Disclaimer: ... Duh.

Side Note: This gets better...eventually...when I'm not so sad, probably... Anyway, here's chapter two! Chapter three should be along shortly!

Chapter 2: Shutting Down

"Yami?"

"What do you want?"

"Unlock the door."

"No. Leave me alone, Téa."

"Being alone isn't going to help."

"How would you know?"

Téa sighed, leaning against the door. Yami had moved into her house until he got over the shock of Yugi's suicide and could go back to work. So far, her efforts to help him had failed miserably.

"Yami…I know you're upset. We all are. Why do you act like this was your fault?"

"Because it is my fault." Yami's voice was bitter. "You heard him, didn't you? Just—just go away."

Téa sighed and left. As she went downstairs, there was a knock on the door. It was Joey.

"Hey, Téa…I heard 'bout what happened ta Yugi…you were there?"

Tea nodded sadly. "Come in."

She sat on the couch. Joey sprawled next to her. "What happened?"

"I was helping Yami get to the shop, because he was exhausted. We went in, and then someone—Yugi—shouted. Then there was thump. We went upstairs—Yugi had run himself through with a kitchen knife. It was horrible—but what he said was even worse. Something about a promise…. His last words were, 'Damn you, Yami!'. Then…he was gone…."

Joey let out a slow whistle. "An'…how's Yami takin' all dis?

"Not good. He's locked himself in the spare room. He hasn't come out or had anything to eat since yesterday. I'm worried about him."

They heard footsteps, and Yami came down the stairs. The first thing they noticed was that, instead of his usual dark blue, Yami was wearing all black.

"Yami! Hey, nice ta see you're alive up dere!"

"Oh—hey Joey." Yami looked at Téa. "I'll be back in about an hour, Téa."

"Maybe you should get something to eat…"

"I'm fine. You don't have to baby me—I can take care of myself, thanks." He walked out, slamming the front door behind him.

Joey glanced skeptically at Téa. "Uh…Kaiba much?"

Téa nodded worriedly. "Maybe a little too much…"

Yami

Yami stood in front of Yugi's grave marker, tears streaming quietly down his cheeks. Because he couldn't afford to give his friend a proper burial, he'd dug up the spot in the cemetery himself. He'd bought the small slab of marble and hand-carved the message; 'Yugi Mutou, King of Games'. A smile flitted across Yami's face as he remembered Yugi's first reaction to being called that.

Flashback

Yugi hit the off button on the remote.

"King of Games?"

He had been flipping through channels, when he'd come across a biography about him. Yami had come out to watch, as well (this was before Yami had his own body—he was still inside the Millennium Puzzle).

"King of Games?" Yugi repeated incredulously. "Where did that one come from?"

Yami laughed. "Since you beat Pegasus and Duke Devlin at their own games—literally."

"But…you're the one that did all that stuff. I only helped. If anyone deserves the title 'King of Games', it's you."

Yami shook his head. "I'm not king of anything."

"Except ancient Egypt."

"Not anymore I'm not. Besides, you could have done all those things without me—I'm only here because you put together the Millennium Puzzle."

Yugi sighed. "Guess you're right—but you'd better not run around calling me 'Your Majesty' or stuff like that."

Yami grinned. "Of course not."

End Flashback

I guess it doesn't matter anymore, Yami thought sadly. Nothing does. He looked up at the sky.

Why? Why me? Whenever there's someone I care about…someone I love like family…they're always taken away from me. Why must I be forced to watch while my friends are stripped away?

He sighed and began walking. Out of the cemetery; across the city; wherever his feet led him. As he passed people on the street, he would get sympathetic looks and words of encouragement—which he promptly ignored. Everyone now seemed to know about what happened with Yugi, and therefore about his 'distant and foreign relative'.

Yami walked into the park and sat on the edge of the fountain. He watched the water spraying off in all directions, creating little rainbows and flickers of light.

Light…I am nothing without my light. My aibou, my Yugi…why did you leave me? What have I done to deserve this?

He heard footsteps. "Yami?"

Yami kept his head down, silent. He didn't want to talk to anyone, not even Mai.

"Hey, Yami…you in there?"

"Yes. But I'd rather not talk."

"Oh, please."

"No. Really. I want to be alone."

"Trust me—being alone isn't going to help. I was alone for ten years, remember? Didn't do me much good."

"Mai, please. Just go away. You aren't helping." He closed his eyes and turned slightly away. "Nothing can help."

Mai sighed. "If you say so…"

She walked away. Yami let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

Suddenly, he knew exactly what he had to do to shield himself from any more heartbreak.

If he stopped caring, then fate wouldn't be able to take the things he cared about away. If he stopped loving, those he loved couldn't be taken from him.

If he closed himself to the world, the world wouldn't be able to tear him apart.

If I can't have kindness, I won't be kind. If I can't have mercy, I won't be merciful. It's the only way I can stop myself from more pain…but is it the right way?

He heard a second voice in his head.

It's the only way.

Once he'd shut himself out, there was no turning back—but if it helped to dim the pain, to heal the wound, he would do it.