by WSJ

WSJ: *hops up and down happily* I jus' found a new couple to support!!!

Ryou & Yugi: *look at each other worridly*

WSJ: I have this thing for weird couples. *sweatdrops* First it was Legolas and Hikari, from Lord of the Rings and Digimon respectively, and then it was Treize Kushrenada and Cathrin Bloom, both from Gundam W.

Ryou: *nervously* Er... And now?

WSJ: *giggles* Mai Valentine and Seto Kaiba!

Ryou & Yugi: *facefault*

Yugi: Um, have you asked them about this?

WSJ: Pheh, when do I ever ask you guys if you want to do something?

Yugi: Good point... *glances down at Ryou, who's on the floor, twitching violently* Um...

WSJ: *yells at the top of her lungs, causing Yugi to wince* MALIK!!!!!

Malik: *scampers up and saluts* Yes ma'am?

WSJ: *gestures at Ryou* Take him to my room, 'kay?

Malik: *gives her a strange look, but does as she says*

WSJ: *sweetly* Yugi-kun, will you read the disclaimer?

Yugi: Er... I don't really have a choice, do I... *sigh* WSJ doesn't own YGO, because if she did then Malik and Ryou would probably both have girlfriends that would look frighteningly like her. She doesn't own the song either, on account of it belongs to Faith Hill.

WSJ: *pats him on the head* Thank you. On to the fic! This takes place during the "Champion Vs Creator" and "Duel Identities" epis.

'....' is thoughts

()()()()()

Mai watched as Seto played another card, almost unconciously chewing on her lower lip. She didn't know whether to cheer for him or Pegasus! On the one hand, Pegasus was an evil madman who needed to be stopped, but on the other, Seto Kaiba had broken her heart.

Or rather, she'd tried to break his heart, and had ended up breaking her own when she tried to get through his walls of stone.

Mai chuckled, her fingernails digging into the railing around the balcony. She was a poet! And she didn't even know it.

Ever since that night about a month ago, when she and Kaiba had broken up, (creating a possitivly huge public scandel) she'd been waiting for him to come running back to her. But he hadn't. As far as she could see he didn't even care that their six-year sweetheart romance, the relationship she'd held dearest to her heart, was shattered.

And that was what angered her the most. His unfeelingness. That's what had driven her to breaking up with him in the first place! He just didn't seem to care about anything!

If I had just one tear running down your cheek,

Maybe I could cope, maybe I'd get some sleep.

Seto Kaiba and Mai Valintine met for the first time at a posh, high-class ball when they were both ten. Seto had been dragged along by his adopted father as 'heir to Kaiba Corp' and Mai was being shown off by her millionaire parents as if she was some china trinket to be pawned or traded.

The two children had conspired to sneak away, and sneak away they did. They spent the evening in the garden maze of the palace where the ball was being held, playing hide-and-seek and evading the nannies sent to look for them, laughing the whole time.

When Kaiba the Elder and Mai's parents had finally found them, hours later, curled up together and sound asleep in a forgotten corner of the garden, they'd contrived to engage them.

And so they had.

At first, Seto and Mai were just friends, but by the time they were thirteen there was definately something more. The word 'sweethearts' described them perfectly.

But they weren't the sort of sweethearts who were all lovey-dovey and kiss-kiss. They fought constantly, and once, Mokuba had run into his father's study crying, saying that Mai and Seto were beating each other up. Kaiba Senior had ran into Seto's room to see Mai with a swollen right eye, holding Seto (who had a split lip and a bruised cheek) in a headlock.

Mai sighed and shook herself out of the past, turning her back slightly on the others lest they see the silent tear that slid down her face. 'Seto, I thought you really cared...'

If I had just one moment at your expense,

Maybe all my misery would be well spent.

Yeah!

What had gone wrong? Mai paused to muse on that question. What had gone wrong?

It had started when Kaiba Sr died and Seto took over Kaiba Corp at the age of fifteen. He'd gotten so very wrapped up in his work, he had very little time for anything else, even Mokuba and Mai, the two he held dearest. Or so Mai had thought.

Occationally Seto would be seen escorting her to a ball or fancy gala, mostly just for appearances sake. They were the most famous couple in the world, if news reports could be believed.

In reality, the two had been growing farther and farther apart.

Finally, at a party last month, Mai had had enough. She was going to face Seto. And so she did. She led him out onto a balcony where they could have some reletive privacy, and she'd asked him if he still trully loved her, like he'd told her in their secret garden all those years ago.

His face devoid of any emotion whatsoever, Seto had said no.

Mai was furious, and hurt deeply, and poured her champein over his head before turning and storming back into the ballroom. The partying abruptly stopped as she raged through, her face almost the same shade of red as her satin dress. And then in came Kaiba, wine staining the front of his suit.

'Mai! Wait!' he'd called.

For a moment, Mai had almost considered running back into his arms. Somewhere in there, when he'd said her name, she'd thought she'd heard, or felt, a trace of emotion. Maybe... love?

But she redoubled her resolve and squared her shoulders. Very slowly she turned to face Kaiba, and then spat at his feet. He'd jumped back, surprise and horror flickering across his face for a second before they were covered by his oh-so-flawless mask.

