Toolazytologin, wish granted. Though...I was planning on updating today anyway. I do not own Yugioh or any of the songs used in this fic. Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Yugi sat in the back of another classroom. Another boring day of lessons. His eyes slid to the side to stare out the window. He could see the track field from here, with the sitting pretty subdivisions behind it. It was the forests in the farthest reaches of his view though, that really grabbed at his attention.

How he longed to just lose himself in those woods and never come back. To escape to a world where he answered to no one, and had no fears. To go back to three years ago when he had no one to turn to, and no one was there for him. Back to when he- Fingers appeared in front of his face, and snapped once. Yugi jumped back, looking around at the empty classroom.

"Are you planning on heading to lunch, or do you want to stay here all day?" Atem asked from above him.

Yugi rolled his eyes, and grabbed his book bag off of his chair. "Whatever," he muttered shoving past him.

"Hey, Yugi, wait!"

"Aren't you supposed to leave me alone?"

He grabbed Yugi's arm, pulling him to a stop, "Can we please just talk?"

"Don't touch me," Yugi snarled yanking his arm out of his grip.

"Look, you and I both know you sold my Mom bullshit, and she bought it, all of it. Your Mom has already accepted the invite, so you don't have a choice but to show up tonight. Just-"

"She's not my Mom," he sneered. "She's simply the woman taking care of me at the moment, but she'll never be my parent. She'll give up, they always do."

"Well, don't you worry, because we won't," Atem said cheerfully slinging an arm around his shoulders.

Yugi slammed his elbow into his gut. He should've seen it coming and jumped out of the way, but he guessed that Atem just didn't know him that well yet. Ah well, he would learn, they always did.

[Time skip]

Yugi sat in the dark corner, by the shed of the Kodai's yard. Wow, did he feel uncomfortable. Somehow he had managed to avoid the parents, Mothers, and find this nice spot for him to just damage his eardrums in.

He would've taken off, but some people were standing right by the gate, and only exit, and he would've jumped over the fence, but it was too high. And someone with his hair style would be noticed instantly. So he settled for this dark corner, where he could blow up his headphones in his ears. Right now he was listening to My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark by Fallout Boy. As well as the rest of the cd that he had bought and then downloaded onto this IPod. The Director had bought him a laptop last year, after successfully alienating 16 families in two months' time, and getting straight A's, but that was a minor detail. They had taken a two months break from adoptions after that, it was something they had all needed at that point.

His headphone was pulled out of his ear as someone sat next to him. He didn't even need to open his eyes to know that it was Officer Kodai. Only he approached him, and had the courage to yank on his headphones. He knew his head wouldn't be bitten off, maybe chunks would be missing, but the vital organs would still be there.

"What are you listening to?" he asked fiddling with the earpiece.

"Fallout Boy."

"He's the one who sings Centuries, right?"

Yugi nodded.

"Who else do you listen to?"

"Red…Escape the Fate. If I'm feeling really sentimental, I turn on 12 Stones. Or some cover song."

"I've never heard of those bands."

"They're not headliners, but they are great bands. They have a certain taste to their sounds. What do you want?"

"I want you to join the party, but we both know that's probably not going to happen."

"No. So why even bother trying?"

"Hey! You found him!" an excited voice said. A woman's voice said.

"Yes, Dear, I found him."

"Oh, this is wonderful, I'm going to introduce you to all the teenagers in the neighborhood!"

She was approaching quickly. The psycho enemy was almost upon him. He stood up quickly, grabbing his earpiece from Officer Kodai, and backing up, fast. "Gimme that! And get rid of your crazy wife!"

"My wife is not crazy! She's just…very energetic!"

Yugi gave him a disbelieving look, "she's nuts! I've had my fair fill of some of these kids of this neighborhood, and I have no desire to meet anymore."

"But you're already such good friends with my son! Overtime I know you'll be great friends with the rest of them."

"Listen, lady, I just said what you wanted to hear. It's called bullshit. Look it up, you'll probably find a picture of me next to the word."

