Fandom: Free! Iwatobi Swim Club
Summary: Sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. The sound of his voice makes me blush… A RinTori, MakoHaru, ReiGisa, SeiGou and SouKis drabble. Basically fluff. Based in Season 2.
SIGHT - RinTori
They've shared a room long enough for Rin to know when something was wrong, even now that they no longer shared a room. He could tell. There were tell-tale signs that lit up red light warnings in Rin's head, the kind of alarm lights that signalled impending disaster.
So that day he ruffled Nitori's hair more than usual, he allowed his hand to linger on the boy's shoulder a bit longer, he would flash his brightest smile every time Ai finished a lap of the pool. Rin hoped it didn't look forced; he truly wanted to comfort Nitori, whatever the kid was going through. Previously it would have been easier, he would have bought the silver haired swimmer some soda and they might have watched a terrible comedy late into the night. That wasn't something Rin could give the boy anymore, all he had was their time during swim practice now.
The hour drew on and Rin started to feel the weight of the coming closure of practice. His eyes snagged on Ai's silver head a few times too many, it was getting harder to dismiss the boy's quietness. Rin was sure some of the others on their team had noticed the eerie silence, but no one as of yet had tried to cheer Ai up. Even Momo seemed unnaturally absorbed in his laps, taking the water with a force that would have made Seijuurou proud.
As the swimmers climbed from the pool, gathering their towels to head to the showers, Rin grabbed Ai's arm, pulling the boy to a stop. He waited as the other's left them in silence, only the faint slosh of the pool water breaking the quiet.
"Ai," Rin started, frowning down at the boy, his chest pained seeing the kid's downcast eyes. "What's wrong?" I'll fix it, no matter what.
The silver head dipped lower before Nitori lifted his eyes to the swim captain, the sky blue depths pierced Rin with yearning but he stamped the feeling down. The smaller boy took a deep breath, "The third years will be leaving soon, Matsouka-senpai,"
Rin shakes his head, was that it? Was that what had made the joyful Nitori so hushed? "It's okay," Rin says softly, he places his hand on Ai's head, "You don't have to be sad, Ai, it's not like we're going to die or anything."
Those baby blues grow wide and they start to brim with tears, "I-I know, senpai, b-but I won't be able to see you anymore and…and,"
The red head drapes his arm around Nitori and pulls the smaller boy against his chest. He presses his face against Ai's dripping silver hair and takes a breath, "What nonsense it this? Of course you'll see me again," he feels the small body tense against him and his own eyes brim with salty liquid. "What made you think I'd ever leave you?"
"But… you're going to swim in the Olympics and you'll always be far away, so I'll only see you on TV…and-"
"'And' nothing," Rin mutters into Nitori's hair. "I'll always have time to see my favourite kouhai."
SOUND - MakoHaru
They didn't speak much, well at least Haru didn't. Makoto was the verbal one in their relationship, but that never bothered them. Makoto always knew what his friend was thinking anyway. So why did it matter so much to Haru that he had to say it aloud?
Maybe because every time he said it aloud Makoto would blush and stutter. Maybe because every time he said it Makoto would hold his hand a little tighter and bite his lip. Maybe because every time he said it Makoto's chest would swell with pride and he's kiss to Haru's forehead would linger a few seconds longer. Haru loved this side of his tall friend. The shy, innocent side of Makoto that people never saw, because he was always too busy making sure everyone else was okay.
Haru found a smug pride in the brunette's soft whispers and nervous questions. Why did Makoto look so adorable when he was asking Haru about something he should have known already?
Haru liked to do it randomly, just when Makoto was getting used to saying 'I know, Haru' when the raven looked at him. Just when Makoto least expected it and Haru could observe the man's reaction without company, he'd say it and Makoto would fall apart with shyness.
He especially liked to do it when Makoto was sad, when those large green eyes drooped at the corners and his smile seemed less bright. Haru would make an effort to sit closer, he'd make an effort to whisper the words in Makoto's ear, because he knew that Makoto needed the closeness and that Haru's breath on his ear make Makoto hold his breath.
