A/N: It's been 11 weeks since the events of Chapter 1.
Synchronized Heartbeats
Written By: TCOOKIES777
Chapter 21: Trying to Stay Afloat
"What?" Rin paused after his twentieth pull-up, dropping from the bar to focus on Ami.
She had arrived at the gym shortly after Rin had, much to his displeasure. At first, he'd pretended to not see her, but then she was already making her way over to him, wide hips sashaying and attracting the attention of the other athletes using the facility. At some point into his workout routine, Rin had just allowed her to trail him around the place so long as she was also working out as well.
"I said," Ami propped a hand on her hip, "teach me to swim. You're working as an assistant coach at the nearby high school, right? You were also volunteering at the community pool back home, so you have experience with teaching."
"I volunteered because I had free time." Rin raised the edge of his shirt to wipe the sweat dripping down his face, silently cursing himself for forgetting to bring a towel and ignoring how Ami's eyes flicked to his exposed abs. "And I'm working for the school because I'm getting paid."
"Well, a busy person like yourself must have some important reason for getting a job to add to your already busy schedule." Ami crossed her arms, the action causing her pronounced cleavage to pop out even more under her tight, cyan sports bra. "I know you're desperate for money, Rin. Why?"
It was true. He desperately needed cash and quick. Rin had realized the urgency of the situation when he was taking an early morning jog around the city and a certain item in the window of an expensive store had caught his eye. The diamond ring, cut into a little heart with a gold band accented with smaller gems, had sparkled so bright and beautiful under the sharp light of dawn. The first thing to come to Rin's mind was how beautiful the ring would look even more on his sister's delicate finger. Somehow, he'd found his feet taking him inside the store and, the next thing Rin knew, he was already asking the jeweler if he could see the ring. How much? Thousands of yen. Was it a wedding ring? No, a promise ring for young couples. Could he reserve it? Yes, of course.
Upon leaving the store with a goofy grin, Rin's smile had slowly dropped away once he remembered that he'd hardly had any money of that sort to buy the ring for Gou. A job. He needed a job that would pay sufficiently. So he had asked around, looking through the web, through newspapers, and school flyers. Thankfully, his own swim coach had suggested something; the local high school was offering a position as an assistant coach for the swim team. The hours were flexible enough for Rin if he properly adjusted his schedule accordingly and shoved some free time aside.
The other night had been the perfect opportunity to share the news with Gou but Rin had worried that his sister might discover the true reason for his part-time job. So, he had chosen to remain quiet on the matter. Still, Rin disliked the thought of having no choice but to cut time with Gou shorter than it already was. At the same time, Rin was eager to reveal the truth in a little velvet box once he returned home to her for Christmas Eve. Her reaction when she'd open the box to find a ring was more than enough motivation to keep Rin working and pulling through the hours of exhaustion.
"Being a professional athlete doesn't come cheap." Rin answered Ami's question, nodding to her. "You should know."
"Would I sound spoiled and privileged if I were to tell you that I live a comfortable life because of my hard-working parents?" Ami's lips curled up.
Rin found himself speaking curtly, "People can work their hardest and still get nowhere."
Ami's smile seemed to fall and rise, fall and rise, and then she recovered, smiling as brightly and forced as before. "So then I'll pay you."
"With your father's money?"
"With the money my father gave to me." She tilted her head slightly. "So with my money."
Rin hesitated. Teaching Ami on the side would cut even more into his time but it would also pay. And he knew she had the money to pay a decently high rate. And that ring for Gou was quite expensive… but worth it. His sister was definitely worth the money and effort. "What's your rate?"
Ami's smiled curled wider once she knew that she'd caught Rin's interest. "What's your offer?"
Chewing his lip, Rin returned to the bar and began a new set of pull-ups as he considered the time and fee. His sharp breaths filled the lull in the conversation. Friday nights were usually the days when he could speak to Gou on the phone longer, but… He finished his set before dropping from the bar to say, "Fridays at six. Eighty-five-hundred yen an hour."
"So, about seventy-five American dollars, right?" Ami tapped her chin. "Six on Fridays… Why so late?"
"The pool is empty by then."
"And locked."
He shook his head. "The janitor gave me the keys. I come in some nights for a late night practice."
"Late night practice," Ami tipped a brow at him, caramel eyes twinkling with mischief, "or a late-night skinnydip?"
"I don't skinnydip." Rin said in a hard voice but he looked away from her to hide the light blush heating his cheeks more. The memory of making love to Gou in the pool was still fresh in his mind and something he thought about quite often in the late nights when he could not sleep because all he could think about was how he so terribly missed her.
"You should try it." Ami was still smirking as she followed him across the room.
After grabbing a medicine ball near a wall, Rin stopped and looked at her. "I don't skinnydip. Fridays at six. Eighty-five-hundred yen per hour."
"Does that include tonight then?"
"What do you mean?"
"Today is a Friday." Ami shrugged, "I know you need the money. So, the sooner the better, right?"
Ah, right, today's Friday. He'd been so busy lately, his schedule piling with work and swim practice and responding to the emails of Bowman's representatives and making time for Gou. So busy that the days were flying by, closer and closer to Christmas. Closer to the date for when Rin would have to give his response to Bob Bowman by then. He had yet to agree to the proposal. He'd pushed the matter off each day, too scared to even think of what the proposal might mean for his future with Gou.
Seven years in America, honing his skills as a swimmer and preparing to enter the big league.
Seven years away from Gou.
