Heys sorry for the pause in updates. Here's chapter two of Outcast!
Don't own yugioh or characters.
"Jou I'm telling you he was kicked out of his grandfather's place and was living on the streets! He was actually going to spend the night outside in the rain!" Atem said when he found his friend at the gate.
"Why would Yugi of all people be kicked out? Atem I know this kid. He never gets into trouble, and is the perfect child. There's no way he was kicked out." Jou said.
"There's something going on with him. And he wasn't in any classes today. Or lunch." Atem insisted.
"Ok that is weird." Jou said thoughtfully. "Maybe. Maybe he's sick?"
"Jou face it. This kid was kicked out and is now avoiding me or someone."
Jou sighed. "Alright. How about I have Tristan look for him and I'll go talk to his grandfather."
"You know his grandfather?"
"Yugi and I used to be pals."
"Why aren't you now?"
"We kinda just drifted apart. Not sure why."
"I see well thank you. I have to get to work. My phone will be on vibrate. Thankfully Ren is today's manager."
"Is Anzu really that bad as a manager?"
Atem groaned. "Don't get me started on that slut. All she does is walk around barking orders then flirts with any 'cute guy' that comes in! She's the worst manager on the face of the planet!"
"Maybe they should've made you manager."
"I would at least be better than her." Atem sighed. "Well I better get going. Text me if you or Tristan find anything." Atem walked away waving.
"See ya!" Jou called waving.
Atem got to his job 10 minutes later. He changed into his uniform and punched in. "I hate my job." He muttered. He went to his station and started to flip the burgers.
It was half way through his shift when Ren came to him. "Atem we need to talk."
"Sure but I just set some more burgers on so it can't be long." Atem said.
"Actually I need you on as a waiter right now." Ren said.
"Uh sure but why?"
"Someone called off on me and I'm short a person. If you take their place you can keep any tips you get. All yours. Don't worry about the burgers I got them." Atem inwardly cheered but outwardly nodded.
After a quarter of his shift left he decided to take his break. He bowed to Ren and went to the back. Pulling out his phone he noticed he had a missed call from Jou. He quickly called him back.
"Atem?" Jou answered.
"Yes did you find anything out?" Atem asked
"Yeah. Yugi's grandfather did kick him out. And Atem please tell me you still have the money we gave you for babysitting last night."
"Yes. I checked this morning. Why?"
"Apparently he's known for steeling money."
"What? But why?"
"For drugs. Ushio was after him for a spot on drugs."
"What drug?"
"Marijuana."
"Has Tristan found him?"
"No. Atem if Yugi is going down this path don't you think its best to stay away?"
"No. I think its best someone help him. Someone needs to actually try."
"His grandfather has tried. For a year now. But Yugi just keeps saying he's not on anything and he hasn't been steeling. He refuses the help."
"Well I'll get through to him. I gotta go. Ren put me as the waiter today. I'm getting amazing tips. I'll talk to you later. Uh see if maybe Seto can find him."
"Sure but I still say you should stay away."
"Yeah well I disagree. See ya." Atem hung up and went to finish his shift.
Atem sighed as he walked up to his from door. "My feet are killing me. I have to admit though. I love getting tips. And I'm much better at being a waiter than I am at flipping burgers." He said to himself as he put his key into the door knob. He turned the key to find his door unlocked. "What the hell?" He slowly opened the door to find Yugi sitting on the couch.
"Hey heard you were looking for me." Yugi said simply.
"You broke into my apartment?" Atem asked.
"And you have people looking for me and searching through my past. Looks like we're even."
"I just wanted to know why you got kicked out and if you were ok."
"Well I'm fine. And next time you have a bit of curiosity, shut it out. My past is none of yours or Jou's business. So just do what he did and leave." Yugi said an under tone of anger coming through.
"What do you mean leave? He said you two just drifted apart."
"Ha! Is that what he's telling people! That's funny! Real funny!"
"So that's not what happened? What did happen?"
"That's none of your business either. Look just stay away from me and don't come looking for me either." Yugi got up and started to walk out.
"Wait. Yugi you can't keep going like this." Atem said turning to stop him.
"Yes I can see ya!" Yugi said.
"No stop!" Atem grabbed his arm. "Look I know what you are on and I want to help you get off it."
Yugi ripped his arm free. "I'm not on anything! For the last fucking time! I'm not on drugs, I don't steel money, and I don't owe Ushio anything for that shit! Just leave me the hell alone!" Yugi stormed out and slammed the door behind him.
Atem stood there for a moment before running out after him. "Yugi wait!" he called but Yugi didn't stop or even hesitate. "Yugi! Ok ok! I believe you!"