"I love you, Makoto," Haru would mutter softly and smile.
Makoto would let out a quiet groan and press a hand over his flaming face. Peeking past his fingers to look at his friend "I-I love you too, Haru,"
"I know," Haru whispers and places a lingering kiss to the back of the hand Makoto has over his face.
TOUCH - ReiGisa
Rei was used to Nagisa's clingy nature. In fact you could almost say he depended on it. The blonde was always holding his arm or pressing his head against Rei's chest in an effort to garner some attention. Usually it worked; Nagisa was an expert attention seeker and always managed to get a rise out of this stern and serious friend.
But today, this day, one day out of the 731 days they had been together, Rei was the one to take hold of Nagisa. Rei assured himself that the rash action was a result of Nagisa having ignored him for the last three days. Yet he knew that he missed the nagging touches, as much as they annoyed him, it felt like an eternity in the three days Nagisa had eluded him.
Still Rei wasn't too sure what he had done to deserve such a cold treatment. Had he refused to buy some strawberries? Had he forgotten to wish Nagisa well on some venture? Had he pushed the boy away a time too many? Had his rejection of a sleepover on a school night been misinterpreted? He didn't know, but he was determined to find out and make things right again. Especially as Nagisa was pouting too much and talking too little for things to move along any time soon.
The mathlete pushed his glasses up the third time in the last two minutes, his foot tapping impatiently as Nagisa took extra-long in the bathroom. Nagisa never brushed his hair, Rei saw no reason for the blonde to start the habit now, especially as Rei had pre-planned this trip and they had a schedule to follow. This was all to make up to Nagisa for whatever Rei had done wrong anyway.
Nagisa emerged and walked right past Rei, his chin still lifted up and his mouth pursed into a small circle. Rei sighed and grabbed at his friend's arm, yanking Nagisa to a stop with a cry of surprise. Although Rei had captured him, Nagisa evaded his gaze and stared instead at Rei's collar or over his shoulder.
"Nagisa-kun," Rei began and used his other hand to lift Nagisa's chin, forcing the boy to look at Rei. "What did I do?" He pleads and softens his voice when Nagisa flinches. "Why are you angry at me?"
The smaller huffs and narrows his eyes, "You know what you did, you aren't sorry,"
The taller sighs and bends his head closer to the blonde's. "I don't know what I did wrong in the first place, Nagisa-kun, if you tell me then we can figure this out." He coaxes softly, using his finger to gently trace the skin under Nagisa's lip.
The smaller boy shudders and looks at Rei, his gaze pleading and painful. "Why'd you let him touch you, Rei-chan? I was right there and you let him hug you, hold your hand. That's my job. I'm the only one who gets to hold Rei-chan, you shouldn't have let him,"
A soft chuckle builds in Rei's chest until he can hardly breathe. He releases Nagisa's arm so that he can cup his face with both hands. "He is my cousin, Nagisa, it doesn't mean anything,"
"So?" The shorter demands, his face twisting as his nose turns pink, "Rei-chan is still mine!"
"Yes," Rei chuckles and rubs soothing circles over the boy's cheeks; he leans forward and gives those trembling pouted lips a quick kiss. "I am Nagisa's and Nagisa-kun is mine."
SMELL - SeiGou
He wasn't sure how, but Sei first noticed how wonderful she smelt. Perhaps it was only because Gou didn't smell like chlorine or expensive perfume. He had struggled to put his finger on it, pinpoint the scent. Finally he had found it. The beautiful red head smelled like cookies.
It wasn't just the first time they met either. Every time he saw her, came close to her, he could smell it. At first he was sure he was going crazy, that it was all a delusion brought on by spending too much time around chlorine. That was until the day he saw her handing off a box of fresh cookies to Rin after practice.
He had never wanted a batch of cookies so badly in his life. He didn't care if they were ginger bread, peanut butter, custard, chocolate chip or anything else really; all he knew was that he wanted them. He wanted her.
