FicWad

The scratches were itching furiously. Sweat was running down his back, stinging every place that the bark had scraped when he'd climbed the tree. He'd just had to get some close-ups. At least he'd been smart enough not to try it from the ground.

He watched the pride of lions lazing about a little below and off to the side. He tried not to wiggle too much. The last thing he wanted was to draw attention to himself. So far they hadn't noticed him, and he had gotten some great photos. He couldn't wait to get back to camp to develop them.

Fathers and Sons: A Photographic Exploration. He and his father had been working on it for eight months now, traveling across continents, taking pictures of men and beasts, of the modern and the ancient, whatever they thought best expressed the concept. They wanted a wealth of ideas and photos to draw from for this book. Most wouldn't make it in, but he knew there were some that were gold, and already expressing his heart on the subject. He was hoping to find some similar pictures among his father's choices. They had never been close, but this trip seemed to be bringing them to a better understanding of one another.

He shifted slightly on his perch. It wasn't that uncomfortable, as far as branches went. He snorted softly. A little too much time up in trees lately Aki? This would be a three star branch. Nice view but needs a breeze and a shower. He peered down, watching a lioness drag something that was until recently living toward the group. Needs room service too. But he wouldn't be getting down from here until they came to pick him up, and that was a good two hours away.

He wondered how his father was doing on the south side of the park. Surely a herd of elephants would be easy to find. They're not so small that you could easily misplace them. If anyone could get the shots, his dad could. He had such a single minded devotion to his purpose. In all his life, short though it was, Akihito had never seen anyone come close to the dedication to his work that his father had. A familiar pair of eyes flashed through his thoughts. Except one other.

A mild sadness put a damper on his good mood. He was tempted to grab his sat-phone and call home, but now wasn't exactly a good time. He couldn't believe he was worried about the man, but he hadn't expected to be left completely alone like this. There was something wrong, for that to have happened.

Although, maybe Asami had been bored with him too. Maybe he had moved on to other things.

Nah, he couldn't see the stubborn bastard breaking his habits that easily. He'd remained unchanged for six years. Why would he change now? But there had been no word.

At first, he'd jumped every time the phone rang, causing concerned glances and then questions from his father. Those were awkward, and in the end he refused to explain himself, causing an uncomfortable silence between them for a little while. That had passed though. His father wasn't inclined to be chatty, and soon dropped all questions.

But Akihito remained uneasy. As the months passed, and he still hadn't heard anything from the man, it started to genuinely worry him. It didn't mean he wanted to be with Asami. He couldn't help it if he still cared a little.

He kept tabs on Tokyo through his internet connection, when it was available. And of course, he was always talking to Kou and Takato. He had just spoken to them two weeks ago. He grinned. How many guys IM'd their friends from a tent in the Sahara via satellite? Kou had really believed that he was partying in a sultan's harem, the idiot. Takato had been pretty quiet that night. He knew of Akihito's interest in Asami, and had promised to watch for news concerning him, yet he had reported nothing.

He sighed and wiped his forearm across his face. Doing it again, eh? Worrying when he doesn't give a damn about you.

Bored. That's what he'd told Asami. And he had been, with some of it. But it was more than that. It went deeper, to a hurt come from years of his love being met with coldness. He'd been tired of never knowing his worth, beyond that of a pet who was useful for warming a bed. What the hell is so wrong with expressing yourself? Yet Asami kept that damned mask up year after year.

And yet there were times he found himself still yearning for the man. Three nights ago, sitting out under the Tanzanian stars because he couldn't sleep, taking himself in his hand to gain some release, the only fantasy he could imagine was Asami. But not as he was. Asami as he could be. Domineering but with love in his eyes.

After he'd wiped his hands clean, he'd crawled back into his tent and cried himself to sleep, because he knew by now it was a futile dream. That was the only thing that kept him from calling the man just to talk. That, and pride.

Still, would little phone call really hurt? Just to make sure he hadn't been killed? That would be too obvious though. If Asami was fine, he'd be too damned self-satisfied if Akihito called him. He needed a better excuse. But what could he possibly say?

He banged his head back against the bark of the tree in frustration, then swore loudly when it hurt more than he'd expected. He swore again when several of the lions looked his way and got up to see what the commotion was. Fuck! They couldn't climb trees, right?

He grabbed his satellite phone and called camp.

"Uh, guys? Do lions consider skinny Japanese men to be something of a delicacy? Because they seem to be looking at me like I was a plate of chicken wings."

He was packing his gear away with one hand.

"What do you mean, what did I do? I made a little noise. It was a mistake. Now I need a little help. How soon can you get here?"

He slung the knapsack over his shoulder and stood on the branch. Glancing up, he saw that the branches above were easily reachable.

"I'm climbing higher up this tree. They don't climb right? Right?"

The answer sent him scrambling.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me these lions climbed trees?! Godammit, that's the kind of thing you should be bringing up in our planning meetings. You know "Takaba, your plan is good only if you want to be eaten.". Shit, I can't climb one-handed. I'm hanging up. Get your asses back here now!"

He disconnected and stuck the phone back in his pack then climbed swiftly, as high as he could go. He hoped that with his light weight he could get higher than the heavier lions could, and that they'd give up the chase. The tree shuddered as one of the lionesses jumped into the lowest branches.

His arms ached from the strain of jerking him up as quickly as possible. The branches were getting very slim now, and starting to bend a bit. He was going to have to stop soon, or risk crashing down among all the lions on the ground. He was over 50 feet up. He could still feel the tree shaking as the animal below sought a path up the tree.

