Summary: After being rejected by Kaiba, Jounouchi decided to take a vacation to San Francisco to clear his head. It was there that he met two little boys that would change his life forever, and fill his heart with what he really needed.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or the GX series, they belong to their respective owners/creators. This story is just made for fun.

A/n: Another story huh? This idea was eating me alive somewhat, so I've decided to get on it. This story contains yaoi so if you don't like it, don't read it :/ Also, it will contain some OOCness, so I apologize for that. Anyways, on with the show~

Have you ever wondered about falling in love, like those highschool dramas you see on TV? Main character falls for the pretty girl, have a few adventures with friends, then end up getting the girl at the end of the year and be married and have kids?

Well, I had the adventure with friends part down.

The falling in love with a girl though?

That was the hard part.

You see I fell in love with someone that was impossible. No seriously, if you ever hear the words that Katsuya Jounouchi would ever fall in love with the CEO ice prince known as Seto Kaiba...you'd think I was crazy.

But I was.

And sadly, I know Kaiba doesn't feel the same.

How could he? He's an egotistical, cold hearted bastard that only cared about his company and his little brother, Mokuba. He's always hated me for some reason, what with calling me a 'mutt' or some other degrading canine nicknames. He always likes to point out my poor status, or the fact that I'm a third rated duelist and would never beat him in a million years and even sometimes goes far to talk about my family.

In my first three years of schooling with the asshole, I wouldn't even care and just argue back with him.

But lately...I haven't really had the heart to. I was realizing now, since graduating from that damn school that thought I would never make it, that...his words hurt me. More than it should honestly. I've changed. And I am thankful for Yugi, Yami and the rest of my friends for that. I didn't become like my drunken father and I was at peace of being a good person than being in a gang. Dueling became my passion, and I became close to my sister, despite my mother hating my guts.

So why did it still feel like there's this hole in my heart?

And then, I did something that I now truly regretted.

Before Yami, or Atem since he said that was his real name, left once the Ceremonial Duel ended last year, he told me something that made my heart leap...and my blood run cold.

"You and Kaiba were destined together, Jou. Just as your past lives were..."

And then he passed over.

I knew Yugi was still crying over that his other half had left him, but he kept a brave face of it. In fact, he had something else occupying him besides the Game Shop with his grandpa, but I'll ya that story later.

Sometimes I wondered why I listened to Ya-Atem that day.

Stupid Pharaoh.

It was the night of our graduation at school that I decided to do it. I decided to come out with what I was freshly feeling for Seto Kaiba and hope for the best. Even if he rejected me, I think I would be okay. I wasn't expecting a cheesy 'I like you too' and become boyfriends like that. That was just plain stupidity, dreaming honestly.

But boy how wrong I was.

What Kaiba said next after admitting my feelings had my heart shatter to pieces.

"HA! Is this a joke, Mutt!? You're a joke! Why would I waste my time with a loser like you? You like me? Don't make me laugh. Actually, it's laughable now that I think about it. Someone like me being with a poor excuse of a duelist like you? Plus, you're your father's son. Why would I, someone of higher class than you, would be with a future drunkard. Or druggie, whatever your gangster ass does. Get real. And besides, even if I was gay, which I am not, you'd be the last person I'd be with. From now on, just stay the hell away from me, and don't even think of influencing your infection on my little brother, got it?"

Ouch. I would've settled for a 'I don't like you'. But all those things...they hurt. As if Kaiba doesn't see that I've changed for the better.

It's what made me realize...why should I even stay here?

Yugi understood that I needed to leave Domino to clear my head. Plus, I was already eighteen now and I have some money I've earned from the jobs I've had while juggling with school. I could leave. And I still had an active passport that had both my Japanese and American dual citizenship, thanks to my dad being an American citizen.

And besides, I'd be seeing Anzu sometime, since she went to study abroad for her Dance Academy in New York. Honda though, he was a little pissed I was leaving, but I never gave him the reason why I was leaving. Only Yugi knew.

And this is where my story begins...currently in San Francisco in a small comfortable apartment and living a peaceful life.

Until...I met them.

Normal P.O.V

Present Day

Jou breathed out as he was then done for the day, working at a local sandwich shop under his apartment building. Since he was good at cooking, he started out small and working his way up to earn some money. Plus, the rent was cheaper this way too, since the owner of the shop was also the landlord of the place. And he has been living this quite and peaceful life for half a year since leaving Domino.

