Author's note: There will be OC characters. Characters may be out of character. This fan fiction is not related to the anime/manga. It will contain boy x boy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.

Warning: Rated M for adult content.


Chapter Twelve: Whispers

He could feel the eyes on him, each and every one of them from soldiers to servants. Closing his eyes, he focused his mind back to what he was doing, but the snickering and whispers irked him more than the staring. Eyes fluttering open, he tighten his grip on the handle of his sword and charged. His sparring partner, grinning from ear to ear, hadn't expected his move and stumbled backward. Ryoma swung, blade clashing against one another, and sent his opponent's sword twirling through the air. It landed with a loud clank, scattering a few soldiers who had gathered around to watch. Huffing, he pointed his blade at his sparring partner and glared. Honestly, if the men, or everyone as a matter of fact, wanted to act like children, they could have chosen a different time.

However, it was as he had expected. The day he and Shusuke decided to stay in bed, gossip spread faster than a wild fire. Before he knew it, there were ears pressed up against the door of the bedroom they shared together. He wouldn't even had known if it wasn't for the fact that Shusuke opened the door to retrieve their food and a group of men and women tumbled in. Ryoma's eyes twitched at the memory. Sadly, his sparing partner would have to take the brunt of his irritation. Still, the men around him snickered on. Growling under his breath, he pulled his sword back and nodded to the fallen blade. "Again," he said.

The soldier, now shocked, scrambled to grab his sword and returned to his position. Ryoma charged again. He fought with the other man, his speed quicker than normal and his swings with added strength. It was a few minutes into their sparring when the whispers and snickering finally quieted and only the sound of steel on steel echoed through the courtyard. Realizing something was off, he pulled back, sidestepping his opponent's swing. He watched the man fall to the ground with a loud thump, his sword slipping from his hands and skidding away, only to stop a few inched away from a pair of familiar feet. Ryoma glanced over to the two figures who had joined them. Prince Shusuke stood beside Tezuka, who took one quick glance at the fallen soldier with a raised brow. The soldier, apparently embarrassed by his mistake, immediately stood and dusted himself off before saluting Tezuka.

"That's enough training for today. Save your strengths. Word has it that Rohan is rousing his troop. They may start marching back here in a day or two considering their base camp isn't far from here," Shusuke said.

At the prince's command, the men fell away, gathering their things to prepare for war. Ryoma walked over to Shusuke and sighed, exhausted from more than just training. The prince, however, merely smiled amusingly at him.

"How are you?" Shusuke asked, his tone tinted with playfulness.

"I want to throttle every man here," Ryoma grumbled.

"I rather you not," Tezuka said seriously.

"I didn't really...never mind." Ryoma shook his head. "How is it on your end?"

"Everything is done. We're ready for anything Rohan tries, but of course, we must always have our guard up." Tezuka replied. He crossed his arms across his chest, watching the soldiers. "You should check on Ahearn's health. It's no good if your horse is not healthy."

"Mm, I haven't seen Ahearn in a while." Ryoma turned to leave.

"I'll go with you," Shusuke said as he followed him.

Ryoma glanced to his side and smiled slightly at him. The prince returned it with one of his own, only it sent a shiver of excitement down his spine. Ryoma quickly looked away before the other man could see his blush. They made their way to the horse stalls in the barn, finding both Ahearn and Alban next to each other. Ryoma grabbed a brush and began brushing Ahearn. He didn't get very far as Shusuke suddenly pressed himself against his back and wrapped his arms around him. Surprised, Ryoma froze. He blushed, trying to speak, but only got gibberish.

Chuckling, the prince placed a kiss on he crook of his neck. "Still shy, I see."

"I-it's not that I'm shy, but rather..." Sighing, Ryoma set the brush aside. He tugged on the prince's arm, giving him room to turn around in his embrace. Facing Shusuke, he leaned in and kissed him. Wrapping his arms around the other's neck, he deepened the kiss. He took a step back and fell into a pile of hay, taking the prince along with him as he broke the kiss. "Should we be doing this?"

