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31_days2008-10-07 11:58 pm
issen4.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2008-10-07 11:58 pm
[7 Oct] [Initial D/Prince of Tennis/Hikago] Slip Roads 7/31
Title: Slip Roads 7/31
Day/Theme: 7 Oct/double or nothing
Series: Initial D/Prince of Tennis/Hikago
Character/Pairing: previous Takahashi Ryousuke/Fuji Yuuta
Rating: PG-13
----------------
He really was not expecting a race from nowhere.
Whenever he was scheduled for an afternoon shift the next day--and didn't have to worry about getting up early--Ryousuke usually went out for a drive late at night. Though his racing days were behind him, there was still nothing better than taking the curves along the mountain passes to help him maintain his reflexes. He usually turned down challenges from younger racers, though. The legend of White Comet, even more of Project D, had long been eclipsed by newer drivers and cars and at most, he was just interested in observing how the night racing scene was evolving.
The car behind him--he couldn't identify the make, and that was unusual enough to rouse his interest--flashed its headlights at him once, twice. An old signal: some saw it as a challenge, some an invitation, but the recipient was free to reject.
He felt willing to be distracted at that moment, and signaled agreement. The usual starting point of such a race would be at the next intersection. Ryousuke scanned the roads he knew so well: they were all deserted at this time of the night, but because of the accident yesterday, there would be increased patrols by the traffic police. That added an element of risk--Ryousuke felt young again, as the race started.
His opponent was dark grey, seeming to blend into the shadows, but Ryousuke felt his usual analytical mind come alert as he appraised the way the other car sped up, slowed down and turned--a four-wheel drive, power-steering, surprisingly precise in addition to that--and in turned he pushed his own vehicle to its limits, slipping past all attempts of the opponent to catch up.
Tonight, he had more reasons to want to clear his mind. The earlier meeting with Fuji Syusuke, not to mention Fuji Yuuta, had unearthed memories that Ryousuke did not really want to revisit. He was not a nostalgic man, and fanciful scenarios were not something he indulged in. Even as he treasured the time with Yuuta, he had recognised that theirs was only a temporarily fling--if nothing else, their lives were based in different parts of Japan: he would not leave Gunma, nor Yuuta Tokyo, especially not for a relationship that would have been, at best, difficult to explain to their families. At least, he assumed it would be difficult for Yuuta too.
Ryousuke felt the responsibilities of being the elder son keenly.
He had always known he couldn't make racing his life, but at least he could give that to Keisuke.
But this race, at least, was his? He knew the roads here better than anyone--better still, he knew the roads here in race conditions--and he could feel it. Just the last part remaining, and Ryousuke's hands tightened on the steering wheel, prepared. He was going to give it all he got.
Then as they reached the last spin, his opponent drifted, in a spot that should not have been possible, and seemed to float past him.
Ryousuke stared, his heart giving a jump, and he caught up as they left the mountain roads and entered the outskirts of the city, stopping at one of the cheap diners that racers frequented.
Fujiwara was standing by the vending machine, and when Ryousuke approached Fujiwara tossed him a canned drink, which he caught.
"Didn't expect you to be here," Ryousuke said. "And what is this car?"
Fujiwara gave him a shy grin, and walked over. "Something I'm testing for my dad," he said. "He's got contacts with the company."
Ryousuke felt his eyebrows rise. "Is this car registered?" he asked as studied the license plate dubiously. It looked normal.
"Yes." At Ryousuke's look, Fujiwara said, "The company took care of everything. I just have to drive it."
Aha. That fit in well with the way Fujiwara preferred to work. His reserved, sometimes simple demeanor made people think he was naïve, but Fujiwara had wised up a lot over the years and besides, his slow, considering steadiness made it impossible for him to be goaded or tricked into anything.
"Should have known it was you. Interesting car," Ryousuke wondered if he should ask for more details, but he was aware that the specifications were an industrial secret. It was a measure of Fujiwara's reputation in the field that the company allowed him to take the car wherever he wanted, instead of having to drive it in a company-dictated route. "But are you sure you're the right tester for it?" he asked. "I'm quite sure you're not the typical driver this was developed for."
A faint blush appeared in Fujiwara's cheeks, but he only looked down, understanding he was being teased. "I write reports based on how the car handles extreme road conditions and stress," he said. "They figure out the rest."
"So you decided to drive it all the way out here?"
"Oh, that," Fujiwara scratched his head. "When I drove Shindou-san and Touya-san to your place yesterday, we got into an accident."
"I heard about that. You're not hurt?" Ryousuke asked.
"No, just held up. We managed to avoid the worse of the pile-up, but the police needed to take our statements." He frowned for a moment. "In the confusion, Shindou-san left his notebook computer in my trunk. I just delivered it to your place."
"Oh." Shindou certainly hadn't indicated that he was missing anything. Then again, after he and Touya had caught up with his grandfather, both had gone to sleep in the guest room and when Ryousuke left home that afternoon, his grandfather was playing Go with Touya, with Shindou watching.
"Shindou-san didn't even realise it was gone," Fujiwara said, a grin suddenly appearing on his face. "He had been thinking of that game--Go--all the time, and he and Touya-san had an argument right in the driveway when I showed the notebook to them." It was clear he found the two Go players very amusing.
