Author's Note: I wrote this even before Quicksand and The Companion Crests and I thought I'd post it as a little apology for being so totally awful and not updating my other stories. It's a one shot, and I hope you enjoy.
Joey: Let's get this show on the road, there's free food after.
Me: As Kaiba would say "Stuff it puppy dog!"
Joey: What?! *splutters*
Me: Just kidding Joey, I luv ya.
Joey: Phew, I thought I was dealing with a female Kaiba clone.
Kaiba: If I cloned myself it would certainly not be a female, they are much weaker than me.
Me: I'LL SHOW YOU WEAK! *hangs Kaiba over a pit of sharks* Let's see you get out of this, Mr. High-and-Mighty. And while you're trying to do that, we'll start the story.
Lovely Decisions
Mai trudged down the street. Duelist Kingdom was over, and although fourth was nothing to sneeze at, it wasn't as good as first. And it had to be Yugi that beat her. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but she liked them. Yugi was cool. He was open most of the time, and others a complete mystery. That's why she liked him so much. Of course, she'd never tell him, and anyways, it looked like Tea and Yugi were already an item. She reached home and flopped listlessly onto the couch and started channel flipping. For some reason, thinking about those guys always made her feel down. She started thinking. What if I got Mokuba to set up a duel, then got Yugi to agree that the winner would take the loser for a soda? …No, that wouldn't work. Wait! Yugi's grandpa runs a duel monsters store! What if I hung around, pretending to look for a card, then asked him out when no one was there?
~~~
Mai put her plan into action the next day after school. She got to the shop and started "browsing". Oh no, there are other people here. I can't ask him in front of people in case he turns me down. I don't want to be humiliated.
"Hey Yuge! Joey said as he entered the store. "Got any new cards? … Oh, hi Mai."
"Hey Wheeler."
"Oh, Mai. I didn't see you. Looking for anything in particular?"
"… Hi Yugi. No, just looking."
"Yuge, want to go to the movies later with me and Tea?"
Tea…, I thought she and Yugi were going out. I mean, I did see them at that museum a while back.
"Nah, I have to stay here. Grandpa went to visit Professor Hawkins and Rebecca again."
"K, catch ya later Yuge." Joey walked out of the store. Mai sensed her chance.
"Hey Yugi!" she called across the store.
"Yeah Mai?"
"I…I was wondering if, well, if…"
Yugi was stunned. He had never heard Mai nervous before. Well, maybe it's because she wants to ask you something important. Yami, you're not saying she well, she likes me are you? Umm…yeah. Yami, do me a favour and STOP listening. …
"Mai, do you want to ask me something?"
How did he know that? "Yeah, I was wondering if well, we could go somewhere together?"
"Sure. I'll come over at about 6, and we'll see a movie or something?"
"That sounds good."
~~~
At six, Yugi showed up at Mai's house. She was still trying to find something to wear. She came out about 10 minutes later. They went to the movies, walked around for a bit, then ended back at Yugi's house.
"Thanks Yugi. It was fun."
"I'm glad you had fun."
There was an awkward silence. Suddenly, Mai leaned forward, kissed his cheek and walked away. She turned around, waved, and yelled "See ya around, Yugi!"
~~~
Yugi rushed to school the next day and waited impatiently until Joey, Tea and Tristan showed up. Tea arrived about 5 minutes after Yugi, but Joey and Tristan made it just before the late bell. "You guys," he said urgently while the teacher was taking roll call.
"Yugi, are you all right?" Tea asked worriedly.
"Yeah, but you won't believe what happened last night!"
"What Yuge, come on, don't keep us in suspense!" Joey cried, then quieted down when the teacher looked their way.
"Well, Mai and I went out last night!"
"Congratulations Bro, you finally asked her." That was Tristan, finally joining the conversation. Miho turned around. "Did you have a good time?" She smiled, and Tristan's cheeks turned pink.
"Oh yeah Miho I did, but you guys, I didn't ask her! She asked me!"
"Aww…" Joey said wistfully.
"Joey!!" Tea gave him a dirty look.
"What?! I was just going to ask him if they wanted to double sometime."
"Hang on guys, I don't even know if she wants to go out again. I mean, it was only one date. Although, I would like to go out with her again."
Miho smiled again as she turned around to listen to the teacher.
Miho called Mai at lunch and said in a singsong voice, "I know what you did last night." Mai paused. "And what was that?"
Miho laughed. "Your date with Yugi, silly!"
"How'd you hear about it?!"
"Yugi was talking to his friends." She heard a gasp on the other end of the line. "Wait, don't get mad. He's totally got a crush on you. He even said he wanted to go out again."
"Really!"
