Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh

Author's Note: Heh, this is my first Yugioh Fic so please flame gently. All reviews are welcomed, good or bad. ^_^ As stated in my profile I'm not very good at Yugioh fics but this one I think is ok, but that's just me. Just to let you know it's a Maii/Joey. If I get enough reviews I might make a sequel.

Three Little Words

By: Faded Silence

It's funny how you can love a person and not be able to cough up the courage to tell them. You could be making up this huge long speech and when it comes down to it you forget it anyway as soon as you make eye contact. It's hilarious to be a spectator to such an event and I have been one more then once, but it sucks when it's you instead. When you have to be the one to say what you feel inside, to face them and just say it. The problem is you're so tongue-tied that you can barely mutter the word hi, with out blushing like a total geek, let alone spit out an entire five words or rather three in this case. Those being " I love you."

I never thought I would have to be in that position, just because I'm not a very open person. I don't like to let people in only to have them exit again with out as much as a good-bye. I much rather have it be just me, that way I don't worry about people and they don't worry about me. Not like anyone would anyway, I don't have friends to do the job. That was until they all waltzed into my life and showed me the light to put it nicely. Basically, they came in and turned my entire freaking world upside down with their long friendship speeches and all their goodie-goody ways. Thanks a lot.

I collapse against a bench with peeling red paint and let out a sigh, my metal duel disk with all it's fancy features and crap is still attached to my arm, but with my free hand I carefully remove it. Setting it down next to me on this sorry excuse for a place to sit. I find myself thinking of him again as I lean back and let my eyes wander about the area. It's empty except for a few minor duelists and myself. None of which are up to my level and would just be a wasted effort on my part to challenge. It's so easy to put people down; I wonder sometimes why I ever let myself change. Well, I didn't exactly change I'm still the same.still Mai Kuajku and all, but as far as attitude I'm totally different in every way.

I actually care about things, people, and a certain person that I never thought I would.

I scowl slightly as an image of a certain blonde; third rate duelist arises in my mind. As if almost by fate, I find myself muttering his name under my breath. Joey. The annoying, brown-eyed guy that is the very meaning of the saying "Dumb blonde", except he has one thing going for him and that's the fact that he is cute. Well, maybe that and the fact that he seems to be willing to give up everything for his friends and sister. He's the noblest jerk I've ever met and I can't believe I like him for it. No, wait I don't just like him.I love him. I can feel my cheeks get hot with that last thought and part of me can't believe I actually admitted it. Especially about him.

I find myself caring for him, almost to a point beyond which words can possible even describe. It's strange to feel this way about someone that you used to hate with a passion, but I do. Maybe it's because I've seen him in his weakest moment. I saw him cry. I don't know if it was a good thing or not that I walked in on him collapsed on the red carpet in the hall of Pegasus's castle, brawling his eyes out like a baby and trying to hide the tears under his shaggy blonde hair. All I know was when I saw him like that, so vulnerable and weak, something inside me gave. I felt sorry for him, I felt bad for the way I had treated him before trying to make him look stupid in front of everyone. Of course I didn't say this out loud as I was thinking it, I just gave him my card that I was wrapped in a handkerchief and kind of wished him luck. I would never let on that I actually felt something toward the dork, I mean I wasn't exactly sure about my feelings at the time anyway, but now I' am. More then anything, I know what I feel and what I felt that day.

It was love.

I wonder if he felt it too, that connection we made that day in the castle or if he felt something even before then. Most of all I wonder if he ever could. What if he has some one already? A person he loves, his own passionate flame just as he is my own. No, he doesn't.I don't believe it.I can't. A thought strikes me, since when do I care if he has someone or not? I mean it's not like there aren't other fish in the sea, even if any of them aren't like him. That have that dumb laugh or stupid grin, there was a time when I thought all guys were the same but that changed the moment he walked into my life. He wasn't trying for me, but weather he liked it or not, I was trying for him. Wait, no could I possible do this? Risk my reputation to tell him that I care about him for more then just a friend, that I actually love him.

Impossible.

