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As the Smoke Clears #4 in Rivalry Series	By : kurahieiritrJIO Category: +G to L > Initial D Views: 2635 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Initial D, nor the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-As the Smoke Clears
- 2-Smoke 2
- 3-Smoke 3
- 4-Smoke 4
- 5-Smoke 5
- 6-Smoke 6
- 7-Smoke 7
- 8-Smoke 8
- 9-Smoke 9
- 10-Smoke 10
- 11-Smoke 11
- 12-Smoke 12
- 13-Smoke 13
- 14-Smoke 14
- 15-Some 15
- 16-Smoke 16
- 17-Chapter 17
- 18-Smoke 18
- 19-Smoke 19
- 20-Smoke 20
- 21-Smoke 21
- 22-Smoke 22
- 23-Smoke 23
- 24-Smoke 24
- 25-Smoke 25
- 26-Smoke 26
- 27-Smoke 27
- 28-Smoke 28
- 29-Smoke 29
- 30-Smoke 30
- 31-Smoke 31
- 32-Smoke 32
- 33-Smoke 33
- 34-Smoke 34
- 35-Smoke 35
- 36-Smoke 36
- 37-Smoke 37
- 38-Smoke 38
- 39-Smoke 39
- 40-Smoke 40
- 18
- 19
- 20
CHAPTER 19

(Part of this chapter was inspired by Savage Garden's "I Don't Know You Anymore.")

How to reconcile his lover's attitude toward Itsuke left Takumi floundering in deep water. After Keisuke and Itsuke left his room, Takumi tossed and turned, unable to settle down. His existence wobbled dangerously on its axis. Sleep was a brutal farce because his warring emotions strangled his mind into a tangled state of numbness. Takumi tried to dive deep into the tranquility of silence only to resurface in a cold sweat. Exhaustion, physical and mental, clung to and entwined within his soul; invisible, suffocating blankets of alternating fear, revulsion, and grief. Nightmares of losing all he loved shattered his fitful slumber.

Ripping his very foundations out from under his feet had to be the universe's favorite hobby. Left field curve balls flying at his head were usually comprehendible once they whacked him. Foundation beliefs always kept him in the game, despite life's bruises. However, the previous night's discussion with Keisuke was so far beyond the prior known ball park boundaries, Takumi was free falling into an abyss with nothing to grab onto to slow his descent. In less than a year, Takumi's world had shifted so drastically he no longer recognized his life's ups from the downs he stumbled through.

Keisuke was the bravest man Takumi had ever met. Luckily, he had the strength to survive his outrageous courage. Takumi knew precisely how tough Keisuke was. Hadn't Keisuke saved him three separate times? Putting his life on the line was becoming a dangerous habit for the blond he adored. Losing part of a lung and then the horrible gash down his arm were the trophies Keisuke gained because of him. They were very real scars the feisty, impatient man would always have because of loving him.

When it came to resourcefulness, Keisuke always got whatever he wanted. Finding ways to create an avenue of escape would have been easier for him than it had been for Takumi. If Kahori ever tried to force Keisuke to do things that she forced him and Itsuke to do, Keisuke would serve her head to her wrapped in a spring roll. When it came to Keisuke's battles, he won every one because of his sharp mind.

The down side to being with someone as strong as Keisuke was that Takumi found himself losing his own edge. Where he had always been Itsuke's savior, now he was the one always getting saved. Where his prior strength was going, Takumi had no idea. Perhaps Keisuke was simply too perfect. There was no possibility of him ever being Keisuke's equal, and it hurt.

A new descent into hell was happening that Takumi could not find a way to overcome. In spite of feeling he deserved to lose Keisuke, Takumi could not dredge up the internal fortitude needed to release half of his crumbling existence. Feeling as horrific as he did, suicide was sounding better every day. Once Keisuke did walk out of his life, Takumi knew he would find that idea even more appealing.

