M. Valentine
It was a cold, chilly, winters night. The snow was coming down in soft,
thick blankets. It wasn't a blizzard like the weatherman said it would
be but something more along the lines of a continuous drift.
You'd have to be either crazy or dead to be walking in that weather,
Mai sighs. How was she supposed to know this would happen? At first she
only thought of Joey, Tristan and their skizty friend Yumi or Yugi...
whatever. Joey was a jerk, yes. But he also had a sensitive side, even
if he'd be the last to admit it. Joey was always so proud of his baby
sister...
Only she wasn't a baby.
And then there was Téa.
Mai Valentine closed her eyes and sighed. "What's going on with me?"
She muttered into the empty room. She was so used to being alone and
preferred to be until recently. Now it seemed like she had people
around her all the time. She was beginning o feel crowded; even in her
own house.
"Mai?"
Mai groans. She takes out her deck and starts setting out. "Hurry in,
Bakura, you're letting the cold in."
"Oh, right." Bakura steps in and closes the door. He slides off his
boots and sheds his coat, gloves and scarf. "I knocked but I guess you
didn't hear me." He walks further into Mai's room and notes the tea
set. "You wouldn't mind if I had any, would you? It's pretty cold out."
"Help yourself." God she sounded bitchy, Mai winced but didn't bother
to apologize. Out of the corner of her eye she watches Bakura pour out
two cups.
"Would you like anything in it?"
"In tea?" Mai laughs. She shakes her head and snatches up the cup. "No
thanks. I like it like this." She lifts it to her lips and looks back
at her deck, spread across the table, considering. They were all women,
Mai knew. Strong and beautiful women. Amazons never depended on a man.
They were their own and worked together.
"So what are you doing with your deck?"
"Nothing really." Mai shrugs. She sets her teacup down to cool and
sighs. Bakura was another skitzy person. She often wondered if everyone
claims to be possessed by ancient spirits or something. "So did you
come just for the tea?"
"Actually no." Bakura pours himself another cup, needing something to
do with his hands.
"Then what is it, Bakura?" She was becoming impatient. Mai picks up her
harpy lady card and just looked. They made a male harpy, she thought
bitterly. She puts the card down and picks up another. "Surely your not
here just for the company." She casts Bakura an impish smile. He starts
choking on his tea, giving Mai another reason to roll her eyes.
"I just wanted to talk to someone and I didn't know who else to go to."
Bakura sets down his cup and looks away. A bright blush colours his
cheeks as he tugs at his suddenly tight collar. "Is it getting hot in
here?" He asks nervously.
"I'll open a window if you'd like but I'm pretty sure that others will
take that as an invitation." Mai forced herself to smile kindly at him
and reach over to pat his knee. "I'm touched that you'd come see be
Bakura. I'll listen and do anything..." Her smile wanes. "Almost
anything to help."
"Thank you." Bakura sighs and pats her hand. She lays her cards back
down and sits back. "Well... I kind of... I'm... that is..."
"Spit it out Bakura." Mai laughs. She scoots closer and loosens
Bakura's collar herself. It was an innocent move than seemed to calm
him down enough. "Let me play big sister, Baku. At least for now."
She's always been alone, Bakura remembered suddenly and felt his heart
warm to her. "Mai... I'm gay." He blurted out suddenly. He watches
Mai's face go blank and stands, deliberately moving out of her reach.
"I've been gay as long as I can remember and I really... that is..." he
trails off uncertainly and turns back around.
"Just say it, Baku." Mai laughs hesitantly and stands. She walks around
the table and takes Bakura's hands in her own. "I'm alright with that,
if you are."
"It's just..." He looks down at their joined hands a moment then up
into her blue eyes. Don't hate me, his eyes begged. "I like Joey."
"Really?" Mai blinks and keeps his hands firmly in hers. She leans a
little closer and looks him in the eye conspicuously. "Really?"
"Y-yeah." He clears his throat.
"Well..." Mai says thoughtfully. "I guess he is kind of cute in that
puppy costume." They both smile at that image. Mai starts laughing and
pulls Bakura in a headlock. "But I'd have thought Tristan was more to
your type."
"He's more for Malik's type." Bakura jokes. He playfully wraps his arms
around Mai's waist and in an easy move; he throws her over his
shoulder.
"Ryou!" Mai squeals. She buts him in the head and manages to get onto
her feet. Playfully, she pushes him onto the couch and sits on his lap.
