Well... here's the next chapter! It came sooner than you thought it would, didn't it? Er... or not. Hmm... well, I'll only have a few more chapters after this... I'm guessing that it will be 9 or 10 in all.
Disclaimer: Do I HAVE to say this again? All right, I don't own YuGiOh, and I NEVER will. Trust me.
Chapter 7: Their Past, and a Few Fluffy Moments
(Normal POV)
"Brother? Why are you here? Everyone thought that you were dead!" Mai was surprised.
"I... I don't know. When the King and Queen kicked my out of the house, I found my way around. I became a merchant, and I am doing well today." Yami answered.
"Then... why didn't you tell me? Or come and get me from the Ra-damned palace?"
"I apologize... my sister... I did not come and get you because I was afraid of what the King and Queen would do to me... of course they would recognize me. But..."
Yami's apology was interrupted by a smack. "You said that you'd always be there for me... and you said that if you got kicked out, you'd bring me with you! You PROMISED that we'd stay together!"
"Whoa, Mai... please calm down..." Joey put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"You don't get it, Joey! You've never had a family in your life, and you don't know what it feels like if someone betrays you! You would NEVER understand!"
Joey was shocked. He didn't ever think that Mai would rebel like this toward him. No one ever had, of course... but he didn't really have much interaction with people in his life... the only family that he had in this world was gone, all gone.
"Serenity! Please don't go! I don't want you to leave me!"
"I'm sorry Joey... but I have to. Mom's making me." The sad look on Serenity's face hurt Joey.
"Who ever said that you always had to listen to Mom? I don't!"
"Then maybe that's why she's not taking you with us!"
"Don't go... Serenity! You're the only friend that I've ever had in my life!"
Tears welled up in Serenity's eyes. She walked up to Joey and embraced him. "I... I'm so sorry, Joey. I wish that you could come with us... but you have to watch over Dad!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah! I've got to watch over DAD! He never treated me with respect when he was alive, why should I give him respect when he's dead? Heck, he's probably damming me somewhere in Hell!"
Those words just made Serenity sob more. "Joey... I thought that you had more of a heart than to say that... even if it's about someone like our father!"
"Well, I just don't see why I can't go with you!"
"Joey... I don't know. I just know that Mom's taking me... but when I come back, I'll make sure that you're the first person that I see!"
Joey's eyes softened. "Ok, Serenity..." he said in a soft voice. He hated to see his sister cry over something that he had done.
Well... after Serenity and his mother left, the only thing that kept Joey going was the fact that he might see Serenity the next day... if not the next day, then the next.
That was his routine... at least until he got the awful news... the awful news that his mother and sister had died of the heat in the desert. They were to be buried, but Joey never came to the funeral. He could only think of those words... the last words that his sister had ever said to him. "When I come back, I'll make sure that you're the first person I see." Yeah, right.
Joey didn't eat for days. He never thought anything except for those words, the ones that his sister said to him. "Damn. I can't believe that I actually believed those words."
His sister was his everything. They did everything together, from taking walks to shopping in the marketplace. Now he didn't have anything to live for.
"Mai... you're wrong." A single tear trickled down his cheek. He mustered the courage to speak more. But he couldn't... for the thoughts of his family froze him on the spot.
Mai looked at him; suddenly sorry that she ever said anything about his family. 'Of course he'd have one, you ditz! How else do you think that he came to this earth!' "I... I'm sorry, Joey... I didn't mean anything."
"It's ok..." he said. "Let's get out of here, ok?"
The trio walked up, back in the desert again, suddenly realizing that it was night, and they were in the middle of nowhere.
"I guess that were going to hafta stay here tonight... don't ya think?" Joey turned to Yami. "Do you have any ideas?"
"Hmm..." Yami thought. "My home isn't far from here, I think that we can get there before it's too late."
"Good idea, Brother."
The three ventured up and down hills, but finally made it to Yami's home around midnight. His home was a decent size, so both Joey and Mai could have separate rooms.
Yami walked down to his room, tired, leaving the two in rooms right next to each other.
"Well, I guess it's good-night, Mai."
"Yeah, I guess so."
The two ventured into their rooms, neither tired nor sleepy.
Joey rolled around in his bed, trying to get to sleep. Nothing would help. He tried counting Duel Monsters, telling himself a story, but NOTHING would work! SHE was on his mind.
"Mai..." he sighed, and looked into the night sky. 'Why won't she get out of my mind? Sure she's beautiful, but what kind of princess isn't? Why did I still help her even though she would give me one slice of bread?'
