Haruka Nanase holds the medal in front of his eyes, admiring the intricate designs carved in it.
The Olympic rings stand out strikingly against the gold, demanding the viewer's immediate respect and attention, while the minute lettering below them sheepishly acknowledges the feat that the object was granted for - 100 meters freestyle.
"I thought it would be heavier." Haru says absentmindedly, balancing the medal between both hands.
He feels more than hears a chuckle against his collarbone as his lover brushes his lips against his neck, seemingly unfazed by the medal himself.
"Yeah, I thought so to." Rin mumbles in a tired voice. He sounds as if he's battling sleep at the moment, making Haru suspect he hasn't had a shut eye ever since travelling all the way from Brazil with the rest of the Japanese Olympic swimming team the day before.
The dark-haired man is about to scold Rin on the matter when something catches his attention, making him frown for a second.
"It's chipped." Haru observes surprised, running a finger over a small dent on the smooth surface of the gold medal.
The comment manages to snap Rin wide awake; the redhead's lips morphing into a thin line as he shifts his head slightly to the side so the medal comes into his view as well.
The swimmer remains silent for a few seconds despite the upset look on his face as his mind no doubt replays some recent event.
"Yeah... Nitori dropped it on the floor while the team was posing for press photos."
Haru has half a mind to crack a joke on the subject, but judges from his lover's tone that the event is still too fresh in his mind and that Nitori is now a persona non grata in Rin's books.
Poor Nitori! At 19 years of age he still worships his sempai much in the way he did back in high school... And much like back in high school, he still continues to drive the latter mental from time to time.
"Well... You do have three other gold medals." Haru reminds Rin, trying to lighten his mood.
When a moment of silence ensues, Haru assumes his lover hasn't heard him, probably due to having finally drift off to sleep.
"...That one holds special meaning to me." Rin finally replies, proving the former wrong.
It's his tone more than his words that manages to intrigue Haru, making him bend his neck to the side so he can have a better view of his boyfriend, who for some reason has decided to use Haru's upper torso as a pillow.
The swimmer's face is unreadable though, but when Haru makes a move to hand the medal back to Rin the latter shakes his head in return.
As Haru raises an eyebrow inquisitively at him, Rin explains.
"I want you to have it." He says.
"...Why?"
"Because that medal is rightfully yours." Rin replies dead serious, suddenly sitting up on the sofa so he can look straight into Haru's eyes, who looks back at him with an expression that seems to indicate he thinks his lover has caught too much Brazilian sun on his head.
Rin sighs, somehow unsurprised by the other's reaction. He pulls a hand thru his hair bracing himself for what might very well be the start of a fight between them.
"The only reason why I was the one to win that medal was because you weren't swimming in the Olympic finals next to me. If you were, you would have wo-"
"I'm not having this conversation with you again." Haru cuts him off, making a move to get up from the sofa, but being swiftly prevented from doing so by the other man who quickly grabs his wrist, securing him in place.
"Haru..."
"I don't swim for medals, Rin. I never did."
The frustrated look that momentarily overshadows Rin's face doesn't escape Haru's notice.
"Whether there is a medal to be won at the end or not, you are still the fastest swimmer. I still can't beat you at freestyle till this date. Haru, can't you see? Sure, I was the fastest in the Olympic final and won the gold, but that was only because the fastest swimmer wasn't swimming in the final that day... That medal is yours Haru."
Haru settles back in the sofa closing his eyes for a moment. "Stubborn..." Is his only reply, which causes Rin to grin beside him. "You're not going to take No for an answer, are you?"
"Nope." Rin retorts with a cocky smile as he lays his head back down on Haru's torso.
"You're so annoy-"
"Don't say I'm annoying."
"What am I supposed to do with a medal anyway?"
Rin shrugs in reply. "You'll think of something." He says, yawning sleepily. "You can wear it around your neck while you cook mackerel." He adds jokingly, making Haru roll his eyes at him.
"Funny." The young man says, turning his attention back to the gold medal.
"Hey Haru..."
Rin's anxious tone does not register with the former at first.
"What is it?" Haru asks, his eyes still on the gold medal, clearly trying to figure out where the hell he's going to display it around the house.
