For the Yu-Gi-Oh! FF Contest-plz don't flame me. I'm just tryinng to feel like I have worth. T-T.

Ever since Battle City, it had been more than apparent that Joey had harbored a strong affection for his "good friend", Mai. Sure, they loved to hate each other, but underneath that, there lay a curious sense of happiness whenever Joey was near her. Tristan, who hung out with him even more than before for the sake of brief seconds with Joey's sister, Serenity, was the one most aware of this infatuation; even Yugi wasn't fully aware of how heavy with longing Joey's heart was. They discussed their love lives in confidence with each other (Joey more so, since Tristan felt awkward admitting he was deeply charmed by Joey's little sister) and soon, Tristan drew a final solution to Joey's problem.

To suck it up and admit to Mai how much she meant to him.

"You're crazy, Tristan. You act like that's a good idea," Joey replied, giving a dismissive wave. The small ice cream parlor was mostly empty, so the blond didn't go on the defensive, embarrassed rant Tristan had expected. Rolling his eyes, Tristan shoved his spoon and empty bowl aside before remarking, "Have it your way. It's not my problem, anyway. I don't know why I even bother." Giving his friend a brief annoyed glance, Joey set his milkshake down before staring out the window, a distant glaze in his eyes.

He could never admit it, not even to his pals, but the truth was, he was terrified of letting his true emotions show. He especially didn't want to show his true emotions to Mai; he was certain that never in a million years would Mai consider him a love interest. "Hey, Joey, I was just teasing. Don't go getting mad at me," Tristan finally said, taking Joey's silence for hurt or annoyance. Joey chuckled softly before shoving his half-finished milkshake aside. "Someone goes silent and the first thing someone thinks is they've gone mute or you've made them mad." Throwing his jacket over one shoulder, Joey got up and added breezily, "I'll see you tomorrow. I'm late for something."

Joey left a trail of dust behind him when Tristan called out, "You owe me two fifty for the shake!" Once he was at a safe distance from the parlor. Joey slowed to a relaxed stroll, thinking about nothing of importance and looking around. For a moment, he had no idea why there was so much pink and red in the store windows, until he checked his cell phone and recalled that it was almost Valentine's Day; February 12th, to be exact. He rolled his eyes, and realized how much the holiday annoyed him. Not only did he not have anyone to celebrate it with, but girls made such a fuss over what they got, who it was from, and how much emotional value it held.

For a split second, he was relieved that he was single. And then his mind gave him a rare brilliant idea.

When he entered the small house he called home, Serenity, as usual, was curled up quietly on the couch. In her hands was a paperback, but when the door shut behind her brother, she set it down and smiled. "Hi Joey. Back so soon?" Joey smiled warmly at her; he could never quite get over how happy he was that he'd saved her from going blind and that she'd be able to see the beauty of the world from now on. "I meant to stay out longer, but I need your help with something." She sat up straight, giving him her full attention. He sat down beside her and, without quite looking at her, asked, "You're a girl, Serenity. On Valentine's Day, what do you hope for most from a boy?" She immediately caught on and began to form her reply. "Hm…let's see. Well, if I were Mai, then I would-" "Serenity!" he cut in, looking flustered with a glowing red face. She gave him a knowing grin and barreled on. "If I were Mai, then I guess the thing I'd want most is jewelry. Something pretty that when looked at, will be a constant reminder that someone cares." With a tiny grin, she added, "Plus, a girl like Mai sure seems to like shiny rocks."

Joey, not even bothering to insist it wasn't Mai, replied thoughtfully, "I guess you're right. But what should I get her? A ring seems like it's suggesting more than I want it too, and a bracelet just seems like something she doesn't care about."

"What about earrings?"

"They're on her ears; she wouldn't be able to see them."

"An anklet?"

"Dumbest piece of jewelry ever invented."

"Belly ring?"

"I don't even know if she's pieced there!"

Serenity let out a small huff of annoyance before pausing briefly. Finally, she said, "What about a necklace, then? I'm sure she'd like that." Joey automatically opened his mouth to protest (she was beginning to see that her brother was tactfully trying to get out of getting Mai anything) before he closed it, staring silently at a point by Serenity's ear. She sat patiently before him, undaunted by his failure to reply right away, but gave a small jump of alarm when Joey suddenly shot up and replied, rather forcefully, "Fine! I'll get her the damned thing! I'll be back in a few."

He rushed outside, grabbing his wallet before practically leaving tire tracks behind him. His heart was pounding, his legs nearly failed him, and all he wanted to do was hide from the world until his embarrassment passed, but hiding never solved anything. He should have known that by now. And even if Mai didn't accept the gift, scorned him, hell, even laughed at him, it'd be well enough worth it to get this tremendous weight off his shoulders.