Joey closed his eyes, but sleep just wouldn't accompany him. Mai was still on his mind... and she wasn't about to get off of it. "ARGH, DAMMIT! Get out my mind, Mai! Why won't you?"
Joey's temper refused to cool down, so he went out to get a drink of water. 'Maybe then she'll get off my mind.
Mai wasn't doing much better, sleep-wise. She rolled around in her bed, but sleep was something far away. "The first night in a week that I get to sleep in a comfortable bed, and I can't sleep! This is great, just great."
She got out of the covers, and sat on her bed. 'Why can't I sleep? I mean, I've found out that brother is alive, and I'm in a nice bed! Maybe sleeping in that sand really got to my head!'
She looked out the window, gazing into the night sky. "Maybe he's looking in the same sky that I am... Mai! Why are you thinking of him at this moment? He'll never be good enough for you, and you know it!' 'But he's so sweet...' the other side of her mind said. 'He saved my life today.'
Mai felt the place where the knife gashed into her. 'It's a good thing that Joey came in time... or else I would've been forced into marriage.'
Mai sighed. "I'm going to go get a drink," she said out loud.
She walked out the door, and was about to walk into the kitchen, but her foot caught on something, and she tripped. She closed her eyes and waited for the bang, but it never came. Instead, she felt too strong arms wrap around her waist. She opened her eyes, only to see Joey standing right in front of her.
"Joey." She smiled. She stood up straight again, with a little bit of help from him. "You couldn't sleep either?"
"Yeah... do you want to come to my room?"
"Sure... I have nothing better to do, and I can't sleep."
The two walked into the room, only to face silence.
'Mai, apologize! Stop being such a jerk to him!' Wow, it's amazing how much those little voices in your head know.
"Joey... I'm sorry..."
Joey was shocked. One minute, they were sitting in complete silence. The next, Mai was apologizing, and he didn't even know what for!
"What for, Mai?"
Mai touched Joey's arm. "You know... earlier... when I said that you didn't have a family..."
"Oh... Mai, it's ok. It really doesn't matter..." Joey was suddenly quiet.
"Joey... I know that it does matter! I can tell, so don't try to hide it from me!"
"It's ok, Mai... I don't want to talk about it. They're all dead."
'How could I have been so self-centered? I thought that everyone in my family was dead, but when I found Brother, I blamed Joey.'
"Mai... don't feel sorry for me. I don't want you to. You have your own things to worry about. You want the throne back, don't you?"
"Of course I do! If you don't want me here, I think I'll go back to my room." Mai got up, ready to go.
Joey grabbed her wrist. "Don't go... I want you to stay here with me."
Mai turned around to look at Joey. "Why? So you can make me feel guiltier than I already feel?" They were getting closer, little by little.
Suddenly, Joey swiftly grabbed her chin, and gave her a kiss. Mai's eyes widened at this... she never knew that he would do this.
Just as quickly as Joey kissed, he let go of her. "I... I'm sorry, Mai. I didn't mean to do that. You can go now." He turned around, ashamed.
"Joey! Look at me!" Mai grabbed his arm, and turned him around. "Why? Tell me!"
"Mai... I couldn't ever tell you."
"Joey... listen to me! I want to know why!"
Joey reluctantly spoke. "I like you, Mai... that's all."
Mai's eyes softened. He liked her? Well, sure... she liked him a lot, too... but still! She never had the nerve to kiss him! "I'm leaving, now, Joey."
"Mai... stop." Mai was surprised. She thought that he would just let her go!
"Please stay with me... tonight... I'm sure that with Yami here, you two will get the throne back soon... I know that you will. So I won't be seeing you... so just stay with me tonight..."
"I guess so..." 'Mai, what are you doing? Don't give yourself away to him! You've barely known him!' Mai ignored the voice in her head. "I'm kinda tired... will you be a gentleman to me and let me have the bed?" Mai batted her eyes at him.
"No way, Mai. As much as I like you... you're not taking my bed away!" Joey teased.
"Then I guess we're just going to have to share it." There was a twinkle in Mai's eye.
Joey was shocked. "I... uh... guess so, then!" He lay down, sprawled out on the bed.
"Joey! Don't hog the bed!" Mai playfully shoved him.
"Alright, beautiful."
Mai lay down next to him, and snuggled into his chest. Joey was surprised by this, but wrapped his arms around her.
It was quite a night, wasn't it?"
