"He's really angry this time," Haru thought, with dreaded realization.
The object of his attentions, who was walking ahead of him with quick strides and an angry scowl, hadn't spoken to Haru ever since they left the aquarium. The moment security let them go, Rin had stormed off and Haru had been too nervous to say anything…
…considering the whole incident was his fault.
The walk back to the train station was tense and thick, but even so Rin would constantly glance over his should to make sure that Haru was still within distance and even paid for both their tickets without a second thought.
Typical Rin; thoughtful and rough and sweet as day all at once.
Feeling a bit more confident as they boarded the train, Haru shook off his jacket and sat down. Rin slumped himself down next to him and was still brooding even when Haru draped his jacket over both their laps.
And when he intertwined their fingers beneath it.
Haru watched the corners of Rin's eyes soften just a bit and the way his cheekbone fell pink. But he was still mad and glowering, so Haru just squeezed their hands tighter and figured that that much was enough for then.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Rin was being uncharacteristically quiet and Haru didn't know if that was a blessing or an impending sign of doom. A few days ago during a joint practice, Nagisa had mentioned about a new marine life exhibit opening up downtown.
When Haru had given him a certain look, Rin had been quick groan and say, "Hell no", but after only few seconds of dealing with Haru's oppressing gaze, he gave in. Rin even let him pick the date and time and now that Haru thought about it, something was off by how easily the red head had agreed to it all.
He still remembered earlier that morning when Rin picked him up, refreshed and handsome as usual. There was no tension or worry pulling at his face and Haru had never remembered him looking so…relaxed. So at peace.
"And I had to go and ruin that," Haru thought gloomily.
Even then Rin had told him not to, as he had put it, 'do anything stupid'. Anyone one who had known Haru for more than day knew just how challenging (or stupid) it was to let him near any large bodies of water that he couldn't legally swim in, let alone a goddamned aquarium.
From the moment they both walked in, Haru unconsciously pulled up the hem of his t-shirt and it took the subtle yet firm pressure of Rin's hand around his elbow to keep him in place. Things had gone fine, even great, afterwards. Rin went to wherever Haru wanted, let him stick his hand in the water when no one was looking, even bought him cotton candy and blushed like the dumb romantic he was when Haru offered to share it.
But the moment Rin needed to use the restroom was when things fell horribly apart.
He'd only been in there for three minutes, not wanting to leave Haru unsupervised access to so many fish tanks. On his way out Rin heard someone gasp and felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. When he stepped out there was a crowd around one of the unroofed dolphin tanks and there, lord behold, was Haruka Nanase swimming inside it without a care.
Convincing security not arrest Haru was hard. Convincing Haru to get out of the fucking fish tank was even worse.
After Rin had persuaded the guards not to press charges or fine them, he literally dragged Haru out the door and stormed off, tight lipped and hunched over.
Even now, as they walked through the front door of Haru's house, he still was hunching his shoulders. Haru closed the door behind them and wasted no time in saying, "I'm sorry."
Rin flinched and still kept his back to him. He didn't react when Haru said his name or when Haru slowly but surely wrapped his arms around his torso.
It was a weird thing they had between them. Very weird. Ever since had Haru kissed Rin one brisk Saturday evening and again the day following. There was a lot unsaid between them, from soft embarrassed caresses to every time Haru surprised Rin with a random and unexpected kiss.
The boundaries they'd kept with each other had been stripped away, but they both didn't know quite what had replaced them. So as Haru pressed tiny little pecks across Rin's neck, he made sure to keep them light, and when Rin lolled his head to the side, he bit back his moan.
But even so he whispered, "I'm still pissed at you."
Haru sighed and slumped his shoulders. It looked like he wasn't going to get off the hook easy.
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry doesn't cut it Haru! We almost got arrested!"
"That's a cruel punishment for someone who just wanted to go swimming."
Rin's jaw dropped and he pushed Haru off of him growling, "So you're not even sorry!"
Haru at least had the decency to avert his eyes. He'd never ever feel guilty for swimming but…
"I am sorry for ruining our date," he said earnestly.
