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As the Smoke Clears #4 in Rivalry Series	By : kurahieiritrJIO Category: +G to L > Initial D Views: 2672 -:- 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
- 36
- 37
- 38
CHAPTER 37

Hearing a knock, Keisuke opened the door and stepped back to allow his grandmother and great-aunt into the suite. They had a long black and red lacquered wood case held between them. "Here, let me have that since it's probably heavy."

"Shoo, nephew." His great-aunt said as she waved him back with a single hand. "This isn't heavy at all. It's too clumsy for a single person to carry comfortably."

Stepping back, Keisuke motioned them toward the bed as Takumi walked out of the bathroom in his bathing yukata. Confusion on his face, Takumi stopped toweling his hair. The old women set the case on the bed. Unbuckling four heavy leather straps, Sobo Ogino lifted the lid. With quick efficiency his grandmother began pulling dark wrapped packages from the case. "These are the ceremonial kimonos. You won't need the white packages since they're female specific items."

Great-aunt Chitose lifted out two darker colored packages. "This pack has male obi, and this other package has both jubon. Here's the other ties, and the fans. We made sure everything is in perfect order and ready for you to wear a few days ago, nephew."

Sobo Ogino lifted the first of the matched kimono from the lacquered case to set reverently onto the bed. Although he had seen wedding pictures of his Ogino grandparents wearing the kimonos, Keisuke had never seen the actual four specific garments with his own eyes. He knew the lore behind the kimonos. The Legacy holders told all of his family the story about the four commissioned kimonos. Identical sets of masculine and feminine designed garments created to reflect the deep meaning of Love's Legacy. The masculine pair ignored family crests. Instead the designer exalting the Legacy's meaning. Symbols of the major deities were incorporated into all four garments. Small embroidered beasts and symbols flowed across the hems of all four kimonos.

When Takumi saw the Love's Legacy kimonos, his mouth fell open. "Uhm, Sobo san, . . . I don't understand. Where did these kimonos come from?"

Sobo smiled indulgently at Takumi's astonishment while pulling out the second kimono to set beside the first. "We have carefully preserved and maintained these kimonos specifically for each generation that takes the Love's Legacy vows. We have passed these four perfectly matched kimonos through Keisuke's bloodline with a reverence equal to the rings, molds, and necklaces you're inheriting today. My ancestor commissioned these kimonos for Love's Legacy couples. By tradition, I'm passing these to you and Keisuke. It is your turn to uphold the tradition. Someday, one of you will pass the Legacy to a new generation within Keisuke's family, Takumi kun."

Both kimonos were high grade black silk, with pairs of woven white silk cranes standing on one side, and in flight on the other where the masculine family crests would have been. The black and white crane design stood for good fortune, longevity, and fidelity. The design reflected his family's Love Legacy, not the family lineage. They embroidered small Torii into the neckline, symbolizing the gateways to sacred places where the Shinto nature Gods lived. The designer had embroidered sedate silver foxes and more colorful phoenixes into each kimono. The male version obi were sober colored affairs that they could easily replace. The hakama began as solid black and slipped into the traditional lines as the fabric descended to the ankles. The designer identically detailed the haori with a small embroidered red sun enclosed by an embroidered dragon's heads on each side at the center back. The twin cranes standing and in flight mirrored the main kimono crests in front.

Since neither of them were women, Sobo returned the separately packed female trappings. They were placed on top of white silk background, larger patterned crane and phoenix kimonos before closing the lid.

"We'll leave you to get ready. If you need any help with the obi or anything else, we'll be next door. Don't be shy if you need anything." With those words' Sobo and her sister-in-law left for their own hotel room.

"I'm afraid to wear these, Lover. These kimonos are really valuable." Takumi confided in an awed voice once they were alone.

Chuckling, Keisuke pulled his stunned mate into his arms. "Sobo'll be honor bound to kill us if we don't wear them, my own. These are as much a part of my family's legacy as the rings, and necklaces. Only those who get Love's Legacy have ever worn these specific kimonos. We're about to become the fourth generation to get that honor."

Resting his head against Keisuke's broader chest, Takumi grumbled, "Oy, that means they're almost two centuries old, Lover. These are way too precious to risk eating anything in, Keisuke. Clumsy as I've been recently, Sobo san's going to have reason to kill me if I spill something on one. Can't we change before the celebration meal starts? I'd feel much better if I don't get the chance to spill anything on one."

