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

This fic was written for the RinHaruWeek 2015 (Day 2/Day 5, red). Although it has less metaphors and more action, this story is a sequel to Ocean tidess (a cursed child and a battle against fate).

(Not) just us and the moonlight

.

Had Rin known what his selfishness would lead to, he would have never made Haruka wake up at dawn just to help him fulfil his stupid fantasy. He wouldn't have used but it's my birthday! as an excuse to coax his boyfriend into going out. And he would have never brought him to the beach.

But Rin doesn't know.

So he claims he'll be perfectly fine in the water though it's still February, and before Haruka can tell him otherwise he's stripped down to his swimsuit and is running into the water, ignoring the cold that seems to cut through his skin as he hears Haruka trying to catch up with him.

When his feet don't touch the sand beneath the sea, and Rin turns around, though, he doesn't see his boyfriend. Already shivering, he looks at the water, more suspicious than worried. He knows Haruka isn't too far; he never is when they are in the ocean.

Yet he doesn't expect his boyfriend to breach just before him, few centimetres from his own face. Rin's yelp almost makes him swallow water, but he can tell Haruka is laughing despite he's sunk again.

"It's not funny!" Rin flails his arms around blindly, partly because he's really cold. His fingers find a face just as arms encircle his waist, and Haruka surfaces again, this time slower, gentler.

Rin's feet can touch Haruka's tail, swinging rhythmically to keep them both afloat.

"You're cold," he mutters, the last traces of laughter lingering in a little smile.

And it's true that Rin is shivering, but he's also happy because it's his birthday and it's the first one he spends with the most amazing creature he's ever met and he's never felt this safe in the sea that took his father away.

So Rin leans his forehead against Haruka's, barely suppressing the shudder that runs through his body.

"I'll have to trust you to keep me warm, then."

Haruka doesn't need to be told twice. As Rin crashes their lips together, the hands innocently placed on his waist pull him closer. Rin hugs Haruka back, the skin pressed against the sea man's body burning despite the cold. Haruka's tail wraps around Rin's leg tightly, as if he didn't plan on let it go, until they start sinking again.

The cold numbs his body, leaving him completely at Haruka's mercy. Rin hardly remembers where they are by the time Haruka's mouth slids down his throat, kissing the salty skin and making his breath hitch.

He must have made some noise, because Haruka jerks away from him. Rin opens his half-closed eyes and blinks at his boyfriend, confused.

"What's–"

"Your lips are purple," Haruka explains, already swimming to the shore.

"I can swim myself!" Rin tries to break free from Haruka's firm grasp, but the truth is he's at a disadvantage at the moment. Pouting, he stumbles to his bag and takes out a towel to cover himself with, while Haruka just lays on the sand watching him as his tail remains in the water, swinging and splashing between waves. "It's not fair. You don't get cold."

Haruka shrugs. "It'd be a problem if I did."

He crawls towards Rin, laying next to him and closing his eyes when Rin runs his still trembling fingers through his hair.

"Shouldn't you shift now? If anyone sees you…"

Haruka frowns, visibly annoyed. As he opens his eyes, the tail that starts where his hips should be slowly separates in two legs, a sight that never ceases to amaze Rin. He sits up and Rin covers his naked body with the towel, too, pulling him close despite knowing Haruka doesn't need it. He's among the coldest living beings Rin has ever touched, and even though he curls up and hugs his knees he probably feels as good as he looks.

"Is this what you wanted to do for your birthday?" Haruka asks, his gaze never leaving the waves that lick their toes.

Rin knows (or at least highly suspects) that Haruka can feel the warmth irradiating from his cheeks.

"Yes," he admits quietly. "Thank you."

Haruka doesn't say anything along the lines of you're welcome or it's nothing, because it is something for him. Even Rin can see the silent concern in his eyes whenever they're close to the ocean. And to be fair, it's not like he can say that restlessness is unfounded.

But Rin is fine. Still a bit cold, but he's twenty-three now and not only alive against all odds, but also enjoying every bit of this day. Thinking about how it will inevitably end someday scares him, but not focusing in the future is easy when Haruka finally stops looking at the sea, when his hand reaches to the back of Rin's head to pull him into a kiss, more intense now that the sea can't try to swallow Rin.

If only everything stayed the way it is now.

.

Haruka takes deep breaths, forces his jaw to relax a bit and pretends he hasn't heard anything.