"You! You're the one who insulted my son!" another woman shouted approaching him.

"You just had to reveal my hiding spot didn't you?" he asked looking down at Mr. Kodai.

"Sorry," he shrugged.

"I demand an apology for him immediately!"

"Look I've insulted a lot of people, you can't expect me to remember your son out all of them."

"That's Yami's Mother," Kodai Sr. whispered.

"Nope, still not apologizing. You brought your son up to believe that things like cute kittens, rainbows, and fairies actually exist. I was brought up that that is a state of mind. And the sooner this is accepted, the happier you'll be. So no, I won't be apologizing to him, or anyone in this godforsaken suburb. It's just not my style to be sincere, or eat honey. I prefer salt and vinegar." He sat back down, and put his headphone back in.

Someone sat down across from him, but he ignored them. Five minutes later and they were still sitting there, staring at him. He sighed and looked up at them. "What?"

"You're digging a grave here," Atem mouthed. Yami was leaning into his side that same hurt expression from last night still on his face.

"Good, let's make it deeper."

"You're making enemies. Enemies you won't want."

"Quite the contrary. I love enemies more than friends. Enemies will stab you in the back the same way a friend will, only you expect it from them."

Yami looked up at Atem, and he just shrugged. Then he got up and left, Yami stayed though. Yugi nodded that he should join his boyfriend, but he just shook his head. They sat there staring at one another, until Yami crawled over to him and put his head on his shoulder. Yugi pushed him off, literally.

He sat back up, looking at him, "I want to be friends with you," he mouthed.

"I don't do friends," Yugi replied.

"You could try."

"No. Give up. The road you're travelling down is wasted energy, and leads to nowhere."

"I don't believe you."

"Believe what you want."

"Do you want to come and eat something?"

"No."

"But this party is for you and Atem. You have to eat something."

"No."

"Please?" he asked pulling on his arm slightly.

Yugi looked over at him. He debated his options, though they weren't many. He could continue to deny Yami what he wanted and have the kid pester him. Or he could pretend to give in, drop him off with the boyfriend, grab some food, and come back to his shady corner. The second option got rid of Yami much quicker! He turned off his music and pulled out his headphones.

"Okay!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, let's go!" he said standing up an offering a hand to him. Yami's face lit up as he grasped it, and was lifted up by Yugi.

He started to lead the way from the shed, looking for Atem as he went. He found him over by the drink table talking to Akeifa. He grinned, before rushing over to him, he gave no warning to his arrival.

"So, if anyone can break him down, it's Yami," Atem was saying with pure confidence. He drinking something from a red solo cup. Hm, made him think of the song. Red solo cup if fill you up. Let's have a party, proceed to par-he shook his head and made his presence known.

"More beer?" he asked looking up at him slightly.

He looked like had gasped, and tried to drink, whatever it was, at the same time. Well, in any case, he was choking now. Yugi just stood there watching, making no move to help. He waited until he was almost done before talking again.

"Well, I just came to drop off the annoying one. Ooo, ribs." He walked over to the buffet table and loaded a plate full of meat before turning to walk back to his hide away spot.

"You have to send him back!" someone shouted silencing the entire party.

"I will not Malina!" that was the female.

"He doesn't belong here! He's already injured several of our children!" another woman shouted.

"If they would just leave him alone like he's asked, they wouldn't have been hurt at all!" Mira shouted back. "Besides, they would attend the same school whether I sent him back or not. So really? Where's the point?"

"You get that little delinquent out of our neighborhood right now!" someone screamed. No, screeched would probably be the more appropriate word for what they just did.

"Wow, so melodramatic, Shauna," Atem's Mother, yes he recognized her, stepped up saying.

"You should care the most, Naomi!"

"Why? My son brought it upon himself. He shouldn't have kissed him. That is sexual assault, and as an Officer's wife, I hold my child doubly accountable to uphold all measures of the law."

