Rin, Haru thinks one day whilst idly floating in the pool after practise, is like the wind.
Wind is brilliance; it's a force that moves water into waves - it creates ripples of tiny disturbances within still waters and makes them alive.
While Rin is wind, Haru thinks he is water.
It's the only explanation he has for why his eyes distinctively seek the red head out wherever he goes; why he's mouth utters his name every time their eyes connect.
A soft wind blows, caressing Haru's wet skin and he feels goose bumps beginning to rise where it touches.
Yes, this is exactly what it feels like to be with Rin.
"Rin"
Wind in its all its glory is standing before him; chiselled body in red and black jammys - eyes boring into his with the intensity that can cause tsunamis.
"Haru, swim with me"
It's a request - not a demand, but Haru complies without any resistance. The pull of wind is too strong and he feels as though he gets swept along like a strong current – something swirling in his lower chest at the boy's unbroken stare.
He nods and feels the gravity even stronger when a lively smile bursts across the red heads face.
And when they swim together, Haru feels every cell in his body stirring and he's never felt more alive.
Looking into bright eyes that are solely fixated on his afterwards; he can't help but notice that Rin feels exactly the same.
"Haru-chan! Did you hear!? Rin is in love with someone!"
He resists the urge to flinch at the news but he feels Makoto's gaze on him. A sick feeling deep in his gut begins to stir as his mind began to reel with the news.
"Haruka-sempai? Are you ok?"
Haru gives Rei a nod but he knows he's not really convincing anyone.
"Nagisa… where did you hear that from?"
Haru has always been grateful that Makoto could voice things that he could not. Especially now.
"Gou-chan told me that she overheard him rejecting a girl at his school when she went to visit him! He said sorry but I'm in love with someone and he can't forget them! Has Rin-chan said anything to you guys?!"
He hasn't and it's the first time since Rin's return that Haru remembers that wind can also be destructive.
"Haru, do you ever eat meat?"
Rin's laugh rings pleasantly in his ears as he places the plate in front of him, crimson eyes brightly looking up at him in clear amusement.
"I like mackerel"
He responds, hanging up his apron and grabbing his plate to sit opposite him. He ignores the swirling sensation in his lower chest again as he takes his seat and glances up to see Rin staring at him, a serious expression on his face.
"Haru… you look a little thin… have you been eating enough lately?"
He hasn't and he wants to tell Rin that it's entirely his fault.
"I heard from Makoto you haven't been sleeping well lately too... are you ok?"
Again his fault he wants to say but he nods instead, noticing the frown on the others face.
"Haru… did someone tell you something?"
He can't help but flinch at the question and a heavy silence fills the air between them.
"Haru-"
"The mackerel will get cold"
Haru isn't sure why he's so desperate to avoid the subject, but for once in his life he wishes that he didn't know what it felt like to be surrounded by the brilliance of wind.
Maybe then it wouldn't hurt so much to give it up to someone else.
For the first time since their childhood incident, Haru doesn't feel like swimming.
He's been skipping classes, practises, meals and barely sleeping. He'd even stopped responding to worried calls from his team mates – unsure on how to respond to their questions.
And he isn't lying to them; he isn't sure what it is about the news that affects him so deeply, but all the sudden he feels like his life is so suffocatingly still-
And he hates it.
He doesn't realise what it is until one afternoon, he hears heavy footsteps running through his house, and when Makoto bursts through his bathroom door, all he can see is the colour of red behind him.
"Rin…"
The next moments become a blur and all he knows is that he's desperately reaching for him. Before he realises what is happening, Rin has his arms wrapped around him and Haru can't stop the barrage of tears from running down his face as he clutches on to him frantically – bath water soaking the red heads uniform.
"Rin!"
And it's there in his arms he realises it.
Water is still without wind-
And he doesn't want to be still water ever again.
"Haru, what have you been thinking!? Do you understand how worried everyone is!?"
Rin's eyebrows are furrowed together as he wipes Haru down with a towel, the bluenette silently sitting on the bed.
"I heard from Makoto that you've been skipping school all week! Are you sick?! And why were you crying!?"
He squats in front of him in exasperation and lets out a loud sigh, fingers running through unruly flame like hair.
"Again I have no idea what you're thinking…what are you thinking Haru?"
Silence fills the room again and Haru can only observe the worried face in front of him quietly – the swirling sensation in his lower chest intensifying at an alarming rate.
How could he explain this to Rin in a way that he could understand? Haru understood he was never good with words or explaining things to people. But this wasn't just anyone, this was Rin.
Haru doesn't know why, but for some reason he feels like Rin will understand him - that he'll have the answer to all of this.
Leaning forward slowly, Haru cups the redheads face with both hands, startled crimson eyes meeting deep azure.
"Rin… are you in love with someone?"
Rin's eyes only widen further as Haru's eyes narrow, fingers tracing the side of the boy's face.
"Because when I thought about giving you up to someone else… suddenly everything became suffocatingly still… Rin, what is this?"
It takes a moment to register that he's being pulled forward and Haru barely manages a gasp before heated lips are on his.
Flinching upon contact, he shivers as Rin's lips begin to slide and suddenly his mind becomes blank -the sensation in his lower chest now vibrating throughout his body.
He feels hot and yet he can stop shivering in the places that Rin touches - and after what feels like forever, they break apart gasping – faces flushed and eyes bright. Rin places his forehead against his and his gazing at him - that intensity that causes Tsunamis resurfacing and seeping through Haru's skin through his touch.
"It's love Haru"
Rin whispers brokenly and Haru can feel his heart hammering against his rib cage painfully as he watches the tears begin to slide down from beautiful crimson eyes set on his.
"And yes I am in love with someone idiot – it's you"
Wind is terrifyingly beautiful Haru thinks as he pulls Rin towards him and recaptures his lips with his –strong currents of emotions resonating within him as he feels Rin wrap his arms around his torso, bringing them closer together.
They fit together perfectly as if made for each other and Haru can't help but feel like it's natural for them to be like this – as if they were always meant to be together.
Like the wind that is in flawless unity with water; Rin was indisputably perfect for him.
And for the first time in his life, Haru feels truly free.