"There's something else I'd like you to have."
It's only when the shark sits up on the sofa facing Haru, that the latter turns his eyes to his lover.
For a moment though, Haru thinks his mind is playing tricks on him. Is he really seeing Rin blush?
His surprised look only manages to increase the tint on the other man's cheeks.
"What's the matter?" Haru asks confused.
"N-Nothing. It's just that I...I…"
"You... what?"
"Ah damn it! Here, I want you to have this as well." Rin says, placing a tiny gift box on Haru's free hand, and averting his eyes from the dark-haired man immediately afterwards in order to hide his embarrassment.
…Embarrassment which is quickly shared by Haru as soon as the young man opens the box and stares at its contents.
A small gold ring with the word 'dolphin' engraved on the inside, glistens against the black velvet of the gift box, rendering Haru completely speechless.
"I bought one for me as well." Rin says, breaking the silence that has fallen on the room, even though he still does not feel brave enough to look Haru in the eyes. "Mine says 'shark'. I thought... I thought we could both use it on our ring fingers."
Haru is so flabbergasted by the situation he can feel his cheeks on fire. And his next question, it turns out, does not help to relieve the awkward ambience that has taken over the room.
"Are…Are you… Are you proposing to me or something? !"
"What? !" Rin replies, clearly in panic. "N-No! O-Of course not. They're just silly rings. There's no special meaning to them at all. I just thought you'd like to have one, that's all!" He quickly adds, noticing Haru letting out a clear sigh of relief.
"But wait… does… does that mean you'd refuse if I were?"
"Huh? ! What's up with that question all of a sudden? !"
"Well, would you refuse or not?" Rin asks, frowning at the other young man all of a sudden.
Judging by the way Haru looks at his boyfriend, it is clear to the latter that Haru is thinking sleep deprivation has finally taken its toll on him . "Huh… I should go and find a place to store the gold medal." The black-haired man says, making a move to get up from the sofa yet again.
"You're trying to avoid the subject, you know?" The redhead says, just before he pulls on the back of Haru's sweater, making the latter fall nonchalantly back against the sofa's pillows.
He has Haru pinned under him on the sofa in less than five seconds after that.
"Oi Rin! Let go, will you?" His boyfriend complains, fighting with effort against the redhead's hold. Unfortunately for him, Rin's strength, courtesy of his strenuous Olympic training, is now slightly superior to his own.
"I won't let go until you answer me. Would you have said Yes or No if I had proposed?" Rin asks trying to sound serious, but deep down having way too much fun harassing Haru as he is.
"…"
"Haru…"
"I refuse to answer."
"How come?" Rin asks, raising an eyebrow at the other man.
"…"
"You know, I have ways of getting the answer out of you."
Haru still has time to notice the mischievous grin that appears on Rin's lips, before his boyfriend decides to take advantage of the one thing he knows will bring Haru down…a well-placed tickle attack.
As soon as the dark-haired man feels Rin's fingers creeping under his sweater and start tickling his stomach he has to bite his lips to prevent himself from laughing out loud.
Luck is definitely not on his side this night, because the shark is quick to catch on his reaction, immediately intensifying his attacks by tickling the sides of Haru's torso, a place he knows to be particularly sensitive for the other young man.
Haru manages to hold himself in place for only another two minutes, by the end of which his laughter is already echoing throughout the room and he's more than ready to beg for mercy.
"Ok, fine! I'd say Yes! Ok? I'd say Yes! ! A thousand times Yes. Now stop it! Rin! ! !"
"Yes!" The shark howls in victory, holding his arms high above his head, as if he has just won another Olympic gold medal.
"You baka!" Haru practically yells at him as soon as he's able to catch his breath, flushing all the way down to his neck as the realization of his previous confession starts to sink in.
Rin doesn't say anything in return, choosing to reply instead by leaning down and pressing his lips against Haru's in a passionate kiss.
"Yep." The redhead says, when they break the kiss a few moments later. "I might be a baka, but you've just made me the happiest baka in the world." He adds, leaning back down for another kiss, still managing to catch a glimpse of Haru's shy smile before their lips meet for a second time.