Without their unexpected and unwanted feelings emerging, Itsuke and he could have repaired their friendship without threatening his relationship with Keisuke. One thing Takumi now understood with everything he was, he had always cared too much about Itsuke. His annoying, obnoxious, and always so childishly playful Itsuke. He had followed in Itsuke's wake, watching over him, protecting him, indulging the other teen's exuberance. Somewhere during their lives, he started living through Itsuke's eyes.

Uncertain of when the changes happened, one thing Takumi grasped about this intolerable situation. Life had geared nothing about Itsuke toward being tough. Gentle to the bone was Itsuke's nature. Sure, he was rowdy at times, too loud, and always optimistic enough to make Takumi shudder over his daydreams. However, those qualities somehow endeared the other teen to him. Always on his bad side, yet still drawing Takumi into his world, Itsuke was a foundation without which Takumi could not live. Failing to protect Itsuke, he had helped create this inexcusable change in Itsuke's behavior. The man he spoke to the evening before was a very different Itsuke, and he resented the changes. Unable to handle the nightmare of Kahori's torture and imprisonment, Itsuke was broken and remolded before his eyes.

Still, he had never thought to cross the invisible line he had not even comprehended existed with Itsuke. That is, Takumi never thought to cross it before Kahori drugged him into a stupor, and threatened to kill Itsuke. Had he temporarily replaced Keisuke's presence with Itsuke while they were in prison? Feeling weak, and unable to stand on his own feet, had he clung to Itsuke's reassuring presence? If so, he was the cruelest of all.

Pain was part of love, and Takumi understood that better than most. The pain Keisuke sometimes caused him was not due to any form of cruelty. That pain came from being treated so well, and pampered beyond his wildest dreams. If anything, Keisuke's devotion awed Takumi to his core. Before the compound, that devotion had been so complete it made his head spin. With Keisuke, Takumi had discovered space to relax, and simply trust another person on the same level he trusted Itsuke. Peace was something he had not often received in his life. Fear that he was losing that peace made Takumi aware that he was so frightened of himself that he could barely tolerate his powerful emotions.

Out of the feelings clogging his judgment, confusion over Keisuke's outrageous revelations dominated his chaotic thoughts. Where was he going to turn to keep his grip on reality when the man he relied upon most did the inconceivable? Every scrap of security Takumi desperately clung to in the aftermath of his captivity lay smashed because of Keisuke's inexplicable lack of fury and jealousy. Where was his feisty, domineering, and possessive beloved?

When Takumi first agreed to date Keisuke, he had specific guidelines to help him adjust to moving so far beyond his comfort zone. Falling in love with another man may have given him dozens of panic attacks, yet there was firm ground beneath his feet. Every unpredictable action Keisuke took fit into Takumi's ideas about whom he was dealing with satisfactorily. The spiky-haired man remained consistent enough to make unexpected things into an adventure. Wild jealousy, single-minded devotion, bossiness, conniving, honesty, and tenderness were among Keisuke's diverse mental landmarks that he recognized. Those traits were the solid ground upon which Takumi depended.

Suddenly having no idea of whom he spent each day with was the most unpleasant thing Takumi had encountered. Although he looked like Keisuke, and sounded like the man Takumi honestly loved, nothing that had come from his mouth the night before fit the Takahashi Keisuke he knew. His Keisuke would have exploded after discovering that he had given Itsuke a blow job. He would have pummeled Itsuke had he been acting like himself. His lack of jealousy, hurt, and expected violent opposition shook Takumi to his core.

Burrowing his head under the pillow to block out the morning sunlight, the amber-haired man groaned in frustration. Until he could reconcile Keisuke's changes, there were too many threatening factors glaring in his face. The only explaination was that he was losing Keisuke; a conclusion that sliced his soul to ribbons. Only that conclusion explained Keisuke's strange lecture. Complete loss of faith and love created by his drug induced stupidity described Keisuke's odd behavior the night before. Giving him permission for adulterous acts amounted to an excruciating, yet fully deserved severing of his connection to Keisuke.

This crazy desire to teach Itsuke everything there was about sex would fade if he fought it long enough. Perhaps he should force himself to let go of both men completely, despite the hell it would cause. Otherwise, he would continue hurting Keisuke and Itsuke. Neither deserved to be treated so poorly, and Takumi knew that he was being vicious to both. Falling in love with two people simultaneously was completely inexcusable. Most would tell him to choose one and be done with the other.

