Xiaolang's Ying Fa: Thank you all for so many awesome reviews! Now, listen closely, I have a special treat for anyone who reviews this chapter…Only if you state specifically that you want this will you receive. Now, I know its not finished, and I'm very sorry for that, but I will give anyone who reviews this chapter a special update to Masquerade. It goes from the spot its at now, half into the lemon. And anyone willing to help with it will be GREATLY appreciated, considering how stuck I am. But I swear to Ra, if this insert starts circling around the internet among people who didn't review, I will delete the whole story off I don't care about the reviews. Now there are some guidelines, if you only state "Good job, update soon, and I want the insert" then you will not receive anything. You have to give me a good analysis of what is written in this chapter here, I did spend a lot of time on it you know. So thank you and have a good day! .

OoO Last Time OoO

Jounouchi turned his eyes back to Kaiba's when she left, noticing immediately how his featured softened and he smiled, at him, he smiled! Instantly realizing that the immediate threat was over, Jounouchi smiled back.

"Who was she?" The smile left.

"…My wife."

In that moment, Jounouchi's heart shattered into a million, lifeless pieces.

OoO

"His wife! By all the gods in the world! Why did she have to be his wife! Why didn't you tell me this, Yuugi!"

Yuugi sighed and faced innocent amethyst eyes onto his best friend. He had known the moment Yami had said 'think of who he does like', who Jounouchi had ever so obviously liked. He sighed again.

"I'm sorry Jounouchi. They were married only a year ago, and Kaiba doesn't seem to like it anyway…"

There were nearly tears in Jounouchi's amber eyes, he was so frustrated. Once Kaiba had uttered those words, he hastily made an excuse to leave and bolted for the Kame Yuugi-ou, his mind a turmoil of regret.

"It doesn't matter! You still should've told me! I mean…gods, think of how stupid he must think I am now! Gods, the way I acted…" Jounouchi trailed off, holding his head in his hands.

"Well…er, is now a good time to tell you he's an art teacher at the University of Tokyo?"

"WHAT!"

X

Jounouchi Katsuya walked sullenly to school the following week. And as Kaiba had promised, he'd been living with him for that time too. Awkward meetings and just plain weird conversations. It had been hell. It was so…difficult to be around him now. He knew the brunet wouldn't wait for him to come back…but he had hoped…hoped…

Gods! This was stupid! If he didn't get a move on, he'd be late for his first class!

The blond ran into the school and into his seat right as the bell rang. Too close for comfort, he thought.

"Lets not make a habit out of that, okay, Jounouchi?"

Fuck. He had forgotten he had Kaiba's class first thing. He looked up at the brunet and smiled.

"I wont." He assured.

The class was hard, but not anything Jounouchi couldn't handle. Half the stuff they were learning he had already learned and mastered in Britain. But the grading was tougher, and the specifics Kaiba included were down right nearly impossible to have all correct. But somehow, he knew Kaiba was only doing it because he was there…and because he wanted to see how far he would make it before quitting. Kaiba was testing him. Testing him to see how good he was…and just how far he was willing to go. It was about time Kaiba realized Jounouchi would go the beyond limits. He would take all Kaiba threw at him and then some. Because he could. Because he knew he could handle it.

But something just wasn't right. Just wasn't normal about Kaiba. Jounouchi couldn't figure out for the life of him what it was. Something…something was weird. Something was odd. The blond duelist swore to find out what it was.

X

"When were they married?"

"How did they meet?"

"When did they meet?"

Jounouchi was convinced the 'something' had to do with Kaiba's "wife" so to speak. She was just…not like a normal wife would be, she didn't act at all like someone Kaiba would marry. Something didn't add up.

"I can give you all that information, Jounouchi, but please tell me, why do you want to know?"

"Something funny is going on around here, Yuugi, and I plan on finding out what it is. Are you in? It'll be like old times…"

Yuugi paused and sighed.

"Yeah, you know I'll always be there for you, so I'm in."

"Yes! So…first off, what's her name?"

"Her name is Sacho Kuchiko."

"Wait, you mean as in Sacho Inc.?"

"Exactly."

"That makes this interesting…So, how did they meet?"

