Phew, I really had one busy week..finally here the new chapter :)
As promised back to Haru and Rin!

Enjoy :)

The decision

The national contest was drawing closer with every day and finally the Iwatobi Swimming Club had a proper coach to train for it.

After long asking and begging, which was more forcing and seducing using Amakata-sensei, they had convinced their former elementary school coach Goro to teach them once again.

But he wasn't really proud of what had become of the kids he had brought to victory back then.

"What's that supposed to be? Swimming?! You still have a long way to go!", he shouted at Rei, who has already stopped feeling his limbs.

Of course, he wasn't any good, but he had just started swimming. The training methods of this guy would kill him before he could learn it properly.

He searched hold at the edge of the pool and made a little break panting for air.

"Don't give up! You're doing not that bad, Goro-chan is just really strict."

Nagisa bowed down to him and smiled in order to cheer him up.

"This is really a lot tougher than I thought.."

Rei started to loose his motivation. Nagisa patted him on his head.

"Hey, hey. If you're just half as devoted as you've been back there in the alley, you'll be just fine."

Rei blushed immediately and turned away.

"That sounds so dirty..", Rei mumbled.

"It was pretty dirty", Nagisa snickered, bowing his head down to Rei's ear.

"Ne, Rei-chan.. my parents won't be home the weekend. Don't you want to come over?"

Rei's head was high red now as his lips tried to form an answer.

"What are you two discussing over there?!", Goro shouted at them with his megaphone.

"Don't slack off! Haru, you're next. And try not to disappoint me this time!"

Haruka flinched as if he had been ripped out of some day dream and walked a little groggy towards the diving-board.

Before he even reached it, Goro already grabbed him and shook him.
"Just what is wrong with you? You're our best swimmer, we can't afford that you're so absent. Get yourself together!"

Haru didn't react. The others were watching them worried.

"Just what is wrong with Haruka-senpai, lately? Did something happen?", Gou whispered in the round.

They looked at each other in hope someone might knew the answer.

"I don't know.. he seemed so motivated lately.. but now his mind seems to be somewhere else.."

Makoto was really concerned.

"Haruka!", Goro started his scolding, "Whatever is in your mind, clarify it! It can't go on like this! We need you at your full strength so stop being like this!"

He took a deep breath and made a pause like he was thinking about something. Then he added in a calmer, but still assertive tone:

"I ban you from training for now. It has no use like this. Whatever has happened, dispose of it once and for all. Don't come back before you're able to truly concentrate again!"

Haru looked shocked, like someone had slapped him into the face. He stared at the ground and nodded hesitant.

"Hey, don't you think that's going too far?!", Makoto objected, but only earned a killing glare from Goro.

"You wanted me to coach you, so accept my decisions."

With this the discussion was over. Goro was a good guy and a good coach, nobody was doubting his decisions. And even though he was usually the easy-going type, he was strict and never half-assed when it came to swimming.

Haru could do nothing but getting dressed and leave. He knew that Goro was right. And, of course, he knew what, or rather who, was constantly in his mind.

The questions and insecurities where so present in his thoughts, that not even the touch of water could sweep them away. He had never felt this way before. It made him nuts. The time had come that he had to do something about it.

Rin was lying in his bed and stared at the underside of Niitori's bed above him. Usually he had training now, but he skipped. He couldn't concentrate anyway.

And it was the only chance to spend some time alone in his room, without Niitori there.

The relay.. just what had he been thinking when he enlisted? It had been an impulse decision, but now he couldn't even bring himself to train for it. He associated it with Haru and his heart raced by simply thinking about it.

Haruka. He just wanted to spend as much time with him as he could, he just wanted to see him. Was that the reason he wanted to take part in the relay? To swim against him?

They hadn't met ever since the encounter back then. Rin still didn't know what he was thinking about all those things.

Quiet, reluctant sounding knocking disturbed him in his thoughts. He looked towards the door and waited. It knocked again, a bit louder than before, but still not very determined.