"Joey Wheeler, huh?" Mai says slowly. She frowns at her cards on the
table thoughtfully. "If he breaks your heart..." She trails off
ominously.
"I haven't even told him yet." Bakura starts laughing. Comfortable, he
rests his head on top of hers. "I'm not even sure how he'll take it if
I tell him. He's always had a soft spot for you, Mai."
"He's a guy." Mai says simply. Together, they both eye her cards. What
are they truly capable of? Mai wondered. A soft, hesitant knock could
be heard on the door. "I'll get it." Mai murmurs. She gets up
reluctantly and crosses the room. She opens the door, reaches out and
jerks the visitor in and slams it shut before too much cold could get
in. "Oh." Mai blinks. Her gaze wanders over to Bakura. "Joey."
"Oh, uh..." Bakura stands up and hastily fixes his collar. "Joey.
Hello."
"Bakura." Joey frowns. If he heard correctly... Joey crosses the room
and pushes him onto the couch. He shoots Mai a look before she could do
anything. "I want you to leave us, Mai."
"Bakura?" Mai asks. At his calming smile, Mai relented. "You hurt him
Wheeler and I swear to god I'll break your neck." She threatens. In one
quick sweep, she scooped up her cards and was out of the room storming
through the yard. A sharp chill had Mai running to the next guesthouse,
cursing all the way; her earlier thoughts running through her mind;
you'd have to be either crazy or dead to be walking in that weather.
Swearing rather boldly, Mai knocked on the door. More like banged on
it. Another colourful phrase slipped through her lips as she reached
for the knob. She opened the door, jumped in and slammed it shut behind
her.
"Bloody weather." She curses loudly and kicks it with her bare foot.
She yelps again and starts hopping around on one foot. Her cards
scatter across the floor and she says something in another language.
With a delicate care, Mai lowered herself to the floor and began to
pick up her cards, one by one and inspecting each one thoroughly and
apologizing.
"It doesn't really look like you want help." Téa states smugly. She
walks over and kneels down, helping Mai with it anyway. Using the same
care as the blond, she stacks them neatly and stands. She hands them
over to Mai and smiles. "What were you doing outside dressed like
this?" She motions to the white bodice, purple skirt and bare legs.
"Forgot my keys in the house." Mai shrugs. She walks over to the table
without invitation and starts setting out her cards again. Damn...
sorry ‘bout that ladies. I was kind of in a hurry.
"Would you like some tea?" Téa asks. When she shook her head, Téa
grabbed the blanket she was using and draped it over Mai's shoulders.
Doing so, she got a look at the cards. "I've always admired your deck,
Mai." Téa informs companionably. "Serenity pretty much said the same."
"Serenity?" Mai repeats slowly. She sets out her cards, watching, for a
moment before she turned to face Téa. "That's what she said?"
"Serenity's a lovely young woman." Téa says slowly. "She's said a lot
of great things about you."
"Ditto." Mai sits back and picks up a cup. Not really caring, she
brings it to her lips. She feels Téa tense beside her and lifts a brow.
"Is something wrong?"
"I-if you want a drink..." Téa smiles warily, eyeing the cup with a
tautness that made Mai want to drag it out just that much longer. "I
could make you some tea, or get you a soda, a glass of water, or even-"
"Hn." Mai grinned and brought the cup back to her lips. She tilts her
head back and sips. She stops and blinks. "What exactly are you doing,
drinking champagne?" She looks over to see Téa blush. Mai raises an
eyebrow. "Is this like you doing that waitress shindig so you could be
a dancer?" Téa's blush only deepens. "I see." Mai clucked her tongue
and eyed the cup. She looks up at the younger brunette, a plea in her
eyes. "Pour me another?"
"Another." Mai nods and hurries to serve. She comes back only moments
later with another cup and the bottle. After a few moments, she had to
know. At least ask. "How'd you know I took a job? Or even that I
danced?"
Mai looks over at Téa, considering her in the very same way she did her
cards. Her ladies, Mai remembered and averted her eyes back to the
fire. "I was on my way to another tournament when I stopped for a
break." Mai didn't bother to mention that the sight of her in that
frilly pink dress with an apron made her want to laugh or go weak in
the knees. "Someone else served me at the time and was able to watch
you blow up on a few customers." A small smile teased Mai's lips as she
thought back about it.
She doesn't know that was Yugi and Joey? Téa thought, a small amount of
confusion setting in. She sips from her cup and motions Mai to
continue.
