Yu-Gi-Oh 1. Prologue

Prologue:

* * *

Grandpa Mutou sighed as he leaned his elbow against the glass surface of the counter, watching the raindrops trail down the store window. It had been raining for three days straight in Domino, driving business away from the small game shop. During days like these, Grandpa felt like he spent most of his time counting the clock until his grandson, Yami Mutou, came home from school. Usually Yami would bring with him a flurry of activity and noise in the form of his group of friends. Unfortunately, it was still early in the day and his grandson wouldn't be back for hours. He sighed, picking up the well-worn deck of playing cards he kept near the register and began to shuffle them absently.

Grandpa looked up at the sound of the bells jingling above the store door. His happy greeting got stuck in his throat before he could utter a syllable. A boy who looked no older than middle school age stood, soaking wet in his doorway. He wore a dirty and torn school blazer that Grandpa didn't recognize over a thin jumper, the fraying cuffs of which covered his hands. He looked cold, wet, and had a distrustful expression on his face. He stared at Grandpa warily, as though he expected to be chased out, clutching a messenger bag to his side.

After an awkward beat, Grandpa composed himself. "Welcome to Kame game shop…." Slowly some of the distrust left the boy's face and he offered a quick smile in return before wandering to a nearby shelf.

Grandpa watched him for a few minutes, his heart clenching in his chest. It wasn't hard to figure out that the boy didn't have a home or at least not a proper one; his worn out and dirty clothing served as a strong indicator. As well as the fact that he wasn't in school although he was clearly school age. The boy lifted his pale hand to brush rainwater out of his wildly spiky hair as he looked at the merchandise on the shelves. He was shivering and sniffling occasionally.

"Do you need help finding anything?" Grandpa asked, coming around the counter. The boy jumped slightly.

"N-No thank you…" came the quiet response. He didn't back away from Grandpa, as the man half-expected but his small shoulders did develop more of a hunch. He picked up a board game from the shelf to avoid looking directly at the man, feigning interest as he read the box, but Grandpa Mutou could sense that the sniffling boy was acutely aware of the elders' every move.

"That's one of my Grandson's favourites…" Grandpa said after another awkward silence.

The boy acknowledged Grandpa's attempt with brief eye contact and a polite smile before quickly returning the game to the shelf and heading to the exit. Grandpa watched him go, feeling like he should stop him, but not knowing how. This small boy could very well have a home and a family that was worried about him; somewhere safe and warm to return to, however doubtful.

Grandpa was surprised when the doors jingled open again, but the boy did not immediately walk out. He paused, looking over his shoulder. He seemed unsure. Finally, he gave another small smile and nodded. "Thank you."

Then he walked back into the rain.

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Thank you for reading. This is my first story! nervous!


	2. Chapter 1

(Chapter 1)

* * *

Yami watched his grandfather over his chopsticks. He could tell the old man was distracted by something. He had been deep in thought ever since Yami returned home from school, and only smiled when prompted. Not even Jounouchi's antics could get through to him. Yami had asked what was wrong after Jou and the others had left, but Grandpa simply shook his head and gave the first real smile of the day. "Nothing to worry about," he had said.

"Okay, Grandpa, spill!" Yami said, putting his chopsticks down. "Something happened today. What is it that has you so down?"

"…I wonder if he felt like I rushed him out…" Grandpa muttered to himself.

"Wait, what? Who are you talking about?" Yami asked, thrown.

"It's nothing to worry about…" assured the old man distractedly.

Grandpa's eyes drifted from his grandson to the kitchen window. It had not stopped raining out, and the sun was beginning to set. He pictured the same boy from his shop standing in a doorway, trying to stay warm and safe for another night. Grandpa felt deep in his heart, although he had no solid proof, that the boy truly had nowhere safe to go.

Sensing his Grandfather's attention slipping away again, Yami sighed and stood. He cast one more concerned look at his grandfather before he gathered the dishes on the table and brought them to the kitchen.

Grandpa Mutou watched his grandson and thought that the boy from today could have easily been Yami, and was thankful that it was not. Although both of Yami's parents were alive and well, they were also absent. His father was forever traveling for business and his mother had moved out of house one year after his father stopped calling. It was unspoken that Yami would be taken care of by his grandfather. Their support came in the form of spontaneous cheques in the mail. Despite what could have been a very crippling emotional blow, Yami instead had become a confident and compassionate young man. Grandpa was very proud of him.

Shaking his head to dispel the depressing thoughts, Grandpa also stood and gathered his dishes. He hoped that the boy from the shop was safe and would feel comfortable returning if he ever needed a place to hide from the rain again. He supposed that was all he could do.

Over the next few days, as the sun came out, Yami was pleased to notice his Grandpa become his old self again. It seemed that whatever had gotten to him down had been gradually forgotten with the rain.