"What?" Yugi stopped and turned to him. "What did you say?"
"I believe you." Atem repeated.
"Right and I'm just supposed to fall for that?" Yugi scoffed and turned to walk away.
"You never took my money!" Yugi seemed to freeze and when he made no move to respond Atem continued. "You had the perfect chance. I left my wallet on my kitchen table and there was 35$ in it. You could have easily taken it and slipped away. I never would have known until you were long gone. But you didn't. I know you didn't because I saw the money in my wallet this morning before I left for school."
"So?" Yugi asked lowly.
"So that proves you don't steel. Or else you would have stolen from me."
"Maybe I wanted to take pity on someone who clearly doesn't have enough money as it is."
"Then if that's so thank you."
Yugi turned looking at him in shock. "You want me to take pity on you?"
"No but if that keeps you from steeling then by all means have at it."
"You're fucking weird." Yugi said walking away. "See ya round guy!"
Atem sighed and went back inside.
~Time skip~
Two weeks passed sense the last time Atem has seen or heard from or of Yugi. The boy hasn't shown up to his house nor has he come to school. Atem didn't know if he should look for him or not. Its not as if anyone else cared. Maybe there was a reason for that.
Atem has been taking over any waiting shift he could. Ren liked having him as a waiter and the teen was going to ask him if he could just become a waiter. He knew he was only half time but he was great with the customers and because of that the tips were great. He really needed them.
He was just getting changed for another waiting shift when Ren came to him. "Atem you have a call from the hospital."
Atem looked at him confused. "What? About who?"
"A boy named Yugi."
"Uh ok I'll be right there." Atem was more confused than ever. Why was Yugi calling him from the hospital. Maybe his grandfather was hurt?
He followed Ren to the phone and took it. "Yugi?"
"Atem! Cousin! What's up!?" Yugi said cheerfully.
"Cousin? What the hell are you talking about?"
There was a moment of silence before Yugi spoke again this time lower and more serious. "Atem you need to come check me out of the hospital."
"What are you doing there?"
"Ushio came after me. He beat the shit out of me. I called my grandfather but he refuses to even come see me. Please Atem. I can't stand it here. They won't stop asking questions."
"Gee I wonder why that is. And where have you been for the past two weeks?"
"I'll give you the answers you want if you check me out and tell them I'm staying with you while our grandfather is on a dig in Egypt. But only the answers accompanied to this situation and where I've been. Deal?"
Atem thought. He was curious but at the same time he still wasn't sure if he wanted to get involved with this kid. After much debating he sighed. "Fine I'll be right over. Can you walk?"
"Uh not exactly."
"Fine. I'll get a cab but then you definitely owe me because this was a major shift I now have to take off."
"Alright. See you soon." Yugi hung up immediately.
Atem sighed hanging up. He rubbed his head. "This kid is going to be the death of me." He went to Ren. "Hey I need to take today off. See, my cousin is about to be checked out of the hospital and has nowhere to go right now. He originally lives with my grandfather but he's on a dig so he's staying with me."
"I understand. Oh I was going to save this news until later but I guess sense you are leaving I'll tell you now. You know that girl Anzu?" Ren asked
"Yes what about her?"
"Well she has been demoted to burger flipper and a waitress Miho quit so a waiting spot and manager spot is open. Sense I'm here most of the time Kenta decided to keep me on as full time manager. But if you keep working the way you are you should be able to work your way to manager."
"Wait are you offering me the waiting spot?" Atem asked excited.
"If you want it." Ren smiled.
"Yes! Oh god yes! Thank you so much!"
"You're welcome. I'll send you your schedule. Now you better go to your cousin."
"Yes of course. See ya." He waved and left.
Atem walked into the waiting room and went straight to the front desk. "Hello I'm here to check out Yugi Moto."
"I see and you are?" The nurse asked
"His cousin Atem."
"Alright he's in room 202. I will have a wheel chair up. Fill out these papers please" she handed him a clip board with some papers and a pen.
"Alright." Atem took them and started for the room. It didn't take long for him to find the room. He opened the door reading over the papers. "Yugi you need to-" he started but stopped when he saw Yugi.
Yugi looked at him with the darkest black eye Atem had ever seen. His face was cut and bruised. There was a gash on the right of his forehead. His lip was busted and swollen and his left cheek split open with a bruise forming around the cut. There were other bruises and cuts on his faces. Atem could only imagine what the rest of him looked like.
"Holy shit Yugi! What the hell happened to you!?" he shut the door after coming in.
"An accident." Yugi said.
"What kind?"
"I was thrown by a car. Hit and run. Its no big deal. Just uh couple cuts and bruises and a broken rib."
"What the fuck!? And your-" Atem started but Yugi shushed him.
