Title: Taking care of you.
Chapter: #05
Anime/ Manga Kingdom: You're my Love prize in Viewfinder
Characters: Asami x Takaba
Timeframe: Post Naked Truth
A/N: Again, this is unbeta. So if there is any grammar or spelling mistakes, forgive me for that. I have been pretty busy with my real life, so this is kind of late. Once again, thank you for all your kind reviews. I really appreciate them, so keep them coming!
A few weeks have passed since Takaba's last appointment with Dr Hiroshi. He still could not speak but he was better at managing his anxiety now. Asami was thus able to spend more time with his work than before since Takaba could pretty much be on his own now, even though he was still under the supervision of his bodyguard. However, most things remained the way they were. Takaba was not allowed to take up any job and he was forced to stay in Asami's apartment. As usual, he was annoyed with Asami's decision yet he still abided by it since he did not have much of a choice either. Being muted, he could not speak when he wanted to or even needed to. Also, he would easily get nervous and have anxiety attacks in crowds, or so he learnt a week ago.
He was bored after lazing around the apartment for almost a whole day, so he had asked Suoh to take him to Club Sion to meet Asami for dinner. Surprisingly, Asami relented and Suoh drove him to the club. Takaba had thought that he would get there fine as long as no one stopped him to talk to him. But it proved otherwise upon the moment he stepped into the crowded room. People were surrounding him or so he thought they were. Voices were buzzing in the background like bees flying around him, driving him nuts. Whenever he took a step, his surroundings swayed and the floor felt unstable to him. Even if he did attempt to move, he knew that his directions were all wrong. In seconds, the anxiety got to him full blasted as he knelt down to the floor and rolled into a small bundle with his hands wrapping around his head and body. When people tried to help him up, he only shouted and trashed his arms around, even to Suoh and Asami. It was only when he heard Asami's soothing voice, then he stopped and looked up at the man in tears. The man had then carried him out of the crowd and into his private room with only the two of them and calmed him down significantly.
Takaba stared out of the window blankly. It seemed like it was getting dark soon. He wondered if Asami would be getting back home soon. Home, huh? He questioned himself. When did Asami's apartment become his home? He knew that he was becoming too comfortable here, but he had to admit he was starting to like this new life. Or should he say, this new Asami that seemed to be deeply concerned and involved in his welfare. He was gentle, not like the Asami he knew who was so adamant and forceful about things. Asami was still forceful about some things such as the apartment and Takaba's job, but their physical activities had died down for about a month. Takaba knew that he should be grateful that Asami was not forcing him to engage in sexual activities with the older man, but some issues and unwanted thoughts had been gnawing at him for a while. He wondered if Asami went outside to satisfy his sexual desires since he could not give him any. These thoughts should not have hurt him as much as he thought they should. In fact, he did not want to even think about the possibility of such thoughts.
Standing up on his feet, he moved to the dining table and picked up his vibrating phone. It reminded him of the calls that he had ignored for the past few weeks since he could not speak. Flipping the phone opened, he looked at the incoming mail. His eyes widened when he saw that it was from his parents.
From: Mother
Subject: Visit
Dear son,
Your father and I will be coming to visit you later this week. Could you email us your address? We are worried about you since you have not been picking up our calls and Kou says that you have not been in contact with him for quite a while. I hope that you're doing well and see you soon.
Love,
Your mother
Takaba dropped the phone onto the floor as he slowly knelt down on the floor in frustration. What was he going to tell his parents now? He could not possibly meet up with them and keep quiet the whole time. They would figure out that something was wrong with him. Taking in and releasing deep breath slowly, he grabbed his shaking right hand and willed it to stop vibrating. Think, Akihito, think. There must be a way out, he thought. If he dismissed the email like all the others by ignoring them, his parents might get even more worried about him. He did not want them to feel that way. His fingers pulled at his hair as he bit down on his bottom lips in deep thought.
As an idea hit him, he picked up the phone from the floor and began to type back a response which he hoped that his parents might believe and postpone their visit.
To: Mother
Subject: Re: Visit
Dear Mother,
I am sorry for not maintaining contact with you. I have been busy with work since last month. In fact, I am not in Japan now. I am on an assignment now. Currently, I am traveling with a travel magazine to take photographs of some third world countries. I guess I will contact you and father after I returned to Japan after this assignment since it is hard to get any connection here. I am afraid it would take months before this assignment ends. So I will see you in months. Take care.
Love,
Akihito
After pressing the button 'send', he sat back down onto the floor and leaned his back against one of the table legs. With his eyes closed, he mind drifted off and he fell asleep within minutes.
On the other hand, Asami had a rough day trying to settle as many business negotiations as he could in such few short hours. He had been working doubly hard this few days so that he could take some time off to accompany Takaba for his appointments with Dr Hiroshi. The boy had tried to tell him that it was not necessarily for him to be present for every appointment but Asami had made it a point to be there to watch over him, especially after that incident in Club Sion. He should not have agreed to Takaba's request to visit him at his workplace. He had experienced the feeling of dread when he watched his lover fight him off, as if he was a total stranger. He did not like it. In fact, he did not want to feel that way again.
His eyes glanced to the door as Kirishima opened the car door for him. With elegant grace, he moved out of the black car and walked towards the lift with Kirishima close behind. A hand stretched outward before him to press the button and then the bodyguard stood back to wait for the lift.
