VF: Something Like Fate Title: Something Like Fate Characters: Asami x Takaba, OC, Feilong (minorly) Rating: PG-13 Spoilers: NT Warnings: AU with fantasy elements Disclaimer: Everything Viewfinder belongs to Yamane Ayano Notes: I always like to mess with Asami a bit on Christmas, and this year it's a mix of a Christmas Carol and It's a Wonderful Life. I stole the title for the fic from Kat's wonderful icon, above. This goes out to all my friends on LJ. Thanks for your support this year. It's meant a lot. Merry Christmas! ^__^ "Have a merry Christmas, Asami-sama!" "Merry Christmas, boss!" His glare must have been frightful as he left the office building, because Suoh swallowed whatever he was about to say and simply bowed as he opened the limo door, then closed it more softly than usual behind him. Kirishima waited for him in the back, papers ready to be signed at the upcoming meeting. Asami knew his secretary wasn't happy about working Christmas Eve. He'd had some big date set up. His people needed to learn that it was just another day. That's how he was treating it. Takaba had hinted that he was planning a date, but Asami had squashed that by saying he was too busy with work. It wasn't that they weren't a couple; they were. It was that Christmas Eve dates were cheesy and emotional, and that was something he despised. "Everything is prepared?" His eyes were focused on the crowds outside the car rushing about under the wet snowfall and multicolored lights. To him it was just another day of them bringing him more money. The silence after his question had been brief but long enough to make him shift his gaze to Kirishima, who was looking rather offended. Asami prodded him. "I'd not ask, but you seemed distracted today." "Asami-sama, it is all prepared according to your specifications." It was said very coolly. He didn't particularly care. His expectations kept them all on their toes. Still, Kirishima was a valued employee, so he relented. "After the meeting is finished, you may leave for the evening." "Thank you, Asami-sama!" Asami pretended not to notice as Kirishima quickly began texting someone. He wasn't really doing this out of generosity. There were simply no other meetings scheduled that night because everyone else, politicians and criminals all, had wanted Christmas Eve clear. He could make Kirishima work at the office, but weighed against the benefit of the good will he'd gain, the latter was the more profitable choice. The car jerked to one side, throwing him sideways in his seat. He touched the intercom. "Suoh?" "Sorry boss, sleet." The uncharacteristic terseness of the reply told Asami the roads must be getting bad. "Drive more slowly if you need to. It doesn't matter if we're late. In fact, it would be amusing, making them wait." "Yes, Asami-sama." He felt the car slow, still sliding a little from side to side. He ignored it as he would turbulence in a plane. Suoh would get him there in one piece. "Do you have plans this evening, Asami-sama?" Surprise at the personal nature of the question left him momentarily speechless. But then he noticed that Kirishima's knuckles were white as he gripped his briefcase. "I seem to recall you providing me with a number of reports to review," he said dryly. "They'll likely take well into tomorrow, especially the one dealing with the screw-up with that Bolivian shipment. Twice is outside of enough. I think it time we... replace those in charge." Kirishima went into full assistant mode, forgetting the weather, making notes on his smart phone. "How deep do you want the sanitization to go?" Sanitization. Kirishima always amused him with his euphemisms. "As deep as need be. I'll leave it to you. But it has to be quick and complete. We can't afford to be losing our shipments." "There will likely be repercussions if we touch government men. Have I your permission to bribe liberally?" "Not liberally. Within reason. Let anyone who fusses be made aware that we do them a favor by letting them live. Punish, then soothe with cash. But not too much. The yen fell against their currency again today?" Kirishima touched the screen of his phone. "Yes, Asami-sama, for the fifth straight day. And against the US dollar for the past month." He stretched his legs out. "We may need to move more funds overseas. Why don't we?" The car suddenly slid to the left, spinning into an intersection. As Asami's eyes darted to the window behind Kirishima's head he was blinded by headlights racing toward them. He dove for his secretary, then the screech of metal being ripped apart was the last thing he heard before it all went dark. -- His first thought upon awakening was that the rhythmic pounding in his ears was his blood, a sign that he was still alive. His second was the realization that he couldn't feel his heart beating. As his eyes flew open in shock, the