He peered below. It was getting harder to see in the dusk, but it didn't look like she was making headway. There was one gap in the branches that seemed like it was too far for her to jump, but Akihito's nimble body and adrenalin had let him make the jump easily. She paced back and forth on a limb below the gap.

Akihito sat gingerly on one of the thin tree limbs, then tied his knapsack to a nearby branch and got more comfortable. It looked like he'd be stuck there for a while.

God damned Asami. It was all this fault as usual. He at least should hear that before Akihito was killed.

He pulled the phone out of the bag, switched it on, and acquired the satellite signal. Then he punched in a familiar number and waited.

"This is Asami."

"You son of a bitch. Even halfway around the world you manage to put my ass into danger."

Funny how technology could make him feel the cold in Asami's voice from thousands of miles away as if he stood next to him. "Akihito. How pleasant to hear from you. Are you on a satellite phone? All the way from Tanzania. I'm flattered."

He shivered. Of course he'd been watched. He should have known. "Yeah. A satellite phone. From the top of a tree. About to get eaten. And it's all your fault!"

"Like the UFOs, hmm?"

"What the hell are you talking about? Though I wouldn't be surprised if there were an alien attack and it was your fault too!"

"Are you drunk?"

"No, I'm not drunk! I'm stuck at the top of a tree at Lake Manyara waiting for a lion to climb the rest of the way up here and eat me and I wouldn't be if it weren't for you!"

"And it's my fault how?"

He hadn't really wanted to get into the why of it. "Because I... Because you... It's just is."

"I see. Lions can climb trees?"

"Apparently they can. Evidently only the ones at this particular park like to, but it slipped the minds of my guides when I told them my plans. Would you like to speak to the lion when she arrives? I have the feeling the two of you have a lot in common."

"Well we both certainly would enjoy eating you."

"Oh shut up."

"Akihito, I don't suppose you brought a gun along."

"Of course not! I don't want to hurt them."

"I have the feeling your opinion about that will be changing rapidly in a few minutes. What do you have with you?"

"Water. My photographic equipment. A towel. You should never leave home without a towel."

"I'll remember that. Wipe her jaws clean after she takes a bite out of you. Now, what will you give me I wonder, to save your ass?"

"You're bargaining. Right now. With my life on the line."

"Yes, did you expect me to give information away? Do you remember to whom you're speaking?"

He sighed. "What do you want?"

"Hmm. How about emails, daily. I'm bored and I wish to be entertained. A travelogue, with pictures if they're available."

"Why the hell would you want that? Besides, I don't have time to write you every day! Once a week."

The tree shook heavily and Akihito looked down in fear. Dammit, the lioness had made the leap over her head to the branch that would give her access to the upper part of the tree. What the hell was he supposed to do now?

Asami took up the bargaining. "Three times."

He didn't want to, but his options were gone. "Twice."

"Done. Now get out your camera."

"What? I don't have time to be snapping –"

"Turn your flash on, and make sure it's set to full."

Akihito froze. Would something so simple work? He stuck the phone in his pack, picked the camera up, and quickly adjusted the setup and pointed it down the tree. He took the time to focus. His adrenalin made his hands shake. These could be great shots. If he could get them and scare her off at the same time...

He pressed his finger and the flash went off.

The lioness snarled and drew back. But she only stopped for a moment. He started taking pictures rapidly, watching her. She knew there was nothing to fear from the light. But he saw the signs that he was looking for, the slipping feet, the slight loss of balance.

She gathered her muscles for the next leap and came off the branch towards him. He shot again, watching through the viewfinder, hoping to every god in the book that Asami knew what he was talking about. She flew toward him, claws outstretched and sailed right under his branch, missing it by a good two feet, crashing through the weak surrounding tree limbs that couldn't hold her weight. He had seen her eyes as she leapt. The flash had blinded her, and she missed the prey she had thought was within reach. He heard the thud far below as she hit the hard earth.

Akihito, trembling slightly now that the danger had passed, gently set his camera in his lap and leaned against the tree for support. He took a few deep breaths and picked the phone up again. "She... she missed me. She was coming straight at me but she missed me and fell. I'll be damned. You're a real MacGyver, aren't you?"

He heard a long sigh, as if a held breath had been released, then a nonchalant voice. "Oh, did it work?"

"Did it –???" he sputtered. The stress and adrenalin and the completely unbelievable nature of the situation took their toll. He started laughing helplessly. "You still haven't changed, have you?"

"Haven't I? Well, you would know."

Headlights appeared in the distance. The truck was barreling across the plains toward his tree. The lions were milling about, uncertain, but it looked like they were going to leave.

"My ride is here. I have to go." He paused. "Listen, Asami... Thank you."

"Just remember to keep your end of the deal."

"You don't have to tell me that! I won't forget. Bastard. Goodbye!"

He snapped the phone off, and shoved it into his pack. What the hell had he gotten himself into this time? Well, a deal was a deal. The man had saved his life after all. And it's not like he could do anything to him via email except maybe irritate him. And he could be irritating back.

He smiled and got ready to give his employees the lecture of a lifetime.


--


A world away, Asami set the phone back on his nightstand and slid down between the soft sheets of his bed. He lay there on his back, hands locked behind his head, and stared at the plain white ceiling.

That had been unexpected. Of course it was. It was one of the traits he most appreciated in Akihito, one of the reasons he'd chosen him above all others to be his lover. He'd never been bored with him. It had stung to hear the reverse wasn't true. That he'd become /predictable/. He'd thrown lovers away for that very thing, and Akihito had done the same to him. As much as it had angered him, he couldn't blame him, really.

But now he'd been given an opening. Or rather, he'd made one for himself. And this time, he mused, Akihito might be in for a surprise of his own.

His sleep that night was easier than it had been in months. Eight months.