Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh.

The Lie That I Lived

Mai Valentine- 26

Seto Kaiba- 25

Joey Wheeler- 24

Yami Mouto- 24

Tea Mouto- 24

Serenity Wheeler- 22

Mokuba Kaiba- 20

Whoa…honestly, that has to have been the longest gap between updating. I'm REALLY sorry, but I have no idea what happened to me. I'll try to be more consistent. I've gotten a few reviews with questions and confusion about the couple, honestly, as the controller of my characters I'm not even sure who'll end up with who, I'm writing as the ideas come. That reminds me, I'm at a total loss for the next chapter, if you'd like to see this story updated (soon) then I would extremely appreciate ideas, please and thanks!

Chapter 7

-II-

A normal day at the Wheeler residence…

'Sunshine lollipops and rainbows everywhere! Wonderful is what I feel when we're together…! La, la, la…'

"Ren!"

"Yes big brother!"

"Is breakfast ready yet?"

With a small laugh she replied, "yes!"

"Where…?"

Mai rubbed her eyes, the brilliant shine of the sun completely illuminated the room, leaving nothing untouched.

Regaining some sight she confusedly looked around the room, the room in which she was used to was of lavender at the Kaiba Mansion and the bed felt unfamiliar, it was not the one of silk. The room, it was a pale green, with large windows all over the entire room, a small dresser in the corner and few vases of flowers in places.

Where was she?

Then it came to her, the date with Joey, the restaurant, the harbour… The words of which he spoke sent frosty shivers up her spine once more; one fact that she was completely sure about was that she had not responded, but then there was the kiss, had they actually kissed? Beyond him drawing her nearer to his body she remembered nothing.

Looking down, underneath the covers she saw the outfit she had worn to their date, ruffled and creased everywhere she looked across the room to check her appearance. Her hair was a mess, strands of it everywhere, her make-up was smudged slightly, she looked terrible.

'I'd better clean myself up before—'

"Rise n' shine!"

"What!"

"Hey Mai, lookin' good," he smiled, setting a tray of breakfast down in front of her.

The food smelled delicious, bacon and eggs with a side of buttered toast invited Mai, she was terribly hungry, now that she was eating for two…

"Um, Joseph," she began hesitantly, watching him pick up a piece of bacon and devour it in 5 seconds flat. "What happened last night?"

"Hm…? What do you mean?" He asked, Joey gazed into her eyes, staring at a void of anxiety. "Oh! Well you see…" Joey began timidly, as he scratched the back of his neck. "It was strange…"

Inside Mai's purse a faint ringing sound rang over and over again, Mai was apprehensive about picking it upbecause she naturally knew who it was. Her hand travelled slowly to it and she clicked it. "H-hello?" She asked, waiting for the forthcoming blast.

"Where. The. Hell. Are. You?" Kaiba asked irritably.

Mai put her hand over the phone. "Um, Joey if you don't mind, it's sort of a personal call," she explained.

"Oh yeah, sure Mai, no problem," Joey said as he ran out of the room.

"Where are you?" Kaiba yelled.

"At my friend's place," Mai answered.

"Why didn't you call?"

"Well is was raining and we were walking…"

"You should've called, I would've sent the driver out there. Do you know how much Mokuba's been pestering me? I haven't had a bit of sleep all night!" Kaiba shouted, running his fingers through his messy chestnut brown hair.

"You were worried?" Mai said a in a small voice.

"No!" Kaiba replied all too fast.

"I'll be coming soon," she replied quickly as she put the phone away.

"Joey!" She called him back in.

He walked back in with a goofy grin on his face, he ran his fingers through his messy blonde locks as he took a sit on the opposite end of the bed.

"Joey, what happened last night?" Mai repeated her question.

"I'm not sure Mai, I was about to kiss ya and then ya fainted, I had no idea what to do so I brought ya back here. Hope ya didn't think anything else," he added, knowing well what she was thinking with that expression upon her face. "I would never do anything to hurt ya Mai, ya know that," Joey said, leaning closer to her, letting his hand slide down her creamy frame complexion. His hand moved a few strands of her chaotic blonde hair as he settled it behind her neck. His fingers tickled her gently as he pushed her forward, even so early in the morning he smelled faintly of cologne, not too strong but enough to make Mai light-headed with coyness.

