Part X
"Socket wrench," Shingo demanded, holding out his hand. The tool was handed to him after a moment's pause. "Now you see this nut here? It holds on the oil pan, so we gotta take it off."
"Oh, ok!" Ryo nodded enthusiastically. "Can I do it?"
"Sure," he shrugged, handing the tool to his brother and scooting out of the way. The two of them were lying under the EG-6 changing the oil filter. After a few tries, the young boy finally removed the metal pan, and proceeded to unscrew the bright orange filter. Shingo deftly shoved a pan underneath just as the torrent of nasty black oil gushed out.
"EeeeYA!" Ryo yelped as the hand that removed the filter was covered in oil. Shingo smirked.
"If you want to work on cars, you have to get dirty," he lectured.
Ryo shook his hand disgustedly and made a face. The Civic driver laughed.
"Come on, we'll let it drain. Miki? Where are the paper towels?"
A roll of paper towels appeared under the car and Shingo handed them to his brother before sliding out from underneath the EG-6.
"Thanks, Miki," he said, patting her affectionately on the head. She beamed proudly at him.
"'Nichan, what's this?" she asked, holding up a tool.
"Torque wrench," he told her.
"Ok!" she replied, curiosity apparently satisfied.
When the old oil had drained completely into the pan, Shingo pushed it aside and set about putting in the new filter. His brother and sister watched with interest; in the way of young children, they were happy simply to be included in an adult activity.
Suddenly, he cell phone rang.
"Shit!" he cursed, searching for the phone. Miki found it first, and answered it.
"Hello!" she chirped into the phone. She paused. "Oh, hi Nakazato san! No, he can't...he's dirty..."
"Miki! Give me the phone!" he growled. The girl ignored him, simply moving out of reach when he made a grab for the phone.
"...he said a naughty word too...yes, he is...ok...ok, bye Nakazato san!" She pressed the "End" key and set the phone on the ground.
After a few moments of silence, Shingo snorted.
"Well? Are you going to tell me what he said, or am I going to have to torture it out of you?"
She dissolved into a fit of giggles in response. Ryo poked her in the side, which made her squirm and giggle even more. Shingo sighed, finished tightening the nut, and slid out.
"Ok, you! What did he say?" he demanded, snatching her off the ground and hanging her upside-down by her ankles. She laughed and screamed with delight as he shook her.
"What did he say? Talk, or my trusty assistant will tickle you!" he threatened.
"Noooooo!" she shrieked as Ryo advanced gleefully upon her.
"What are you doing?" a voice called from across the lot.
All three looked over to see Takeshi leaning out the lowered window of his GT-R.
"Oi, Nakazato! What are you doing here?" Shingo called, setting Miki down and waving him over.
Takeshi quickly pulled into an open parking space next to the Civic. As he exited the car, he was practically tackled by 15kg of sheer exuberance.
"Nakazato san!" Miki shrieked happily. The Skyline driver smiled and hefted her in his arms.
"Hey Miki. I see what you mean about his being dirty," he remarked as he eyed Shingo, not without a certain amount of interest.
Shingo snorted at them both.
"Thanks for giving me the message," he told Miki, poking her so that she squirmed in GT-R driver's arms. Then to Takeshi, "I coulda at least cleaned up before you got here..."
"No no, I kinda like it," Takeshi said, grinning pointedly. Shingo blinked a few times before blushing furiously.
"Uh..." he faltered, raking a hand through his long hair.
Miki giggled.
"Nichan's red," she felt constrained to add.
"Yes, yes he is," Takeshi agreed.
Shingo frowned and changed the subject.
"Where's Ryo?"
"I'm here!" the young boy emerged from around the other side of the EG-6.
"Good. Why don't you two go upstairs and get cleaned up while I finish this up?" he told them.
Miki flung her arms around Takeshi's neck and clung fast.
"Wanna see Nakazato san!"
"He's not going anywhere...we'll be up in a few minutes. You want to be clean for him, don't you?"
The young girl thought about it a moment, and then released her iron grip on her new friend.
"Promise?" she addressed the GT-R driver.
"I promise," he replied.
"Ok," she agreed, sliding down to the ground. The two children ran across the lot and disappeared into the apartment building.
Shingo sighed.
"I'm sorry..."
Takeshi grinned and wrapped him in a hug.
"Don't be. I don't mind...I rather like them."
"Takeshi..." Shingo backed away from him. "You'll get your clothes dirty. Just let me finish and I'll clean up, ok?"
He bent over the Civic's engine and unscrewed the oil cap.
"It won't take much longer. All I've got to do is pour this oil i-" Shingo gasped and dropped his cap, straightening up with a squeak of surprise.
