Racing Hearts

"I would never swim with you again, never"

This biting line of rejection ringed in Haru's head as did the image of the triumphant Rin standing in front of him. Everything about Rin now stung Haru, especially those words. Those words made an etching on his aching heart… Haru reached out and turned the shower knob and warm water started to trickle out from the shower head. Haru grabbed his chest as he was reminded yet again of Rin's words. It was not the loss that hurt him but those words that slipped out of the very Rin who he yearned for. As he raised his hands to comb his black hair, then only did he realize that he was crying. He reached out to wipe those tears only to be truly overwhelmed by the sadness that hit him. Haru thought to himself "What am I to Rin now?".

He flung his arms forward to support his body as he weeped in the shower. Weeping silently. All Alone.

The triumphant Rin wore his jersey proudly, a mark of his first triumph over Haru at freestyle. He ruffled his hair with a towel and looked down at his jersey. He did not regret choosing different schools from Haru because this is the day of triumph. And that was precisely what it was for. The chance to compete against Haru and win out right was all worth it.

Though he do sometimes look back, wondering what it would be like to be in a relay with Haru again. Rin shook his head violently as though to knock that thought out of this head. "Speed is all that matters". Thinking back to how the victory overwhelmed him, he stood triumphant over Haru and spewed… all that kind of nonsense. Rin punched the wall next to him in fury of himself. He did not mean what came out of his mouth. It was as though the little devil in him took over him and hurt the one he loved… In fact he meant the direct opposite. "Let's swim together again, again and again. Because I…"

Rin's face flushed red as his thoughts completed that sentence… Too dangerous, he thought. Saying it out aloud only confirms that he is in actual fact, hundred percent in love with Haru. Then something stopped his train of thoughts, the possibility of a rejection.

He looked down in embarrassment and use his towel to cover his blushing face as he walked along the corridor. The corridor was empty, or so he thought. On the bench next to the shower room sat a well built man that was still dressed in speedos. One thing about this man caught him the most, he had black hair, a tinge of black that he would be attracted to even from the corner of his eyes. It was Haru. The subject of his hidden adoration , his forbidden love drove him mad. Guilt and Love struck him equally hard at the sight of Haru's dejection. As Rin walked nearer to Haru, his heart started thumping harder. *doki doki doki* With each step he hoped that Haru would look up and call his name.

Then he realised, Haru wouldn't.

He told Haru all those horrible things about not swimming with him ever again. Then Rin realized that if Haru was really sad over what he told him, that would also mean that Haru liked him enough to be sad over not swimming with him. Rin's heart did mini somersaults. He was happy with that, even if it turns out to be the other case. He hoped it would be that Haru liked him, that was what he wanted. His gaze fell upon Rin and softened and looked at the poor little puppy of his, and his feelings for him erupted.

WHile fighting to maintain his composure, Rin walked closer. Haru's hair was still dripping wet and glistened in the corridor lights. Rin's hand swept over his shoulders as though on reflex and threw the towel over Haru. It landed on Haru's head with a plop.

Haru was staring into empty space as the words Rin had said to him continuously repeated itself. With each word his heart dropped a little. Haru had always thought of Rin as his childhood friend. But when Rin left from Australia, he realized Rin meant something more. He yearned for Rin, wanted to have him and longed for Rin's adoration. Haru remembered looking at many people holding hands and snuggling in the park. If the day he and Rin could do that, snuggle up to each other and letting their bodies touch… As he thought of that, Rin's smell became stronger and more distinct and much more desirable.

Rin smelt of fall and the autumn leaves and left a warm feeling in Haru's heart. As he thought more, Rin's smell grew stronger. It was the smell of fall, he thought, but now with a whiff of pool water. That made him open his eyes wide and blink.

All he saw was a piece of red cloth that covered his sight and this cloth smelled of Rin. He slowly pulled this curtain off his head and in front of him stood a guy with hair so red that he fell in love yet again. Even as the man stood with his back facing him, Haru leapt up. He could tell it was Rin even by the mere sight of the hair and by his smell. His Rin. It was clearly the Rin he hoped to hug so badly. He threw away all his frustrations and sadness and made a leap forward and they connected.

Rin felt two arms around him and in seconds he felt a tight hug.

"RIN CHAN" he heard Haru calling. "I missed you so much" Haru's quivering voice made his heart stop. Rin was thinking that he was not ready yet but yet the words "I miss you too" slipped out of his mouth.

"I always wanted to call you, hear your voice and touch you. I wanted to do many things with you when you were gone" Haru's voice was now more stable. "I...always loved you" Rin returned that with a retort he didn't mean, "But we are both guys" Rin said it with regret but he did not expect what happened next.

Rin felt the hug loosen a bit and then Haru's arm hugged him even tighter. His face was not next to his and Haru breathed down his cheek. "Saying no is not an option" then Haru's lips went in for the dive. His lips dived on to Rin's cheeks. Haru's moist lips kissed Rin's cheeks and where he kissed left a warm refreshing feeling in him.

That kiss made Rin very disoriented. He was elated and excited and yet a part of him was afraid of the end of this fairytale. He feared that accepting this all will lead to a bad ending where they could not even return to being friends. As much as he loved Haru, to him if they continued further there was no road of return. "And no one will accept us" Rin thought aloud.

Haru heard it all and let go of Rin entirely. Rin turned around to face Haru and just then Haru moved forward to kiss him on the lips. This time a lot more aggressively and Haru pulled back.

"This will always be my answer to you. I do not need anyone to accept me but you. I only need you" Haru shouted. The corridor rang of his voice and before Rin could even react. Haru took Rin's hands to his bare chest. "Can you feel how my heart jumps for you, the little waltz it yearns to dance and how quickly it beats?" Haru leaned to hear Rin's heart and grinned a cheekish smile." I hear that our hearts are beating hard."

Emotions overwhelmed Rin and he blurted out "I love you too, damn it" This time Rin initiated the kiss, though awkward but Rin hugged Haru and kept one hand close to Haru's heart and he allowed the other hand to grab Haru's naked back. As though they were now connected, he heard clearly how both their hearts accelerated. Rin kissed longer and tease Haru with the tongue. Haru then took control and stayed on top of the game.

They continued as though it was a game of tag, each taking turns to run and catch the other and Haru ended it off by finally pinning Rin to the wall. Haru allowed his hands to grab Rin's ass and he then said " Now I've caught you" Rin could only struggle but it was all in joy. For his beloved Haru harbored similar feelings for him all this times. Rin did not mind being led around when it comes to such approaches and Rin realized how much he needed Haru.

He realized that he was like a jigsaw piece longing to connect with another piece. And then he found Haru. They connected with their sweat, saliva and touch. What Rin saw in front of him was that other piece.

"I want to apologize for what I said" Rin said. Haru nodded and snuggled at the nape. "I want to swim you forever and i want you to never leave my side" Rin then smiled "because I…" Haru silenced those words with a kiss and said

"Shush Rin-chan, I know, I love you too"

Writer's Note: Hi, this is my first ever fanfic. I liked the Haru Rin pairing quite a bit, and decided to write this after reading someone else's fanfic. Hope you can give me comments!