Poolside

"So, if you just lean back a little bit it'll be way better!"

"Eh, really? I never thought of that! Because I always have my hands all—"

"Ah, yeah, yeah. But what you do is you get him to prop you up like this"

"Oooooooh."

At one end of the pool, two boys; one blonde and gesturing, one grey-haired and attentive, sat with their feet dipped in to their ankles, making idle chit chat amongst the humid, chlorinated air of Samezuka Academy's indoor lap pool.

"S-so what about when you're on the bottom? Because I like having my legs wrapped around but I don't know if that's best. Rin sempai is always telling me not to hold on because he can't move as well but I like it that way. Is that not right?" Nitori leant into the conversation, swirling his feet languidly in the water as Nagisa hummed thoughtfully.

It was a cool day in the middle of winter and Samezuka and Iwatobi were having a joint swim practice—the third one of the week because, despite Haruka's protests, the Iwatobi pool was almost frozen over and by now was three thousand percent too cold to even dip your toes into. Unlike the Samezuka facility.

The two teams had started coming together a few weeks ago when the weather had suddenly turned from chilly to brutal cold. Originally, they weren't sure how to go about it; join in with the bigger team's drills or cordon off their own section of the pool. They'd gone with the former and that had allowed the opportunity for the team members to take breaks together—seniors and juniors at different times however. And since Rei had taken to studiously watching Rin's technique whenever he was swimming butterfly in the senior lanes, Nagisa was often left alone with Rin's pint-sized sidekick and lover, Nitori Aiichirou.

They'd become quick friends through their mutual interest in the other's relationship. What had started out as "so you and Ryuugazaki kun, huh…" or "so you're dating Rin chan?" had somehow escalated to conversations detailing dates, to kissing technique, to uninhibited discussion of sexual endeavors in just a few weeks.

Nagisa was well-read and well-practiced in the topic, while Nitori had hit the ground running with a very aggressive and frustrated Rin at the start of last year and had just been relying on instinct during the intense, rough experience he'd had with his sempai. However, after the finals of the last competition and his confrontation and make up with Haruka and the Iwatobi Swim Team, Rin had softened and properly confessed—the best he could. What he and Nitori had now was more akin to dating than their previous situation which had comprised solely of hot, disorderly bouts in the middle of the night. Ultimately, it was all very different now— sometimes much more tender and slow than Nitori was used to, and Nagisa had become something of a mentor. Every time they spoke Nitori had a new question or Nagisa a new tip or story.

Naturally, neither Rei nor Rin had any idea what their partners were up to during the junior break. When Rei was not preoccupied by his pool side studies, they talked about school work and the like.

But right now they were alone and chatting freely.

"On your back huh?" More humming. "I'm not really sure about that one because if I'm on bottom I'm usually still on top, ya know? Because Rei chan is so…" Nagisa made an embarrassed face, meant to be Rei's. "He likes me to be in the lead, which is fine with me, so I'm not sure. BUT!—" he peered into Nitori's face seriously. "It's best when you have your legs over his shoulders. That's my advice, Ai chan."

Starry eyed and a little flushed at the idea, Nitori nodded enthusiastically and seemed to be mentally noting the tip down.

With the question answered, the two lapsed into comfortable silence, gazes drifting to the senior lane where Rei was crouched over the pool talking to Rin. Nagisa wondered vaguely if Rin and Rei would ever be proper friends or if they spent all that time together over there talking about butterfly.

"Rei chan's really beautiful," he murmured to himself, though not unheard by Nitori who Nagisa felt turn slightly towards him, considering the blonde.

"You…" Nitori began. "… really love each other, don't you?" The question made Nagisa lift his eyebrows in surprise and then chuckle, eyes settling back on Rei.

"Of course. " A no brainer question. Nagisa was committed. Perhaps more so than he should be. And perhaps more so than Rei might be comfortable with. But commited all the same. He often talked to Nitori about Rei comically and about their sex life offhandedly, but it was just the surface of the two's relationship, really. "Rei chan is the most important thing to me. Don't you and Rin chan love each other, Ai chan?"

Nitori shifted.

Oh—a surprisingly sensitive spot?

"Maa, I guess I love him but I'm not entirely sure how Sempai feels…"

A whistle blew shrilly from behind them. Mikoshiba was calling for the juniors.

"Ai chan, I have something else for you," Nagisa said, getting to his feet and stretching lightly. Touching his toes as he spoke and then eyes forward to Rei giving Rin a hand out of the pool. "Rin chan isn't very good with his feelings and can be kinda mean but… if he's spending time on you; he almost definitely loves you too."

Nitori blinked, a little starry eyed again, warmth blooming under his breastbone. Nagisa gave him a hand up and then winked. "Rin chan is a tsundere after all."

"Ah—pfft! Nagisa kun, you're terrible!"

"It's true though!"

The two were still giggling when Rin and Rei came wandering over.

"Hey, it's you guys' turn. What's so funny, Ai?"

Nagisa gripped Rei's arm, still laughing while Rei looked quietly perplexed but not completely surprised with the odd behaviour. All a flustered Nitori managed was "N-Nothing, Sempai!" before Mikoshiba was personally ushering them into pool.

"Weirdos."

"For real."