* * *

Two weeks later Grandpa was trying determinedly to carry a hefty load of groceries all the way from the shop to his home. He could feel the plastic beginning to give under the weight and cursed the inexperienced bagger who did not double-bag the milk jug that he put with the sharply-edged box of cookies. On top of that, his arms and hands were aching from the strain.

Huffing, he conceded defeat and dropped the groceries ungracefully to the pavement. Pedestrians gave him dirty looks at he stopped in the middle of the path. Grandpa rubbed his hands on his pants, glaring at the passersby.

"Ungrateful generation… never heard of respecting your elders…" he muttered to himself then bent to collect his bags again.

"E-Excuse me…" a small voice interrupted. "Would you like some help?"

Grandpa looked up in shock, recognizing the voice immediately. "It's you!" he practically cheered. The boy who had entered his shop all that time ago stood before him with the same unsure posture and the same dirty clothes. He seemed taken aback by the elder's enthusiasm to see him.

"Oh… you're from that shop…" the kid mumbled, avoiding eye contact again.

"Yes, I would love some help, please, if you wouldn't mind." Grandpa said quickly, sensing another moment of silence forming. He bent over again to gather some of the groceries, smiling when the boy copied his action.

They began to walk down the street together, the only sound between them from the rustling bags. It was apparent to Grandpa that this boy was shy and reserved. Awkward pauses were a very real danger around him.

"What's your name?" Grandpa asked as they neared the shop. The boy seemed hesitant to answer.

"Yuugi." He replied finally, his voice characteristically quiet.

"How old are you, Yuugi?" There was another pause.

"I'm 15, sir."

Grandpa suddenly loudly guffawed at the title, Yuugi started at the unexpected laughter. "Ho, ho, ho! No need to call me sir. You can call me Grandpa Mutou if you'd like, or Sugoroku if you feel more comfortable with that."

"A-Alright…" Yuugi replied, ducking his head.

The duo stopped in front of the game shop. "Well, here we are." Grandpa announced, fishing around for the keys in his pocket.

"You live here…?" Yuugi asked shyly.

"That's right!" Grandpa answered with pride in his voice. He opened the door, then propped it open with his foot and nodded for Yuugi to enter.

"Cool!" Yuugi exclaimed, before bowing his head again, embarrassed. Grandpa's heart swelled when he saw a genuine smile on the boys' face.

"Where should I put these?" Yuugi asked. Grandpa led him towards the back of the dark store and into the home portion of the building. In the kitchen, he put his own bundle of groceries on the counter and gestured for Yuugi to do the same.

Grandpa was then confronted by the awkwardness of the situation. Should he offer Yuugi money for helping him? Would the boy be offended if he did? Or if he didn't? Was it rude of him to have a presumably homeless, presumably hungry boy handle his groceries?

"I better get going…" Yuugi mumbled.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Grandpa asked suddenly.

"…Er…"

"It's really not a problem. My way of saying thanks for helping me."

"Uhm… I-I guess I could… if you're sure…" The boy was twisting his dirty and frayed sweater cuffs in his pale hands.

Grandpa smiled encouragingly. He began to energetically rummage through the bags, making a show of getting dinner together. "It will be a while yet, so why don't you go get cleaned up. The bathroom is just through the hall there."

Body language screaming nervousness all over again, Yuugi mumbled something and went in the direction Grandpa indicated. Grandpa stopped his flurry of actions as the boy left his line of vision. Truthfully, he wasn't quite sure what he was doing. All he knew was that he felt the need to help this boy, in any way he could. A nice hot meal would do him good. Sighing as he began to put the groceries away and prepare dinner in earnest, he started to wonder what Yami's reaction to their dinner guest would be when he got home from school.

Eventually Yuugi wandered back into the kitchen. The dirt on his face and hands was gone and it was apparent that he had taken measures to tame his hair as well. Grandpa attempted to make conversation while he prepared the meal, but other than politely answering his questions, Yuugi didn't have a lot to say. He kept his eyes focussed on a disassembled gold puzzle sitting on the counter.

"Ah, I see you've noticed the Sennen puzzle!" Grandpa remarked after following his gaze. "Yami and I, my grandson, take a shot at it every now and then. It's nearly impossible!"

"Oh, I see…" Yuugi replied.

"Go ahead and try to solve it. We sure could use the help."

Tentatively Yuugi picked up a piece of the puzzle and inspected the small chunk that had already been solved, his attention caught.

"Speaking of my grandson," Grandpa continued, "he should be home right away. He lives here with me."