"J-Joey…I…"

"Mai!"

Both blondes looked away startled, as Serenity came running in. Her auburn hair still waist-length and her eyes still holding the purity and innocence they always had. She leaped onto the bed and whipped her arms around Mai, unbeknownst to her that the violet-eyed lady had flinched within the tight hug.

"Hey Serenity," she replied timidly, while she returned the embrace.

Abruptly, she let go, a frown upon her face and her hands against her hips. "You have a lot of nerve just leaving us like that," she chastised.

Mai bowed her head down in mock shame. "I'm sorry," she replied in a sweet tone, smirking slightly.

"That's ok!" Serenity jumped again and embraced the blonde again.

Sheets and pillows landed ever which way around the room as Joey sat in amusement watching the young girls fight, that was until Serenity pulled him into the action. The auburn woman, being the clever person she had grown up to be snuck out without anyone noticing. But the two noticed, yes of course when Mai lay over Joey's chest, grabbing onto his shirt and Joey holding Mai's waist. Both panting, staring straight into each other's eyes. Slowly, he brought his head forward and pecked her lightly upon her sweet cherry lips.

Joey pulled away and let his head swing over the side of the bed. "Wow…"

Mai kept her eyes closed, she couldn't let him see her cry. Pushing herself up she quickly looked away and wiped away her tears. "Um…Joey, last night, what you said, I…" Mai started tensely trying not to choke over her words.

Joey moved up and put his head between her head and her shoulders, softly he placed his hands around her waist and pulled her into the warmth of his chest. "Sshh," he hushed, running the side of his face up hers.

"Something's are better left unsaid."

-II-

"You say you have pity upon my life?" Mai asked, smirking resentfully.

"Friends never feel pity, only empathy," Yami replied.

"As you live a happy life with a wife," she began heatedly, "I live in the bowels of hell. Now please explain how you could ever comprehend what I have been through?"

Yami looked away from her, her prying eyes asking for an answer, of course he had one, but it was much to painful to recall. Even the moment of reminisce brought a shiver down his spine, his hand shook uncontrollably as his face become particularly dark.

Behind them a young man had approached, clearing his throat slightly he pointed to the business hours, they both nodded and walked out silently.

Walking through the chilly air of New York City was tolerable but the hatred passing between them was excruciating. Mai wanted to laugh out loud manically, someone like him, understand someone like her? Ha, not likely. After everything she had gone through she didn't need someone now, maybe, if this had been a few years ago her pathetic past self would've accepted the hand of friendship he held out, but now? Never.

"All of us had known that Yugi and I shared a vessel, my existence is owed to him."

She shook herself out of thought and gazed over at him puzzled at what he was going on about.

"We all also knew that he had taken a liking to Tea."

Mai nodded, smiling the first authentic smile of the evening, as she recalled those two.

"Tea had no feelings for Yugi beyond friendship, she had taken a liking to me instead. Young Yugi had never minded that, he was a strong man, even with his heart broken he forgave me."

She began to understand where he was going with this.

"A broken heart is one thing, but betrayal is another," he finally glanced up at her, teary-eyed.

-II-

After repeatedly convincing Joey that she could get herself home without his assistance, she stood on the front porch of the Wheeler residence, waving her farewells, promising she would visit again.

But really, what was a promise? A pledge, to give your word, someone's word is not always dependable. Unless you are sincere; to give your word is to give your honour, but Mai had no honour, so basically her word meant nothing. But you had to fill someone's head with something.

She didn't know if she'd actually come back, too many memories had flooded her mind. Joey was the closest person to her during BattleCity, he cared about her more than anyone ever had; but meeting him now, like this? What would she tell him in a few months when she began to show? He'd leave her like everyone else had, and why wouldn't he? In her eyes and everyone else's she was a whore, disgusting, despicable…she was terrible.

