It was the way
that they fit together,
at once,
so young and innocent
His smile
was brighter than the sunlight
that hit the waves
and much happier
than any that he'd seen
It felt like the waves' gentle caress
to lean against him,
soft bodies and smooth from the pool skin
He smiled too
though it wasn't much,
didn't feel as profound as the other's gaze or smile
Red seemed so tempting
and kind
He smiled,
felt the water of his eyes pool
as if the shade and hue were alive
Rin smiled
so prettily and so wide
Haru couldn't help the wonder in his eyes
nor could he help but love him even then
though he had no idea what the boy his age
would grow up to be
other than an Olympic swimmer
He remembers even now
how his heart rate spiked to catch up to Rin's,
the almost race of two hearts
He smiles now as he carefully tucks himself into what is for now their bed
it feels like the delicate unfolding of wings
on his skin as he leans against
the other ever so slightly,
trying to separate their heartbeats,
feel alive in singularity
Haru turns away,
head resting comfortably on his pillow
before being reminded really of
how far they've come
They weren't two kids
discovering how it felt
to be on a relay team together
nor were they quite the same people as before
Haru had almost secrets now,
felt older
though not really any wiser
Rin was more tucked away,
hidden deep within what he could control
Haru wonders how they managed all of this time,
growing up,
feeling the ache of a twisted heart
that only wants the other back
as they only really raced together
Haru sighs,
soft enough that Rin can't even catch it here
He shifts,
growing comfortable yet again though feeling
the rapid pace of his heart,
pulling him further away from falling asleep
Haru knows that a lot as changed
as he makes mackerel
in their kitchen,
hearing the 'ooh's and 'ahh's
of the children
that are just visiting,
hears the pride in their little boy's voice
"Yeah, Daddy won this one,
and Dad got this one."
He doesn't seem to care
that most of the kids were trying to figure out
which was which
He smiles,
Haru can just tell
and can't help the slight tugging up
of his lips
even as he hears footsteps,
not nearly quiet enough to mask the owner of them
as Rin leans against his back
and Haru feels his breath
as if it were a wave
crashing to life against his skin
He turns and meets the kiss
that Rin silently offered him
Haru smiles
against soft lips
that are just chapped enough
as Rin pushes him lightly against the stove,
skin on fire from where they touched
Haruka smiles even more
though he's trying to hide it as their son comes in,
friends shell shocked for a moment
as if they couldn't believe that his parents actually kissed
Rin doesn't see them right away or rather hear them
he pulls back,
watches calmly as Rin joins him in watching their son
"Daddy, Daddy, can we go swimming in the pool later?"
It's playful though quieter than usual
"Yeah, but after 'Dad' finishes dinner."
Rin speaks
and Haru savors the prideful smile
that turns up Rin's lips
It's a smile that only their son seems able to pull out
every so often
Haru turns to finish cooking dinner,
ignoring his son's friends' questions
about what that was that Haru was making
They'd hopefully come to love mackerel eventually
though even Rin insisted that they couldn't just eat mackerel at times
though Haru was sure that no one outside of the three of them
knew of this fact yet
Makoto always looked worried whenever he visited
and saw Haru cooking mackerel again
"I love you"
was pressed against Haru's neck,
half muttered
as if Rin didn't want the children to hear
"Me too" was all that Haru needed to say
and to them,
it was just as beautiful as the actual
"I love you"
that would come later
once they were alone again.