A/N: Before you ask... er... this isn't the ending. Nope, not at all. But there's only a few more chapters left to go. TT Don't be sad, I have lots of JouXMai fics planned for the future!
Disclaimer: Do I HAVE to say this again? All right, I don't own YuGiOh, and I NEVER will. Trust me.
Chapter 7: Their Past, and a Few Fluffy Moments
(Normal POV)
"Brother? Why are you here? Everyone thought that you were dead!" Mai was surprised.
"I... I don't know. When the King and Queen kicked my out of the house, I found my way around. I became a merchant, and I am doing well today." Yami answered.
"Then... why didn't you tell me? Or come and get me from the Ra-damned palace?"
"I apologize... my sister... I did not come and get you because I was afraid of what the King and Queen would do to me... of course they would recognize me. But..."
Yami's apology was interrupted by a smack. "You said that you'd always be there for me... and you said that if you got kicked out, you'd bring me with you! You PROMISED that we'd stay together!"
"Whoa, Mai... please calm down..." Joey put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"You don't get it, Joey! You've never had a family in your life, and you don't know what it feels like if someone betrays you! You would NEVER understand!"
Joey was shocked. He didn't ever think that Mai would rebel like this toward him. No one ever had, of course... but he didn't really have much interaction with people in his life... the only family that he had in this world was gone, all gone.
"Serenity! Please don't go! I don't want you to leave me!"
"I'm sorry Joey... but I have to. Mom's making me." The sad look on Serenity's face hurt Joey.
"Who ever said that you always had to listen to Mom? I don't!"
"Then maybe that's why she's not taking you with us!"
"Don't go... Serenity! You're the only friend that I've ever had in my life!"
Tears welled up in Serenity's eyes. She walked up to Joey and embraced him. "I... I'm so sorry, Joey. I wish that you could come with us... but you have to watch over Dad!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah! I've got to watch over DAD! He never treated me with respect when he was alive, why should I give him respect when he's dead? Heck, he's probably damming me somewhere in Hell!"
Those words just made Serenity sob more. "Joey... I thought that you had more of a heart than to say that... even if it's about someone like our father!"
"Well, I just don't see why I can't go with you!"
"Joey... I don't know. I just know that Mom's taking me... but when I come back, I'll make sure that you're the first person that I see!"
Joey's eyes softened. "Ok, Serenity..." he said in a soft voice. He hated to see his sister cry over something that he had done.
Well... after Serenity and his mother left, the only thing that kept Joey going was the fact that he might see Serenity the next day... if not the next day, then the next.
That was his routine... at least until he got the awful news... the awful news that his mother and sister had died of the heat in the desert. They were to be buried, but Joey never came to the funeral. He could only think of those words... the last words that his sister had ever said to him. "When I come back, I'll make sure that you're the first person I see." Yeah, right.
Joey didn't eat for days. He never thought anything except for those words, the ones that his sister said to him. "Damn. I can't believe that I actually believed those words."
His sister was his everything. They did everything together, from taking walks to shopping in the marketplace. Now he didn't have anything to live for.
"Mai... you're wrong." A single tear trickled down his cheek. He mustered the courage to speak more. But he couldn't... for the thoughts of his family froze him on the spot.
Mai looked at him; suddenly sorry that she ever said anything about his family. 'Of course he'd have one, you ditz! How else do you think that he came to this earth!' "I... I'm sorry, Joey... I didn't mean anything."
"It's ok..." he said. "Let's get out of here, ok?"
The trio walked up, back in the desert again, suddenly realizing that it was night, and they were in the middle of nowhere.
"I guess that were going to hafta stay here tonight... don't ya think?" Joey turned to Yami. "Do you have any ideas?"
"Hmm..." Yami thought. "My home isn't far from here, I think that we can get there before it's too late."
"Good idea, Brother."
The three ventured up and down hills, but finally made it to Yami's home around midnight. His home was a decent size, so both Joey and Mai could have separate rooms.
Yami walked down to his room, tired, leaving the two in rooms right next to each other.
"Well, I guess it's good-night, Mai."
"Yeah, I guess so."
The two ventured into their rooms, neither tired nor sleepy.
Joey rolled around in his bed, trying to get to sleep. Nothing would help. He tried counting Duel Monsters, telling himself a story, but NOTHING would work! SHE was on his mind.
"Mai..." he sighed, and looked into the night sky. 'Why won't she get out of my mind? Sure she's beautiful, but what kind of princess isn't? Why did I still help her even though she would give me one slice of bread?'