"Yeah! You're so lucky. Could I get some pointers from you?
"Why Miho?"
"Well, umm Tristan's kinda…"
"Oh Miho!" Mai laughed. "You don't need my help. Tristan would totally go out with you if you just asked him. He already likes you."
"Thanks for that Mai. I'll see you after school tomorrow, okay?"
"Yeah see you Miho."
Yugi ran home and switched the sign on the store from "closed" to "open". He checked the answering machine and the message light blinking. The first message was from Grandpa, saying that he would be staying with Professor Hawkins for few more days. The second was from Joey, asking if there were any new cards in. And the third was from Mai, asking if they could go out again.
First he called Grandpa and told him not to worry about taking a few extra days off, everything was fine. He called Mai and made a date for the next day, going to check out KaibaCorp's new dueling arena. Last, he called Joey and told him they were expecting new cards in sometime soon.
Yugi closed the shop at 8 pm and went up to his room. A shadowy figure appeared as his Millennium Puzzle started to glow. He jerked as the familiar presence filled the room.
"Yami! You scared me."
"Sorry Yugi. Mai really likes you, you know."
"I know. I feel the same way. It's just a little awkward. Up until now, she's acted like she wanted nothing to do with me."
"She's very good at hiding her feelings." Just then Yami "felt" Yugi getting tired. "Good night, my friend." He disappeared into the Puzzle. Yugi fell asleep dreaming of Mai's pretty face.
When Mai and Yugi arrived at KaibaCorp's new dueling arena, they decided to watch instead of duel. They talked about strategies and moves the duelists should have made. Then they started walking around, discussing everything from their friends to school, to the next Duel Monsters Tournament, whenever that would be. They went to get some pizza, then ended back up at Mai's house. Yugi said "You know, Joey said we should double with them sometime." There was a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
"He had secret hopes of going out with me." It was a statement. Yugi nodded.
Mai laughed and said "It would have been interesting, that's for sure." She leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. Then she said goodnight and went inside. She leaned against the closed door and sighed happily. She was so glad she had asked Yugi out.
Yugi heard the all familiar voice say in his head You love her don't you? Definitely he responded silently. I know how that feels. You do?! Of course. Mai reminds me very much of my girlfriend. What happened to her? I don't know. About that time my spirit was placed inside the puzzle. Oh. Yugi fell silent. Did you love her? Very much. Yugi walked home seeing stars.
Yugi called Mai the next day.
"Hi Yugi."
"Hey Mai. Umm…"
"What is it Yugi? Is something wrong?"
"I was just wondering. Did you get something in the mail today?"
"Why, did you send something?"
"No, but someone did."
"Hang on." Yugi heard her put down the phone down and a door slam. Then she was back on the line. "Yeah, I did. You have been invited to participate in the Battle City Duel Monsters Tournament. Strange…"
"Who could have sent?"
"My guess? That stuck up brat Kaiba."
"He's not that bad, anyway, I guess we'll see you there later?"
"Count on it. See ya."
Yugi arrived at Battle City with Joey, Tea, and Tristan. Joey spotted a hot dog stand and said "Be right back!" Tristan ran after him yelling "Wait up Joe!"
"Boy, those guys have hollow legs, huh Tea?"
"Yeah, it's amazing how much those guys can eat without throwing it back up again."
Yugi nodded in agreement. "Amen."
Mai walked down the street, staring. Almost every good duelist was there. She caught sight of Yugi. Oh, no. Tea was with him. Her throat tightened. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Tristan and Joey walk up. Joey leaned over and kissed Tea's cheek. Phew. Good thing I didn't run up and demand to know what's going on. I would've looked like a totally jealous girl. She walked up behind Yugi and put her hands over his eyes. He turned around. "Hey Mai." She kissed his cheek. Tristan whistled.
"Glad to see you're getting along." Yugi glared at him while Tea and Mai started laughing.
Mai began pulling Yugi away. He looked at his friends. "I'll be back in a sec."
"Don't worry Yuge," Joey said. "We aren't going anywhere."
"It's nice to see you again Mai."
"Yeah, it is." She smiled at him.
"We'll have to duel each other sometime." Yugi told her. She nodded. Her smile faded a little.
"Unless something happens to one of us."
Yugi leaned close to whisper in her ear. "No matter what happens, I'll always love you." Mai looked shocked, then smiled. "Me too." Yugi kissed her. Hand in hand they walked back towards his friends. She stopped.
"Wait. Does this mean I have to be nice to them now?" Mai asked Yugi. He laughed.
"You can do it Mai. Just try really, really hard."
Me: The end! Fin! Finito! Owari! Yay!
I will update soon, promise!