Lifting Takumi's face by his chin, Keisuke focused on Takumi's ever changing eyes. Glints of dark stormy slate interspersed with golden brown and flakes of emerald flashed in his gaze. "Would you stop worrying about little things before you give yourself a panic attack? These kimonos aren't nearly as fragile as you seem to think. They're old, but also very well made, My own. You won't ruin yours even if you do accidentally get food or drink on it. I swear everything will be fine. Or, . . . are you having second thoughts about making this life binding vow with me?"

"That's not it at all, Keisuke. Messing up anything involving a ceremony this important isn't acceptable. Honestly, I've never even worn anything more formal that a summer festival yukata before. That was years ago. I doubt I can remember how to put this one on."

"Sounds like you've got a bad case of pre-wedding jitters to me."

A tentative smile graced Takumi's lips. "Well, at least I'm admitting it, unlike someone I know."

"If I do make a mistake, I'm determined to repeat the line until I get it right. That's the only way to get a wedding ring on your finger. So there's not a chance that my worries about stuttering, or skipping a word will stop me from making this vow."

"Who said worry's stopping me, Lover? Though, I'm going to be paranoid about eating, or drinking anything until we get out of these kimonos."

Hearing Takumi's heartfelt concern struck Keisuke as highly amusing. He kissed his quiet partner on the brow, snickering through his nose. "I don't doubt it, my own. So, . . . the sooner we get dressed, the sooner we can relax. Right?"

"Hai. Hope the wedding ring I'm inheriting won't fall off my finger because I've lost so much weight." His smaller mate murmured absently as Keisuke released him.

Rolling his eyes with fond exasperation, Keisuke reached for the ceremonial garb. Only truly important things caused his amber-haired spouse this much grief. One thing Keisuke knew with absolute certainty, Takumi only gave his word when he felt he could keep it. Considering how deeply worried he was, this ceremony was exceedingly important to him. With that thought in mind, Keisuke could not fault Takumi's skittish nerves. Taking a lifelong vow was something that Takumi was very serious about doing correctly.

"Dear heart, . . . will you stop driving yourself crazy? Everything will be fine. Take this, and get ready." Keisuke handed him a kimono set. With a deep bracing breath, Takumi accepted the articles of clothing with trembling hands.

"Nothing's going to go horribly wrong, My own. Trust me? We won't make any irreparable mistakes reading the scrolls. You've already read them once so it will be easier the second time. If you need to take your time to make sure you say everything perfectly, that's okay. This is equally important to both of us. Remember that we're already upholding the Love's Legacy meaning. Think of this as nothing more than publicly announcing that we belong together."

"I'm also wondering if Oyaji's going to show up. Luckily, Benika san came. She's very capable of handling Oyaji when he's in one of his moods. Still, I'm kind of afraid that Oyaji will make a huge scene. Kind of wish 'Kasān Yukiko hadn't told him about today. I would feel better knowing he can't stop us."

"If Oyaji san does come, let's assume that he's resigned to our relationship, Takumi. He'll probably make any objections known through his absence. If Oyaji san does try to stop us, he'll only strengthen the meaning of the Love's Legacy vows. Nothing, and nobody, will ever make me give you up, Fujiwara Takumi. Like I always say, you're very stuck with me for the rest of your life."

Stormy grays were fading from Takumi's eyes. Rich royal flakes bled into tawnier, and antiqued reddish gold as Keisuke watched the kaleidoscope shifting. Keisuke knew his spouse was calming down. Without warning, Takumi grabbed the back of his head with his free hand and gave him a light, lingering kiss. "Domo, Lover, because, . . . I really needed to hear that from you for some reason."

Giving Takumi's lush lips a return kiss, and Keisuke butted their foreheads together. "As if I'd ever back down when the rest of our lives together is at stake?"

"Very true. I wouldn't love you so much if you weren't my single-minded hentai." Takumi teased.

"When it comes to you, I'll always be your besotted hentai. Now get dressed. If I strip that bathhouse yukata off your sexy body, I'm liable to do all kinds of delightfully perverted things instead of helping you get dressed. Then we really will be late." He playfully growled against Takumi's lush lips.

Takumi murmured against his mouth. "iie, you won't. You want a vow out of me, and a ring on my finger way too badly. You won't let your libido side track you before you get your way today."

"Hm. You know me so very well, My own. Fair warning, . . . once we get the vows out of the way, I'm so going to revert."

They chuckled and stepped away from each other. It did not take long to get dressed. Helping each other with the various ties and the obi hastened the task. Although Takumi was still physically recovering for his harrowing experience, the kimono suited him very well. His eyes had shifted colors for a stunning combination of dark mossy green, a few royal flakes, and vibrant golds.