Yuugi's actions froze, an anxious expression crossing his face. "Oh," he breathed, "Maybe I should go…"

"No, no! It's alright, he's a nice kid!" Grandpa panicked. "There's no need to feel unwelcome…"

The boy continued to fiddle with the puzzle, clearly nervous. Grandpa frowned at him, feeling saddened and inexplicably guilty. He wished there was something he could do to put Yuugi at ease. Silence lapsed between them once more, the sounds of cooking food and gold puzzle pieces clicking together being the only noises in the kitchen.

"May I use the restroom again?" Yuugi spoke up a few minutes later, still staring at the puzzle.

"Of course."

He placed the puzzle pieces on the counter where he found them. "Thank you," he said softly before disappearing down the hall.

A few moments later, Yami walked into the kitchen with a frown.

"Oh, Yami. I didn't hear you come in!"

"Who was that leaving just now?" Yami asked instead, pointing behind him.

"That would be… wait, leaving?" Grandpa gasped, dropping a ladle into a pot of boiling pasta and rushing out of the kitchen. He raced out the front door, looking both ways for any sign of Yuugi. An empty street was all he found. Sighing sadly, Grandpa re-entered the store. Yami stood in front of him, worriedly reaching out for his grandfather.

"Grandpa, what is it?"

"I'll explain over dinner," Grandpa mumbled, leading his grandson back into the house.

* * *

"Wait, you let a homeless kid wander our house alone?" Yami interrupted, shocked. "What if he stole something? Grandpa, you're too trusting! He could have robbed you blind, or hurt you!"

"He wasn't dangerous," Grandpa disagreed, shaking his head. "You would agree if you had the chance to meet him properly."

Yami's eyes dropped down to his plate, recalling the boy he bumped into on his way into the shop. The kid completely avoided making eye contact while mumbling an apology and ducking out of the store. Yami was quite surprised to see somebody in the closed shop, especially a small kid he had never met before. He seemed quiet and weird, but not dangerous.

"So that's why you were so depressed the other day?" Yami asked slowly.

Grandpa nodded, apparently absorbed in his own thoughts as well. They continued to eat in silence, both thinking about the enigmatic Yuugi. When dinner was over, Yami cleared the dishes again and began to wash up without being asked. After tidying, Yami started to walk out of the kitchen. Seeing his grandpa still preoccupied with his thoughts, he paused at the doorway.

"I'm sure he'll be alright." Yami offered. "Like you said, we don't know if he really is homeless. And if he is, he has been able to take care of himself this far."

"Ah," Grandpa acknowledged absentmindedly.

Yami turned to leave again when he noticed a dirty messenger bag lying beside the counter. "What's that?" he asked, pointing. Grandpa followed his grandson's finger and recognized the bag as being the one Yuugi was carrying with him.

"Oh no!" He gasped, retrieving the bag. "This is Yuugi's!"

"…what's in it?" Yami asked, curious despite himself as he approached.

"I don't know! And we can't snoop through it, that's an invasion of privacy!" Grandpa snapped.

"But what if it gives us a clue where to find him to return it? It's not snooping, it's helping!"

Grandpa frowned, but couldn't argue with the logic. He tentatively unzipped the bag. Yami had scooted closer, peering over his grandfather's shoulders. Grandpa reached inside, but could not identify any of the items without pulling them out.

Within they found a travelling toothbrush, a thick jumper (just as frayed and filthy as the rest of Yuugi's clothing), a few bank notes with change, a half-drunk bottle of water, and a half deck of old Duel Monster cards; but no clue as to where to find the boy.

Disappointed, Grandpa put the items back in the bag.

"Well," Yami started, hating the dejection rolling of his grandpa in waves, "he knows where you are. He'll be back." He rose from the kitchen chair and patted Grandpa's shoulder on his way out of the room.

* * *

Thank you! I hope you enjoy. Also, thank you to all of you who gave this story the time of day and even left a review. I haven't been that giddy in a while!


	3. Chapter 2

Thank you all for the reviews and I apologize for the long wait between chapters!

* * *

Yami stretched his arms over his head, turning his face to the sky. He was disappointed to see not the sun and clouds, but the grey gloominess that indicated rain. So far it had been a very wet spring, and Yami was looking forward to summer more and more.

"Hey, man!" Jounouchi shouted, walking up behind him. "We walking to the shop, or getting on the bus?"

A fat raindrop landed on his nose as an answer. Yami chuckled at Jou's expression.

"Let's take the bus today."

"Sounds good to me!"

Together they ran to the bus stop. More raindrops followed the first and soon it was pouring down. Jounouchi used his school blazer as a make-shift umbrella while Yami braved it without. When they finally got to the safety of the bus shelter, they were both soaking wet and out of breath.

"At least now I don't have to take a shower tonight," Jounouchi laughed. Yami grinned back.

"I'm afraid you could still benefit from some soap."