Perhaps he'd be able to visit her. Spare a day or two or perhaps even a whole week out of the year. Would Gou wait for him for that long? Every year, waiting for her brother to return to her waiting arms? Would she want to wait for him even? Or… would she find another man? In those seven years in America, would Gou eventually fall out of love with Rin and into the arms of another man? A man who could freely and openly express his love for her?
Such a way of thinking made Rin lie awake at night, listening to Gou's soft breathing as she slept on the other end of the line. Sometimes, they wouldn't end the call but simply keep the line open until they both fell asleep, listening to one another's quietness. Would it be like that for the next seven years if he accepted Bob Bowman's proposal?
"Right…" Rin spoke slowly as he mentally configured his schedule, trying to find out when he could call Gou. The desire to hear her voice became stronger with each day that passed. "Tonight at six then. Wear proper attire."
"Then it's a date!" Ami winked at him.
Rin only sighed. He didn't care enough to correct her, knowing she was only joking. Still, he hoped she didn't think anything special was going on between them. This was strictly professional and all business. It was all for the money. All for Gou.
Turning towards the wall, Rin held the medicine ball at waist level, shifting his trunk sideways to wind up for the throw. Initiating the throw, he thrust his hips toward the wall, followed by his trunk, arms, and then the ball itself. It bounced off the wall and he caught it, repeating for ten reps before switching to the other side.
After his first swim lesson with Ami, a nice ice bath while on the phone with Gou sounded like a great idea.
.
.
.
"I said to wear proper attire." Rin growled out as soon as Ami began shedding her clothes off to reveal a set of black lingerie.
The small lace cups hugged her pert breasts and the panties left little to the imagination. He looked away when she bent over to get out of her pants, revealing a porcelain pair of shapely legs. She definitely had the figure of an athlete if the toned muscles of her flat stomach weren't telling enough.
"I forgot that I hadn't packed any swimwear." Tying up her hair into a ponytail, Ami proceeded to stuff her clothes into the purple sports bag sitting beside his on the bench. "It's just for tonight. Didn't think you'd mind a girl in a bra and panties too much. You don't mind, do you? It's hardly different from a bikini which you've already seen me in."
There was a slight sway of her hips when Ami made her way to the edge of the pool as if to test if Rin really did indeed mind her in lingerie.
I'd rather go back to teaching kids… But at least this pays a lot.
Rin held back from outright demanding the end of today's lesson. He needed the money too much to just skip out on one hour. Instead, he replied, "Just make sure you change clothes after this lesson. I don't want you getting anything."
"If you're that worried," Ami glanced over her shoulder, finger picking at the black strap of her bra, "I could just take it all off? For safety precautions. I don't think either of us would mind that…"
"No!" Rin answered quickly. He resisted the urge to pull his hair. "Enough with the teasing so we can get to it. This isn't a game; it's a learning experience and I expect you to be mature about it."
"Yes, Daddy." Ami threw back a smirk as she headed for the ladder at the side.
"Careful!" Rin said sharply when she began stepping down the ladder. "Don't just—"
"Relax, I'm just going to take a dip in."
"This isn't a high school pool. There's no steps or shallow—"
As if to prove Rin's suspicions correct, as soon as Ami entered the water and let go of the ladder, she began to sink and flounder around. Water splashed high as she thrashed, her blond head submerging into the body of water completely as she struggled to break through for air. Cursing, Rin quickly dove in for her, his lean body curving mid-air into a diving position before slipping gracefully into the pool.
Light blue tinted his whole vision like a filter as Rin sped through the water and towards Ami's sinking body which had gone still. Wrapping a strong arm around her bare waist, he pulled her close to his own body, using his free arm to pull them through the water. Both of them broke through the pool's surface and Rin swam back, kicking his feet and dragging Ami along with him as he headed for the edge of the deck. His hand gripped the metal rails of the ladder and, with one arm, he hauled Ami up, their bodies collapsing onto the deck.
"I told you to be careful!" Rin didn't hold back the anger in his voice.
He received silence in return.
"Ami?" Turning towards the limp body beside him, Rin pulled Ami onto her back, brushing aside the blonde strands sticking to her face. Her eyes remained closed and Rin leaned in to hear for breathing. Nothing.
Shit! His mind raced, thinking of what to do. He'd taken a CPR class last year but had only ever practiced on dolls. Real people was an entirely different experience. But if Rin called for help right now, he'd get in trouble with the staff and so would the janitor who had given him the spare keys. Damn it…
He placed his hands on Ami's chest, ignoring the swell of her breasts brushing his palm, and began giving compressions the way he was taught. "One... Two... Three... Four…"
After finishing his mental counts, Rin grabbed Ami's small chin, tilting it forward and her head back. Quickly, he lowered his mouth to hers and breathed into her. Inhale... exhale. Inhale… exhale.
He released her mouth and—
"Pfft!" Ami's face suddenly came to life with a bright smile. Rin could only sit back in shock, watching her crack up with laughter as if he had just been tickling her belly instead of attempting to resuscitate her.
"You… Were you faking it?!" Rin couldn't hold back the anger stringing his words tightly together.
"I was... I was just playing dead!" Ami wiped a tear from her eye as she spoke through giggles. "I was going to move but then you started doing CPR on me. How was I supposed to know that you know how to do CPR—or that you would actually perform it on me?"
"I…" Rin didn't know what to think. He was angry, and confused, and even disgusted at how a person would play with the idea of life and death like that for their own entertainment. He was feeling so much, but couldn't put it into words. He didn't even know where to begin. "That's not funny."
