Chapter title: Orphanage
Word count: 2.555
Chapter: 3/?
Chapter summary: Yami realizes that Juudai may not be lying after all.
Chapter warnings: This is not Beta'd
Pairings: YamixYuugi
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!

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Chapter 3: Orphanage

The building that Yami and Juudai arrived at was huge. It had a very front yard with a sandbox, a set of swings, a slide and other playground toys. The house was big enough to house hundred people. Yami had read on the internet site of the orphanage that they also had a school inside.

Yami squeezed Juudai hand before he pushed open the big black fence and walked the path to the main entrance. The door was closed so he pushed the doorbell. It took a couple of seconds before someone opened.

"Hello? How may I help you?" A middle aged woman asked nicely. Yami smiled back. This lady seemed nice so far. Juudai was probably exaggerating.

"Hello." Yami greeted back with a smile. "I found him on the streets. It is very dangerous for someone his age to live on the streets and I am quite surprised that he is alive at this moment. His name is Juudai and I believe he went here before?" Yami asked.

Something flashed in the expression of the woman, but it was gone as soon as it came.

"Of course! Juudai we have been looking for you!" She said with a hint of a stutter. Yami narrowed his eyes in suspicion but gave the woman the benefit of the doubt. "You shouldn't run away again." She said. Juudai took in a gulp of breath to say something. The woman was faster and grabbed hold of Juudai's arm, yanking him inside.

"You're just in time for dinner." The woman said as she half dragged the boy inside. The woman left the door open so Yami stepped inside. The interior of the orphanage looked nice enough. Being the only orphanage of the city, they probably got good funding, or maybe a lot of donations.

Yami took out his mobile phone from his pocket and pressed a couple buttons before placing it in his jacket's inner pocket, the phone sticking out just a little.

He followed the woman, who wasn't being too gentle with Juudai, to the eating hall. All tables silenced as they watched Juudai. "Guess what everyone! Juudai is back!" She announced. A low murmuring washed over the room as the children talked amongst themselves.

Yami watched as the woman ushered Juudai to the lunch lady. He was given a tray with a plate on it. The woman behind the counter scooped up some goop into Juudai's plate. Yami's eyes widened. The portion Juudai got was tiny. No wait, he was exaggerating. It was miniscule.

"Excuse me." Yami said not so politely. "How come Juudai gets so little while he–" Yami pointed at a fat kid with three times what Juudai got, "gets a lot."

"Ah!" The woman who had greeted him and Juudai at the door exclaimed, clapping once with her hands. "You see, Tadayoshi here needs all the nutrition's he can get." She said gently patting the fat boys shoulders.

Yami was not convinced and he showed that by raising an eyebrow. "So you're saying that Juudai doesn't need any nutrition's." He crossed his arms in front of his chest, silently challenging the woman.

"No." The woman huffed. "He just needs… less." Yami's eyes narrowed but he didn't say any more. He watched as Juudai sat down at a secluded table, absently poking at his food. It was obvious that he disliked being there.

The cafeteria had gotten silent after Juudai entered. Yami heard the whispers of the children but he could not make out what they were saying. He could however, make out what the supervisors said.

"Ugh, it's that rotten kid again. No wonder no one wants him."

"Yeah, he is just a little thief."

"Probably got thrown out onto the streets again after his adoption."

Yami's eye started twitching. He lost it when he saw that Juudai was hit in the back of his head with the goop that that orphanage passed off as mashed potatoes.

"Enough!" He screamed, slamming his hands on the nearest table. The few girls sitting at that table gasped, completely startled by the sudden motion. "I can't believe you people! How could you be so cruel to a child?!" He screamed, looking the woman who had greeted him, the supervisors and the lunch lady in the eyes.

His eyes then glided over to Juudai, softening. "I'm sorry Juudai… I never should've brought you back here…." He said. The he glared back at that woman. "I am adopting him."

Juudai gasped and whipped around to look at Yami. A mixture of surprise, amazement and hope in those big chocolate eyes. The woman straightened her posture after the initial shock wore off.

"Very well. Come to my office." She said turning her back to Yami.

"Juudai, you come too." Yami ordered. He did not trust the leave the child here with these monsters. Juudai didn't hesitate and ran to Yami, grabbing the young man's arm and following the woman to her office.

She took a seat behind her desk and looked at Yami with a blank expression. "Before you can adopt, I will have to make sure that you are qualified. Your name?" She asked.