"Oi!"

"I'm only being honest." He said solemnly.

Unsurprisingly, the bus was packed when it finally arrived. They both flashed their student passes, before shoving through the crowds towards the back. No seats were available so they resigned themselves to standing. Yami made a show of gagging when Jou reached up to the handles. In retaliation, Jou shoved him backwards.

He collided with the person standing next to him. Yami spared enough time to glare at his best friend before turning around to apologize. Yami assumed the man he fell into was a business man, as he was wearing a suit and seemed very unhappy with the wet teenagers bumping into him. The apology did little to sooth the grumpy expression on his face.

Jou snickered the entire ride. When the bus finally got to their stop, Jou couldn't stop from laughing out loud and Yami got off as quickly as he could.

"Oh, man!" Jou laughed, taking his time exiting. "That was priceless. That guy was pissed."

"It's not funny…"

Yami hated the fact that he blushed easily. Jounouchi and Honda, his other good friend, were comfortable being rowdy and rambunctious, but Yami believed one must have a certain level of decorum when in public. Naturally, his trouble-maker friends knew just what to do to cause Yami mass embarrassment whenever they went out.

"You're too easy," Jou teased, bumping his shoulder against Yami's.

"And you're a beast."

The rain had not relented during the short ride. Yami and Jou reluctantly left the second bus shelter to make the trek to the game shop.

"Screw this man, I'm running for it!" Jounouchi shouted just before breaking into a sprint. Yami followed his example only a second later but already Jou had an impressive lead.

"Hurry up!" Jou taunted over his shoulder, not noticing the figure he was about to run over.

"Look out!" Yami shouted, to no avail. Startled, Jou turned back only in time to realize with horror he was about to run full force into another boy much smaller than himself. The other cried out in shock as he was tackled to the ground.

"Oh, man, I'm so sorry!" Jou exclaimed as he quickly shot back to his feet. He worriedly regarded the stranger who was sitting on the wet ground, holding a hand to his head. "Are you alright?" he asked as Yami jogged up to them.

"I-I'm fine…" the boy mumbled, finally looking up at the two. He seemed embarrassed. His eyes settled on Yami for a second before he looked down.

"Here," Jou offered his hand, "I'm really sorry."

The boy ignored Jounouchi's hand, slowly rising to his feet and shying away. "It's okay… "

Yami stared at the kid, wondering why he seemed familiar to him, and then it hit him. "Are you Yuugi?" he asked suddenly.

Yuugi looked at Yami suspiciously, giving him no indication either way. His body posture became defensive.

Realizing he seemed a bit weird (judging by the look Jounouchi was giving him) he stammered, "err, sorry, just, you left your bag at my place the other night."

"Oh…" Yuugi breathed, body relaxing fractionally.

"Oh!" Jounouchi gasped, turning back to study Yuugi again, "you're that homeless kid?" he blurted.

"Jou!" Yami snapped.

"Sorry," the blonde mumbled, "I mean…"

"Sorry about my friend," Yami interrupted before Jounouchi could say anything else, shooting a glare at said friend, "he can be pretty stupid sometimes."

"It's true!" Jou agreed, nodding.

"It's alright," Yuugi mumbled, looking at his feet.

"My name's Yami." He considered offering a handshake but remembered Yuugi had refused Jou's hand earlier.

"I'm Jounouchi…" the blonde mumbled with a half wave.

"Yuugi," the smaller boy said unnecessarily.

"Why don't you come with us?" Yami offered after an awkward moment of silence. "You can get your bag, and I'm sure Grandpa would be happy to see you again."

Yuugi nodded again. He waited until the other two started walking before following them, his head still bowed. His eyebrows were knitted anxiously, as though in internal debate. The mood between the three boys had considerably soured, the only sound being the unrelenting rain. Jou caught Yami's eye, conveying a question. Yami shrugged helplessly.

"I'm not homeless…" Yuugi mumbled, unprompted. His voice barely carried over the wind and rain.

Yami turned to look at Yuugi. He was wearing the same battered clothing he had been in the first time they bumped into each other. He was thin and pale and looked tired, as though he hadn't had a decent night's sleep in ages. Yami was unconvinced, but nodded.

"Of course, I'm sorry for assuming."

"I live near here, with both my parents." Yuugi went on as they stopped in front of the Kame game shop. The shop lights were off, with a sign on the door that read 'Back in ten minutes!' Yami fished the keys out of his pants pocket to avoid answering. Jounouchi nodded awkwardly in response to Yuugi.

Yami held the door open for the others after he unlocked it. Jounouchi followed naturally, but Yuugi made no move to enter.

"I'll just wait here," he explained, answering Yami's unspoken question. Yami and Jou glanced at each other again. This time Jou shrugged helplessly.

