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Disclaimer: I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh!

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Author's Notes: I almost forgot about fluffiness!! Oh how I love fluffiness so I'm adding it in this fic. Now, I know it shouldn't be such a time where Mai and Joey have a laugh together, but I still think I would like it that way. And so would you. I hope!! Right then, enjoy please!

Chapter Two: Put Yourself Into Someone Else's Shoes

The sun worked its way above the white clouds that morning. The moon had left to let the sun have its shift for day, waiting to come back to embrace the night and citizens with its ethereal glow.

The light from the sun glowed intensely through a clear glass window through the second floor of the house. It shone on a young woman who was just happening to arise from the deep slumber she had been in.

Mai groaned and shook her head, her blonde hair untangling faint tangles. She rubbed one eyes with the palm of her hand and looked around the unfamiliar room. The wallpaper was blue with painted roses etched along the top boarder and the wallpaper itself. She looked at the oak bureau next to the bed with pictures of Serenity Wheeler.

There could be only one place with pictures of the chestnut haired female unless she had a secret admirer or stalker…she was at Joey Wheeler's house.

Just then the door opened and two mahogany eyes met her tired lavender ones.

"Oh hey Mai," Joey said gingerly.

Mai stared at him blankly, "Joey? Why am I…here?"

Joey didn't want to tell her about the previous night and it seemed he wouldn't have to when he noticed Mai going pale. She got out of the bed, sharply turning to leave the room.

"Mai, where're ya going?" Joey asked as Mai pushed past him.

"Home."

"You can't!" he said suddenly, grabbing her wrist. She stopped and turned back around to meet his concerned gaze with a cold, harsh one. "Mai…"

Mai shook her head, her golden hair bouncing off her shoulders, "No, I know exactly what you want from me!" She pulled away from him so hard Joey stumbled back a little in complete shock. "You want someone who can entertain you when you feel bored. Someone you can toy with whenever you feel like it! Well guess what?! I'm not the paranoid person you think I am!! I am not weak and vulnerable, I'm not someone you can take advantage of that easily!"

Joey shook his head, unbelieving what he was hearing. Mai was his friend, he cared about her, he valued her friendship even when she didn't show it, and he loved her like he loved the others too. He couldn't understand why she was being so cold now.

Mai was shaky but refused to let tears leave her eyes. They would be shameful tears. She continued to explain, "Joey…you and the others…you're too good to be true." She was speaking in a hushed tone her eyes looking wearily into his own, "I've never had friends. It's not my nature. I was alone- I am alone and I will always be alone no matter what." Ignoring the way Joey was shaking his head she continued, "Now, you can go abuse someone else who wants to be but I don't! Don't use me like some toy and throw me away!"

Joey couldn't understand. 'Put yourself into someone else's shoes for the day' was what he had learnt all his life. But to feel the pain and depth of Mai's feelings would kill him. She would have gone deeper into her feelings if she hadn't thought he didn't care about her. But what about all those times he protected her? Where had all of them gone? Had they got lost somewhere in her clouded mind? More likely they would have considering she was confused and mixed up. He felt a sharp pain in his chest when he realised just what she might have gone through to believe such untrue truths.

"No, Mai, no!" He exclaimed, "It's not like that! Not like that at all!! You're wrong!"

Mai stared at him for a while contemplating on whether she should listen to him. Whatever he's got to say would be a waste of time; a load of bull!! Damn him, he doesn't know when to give up! Why are they so obsessed with me, what do they want?! I have nothing to give them! Or are they just sick minded people who won't be satisfied until I'm completely unable to communicate with another human being again?! Leave me be…leave me alone!!

Her gaze shifted from weariness to a powerful gaze of hatred and anger. She stalked her way down the stairs while Joey followed trying to persuade her she was his friend.

"Mai, I wouldn't have tried to stop Marik from sending you to the Shadow Realm if I didn't care for you!!" He said hurriedly, "I know I said a lot of hurtful things-"

"No you don't!" Mai screamed turning around to face him. "You said I wasn't your friend! It was crystal clear Joey, it is crystal clear." She shook her head, looking at the ground, "All this time you've made me believe a lie. I just don't want that anymore Joey…just stop it. Make all the pain inside of me go away…" Her tears fell to the ground but Mai was too tired to curse herself.