X

Jounouchi walked along the empty street, it took them hours, but they'd hacked up all the information on Kaiba's marriage as possible. Yuugi's words still rung in his ears: 'Remember Jounouchi, not everything we see here is one hundred percent fact…it might be a cover up, the best bet you have is asking Kaiba himself.' So, here he was, on his way home, er, Kaiba's home, his mind running a mile a minute. They were married a year and a month ago, in November…they met supposedly on a cruse ship in America…Love at first sight, Kaiba had told the reporters. Jounouchi didn't believe a word of it. Love at first sight, his ass. No way Kaiba could fall in love at sight, Kaiba hated people like that, he hated the way people always cared about what they looked like, or how people are always singling people out because of their looks. No, Kaiba didn't fall in love on sight. Jounouchi knew that for fact. Already, the first lie. He just had to dig a bit deeper and then confront Kaiba on it. Then there was the issue of the weird look Kaiba gave her when he first got back…Husbands don't normally look that way at their wives…not with such hate and malice…

Come to think of it…Jounouchi hadn't seen her at all in the time he'd been spending at the mansion…Where was she? Was she even there? The mansion was huge, but the odds of not seeing her even once in the two weeks he'd been staying there were slim.

Hm, another clue. Okay, the facts, Kaiba and Sacho are married. They did not meet and fall in love at first sight. Sacho might not even live at the mansion with Kaiba.

Deciding the day had not been a total waste, he headed inside to meet the Kaibas for dinner.

X

"Nothing! Nada! Zip! Zilch! Absolutely nothing!" The blond yelled, sending his chair flying to smash into the corner.

"Calm down, Jounouchi! Calm down!"

"I can't calm down! I can't even focus on my work anymore, how can I calm down!" he yelled again, raking his hand through his hair. "Its just…" he started brokenly. "This has affected me more than I had wanted it to…Seeing him with her on the news…and not being able to find anything to explain everything! Are they even in love! We've established that they definitely did not fall in love at first sight…Are they even…in love? It hurts! It…hurts…"

Yuugi looked on with sympathetic eyes.

"Don't worry, Jounouchi, after all this, I believe you. I mean, I didn't think anything of it at first, but now…with all this data staring us in the face…I believe you are right, Jou. There is something fishy going on. And don't worry, we are going to find out what it is. Don't give up hope." Jounouchi looked up at Yuugi with teary amber eyes.

"Thanks Yuugi."

Yuugi winked and smiled. "Yosh! Ganbatte, yo!" (Good! Do your best!)

X

The next day was mid-terms, and Jounouchi knew he was in trouble. Kaiba's projects had become gradually harder as he progressed, he passed everything Kaiba threw at him, and Kaiba knew that…So he made it harder. Jounouchi sighed, why did Kaiba have to test him so? He knew he could do it, but he hated the terms. Every one of his teachers had told them at least the basic outline of their mid-terms, except Kaiba. He hadn't told them anything. And Jounouchi knew it was only because of him. Because he was one of Kaiba's students. So he would walk into the room in two hours and know nothing of what he was about to face. Kaiba somehow had the uncanny ability to dish out the one thing he wouldn't be expecting in a million years…so he figured if he just expected the worst…he would do fine.

Jounouchi sighed again. He was nervous. He decided today would be the day he would ask Kaiba how he met that Sacho girl. And what really went down that day over a year ago.

He entered Kaiba's Advanced Art and Realism class and sat down two hours later. He didn't feel so good, and the flu had been going around the college as of lately.

He held his head in his hands and held his breath, hoping it would help calm his churning stomach. His head felt warm on his palms…he hoped he wouldn't be sent home.

A sudden hand on his shoulder surprised him as he jumped a little and turned his head to the person beside him.

"You don't look so good, Katsu." The brunet haired CEO said quietly, his eyes light and caring. They both knew no one could find out they were acquainted, otherwise jealousy would spread along the class. Especially if they heard him call him 'Katsu', Jounouchi thought. He'd never even let someone other than his mother call him by his first name.

Jounouchi let his hands fall from his head and sighed.

"I was just waiting for class to start, sensei." He answered. "I—"

Kaiba gently set his wrist on Jounouchi's forehead, stopping his speech.

