Sugar Sweet
"No, Haru, wait!" Makoto took off running after Haru, footsteps pounding against the mall tile flooring.
Rei looked after them, brows furrowing in concern. "Should we go after them?"
Rin laughed, and folded his arms behind his head. One body of water and cue an overexcited Haru. "Nah. They'll be back." He looked around the mall, eyes falling on the food court down the hall. "Wanna grab a bite to eat or something?"
"Oh." Rei cast another glance towards where Makoto and Haru had gone, before looking back at Rin. "Sure. Where would you like to eat?"
"Dunno." He stretched and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Let's just look." He glanced back at him, and then did a double take when he realized Rei had both of his hands full with his shopping. "You want me to carry something?"
"No, thank you."
Rin rolled his eyes and doubled back, grabbing one of the bags from Rei's hand.
Rei's response was immediate. "Rin-san!"
"Come on, I'm not carrying anything. What is all this stuff, anyway?"
Rei was making a face as though he'd bitten into a lemon, although he seemed to let it go in favor of not arguing. "Nagisa-kun and his parents had to go to a family event this weekend, so I bought him some things, too."
"Oh." Rin laughed quietly, slipping his arm through the loop on the plastic bag. "You're always thinking about everyone else, aren't you?"
"No," Rei replied, following Rin as he started walking. "I mean, I suppose so. But I did buy some for myself, too, so it was no trouble buying Nagisa-kun some, too." He fidgeted with the bag left in his hand, and looked off towards one of the little shops lining the food court. "Should we get something for your sister, and Ama-chan-sensei? Shortcake? Taiyaki? Or maybe even sakura jelly..."
Rin watched with eyebrows raised in amusement as Rei leaned forward to look closer into the glass display of sweets.
"What's your favorite, Rin-san?"
Rin shrugged. "None," he said, without thinking, attention attracted by a nearby nacho and pretzel shop. They were all supposed to be eating healthy, and even his sister was badgering him on the rare occasion when she caught him eating something he apparently ought not to.
"What?"
Rin blew out a huff. He should be allowed to splurge now and then, so he was definitely thinking about the nachos. "I don't like sweets," he said absently, looking back at Rei.
Rei went ramrod straight before he turned to look at him; Rin panicked when he realized his mistake. He didn't like sweets? He'd been living the lie that he liked them for ages now! He never had figured out how to tell Rei, who was all smiles and dedication and I made these especially for you, Rin-san! and... "Rei," he started.
"You don't like sweets," Rei interrupted, pushing his glasses up his nose.
"Rei, I-"
"But you've let me make you sweets all the time," Rei continued.
Rin pursed his lips. Hey, he had no reason to be caught with his hand in the literal cookie jar. He was just going with the charade so that he didn't make Rei sad.
But that look on Rei's face now... "Why did you accept my sweets if you don't like them?" Rei asked quietly, and, oh, hell, Rin had failed.
"I do like them."
"But you don't like sweets."
"No-"
"So, then you don't like them!" Rei retorted. "I can't... I can't believe I've been giving you cookies and you don't like them!" he said, pressing the heel of his hand against his forehead. "What an illogical thing to do, I'm an idiot."
"No," Rin interrupted. Well, at least he didn't look all crushed and pathetic anymore. Self-scandalized, now that was typical Rei. "Your cookies are fine, Rei, they're just a little... sweet."
"Of course they're sweet, I- ah, I didn't even ask you if you liked cakes and cookies, I just started giving them to you like everybody else!" Rei looked at him like he'd suddenly realized he was there again, and then bowed. "I'm sorry, Rin-san. I won't give you any more cookies."
Rin stared at him. Seriously? He felt bad for letting it slip that he'd been lying, but Rei was making too big of a deal out of it. It was just cookies, not the end of the world. Rin sighed and stepped forward, slinging his arm around Rei's neck. "Come on."
"Ah, wait, what, Rin-san!"
"It's as much my fault for not telling you," he said, dragging him up to the counter. "We'll take two strawberry shortcakes, and, ah..." He looked at Rei. "What do you want?"
Rei blinked up at him owlishly. "What?"
"What do you want?" he gestured to the display. "Pick whatever, I'll pay for it."
"Rin-san..."
"Just pick," Rin interrupted, sensing an imminent Rin-san, I can't allow you pay for my sweets that would be very impolite when we were the ones who asked you to come with us to the mall today to begin with was about to begin.
"Thank you, Rin-san," Rei murmured as they walked to a nearby table.
"Yeah, don't worry about it." He tucked the box with the shortcake into the bag he was carrying. "Give these to the girls, okay?"
"Yes."
Rin sank into the chair and placed the bag on the table, leaning back on two legs as he yawned. "Makoto and Haru sure are taking a long time. I wonder if Haru ended up in the fountain or not." Movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention and he looked back at Rei to see him rummaging through his wallet. "What are you doing?"
"Paying you back," Rei said quizzically, like it was the most simple thing on earth and-
Rin sighed, letting his chair thump back onto all legs. "You don't have to pay me back."
"I want to pay you back."
Rin grinned. "You could always make me cookies," he teased, and chuckled at the look of irritated incredulity that flashed across Rei's face. "Seriously, Rei, it's fine. They were okay."
"Wait. You ate them?" Rei asked curiously.
"Yeah."
"But I thought you-"
"I ate them because you made them," Rin interrupted, and that shut up Rei's protests. Actually, thinking about it, the silence made Rin a little uncomfortable. He hadn't said anything... terribly out of line, had he? Just maybe a little... hint. Oh. That had been a hint. Now he was uncomfortable and a little warm in the face.
"Rin-san...?"
Rin looked back at him. "It's, I..."
Rei was frowning at his dessert. "You meant..."
"Uh." He looked away.
"Did you-"
Rin clenched his fists on his knees. "I just-"
"Rin, Rei!" Makoto's voice called, and Rin's eyes snapped up to meet the brunette's gaze across the aisle. "Sorry, we're here." He had a one hand grip on Haru's wrist, the latter of which was in an oversized hoodie and dripping hair. "We had to get a jacket since he was all wet," he sighed, and sank into the chair next to Rei. "What are you two doing? ... Rei? What's wrong?"
"Nothing! Nothing's wrong! I'm fine, I'm perfectly fine!"
Haru had taken the seat next to Rin, and Rin could feel his best friend's gaze on him. Don't say anything, Nanase Haruka. Don't you dare-
"Are you blushing?" Haru intoned.
"No!" Rin retorted, twisting away. "I'm going to- to- go get nachos!" He stood up, cringing when the chair scraped against the floor.
"But-" Rei stammered. "I-I... napkins!"
"What?" Makoto asked. "What's going on?"
"I forgot napkins." Rei laughed, nervous, unlike his usual, cheerful laugh, and Rin could hear his own heart pounding in his chest. "You need napkins when you're having cake; if you get icing on your face, where would you be, then? And nachos, you'll definitely need napkins for those, Rin-san, I'll grab you some napkins, too!"
"Oh, good, thanks, Rei!"
Rin went one way for his nachos.
Rei went the other for his napkins.
"... What's going on with them?"
"Heh."
"Haru?"
"Nothing. Let's get cake."
"Oh, sure!"
Rin blew out a breath and rubbed at his forehead. This whole situation was brought on by sweets.
Sweets.
Well, maybe they weren't so bad after all, Rin thought with a small smile.
My first RinRei fic! These two are my Free! OTP, you don't even know. I'm still messy on the characterisation, but these guys are difficult for me to write. I'm learning~ haha
I do not own Free!. Thanks for reading!