Title: Legally Blond

Pairing: Eventual Puppyshipping (Seto/Joey), past Snareshipping (Duke/Joey). Sideships: Persevereshipping (Duke/Téa), Ardentshipping (Tristan/Serenity), probably Puzzleshipping (Yami/Yugi) but I haven't decided yet.

Rating: T

Words (Chapter 2): 945

Author's Note: I am so sorry for the wait on this one. I had a very impromptu vacation, literally planned out the night before we left, and I came back Tuesday and the last three days were spent helping my brother move into his new place. Tomorrow might be doing more of the same and cleaning my own house so I don't know when I'll have extra time to sit down and write. This chapter wasn't supposed to be a standalone chapter, it had originally been the first half of Chapter 2 combined with what I'm now making Chapter 3, but I felt really bad for leaving you all high and dry. I appreciate the reviews, faves, and alerts so much, though, and I hope you all stick on through.

Joey's POV:

For days, I was practically haunted with the idea of getting engaged. Once Serenity had come up with the idea, she hadn't shaken it. It didn't help that Tristan had blatantly spat out, "You wouldn't say yes, would you?" at the idea of Duke asking me to marry him.

I honestly hadn't thought about marriage yet. I was barely in my twenties and still had some time left before finishing up school. Yes, I loved Duke, and he was probably the most perfect guy I could have ever dreamed up, but there were some other things that made me wary of marriage.

Duke came from old money. Not just old, but snobby money. We met when he and some of his friends came into the diner and I certainly thought he was out of my league until my coworker insisted he was flirting with me. I boldly slipped him my number in with the check and I didn't think he'd actually call, and after that first date I didn't think he'd actually want to stick around with me either. He did both, and I think we're pretty happy after the two and a half years we'd been together.

Two and a half years. It seemed pretty short, but maybe if he was ready, there was no reason I shouldn't be, right? But still, the money thing was a big factor looming over us. I didn't like to let it, but it was always there. Always there when he absolutely insisted on going places where I couldn't even afford to go Dutch, never mind treat him. How he always grabbed the check and put his credit card in before I could even look. How he always seemed to make a comment about if we lived together, we'd be living somewhere nicer than Domino.

But that was just it. I've mentioned before that some people chose to move on up in the world by marrying richer, and I had made the decision never to be that person. I worked two jobs and put away money for the future, whatever I didn't need to put towards my share of the living expenses and everything for school, and I worked hard to get good grades, even in the classes that you didn't need to even attend in my college.

Still, I had a feeling that some people, Duke's family included, would look at me and see just a lowlife street rat clinging on to a sugar daddy or something. I didn't want to care what anyone thought, if I knew the truth and so did Duke, but I couldn't help it. I'm only human, after all.

"Hello? Earth to Joey?" A soft, accented voice snapped me out of the daze I hadn't realized I'd fallen into. I blinked my eyes and turned to see the amused face of my coworker and friend, Ryou Bakura.

"Huh?" I said stupidly.

Ryou giggled and shook his head. "Are you back to daydreaming about your wedding?" he joked. He'd been the one other person besides Serenity and Tristan I'd told any of this to. He and I had been working in the diner together from the start, and we became easy friends. He was a little shy but he was probably the kindest person I'd ever met besides my sister. Actually, he reminded me a lot of my sister, which I think is why I was usually pretty protective over him.

"I was not daydreaming," I insisted, giving a small huff. "What did you need?"

"The cook finished the order for table six. Figured you should go give it to them, seeing as they're your table and all," he answered with a smile. I was pretty sure if anyone else said those words, they'd come off rude, but I don't think Ryou had a rude bone in his body.

I gave him a sheepish smile and thanked him, grabbing the plates and balancing them. I passed Ryou filling up some coffee cups as I made my way to the table, giving each dish to the proper family member. "Enjoy, guys. Would you like any refills on drinks?" They declined and I went back behind the counter, sighing softly once I was out of earshot of the customers.

"Speaking of marriage," I heard Ryou mumble, looking up at the television we had in the corner. We usually had the news on or a sports game, sometimes game shows, it usually depended on if the customers requested something. Otherwise, we'd just leave it on a default channel.

I followed his gaze and my eyes almost bulged out of my head. On the screen was Mai, arms wrapped around none other than my favorite action hero, Jean-Claude Magnum. She looked ecstatic and he looked like he'd won every lottery in existence. The headline mentioned an elopement, and as she waved to the crowd in the clip they showed, you could see the ring on her finger.

"Holy hell," I mumbled softly. "Good for her." If she was happy, then I was happy for her. It just still wasn't wrapping around my brain that my former babysitter had married a movie star.

"See, Joey? No one cares that she came from nothing, she made a name for herself and now she's free to marry whoever she wants. You shouldn't worry about what other people think, if Duke asks you to marry him and you want to say yes, go for it. Those who matter will be supportive no matter what."

I smiled softly at the gentle encouragement from Ryou, and as I felt his hand squeeze my shoulder, I lifted my hand and squeezed back. "Thank you."

Author's Notes: *wipes forehead* Whew. I know this part was a lot shorter than Chapter 1, but like I said, I hadn't planned on making it its own chapter before I disappeared. It's more set up, with Mai revisited, the start of Duke/Joey (I might write a flashback or two throughout the fic, or maybe as one-shots to go along with it), and the Ryou I promised. Sweet baby whose friendship with Joey seems to be rare in fics but I think deserves more attention. I'm trying to write Chapter 3 now, and I promise, that's the one with a Snareshipping date. Possibly a short cameo by Yami Bakura, but no promises. Oh, and if anyone's wondering, I finally finished The Final Duel. I cried. Not ashamed to admit it. I'll go reply to your lovely reviews now :*