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"Keisuke, for fucks sake, watch where you’re going." Ryosuke scolds, practically dragging his younger brother into the house. The blonde mumbles something indecipherable stumbling once again as they climb the steps to the house.
Keisuke had the bright idea to get absolutely smashed tonight. It was Christmas Eve, so the usual Redsuns - now Project D - Christmas Eve meal and drinks took place, a date that the blonde tries to drink as much as he possibly can before his Aniki gets pissed off and drags him home, or, he throws up. This year, it was the former. Takumi had picked the Takahashi brothers up - as he was not old enough to drink and wanted Ryosuke to actually enjoy himself tonight, instead of watching everyone else drink so he could take his brother home. Watching Ryosuke battle his drunk younger brother into the back seats of the Trueno at the end of the night was a sight he will never forget. Keisuke was determined that ‘he wasn’t drunk and didn’t want to go home yet’
"Takumi, can you lock up for me as I take this moron upstairs." Ryosuke asks, glancing over his shoulder at the teenager as Keisuke continues to slur something about 'afters'.
"Uh, yeah sure." Takumi responds, slightly confused as to why he’s locking the door now but doesn’t question it. In his defence, the door to his house is never locked as during the day it’s open for customers, and at night, either him or his father is always awake. The last time he remembers the door to his house being locked was when Bunta left to modify the 86 the night Takumi was due to race Takeshi.
The brunette follows Ryosukes instructions before turning around, watching in amusement as he negotiates with Keisuke about walking up the stairs. "Aniki, no, I’m not tired." The blonde slurs. The older male sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose in despair.
"I’m not saying you are, Otouto, what I’m saying is it's two in the morning and I want to go to bed, but you’re too drunk to look after yourself right now." Keisuke retaliates with something unintelligible, Ryosuke groaning again in response, clearly running out of patience. This bickering continues for a few more minutes before Takumi intervenes. Granted, with information that would have been useful a while ago. "Hey, Ryosuke, let me. I’m used to dealing with people when they’re drunk due to my father." The purple haired male looks at the younger for a few seconds, before relenting and stepping out the way.
*****
"Oh my god, I swear you have some kind of magic power? How the hell did you do that so quickly?" Ryosuke asks gobsmacked as Takumi managed to bribe Keisuke into going to bed in at least half the time it takes Ryosuke to accomplish the same task.
"Years of experience." The brunette chuckles. "You have your skills, I have mine." Takumi has spent many a night dragging his father home drunk from the pub and bribing him into going to bed when his old man was adamant that he wasn’t drunk and had Sake in the cupboard that he wanted to drink.
"Thank you, regardless of what hypnosis you used. Can I get you anything?" The older male asks, motioning for the brunette to take a seat on the love seat.
"Whatever you’ve got that’s not alcoholic." Ryosuke nods, walking into the kitchen, fixing his and the brunettes drinks. Takumi looks around the room, slightly jealous. This room alone is bigger than Takumis whole bottom floor. He couldn’t even begin to do comprehend the size of the rest Of the rooms in the house. In the left corner of the room, behind the chair that was clearly Mr. Takahashis, was a grand Christmas tree lit up with gorgeous warm white lights. It had a silver and golden theme, standing at more than eight feet tall with glass ornaments. The Brunette stands once again, walking over to the tree and looking closer at the baubles that decorated the evergreen. They clearly cost more than his and his father spends on food in a week, each one delicately made and intricately designed.
"Do you like it?" Ryosuke asks, pulling Takumi from his thoughts, placing down a glass of non-alcohol wine for Takumi, and a small glass of Whisky for himself.
"Yeah, it’s stunning." The brunette smiles, Ryosuke coming and standing next to him by the tree.