"Are you sure? You can come in to warm up, and Grandpa—"

"No, it's okay, please." Yuugi interrupted.

"err, alright…" Yami mumbled reluctantly. With Jou at his heels, they walked into the home –portion of the building. Yuugi's bag had been laundered. It sat next to the kitchen counter where Yuugi had left it. Without the dirt and with the fading less noticeable, it looked as innocent and innocuous as an ordinary school bag. Grandpa was seated at the table, reading the newspaper and sipping a steaming cup of tea. He looked up and smiled as the boys entered.

"Good afternoon, boys! How was school?" his smile fell when he noticed the air of uncertainty surrounding the normally loud teenagers. "What is it?"

Yami bent to pick up the bag. "We bumped into Yuugi."

"What?" Grandpa gasped, rising from his seat. "Is he here?!"

"He's outside the shop," Jou answered, shaking water from his hair.

Grandpa spared a frown at the rainwater pooling in his clean kitchen. "Why didn't you invite him in?" he asked his grandson.

"I think he just wants to get his stuff and go." Yami explained as he left the kitchen. Grandpa quickly followed, excited about the prospect of seeing Yuugi once more. He hoped he would be able to talk the boy into coming inside, perhaps joining them for a meal.

Yuugi stood exactly where the others had left him, hugging himself and shivering. When he saw the three approaching through the shop window, his shoulders hunched. Yami opened the door, offering the messenger bag. Grandpa stepped outside.

"Yuugi, I was beginning to think you would never come back."

Yuugi quickly grabbed his belongings from Yami, clutching it to his chest. He took a few steps back.

"Mm…" Yuugi hummed. "Thank you for keeping it for me. I have to go." He turned to do just that.

"Wait!" Grandpa panicked, "why don't you come inside? I can make some tea? Or how about that dinner I owe you?"

"No, thank you. It's alright. Thank you," Yuugi replied, hurrying away.

The three watched his figure disappearing down the street.

"That poor boy," Grandpa muttered, shaking his head.

"He said he lived with his parents, close by." Jou tried, sensing the old man becoming morose.

"Perhaps…" he sighed. "Well, let's get you boys out of the rain. How about some tea?"

* * *

Yuugi ducked down a thin alleyway once the shop was out of sight, releasing his breath as he did so. The rush of nerves did not allow his muscles to relax as he slid under a make-shift shelter to block the rain. He thought fondly of the old shopkeeper. He knew the man meant well. Even Yami and Jounouchi seemed very kind and helpful, but he was not willing to let them get close. He couldn't risk it.

Still, Yuugi thought as his stomach rumbled, he almost caved when the man had offered dinner. Even tea sounded heavenly, or just a warm and dry place to sit for a while.

After a few minutes of hugging the newly acquired bag, he decided to take inventory. He hoped there was still some water left. After opening the zip, he gasped in surprise. It was apparent that the old man had washed his spare jumper; it was folded neatly beside a fresh bottle of water. There was also a few packets of lunch snacks; crisps, fruit gummies, and granola bars. Two unopened booster packs of Duel Monster cards lay innocently on top of it all. Yuugi was momentarily blinded by tears.

It struck him that these strangers could be so kind, while people close to him could be so cruel.

* * *

A/N:

I promise it won't be such a long wait between chapters next time. Again, thank you all for being so lovely!


	4. Chapter 3

Okay, first of all I would really like to apologize for the long gap between updates. Secondly, I need to thank everybody again for being great and reviewing or liking this story. You guys are amazing.

Something I should mention, I may have to bump the rating of this story up a bit. This chapter takes a bit of a dramatic turn. Kind of. You'll see, if you're willing to stick through it. Some swearing in this chapter. Yeah, let me know what you think... I'm kind of nervous to post this. I hope the direction I'm taking this story isn't too much. Uhm, anyway. Enjoy.

* * *

(chapter 3)

Yuugi sighed to himself as he huddled near the glass door. This bakery was the latest in hiding spots he jumped into to avoid the rain. He had regretted his decision instantly. The thick and warm aroma of freshly baked bread tortured his empty stomach. The arms wrapped around his middle did nothing to ease or quiet the rumbling. Worst of all, the irate middle-aged woman behind the counter kept her glare burning at his back. He couldn't help but notice she had hidden the free samples as soon as he entered.

Beside him was a stand of bagged bread. It would be too easy to grab one and dash out the store before she could even get around the counter. He remembered a time when he would be appalled at the thought of stealing anything, but god, he was so hungry…. And it would be so easy.

"Are you going to buy something, or get out!?" The woman snapped, as if reading his thoughts.

He jumped, twirling around to cast a guilty look.

"I-I…"

"Well?!"

"I have no money…"

"Then I'd appreciate it if you would leave! You're scaring away my customers!" she fumed.

