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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
- 27
- 28
- 29
CHAPTER 28

Keisuke's patience was gone. The last straw was a failed attempt to kidnap Hikaru. In the aftermath of his forcefully retaking his son from the fraudulent hospital worker, Keisuke decided to get his family checked out. After three days of heated arguments over his decision to provide for his family's safety, Keisuke got his wish.

Ojīsan was picking them up in his sedan to help them get away fast. They had ordered the staff to keep the news of Takumi's release quiet, and yet someone had leaked the information to the press. Reporters were blocking their path to the Mercedes sedan.

Stepping out of the warm hospital lobby holding Hikaru's gloved hand, Keisuke's breath painted the bitter winter air brilliant white. Takumi and Takeuchi were a couple of steps behind. Careful not to move quickly, Keisuke guided his warmly dressed son beneath the covered arcade in front of the hospital. The police presence kept fans back, yet the reporters were screaming questions in Takumi's face.

"Fujiwara san, will you comment about your questionable relationship with your teammate, Takahashi Keisuke?" / "How do you feel about Takahashi Keisuke's attempt to get custody of his kodomo, Fujiwara san?" / "If Takahashi Keisuke is indicted as the mastermind behind the Slave compound raids, will you stand beside your man, Fujiwara san?"

Between Project D fans, and the press, Keisuke's ears began ringing from all the shouts flying at his group. Takumi looked overwhelmed by all the questions he was hearing. Answering was impossible with so many demands for attention from the media overlapping so the questions merged into a jumble of nonsense. Getting down the hospital's steps to Ojīsan's waiting car was going to be challenging with his newly released son. Hikaru was shrinking from the shouting reporters surging forward despite the officers trying to close ranks around them. Picking Hikaru up with a soft word of encouragement, Keisuke tried to get to the sedan. Takumi and Itsuke were following hard on his heels.

Halting their progress before they could reach his grandfather's car was the one uniquely rude tabloid reporter Keisuke honestly hated. Shoving his microphone into Keisuke's face was this obnoxious jerk's greatest joy. The man enthusiastically harassed him every chance he got. The blond sought to shield Hikaru's small body from the wildly waving metal microphone as the man swung his arm around vigorously, hopping in place. This reporter was hyper pushy, forceful, and too confrontational for good taste. None of the other reporters were so disrespectful. They always allowed Keisuke personal space, and let him leave the hospital grounds. Not this man. He always tried his damndest to keep Keisuke in the freezing cold, badgering him about his private life.

"How do you fell about seeing your lover carrying around his musuko like a trophy, Fujiwara san?"

Hikaru made a frightened noise as he tried to flatten himself against Keisuke's shoulder, neck, and chest, clawing higher onto his body. Keisuke's arm came up to deflect the metal whizzing toward Hikaru's head. Takumi's eyes narrowed to slits as he squared his shoulders and faced the other man. "Would you let us pass, yoroshiku? They just released Keisuke's musuko from the hospital and doesn't need to get chilled out here. You're scaring him out of his wits, so step back."

When Keisuke tried to go around the man at an angle, the reporter jumped in front of him to insure he could not escape. Pushing the microphone back along with the man's forceful hand, Keisuke's temper ignited. "Stop swinging that microphone around! My kodomo doesn't deserve to get hit, or scared half to death just because you refuse to exert self control over yourself! Behave like every other responsible adult here!"

Hikaru was shaking even harder as Keisuke tried again to step around the vulgar man. Because of the crowd's noise, Keisuke was unsure if he heard Hikaru crying. Refusing to give way, the man brandished his microphone like a sword in Keisuke's face. Keisuke twisted to buffer Hikaru, and got clipped in the neck. Rapid fire the reporter continued peppering him with questions.

"Tell your fans the truth. Do you actually believe you have any chance of obtaining custody of your illegitimate kodomo? Where is his legal guardian who should be escorting this kodomo this evening? How do you think your Project D fans view this newest low in your never ending scandalous behavior, Takahashi-san?"

Inferring that Hikaru was scandal material enraged Keisuke. Feeling Hikaru's terrified quivers as the jerk continued to block his progress to the sedan angered Keisuke even more. Forcefully pushing the heavy set man back, Keisuke continued to shield his son.

