Author: Dragon Radar

Rating: R

Title: Cheater

Summary: Syrus thinks Jaden is cheating on him, which means he has no choice but to leave him. Things aren't what they seem, but will Syrus find out the truth in time to salvage their two-year relationship? Judai/Sho, Yaoi

A/N: This story is set in the future, and I wasn't exactly sure how many years the students attend the Duel Academy. In my universe, they attend until they're nineteen. That means Zane is in his final year, and Syrus and Jaden are both seventeen.

Cheater

"Oh…right there..."

"You like that, huh?"

An enthusiastic little squeal was Jaden's only answer. He snickered and attacked again, teasing Syrus's nipple with his tongue. His fingers roamed up and down the smaller boy's sides, first caressing, and then tickling playfully. Syrus squealed again, twisting and turning under him in a feeble attempt to escape.

"Jaden! Stop! Stop!" Syrus's pleas went unanswered, as Jaden continued to tickle the shirtless boy ruthlessly.

"Who's the King of Games?" he asked jokingly. Syrus stopped laughing long enough to smirk mischievously.

"Yugi!" he replied cheekily. Jaden spluttered in mock indignation and then changed his tactics. He slanted his mouth over Syrus's, seeking out the other boy's tongue. Grinning wickedly against Syrus's mouth, he let his hand sneak under the waistband of Syrus's boxers. The bluenette squeaked (Jaden loved that sound) and immediately arched upwards with need. Jaden broke the kiss roughly, his fingers temptingly close to reaching their final destination.

"Sure you don't want to change your answer?" he asked, teasingly brushing a finger against Syrus's manhood.

"That depends," he stopped to take in a few heavy breaths, "on what my reward will be for lying."

A surprised look came over Jaden's face that quickly morphed into amusement.

"You're in a playful mood today, aren't you?" Syrus nodded with a sensual hunger in his eyes that only Jaden ever saw.

"I've been thinking about you all day. I've been half hard since third period." Jaden's belly tightened when he heard the other boy's admission.

Then something occurred to him.

"Even in Dr. Crowler's class?"

Syrus flashed his little grin again.

"Mmmhmmm…the thought of you is just that sexy," Syrus half-purred. Jaden laughed, kissing his boyfriend again and finally giving him his hard earned reward.

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Sy," Jaden joked after they were done fooling around. The two of them lay side by side on the bottom bunk – the same bunk they'd shared for the past two years at Duel Academy. Of course, it was considerably less spacey than it had been their first year when they'd both been scrawny fifteen year olds. Now, both boys had become men. Still, the little dorm room by the sea had been where it all started and where all the magic happened. Although both boys had earned spots in Obelisk Blue, they still wore their red jackets with pride.

Not many knew it was the attachment they had to that rickety bottom bunk that kept them from accepting promotion.

"I should get dressed. Chumley's going to come barreling in here any second," Syrus said sadly. Jaden agreed sleepily, but merely wrapped his arms tighter around his pillow and went back to his napping. "Seriously, Jaden, let me up. Or at least get off the covers."

Jaden chose the second option. He then stripped out of his own shirt and snuggled back down. So what if it was only five in the afternoon? They didn't have anymore classes for the day, and it definitely wouldn't be the first time the two boys slept through dinner.

Syrus closed his eyes, even though he wasn't very tired. He knew it would be much easier to just pretend to be asleep rather than awkwardly be the one to tell Chumley that, no, they weren't going to dinner and yes, those were his boxers on the floor.

Sure enough, the door burst open not a half hour later (you'd think after all the times Chumley had walked in on them, he'd learn to knock) and Chumley's giant footsteps could be heard slowly entering in the room. He was a Ra Yellow now, and he usually came by to invite them to eat with him in the Ra cafeteria where the food was much better.

"Hey, Syrus? You coming to…oh! Whoops! Later you two!"

Syrus kept his eyes closed, but he smiled ever-so-slightly.

"Is he gone?" Jaden asked sleepily.

"Yeah," Syrus replied, running his fingers through Jaden's unruly brown hair.

"Let's wait till everyone is at dinner and then we can go down to the beach."

"Alright, but I would have showered earlier for nothing."

"What have I told you about showering? It's pointless. I'm only going to debauch you again."

"Where did you learn the word 'debauch'?" Syrus asked teasingly.

"Ha ha, Syrus, you're so funny." Jaden rose up on an elbow, looking down at Syrus lovingly. Quite suddenly, he sat up, nearly hitting his head on the bunk above him. "Shit! I almost forgot! Listen, I have to take a rain check for the beach. I have to go to a detention." Jaden was hopping around on the floor, hastily pulling his clothes on.

Syrus sat up a little bewildered.

"A detention? When did you get a detention?"

Jaden, however, was already at the door. "I'll give you the details later, Sy. I'm late!"

"Okay, I guess. I love you," Syrus said with a shy smile. Jaden paused and turned back, a strange look on his face. He smiled – it seemed a little off – and quickly left.

Syrus's brows knitted in confusion. Jaden always replied when Syrus told him he loved him. He never just ran off like that. What the fuck had just happened?

His playful mood ruined, Syrus rolled out of bed and began to tug on his clothes. He might as well try to make it to dinner. He wasn't hungry, but he'd only go crazy sitting in the dorm room wondering why Jaden hadn't replied.

