…
Momo cringed slightly as Haru walked around his car, assessing the damage that he'd done the other night with Sousuke, both inside and out. In the darkened car park it hadn't look so bad, but in the harsh lights of the school garage it looked terrible.
"How did you even do that?" Haru asked, stroking the area where the bumper had once been.
"Asahi backed into me." He admitted.
"Brilliant." He rolled his eyes. "He's not getting away with this."
"No!" Momo agreed whole heartedly. "We're gonna stick the bumper back on, paint her up and win!"
"You might have bigger problems than a broken bumper." Rei said, pulling his head out of the bonnet.
"What is it now?" Haru whined, walking over to join his friend, staring at the engine in disbelief.
"Well with this you won't be doing more than 50." He explained, wiping the grease off his hands. "Any faster and the timing belt is liable to snap."
"We'll never win at this rate. Makoto will think I'm pathetic." He mumbled the last part, a slight blush evident on his nose.
"It's fine." Momo reassured him. "We'll just slash Asahi's tires the night before, then he'll have to pull out and you'll win by forfeit."
"It's hardly the same." He pouted, Rin rolled his eyes from the front seat of the car, where he'd been lying and listening to the conversation around him.
"Okay, how about we cut his breaks? Then he can still race but he won't be able to make the turn and you'll win." Momo beamed.
"And Asahi could potentially die." Rei reminded him.
"Worse things have happened." Haru shrugged.
"Look, this car could be a major piece of machinery." Rin enthused, jumping up in his seat. "This car could be systematic, hydromatic, ultramatic. Why it could be greased lightnin'."
"Greased lightnin'?" Haru echoed, dubiously.
"We'll get some overhead lifters and four barrel quads." He said, climbing out the car.
"Keep talking." He frowned slightly.
"Fuel injection cut-offs and chrome plated rods." Rin grinned, looking towards Rei for reassurance.
"I'll get it ready." He nodded.
"With a four speed on the floor they'll be waiting at the door, you know without a doubt you'll be really making out in greased lightnin'." He winked.
"Oh yeah?" Haru asked, with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah." He smirked. "We'll get some purple French taillights and thirty inch fins, a palomino dashboard and duel muffler twins."
"You'll need new piston, plugs and shocks." Rei interjected.
"Then you'll get off your rocks." Rin threw his hand around Haru's neck. "You know that I ain't bragging, she's a real pulling wagon."
"Greased lighten'." Haru said, testing the name on his lips. Imaging him and Makoto in all sorts of positions in the back seat.
"Go greased lightnin', you're burning up the quarter mile." Rin practically sung.
"Go greased lightnin', you're coasting through the heat lap trial." Momo shouted, getting caught up in the excitement.
"It'll be supreme." Rei agreed.
"The guy'll scream for greased lightnin'." Haru nodded, imagining Makoto's sparkling green eyes when he turned up in his new, slick car.
"Now you're getting it." Rin said, squeezing him quickly before releasing his hold.
"Come on, let's get to work." Haru grinned.
…
After a long morning in the garage, the guys decided they'd deserved a little refreshments and food. They walked over to the local diner, only for Rin to freeze when he noticed a couple sat by the window.
It had been less than a day since Ai had seen the real him and he's already moved on, with a guy who most likely deserved his time and attention.
"You head in, I'm gonna have a smoke." Rin said, patting his pockets in disappointment when he didn't feel a box.
Rei nodded and followed Momo inside, only Haru hung back.
"What?" Rin asked when they were alone.
"Nothing, just wanted a smoke too." He shrugged.
"Right." He nodded awkwardly, reaching into his pocket and feigning surprise. "Must have left them in the garage, I'll head back."
"Stop playing dumb, I know something else is bothering you." He crossed his arms.
"Oh yeah, like what?" He challenged.
"A certain someone." He nodded in towards Ai, currently laughing at whatever line Seijuro was using on him.
"That summer fling?" He laughed. "I'm over it."
"Sure you are." Haru raised an eyebrow.
"Just drop it will you." He groaned, pushing him into the diner.
"I'm just saying if you want to talk about it you can." He protested as Rin led him towards their usual table.
"Yeah, and why don't we braid each other's hair and paint our nails while we're at it." He rolled his eyes.
"Liking someone is not a sign of weakness." He said but was ignored as Rin jumped into the booth and grabbed a menu. Haru decided not to push it any further and dropped into his own seat.
The words on the menu blurred into one as Rin discretely stared over the top, watching Ai and Seijuro's date.
He felt sick to his stomach with every one of Ai's smiles, his small blushes and embarrassed laughs, his light touches. All of the things that Rin had come to love in the time they spent together. But now they weren't aimed at him, they were all for someone else and he hated it.
And just to make his day that little bit better Sousuke sauntered across the diner, eating an ice cream with a smirk.
"Not jealous are we Rin?" He asked, nodding towards Ai's table.
"Don't make me laugh." Rin fake laughed in response.
"Always did hide your emotions well." He rolled his eyes.
"Hi." Momo stuttered as Sousuke walked past him, not entirely sure where they stood after their night together.
"Hey." He winked, ruffling Momo's hair as he headed towards the door. The red head quickly righted it while nervously shooting Rin a look. But it was clear he was not bothered by who Sousuke dated, he was still completely taken with someone else.
…
Ai felt Rin's eyes on him the moment he'd walked into the diner, but refused to meet his gaze. Instead he awkwardly downed his drink and delicately burped into his hand.
"Pardon me." He blushed, laughing slightly to cover his blunder.
"It's fine." Seijuro smiled and put him ease.
"So you were saying something about swimming before I interrupted." He joked.
"Yeah, we've got plenty of room on the team if you're ever interested." He said.