He'd then declared, in front of the entire room of extremely distinguished guests, that they were through, and the engagement was off. She'd glared at him, and tugged off the ring she'd worn since their parents had announced the pact. She'd thrown it at his feet, and then turned and ran from the room before anyone could see the tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

Scandel indeed.

Could you cry a little,

An' lie just a little?

Pretend that you're feeling,

A little more pain?

I gave, now I'm wanting,

Something in return!

So cry just a little, for me.

Mai snapped back to her senses as she heard Yugi's gasp from her side. Turning quickly, she caught the last attack, and to her horror saw Seto's lifepoints desending to zero.

She knew what came next. She hated to watch it, but knew she had to. Pegasus's Millinium Eye flashed breifly from under his veil of hair and to her own surprise, Mai found herself screaming as her eyes made contact with the now-soulless Seto's.

"NOOOO!!!!!!!"

If your love could be caged,

Honey, I would hold the key.

And conceal it underneath,

The pile of lies you handed me.

That night, laying in bed in Pegasus's castle (she was one of the finalists, after all) tears slid relentlessly down her cheek and refused to stop, or even slow. Finally she gave up and pulled on a bathrobe, going to sit on the wide stone windowsill.

The stone was cold and grey under her hands, and as she pulled her bare legs up and tucked them under her nightgown Mai felt a gentle shiver pass through her. So cold and hard... Much like Seto himself actually.

She leaned her head back against the window and closed her eyes against the tears, her fingers firmly grasping the edge of the sill as if that simple contact would keep her from drowning in the sea of emotions she now felt.

Sure, Seto Kaiba was cold, ruthless and at times seemed trully heartless, but she just couldn't forget the innocent young boy she'd known from long ago.

The one that had complained because she looked 'too pretty' in the frilly pink and white dress she'd worn when they first met.

The one who had gotten her in trouble at her own fourteenth birthday party because he smashed a peice of cake in her face, forcing her, of course, to throw some back, only she managed to hit a visiting dignitary instead.

The one who had laughed in her face when she'd said she wanted to learn to play Duel Monsters, then hugged her and told her not to because she'd probably end up being better then him.

Another tear slid out of Mai's eye and she growled in frustration. 'Dang it all Seto Kaiba! /You/ are the /only/ one who would ever get me to feel like this!'

And you'd hunt and those lies,

They'd be all you'd ever find.

And that'd be all you'd have to know,

For me to be fine.

Yeah.

At first, after Seto had broken her heart, she'd cursed him a thousand times over and wished him many a slow and painful death. She'd wanted him to cry and scream and wail and suffer, just like she had.

But now...

Mai cursed under her breath and abruptly jerked off the window sill, stomping over to the bed and throwing herself down onto it. She didn't need this, not now! Not when she had her duel with Yugi tomorrow.

Her lips curved upward. Ah yes. Yugi Moto. The only duelist ever to beat Seto Kaiba. Except for her.

Immediately her face darkened and she rolled over to face the wall. She didn't want to remember Seto! Especially not the happier times. Especially not that one duel, the one Seto jokingly said he'd have to kill her if she told anyone about.

Because Kaiba had been beaten fair and square. By a girl. His fiancee. Who used Harpie Ladies. Oh the humiliation had been sweet! But that had been years ago, and had only been for fun. Yet still, neither of them had mentioned it since that day.

And you'd cry a little,

An' die just a little,

And baby, I would feel,

Just a little less pain.

I gave, now I'm wanting,

Something in return,

So cry just a little, for me.

The next morning Mai arrived at the dueling arena with tired bags under her eyes that couldn't quite be hidden by the makeup she now wore. Yugi noticed, and frowned, but didn't comment on it, for which Mai was extremely thankful.

As Pegasus announced the duel begun, Mai reached for her deck to draw her hand. Her eye caught something shiny, wedged into the dueling consol next to the lifepoints counter.

Curious, she gestured for Yugi to wait a minute and carefully pried it out, breaking three nails and muttering several curses in the process. As soon as she saw what it was, her fingernails were forgotten.

"Oh..." she breathed.

Seto must have figured that she'd be dueling in this station, and when he knew he'd lose to Pegasus he'd wedged it there for her.

Mai slowly turned it over in her hands, Yugi, Pegasus, the duel, everything else forgotten. A tear glimmered in Mai's eye and she quickly flicked it away. She'd done enough crying already. But what was Seto trying to tell her?

Did he mean...

Give it up baby, I hear you're doin' fine.

Nothin's gonna save me,

An' I see it in your eyes.

Some kind of heartache, honey;

Give it a try.

I don't want pity, I just want what is mine.

Yeah.

Very slowly, almost reverantly, Mai slid the ring onto her finger, the same one she'd yanked off and thrown at his feet a month before. "Oh Seto... I love you too..."

Yet in a flash the old Mai was back, her spirit burning in white-hot fury. She cast her glare at Pegasus, who actually seemed to flinch back for a split second, and then turned back to Yami Yugi.

Could you cry a little,

And love die just a little?

Pretend that you're feelin',

A little more pain.

I gave, now I'm wanting,

Something in return,

So cry just a little for me...

"Let's duel."

()()()()()

*grin* Do you like it? Huh, do ya'?!? Reviews welcome!!! Oh, and in responce to my aibou's question, no, I don't know exactly how Seto knew it would be Mai on that side of the arena, and not Yugi. Um... *sweatdrop* Lovers intuition?

God bless minna-san!