"Don't worry," Ami was holding her stomach as she fought to stop laughing anymore. She licked her bottom lip. "I can tell you're a really great kisser. Mmn, bananas…"
Running his tongue along his teeth, Rin realized that the banana he'd eaten earlier did linger. He looked away, jaw feathering from how hard he was gritting his teeth to hold back the anger making his hands clench. Forcing in a calming breath, Rin silently reminded himself that he needed this money. For that ring. For Gou. "Fifty minutes."
Still grinning, Ami blinked cluelessly at him.
"We have fifty minutes left." Rin grounded out, standing up to head back into the pool. "And then today's lesson is over and I get my money."
Without saying anything else, Ami followed him into the pool, carefully making her way down the ladder again. Once she was in the water, she continued holding onto the edge of the pool, hands tightly gripping the cemented lip to keep her afloat.
"First, I'm going to teach you how to float on your back."
Those remaining fifty minutes of the swim lesson had felt like the longest fifty minutes of his life. Every minute was grueling and every second seemed to stretch on for forever. Thankfully, Ami seemed to be a fast learner, which Rin suspected her athleticism played a part in as well. She picked up on his instructions and tips fairly easily. If Rin didn't know any better, he'd think she already knew how to swim. But he knew that little drowning bit in the beginning had been real, regardless of the way she had played dead after.
By the end of the lesson, Ami could already float on her back without Rin's assistance. She didn't need his hands at her back to hold her up nor did she need Rin to support her head either. The only thing she still needed help with was getting into and out of position. That was the issue with practicing in deep waters. The pool was meant for professional swimming and diving which meant that there were no steps or height markers to mark a shallow end. It was from one deep end to the other.
Treading would be the next lesson to teach next Friday since Ami had already perfected the art of floating. He had reminded her to not wear lingerie to the pool the next time and he desperately hoped that she'd listen.
It was strange to teach another girl besides Gou. Any of the swim lessons Rin had taught before were for young children who still wet their beds at night. Not for young women in lingerie… or nothing at all. Teaching Ami had brought back flashes of that hot night with Gou, making love to his sister in the pool after giving her an intimate lesson on floating. The way she had looked so beautiful with the pool lights reflecting on her face… and that smile so filled with joy and pride when she'd realized she had successfully floated. After so many years of avoiding the deep waters, Rin had been struck breathless with his own pride and joy for Gou as well as the urge to kiss that beautiful smile she bore for him.
And, while showering in the men's locker room, Rin fell back into that sinful memory of that last night with Gou. His hand grasped his cock, fingers dragging firmly from base to root. He repeated the motions, quietly chanting Gou's name and letting the one word mix with the noise of the shower water pelting him. Once his hips began to buck and tremble on the verge of orgasm, Rin slammed a hand against the tiled wall. He bowed his head beneath the shower, letting the hot water stream down sore muscles as he pumped himself, hand sliding across his stiff member and thumb rubbing the weeping slit of his swollen head. Blushing red deepened into a light, painful purple at his tip, every stroke an attempt to calm the mad color of his aching cock.
Rin imagined Gou's plump lips wrapping tightly around the circumference of his hardened dick, mouth stretching to fit his girth. The way her tongue would flick lightly against his slit to taste the pearly precum leaking out. How that tongue would lap tentatively, shyly across the slit before swirling around and around the entire swollen head. And then she would suck—hard—forcing Rin to quietly curse and shift his hips forward to follow her merciless suction. And Gou would look up at him, garnet eyes wide and beautiful as she sucked him farther and deeper until his tip was rubbing the ridges of her hot throat. Until his length itself was hugged in the grip of her throat, her muscles constricting around him, wet and tight. And Rin would silently curse himself again for tainting his sister like this. For filling her in a way he should not have.
Yet, he would murmur words of encouragement to her, tucking her hair and fighting to hold back from thrusting in her full mouth. Gou would hum and sigh and lick and then even swallow with Rin deep in her throat, forcing out a soft cry of pleasure from him. Her hands would cup his ballsack, heavy with need and cum, and she'd stroke a finger between the slight cleft and he'd see stars and—
Rin groaned as a thick whiteness jettisoned out of his tip, hitting the wall before him. The shower water was already washing his wasted seed away in a creamy white and Rin watched his mess swirl down the drain until there was no more evidence that he'd ever been masturbating to the thought of his little sister.
"You were in there for a while." Ami said when she met him at the entrance, blond hair damp from her own shower in the women's locker room. Her eyes scanned every inch of him and there seemed to be a knowing glint in their caramel color.
"Let's go." Rin grumbled, leading her out the gym doors. "I need to lock up."
Unfortunately, Rin had completely forgotten that the both of them had yet to get their fill of dinner after swimming and, despite giving their goodbyes, Ami had ended up following Rin to the campus cafeteria. The walk across the large campus was mostly silent and he was able to leave his mind blank and in peace. At least, until they entered the heated building full of students also rushing to get their final meals before the kitchen closed for the rest of the day.
Every corner of the cafeteria was filled with sections of specific types of food. Pork ribs, baked fish with lemon zest, hot slices of pizza, baked chicken breasts, an assortment of ramen bowls, egg fried rice, and more. The sandwich bar was to the left and large pots of soups lined the wall on the right. Trays of chopped vegetables, cooked and uncooked, sat beside a table of sauces and condiments.
Rin and Ami immediately tackled the food stacked with carbohydrates and protein, keeping a mental count of the caloric intake according to the dish. Since the school was specifically a sports university, nobody threw any strange looks towards the students carrying plates or boxes stuffed full of food. In a plastic bag, Rin also bought several drinks—mostly water bottles—to chug down with his meal, as did Ami. Swimming easily made him thirsty more so than hungry.
