A/N: Gosh, I know it took an age but the final kiss is finally here! The first kiss was published in 2006 when I was in my second year of high school, now I'm in my second year of university. I sort of cringe when I look back at earlier chapters but I hope they act as a record of improvement in my writing and life experiences. Though my love for Yu-Gi-Oh has certainly died, I will never stop loving Joey & Mai – such an amazing couple!

Huge thanks goes to everyone who was ever read this fic, favourited and reviewed and an especially huge thanks to those who offered their advice, constructive criticism and those who stuck with this story for such a long time.

So, without further ado, I give you the final kiss – fluff ahead!

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Thirty Kisses

Kiss #30 (!)

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Two figures stood in the hallway of a modestly sized bedroom. The room, though still furnished, held a distinct look of abandonment. Poster or picture shaped marks, where the paint was slightly lighter and less weathered, were visible on the walls.

"Wow," Joey sighed. "Seems like just yesterday she was off to kindergarten and now... Wow. Funny how quickly time flies huh?"

Mai smirked and raised her fist, punching Joey harshly on the arm.

"HEY! What was that for?"

"You told me to punch you if you ever said that because it means that you're getting old!" Mai laughed at the wounded expression on Joey's face.

"Oh God, I am old! Wow. Wow." He said again, "I'm old."

"Correction," Mai said as she leaned into him, placing her arm around his waist, "We are old."

"Yeah," Joey smiled, slinging his arm over her shoulder and grinned down at her, "You're older though."

"Watch it you," she growled, pinching him slightly. "Seriously, though, we're not that old, we're just – we grew up! We – You – I - have done it all." She looks up at him with glistening eyes, "I feel like I have done everything and have gotten everything I want out of this part of my life. I feel like – like I'm ready."

A look of comprehension dawned on Joey's features and he gestured wildly before pointing at Mai. "Wait there!" He yelled before pelting out of the room down the hallway, the opening and closing of drawers heard soon after. The thump of footsteps was heard once again and Joey reappeared, panting heavily and grasping a ring firmly in his hand.

"You're really ready? You really wanna get married?"

Mai smiled and nodded. "I do want to get married. I do!" She laughed as she held out her hand and Joey slipped the ring on her finger and pulled her into his arms. "I do."

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"… And now the bride and groom will exchange their own vows."

"Mai, when I first met you I thought to myself, 'God she's hot, shame about the personality.'"

The audience laughed and Mai rolled her eyes. "But man, have things changed since then. I soon realised there was so much more to you than that. You're funny, smart and you, despite what many people would believe, are the most loving person you could ever meet. Also, you're still smoking hot. And then I look at myself, I was just a kid when I met you; a sloppy, knucklehead of a kid with a mouth too big for his own good. I used to wonder every day why I was lucky enough to be with you. But then I realised that you made me the man I need to be because you deserve the best… and when I'm with you, I want to be the best. People have been saying to me that this will be the happiest day of my life but the thing is - and I know it's cheesy - every day with you is the happiest of my life because you're my best friend, because you're my soul mate, because you're beautiful inside and out, because you make me be the best, because I love you and because you're not just the love of my life, but you are my life and although everyone has called us an old married couple for years, I can't wait to officially be able to call you my wife."

Téa noisily blew her nose and Joey and Mai grinned at each other.

"Wow." Mai said, her eyes glistening with tears. "I knew I should have gone first, how am I meant to follow that?"

More laughs sounded as Mai took a few breaths to compose herself.

"Nobody thought I would be the type to get married, hell, I myself didn't think I would be that type. I thought that your life ended up after you got married and so I put on this front that I wanted to 'live' and 'do everything' as an excuse. And I did live – I have a beautiful daughter to show as evidence of that. But, that wasn't the whole reason. I always thought that love never lasts. I've seen it so often. Everyone in my life has used me and then left me and I was just so afraid the same thing would happen again, that you and what we had were too good to be true. You are so much more than I deserve and I just kept thinking that one day you would realise it, so I always made myself be prepared to live without you. But, one day I realised that I can't imagine my life without you; when I look at my future, all I see is you and you are all I want to see. I'm sorry it took me so long to figure that out. I love you. And though I'm kind of sad because one part of our life is ending and I'm going to be an old married woman, I'm excited because it's the beginning of something new. I used to be scared of the unknown but with you by my side, I'm not scared, because wherever you are, that's where I want to be. It's all I've ever wanted and it's all I'll ever need."

A few formalities were passed by the minister but Joey and Mai were too lost in each other to notice. A loud cough and laughter interrupted their moment with the minister saying loudly, "I said, you may now kiss your bride."

Both bride and groom stepped forward and they kissed.

They kissed with years of friendship, arguments and laughter; years of life, family and comfort. Most of all, they kissed with years of love.

They broke apart to cheers and applause as they linked arms and took their first steps as husband and wife. They smiled, as though they knew one part of their life had ended, another was just beginning and while neither knew what this new beginning would bring, they had each other and that was all they would ever need.