"Wait, you mean I was grounded for my actions? Not because of his words?" Atem asked pointing at Yugi who was still watching the whole thing. He wasn't sure if he should be amused or offended yet. He was feeling a bit of both actually.

"No, you were definitely grounded for that too."

"Oh," he nodded. "But you don't think I'd actually honestly do something like that?"

"Can we please get back to the problem at hand?" Shauna demanded.

"Yes, we need to decide how to tame this…beast and turn him into the perfect gentleman. Just like the rest of your adopted young," another said.

Yugi threw back his head laughing. He staggered back slightly, handing his plate off to someone so he could clutch his sides. Oh they hurt! They hurt! He was laughing so hard. He collapsed to his knees, pounding his fist into the ground still laughing. That woman, she was so funny!

"What is so funny?"

"I think it's you Mrs. Dorobo. I think he finds you funny," the male answered. "I have to admit, I do too. You are aware that he's 17 right? The time for grooming is way over. The most we can do for him now is let him know that someone cares, and hope he gets into a good College."

"Yeah, like you're actually going to help me with that," Yugi chuckled standing back up slowly. "Penny and I have been working on a College plan since I was 14." He looked over at Officer Kodai, stared him straight in the eyes. "She's the only person I trust." Then he turned and took his food back from the person with a quiet thank you. They said he was welcome in a shocked voice. He nodded at Mira, and whispered to Dilan he'd be back at the temp home, before walking out.

Well, that didn't nearly go as planned, but hey it was something. Now over half of the suburb Madres wanted him history, and two wanted him to stay. Maybe Mr. and Mrs. Kodai were more perfectly matched than he had originally thought. He nodded as he chewed on a chicken leg, interesting. He stopped outside his temp home before going around the side and climbing in the window to his room. He didn't have a key yet, and he wondered when they would realize that. Oh well, not his problem.

He sat at his desk and worked on his homework while eating. When he had finished both tasks, eh yawned and turned back to face his room, nearly jumping out of his skin. His…brothers, were laying across his bed. How the hell did they even sneak up on him? Let alone into his room? Oh yeah, he'd left the window open, duh.

He got up to kick them out, only to see that they were sleeping there. Great! Now where was he supposed to sleep? He looked over at then again, poking Ryou's side. Just how light were his, uh, brothers? He licked his bottom lip before scooping Ryou up and easily throwing him over his shoulder. Like a feather.

He carried him into the living room and set him down on one of the couches. He went back into his room and did the same with Malik, though he was a little heavier than Ryou. He walked back into his room, shutting his door, before discarding his shirt and falling back onto his bed.

Geez, what a day. He didn't know if he could handle any more like these. He might just take off back to the Orphanage before the weekend even arrived. It wouldn't stop him from seeing he buffoons at school though, so where was the point? Besides, if he did that he would just be giving those other Mothers what they wanted. He had never tried to people please before, why on earth would he start now?

He growled in frustration, tugging at his hair. The front door banged open, and he heard a rush of feet. It was soon followed by a coo of relief. Curiosity getting the better of him, he got up to see what the fuss was all about.

The female was in the living room where he had dumped his…brothers combing her fingers through their hair. He leaned against the doorway, watching her, as the male just stood there, hands shoved deep into his pockets. He would have asked what was wrong, but it was only too obvious.

It looked like Ryou and Malik had taken off without telling anyone. Freaked out their parents, and scared them half to death. Now they were both relieved at finding their little boys safe and sound. As if they would ever be in any danger in this neighborhood. It was a picture perfect subdivision. Nothing ever went awry in them.

He turned and walked back to his room. He grabbed his iPod and quietly slipped from the house. It briefly occurred to him that perhaps he should tell them he was going for a run. Brushing off the thought though, he just went for the run anyway, turning on Escape the Fate's there's no sympathy for the dead.

He was half way up the trail when someone fell into step beside him. If he had been running at his normal pace, this would have been impossible. Since he was just jogging, he was easy to keep up with. He looked over, shocked, to see Mr. Freshall. He just shrugged it off though, and kept his pace. He wasn't being nice, just didn't feel the need to try to outrun him was all.

