Hey guys here's the next chapter of An Innocent Heart! Please enjoy!
Yugi held Ryou and Malik close. He watched Atem closely. He trusted the man enough to tell him about their house. Not enough to leave his brothers alone with him.
"Ok boys. Ryou can go with Bakura. Malik with Marik and Yugi you can come stay with me." Atem said.
"No." Yugi said.
"No?" Atem asked.
"They stay with me." Yugi said sternly. "I protect them."
"Oh yeah?" Atem asked kneeling down. "Doesn't that get tiring?"
"Doesn't matter." Yugi shook his head. "They stay with me."
Atem reluctantly nodded. "Alright then we'll have to figure something out for the three of you."
"We can stay with you." Yugi said.
"Yugi I have one couch. It isn't big enough." Atem said.
Yugi shrugged. "We sleep on the floors some times."
"To be fair the floors at your house are probably ten times cleaner than the ones at that place." Marik said.
Atem sighed. "Alright."
Yugi watched him. "What about our brothers and sisters?"
Atem looked down at him. "Yugi I'm sorry. I can't take all of you in."
Yugi huffed and crossed his arms.
"I can't." Atem said.
Yugi narrowed his eyes at Atem.
Marik laughed. "You're getting your ass handed to you by a child."
Atem glared at him before looking back at Yugi. "Yugi." He sighed.
"We're going home." Yugi said. He took Malik and Ryou's hands and they ran past Atem. They ran out to find themselves surrounded by police. Looking around he found the way out and took them that way. Thankfully they were small enough to be able to run out without anyone catching them.
As they ran Yugi took them through the back streets till they got back to the house. He froze at what they saw. Their house was surrounded by cop cars. Maddie was being walked out by a cop while she yelled at him.
"Yugi!" Atem ran over panting.
Yugi looked around for their siblings. "Where are they!?" he kept looking.
"Yugi there!" Ryou pointed to an ambulance where their siblings all sat together. Yugi ran to them with Malik and Ryou following.
"Sachi!" Yugi ran to the youngest of the group.
"Ugi!" she ran to him. She hugged him tightly. She sniffled. "Ugi."
Yugi held her. "It's ok."
"These men came into the house." Atsuko explained. "They said we are safe now."
Yugi glanced back at Atem. He nodded. "We are. And we will not be split up." Yugi said loud enough for Atem hear.
Atem sighed as Bakura and Malik walked up to him. "What now? There's 8 kids. And I see why Yugi doesn't want them separated." Atem watched them. Yugi watched over all of them. He made sure everyone was taken care of, even Ryou and Malik.
"Atem none of us have a place big enough for them all. Except.." Mark trailed off.
"No I am not doing it." Atem said.
"You want them all together? You need to ask Seto if you can use his extra house. It has plenty of rooms for them. Mokuba would take them in, in a heartbeat." Bakura said. "And we'll help. I must admit the kid Ryou intrigues me."
Atem sighed and pulled out his phone. He called his cousin Mokuba. "Hey Mokuba. Can I ask you something?"
Yugi walked in first and kept all his siblings behind him. This place was huge. But…clean. He held his box close.
"I can't believe I let you talk me into this. I have my hands full enough with Jou and Serenity." Seto grumbled at Atem.
"Jou will love having other kids around to play." Atem said. "And I'll stay with them. You barely use this house Seto. It's only until I find a place for them or families."
"Fine." Seto said. Atem knew Seto really had a soft spot for orphans. After all he himself was one as a child along with Mokuba.
Yugi stood there. Sachi clung to him tightly. He held her as he looked at Atem. "What now?"
"Now you all get to clean up and change then eat." Atem said.
"Eat?" Atsuko asked. "Th-there's enough food?"
"Yes. You never have to worry about food again. No more hungry tummies." Atem said.
"Daddy?" Jou ran in and went to Seto. "Daddy where's dada?"
"Dada is probably getting the rooms ready for all the new kids." Seto said picking him up. "Your baby sister still sleeping?"