Everything was simply going his way.

"Just take out the trash, Joey, and then you can leave with today's paycheck," A balding man with a kind smile said in English, as Jou then grinned and saluted.

"Sure thing Mister Picklesworth!" Jou spoke up back in English, almost giving off an accent as he then was pulling a black plastic trashbag full of today's rubbish and was hauling it outside in the alleyway.

Somehow, this 'Mister Picklesworth' (Since the name of the shop was Picklesworth's Sub Station) always called Jou 'Joey' since he couldn't pronounce his Japanese name. And Jou preferred it actually.

He was then about to dump the trash into the dumpster when he heard soft movement. Jou blinked his honey colored eyes for a moment as he tilted his head, listening again. And there it was. The sound of rustling and murmuring was here. The blond quietly sneaked to the source of the sound and then looked over the bags of garbage and was surprised at seeing a little boy there. He looked about four or five years old, brown hair matted and messy looking, his tiny body malnourished and sort of pale. He was wearing what seemed to be a hospital patient's attire, not counting the red shirt he wore underneath and was bare footed.

He seemed to be looking for something.

"Y-Yubel! Speak to me Yubel! I can't lose you too!" The little boy murmured as he was looking through the trash, and that was when Jou noticed the big brown eyes full of tears.

And he was speaking Japanese. Meaning the boy must be like him in a way, half in half.

"Er, e-excuse me little guy," Jou decided to speak in Japanese as the boy yelped and snapped his head up, eyes wide, "Are you looking for something?"

"You...you talk like me!" The boy smiled brightly as he then was sitting up in the trash, "You can talk like me!"

"Yes I can...what are you doing out here?" He asked kindly as the boy then pouted.

"I need to find my friend!"

"Your friend?" Jou blinked, "W-what does your friend look like?"

"She's big with wings and green and orange eyes," The brunet spoke happily then froze, then looked down, "She's...my duel card, b-but she's also a spirit!"

Jou looked surprised. A Duel Card by the name of Yubel? He has never heard of it before. It's probably new. And this boy could see Duel Spirits?

"Please, I-I'm not making it up, I swear Mister, please don't call the hospital," The boy begged, looking frightened now.

Before Jou could say anything, a voice from behind him called out frantically.

"Judai!" A woman's voice called out in English, and Jou turned to look at her, seeing she had a doctor's attire under her trenchcoat, "Thank goodness I found you,"

"Hello, is he yours?" Jou asked the woman that came closer to them, and noticed the boy now known as Judai was hiding behind his legs and shaking.

"Oh! Hello, thank you for finding Judai for me," The woman smiled warmly, "My name is Doctor Heagan. I'm Judai's somewhat guardian. I work at a children's place nearby and Judai had snuck out once again. He tends to be a little trouble maker. But thank you for being with him, I shall take him home now..."

Jou nodded as he watched the woman come around and picked Judai up, who seemed to be struggling and whimpering a bit.

"He...doesn't seem like he wants to go with you Doc," Jou placed out as the woman looked at him with a frown.

"As I said, he's a troubled kid. But once he's home he'll be alright,"

Jou didn't like the sound of that, but before he could say anymore, the woman was walking away with Judai in her arms. He frowned even more as he saw that Judai looked so...helpless and begging to not go with the woman. But what could Jou do?

He then sighed and turned to go back into the shop, and on that night, Jou kept dreaming about the brown haired and brown eyed boy, eyes that begged to be saved.

It was until a week later, Jou decided to visit the children's place that Judai stayed in. It was a hard find since the place didn't have a sign or anything...and there was a reason why. Turns out, the place was actually a children's mental hospital.

Jou felt his stomach drop at that.

Walking to the counter, he then breathed out softly in English, "Excuse me. I am looking for a boy named Judai,"

The woman looked surprised, and paled slightly, "J-Judai Yuki? How do you know of him?"

"I met the kid a week ago, is alright to see him?"

Jou felt something wrong as the woman looked like she wanted to say no, but then breathed out, "Are you a relative of his or something?"

Jou shook his head no.