They ran up the trail and down the trail. Up the trail and down. Up and down. Up and down, up and down, up and down, up and do-oh wait, he stopped. Yugi jogged back to where the male had collapsed. He stood over him, his breathing even, the male's however was not. He was panting like a war horse fresh from battle. He squatted down next to him, chuckling, poking his side. He squirmed away from the prod.

"What's the matter? You're on the Police force aren't you? You don't have a desk job do you?"

"How…do you…know that?" he asked.

"I saw you once when I came to see Officer Kodai. When I was still young, and so naïve. It would have been hard for me not to remember that bleach blonde hair."

"It's natural," he said glaring up at him.

"Sure."

"It is! What are you even doing out here? Why didn't you say something before you left?"

"I wanted to run, and you both were busy."

"Yes, well after you left a huge argument broke out. Malik, Ryou, Marik, Akeifa, Atem, Yami, and Jason all got into their own argument. Malik, Ryou, and Yami all took off crying. Atem naturally went after his boyfriend. As for Malik and Ryou, no one could find them, so of course as their parents we freaked out."

"They climbed in through my bedroom window. I found them asleep on my bed," Yugi interrupted.

"So how did they end up in the living room?"

"You should really start putting some kind of mass on them. Anyone could just pick them up and walk off with them."

"Ha ha ha, they're that light, huh?"

"Indeed. Why are you out here?"

"I was looking for you."

"Why bother?"

"Because we care about you."

"Pfft, that's bullshit. You can't care about someone you don't even know."

"Perhaps, if you had less walls we would be able to."

"Whatever."

"Why do you even wear them?"

"Go fuck your wife and stay out of my life. Six more months and I'll be an adult anyway. So really, why do you need to get to know me at all?" Yugi turned and walked away. He heard the male get up behind him, but by the time he was fulling standing Yugi had already taken off.

He ran through the streets, turning at random corners, not paying attention to where he was going. He became hopelessly lost, until not even he knew where he was, let alone how he had become to be there. He stopped under a lone streetlight, and removed his sweat soaked shirt.

He looked down, hating everything he saw. A chiseled chest, like he was a sculpture or something. A perfect six pack, and slightly curved slim pecs. He hunched his shoulders, feeling the one blemish on his pale moon colored skin. A circle with 1NM printed in it. If you ever asked him what it was from, he'd just shrug at you. He didn't know. It was from that time from before he was three. He was perfectly sculpted in muscular form, but he believed himself to be hideous from scars that the eye couldn't see. He heard a voice or two nearby and put his shirt back on. No one needed to see him, and be as disgusted as he was.

He stepped out of the light and into the shade of some trees. In shadows, where he couldn't be seen. It was where he belonged anyway. Atem and Akeifa, with a trailing Yami, who looked like a younger brother following the older ones around, came into the light of the lamp that he had just been standing under.

"Wait," Akeifa called.

"What?" Atem asked.

"Why are we even doing this? I mean, that Mutou kid has done nothing but insult and beat us up. Why should we care if he's missing or not?"

"Because our Dad's asked us to keep an eye on him, that's why."

"Yeah, 'Keifa, and besides doesn't it make you wonder why?" Yami added wrapping one of his arms around Atem's.

"Wonder why what?"

"Why he shuts everyone out like that?"

"Oh, was that not obvious?"

"What do you mean?" Atem asked.

"Wow, you guys are so thick. Yugi Mutou, according to my Dad, has been returned to the Orphanage more times than any of them can count. I'm sure if we asked Mutou though, he could actually give us a number."

"I guess…if you're shown enough times that you don't matter…you start to believe it," Yami said slowly like he was choosing his words carefully.

"It would certainly explain all the walls. What's the point of opening up if you know you're only going to be hurt again in the end?" Atem sighed.

"We have to show him that we care!" Yami said with a determined look on his face.

