Disclaimer: Nope. Not me. I don't own YuGiOh.

Author's Note: Yami acts like a real jerk in this one. Including swearing at...well, you'll have to read it to find out, won't you?

Chapter 3: Just Run Away

(It's not the best of titles, but it's all I could think of at the moment.)

Two Weeks Later

"I asked you guys to meet me here for a very important reason."
Téa looked anxiously around at Duke, Tristan, Joey, Serenity, and Mai. "It's Yami. Have you guys noticed how he's been acting lately?"

Duke nodded. "You mean, totally shut in? Yeah, I've noticed."

"I offered him a ride home yesterday," Mai added. "He snapped at me about how he could take care of himself."

"I saw him a few days ago," Serenity said quietly. "He hadn't been paying attention to where he was going, and tripped over a curb. A man stopped to help him up, but Yami wouldn't let him. I was too far away to hear what they said, though."

Joey nodded. "And have ya seen the way his eyes are?"

"Cold," Tristan replied. "Hard. Uncaring. Almost expressionless—like lumps of ice."

Téa sighed. "And it all started after Yugi did what he did. It's almost like…like…"

"It is as if without Yugi, Yami is falling back into darkness."

Ishizu stepped forward. "I could not help but overhear your conversation. What you fear is the truth. When he was alive, Yugi was the only thing that kept Yami safe from the darkness within himself. Now that the shield is gone…the darkness is slowly consuming him once more. There is only one person that can help him now…the one person who reflects this new, darker personality."

Téa gasped. "You don't mean…"

Ishizu nodded gravely. "Seto Kaiba."

Yami

Yami walked down the street, hands in his pockets, head down. Not paying attention to where he was going, he nearly ran into Kaiba coming the other way.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!"

"Oh, fuck off."

Kaiba was clearly taken aback. He clenched his fists. "What did you just tell me to do?"

"If you didn't hear me the first time, I'm not going to repeat myself."

"Say it again—to my face."

Yami turned to face Kaiba, icy glare matching icy glare.

"Fuck. Off. Must I repeat myself again, or is your hearing finally back?"

He smirked at Kaiba's barely concealed fury. "It's called 'anger management classes', Kaiba. You definitely need them." He turned and walked away, leaving Kaiba speechless with rage.

"Seto?"

Kaiba turned. It was Mokuba.

"Umm…you really don't want to be messing with him. Not after what happened."

"What did happen?"

Mokuba's jaw dropped. "You mean—you haven't heard? But it was all over the news! Everyone's heard!"

Kaiba sighed. "Apparently, everyone but me. You know I don't pay all that much attention to the news. Fill me in."

"Well…Yugi killed himself."

Kaiba snorted. "Yeah. Right. And I'm the king of Spain."

"It's true."

Kaiba looked at his brother's solemn face. "You aren't lying, are you?"

"No. I'm not. I've even seen his grave marker. Yugi's gone, and it's driving Yami crazy. I mean—normally, he would have apologized for running into you. Right?"

"Right…"

"But that's not what he did, is it?"

"No. Pretty much the exact opposite."

"That's because he doesn't care anymore. I heard his friends talking earlier—he always acts like that now. Even to them."

"Hmm…"

Kaiba looked off down the street in the direction Yami had gone. How is it that he can go through a change that drastic, just because of one of his friends?

Admit it, Kaiba—if that had been Mokuba, then you'd be acting the same way.

That still doesn't make it right.

Why do you care, anyway? It's not your problem.

Still…this just doesn't seem right…

Mokuba looked up at his brother. "Seto? Are you all right?"

Kaiba gave his head a little shake. "I'm fine. I've got something on my mind, that's all."

"Okay, then…let's go."

Once again, back to Yami

Yami walked in the front door of Téa's house.

"Yami? Could you come here for a sec?"

"What do you want?"

Téa stood up. "Are you feeling all right, Yami? You've been acting…different. I'm worried."

"Don't be. I can take care of myself."

Téa sighed. "See? This is exactly what I'm talking about. You're shutting everyone out, and it's not good. We're your friends, Yami. Remember? We're only trying to help you."

She reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, but he slapped it away.

"I don't need your help!" he snarled. "And I don't need friends, either. I came to tell you that I'm moving out tomorrow. I can't stand it here any longer."

Téa clenched her fists. "That's it, then? You're just leaving? No 'goodbye', no 'thank you'?"

"Don't press your luck. Be glad I even told you anything."

Téa paled with rage.

"You know what?"

Her voice was full of hurt—hurt which Yami desperately tried, and failed, to ignore.

"I've had enough of you! If you want out that badly, then go ahead and leave now! I don't ever want to see you here again! I look at you, and I see Kaiba, or Bakura!" She turned away. "Whoever you are, you're not Yami—or at least, not the Yami I knew!

"T-Téa…"

"Get your things and get out of my house!"

Yami felt himself go hard again. "Fine! I will! And you'll never see me again! How do you like that!" He stormed up to the spare room, flung all of his clothes and things into his duffel bag, and rushed out the front door.

Yami ran down the street, ignoring the strange looks he was getting from the few people that were out. He dashed into the game shop, slamming the door behind him. He slowly trudged up the stairs, dropped the bag in his room, and pushed open the door to Yugi's.

Yugi…

He flung himself onto the bed, tears streaming down his face.

It's hard. Hard to stand it. Yugi, why did you go? I need you…and you left me…I tried to be there for you, but it was too hard…I couldn't…I'm sorry…and now it's too late…

His thoughts ran in circles.

It's my fault…all my fault…I'm sorry…I tried…

Yugi's last words echoed through his mind.

"DAMN YOU, YAMI!"

He got his wish. I'm damned. The only way for me to live is by closing down from the very people that keep me alive. What have I done to deserve this? I tried…to be a good friend…but I failed…

Yami slowly sat up, wiping his eyes.

I can't dwell on this. I need to get over it…to move on…to…oh, who am I kidding? I'll never get over this, and I know it. Oh, Yugi…why did you do this to me? To yourself?

He looked in the mirror, then looked away. He felt like he was looking at Yugi. The resemblance between himself and his friend was unbearable.

But then again, so is everything else. I guess I'll just have to learn to deal with it.