Takumi roared, "The only scandal happening here is your determination to beat on a toddler with your microphone!"

Before the reporter could react, Takumi's hand was wrapping around his microphone holding wrist and jerking him away from them both. Keisuke's relief was short lived. Shoving Hikaru into Takeuchi's arms, the blond lunged into the battle before Takumi could beat the moron to death. "Get Hikaru in Ojīsan's car, Itsuke! I'll bring Takumi."

Getting a grip on Takumi's wrist before he could land a blow, Keisuke was almost drug off his feet by Takumi's rage enhanced strength. "Matte, Takumi. Hikaru's safe. The baka only clipped me with his microphone. You have to calm down!"

The rest of the media was backing off rapidly while keeping their cameras trained on his enraged spouse. Despite his firm hold on Takumi's raised fist, his mate's rage was making it impossible to pull him off the other man. A glance toward the sedan showed Keisuke that Takeuchi had fled to his grandfather's sedan before anything else happened to his child. Returning his focus to his angry spouse, Keisuke began to worry. Snarling, Takumi demanded answers. "Nani has Keisuke's musuko ever done to earn your sick need to strike him? Or is attacking a toddler your twisted idea of acceptable entertainment?"

"I'm just doing my job! You don't have any right to attack me! I'll press charges and sue if you hit me! Help me! Naze aren't you kēsatsukan doing your jobs and protecting us citizens?" The reporter bellowed, spittle flying in Takumi's livid face.

"I saw you hit Hikaru, and Keisuke repeatedly with your microphone before I stopped you, Yaro! The one that needs to be arrested and charged is you!"

Still hanging on doggedly to Takumi's wrists, Keisuke fought to distract his mate from his blind focus upon the rude reporter. "Hikaru's safe! This isn't the compound! Let's hand this jerk over to the kēsatsukan, Fujiwara!"

As if his use of Takumi's last name shocked his spouse, Takumi released the reporter who fell on his rump. The officers present dove between Takumi and the reporter and tugged the media man onto his feet. An officer slapped hand cuffs on the bellowing jerk's wrists. "Keisuke sama, I'll take this trouble maker to the midtown station. Come by and press charges for his attack on your musuko as soon as possible."

"Domo arigato. I appreciate you letting Fujiwara leave here." Tugging Takumi with him to the sedan, Keisuke opened the door and pushed Takumi into the back seat. Going around to the other side and jumping into the warm Mercedes, Keisuke slammed and locked the door. He reached over and buckled Hikaru into place.

"Are you both all right, grandsons?"

"Hai, Ojīsan. Just really ticked off at that baka."

"That reporter reminds me of the guards in the compound. I'm not surprised that Tak flipped out on him." Takeuchi answered from the front seat.

Sniffling as Keisuke brushed tears from his face, Hikaru spoke. "That man was scary, Chichi. Do you know him?"

"Not personally, Hikaru. Gomen that he scared you. You're safe now."

Keisuke slumped into the seat beside his musuko. Remembering the stuffed bear he had brought for his son, Keisuke handed it to Hikaru. "This is for you. I had a bear a lot like this one when I was your age. When I went to sleep, he was always nearby to ease my bad dreams. I hope you'll like your bear as much as I liked mine."

"I never had a bear before, Chichi." Hikaru took the stuffed animal gingerly, looking as if he wondered when it would vanish.

Takumi was still shaking hard on the other side of Hikaru's car seat. "Are you hurt, Hikaru?"

"It hurt when he hit me, Oyaji. It isn't bad like Kahori sama's hits." His toddler answered while his tears dried.

Ojīsan pulled away from the curb and merged into traffic. Keisuke softly snarled. "Bastard had the nerve to call Hikaru a scandal and hit him with his microphone. That guy's always obnoxious, but it wasn't a big deal when Hikaru wasn't with me. That jerk's been following me everywhere I go. Takumi flying into a rage and attacking him is going to be the top story on the news casts tonight."

"Calm down, grandson. You'll frighten Hikaru more than he already is. He doesn't need any more fluency in some of your more colorful word choices either. Try to remember that ryōshin must be selective in things they say around youngsters."

Before Keisuke could reply, Hikaru was speaking again. "Chichi, he hit me and it hurt. Then you pushed him back, and Oyaji stopped him hitting us."

