Seto leaned back in his chair, considering what he'd just been told. 'So, Yugi has run away from somewhere, doesn't have a home, doesn't have a family, was mistreated by someone, is apparently an empath, and refuses to be separated from Yami. And has no belongings other then the clothes he's wearing, which don't include shoes. And my little puppy wants me to help him and Yami stay together, by arranging for Yami to adopt him?'
"I don't think you should adopt Yugi," he said abruptly. Jou looked as though he'd just been kicked in the stomach, and Yami frowned. Seto ignored them, and continued, "I will, instead."
Yugi stared at him, then gave a blinding smile and bounced up and down on Yami's lap. "Yay!" he cheered. Yami scowled at him.
//I WANT YOU HERE!// he sent, jealousy and rage darkening his eyes.
/Exactly,/ Yugi said in surprise. /Legal. Boyfriend./
//What?// Yami couldn't believe that Yugi was thinking in those terms – not that he disagreed, but surely Yugi was too innocent to realise –
/Thought. Seto. Legalities. SetoJou. Unrelated. Us. Unrelated. Legal. Adopted. Not./
Yami paused to figure out what Yugi was telling him. //Seto thought that if I adopted you, we couldn't legally be boyfriends?// he asked cautiously. Yugi nodded. //And if he adopts you, it'll be alright because legally, we won't be related?// Yugi nodded again. //The same way that his relationship with Jou is legal?// Yugi nodded for a third time, his eyes dancing.
"Fine," Yami said calmly. Jou stared at him in shock, and Seto raised an eyebrow. He'd noticed that Yugi had managed to calm him down from his fury, and was extremely grateful that he would now be able to explain the reasons he had made his suggestion.
"You see, Yami, I –"
"Thought that if I adopted him, it would be illegal for us to become boyfriends," Yami interrupted. Seto's eyes narrowed slightly in annoyance.
"How did you guess?" he asked.
"Yugi told me," Yami shrugged, already bored with the conversation.
"Now that is one useful kid," Jou grinned, glad that his new friend was keeping Yami and Seto from fighting. Yugi grinned back, then looked up at Yami. /Do?/
//Huh?// Yami tried to figure out what Yugi meant.
/Bored. Do?/ Yugi asked, looking up at him with wide violet eyes.
//Oh. We should buy you some more clothes. Especially shoes,// he thought, his eyes straying to Yugi's bare feet, which were kicking happily.
/YAY!/
Yami chuckled. //You, little aibou, are easily amused,// he told Yugi. Yugi grinned up at him and nodded. //So, it's agreed?//
/Yeah!/
"Seto, Jou, we're going shopping," he told his friends, his eyes still holding Yugi's own.
"Says who?" sputtered Jou, who had just taken another mouthful of cereal. Seto thumped him on the back to stop him choking.
"Yugi needs some clothes."
Seto hesitated. He liked Jou a lot, and his friends were okay, but did he really want to help them with Yugi? He met the boy's amethyst gaze assessingly, trying to decide.
"Here," he said abruptly, holding out one of his credit cards. Yami frowned at the hint of charity, and Jou stared at his love in disbelief. Yugi reached over and took the card from Seto's hand, saying politely, "Thankyou."
He studied the card intently, Yami looking at it over his shoulder. /What?/
//It's a credit card. It – uh – this is gonna be difficult.//
/?/
//It sort of counts as money.//
/?/
//Money is the stuff we use to buy things. If we show the people this card, it will count as a lot of money. We'll be able to buy a lot with it.//
/?/
//… Never mind. It isn't really important that you understand it, anyway.//
Yugi pouted at him, prompting a rumble of laughter. Seto watched them from across the table, and for a moment his eyes were filled with envy. 'I love Jou with all my heart,' he thought to himself, 'but he doesn't need my protection. I wonder what it feels like to have someone who actually needs you to defend them? More, who wants it and is grateful for it? I don't want another lover, just – someone who depends on me the way that Yugi seems to depend on Yami.' For a moment, his eyes filled with pain. 'The way that Hikari depended on me.'
/Seto. Unhappy,/ Yugi sent to Yami, his eyes reflecting sorrow. Yami looked up at Seto. "What's wrong?" he asked, crimson eyes slightly concerned for his friend.
