A/N: I opened my tumblr account up for Commissions a few weeks back and was commissioned for a fanfiction short in an Aladdin AU style. It's a little different from my usual work, but I am always up for a challenge so this challenge was accepted. I was given basic info and told I had the option to take creative license on this and end it as it flows to end. I do hope that it meets at least some of what was asked for.

Disclaimer: I do not own YGO or its characters. I also do not own Aladdin or its setting and details. This is purely just another work of fiction with borrowed characters and style.

Chapter 1

Time for a Change

"I don't know, Yug. Maybe it's time."

Yugi turned innocent, violet eyes up at his friend who was casually lounged against a shelf under a canopy munching on an apple. "Time for what, Joey?"

Joey shrugged and stared down at his apple. With a sigh, he ran his other hand through his mop of dirty blond hair. "Ta settle down."

Yugi blinked in surprise. "You? Settle down? But you're so carefree, doing what you want to do with nothing and no one to slow you down. Settling down… just doesn't sound like you."

"I know." Joey threw the core of his apple into a nearby basket. "I thought it was what I was meant ta do. Live my dream, ya know?"

"Uh-huh," Yugi acknowledged as he went back to straightening the shelf he had been working on.

They were trying to stay out of the sun by taking refuge within a small antiquities booth he ran with his grandfather in the market. There were always rare forms of trinkets, pottery, and games coming to them to be sold. Yugi's grandfather never failed to find the best treasures when he went out exploring. Joey, occasionally, would join them on these trips just as a means of staying out of trouble.

The only other member to his family was his sister who required special cares. Not being a family of money, Joey would often resort to sleight of hand tricks and his light-on-his-feet speed to get food and supplies his sister needed. When Yugi realized what Joey had been doing to support his sister, he and his grandfather stepped up and opened the run-down building behind their booth to them as a place of refuge. He did random chores for a little pay and had access to a room attached to the building they turned into slightly more livable quarters. It was the closest thing to having a life that Joey and his sister had ever dared to dream to have, and Joey was grateful for the friendship he had with Yugi and his family.

"I just… sometimes it gets a little lonely, ya know? My sister, I love her, but I think I am lookin' for a bit more than a partner within my family. I want ta settle down. Maybe have a family of my own sometime. But in order ta do that, I have ta get my life straight and in a betta order." Joey tugged at the leg of his taupe colored harem pants. "I don't want ta be a street-rat forever."

"I understand that, Joey. But have you given any consideration to how you want to do this? Maybe what kind of partner you would be looking for?"

Joey bowed his head. "Someone I can trust. Someone who can help bring me down when I start ta go a little crazy. Someone who cares about my sister, too. Dat's da most important part."

"So, someone who is like a friend first, huh?"

Joey brightened. "Yeah, something like that. Being friends first would be awesome!"

"Of course being friends first is awesome," another voice interjected. "Why wouldn't it be?"

Joey and Yugi startled and looked up as a tall, dark-haired young man walked up to them with a shorter girl with brown hair barely hidden beneath a scarf wrapped over her head and face.

"Tristan!" Yugi called out with a wave. "Téa, it's good to see you guys."

"Hey, Yugi, hey Joey. What's going on?" Téa asked.

"Joey was making a major decision about his life."

"Like what to eat? Bread or rice?" Tristan quipped.

Joey rolled his eyes. "Very funny." He shook his head and looked at Yugi. "See what I mean? Even my own friends don't think I can manage more than below meager. I have ta be better if I am ever ta land a partner and live a more complete life."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, partner? As in marriage?" Tristan asked, staring agape at his friend.

"Eventually, one day, yes."

"That's great that you are thinking about your future, Joey," Téa said with an encouraging smile. "Do you have anyone in mind? That will help to find out the direction you need to take"

Tristan nudged him with an elbow. "I hear the Prince is looking."

"Oh, good grief," Téa said, hanging her head. "Is this what they are talking about within the royal guards now?"

Tristan had recently begun training to become one of the royal guards to the prince. Ever since he started, he walked around with his chest puffed out and suddenly had all this knowledge about the inner workings of the palace. Téa had taken to calling him "Captain of the Rumor Mill" when she began to feel as though he was making things up more than telling facts.

"If you must know, yes it is," Tristan confirmed with his arms in front of his chest. "Jeez, Téa, you'd think I just enjoyed coming up with stories to tell. I'm hurt."

"I'm sure your ego will recover, Tristan."

"Hey, Téa, weren't you set to join a set of dancers in the palace here soon?" Yugi asked suddenly.

Téa brightened. "Yes, actually. So maybe I can poke around at that rumor about the Prince."

"Really, guys? A prince? I think that's a bit too fairy tale, don't you?" Joey said with his head in his hand. "I don't need a Prince on a white horse to rescue me from the streets. I'm a street-rat. There is an order here. Besides, in the few times, I've had run-ins with that Prince, it never ended well. He's disgusted by the idea of a dirty little street-rat like me. And he makes sure that I know it with every disdainful look and thing he has ever said to me." Joey shook his head again. "Nope, I need someone more in my own category."

"Or you just need a fairy god mother," Tristan continued to tease.

"Ease up, you guys. The fact that he wants this is good. There's no point in teasing him over it. When Joey finds the one he feels most connected to, he will know. And then he will know what he needs to do."

"Thanks, Yug. You're right. When I know, I'll know. 'Til then, I just keep looking."

"You know, I hear that when you aren't looking is when your partner kind of falls into your lap," Téa told him thoughtfully.

"Whaddya sayin'?"

"Why not distract yourself with something else first?"

"Like what?"

"Grandpa and I are going to explore a new cave he found later," Yugi offered with a slight shrug. "You can always come with us and see what you can find?"

Tristan jabbed Joey in the ribs with his elbow. "You might find that fairy god mother after-all."

There was a collective of groans from the group before Tristan headed out to his training. Téa waved her own goodbye as she left to meet with the coordinator for her dance routine. Joey and Yugi watched them both go before going inside the rundown building behind the booth and gathered a couple of bags filled with provisions. Joey reached out and grasped the third bag that was meant for Yugi's grandfather and paused a moment when his hand brushed Yugi's. He noticed the slight hesitation and looked down at his shorter friend to see a faint dust of color appearing on Yugi's cheeks.

"You okay, Yug?"

"Y-yeah, I'm okay."

"Here, let me get dat for ya, buddy." Joey picked up the second bag and slung it over his shoulder.

"Thanks, Joey. Grandpa should have the wagon in the alley so that we can just load up and go." He gave his friend an innocent smile that lit up his whole face before he turned and led the way out the back door toward the alley.

Joey watched him go. Of all of his friends, he felt his bond with Yugi was strongest. He would give anything for his little friend. He could not imagine life without Yugi in it. At his lowest point in life, Yugi was the one who managed to lift him back up. Yugi made him feel like a person and not some low life animal. Sure, his friendship with Téa and Tristan was important to him, but his connection to Yugi was something worth looking into. He smiled when Yugi turned back and waved to him.

Joey wasn't sure what this new direction was going to do for him, but he knew he was ready for whatever came his way. He was just grateful he had one of the best friends a guy could ask for by his side.

A/N: word count: 1619