Of course, that doesn't make Kisumi shut up. He goes on and on with his senseless chatting, stopping every now and then to deal with the customers that start filling the restaurant, but always coming back to the kitchen, not realizing (or not wanting to realize) that Haruka is seriously considering throwing a pan to his face.

Despite not liking him, though, Haruka has to admit that hiring him was a good idea. He doesn't know how to deal with humans, let alone how to be liked by them, and when the former waiter left after Christmas Haruka found himself thinking about running into the ocean and never coming back again.

Not that Haruka plans on thanking Kisumi for saving him from interacting with people.

"Haru, your boyfriend is here," Kisumi almost sings, and as Haruka walks out of the kitchen he wishes Kisumi didn't know about him and Rin. It's annoying.

What doesn't exactly bother him, though, is seeing how Kisumi goes outside, where Haruka knows the rain that has been falling for the whole morning has stopped for a bit and guesses Sousuke is waiting for Rin in the police car. He's so intrigued he winces when Rin kisses his cheek, not expecting the gesture.

"Woah, are you okay?" Haruka nods. Rin unsuccessfully tries to supress a sneeze and follows his gaze, sniffing. "Oh. Sousuke and Kisumi." Haruka nods again. "They aren't a thing, though." Rin gently takes his hand. "Yet."

Haruka huffs. Kisumi dating Sousuke would mean seeing him more often than he already does at work. He barely stands Sousuke; dealing with the two of them together seems like a nightmare.

"Hey, cheer up." Haruka finally looks at Rin. "The restaurant is closed tonight, right? If it isn't raining, we can go to the beach."

"You can't swim," Haruka reminds him. The cold Rin caught when he recklessly threw himself into the sea hasn't healed yet. Rin pouts, which with his red nose and his flushed cheeks makes him look like a sad child.

"I know. But you can."

Haruka smiles lightly. Suddenly the hours left until he can say goodbye to Kisumi don't seem so long.

.

Rin can't wait until the summer to swim with Haruka.

But he has to, because he's sick and Haruka has sworn he'll drown him if he jumps into the water again. Not that Rin actually believes him, but Haruka has been pretty annoyed since Kisumi started working with him and he needs a rest.

So Rin sits on a rock at the feet of the cliff and watches as his boyfriend swims, jumping out of the water every now and then and disappearing under the surface for minutes, only to breach again with shells or stones he gives to Rin before diving again.

It's a pity that it's already dark; Haruka's movements are really worth seeing. More than swimming, it's like the water itself made a way for him. And Rin knows he's at least a bit biased, but he doesn't think it's the same with Haruka's friends. Rin could be there forever, watching how the moon shines on Haruka's tail, despite the headache and the fever he knows he's nursing.

A startled cry breaks their little world when Haruka shows Rin what looks like a pearl. Rin instantly jumps to his feet, his hand on the gun in his belt, and Haruka makes sure his tail is underwater; but as the stranger walks directly towards them they both sense it's useless now.

"You… The one in the water." The stranger sounds out of breath, his pace fastening until he's running. Rin knows Haruka is about to dive into the water to avoid the confrontation. "I was… I was taking samples, and- I saw you, so… You have… You…"

Rin glances at Haruka, who has his eyes on the stranger, and then looks at the newcomer again, now that he's close enough to discern his features.

He's surprised when he finds out the stranger looks about his age; his hair, ginger, looks like fire, his yellow eyes seem those of a bird of prey. He reminds Rin of someone.

"Who are you?" he asks cautiously.

"Momotarou Mikoshiba."

There it is. He's Rin's boss' brother. The one who had a crush on his sister when they were in high school.

The memory makes Rin glare at him.

"I'm a marine biologist," Momotarou goes on, "and I… I saw you, and I'd like to know more about you."

Haruka tilts his head.

"Why?"

The question takes Momotarou aback. He scratches the back of his head.

"Because- Well, because I study organisms who live in the ocean."

Either Rin's fever is higher than he thought or Haruka is acting really weirdly when he gets out of the water. His tail has been replaced with a pair of legs.

"Are you a scientist?"

Momotarou nods, excited. Probably not noticing the way Haruka slightly draws back, and bares teeth that feel way sharper than they look. "And you… It's amazing, but you can- I mean, that's not a tail. How do you do it?" Haruka tenses further with every step Momotarou takes towards them.

"Don't get closer," Rin warns when he hears a low growl. He doesn't want anyone to get injured.

"I won't tell anyone, I promise." Momotarou assures, but luckily he stops in his tracks. "I'm just curious."