I lean my head against my gloved hand, the white fabric ruff on my smooth cream colored skin and let my long blond bangs fall down over my violet eyes. The situation seemed hopeless. I mean I could give up and not tell him at all, act like I never cared or anything like that. I could put on my emotionless mask and be cold again, like I used to. I found myself disliking the idea of turning back into that person, I didn't want to be that way. I didn't want to give him up; he was the one I could feel it in my heart.in my soul. Yet, these feelings were useless unless I told him what I felt. They were just being wasted otherwise and besides it seemed every time I was with him they were gnawing a hole in my gut. My heart ached with a longing I couldn't explain. One to jump into his arms and kiss him. To be something I never was.loved.

My eyes closed and I pictured him once more, his smile, his blonde hair and brown eyes so full of life and caring, and his lips. I could only imagine what those taste like, and his arms I could only dream about what it felt like to be held by them. An electric shiver went through my spine, with each imagine accompanied by a thought. I could do this, I had to. I wasn't afraid of speaking what I felt; it was only the fear of refusal that made me hesitate. But not anymore, when I saw him next I would let him know everything.

" So dis is what ya do when ya don't duel, huh Mai?"

I jumped from my spot on the bench, knocking my silver disk to the ground with a sharp clang of metal hitting cement. God, I hope I didn't break it. Who ever said that was going to pay? I scrunched my face up in to an angry frown and turned to face the jerk. What I saw instead made me literally jump again, this time from fear more then surprise. It was Joey, he was standing next to the beat up bench, his lips pursed in that annoying grin. I almost turned and ran, I never ran from anything, but I was awful tempted to at this point. I instead flashed a smirk of my own, hoping to hide the conflict that was taking place inside my heart. One glance from the sharp chocolate eyes told me I had failed. He knew something was up.

" Ya never jump like dat, did I scare ya or somethin?"

" You did and if my disk is broke, I'm stealing yours Joey." He flashed me another smile and I knew he thought I was joking, but I wasn't. " I'm not joking, hun.you break it you buy it." To prove my point I attempted to reach for his pocket and grab his yellow wallet that happened to be sticking out from underneath his white T-shirt. He caught my wrist though with one of his hands and I was struck speechless by how warm it was. For a second it was like time had stopped and the world frozen except for us, our eyes locked. Purple mixing with brown in heated stare of passion, or so I hoped. Then I got my answer, I could feel his fingers gently stroking my wrist and a tingle went through my entire body, right down to my underneath my purple skirt where my knees buckled. I knew I had to tell him now, that I might not get another chance. But the words wouldn't come, they seemed to have gotten lodged in my throat somewhere and I couldn't coax them out into the open no matter what I tried. He had me scared, like a deer frozen in headlights waiting for it's death. Except with out the death part.

My wrist trembled under his slim fingers, their tips brushing the surface of my skin gently. If this was a dream I didn't want to wake up.ever. I wanted to stand this way, just the two of us, face to face, forever. If only I could, if only this was a dream, then everything I wanted I would get. And then I would be lucky enough to get him. That was just it though, they were called dreams for a reason because they would never come true. Unless I told him, here and now. I took a deep breath, my lungs inflating underneath my strapless white top that was suffocating and then I opened my mouth. And prayed that I wasn't about to play the fool.

" Joey, I want to tell you something. I care about you and I want you to know that if you need me I'm there by your side no matter what. What I'm trying to say is am in love with you Joey. I have since that day on Duelist Kingdom when I saw you cry. I knew then that you were the one, you've saved me so many times I can't even begin to count. I never let you know that how you changed me, made me care and feel in way I never thought I could. There's no way I can pay that back to you I know.I have tried and failed. I just hope I didn't fail this time."

He didn't reply, just stared at me with those soft brown eyes, I felt my cheeks get hot and I looked down. What was I thinking telling him all that? He doesn't care about me that way, why did I waste my time as well as his. Great job Mai, you look real smart now don't you, I thought. Then I felt his finger beneath my chin, lifting it up and to the place I always wanted to be and never thought I would. His lips. My hands draped around his neck and his hands moving down to my bare hips, making me shiver again. Our tongues explored each other's mouths moving together in a passionate interest. I never wanted it to end this heaven on Earth that was created only by being with him. Finally we parted, both of us gasping for air, but at the same time smiling.

" I guess ya didn't fail dis time Mai, huh?" His hands still were on my hips; they fit neatly on to my smooth curves, almost as if meant to be there. I ran my hand down his slightly tanned skin of his cheek and trace his well-cut jawbone. He was perfect and no one could ever tell me different.

" No Joey, I guess I didn't."