A hand appearing, as it always did—looking up, Yuri saw blue eyes staring down at him and a hand extended to help him out the pool.

"C'mon Yuri-chan," JJ said, pulling him up as if he weighed nothing. "We need to get out of here for the night and get our homework done."

"I don't care about my school work!" Yuri groaned as he grabbed his towel.

"Better study now before your grandpa puts you in a cram school."

Yuri shivered. They already saw what cram school had done to Katsuki last year. They worried if he would even make it out alive. "Fine! We will do homework, but we are stopping by the store on the way home!"

JJ groaned, "You are gonna carb load again, aren't you?"

"Damn right I am," Yuri said.


Yuri's belly hurt, laying back onto the floor, he rubbed his stomach and groaned.

"Told you that was going to happen," JJ said, sipping his tea.

"Shut up, I was hungry!"

"And we have a test tomorrow, come on," JJ said, leaning over and pulling Yuri back up. Yuri groaned and slumped in the table, grabbing his pencil and starting their worksheets.

"I hate this," Yuri grumbled after they worked a good half an hour.

"Yeah, same," JJ said, then grabbing his bag, pulling out a sweet confection treat, waving it in Yuri's face, "But I think you worked hard enough to earn this!"

Yuri jumped up and leaped the table, straddling JJ as he went for the sweet treat. JJ laughed and still held it out of his reach.

"This is not fair! You are so tall and lanky!" Yuri growled out.

JJ laughed and finally allowed Yuri to have the snack. His cheeks were pink once he realized the way Yuri was straddled on top of him. Even when Yuri looked down how he was sitting and quickly scrambled off JJ's lap, ignoring the warmth in his cheeks. Opening up the snack, he shoved it in his mouth and punched at JJ's arm.

"What the hell?" JJ asked.

"You were hiding this from me!" Yuri said, mouth full of sugar, their homework long forgotten.

JJ laughed and ran his thumb under Yuri's lips, collecting sugar that had fallen, wiping it on his pants. Yuri sat there stunned, just staring at JJ, watching as his cheeks stayed a crimson color.

"Stop being weird," Yuri said, turning back to his books, ignoring the way JJ was smiling at him.


"Whoever wins this is buying dinner," Yuri said, getting in position.

"You better have money on you this time," JJ mumbled.

Practice was over, but it was well known these two stayed behind, getting in as much time in the water before they were forced the leave- their guidance counselor only allowing it if they managed to keep their grades top of the class.

"At the top of the clock, we go," Yuri said, watching the second hand tick slowly around. "And none of that cheating shit you like to do, Leroy."

As the clock hand reached the top, Yuri sprung off his kick board. He loved this part that feeling of through the air. It was that mere split second right before diving into the water that he lived for. He could see JJ ion his right—behind him. He had no idea why JJ said they were doing the butterfly, that was Yuri's specialty. It was rare he asked to race this.

The turn was coming, this was where JJ would momentarily get ahead. Yuri would think with JJ's build and size alone that they would overtake his easy in this—but this was where Yuri took off. In the final meters he would push his body beyond what it was use too, forgetting and not caring he just did three hours of practice.

He always touched the wall first, JJ not far behind—but not first.

"Should have known I'd kick your ass in butterfly!" Yuri laughed out.

JJ put his hand on Yuri's head, pushing him under the water, laughing. Yuri hated when he did that. Sputtering as he came back up, Yuri jumped over the rope that separated the lanes and grabbed around JJ's shoulder, pulling him under the water. A few seconds of underwater wrestling and Yuri swam back over to his lane and held onto the wall laughing.

"Asshole!"

"Best two out of three?" JJ said, adjusting his goggles.

"You want your ass kicked that bad?" Yuri said.

"Only if it is by you," JJ said, smiling over at him.

JJ set up for backstroke this time. Yuri knew he was screwed in this one, this was the one JJ was the best in. They sprung off the wall and Yuri kicked for all he could. He could feel the fatigue in his muscles, but he was in the water, it was where he belonged. His grandpa said he could swim before he could even walk, made sense to him.

At the turn, Yuri saw he was tied with JJ still. Kicking off the wall, he knew JJ had gotten ahead. It didn't matter if his shoulders were burning or his quads screaming at him, he kicked hard and pushed, slicing through the water.

He touched the wall before JJ again.

"You're slipping!" Yuri said, slipping his swim cap off, dunking his hair under the water.