She stopped in front of the convenient store which she had told Kaiba to pick her up from. What would she say if Kaiba began to ask questions? It was just an old college girlfriend that she met at the mall, she had wanted them to meet for quite a while but Mai never had the time, but now since she was taking time off work they went out. It was getting late so her friend asked her to stay the night so nothing happened to Mai when she tried to get home.

Strange really. How easily lies came to one that had been lied to many times.

She saw Kaiba's sleek black Ferrari turn the corner and immediately screeched to a halt in front of her. She quickly got in and didn't look at Kaiba, trying to avoid his penetrating stare. Slamming her door shut she hurriedly put on her seat belt, her back scrunched over as she wrapped herself with her hands, waiting for him to go.

"Here," he said, sticking a white foam cup in her face.

She took it from him gratefully, staring at the black liquid, coffee, just what she needed.

As they sped off Joey hit the brick wall. 'Damn! I missed her once, and now I've done it again.'

All he did was care.

"I should've known."

-II-

"Hey Seto, what's this?" Mokuba came in holding a fancy tissue paper invitation.

Kaiba lazily looked over his newspaper and mumbled something about a stupid party with horny businessmen.

"Why don't you take Mai?" Mokuba asked excitedly.

There wasn't a reaction. Or maybe there was but Mokuba couldn't see it over the newspaper. There was a definite spark between those two all they needed was a push in the right direction, okay, maybe a kick, or some kind of vehicle but the point was, Mai was the only female influence in Kaiba's life that survived with him for more than a week. Now that my friend deserves to go into the Guinness Book of World Records.

Kaiba put the newspaper down and took off his rimless glasses, he looked at Mokuba sternly. "I have work to do." Which actually translated from Kaiba politeness meant 'get the hell out.'

Mokuba grinned. "Think about it," he said as he jumped out of this office.

Kaiba looked at the door which Mokuba had just exited from; him and Mai. The thought was absurd, but the concept, well….NO! He COULD NOT date Mai. No, no…maybe…NO! She was absolutely off limits.

Why?

He himself, Seto Kaiba, sure of everything didn't even know why. Mai was…impenetrable, all she wanted, or appeared to want was loneliness. Like him, she was distant from everyone, though hers came with time and his came instantly. He always knew she was different from the dork squad, even then she seemed reserved, and now he knew why. For the first time in his life he understood, he had found someone who understood; though it wasn't a normal emotion for Kaiba but he felt compassion around her, she was something else, something completely different, she always had been. But he always thought she'd end up with that deadbeat Wheeler.

But he couldn't ask her to open up to him, he had never opened up and he never will. Things like that are meant to be never spoken of, they happen and anyone who ever saw it never speaks of it. Scars are meant to stay, and though people may ask how you got it you shrug it off with a small lie, 'I fell down the stairs, or 'a dog bit me.' How could you, how could you tell someone that your father had beat you raped you? If they were regular people they would just gossip, but if they were friends they would feel it was their duty to sympathize for you, like someone really needs more security from the world. We all can walk and talk, someone people choose to do it with assistance and others do it alone, why need people at all? As long at you have yourself and your esteem there really isn't any need for others. Friends, totally useless. Where are they going to get you, instead they'll just hold you back. Family, needed occasionally, but really in the same category as the friend thing. Love, ha. Completely over-rated; it just causes more problems. Lethim fall in love with hisloneliness and then we have the perfect match. All you need is seclusion.

Kaiba ran his fingers through his hair and yawn. Looking down at his mahogany bureau he gazed over at his phone. Maybe…

Picking it up slowly he dialled a number.

"Roland, there's something I need you to do…"

-II-

"It was stupid of me really to think that friendship lasts forever. I guess Tea's speeches had that kind of effect on me," Yami chuckled as they walked through the moonlit city. "I lived because Yugi lived. I depended on him and he depended on me; he was my brother. I'm such an idiot."

He quickly looked away, not wanting Mai to see his tears. But she was unable to do anything. What could she do? There was nothing consoling she could say, there wasn't an ounce of congeniality left in her, after everything how could there be. She was a stone, hard inside and out.

"What did you do?" She mumbled quietly, looking up at the dark night sky which had been adorned with tiny sparkles.

"I broke a promise…"