"Don't ever get in Rin's way again."
Why was this bothering him so much? Granted this had only happened a couple hours prior and yet Haruka could not shake it from his mind. As weird as it sounded, he never though participating in that relay had caused Rin to be held back, rather it was a way for him to move forward. Wasn't it? Was Haruka a bad friend for making Rin put everything on the line like that? What if he got banned from competitive swimming? Or didn't get scouted because of it? No, it wasn't all his decision, Rin wanted to do it. There was no forcing whatsoever. So...why did he still have the shaking feeling that...he was right.
"Haru! I'm here!" Haruka jumped out of his thoughts when he heard Rin's voice from the washroom. He had gone right to the bath when he got home and completely forgot that Rin was going back to his dorm to change before he came over.
But then he remembered Yamazaki...maybe that's what was bothering him, not the words he said, but his whole attitude. Who the hell was he to made a judgement like that? He had no idea what they all went through, and the true meaning behind their relay. What did it even matter to him what Rin did anyway? He left Rin and moved to Tokyo for years and now suddenly he shows up and decided to be Rin's personal protector?
"Hey, Haru! Are you home!?" Rin called out again sounding more frustrated.
Something sparked in Haruka just then. Maybe it was the mixture of rage boosting his adrenaline but he suddenly began moving like he was on autopilot, his knuckles turning white as he got out of the tub and striding towards the front door dripping wet with a look of determination on his face.
"There you are, didn't get enough water time today did-AAUGH!-What are yo-?!-mmmmppphhmmMMHHMmmm!"
Rin barely got any words out before Haruka grabbed him by his jacket, slammed him against the wall to the side, and hastily smashed his lips against his for a hard, open mouth, tongue thrusting kiss. It took a second for Rin to get over the shock before he started to get into it himself. Their lips and tongues were moving in perfect harmony, their legs eventually giving out as Rin's back slid down the wall until they were both sitting on the floor, their mouths not separating once. Haruka laced his fingers into Rin's hair, slightly gripping it while Rin would take turns softly biting Haruka's tongue and lips, something that usually bothered him but for some reason was relishing in today.
They weren't sure how long they went about like that. It could have been hours for all they knew because by the time they stopped they were both panting, their faces showing matching shades of red, and both clearly, very turned on.
"I'll go make dinner." Haruka said back to his cool monotone as he started to get up.
"H-Hold on a second! Not that I'm complaining..." Rin held onto Haruka's arm tightly as he pulled him back down, blush still creeping on his cheeks, "but what the hell was that all about!?"
Haruka turned his head away, "nothing."
"Yeah right, that was not 'nothing'" The fiery red head said in response, "tell me the truth"
That was the last thing Haruka was going to do.
"I guess..." he began to say, "I was feeling...fired up from today."
Immediately Rin's mouth turned up into a large toothy grin as he laughed and wrapped his arms around the other boy, "Ha! I knew I could get you hot! Couldn't hold it in anymore huh?"
Haruka sighed in response.
"If this is what you're going to be like, maybe you and Sousuke should race more often."
There it clicked again, and in a flash Haruka pounced onto Rin one more, this time opting to suck and nibble on his neck.
"Hey! Alright alright!" Rin gently pushed him away, becoming slightly annoyed "look, now my clothes are soaked. You know you're going to get a cold if you keep forgetting to dry off after your bath."
"I'll get you something to wear" Haruka held Rin's hand allowing them to both stand up now that the moment had definitely passed.
"By the way, what are we having for dinner?"
"Mackerel."
"Again!? Don't you eat anything else!?"
"No."
He wasn't sure what time it was, but one thing was for sure, Haruka wasn't getting any sleep tonight. The raven haired boy started at the wall across his room, listening to the sound of Rin's breathing, and his mind going 100 miles per hour.
I would never make Rin do something like that
Damn it, this just wasn't going to go away.
"Hey, Haru, you still awake?"
Haru hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should just pretend he was sleeping, but then Rin probably wouldn't have asked if he hadn't figured out that he wasn't.
"...yeah"
The bed creaked as the two boys shifted their bodies to face each other, Haruka rolling over onto his back and turning his head while Rin turned over to his side. Admittedly, Haruka's bed was just barely big enough for both of them to squeeze somewhat comfortably, but they made it work.
After a minute of just staring, Rin spoke, "Seriously...what do you plan on doing after you graduate?"
Haruka breathed a sigh of annoyance as he looked to the ceiling in response, he wished people would stop asking him that.
"It doesn't matter-"
"-you know you have to stop saying that!" Rin barked back irritably, "Sooner or later you're going to have to make a decision on your future! Do you want to go to university? Get a job? Something!?"
"As long as I can swim I don't care." Haruka hoped it had just ended at that, because it became silent for a moment, but then-
"Come with me then." Haruka turned his head back to face Rin, who was now propped up on his forearm, the room was dark but the light shining through the window from the moonlight gave enough that Haruka could see the intense look in the red headed boy's face.
"Come with you...where?"
Rin became flustered, "W-well, that would depend on where I get scouted to...either way I'll have to leave Iwatobi and when I do...I want you to come with me."
"I'm just supposed to follow you like some kind of dog-?"
"-Don't give me that! You said it yourself as long as you can swim you don't care where, and you can swim literally anywhere!" Rin became serious again as his eyes moved downward, "Besides...I don't want to be away from you again."
Haruka's eyes widened, "Rin..."
"I already left you once, and as we know it didn't exactly turn out well...and I think I figured out why. I lost myself without you, I couldn't function without you. All those years I wondered what was wrong with me and I was taking out my anger on you not realizing...that was what was making me fall. I guess my point is...I'm not just a better swimmer when I'm with you...I'm a better person with you."
The other boy just sat silent as Rin gently grabbed his head between his palms as he stared hard into him.
"I know it sounds selfish, asking you to do this for me, but it's not just that I want you with me...I need you, Haru."
Rin let go on Haruka and he settled back in his previous position. The room was pure silence for what felt like an eternity, at least to Rin.
"...Haru?"
"I'll think about it" He said in his usual cool tone, which was enough for Rin, whose face quickly lit up into his huge signature toothy grin as he delightfully yelled out Haruka's name and wrapped his arms around his neck, tackling him into the mattress.
"H-hey! I didn't say yes!" Haru said in a strained/irritated voice.
"But you didn't say no!"
"You're heavy..."
Rin kept smiling and responded with a kiss, causing Haruka to forget about the extra 68 kilograms and just indulge in Rin. They stayed like that for a while, and the kiss didn't turn into anything like what had happened earlier. This was much more intimate, with their lips barely moving, just gently pecking each other softly with their eyes closed, simply enjoying each others' presence.
"Don't ever get in Rin's way again."
That's when Haruka realized, Yamazaki was wrong, he wasn't in Rin's way. All this time he was scared that he was affecting Rin's swimming, that somehow he could be the cause for Rin's dream to fall.
I need you, Haru.
But now he knew, and he could understand exactly what Rin was feeling...because although he'll never admit...he needed Rin too.
"What are you thinking about?" Rin broke the kiss and looked down at the other boy who was smiling now.
"Nothing."
Rin could only sigh as he gently pressed his forehead with Haru's closing his eyes as he breathed, "If only I could read your mind, then I would know what goes on in that head of yours."
"I could call Makoto and see if he could come over."
"No!"