"So, what's your story?" She asked as soon as Rin sat down at an empty table and picked up his chopsticks.
He frowned at Ami, more so at how she just decided to eat with him rather than the question itself. "What are you talking about?"
"Everybody has a reason for what they want to do." The spicy heat of meat and rice and soup wafted between them as Ami separated each dish into their own respective corners first. "It gives us a purpose in life. It's what drives us—that something. Something that happened to you or what you saw when you were younger. Everybody has that thing. Or else, don't you think you'd feel a little aimless if you didn't have that sort of motivation?"
"I wouldn't know."
"Oh, come on." Smiling, she leaned forward. "Everybody has a story whether they themselves even know it or not. I know you do."
"You're asking me why I want to be a professional swimmer." Rin clarified for her, glancing up to meet those inquisitive brown eyes. "I like swimming. Can't it be as simple as that?"
"Hm, I'm sure a man like yourself has a more complex reason for being so passionate… You don't have to answer if the subject is too touchy for you." Those glossed lips curled up teasingly as Ami busied herself with the hot food on her plate.
Mid-chew, Rin narrowed his eyes at her, fully aware that she was baiting him. All right, he'd bite. He didn't see the harm in doing so. Rin could play at this game of hers—but with his own rules. "You're the one who wants to know my story, but you never offered to share yours first."
"I didn't think you were interested in me." Ami angled her head slightly, a more genuine smile softening the tilt of her lips.
"It's not about interest," Rin retorted, "but, rather, what's fair."
"All right, I'll bite first." The ice in Ami's glass shifted when she grabbed it for a long draw of the chilled water. When she set it back down, her gaze had landed to somewhere beyond Rin's shoulder. "I grew up dirt poor. Poor as in I was forced to attend birthdays just so I could eat free meals even though I didn't bring a gift for the birthday kid. Often times, I wore the same clothes to school almost every day. My classmates blackmailed me—if they weren't already bullying me. Called me a slut for my blond hair and colored eyes. After Mom had my little brother, she divorced our father to find a better man. Unfortunately for her, Father had gotten a better job in some company. The kind of job that gets your family rich and well-fed with a big house to boot. The kind of job that keeps your old man in his office all day, every day. The kind of job that makes him cranky and irritated that he has to waste his profit on two worthless kids. Two worthless kids who never asked to be born and be burdens, but the powers that be made it so.
And because Mom was no longer there to be his to control, Father turned to me instead. Me, the only girl left in the household. Told me to do this and that. Stop playing around and grow up. At thirteen, I was drowning in my own room with piles of books and tutors nagging at me to learn this and that. It was always this and that. Never me… 'Money is everything' my father said. It's power, wealth, influence, and connections. Money is everything and, without it, what can you have? So it was all about studying, studying, and studying until the words swam before my eyes and my back ached from carrying books. I had to be the best in everything because I was the eldest and I was, well, a girl. And I was also my father's daughter and, if I wasn't worth anything, then how could I have his love? My brother on the other hand… Well, he's an angel. And angels have to be protected."
"So you lived a financially comfortable life getting high marks for your prideful pops?" Rin asked.
Glossy lips peeled back to reveal pearly white teeth as Ami chuckled lowly. "Oh, no, I got horrible, horrible marks. On purpose, of course. And it made my father terribly furious to have a disappointment as a daughter. To disgrace him like that… He'd yell at me, call me a shame to the family… and I'd laugh. I'd laugh in his face until tears streamed down my eyes. And, one day, after a particularly nasty spat that left my right cheek aching and swollen in pain, I went out. It was late in the night, probably around three in the morning—I remember, because it was freezing cold and some homeless guy was following me around, begging for money—but I digress.
I went down to the beach by the coast and looked at the pitch black waters. I couldn't see anything, not even my own reflection. And as I stood on the cold sand, I thought to myself, 'I wonder, if I were to die today, would anyone in the world care?' And I asked that question aloud but received no response. So, I screamed… I screamed at the world in anger and, soon enough, I was screaming in glee. Why? Because no matter how small my voice was in the entire world, I could still rebel against it. I could still fight. And when I turned around to go back, I noticed a ball discarded on the sand. I picked it up and hit it with all my might. And it felt wonderful, packing all that power into a single hit and watching the ball sail from your strike. So I picked it up and hit it again. And again, and again, and again until my hands and arms hurt more than the bruise on my face.
And no, Father did not approve of such childish play. But his disapproval made me even happier, so I continued to rebel against him if only to see his wrinkly face twist even more in fury. He soon realized that he couldn't leash me like he couldn't leash Mother. At the same time, Father feared of losing me completely—now that would have made him look even worse. So, he made a deal. He'd extend my leash and let me do whatever and wherever. I could use his money for my own gains. But… I had to become the absolute best at what I did."
The cafeteria was empty of students by now, save for Rin and Ami. The kitchen was closed, the remaining leftover food taken to be thrown away, and the emptiness of the building had Ami's voice bouncing off the walls, loud and firm as if this wasn't the first time she had told this story.
Ami stared at her half-empty glass of water, pale pinky finger tracing its rim. "My father was wrong, you know. It's not about the money. It's power. Power can get you everything like money. Or else, how would you even be able to attain all that money in the first place?"
"So, to sum it all up," Rin rested his cheek against his hand, "you were poor but now you're privileged thanks to your father's efforts and you don't want him securing a financially successful future for you?"
The laughter that spilled from Ami's mouth seemed to be both forced and sarcastic. Ire sparked in Rin's gut like an ember. "If that's how you see it then you didn't understand the point of my story. Ah, but I'm just here to tell the story, not give a literature lesson. So, there you go. Now it's your turn."