"Maybe I am just tired," JJ said, out of breath.

"Oh whatever! Your ass is still buying me dinner!"

JJ hopped out the pool first, he always did, then bent over, offering his hand to Yuri. It was natural now, never a thought of not taking his hand.

"We could do one more," JJ said, smirking at him.

"I won asshole! Fair and square!"

"Free style," JJ said, stepping up to the kick board.

"You ass is buying me a good dinner," Yuri said, not even waiting and jumping the kick board. "Go!"

Yuri dived in, and heard JJ laughing behind him as he followed. JJ may be stronger, and larger, but this is where Yuri showed his strength. His speed was untouchable as they raced. He never even thought why JJ would do this, why every night they raced and that he won.

All he knew he was getting a free meal.


"Wanna go to our spot for lunch?" JJ said, holding out two lunches.

Yuri grabbed one, never saying thanks, but started heading towards the stairs. He loved the view from their spot- it looked right out to the pool.

"Oh! Extra rice rolls!" Yuri said, shoving one in his mouth, staring out at the water he would soon be in in a few hours. "Let's skip our next class and go swimming."

"Skip class, stay on school grounds and swim?" JJ asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Oh don't give me that look," Yuri growled, bumping shoulders with JJ. "Wishful thinking, ok?"

"Let me guess, your speedo is on under your uniform."

"Fuck yeah it is!" Yuri laughed out, shoving the rest of the rice roll in his mouth.

"We could go to the ocean," JJ said.

Yuri turned, opening his mouth, rice falling out. "What?"

JJ dodged the flying rice from Yuri's mouth. "Well I mean yeah, we jogged here to school, and the bus stop is only a kilometer away… we are ahead in our school work-"

Yuri was already standing up, grabbing his lunch and JJ's hand. "Why the fuck didn't you say so sooner?"

JJ was pulled through the school as Yuri continued to shove his food in his mouth. JJ was thankful he had not fully unpacked his lunch and was able to securely tuck it back in his bag. As they reached their lockers, quickly changing their shoes, they saw no teachers at the gates and took off in a sprint. Yuri was in disbelief that JJ had even brought this up.

It didn't take them long to get to the bus stop, noticing they had fifteen minutes before the next bus. Yuri started digging back into his lunch while they waited.

"I can't fucking believe you thought of this!" Yuri said. JJ was always the one who did the right thing, followed all the rules, so bringing up something like this, it was outside of the norm.

"We have worked hard and gotten ahead, always good to reward ourselves," JJ said, holding out a chocolate covered strawberry for Yuri.

"You are so weird," Yuri said, wrapping his lips around the strawberry, his eyes closing as the chocolate hit his tongue. "So good." Yuri was almost moaning over the sweetness as JJ cleared his throat and stared off into the distance- as if he was looking for the bus.

"We can even make it back in time for practice," JJ said.

"Why practice when we have the ocean!" Yuri exclaimed, wrapping his arm around JJ's shoulder and leaning into him as he waited for the bus.

What Yuri did not see was the smile on JJ's face as he rested his head on top of Yuri's.


Dropping their school bags on the sand, they quickly stripped down to their swimsuits. Yuri was in the water immediately. All JJ could see was the speedo clad ass running into the waves. Yuri had discarded his uniform all over the sand, JJ was gathering their stuff quickly, trying to keep it somewhat together.

"Come on, JJ!" Yuri yelled splashing all around the waves.

JJ ran out to the water and was immediately splashed by Yuri. This was different from practice- they weren't racing, they weren't worried about times- they were just enjoying themselves. Splashing waters, jumping waves, casually swimming around. After a few minutes, they each had swam out far enough the waves weren't as bad and just floated on their back, looking up at the sky.

Yuri was still shocked they were there. Normally by now he would be in class, trying his damnedest to stay awake as the teacher droned on and on over shit he did not care about. He figured he would have gone through his day, counting down the minutes till he was in the water again.

Sometimes Yuri thought only JJ understood his need to swim, to be in the water. Always finding them ways to swim, even before the pool opened. Over the winter, JJ had found them an indoor pool so they could keep their bodies in shape during the cold months.

A lot of this all revolved around JJ. Yuri watched as more clouds floated along in the sky, thinking how none of this would be possible without JJ there- pushing him to be better, making this all come true.