It took two years of hanging around her, two agonizing years in which he spent most his weekends hanging around bakeries in search of that uniquely Gou smell, before he could ask. It was at Rin's last tournament for Samazuka, the Iwatobi team was dripping wet and grinning from ear to ear. Kou sat idly, smiling at her team, her hands clutched loosely in her lap as she listened to Nagisa's radical account of seeing Makoto turn into a whale as they were swimming.
Seijuurou approached her nervously, he was usually quite confident, but the younger Matsouka sent his head and heart reeling. At first she seemed surprised by his presence; he wasn't swimming for Samazuka anymore after all. But when he sat beside her, Kou's face burnt red and her small smile blossomed into a pretty grin.
"Cookies?" she questioned lightly and giggled, Sei nearly fainted at the sound.
He cleared his throat and scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, uh, I don't know, you just always do."
Again she chuckled and placed a hand to her hair, "Our mom likes to bake and I tend to always be helping her. My room is closest to the kitchen as well."
"Oh," he mutters and looks away, his own blush spreading across his cheeks and neck. "Would you…mind? May I ask for some of your, uh, homemade cookies?"
Kou looks at him with that infuriating smile, the one that makes Sei's heart beat faster and his brain short circuit. "We made some last night," she looks at the Iwatobians and back to Seijuurou. "If you walk me home, I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind parting with a few."
His chest puffs at the offer and he can hardly breathe, "Are you sure?"
"Yes," She looks at him under her lashes and carefully tucks a few strands of hair behind her ear.
TASTE - SouKis
Kisumi was proud of how he lived, not too daring and not too cautious either. So it came as a shock to him the day he overstepped his boundaries of comfort. He suspected it was a remnant of that day in the hospital, seeing Sousuke so shocked. Then when he'd heard the man was back in for his shoulder, it had seemed only natural to go see how he was doing.
He'd brought flowers; perhaps it was too much considering Sousuke didn't necessarily enjoy sentimentality. But he carried the yellow daffodils with all the pride he could muster; he was going to see his friend after all. The nurses gave him brilliant smiles and he returned them tenfold, waving to the blue gowned figures strolling the hallways.
Sousuke wasn't staying overnight, he was just in for a check-up and an examination, but to Kisumi it felt more than that. He burst into Sousuke's room, grinning like a fool and nearly scaring the hulking mass of man right off the examination table. The doctor could only chuckle and tell Kisumi to take a seat if he wanted. Sousuke grumbled in his normal fashion telling Kisumi in no light terms to get out.
The strawberry blonde hummed a happy tune, ignoring the other's feeble protests. He placed the flowers down by Sousuke's bag and trotted over to join his friend on the hospital gurney. Although the brunet attempted to shove the smaller man from the cot, Kisumi was persistent and managed to cuddle into the man's side.
"Are you enjoying yourself yet, Sou-chan?"
"I'm in the bloody hospital," Sousuke grumbled and let out a heavy sigh, "it reeks of medicine, I can practically taste it."
"I like it," Kisumi protests lightly, "They make people better here,"
"People die in hospitals too, you know," Sousuke scowls and attempts to shove Kisumi away again.
Kisumi presses a finger over Sousuke's lips and gives him an intense stare, "We don't think about those things," The taller attempts to speak, but the strawberry blonde presses his finger harder over Sousuke's lips, "Besides they serve good jelly and yogurt,"
The taller rolls his eyes and attempts to bite Kisumi's finger, Kisumi isn't fast enough to escape.
"That's not fair," Kisumi flushes and pulls his hand away, finger tingling from the light pressure of Sousuke's teeth.
"What?" Sousuke laughs suddenly and uses his good arm to pull Kisumi closer, "You're the colour of strawberry yogurt."
"You're horrible," Kisumi mumbles into the other's chest, but grins secretly.
"But you still love me," Sousuke suggests jokingly, but Kisumi snuggles closer. If only he knew.
Sorry if you don't like my pairings =3= Couldn't decide on SouMo or SouKis so I just winged it. Thought it turned out well though. Merry Christmas or happy holidays all you lovely shippers! Enjoy the New Year and ship on.