"It's getting late." Rin began gathering his plates together to clean up the area.
A hand grabbed his wrist and he met Ami's firm gaze. "It's only what's fair. Right?"
Silently grumbling at how she was throwing his own words right back at him, Rin sat back down, feeling even more uncomfortable with just the two of them in the building. He owed this girl nothing, but… Was it really that big of a deal? The death of his father wasn't much of a secret or anything dark and mysterious to hide. In fact, Rin had nothing to hide at all…
He mentally scoffed at himself. Yeah, right.
With a deep sigh, he began, "My old man was a competitive swimmer like me and he too dreamt of making it big in the Olympics, but… At some point, he was forced to give up his dream and ended up a fisherman with a wife and two kids. Pops was my gateway to swimming. He'd pull out his box of trophies and medals to show to Gou and me when we were kids. He started to teach us too but… One day, while he was out on the boat, a large storm hit the mainland. It came out of nowhere. The men came back… all except my dad. And I just… kept on swimming. So, there you have it."
Rin swallowed hard, keeping his attention trained on the ringlet of water his glass had left on the table. It felt strange to be sharing something so personal to someone who was still essentially a stranger to him. He didn't even speak about this to Haru or Ai and the other guys.
"I get it." Ami leaned her chin on a hand, smiling lightly at him. "You made his dream your dream."
Fury zapped at his core at that assumption and Rin balled his hands beneath the table. It was an assumption that would have been accurate two or almost three years ago, but not now. He looked at her, his gaze steady and fierce. "You know my story, but you don't know who I am."
"It sounds like the memories of your father and the legacy he left behind is what pulled you up." She spoke too nonchalantly. "But it could only pull you so far. So, now that you're ahead of where it left you, it's only holding you back."
"I have very few memories of my father." Rin stood up, collecting his tray. "They don't define me."
"Then why is there still something holding you back?"
The question threw Rin off and made him pause in confusion. He narrowed his eyes at Ami and looked at her—really looked at her. Past the expensive brand clothes she wore and the damp blond hair curtaining her heart-shaped face. Past the light, flirty smile that always made her lips curl at the corners. He looked into those caramel eyes, remnants of mascara and liner still lingering around the edges. She stared steadily back at him like a statue. Something passed through her dark gaze but Rin couldn't put a finger on it.
"Why would you say that?" He asked slowly.
Ami continued to stare deep into his own garnet eyes. "Because I was like you."
.
.
.
The crackle of ice cubes sliding together and hitting the porcelain-enameled steel echoed within the bathroom as Rin dumped bags and bags of ice into the tub. Grabbing the left knob, he slowly turned it so that a steady stream of cold water pumped out, splashing across the cubes of ice. As the water level gradually rose, Rin stripped off his clothes until only his black speedo shorts were left on. Once the water filled the tub halfway, he twisted the knob to a close and then dragged a hand through the body of water, testing the cool temperature.
His abs and triceps were particularly sore compared to the rest of his muscles and he touched the firm ridges of his abdomen, briefly massaging the ache away.
"All right…" Rin stood by the tub, already feeling goosebumps scatter across his bare flesh.
Sucking in a deep breath, he stepped in, one foot, and then the other foot. Exhaling, he breathed in again before slowly lowering himself into the bath. He'd practice this often enough to be accustomed to the freezing temperature but it still stole his breath away every time. A quiet groan rumbled from Rin's chest once he settled into a sitting position with his back pressed against the curved wall of the tub. Reaching for his phone by the stand, he peered at the notifications listed across the screen. Emails and missed phone calls were often piled up by the end of the day and Rin sighed at the number of people he had yet to answer. There were a few texts from Ai likely letting him know about some upcoming Samezuka events.
He wasn't really in the mood to talk to other people though.
Instead, Rin dialed one of his most recent numbers. His fingers thrummed against the tub's edge as he waited for the person to pick up. Two rings passed and then...
"Onii-chan?"
He couldn't help but smile at the sound of his sister's sweet voice. "Hey, Gou."
"You don't usually call this late..?"
"Oh." Rin frowned, sweeping his maroon hair back and letting cold droplets fall down his face. "Uh, did I wake you?"
He knew he was calling a bit later than usual, but he'd thought that Gou would still be up, waiting for him.
"No, it's just… N-Never mind. Were you busy?"
"Ah, yeah…" He tried not to sound too off, but Rin didn't think that it was a good idea to mention his new swim lessons with Ami. Gou didn't even know that Ami was schooling at the same university as Rin and he was aware of her dislike for the girl. No, it was best to keep it a secret from Gou. "I just got back from a late night practice. What are you doing right now?"
"I just finished showering. I'm changing clothes right now."
As if to verify her words, Rin heard the sound of drawers being pulled open and he couldn't help but smirk. "So, you're not wearing anything right now?"
"Nope…" Gou's voice was light and teasing. "Nothing."
"Not even a towel?"
"I already took it off so I'm completely naked right now."
"I don't believe you."
"Are you saying you want proof, Onii-chan?"
"I could say that I'm also naked right now." Rin glanced at his speedo shorts submerged beneath the iced water. "Would you believe me?"
"Hmm, I would want proof."
"So," Rin felt his chest thrumming with adrenaline but it was not from the ice this time, "prove to me that you are naked."
There were a few seconds of silence followed by muffled laughter, and then Rin's phone buzzed with a new notification. He glanced at the screen, eagerly tapping at the new text message Gou had sent him. The photo he'd been expecting was… not what he'd expected. He raised a brow at the bare thigh filling the view.