Haruka shakes his head. "I don't want to."

Rin can almost listen to the follow-up (scientists cut living beings for fun).

Momotarou pouts.

"Okay… I'll try tomorrow then."

"Huh?"

"You work with my brother, don't you?" Rin doesn't have many choices other than nodding; considering he's still wearing his uniform, his job is quite obvious. "I'll ask him where I can find the half-merman. And then," he starts again, addressing Haruka now, "I'll try until you agree."

And, with a dazzling grin, he's gone.

Rin waits for Haruka to get dressed, not knowing what to say. He's worried; now not only Sousuke and he know Haruka's true nature, but also that airhead. And if that Momotarou is anything like the kid Rin remembers from high school, he holds no malice.

He just talks too much sometimes.

"Maybe you should–"

"Rin," Haruka gently pushes him to start walking, "shut up."

"But he knows."

The contact in Rin's back disappears. "He said he won't tell anyone."

Rin sighs.

"He says too many things." But he doesn't want to talk about it. Besides, Haruka shifts at will. There's no way to force him to, and, therefore, to prove he's not human. "Anyway, have I told you about that gang we're about to dismantle yet?"

.

Haruka isn't exactly surprised when Momotarou Mikoshiba shows up at the restaurant.

It's been a week since the scientist found out his secret, and every day he's asked Haruka the same thing: to let him study his body. Haruka supposes asking is nice, though he can't focus on it when he's requested to let Momotarou cut him up or whatever it is scientists do.

"No," he snaps before the redhead has the chance to ask him again, walking back into the kitchen. Maybe he should tell Kisumi to not let Momotarou into the restaurant.

Kisumi, who is getting curious about what Momotarou wants so badly he asks Haruka every day.

"Drugs?" he tries when Momotarou gives up for today.

Haruka sighs.

"No."

"It'd be troublesome." Kisumi's mischievous grin is unsettling. "Since you're dating a policeman and all."

"I think there's a customer."

There isn't anyone outside, but Haruka enjoys the few seconds of peace before Kisumi returns.

He's grilling mackerel, but he isn't really paying attention to it. What Momotarou has told him before repeats over and over in his mind, despite Haruka not wanting to hear it. Because it's something he'd never thought about, and he doesn't want to believe a stranger's word so easily.

But Rin said that, too.

.

"You laugh at us, but you mer– sea people are ridiculous too."

Haruka frowned. "How so?"

"Well, you seem to be convinced that scientists are heartless monsters who love killing everything that falls into their hands."

Haruka's hands stopped caressing Rin's hair. The man let his book on his chest and turned his head to look at Haruka from his lap.

"It's what they do. Nagisa's mother–"

"They did that, in the past," Rin admitted. "Now laws forbid hurting animals just for fun, you know."

.

"I won't hurt you," Momotarou has said. "We're not in the Middle Ages."

Haruka doesn't know what the Middle Ages are (he'll ask Rin when he gets home), but he can't help but feel a bit less hostile towards that loud human.

.

Rin is in a bad mood.

Not only he's still sick; somehow his cold has gotten worse, and Haruka has forced him to spend the day in bed. And when Rin has called Sousuke for help, his friend has agreed with the sea man and told him to get some rest.

That traitor.

He probably just wants to spend more time with Kisumi, which is easier without having Rin around.

At least Haruka doesn't work this night. Rin is asleep when he gets home, but when he wakes up Haruka is sitting on the floor with his back leaning on the bed, apparently reading.

Rin crawls to the edge of the mattress, getting an absent-minded squeeze on his hand instead of the usual kiss. They don't know about what illnesses they can catch from the other. Being from different species should mean Rin is immune to most sea people diseases and Haruka can't catch human ones, but they are cautious about it.

"What are you reading?"

"Your book about laws."

Rin frowns. He did learn everything that's written in that book, but it was so boring he doesn't remember half of it now; he only uses it when he needs to look something up. It's not the kind of book he'd give Haruka for his birthday, exactly.

He focuses on the title of the section Haruka is reading.

About scientific experimentation.

"Is this about Momo?"

Haruka tenses up visibly.

"No."

Rin can tell he's lying. "Then?"

Haruka sighs.

"He's annoying," he admits quietly. "And Kisumi is asking too. He won't stop bugging me, so I thought I could… But only if he's not dangerous."

Rin bites his lower lip, still holding Haruka's hand. He presses the cool palm against his own burning face, but even though it helps him think more clearly there is something he doesn't like about the idea. It's not that he thinks Momotarou would do something against the law (much less hurting a policeman's boyfriend), but something isn't right.