He gave a small chuckle as Serenity called after him, "How many times do I have to tell you not to curse, Joey?"

"As many times as it takes for me to remember!"

While all this was going on, Mai was lounging on her couch, her phone pressed to one ear with a cup of coffee in one hand. She rolled her eyes as Tèa rattled on and on about her plans with Yugi for the next day. "I never knew that Yugi could be so romantic! Dinner, movies, a walk in the park, the whole shebang! It's like something you get from one of those made-for-TV movies. It's so corny…I love it!" The brunette gave a delighted laugh on her end, and Mai was glad that she couldn't see the growing scowl on her face. "It sounds very lovely, Tèa," she replied, sounding both casual and polite. "Tell me; how well do you know Joey?" Tèa, momentarily confused, barged on, "Well, that's tough. Um…I met him a few years after I met Yugi…let's put it this way. We're not best friends, but we know each other well enough to know what's going on with the other."

"That's great!" Mai chirped, momentarily losing her I'm-better-than-you tone. "Listen, he hasn't told you anything about…liking someone, has he?" Tèa, evidently noticing nothing, hummed and hawed for a moment before replying, "Not that I know of. No, actually; he hasn't." Losing her annoyingly bright demeanor for a minute, she added slyly, "Why the sudden asking? It's not like you gave a crap before about him. Does this mean that you do like-"

Rapping her knuckles on the wooden lamp table next to her, Mai cut her off and, feigning disappointment, said, "Damn, sorry Tèa. Someone's at the door! I'll call you back later. See ya!" "Mai, I know that was you! I'm not dropping this-!" Tèa rushed before Mai pressed the End Call button. She'd had just enough of Tèa for one day, and wanted some time to think.

Sipping her coffee in silence, Mai recounted the reasons why she did, in fact, find herself smitten with the Brooklyn blond:

He was adorable.

He was funny.

He was brave.

He seemed to care about her (instead of her body).

His love for Serenity was touching.

She loved his accent (despite her snide remarks about it).

He'd gone through hell and back to save her from Marik's evil and the Shadow Realm.

Or near-death. She never did quite understand what she'd been subjected to.

But that was beside the point. The truth was that she liked…cared about…loved Joey, and how she could make that clear to him. She could tell him to his face…but that would most likely end badly. She grimaced as she imagined Joey laughing at her, shaking his head in disbelief and laughing even harder, her reputation demolished. But how else did you work your way into a man's heart?

She jumped up suddenly, her eyes bright with determination. "Through his stomach!" The brightness from her eyes faded, as she realized that she didn't know the first thing about cooking. Giving an undaunted shrug, she said to herself, "Well, how hard could it be?"

She did, however, make it a point to put off cooking until tomorrow.

At last, tomorrow arrived.

Joey woke up groggily, Serenity having to finally drag him out of bed. "Get up, big brother. You have a big day ahead of you; you might want to try fixing yourself up a little." She was rewarded with a wide-mouthed yawn, and a cocky reply. "Serenity, there's no beating the best. And what I have here is the best," he insisted, gesturing towards his face.

Of course, Serenity marched him to the bathroom, and was satisfied when he emerged looking decent enough to face the day. Of course, the red head insisted that he wore his best clothes, sprayed on cologne, and let her try to fix the blond mess on his head.

After having the first two chores done and running out of the house to avoid the third, Joey set out for Mai's house in slacks, a polo shirt, and a light denim jacket. The velvet box that held either the key to happiness or the nuclear bomb of death, was tucked securely on the inside of his jacket. Though the box itself was very light, Joey felt that it carried the weight of the world. He almost decided to call Mai so she'd expect him, but he thought it'd be more fun to surprise her.

Besides, she might have asked why he was coming over, and he'd have had to lie.

"And lying to your significant other before you're even in a relationship is not good, kids," he muttered to himself.

It wasn't very cold for February, he noted, and all the women on the street wore light dresses and heels, instead of the usual winter jackets and boots.

He would have made some catcalls, dodged a few slaps and ran, except that today there was only one girl who mattered to him.

And he hoped with all his poor, aching heart that he mattered to her, as well.

"Joey? Where are you headed?"

Immediately striking a tough guy pose to fend off any would-be thugs, Joey let out the breath he'd been holding when he looked down and saw it was just Yugi.

And then the question penetrated his brain.

"Nowhere. Just strolling along. It's surprisingly not cold enough to make my fingers fall off." Giving his friend a once-over, he added, "I'm the one who should be asking you that question, Yug'." The mighty King of Games flustered, and mumbled something about a date with Tèa.