"...Mmm..." Shusuke mumbled and dropped his head onto his shoulder. "Probably not. But I just want to hold you. Is that okay?"

He didn't need to reply. He just wrapped his arms around the prince and held him. The sound of distance voices and footsteps filtered through the barn doors. Even the horses' snorts and stomping felt like a world away. The streaming bit of white sunlight peeked through the wooden planks, illuminating the dancing dusts. Their breaths joined along beside them with every exhale.

"When I was younger, I never once thought bad of my uncle," Shusuke whispered, his hot breath tickling his skin. "He treated me and Yuta like we were his own sons. To think that he was capable of this...I never knew he thirsted for power so much. But when I am facing against him now like this, I can't help but remember the way how he use to pat my head when I was a child or his loud laughs with his bright smiles...or the times when he would carve these tiny horses for me and Yuta."

His voice was filled with so much sorrow it pained Ryoma too. This man, who always stood tall and strong, was breaking down slowly before him. While it hurt to see him in pain, Ryoma reveled in the fact that the prince trusted him enough to reveal his weakness to him. Shusuke was a man like anyone else. He may have the title of a prince soon to be king in a month, but it did not change the fact that he was also human and had flaws. Ryoma never wanted to part with him, never wanted to leave this man alone. He dare say, but Shusuke was the master of his heart. For him, he would give anything. Sighing, Ryoma rolled him over. Now laying on top of the prince, he pressed a kiss to Shusuke's temple. "It can't be helped. He is still your uncle and you did have good memories," he soothed.

"Yes...but now...now I have to choose. No, there isn't even a choice. My unc-I mean, the regent, he is a threat that will destroy everything. I can't let that happen. His life...I will have to take it with my own hands...will that not make me any different from him?"

"You are different from him."

"Even if I am betrayed by family, does it mean that I have to betray them too?"

Shusuke's eyes dimmed and Ryoma feared he would swallow himself in despair. Taking a deep breath, he slid his hand over Shusuke's heart. He leaned down and pressed a kiss above it. "Shusuke, you do whatever you believe is right. And if that means that you want to keep your uncle alive, then so be it. Even if no one else will stand beside you, I will."

The prince seemed shocked for a moment, but he slowly smiled. He cupped his face, tugging him into a kiss. They shared a languid kiss, enjoying their moment of peace together until a frantic voice began calling out for Prince Shusuke. Sighing, Ryoma pulled away and stood, helping the prince up along the way. They dusted themselves off before heading out where they were once again dragged into their perspective roles.

As the days turned to week, tension continued to build. It was thick, coating the air and turning everyone into a nervous frenzy. Everyone was restless and that restless energy needed to be released somewhere. Thus, the men started fighting each other, their irritation getting the better of them. He couldn't count how many times he had to stop stupid quarrels. Sighing, he slumped into the chair next to Shusuke. Another meeting, but he doubt anything would come of it. As far as he knew, they weren't going to move out when they had the advantage of being inside a so called "impenetrable fortress."

Once everyone had gathered, Ryoma sat back up to focus his attention on the conversation. King Nidan started speaking first, speculating on Rohan's plan. However, it was only speculation. With most of the spies being withdrawn, they were left with no solid facts. It was their biggest obstacle. Despite that, most of them agreed Rohan would probably attack during the night when their soldiers were likely to be exhausted from the day.

"Even if he did try, our walls have never been broken. We are in the iron fortress with its impenetrable walls!" Akira Kamio, vice captain of the Fudomine, said arrogantly. His face was smug. Seiichi snorted after being quiet from the beginning till now. Akira, however, didn't take his snub lightly. Growling, he stood and leaned over the table toward Seiichi. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"Akira!" Kippei glared at his vice captain, motioning him to sit down.

Reluctantly he did, but that didn't stop Seiichi from speaking. "No fortress is impenetrable. You may have lived your whole life safe behind these walls, but it does not mean the walls can't be broken. Sooner or later, it will come down, if not by the outside, then..."

"Are you implying we have a spy amongst us?" King Nidan asked with a raised brow.

