Unfettered Rivals, a harry potter fanfic

WC: 1237

Something small for Liza - Happy birthday!

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Unfettered Rivals

As they stood behind their adjacent blocks, it could not be more apparent how different the rival swimmers were. On the most stressful and high-stakes stage in the world, the two men approached it with entirely different strategies. In lane 4, the top seed and favourite to win, Sirius Black could be seen with a big smile on his face, laughing with his teammate, James Potter, who was in lane 3, and swinging his arms about to stretch. He did the classic Phelps move, standing behind the block and whipping his arms back and forth, slapping his back with each swing. When asked about it, he'd said that it was less about loosening up and more about intimidating his opponents. And Sirius Black certainly cut an intimidating figure to begin with. He was tall, with clearly defined muscles and a smattering of dark tattoos across his skin. Potter was perhaps the only person who looked more intimidating at first glance - taller than Black with broad shoulders and a body that screamed athleticism - but his friendly, puppy dog personality set people at ease instantly, where Black was known for his competitive nature and sharp temper.

On Black's other side, in lane 5, was Welsh swimmer Remus Lupin. The complete opposite of his English competitors, Lupin was stoic and reserved. He sat in the provided chair with his headphones in and his head dropped in his hands, intensely focused on getting in the zone. He ignored the other around him, particularly paying little attention to the antics of Black and Potter beside him.

The rivalry between Black and Lupin was well-known. From neighbouring countries, the men only ever met at top competitive events, and they were constantly trading wins back and forth. The frustration between the two of them at neither of them being able to consistently come out on top was palpable, and every time they raced the pool deck was filled with tension.

Now, just like every race before, the air between the two men crackled with an electric animosity. As the buzzer sounded its first indication, the eight men in the heat stepped up on their blocks, making final adjustments to their caps and goggles and taking deep, steadying breaths.

"Take your mark," the official called, his voice sounding robotic through the speaker.

Beep.

Eight men launched themselves off the blocks, plunging into chilly water. Sirius pulled ahead right off the bat, his size and muscle making him particularly skilled at underwater propulsion. When he surfaced, he had a half a body length lead on the rest of the field, and he immediately began taking long, smooth strokes through the water. He maintained his lead into the first turn, building it a little more off the wall. By the time he got to the second turn, the midway point in the race, he had almost a full body length lead. But on the third lap, he could see Remus inching up on him with every breath he took, and if his face wasn't buried in water, he might have growled in frustration.

It was the same story every time they raced - Sirius took it out strong, establishing an early lead. But in the second half of the race his bulkier build would start to work against him, muscles fatiguing. Remus, on the other hand, light and lean as he was, would just be getting started, and he would undoubtedly catch up to his rival. It always came down to the last fifteen yards, and who had the most fire left in them to pull off the victory.

This race was no different. Sirius' third turn was his weakest yet, and he mentally swore, knowing that he needed to capitalize off the walls in order to beat Remus. He tried to fire up his kicking more, but he could feel the lead slipping away. Inch by inch, Remus was sneaking by. They were shoulder to shoulder as they each took their last stroke, diving forward to pound the touchpad at the end of the lane. They looked up at the scoreboard, checking their times.

3. Potter, J. 1:44.92

4. Black, S. 1:43.84

5. Lupin, R. 1:43.61

Sirius grimaced. Just barely out-touched. He was so close. James reached over to pat him on the back, ever jovial. It didn't really bother him not to make the cut in this one - it wasn't one of his best events and he'd already qualified in two others. But this was Sirius' first final, and he had really wanted to come in first. Second was fine, it would still take him to the Olympics, but damn he wanted to win. Sirius shook hands politely with Remus before turning away and climbing out of the water, snatching up his towel and zip up moodily. He walked off the deck, pulling his cap and goggles off and tucking them in the waistband of his suit.

He walked straight through the staging room, past the warm up pool, and straight to the locker room, finding a secluded corner. He stood with his back to the lockers and let his head drop against them with a resonating clang. Not that there was anyone else to hear. He breathed through his frustration for a few minutes, letting it dissipate with each one, until a few minutes later when footsteps slapped against the locker room tile.

Remus rounded the corner, looking at Sirius a bit shyly. Sirius, on the other hand, smiled so bright he could have lit up the entire arena.

"What'd'you reckon?" Sirius asked, a tease in his voice. "Think they're still buying it?"

"Oh yeah," Remus replied, nodding solemnly before a grin played about his mouth. "They asked me how it felt to beat my rival in such a monumental race."

"And? What'd you say?"

"I said it was fine, but now I was really looking forward to winning a gold medal while beating him," Remus chuckled, and Sirius couldn't help but laugh in return.

He pushed away from the lockers, resting his arms on Remus' shoulders as he pulled him into an embrace. Slowly, deliberately, Sirius dipped his head, capturing Remus' lips in a soft, sensual kiss. Remus returned the sentiment enthusiastically, his hands sliding across Sirius' still damp skin and finding the dimples at the small of his back. Remus tugged Sirius' hips closer, and the taller man took it as a sign to deepen the kiss, moaning softly as Remus' lips parted beneath his. Before they could get too carried away, Remus pulled away, cognizant of where they were still. He ran his hand across Sirius' cheek, still smiling.

"You really did swim well," Remus complimented, his voice soft and tender. "It was a great race. I'm glad we'll be there together."

"Me too," Sirius admitted. "But don't think I'm gonna go ahead and just let you take the gold now because we're dating."

"I wouldn't even dream of it."

They kissed once more, quick and innocent and comfortable, before heading to the warm down pool to stretch out their muscles, careful to look thoroughly annoyed by each other's presence once they stepped on deck. It was silly, maybe to hide that their rivalry had taken a considerable turn, but it still felt a bit new for them, and they weren't quite ready to share their happiness with everyone else just yet. Maybe after the Olympics.