AN: Guess what, my lovely readers? Yes, that's right. DM is being evil again, and writing new stories before finishing what she was working on already.

I've been having a bit of a Yu-Gi-Oh few days and I wanted to write a fic to reflect that. Now, when I was considering this, I knew I would have to involve my favorite character—Mokuba.

At first, I was thinking, hey, write some fluffy Seto/Mokuba oneshot or something, but guess what? I wanted to be original. And when I did a search that combined my two favorite characters of the anime (Mokuba and Mai) I got.. nothing.

That's when I knew that this had to be written. Even if it isn't yaoi, it's a good, original pairing. So, please read on, and enjoy "Stay With Me, For A Little While", DM's first serious Yu-Gi-Oh fic. Kay? Thanks! I'm sure you fans of originality will enjoy this one.

-Stay With Me, For A Little While-

by Dark Mrowlidash

Chapter One: Meeting My Valentine

The boy looked up from his video game to hear the sound of his brother's footsteps coming down the stairs.

"Hey, Seto! Want to play?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"I'm busy, Mokuba."

That simple answer caused the younger Kaiba's eyes to darken, slightly. He knew that what Seto said was true, but he also knew that in the past, Seto would have found the time.

Seto Kaiba walked into the next room, where a large briefcase of neatly organized Duel Monsters cards awaited him. He'd already analyzed his strategy with the computer, no doubt, and was on his way to setting his own brain to work, working at improving.

Mokuba Kaiba just sighed, turning back to his video game.. but only briefly. He didn't feel much like playing it anymore, so he turned the console off and walked out of the room, casually remarking, "I'm going out for a bit, okay? Just around town."

He was still a young boy, but Seto trusted him completely. Or at least, he acted like he did, not even answering, but instead giving Mokuba a nod which the boy couldn't even see as he headed out the door.

It was very bright outside still, in the summer afternoon. Mokuba didn't really know what he planned to do, but the day was so nice that it lifted his low spirit.

"Maybe Yugi and them will be around..." he said, thinking of his friends. They were all older than him, and most of the group couldn't think worse of his brother, but they'd adopted him into their circle nonetheless. They liked him for who he was, instead of leaving him under his brother's shadow, like so many others did.

They played Duel Monsters too, but nowhere near to the extent that Seto did. They all liked the game as a hobby, and actually, Mokuba did too. But for some reason, if played too long, the game became negative and he would quit. It reminded him of home.

Sighing, the boy's mind wandered back to his home, where Seto was carefully crafting a new strategy for the addictive card game. He was the duelist champion, after all, it was what he did. But Mokuba wished sometime, deep down, that he wasn't.

The game shop where Yugi and crew could usually be found after school hours was coming into view. Mokuba quickened his pace, wanting to reach it, wanting to end his thinking and slip into the comfortable grasp of friendship.

Upon reaching the door, he pulled it open and waved at Yugi's grandpa, who was behind the counter, doing something, looking at cards He wanted to know where Yugi was and upon being told that he was upstairs, he raced up the steps.

"Mokuba, hey!" Yugi said, smiling. He was joined by Joey, Tea, and Tristan, who were sitting on various chairs in the room.

"Hi! What's up? I was really bored at home..."

"That jerk of a brother still ignoring you? Jeez, you'd think he would care a bit more about his little bro!" Joey exclaimed, pointing to a chair near to where Mokuba was standing. "Have a seat, kid."

Mokuba took the seat. "He's not.. ignoring me. It's just that he's busy, he's got stuff to do."

"I understand, man. If I was the Duel Monsters champ, I would work all day to make sure I was never beat." Tristan said, before immediately being bonked on the head by Joey. "Whose side are you on, anyway?"

"Well, I know I'm on Joey's side.. for once. Your brother needs to spend more time with you. It's ridiculous that he's neglecting you like this! Every day you walk in here with the same sad look on your face! When will it stop, when he gets beaten?"

"Tea's right, Mokuba, you should talk to him or something," Yugi said, looking upward. "None of us wants to see you sad like this, you're our friend."

"I try, but he's always too busy to talk.. and I don't want to make him mad at me. I just give him his space. Some of what he does is important anyway, with the company and all."

There was silence for a moment, then Tristan smiled. "Wouldn't it be hilarious if someone did beat Kaiba?"

"Yeah, but that's never going to happen. Seto's too smart to let anyone beat him."

"I don't agree with that. Anyone who can't take care of their own family is lacking in the brain department," Joey said.

"Maybe..." Mokuba sighed. "But I know Seto cares about me. He's just caught up in something he likes. He'll eventually snap out of it, I hope."

"I hope so too, for your sake. But let's not talk about Kaiba all day!" Tea said, grinning.

"Yeah, forget him..."

"So, anything interesting happening, guys?" Mokuba asked, somewhat eager to change the subject now.

The group immediately launched into a discussion of current events, and funny stories.

Mokuba was glad.

By this time, it was getting dark. Mokuba said his final goodbye to the group as he walked out of the game shop. It was a quiet evening, and Mokuba's mind went blank as he made his way home.

However, things weren't completely normal. An unfamiliar car was parked in front of the mansion he called home. He passed it up, deciding to take a different route.

When he was inside, he noted that Seto and his Duel Monsters cards were not where he had last seen them, and that was unusual. Normally he would park himself at that table for hours and not move.

