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Alternate Tracks 2nd Story in Rivalry Series	By : kurahieiritrJIO Category: +G to L > Initial D Views: 2560 -:- 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
- 39
- 40
- 41
A/N: This is the pre-revised version. I will get this revised ASAP. So if you see this tag, this is the older FFnet version, not the review helpful revised edition. The missing marks etc will be fixed and replaced soon.

CHAPTER 40

A month passed before Keisuke's lung healed enough to transfer to a hospital in the Akagi area. Takumi was released from the hospital two weeks before Keisuke was deemed ready to transfer. The blond chafed to return home so he would no longer be away from the quiet teenager he adored. The most excitement Keisuke had to look forward to were the daily tests, and treatments for his lung, or visits from Okasan.

The day after Keisuke arrived at Akagi General, his otosan and Takumi came to see him. He was surprised by the atmosphere between Takumi and Otosan. Keisuke was pleased to see that their interaction was quite positive, even though his otosan admitted that he had been required to give up his study because of Takumi's inability to get up stairs.

Takumi visited with him every day, which made the forced inactivity of his hospital stay bearable during the two weeks he had been at Akagi General. Keisuke was always annoyed at being made to rest when he felt restless, until Takumi arrived each day to visit. The blond enjoyed the time he spent with his boyfriend. They had come to an agreement about a need for better communication in the wake of the disastrous end of Project D. Both worked to consolidate their relationship as they shared information about their lives. Keisuke was impatient for the end of the week to arrive. He would get to leave the hospital, which meant he could curl around Takumi at night, instead of watching as the teenager hopped out of his room on crutches every evening.

Keisuke had seen for himself how the metal framed bone cage caused pain whenever Takumi bumped into things by accident. The teenager had complained about being tired because if he moved in his sleep, the cage's edges caught in his bedding and woke him up as it put pressure on his skin and bones. The osteopathic senumon-i had decided to remove the pins and screws earlier than expected.

Takumi was happy over the prospect of freedom from the cage his thigh had been trapped in for six weeks. It would be a huge relief for his younger lover to be placed in a different brace so he could begin therapy to strengthen his leg during the majority of his bone's healing process.

Keisuke wondered when Takumi would be finished with the surgery he had been scheduled for that morning. Once the local anesthetic wore off, Takumi would be released since the holes in his leg would be stitched closed. The senumon-i had decided on a heavy brace with external metal bars in place of the bone cage which meant his teenaged lover would be more mobile than ever. Keisuke waited for his boyfriend with his normal impatient frown. The teen had promised he would come to see him once the isha sensei released him from the surgical ward on the first floor.

A knock on the door pulled Keisuke from his contemplation. "Come in."

Keisuke thought it would be Takumi, or a member of his family with news about how Takumi's surgery had gone. He was surprised when Bunta Fujiwara stepped into the room. Keisuke had expected the older man's arrival after he had been moved to Akagi General, though had no idea when he'd face his irate in-law. "Oyaji san, I heard you wanted to talk to me after I woke up."

"That's right. I want to know what the hell you think you're trying to do to Takumi." Bunta stood at the foot of his bed with his hands on his hips, and an angry expression.

"I was told that you found out about my feelings for Takumi. I also know that you're pissed at him because he refused to turn on me when he found out I'm bisexual." Keisuke looked up at the older man. Bunta was angry, but the blond would not flinch, or tell lies to his mate's otosan. No matter how ugly things got, Keisuke was determined to make the older man understand that he would not leave Takumi. Keisuke would find a way to make Oyaji san accept that he was with Takumi for the right reasons.

Bunta snarled, "Nani did you say to my musuko to convince him to do something this crazy? How did you make Takumi consider screwing up his life by getting involved with you?"

"It's everything I've done that gave Takumi enough of a reason to take a chance on me, Oyaji san. Takumi wouldn't have listened to anything I said if I hadn't already proven to him that I'm worth the risks, and headaches involved with a same gender couple."

"Nani debt have you been holding over Takumi?" Bunta began to pace across the room.

Keisuke answered in a quiet voice. "I'm not using any kind of debt to get anything out of Takumi. I love him, and he knows it. When things bother him, I'm there for him. I accept him for himself which is what he needs most, Oyaji san."

"You don't see how my musuko would feel he owes you something? Are you a baka, Keisuke? I've been told that you saved his life when he had the car wreck. Then, you pulled this stupid stunt and damn near died because of it. How the hell can you say that you aren't holding anything over Takumi's head?"

