Fandom: Free! Iwatobi Swim Club, based on Season 2
WARNING: content has character death, if you like Sosuke I suggest you do not read this! Please don't complain, I've warned you.
Characters: Sosuke, Rin and Aiichirou
Themes: Tragedy, Hurt and Comfort
Untimely Deaths 1: The Beach
Rin sighed and guided Nitori the last stretch to the beach, "Are you sure you're okay?"
The smaller boy smiled and nodded his head vigorously; he cast his eyes to the side avoiding the searching gaze of the Samazuka swim captain. "Really, I'm fine,"
The last tell tail smidgen of fever still tinged Nitori's cheeks pink and Rin couldn't help but notice how the boy's hands shook lightly around his towel. I should tell him to go back to the dorm, but he feared telling the younger boy this would only serve to unleash tears Rin knew Nitori had been fighting lately. So he sighed once again and turned an eye to the busy stretch of sand. If things get bad, I can always take him back myself.
The warm sun's light lit over Nitori's grey hair and made Rin blink rapidly; he spun his eyes to check that Sosuke hadn't been lost along the throng of people. The man walked next to him, silent, eyes trained on the ocean and Rin can almost draw a likeness from that expression to Haruka.
For the strangest reason Rin felt like he was walking between two statues. He'd been well aware of the awkward silence between Sosuke and Nitori for a few days already, but had yet to figure out why they avoided each other like the plague. Even stranger, how fast Sosuke had decided to join them for their training in the ocean once he heard that Nitori would be training with Rin that afternoon.
The majority of people had gathered on the sunlit sand, leaving a wide patch of shade along the rocks open for the Samazuka swimmers. Rin lead the way, setting down his towel on a particularly smoother patch of stone. Nitori stumbled over a few loose pebbles, grabbing his senpai's arm for support while Sosuke made a soft comment on how clumsy he was being, making the shorter flush in embarrassment and drop his hand from Rin's shoulder.
Again Rin found himself sighing as he looked over his fellow swimmers, he'd been sighing a lot that day, annoyed by the clear tension between the two. "Sosuke," he started and received a smile from his childhood friend, "Keep an eye on, Ai, I'm just going to get a bottle of water." The smile couldn't have disappeared faster had Rin said they'd be participating in another relay. He cast another worried glance to a red-faced Nitori before jogging off.
As their captain disappeared into the beach crowd, the two were left in silence. Strain and frustration was tangible, a visible divide between sky blue and teal green.
Nitori's hands tightened around his towel, his knuckles turning white, lips trembling slightly as he glanced at the taller man. "S-Sosuke-senpai, th-thank you for helping me train-"
"I didn't come for you," butterfly swimmer said firmly, his eyes flashed in the darkness and Nitori stumbled back, the heels of his feet scraping along sharp stone. "Every time I turn my back, there you are, trying to steal Rin,"
Ai's face burnt ferociously and he stared down at his fingers, "I-I'm not-"
"Acting all weak, its pathetic,"
His hands started shaking and his eyes burn with tears, he struggled to keep the wobble from his voice, "Sosuke-senpai, it isn't…"
But before the words could fully leave Ai's lips, Sosuke was moving away from him, speeding across the few feet of rock to dive into the endless blue ocean. Nitori stood still, his eyes wavering over the ripples of water which the tall man had just disappeared beneath. A stuttered breath parted his lips and he turned his back for a moment, eyes searching for the return of Matsouka-senpai. Please, come back, senpai…
Sosuke relieved in the cool water that enfolded him, momentarily blocking out the image of Rin's careful gaze on that pitiful Aiichirou Nitori and the sound of that stupid nickname, Ai. It had been bad enough when Nanase-san was pilfering Rin's attention, but Sosuke was not willing to believe that Rin could be sucked into the grey-haired boy's petty acting.
As his lungs began to ache, he kicked his legs, fighting the downward pull of the current, dragging him out to sea. His head poked from the water, salty liquid dripping from his hair and into his eyes, he squinted as he saw a blurry Nitori waving his arms frantically. The sound of his screams merging with the roar of the ocean.
Without another warning a crushing weight slammed against his shoulders driving him under water, ripping the breath he was in the middle of taking right from his lungs. The world spun in a blur of blue and white, the bubbles fizzling against his skin, sucking him deeper still. The water wasn't supposed to be so deep right by the shore. His eyes burnt, he blinked trying to find which way was up, suddenly the blur of white turned a mooted mixture of black and brown.
Agony tore through his shoulder, the resounding pop as ball and socket separated filled his head, a searing tear as ligaments ripped. The fire of his skin scraping along rock and saltwater invading the wounds; the silent scream that parted his lips, allowed water to fill his mouth, trickle down his throat.
Nitori's eyes widened, the towel slipped from his fingers, "Sosuke!" his feet faltered over stone, shards digging into the soft fleshy arches. If anything the pain fuelled his determination. All he remembered was Sosuke's head disappearing below water, all he could think was that it wasn't good. Before he could contemplate his strength and size to that of the other boy, Nitori was ducking into the water well aware that the next wave was not too far away.
The swelling liquid enveloped him like an old friend, caressing his cheeks as if assuring him it would not harm him, still his heart beat too fast and his lungs burned. He swam deeper and deeper, eyes protesting against the salty water, but he forced them to stay open, searching. A dark shadow neared Nitori's paddling arms, his lips nearly parted around the man's name. He kicked against the sudden backdraft and curled fingers around one muscled arm, mindful that the next wave was drawing them in. Part of him assured that maybe if they were together they would have a better chance of survival.