Takeshi leaned close behind him, his hands roaming beneath the waist of the Honda driver's faded jeans.
"Who said I wanted you to clean up?" Takeshi murmured in his ear.
"But Takeshi, your clothes..."
The Myougi driver growled, jerking Shingo towards him by the waist of his jeans.
"I can /buy/ more clothes," he grunted as he nuzzled Shingo's neck.
The EG-6 driver shivered.
"T-Takeshi...we're in a parking lot!" he hissed. "In broad daylight!"
"Alright," he conceded resignedly, giving him one more kiss before backing away to lean on his GT-R.
Shingo sighed with relief.
"I'll be done in a sec," he mumbled.
He quickly poured several liters of oil into his car, careful not to let the air bubbles spill the viscous liquid. Finally, he screwed the cap back on and slammed the hood shut.
"Ready?"
Takeshi smirked.
"You have no idea..."
Shingo quirked an eyebrow in amusement. He cleaned up his mess, throwing away the old cartons of oil, and picking up his tools.
"Come on."
At the top of the stairs, Takeshi ran smack into Shingo's neighbor as he was leaving his apartment.
"Oh, sorry," he apologized immediately.
"Watch where you're going!" the man snarled.
"Oh, it's you," Takeshi grumbled.
"Hello, Mr. Sakam-" Shingo began, only to be rudely cut off.
"You two! I told you two to keep it down bu-" the neighbor launched into a rant, only to be interrupted by a second person coming out of his apartment.
"Gen!" the tall, rather striking woman barked. The neighbor immediately clamped his mouth shut.
"Good afternoon, Mrs. Sakamoto!" Shingo said politely. She smiled warmly at him.
"Hello, boys. Gen, leave them alone," she ordered.
Gen mumbled something under his breath, but turned around and headed down the stairs. At the top of the stairs, Mrs. Sakamoto turned around winked conspiratorially.
"I'm not sure what this 'R' of yours is, but I'd sure like to see it sometime," she quipped before disappearing down the stairs.
Takeshi flushed bright red as Shingo burst into a fit of sniggering.
First through the door, (and still snickering), Shingo found his mother rooting through his fridge.
"Mom!" he pulled up short in surprise.
She retreated from the fridge with a can of beer in hand.
"Why is this the only thing you have in here? Where's the food? Don't you eat?"
"Of course I eat!" he protested.
"Ramen is not food!" she snapped. "You need fresh vegetables, meat, rice. And you really need to clean this place up! Do your laundry, throw those cans away!"
Takeshi came through the door and paused. Seeing him, Mrs. Shouji frowned.
"You didn't take them to the mountain pass again, did you?" she asked sharply.
"No, mom, that was last t-" Ryo quickly slapped his hand over his sister's mouth.
"Of course not, mom. I wouldn't do that…" he trailed off guiltily.
"Of course you wouldn't," she replied dryly. She gave all three of her children a hawkish glare before softening. "Hello, Takeshi. I'm glad you're here, maybe some of your sense might rub off on him." She sighed wearily. "Come on, kids." She ushered the children out the door, then turned and pecked Shingo on the cheek. "Be good, don't spend all your money on gas, and for gods' sakes buy some food, you're thin as a rail!" she scolded before pulling the door closed after her.
Shingo heaved a sigh of relief.
"Mothers…" he groused, screwing his face up in a grimace of distaste.
Unable to restrain himself any longer, Takeshi exploded with laughter. Shingo frowned, then gave up the pretense and joined him. Takeshi wrapped his arms around him and pulled him down onto the bed.
"Aren't you afraid of me yet? I mean, my family's insane…"
Takeshi smirked.
"Are you kidding? I've never laughed so hard in my life!"
"I'm glad I amuse you," he cracked wryly.
"Oh, you do more than amuse me," Takeshi purred, rolling on top of him and planting kisses down his jawline. "Much more."
Shingo grinned as Takeshi pushed his shirt up and lapped tantalizingly at his nipples.
"What're you doing?" he gasped.
"Well, I wouldn't want your dirty clothes getting oil everywhere," he replied practically.
"Oh, ok," he agreed, shedding his shirt.
Takeshi began to unbutton and unzip his pants. Shingo moaned softly as the driver's hands brushed lightly over his growing erection. Slowly, Takeshi slid the faded jeans over his hips and down his legs. Finally, he threw them off the bed with a flourish. Grinning down at the now naked Civic driver, he began to strip off his shirt.
"And what are you going to do now?" Shingo asked.
Takeshi paused thoughtfully for a moment before cracking an incorrigible grin.
"Make sure I rub off on you," he replied as the blue shirt once again joined Shingo's on the messy apartment floor.
The end.