Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.
The Lie That I Lived
Mai Valentine- 26
Seto Kaiba- 25
Joey Wheeler- 24
Yami Motou- 24
Tea Motou- 24
Serenity Wheeler- 22
Mokuba Kaiba –20Thank you to everyone who reviewed it was very appreciated! Sorry for the lateness of the updating, schoolwork it just is getting to me. FYI: A part of this chapter is from an Yu-Gi-Oh episode, but I changed it around a little to suit the story, you'll understand when you get there. Just in case I do not update by the holidays, I hope everyone is safe and well!! Well on with the chapter.
-II-
"Whose number is this?"Damn, how did she get herself into these situations?
She looked down at the palm of her hands, sweat formed over her brow as she became very tense. Steadily, she let her head move upwards, letting his interrogative eyes meet hers.
"Well…" She began timidly, looking down once more at her foot swirling around the carpet. "I was…sort of going to call a friend…" She let the sentence hang there, not wanting to go any further. Tears poured out of her eyes as she began to gush out, saying the first thing that came into her mind, Kaiba of course, the CEO of a company and with a high IQ (that did not consist of any information on women) was puzzled, terrified at the least.
"But why do you care?" All of a sudden her tears coming out as rage. "You probably took me in because you pitied me, I mean that's all anyone's ever given me, I mean who cares what Mai thinks? She's just a door mat, no one cares…"
"Your emotions might seem out of whack. If you feel like crying for no reason, it's ok. Go ahead and cry."
He remembered the elderly woman telling Mai about her third month symptoms. 'This has to be the whack emotions.'
"Here," Kaiba handed the piece of paper over to her while he ran out of the room trying to avoid any other confrontation. But really, who was he to care what she did in her spare time?
"Man Mai, what happened?" Mokuba asked, brushing the dirt off his pants as he rose off the ground.
"Nothing…yet," she twisted around rapidly, it was too late for Mokuba to even catch the glint of mischief in her eyes. She jumped on him and began to tickle him. "This should teach you to never mess with me!" Mai happily exclaimed.
"S-sorry," Mokuba panted out between fits of laughter.
"What'll happen if you do it again?" She asked, not giving in.
"You'll tickle me," he squealed, which resembled a 5-year old girl.
"Good," she said, dusting herself off and getting off of the exhausted man. "I've got a person to call," she winked as she left the room.
-II-
"I'm glad you remember someone Mai," he replied, chuckling slightly as he walked over to her.
She was immobile, she continued to stand agape unable to utter anything to his approaching figure; he stopped, inches away from her. Rapidly, she dropped to the floor and began to pick up her books, not bothering to look at him. Mai could feel his eyes cut through her, slowly he bent down beside her, moments of silence fluttered past them.
"I'm not Yugi, Mai. I'm Yami."
She halted once more, trying to recall if anything he was saying made any sense. She brought her hand to her mouth, once more letting her books plummet to the ground.
'Marik…Battle City…the Shadow Realm.' Everything once again returned to her memory, yet recollecting her memories about the Shadow Realm wanted to make her laugh. What her life was now was much worse, the Shadow Realm was kid's play. But Yami…
'The Pharaoh, the counter-part that everyone always said that Yugi had…he's standing in front of me?'
Filling shivers run up her spine, Mai gradually let her anxious violet eyes meet his. She almost jumped back, such intensity they held, his crimson tinted violet iris' fastened its gaze with hers.
"I see you remember me," he said, almost reading her thoughts as he let his hand fall unhurriedly to the ground and pick up one book and passing it to her. "It's been awhile."
He let that reflection hang in the atmosphere while he offered her, her books.
After a lengthy moment of peace, he rose as he stared down at her. "Meet me at Times Square in two hours," he wasn't asking, he demanded her presence. He didn't even let her respond, Yami turned away from her, his black squared-toed shoes tapped against the tiled ground, echoing through the empty corridor.
-II-
'Hm…should I? Or shouldn't I? Should I? Or shouldn't?'