The woman looked relieved and spoke professionally, "I'm sorry sir, unless you have special permission or are a relative of Judai Yuki, you are not permitted to see him,"

"Can I ask WHY Judai Yuki is in here?" Jou couldn't believe the kid deserved to be in here. He seemed so...innocent and happy to be in here. Plus, with him being scared that night, Jou now understood why.

"That is confidential sir!" The woman spoked nasally, and Jou didn't listened to her as he suddenly spotted the doctor lady he met that night and was walking over the counter, "Sir! Wait a moment you can't pass through here!"

"Hey! Doc!" Jou called and the woman doctor looked up, then paled and was suddenly walking away fast, "Hey! I need to talk to you!"

The woman was so quick that she disappeared to a corner and Jou cursed, losing her. He heard the desk woman was calling security and then decided to screw it and try to find which room Judai was in. He couldn't ignore the gut feeling that something was wrong. He quickly was looking at the windows at the doors, trying to look for a little boy with brown hair and eyes. Although it still made him sick to see all these kids in here...

And then he found the room...and it was open anyways.

Inside a nurse was at the bedside of Judai's, who was strapped on the bed and had a vacant expression on his face, as if he was...

Jou went livid on this.

"Get yer grubby hands off of him!" Jou shouted and the nurse whirled back at him in shock, and Jou immediately rushed to the bed and was freeing Judai from the straps, "Don't worry kiddo, I've got you..."

"Red...eyes..." Judai murmured, still looking so lifeless, and Jou couldn't help but cradle him close.

And then he felt Judai ripped away from his arms and was held by two burly guys in uniform, and the same female doctor was holding Judai away from him. At that moment, Jou felt his heart leap out of his chest, seeing Judai so...broken and quiet. It made his whole being ache. He wanted to see the happy hyper boy he met that night. And that was when Jou was fighting for his life...and Judai's.

"Let me go you bastards! Judai doesn't belong here! What did you do to him you crazy!"

The doctor just looked at Jou with a blank stare, holding Judai to her, "Get him out of here-"

"What seems to be the trouble here?"

Jou blinked as he heard a familiar voice and then eyes widened to see who it was.

"Pegasus?"

It turned out, Pegasus was funding this as a children's home...but when finding out that one of the children was being drugged due to him being 'Hyper Active along with being Delusional', Pegasus threatened to file a lawsuit against the place. It was no wonder the place didn't have a sign.

"You have good timing," Jou murmured, frowning a little, "What brought you here anyways?"

The silver haired man hummed a bit, shrugging his shoulders, "I was in the neighbourhood, and was called her as an offer to give charity to this place for the children. And you know how my company is with children,"

Jou could understand that, "So...what's gonna happen to all these kids?"

"New Management of course," Pegasus said with a smile, "I know my beloved Cyndia wanted children. And Industrial Illusions will be the one to make this a proper foster home for the little ones to be safe and happy with until they are found suitable homes and families,"

Jou was relieved at this, then frowned a little, "The boy, Judai...what's gonna happen to him?"

"Oh, well," Pegasus then looked worried, "From what my assistants got from the old files, he was diagnosed as schizophrenic and 'dangerous' and was to be kept since he had no family so to speak. But I found it quite harsh on how they handled him, he could just have an active imagination, something kids normally have. He is getting good care from my specialists, since it seems he was underfed and possibly abused,"

Jou's heart clenched. No wonder the kid kept running away.

"...So no family huh?"

Pegasus nodded and Jou then spoke up seriously.

"Is there a way that maybe I could adopt him?"

"Would you be prepared for parenthood, Mister Jounouchi?" The man questioned with a raised eyebrow, "It's a huge responsibility, and judging from your lifestyle now, can you support not only yourself anymore, but another life?"

Jou had determination in his eyes and nodded, "He needs me..."

Pegasus chuckled as he then shook his head, "You've changed, yet you have the same spark of audacity that I remember in Duelist Kingdom,"

Jou grinned at this and laughed, "So when do I sign those adoption papers?"

And that is how Jounouchi met Judai and come to adopt him. So I've written another story, and hopefully I can work with this one. Next up, Judai settling with the idea of being in a family again, and Jou discovering more of Judai and his ability to see Duel Spirits. Also, Jou gets to meet another little boy, and can you guess who that little boy is? It should be obvious soon but welp, we'll just have to see in the next chapter won't we? Anyways, thanks for reading, and reviews are appreciated :D