Wanting to find his brother, he walked down a long hall to the computer room, hoping it would be able to assist him. Pressing a few keys caused a map to come up, and a blinking light indicated that Seto was... in the duel arena?

Mokuba left the computer, striding quickly down the memorized halls. The duel arena wasn't far. He reached the door in seconds.

"Seto's dueling someone for sure. I wonder who... and I hope they don't lose too badly."

Upon opening the door, Mokuba knew the outcome of the duel, not that he hadn't known before, that is. A bright light flooded into the hall, and the artificial roar of the Blue-Eyes White Dragons sounded in his ears.

The loud smash of a destroyed monster or two was accompanied by the beeping indicator that someone was out of lifepoints. And then, Seto Kaiba, high, mighty and undefeated, strolled out past Mokuba.

"Seto?"

"Show her the door." Seto replied. "I'm going up to my room."

After he was gone, Mokuba peered into the dueling arena, but did not step in, waiting for the defeated duelist to exit.

She, however, did not, choosing instead to stand rather pitifully on her platform, eyes wide with disbelief and disappointment.

"Hello?" Mokuba asked carefully, walking in, and closer to the woman. "My brother asked me to show you the way out."

"Oh?" She replied, looking sadly in his direction before seeming to snap out of it, regaining her composure. "I was just a little careless.." she said mostly to herself, explaining her loss. "I won't lose next time."

Mokuba blinked as he drew nearer. From the door on the far side she looked just like some regular girl.. wait, that was what she was, right?

The small boy gulped and took the final steps up to the platform. He was suddenly nervous, and he'd never been nervous like this before.

"Um..." he said, looking slowly up at her. He didn't know what to say, he'd already told her that he was to show her the way out... "What's your name?"

"My name?" she asked, taken aback at Mokuba's nervous question. "It's... Mai Valentine."

"Mai, that's a nice name. Mine's Mokuba," he said, trying to hide his anxiety with a goofy grin.

Mai blinked and smiled back, just a little. It was obvious that she was still recovering from her.. probably embarrassing loss.

Mokuba blushed.

"Well... if you're going to show me the door, I guess we should go before your big brother shows up again.." Mai said, sighing.

Mokuba came back to reality to catch her eyes looking down at him, and then faded out again.

The girl, Mai—had the most beautiful violet eyes that Mokuba could ever picture. He'd never had a crush on any girl before, well, not one as pretty as her. Her face was framed by perfectly styled blonde hair, and as for the rest of her body...

"Uh.. Mokuba?"

"Oh!" he said abruptly, jumping a little. "Yeah, it's time to go."

They walked through the halls together, side by side almost, but Mokuba a bit ahead, leading.

"Fancy place you've got here, kid." Mai said, looking around. "You're lucky."

"Yeah, I guess..." Mokuba said, knowing well that most people didn't live like he did. "But it's not all that great," he trailed off, remembering just how lonely home life had gotten recently.

"No? Well, I wouldn't know. Not like I'm rich or anything. I'm just your average girl, trying to make a living."

Mokuba looked back at Mai. "I don't think you're average. You seem much more than that—" he stopped talking.

Mai smiled at him, this time more genuinely. "Go ahead, I'm enjoying the flattery. Something to make me feel better."

"Well, you seem very nice, and you're... pretty," Mokuba said, nodding quickly at each word.

"Thank you. If only my looks could win me some duels, huh?"

"You certainly would have beaten Seto!"

They shared a laugh, and then walked quietly for a few paces.

"Mai?" Mokuba asked, suddenly nervous again, but gathering his courage.

"Yes?" she answered, looking down.

"You going to come back?" he asked matter-of-factly, innocent voice slightly worried at the possible responses.

Mai paused. "Well, I was defeated... I really don't have a reason to be sticking around.. why do you ask?"

"No reason, really," Mokuba quickly answered. "I just think.. it would be nice to see you again."

At this, they reached the exit, and Mokuba pulled open the large doors.

Mai started to step out, "I should move on. There are some tournaments I have to try and qualify for. I am a duelist, after all..." she was silent, and then she turned around. "But who knows, I might enjoy it here, it does seem like a nice place."

"So..." Mokuba said, not certain of her answer.

"I'll see you around, Mokuba."

The young boy cracked a smile. "Okay, then. Bye, Mai."

"Bye," she said, turning on her heel and striding away.

As Mokuba closed the door, he pushed back against it, slumping down, his heart racing.

"Wow.." was all he could manage, completely unsure of himself.

Standing up, he walked slowly for a few steps before stopping. "Mai Valentine..." he spoke her name like it was magical, and perhaps it was, to him. "I like her," he then said simply, and headed up the stairs to his own room, as it was time for bed.

Outside, in the cool night, Mai began her walk back to the hotel where she was staying, not too far away, quietly talking to herself.

"Cute kid, Mokuba... he was friendly," she said, knowing all too well why. "He's got a crush on me, for sure, silly kid."

She looked up into the night sky, pressing the cross button at the crosswalk. "So I guess I'll be hanging around this city then, huh? You're crazy, Mai, you're losing your grip."

The walk sign appeared on the sign across the street. Mai quickly crossed, and upon reaching the other side, she stopped, looking back, just barely still being able to see the Kaiba Mansion.

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then, Mokuba."

End Chapter One