Spy Games

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Ego trip: Hi everyone, this is a brand new story that I'm writing in the midst of a super busy exam period. I suppose this is my way of de-stressing, or rather its just a way of procrastinating. Sigh why do we have exams? Anyway, this story will be quite different from my previous one, for starters, its shounen-ai. It's also based in an alternate universe, so expect a different environment. Mainly, TezuXFuji but other pairings will pop up along the way. Hope you like it.

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis characters are not mine…

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Many years ago…

Young Tezuka was sitting beside his father in a luxurious limousine, as a chauffeur drove them from their modest little house in the suburbs of Tokyo deep into the forested lands surrounding the mountainous areas in Tokyo. It was early, barely dawn when they'd set out and they've been driving for quite some time. The trees and scenery all looked the same, the sky beginning to brighten up marginally with every mile they drove.

Where were they going?

As if he had heard his young son's unspoken question, Tezuka's father spoke, "Kunimitsu, listen up. From today onwards, you will be living with the Fuji family. You will be Young Master Fuji's companion from now on. You are to guard over him and make sure no harm befalls him. Do you understand me?"

"Why? Father, why?" asked a slightly bewildered Tezuka. Why did his father suddenly tell him all these and why did he have to live with this Fuji person and guard over him? There were so many questions running through his mind, but he only permitted himself to ask one. From as far as his memory could bring him, he remembered the training he'd received, to maintain dignity, composure and control at all times.

Turning to his young son, the older Tezuka struggled to find a way to explain the situation in a way his young son could understand. Kunimitsu was his pride and joy, an obedient and outstanding son. Even at this young age, his sense of duty was strongly instilled and he often acted beyond his age. However, there were still worries. What father wouldn't worry about sending his son away to live with another family, for him to be a Guardian over the next generation of the Fuji family. It was an honour to be selected, to have the opportunity to serve one of the most powerful families in Japan. Wasn't that what he had been hoping for since the day his son had been born? Wasn't that why he had placed rigorous mental and physical training upon his young son? Finally it was all paying off, His son had been selected to be a Guardian. Yet, there were tears in his eyes.

"We will be arriving at the main house shortly," said a disembodied voice through the speaker system in the limo.

Knowing he was running out of time, the older Tezuka turned to his young son who was still watching him with a sense of foreboding and apprehension. "Kunimitsu, this will be your life from now on, remember your duty lies with the Fuji family now. This is for your own good, remember we only want what is best for you, son," he managed before the limo came to a stop before a grand mansion sited in a large clearing in the forest.

Watching his father drive away in the limo they'd arrived in, Tezuka felt empty and abandoned. His father had left him standing at the front porch of the intimidating mansion, beside an intimidating adult. With a quick kiss on the forehead and one last whispered goodbye, his father was gone.

Raising his eyes to the sky, Tezuka could see that beyond the treetops, the sun had finally risen, showering the world with its light and warmth. Yet he could not feel it.

Suddenly, something, no someone came up from behind and hugged him. Caught off guard, Tezuka's first instinct was to struggle away from the embrace, he didn't like close human contact. But before he could shake of the person behind, the adult next to him had already pulled them apart.

Turning around, Tezuka was fully prepared to give the offending person a patented glare, but for the first time in his life, he was speechless.

"Young master Fuji, what are you doing out here? You should be inside, its too early for you to be gallivanting around out here," chided the adult gently, with a sense of deference.

Completely ignoring the adult, the young boy of about the same age as himself turned and smiled at Tezuka. With his sandy brown hair lit up by the rising sun, he looked much like an angel, so beautiful and fragile.

"Hello, I'm Fuji, are you going to be my new friend?" asked the brunette, smiling sweetly.

At a loss for words, Tezuka turned to the adult who was still standing behind Fuji. Realising it was his cue to explain, he bent down and spoke softly," Young Master Fuji, he is Tezuka Kunimitsu, from now on, he'll be your companion and one of your Guardians."

"Hai, so you are my new friend. Welcome to my house, come in," invited Fuji still smiling what would later be known as Fuji's trademark smile.