"Takumi's more important to me than anything. I won't watch him die if I can do something to prevent it. I'd rather be dead than let anything happen to him. I'm not keeping any kind of tab, and I don't want Takumi to do that either."

"How can you be so sure that Takumi isn't keeping track of the score, and doing things you want because he feels he owes you something?"

"I know he isn't doing that because of how often we argue over things he doesn't agree with. I also know Takumi has had a hard time getting used to the idea of having a man in love with him. I've seen his panic attacks, and all the rest that you weren't there for, Oyaji san."

"Nani makes you so certain Takumi would have gotten killed when Mogi showed up?"

"I was in hard-core gangs when I was younger, Oyaji san. Takumi would be dead right now if I hadn't knocked him out of the way of Mogi's aim. He comes to my eye level. The bullet that destroyed the lower part of my lung up would have gone through his heart. It's not hard to figure that out if you look at his height compared to mine. I had the better chance of surviving and I know it."

Bunta dropped into the chair Takumi often sat in, and shook his head. "Keisuke, this is one hell of a mess you've caused. I'm half tempted to beat the hell out of you for screwing up Takumi's life. You'll ruin your life too if you two keep this up." Bunta scratched his head as he looked at the floor. "But, I know you're serious. You'd have to be to do the things you've done to protect Takumi. People don't throw their lives away without a damned good reason." He lifted his head to glower at him.

"Hate me all you want, but I won't walk away from Takumi no matter what anyone says or does. He can't handle any more losses, Oyaji san. I already know how tough things are going to get. But, I'm not going to lose him for any reason. He belongs with me, and I'll fight to keep him." Keisuke matched glare for glare with his irritated in-law.

"Do you realize that you could both lose your shot at becoming professional drivers if it gets around that your fags?" Bunta snapped at him.

Keisuke crossed his arms over his chest. "I may want to become a professional racer more than anything, Oyaji san, but if I have to lose Takumi to get there, I'll gladly do something else."

"You'll hate Takumi in a few years if you throw your dreams away, Keisuke kun. I know, because I tossed my dreams out the window eighteen-and-a-half-years ago. I picked the safe choice, and I've regretted it every single day. You don't have to make things harder on yourself. If you want to be a professional racer, then you had better put a stop to this right now. You've worked too damned hard. Don't let emotions ruin it for both you and Takumi."

Keisuke fought down the urge to snort in disgust. He took a deep breath and held onto his temper with difficulty. "I'm not you, Oyaji san. I've already talked to Takumi about alternative plans if we don't become professional race-car drivers. We've figured out options that we can live with. Takumi told me how you were forced to make your choice because of an unplanned pregnancy. You didn't have a chance to come up with alternatives."

"You make it sound like you've convinced Takumi to stay with you. I thought you were supposed to be giving him time to figure things out." Bunta's voice held traces of bitterness.

"Did you know that Takumi believes that he ruined your life simply because he was born, Oyaji san?" Keisuke leaned his arms on his knees as he spoke. He looked out of the window as he considered his next words.

"Nani?" He saw Bunta's head jerk up from the corner of his eye. Keisuke watched the birds in the courtyard. He continued to speak in a soft voice. "Takumi believes he ruined your life, his okasan's life, even Takeuchi's life because he didn't meet expectations. His being born is the reason you've been miserable all this time, Oyaji san. Takumi told me you have every right to kick him out of his home for not being the person you want him to be. Takumi's resigned to the idea that you hate him. I'm just the final blow to your tolerance."

"I never said Takumi ruined my life. His 'Kasan was the one who said that trash. I don't know where the hell he got an idea like that. I told him I had to think about what kind of mess he had gotten himself into at the hospital. I never told him that he was being thrown out of the house." Bunta shook his head and sighed.

Keisuke turned back to his silent visitor as his eyes narrowed and he let his anger show. "You didn't have to say that you felt that way, Oyaji san. Takumi got the message that he ruined your life by existing a long damned time ago because of your drinking, and violence. If anything, your being pissed off about this mess, . . . as you want to call my being in love with Takumi, . . . plays in my favor. I should say arigato that Takumi already believes you decided to turn him out. I'm the one he knows will be there for him to rely on. So, get used to me being with Takumi, Oyaji san, because I'm not going away."

"You, . . . uppity, . . . damned punk." Bunta's hands tightened into fists. "I don't know what you've told my boy, but you won't get away with screwing his head up just so you can get whatever you want out of him!"