Rin got angry and jumped up.

"Niitori!", he ripped the door open while shouting.

"No matter how often you ask, I won't come to the training!"

Instantly his angry face fell apart and his jaw flapped open. He stared with huge eyes at the person who was standing in front of him.

"Haru..?"

Haruka was standing there and looked a little shocked about the harsh welcome.

"I.. I'm sorry.. I didn't know it was you.."

He certainly hadn't expected this visit and was totally overextended with it.

"What are you doing here... ehm.. come in.."

Rin stepped aside and did his best not to trip. His knees were feeling like jelly and his heart was beating faster only by looking at Haruka.

Haru hesitated a few seconds, but then stepped into the dark room.

"I was at the swimming pool, but they told me you skipped training so I came here.."

He looked around the room and then at Rin.

"Where you sleeping?", he asked.

Only now Rin realized that the room was totally dark and turned on the light hastily.

"No.. I've just.. been thinking..", Rin mumbled. How should he tell him that all he did the whole day was thinking and day dreaming about him?

"I know this.. I've been thinking a lot lately, as well..", Haru sighed. "That's why I wanted to talk to you."

Rin's heart skipped a beat and he forgot to breath for a few moments. He didn't know whether this was good or bad.

"I wanted to talk to you, too.."

Rin was wondering whether he really had fallen asleep and this was just a dream. Haru was standing in front of him, right next to his bed. For one moment he thought about locking the door and.. but no.

"Rin.. just what is our relationship?"

This was a good question. Rin knew his feelings for Haru very well, but he had no idea about Haru's and that was the thing that made this issue difficult.

As Haru realized that there was no answer to be expected, he proceeded.

"I've talked with Makoto about this and.."

"You did what?!", Rin interrupted him shocked, "You talked with Makoto about... THIS?!"

Haru and Makoto were really close, no doubt, but that they were so close they'd talk about something like that? What would Makoto think about him now?

"Well.. he asked me how I felt about you.."

Rin gulped. This was exactly the question he wanted to ask as well.

"And.. you answered..?"

"I told him that all I ever wanted was to become free and that you were like a chain to me stopping me from it. He said that, in order to become free, I have to cut all ties with you.."

Rin couldn't believe his ears. His legs were trembling, he could barely stand. His head become dizzy, he breathed heavily, but it seemed that no oxygen was reaching any part of his body anymore. Did his heart stop beating? Did Haru just really say that?

"I.. I see. So that's why you here. I get it now. So you better go now.."

Rin reached for the door knob and nearly missed it at first. Haru looked at him confused.

"But.. I'm not finished yet."

Rin's heart twitched and it ran through his whole body.

"You aren't?"

Rin bit on his lips. What more could he say? Hadn't he tripped on his heart enough? Hadn't he broken him down enough? Just how much more did he have to hurt him?

"I thought about it.. a lot.. and I guess I've finally come to an decision.."

Inwardly Rin held his hands on his ears. 'Don't say it, don't say it', he thought. 'I don't want to hear it!'

"I give up.. on this dream."

Rin didn't understand it. He looked up to Haru and searched his eyes, but he was staring at the ground. Was he embarrassed?

"If you are the price I have to pay to become free, I am not willing to pay it. If you are the chain, I'm gladly bound. Because.. you really are important to me and I don't want to loose you."

Badump. Badump. There it was again. Rin's heart was beating again and did his best to make up for the time it had failed.

"Haru.."

Rin let go of the door knob and made a step towards him. His legs were still feeling like jelly, but this time it was different. It felt like he didn't even need them anymore, because he could fly.

"You idiot..", he shook his head, "think a little more about your formulation. You almost killed me just now."

Haru furrowed his brow a bit in confusion.

"Is something wrong?"

Rin just laughed at that stupid question. "No", he made the last remaining steps towards him and wrapped his arms around his neck. "Everything is just fine now."

His heart jumped. He might have never felt so happy before. But Haru still wasn't completely finished with the things he wanted to say.

