Free! doesn't belong to me. Neither does High Speed!

Prompt: The way you said "I love you" (over and over again, till it's nothing but a senseless babble).

(our) melody

.

The first time Haruka didn't understand him.

He was too focused trying not to forget about breathing, looking for a connection between Rin's impatient nod and the answer to is now the right time to carry on with this, when he heard it and frantically scanned his boyfriend's face, afraid of finding any sign of distress.

But there was none. Rin stared up at him with a strange calm, cheeks flushed and hair spread out on the pillow as the corners of his mouth turned upwards, lips still in the shape of his words.

It only lasted a second, though; and soon Rin reached out to grab Haruka's shoulders, wordlessly telling him to keep going.

.

The second time Rin didn't say it clear enough.

Or maybe it was that Haruka was too distracted by the feeling of having Rin everywhere –on skin that tingled long after the kisses had moved somewhere else, in the warmth pressing Rin's chest against his back, in the sounds that could have belonged to either of them– to pay attention to something as futile as words when Rin's hand was trailing down his abdomen like a lazy spider.

"Wh––" he started, but Rin's teeth sank on his shoulder, into the spot he had whispered whatever that was, as if trying to erase its ghost, and Haruka lost himself to the sensory overload.

.

The third time Haruka refused to keep quiet about it.

Even though it felt like swimming, even though Rin already knew his body too well and was aware of the possibility of cheating no matter the position they were in. Haruka's hand slipped down Rin's arm as his boyfriend straightened his back, probably ready to pretend he hadn't said anything.

But oh, Rin had said it. Haruka's fingers curled around his wrist, stilling Rin's movements so abruptly the most primal part of him reprimanded his action.

Rin, however, only looked down at him, confused.

"What?"

Haruka raised his upper body a bit, resting his weight on his elbow.

"What did you just say?" Rin looked aside, the pink on his cheeks pale under the moonlight. Haruka tugged at his wrist. "Rin."

"N–– Nothing."

Haruka sat up, carefully so the only noises Rin made were out of surprise. He smiled softly, satisfied when Rin's legs snuck around his hips on instinct as he rested on Haruka's lap, still refusing to meet his gaze. Haruka let go of his wrist and pushed red locks behind Rin's ear, leaning forward as he hugged Rin's waist to whisper:

"I heard it."

He could feel Rin's shiver.

"Then you don't need to hear it again," he stuttered.

Haruka kissed his jawline, from his ear to his chin, then stared at Rin. He was looking at him out of the corner of his eye.

"But I want to."

Rin shook his head, and not even the moonlight filtering through the window could conceal his blush.

"Please." Haruka felt his own cheeks heat up. He wasn't used to politely ask for anything, and judging by Rin's frown neither was he. "Please," Haruka repeated, pulling Rin close enough to tear a shaky moan off him and remind him what they were in the middle of.

Rin tilted his head backwards and stared at the ceiling. Haruka moved a bit again, barely wincing when two lines of nails sunk into his shoulders.

"I hate you," Rin groaned.

"That's not what you said before."

Rin took a few deep breaths, then he all but wrapped himself around Haruka, rested his forehead against his boyfriend's and showed him a tiny, dangerous smile as red hair tickled Haruka's cheeks.

"I know what I said," he grunted, crashing his lips against Haruka's as if he wanted to suck the life out of him in revenge. "I love you, you know?" he whispered.

Yes, Haruka knew. It wasn't the first time Rin said it. It wasn't the first time the two of them told each other that.

"Better than you think." He returned the kiss. "Me too."

Despite everything, there was something different, something new about it. Haruka could barely keep up with Rin when he sped up his movements, the same three words echoing over and over again between them, slipping from Rin's lips until their meaning vanished and they were just music, the melody to their bodies' rhythm as Haruka's hand slipped between them and they melted into each other.

Haruka managed to not collapse on his back when Rin leant his weight on him, hands lazily wandering over his boyfriend's back as they both regained their breath. Rin nuzzled into his neck, caressing the marks his nails had left on Haruka's shoulders.

"Rin," Haruka called when he trusted his voice not to waver.

"Hm?"

"I love you more."

He felt a breathless laugh against his throat.

"Can't it be a tie?"