With a shake of her head, she does. "I don't remember what you said
exactly but I had this ridiculous image of you in a tutu prancing
around like Bambi in the fields." Funny she'd remembered that and not
what she said, Mai mused. She sips from her drink again and turns back
to Téa. "I got another job while I doing the tourney. A waitress." Mai
laughed. Téa found it oddly infective and found herself laughing too.
"A while after the tourney, I was still holding the job, doing odd
duels whenever I could, earning a couple bucks from the sidelines and
trying to dodge ho-uh... men." Mai decides. "So this one day I hear
we're having this dance class on stage. Seemed to me that only rich
people could do that. Some type of fund." She shrugs. "Anyway, I'm
serving drinks when this one guy starts yelling. I saw the bouncers and
all but I never liked his attitude so I took him out myself. Boss fired
me that night. Gave me a couple hundred but... I'm jumping ahead."
She remembered that, Téa realized. She remembered hearing some ruckus
from the crowd and she remembered the fear that there'll be some type
of fight. Susan told her later that a couple of men had a little too
much to drink and tried getting a little too close.
"While I was serving," Mai held up her cup, which should really be a
flute, she thought absently. But the china was nice. "It was champagne,
near the front and I saw this beau-uh... you poking out from behind the
curtain." Beautiful? Mai smiled and looked over at Téa. Well she'd be
lying if she said otherwise. Mai poured herself another cup and sipped.
"I watched you and the others dance." She sighed.
Téa was touched, to say the least, and a little disconcerted that Mai
had seen her dance. "What did you think?" Téa asked tentatively.
"I didn't." Mai replied honestly. "I couldn't. Seeing you all up
there..." Mai laughs softly and turns back to Téa. "It was amazing,
breathtaking and even had me week in the knees if I recall. The boss
told me that I was crying at-" Mai shifted and cleared her throat. She
looks back at her cup and takes a longer drink. "At one point." She
concluded. "But like I said, he fired me that night so I packed up and
left. Heard there was a new tourney happening on some island. Invite
only." Mai shrugged. "So I had to get invited. A while later I met you
and the others on Duelist Kingdom." And I still got weak in the knees;
Mai remembered with some regret that she had gotten all cocky and stiff
necked over it too. "I'm a vain person, Gardner. Selfish and vain."
"You sent roses after the performance." Téa remembered, still lost in
that day so long ago. It had been signed M. Valentine. One specific
rose was addressed to a ‘Miss Gardner, the one who could dance with
angles.' Téa's eyes became as uncertain as Mai's. "You're Mr.
Valentine." She blurted out. They both started laughing at that.
"Obviously, I'm no Mister." Mai laughed. She took another sip before
setting it on the table. "The white rose licked with red was meant for
you. Did you get it?"
"Yes." Téa blushed. All the dancers had fantasized about Mr. Valentine.
She wondered what they'd say if they found out he was a she. "I even
have it pressed back home." Téa admits sheepishly. Mai chuckles.
"That's really sweet." Mai says. She wondered if Téa still danced but
for some reason she was afraid to ask. She remembered how happy she
was... did she really just give it up to go cheer Yugi on in Duelist
Kingdom? And now this tourney Kaiba set up? Mai looks back at Téa and
just... looks. Would she really just give something up like that? I
guess I could understand her going to the facedown with Pegasus because
Yugi's grandpa was at risk. But what about now?
"What is it Mai?" Téa asks nervously. She straightens a bit and lowers
her cup. Mai unexpectedly reaches over and places her hand on Téa's
cheek, turning her a little so they're face to face.
"You enjoy dancing?" Mai stated seriously. How could she not? At Téa's
tentative nod, Mai cursed herself again and then cursed Téa. "Why'd you
stop?"
"Because..." Téa trails off uncertainly. She wondered if Mai would
understand her reasons. She wondered if she understood them herself.
"Because of Yugi and his grandpa. Then there was Joey and his baby
sister."
"She's not a baby anymore." Mai muttered, half to herself. With a shake
of her head, she turns her attention back to Téa. "The first time," Mai
held up a finger with her other hand. "The first time, I could
understand, Gardner. And the second, I could when and if you found out
one of your friends were trouble but what about before that? Before you
found out about Malik and his goons?"
"I..." Don't know, Téa admitted. True she missed dancing but... "You
come from a rich family, Valentine. Why would you be holding odd jobs
and hitch hiking to the next tourney?"