"Me and Keisuke have decorated it for the past few years. Believe it or not, he’s very specific about where certain ornaments go." He smiles fondly, taking hold of a glass 'K’ that hung on a branch near the top of the tree. There’s a glass letter for each member of the family on display. "It’s his favourite time of year…" Takumi just stays silent, watching Ryosuke in awe as the taller male clearly becomes nostalgic. "He was in a bad place a few years ago. I was terrified we’d wake up to a call one day stating that he’d either been arrested, or, the police had found him dead…I was so scared . If I hadn't of managed to pull him into the world of street racing, I don’t know where he would be. I’m determined to launch him into the professional world. Much like I am you…"
"Huh?" Ryosuke sighs before elaborating.
"I know you’re not financially well off, Takumi, and I know you and your father struggle to pay bills every month. I also know you don’t have belief in yourself, and are happy to one day take over your fathers business. But I can see the talent you have for street racing, and I have the belief in you that you lack. I also know that you can use your skill to give you and your father the life you never even thought was possible. I know that’s your goal in life."
"Wh-"
"Your body language says more about you than you’re aware of. You say a lot with how you react when conversations are going on. The way your fists clenched when you’re listening in to a conversation, or are determined. The way your eyes light up ever so slightly when you’re happy. The way you hold your head ever so slightly higher when you get a compliment on your racing. I notice it all. I notice everything. I want the best for you. I want you to pursue the opportunity I will never get to take. I want you to race, to show not only Japan, but the world what Gunma racers are capable of. I want you to constantly challenge my Otouto, to challenge yourself. I want you to be happy…"
"Ryosuke…"
"I love you, Takumi. You’re the first person I’ve loved since her…" Ryosuke releases a shaken breath before turning to face Takumi, taking a moment to admire how the lights off the tree softly light up the teenagers features, sloping down the gorgeous curve of his nose, highlighting the shape of his lips, and sparkling in those doe-like amber eyes that captured his attention on day one. Perfection. "I want to be by your side when your go professional, when you win your races, when your pursue your dreams, I want to be by your side for all of it, not as your friend, but as your partner. I want to come home from a tough day at the hospital to you, I want to spend these big occasions with you, I want to travel the world with you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want you…" The Takahashi slowly raises his hands and brushes Takumks bangs from his face, gently cupping his cheek before leaning in and pressing their lips together. The kiss was short. Sweet. One that conveyed so much emotion.
It all ended much too Soon for the older Takahashi, but when they separated, he was sure to make eye contact with Takumi. "If you don’t feel the same, please don’t feel forced to reciprocate these feelings. I thought it was appropriate to express them to you regardless…"
Takumi had always had confusing feelings towards the older of the Takahashi siblings. Perhaps it was the fact the male was idolised by many. Maybe it was because he was his mentor. Maybe it was just due to the aura of power and confidence that he exuded. But the moment Ryosuke pressed his lips to his, the slew of emotions finally made sense. It was love.
“Thank god you said it first, I would never be brave enough to tell you…” Takumi chuckles lightly, wrapping his arms around Ryosukes neck to pull him back to his lips once again, the older males hands moving to his waist. This kiss held much more emotion than the first. This one was purely an expression of love. A release of emotions both males have been wanting to express for months, but have never been able to.
“Fucking finally!” A cheer from the doorway of the living room pulls them from their kiss, both whipping around to see Keisuke stood there with a lopsided smile on his face as he sways. “You two have been swerving each other for so long I was contemplating locking you both in a room until you admitted your feelings.” Takumi looks away blushing, whilst Ryosuke sighs clearly unimpressed by his Younger brothers antics. “Why the hell are you up?”
“I needed to piss and heard you two talking. I felt left out.” He pouts, wobbling over to the couple and wrapping one arm around each of them, forcing them to release each other. “But goddamn am I glad I came down.” Ryosukes Nose curls at the alcohol on his brothers breath. “Oi.” The blonde pats Takumis arm to grab his attention. Pats, slaps, he doesn’t have any concept of his own strength right now. His smile turns into a shit eating grin. “Welcome to the family shorty.”
“That’s it, you’re done.”