I got a grand total of one review for the first chapter so thank you very much silverwolf407, you're the best! As for the rest of you…

Anyway, here are warnings, shounan-ai, malik's bad language, not a whole lot else. And for a disclaimer, no I don't own Yugioh alright? And keep in mind that this is a fanfiction so I can make stuff up.

"Wow, this place is so busy!" Everyone but Yugi and Ryou snickered at Atems' surprised comment.

"Haven't you ever been to the market before?" Ryou asked confused. Atem flushed and shook his head.

"Aren't you from around here?" Joey asked.

"Well, yes, I've just never been in this part of the city before," Atem admitted. 'Hell, I've never been in any part of the city before without a royal escort,' he added silently to himself.

"Where do you live exactly?" Yugi asked.

"Uh…"

Seth had to save Atem, Marik and Bakura were too busy trying not to laugh. "He's visiting from a village just north of here."

This explanation seemed to satisfy Yugi and the others as they nodded.

"So what are we going to do? I'm fucking bored," Malik stated.

"Hey, why don't we go hangout at mom's place!" Joey suggested.

"Sounds good," agreed Seth. Atem had no idea who mom was but didn't really have any choice but to follow his friends and their boyfriends.

The teens headed off to a more remote part of the city where the houses were farther apart. They followed a dirt road that went a little out of the main part of the city until they came to a stop in front of a small house. It looked normal enough so long as you ignored all the young children playing in the yard. There had to be at least twenty but Atem wasn't sure as they wouldn't hold still long enough for him to count. From what he could tell the age group ran from infant to preteen. A few people looking to be in their late teens were apparently watching the youngsters.

"Hey, the boys are all back!" called a girl who looked about nine or ten.

A cry went up from all the children and they ran towards the new arrivals.

"Here we go," sighed Bakura.

"Little brats!" shouted Marik but he was smiling.

"Hey, who's the new guy?"

Atem had a pretty good idea of who they were talking about.

The questioner was unidentified in the throng of kids but immediately all the children turned to the 'new guy.' You could have heard a pin drop. Atem made his face expressionless at first, just like he'd been taught to do when he was dealing with ambassadors or other people of importance. The kids still stared at him but it only lasted for a few more seconds. As if some unspoken command had been ushered all of them ran forward at once. Their combined effort knocked him down and Atem found himself the victim of a horde of hyperactive children.

From underneath the pile of screaming kids he thought he heard Bakura and Marik laughing.

Struggling he stood up but had to keep bent over as two little girls held his hands in a death grip.

"Wanna be my bestest fwend fowever?" asked the one holding his right who couldn't have been more than four.

"Wanna play dollies with me?" asked another girl missing her two front teeth.

"No! He's gonna play war with us!" yelled a boy of about nine.

The arguing over who got to play with him probably would have continued for a long time had not a clear voice from the house rung out over the chaos.

"Leave the boy alone kids!"

The children seemed to shrug and most lost interest in Atem and went back to their games. Only about seven kids stayed by him as Yugi led him towards the house through the yard. Halfway there a woman came out of the house to meet them.

She was a robust woman but beautiful, in her late forties or so. Even for her age it seemed the only wrinkles on her face were from smiling. Like most Egyptians she had dark skin, hair, and eyes.

"You're late boys, I thought you'd be home before noon," she said glancing at Bakura and Marik. Both avoided her gaze and Atem was impressed in spite of himself, it took a lot to intimidate those two. Turing back to Atem she smiled brightly.

"And you would be?"

"Atem ma'am, pleased to meet you." Atem stated formally. The woman giggled.

"My, such a gentleman, but really there's no need for such formalities here. I'm Neferi, but call me mom, everyone else does."

Atem blinked in surprise. Mom? He'd never called anyone mom in his life. Sad, yes, but even in his own family formality and traditions were a must.

"Thank you ma- mom," Atem corrected himself.

Bakura and Malik snickered while Yugi just looked puzzled.

"Well don't just stand there, come in!" Neferi exclaimed shoeing them inside the house. Surprisingly there were no children under the age of thirteen inside the house.

"The younger kids play outside in the yard everyday so us babysitters get a break," Ryou explained when Atem asked him about it.

"They're sweet kids and all but…" Joey left it at that. The five other teens besides them inside the house nodded enthusiastically.

"So would you be anyone's boyfriend?" asked an eighteen year old girl batting her eyes at him jokingly.

"No," Atem answered.

"Not yet anyway," Bakura grinned putting his arm around his friend. Atem suppressed the urge to hit the thief as he slipped out of his grasp.

He caught Ryou winking at Yugi who blushed. It made him smile.

"Well so long as you boys don't have anything to do today, why don't you help with the kids? I'm sure your boyfriends could use the extra time later."

Marik and Malik grinned while Bakura and Seth grimaced. Atem almost laughed, those two were not good with children.

"Seth, Bakura, you can help with the laundry."

Both looked extremely relieved at the statement but Atem was bewildered. Seth and Bakura do laundry? He smiled at his cousin slyly thinking how he could use this information to torture the older boy.

"Atem can help watch the kids with us!" Malik offered.

"Is he good at keeping people in line? Those kids need someone to give them discipline," Neferi said. It took a lot of will power for Bakura and Marik to not laugh.

"I think he can handle it," Seth reassured her hiding his own smile at the irony.

"And I'll help him," Yugi said smiling at Atem.

"Well go give Shira a break, she's been here since this morning," Neferi told him.

"Come on Atem." Atem followed Yugi out the door and to the front of the house.

