I hate the Image Manager. That's all I've got to say—I. Hate. Image. Manager.

Sage: You're such a whiny bitch.

I bet I am.

-0-0-0-0-

Yami walked Yugi home that evening. It seemed like a very cliché chick flick to the teenager. He and his love interest were standing just outside his door, facing each other awkwardly.

"Tonight was fun." Yugi said, shyly turning his head away from Yami.

"It was." Yami put his hand against Yugi's cheek and used it to turn the boy's head towards him. Yami was beyond ecstatic at how this night had turned out. Yugi had trusted him enough to reveal parts of his past. They had spent a long time lying on the grass, staring at the stars. They laughed. It had been a wonderful night, one Yami wished would never end. But, he knew it eventually would. Still, he had earned more of Yugi's trust, which was invaluable.

"Thank you." Yami whispered.

"For what?"

"For trusting me. For giving me a wonderful night. It means a lot, more than you could ever imagine."

Yugi raised a hand and wrapped it around Yami's wrist, the one that was against his cheek. "I think I can." He replied quietly.

They leaned into each other and their lips touched. They stayed like that for several seconds, and Yugi thought that this was becoming even more like a chick flick. But he didn't care. He was loving every moment of this.

Suddenly, a bright light came out, surprising the duo. They separated and looked towards the door, only to see a very angry Joey.

"Alright you two, break it up." He said, getting between them. "Seriously, you guys are making me sick with all this lovey-dovey crap."

"Joey, don't be jealous." Yugi said playfully, rolling his eyes.

Yami smiled. Things appeared to have worked out between the two friends.

"The only thing I'm jealous of is everyone who doesn't have to watch you two with each other's tongues down your throats."

"Come on, Joey. Don't you think you're over exaggerating?"

"No, you're under exaggerating. Now get inside before I drag your butt in here."

Yugi laughed slightly and looked towards Yami. He waved his hand. "Night, Yami." He called, then turned around and ran inside his apartment.

"Night Yugi."

Joey looked over at Yami and gave a small nod. "Thanks for looking out for him. He walked out some time ago and I was getting worried."

Yami gave an understanding nod. "He told me of his father, and his early life."

"He did?"

"Yeah. We looked at the stars for a while. He said he and his father used to do it every night."

Joey whistled and then scratched the back of head. "You sir, are one lucky bastard."

Yami raised an eyebrow, unsure of what the blonde was saying. "Excuse me?"

Joey shook his head. "It's just that…Yugi's connecting to you. In a way he hasn't connected with me. And I've known him for ten years. He trusts you. You should treasure that."

"I do."

"Good. Because he's the nicest person I've ever known. And people have used that against him. I don't know why, but people have always told him that his kinndess was a weakness. They would tell him that he was naïve and stupid. The irony is that Yugi kindness was his strength, and they were the weak ones. They would use their physical strength against Yugi. And even though people have always been mean to him, he still trusts a little too easily."

Joey sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "The point is Yugi's trust is special. I want you to value that. He doesn't need any more shit in his life."

Yami nodded his head in agreement. He still couldn't understand how Yugi could be as sweet as he was, considering everything he had gone through in his life. He had to deal with things not even most adults had to deal with. It wasn't fair. Life wasn't fair for anybody, but it seemed to really hate Yugi.

"I promise," Yami said slowly, "I will not hurt Yugi. His trust, his friendship, it's priceless to me."

"Good." Joey said, slapping Yami on the back. "Because," he said, pausing for a small laugh, "I'm still serious about what I said to you earlier. You hurt him, I'll make sure they never find your body."

"I believe you." Yami said without thinking. He couldn't believe Joey was still on this. Yami wasn't never going to hurt Yugi. But, he could see where Joey was coming from. It must have been hard watching Yugi get hurt continuously throughout their childhood. It was a harsh realitly. Joey was still too young to know about how cruel the world was. He wasn't even of drinking age and yet, he had almost witnessed a close friend die.

It wasn't fair.

"Good boy." Joey said, smiling. "I'll see you around." Joey waved good-bye and then stepped inside his apartment. He closed the door behind him. Joey looked around his less than modest apartment and saw Yugi sitting on the couch, eyes closed, smiling peacefully.

Joey couldn't help but smile as well. His closest friend was happy. That made him happy. After everything that had transpired within the last few years with the two of them, they deserved whatever little happiness they could find. Joey walked up to Yugi and sat down beside him, touching his shoulder.

"So…" Joey started, intent on annoying Yugi, "how'd it go?"

Yugi opened his eyes, slightly glaring at Joey. "Is this a test?"