Upon reaching his floor, he left the lift and strolled down the corridor before Kirishima could do a proper scan of their environment. The man had realised that his boss had always been in a rush home recently. For one, he knew that Asami was worried for the photographer. Even though he personally did not approve of Asami's actions at Club Sion few days ago, he did not mutter a word of disagreement to him. Kirishima was at least seeing a side of Asami that no one had seen before. Someone who could put everything aside to see to someone he cared deeply for. He believed that Asami knew the risk he had taken by coming out to the bar area that day to bring Takaba out from the crowd. It would not be a big surprise if people spread the word that Asami had a lover around the underworld, which would certainly become a weakness for his boss. But Kirishima guessed that was the reason why he and Suoh were employed for.
His thoughts were interrupted shortly when he came up short behind Asami. Wondering why the tall man stopped suddenly, he moved out from behind Asami to stand next to his boss. He was startled when he spotted a tall, slim figure leaning against the door of Asami's apartment. After a second, Suoh came out from behind the tall man to bow at Asami as a form of greeting.
"Sorry, Asami sama. I tried to get him to leave but he wouldn't. He demanded to see Takaba san," Suoh explained the situation as sweat drops slid down the sides of his face.
Before Suoh could explain any further, Asami took a few more steps towards the figure with Kirishima close behind. "What are you doing here, Fei Long?" He asked darkly.
Twirling a strand of jet black hair around one of his fingers, the man smiled in response. "As your man said, I'm here to visit Akihito."
"And for what purpose?" Asami shot back, fury burning up within him.
"Asami," Fei Long addressed him as he straightened up to face him completely, "I've heard rumours about your lover."
With his golden eyes still staring at the Chinese man, Asami commented off-handedly, "Of all people, you should know that rumours shouldn't be trusted."
"There are some which hold true," the man argued. "Asami's lover broke down in one of Asami's clubs and you carried him into your office. Now, isn't that a truth?"
His eyes darkened as he placed one hand on Fei Long's shoulder. "I'd prefer it if you mind your own business."
A slender hand covered Asami's one. "I'm not here to join in the fun. I'm here to help him."
With one hard shove, Asami moved Fei Long's hand away from his. "He does not need your help."
"Asami, I'd have Mikhail's man hunted down. I know his body wasn't found and he was sighted in Japan," Fei Long stated firmly next to Asami, "He's no longer Mikhail's man anymore. You wouldn't want Yuri san hunting Akihito down."
Asami turned to glance at the Chinese man. Weighing all his options available, his eyes stared at Fei Long hardly before he pressed the pin for his apartment. The Chinese mafia boss followed behind him as Asami entered the room first.
"Akihito?" Asami called out, disrupting the peaceful silence in the room.
His eyes scanned the room thoroughly only to rest upon a black figure rolled into a ball at the bottom of the dining table. The thin man shifted slightly at the noise but remained deep asleep. Releasing his breath which he had not realised that he had been holding in, Asami hovered over the boy and positioned his arms under the boy to pick him up. All the while, Fei Long watched them closely. He witnessed the man whom he had carried a torch for years treated the young man with tender care and concern. Before the incident in Hong Kong, he might have been jealous of Takaba for receiving Asami's love and might have even wanted to hurt the young man. Now, he would probably say that he finally understood the feelings Asami had for Takaba, those that he could never had. It was weird for him to admit that somehow he was happy for the older man that he had found someone he loved. But perhaps, he had matured. Fei Long chuckled at that thought.
Pushing those thoughts away, he walked into Asami's bedroom following his footsteps. He watched the man place Takaba down on the middle of king sized bed before tucking the blanket tightly around his fragile body. He envied the both of them while seeing Asami bent down slightly to lay a kiss on Takaba's forehead before darkening the room to a slight dim.
Asami turned back to him as he led Fei Long back to the living room. "Where is Yuri?"
Fei Long tapped his tongue against the rooftop of his mouth. "You're quick as usual to jump straight to the point."
"Cut the crap."
Crossing his arms across his chest, the Chinese man sat down on the dining table graciously. "Ah, I would. But I told you that I'd hunt him down, not that I've already hunted him down."
Asami was now glaring at him. "You mean, you don't know where he is now."
"No."
"Why don't you get out of this place then? Since I've no use for you."
A smile graced his lips. "I said that I'd help. He was sighted in Japan only two days back by one of my men. I supposed he is headed for Takaba. But that's not the only reason I'm here. Tao wanted to visit Takaba, so I've brought him along and I'm curious about the rumour too."
"Come back tomorrow with Tao then. Takaba is asleep now," Asami cut him off as he took off his coat.
Pulling away from the dining table, Fei Long waved his hand and moved to the door. "I'll see you tomorrow morning then. Anyway, I'll keep to the end of my promise. For Takaba."
With that, the Chinese man left the apartment as Asami stared after him. Lifting his phone to his ear, he listened to one dialling tone before the other party picked up his call.
"Kirishima, locate Yuri as soon as possible."
"Yes, Asami sama."
Then, the man ended the call by flipping the phone closed. He would kill the man before he could hurt Takaba again.
A/N: Special thanks to the reviewers to chapter 4 – shuki00, kittyzala, Skatjas, nhgcmngcmngcgnc, nnnll, , Theia Pallas, MireaShta, KyouyaxCloud, akixasa125, Loojee, LanaLegolas and ItsRandom.
Please leave me reviews as usual! And… I shall be on my way to chase back my plot bunnies since they have been getting out of hands recently. I hope you guys love the story!