"Yami. Sennen Yami." The woman nodded and wrote it down.

"Date of birth?"

"March 18th 1992"

The woman raised her eyebrow. "You're twenty-two and you want to adopt a child." She asked unconvinced.

"Yes." Yami said brimming with confidence.

"Alright then, are you married."

"…no."

"In a relationship?" Yami thought about it for a moment. He and Yuugi had only had one date. They weren't quite official and he didn't think Yuugi would like it too much if he said that he and Yuugi were in a relationship.

With a small sigh, he answered, no.

"What is your sexual orientation?"

Yami's head snapped up. "What does that have to do with this?" He asked slightly embarrassed. Juudai looked up at him, confused why Yami didn't want to answer. He didn't get the whole question at all.

"This is common procedure." The woman said.

Yami sighed. "I'm gay." He said softly. The woman raised her eyebrow. You are not married, not in a relationship and you're gay?" The woman asked blankly. "Why do you even try?"

Yami felt insulted. "It's not like I want a child. I am trying to save one. The way you're treating Juudai here… jeez, I wonder how the press will react to that. You do know that they are always hungry for some scandal"

Worry flashed in the eyes of the woman before she scoffed. "As if the press will believe you. We have a high credibility you know."

Yami smirked. "The moment you yanked Juudai inside, I knew there was something wrong." He started as his hand went inside his jacket. "They might not believe my words… but I am certain that they will believe this footage." He said as he pressed the 'stop recording' button.

The woman just stared at Yami, her mouth agape. This was not what she had expected at all. A smile reached her lips as she clapped once with her hands. "Well, I am sure we can arrange something!" She said with a sugary sweetness to her tone.

Yami rolled his eyes. Only agreeing because it was in their disadvantage. "We'll send over someone to see if your house is child friendly and then we'll see from there. How does Friday suit you?"

Yami mulled over his question. He was working then, he had to keep his agenda open for meetings with Honda and Ryou. "Can't it be in the weekend?" He asked.

The woman sighed. "Very well." She handed him a couple sheets of paper. "Please fill in these forms so we can finish." There was a bit of an agitated undertone in her voice. Yami quickly filled them in, not wanting to be in the room with the woman any longer.

Yami filled them in as fast as he could, it was just basic information. After he finished he handed it back and they shook hands. "Well then, I will see you on Saturday." She said. Yami nodded and stood up. He was about to leave when Juudai shouted for him to stop.

"What about me?" Juudai asked, looking from Yami at the orphanage director.

"You're staying here." The director said, looking at the little boy from the corner of her eye.

"No, he is coming with me." Yami said in an authoritative voice.

"You have no right to decide that." The woman almost spat.

Yami returned her glare tenfold. "There is no way in hell that I am leaving him here in your care."

The woman did not reply, nor did her glare falter. Yami sighed, having had enough. "Look, why don't we make an arrangement. Juudai will stay with me till Saturday and when that woman of yours come to check it out, he will give his own testimony and then you'll have an easier decision."

The director hummed as she thought, tapping her index finger on her chin. "Alright." She agreed after a small silence had passed. Yami blinked, he certainly hadn't expected her to agree to his deal.

"O-okay then. Juudai, if you have something you need, gather it and let's go." The boy shook his head.

"I don't have anything. Let's go!" Juudai said eagerly, grabbing Yami's hand and dragging the young man out of the small office. Yami laughed as Juudai practically dragged him to his house. The child was bouncing on the spot as Yami unlocked the door to the apartments.

Juudai raced inside, not waiting for Yami. He remembered well what Yami said. Third floor, number seven. He had considered going there a couple of times… but he was always afraid that Yami would just shoo him away. Like everyone else had.

Yami finally reached the third floor and opened the door. Suddenly, Juudai froze. Yami noticed this and gave the young child a gentle push. "What's wrong? Having cold feet?" Yami joked. Juudai tilted his head in confusion.

"No, my feet aren't cold. Actually, I am feeling very hot. Yami chuckled at the misunderstanding.

"Of course you would feel hot. You practically ran all the way to the house and up the stairs." Juudai blushed slightly at his previous eagerness. "Come on then." Yami said, ushering Juudai inside. "I won't bite."

