~Irresistible~

~okay, so I only watched like...one episode of this, so I'm not sure how this'll turn out. This is part one of a short story about Rin and Haru (or Haru figuring out how he feels about Rin thanks to Nagisa XD). I've read other fanfics for Free! and I tried my very best to keep the characters true to themselves. If I fell short, that's fine, but please, no harsh reviews! XC

Anyway, feedback is very welcome and I hope you enjoy this little story. SasuNaruForever17, this one's for you. (Sorry about the pairing, lol) :)~

"I love the way you hurt me, baby

It's irresistible...

...too many sharks, not enough blood in the waves..."

–Fall Out Boy

Haru could remember the exact moment he realized he was in love with Rin.

Love didn't fall over Haru slowly, the way it did for some people. It hit him like a lightning bolt and was just as strong. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to push it away or drown in it.

Because it would be all too easy to drown yourself in Rin.

It happened over the summer, in the early days of June. School had just let out and every teenager practically threw themselves out the doors in their haste to escape. Pounding shoes, laughing voices, and called goodbyes filled the drowsy, heated air. But Haru and his friends (the little gang that included a hyper Nagisa, studious Rei, fiery Rin, and kind-hearted Makoto) all made a beeline straight for the nearest pool. They couldn't help it. It was SUMMER, and they were the IWATOBI SWIM CLUB. They practically had aneurysms every time someone mentioned the word "pool."

Anyway, so there they were, Haru, Makoto, and Nagisa in Makoto's car, and Rin and Rei in Rei's car. Nagisa was jabbering on about how he had stupid summer homework to do and Makoto was chiming in every once in a while. But Haru didn't really feel like talking (not that he did much talking to begin with). He rested his elbow on the door's handle and propped his chin up on his hand. The windows were rolled down and a warm breeze tugged his black hair back from his face. Trees and buildings and fences raced past in a colorful blur. Haru sighed slightly.

"What do you think, Haru?" The question came suddenly from Nagisa. The younger boy was peering up at Haru from the back seat, his golden hair wind-ruffled. Light-colored eyes glimmered cheerfully from his still-boyish face.

Haru's brow furrowed. He'd missed half the conversation. "About what?"

"Summer," Nagisa replied, hardly able to contain his glee at the word. "And swimming. And more swimming." He paused, then a bit of a sly smile came across his face. "And Rin."

For no reason at all, Haru blushed. "Why do you want to know what I think about Rin?"

"Cuz it's so obvious that you got it bad for him-HEY!" Nagisa yelped as Makoto pointedly reached back an arm and poked him hard in the forehead. "What was that for?!"

"For messing with Haru," Makoto replied simply. "As you so often do."

"What's wrong with that? You guys mess with me all the time!"

"That's different; no one messes with Haru."

"Okay, DAD, I'll keep that in mind next time."

"Good."

"...it's still so obvious that those two are gonna get it on though."

"NAGISA!"

By now, Haru was just watching the playful argument in silence. He couldn't seem to wipe the dumbstruck look off his face. Why would Nagisa think that Haru had any feelings for Rin at all? They were rivals, or had been at least, and Haru rarely spoke enough to give off the impression that he liked ANYONE. As for Rin, well, he spoke enough to give the impression that he liked EVERYONE. But surely it wasn't so blatantly obvious that the two were..."gonna get it on." Haru felt his face heat up at the thought. Then again, he thought, if I DIDN'T like Rin, I wouldn't have reacted the way I did to Nagisa.

He didn't have any more time to think about it, because they were pulling into the parking lot of a local pool. It was new, that much could be seen. The sidewalks were swept, buildings immaculate with shining windows, and a tear-free chainlink fence. A glimpse of brilliant azure flickered from where the water waited. Haru inhaled deeply; he could smell chlorine, as familiar as his own heartbeat.

Makoto parked next to Rei's car and the engine died; they were left with only the pleasant buzz of birds in summer. The three clambered out in to the heat, slamming their doors shut and drinking in the rightness of this. Haru was the last out when Rei's door opened and he staggered outside like he'd been running a marathon. "Oh my god, it's too hot," he groaned, pulling at the white collar of his shirt. His dark hair stuck up at odd angles, probably from him trying to get it out of his face while he drove.