Keisuke growled in return. "I tell Takumi that he's the best thing that has happened to me, and I make sure he knows that I feel that way every single day. It's the truth. I love Takumi. I want him to be happy, and I'm going to make sure he is happy."

"You're a ruthless bastard, aren't you, Keisuke? You've got Takumi convinced that he's got no options but to rely on you." Bunta shook as his lip curled into a snarl. He stood and loomed over the bed as his hands clenched as he fought with himself. Keisuke was aware that the older man wanted to lash out at him. He found no satisfaction in Bunta's reaction to his words. Keisuke refused to be intimidated as he faced the older man's anger. If Oyaji san punched him for his honest answers, Keisuke would still win this battle. He refused to lose his temper now. Oyaji san was too important to Takumi, so he had to force the man to respect his place in Takumi's life.

Keisuke impaled the angry man with his eyes and answered in a calm voice. "You're right, I'm a ruthless bastard when I feel that I have to be. I can guarantee that Takumi won't ever suffer the way he has in the past, and I'll be as ruthless as I have to be to make sure of that. But, you're wrong about who convinced Takumi he had no options. I'm not the one that did that, Oyaji san. You did that all on your own. Takumi thinks that because you told him everything depended on him when he refused to turn on me, and then announced that he was going to stay with my family!"

". . . ." Bunta stared at him as the color drained from his face.

"You know I'm right, Oyaji san. Otherwise, you would have knocked my teeth out already."

Bunta sat back down and dropped his head into his hands. "I, . . . I didn't mean that he had no options . . . I wanted Takumi to think, . . . think about what he's getting himself into. Yukiko san said he would lose his leg if it got infected. Nani other choice did I have, but to agree with her?"

"I told Takumi I thought you agreed because you were worried about his leg. You can ask him yourself when he gets here about our arguments over your position. You need to talk to your musuko for once. Stop telling Takumi to think until his head hurts, and all the rest of the bull shit cop-outs you've used on him, Oyaji san."

Bunta looked at him as if he could not grasp what he heard. Keisuke continued to hammer his point home. "You don't have to believe me if you don't want to. I've been doing a lot of damage control on your behalf since you came back to Gunma. Takumi's lost too many people he cares about already. Don't make him choose between the last two people that matter most to him, Oyaji san. He needs both of us whether you like the fact or not."

"I'll think about it." Bunta grumbled as he stood, and walked toward the door. He turned at the door and gave Keisuke a hard look. "I don't like the idea of my musuko getting conned into the sack by another man. That won't change, Keisuke kun. You'll both regret it in a few years if you go that far. This world doesn't want fags in it. No matter how much you love Takumi, or how ruthless you get, sooner or later Takumi's going to get hurt because of you. I've seen it happen before."

"I already know the kinds of things that happen, Oyaji san. I have some friends that have been in same gender relationships for several years. Takumi has met two of them, and knows that they're lovers. I'm not hiding anything from him, or from myself, Oyaji san. I want Takumi to have the facts so he won't feel like he's being cornered, or conned. I want his love, but I don't want Takumi to regret his choices any more than you do."

Bunta frowned as he nodded that he understood and turned to leave. He pulled up short in the doorway. "Takumi?"

Keisuke could hear the younger man's voice although he couldn't see him because of the door and Bunta's body. "Oyaji. Are you done with your talk?"

"I didn't kick you out of the house. You got that?" Keisuke watched as Bunta shook his head as he snapped at the unseen teenager. "This is a damned mess. But, . . . oh, hell, . . . just think things over before you do something stupid that you'll regret. Will you do that at least?"

"I have been thinking, Oyaji. That's all I've done, thinking for the last four months. I know where I belong. Hate us both if it makes you feel better. Disown me if it helps you to cope, but, I do love Keisuke, and I'm not going to lie to myself or anyone else. Gomen that I've disappointed you again, Oyaji. But, I won't cause any more problems for you."

"Takumi. . . . ?" Bunta staggered back into the room and dropped into the chair. Takumi wheeled himself into the room. He had a large, multiple-buckled brace, with heavy metal bars that ran down the length of the device, wrapped around his right leg. This brace was the length of his leg and had a bar across the bottom of his foot that locked into the bars that ran along the sides of his legs.

"Takumi, why are you in a wheelchair?" Keisuke asked as his boyfriend rolled up to his bed. Keisuke stared at the brace, and then his lover's face. He was worried that Takumi was not on crutches.