"I met Momo in high school, although he was younger than me," he starts. "He loved animals, and got into trouble for keeping bugs in his room. But I never saw him harm anything alive." Rin isn't exactly sure where he wants to go with his speech. "If it's up to him, nobody will hurt you." He can't supress a yawn. "He's just…"

Haruka's hand brushes Rin's hair off his face when he trails off. "I can take care of myself," he assures. Rin closes his eyes. "Do you need anything?"

"Water would be good."

Being sick is not that bad, Rin thinks when Haruka returns to the bedroom and refuses to let him sleep until he eats something.

.

It's not that Haruka is scared.

What's there to be afraid of, anyway? He doesn't think Rin would lie about something like this, and Momotarou doesn't really seem the kind of person who would hurt anyone for the sake of it. Haruka doesn't trust people easily, but up until now that human has been nice enough to ask for his consent and not tell anyone.

At midday, Momotarou storms into the restaurant, as happy and excited as he was the night he saw Haruka's tail. As if Haruka hadn't been refusing his offer for the last week.

"Hello, Nanase-san!" Haruka flinches at the sound of the surname Rin and Aiichiro made up for him. He's been called that many times, but he hasn't gotten used to it yet. Momotarou half-walks, half-jumps towards where Haruka is drinking a glass of water. He's going to need it. "So, about–"

"Is it true that you can't harm me?" Haruka interrupts.

"Eh… yes." Momotarou blinks twice, confused for some seconds. "Besides, I don't want to. I'm a biologist because I like studying living beings, not killing them."

Haruka sighs. He walks outside, knowing the human is following him and praying Kisumi minds his own business for once.

They stop at a little alley in the back of the restaurant, where Haruka often feeds stray cats. The sea man raises his hand, a single finger pointing up. "If I change my mind, you won't stop me."

Momotarou tilts his head. "Huh?"

"My only condition," Haruka clarifies.

He looks aside when Momotarou's face lights up.

"Really?! This is– I'm so grateful, Nanase-san! A merman! I'll–"

Haruka's glare cuts him off.

"Sea man."

.

Usually Kisumi wouldn't give a second thought to other people's business.

Today he can't get the conversation he overheard at the restaurant out of his mind, even though he should have other things in his head. He's going to a meeting, and it's never anything good. Kisumi actually hates it, hates every person there.

But he has to do it. There are no choices for him. He quit a normal life the second he let them know about his desperation.

So he walks until he reaches an apparently empty building in the outskirts, trying not to think about what this meeting will be about.

In a meeting, there are three people. One of them is Kisumi himself. The other two are his boss, Suzuki, and the customer. Today, the customer is a tall, blond man, who seems to be around his forties and looks at Kisumi as if he were an ignorant kid.

"You're late."

Kisumi regrets the precious minutes he's spent debating whether talking to Haruka would be a good idea or not almost immediately.

"I'm sorry," he mutters on reflex, his plan long forgotten. He's sworn himself there won't be any more jobs; that's what working at the restaurant is for. But six years doing the same vile things aren't easy to ignore. "What is it, this time?"

That's it. This is the last one.

The customer takes a step towards him.

"I'm Shizuo Akiyama," he introduces himself, and Kisumi forces himself to keep still. It's true that no noble person asks for the kind of service they offer, but he doesn't like that particular man in the very least.

"You see, the other day I saw something really beautiful. Something I'd really want to have only for me."

As Kisumi listens, he understands. And then he wants to shake his head, because he's done bad things in the past, but this… this isn't just stealing. This is more serious, and the last thing on Kisumi's head is getting accused of kidnapping. The mere idea of doing it sickens him.

"What?"

Kisumi doesn't realize until that moment that he's spoken aloud. Not that he minds.

"I won't."

For the first time, Suzuki moves, taking three long steps until he's standing in front of Kisumi. "Are you ready to let him die, then?"

Kisumi closes his hands into fists. Suzuki doesn't know… he has no idea…

"I don't need you anymore. I don't want to keep doing this."

"Oh?" Suzuki smiles. "So this is why you got a decent job? So you could do whatever you want?"

Kisumi nods, not knowing what else to do.

"Illness isn't the only way to kill a person, you know." Suzuki steps back, but his smile is still there, and all Kisumi can think of is his brother, fighting his own battle when at any moment Suzuki's men could pull a trigger and make him lose it. "Then? What do you say?"