"I'm not confirming that we do, but it's best that we think we do. If we could have spies in Rohan's army, then there is a chance he may have one or some among us too," Seiichi said, "It would be stupid of us if we think he didn't."

"Hmph, if there was a spy here, the only one I could think of would be..." Akira's eyes trailed over to Ryoma.

Lifting a brow, Ryoma asked, "You trying to imply something?"

"I heard that the regent had assigned His Highness Shusuke a bed warmer. That would be you, isn't it?" Kuranosuke Shiraishi, representative for the Kingdom of Chelcia, asked. "I would not be surprised if you turned out to be a spy for that man. You don't look much like a bed warmer."

Scowling, Ryoma glared at the orange haired man. "I'm not."

King Nidan interjected, "How can we trust your words? Your Highness Shusuke, you should be more careful about who you keep at your side. You can't trust a man who was given to you by the regent Rohan. To suffer from his manipulations..." His eyes darken in memory from the lost of his Queen.

"Like you are one to talk," Akira mumbled.

Akira's words incited anger in King Nidan and soon the whole council room was bursting with arguments, accusing one another of being a traitor. Ryoma sat back, mouth agape in shock. Of course the tension had been high in these leaders as well, but if the soldiers ever saw such a sight like this before them, it would make them panic. He had to stop them, but if he did, they would surely start accusing him of being a spy of Rohan. Although he wasn't, he couldn't quite deny it false either as he had nearly once worked for Rohan to report on Shusuke. Suddenly, Shusuke pounded his hand on the table. The loud smack silenced everyone. Their eyes turned to the prince, ashamed of their behavior.

"Enough," Shusuke commanded, "If our soldiers saw this...to think they would ever follow such leaders who can easily fall prey to Rohan's plan—to have us fight amongst ourselves. It is utterly shameful. None of you have the right to call yourselves a leader if it's so easy to break you. While I agree there is a chance that we have a spy, I don't think he is among us, here, in this very room. As for Ryoma, I have long since decided he is no longer a bed slave. I vouch for him. Besides, it was Tezuka who found him and I kept him locked up, not Rohan. There wouldn't be a chance for Rohan to manipulate him, especially since he has been my side or Tezuka's during his stay here. He has also proven himself well in battle, don't you agree Tezuka?"

Tezuka nodded, "Yes."

The prince continued speaking. "And King Nidan, who I choose to be at my side is my own choice. If we have nothing else productive to say, then let us adjourn this meeting. Arguing won't lead us anywhere."

They all agreed and finally, they began to leave one by one. Ryoma followed after Shusuke, heat burning deep inside him. When they were alone, he quickly stepped up beside Shusuke. "Thank you," he whispered.

"For what?" Shusuke asked with a glance in his direction.

"For vouching for me."

Snorting, the prince tilted his head sideways, casting a small smile at him. "And why would I not? It seems I've grown too fond of you to allow you to be insulted."

He chuckled, but fell into silence as they made their way back to their room. Once inside, he closed the door behind him all the while watching as Shusuke stripped away his clothes. As usual, he was awed by the man's beauty. Even with all the battle scars, he was still gorgeous. Ryoma walked to him and aided his prince in removing the laces from the sleeves. Shusuke actually smiled at his help.

"What?" Ryoma asked.

"I guess I no longer need to tell you to help me undress," Shusuke said teasingly.

"If it leads to another thing that has more to with the bed and our bodies, I don't think I will ever need you to tell me," he blurted without thinking.

"Ah, where has my shy little Ryoma gone?"