The sound of his door opening captured his attention. Sitting up, Takumi looked at his spiky haired partner. They could never go back to the way things had been. Kahori's insanity had destroyed everything. No more illusions were left. Feelings had shifted from pure attachments, to those that adult desires and drives had deeply corrupted. So drained that he was going numb inside, Takumi wanted to scream his overwhelming anguish at the world.

Instead of leaving any opening for Keisuke to announce their break up, Takumi tried to think up ways to distract Keisuke's mind. Cowardly as he was being, Takumi had to avoid another crisis inducing conversation with the temperamental blond.

"How hard was it to get in here without a microphone shoved in your face?"

"The reporters are being obnoxious as always, my own. How do you feel this morning?" Keisuke asked as he settled beside him on the bed.

"Those reporters will be sticking their microphones in my face soon enough. Guess I'll have to tell them I'm glad you're raising Hikaru when they come after me. That's one thing I dread about getting released."

"Forget about it. Didn't you have blood work scheduled to check the residual drug levels today?" Keisuke asked.

"Hai. Akabashi isha san said he'll give me the results early tomorrow morning."

"Shit, I have to get Hikaru's bedroom set up tomorrow before he gets released. To be honest, I really suck at this house keeping bit. Obāsan talked me through sorting out Hikaru's new clothes, water temperatures, and fabric types over the phone. How the hell do you manage not to turn white clothes pink by the way?"

"I stopped buying red shirts because I never figured out how to stop doing that." Both of them chuckled.

"So, does this mean that I officially know more about doing laundry than you, dear heart?" The blond grinned as he spoke.

Takumi's heart began hammering in his chest. Would he lose even this tenuous place once Keisuke figured out domestic life? "Probably, Lover. After I started working at the gas stand, I took my clothes to the full service laundry down the street from Oyaji's place. It was worth paying an expert to get my laundry done right. The elderly onna that owns the place even folded my things and put them inside bags before placing them in the hamper again. By providing my own hangars, I got a discount on my bill. It was easier to pick things up on my way home than continuing to clean up the soapy water spilling out of the machine because I always added too much soap."

"Now that's a great idea. I'll find out where a full service laundry is around here. Guess that explains Ojīsan stopping me from dumping soap out of the box into the washing machine at the flat. He didn't explain naze it was a bad idea, just called Obāsan so she could tell me all kinds of complicated rules for washing clothes. I think he decided to punish me for being so incompetent."

Forcing himself to pretend enthusiasm he did not feel, Takumi responded. "Lucky! Trust me, you do not want to clean up that kind of slippery mess, Keisuke. I know how messy your bedroom was the last time I was in it. I recall 'Kasān Yukiko folding everything before she gave us our hampers on laundry days when we were staying with your ryōshin. Are you going to be able to get Hikaru's clothes folded and put away?"

"Are you kidding? I'm totally clueless. Putting things on hangars and cramming them into a closet is all I know. I didn't understand Obāsan's instructions. She said to put the sleeves over each other on top of the shirt near the neck, then pull the bottom up so it's even with the neck to make a pocket. As simple as it sounded, everything looks really lopsided."

"Tops are smaller than the bottoms, right?"

"How'd you guess?" Keisuke grinned at him.

"The laundry place I was using folded my shirts and sweaters for me. I've seen the obāsan there fold enough tops to know you didn't get the sides tucked in before you folded the bottom against the neck. When you pull the sleeves over, you have to move the whole length of the sides over onto the back of the shirt also. The front of the shirt is on the table, not facing you. When the sleeves are pulled across at the neck and lain flat, you pull the cuffs of each sleeve back up to the shoulder seam it comes down from. Then you can pull the bottom up to the back up to the neck while holding onto the bottom's folded over parts so the fold doesn't slide out of the pocket."

"Eh? You think I can actually manage all of that for Kami-sama knows how many hours?" Keisuke's eyebrows rose as he stared at him.