"Hitting a small kodomo will not go over well with his superiors, or Tokyo's viewers. Perhaps you should lodge a complaint with the television studio."

Keisuke smiled. "That's a very good idea, Ojīsan. I'll look up the station's information in the phone directory tonight. The kēsatsu took him into custody so I need to go to the main midtown Station to file charges this afternoon. I just hope the jerk doesn't counter file against Takumi. He made sure that baka seriously regretted hitting Hikaru."

Still holding onto his new bear, Hikaru looked between its ears at him. "It's okay, Chichi. Haha was wrong. Oyaji Tak was right 'cause he said you didn't know I was alive."

Keisuke knew he had to answer as he glanced at Takumi who gave a shallow nod. Hikaru was asking him questions about himself because he was getting comfortable enough to let his curiosity show. As he became less afraid of getting hit, Hikaru started getting to know him. The psychologist was quite pleased with Hikaru's breakthrough.

"Oyaji Takumi's right about my not knowing about you, Hikaru. People that I trusted lied to me because they thought they were protecting me."

"How come?" Hikaru asked.

"When I met your okasān, I was mad about so many things that I wanted to hate minasan around me. Some say I'm different. People can be cruel to anyone that isn't like them. Your okasān was like me in some ways, musuko. We thought we would always like each other because we were upset over similar things. Angry people also get mad at each other over little things too. That idea never crossed our minds when we started."

"You and Haha were always mad at each other, so you left?"

"iie, Hikaru. Your okasān left me. Haha started hitting me, and I hadn't done anything to deserve it. Men are much stronger than onnas and so we shouldn't hit them back. When we fought, we both tried to hurt the other at the end, musuko. I knew slapping your haha was very wrong after it happened."

"So we lived with Kahori-sama because Haha hit you until you hit her back." Resignation tinged Hikaru's voice.

"Gomen nasai gozaimasu for all the bad things that happened to you, Hikaru. If I had known about you, I would have found your okasān four years ago. Then, you would have grown up in a safe place with the family that wants you. Your okasān would be alive. You wouldn't have lived with her, but I would have taken you to see her as often as possible."

"Your otosān thought your okāsan was dead, Hikaru. If he had known about the compound, he would have saved you when you were a new born." Takumi spoke softly.

Hikaru looked at them both, then spoke again. "When did you stop being mad all the time, Chichi?"

Keisuke's eyes collided with Takumi's over Hikaru's car seat. He smiled at his curious looking spouse. "Meeting Takumi changed me, Hikaru. The anger went away while I was spending time with him. While we were racing on the same street team, I fell in love with him. You wanted to see Takumi when you had your bad dream because you feel the same kind of peace I do when you're with him. Don't you?"

"Uh-huh. Oyaji lets me color pictures, and isn't mad if I go past the lines. He says that I'm learning so the mess is okay." Hikaru nodded his head vigorously.

"Tak's right, Hikaru. Little kodomo have lots of things to learn so making mistakes is normal."Takeuchi spoke as he leaned to the side and looked into the back seat.

"Haha didn't like Tak. She said mean things about Chichi to him every time she saw him. I like Oyaji, but Haha would be mad if she was alive. Will you always be my Oyaji now, Tak, . . . Chichi?"

Takumi looked down at his son with wide eyes. His mouth opened but nothing was coming out. After a moment he nodded.

"Of course Takumi's always going to be your Oyaji, Hikaru. He likes you a lot, or he wouldn't be scared that you'll stop liking him if he says something that accidentally hurts your feelings."

"Haha was nicer to Itsi. Will Itsi always be with us too, Chichi?"

"Itsuke will be with us for a while. He'll always be a part of our family, but none of us know whether he'll decide to live on his own after he gets well. I'm sure we'll always get to see Itsuke if he does strike out on his own some day. Isn't that right, Itsuke?" Keisuke gave him a pointed look.

Itsuke nodded and spoke in an unusually soft voice. "Hai. It doesn't matter that we aren't really related, Hikaru. I think of you as being like my nephew. All my life, Tak has been like my brother, so since he's now your Oyaji, I guess you could say I'm like your other uncle."

