Disclaimer-I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh

Yugi gave a glance at his friends from the corner of his eye … No, they weren't his friends any more. Joey, Tristian, Tea and even Yami! They were barely friends; acquaintances at best.

Do they even notice me?

Today, like most recent days, Yugi's so-called friends and Yami walked pasted him like he was nothing. Like he was invisible to their eyes.

"Guys?" Yugi murmured quietly hoping a small, futile hope that today was the day it went back to normal; how it was like before. Before Yami got his own body, that is. And before everyone started to leave him.

His voice wavered through that single word. It unconsciously curled into a squeaking sound which caused even him to internally wince, never mind what they thought.

As it was, Tea twitched momentarily at his voice. "Yes? Do you need something?"

Yugi tried to work a smile up on his face. "I heard you were headed to the mall. Can I tag along?" he asked, a hesitant smile on his face.

Her amber eyes darted around him, perhaps not ashamed, but definitely guilty. "Er, well, we already have plans there, Yugi. I've been really looking forward to it, and don't want to change them," she said carefully.

Occasionally, Tea retorted with sharp words, other days she managed to hide better in her excuses. Still despite her relatively sincere sounding words today, Yugi could hear the underlying message as clear as water. Leave us alone; we don't want to hang with you.

Yugi swallowed his emotions as he stared morosely at her. When had his friends become people who would lie in his face just to avoid spending time with him? What had he done to deserve this?

A brown-haired boy raced past, hand waving over at them. "Hurry up, Tea! We're wasting time here. We're supposed to be at the mall ages ago!"

His words spurred the girl into action as she brushed past Yugi without another glance. "I'm coming, Tristian. It's not my fault!"

Yugi gritted his teeth, but sighed in the end, shoulder drooping as he proceeded to shuffle off. Once more he was condemned to walk home alone, yet again.

Yugi didn't know when this whole thing started - he was hesitant to blame Yami - but the timing seemed to coincide with the approximate time Yami received his own body. That was barely a year ago. Thanks to their begging, Shadi had finally gave in to their demands and found a way to separate Yami from Yugi. They had been ecstatic at the thought. Yugi was the happiest one of them all.

His mind had already been filled with the thoughts of a hundred games to share with Yami. Now that they had separate bodies, competing against each other was doable at last. For once they could even have a proper duel.

It was fun. Fun while it lasted.

But slowly and surely, Yami and the other three drifted off without him.

More and more recently Yami seemed to be invited to events that no one bothered to inform Yugi about. In group projects, the four of them chose each other to join so quickly that Yugi had no choice but to bow his head in defeat and find partners with the other misfits of the class. Even challenges for duels between them ceased - why settle for dueling Yugi when Yami was a much better duelist?

Yami was a natural sun, shining so bright and warm that everyone couldn't help but be attracted to him. And Yugi was stuck in the shadow he cast, slowly being forgotten.

Yugi wanted to rant and rave and complain and blame Yami for everything, but it wasn't completely his fault. A part of it was, perhaps, maybe, possibly. Another part, Yugi knew, was his own fault.

He was distinctly reminded of his old life in middle school, way back before Gramps gifted him with the millennium puzzle. He'd always been weak, friendless, ignored, and bullied by the whole school. It was only with the appearance of Yami that his whole life changed. It was Yami who helped turned his bullies into his friends, who attracted adventure and challenges, who turned his pitiful school life to a fulfilling one.

Perhaps with Yami his own man, things were only just realigning itself?

Whatever it was, Yugi was willing to work for his friends. He was swallowing his nervousness and extending invitation himself. He was trying his best, can't you see? He was doing all these things that his old, old middle school self would have never done, but then why were things still not getting any better?

Why did everyone love Yami so much more than him?

What was he doing wrong?

"I'm home!" Yugi announced when he finally arrived back to the game shop. "Hey Gramps."

Yugi shot a smile over at his grandfather, grateful at least someone here loved him. Somedays, when he dwelled too long on depressing thoughts, he needed all the reminders he could get.

"Welcome home, Yugi," Solomon Mutou, replied. The man shuffled over to the front counter. "Could you help me with a few boxes of cards? They're a bit heavy for me."

"Sure," Yugi said, smile on his face. He loved his grandfather dearly, but the old man seemed to forever forget his age. He still traveled to Egypt to explore the pyramids like he was a young man, and Yugi was certain if he hadn't arrived home just then, Solomon would have tried to pick up the boxes himself, heavy or not.

Yugi couldn't help but stagger at the weight as he picked up the first box. It was heavy indeed.

Hoping to look as if he could handle it, Yugi took slow strides towards the counter. He really didn't want Gramps to do this himself, and he didn't want to keep him waiting. Sadly, it was a mistake. So focused on keeping the box up, Yugi paid no attention to the uneven ground he was walking on. It was really no surprise when he slipped.

It was like an explosion, the way the contents in the box flew into the air as Yugi's arms swung upwards in an attempt to find balance.

Yugi's eyes widened, mortified.

"Oh no. Gramps, I'm so sorry!"

He hurriedly scooped up cards, trying to fix things right as quickly as he could. He stumbled in his frantic movements, bumping into a lamp with his elbow. It wobbeled and fell on the floor with a clang.

Yugi winced. Solomon shook his head.