"If you practice, I'm sure you'll get it. It isn't all that hard to do if you go slowly and remember all the steps while you're folding each piece, Lover." He tried to reassure the man he feared he was losing.

"Easy for you to say. You don't get worried about burning the place down if you try heating water in a microwave, my own. Che. Think I'll look for kodomo sized hangars to put his clothes on. This folding business is way too complicated for me."

"I only know so many things because Oyaji pounded it into my head when I was little. Being on a strict budget all my life forced me to learn basic cooking, house keeping, and laundry folding. Keeping the shop open meant cleaning up twice a day. I'll teach you everything you need to learn after I'm out of here." Takumi replied in hopes Keisuke would take his offer to heart.

"That threat's enough to make me miss Okāsan breathing down my neck. Do I really have to be so, . . . so, domestic? Can't we hire a maid instead?" The blond asked with heartfelt emotion backing his pleading tone.

Surprisingly, Takumi's amusement over hearing a familiar complaint lifted his spirits. "You have to learn to take care of yourself sooner or later, Keisuke. A maid won't teach you how to pick up after yourself. Maids cost money you'll need for Hikaru's long term care. Not learning how to do the basics will endanger Hikaru while he's so young. Walking on dirty laundry and food wrappers instead of the floor could get your kodomo hurt, Lover. If you seriously want Hikaru, you have to learn the basics or risk losing him."

Keisuke sighed in obvious resignation. "Okay, fine, I'll try to do things your way. Speaking of our raising Hikaru, I found out about another big change I'm going to have to make to raise him properly."

Feeling nervous, Takumi asked, "Nani kind of change?"

"Car safety seats only work in the back seat of a car. FD doesn't have a back seat, so I have to buy a new car."

"Nani? You're selling FD?" Takumi's shock made his voice far louder than intended.

Wincing as he leaned back, Keisuke nodded. "I'll rent a sedan for now, but I have to get a family car soon, my own. I can't take Hikaru anywhere in the FD because the safety seat won't fit."

Without thought, Takumi spoke, "Hachi-roku has a back seat. Use it instead. The driver's side roll cage might make it a little cramped for you whenever you drive, but that's much cheaper."

Wide eyed, Keisuke regarded him in silence for several seconds. "Dear heart, hachi-roku's your ticket into the pros. Using it to take Hikaru places would be unforgivable. Going to the touge to train or battle for the weekend like we were doing before Project D got shut down means you need hachi-roku to be available."

A sudden stubborn need to push Keisuke into an argument gripped Takumi. "Stop being a baka. You always say you consider your money to be mine. Well, then hachi-roku is as much yours as mine too. Otherwise it isn't fair. Sharing goes both ways, Damn it!"

Smiling, Keisuke grabbed him in a hard hug. "I understand. Using hachi-roku as a family car might work for a while. Still, whenever you're on the touge, FD won't work for getting Hikaru places, dear heart."

"Figure everything out once we know how things will turn out, Keisuke. Deciding on which nights to train might be necessary because of Hikaru, but I know you'll figure everything out once you get used to having him. Don't do anything drastic in the meantime. Go to Gunma and pick up hachi-roku. It's fine with me if you use it. Besides, hachi-roku will force you to keep improving until you get signed onto a pro team."

"Are you sure you want me to do that instead of renting a sedan while we're here, my own? Your demonic little monster is temperamental. I swear if that car was alive, it would tell me that you belong to it instead of me every time I walk past it."

The ridiculous image of his car snapping at Keisuke made Takumi chuckle. "Hachi Roku may be temperamental, but that's only because you need to master a couple driving basics. You know there aren't any shortcuts to driving hachi-roku. Consider it additional training for getting to the pro circuit. Bringing hachi-roku to Tokyo is better than renting a car for however long you're stuck here waiting to find out if you're going to get charged."

"Fine. But that means you have to learn better tire management in FD after you get released. Hachi-roku's too light weight to force you to really learn pacing from tire feedback through the steering wheel."