"I never said I swam competitively, more like a hobby." He shrugged, as much as he loved the sport his parents had never encouraged it. It was no help to him academically.
"Well it's something to think about." He suggested, finishing his own drink and holding up the glass. "Want another?"
"Yeah, but I'll get them." Ai grinned, slipping out the booth.
His hands shook slightly as he walked towards the counter, but he forced himself to hold his head high as he walked past Rin and his cronies. He felt all their eyes on him as he walked but he didn't falter, he faked confidence and passed them as if they weren't even a blip on his radar.
Rin bit his lip as he watched Ai lean forward against the counter top, his ass looking practically edible in those jeans. His hands clenched as he remembered the feel of it, soft and warm as he squeezed when they were alone. He knew last night he'd crossed the line, public displays were never Ai's thing but with the combination of his desperate need to touch him again and the pressure of his friends he wasn't thinking straight.
"I need a piss." He announced, sliding out his seat, barely getting more than a nod in response.
He casually walked away from the table, purposely walking in the opposite direction to Ai to avoid suspicion. Instead he walked in a loop around the tables before he headed towards the counter, feigning surprise when he saw Ai.
"Hi there." He grinned, leaning against the top beside him.
"Hello." Ai replied, not bothering to look at him.
"Look, I want to explain about last night." He said softly, leaning towards Ai slightly.
"Uh huh." He nodded, stepping away from an offended Rin.
"Yeah, it wasn't me you have to understand that. I mean it was me, I said those things but I didn't mean them. I just…" He started but stopped when Ai turned to glare at him.
"The way I see it there are two options. Option one, you're a complete jerk who faked for a whole month just to get some, which is pretty pathetic if you ask me. Or option two, you're so insecure that you can't even admit to your friends who you really are which is equally pathetic." He crossed his arms. "So which guy do you want to be?"
"Well you see… The thing is… I'm not either of those guys?" He stumbled through his words.
"Can you just spew whatever lie you want me to buy so we can get this over with?" He rolled his eyes.
"What? Desperate to get back to your date?" He scoffed.
"Better than being with you." Ai shrugged, choosing not to mention Seijuro had spent most of the time talking about his girlfriend, he was trying to prove to Rin he was over him after all. "Two cokes please."
"You can't really be interested in that guy." He shook his head in disbelief as the waitress started making Ai's order.
"And why not?" He frowned. "It's far easier and simpler than keeping up with you."
"Simple is right, all the guys brains are in his biceps." He laughed.
"Least he's doing something with his life." He defended. "Captain of the swim team is better than being a dead-beat."
"Please, I could swim circles around those guys." He preened.
"I'll believe that when I see it." Ai grabbed his two drinks and headed back to his table.
Rin stared helplessly after his retreating form, he'd prove himself to Ai, he was more than just a dead-beat.
…
Ai sat on Nagisa's floor, wincing as the blonde pulled his hair and forced it into strange styles. He knew he agreed to be his model for his new classes but he hadn't expected it to be quite so painful.
"So I heard a rumour about you today." Nagisa sung.
"From who?" Ai hissed as his hair tugged on the small clips.
"Rei-chan." He clarified.
"And what rumour was that?" He asked.
"That you were on a date with the captain of the swim team, good choice of rebound I must say." He grinned cheekily.
"It wasn't a date, he has a girlfriend." He sighed.
"Oh."
"He did ask me to be on his swim team though." He said hopefully, even if his love life was pathetic there was still something going on.
"Really? I didn't know you swim." Nagisa admitted.
"I don't, not properly. It was only for fun, never anything serious." He shrugged. "Do you think I should go for it?"
"Why not? Anything is worth a try at least once, how else would you know if you like it or not?" He asked, holding the mirror out for Ai to assess his hair.
"Oh, that's amazing." He lied, he wasn't sure the look really suited him.
"Thank you." Nagisa smiled, kneeling in front of Ai and grabbing his make-up. "Close your eyes."
Ai did as instructed and let Nagisa brush dark colours across his eyelids, getting a little concerned by the sheer amount that the other boy was piling on.
"Does Rin swim?" Ai asked after some silence, a throw away comment from their earlier conversation still going around his head.
"Yeah, they all do." Nagisa nodded. "Well not quite. My Rei-chan doesn't swim, says it's unnatural. Personally I would love to see him in tiny speedos while dripping wet, it would be absolutely beautiful but his mind is set."
"So are they on the team?" He probed, wondering if he'd have to deal with all their judging eyes if he did take Seijuro up on his offer.
"Oh no, nothing like that." He shook his head. "They compete against a group of boys from another school, some rivalry that has been going on for years now. They race once a year at a local competition."
"Why?" Ai frowned, opening his eyes as Nagisa moved onto his cheeks.
"Some turf war type thing. I don't even begin to pretend I understand it but it brings in a crowd, we all go to cheer them along in the relay." He explained with a smile.
"But if Rei doesn't swim then how do they make up a full team?" He asked just before Nagisa forced his lips together to apply lipstick.
"They usually coerce someone from the school's team to fill in for their breast-stroke." He shook his head slightly as if he didn't approve of their methods. "But at the end of the day they usually beat Asahi and his crew so they're happy."
"Right." Ai nodded, holding back a gasp as he looked at himself in the mirror. He had to admit the colours Nagisa used were good but he may have just got a bit heavy handed.
"What do you think?" He asked, shaking with anticipation.
"It's good." He said. "So, enjoying Iwatobi then?"
"Mhm." Nagisa nodded, grinning a little too widely.
…
So I have decided that instead of a dance there will be a swim meet because it just kinda fit better with the whole storyline I think. Who knows? We will find out as I write more I suppose.