"My legs are still pretty numb from the shots they gave me to get the cage off, and the pins and screws out. Since you're here, Okamoto-senumon-i said I could come upstairs and visit while the medication wears off. I just can't get my legs to hold me up for a little while."

Keisuke sighed. "Arigato Kami-sama."

Takumi flushed. "Uhm, gomen ne. I didn't, . . . mean t. . . to, . . ."

"Takumi, don't start. We both know I overreact when it comes to you. Don't think you did something wrong, because you haven't! If you ever do screw up, I'll be the first one to complain about it."

"But, I could have, . . ."

"Takumi!" Keisuke growled at him. "I mean it. If you beat yourself up because I'm being over protective again, I'll do something drastic just like I promised you that I would."

Takumi snapped back with a fearsome scowl. "Keisuke, I was going to say that I should have called up to warn you, but I wanted to see you so I didn't think about it."

"Oh." Keisuke ran a hand through his hair as he looked over at his frowning boyfriend with a touch of embarrassment.

Bunta broke into a fit of laughter. Keisuke had focused on Takumi to the point he had ignored the older man's presence. Takumi turned his upper body to face his otosan as Keisuke turned his head. Bunta looked almost comical as he looked between them as his fit subsided.

Takumi frowned in obvious confusion. "Oyaji?"

"Do you two sound like this all the time?" The older man asked as he wiped laughter tears out of his eyes.

Keisuke nodded. "Most of the time, Oyaji san. Takumi drives me crazy because he's always making stupid damned comments to tear himself down. I yell at him for it all the time."

Bunta shook his head as Takumi grumbled. "I told you it's a habit. I'm working on it, Keisuke. You have to admit I'm not as bad as I was a few months ago." The teen had twisted to look back at him with a frown.

"Only because I thump you in the forehead, and tell you to knock it off every time you do it." Keisuke shot back.

Bunta interrupted with a strange look on his face. He pointed between them as he asked his question. "So, you two argue all the time?"

Keisuke looked at Takumi as the teenager looked back at him. Takumi shrugged and turned back to his otosan. "We only sound like this when I start to freak out that I'm going to do something wrong, or try to deny that I did something worth praise when Keisuke thinks I should accept a compliment." Takumi startled Keisuke when he reached over and grabbed his hand. Keisuke smiled and threaded their fingers together. "The rest of the time, we talk about how to make this work, and things we'll have to deal with because we're together, or cars and driving, Oyaji."

Bunta stared at them for several minutes. When he finally spoke Keisuke felt Takumi's mild twitch through their clasped hands. He tightened his grip to reassure his uneasy younger partner that he was still there. "How long ago did you decide to do this, Takumi?"

Takumi turned his head to look at his otosan, but continued to hold onto his hand. Keisuke knew he needed the unspoken support to say what he felt he had to say. "When Keisuke told me the reasons that he thinks I'm perfect for him. Everything he mentioned that he likes about me was something I knew was true about myself. I know he wants, and accepts me, Oyaji. He's not playing any kind of game."

"I never said Keisuke kun was playing a game. If he was, he wouldn't be in a hospital bed right now!"Bunta ran a hand along the back of his neck. "You two are in for a lot of hard times. I don't know if you two have any idea how hard."

Takumi shook his head. "Keisuke has had to deal with panic attacks, and being snapped at for no reason at all while I tried to get my head around the idea of his being in love with me, Oyaji. I even tried to convince him that I wasn't worth his effort, which is where he picked up the habit of giving me a thump on the forehead and telling me to stop tearing myself down. I really do need Keisuke in my life, and I know it. I have a pretty good idea of how hard things can get. I was there when Keisuke almost died on me, remember?"

Bunta looked at them both with a hard frown. "I guess you two do know what you're in for then. Just don't expect me to be happy about this. You both are making one hell of a mistake as far as I'm concerned. But, I've made too many of my own mistakes over the years to have the right to tell either one of you how to live your lives." He got up again and walked to the door.

"Oyaji san?" Keisuke called after Takumi's otosan as he continued to hold onto his lover's hand.

Bunta looked back at him, and barked. "Nani?"

"Arigato." Keisuke smiled at his in-law who frowned for a few moments before his expression cleared.

Bunta snorted and shook his head. "Show me that you two have enough sense to keep from getting your damned selves killed. That's the only thing I'll accept from you, you damned, crazy punk." Bunta Fujiwara stomped out of the room.

-oo0oo-
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Alternate Tracks 2nd Story in Rivalry Series