"Hai. I'll learn that from you. Deal?" Takumi offered as he relaxed marginally. So far things were going better than he had expected. Nothing about Keisuke's body language suggested that they would break up, . . . yet.

The sound of his door opening again forced Takumi's nerves to jangle with alarm. His body tensed, and he could not stop it. One of the policemen guarding this floor entered with a stranger. Keisuke pitched his rich, smoothly resonant voice softly as he shifted to act as a block. "May I help you?"

"Sumimasen for bothering you. I need to speak privately with Fujiwara Takumi." The business suit clad man requested as he held up a briefcase. The officer signaled that the case was cleared and stepped out of the room, closing the door as he retreated.

Keisuke's voice remained soft, yet Takumi heard his tension. "Who are you?"

"Hirata Asahi des. Here's my card, and you are? That tenor pitched voice was smooth and confident.

"Takahashi Keisuke des. Benika san told Takumi to expect you, Hirata san. She said your visit was important." Keisuke's voice was calmer.

With a heavy sigh, Takumi tried to decide how to react. Benika san had called and told him to expect this lawyer. Yet Itsuke's mother had refused to explain the oddity. Takumi considered the man who stopped at the foot of his bed. His jet hair was wavy, and styled to the side. His medium build was slipping toward middle-aged chunkiness. Piercing black eyes, with a hawkish nose gave his face a predacious look. "Nani can I do for you, sir?"

"Actually I'm here to do something for you, Fujiwara san. I'm the fiduciary in charge of the Rin estate." The smart dressed businessman explained. The man lifted his hand and motioned for the small mobile table which Keisuke slid toward the foot of his bed. The large briefcase made a heavy thunk as it landed on the wood and metal construct.

Frowning, Takumi asked, "Rin estate? Fidu . . . erm, nani is that?"

Keisuke rested a hand across his lower back. "A fiduciary is someone who legally holds something of value for someone else, Takumi. Contract lawyers with knowledge in management, investments, and real estate can become fiduciaries. The lawyer manages the properties, businesses, and stocks tied to a trust fund to increase the trust fund account's value. Profits from rentals, or businesses get divided three ways because of building and equipment maintenance. The other two divisions get split equally between an actual trust fund and making new investments. The invested portion can go into stocks, bonds, or real estate. Good investments produce additional trust fund payments on a schedule. After each quarterly, or yearly payout on stock dividends, half is placed in the trust fund directly. The other half gets reinvested to continue increasing the trust fund's available balance."

"That's correct, Takahashi san. You certainly know a lot about my job."

"My grandparents set up a trust fund for me when I was born. Mine doesn't have any property attachments. I've heard that real estate attachments are far more complex to manage, but can also be more profitable when managed correctly."

Hirata nodded at Keisuke, and faced him. "Do you remember the onna that took care of you when you were a small kodomo, Fujiwara san? Her name was Rin Haruko."

"Hai, Haru chan watched me whenever Oyaji was gone for the day. That was before I started school." Takumi was still confused, but he remembered the gentle woman he had come to adore right after his mother left. Her defection had hurt far worse than his biological mother's abandonment.

Opening the briefcase, Hirata pulled out several envelopes and documents. "Could I request that your friend spend a little time in the hallway, perhaps twenty minutes? It's necessary before discussing any kind of legal matters."

"I'd prefer to have Keisuke here. Since he obviously knows more about your work, he can explain anything I don't understand."

"Of course. Having your permission to allow his presence is also acceptable. I've come to see you because Rin Haruko drafted a will, and you are her sole heir, Fujiwara san. She set up a trust fund for you that has a real estate attachment. Due to your turning twenty in March, I require your decision on an important matter concerning your home. I need to know whether you wish to place it on the vacation market again, or wish to live in it? If you wish to live there, I'll get it ready for your occupation immediately. If you wish to continue leasing it as a vacation home, I'll arrange to give you complete control of your business interest upon your inheriting the estate."

"Nani? . . . Matte . . . Will? Are you saying Haru chan's dead?" Takumi felt a wave of dizziness and numb disbelief flare through his body.

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As the Smoke Clears #4 in Rivalry Series