A/N: Alright, ladies and gentlemen this is my first ever Yu-Gi-Oh GX fanfiction and I hope you all enjoy it, but I refuse to acknowledge any and all flames, no exceptions whatsoever.

Disclaimer: I am not Shin Yoshida, Jun Maekawa, Akemi Omode, or Yasuyuki Suzuki, so I have absolutely no claim on Yu-Gi-Oh GX or any of the characters.

...

Zane Truesdale was the student that everyone else wanted to be; big man on campus, top student. Only the best of the best could go against him in a duel. He was fairly good-looking as well and intelligent; yes, Zane Truesdale had it all.

Syrus, Zane's brother who was two years his junior, was the exact opposite. He was a smart boy and he wasn't horrible-looking, but in terms of dueling skill, he wasn't in his brother's league. Syrus was a Slifer Red, the lowest of the low at Duel Academy. Hell, he'd barely managed to pass the entrance exams. Zane had been there and he had not been the least bit impressed by his brother's performance.

Due to their age difference and obvious difference in level of dueling skill, the two Truesdales almost never saw one another but whenever they did, Zane almost never paid much attention to his younger brother.

But what Zane didn't know was that his brother sometimes would look over his deck late at night, time and time again, trying to think of ways to improve it so that he could duel better.

He also had no idea that while he barely paid any attention to his brother, Syrus constantly craved his brother's approval, desperate to prove that he was more than just Zane's wimpy little brother.

...

"No, Syrus," Zane told his brother for the third time.

"Zane, please," Syrus pleaded. "Just listen to-"

"I said no!"

Syrus backed away, his silver eyes filled with shock at the anger in his brother's voice. Zane was always so calm and collected, he almost never lost his temper.

"Zane...I..."

"Syrus, you're fifteen years old, you need to grow up!" Zane snapped. "Do you have any idea how stupid and pitiful you look when you come crying to me every time you're afraid of something? Or when Crowler does or says something to you in class and you start whining about how unfair it is. Well Sy, it may have escaped your notice but life isn't fair."

"Zane, why can't you just lis-" Syrus tried again.

"No!" Zane growled, glaring at his brother. "I've been listening and I am sick and tired of hearing the same thing every time."

"It wouldn't kill you to just listen," Syrus was fighting back tears now. "Ever since I got here, you've treated me like I don't even exist and then when you do, you treat me like dirt!"

"That's because you don't belong here!" Zane snapped, his words lashing out like snakes. "Part of why I even came here was to get away from you! But you can't seem to take the hint!"

Syrus backed away. Zane's words had hurt him deeply. He had heard a number of people telling him he didn't belong in Duel Academy, but this was the first time he had heard those words from his older brother. Yes, he had heard him say that he didn't belong at the academy before, but being told that Zane wanted to get away from him...to know that his big brother never wanted him...that actually hurt more than knowing he wasn't wanted at the academy...he wasn't wanted at all...

"Well...if that's the way you feel...then I'll just stay out of your way!" the younger Truesdale snapped, turning and running out of his brother's room before Zane could see the tears that were about to fall from his eyes.

Zane rolled his eyes and shook his head. Part of Syrus's problem was he let his feelings control everything, he never focused. Zane had hoped after coming to Duel Academy that his brother would have at least learned to control his emotions and stay focused.

"Obviously, I was wrong," the teal-haired Truesdale said to himself before going back to his work. He was a top student at the academy, so he had to make sure that his work was as close to perfect as he could make it.

...

Syrus kept running until he reached the docks where Zane sometimes went to think. There he could be alone, with no one to judge him. He could let his injured feelings out without worrying if anyone would mock him for it. No one would ever find him there.

He had no idea how right he was...

...

...

I am leaving a cliffy because I'm evil like that. Feel free to leave reviews.

Next chapter: Syrus has a close call.

Next chapter date: Sunday, May 24th.