"It's okay Yugi; I'll get it," Solomon sighed, slowly lowering himself onto his knees, "Don't worry about it. Why don't you head up to work on your homework? I'll handle it."

"I- I can help."

"I'll handle it," Solomon only repeated, and Yugi could tell his Gramps didn't want hims around any longer. When he was trying his best, he only made things worse. Was this why everyone was leaving him?

Yugi trudged up to his room, Gramps muttering voice at his back. "Dear boy needs to be more careful like Yami. Always rushing around... My, thank god this rare card wasn't damaged-"

Yugi quickly shut his door and sighed, plopping down on his bed. It was like no one was on his side anymore. At least Grampa tried to be discreet.

The next day came too quickly. It was painfully becoming harder and harder for Yugi to plaster on a smile on his face as the days went by, chipped away by actions and words (both intentionally and not) of his family and friends - acquaintances, rather. Purposely approaching his peers with the assumption that everything would be back to normal, and that the day before was nothing more than a horrid nightmare, was hurting Yugi more and more, but Yugi couldn't stop hoping.

Yugi intercepted his the group of four on their way out from school with a plastic smile on his face. "Hey, you guys busy today?"

"What do you want?" Tristian asked. Perhaps his mind was to much on the past, but Yugi cringed at his voice as the memory of the bully Tristian once was fleeted across his mind.

Yugi stammered for a quick second before he took a deep breath, gathering his courage. "You know that new movie last week ... I was wondering if you guys want to see it with me later?" he asked hopefully.

All he got were groans in response.

"Remember what happened last time? And the time before?" Tristian replied for the group. "And the time before that," he continued. "We didn't even get to watch the movie. We either spend the whole time arguing with the cashier that you are actually old enough to watch the film, or if you actually have a student discount or not. We never manage to watch it end the end."

"Well," Yugi bit his lip, "Well, how about something else? Amusement park?"

"Today?" Tea winced.

"We have plans alre'dy. We're going to ta arcade. Me, Tristian, 'n Tea are try'n ta get Yami here a'justed ta games and gamin' machines. Much betta' than goin' ta parks, ya know. 'Secially tha rich bastard's park." Joey said while looking at the others for their approval.

Yugi's heart sunk. Yet again they'd made plans without him. It hurt to hear.

He glanced over at Yami. He didn't know why he looked, but perhaps he was hoping his Yami would extend the invite, or somehow realised how they had been treating him. Yet, there was nothing. Yami was grinning broadly, mind clearing thinking about the arcade as he quizzed Joey about the different games present.

It was a new world for the Pharaoh, thousands of years in the future, and he finally had a body to do whatever he pleased; Yami had every reason to be distracted and excited.

So why did it hurt so badly?

o-o

Yugi chucked his backpack down on his bed. His grandfather left for a dig early that morning, and Yami was still at the arcade with his friends. A storm raged in Yugi's chest. He didn't know if it was from depression or anger, but it roared and roared.

"I can't do this anymore!" he finally snapped into the silent house.

His voice echoed through the empty house. No one was there to reply. The silence did nothing more than further pull Yugi deeper into depression. This was his life now, wasn't it? Always alone with no one to talk to but himself. Would anyone even notice if he left? The only relatives he had left was Gramps and Yami. Gramp's work kept him busy enought. And as for Yami, he had his friends to keep him busy. It wasn't like he would miss Yugi - today proved that enough.

What was the point of even being here?

And as quickly as that thought occurred a second one emerged as well. Yugi didn't need to be here.

Yugi could leave.

Where to, it didn't matter. His thoughts were spiraling downwards the longer he stayed here. His smile was becoming less genuine. He needed to get away from it all.

He leaped into action at once, pulling out an old suitcase from his closet. He took his time wandering around the house, gathering the necessary accessories.

A small innocent tug in his stomach told him to stay. Told him 'you're wrong to do this; you're being too dramatic'. So, Yugi took his time, hoping for someone to come and stop him. Someone, anyone, to tell him he was wrong, and it was only a spur of a moment thought. Hoping for at least the doorbell or phone to ring, snapping him up from this nightmare.

As he at last finished packing, he looked up and sighed; nothing happened. It was as though it was meant for him to leave.

And so, he took his cue.

Finally accepting his destiny, Yugi made his last stop in Yami's room. Holding himself straight with confidence, he slapped his dueling deck on Yami's desk, not sparing it a second glance when he turned on his heel and left.

"I don't need that - and never will again." Dueling was Yami's thing, and that was a deck he built with Yami. If he wanted a fresh start without Yami always hovering around him, he needed to cut his ties.

Writing a quick note goodbye, he ran out, accepting the dark and cold world outside. This was where his life laid from now on. With a wave, Yugi summoned a Taxi and directed it the Domino Airport. He relaxed as the cab started. As he let his hand fall from his face, his arm brushed against his puzzle. Yugi looked at it with surprise; he had gotten so used to the weight around his neck that he forgot all about it.

He stared at the puzzle, immersed in the past. Suddenly, with a jolt, Yugi came to a conclusion. With a jerk, he tugged off his puzzle. Opening the taxi window, Yugi flung it out onto the street with one thought on his mind:

So long Yami.

"Time to start a new life," Yugi thought to himself. "A clean, new start. One without you. I'll show you I can make friends and exist without your help."

With a smile, Yugi stared off into space.