"You're burning up. I think—"

"I'm fine." Jounouchi snapped, moving his head back and out of Kaiba's reach. "I'm just…waiting for class to start." He said softly, regretting how he had just reacted to Kaiba's kind gesture. Kaiba sighed.

"Alright. But don't say I didn't warn you." He said, his eyes cold once again.

Jounouchi sighed, there went his chance to talk to the brunet later, he would ignore him all day now because of this.

A short while later, the students filed in and took their seats.

"Good morning class, I hope you're all ready for the surprise mid-term today." A collective murmur followed Kaiba's greeting. Kaiba chuckled and went on with his morning homework gathering.

Jounouchi was still stunned at the kind of person Kaiba had transformed into since he had left. He was so much more…tolerant. He smiled, albeit still a little fake like, and laughed, actually laughed! He seemed so much more…out of reach than when Jounouchi had left. The blond felt like Kaiba was light years away, and he himself hadn't changed a bit. It didn't seem fair. He felt cheated.

"And so, your mid-term will be…"

Jounouchi snapped himself out of his thoughts, he needed to pay attention to this, he needed all the information on the mid-term as he could get.

"You will draw anything you see in this room in perfect detail, and absolutely no flaws. You will be marked down on any flaws, no matter how small. It should have vivid color, realism, and shading. This will be thirty-five percent of your final grade. You may start…" Kaiba glanced at his watch. "Now."

Jounouchi hung his head in despair. He had two hours to draw something in this room…He looked around. A plant? Naw, he hated drawing foliage…Something out the window? Naw, he was too far from the window. As his eyes scanned the room for something salvageable, they caught on what seemed too good to be true.

No. He berated himself. No. He couldn't draw his teacher…

He sighed. Now that he saw him as a possible option, he had to draw him…it seemed almost too perfect…

He smiled lightly as a vision became clear in his mind.

Once he started he couldn't stop. It was like he was possessed. He found in that moment, and all the other times he caught himself doodling the CEO, that he loved drawing his eyes. Such eyes…With any expression they were magnificent. When he was near finished, he realized he'd drawn a collage. He had a perfect photographic memory. He drew him from during Duelist Kingdom, Battle City…and when he got back…the light in his eyes when he saw him again…and then, the look he had given his wife when she had interrupted their reunion. Gods, the malice in his eyes…the absolute anger…He shuddered upon remembering those eyes…those eyes he had captured perfectly. His smile became broader when he noticed he had drawn nearly every emotion he'd ever seen the brunet display. From anger, to the closest he'd ever seen Kaiba show to affection, then to the blank poker face he would put on all that time ago…Come to think of it, Jounouchi hadn't really seen that face at all in the time he'd been back. He wondered what made him change so drastically.

He sighed and took out his paints and watercolors. He wanted to make Kaiba's eyes the most beautiful thing in the room.

Some time later, after nearly everyone was well past finished and just waiting for the bell to ring and signal the end of the class, the sliding door opened to their classroom. It was odd, because nobody was allowed to interrupt a final, or in this case, a mid-term. Everyone in the class stopped their half-hushed conversations and turned to see just who happened upon their classroom so close to the bell-ringing.

Jounouchi's breath left him in a second. No…Not here…She couldn't be here…not now…

But it was. Sacho Kuchiko opened the door, striding into the class in all her self-presenting power and glory. She strode up to sensei's desk, lying her upper body across the side of it to meet his face.

Half the class being male, all leaned to the side in hopes of catching a glance up her skirt.

Pathetic, Jounouchi thought, just pathetic. What's she doing here anyway?

Jounouchi half expected Kaiba to treat her the same way he did the night he came back…perhaps that was what hurt the most.

He smiled at her, that fake 'I'm so gorgeous' smile and nearly had Jounouchi puking. It was the smile he used on everyone, except him. Nevertheless, he smiled at her…and they talked together, quietly for some time…until a light flickering sign of irritation crossed Kaiba's features before he cupped her cheek and tilted her head to the side…and kissed her. In front of the whole class.

Sacho made a light, moaning sigh as her husband kissed her. She knew everyone was watching her, and she bent her leg at the knee, a sign of cliché womanhood earlier in the century, but so much more to the men in the room. She almost smirked, she was such a flirt.