"No. Just check me out so I can go home."
"And where is home?"
"It doesn't matter." Yugi looked away.
"Yugi."
"It doesn't. Whatever just check me out alright. I'll explain everything later."
"You can come over for dinner." Atem said as a nurse came in with the wheel chair.
"Do you need help?" She asked.
"No. I'll be fine." Yugi said. She nodded and left.
"Here fill these out." Atem said handing him the forms.
"What are they?"
"Your check out forms. I don't know shit about you so I figured it would be better if you filled them out."
"Alright." Yugi took a few minutes before handing them back to Atem. "You just have to sign your name and address and stuff."
"Fine." Atem did so while Yugi got into the wheel chair.
Atem took him down to the waiting room and signed him out. He really hoped he wouldn't regret it in the future. After helping Yugi into the cab he told the driver his address and paid him ahead of time.
Yugi was silent the whole ride. He just stared out the window clearly avoiding looking at Atem. The older teen watched him. Atem mentally sighed. The kid didn't seem like one who would steel and do drugs. But then a lot of people didn't. Maybe he could get Yugi to talk about it.
Once at the apartment Atem took Yugi in and sat him on the couch. He then went to the kitchen not that it was a separate room. He started pulling stuff out to make dinner. He was able to go grocery shopping thanks to the waiting shifts he took. "So?"
"So what?" Yugi asked not looking towards him.
"Mind explaining?"
"Which part? How I got hurt, where I've been or why my grandfather wouldn't even come see me?"
"Why don't you start from the beginning?"
"Alright can it wait till dinner is done?"
"You can explain while we're eating." Yugi just nodded. Atem sighed as he started a pot of water for spaghetti noodles. "Do you want a change of clothes?"
"Sure. I assume you aren't going to take no anyways."
"Sounds about right." Atem went and changed then grabbed the clothes he gave Yugi the first time he was at his house. He came back out to see Yugi hadn't changed his position. "So I do have one question." Atem handed him the clothes.
"What is it?" Yugi took them.
"The first night you stayed here. Did you stay the whole night?"
"Yeah I stayed until the sun rose. I always wake up when the sun rises."
"Ok that brings another question. Why did you leave?"
Yugi looked away. "I needed to get back to my stuff. And before you assume anything. My stuff as in my clothes and shit I actually do have."
"Right." Atem didn't believe him but he wasn't about to push the kid. "Well the noodles are in and the sauce will be quick so I'll make that once the noodles are done."
Yugi nodded and stood. "I'm gonna go change." He said rather softly before walking away not giving Atem time to argue.
Dinner didn't take long to finish. Soon Yugi and Atem were sitting at Atem's table eating. Atem thought this was the first real meal this kid had outside of the hospital in three weeks. Not that he was surprised.
"So why don't you start from the beginning?" Atem asked.
Yugi sighed. "I've been at my camp for a while."
"Camp?"
"Yes. As in my little area in some woods where I'm not bothered by anyone. It's a sort of shelter."
"Ok where is it?"
"That I'm not telling."
"Fine so you've been at your camp. Why haven't you been at school?"
"School comes second to survival."
"Yugi how do you expect to get anywhere if you don't go to school?" Yugi just shrugged in response. "Ok so you haven't been at school. How did you really end up in the hospital. On the phone you said something about Ushio."
"Yeah. He came after me. Somehow found out where my camp is and ambushed me. I was just waking up when he came after me. Normally I could out run him. I mean look at him. He's not the tiniest guy around. But this time he grabbed me before I could get away."
"What did he do?"
"He beat the shit out of me. What else do you think? He beat the shit out of me and left me there."
"Then how did you end up at the hospital?"
"I knew I was badly hurt and as much as I hated it I needed to get to the hospital. So I forced myself to walk to the nearest street. It just happened to be a street on this side of the tracks. So of course when I told the doctors I was a hit and run case they weren't surprised. They asked things like what did the car look like and if I saw the license plate. I told them I didn't remember anything."
"And they believed that?"
"How could they not? Look at my head. With a gash like this its not often they expect patients to remember."
"How did you get that?"
"Ushio took my head and hit it off the wall of the cave. When I collapsed he kicked and punched me repeatedly. That's how I got the black eye busted lip and broken rib."
"And all the cuts?"
"Ushio is better with a knife than I thought."
"What?"
"Yeah." Yugi put his fork down as his plate was empty.
"He used a knife on you. And you didn't tell anyone? Why?"
"Because all anyone sees about me is I'm a druggy who steels money. Especially if they know I'm acquainted with Ushio. Its how I have been seen for a year and a half now."
"Yugi you need to answer me honestly. Are you on any drugs?"