Ojīsan's Mercedes pulled into the underground lot and found their reserved parking space. "I'll take Hikaru's duffel up, grandson."

Reaching over to unbuckle Hikaru, Keisuke spoke to the older man in the front seat. "You don't have to carry the last of his toys up, Ojīsan."

"I'll get the toy bag if you'll pop the trunk, Tatsuhiko san." Itsuke volunteered.

Tatsuhiko Takahashi chuckled. "All right. Domo, Itsuke kun."

"Come here, Hikaru. I'll carry you and your bear up." Hikaru grabbed him around the neck as Keisuke lifted him, and his new bear out of the safety seat. Fear had exhausted the youngster. It showed when he yawned a moment later.

"I'm very proud of you, Keisuke. One year ago Obāsan, Sobo Erika, and I all thought you'd never settle down. Yet here you are, not only brushing off the fawning public over becoming an idolized hero, but turning into a dedicated otosān right before my eyes. Having the media getting access to this tragic situation is helping you in some ways, but it's also making your life harder. The price of fame must be quite heavy. Still, you aren't allowing it to stop you."

Walking to the elevator beside Takumi, Itsuke, and his grandsire, Keisuke answered. "Sometimes being famous is a pain, Ojīsan. Still, it has perks too. Once things settle down, there should be more perks, and fewer headaches."

Inside the elevator, Ojīsan asked, "Are you certain, grandson?"

"I'm not sure of anything. All I know is that I have a huge fight in front of me to keep custody of Hikaru, and stay out of prison."

"You know I'll do everything I can to help you keep Hikaru, Keisuke." Takumi responded to his comment.

"Obāsan called today. She said she found an apartment that fit your guidelines. She said the place is too small to live in comfortably. However, it has two bedrooms, a small living room connected to a kitchenette, and a furoba with a shower, bathtub combination." His grandfather changed the subject.

"Sounds like a nice place to me. I don't really like living in a high end condo, or townhouse, Ojīsan Tatsuhiko. Although I'm inheriting a trust fund and a vacation house bordering Nikko Kokuritsu, I'm not really comfortable living in a big place." Takumi said.

"Personally, I don't care if the place is a mouse hole. If Takumi, Hikaru, and Itsuke feel safe, and are content, I'll be happy."

"A very good outlook to have, grandson. Seeing as how Itsuke kun's illness requires monitoring for a while, wouldn't it be better to consider a three bedroom?" Ojīsan asked as they stepped out of the elevator and walked to the front door.

"We'll sit down and figure everything out in a couple of days, Ojīsan. I'll call Obāsan tonight and explain the situation with Itsuke kun. For now he'll sleep in mine and Takumi's room so they won't get separated." Keisuke informed his grandsire.

Ojīsan looked startled as he opened the door. Keisuke followed him inside, Takumi and Itsuke trailing into the foyer.

"Takumi, I'm so glad you're here." Obāsan Masako spoke as she stepped into the entryway and swept him up in a hug.

"Uhm, hai, Obāsan Masako. This is Takeuchi Itsuke. He's going to be staying with us because of everything that's happened."

"A pleasure to meet you, young man. Let's get you settled in, shall we?"

"I'll handle that, Obāsan. Where's Sobo? I thought she wanted to be here when Takumi got released from the hospital."

"She's doing some shopping, Keisuke. Erika took one look at the kitchen and decided she was going to cook a special supper for Takumi kun. Still, the last time she visited Tokyo was when you were Hikaru's age. I'm beginning to worry that she isn't back yet."

"I'd offer to go looking for Sobo, but I really do have to run an errand, Obāsan." Hikaru was falling asleep, and clutching his bear Keisuke discovered when he set him on the long sectional sofa. The plush, overstuffed blue gray fabric cradled the small boy's body as he yawned, eyes closing as he dropped into a peaceful slumber.

"Looks like all the excitement at the hospital wore little Hikaru out, Keisuke. Let him take his nap on the couch for now. I'll grab a blanket to cover him. Let's order something from that little café around the corner for our lunch. I'll find Erika once I put in our order. I'm sure I'll find Erika as I walk down to pick up our order."