A loud cracking sound erupted throughout the classroom, causing the two spouses to break apart quickly to see what had happened.

Jounouchi Katsuya was sitting very still, his head slightly downcast and a broken ruler tightly clasped in his hand. His hair covered his eyes, a black shadow cast over the upper half of his face.

At that precise moment, the bell rang. Students filed out, gossip quickly filling the silent void as they left. Kaiba did not have another class after this one, so Jounouchi took his time, a shielded vacant look covering his face and filling his eyes. He packed his backpack and picked up his art supplies, walking across the room to put them away, all taking his good ol' time. He wanted a moment to speak with his sensei…without the wench.

"Hey…I don't think this is a very good time…I'll talk to you when I get home." He heard Kaiba say. Sacho huffed and sashayed out of the room, her head high and mighty.

Jounouchi continued to put his things away, indifferent, even as he saw Kaiba out of the corner of his eye approach him.

The CEO stood expectant in front of the blond for a few minutes before his patience wore frailer than thin. With his arms crossed and his eyes angry, he spoke, his voice full and non-negotiable.

"Jounouchi, is there something you'd like to talk about?" he asked, irritation evident in his booming voice. Jounouchi's eyes met his and he nearly lost his composure. Those eyes…those eyes were so hard…so, so breathtaking.

"Of course not, sensei."

"Don't sensei me, Katsuya." The brunet said, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Tell me what it is you're so spaz-ed out about."

"Nothing."

"I know its not nothing, Jounouchi, and if you don't tell me what it is—"

"Where's Mokuba? I haven't seen him for a while, has he been staying at the house?"

"What does Mokuba have to do with you being so freaked out?"

"Nothing!"

"Then what is it!"

"Why don't you ask your wife? She's been giving me rotten looks ever since I got here."

"What—"

"What do you think Mokuba thought about you getting married to that woman?"

The blue-eyed man was momentarily shocked into wide eyes, he said it so nonchalantly—Kaiba couldn't even hope to think he meant anything else by it, although the comment was highly out of place and character for the blond to voice so openly.

"I…I never really thought about it…But, Mokuba knows me a lot better than—"

"Me?" The blond's amber eyes met Kaiba's, smoldered fire and determination-it shook Kaiba's being to the core.

"You know I didn't mean it like that."

"Of course not." Jounouchi said, packing his things into his backpack, avoiding any unnecessary eye contact with the brunet. "Why didn't you talk to Mokuba about it? I mean, he is your brother after all, what, you just shut him out without so much as a minimal considerance to his feelings?" The blond jumped nearly three feet in the air as a loud cracking noise broke his train of thought. He looked up immediately, only to see Kaiba's eyes blazing down on him—so much so like before that it scared him—with his fist on a desk nearby; knuckles whitened and the desk bent beyond repair.

"This is not ABOUT Mokuba." He nearly roared, the pitch of his voice making Jounouchi flinch.

"Then what's this about, you tell me, you're the one who walked up to me."

"And you're the one who broke one of my rulers."

"You can buy a new one, moneybags."

They both froze. That had been the first time since he'd been back that they'd actually slipped into their old banter. It was so abrupt that they were both suddenly shocked silent. Jounouchi looked down at his desk and then back up at the window, again avoiding Kaiba's eyes by all means.

"Sorry." He said lightly.

"Oh please, don't be sorry on my behalf, Jounouchi—or should I just start calling you dog again? Or do you prefer mutt?"

Jounouchi growled, his upper lip curling above his teeth, showing off one perfect fang. It was that look that tore away the CEO's restraints.

"Of course not! I said I was sorry, but you just can't accept that, now can you! You never could accept something from someone so much lower than you, could you! Well, that's fine, because I take it back, you were a jerk then and you're a jerk now! Especially with how you disregard Mokuba's feelings on the whole matter!"

"THIS ISN'T ABOUT MOKUBA, DAMN IT!" Kaiba yelled, his voice carrying throughout the small room as he towered above the blond boy and pushed him backwards against the wall he was lucky enough to have at his back. The blond's eyes glinted as the fire came to life. There it was. The physical provocation. All that was needed was Jounouchi's rebuttal and they would have a full-fledged fist-on-fist fight on their hands.