"Your turn, Onii-chan." Laughter still laced Gou's words.
With his smirk widening into a lopsided grin, Rin aimed his phone towards his torso. The click of the camera echoed in the bathroom's space and he was still grinning when he texted his sister the image of his abs.
"Your anterior serrati are so beautiful, Onii-chan." Gou simply replied back, leaving no evidence of her desire to see more.
"I could say the same about your… thigh."
"You sound disappointed."
"It's a beautiful thigh."
"Is that your favorite part about my body?" Gou whispered into the line.
Rin sucked in a deep breath, forcing his racing heart to calm down. "I have a lot of favorite parts."
"Tell me what part you want to see most." She murmured, low and sultry. "I'll send you a picture of it—but only one."
"F-For free?" Rin wasn't sure if his shorts felt a bit too tight because of the iced water or what.
"No." Gou laughed. "You have to send me a picture of something I want too."
He replied back in a yearning groan. "What?"
"I want a picture of your penis, Onii-chan. I want to see it standing upright, blushing red with its veins bulging." Gou answered so quietly that Rin strained to hear her over the sound of blood rushing in his head like a roar. "And… and there has to be some precum dripping from the tip… like melted vanilla ice cream."
"Th-That's a very specific request." Rin choked out.
"I was craving vanilla ice cream all day today." Gou purred from the other end. "I've never felt such terrible cravings in my life before, Onii-chan. I really wanted to taste the vanilla on my tongue… and the more I thought about it, the more I thought about you. So Sou—um, so I went to buy some. It was sweet… but then I remembered the salty taste of your seed when I swallowed it down. "
For a moment, Rin forgot how to speak and he tripped over his tongue for a good second. "I—that—um, d-do you think it's, ah, a good idea to be sending… nude photos?"
"Just save the image into your phone's memory but delete it from our text conversation."
Hesitation still lingered in the back of Rin's mind like a warning sign, but the desire to see his sister was too powerful. The memory of her beauty and how she looked beneath him and on top of him, naked and writhing with pleasure… it tugged at his core, hot and insistent.
"Considering I'm in an ice bath right now," Rin swallowed thickly, "I think you should send me a picture of yourself first."
There was a silent pause, and then, "What part of my body do you want to see the most, Onii-chan?"
He didn't think this thoroughly. How could he answer such a difficult question when Rin loved every inch of Gou's body? He was almost embarrassed to be taking longer than necessary to answer such a simple question. His first thought was Gou's face. He could study those vibrant wine eyes and trace the edges of her plump lips. It would be easy to use the photo to engrave the memory of his sister in his mind, especially if he left for America. The one issue was that, in case anyone happened upon his phone's image gallery, they would question as to why Rin was keeping a private photo of his own little sister. No, it was too dangerous to show Gou's identity.
"I want…" Rin breathed shakily, "I want to see your pussy. Spread it open, so I can see inside. And make sure it's wet. Dripping wet enough for me to enter you."
"That's a very specific request, Onii-chan." Gou repeated back to him. "Hm, okay then."
He swallowed again, realizing that he'd been gripping the lip of the tub quite hard until his knuckles were bone white. There was a soft intake of breath on the other end of the line and, for the next few minutes, Rin listened to Gou gently pant into the phone as she fingered herself in preparation. Not able to stand it anymore, Rin stood up from the tub and shifted his position so that he was sitting on the edge.
Ice cold water dripped down his body in clear rivulets, but he had taken enough ice baths to become immune to the freezing temperature. With one hand pressing the phone to his ear, Rin used his free hand to tug the waistband of his speedo shorts down, dragging the sopping wet material. His dick hung limp from the cold, but a single pump had the nerves of his groin alight.
"Onii… chaaaan…." Gou moaned into the phone. "Ah! Ah! Ah! Y-yesss!"
Rin grabbed himself, stroking from base to root, thumb pressing almost painfully into his slit as he listened intently to his sister's moans. His cock was quick to rise, eager and full of life. The iced water clung to his skin, but the heat in his groin radiated in contrast, building like a fire.
Suddenly, Gou's moans simmered down into shaky breathing, but Rin continued stroking himself, freely groaning into the phone each time his erection twitched. Just as a drop of precum spilled into the iced water, Rin felt his phone buzz with a new notification. He quickly tapped at it, opening the image of Gou.
Delicate, rosy folds were spread apart with a small hand, revealing her inner channel. It didn't help that the photo was of high quality, allowing Rin to study every little detail of the delicate flesh. The way her pink clit was swollen and peeking out of the hood of her mound. How her pink walls looked so pliable and soft, made even more so by the obvious moistness coating her inner folds. Rin's mouth watered with the urge to lick that glistening rosy flesh and taste Gou's sweet musk on his tongue.
"Is… Is the picture okay?" She sounded so demure and shy. "Onii-chan?"
"You're so... so beautiful." Rin murmured, automatically pumping himself faster as he stared at her photo. "Gou..."
Beautiful. So, so beautiful!
The photo was captivating and Rin had great difficulty looking away from it to the point that he almost forgot to stop masturbating long enough to send Gou his own picture. His hand trembled as he struggled to position the phone in the best angle for the photo. It took more tries than he needed but Rin hurriedly sent the image to Gou before returning to stroking himself.
"Oh… Your penis is so big, Onii-chan."
"You've—seen it—before." Rin grunted, still staring at the photo of Gou's pussy parted open. He stroked a finger across the dewy folds on the screen. "I'm touching you, Gou."