"Whoa, easy there, Yami," Akeifa said. "We don't know the first thing about Mutou. Well aside from that he likes to fight, run, and throw insults around."

"We also know he likes to be left alone."

"That's…I think that's kind of the problem," Atem said. "All he wants is to be left alone, and none of us are doing that. Maybe we should let him come to us?"

"He'd come with a hatchet and blowtorch," Akeifa smirked.

Yugi couldn't help it, he let out a loose laugh. They were pretty spot on about that hatchet thing. As soon as the sound escaped him though, he slapped a hand over his mouth. They were all on edge now, as they turned on flashlights and shined them into darkness surrounding them. Yugi shied behind the tree more to avoid a beam, but from the way that it stayed glued onto the tree, he didn't think he had been successful.

"Who's there? Come out!" Atem demanded.

"But I'm having so much fun listening to you guys talk about me," Yugi responded back before coming out from behind the tree.

"Mutou." They all said together.

"Oh look, you're parrots!"

"Do you even like the Freshalls?" Akeifa asked.

"I don't know, they're kind of pushy."

"Do you think you could give them another chance?"

"Oh, you think they're done with their first one? I give everyone a week, at the very least. They're not doing very well so far. As if this isn't proof enough on that. You know, by the time I get home, I'll bet my stuff will already be packed and by the door. Just like it always is. Perhaps I should just save them the trouble and go back after school myself. You know, I think I'll do that." Yugi turned and started to walk away down the street.

"You clearly don't know the Freshalls," someone said quietly.

He turned back around, "what do you mean?"

"They go out of their way to take on the more troubled Orphanage children. The ones with no hope of ever being adopted." Atem explained.

"Whatever," Yugi sneered.

"Is that your favorite word for when you're uncomfortable?"

Yugi's eyes widened in shock. How…how had he known that? How could he cut so easily through his defenses to obtain that information? Perhaps he had used it too much. Yeah, that was the only explanation, he had used it too much. Time to find another word to explain when he was uncomfortable. Whatever, was out. His eyes became slits as he faced them head on, arms crossed over his chest.

"Do you know the way back to my prison or not?"

"Why? Are you lost?" Akeifa sneered.

"I became that way on purpose dipshit."

"Uh, it's this way," Yami intervened.

"Lead the way, my little clone twin."

"Uh, you're shorter than us," Atem pointed out using his hand for emphasis.

"Yeah, but you're younger than me," Yugi replied mimicking him.

"We are?"

"By a full year."

"How? We're in the same grade," Yami pointed out.

"And I missed one, so I had to retake it."

"How?"

"Don't worry about it," he growled.

"So touchy," Akeifa teased.

Yugi swung his arm at him, having enough of his antics, but the other jumped back. He laughed slightly, got out of his defensive crouch, and turned, smirking, at Atem. "Well, at least someone learns quickly."

"What is he talking about?"

"I don't know."

"Here we are. The Freshalls!" Yami cried victoriously after they had only walked about two blocks. Huh, had he been going in circles? Well, this was a subdivision, so he wouldn't be all that surprised.

"Thanks," he said bounding up the steps.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" Atem asked cupping a hand around his ear.

"I said go fuck your boyfriends."

"I don't have one," Akeifa said as Yami gasped.

"And you're probably never going to either. Well, not unless you got up with Marik anyway. Ryou and Malik have things for Mazaki and Valentine."

"The queens of ice and heartbreak?"

"Uh huh. So unless you grow boobs and a vajayjay, you're never going to be able to give them what they're looking for. I'd add in long hair, but you've already got that covered."

"Are always this volatile?"

"Yeah. What's the matter, don't you like it?"

Akeifa turned his head away and muttered under his breath, before starting to push his friends down the street. Atem said something along the lines of probably and right. While Yami cooed that he was sure they were just misunderstanding him, as usual. Yugi shook his head, a heart of gold that one, he'd enjoy tarnishing it if the child tried to get any closer to him that he already was.

He opened the door, stepped aside, saw a blur of long hair rush past him, stepped inside and closed the door. He learned quickly. The male was standing there, arms crossed, he didn't look amused.