Kaiba quickly closed in on him, closer and closer he got until their noses nearly brushed. They glared at each other, daring one of them to back down.

Kaiba growled lightly in his throat as a heat foreign to him began to swarm his head, it seemed to be getting hotter and hotter the more he stared at the blond. It was taking over his mind; he had to grind his teeth together to stop himself from doing something he knew he'd regret.

"Get out of my face, Kaiba." Jounouchi whispered, his hot breath fanning out around the brunet's lips and neck.

Kaiba slammed his eyebrows down in determination and clamped a hand around Jounouchi's shoulder. Jounouchi snarled, raising his arms to push at the brunet's chest…he swore he'd punch him if he didn't let go soon.

"You're hurting me you asshole!" he yelled in his face, pushing at the hand on his shoulder and at the cerulean-eyed man's strong chest. And he was, Jounouchi could swear the brunet had him in some kind of death lock…he was crushing his bone…

Jounouchi pushed once more and Kaiba's control relinquished. He ground his teeth together and gripped the blond's shoulder tighter, slamming him into the wall behind him, creating a booming crack within the plaster. Jounouchi winced and let out a small moan. Gods…that had hurt! Both the pain in his back and the feel of his bones separating was excruciating…he didn't know why the brunet was doing this…

He looked up after a few seconds, his eyes defeated and flecked with tiny droplets of tears he wouldn't let fall for the world. He was surprised to feel the CEO's hand loosen and rub at the assaulted area comfortingly, he could also feel Kaiba move closer…his body…was getting closer. Jounouchi glanced up farther, catching the brunet's eyes and holding the contact as he searched for any sign of what was going on.

Before long, the blond moaned again, this time, out of complete and utter bliss…Gods, whatever Kaiba was doing to his shoulder…it sure felt good. He broke the eye contact then and there, looking down and away, not wanting Kaiba to see whatever expression may be on his face right then. He felt embarrassed and hurt by Kaiba's actions. He had injured him for no apparent reason at all…but then…he was making him feel so good…He didn't know how the man could go from red-hot anger to almost a comforting and aloft coolness.

Kaiba couldn't help himself for whatever Gods there were in existence. Just like before…his conversations with Jounouchi…their fights and arguments…always left him in a state such as this. He continued to knead the blond's shoulder, pressing into the nerve cords and pressure points that caused the blond to turn pink and moan out his name. He truly hadn't meant to hurt him so in the first place…but much as those fights from before…Jounouchi just did things to him…things he couldn't explain…and when he went to close the space between them, Jounouchi pulled him closer.

With his arms still on the brunet's chest and forearms from when he'd been pushing him away, Jounouchi did pull him closer. He pulled him close enough to rest his head on his shoulder…close enough to feel each other's heart beat inside their chests…and close enough to make their breathing hitch and their palms sweat.

Jounouchi felt Kaiba's other hand slip onto his waist firmly and it made his heart jump, dear gods, the man could practically snap him in half if he wanted to! Jounouchi almost felt ashamed about his skinny body, but Kaiba left no place for that as he fingered the small of his back and continued assaulting his nerve endings.

Kaiba bowed his head, brushing his nose against the blond's cheek ever so softly, urging him to look back up at him. The blond obliged, and looked up, meeting his eyes and making the brunet's breathing stop all together. His Katsu-chan's cheeks were flushed…and his eyes were glazed with want…it was all Kaiba had ever asked for and more. He leaned in closer, his head nearly completely bowed down and Jounouchi's almost arched to the max. He tilted his head to the side…glancing down at those beautiful luscious lips he wanted nothing more than to kiss. He watched as he got closer and the blond's eyes slowly slid closed…so close he could almost taste him…Just a bit farther…and bliss would swallow him whole…

OoO

Ying Fa: Yes, I'm sorry, but it does end there. For now. I do realize that I am taking a lot of the plot line very fast, but I thought that if I lingered on it, it would seem out of place, and then, no one would read my story. So…the stuff that seems fast is just the kind of non-important stuff. Like the finding-out-about-Sacho and stuff…the info is important, but I didn't think I needed to stay on the subject any more than I did. So, please review! Thank you all!