"I was, um... Don't laugh, okay?" Gou spoke in a small voice. "I was watching p-porn the other day and.. they said the average penis is about five to six inches…. Onii-chan, I think you're above average."
"It's different for everyone." Rin panted out, holding the phone beside his throbbing cock so that he could keep an eye on her photo and pretend to thrust into Gou's depths. At this point, he was hardly paying attention to what his sister was saying, let alone understand what she was talking about. Rin tapped at the image, thumb pressing against her inner channel. "I want to put my finger inside you, Gou... Hah... Hah…"
He could remember exactly how her insides had coiled so tightly around a single finger.
"You don't want to put all six inches of you inside me, Onii-chan?"
Rin bit back a laugh. "And how do you know I'm six inches?"
"Good point." Gou hummed. "Should we measure you next time?"
"Which one?" He stopped stroking himself for a moment to massage his ballsack. "My length or my thickness?"
"From the way you feel inside of me, I think we need to measure both."
"And what will you use to measure? Fingers..?" Rin's brow tipped up. "A mouth?"
"A measuring tape!" Gou giggled. "Onii-chan, how would I even use my mouth?"
"I can think of several ways… How far can I go until you're deepthroating me? See? There's one."
Another muffled giggle, and then Gou whispered, "Where did you learn to talk like that?"
Rin couldn't help but grin. "You have no idea how much you drive me crazy, Gou…"
"Crazy enough to do crazy things?"
"Yeah."
"Like?"
"Like… loving you."
"Oh? Isn't it normal for a brother to love his little sister?"
"Not the way of a lover…"
"Hm, that is crazy."
"Told you." Rin chuckled lightly.
"But, Onii-chan, I love you like a lover too…" Gou said thoughtfully. "Does that make me crazy?"
"No," He replied back, "it makes you smart."
His answer must have caught Gou by surprise. "S-Smart?"
Rin's cheeks were beginning to ache from grinning so hard at their flirty banter. "Well, you'd be even more crazy to not love me the way you do."
"True." Gou sighed. "How can I resist your beautiful muscles? I think I need a picture of your whole body, Onii-chan."
"And here I thought you were going to say that the sex is the best part of our love."
"Yeah, and the way your sculpted muscles feel against my body when you make love to me…"
"You like the muscle between my legs best, don't you, Gou?" Rin growled low into the phone, giving his cock a firm pump that had himself hissing.
Amused laughter filled his ear instead. "A penis isn't a muscle, Onii-chan."
He blinked in confusion, his handjob slowing in pace. "It's not?"
"No," Gou laughed out, "although it does feel hard and solid like one… Actually, looking at your entire penis like this… it kind of scares me, Onii-chan."
Rin did pause at that and he frowned. "My dick scares you?"
That was not the reaction he'd been expecting.
"I think it's just the angle, Gou. I put the phone really close to it when I took the picture."
"It has been inside of me before if you remember."
"How could I forget?" He murmured in return, thumbing his slit to spread more of his precum. "But it sounds like you're saying that the size of my dick scares you."
Gou sputtered for an explanation. "Th-The girls in my class talk about it! They… they call it 'monster dicks' and that—"
Rin burst out laughing, tossing his head back to release barks of laughter that bounced off the bathroom walls. He could hear his sister on the phone trying to get him to listen to her but Rin continued to laugh until his sore abs were aching again and he was gripping the edge of the tub for balance.
"It's true, don't laugh, Onii-chan!" Gou argued. "I heard it can be really painful if it's too big and the man f-forces it to fit into the girl…"
He stopped in the middle of jerking off. At that comment, guilt made Rin's grin droop and he suddenly felt bad for teasing his sister when she'd been a virgin all of her life until recently. While he'd definitely been nervous the very first time they had sex, he couldn't compare to how it must have felt for Gou, both mentally and physically. It would be ignorant of him to ever think that her fear was nonsensical.
"So you're scared of me." He slowly stroked himself from base to root and then root to base. Rin's groin fizzed with pleasure but his mind was not as pleased.
"No! I'm not scared of you, I just…"
"Here I am, masturbating to you," Rin eyed his work, "and all I'm hearing is that you're scared of my dick size. I'm not sure—nngh!—if I should be turned on by that or not."
"W-Well, you're not a girl! You don't know what it's like to have something that big p-pushed into you." Gou squeaked out, defiant but bashful. "I even still have trouble putting a tampon in! S-So imagine what it's like to have something that big pushed inside my body… But I'm not saying that I-I don't like it..."
Doubt continued to trickle into his mind. Did she truly enjoy the sex? Rin wasn't so sure anymore. It was amazing for him, but what if his sister was just pretending for his sake? He was still an amateur, but Rin always tried to be the best lover he could be for Gou. At least to make up for what they couldn't easily do as a couple in public.
"Gou, do you like it when I make love to you?" He demanded through the haze of pleasure clouding his mind. His hand quickened along with his breathing.
"Y-Yes."
"Then say it. Say that you want my cock, Gou." Rin thrust into his hand, groaning, "Say that you want my cock pounding inside of you."
Masturbating like this with Gou on the phone, Rin wanted her so badly right now. Only a few weeks apart and unable to touch her felt like torture, constantly waiting for when 'next time' would come. His cock twitched madly in his hand; a telltale sign of the coming orgasm he'd shoot into nothing. Just the many memories of seeing Gou spread her legs open for him, her face blushing and demure, was enough to put Rin on the edge and for his cock to throb warningly. Even the sound of her voice in his ear was enough to set him off at any moment.
I want to pound you so bad, Gou...