"Sorry…" he mumbled. He shouldered through the door, doing his best not look at the stand of bread. He had missed his chance.

He wandered aimlessly for a few minutes, passing by the usual places he would haunt. He considered going to the homeless shelter, but knew they would have no room for him today. It was a small, non-profit organization, and when it rained, the place filled up fast. He paused in the middle of the street to look up at the sky as it poured down on him. He didn't want to feel badly for himself, after all, this was the reality he chose. He knew it wouldn't be easy. Still…

_'Still…'_ Yuugi thought dejectedly, bringing his face down. _'I wish it would stop raining...'_

The bus stop had become a good place to wait out the rain. He slowly made his way there, dragging his worn sneakers against the wet pavement. He didn't know what time it was, but hoped that there wouldn't be too many people there. When he arrived, he was both relieved and disappointed. There was only one man sitting on the bench under the glass walls, but he was half-way through eating a steaming cheeseburger. Yuugi noticed the guy had green hair which clashed horribly with his red leather jacket, and wondered why the man would be wearing sunglasses even though the sun had already begun to set.

Reluctantly, Yuugi sat down, trying to keep as much space between them as he could. He could still smell the burger as though it were right under his nose. His hunger and the cold air seemed to heighten his sense of smell. Despite himself, he couldn't help but watch the man eat from the corner of his eye.

The man noticed his audience. He paused to regard Yuugi with a sneer.

"Want some?" He asked, his tone mocking. Yuugi quickly looked away.

"I'm talking to you, kid. I said _'want some?'_" he repeated. "You seem to like what you see."

Yuugi nodded slowly.

"I'll give you a bite, if you suck me off."

Those words stopped the air from moving. Without the noise of the constant wind and rain, Yuugi could hear only the sound of his suddenly hammering heart. He choked on his breath.

"Wh-What?" he struggled to ask.

"You heard me, kid. You hungry ain't ya?" the man leered; his sunglasses slipped low on his nose as he regarded Yuugi up and down. "Seems fair to me…"

Yuugi slipped off the bench, preparing to make a run for safety. The stranger's face split into a wicked grin. He raised the burger tauntingly. "Is that a no?"

"G-Go to hell!" Yuugi shouted as confidently as he could, the effect ruined when he broke into a sprint. His face burned with shame while simultaneously remaining bloodless and the rain did nothing to dampen the laughter that chased after him.

He ran as far and fast as he could with no thought on direction. When his lungs threatened to burst, he finally stopped against a brick wall. He slowly slid down to his knees, panting and gasping for breath. The perverted man's words were no more than vulgar, but had brought an onslaught of memories that Yuugi knew were better off forgotten.

_"Go on Yuugi… you know what to do…"_

He sobbed hard, still unable to catch his breath. Regardless, he picked himself up on shaky legs and continued to run down the sodden streets.

Running away was the only thing he knew how to do.

* * *

"This is the life!" Jounouchi sighed, stretching his arms upwards. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon, and for what seemed like the first time in years, they were not kept inside by a torrent of rain. Grandpa had sent them on an errand to get some sweet buns from the bakery not far from the shop, but had mentioned that he wouldn't mind if they took their time. He seemed glad just to get them out of the house.

Being a person of opportunity, Yami had pointed out that the bakery that was not far from home was also not far from an arcade. And Jou, who had been excited by the prospect of fresh sweet buns, had decided that maybe food could wait.

Yami turned his face to the sky, full-heartedly agreeing with Jou's earlier thought. It was a beautiful day, they were young and able, and there was a new zombie shooter game at the arcade that he was going to crush Jou at. There was nothing he could complain about.

He opened his mouth to tell Jou just as much but was interrupted as a man up ahead yelled, "stop that thief!"

A huddled form barrelled between them, knocking his shoulder against Yami as he did. The two made eye contact for only a second, amethyst meeting crimson. Yami stumbled backwards, thrown from both the contact and the shock. Two larger men were not far behind, shouting for the kid to stop immediately. The two teens watched as the chase turned the corner, momentarily stunned. Jou was the first to recover.

"Wasn't that Yuugi?"

Yami nodded grimly. Yuugi had been wearing a hood and his face was dirty and more pallid than before, but those eyes were unmistakable. Yami began to run after the group without a thought. Yuugi was in trouble and Yami was compelled to help. "Wait!" Jou shouted behind him, but had begun to follow; loyal and unquestioning.

They didn't have to run far to catch up. They rounded the same corner the group had turned down, but could not immediately see them. A sharp cry from a nearby alley alerted the teens. Yami's face darkened as he and Jou finally spotted Yuugi and the two men.

