Lu: Hello all! Did you like the duel? I know it was crappy.

Yami Lu: Yup.

Lu: But, here's a chapter for JoeyxMai fans!

Chapter 15 – Holding Hands

Then the darkness around them vanished, replaced with bright sunlight and trees. Ryou, Yugi, Tea and Tristan rushed to Joey and Mai, who were both sitting quietly, leaning against a tree.

"Are you OK?" asked Ryou.

"Kinda," replied Mai. "I'm fine, but Joey isn't great. He's got a huge gash in his chest, a broken leg and a cut on his face."

"There's no hospital for miles around," said Tristan, quickly scanning Yugi's map.

"I'll be fine," said Joey. "I just gotta get some rest, you know, get my strength back."

A couple of days later, Joey was well rested. Ryou had made him some crutches from the trees around, and a splint. Joey had sacrificed his only clean shirt for bandages for him and Mai. Joey's chest had healed, with only a scar, but his face was still open, and Mai was getting worried. Most wounds like that should have healed over by now, but Joey's wound was still bleeding.

"The tournament's in a city, we can get it checked there," she said to him one night. They were sitting apart from the rest of the group, who were eating some sausages over a campfire.

Ryou, Yugi, Tea and Tristan had left Mai and Joey on their own a lot lately. Mai always said that she was helping Joey around when they started asking what they did all day. But Joey seemed to walk fine with Ryou's crutches when they saw him. Joey was acting strangely too, very quiet compared to his usual loud and outgoing self.

The day before they left for the city again, Tristan decided to find out what they were up to.

"But, really, it's not our business," argued Yugi. "What they do with their time is up to them, not us."

"But, Yugi, what if they're doing something illegal," said Tristan.

"Tristan, that's their choice. And anyway, we know you just want to find out what Joey's doing," said Ryou.

"But, come on, if they are doing something illegal..." began Tristan.

"Tristan, do you honestly think that Joey or Mai would do something illegal?" asked Tea.

"Well, no, but..." replied Tristan.

"No buts. We leave them alone," said Yugi.

But Tristan decided to go and see what they were doing on his own. It took him a long time to find them. When he did find them, it was by a small river a long way out into the trees.

His eyes widened when he saw what they were doing: they were holding hands and laughing.

"But... but... Joey... Mai?" he thought. "Him... her... them?"

Joey was playing with Mai's hair, and she was blushing and laughing. Tristan watched them for a while more, and it became more and more obvious that they really liked each other.

Tristan soon retreated back to their camp, as he might be discovered by Mai or Joey on their way back to camp.

"Yugi, Tea, Ryou, you won't believe what I just saw!" he shouted as he got back to the campsite.

"What is it Tristan?" asked Yugi.

"Joey and Mai..." Tristan began.

"Tristan! We agreed we wouldn't spy on them," said Ryou.

"But... they were holding hands and, and, I saw Mai kiss Joey!" Tristan insisted. There was a stunned silence. "On the cheek. Joey seemed really taken aback."

"Tristan, it really is none of our business if they like each other. You really shouldn't have spied on them," said Yugi seriously.

"What did Mai say?" asked Tea eagerly.

"Tea!" exclaimed Ryou and Yugi.

"I'm sorry, now I really want to know," said Tea apologetically.

"Well, she was talking about duelling for a while, and then Joey started playing with Mai's hair, and then they started talking about other things, like love. Then Mai kissed Joey on the cheek and then Joey blushed, and then I had to sneak off, because they would have caught me," finished Tristan.

There was another shocked silence. "Why did you spy on them?" asked Yugi.

"Because I wanted to know what my friends were doing," said Tristan guiltily.

"But still, Tristan, you really should have left them alone," said Ryou.

"Shut up!" hissed Yugi, as the sound of laughter came from the trees.

Joey and Mai emerged from the woods, hand in hand, laughing. But then they spotted the four people staring at them, and their hands quickly let go.

"Umm..." said Joey.

"Joey, lets go," said Mai quickly, and they darted off into Mai's tent.

"That was close," said Mai.

"Too close," said Joey. Mai's hand found its way into Joey's once more.

"Why are we hiding it from dem?" asked Joey.

"I don't know," sighed Mai. "I don't know what they'll think. And anyway, how are we meant to tell them?"

"I suppose," said Joey. "I just hate keeping secrets from my friends. Yuge's my best friend, I'm sure he'll understand."

"It's not him I'm worried about," said Mai. "Tristan and Tea, however..." She trailed off. She placed her head on his shoulder.

Yugi poked his head into the tent, and Mai quickly rolled over onto the sleeping bag.

"Hey guys, I've got something to tell you," said Yugi. "Well, not me personally, but Tristan here will tell you." Tristan walked forward guiltily.

"Tell them, Tristan," said Ryou, lurking in the shadows behind Tristan.

"Is everyone here?" groaned Mai.

"Yes," said Tea.

"Go on, Tristan," said Yugi threateningly.

"I want to apologise," said Tristan.

"Why?" asked Joey, suspiciously.

"Because I…" began Tristan, but faltered.

"Yes?" prompted Mai.

"Because I saw you kiss Joey," he said quickly.

"What?" shouted Mai.

"He saw you kiss Joey," said Yugi.

"Then he came back and told us," continued Ryou.

"Tristan!" exclaimed Joey. "What did you do dat for? I thought we were friends."

"Yeah, Tristan, why did you spy on us? It wasn't any of your business what we were doing!" shouted Mai, blowing her head off at Tristan.

"So you all know?" asked Joey. They nodded.

"Well, at least we can thank Tristan for one thing," he sighed. Mai looked at him.

"What's that?" she asked, still fuming.

"At least we don't have to find a way to tell them."

"I suppose," she said, and stormed off into her tent. Joey threw a dirty look at Tristan, limped after Mai.

"Way to go, Tristan," said Ryou sarcastically.

Joey followed Mai into her tent, where she lay on her sleeping bag, fuming.

"Mai..." Joey began.

"How can he do that to us?" she shouted.

"I know," said Joey. "But it's too late now. He can't undo what he did." Mai sat up. Then she stood up and approached Joey. She kissed him again, but this time, it was on the lips. Joey's eyes widened. Then Mai broke away.

"I love you, Joey," she said.

"Uh, I love you too, Mai," said Joey slowly.

Lu: 1, 2, 3... AWW! Joey and Mai got together!

Yami Lu: Oh sweet Ra, I'm stuck here with the JoeyxMai fan. Help!

Lu: prances around room JOEY AND MAI! JOEY AND MAI! REVIEW!