Joey closed his eyes, but sleep just wouldn't accompany him. Mai was still on his mind... and she wasn't about to get off of it. "ARGH, DAMMIT! Get out my mind, Mai! Why won't you?"
Joey's temper refused to cool down, so he went out to get a drink of water. 'Maybe then she'll get off my mind.
Mai wasn't doing much better, sleep-wise. She rolled around in her bed, but sleep was something far away. "The first night in a week that I get to sleep in a comfortable bed, and I can't sleep! This is great, just great."
She got out of the covers, and sat on her bed. 'Why can't I sleep? I mean, I've found out that brother is alive, and I'm in a nice bed! Maybe sleeping in that sand really got to my head!'
She looked out the window, gazing into the night sky. "Maybe he's looking in the same sky that I am... Mai! Why are you thinking of him at this moment? He'll never be good enough for you, and you know it!' 'But he's so sweet...' the other side of her mind said. 'He saved my life today.'
Mai felt the place where the knife gashed into her. 'It's a good thing that Joey came in time... or else I would've been forced into marriage.'
Mai sighed. "I'm going to go get a drink," she said out loud.
She walked out the door, and was about to walk into the kitchen, but her foot caught on something, and she tripped. She closed her eyes and waited for the bang, but it never came. Instead, she felt too strong arms wrap around her waist. She opened her eyes, only to see Joey standing right in front of her.
"Joey." She smiled. She stood up straight again, with a little bit of help from him. "You couldn't sleep either?"
"Yeah... do you want to come to my room?"
"Sure... I have nothing better to do, and I can't sleep."
The two walked into the room, only to face silence.
'Mai, apologize! Stop being such a jerk to him!' Wow, it's amazing how much those little voices in your head know.
"Joey... I'm sorry..."
Joey was shocked. One minute, they were sitting in complete silence. The next, Mai was apologizing, and he didn't even know what for!
"What for, Mai?"
Mai touched Joey's arm. "You know... earlier... when I said that you didn't have a family..."
"Oh... Mai, it's ok. It really doesn't matter..." Joey was suddenly quiet.
"Joey... I know that it does matter! I can tell, so don't try to hide it from me!"
"It's ok, Mai... I don't want to talk about it. They're all dead."
'How could I have been so self-centered? I thought that everyone in my family was dead, but when I found Brother, I blamed Joey.'
"Mai... don't feel sorry for me. I don't want you to. You have your own things to worry about. You want the throne back, don't you?"
"Of course I do! If you don't want me here, I think I'll go back to my room." Mai got up, ready to go.
Joey grabbed her wrist. "Don't go... I want you to stay here with me."
Mai turned around to look at Joey. "Why? So you can make me feel guiltier than I already feel?" They were getting closer, little by little.
Suddenly, Joey swiftly grabbed her chin, and gave her a kiss. Mai's eyes widened at this... she never knew that he would do this.
Just as quickly as Joey kissed, he let go of her. "I... I'm sorry, Mai. I didn't mean to do that. You can go now." He turned around, ashamed.
"Joey! Look at me!" Mai grabbed his arm, and turned him around. "Why? Tell me!"
"Mai... I couldn't ever tell you."
"Joey... listen to me! I want to know why!"
Joey reluctantly spoke. "I like you, Mai... that's all."
Mai's eyes softened. He liked her? Well, sure... she liked him a lot, too... but still! She never had the nerve to kiss him! "I'm leaving, now, Joey."
"Mai... stop." Mai was surprised. She thought that he would just let her go!
"Please stay with me... tonight... I'm sure that with Yami here, you two will get the throne back soon... I know that you will. So I won't be seeing you... so just stay with me tonight..."
"I guess so..." 'Mai, what are you doing? Don't give yourself away to him! You've barely known him!' Mai ignored the voice in her head. "I'm kinda tired... will you be a gentleman to me and let me have the bed?" Mai batted her eyes at him.
"No way, Mai. As much as I like you... you're not taking my bed away!" Joey teased.
"Then I guess we're just going to have to share it." There was a twinkle in Mai's eye.
Joey was shocked. "I... uh... guess so, then!" He lay down, sprawled out on the bed.
"Joey! Don't hog the bed!" Mai playfully shoved him.
"Alright, beautiful."
Mai lay down next to him, and snuggled into his chest. Joey was surprised by this, but wrapped his arms around her.
It was quite a night, wasn't it?"
A/N: Before you ask... er... this isn't the ending. Nope, not at all. But there's only a few more chapters left to go. TT Don't be sad, I have lots of JouXMai fics planned for the future!