"Warm Me Up"
Fandom: Free! Iwatobi Swim Club
Pairing: Haruka Nanase/Rin Matsuoka/Makoto Tachibana
Summary: Haruka gets colder than the average person during winter. Luckily he has Rin and Makoto.
Disclaimer: I don't own this series or these characters!
Author's notes at the end!
It was colder than usual in Iwatobi late one winter evening.
There Haruka Nanase sat, the kotatsu temperature at the highest it can go, huddled in blankets, teeth chattering as he glared at the weatherman on his televison speak about the levels of snowfall expected by morning. There were already a few inches on the ground, slowly piling up as the hours went on, and it made the black-haired boy all the more irritable.
And the fact that his heating system was having problems, and it was an older house wasn't helping.
It surely wasn't his fault for his body getting twice as cold as Makoto's or Rin's during the colder months. Sure, he was smaller than both of them, but that wouldn't explain why whenever the temperature dropped he would turn into a shivering mess as Makoto and Rin remained fine. The two didn't understand it either, but equally looked out for their boyfriend to make sure that he was comfortable at all times when he seemed uncomfortably cold.
He had grown used to wearing multiple layers inside or outside, and having his thick sweaters at hands at all times. If he had to wear multiple socks, to pajama pants over his jeans (or vice versa) and a tank-top under a standard shirt under a sweater under a jacket with a thick scarf around his neck, so be it. Even if it made him look ridiculous, he was warm enough to be able to function.
Makoto had gone out to get Rin from the station, forbidding Haruka to come along knowing that even with bundling him up the best they could, he would still not be warm enough.
"I'll be right back, okay?" Makoto promised, kissing his forehead as he tucked him underneath the heated table. "You stay right here, watch some tv, eat some mackerel, be warm and cozy, and I'll be back with Rin in a little while."
Blue eyes glanced to the clock on the wall, realizing that Makoto and Rin would be coming through his door any minute.
"...tea." He mumbled, kicking the heavy blankets from his legs off and keeping the quilt around his shoulders as he stood on shaking legs, looking towards the kitchen. "I think they'd like warm tea when they come inside."
He shuffled to the kitchen, reaching into the cupboard to grab the three similar mugs that himself and his boyfriends always used, distinguished by the colored stripes against the white porcelain. Haruka then went to the jars where he kept the assorted teas, deciding on something spiced would be best, shaking hands starting to open the container.
"Open, c'mon..." Haruka sighed, trembling fingers fumbling with the lid and with a single twitch it fell to the floor, spilling everywhere around his feet.
With a groan and pulling the quilt tighter around him, he crouched down, clenching his jaw to keep his teeth from hitting together as he carefully scooped the leaves with his shaking hands. He glanced up, hearing the door open and two sets of footsteps, and the familiar "I'm back-" chorus from Makoto and Rin. He also heard the shuffling of jackets and shoes being removed, with the familiar sound of lips meeting (with a yelp from Makoto, signaling that Rin must've nipped him with his teeth).
"Haru? Where did you go...?" Makoto's voice was faint, coming from the living room.
"Maybe he had to use the bathroom or something? Could've started a bath." Came Rin's response, almost as faint as Makoto's voice.
"I don't know, he looked like he didn't want to leave from the kotatsu-" Haruka glanced up upon hearing Makoto's voice clearly, green eyes wide at seeing him on the floor with tea in his cupped hands. "Haru!"
"Found him?" Rin peeked his head into the kitchen, seeing Makoto crouch next to Haruka to lift him from the floor to his feet. "Oi, what were you doing on the floor?"
"I was going to make us tea because it's so-" Haruka paused, inhaling and exhaling as he felt Makoto's frigid cheek against his own. "Cold."
"How long have you been on the floor?" Makoto asked, steadying Haruka to lean against the counter as he cleaned up the remaining mess.
Haruka shrugged, pulling the fabric tighter around his shoulders. "Maybe a few minutes. I wanted to make you two something warm to drink and I dropped it."
Makoto just sighed, putting the leaves in the sink and washing his hands. "Haru, you should have stayed where you were, where it was warm and you were comfortable."
"I'm sorry..." His voice was quiet, frowning at how careless he was and for worrying Makoto.
"It's fine." The brunette gave a reassuring smile, warming his hands before taking Haruka's. "But now that we're all here, do you want to get back under the kotatsu or-"
"Bed, please." Rin yawned, tilting his head from his left to right shoulder and feeling the familiar pop. Haruka nodded in agreement, feeling the redhead slide his arms around his waist and rest his head on his shoulder. "It's been a long day."
"You two head on up, I'll clean up down here." Makoto leaned, kissing Rin's still-cold nose and then Haruka's, waving them off to go upstairs.
Arms still held around the smaller boy, Rin and Haruka made their way to Haruka's bedroom, keeping the blanket tight around him and keeping the oldest from slipping on the floor as his sock-covered feet continued shuffling. Rin was the one to push open the door, guiding the both of them to the mattress and fell on it with an 'oof', covering Haruka with his thick comforter almost immediately.
"You're really cold, huh?" Rin asked, feeling Haruka beginning to shake against him. He felt Haruka nod, bringing him closer to share his own body warmth. "When did they say your heat would be fixed by?"
"N-not for another week. Until the snow clears up better." Haruka mumbled, burying his face in Rin's shoulder. "'s awful."
"I know..." He sighed, rubbing comforting circles against his back and shoulders. His eyes tilted upwards, seeing Makoto balancing three steaming mugs in his hands, a smile on his face as he set them on the bedside stand and ruffled red hair. "But hey, now that our big 'ol orca is here, he can give you all the nice warm heat that you need."
"Hey!" Makoto laughed, crawling onto the bed to sandwich Haruka between himself and Rin, feeling Haruka press against him. "I'm not big, I'm normal-sized."
"Keep telling yourself that, babe."
"I like that you're really warm. Both of you."
Both Makoto and Rin smiled, kissing the top of Haruka's head as the oldest's shaking eventually stopped and he was breathing peacefully, fast asleep.
Author's note: so yeah, just a quick little Marinka thing that I did in like...a few hours? If I had more time it would be longer/better and didn't have my hands full with Always, but eh! Just had an idea, and went with it, I guess!