Keisuke faced his relative after giving Hikaru's head a gentle swipe and straightening. "Sounds like a plan. If I'm lucky, he'll sleep through me going to the midtown station to press those charges." He turned and held out his hand. "Itsuke, hand me Hikaru's toys."

"Charges? Nani happened, grandson?"

"A reporter struck Hikaru with his microphone, Masako. I'm sure you'll see Takumi's irate reaction to his adopted musuko getting harmed tonight on the news. Although it was rather shocking to see him so ready to commit violence in Hikaru's defense, the kēsatsu arrested the reporter because Takumi made it clear that he would never tolerate seeing a toddler getting beaten." Tatsuhiko explained to his wife.

Keisuke headed for his son's new bedroom as he heard his grandmother gasp. He quickly emptied the miscellaneous coloring books and other toys into the large plastic toy box at the foot of the child's bed.

Returning to the living room, he waved Takumi and Itsuke to follow him. "I'll show you our bedroom before I run down to the kēisatsusho."

Both Itsuke and Takumi seemed uneasy in the very spacious and fully furnished European styled apartment. He led the pair into their bedroom. Takumi was the first to speak. "This bedroom is huge, Lover."

"Hai. Ojīsan was already in the guest's bedroom across from Hikaru's when the hospital released me. He convinced me to accept the master suite, since we'll need privacy far more than himself. The door on the left contains our bathroom. The other door is our walk in closet. I've already put your clothes up on hangars, my own. We don't have many things that need to be in a drawer so I put them in the shorter dresser over there."

"I didn't know beds could be so large, Keisuke san." Itsuke spoke as he stared at the furniture in the luxurious room.

"The bed was custom made to fit the very large, and extremely tall Gaijin businessman that owns this flat."

Takumi strode closer to the bed, and began to study the heavy, octagonal shaped, antique mahogany night stands abutted to the heavy wooden headboard. "This headboard has lamps toward the center of the head board. Naze have these lamps on each of the night stands when there is plenty of lighting?"

"The night stand lamps are too weak for reading. The Gaijin businessman's wife is an avid reader so he had the recessed lighting installed. The table lamps only produce enough light to see into the night stand drawers."

Takumi shook his head and began to look over the dressers made of the same mahogany wood that stood on either side of the ample room. The longer of the elegant pair of dressers sat beneath a beautiful bevel-cut mirror. Thick pile carpet in subtle shades of cream through medium brown kept the room from feeling quite so dark and gloomy. Pale cream drapes covered the single picture window in the room.

Takumi opened the closet door and stuck his head inside. "Keisuke, this closet is the same size as your old bedroom."

"I know. The couple Ojīsan is renting from returned to Europe for a year. Ojīsan said they do a lot of socializing and actually have the wardrobe to require so much space."

"This bathroom is unbelievable, Tak. You gotta come see this." Itsuke spoke from the doorway. Keisuke chuckled at the darker haired man's bemused expression as he leaned out of the other room. Takumi's drop jawed shock did not surprise Keisuke. Everything about the bathroom was flashy. Marble sinks under a large multiple hinged mirror, and two people sized sunken bathtub dominated one half of the room. A marble tiled shower with two shower heads, a sauna bench, and recessed heat lamps comprised the opposite wall. The toilet was found in a natural alcove created by the shower and a long full length mirror that faced the sink area.

Sighing heavily, Takumi turned to look at him rubbing his head. "I've lived in apartments that are smaller than this bathroom, Lover. I thought your ryōshin had a huge place, but this is even bigger than their home."

"True, my own. Ojīsan rented this place because he knew there were going to definitely be four of us living here. He wanted to know we had enough room to keep from getting on each others' nerves. He allowed for my foul temper when he looked at fully furnished rentals."

Itsuke turned to face him. "Naze would he think such a large apartment would keep you from getting upset, Keisuke san?"

"Ojīsan was thinking along the lines of giving minasan enough space to avoid me whenever I'm pissed off. For now, we don't know whether my okāsan is going to fight for custody of Hikaru, or I'll get criminal charges for leading the compound raids. Either one of those situations will piss me off, Itsuke."

"Tatsuhiko san should be more afraid of my temper if 'Kasān Yukiko tries to take Hikaru from you, Lover." Takumi said as he stopped in front of him.

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As the Smoke Clears #4 in Rivalry Series