This is the first part of something that will connect to something I hope to post later that I've been working on for awhile. I think this one might have got away from me a bit as a consequence. Honestly I don't even really know what this is.

Ai almost feels like attempting to tumble subtly off the side of the bottom bunk, just to see if he could break another bone and get Rin to fuss even more.

He almost feels.

"I'll be back in five minutes, Ai, okay? Don't move. Just rest." Rin backs out the door slowly, watching Ai until the last possible minute to make sure he doesn't move and strain himself.

Not that tumbling off the bottom bunk would be anywhere near enough for him to hurt himself that badly. Ai decides to blame the painkillers for his ridiculous thoughts.

Rin sticks his head around the door one last time to check before he's off to the vending machines on the first floor. Aiichirou blushes at the attention. He likes this side of Rin. It's why he's sort of maybe not really he still has his sanity contemplating getting himself hurt again.

Earlier today, when he'd taken a tumble down the stairs in the math and sciences building of Samezuka, on his way to meet his senpai before practice, he had absolutely not expected it to be Rin who rushed to his side and nearly made himself sick with worry. He'd practically carried him to the hospital, keeping him steady on the train to make sure his arm wasn't jostled.

That had been a very good moment, despite his arm throbbing like a bad word that senpai says sometimes in English. He'd been close enough to feel his senpai's warmth and breathe in his smell. Rin-senpai always smells so good. One would think he smells like chlorine, and at least some sweat and, well – he does, but Nitori doesn't mind those smells, even likes them, almost has to like them, what with being on the swim team. Besides Rin-senpai also smells like the musky deodorant he uses, the strawberry licorice he allows himself on weekends, and the dryer sheets his mother sends him to make his oft used towels smell nice.

Aiichirou snuggles himself down in bed, breathing in that same smell where it clings to Rin's sheets.

He blushes again. After this, he might have to admit to having a big fat crush on Rin. He doesn't know if he can do that.

Nitori knows he's gay – and he thinks that his friends probably know too, because he's never actively hid it, even if he's never told them straight out, either. But he doesn't know if Rin is, or isn't, and no matter what Rin himself is, his reaction to Ai's sexuality could honestly be devastating.

Nitori had not yet been at Samezuka when it happened, but he'd heard that last year a boy had revealed himself to be gay and had lost his roommate because of it. The boy hadn't even been interested in his roommate; he'd just told him who he really was.

Ai didn't like judging people or getting angry with them, but he always felt a twist to his stomach that was at least partially anger when he thought of the story. The twist gained an almost vindictive tint to it every time he thought about the aftermath of that story. Apparently the roommate had requested a room transfer, and had ended up in Captain Mikoshiba's room, where the redhead had proceeded to subtly make his life rather difficult. The boy was no longer at Samezuka. Nitori could admit he was glad for that.

Anyways, even if Mikoshiba was around to defend his honour (Ai almost giggled himself silly at the image of Mikoshiba on a horse in full traditional armour, a double handed sword – and only his speedo underneath it all. Gods that would chafe something terrible.)…

"What're you laughing about?" Rin re-entered the room, a half smile on his face when he caught sight of Ai with a hand over his mouth, small giggles escaping him.

… losing Rin would still hurt a lot. A lot.

The redhead was still gruff, but reconnecting with the Iwatobi boys had done him a world of good, and he hadn't done as Aiichirou feared either, and abandoned him in favour of his old friends.

"Nothing, senpai! Just a silly thought!" Ai enthused.

Rin tweaked an eyebrow, but said nothing.

Nitori chastised himself. He needed to have more faith in Rin. Rin was not good with his own feelings, but he knew to leave well enough alone, and even if a lot of people seemed to annoy him, he accepted them anyway. Rin would accept him, even if he didn't accept his feelings.

A dark corner of Aiichirou's brain squirmed, dissatisfied with this positive outlook on things. If Rin didn't accept him… that would be bad. And sad. And disappointing.

Still, the thought wasn't quite enough to wipe the smile from his face as Rin made himself comfortable on the bed, sitting with his back against the wall and his legs bridged horizontally over Nitori's.

He cracked open one of the drinks he'd brought back and very carefully placed it in the hand attached to Nitori' unbroken arm.

Aiichirou giggled. "Senpai, it's my other arm that's broken, and it'll take a bit more than a pocari sweat to break this one." He wiggled his arm gently, careful to not spill his drink.

Rin stared resolutely at his left knee, the faintest hint of a blush on his face. "You can't be too careful." He said gruffly.

Nitori just smiled down at the bed, spots of red glowing on his own cheeks. Yes, he really, really liked this side of Rin-senpai.

They sat and sipped their drinks quietly, Aiichirou occasionally talking about his lessons, or how he would have to change his routine now that he had his arm to contend with. Rin grunted out comments, but, mainly, he followed Ai's broken arm out of the corner of his eye like a hawk.

"Senpai! Shall we watch a movie? You said you'd brought a new one from home yesterday!"

Rin seemed to consider, his eyes glancing over to his running shoes before returning to Nitori's arm and then making the trek to his face.

Ai was about to spew apologies, tell Rin he could go for a run, that he would be all right alone, it was fine with him, he shouldn't have assumed, but then Rin nodded and said "Okay."

"S-senpai? Are you sure? You've already helped me most of the day, you don't have to – "

"Ai! Dammit, be careful!" Rin leaned forward and gently grasped around the cast on Nitori's arm. "You'll bang it in to something waving it around like that."

Ai blushed as he realized he had unthinkingly brought his arms up in a placating gesture when he'd started to talk.

"Good goddamn grief, I'm certainly not going anywhere if you insist on waving your arms around like you're trying to fly off to buttfuck nowhere." Rin groused, inspecting Ai's arm for another second before placing it carefully in the boy's lap. "We're watching a movie and you're going to sit still and that's that."

Ai beamed. He began to wiggle around in the sheets, trying to free himself. "Okay, senpai! I'll get – "

"DAMMIT, AI! Don't move! I'll get the laptop, just stay put! You need to heal so we can swim again!"

Rin shoved himself off the bed, shoved Nitori very gently back onto it, and went about collecting what they would need, all the while Aiichirou sat very still and somewhat shell-shocked on the bottom bunk.

Rin probably hadn't meant to say it like that, or had just let it slip during his bout of frustration, but – to hear that senpai looked forward to swimming with him, well –

He would definitely have to admit to having a big fat crush on Rin now, wouldn't he?

The END