That was his first meeting with Fuji Syusuke, the heir to one of Japan's most powerful families. Little did he guess that from that day, his life would change drastically, that fate would tie him so inextricably to his brown haired Young Master. Looking back, he might have guessed from the way Fuji's smile could warm him up in ways the sun could not, the way his sense of emptiness and abandonment had vanished. But who could have predicted…

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In the days that followed, Tezuka began to understand the situation better. He learnt that 4 families now effectively ruled Japan, including the Fuji family. As heir to this huge responsibility, Fuji had not only inherited the prestige, the power, he had also inherited the danger. That is why every heir to the family had a group of Guardians who were supposed to watch over the Young Master and to make sure no harm could befall him. Tezuka now knew why his father had placed such emphasis on his mental, physical and academic education. He was the first Guardian to be selected at such a young age. He was told that from the day he entered the Fuji family, his only duty was to protect Young Master Fuji.

He was given the room next to Fuji's, a room the size of half his old house. Only Fuji, himself and the servants occupied the huge mansion in the forests. Tezuka soon realised that was why Fuji seemed so starved for companionship. With no one else of the same age, Fuji had been a lonely child, closeted in the forests, away from harm, away from the rest of the world. All that changed the day Tezuka arrived.

As the servants watched in bemusement and a certain apprehension, the pair became closer and closer. As a future Guardian, Tezuka had daily lessons from present Guardians of Fuji's father. He underwent training not unlike that of CIA agents or members of the secret service. Of course, this was coupled with daily lessons with a tutor together with Fuji since neither went to school. This enormous workload would have staggered a lesser child, but Tezuka never complained or so much as expressed any signs of tiredness. He understood his duty, to prepare himself for any battle his Young Master Fuji could possibly face. Whatever the adults threw at him, he overcame and mastered it with singular determination.

Fuji on the other hand underwent his own version of training, to prepare him for the day when the weight of the entire Fuji clan would be placed upon his slender shoulders. As a child, Fuji had been small, scrawny and fragile. His beautiful blue eyes and brown hair often gave others the impression of beauty, leading to many misunderstandings regarding his sex. On first look, it would be extremely easy to mistake Fuji for a girl, a beautiful one. It didn't help that next to the stoic Tezuka, the ever-smiling Fuji seemed so much more gentle.

As a child, Fuji had no friends until Tezuka arrived at the mansion. Starved for relationships with people of his age, he simply would not leave Tezuka alone. Unable to shake him off, Tezuka resigned himself to having Fuji around. Before anyone noticed, the pair became inseparable.

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Years passed…

"Ah finally, tomorrow we'll finally get out of this place. Aren't you excited Tezuka? Finally we'll get to go live in the city, go to a regular school…" said Fuji as he looked out from the balcony of Tezuka's room. Noticing the lack of response from Tezuka, Fuji turned away from the spectacular view and went into Tezuka's room. There he found Tezuka fast asleep on the bed, tired after a long day of packing, preparing for their departure from their home of so many years and for their arrival at the house in Tokyo.

In the dimmed lights, Fuji couldn't help but notice how strikingly handsome Tezuka was, relaxed in slumber. Usually, Tezuka would be stone-faced and expressionless. Only sometimes when they were alone, he would relax. However, this was another side of Tezuka nobody else had ever seen, a side reserved only for Fuji.

"Goodnight dear Tezuka, sweet dreams," whispered Fuji as he bent over to brush a light kiss across Tezuka's forehead. 'He must really be tired, he wouldn't sleep so soundly usually,' thought Fuji as he turned of the lights and left for his own room, struggling against the urge to crawl into bed with Tezuka. Oh how he missed the days when Tezuka had allowed him to sleep in the same bed when the thunderstorms frightened him, the warm feeling of sharing the same bed, where he knew he was safe from harm. Sometimes Fuji couldn't help wishing they were back in the past when Tezuka had been more generous with his affections. But as the years had passed, the smiles became rarer, his expressions becoming more shuttered, even to Fuji, especially to Fuji.

Shaking these thoughts from his mind, Fuji went back to his own room, feeling just a bit lonely. The instant the door clicked shut behind him, Tezuka's eyes opened, wide awake and alert to every movement around. With an odd expression, he raised his left hand to his forehead, where he could still feel the remnants of Fuji's goodnight kiss.

In their separate rooms next to each other, sleep eluded them both.

End of chapter

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Hello, end of the prologue. How was that? Hope you liked it. My first attempt at such a story, so sorry if it comes out wrong. Anyway please let me know what you think. Like it, love it or hate it… I know I'm not good at this but I'm trying my best so… Ok enough of the wallowing in self-pity for my lack of literary genius… See you next chapter.