Simple one-shot I made out of pure muse. The song is "I Don't Understand", by Emilie Autumn. The lyrics, which shall play as various dialogue between the characters and thoughts, shall be Italicized.

Warnings: AU, Fem!Yuugi, Slight Blindshipping/ Brief mentions of Puzzleshipping

Disclaimers: I do not in any way own Yu-Gi-Oh or Emilie Autumn's music. This is purely for entertainment and proliferation of the muse.

"Let me take your picture."

Though stated like a demand, the tanned Egyptian's voice was soothing, trying to coax some sort of stimulus from the young girl in front of him. She sat upon her knees, facing away from him. A thin white silk dress was what what she wore, lengthing to mid-leg, though the edges of it were fringed and tattered, sporting several different layers of dirt.

Sighing, the male set the camera he was holding to the side, getting on a knee. The girl heard his movements, realizing he ws closer to her, and whimpered, scooting away frantically. Her tri-colored hair was stringy and greasy, and lightly slapped against her upper back as she moved.

Atem frowned, running a hand through his star-shaped hair. The head of the asylum had hired him to take pictures of their 'inmates' as they so called them. He had seen women of every size, color, and background today. Different names ran through his head. Vivian Wong, Anzu Masaki, Rebecca Hawkins, Ishizu Ishtar, Mai Valentine... Now he was at one of the very last names on the list of people he was given to photograph.

Yuugi Motou.

While all the other women craved the contact from someone from the 'outside' (Some, more sexually than others, Atem had to admit. But he was a man of morals, and refused to give into these women.), this was the first person all day who seemed to be truly scared of him.

"Little one..." Atem spoke softly, attempting to show he meant no harm. "Let me take your picture." He could barely make out the distinct sound of soft crying on her end, and felt his heart lurch. The sound didn't sit well with him at all.

Though much to his surprise, she turned to look at him, her amethyst eyes glistening with fresh tears. He had to admit, she was a fairly beautiful girl, even with the tattered clothes and unruly hair. "Relax..." He said, scooting back as not to crowd her. "I mean you no harm."

She visibly tensed as he moved, her eyes wandering frantically, like she was trying to look for a way out. Light violet orbs soon came to land upon the camera Atem had set down earlier, and they quickly widened in fear. Once she studied the object, - Atem having easily allowing her all the time she needed to relax and collect herself - she seemed to relax a bit, shifting her position to where she was seated on her bottom now.

"Is that a camera?"

"Yes," Atem nodded with a soft smile, "It is." He stood, setting it up properly, noting how she watched him intently, curiously. Feeling the sudden urge to impress her, he smirked. "And when I light the powder..." Doing as he said, the powder attached to the camera reacted, causing a flash to go throughout the small stone tower-esque room.

"Oh!" Yuugi gasped in surprise and blinked, trying to get the glare out of her eyes. "How long does it take?"

"Well..." Atem shifted his position, folding his arms as he spoke. "Are you very good at sitting still?"

Yuugi's face paled slightly at that. "Why do you ask?"

Noting the sudden change in her appearance, Atem's voice became soft and soothing once again. "Well, if you're not then... we'll have to clamp your head in place."

Again, a gasp. One of Yuugi's hands flew to her mouth in shock. "You really do that?" She asked, amethyst eyes wide.

"You'd be surprised how often." He admitted, half smirking as he remembered some of his less willing participants earlier in the day.

"I've had enough of clamps..."

Yuugi's voice brought Atem out of his thoughts, what little he had of a smirk vanishing. Yuugi was looking away at this point, her eyes staring at her hands as she played with her fingers. It was then that Atem realized exactly how well her garments fit her. All the other inmate's clothes were horribly damaged beyond repair. Some had regretfully abandoned clothing altogether. While Yuugi's dress was dirty and worn, she obviously had made attempts to clean it, and keep it looking decent.

Atem frowned, confusion lacing his face. "I don't understand..."

Yuugi opened her mouth to reply, but quickly shut it, avoiding any eye contact with the stranger. A voice in the back of her head sounded off, practically scoffing. He doesn't, does he?

Looking through his camera to get a good shot of Yuugi, Atem couldn't help but notice some marks on her wrists and along her legs. Moving from his spot to her, Atem gently grasped her hand. Yuugi's eyes widened fearfully at the contact, but as she looked into his exotic crimson eyes, she couldn't help but calm considerably. He looked over her, and spoke, his baritone chords vibrating with concern. "What are all these bruises?"

Yuugi was silent, her eyes tearing away from his at the question. Does he know where he is? She wondered, flinching as his hand moved from her hand to her ankle.

"These lacerations..." Atem lightly raised her dress to a knee, the action not of a sexual intent. "May I look?"

The voice in her head was screaming at her, warning her to get away from him, to make him leave her alone, but she slowly nodded regardless, not saying a word. What's all this for?

Why is she here? Atem wondered. He pulled away from her after a few seconds, a frown on his face, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She doesn't seem to be insane at all...

"Will you allow me," He asked, pulling a decoration out of his breast pocket, "to put this flower in your hair?"

Again, she only nodded, watching as he walked to her cautiously, delicately reaching up into her hair. He seems so nervous... She realized.

