...

Standing in a dim area. Outside. Hidden. Hiding.

Hiding in the shadows of the back alley, behind the general store and the old apartment that looks ready to fall apart at any moment. Standing with Master's fingers wrapped loosely around her throat.

She wants to scream but she knows that she will die within seconds if she attempts.

Master whispering that he will kill her if she doesn't do what he says. She believes it, believes every word. Believes that he will bring her to an inch of her life as he's done before. No mercy, no worry. Nothing.

Eyes glancing up at her brother, frail and trembling on the sidewalk only a few feet away. He looks uncomfortable, eyes darting about to see if anyone has noticed his presence in a way they shouldn't.

Master handing her a small remote control.

"Turn it on."

She does nothing.

"Make him cry. I want to see him cry. I want him to beg for mercy on his knees."

Her thumb sits on top of the switch, unmoving.

Master's hand tightens around her breath, pushes the life out of her, destroys it.

Pushing that switch means destroying her brother's remaining sliver of shame in the public eye.

Not pushing it means destroying herself, and possibly him as well in the process.

She can't win. Either way, she won't win. She'll never win.

"I said do it." Master's hand feels like a snake constricting around her neck, preparing to snap it and eat her alive.

She has no choice.

She turns the switch on.

It doesn't seem to do anything at first. Then she hears it.

Her brother's heavy panting, his body beginning to tremble a bit as he brings one hand down to rest on his knee. He wants to touch. He needs to touch. Needs to get away before it's too late.

"Master, what..." She begins to speak, Master's hand shuts her up.

"That remote is the controller for his...'punishment.'" She can't see Master, but she can practically hear the smirk in his voice. "You, my dear, sweet little toy, are going to be the one controlling it."

"B...But...Master...Why must I-"

Hand clenching around neck. She stops asking questions.

Ikuto stands only a few feet away, his breathing growing heavier and heavier. He wants to run down the street, wants to scream for help as loud as he can and hope someone will believe him. But Master knows how to get away with everything. He said so himself. He said he could do it. Ikuto knows he can do it.

She starts out easy on him, just barely moving the switch from it's resting position. Master is quick to notice. His hand grabs her own.

Master's hand is warm, it feels strange. Master isn't warm.

Master is cold.

Master is as cold as stone.

A startled yelp gallops in front of her.

Master's moving the switch for her, scaling it up the remote faster, until it's to the middle of the tiny controller.

Her green eyes immediately flicker to her brother, who cringes on the sidewalk.

Twitching over and over, trying hard to suppress the moans that so desperately want to escape. People are beginning to look over, to stare. He can't take it, it's making him nervous. All of these eyes staring at him, all of these minds judging him.

"M...Master..." He can barely whisper, his throat feels dry. He's thirsty, unable to form words when his throat feels locked up like this. Is this how his sister feels right now?

The vibrations coming from his lower waist grow more intense, and Ikuto is too startled to keep himself under control much longer. She can hear it from where she is standing, her brother letting a loud, low moan bellow from his throat.

People are snickering, whispering. Looking over. Some are walking over. Master is snickering behind her. He likes this, he wants this. He wants Ikuto to suffer.

"Turn it all the way up now, Iku."

Her mind doesn't register his words. This isn't happening.

None of it is happening.

So wake up already. This a dream, isn't it?

A nightmare.

Wake up.

Wake up.

Wake up.

"I said turn it UP, Iku."

Master's hand closes around her throat as tight as he can, and she feels like she is drowning. Master is drowning her with oxygen. Without oxygen. Without life.

She coughs. Sputters. Flounders with fear clearly visible in her eyes.

And then, for a moment, she sees him.

Ikuto's body shifting around to turn to her, look at her. Away from those coming close to him, whispering and mocking.

Those pleading eyes.

Begging her, pleading with her.

'Help me, help me! Don't let them do this to me! Help!'

She can't help him.

She can't even help herself right now.

Master releases her for a moment, whispers to her. Tells her what he will do if she doesn't turn the switch up as high as it can go.

"...I'm sorry...I'm sorry, Ikuto..." She manages to speak, before shutting her eyes and hearing the remote click itself into place.

She doesn't see what happens next.

She doesn't want to see.

To see Ikuto throw his head back and cry out with tears in his eyes, a trail of warm, watery liquid now running down his leg.

To see the crowd around him gossip and laugh, insult him. Call him things she never thought even Master would say.

To see the world crumble around her brother as his last shred of dignity is torn from his hands by his own sister.

...