sound coalesced into something more familiar, a driving heavy metal, and though he didn't understand it, he recognized the surroundings as one of his old dives from much younger days. "I should have known this was the sort of place you'd frequent in your youth." He turned, still slightly dazed, at the sound of the familiar voice. "Feilong? What the??" He cut his question off, not wanting to sound completely at a loss. Feilong would take advantage of any weakness. "Not exactly. I was just digging through your memories and thought he was exceptionally beautiful, and so decided to take his shape." "To take his shape..." What game was Feilong trying to play? Asami stared hard at the person sitting across from him in the booth, trying to understand what was happening without giving his ignorance away. He rolled his shoulders slightly, trying to determine if he was wearing his gun. He was not. "You think I'd let you have a gun? Not that it would do you any good anyway." Asami froze. Did he just...? "Who are you?" Pseudo-Feilong rolled his eyes. "Christmas Eve? Supernatural guy, spending it with a cranky mogul? Read much?" He was trying to puzzle out what that meant when a memory intruded. "I was in an accident... Kirishima, Suoh, where are they?" A finely sculpted eyebrow rose. "So you're human after all. They're on their way to the hospital. Both injured but not too seriously." Alive. Good... Good. "You're relieved." He gave his mind a shake. "Of course. They're two of my best men, hurt in my service." "Of course, it's only good business. You can't fool me. Not such a hard case after all, hmm? How unexpected." Feilong v2.0 pulled out a cell phone and quickly punched a number in. "Yes, it's me. I think I can handle this one on my own. Can you let the others know they should just go on ahead? I'll meet up with them there. Future already knew? Of course he did. I hate when he does that." He snapped the phone shut and shrugged apologetically. "Sorry, we're really busy this year, what with so many greedy politicians and all. So, where should we start? Generally I'd take you around to all the heartwarming places in your past, but how boring is that? Which I think you can't abide. And no wonder. I was really quite surprised to see how mundane your upbringing was. Average Japanese family, excellent student. You got bored too easily, fell in with friends who liked the darker side of life. Decided to see how far your cleverness could take you. Straight-laced businessman was never an option, was it?" Asami wasn't in the mood to talk. He was still trying to figure out who, or what, and why. And how he was going to get out of it. "Why wasn't I injured? How did you get me here? I thought this club was torn down in the early '90s?" Feilong sighed. "Do I really have to do this?" Meeting Asami's flat stare, he continued, "I see that I do. Fine." He waved his hands about in a vague pattern and the air around him started to glow. "I am the Ghost of Christmas Past." That was it. This had to be a hoax. "Ghost. Yeah. Right. Feilong, what kind of bullshit is this? I thought I'd made things clear between us. There's nothing there. There never has been, for me. And it's time you grew up, don't you think? Find another father figure to fixate your fuck fantasies on." If that wasn't nasty enough, nothing would be. "Nice alliteration. Especially since I'm Faux-Feilong, but the faux part makes it all not work on me.... I know!" He snapped his fingers. The club disappeared, and Asami caught his balance before he fell to the... silk carpet. He slowly straightened, taking in the new surroundings, caught between disbelief and hard evidence. They were in an apartment, in a high rise. He recognized the Hong Kong skyline outside the large windows. And he finally started to accept that something beyond his understanding was going on. Especially when another Feilong walked into the room. "Tao, I'll take my tea in here. And don't eat that candy. Arbatov probably laced it with something. Just throw it out." "Yes, Feilong-sama," a dejected voice replied. Asami took a step forward. "Feilong?" And shuddered as Feilong walked right through him. "What the??" He looked back at the other Feilong in confusion. "Do you understand now? You're a spirit. And I'm not the real Feilong, I'm just playing him on TV." "I'm dead? I was killed in the accident? You're a shinigami?" He'd never believed in what he couldn't touch. But there it was, right in front of him. "You're not dead. But in the accident you were knocked loose from your body. We've been after you for years, but you don't dream, don't do drugs, don't even let your mind wander. You know, there's such a thing as too much discipline." "You're wrong. If I'd had more, this whole business down here wouldn't have ...
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