"What?"

"That wasn't nice."

"Would you rather I laid into your wife again?"

"Go to your room, you're grounded."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, you're grounded."

"Tch, impossible."

"And how is that?"

"I've been grounded since I was 11 years of age. Since everyone abandoned me so I could fend for myself! It's the rest of you who are high up in the air! High on beliefs that's aren't real, and I'll prove it to you! Before the week is out, I'll prove that you can't change me! You can try! But you'll never change the person I've become! Besides, the world doesn't care about orphans anyway! Why should you!?" he ran into his room, slamming the door. He threw himself onto the bed, and started to cry.

They couldn't ground him! He wasn't even their son! This was just a temp home! He knew that! He knew it… That's all they ever were…temporary homes. No one cared enough to let him stay or get to know him. To try to cut through the layers that he had built up around himself, after the one person that he had depended on had abandoned him. So why was he crying now? Frustration? Hurt? Anger? He had no idea. Raised voice caught his attention, and he raised his head to listen.

"…COULDN'T POSSIBLY HAVE HANDLED THAT BETTER!"

"WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO, MIRA? LET HIM DO WHATEVER HE PLEASES WHNEVER HE WANTS TO? LET HIM THINK THERE ARE NO REPERCUSSIONS FOR HIS ACTIONS?!"

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M ASKING FOR AT ALL!"

"THEN WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU ASKING FOR?!"

"I'M ASKING FOR BOTH OF US TO JUST GIVE HIM SOME SPACE! IT'S WHAT HE WANTS! WE'RE CONSTANLY HOVERING OVER HIM, TRYING TO MAKE SURE HE DOESN'T RUN AWAY FROM US! BUT WHAT IF THAT'S THE PROBLEM?" she shouted back before her voice became quieter. Forcing Yugi off the bed and to put his ear against the door just to hear. "…they all said the same thing. The more they pushed him to become a part of their family, the more he pulled away. Until it just became too much, and they took him back. They couldn't handle it anymore. Maybe we should try…less."

"W-what? You don't want him to know we care?"

"No, you're twisting my words again, Dilan. I just think that maybe if we support him from afar, we'll have a better chance of making this work."

"Support him from afar?"

"Yes, like go to his track meets, run with him, um, try to find out his past history. Like who were his parents? And what did they do for a living? How did they die? Why did he end up in the Orphanage at the age of three? I think, if we could just know his past, it would help us to better understand who he is now."

"You…want to know about…his parents?"

She wasn't the only one, Yugi did too. He pressed his ear more against the door.

"Yes."

"Come to the station tomorrow, and we'll go out for coffee. I can't tell you here."

"Why not?"

"Mr. stubborn might be listening."

"Okay, but doesn't Yugi have a right to know? I mean, it is his past."

"Trust me, there are some things people are better off not knowing."

"Dear, just what happened?"

"I'll tell you tomorrow. Those images, I'll never erase them from mind, never."

The two sounded like they were going upstairs. Yugi backed away from the door. He knew? This guy knew why he was taken from his home when he was three? And why was he better off not knowing? He knew the Director knew. Yugi had flat out asked him, but he had just given Yugi a sympathetic look and said he would know when he was ready. He had tried once to look it up on the computer that the Director had given him, but the words Mutou, incident, and years, all in the same sentence, had a parental block on them. He'd given up, after 36 failed attempts at finding out his past on his own. Even the public librarians had refused to give him the papers describing his history. It was like one big secret that everyone but him was allowed to know. Honestly though, what was so horrendous about his past? What was his past?

You guys aren't losing interest in this, are you? I only ask because the reviews seem to dwindle every time I post a new chapter. And sorry about being late, last week was very busy. By the time Sunday arrived, I realized had forgotten to update, but I figured two more days wouldn't kill ya. Thank you to everyone who have/are favorited/following this story. ALso thanks to everyone who reviewed Guest and User alike. Please review. Please? Midnight ;p