Blushing, he turned away and quickly removed the rest of the laces. He couldn't believe he had just said that. Never in his life had he ever been upfront about such things. Even with Haru, he had never been forward with having sex. Things usually just happened. Clearing his throat, he finished untying the laces, but before he could even take a step away, the prince was tugging his shirt off and pulling him into a deep kiss. Surprised, he reacted slowly. But as they stumbled their way to the bed, he started kissing back, taken in by the overwhelming rush of excitement, endearment, and possibly lust. Whichever it was, he didn't care. All he knew was that he wanted the prince. They fell onto the bed, limbs tangled and lips still latched in a ravishing kiss. By the time they pulled apart, his lips felt bruised. Yet he didn't mind because what he felt for the prince burned as much as the pain. Clothes stripped, the prince pulled the satin sheets over them. Under the sheets, he and Shusuke fell into a rhythm of fluid motions. Body sliding against each other in a desperate need to release, Ryoma widened his legs, letting Shusuke fall perfectly between them. Hands gripped onto sweat slicked skin, moans and hot breath plastered inside the blankets. Heat and passion burned deep until the two of them were brought into completion, releasing their throes of passion in a long drawn groan.

Panting heavily, Ryoma wrapped his arms around Shusuke and rolled him to his side. Too exhausted to move, he decided he would clean up later. He pulled the prince into his arms, letting sleep lull him into his dreams.

It felt like only minutes when he woke up again, but the stickiness of their mess was gone, which meant Shusuke must have cleaned up them while he slept. Blinking awake, he glanced around the room. The red glow of embers created long shadows against the walls and furniture. They seem to move in a slow dance. Something heavy settled deep in his stomach. Despite it being warm, Ryoma felt cold. He shivered and tried to snuggle closer to Shusuke. He managed to press his back against Shusuke's warm chest only to stop abruptly in the middle of making himself more comfortable. Fear erupted in a vast spread, tingling his skin till his own body became paralyzed. His breath heightened a pitch. Eyes. There was a pair of red eyes staring at him from across the room. It moved, whatever that thing was, coming closer and closer until his breath became so low, he felt like he was barely breathing. Cold fingers brushed along the skin of his arm, causing goosebumps and making the hair of his nape stand up. Suddenly, the eyes were so close, lying right next to him in the bed. Don't come! Don't come any closer! He screamed inside his head. His throat constricted, his vocals shutting into silence.

"Arta lin il," a voice, so low and inhuman, whispered right next to his ear, "Il n'timo rudoi faya arta."

Chill speckled his skin, seeping deep into his bones. His very core turned into ice. Ryoma groaned, trying to move his heavy limbs only to fail. No...please, no. He shut his eyes tightly, praying that it would stop. Suddenly, the heaviness lifted. His breath rushed in a whoosh. Ryoma gasped, taking every gulp of air with necessity. Shusuke's arm moved, trailing to stop above his beating heart.

"Ryoma?" the prince's husky voice whispered, "Are you okay?" Shusuke lifted his head and peered down at him.

"M'fine," Ryoma mumbled. "Just a dream..."

"Okay..."

Ryoma rolled over, facing Shusuke's chest. He snuggled closer till their flesh met and there was no room for anything else. The prince didn't seem to mind and draped his arm over him. Ryoma sighed, listening to Shusuke's soft, even breathing. He tried to feel safe in his arms, but something continued to wiggle in the back of his mind. He could still feel it—those eyes were on him, watching him, observing him. It prickled his back, making every hair on his body stand straight. Ryoma squeezed his eyes shut. He felt like a child cowering under the blankets for safety, except he was trying to cover himself with Shusuke, but utterly failing at making the feeling go away.

A warm hand drifted to his cheek, cupping them gently. Ryoma looked up from under his eyelashes, breath shaking.

"It must have been a terrible nightmare if you're this shaken," Shusuke whispered with a sleepy voice.

"Sorry," Ryoma muttered.

"You don't have to apologize."

The bed shifted as Shusuke moved. A flick, then light, and the room brightened, illuminating yellow-orange hue from the fire in the lamp and chasing away the fear of the dark. The prince sat up slowly, tugging Ryoma along the way. He went along willingly, his back resting against the Shusuke's chest as arms wrapped around his waist, securing him safely in warmth. He sighed, the tension ebbing away. Safe his prince's arms, his eyelids droop and soon he fell asleep. Dreams, however, did not come to him that night.