Juudai slowly stepped inside the apartment. "Shoes out." Yami ordered as he closed the door behind him. Juudai did as Yami said, afraid to upset his possible new father. Yami gently held Juudai's arm as he guided the small boy into the house. "This is the living room." Yami said as he showed the room. "Why don't you sit on the couch while I figure a couple things out okay?" Yami suggested. Juudai nodded and sat on the couch like a good boy.

That is what he was going to be. A good boy.

Yami paced in the living room, thinking his next action. Taking Juudai home… was really an impulse and he didn't think things through. Where was Juudai going to sleep? He had only one bed and that was his own. There was a vacant room that he used as a study. It contained his desk, laptop, computer and a bookcase full of his old study books.

If Juudai were to stay with him, he was going to have to clear that room and purchase furniture. He was also going to need to buy the child clothing, toys and send him to elementary school. What else did a kid need? Where was Juudai going to sleep tonight? There was the couch, but the child had slept on the ground for last time, he certainly deserved better.

"Y-Yami?" Juudai said. Yami stopped pacing and looked at the child who was fidgeting on the couch. Oh, he had made the kid nervous by just pacing and saying nothing. Good going Yami.

"Sorry." Yami said with a sheepish smile. He stopped his pacing and sat down next to the kid. "Was just thinking about what to do from this point on. You're going to need a bed, clothes, education…." Yami told as he counted them with his fingers.

The boy nodded. Yami looked at him, first things first, the kid needed a bath. And fast. "Here's an idea, why don't you go take a shower, and I'll go see if I can get you a bed." Yami ruffled the messed up brown hair, messing it up even more. Juudai giggled lightly at the affectionate gesture.

"Okay Yami…. I can call you Yami… right?"

"Of course you can. What else did you want to call me?"

"…. D-daddy."

Yami blinked, then blushed. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought of being called 'daddy'. "L-let's just wait till your stay here is definitive. Till then, let's stick with Yami okay?" He said, lightly petting the head of the child.

Juudai nodded but his eyes cast down. Yami didn't want to raise the child's hopes up too high. What if Juudai started calling him dad, but then he didn't get custody?

"So, shower time." Yami said, standing up and pulling Juudai up with him. "You stink." He added with a chuckle.

"Hey!" Juudai retorted with a pout. Yami laughed and pulled the boy through the hallway to the small bathroom. Juudai waited till Yami had adjusted the water to a nice, not overly hot temperature. He reached out and took two bottle from the small rack installed higher in the cabin.

"Here are the shampoo and shower gel. Can you shower on your own?" Yami asked as he handed the boy the bottles. Juudai nodded, no one ever assisted him in the orphanage, so he had learned on their own.

The young man then took out a big fluffy towel from the cabinet and placed it near the sink. "You get cleaned for now; I'll find you something to wear. You can definitely not wear what you're wearing after getting cleaned."

Juudai looked at his appearance. The clothes he was wearing were tattered indeed. It was getting too small too. It was one of the very few outfits he received when he was at the orphanage, so he just had to make do with them.

"I'm gonna make some phone calls, I'll see you when you're done, okay?" Yami left the bathroom so Juudai could shower in peace. He returned to the living room, taking out his phone from his pocket. The number that was dialed was the one that belonged to his best friend, he didn't know who else to turn to.

"Hey Jounouchi." He greeted once the blond on the other end picked up.

"Sup Yami"

"I was wondering if you still have that foldable guest bed. And if you do, if I can borrow it."

"Yeah… I still have. When do you need it?"

"Now."

Jounouchi was silent on the other end for a couple seconds. "I can bring it to you in about two hours."

Yami shrugged his shoulders, even though Jounouchi couldn't see it. "Oh, when you come over, could you please go to a second hand store and buy some clothes? The kid is around six years old."

"Okay Yami, these request are weird, even for you. Spill it, what's going on?"

"I think I am becoming a father…."

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Author Notes: I'm alive I swear! I just…. Haven't been feeling motivated enough to write. Kinda stopped reading too. I still really do like Puzzleshipping, unfortunately it isn't my number one at the moment. I have watched some anime to gain inspiration and have fallen in love with a new shipping from that one. It's a really unknown anime called Phi Brain: Kami no Puzzle.

I do really want to finish this one, and every other plotbunny I have for Puzzleshipping stories, just not…right now. I will try and update this one as frequently as possible but I tend to forget, being scatterbrained and all.

So… sorry for the super long wait and unbeta'd chapter. I will later replace this one with a beta'd one.