"I want you inside of me, Onii-chan." Gou whispered in a shaky breath as if she too struggled with the sexual urge to be with him. "It feels too empty in me. I-I need you filling me all the way until my tummy is stuffed full. I don't care if you'll rip me apart or my mind goes numb, I just need you inside me until I feel nothing but you."
At this point, Rin no longer knew half of what his sister was talking about, but he didn't need to respond because he was already grunting upon orgasm. He quickly aimed down at the tub, letting his seed shoot into the ice water in erratic spurts, his hips jerking with each bout.
"I came…" He panted after the last spurt, eyeing his cum float in the water for a while before it slowly seeped into the depths.
Vanilla ice cream…
"You're supposed to shoot it inside me, Onii-chan…" He could practically hear his sister pouting on the other end.
"Thought you were scared of my dick?"
"Are you really that hurt?" Rin was ready to retort but then Gou added, "Well, I also like it when my tummy is full of your cum."
In response to her comment, Rin tilted his head back to stare at the ivory ceiling, willing his cock to stay down despite its light twitch of excitement. He couldn't afford to waste his time or energy on a second round. "D-Did you, ah… Did you eat dinner?"
Gou sighed at the change in topic. "Yes."
"Did you throw it up?" He asked cautiously.
"No, don't worry about me, I'm fine!"
"Good. You know I'm asking because I care about you, Gou."
Despite the current nature of their relationship, Rin was still Gou's older brother and was responsible for her wellbeing. Just because they were now lovers did not make Rin any less of her brother either. There were certain obligations that blurred the boundaries of romantic love and familial love and Rin wasn't sure how to navigate through it.
"I know…" There was that familiar tone Gou gave him every time she was irritated of his overbearing, brotherly attitude and it made Rin smile fondly at how she was still his little sister in so many ways. "Hey, Onii-chan, I have something to tell you."
"Hm?" Rin stood up from the tub, letting his wet speedo shorts plop onto the floor before grabbing a towel to wrap around his hips. Reaching into the water, he pulled the plug and watched the tub begin to drain.
"... I love you, Onii-chan." Gou spoke softly. "I love you with all my heart."
His sister's words elicited another affectionate smile from Rin. A smile that was reserved for only one special person who held his heart. "I love you too, Gou."
She giggled. "Say it again."
"I love you, Gou." Rin whispered to her.
"Again…"
"I love you."
"Again." Her voice quietened.
"I love you." Rin stopped what he was doing to focus on Gou. "I love you with all my heart. You're mine, Gou, and I'm yours."
"I love you, Onii-chan." She sighed.
"Go to sleep." Rin smirked. There was a bounce to his steps despite the exhaustion wearing down on his bones and muscles. He could not deny the joy fluttering in his chest after hearing the three words Gou had spoken to him.
"I can't sleep."
"Maybe I shouldn't have sent you that dick pic after all." He mused. "Wouldn't want to give you nightmares… or wet dreams."
"It's not that." She chuckled into his ear for a split second before silence filled in the gap. "I… the teacher gave us the Career Path sheets, but I don't know what to put on it."
"Ah, everybody has trouble with that." Rin explained, putting on a bathrobe before sitting at his desk to finish some leftover work. "It's not an easy decision to make. Don't worry, you still have time."
"But what if I don't have anything to put down?" Gou sounded desperate and he sensed the insecurity in the inflection of her voice. "What if the deadline comes and I still have nothing?"
"Then it's not the end of the world." Rin said calmly. "The time will come when you will find what you want to do in life. Gou, I'm not saying this as your brother, but as someone who knows you. You can do anything you put your mind to. You have the diligence and work ethic and that's what's most important. You'll find something, don't worry. I believe in you."
There was a lull in conversation as Rin awaited his sister's response. When Gou spoke again, she sounded better, much to his relief, and even hopeful. "Maybe I could be a masseuse? I do like muscles, and I'm good at massaging people."
Rin bit his lip at the thought of Gou touching another person's body and other intimate places. "Uhh, yeah, maybe use that as a backup plan? You know, as a last resort?"
She laughed, bright and cheerful as ever. "Don't worry, Onii-chan, the only man I'll service is you."
Rin grinned. "Your oil services are the best, Gou."
"Not my oral services, Onii-chan?" She murmured into the phone. Rin felt his cock twitch in response. "Those don't feel good enough?"
"It's been too long." Rin growled lowly. "I'd have to try it again."
"Christmas Eve, remember?" His sister whispered. "You promised we could have anal sex on Christmas Eve. I want to give it to you."
"Is that the gift you're giving me?" A lopsided grin spread across Rin's face. "Your second virginity?"
"It's not your only gift, Onii-chan."
"Oh? Well, just make sure to wrap my gifts up nice and neat."
"If I do that, then I'll be all tied up."
"So do it on the bed." Rin couldn't help but fantasize Gou naked with only red sashes wrapped around her breasts and bottom, lying on his bed and waiting for him with her maroon hair fanned out across the sheets. "And with you tied up, it saves me all the trouble."
"I will." There was a tinge of seriousness in Gou's words along with something else. Something he couldn't quite pick up. "Just… Just promise you'll come home to me for Christmas, Onii-chan."
Rin raised a brow, snickering, "So eager to be pleasured in the ass, Gou."
Even he was taken aback by the dirty talk spouting from his mouth, but it was much too fun to tease his little sister.
"Onii-chan!" There was a slight whine in her voice. "You have to promise me…"
"I promise." Rin swore to his sister, serious despite the light smile on his face. "I promise, Gou."
Of course he was going to return home to her for Christmas. After all, he planned to give her the ring that day.
A/N: Look forward to some real sexy time in the next chapter!