One had Yuugi pinned with his arms above his head, as the other fed punches to Yuugi's gut. A crumpled bag of sliced bread lay forgotten at their feet. Seeing them clearly, it was noticeable that the guy holding Yuugi was much younger than the one hitting him. The two looked like brothers.

"Stop it!" Yami shouted, charging blindly. He shoved the second man away with all of his strength. "What the fuck is the matter with you!" The man stumbled, not expecting the sudden push. Yami turned on the other who was still holding Yuugi.

"Let him go," Yami ordered as dangerously as he could muster.

"The fuck is your problem kid, piss off!" He shouted over Yuugi's bowed head.

"You heard him," Jounouchi growled, coming up behind his friend. The first man had recovered and was approaching them threateningly.

"You better get out of here, brats, before you get yourselves in trouble."

"Let our friend go, right now, and we'll all leave." Yami refused to be intimidated. He took a step forward. The man sneered, throwing his fist. Yami didn't expect the sudden gesture, getting caught in the cheek by the punch. He stumbled back, clutching his face.

Jou had been in plenty of fights in his short life. He wasn't afraid to throw himself on a guy who was much bigger than himself and beat the bloody shit out of him; which is exactly what he did after watching his best friend get hit. The man wasn't prepared to be tackled, still gloating over the excellent sucker punch. He was knocked promptly to the group. It took Jou only one precisely placed hit to the nose to render the guy immobile.

The second man threw Yuugi to the ground, rushing in to help his brother. He pushed Jou backwards.

"You fucking freaks!" He yelled, kneeling beside his fallen brother. "That thief deserved everything he got, yet you attack us! Get out of here!"

Yami stumbled over to Yuugi. The other boy was still conscious, but staring at the ground as though he were unaware of his surroundings. Yami wormed himself under Yuugi's arm and gently urged him onto his feet.

"Come on…" he mumbled to Jou, guiding Yuugi out of the alley.

"Here's your shitty bread!" Jou sneered, kicking the bag of bread towards the two men. It broke open and spread the contents all over the pavement.

"I'll make you fucking regret this!" The first man shouted after them, his voice thick through his bloody and broken nose.

The three stumbled down the street wordlessly. It wasn't until they stopped in front of the Game shop's main doors that Yuugi took his arm off of Yami's shoulders and stood on his own. He looked up at the other boy's face, taking in the bruise blossoming there. He felt his eyes burn with tears.

"Why would you help me?" He whispered. This was exactly what he didn't want to happen. These people didn't need to get into trouble because of him; they didn't need to get involved. Yuugi was more exhausted, hungry, and desperate than he ever remembered being. He didn't know what he was thinking going back to that bakery, only that he was starving and that bread had been so easy to grab. The bakery had been very busy, he figured he could grab the bag and leave without being noticed. He did not expect the bakery owner's two sons to be there, as though they were watching for him.

Yami squeezed Yuugi's shoulder, startling him from his thoughts. Yami smiled reassuringly. "I think a better question is 'why wouldn't we help you?'"

"You're our friend now, Yuug'!" Jounouchi announced, with more bravado than necessary. "Like it or not."

Tears slid down Yuugi's cheeks, stinging the scratches there and leaving trails in the dirt. He knew he should've resisted when Yami pulled him into a warm hug, or refused as Grandpa came out of the shop and urgently brought them all inside, but at the moment, he had felt safer than he had for years.

Grandpa brought them all to the kitchen after flipping the open sign on the shop to closed, sitting them at the table and then rushing off to make tea. He was a firm believer that a good cup of tea could calm the soul. Jounouchi switched his view between the others awkwardly. Grandpa was puttering around worriedly in the kitchen; Yami stared blankly into middle space, as though thinking deeply, and Yuugi sat with his head bowed, sniffling occasionally. Not knowing how to sit idle or having anything else to do, Jou jumped up to help Grandpa.

"It's alright, I've got it" Grandpa murmured, bringing a tray of tea to the table. He placed it in the middle, and then served everybody a cup. He had also brought an ice pack for the very worrying bruise on his grandson's face.

"Alright. Now will somebody tell me what happened?" he asked finally. The three teens remained silent. Yuugi had yet to look anybody in the face, and Yami remained in a daze as he held the icepack to his cheek. Jou looked at them each, then accidentally met grandpa's eye. The old man caught his gaze and stared hard. Jou was caught.

"Well, Yami and I were on our way to the arcade when…"

Yuugi stood up suddenly. "I should go."

"Nonsense!" Grandpa stood also. "You haven't touched your tea. Please sit." He waited until Yuugi slowly did as he was told before also reclaiming his seat. "Now, Jounouchi, you were saying?"

"Some thugs were chasing Yuugi. We followed and stopped them from hurting him more." Jou summarized quietly.