Mai sat in complete silence pondering her next move; her eyes concentrated upon the telephone as if she were expecting it to move in any second.
'Anytime this year would be nice.' A voice mocked at the back of her head.
Shaking it aside, she slowly picked up the phone. First of all making sure it was the dial tone, she began to call the Wheeler residence once more. After a few rings, Mai was greeted with a sweet, cheery voice.
"Hello?" She acknowledged.
'Tea…'
"May I please speak to Joey Wheeler?" She whispered softly, hoping that she wouldn't recognise her.
Even the small number of seconds that they were on the phone, she could feel the superiority radiating that Tea must've felt.
'Nice timing Mai.'
"Hello?" His New-York accent brought back so many memories that for a moment her voice was lost to respond to him.
"H-hello?" She quietly murmured.
"Yo, it this long distance?" He yelled, raising his voice an octave.
"Joey…?" Her voice wavered slightly.
"C'mon man, I have a life," he answered rudely.
Mai smiled to herself, as she wrapped the cord around her finger, she began to laugh inside.
"Joey…it's Mai…"
The stillness seemed to last an eternity, at first Mai thought he must've hung up, but his steady breathing sounded once more as she awaited his response.
"Wow…Mai, hey! How's it been going?"
'Still the idiot Joe, couldn't ya said somethin' better?'
"I'm…" She thought for a moment. "Fine. It's been a long time, hasn't it?"
"Yeah…" He breathed out softly. "Almost too long. I missed ya Mai."
Mai raised her hand to her face, attempting to stop the forming tears in her eyes. "I missed you to Joseph. What brings you to New York?"
'You…'
"Business," he replied, ignoring the other answer, which would've suited him more.
"Oh really? What have you gotten yourself into?"
"Journalism."
She couldn't suppress herself, it needed to be done. She burst out laughing, clutching her stomach, falling over on to the bed, hardly can breath kind of laugh. Joey was mute all the while, something inside him lifted, as if he knew that Mai was alright, even if he disregarded it, his feelings for Mai would never be dormant, they would rise and let themselves be known.
"I'm s-sorry," Mai panted out, holding back anything else that might explode out of her.
"Hey it's cool. You should've been there when I told Tristen and Duke, I think it was a few hours of non-stop laughter," he joked, running his fingers through that untameable mop of hair. "Mai…" He began tentatively. "Do you wanna meet me at Mama Mexico tomorrow 'round 8-ish?"
Gasping noiselessly to herself, she immediately began to think of all the things that could go wrong with their meeting her number one being Seto Kaiba.
"Yes."
She instantly hung up; her hands tightly in her lap, she slowly rocked back and forth, rethinking everything. Her mind said no but her heart, something told her to say yes.
-II-
Continually pacing back and forth, she didn't know why she even bothered to show up. Looking at her watch for the fiftieth time, it read 5:03, three minutes late. Tightening the lavender jacket around her cream, over the shoulder sweater, she gave Times Square one more look before walking off.
"Little patience we have, don't we?"
Freezing immediately, Mai slowly turned around. There he was, tall, strong, and with what seemed to be a game face on.
"We have much to discuss," he said walking over to her slowly, his shoes tapping through the large mound of people. As he stood directly in front of her, his arm came forth, signalling to her to take it.
She faltered slightly, unsure still of who this stranger was, but none the less she felt inside it was a right decision.
The comfort of a stranger is sometimes the most consoling…
-II-
'Maybe I can still cancel.'
Mai looked at herself in the full body length mirror; digging through the mounds of clothes she had been given, she sought to find the most perfect thing to wear. After 50 tries, if this wasn't the one she might as well go ahead and cancel.
A mix of warm colours swam in her clothing; beige hip-hugger jeans, and a cream loose-collared sweater. Light skin tones of make-up, and her hair had been straightened and tied up.