"No."
"Do you steel money?"
"No."
"Than why does everyone think these things?"
"Because of my cousin."
"What?"
Yugi sighed. "It doesn't matter." He stood "Thanks for the food and talk. See ya."
Atem stood. "Oh no. you are staying here."
"Ha! You're funny."
"It wasn't a joke. I mean it Yugi. You are staying here. You are hurt."
"And?"
"You said Ushio knows where your camp is right? Well that means its not safe there anymore. You have no where else to go so you are staying here. We can go for your stuff in the morning." Atem took the dishes and put them in the sink. He began washing them. "Don't bother trying to sneak out. It's not going to work."
Yugi stood for a moment before sitting back down. "Why do you care?"
"To be honest I'm not sure of that myself. Maybe because I can sort of relate. My parents kicked me out when I said I was moving out. They told me I would have no support from them. And I don't."
"You just admit this as if it doesn't hurt."
"Well its not that it doesn't hurt. Its that I can't allow it to hurt. My parents were terrible parents. My mother was always drunk and my father was abusive. I couldn't take it anymore so I left the day I turned 18. The only thing is I didn't think it through. I didn't have a job before I left. Money yes. I had saved up for a year. I decided at 17 to move out. But that money only lasted so long. Between the deposit for this apartment and then the rent and buying a bunch of other things I needed like a bed and couch and stuff I was out of money quickly. Two months and I was broke. Within those two months I searched for a job religiously."
"You found one."
"Yes. It's a shitty job and I hate it. But it's a job. Unfortunately even though I can work full time by age, by time I can't. I am determined to get through school as well. I have to remain the top student so I can get a full academic scholarship for college." Yugi remained silent. Atem dried the dishes and put them away. He turned and sat back at the table. "You ok?"
"Yeah its just your parents basically abandoned you and here you are still pushing forward. What do you want to do? As a career?"
"I want to work with kids who deal with trauma."
"I see. And talking about your parents and stuff doesn't make you want to I don't know stop?"
"As in not want to keep going?" Yugi nodded. "No. This is reality. You can't just freeze up whenever you want to. You need to keep pushing forward and having goals or you will fall."
"I don't have any goals."
"Well maybe you should set some."
"I don't know if I can. I can't even set a goal to have regular showers."
They sat silently for a good 5 minutes. Atem thought about what this boy was going through. He needed help and support. He would never make it if someone didn't step up for him. How could anyone just turn their backs on him?
"Why don't you move in?" Atem finally asked.
Yugi looked at him with a mixture of shock and confusion. "What?"
"Move in here. You need somewhere to go."
"You can't be serious. No one wants me to move in."
"The way I see it you have two choices. Move in here and I'll help you get back on your feet. I'll help you with school and get you a job and even to college for a career you want. Or you can chance going back to that camp of yours and struggle just to get clean."
It was tempting to Yugi. He needed a place to go. His camp clearly wasn't safe anymore and it would be nice to not have to worry about things like showers.
"What happens if I do move in?" Yugi asked.
"First you will go back to school. You're in honors classes Yugi. you will keep your grades up. Whenever you feel like the world is crashing talk to me. I don't need to know your whole past to know you are a good kid. Then you will get a job at 18. Between the two of us we should be able to actually make money. Do you have a cellphone?"
"No."
"Then your first check will go to a phone. Don't expect a good one. You will decide on the career you want then if it requires college we will work on you getting into one. You can make it without your grandfather Yugi. I will help you but the work needs to come from you."
Yugi nodded. "Ok."
"Ok? As in what?"
"I will move in." Yugi said reluctantly.
"Good. Tonight rest. Tomorrow we will go for your stuff at your camp. When do you turn 18?"
"In a month."
"Then when you turn 18 we will go for your stuff from your grandfather's place."
"I don't want to go there."
"I understand that but you have to. You don't need to make up with him or anything. You just need to get your stuff and get out."
"Alright." Yugi said.
"Lets get to bed. We have school in the morning and you have a lot of school work to make up." Atem stood. Yugi stood with him and went to the couch. Atem gave him the blanket he used the first time. "Night Yugi."
"Night." Yugi said before Atem turned the light off and went to bed.
Atem sighed as he sat in bed and thought about what he just did. This kid needed someone on his side. If it meant Atem would now basically become his parent until he was back on his feet so be it. He was determined to help Yugi in any way he could. Maybe he could talk to Ren about getting Yugi a job at the restaurant. He had a shift tomorrow. He'll take Yugi and ask him. He turned off his lamp and went to sleep.
Ok theres chapter 2! Sorry for the delay on stuff. I've been sick and I could write for a bit but here it is! Next I'll work on chosen mate! Please review!