They were finished dressing when another knock came. Opening the door, Hikaru startled Keisuke because he was in a child's kimono standing beside Itsuke. Benika san and his mother stood a little behind Hikaru's temporary roommate and babysitter. The kimono Hikaru wore was a brocade in standard blue gray, and white.

"Whoa, look at you, musuko. You look great." Keisuke spoke with a smile as he carefully picked up his son. Hikaru wrapped his tiny arms around his neck as Keisuke locked his arm over the toddler's legs so he was stable.

"'Bāsan said I had to wear this cause you and Oyaji were. She and great 'Bāsan said we look like family now."

Takumi was at his shoulder. "I think 'Kasān Yukiko's right, Hikaru. Do you like the idea of being part our family as much as we do?"

The toddler nodded solemnly. Itsuke was smiling at the three of them Keisuke noticed. "You both look incredible. How come you forgot to tell me you were dressing so traditionally for this ceremony?"

"Gomen, Itsuke. I didn't know anything about these Legacy kimonos until Sobo san brought them to us. I thought I'd be wearing a tie and jacket so I brought mine. Keisuke didn't say anything, and brought a suit also. We were as surprised as you."

"Considering the long trip Sobo and great-aunt Chitose made to get here, I didn't think she'd bring these, or I would have mentioned them, Takumi."

Okāsan huffed. "Tradition is more important than her comfort, Musuko. Of course your Sobo brought the full legacy with her. She brought every item that's associated with Love's Legacy to give to you."

Takeuchi Benika san stepped closer to Takumi. "You look so very handsome, Onīchan. Domo for inviting me to come and see this ceremonial vow." She enfolded Takumi in a hug before letting him go.

"Well, you're always there for me, so I hoped you would be here. I'm really glad you did come. You and Itsuke are the closest thing to a family that I have who accept Keisuke being part of my life."

"Considering how much you blushed when you told me about Keisuke last October, I wanted to see for myself if he's good enough for you. Even without an invitation to this special occasion, I would have come to see you, onīchan. Getting invited makes me even happier for you." Benika san teased with a gentle smile.

"Well, hopefully I'll earn your approval, Benika san. I know that Takumi adores you." Keisuke responded since Takumi blushed profusely.

"I see several promising signs, young man. Most important is your expression when you look at Takumi. It is your expression which tells me you love him."

"Keisuke definitely loves Takumi kun. Otherwise, my younger musuko would still be acting like a wild hellion that Takumi couldn't stand. Takumi kun's done wonders for settling Keisuke down, Benika san. Ryuunosuke and I are thrilled to have him as a member of our family. Even Keisuke's onīsan, Ryosuke is relieved that Keisuke adores Takumi so deeply." Okāsan replied in an approving voice.

"That's the most important reason I'm not very upset over my adopted musuko missing regular visits for several months. I can plainly see that your musuko honestly loves, and adores Takumi. I think it about time someone recognized that Takumi's a wonderful young man." Benika san spoke with a lilting tone that conveyed teasing. Clear brown eyes turned back upon him with sincerity as Benika san spoke the last.

"Gomen nasai gozaimasu, Benika san. When Takumi came to stay in my ryōshin's home, Mogi had too badly injured him to drive himself anywhere. Had Takumi mentioned that you wanted to see him, I would've gladly brought him over to spend time with his adopted family."

"My, don't you both look so handsome!" Sobo exclaimed as she came upon their small group. Her sister-in-law Chitose was beside her smiling broadly. Both were wearing traditional celebration kimonos of their own.

"Domo, Sobo. I was telling Takumi's family that I never expected you to bring the kimonos because it is such a long train ride from your home to Tokyo."

"It's tradition, grandson! Even if I did anger both of you by jumping to the wrong conclusions, I would never intentionally tarnish the Love's Legacy. In fact, I'm relieved that Itsuke kun calmed you both down before my foolish fears turned you both away from accepting the Legacy."

Itsuke flushed, looking away from everyone as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Erm, I didn't really do anything. Tak and Keisuke are perfect together. So, I told them that they should do these vows. It isn't every day that two guys can get married, Erika san."

Keisuke's mother chuckled. "Not with the blessings of any priest at any rate. My family's quite fortunate that the old very well respected priest who made the Legacy vows was so adamant that the shrine he helped build would always uphold the meaning of Love's Legacy. They were forbidden to place the fleeting customs of an ever changing society before the Legacy's deeper meaning."