"I've no one to depend on but myself." Mai says coolly. She retracts
her hand and stands up. She walks over to the fireplace, keeping the
blanket Téa wrapped around her. "I've been alone, Gardner, most of my
life with no one but detached servants. Yes, my parents loved me
but..." But what? Mai thought. What could she say to make Téa
understand? Knowing Téa, she'd probably- Mai shakes her head and turns
back to watch the younger brunette.
"Your parents loved you." Téa says slowly. She looks back down at Mai's
deck spread across the cards. Independence, pride, unity, and strength.
That's what she thought when she looked at Mai's cards. She remembered
Mai saying something about how the Harpy ladies were her only friends
before she met them. She remembered what if felt like to dance. She
remembered the dreams she had as she held the rose. "I'll go back to
dancing." She decided suddenly. She looks up to see Mai's surprised
look and smiles hesitantly. "I guess I needed to know who M. Valentine
was and knew you'd be at the tourney." Téa stands up and walks over to
the fireplace, on the other side of Mai. "I guess I needed to find out
who you were before I could really do anything. I've tried dancing
after that but I just couldn't hack it." She couldn't get that rose out
of her mind. She remembered reading a poem about something like that.
How a red rose was passion, a white one for innocence...
"It doesn't have to be a dream." Mai whispers softly. She closes her
eyes and tries, desperately to clear her mind of the images. When she
opened them again, she found herself staring into Téa's baffled blue
eyes. "It doesn't have to be a dream, Téa." Mai repeats again. With one
hand resting on Téa's waist, she brings the other up to cup her cheek.
She strokes it gently. "You could dance and I'll watch you." Swallowing
the lump that has suddenly formed in her throat, Mai leans closer,
keeping her lips just a breath away from Téa's. Beneath her hands, she
could feel a suppressed shudder.
"As a friend, " Téa murmurs. "Or as a lover?" With eyes already half
closed, she watched the heat simmer in Mai's eyes.
"That's up to you Téa." She states. Mai regretfully straightened but
kept her hands where they were. Fighting back her nerves, Mai kept her
eyes on Téa's. "Be my girlfriend, Téa?" Her fingers tense nervously and
she tries to relax them. "You know me and my faults and I can assure
you there are more but I could..." Mai sighs. What she couldn't do was
think clearly. She was in a near panic and for quite a stupid reason.
One look at Téa changed her mind. She could never be a stupid reason.
Summoning the courage from the cards and herself, Mai pulls Téa close.
"Be my girlfriend, Téa, and I promise you I'll do anything and
everything to make you happy."
"What about your happiness?" Téa asked softly. She felt it- It?
Something. Something forming in the pit of her stomach, tickling the
back of her throat and it was beginning to make her light-headed and
dizzy, like the world was tilting.
"Other than a few cosmetics..." Mai jokes nervously. She hadn't meant
to draw it out like this. She had decided that if and when she told
Téa, it would be quick and simple. "You make me happy, Téa. And seeing
you happy only adds to it. Be my girlfriend and I'll do my best to keep
you happy."
"I'm already happy." Téa smiled. She cups Mai's face between her hands
and drags her down for a kiss. The first was all passion and heat. The
second was persuasive and soft. The third was desperate and restrained.
Mai pulls back and gasps for whatever air she could find. She found it
odd that she needed Téa's taste more than air. That was her warning to
back away. "Wow." Mai laughs breathlessly. She runs a hand over her
face and through her hair. My ladies, Mai thought foolishly, watching
Téa trying to regain her composure.
"Wow." She agrees. Téa steps back into Mai's arms but this time, only
holds her. She rests her head on Mai's chest and listens to the rapid
heartbeat. I did that, Téa thought giddily. I made her heart beat
faster.
Her pulse jumped, along with her heart when Téa did that. Mai
tentatively wraps her arms around her girlfriend and smiles. "You know,
I'd like a rematch." Téa pulls back a little to look up in Mai's face.
"I went easy on you back at the Duelist Kingdom."
"Really." Téa grins. She brushes her lips over Mai's collarbone. "Will
you go easy on me now?" All she could do was laugh when Mai took her in
her arms, again, with the knowledge and mutual feelings of love,
blossoming from the bud of friendship.
Just to let you know, it didn't work out between Joey and Bakura.
Just for the hell of it, lessay Baku fell for Yami-
Stop. We've no time to be confused and this is Shoujo ai not Shounen,
Shoujo. I'm telling readers that we did this during class time so it
may seem a little rushed.
You like? Good. You don't? You can-
Read our next story. Don't know what it is or what it will be about but
it will be there. Here. Whatever.
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