Moving sideways slightly, she looked at her abdomen, even though she hadn't started showing yet, she couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious about her body figure. Nevertheless, any woman would shoot, kill and throw the body into a lake for her frame. Nicely curved, not too much or too little and where it was needed, the face of deviousness and deep eyes, made to be a model. She could've been, she could've been anything, but so many strings held her back.
"Hey Mai! Lookin' nice," she young man exclaimed as he jumped onto her bed. "Hot date?"
Mai shot him an icy stare as she fixed her hair. "No, girl's night out." She lied.
"Does Seto know?" Mokuba asked, grabbing a pillow and leaning back.
"And he would care…because…?" Mai asked an awkward glance.
"C'mon Mai, don't be like that. You know Seto, he's a bit…moody, especially around the opposite sex," the younger Kaiba explained.
Mai coughed. "And anything else that breathes."
They both cracked smiles just as Mai grabbed her purse and coat.
"Don't wait up hun," she smirked, winked and left the mansion.
-II-
"Mai," he called to her with his husky voice.
She turned her head over and acknowledged him with a smile, a forced smile.
"Why hold the barrier between us? Your charade won't work on me, I can see you Mai. Not the person you are now, but the Mai I once knew."
A hushed moment settled in between them as they walked through the masses of people walking in and out of stores. Taxis and cars rushed through the streets, as people ran through, attempting to catch the whizzing yellow cars.
"This way," she quietly whispered to her, he gently put his hand around her elbow and showed her through the crowd to a quaint coffee shop called the Art Café.
"This is one of my most preferred places to be," he said, while pulling out a chair for the muted woman.
She accepted graciously; immediately turning her head to the window, which they were seated beside. Only a few minutes later did a youthful adolescent come and take their orders.
Giving his order of a cup of mocha, the two people glanced over at Mai.
Eyes softening slightly, and her body posture now relaxed, she still continued to look at the people that passed by.
Yami smiled faintly as he ordered a cappuccino and a slice of cheesecake for her; the teen smiled as she left to get their orders.
Hours passed, Mai occasionally came out of her trance and sipped her beverage and nibbled upon her desert. No conversation was passed between them.
The sun had began to slowly set, as the night sky loomed above, as the moon moved over them, the first word was said.
"Sorry."
Such a simple word, with many different meanings. To feel sympathy for someone's misfortune or expressing regret, is how the Oxford Dictionary would describe it.
His hand slowly moved towards hers, tenderly he placed it over hers.
"We weren't there, friends are always there for each other," Yami whispered, he could sense the tension. "Holding a grudge against life won't make anything better."
"It's how I've lived my life for the past few years and it's how intend to continue on," she replied venomously, snatching her hand back.
Gradually, as his hand moved away from hers, the moonlight silently slid over his tanned skin, but dew more attention to the golden band upon his left hand, ring finger.
-II-
Closing her umbrella, she quickly stepped into the restaurant and was instantly taken back by all the festiveness. The Mexican restaurant had such brilliant colours scattered everywhere, meshing together with the culture of the homeland; she was overwhelmed by the warmth and cordiality of the place.
Putting strands of hair behind her ear, her eyes scanned the dining area, suddenly she came to a halt, there, near the corner of the room, right near a window sat a man with the messiest mop of blonde hair that could only be compared to one person. Joey Wheeler.
A blush creeping upon her face, she slowly made her way towards his table. He sat lonesome, the company of himself and the drink he had ordered, it seemed such a difference then the one she had left behind in Domino.
Leaning down quietly behind him, her lips only centimetres away form his ear, she slowly uttered. "Joey…"
Caught off-guard, he pushed his back as the surprised blonde fell into his arms. Both astonished by the gauche position in which they stood, Joey gently moved her over to the other side of the table, before finally letting go.
"Mai…" His voice deep and husky. "Wow…"
"I know…" She said in discomfort, unable to directly look at each other, they avoided conversation for a while. The waitress had come and taken their orders, giving each a peculiar look as she walked off.