Nodding, Keisuke admitted, "I know Takumi and I are very fortunate. After last night's interrogation before the priest would even consent to doing the ceremony, I have a much better understanding of how the Legacy works."

"The priest interrogated me and Sofu before the vow ceremony also, grandson. It is another part of the tradition. You and Takumi kun obviously passed, or the priest would have told me you weren't the correct couple and left."

Takumi sighed. "Maybe, but getting asked so many personal questions was really uncomfortable, Sobo san. Half the time I was wondering how the questions even related to my being with Keisuke."

"Well, if you don't have any similar interests, you're marriage can't last. Shinto is always about maintaining harmony. How better to detect genuine harmony in a life long commitment than to find out the interests of a couple?" Great-aunt Chitose explained.

Benika san shook her head. "Sounds quite difficult to be the couple that receive this traditional Love's Legacy."

Before his female relatives could speak, Keisuke answered Itsuke's mother. "Hai, and for a very good reason, Benika san. A high ranked priest originally created the Legacy because he had a vision that my ancestors were supposed to marry. He ultimately forfeited his life to obey Kami sama. The ceremony includes a reading of that vision and the laws the old priest set down concerning Love's Legacy."

"Speaking of the ceremony, we should probably head downstairs, minasan." Itsuke spoke after a few seconds.

"I'll take Hikaru if that's all right with you, musuko. I'm enjoying this chance to get acquainted with my grandson." His mother offered.

To let Hikaru know he had a choice, Keisuke addressed his son. "Well, Suzuki senumon-i said to make sure you always make choices, musuko. You have two great obāsan, and two regular obāsan who really want the honor of getting to hold onto you. Which do you want to stay with through mine and Oyaji's ceremony?"

"Itsuke onīchan." Hikaru twisted his upper body and tried to lunge for Itsuke. Jumping forward before Hikaru fell out of his arms, Itsuke caught his tiny wiggling body before Keisuke lost his arm lock around Hikaru's legs. Takumi bumped into them both also reaching to catch Hikaru before he could fall.

Keisuke placed a hand over his pounding heart. "Hikaru, don't ever lunge like that again! I almost dropped you. . . . Domo for catching him, Itsuke. Damn, he scared the hell out of me."

Takumi swallowed hard beside him before blowing out a deep breath. "You aren't the only one. Think my heart stopped for a minute."

Oddly enough, Okāsan, Obāsan, great-aunt Chitose, and Sobo all began snickering. Benika san seemed as confused as Itsuke and Takumi. "If ever there was any doubt that Hikaru is Keisuke's, I think that act put any questions to rest permanently."

"Eh, Obāsan? How can my musuko scaring me half to death qualify as putting the obvious to rest? He looks just like me." Keisuke grumbled as he dropped his hand from his still fast thumping heart.

A clearing throat swung his head toward the right. Otosān and Ojīsan stood close by trying hard to stifle their laughter. It was his grandfather who spoke. "Gomen, Keisuke. We know it's a frightful experience. However, Hikaru did exactly the kind of thing you always did at the same age. You were quite a handful for your ryōshin when you were a toddler too."

"Hai. Seems my musuko will be raising a shonen with the same headstrong personality as Hikaru adjusts to a normal life." His father added.

His mother giggled like a school girl before she added to the comments. "Oh, looks like Keisuke inherited the Okāsan's curse that always happens to kodomo who prove very difficult in their childhood."

"Nani?" Takumi asked with wide eyes.

Sobo chortled and responded. "Well they say that if a kodomo is very difficult for their ryōshin, Kami sama makes certain they have at least one kodomo that is equally difficult for them once they begin their own family."

Benika san began to laugh softly also. "So I've heard over the years. Never fear, onīchan. You were always a wonderful, and very thoughtful shonen, so Kami sama will certainly temper little Hikaru's behavior around you. Shall we go, minasan?"

The chattering women began pushing Itsuke and Hikaru toward the men in their group. Rolling his eyes at the nonsense conversation, Keisuke gave Takumi a side long glance. With a soft mutter, he grumbled, "Old wives' tales if you ask me."

Takumi smiled. "Even if it isn't, I'll keep Hikaru from turning into a wild hellion like you once were, Lover."

"Fujiwara, Otouto, come on. We can't have the ceremony without you."

"We're coming, Aniki." Keisuke smirked as he closed the suite door and walked beside Takumi to the main group.

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As the Smoke Clears #4 in Rivalry Series