Joey shrugged, removing his hand. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well," Yugi started, "You don't like him. It seems like a trick question asking me, 'how it went'. Either you'll get mad by what I do tell you, or you'll get mad at what I don't tell you."

"You've thought this through, haven't you?"

"I've had a lot of time to think"

Joey cringed slightly, and took a deep breath. "All right, Yuge, here's the deal. I didn't like him. Not when he showed up on the doorstep late one night with you. I jumped to conclusions I probably shouldn't have. I'm sorry. But, you have to understand, Yugi. You're my best friend. For as long as I've known you, it seems everyone has tried to hurt you. And, it pissed me off."

Joey tried hard to fight back angry tears.

"It really pissed me off. You never did anything to anyone and people still thought they had the right to hurt you, just because you were smaller. When Grampa died, it seemed like the world was just giving you the biggest middle finger ever. I watched you struggle being homeless just because you didn't want to leave us. I couldn't understand why you did that. And then you know what happens next."

Joey stopped for a moment to try and regain his composure. He hated crying. Yugi was always more open with his emotions, and Joey had no problem with that. But, his father had always told him that only weak people cried. If he ever wanted to be a true man, he would need never shed a tear, no matter what happened.

Joey left his father the first chance he got and never looked back. He had tried hard to forget everything the drunk told him, but it was hard. Joey had been living alone with the man since he was eight. Joey got emancipated when he was seventeen. He lived with his father for nine years.

Some things were just hard to forget.

"I waited by your hospital bed for three days. And I swore to myself I would never let anyone hurt you again. And I did my best to keep that promise. And when I saw him that night…it was Jack all over again."

Several tears fell down Joey's cheeks, staining them.

"Oh Joey…" Yugi said softly, tears beginning to fall from his eyes as well. "I'm sorry."

Joey wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "What the hell are you sorry for?"

"I never knew you felt that way, Joey. If I had—"

"Let's not worrying with 'what ifs', Yugi." Joey interrupted. "Like you said, what's done is done. You're happy now and I'm happy for you. That's all that matters now."

Yugi smiled. "Thanks Joey. What would I do without you?" He said jokingly.

Joey shrugged, smirking slightly. "God knows. Probably living in a shitty apartment with a dead end job, going nowhere in life, coming to the slow conclusion that you'll probably die the same way you live—"

"All right, all right." Yugi said, laughing slightly. "I get it. My life would be the exact same without you. Good to know."

"Yup."

They stayed up talking for the rest of night.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Yugi had forgotten all about the texts from Jack until he walked into his room late last night. He had been having such a nice time with Yami earlier, had was happy to have connected deeper with Yami, that he had totally taken his mind off the dreaded subject.

But as he walked into his small bedroom, and felt the vibration of his phone in his pocket, his froze. He swallowed a lump in his throat, unsure of whether or not he should check it. He didn't want to hear—or read—what his oh lovely ex had to say to him. Especially since he had hurt Joey and Anzu.

Yugi closed his eyes tight. He was still unsure of whether or not he should tell his friends that Jack was after them. The older man told him not too, that he would only hurt them worse if he did. But Yugi didn't want to see them get hurt period. It was the lesser of two evils paradox. Either Yugi said nothing and his friends got hurt, or he said something and his friends got really hurt, or worse, killed. Yugi swallowed a lump in his throat. He couldn't risk that happening.

He took out his phone and opened the screen already dreading the message that would on it.

Have fun tonight?

Yugi felt his hand tremble and he struggled to reply hastily to the message. He couldn't get the one dreadful idea out of his mine, but there could only be one reasonable conclusion for the question he was asked. Jack had been watching him and Yami.

The feeling alone was enough to repulse Yugi. Jack had never respected personal, and private, boundaries before, but this was ridiculous. He was so dead set on getting whatever sort of revenge he was after that he was willing to stalk Yugi. Yugi gulped. He had no idea why Jack was out to get revenge in the first place. He got away with his crime. Yugi knew little about what went on with the police investigation; he had refused to press charges and the police seemed uninterested in pursuing a case that the victim didn't want. It was a cold case.

But, for some reason, Jack wanted revenge. And he was willing to go to any lengths to achieve it.

Yugi hastily texted his reply.

What do you want?

He waited anxiously for Jack to respond. After several agonizing seconds, he got a response.

To see you suffer.

Yugi exhaled. The reply wasn't anything surprising. Jack always had a soft of fetish for making people worry, so that when the punishment did actually come, it felt worse than it actually was.

Worriedly, Yugi texted back his reply.

Haven't I already?