Jou nodded. "Uh-huh."
"Ok. Well daddy has to work for a little so you can stay with cousin Atem until Dada is done." Seto said. "Do me a favor and help the new kids feel welcome."
Jou nodded. "ok daddy." He smiled and hugged him. Seto hugged him before putting him down and leaving.
Atem smiled. Jou was one of the few people Seto showed his soft side to. He nodded and took them all to sit. He sat each kid down at the large dinner table.
"Now rules. No arguing, no fighting and wait your turn. There is enough food for all of you." Atem said. Jou sat next to Yugi and smiled. Yugi studied him.
A few moments later there were plates full of food set in front of each kid. They sat shocked not sure what to do with so much food.
"Make sure you use your forks ok." Atem said. Each kid held their forks and stared at him. Atem chuckled. "Eat." They all began to stuff down their food. What made Atem's heart sink is how little they ate. They were so used to eating so little that they could barely make a dent in their food. He planned to change that for sure.
Yugi sat on the bed as he stared at his box. This was all happening so fast. He went from waking up starving in a gross dirty place to going to bed in a huge clean place with a full tummy. He shared a room with Ryou, Malik, and Kenta just like before. The girls had their room and Ichiro shared with Kai.
"Yugi? Are you ok?" Ryou asked.
"Did I do a good thing? Telling Atem?" Yugi asked.
Ryou smiled. "You did really good."
Yugi nodded before hiding his box as usual and went to bed.
Yugi woke up and stretched. 10 years past since the night he came to Seto's. He'd been here since then. He was the only one left. Ryou got adopted by Bakura and his husband Akefia, Malik adopted by Marik and all the others were adopted as well. He on the other hand was still here. Atem was his guardian but they didn't exactly see eye to eye on everything.
"Yugi! Come eat so you can get to school!" Atem's voice came.
He sighed before getting up and getting dressed. He stared at himself in the mirror. His knuckles newly bruised from his latest fight. If you can call it a fight. Guess him beating the shit out of some asshole didn't count as a fight huh? He grabbed his ipod and headphones before getting his phone and headed down stairs.
"Yugi you know that's out of uniform." Atem sighed as he looked over Yugi's clothes.
"And I should care because?" Yugi asked.
Atem shook his head. "You are going to need to straighten up if you ever want to be-"
"Oh would you give up that tired speech? Admit it Atem. No one wants me." Yugi said.
"If you just stop this fighting stuff. And you're angry 99% of the time. Why?" Atem asked.
Yugi shook his head before he put on his shoes. "Forget breakfast I'm not hungry."
"There was once a time when you loved sitting with me for breakfast. Said it was your favorite meal." Atem said.
"I grew up. I no longer believe in fairy tales and heroes and knights in armor." Yugi said before walking out. He put his headphones in as he shoved his hands into his pockets. Another shitty day at school. Yay.
Someone walked up next to him and pulled his headphone out. "Hey Yugi." Ryou said.
"Hey." Yugi muttered.
"Uh oh. I know that look. You get into it with Atem again?" Ryou asked.
"Same shit. Different day." He said.
"Yugi do you remember when you first met Atem?" Ryou asked.
He nodded. "We were 6." Yugi said.
"And you made it so he got us out of that place. Before anything worse could happen to us." Ryou said.
Yugi sighed. "I get it. He saved us." Then why did Atem refuse him?
"Yugi I don't know what's going on with you but I do know this angry front you have going isn't the Yugi I grew up with." Ryou said. He pulled Yugi to a stop. "Just know that whatever happens from now till you're 18 that Jou Malik and I are here for you."
Yugi nodded. "I know." He said as they continued to walk. "So how is your sister?"
"Good. Dad is being a little over protective." Ryou said.
"And your pops?" Yugi asked smirking.
"You he hates you calling him that." Ryou rolled his eye.
Yugi laughed. "I know."
"Oh we get the new teacher today! Think he'll be cool?" Ryou asked.