Nagisa laughed, pointing at Rei in glee. "Man, you're such a wimp, Rei!" he crowed. "I mean, normally, I'd take your side, but you're being ridiculous right now."

Rei glared at him. "You can't stand there and tell me that you don't feel hot at all."

"No, but I CAN choose to keep it to myself," Nagisa replied pointedly.

"I'm gonna kill him," Rei stated to Makoto and Haru this time.

Makoto raised his hands in a go-right-ahead gesture. "We were actually thinking of killing him on the way here."

"True," Haru chimed in, with a rare, small smile.

"Hey, what the heck, Haru?!" Nagisa pouted. They all burst into laughter at that.

"Why're we all standing around, laughing?" a new voice asked. "I thought we were here to swim." The voice rounded the side of Rei's car and following it was Rin himself. He sauntered over to the group and leaned back against the car door, arms crossed. Hair the exact shade of red wine fell rakishly into his eyes, but he didn't bother to push it away. His black-and-red jacket was unzipped to show a long stretch of skin. Haru didn't know why he was staring, and he quickly looked away.

Nagisa perked up at that. "Yeah, let's swim!" he cheered. "C'mon, I'm ready...!" He continued to babble excitedly, already pulling at the hem of his shirt and kicking out of his shoes.

Rei gaped. "Nagisa, not HERE!" he panicked, waving his arms like Nagisa would stop. "We're in a parking lot!"

"Not for long!" Nagisa chucked his shirt into a pile of white fabric on Makoto's trunk. Then he threw his arms up in the air, ecstatic. "See ya later, suckers!" And he took off running for the entrance.

The remaining friends stared after him for a long moment. "I swear, that kid has hyperactive problems," Rin remarked flatly.

Rei lifted a finger importantly. "You mean hyperACTIVITY problems."

"Shut up, Rei."

Makoto chuckled, a bright smile lighting up his emerald eyes. "C'mon, guys, the kid's right." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder, toward the pool and where Nagisa was already jogging out. "Let's swim."

Haru had to smile when he heard that. They would get no arguments from him. Swimming was what he lived for. He was right behind the rest of the group as they walked in a laughing, talking pack toward the entrance to the pool. They passed into the shade of the squat building that held a concession stand facing the pool and two doors that led to changing rooms. The sudden shadow turned Makoto's bronze hair to dull brown, and Rin's eyes glimmered. They hardly even had to change, partly because they'd been planning this and had worn their swimsuits all day. And well, Haru kinda did that anyway on a daily basis. He got plenty of scoldings from Makoto about that one.

Makoto and Rei dashed straight for the pool as soon as they set foot outside again, Rei shouting for Nagisa. But Haru hung back, pausing in the archway that led out to the pool. He rested his shoulder against it and gazed out into the water. It looked gloriously cool to the touch and was the same jewel-blue of Haru's eyes. It danced in slow waves as Nagisa and the others dove in, lapping at the sides of the pool. Haru felt his hands itch to run through it, to feel it between his fingers, along his back, in every part of him.

"You fall asleep, Haru?"

Haru nearly jumped, but it was just Rin. The other boy sidled up beside him, hands at the back of his head as he stretched. The lazy flex of the muscle under his skin made Haru forget how to speak for an instant. "No," he answered, as quiet as ever. "Just thinking."

Rin scoffed. "You do way too much of that."

"Too much of what?" Haru asked.

"Thinking."

"..."

"See, you're doing it again." Rin's voice was light though, and his cherry-scarlet gaze fixed on Haru. He cocked his head. "Don't you ever just want to stop for once? Stop thinking so hard about something and just do it? It's easy, I promise," he added good-humoredly.

"For you, maybe," Haru replied. Inwardly, he had no doubt that it would be easy. Easy to not think at all. Easy to not wonder about the things he could do better while he swam. East to forget all the reasons it was a bad idea, shove Rin up against a wall, and kiss him senseless. He dropped his gaze to his feet, hoping Rin wouldn't guess his thoughts.

His heart stopped when Rin draped an arm across his shoulders, skin pressed to skin. Rin's body radiated heat wonderfully against Haru's. "Yeah, maybe," he admitted, agreeing with what Haru had said. "But you can do it too. Can't you?"

He was so close, Haru could feel his breath tickling his cheek. He nodded wordlessly.