Atem's fingers fumbled as he attempted to fasten the flower in her black and red locks. He adjusted his footing, getting a bit closer to her than she probably would have liked. "Pardon me."

Her eyes traveled up, watching him intently. His natural scent was practically suffocating, though not unwelcome. It vaguely reminded her of spices and sand dunes. His crimson eyes were fixated on his task, but she couldn't help but find herself lost in them. They were exotic, much like everything else about him, and she could tell they were completely natural. She couldn't help but but think, He's very pretty...

"There now." He murmured, pulling back to admire his work. The white orchid contrasted her dark hair beautifully, and gracefully complemented her pale, alabaster skin, causing her amethyst eyes to naturally pop and stand out. It was a simple, yet elegant accessory to someone as beautiful as her. "Better than by far." He said as he tucked several stray strands of hair behind her ear, pausing when a long, winding scar along her shoulder and the crook of her neck was revealed.

Yuugi froze as she felt his fingers trace it, but found herself easily leaning into the touch. "Should we hide the scar...?" She asked timidly.

"No." He replied, his tone soothing. "The scar is beautiful... It's like a heart."

At that, it was like the world just stopped. Why on earth was he being so kind to her? Why wasn't he cruel like the head of the asylum? Like the warden? Like the Chaser? Like everyone who worked in this hellhole?! She needed him to hurt her... She couldn't stand the false hope that she actually mattered anymore... She wasn't worth anything anyway... Not after being helpless as she watched her fiancee and grandfather die a couple years ago... Her Grandpa... Her Yami...

I feel like failure once again. Is it ever over? Will it ever end? She looked to Atem, who was still admiring her skin, scar and all. What accounts for this morbid fascination with this suicidal girl?!

She pulled away from him, drudging herself over to the window, laying her arms and head down against the window ledge with a sigh. Pretend you're drowning... moan and sigh... the only thing you're not told is the reason why. Her eyes returned to Atem, who had apparently returned to his camera once she had pulled away from him. This obsession is madness at its most perverse. My god! What in the world could be the purpose of this game when everytime it ends the same? Poor Shakespeare's turning in his grave! Still... Her eyes turned to the door, and she saw the head of the asylum watching, his snow white hair standing out against the bleak blackness of the corridor behind him. I must behave... Her eyes filled with tears, which slowly slipped down the side of her face.

Doctor's little slave...

Atem watched her, wondering why she spontaneously began to cry. He moved to say something, but stopped once he saw the moonlight come in through the window. It radiated off Yuugi's pale skin, giving her a glow around her that was positively stunning. The sight took his breath away. She started to move away from the window, when Atem shook his head. "No! No, that's perfect! Don't move an inch!" He made his way to her, kneeling down to point for her to look at the moon. She hesitantly agreed and looked up at an angle, a tear escaping from her eye once more. "That's far more real..." He said, walking back to his camera.

I've never seen a face like hers... He mused, shooting several pictures of her. The world should look upon it. Well, I suppose that's why they brought me here...

"Miss," he said, beginning to put away his camera. "I thank you."

"I-I've done nothing." Yuugi insisted, shaking her head.

She's done more than she knows. Atem watched as Yuugi reached for the decoration in her hair and shook his head in response. He let her know it was hers now, that she could keep it.

Yuugi's heart was beating fast in her chest. She hadn't felt like this since she had been shoved in this place. He had told her 'thank you'... I haven't heard those words in years...

Atem was about to say something when the door swung open violently, and the head of the asylum walked in. Bakura Tategami had an unreadable expression, staring at Yuugi. Her eyes widened in fright, and she slowly pressed herself back against the wall.

Bakura frowned at that, and whistled, like he was calling for a dog. Obediently, a tanned skin male rushed into the room, his platinum blonde hair wild and flared. Bakura pointed to Yugi, and the male snickered, lunging for Yuugi.

The Chaser's coming for me! She mentally screamed, trying to dodge Marik, but to no avail. The bigger male grabbed her, and the warden walked in, his heterochromatic eyes - One gold, one an eerie green - glinting maliciously. He began chaining Yuugi's wrists and ankles together while the warden held her against the wall.

Atem wanted to stop this. This was madness, this was insanity! This was... an asylum. Of course there'd be insanity. But still... Yuugi was different than all the others... A hand at his shoulder brought him out of his thoughts, and he turned, seeing Bakura pat his shoulder. "Why must she be chained?" He asked the asylum's head. "I don't understand."

Yuugi's eyes filled with tears as the chains yanked her up, a yelp escaping her lips. Marik and Dartz only smirked, a chuckle escaping one of them - she didn't care to tell who. She looked towards Atem fearfully, wanting some sort of solace. But Bakura had his hand on him... She couldn't say anything to Atem now. Bakura would hear whatever it was. She watched as he told Bakura that he didn't understand, and finally let the tears fall without care. Dartz muttered something to her, and Marik yanked on her chains once more, causing her to cry out in pain, the orchid falling out of her hair, right at Atem's feet. He picked it up, and looked at her as they pulled her out of the room.

Yuugi couldn't look at him anymore. It was just as she feared. False hope that everything would be ok. He was right. He didn't understand.

He doesn't, does he...?