For a moment, Ryousuke was jealous of Shindou and Touya for making Fujiwara's eyes light up like that.
------tbc-----
Day/Theme: 7 Oct/double or nothing
Series: Initial D/Prince of Tennis/Hikago
Character/Pairing: previous Takahashi Ryousuke/Fuji Yuuta
Rating: PG-13
----------------
He really was not expecting a race from nowhere.
Whenever he was scheduled for an afternoon shift the next day--and didn't have to worry about getting up early--Ryousuke usually went out for a drive late at night. Though his racing days were behind him, there was still nothing better than taking the curves along the mountain passes to help him maintain his reflexes. He usually turned down challenges from younger racers, though. The legend of White Comet, even more of Project D, had long been eclipsed by newer drivers and cars and at most, he was just interested in observing how the night racing scene was evolving.
The car behind him--he couldn't identify the make, and that was unusual enough to rouse his interest--flashed its headlights at him once, twice. An old signal: some saw it as a challenge, some an invitation, but the recipient was free to reject.
He felt willing to be distracted at that moment, and signaled agreement. The usual starting point of such a race would be at the next intersection. Ryousuke scanned the roads he knew so well: they were all deserted at this time of the night, but because of the accident yesterday, there would be increased patrols by the traffic police. That added an element of risk--Ryousuke felt young again, as the race started.
His opponent was dark grey, seeming to blend into the shadows, but Ryousuke felt his usual analytical mind come alert as he appraised the way the other car sped up, slowed down and turned--a four-wheel drive, power-steering, surprisingly precise in addition to that--and in turned he pushed his own vehicle to its limits, slipping past all attempts of the opponent to catch up.
Tonight, he had more reasons to want to clear his mind. The earlier meeting with Fuji Syusuke, not to mention Fuji Yuuta, had unearthed memories that Ryousuke did not really want to revisit. He was not a nostalgic man, and fanciful scenarios were not something he indulged in. Even as he treasured the time with Yuuta, he had recognised that theirs was only a temporarily fling--if nothing else, their lives were based in different parts of Japan: he would not leave Gunma, nor Yuuta Tokyo, especially not for a relationship that would have been, at best, difficult to explain to their families. At least, he assumed it would be difficult for Yuuta too.
Ryousuke felt the responsibilities of being the elder son keenly.
He had always known he couldn't make racing his life, but at least he could give that to Keisuke.
But this race, at least, was his? He knew the roads here better than anyone--better still, he knew the roads here in race conditions--and he could feel it. Just the last part remaining, and Ryousuke's hands tightened on the steering wheel, prepared. He was going to give it all he got.
Then as they reached the last spin, his opponent drifted, in a spot that should not have been possible, and seemed to float past him.
Ryousuke stared, his heart giving a jump, and he caught up as they left the mountain roads and entered the outskirts of the city, stopping at one of the cheap diners that racers frequented.
Fujiwara was standing by the vending machine, and when Ryousuke approached Fujiwara tossed him a canned drink, which he caught.
"Didn't expect you to be here," Ryousuke said. "And what is this car?"
Fujiwara gave him a shy grin, and walked over. "Something I'm testing for my dad," he said. "He's got contacts with the company."
Ryousuke felt his eyebrows rise. "Is this car registered?" he asked as studied the license plate dubiously. It looked normal.
"Yes." At Ryousuke's look, Fujiwara said, "The company took care of everything. I just have to drive it."
Aha. That fit in well with the way Fujiwara preferred to work. His reserved, sometimes simple demeanor made people think he was naïve, but Fujiwara had wised up a lot over the years and besides, his slow, considering steadiness made it impossible for him to be goaded or tricked into anything.
"Should have known it was you. Interesting car," Ryousuke wondered if he should ask for more details, but he was aware that the specifications were an industrial secret. It was a measure of Fujiwara's reputation in the field that the company allowed him to take the car wherever he wanted, instead of having to drive it in a company-dictated route. "But are you sure you're the right tester for it?" he asked. "I'm quite sure you're not the typical driver this was developed for."
A faint blush appeared in Fujiwara's cheeks, but he only looked down, understanding he was being teased. "I write reports based on how the car handles extreme road conditions and stress," he said. "They figure out the rest."
"So you decided to drive it all the way out here?"
"Oh, that," Fujiwara scratched his head. "When I drove Shindou-san and Touya-san to your place yesterday, we got into an accident."
"I heard about that. You're not hurt?" Ryousuke asked.
"No, just held up. We managed to avoid the worse of the pile-up, but the police needed to take our statements." He frowned for a moment. "In the confusion, Shindou-san left his notebook computer in my trunk. I just delivered it to your place."
"Oh." Shindou certainly hadn't indicated that he was missing anything. Then again, after he and Touya had caught up with his grandfather, both had gone to sleep in the guest room and when Ryousuke left home that afternoon, his grandfather was playing Go with Touya, with Shindou watching.
"Shindou-san didn't even realise it was gone," Fujiwara said, a grin suddenly appearing on his face. "He had been thinking of that game--Go--all the time, and he and Touya-san had an argument right in the driveway when I showed the notebook to them." It was clear he found the two Go players very amusing.
For a moment, Ryousuke was jealous of Shindou and Touya for making Fujiwara's eyes light up like that.
------tbc-----