"He's a teacher. How cool could he possibly be?" Yugi asked.
"I mean if he doesn't give us homework today that'd be pretty cool." Ryou shrugged as they got to the school. Yugi shrugged as they met up with Jou and Malik. They all walked to their lockers then homeroom.
"Come in class and settle down. I am your new teacher Yami Sennen. You can call my Mr. Sennen." Yugi walked in froze when he saw the new teacher talking. He…he looked like him.
Ryou came in and bumped into him. "Yugi what the hell are you-" he froze when he saw Yami. "Whoa."
"Come in and sit." Yami told them. No not Yami. Mr. Sennen. Their new teacher.
Yugi nodded absently as he sat at his usual desk in the far back. With any luck the new teacher would be like the last and not notice him much.
"You." Mr. Sennen looked at him. "Come join the class. Closer."
Yugi raised an eyebrow at him. "I would rather not. Sir." He added.
"Here we go." Jou muttered from a few seats over.
"And why not?" Mr. Sennen asked.
"Because he hates us all." Mai said with a snotty attitude. "Not our fault he's basically a loner."
"No but being a slut is." Yugi glared at her.
"Excuse you!?" Mr. Sennen looked at his with shock. "You will watch your mouth in my class. What is your name?"
"Yugi Moto." Yugi said lazily.
"Well Mr. Moto, you now found yourself being seated in the front." Mr. Sennen said.
Yugi snorted. "This won't last long." He grabbed his stuff and moved to an empty seat up front. It of course was right in front of where Mr. Sennen stood to lecture.
"I suggest you keep your remarks to yourself." Mr. Sennen warned.
Yugi looked at him with anger filled eyes. This teacher needed to learn to just leave him alone.
"Do I make myself clear?" Mr. Sennen asked.
"Chrystal." Yugi growled lowly.
The bell rang for the end of the day and every stood.
"Remember to read chapter 4 and answer all the questions." Mr. Sennen said. They all mumbled and began filing out. "Oh and Mr. Moto stay behind will you?"
Yugi glanced at him and huffed as he dropped his bag with a loud thud. "Whatever." He watched as the rest of the class left. Ryou and Malik stopped for a moment to glance back at him before leaving.
"Yugi I am not a fan of your attitude." Mr. Sennen leaned on his desk and crossed his arms.
Yugi crossed his own arms and stand straight. "And?"
Mr. Sennen raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Moto I will not stand for this in my classroom."
Yugi rolled his eyes. "Well then I'll sit in the back as I always do. I do my work you leave me alone and you won't get my 'attitude' Mr. Sennen."
"I don't know who you think you are young man but I won't stand for this. What are your parents' numbers? I wish to speak with them." Mr. Sennen demanded.
Yugi burst out laughing. "Good luck."
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Mr. Sennen growled.
"I'm an orphan. I don't have parents. But thanks for caring I guess." Yugi picked up his bag. "See ya." He left.
Yugi shook his head to himself. To think that asshole really wanted to call his parents. As if. He walked down the hall to his locker. He glanced to his right where a bunch of kids were messing around. Rolling his eyes he opened his locker and began getting ready to go home.
With all his books in his bag he was about to step away when he was slammed against his locker by someone falling on him. He growled and turned on the kid. Lifting his fist he punched the kid square in the face.
"Ah! Fuck!" the kid stumbled back and held his nose. "You broke it!"
"Don't fuck around and it wouldn't get broken." Yugi said smugly.
"Screw you!" the kid went to swing back. Yugi rolled his eyes and caught it before twisting it behind his back. The kid yelled out in pain. "Let go!"
"Mr. Moto!" Mr. Sennen was stomping over. "Let him go now!"
Yugi looked at him before dropping the kid. "Oops."
"Office now!" Mr. Sennen yelled.
"Whatever." Yugi grabbed his bag and slammed his locker shut. He stormed past Mr. Sennen and went to the office. 3 office visits in one week. Atem was going to have a cow.