"Nothing," Seto said brusquely. He turned and wrapped his arms around Jou, who grinned happily at the attention. Seto pulled his boyfriend into his lap, and buried his face in the blond hair. "Nothing at all," he muttered, smelling the familiar honey scent of Jou's shampoo – bought by Seto, because it suited him so well.
Yami frowned slightly, but allowed the millionaire his privacy. //Whatever is wrong, it's private, little one,// he told Yugi. //We don't have the right to interfere with his life unless he asks us to.//
/Okay./ Yugi looked around, then up at Yami again. /Shopping?/
Yami smiled. //You want to take his mind off it. Very well. But I don't think he's going to be willing to trail around the mall with us just to watch you getting new clothes.//
/Why?/
Yami laughed again. He swung Yugi into his arms, and carried him through to where Anzu and Honda were both sat watching the TV. "Anzu, would you care to join us? We're going to buy little Yugi some clothes."
Anzu looked up in delight. "Great!" she smiled. Then her face fell. "But are you sure that you have enough money?"
"Yes, I'm sure," Yami frowned. //Does everyone know that the money needs to be saved for repairing the shop?// he asked irritably, forgetting that Yugi would hear him.
/Mmm – no. Pocket… money,/ Yugi sent, not understanding the words.
//Oh. She thought I didn't have enough of that.// Yami relaxed slightly. Then did a doubletake. //Hey! You just thought two words together!//
/Yes./ Yugi smiled up at him. /Like… you./
Yami felt an almost overwhelming pride in Yugi's accomplishment. He beamed down at him, eyes almost glowing.
'Is he going to kiss him?' Honda and Anzu both wondered.
Yami was so lost in the moment that he started to bend towards Yugi. Then he caught himself and straightened, settling for holding Yugi tighter instead. //No. Not yet,// he told himself, trying to be firm. Yugi looked questioning, and Yami shook his head at him. //It isn't important, little aibou,// he reassured his innocent twin.
Yugi pouted up at him again. Yami drew in a sharp breath, tearing his eyes away from the inviting gesture. "So – shall we go, then?" he asked Anzu, trying not to think about how red his face must be. 'I am not falling in love with Yugi. I am not falling in love with Yugi. I am not falling in love with Yugi,' he told himself, trying not to let Yugi hear. 'I am falling in love with Yugi – NOT falling in love, NOT falling in love! I can't be! I've only known him for – less then one day! How can I be falling in love with –' he lost his train of thought as Yugi snuggled closer into his arms. //Beautiful little one. I'll never let you go.//
Yugi wrapped his arms around Yami's shoulders. /Never,/ he agreed joyfully.
*
Shopping. Loud-crowded-bright… place. Lots. Of. People. Lots-of-people. Lots of people. /Lots of people./
//Yes, little one. There are lots of people here.// Amused-proud. Of, me. For-me. For me.
People. Staring. /Why? People… staring. Why, are, people, staring?/
Tighter. //Because most boys of your age wouldn't be carried in someone's arms in a public place. But your feet haven't healed yet, so I'm carrying you.//
/Why? Most-not… carried?/
Blank. //I… can't say I've ever thought about it. Because they're too proud? Because it doesn't look right?//
/Why?/
Frustration. /Sorry,/ quickly.
//For what? Oh… Little aibou, I'm not angry with you or anything. I just don't like not being able to answer your questions. [blank]//
/Don't… do-that. Please./
//What?// Pause. Hestitant. //You can sense when I try to block you?//
/Yes./
//[blank]//
/Ya-mi…/
//I'm not going to teach you that sort of language, aibou. However much you pout.//
/Why?/
//Because I don't want you using it.//
/Why?/
//Because it isn't very nice.//
/Why… you-use?/
//Because I was upset by the thought that you were unhappy about my blocking you.//
/Okay. Yami?/
//Yes, little one?//
/Forgive-you. Forgive you. For. Blocking me./
*
Yami sighed with relief. Seto raised an eyebrow at him.
"I didn't realise that Yugi can sense it when I block him," he explained quietly. Seto raised his other eyebrow, but decided not to comment. Instead, he looked around the mall.
"Where is this shop that you want to buy Yugi's clothes?" he asked. Yami looked up, studying the mall.
"Here," he said, walking into one of the stores. Jou grinned.
"Hey, yeah! This place got some real good stuff in!" he exclaimed, pulling his boyfriend after Yami. Seto toyed with the idea of hiding behind his collar, but dismissed it as unworthy of him.
'Welcome to Purgatory,' he thought grimly.