He held his breath anxiously as he awaited the reply. He really was curious to see how Jack would respond. These days he only could salvage bad memories of his year with the older man. He remembered every ugly word, every nasty bruise. Jack was never fine with anything unless he was in control, which was what the entire relationship had been revolved around. Jack had simply wanted to be in control of someone.

At least that's what Yugi hoped it was. Something deep down inside of him, some innate instinct, told him that Jack had something more deadly planned from the very start. It explained nearly everything. Why Jack asked him out of nowhere, why he was so eager for the two of them to move in together, and why….

And why the abuse started so suddenly. Yugi shuddered at the memory of his first black eye, but it had been incredibly eye opening for Yugi.

His eyes were opened through a black eye. He couldn't help but laugh at the irony.

Yugi had tried to convince himself that it had only been an accident. But, after several more 'accidents' Yugi had to come face to face with the truth.

He was in an abusive relationship.

His phone beeped and Yugi flipped open the phone, scared, but eager, to see the reply.

No.

His heart dropped into his stomach. That's all the reply he got? He lived with the man for a year, suffered every blow, every string of curse words, and he didn't suffer? Yugi turned his phone off. He wasn't encouraged to try and continue conversation with Jack. The man was completely mad. Not only had he tried to hurt Yugi, but now he was after Yugi's friends.

And Yugi was helpless to do or say anything, because if he did, things would only get worse. Jack was holding Joey and Anzu hostage. And he knew about Yami. He was now holding Yami hostage, weather he knew about it or not. Yugi couldn't do anything.

He climbed into bed, not bothering to change out of his clothes. He was tired. He was tired of living in fear of his ex. He was tired of being a burden to his friends. He was tired of everything life fucking with him at every opportunity.

But mostly, he was tired of being helpless.

-0-0-0-0-0-

Joey sat on his bed, legs crossed. In front of him lay a manila folder, untouched. He knew he needed to open it, but he was scared. It had been a pain just getting this.

After he had his talk with Yami and Anzu, Joey decided to go to the court house to get some documents regarding the case the police had filed against Jack. He got the file easily, being Yugi's guardian, and on his way home someone had beaned him with a rock.

Joey winced and put his hand to his head at the memory. Anzu had done a good job of cleaning up the wound, but it still was sore.

Joey had been eyeing this file for about half an hour now, and he knew that he needed to read it tonight. Sighing, Joey reached forward and grabbed the folder, pulling it into his lap. He opened the folder, and saw a large stack of papers inside.

Joey began to read.

Yugi Motou (16) came into Domino Memorial Hospital at 11:30 pm Friday, June 17. The teenager arrived, unconscious, with several bruises and cuts on his upper body and face, along with a broken skull, fingers, and wrist. Mister Motou then had a cat scan to determine his unconscious state and a brain bleed was found. He was rushed into emergency surgery.

While Mister Motou was in surgery, one of the officers, Daisuke Alberts, questioned a Mister Joey Wheeler, who had called the ambulance earlier that night.

Q: How are you and Mister Motou related?

A: We're friends.

Q: How long have you been friends?

A: Close to ten years now.

Q: Hmm, Mister Wheeler, tell me. What were you doing earlier tonight?

A: Nothing much. I was working earlier today, but I arrived home at around dinner. That was when Yugi called me.

Q: He called you? What about?

A: He said he was having a fight with his boyfriend. He asked if he could spend a few nights at my place while things settled down.

Q: And you agreed?

A: Of course. He's my best friend and I hadn't seen a lot of him lately.

Q: If he's you're 'best friend' why hadn't you seen him?

A: I….I don't know. Ever since he moved in with his boyfriend, he's pulled away. Yugi and I, along with another friend, have made plans several times. Dinner, movies. And he'll just not show up. No call, no nothing. I had tried to call him several times during this period, but he never answered.

Q: What was the longest you went without contact with him?

A: Two months…I think. Tonight was the first time he called me in two months.

Q: And you were hoping to rebuild a friendship?

A: Yes, of course.

Q: What did you and Mister Motou agree on?

A: I told him he could come anytime he wanted. He said he would try to be at my place at seven.

Q: And?

A: And…nine o clock came and went. He didn't show. Nine-thirty. Nothing. I tried calling him, but he didn't answer. So, at ten, I went out looking for him. I searched for two hours.

Q: And what happened from there?

A: *pause* I searched all over the city, calling his name, trying his phone. I eventually started heading over to the apartment complex he shared with his boyfriend. I had never been there, I didn't know which room was his, but I knew the area.

Q: What did you find?

A:…..Him, in an alleyway. He was unconscious and his head was bleeding. I called the ambulance as fast as I could and now…we're here.

Q: Mister Wheeler, you've mentioned multiple times Mister Motou's 'boyfriend' as you put it. Do you believe he would do this?