As it turned out Atem was pretty good with kids. Even the trouble makers obeyed him. Yugi watched as the separated a couple of boys who had gotten into a fight over a toy and explained to them how to take turns.

"Something wrong?" Atem said sitting next to Yugi who was watching some toddlers. Yugi was shaking his head at the other teen.

"There's just something about you that makes me think maybe there's more to you than meets the eye. Like you're special or something."

"What do you mean?" Atem asked. Was it really that obvious?

"It's just…I guess it's the way you carry yourself. And the way you're so polite and you're good with getting the kids to do what you want them to do without threatening them.

"Oh, well I suppose I just like kids."

"Is that a fact?"

"Yes, I'm always dealing with children," Atem said indignantly. He was thinking of all the obnoxious nobles he had to deal with rather than actual kids but it was close enough behavior wise.

"Yugi giggled at the look on Atem's face.

"Yugi, Atem! Can you run an errand for me?" called Neferi from the house.

Both jumped up and ran inside to see what she needed. The found her in the kitchen stirring a large bowl of soup.

"Whatcha need Mom?" Yugi asked.

She turned around and smiled. "I'd just like you to run to market and get some things."

"Sure thing!" Yugi chirped.

"Okay, we need eggs, flour, some fresh fruit, half a pound of salt-"

"Are you going to write that down for us?" asked Atem.

Neferi and Yugi both looked at him strangely.

"What?" he asked.

"Um, no one here can read or write," Yugi said confused, "Do you mean you can?"

"Well…"

" 'Cause usually only important people know how to read and write," Yugi shrugged.

"Are you a scribe?" Neferi asked.

"Well no, my parent's just wanted me to learn how," Atem said. It wasn't a lie.

"Could you show me how?" Yugi asked excited.

"I-"

"Are you going to market already? I don't have all day you know," Neferi said sternly but she was smiling.

Yugi laughed. "I guess we should get going then."

Neferi gave Yugi some money and they were off like a herd of turtles.

"So," Yugi started after a lot of silence that was uncharacteristic for both of them, "where exactly did you say you were from?"

'Great, this again,' Atem thought.

"Up north."

"Do you have any family up there? Brothers? I've always wanted one of those but living with mom all my life I've never really needed one. You know, 'cause of all the kids running around. I guess you could say I have a bunch of sisters too."

Yugi flushed suddenly at Atem's silence. "I-I'm sorry," he stammered, "I talk too much when I'm nervous."

Atem almost grinned at Yugi's accidental confession. So he made the younger boy nervous? Was that a good sign?

"I was curious, why does Nef…Mom, have all those children in her house? They can't all be hers, are they orphans?"

"Oh Ra no! Mom just takes care of kids during the day tho' she has been know to take in orphans. Ryou and I she found on her doorstep, but the rest of the kids all have parents who come and pick them up as soon as they're done with work.

"That's excellent," Atem murmured. He wondered wistfully what it would be like to have loving parents. Yugi was too as they walked in silence for a bit before he perked up.

"So no brothers?"

Atem shook his head. "I've always wanted one, preferably older than me," he shared. He'd never told anyone this but he felt like he could trust Yugi.

"Really? Why older?"

Atem chose his words carefully. "Well, you see, I have an extremely important job, it's been in my families' blood for generations and always the business is passed to the oldest son so if I'd had an older brother I would have more time for things I want to do. As it stands I actually had to sneak out for today."

"Your parents make you work hard?"

Atem flinched. "They're dead," he said softly avoiding Yugi's eyes.

"I'm so sorry," Yugi said also quiet, "I know what that feels like."

"Are you an only child then?" Yugi asked. They were at the market now looking for the stalls that held the items they wanted.

"Yes. And you? No sisters?"

Yugi laughed, a sound Atem could get used to hearing on a regular basis. "Not unless you count Mai. She's like and older sister to me, she taught me how to kiss and other useful things like that."

They reached a stall selling fruit. Yugi, who had done this before, picked out half a dozen melons and a bunch of fresh berries with a trained eye.

"Like I said," Yugi added as he handed to purchase to Atem to carry, "she's not really my sister and I'm not into girls so it worked out."

After the third stall was found Atem had to ask a question that had been nagging at him for awhile.

"How do you remember everything Nefe-Mom told you?"

Yugi looked at him quizzically, "What do you mean?"

"Well, I never could. I always have to write lists for myself or else I'll forget."

"Seeing as you can write…but I can't so I just learned to memorize everything."

"Understandable," Atem murmured as Yugi handed him some eggs which he place in the bag Neferi had had them take with them.

"Seriously, where did you learn to wri-"

Yugi didn't get to finish his sentence as he was pushed aside by someone roughly.

"Make way!" barked the guard. Atem's eyes widened as he recognized the man in the chariot whom the guards were clearing the street for.

Fortunately, Mahado didn't see him…yet. Taking his chances Atem grabbed Yugi's arm and slipped into an alley between two buildings. Just in time too it seemed, as the closest adviser to the pharaoh addressed the people.

"Good citizens," he started, "I would like anyone to speak up immediately if anyone of you has seen this young man." He held up and unrolled a piece of papyrus with a perfect sketch of Atem on it.

"Incase you are wondering, yes, this is our beloved pharaoh."

"I'm going to kill him," Atem muttered slapping his forehead while many people including Yugi gasped.

"With holding any information will be punished most severely," Mahado added. "Thank you, you may continue about your business."

As abruptly as he came, Mahado was gone leaving people murmuring to themselves over the news.

Relieved, Atem turned back to an almost hyperventilating Yugi and smiled sheepishly.

"Shall we get going back to moms' then?"