He thought about eating over at Ra Yellow, but his mood had blackened and he didn't want to explain it to Chumley. Instead, he walked slowly to his own meal hall and sat down heavily. He knew he shouldn't let such a small thing bug him, but Jaden knew how self-conscious he could get. Had Jaden meant anything by it? And since when did Jaden go rushing out half dressed in order to make it on time to a detention? Usually he'd just miss it – especially if it was with Crowler. Even though it was silly, Syrus was already becoming obsessed with doubts and fears. He and Jaden had been the perfect couple for two years without any of the petty fighting that other teenaged couples seemed to experience. Had they finally hit their first road block?

He pushed the food around on his plate for a half hour, then decided he should just go for a walk and clear his head.

He decided to head over to the lake, as he certainly didn't want to think about what he and Jaden usually did at the beach. He thought he might even pop in on his older brother, who was in his final year at the Duel Academy, but then decided the last thing he wanted to hear was Zane's subtle but pointed put downs. His brother wasn't ashamed of him for being a weak duelist anymore (he could actually give Zane a run for his money sometimes) but he didn't approve of his relationship with Jaden.

Why did all his thoughts come back to Jaden? He was angry with him, he realized, and he really didn't want to think about him.

"Look, Chazz, you have to tell him," Jaden said from nearby.

"Great! Now I'm hearing his voice!" Syrus groaned in frustration before realizing that the voice was real and not in his head. Immediately suspicious, as Jaden had said he was going to a detention, he crept closer to a group of bushes that concealed the pair from his view. Well, he could see Chazz's rather nice backside, but Jaden was directly in front of Chazz, so he was blocked from view.

"That's easy for you to say. Little Syrus would jump off a cliff if you told him to," Chazz replied harshly.

"I might have to ask him to do just that if I want to keep seeing you like this without him knowing. I think he's finally getting suspicious. I really bungled it this afternoon." Syrus could hear the exasperation in Jaden's voice. His fingers dug angrily into the dirt at his feet, clenched as tight as steel.

'That bastard!' Syrus thought angrily, wanting to pick up a nearby rock and chunk it at his boyfriend's stupid head. Sure, he did whatever Jaden asked of him. It was because he loved him! He thought Jaden loved him, too, but this – this was worse than anything he could have ever thought up. His boyfriend, his perfect boyfriend, was cheating on him with that slimy stuck-up Chazz!

"Did you hear that?" Chazz asked quietly. Syrus's eyes widened. He didn't want Jaden to know that he was on to him. As quietly as he could, he began backing up on his hands and knees until he reached a low stone wall and was able to duck behind it and run.

He hadn't made it fifteen feet away before he started crying uncontrollably. He kept running blindly, cutting around the lake and tearing through the bushes. In his haste, he plowed down Alexis.

"Syrus! Hey, what's wrong!" Alexis asked quickly, standing up and brushing herself off.

"It's…it's…that bastard Jaden!"

Alexis was sure here eyebrows were touching her hairline. Everyone knew Jaden and Syrus were the most nauseatingly cute and happy couple in the entire school.

"Hold on, Syrus. Just slow down and tell me what happened," Alexis urged. Syrus wiped furiously at his big, gray eyes.

"I…I caught him cheating on me."

"What!" Alexis half-roared. The idea was ridiculous. Jaden loved Syrus and no one else. She had learned that the hard way.

"With who?" she asked in disbelief.

"Chazz! That slimeball Chazz! They…they didn't see me. What do I say to him? How am I supposed to face him? I can't…I don't…"

"Calm down, Syrus. Breathe. You don't say anything to him. If Jaden is being so stupid, dump his sorry ass. Just because you…" she trailed off, biting her lip.

"Just because I what?" Syrus asked harshly. "Tell me the truth, Alexis."

"Oh, Syrus, it's just…well…you're awfully clingy, you know? I mean, you can tell sometimes that Jaden just wants to be alone, or do something with someone else, but you're always right there. And you always do everything for him. He uses you pretty shamelessly, Syrus. How long have you been doing his homework? I mean, come on. Everything wasn't as perfect as you like to think it was. Zane and I both could see it."

Syrus was quiet for a long time, just sitting at Alexis's feet. Then, quietly, he stood up and dusted off his clothing.

"I appreciate your honesty, Alexis. I have a lot to think about. If you'll excuse me?" He brushed past her without another word, tears gone from his eyes. Alexis watched him go, shaking her head. It sounded like she might have actually gotten through to him. Musing over what the break-up might mean, she made her way to meet Zane down at the docks. He was going to be glad to hear the news.

Syrus was lying when he'd told Alexis he had a lot to think about. He'd decided the second Jaden had made the comment about telling him to jump off a cliff. They were over. No matter how much it hurt him, no matter how hard it was to loose Jaden, he wasn't going to be cheated on. He just wouldn't stand for it. And what's more – he was going to make Jaden rue the day he decided to cheat.

"All my life I've been made to feel like I'm not good enough. You helped show me that I was good enough, Jaden. You helped me find confidence and self respect, and now I'm going to show you that I've really changed. I don't have to take this shit from you. I deserve better."

Syrus figured a good way to start would be to rip up the five page essay he'd written for Jaden just that morning. As he walked back to the dorm, he wondered what life would be like without Jaden. It made his heart constrict painfully, but he couldn't let Jaden just…just…

He had to make a stand for himself. He just had to be strong enough to walk away.