Grandpa sipped his tea. "And they hit you?" he directed his question to Yami, who nodded slowly.

"We should call the police." Grandpa concluded.

"No!" Yuugi cried. The three startled, even Yami snapped from his daze. Yuugi stood half-way, as though ready to bolt.

"No police, please… it was my fault. I s-stole from them…" He cast his eyes downwards, ashamed.

"Alright, son, settle down, we won't call the police. Drink your tea." Grandpa soothed. Yuugi shakily raised the mug to his mouth. They remained silent for a moment, each wrapped in their individual thoughts and sipping from their mugs. Grandpa put his cup down suddenly, coming to a decision.

"Yuugi, why don't you go take a shower? We can find you something to change into and I can wash your clothes for you while we eat dinner. I think a nice quiet meal would benefit everybody. How does that sound?"

Yuugi slowly put the still steaming mug of tea on the table, thinking about the offer. He was so hungry that he knew he could not refuse another meal and it would be smart to stay off the streets for a while, at least until he was sure those guys weren't looking for him anymore. Then he would leave and never bother these people again.

He didn't trust his voice not to break, so he nodded his head in agreement instead.

"Brilliant." Grandpa smiled, relieved. "Yami, why don't you go find something Yuugi can borrow?"

Yami also nodded slowly, rising from his chair. He began to leave the kitchen but paused when he noticed Yuugi was not following him. "Well, are you coming?"

Yuugi took a shaky breath. He raised his eyes and fixed Grandpa with a determined look, startling the old man with its directness. It was the first time he had seen Yuugi act without hesitation.

"Thank you." He looked to Jou and then to Yami. "Thank all of you… I… I really appreciate this… everything…" he trailed off awkwardly, eyes falling to the table again. His show of bravery was over almost as soon as it began.

Grandpa smiled. "You're most welcome, young man. My, such manners! Jounouchi, you could take a lesson from him."

"What!" Jou squawked.

"Coming over here all the time, eating all of our food, and barely a thank you in exchange!"

"I say thanks all the time!"

"Come…" Yami whispered to Yuugi, recognizing his Grandpa's attempt at normalcy. Yuugi watched the scene with a touch of alarm. Yami gently grabbed his hand and lead him out of the kitchen. "Don't pay attention to them; they sound like that all the time" He explained as they climbed the stairs. Yuugi nodded, unsure. Yami smiled slightly and opened the door to his bedroom.

Yuugi looked around the room with interest but did not move from the doorway. Yami was suddenly self-conscious and tried to look at his room with impartial eyes, imagining what it might look like to a stranger. He was acutely aware that he did not make his bed that morning, and that he left his socks on the floor in front of the hamper. Old embarrassing posters from childhood still hung on the walls. He always felt too nostalgic anytime he attempted to take them down.

There were school books and duel monster cards spread across his work desk. It was obvious he had given up studying in favour of going through his deck. Yami shifted his weight from one foot to the other, watching Yuugi take everything in. He shrugged. "Uhm, you can come in… Sorry if it's a bit messy."

Yuugi shook his head. "It's not messy." He glanced at the shelf of board games lining the walls but didn't comment farther. Yami cleared his throat awkwardly, moving to the dresser. He rummaged for something that would fit Yuugi, the other boy being considerably smaller than him. He found a pair of sweatpants with a drawstring and an old band t-shirt. He hesitated before handing them to Yuugi. The other boy was seated lightly on the edge of his bed.

"Will these be alright? I can find something else if…"

Yuugi shook his head. "Thank you."

Yami paused, studying Yuugi's face. The boy really did look quite young with his large amethyst eyes and soft cheeks. But more striking was the effect of obvious abuse and neglect. He was very pale, which made the dark circles around his eyes stand out shockingly, and had numerous scratches underneath a layer of dirt. He looked tired, sickly, and haunted. Yuugi had said before that he had a home, but looking at him now, Yami found that statement too unbelievable.

Yuugi must have felt awkward with Yami's rapt attention. He ducked his head and stood up. Yami nearly blushed at his own brazenness but fought it. "Uhh, right." He gestured to the bathroom down the hall from his room as they walked out. "There's the shower, feel free to use anything you see. You can put your clothes outside the door."

Almost grateful for the chance to escape, Yuugi nodded and quickly walked into the bathroom. Yami stood alone in the hallway. If he thought too hard about the situation he seemed to have landed himself in, his head (not to mention his cheek, especially) began to ache. And they still had dinner to get through.

"Oh boy."

* * *

A/N:

I hope that wasn't too much. Drama, drama. There was a glimmer of plot in there! Coming up next, an uncomfortable dinner and more awkward/regular/teenage Yami. And hopefully more plot.

Thank you!


End file.

Yu-Gi-Oh, Drama, Friendship