He knew JJ was close as they floated around, reaching out, he found JJ's hand- that hand that was always there for him when he needed a boost- Yuri intertwined this fingers with JJ's, didn't say anything, there was nothing needing to be said.


Yuri was shoving a sweet sticky gooey bread into his mouth as JJ grimaced.

"Seriously, Yuri! Regonials are in a week! You need to eat better!"

"But this is what fuels me!" Yuri said, mouth full of food. "Go get me a soda from the machine."

It was another thing that Yuri just assumed all the time, that JJ would get him whatever he wanted. He sat there, shoving his snack in his mouth, watching as JJ got up and threw some change in the machine. He was not sure having this kind of power over someone was good, but he liked it. JJ was always there for him-like they were connected at the hip.

Opening the can, Yuri washed his sticky bread down with the syrupy soda. Leaning back, he sighed, feeling content. He could feel eyes on him and looked over at JJ, "What?"

JJ shook his head, grabbed his book and went back to reading. Yuri noticed how pink his cheeks would get lately, They had been together for longer than Yuri could remember. Every morning JJ was there so they could go to school, they had almost all the same classes, were in the swim club together- they had even been talking about going to the same college.

"We are going to cream them all at Regionals!" Yuri said, breaking the silence.

"You gotta watch out for that other school… I hear those kids are beast."

"You mean that new kid… what was his name?"

"Guang Hong, he is new. I heard his free style is stupid fast," JJ said, leaning back on his elbows.

"Hrm… that little pipsqueak with a high pitch voice?"

"Yuri! He is your size practically!"

Yuri leaned and bumped shoulders with JJ, "Shut up! I am not that small!"

"Practically miniature sized!" JJ laughed out.

"I can still take you!" Yuri said, pushing JJ back and pinning him down to the floor. He knew JJ was stronger, but he was faster. It was not long before JJ had flipped them and had Yuri pinned down. Yuri growled out and snapped his teeth at JJ as he laughed.

"Told you," JJ said.

They way JJ was above him, looking down at him made something inside Yuri's stomach flutter. Gasping, he saw JJ's pupils dilate as his cheeks turned red.

Clearing his throat, JJ rolled off Yuri and grabbed his book, sliding it into his bag. "Practice is about to start."

Yuri just stayed laid out on the concrete floor, staring at the light flickering above him.


"Scouts will be at the match," JJ said.

"I know," Yuri said, kicking his feet into the pool, watching the water swirl around him.

"What if we get scouted into different schools?"

"Then we better work our asses off to get in the same school! I can't do this without you," Yuri said, jumping in the pool, grabbing JJ's ankles, pulling him in.

A quick underwater wrestle before Yuri took off swimming away from JJ. Breaking the top of the water, he swam quickly to the other end of the pool. JJ quickly caught up with him and pinned to the wall.

"What did you mean just then?" JJ asked him.

Yuri turned his head. He didn't mean to say that last part, but he also knew it was true. He woke up every morning knowing JJ would be there, after school he had practice with JJ and then they studied together at night. It had been like this since they were kids, there was no way he could manage without him.

"Don't read into it," Yuri said.

"Then why can't you look at me?"

"Shut up, asshole!" Yuri said, trying to push JJ away.

It did not work, JJ was holding him firmly against the wall. Yuri wanted to be anywhere but where he was now, he wanted to think about anything other than being in different schools than JJ.

"Yuri-chan?" JJ said, putting a finger under his chin, turning his head.

He could feel the tears in his eyes. Where did they even come from? He never cried, especially over stupid shit like this.

"I can't do this without you, ok? Is that what you want to hear?" Yuri yelled out. He didn't want to yell, but it was how it happen.

"That is exactly what I wanted to hear," JJ said, leaning in, brushing his lips over Yuri's.

Gasping out, Yuri just stayed pinned against the wall. JJ had just kissed him. He saw how relaxed JJ's face was, the face that was always smiling at him at the end of the finish line. It was JJ.

Wrapping his legs around JJ's waist and his arms around his shoulders, Yuri pressed his mouth back to JJ's, kissing him firmer. This is how it would be, this is how it should be. They could face anything as long as they were together.

Pulling back, Yuri saw JJ's eyes sparkle at him and that stupid grin spread across his face. He hated to admit how much he looked forward to that stupid smile.

"We will definitely get scouted into the same school," Yuri said.

"Then we better practice harder," JJ breathed out.

Yuri kissed him again. Right now, practice could wait.