"How have you been?" Joey asked instantaneously, incapable to taking anymore silence.
"I've been…alright—"
"Why?"
He had told himself to prevent this confrontation, but it killed him inside. Ever since she had left that day, it had been like something from his life was taken…something vital.
Mai gave him a look of sheer confusion. "What do you mean Joseph?"
Joey smiled vaguely, she was the only one who would ever call him by his real name, as instantly it had come, it left also.
"You know what I mean."
Stroking her arm leisurely, she looked down at her lap, powerless to stare into his auburn iris', which were burning with an emotion she could not depict.
"It was necessary," she whispered lowly.
"Why?" He asked, resting his hand over hers, as he recalled the end of Battle City…
-Flashback-"Ok, my turn," Mai whispered, yet everyone around her gave her puzzled looks.
"What's that?" Yami asked, looking up at her.
"You're not leaving too, are you Mai?" Serenity asked anxiously.
"I'm a wanderer, and I'm afraid the open road call. I cam here for the Battle City Tournament but now that that's over, it's time to me to move on. It's been real," She replied, her voice tinged with a bit of sadness.
"Oh Mai, don't go. You're like a sister to me," Serenity whimpered. "Thank you Mai, you've done so much," tears emerging from her olive green eyes.
"I should be thanking you Serenity. When I was trapped in the Shadow Realm, you took care of me and you never left my side, thank you," Mai said, walking over to the young girl and wiping her tears away.
Mai slightly tilted her head and gazed over her shoulder at the messy blonde, with a pang of sorrow hitting her, she quickly looked away.
"Eh…Mai, I ah, what I'm trying to say is…never mind," Joey wavered, kicking himself mentally.
"Bye guys, see ya around! Bye, be good!" She sent her last goodbyes to everyone, taking one last look at Joey, tears surfaced form her eyes as she swiftly turned away and ran off.
'Goodbye Mai,' Joey thought sadly.
-Flashback-
"Joey…" She began softly.
"Mai, you know you can tell me anything. We're friends Mai."
Tears threaten to flow form her eyes, but quickly she blinked them away.
"I had to." Deeply yet with sharpness to it, she uttered her response.
Joey's hand promptly left hers, this was not the Mai he knew during Battle City. Try as she might, there was no hiding the fact that Joey knew something happened to her.
"Life is never the way we want it to be," he lingered with his words, leaning back against his chair and watching the violet-eyed woman.
"My parents got a divorce, probably around the time when I was eight and Serenity was six. My dad was a heavy drinker, after he lost his job and all. Ya know guys, my dad had his manly pride and hated the fact my mom provided for us. She'd come home after work and he'd be all up in her face, he even hit her a few times, that's when I really got it…"
-Flashback-
"I can provide for this family! Ya should be at home cookin'!" He drunkard exclaimed, wobbling as he walked.
"Just sit down honey, I'll cook—"
"Exactly! That's what women do!" He yelled, pointing a finger at her.
A young blonde held his auburn haired sister tightly against his chest.
"Joey…is mommy alright?" She murmured, much to terrified to ask any louder.
"Dun worry Seren' it'll be ok, it happened all the time," Joey assuring his younger sister.
"Please sit down, not in front of the children," the brunette whispered, trying to push her husband into their room.
He threw her back, causing her to fall to the ground. "I'll do what I want! Let the boy learn how to treat a woman—"
"I will NOT have you teach my son sinful thing!" She shrieked, pulling herself up.
"SHUTUP!"
His hand collided with her cheek, a deafening crack sounded, as the female fell to the ground, out of her senses.
"Mommy!" The olive- eyed girl ran out of her brother's hands and to her mother's side, pushing her mother over, blood seeped from her wound and dripped to the ground.
"Get away," the man shakily walked to his daughter, slowly raising his hand.
"Get away from her you son of a bitch!" Joey ran to his father, and lashed onto his arm, digging as hard as he could with his nails.
"Ungrateful basterd!" He shouted as he pulled his off and threw him into the wall.