Rin immediately sputtered and turned six vivid shades of red, "It's not a date!"
Haru's face fell, "…Oh."
Once again he misunderstood. But isn't that how things always were with Rin? Spending most of the time questioning, and just when he thinks he's found an answer, he's told how incredibly wrong it is. And normally Haru would have been fine with being wrong and not knowing, but when it came to Rin, that just wasn't an option.
Because whether Haru liked it or not, he had an innate desire, urge, to understand everything and anything that was Rin Matsuoka.
He muttered dejectedly, "…Such a pain." To like someone this much.
He must have been pouting or frowning or something because Rin suddenly looked bashful and walked up to him. The red head was apprehensive and lingering when he ran his fingers across the planes of Haru's knuckles.
Rin wove one hand in the other's hair, "Quit sulking…I…I just don't know what it means to you…"
"…Huh?"
A sigh, "Never mind…I don't really know myself to be honest."
Haru's lips quirked up the slightest bit, "Me neither."
The fact that Rin was just as confused and careful and hopeless as he was made Haru a lot happier than it should have. There was something reassuring about not being the only one who questioned things and held back. And if he and Rin shared those same sentiments, then surely-
"-He wants the same thing that I do," Haru realized.
So with most—most — of his hesitation done away with, Haru pressed his mouth against Rin's. In retrospect, Haru had kissed him about ten or so times. And each time Rin was a stuttering, embarrassed, mortified mess who still leaned into the kiss and still didn't pull away and drove Haru near insane with all the mixed signals.
But this time was different.
Maybe it was because Haru didn't plant one on him out of the blue or maybe—hopefully— it was because something had changed and they understood each other just a bit better. But this time Rin didn't jump or look ridiculously scandalized, this time he was easygoing and slow and melted into Haru's lips.
Blood rushed everywhere in Haru's body; from inside his ears all the way to his groin. He slipped his tongue into the kiss and heard the sharp inhale air Rin took through his nose. After nearly a minute Rin began to pull away, but Haru grabbed the base of his neck and kept his head close.
"Don't run away."
Rin didn't know whether to laugh or roll his eyes, "I'm not running away you idiot. I just couldn't breathe anymore."
Haru raised a brow, "Breathe?"
"Yes breathe," Rin grinned, "Not everyone is part fish like you are."
Haru ignored the jibe because of something rare and he couldn't quite believe, "…You're smiling…"
Rin only looked a little offended, "Tch, believe or not but even a person like me can smile."
Haru shook his head, "I know that…But you smiled…at me…"
Rin didn't know why the other looked so mystified, "What are you talking about? I smile at you all the time."
"No you don't," Haru's reply was a bit too quick.
So quick that it annoyed Rin, "Yes I do. You just never see it."
There was something about the way Rin's eyes burned or how serious he looked when he said those words that made something in Haru's chest pull and left him unable to respond.
So he kind of just looked into Rin's eyes for answer. He didn't find one—life isn't that easy— so Haru just kissed Rin again and again and somehow managed to slip his hand into his trousers. Rin didn't freak out like he expected him to, if anything the red head's competitive side appeared out of nowhere, challenging him.
And Haru was determined to live up to the expectation.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
When Haru woke up, hours later, it was to Rin's refreshed and still handsome face glaring at him. His blue eyes unconsciously shifted over to the tiny hickeys and marks on the other's chest, before glancing up.
"Why are you angry at me now?" Really, such a pain.
Rin's voice was low and gruff and it might've turned Haru just a bit on when he said, "I can't fucking move my hips."
Whoops.
Haru considered apologizing but instead brushed back the red head's bangs before kissing his face. Actions spoke a lot more to him than words ever did.
That seemed to placate Rin because after promising to get his revenge, he grew quiet and curled up against Haru like a cat.
"Clingy," was the first thing that came to Haru's mind.
But there was no malice or annoyance associated with the word. Just an odd and warm sort of affection. Haru glanced over at Rin, who was almost asleep again, and figured that for someone who always seemed to run away and disappear, clingy was just fine.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Thank you for reading and sorry for any grammar mistakes, I'm half asleep as I'm finishing this up~
