He dreamed then. In his slumber, he encountered the very shadow of the man who tormented him.

"Brother?" Nervousness unsettled his tone.

"Shhh…"

Before he realized it, Syrus was rapidly becoming unclothed. Panicking, he reached for something solid which only turned out to be his own attacker's shoulders.

"Zane?"

"Shhh."

Syrus breath exuded in ragged pants as his body was manipulated in an unnatural way. Too shocked to believe his eyes when the creaminess of Zane's navel was revealed; Syrus squeezed his eyes shut. He didn't want to see what was precisely located beneath it. If only he could will himself from feeling those caresses as well…

"Zane…no. This isn't right…"

With this quavering statement, Zane merely turned Syrus' lips to meet Zane's own.

"But it feels so right, little brother."

Syrus was resisting with every fiber of his being yet not where it counted His limbs remained slack as he was pressed deeper and deeper into the mattress. It was as if he was frozen inside his own body. On the surface, it seemed like submission. Inside, it was anything but.

"Stop!"

"Shhh!" This time, his older brother's hand clamped over his mouth. "It'll feel good, Syrus. Besides, your first experience should be with me."

"But, I'm not ready!"

SLAP.

However, the sting on his cheek was nothing compared to what followed as his very insides seared with fire…

Syrus woke up to boundless shame and hurt beyond belief. He had dreamed about the night that Zane took what he had claimed at the time was rightfully his. It had been such a shock—a jolt out of the blue. Yet, at the same time, it had been a well-executed plan as well.

Under the pretense of showing Syrus a new video game, it hadn't taken long for the controller to be tossed aside on the carpeting and for the ordeal to begin. Afterwards, Syrus kept as far away from Zane's bedroom as possible. However, that didn't stop him from going to Syrus' own…

Then, why hadn't I told my parents?

Oh, right. The shame. Tattling on his beloved brother would have been a sin in itself. Zane had always been the one who brought pride to the family. Syrus had been…just there. A nice boy, but of no real importance.

Now, as the sun was just creeping up the wall, the very fact that it was morning and time to start another day mocked him.

Dragging himself up from the bed, Syrus tiptoed past the still sleeping Jaden as he made his way towards the bathroom. As he walked, he considered skipping school for the day.

Then, Crowler will have it in for me too. I'm tired of attracting unwanted attention.

Already resigning himself to it, Syrus picked up his toothbrush and slathered it with toothpaste. It was time to get ready. In the mirror, he studied his haunted reflection.

I look like hell.

Forcing himself to buckle down and "get over it;" Syrus finished brushing his teeth and hurried to get dressed. Naturally, he stood in the bedroom in full classroom attire before Jaden even opened his eyes. Like every morning.

Well, at least one thing in life is the same.

"Jay?"

No response as the snores grew louder

"Jay!"

The brown-haired teen opened his eyes. "Huh? School already?"

Syrus sighed. Usually Jaden's antics cheered him. Now, it seemed all the more depressing that the only thing Jaden had to worry about was the alarm clock and all Syrus had to worry about was his hormone-enraged older brother.

The cloud of depression didn't lift all throughout the day which was in itself was unusual. Normally, the memory of the preceding night would be vanquished by textbooks, babbling teachers, and a medley of student activities. The bright fluorescent lights would shine down on the desks, and Syrus would faithfully hang onto every word that exuded from either the teacher's mouth or through the means of his hand on the chalkboard. Normal stuff.

Now, Syrus' mind was blank as he wallowed in the contours of his dark mind that even the lectures couldn't reach. There was also a certain recurring pain that occurred every time he shifted in his seat…

Then, without warning, his thoughts turned positively black.

How could my own brother do this to me? How could God allow this to happen to me? No one else around me has to deal with it. Just me. The shrimpiest kid in school. Aren't I blackballed enough?

As if to add insult to injury, the teacher's voice grew louder.

I can't stand sitting in this chair one second longer.

I can't take it!

"Mr. Truesdale?"

Syrus heard his surname, but he just kept walking through the rows of desks. He didn't feel much like learning.

"Mr. Truesdale, return to your seat this instant!"

Syrus left the whispering students--his friends amongst them--and the reddening teacher both behind as he allowed the door to fall closed behind him. He shouldn't have come to class at any rate.

What's wrong with me?

For no reason at all, Syrus began to run through the hallways that composed Duel Academy as if trying to escape an invisible enemy. However, he could never run far away enough from what ailed him. In fact, he kept running. Even when he had fled the school itself and was now sprinting through the grass. Suddenly aware that his side hurt beyond all imagination; Syrus all but toppled over when he was forced to stop.

I'm free. I'm alone.

A pause.

Did I really just disobey a teacher? Did I really run out of class? Was that…really me?

Still, the scenery around him was undeniably peaceful. Birds twittered in the trees above him. The rooftops gleamed in the late morning sunshine. White puffy clouds lazily dragged themselves across the blue backdrop sky.

Heh...I guess I can stay here for a while.

As he watched a butterfly wandered into his line of sight. The fragile creature fluttered towards…someone watching him…

A wave of irrational terror swept through him. What would this person say?

Still, the figure didn't move an inch. Frowning, Syrus took a few cautious steps.

And, when he saw who it was, Syrus did something really irrational.

He called his name.

Author's Note: This will not remain a "poor Syrus" fic by any means. In fact, I've been debating adding a new pairing in the mix.