And Kisumi hates Suzuki, hates what he's going to do, but most of all he hates himself.

"Okay then."

.

Rin didn't ask to get better after dinner. But the truth is that his fever is completely gone, finally, and he needs to do what he hasn't been able to for the last days.

Besides, it concerns him. Mostly because the gang they've been chasing for months seems to have its main base in Iwatobi, but also because some of the names that are appearing sound too familiar. Rin can't put faces to them yet, though.

A huff makes him tear his gaze off the laptop to look at Haruka, who seems to be fighting against his eyelids to keep his eyes open. His arms sneak around Rin's waist.

"It's late," he mumbles.

"I'm almost done," Rin lies, caressing his hair. "Go to sleep."

Haruka huffs again, annoyed. "Don't bring your job to the bed."

Rin laughs quietly when Haruka nuzzles against his side. The gesture convinces him, though.

"Okay." He places the laptop on his bedtable and slides under the blankets with Haruka. "But just so you know, in a week or two I'll be famous for arresting a dangerous gang."

"So what?" Haruka slurs, on his way to fall sleep again.

"You'll be the boyfriend of someone very important."

Haruka huffs a third time.

"And very stupid."

"Huh?!"

"You…" Haruka snuggles closer into his neck between deep breaths. "You've always been important."

.

Haruka is supposed to go to Momotarou's lab after the restaurant closes. It won't be opened tonight, so he hopes he'll be home early. Rin seems worried, despite having told Haruka it would be fine.

However, he's been feeling sluggish all day. Haruka slept well last night, and has drunk the coke Kisumi has been helpfully giving him throughout the morning, but his head feels strangely light and his face almost falls into a pot twice. Even standing is difficult by the time he and Kisumi have to close the restaurant. And it's raining again.

And now he has to let Momotarou 'study him', Haruka thinks with a groan, cleaning the countertop without knowing how he's managing to keep awake.

"Are you alright?"

Haruka jumps at the sound of Kisumi's voice, stumbling back until he hits his head with the kitchen wall. He hasn't heard his colleague arrive, which is strange; Haruka's hearing is way more developed than humans' and he usually knows what Kisumi is doing even when he's out of the restaurant.

Now, however, Kisumi is a few meters away from him and Haruka wouldn't have known he's there if he hadn't talked.

"Y-yes." Haruka rubs his eyes, the shock quickly melting into a dull concern. Maybe he's caught Rin's cold, after all.

"You sure? You've been sleepy all day."

Haruka rinses the cloth and wrings it out, not bothering to answer. He hates it when people worry about him.

Besides, it doesn't matter. His day isn't over yet; he gave his word to Momotarou.

Haruka drags his feet towards the hanger, clumsily taking his apron off. "Not your business."

"You should rest for a bit before going home," Kisumi insists, and Haruka supresses a growl, tripping over his own foot as he heads to the exit. Why can't he just shut up? "A-At least don't go alone."

Kisumi's voice shakes, and it's odd enough to make Haruka's sluggish steps come to a halt.

"And you?" his voice echoes in the empty kitchen. "What about you?" Haruka turns around when Kisumi doesn't answer, but he finds nobody where his colleague was the last time he saw him. "Kisumi?"

Haruka doesn't expect him to answer. Kisumi's kindness suddenly makes sense, and Haruka blinks repeatedly to focus his sight, walking backwards to the door, his heartbeat resounding in his eardrums as he looks around.

But then there's an arm around his neck, and Haruka's struggling isn't enough to shake it off.

"Why–" Haruka soon forgets about talking; dark spots appearing in the white walls of the kitchen, blue, purple and black and he can't breathe and his movements are slow and frustratingly ineffective. "I'm–"

His elbow finds Kisumi's ribs, and the startled cry leaves his head ringing as the pressure around his throat disappears. Haruka stumbles forward, rubbing his neck with his fingers as he tries to run even though the only exit is blocked by Kisumi, away from him until his sight clears up and he can do something.

He doesn't get far. Something hard hits the side of his head, snatching whatever balance Haruka had left from him. He turns around as he falls, his teeth bared to the shadow hovering over him that is all he can see from Kisumi at this point.

"I'm sorry," he mutters as another blow lands on Haruka's head. Haruka can't find any strength in him to move when he falls back to the cold floor. As his eyes finally close, he watches as Kisumi stoops next to him, and for a second he thinks he sees sorrow into his eyes. "I really am."