-Flashback-
"Not one of the greatest moments of my life," Joey laughed. But Mai could've sworn tears glimmered in his eyes.
"A few days later mom got the divorce papers, obviously dad went ballistic. The neighbours called the police over and he got charged. But what really got me was when mom told me I'd live with dad and she'd take Serenity," he put his hand over his heart, his head leaning back over the chair.
"I think the exact feeling was my heart being pulled out of my body with a knife and then grinded into pieces."
Now she was sure, tears were in his eyes, slowly flowing down his cheeks and dripping onto the table. She sighed miserably, she was being selfish, here Joey goes through a tragedy and all she knows is her pain.
Reaching over the table, her hand lingered towards his face, wishing to rid his blissful face of sorrow.
"Sorry for the wait! Here's your food."
Mai pulled her hand back as the waitress placed the food on the table, two large glasses of margaritas, Joey had a large plate of quesadillas and she had enchiladas, she had never been to a Mexican restaurant so she just ordered the first thing on the menu. Joey seemed to forget about his story and began to dig in right away- at least something hadn't changed. But Mai on the other preferred to stare at her food, it appeared like there was tortilla under the big pile of sauce and cheese.
'Well…no time like the present.' She thought as she picked up her fork and broke a piece off and put it in her mouth. 'Hm…not bad…wait…'
Mai began to turn bright crimson, she quickly put her hand in front of her mouth and batted it, trying to wave out the spicy taste. 'Note to self…never drink all the water before the main meal comes in a Mexican restaurant.'
Obviously Joey had noticed the amount of zest that had gone into her meal and couldn't help but watch her poor blonde gasp for water. Finally giving into his manners, he walked over held her back and let her sip her water…gulp down is what was really intended. He watched her drink the entire glass before finally calming down. She looked over to him about to thank him for finally helping her, till she noticed how close his lips were to her face. In less then a moment, her eyes fluttered a bit, looking up to his. A sly smile played on his lips as they both began to laugh, gasping for air they continued to burst out into hysterical fits of laughter.
"Hey, at least they're talking to each other," the young waitress whispered to her other fellow employee.
-II-
"Mai you should've seen your face, I never knew someone could actually turn tomato red," Joey teased, as they walked along the harbour.
"If you were ever like that, I would've given you water much faster," she retorted.
Joey looked at her oddly. "No!" They said in unison as they both burst out again in laughter.
"Wow," he stopped, looking up at the full moon, he held the railing tightly in his grasp. "I've wanted to tell you something ever since you left me that day Mai," Joey began hesitantly.
Mai paused for a moment, as she moved closer to his side.
"I love you," his voice was nothing more than a whisper, barely audible, it was bathed with such purity and tenderness that it made Mai want to fall into his embrace and become sheltered forever, but life wasn't as easy as muttering three words, it was the commitment behind them that were possible lies.
'Life and love aren't like this and you know it, it never was, is or ever will be. Not for you anyways.'
The small voice in the back of her head that was never wrong, she considered her conscious, but really is was her own restrain.
Rain clouds moved in, thunder crashed through the silence as Joey pended upon Mai's answer. It began to pour upon them, their clothing clinging to their bodies.
Joey, hypnotically crept closer to Mai, the wood beneath his feet creaking ever so slightly. Mai couldn't move away, her body wouldn't allow it, she stood firmly in place as she felt Joey's muscular grasp around her waist. His touch softened as their bodies connected like the words that bonded her to him, they were one body and two souls.
He pulled his head back, staring into her impassive eyes, he placed his hand underneath her chin, slowly inching towards her lips, she stood immobile, caught in the passion and affection of the moment.
Slowly yet surely, their mouths were tender moments away from a union, his hands vaguely pushed her body closer, Mai closed her violet eyes and waited.
Joey's lashes whipped over his amber eyes as his mouth neared hers.
No power upon the world could stop what was about to happen, not even the Lord thyself.