Disclaimer: Asami and Akihito and the wonderful world of Viewfinder belong to Yamane Ayano.

Love Most Dangerous

By Kate Red

The old man tossed pieces of day-old bread to the pigeons crowding in front of his bench. Every now and then, he scooped some bread and let the braver of his feathered friends come and snatch a crouton from his hand. He laughed when they did, the sound startling the birds into scattering as it rang like a cracked bell.

It was music to Asami's ears.

"It's illegal to feed birds in the park," he called out as he stepped away from the tree he'd been lounging against. "You'll get in trouble for that."

The five men stationed some distance around the old man whipped out their guns at his words. They lowered their weapons as they recognized the newcomer.

"Bah, who's going to arrest me?" the old man answered, lifting his chin as if daring anybody to try and stop him. Then he broke out into a wide grin that showed nothing but gums. "Ahh, Ryuichi," he said as he opened his arms.

"Ojiisan." Asami bowed respectfully.

The old man motioned impatiently at Asami to dispense of the formal greeting and to come closer. Asami found himself being swept in a surprisingly strong embrace.

"You did not tell me you were visiting."

"Can't I come and see my favorite grandfather?"

The old man snorted. "Only grandfather alive," he said under his breath. He picked up the bag of bread he'd set aside and held it out to the younger man. Asami took a slice and started breaking it into pieces for the birds.

"How are you? Haven't been to see me in a while."

"I apologize, Ojiisan. I've been terribly busy."

"Hmph. I heard you had some trouble recently. Something about Hong Kong?"

Asami wasn't fooled by the old man's innocent tone. His grandfather may have handed him the reins of the family business 10 years ago and publicly "retired." But the man who had ruled the underworld for decades still had more contacts than the rest of the nation's intelligence and security agencies combined. And, he kept in touch with them. Constantly. There was nothing that happened in Japan — or other parts of Asia, apparently — that Takeo Asami did not know.

"It has been dealt with," he responded, hoping his grandfather would pick up on his tone and drop the subject. The old man's next words dashed that hope.

"So, we now have a casino in Macao then?"

Asami glared at the old man. "No."

"But you have the deed."

"I exchanged it for something else."

"Something more valuable, I hope?" The old man smiled teasingly. "Speaking of things of value, how is Fei Long? Is he as beautiful as I remember?"

An image of the temperamental leader of the Baishe as he swooped in for that last kiss came unbidden. "Even more so."

The old man nodded. "You always had a soft spot for that boy. At one point, I had hoped you two would get together. Imagine the breadth of the empire we could have had."

Asami threw an incredulous look at his grandfather, who cackled in delight at the reaction his teasing provoked.

"You're a strange old man." Asami rubbed his grandfather's back as the laughter turned into wheezes. Asami frowned. "It's getting cold, Ojiisan. Why don't we get out of here?"

Takeo Asami tossed the remaining bread pieces to the birds and accepted his grandson's arm for support. They crossed the park in silence, walking slowly so as not to tire the old man. Asami ordered Kirishima to follow the security convoy as he joined his grandfather in his car.

When they were seated in the warm comfort of the limousine, the old man bid Asami to move closer and took his hand, patting it occasionally. Asami smiled affectionately as he recalled how as a child he used to sit just like this with his grandfather and listen to his stories. The old man, however, had no stories today — only questions.

"Who is Akihito Takaba?"

Asami stiffened. He tried to slip his hand from his grandfather, who gripped it even tighter. "He's no one. You shouldn't concern yourself over him."

The old man snorted. "I'm concerned about you. And you're concerned about him. So now, I'm concerned, too."

Takeo Asami pulled at his grandson's hands to make Asami face him.

"When I hear that my grandson, whom I love most in this world, gets shot at by the Baishe leader over this Takaba, I start asking questions. When I hear my grandson, not fully recovered from his injuries, dashes to Hong Kong, leaving our business in the hands of an aide, albeit a very capable one, I start demanding answers. When I hear that same grandson gives up the deed to a very profitable casino in exchange for this Takaba, I—"

"All right!" Asami wrenched his hand from his grandfather's grip and folded his arms in a posture so tense it was obvious his grandfather had hit a raw nerve.

"So, who is this Takaba?"

"Read your dossier. I'm sure it's accurate and up to date."

"Well, the photographs tell me he is beautiful. Young." The old man threw a sidelong glance at Asami that held a tinge of disapproval at the age difference. "Talented, judging from his work. Feisty."

"Well, then," Asami shrugged, as if to say what else is there to know.

"But who is he to you, my boy?"

Asami pulled a pack of Dunhill from his breast pocket, but a tsk-tsk sound reminded him his grandfather hated the smell of cigarette smoke. He replaced the pack inside his suit and stared out the car window at the passing scenery. Trust his grandfather to hone in on something he'd avoided asking himself.

If somebody else other than his grandfather asked him the question, Asami would have told them to take a flying leap from a very short pier. But it was Takeo Asami, the man who'd raised him and cared for him. The least Asami could do was try to give some answers when his grandfather asked.

"He's —" Asami sighed, and started again. "He—" He shook his head and fell into silence. After a while, he felt his grandfather pick up his hand again and pat it gently. He looked up to see the old man watching him intently. He looked away quickly.

"He's not from our world, Ryuichi," Takeo Asami said softly.

"He's familiar enough with it."

"Because of Hong Kong? Takaba might have had a peek, but you and I have had a front-row seat to the dangers our world holds. You make sure he understands what he's getting into. You make sure he has a choice. Every second you stay with him, you put him in danger. And you put yourself in danger. If he's only someone who warms your bed, find somebody else. If it isn't love, let him go."

"I can't. He's mine."

Takeo Asami raised an eyebrow. "You can't own people."

Asami did not respond.

"Ahh, you've always been stubborn and possessive, even as a child." His grandfather reached out and cupped his face, turning it so Asami looked at him. "You've had other lovers before. Beautiful, brilliant creatures. What makes this Takaba different?"

A small smile crept across Asami's face as an image of Akihito clinging to the side of a building, sticking his tongue out flashed in his mind. That was the night they met; the young photographer had jumped off the building to escape Asami and his men. "He makes me feel, Ojiisan. With him, I feel alive."

"And what do you make him feel?"

Asami didn't respond.