"Yugi your guardian is on his way." The principle sighed. "What are we going to do with you?"
"Don't know. Don't care." Yugi muttered.
"I'm serious. You are fighting at minimum twice a week." He said.
Mr. Sennen stood next to the principle's desk his are crossed looking very grumpy. Yugi studied him. He had to be close to Atem's age. Not bad looking for his age. Atem was barely 20 when he met him.
"Look if everyone would just leave me alone-" Yugi started.
"This is not everyone else's fault!" Mr. Sennen yelled.
Yugi rolled his eyes. "Right because it's my fault those idiots were running and goofing around in the hall way. It's my fault that dumbass slammed me into my locker. Thanks for clearing that up teach."
"You didn't need to break his nose!" Mr. Sennen yelled.
"He'll live. Maybe it'll improve his looks." Yugi shrugged.
"You're attitude is out of line!" Mr. Sennen yelled at Atem walked in.
"Yugi again?" Atem sighed.
Yugi looked away. His entire body language changed. He went from being cocky and relaxed to being very tense. "Whatever." He muttered.
"Mr. Kodai please sit." The principle said.
Atem sat next to Yugi glancing once at Mr. Sennen.
"I'm afraid I have to suspend him this time." He explained. "I simply do not have a choice. Parents are noticing that I have not done much to rectify his behavior and if it continues he will be expelled."
"Great. Just great. Is that what you wanted Yugi?" Atem snapped at him. "Did you finally get the attention you're seeking?"
"If I may." Mr. Sennen spoke up. "How about 3 times a week he stays after class with me."
"What!?" Yugi looked up at him in anger. "No!"
"To accomplish what exactly?" Atem asked.
"Yugi please go sit outside the office." Mr. Sennen said.
"No I-" Yugi began.
"Now." Atem ordered.
Yugi growled before standing up quickly, snatching his bag, and walking out slamming the door behind him.
"I believe if he stays with me for an extra 2 hours after classes it'll give him something to do and perhaps I can get to the bottom of his…what did you call it?" Mr. Sennen asked.
"Attention seeking." Atem sighed.
"Right well as much I understand why you think that I do not believe he just wants attention. I believe he needs it. What do you do for a living Mr. Kodai?" Mr. Sennen asked.
"Atem please. And I work with my cousin Seto on his company. I am now VP of the company. It does take up quite a bit of time." Atem explained. He'd left the police when the last child besides Yugi was adopted. Seto gave him an offer he couldn't refuse. He sold his old house and kept the one they were staying in.
"Yami." He said pointing to himself. "Well due to that I believe he needs someone who can focus on him. I am by no means doubting your parenting skills or care for Yugi."
Atem sighed. "Alright." He'd exhausted all other options at this point. "Can't go worse than the therapists."
"Therapists? Pleural? " Yami asked.
"Yes. When he was around 9 or 10 is when this anger really set in. I mean I can't really blame him. Time after time he was past over for adoption. Many parents don't want to adopt children. They adopt babies. And as cute as Yugi was as a child it seemed the universe was working against him being adopted." Atem explained. "So I took him to a therapist at 12. He hated it. I tried three different therapists and all of them were fails. By the time he was 14 I gave up on counseling."
"Perhaps I can help him. Give me some time with him." Yami said. "I have a few ideas."
Atem nodded. "Thank you." He looked to the principle. "He is suspended?"
The man sighed. "If Mr. Sennen wants to work with him I can't very well have him suspended. This is his last warning."
Atem nodded. "Thank you." He stood nodded again before walking out.
Yugi sat throwing a small tennis ball against the wall. Atem caught it on the last throw and glared down at Yugi. "Let's go home."
There you go guys. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I am getting into a good schedule on writing. Thing is I have a bit of personal things going on. I lost my house today and am currently searching for a place. But I will keep updating! This has been helping my anxiety lately so I want to keep with it.
Anyways, I'll go work on another story! Bye!