When he awoke, Shusuke was already gone. Stretching, he got up and readied himself for another day of gawking. However, as he stepped out into the hallway, it was surprisingly empty. The servants were no where in sight to giggle at he passed and the soldiers weren't lingering to smirk and whistle. His shoulders eased as he sighed in relief. He walked a step lighter, hoping the privacy would last a little longer. Ryoma thought too soon, though. A snicker echoed from behind him, but it sent a chill down his spine. He stopped, whirling around swiftly, but there was nothing there. The air suddenly turned cold. Sucking in a breath, he slowly walked backward, then turned on his heel and hurried down the hall. But every step felt a bit heavier and the hallway seemed much longer than usual. Frowning, he hastened until another laughter floated by, but it felt closer. Ryoma shuddered. He stopped to wrap his arms around himself.

"Ryoma..." the same voice from last night whispered, so coldly, so sweetly, as if devouring his soul.

It was right next to his ear. Ryoma gasped, whipping around on his feet and grabbing the hilt of his sword. A shadow creature skittered down the ceiling hallway. Its head turned full circle and stared straight into his eyes. Blood red eyes oozed black ink, dripping onto the floor. Ryoma stifled a scream. Fingers emerged, grabbing the edge and pulling itself from the ink puddle. Suddenly, a head peeked over the edge, then a torso, and soon a whole body, revealing a man. He stood, black ink dripping from his sculpted body of muscle. A gold crown of leaves adorned his short, black hair. Bangs framed his ruby colored eyes. A perfect straight nose with lush lips. Tall, dark, and handsome; he was like an Adonis statue come alive. The man smiled with a chuckle deep from his lungs. He was far, but the sound felt next to Ryoma's ears.

"Who-who are you?" Ryoma asked, his voice noticeably trembling despite trying his best to hide it.

The Adonis chuckled. "You should know me well by now, my dear Ryoma."

Gulping, Ryoma shook his head. This was all a hallucination. It just wasn't possible that He was here.

"There is no use in denying the fact." The Adonis looked at him smugly as he started walking toward him.

"It's not possible! You're still locked away!" Ryoma yelled. He tried to stand his ground, but his foot took a step back involuntarily.

"I once told you, didn't I? Lye edan inarr crie. We shall meet soon. The moment you stepped foot on that land, you and I bonded, so I had a special someone of mine take the liberty of freeing me. Now that arrogant King is on his way here, flying his dragons as fast as he can, but he won't make it in time. You can't escape me. I will have that body."

"You can't..."

Caos chuckled huskily, exhaling black wisps of smoke. It shrouded him, encircling him as if elegantly dancing around him, worshiping the very ground he walked on. Ryoma took another step back. He gasped as the air turned cold. His feet froze and his body became immobilized. Fear. It ran thick in his blood; its sound rushing with each beat of his heart. His breath quicken with each step Caos took, bringing him closer. His fingers twitched, wanting to grab for his sword, but his body wouldn't move. Nothing could be done and when Caos finally reached him, Ryoma closed his eyes in surrender.

"I didn't want this..." Ryoma said, half sobbing. Opening his eyes, he took a shaky breath. Caos was a breath away. The God smiled cruelly at him then closed the gap between them, pressing his firm lips against his. Ryoma gasped at the touch of Caos's tongue prying his mouth open. He nearly retched from the sudden forceful inhalation of black smoke. It entered him slowly, spreading to his finger tips and toes. His body felt numb as Caos drew away, the last bit of smoke drifting away between their lips. Ryoma fell to his knees, darkness taking over his vision.

"Fate is a cruel thing," Caos said just as everything turned black.


Author's Note: Hooray for an update! This chapter has been a long work in progress. A lot of revision and such and...it wasn't a long chapter. I apologize. However, I am working on the next chapter right now. Anyways, I hope this chapter was satisfactory to some extent. I promise, the next chapter will be more exciting.

I want to give thanks to the readers who patiently wait for my slow updates. Thank you for reading and I hope you continue to read. :)

Translation: Arta lin il. Il n'timo rudoi faya arta.

I see you. You cannot hide from me.