I started another thing sorry! Probably won't write any more of this until I've updated some other stuff first.

This fic is an AU centred around Turkey, TRNC and Cyprus, with eventual Turkcy. It's mostly exploring TRNC's relationship with both of them. Um, this story (and this chapter) will contain references to child abuse and neglect, so be careful reading this.

…

Sadik was still not entirely sure why he had been matched with Kuzey Balik.

The nine year old was sat next to him at the dining table, munching his way through an assortment of sandwiches and fruit that Sadik had prepared for breakfast. He occasionally slurped from his glass of orange juice whilst the adult sipped from his tiny teacup. He didn't say anything as he ate. But then again, he hardly ever spoke.

Sadik didn't mind on this occasion though; he was just glad the boy was eating. When he'd first been taken into care, the child had been nearly dead with starvation. Even now, he was still underweight and Sadik didn't like it at all.

Both his social worker and the boy's social worker had thought it was a good match, and he just went along with it because- after a year of inspections and filling in forms and awaiting approval from various people he didn't entirely trust- he just wanted to be a parent as soon as possible.

His intentions for adopting were simple and honest: he could no longer live by himself. He wanted a family. He wanted children because he was lonely and needed love and noise in his home.

Sadik had come from a large family, but since moving to London, he'd been starved of human interaction. He had his friends and work colleagues, yes, and the occasional partner, but they weren't nearly enough to feed his desire to be around people all the time, and nothing compared to the crowds and noise he was used to. They had their own lives and homes and families and he accepted that.

Which was why he started his own family.

It had been a… spontaneous, and rather ill-thought out decision, he had to admit. Sadik didn't want to wait to meet the right person, who might not even want the same future as him, so he began looking into adoption.

When the home inspections began he started to think it would have been easier to just wait until he found someone he wanted to marry, but given his history with relationships, there was a good chance they'd end up having to adopt anyway.

He wasn't too fond of his social worker either. Arthur Kirkland was someone he needed time to get used to, but Sadik had to admit Mr Kirkland was good at his job. Though he could sometimes be blunt and think with his head more than his heart, he answered any questions Sadik had in great detail until the man was satisfied this was the best choice for him. If only he'd stop talking about the weather all the time…

He'd told Sadik that he had a child in mind for him from the very beginning.

Sadik knew all about Kuzey before he'd even set eyes on the child. Or at least, he knew what the social workers knew, which was only the last five years of the boy's life.

From what Sadik had heard, he was honestly surprised to be considered a good match. He knew agencies tried to match children with potential parents from a similar cultural background, but even that wasn't top priority. He supposed his big, empty, house was good for providing Kuzey with the peace and quiet he needed, and that as Sadik had no other family responsibilities, he could focus his time on providing Kuzey with the love and support the boy had been deprived of. And to show the boy that not all adults were cruel. And not all adults would neglect him.

It was his job to show Kuzey what love and family was.

Kuzey never mentioned his early years, not to his social worker, his foster parents, nor to the other children. He clammed up at the mention of anything remotely related to his past and the only thing Mr Bonnefoy- Kuzey's social worker- had to report was the occasional mumble of hatred towards his 'Baba', and that Kuzey's friend had once heard him crying out in his sleep for someone to come back for him.

That was another reason why Sadik doubted he was a suitable adoptive parent: Kuzey didn't seem to have had a good experience with fathers. He feared the boy would be scared of him when they first met, but everyone had been shocked with how quickly Kuzey took to him. Everyone, that is, except Mr Kirkland.

During those first, careful, meetings, Kuzey mostly kept quiet, and allowed Sadik to do all the talking. Sadik talked enough for the both of them anyways. At the end of the first meeting, although Kuzey didn't smile, and barely said a word, he gave Sadik a hug as he left. By the second meeting, he could manage the tiniest of smiles. By the fourth, he was even laughing at Sadik's jokes.

Sadik loved the sound of Kuzey's laugh. It was small, and controlled, but still incredible to hear.

Eventually, Kuzey began opening up, and answering Sadik's questions. He found that the boy loved reading, and wanted to start his own business when he grew up. He loved homemade food, and Sadik promised to bring him some homemade sweets next time he visited.

Sometimes they would go out for the day too, either shopping or to theme parks. Kuzey loved visiting museums, and also loved their trip to Hyde Park, especially taking a row boat out onto the lake. Sadik didn't mind rowing at all- it gave him a chance to show off his strength- and loved how fascinated Kuzey was by the water, leaning over the side to see if he could spot any fish.

And now, months later, Kuzey had woken up in his own room in Sadik's house for the very first time.

"So, champ," began Sadik, "have you unpacked everything?"

The child nodded.

"What do you want to do today?"

Kuzey shrugged. "Whatever you want, I guess."

"Well, there's a funfair in the park all weekend," Sadik suggested, "rides, ice cream, the usual."

"Sounds nice." Kuzey took a bite out of a jam sandwich, cut into triangles by Sadik. His voice was flat; it always was when he was lying.

"It doesn't, does it?" Sadik rested his chin in one hand and sighed, "look, just say what you want to do, not what I think you should do."

"Maybe we can go to the funfair tomorrow," Kuzey glanced up and smiled, "I want to stay home today."

Sadik's heart somersaulted at the thought that Kuzey already referred to this house as his home.

"Of course we can!" he cried. Sadik stood up and began clearing the plates away.

"I saw some board games in the cupboard, maybe we could play one of those."

Sadik dropped the plates in the sink slowly before wheeling round.

"I'm not sure that's the best idea," he admitted, "I've been told I'm too competitive with board games. I can get a bit scary, apparently…"

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Kuzey slid out of his chair and hopped over, taking Sadik's hand and pulling him towards the sitting room, "come on, Baba!"

Baba? Sadik couldn't remember when he'd last been this happy.