with sadness, which made his yami's heart wrench. Carrying him over his shoulder, the Pharaoh laid Yuugi gently onto the bed, and took off his jacket.
"I'm so sorry, aibou." He murmured into the boy's ear. Yuugi says nothing, and buries his face into a pillow as he is once again caught up in a wave of sadness.
Feeling defeated, Yami sat on the bed next to Yuugi and lay down next to him. His arms wrapped around the smaller boy's waist, pulling him close to his body. He then bestowed a light kiss on his hikari's neck. Nuzzling his chin on the boy's shoulder, he continued to assuage and comfort his younger self. Soon, Yuugi stopped whimpering, and just laid silently. Just as Yuugi started to drift off, he rose up off the bed with a start.
"We're meeting Honda and Jonouchi in front! We gotta get downstairs!" He exclaimed, and dashed off to get his jacket.
Yami couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed that their moment together had been so brief, but he pushed those feelings aside, and joined Yuugi as they left the bedroom together.

Honda's motorbike pulled up in front of the Kame Game Shop momentarily after Yami and Yuugi had gotten outside. Jonouchi removed his helmet, and immediately rushed over to Yuugi. Honda proceeded to shut off the ignition and take his off too.
"Yug! Are you okay?" the blonde asked worriedly. Yuugi made a small nod, but didn't smile. Jou gathered him into a hug
"I called the hospital, and they said that they were holding her until her family got there." Honda said, leaning against the motorcycle. Jou forced a smile.
"And we're like her family; we're always there for her, no matter what. So cheer up a little, okay bud? You're making me worry too much."
Yuugi's face remained blank, save for a faint glimmer of a smile that flickered across his face at Jou's reassurance. It was just the kind of thing Anzu would say if she were alive. Honda put a hand on Yuugi's shoulder for support.
"Come on, let's go before the hospital closes."
The four had arrived at the hospital by bus; leaving Honda's motorbike behind. The nurse greeted them sadly, and led them down the hall to Anzu's room.
The walk down the corridor was through a thick, suffocating silence that seemed to choke them as they drew nearer towards the room of death. To Jou, the walk seemed to take forvever. He was dreading seeing Anzu lying there, looking like she is sleeping, having to endure the pain all over again.
"Yuugi's gettin hit harder by this than anyone; she and him have known eachother longer than I've been his best friend." Jou thought to himself, and stole a glance at his best friend. His eyes were glazed, and a stone face stared directly in front of him. His movements were awkward as well; stiff and strained.

Jou's POV
The moment we walked into Anzu's room, I could feel the tension. To my surprise, nobody was in there except for us.
"Where's her father?" I asked. No one could come up with an answer. We all knew that her father had abused her, and she had run away to live with my sister for a few years until her father had been cured of his mental illness enough to take her in. Now where was he? The last I'd heard, he had bought Anzu a car for her sixteenth birthday.
Now, as I looked at Anzu, she appeared to be sleeping, like a stone angel.
"She looks so peaceful." Yuugi said solemnly. Then, in a burst of emotion and a flood of tears, he sank to his knees sobbing. "I'm so sorry, Anzu!" His small hands clutch one of the dead girl's. His head lowered, he let his grip loosen.
"Yuugi.." I said softly, putting a hand on his shoulder. I wasn't aware that I had taken the boy's hand in mine and kept it there. Yuugi's small hand enclosed in mine. And tnrough it, I could sense the sadness; I could feel his pain. All through his trembling touch. Part of me knew we should go, but there was another feeling; something that made me want to stay. Yuugi was alone in his feelings for Anzu, and we had endured her torture for him. She was his first friend, and suddenly had been taken away. No way did he deserve to be left alone again. I needed to protect him, no matter what.
The sensation of clutching his hand in mine made me feel like no one else mattered in this world as much as him. No one else deserved the good life. And I came to the gradual realiization that I would kneel here, holding his hand forever if I could.
"Back off, Jou. Enough of the spiritual ####." A voice in my head tells me. In that instant, I became aware of Yami's icy glare on my back. I gave the Pharaoh a weak smile, and jerked my hand away from Yuugi's abruptly as if to say "are you happy now?"

We sat in that room for hours, making small conversation as if we were strangers meeting for the firts time in an awkward situaiton. It felt so...forced, sitting in that sterile room of death and despair. The arrival of a nurse made it clear that visiting hnours were over, and the body would have to be moved now. As we left Anzu's room, I snuck a sidelong glance at Yami, still a bit nervous from his reaction earlier. The way he stared fixedly ahead todl me that he was struggling with something in his mind. Was he talking to Yuugi?
No, said boy was listlessly dragging behind our group, next to me.
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Rave: read and review if you want! (promises update soon)