With an amused expression, Joey casually replied, "Hope you two have fun. Maybe after I give this to Mai, I won't have to spend today alone, either." With a great flourish, he displayed the necklace he'd agonized over buying the day before: a silver chain, with a small array of diamonds and an amethyst pendant. Yugi studied the necklace for a moment, nodding his approval, but when he spoke again, all he said was, with a good natured tease, "You do know that Mai's a topaz, right?"

Giving Yugi a dismissive glance before putting the box away again, Joey responded, "It's not a birthday present, Mr. Know-It-All. Anyway, it goes with her eyes." He turned away then and added, "Well, I better be off. I don't wanna put this off, or else I'll never get it to her." Whilst he was walking away, Yugi called out, "Good luck, Joey!"

Frowning, suddenly looking worried, Joey thought to himself, I hope I don't need luck…

"Oh, this is pathetic!" Mai thought out loud, but she was laughing. She, Mai Valentine, was actually trying to cook. Oh, the things love could do to a person. She looked distastefully down at a charred sheet of cookies she had just yanked out of the oven, scolding herself to remember to set the timer next time, instead of waiting for the smell of smoke to alert her that the cookies were ready to take out of the oven.

Coughing at a stray wisp of smoke emitting from the toxic sweets, Mai set the sheet down to open a window. She was still debating whether she should call Joey to come over, but she had yet to decide on an excuse to give him. She was between telling him that she demanded him to come and kill a mouse she knew she saw, or feign sadness and tell him she was feeling friendless and alone.

Or she could just take a chance and give them to him in person.

Picking up the phone, practicing her furious-yet-frightened voice in her mind, she stopped short as a knock on the door grew louder with impatience. "Hold on, hold on, I'm coming!" she barked, smiling with self-satisfaction as the knocking was immediately silenced.

Hastily dumping the cookies onto a plate, covering the plate itself with a square of cloth, Mai sprang to the door and opened it with a pout of annoyance. Her small pout faded when she realized that Joey stood in the doorway, eyes set on a point somewhere above her head, as he tried to look self-assured and casual.

"Hey, Mai. What'cha up to? …And why does your place smell like coal?" he added, after inhaling deeply. Turning her back on him to cover her blush, she replied coolly, "I was trying to bake something. But judging by the smell, it came out badly, didn't it?" He took this as an invitation to enter, and so he very casually seated himself on her couch. She sat next to him, and Joey noticed she was visibly uncomfortable, which was unusual. "Hey, Mai, is this a bad time? I…I could come back some other time."

To his relief, she shook her head and muttered. "No, Joey, stay. As a matter of fact…I was hoping you'd show up." Immediately, his heart began to beat so fast that he was afraid it's jump right out of his throat. What a lovely thought; Mai would surely hold that against him if it happened right now.

Despite this flux in emotion, he replied smoothly, "Funny; I was hoping you'd be hoping I would show up." "Not funny, Joey." Mai hoped he thought she was annoyed, instead of plain embarrassed. They hit a silence, in which Mai fidgeted and Joey acted so disinterested that it was disheartening.

"Well, Mai…I just wanted to…give you something."

She looked at him tentatively and drawled, "Let me guess. You wanna give me more dueling tips? In case you've forgotten, Wheeler, I'm a far better duelist than you are." Suddenly, Joey's voice grew incredibly soft. "Normally, I'd argue and pick a fight. But today…I really need to give you this."

When she sensed him holding something out to him, she snapped it out of his hand and studied the box curiously. "I swear, Joey, if this is a practical joke-" "Mai, I do have a heart! I'm trying to be sentimental here!" When Mai slowly opened the box, she peered inside, and Joey's stomach clenched when she threw back her head and laughed.

But when she looked at him, and he saw that her eyes were full of light, he calmed down. He did, however, scowl, when she finally inquired, "You do know I'm a topaz, not an amethyst, right?" When she got a mute nod, she went on, "I have something for you, too. Though, trust me, it's not as appealing as this."

When she returned with the plate of hazardous desert, Joey felt his stomach turn over…but not for the same reason as before. Mai noticed that he was turning green, and her crestfallen face left him feeling like an ass. "I know, they're probably gonna taste worse that a grenade dipped in sewage waste, but hey…I tried." When she tried to smile, it only made him feel worse, so he sprang to life and yanked the plate away.

"I could care less about that, Mai. The fact that you took the time to put effort into something for me is enough. I mean, sure, they might smell bad and taste even worse." He smiled at the squint and pout she got from her, but barged on. "The point is, Mai, that I love you, and that I've always cared about you, and I want to be with you and for you to love me as much as I do you."

When he found her staring at him, with the necklace already around her neck, he felt his face flush; he just realized what he'd heard come out of his mouth. When he couldn't find anything to say, he set the cookies on the couch, placed his hands and her shoulders and added, "And I mean every word of that, you know." Their was kiss was short, but then, they didn't have to say anything; it was all right there.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Joey."