"…Aw, Mai…I didn't know how much it had hurt you. Why didn't you tell me?" He asked softly reaching out to lift her chin but she turned around abruptly.

"Because you would have taken advantage of me like you always do."

He grabbed her wrist again, telling her she wasn't alone when her hand came into direct contact with his cheek. Joey staggered back, holding his cheek, the bruise becoming clear. That was her anger. That was her pain. But he knew it was a thousand times or more worse for her.

Mai stared at him rigid in shock, as still as a statue, as quiet as the dead, as pale as the moon…

Then she walked out of his house.

***

As soon as she was out of the door she leant against the wall to the side. She let all the tears fall on her dried face. The air was drying away her tears like it always did for her.

She stared up at the sky above, the white clouds blocking her view of the sun. She sighed wiping away her tears and walking out of the houses front lawn and to the street.

Mai thought for a moment. She didn't want to go home; the place gave her the chills and she didn't want to be questioned by police. Not yet anyway. She didn't want to believe that the blood dripping off the mirror and walls was true.

Maybe because it isn't. she thought to herself a little funnily but she didn't smile.

Deciding to just hang around she thought to go to the local pub where she might be surrounded by people and maybe one kind soul would let her rest in their humble abode…but she knew what that meant. It meant using her feminine charms to get what she wanted. She didn't really understand why men looked at her, noticed her more than someone else…but she knew it was a dirty thought creeping into their minds. A dirty thought that would never be real.

Continuing on, she felt an icy shiver shake her. Her dry throat was becoming dryer as she heard footsteps behind her. She turned her head to look back to find no one. It was impossible for the person to hide; she was on an open street.

She turned around and walked on. There it was again that same tapping on the footsteps. She turned again.

Maybe I'm just hearing things. Besides I've got a killer headache. She thought weakly, touching her temple. She walked on, ignoring the footsteps once again until she got to the real stage of ultimate paranoia. She walked half on the road just to be on the safe side.

The footsteps stopped. She sighed.

Once or twice she had done a run walk but nothing too fast or slow. She had finally made it to Domino's famous pub. She stopped at the entrance, looking around her to see if someone had decided that Mai was suitable eye candy. She had to admit, she was about to walk into a pub. She was going to get eyed anyway.

With a sigh she let herself in however, unbeknownst to her, a shadow from the corner crafted a smirk on his lips.  

***

Joey slumped on the couch, the sting of Mai's words hitting him like bullets from a gun. He stared blankly at the floor beneath him, seeing the way Mai had frozen him out. He flinched. He really didn't like it.

What had happened to her? Why was she being so cold? Joey closed his eyes and rested for a moment trying to imagine life in her shoes for a day. But it was hard. She was a unique person, with good points and bad. Yet in all that there was something else about her that made her a strong person. Something had happened to her before that had made her so headstrong.

He closed his eyes harder, forcing himself to feel the pain she was going through, just like when she had slapped him. He couldn't.

In frustration he growled and hit his head against the back of the couch. He looked up at the ceiling his honey brown eyes still worried for Mai's sake. She had nowhere to go or to rest he had to go find her. Or did she? Did she have someone…?

No, she couldn't have. Still, Joey hadn't been talking to Mai recently so he would have no idea.

Well one way or another, he was going to look after her. He wasn't going to let the people who'd threatened her get the chance to even see her.

Joey got up and walked to the door, breathing in the morning fresh air. It didn't make him feel any fresher or better inside. It just made him feel worse.

Go find Mai, go find Mai!! The voice in the back of his mind begged.

I can't!! She won't even want to look me in the eye! I can see the disgust in them, I can't! His other voice argued back.

Stop feeling so sorry for yourself and get a freakin' grip man!! Mai might die by some murder who's out to get her!! And you're in here feeling sorry for yourself!

Joey growled. Mai had told him that once after he and Yugi had dueled just before the Battle City finals. She had also slapped him to snap him out of his daze. But that might not have been so different…

With that he left his house in search for a friend and seeking some justice for her too.

***

Author's Notes: Wow, was that long? Anyway, things are getting very interesting. Oh, how I hated writing about that slap she gave him at Battle City. In the UK they cut it out!! It was pretty crap as well because you could so tell she'd slapped him when his face suddenly went from forwards to the side. Either that or he had some random neck problem. (Knowing Joey!! O  ^) Ok, review please!