"About the way you touch me..", he started reluctantly.

Rin let go of him immediately and looked at Haru's face. He was a little red on his cheeks and it became darker constantly.

"I.. I'm sorry. If you don't like it, I won't.."

Rin was barely believing his own words. Was it even possible for him to hold back in Haru's presence?

"No, it's not like I don't like it."

Haru's eyes wandered around aimlessly searching for the right words. Yet, in the end he seemed to have decided, that the only place he could get his words from was Rin's eyes.

Their gazes locked and suddenly Haru looked settled.

"Actually.. I really like it. I thought about it and researched a bit about what this could mean and I guess it's because.. I love you."

Rin's eyes gaped and his mouth stood slightly open. This was a dream, right? It couldn't possibly be true. His face burnt and his heart overturned. Haru just confessed to him, right? He really said those three words?

"You.. you researched? Where?"

"Google", Haru answered casually.

Now Rin was pretty sure that this wasn't really happening. He had to be in some fucked up dream.

"You know google..?", he stuttered a bit, totally disbelieving. Haru seemed to be a bit pissed by it.

"Of course I know google. How unworldly do you think I am?"

Rin had to laugh. So what if this was a dream or reality? He didn't even care about it anymore. Here and now was happening what he had never dared to believe in his dreams and he was a fool for behaving like that.

"You are totally unworldly for having to google something like that.."

He made a few more steps and forced Haru to walk backwards until he reached Rin's bed and sat down on the edge. Rin bowed forward and stopped with his face right before Haru's.

"So is it okay for me to kiss you?", Rin asked.

Haru didn't answer, he just panted for some air and before he could react, Rin had already put his lips on his.

For the first time, Haru was going along in the kiss and Rin's mind got totally swept away.

He pushed Haru over the bed to the wall and kneed over him while continuing the kiss.

Finally he drew back, so both of them could gasp for some air, then he looked Haru deep in his ocean blue eyes.

"I love you, Haru. I love you so much I can't take it."

He closed his eyes again and put his forehead on Haru's.

"Thanks for loving me back."

Maybe it was stupid and embarrassing to thank someone for such a thing, but the words just came out of his mouth by themselves.

So before Haru could realize that this was embarrassing, Rin quickly kissed him again. Their mouths opened and through the gap their tongues slightly touched.

Haru's hands grabbed Rin's back. Was he feeling the same pleasure? Rin couldn't restrain himself anymore. He touched his hips and let his fingers glide below his shirt.

Haru's naked skin, how often had he dreamed of it already? Swimming was really a cruel sport, when the guy you love keeps running around in front of your eyes half naked.

Half naked and wet and.. Rin's fingers glided up across Haru's muscled body to his breast and stroke over his nipples.

Haru buried his finger in Rin's back and moaned quietly. This was just too much. Rin hugged him and drew him closer.

"Oh god, Haru.. I want to have sex with you.. so badly."

Haru flinched and trembled a bit.

"Is this.. even possible with two guys..?"

Before Rin could say anything about that matter, he heard voices from outside getting louder.

"Shit.. training's over. Niitori will be here any moment.."

He ground his pointy teeth obviously not pleased about this.

"I'm sorry, but you have to go now."

Haru seemed to be still a little disturbed and off, but he nodded.

"I'll come over soon, okay?"

Haru nodded again. Maybe Rin had really overdone it.

"I need you to promise me one thing before I let you go.."

"What?", Haru found his words again, but he wasn't less disturbed.

"Please don't google 'two guys having sex'. Just don't. Okay?"

Haru's mouth flapped open, but he didn't answer.

"Promise!", Rin insisted.

"Okay.. okay, I promise", he finally gave in.

"Good boy!"

Rin kissed him once again before he let Haru slip out of the room, right before Niitori returned.

Did this all really happen? Rin was sure about it. It had felt so real, so good, no dream could ever compare to it. With their feelings finally made clear, they could properly train again.

Without those worries about what would happen and with the anticipation to meet each other again in a fair competition.