A: I wouldn't put it past him.

Q: What do you know about him? I think it would be in everyone's best interest for us to question him as well.

A: Not much. I know his name's Jack. Anything else you're going to have to ask Yugi.

Q: I understand. Thank you, Mister Wheeler, for your time.

Doctors had stopped the bleeding in Mister Motou's head, but unfortunately he had fallen into a coma. Doctors allowed us to take fingerprints from Mister Motou, and we found something quite shocking. Underneath his fingernails were small pieces of skin—presumably from his attacker. He had acquired them whilst trying to defend himself.

We ran a DNA scan on these pieces of skin and discovered something more shocking. The DNA did not match anyone held within the police records of recorded criminals. Instead, it matched the DNA found on several crime scenes within the last few years. This DNA had been found on several crime scenes of animal torture—dogs with stab wounds, cats with their tails cut off, along with several other similar crimes. The exact same DNA was also found on a piece of rope that had been used to strangle 17 year old Amanda Smith three years ago, and on a bat that had been used to bludgeon 15 year old Jackie Sawyer five years ago. Both remain cold cases to this day.

It seemed that Mister Motou had fallen victim to a murderer, but had not died. Our main suspect was the boyfriend, but we had no way of contacting him. And when we learned that Mister Motou had a job at a diner, we had to lessen our suspicions. He could have picked up the DNA from working his shift, touching plates and drinks that been touched by many other people.

Mister Motou awoke from his coma three days later, but doctors ordered that we wait at least another few before confronting him. He refused to say who had attacked him, but he did give us the name of his boyfriend. Jack Daniels. He didn't say any more after that, not even with probing from his friends. But we were able to use the name to find the apartment he and Yugi shared.

The entire apartment was cleaned out. No furniture, or any papers indicating where he might have moved. The landlord said he moved out earlier that week. The day after Mister Motou was hospitalizied.

The evidence was stacking up against Mister Daniels, but without being able to locate him, there was little we could do.

To this day Jack still hasn't been found, although there is a warrant for his arrest on Domestic Violence charges. The case has since gone cold.

Joey bit the inside of his lip, trying to prevent hot tears from falling. He had never seen this file before—he knew it existed, but had never asked for it. He still wasn't quite sure why he had went over to the court house and asked for it. He just felt compelled to do so.

Of course the near concussion he received shortly afterwards had done nothing to help him reach his conclusion. Joey reached up and touched the injury, wincing. It still hurt. He had given up on finding out who had thrown the rock at him. The world was full of assholes and it could've been anybody.

Getting back to the file, Joey sighed. Reading this file was living the experience all over again. Joey remembered when the police told him what they found out of the DNA. He was disgusted. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that the DNA came from anyone other than Jack. The police had said they backed Joey's theory, but without a DNA sample from Jack himself, they had no proof that it was him.

Joey had kept the news of Jack from Yugi. Yugi needed to recover, and the last thing he needed to hear was that he had been living with an animal slaughtering serial killer for a year.

What was worse was the conclusion Joey had come too. Jack had targeted Yugi from the start.

Jack had planned Yugi's murder from the moment the blonde bastard spotted him.

Joey still didn't know the details of what had happened the night Yugi was hospitalizied. Yugi still refused to say anything of it. But Joey had done his best to put together his own hypothesis.

Yugi and Jack had been fighting. Jack was probably abusing Yugi some more. Yugi finally came to his senses and realized he needed to get out. He asked to spend the night with Joey, then tried to break up with Jack. Jack's whole relationship with Yugi revolved around control. Seeing Yugi try to take it back, angered him. He snapped.

It was a terrible conclusion to come with, but Joey knew it was the most likely. He put the folder on his nightstand, trying to forget about everything he had just read, everything thought that had just snuck into his mind. He turned off his light, and let out a small cry. He was tired of everything, and everyone, trying to hurt Yugi.

When was the world going to give the small teen a break?

-0-0-0-0-

IMPORTANT: Fan-fiction is still deleting stories than contain yaoi, yuri, lemons, violence, stories based on songs, and any detailed sex scenes…so…just about every story on the site. Most everyone knows of the petition going around. If you haven't signed it, the link is on my profile. But there is more we can do.

I'm organizing a Black Out Day. On June 23rd, do NOT go onto fan-fiction. Don't read, don't review, don't message your friends, don't update. If enough people participate, then the site will notice, and will realize we take our stories seriously.

Please spread the word any way you can, in any fandom! And let me know if you're going to join. The motto is "Unleash Your Imagination." How can we if we're being given a LONG list of what we cannot write?

June 23rd. Remember it. Please.