He heard the break of water overhead, felt the slam of seawater against his side, pushing him toward Sosuke, before trying to drag him away. His arm jerked, wrist straining painfully, body swirling to the side, twisting his elbow until his lips parted, releasing his carefully conserved air. Snapping teeth together, Nitori forced his fingers tighter, frightened that they would be separated when the other boy did not seem to be fighting the force. He managed to turn his body with the next drag, relieving the agony in his arm and wrapping the other around Sosuke's waist.
The swell subsided for a moment and Ai used the opportunity to kick, his back scrapping along rock, scorching blazing trails down his spine and causing the last vestiges of air to bubble from his throat. Liquid filled his mouth. He kicked harder, panic making his movements pitiable. Sosuke's weight made the surface seem so far away and the water closed in on him, crushing his chest, darkening his view.
Eyes closed.
Just as it seemed that his arms would slip loose and his body would give in, a new pressure curled around his body, warm and smooth. Ai did not have the energy to reopen his sky blue orbs, but relaxed into the warmth, welcoming the exhaustion and darkness tugging at his mind.
Rin surfaced, sucking in air, his muscles burnt from the effort of trying to drag both Nitori and Sosuke behind him. He gave one last powerful kick and felt his chest and stomach collide with Ai's small body, trapping the still forms between his and solid ground, he grappled for a handhold, having to retract one arm to get a steady hold. "Ai," he panted, recalling vaguely how those brilliant eyes had closed just before Rin scooped him into his arms. The figure didn't stir and the swim captain cursed loudly.
A person appeared before him, a tanned, bearded man with a bald head that Rin loosely remembered calling out to a moment before he jumped into the water after Nitori. The man stuck out thick arms, his hands curling around Sosuke's large shoulders. Rin felt the physical relief instantly and focused on pushing Nitori out the water, manoeuvring the small frame until Rin could drag himself free of the sucking dark depths.
"Ai," he called and gathered the smaller body against his chest, his mind a whirl of panic. His eyes flickered to the side, watched at a newcomer tilted Sosuke's head back and pinched his nose closed. Rin felt his stomach tighten and focused his gaze on Nitori's dark lashes, how they fanned over his pale skin, it made his chest ache and he laid the boy back down. His brain stuttered, trying to recall instructions that he knew he had learnt before. "Check breathing, head back, nose closed," a shiver ran down his spine and fear prickled his consciousness, "I can do this." He held a hand before Ai's nose and let out a strangled sound when he felt no breath. "I can do this." He said again, tilting that grey head back and pinching that small nose, "You can't die," he whispered and dragged in a deep breath, lowered his mouth over blueing lips. He released a deep exhale before he drew back and curled his hands into one large fist using them to pump Aiichirou's chest, once twice, a third time. Rin's eyes prickled with tears as he repeated the process, the faint wail of an ambulance in the distance. "Don't you dare die on me!"
The third breath left Rin feeling hollow and the tears began to streak his cheeks, somewhere close by someone pumped at Sosuke's chest, let out a stifled curse. Screams sounded as EMTs rushed over the sand toward them. Rin cursed softly, pushed Nitori's chest again and again.
Hands grabbed at his shoulders, tried to pull him away from the boy at his knees. "No!" he cried and tried to reach for his friend.
Nitori's body shook a moment later, he lurched to the side, seawater spilling from his lips, his blue eyes wide and frantic. Choking sobs rang in the air, mixed between gasps for breath and Rin's suddenly litany of: "Aiaiaiaiaiai…"
The smaller boy shook with the effort to stay sitting, but once again warm arms wrapped around him, steadying him as he continued to spit water. The EMTs returned their focus to Sosuke, leaving the swim captain to comfort the small boy.
"S-senpai-" Nitori tried after a while, but hiccupped and clung to the warm arms around his chest.
"You're going to be okay," Rin promised into Nitori's wet hair, closing his eyes against the weight in his chest. "You're all right,"
The softest sniffle sounded, made the swim captain clench his teeth.
"Sorry, but we need to look at you to be sure nothing's wrong," Rin glanced up, he watched with watery eyes as the EMTs pulled Ai away with gloved hands. Only then seeing the long red gashes down the boy's pale back and upon glancing at himself spied the remains of Nitori's seeping blood on his chest.
Another figure came to him, crouched at his side; Rin stared at the red on his chest. "I'm told you came here with these two,"
Rin nodded his head slowly, aware that Sosuke was still lying on the ground and no-one was trying to resuscitate him anymore. The swim captain didn't know why he hadn't started screaming yet.
"Could you tell me their names? Perhaps the contact details for their families?"
Mouth opening and closing, Rin turned eyes to the soft-spoken woman. "N-Nitori Aiichirou and… Sosuke… Sosuke…" He can't finish the sentence; his throat closed by a large ball.
"Take your time", Rin nodded again and stumbled to his feet, managing to fumble between the people and past Sosuke's immobile body.
Nitori was sitting in the back of a van, a blanket around his hunched shoulders and a respiratory mask over his mouth. His bright eyes squeezed closed as tears ran streaky trails along his salt streaked face. Rin closed the distance, wrapped his arms around Aichirou, felt how the body shook.
The muffled sound of sobs and chocked words, "I'm s-s-sorry, Senpai, i-if I was s-s-stronger then he… he'd be… I'm so, so s-sorry,"
Rin pushed his nose against Nitori's cheek, felt his own tears mix with those of his kouhai, "You were brave, so strong, Ai, it's not your fault."
"S-senpai-"
"No, you did all you could." Rin brushed his lips against the wet hair, "I'm so happy you're okay,"
That's the first installment! Hope it wasn't terrible...or was... depending on your opinion ":I