Rin flashed him a shark's smirk, all savage curves and sharpened teeth. "Then what're you waiting for?"

Haru turned his head to look at him, and the action brought their faces so close that he swore their noses brushed. Up this close, Rin's eyes were a crimson blur, so Haru lowered his gaze to his mouth instead. His pulse sped up when he saw that snarky smirk disappear, replaced by a completely different expression on Rin's face. He must've leaned forward somehow because now their foreheads touched. He was going to kiss Rin. He had to kiss Rin. Haru shivered despite himself. "Rin..."

Rin suddenly seemed to realize what he was doing. He took a quick step back, putting space between them. His arm slipped from Haru's shoulders. Haru instantly missed the heat that had spread between them. He tried to swallow the disappointment down. Shifting his feet, he watched as Rin began to make his way to the others in the pool. As he did, he tossed a wicked grin over his shoulder, as though to say he knew exactly what kind of effect he had on Haru. Haru's face burned, and he didn't know whether he wanted to smile right back or throw something at Rin for being such a tease.

"Haru!" Makoto called, jerking Haru back to reality. He saw his best friend waving at him from in water. Hair flopped down into his eyes. "You coming, or what?"

"Yeah, you're actually letting Rin get in first!" Nagisa put in, indignant as Rin walked lazily to the side of the pool. He threw Nagisa his snarky grin before diving into the water in one smooth motion, body arcing into the waves. He hardly left a ripple. "AND he's showing you up!" Nagisa added.

"I doubt that," Haru answered. A slight, teasing smile curved his lips. Strolling casually to the edge of the pool, he paused. He could see Rin's shadow beneath the surface, swimming toward the side where Haru stood. Haru waited until Rin surfaced for air, then pushed off from the ground hard; he dove right over Rin's head, arms stretched forward to slice through the water and into the blue beyond. Satisfied that he'd caught Rin off-guard for once, Haru let himself be carried by the water. For once he wasn't concerned with any technique.

He let the groggy movement of the water pull him farther out, deeper. Out in the center of the pool, the water was darkest blue. It was the place where your eyes could play tricks on you, making you imagine that the pool was bottomless and you could continue swimming on into the deep. Haru felt that way now and he loved it. It was wonderfully cool down here, almost icy. He basked in it.

He only came up for air, poking his head out reluctantly from the nose up. What he saw nearly made him burst out laughing. Nagisa was currently yelling like a moron. He seemed to be "teaching" the others on some new trick he'd come up with. That apparently involved him climbing up onto Makoto's shoulders.

"Okay!" Nagisa exclaimed, half-balanced on Makoto's shoulders, half in the water. "Now, just gimme a second to get my other leg up..."

Makoto was gripping Nagisa's ankles so the other boy wouldn't topple off. The look of utter disapproval and fear on his face was priceless. "Uh, Nagisa?" he called. "I'm having second thoughts about this."

Rei, who was watching from the side, chimed in. "Yeah, right now, you two kinda look...awkward."

"No, I swear this'll work!" Nagisa protested. "I've seen people do this all the time; it's really easy!"

"Doesn't LOOK easy."

Makoto pouted comically. "It's not!"

Nagisa finally hauled his other leg up onto Makoto's shoulder, sitting there and pumping a fist in the air. "Ha! Made it!" He pointed imperiously at Rei. "Told you!"

Rei crossed his arms and grumbled something under his breath.

"Now, Rin, you get on Rei's shoulders," Nagisa ordered pleasantly. As though this was the most normal thing in the world to say.

Rei and Rin, who were next to each other, exchanged equally disgusted glances. Rin's gaze switched to Nagisa. "There's no way in hell that's happening," he deadpanned.

"Ugh, fine, get on Haru's then."

"That's even WORSE."

Haru rolled his eyes and lifted a little more out of the water. "Still here, you know," he reminded them. "And still hearing everything."

Nagisa threw his arms up and glared at Rin in mock anger. "See, now you offended him."

Rin arched an eyebrow. "How is me not wanting CLIMB ON TOP OF someone offending?"

"Not on SOMEONE. On HARU."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"If only you knew..."

Rin gave Nagisa a funny look then, like he couldn't figure out what he meant by that. Nagisa just beamed back, a great secret in his eyes.

Haru considered drowning himself, but figured embarrassment was better than death at the moment.