...I forgot about updating here. Seriously. D: D: D: Sorry, y'all. You might be better off watching my AO3 account (Shaed).

Some Rin/Haru content alert, in case that's not your cup of tea. =)

"We're not going to an amusement park."

"Why not?"

Glaring into submission never worked with Haru. Rin scowled and gave it his best shot anyway. "Because it's childish." And not at all because Gou mentioned something about 75 percent of couples who have dates at an amusement park ending up with a breakup. He didn't listen to nonsense like that, especially when his sister was happily reading him pages off one of those highly questionable magazines with horoscopes and dating tips and...other things. And he'd only asked Gou for extra ideas, not because he ran out of ideas where to go with Haru. Actually, he and Haru had ended up going for a far more mundane option of a movie together. Then, while they were walking through a nearby park, Haru asked him where he should take Makoto for his date and of course they had to plan a date for three after that, it was only fair.

"Makoto said he wants to go," Haru argued right back, just as stubborn. Not to mention – Haru just had to play the Makoto card, didn't he?

"Then you go there with Makoto for your date," Rin retorted before remembering the whole breakup thing. Which was pure myth, of course. But still.

"No, Makoto said he wants all of us to go together."

Damn. Then, Rin had a sudden moment of inspiration. "You sure you don't want to stay in?" Rin quirked a brow at Haru, suggestive. "You know, at your place?"

Haru actually hesitated. Which was gratifying. "Makoto wants to try out the new rides," Haru insisted, and Rin had to give it to him. At least Haru stuck to his guns when it came to what Makoto wanted. "We can hang out at my house after."

Rin groaned. "Didn't we have this talk about not being able to have your cake and eat it too?"

There was a hint of smirk on Haru's face when he answered. "Guess I never learned to prioritize."

"Brat," Rin countered, but couldn't keep the affection coloring his tone. "Fine. A short visit to the amusement park." Haru looked unduly smug, which made Rin wonder if Haru himself hadn't wanted to go there too. Oh, shit, that was the park which recently added new water rides, wasn't it? Now Haru's insistence made so much more sense. "You could have just said you want to try the new water rides," Rin said, a bit piqued Haru had used Makoto against him.

"You care about what Makoto wants."

Rin snorted. "Yeah, well, it's a date for three. What you want counts, too."

"Ah."

Trouble with Haru was, a lot of his communication was non-verbal. Which probably wasn't a problem with Makoto, who could read Haru's every thought. With others, though. There might have been a reason Haru didn't interact much outside the Iwatobi swim club. But Rin was paying attention this time, and didn't miss the nearly imperceptible note of surprise underneath. Maybe because he got that, wondering if the other person didn't prefer to spend time with someone else. With someone who mattered more.

Rin wasn't Makoto, who could always find the right words. Makoto, who was the kind of person who could call him up like Rin hadn't cut off all contact for years without any explanation. But this was Haru, who reached out for him even when Rin saw nothing in himself worth it. Rin blinked when Haru did, realizing his hand had moved without him knowing, fingers caressing the side of Haru's face.

Haru's eyes were always beautiful, but right now they were irresistibly soft, with nothing to shield or hide them. As Rin's thumb brushed over Haru's lips they opened, in surprise, perhaps, or maybe to say something. Rin would never know, because his body moved on its own again, to kiss Haru.

Haru made a quiet sound of surprise in the back of his throat, but did not push him away. Unlike their kisses from before, this one was more subdued. Softer. More like the goodnight kiss Makoto gave him at the end of their date the Saturday before. Then, Haru made an impatient noise and grabbed him by both shoulders, and the kiss turned decidedly unlike the one with Makoto.

Rin let out a short laugh, a huff of breath between their lips. That was just it. Being with Haru was never going to be like being with Makoto. And maybe that was the good part. Maybe the best part.

Then Haru chose that moment to hook a leg behind Rin's knee and Rin broke away with a startled sound. "Haru," Rin gasped, but Haru was undeterred, arching into Rin's body until they were pressed together. Rin's brain did the short-circuit thing again (and he was going to have to do something about that habit), and Rin found Haru's knee between his legs in short order. "Haru, wait," he tried again, trying to inject as much sternness as he could muster in his state of distraction. They were in a deserted section of the park, but they were in full view of any passerby who might come around.

Haru let out a frustrated sigh, but backed off, much to Rin's – relief. Relief. Not disappointment.

Okay, maybe a little disappointment. "We're in a public place. Seriously. What's up with you and exhibitionism?"

Haru's brow arched up a tiny bit, expression serious as ever if not for the gleam of something fiendish in his darkened eyes. "You kissed me first."

"Yeah, but that was not an invitation to ride my leg."

Now if this was Makoto, he'd have been flushed red and stammering. Haru didn't even change his expression, save for his eyelashes rising and falling in a way that somehow communicated amusement. Honestly, for someone so emotionally reserved, Haru was quite shameless when it came to sexuality. One day, Rin might even get over the shock. "Actually, you were riding my leg."

"Was not," Rin countered without even thinking about his reply. It was amazing, how much of his need to contradict Haru was a spinal reflex now. He'd probably do it in his sleep.

To Rin's surprise, though, Haru didn't suggest that they find somewhere private to continue. Not that Rin was going to suggest it first. Rin wasn't even thinking about it. Really.

"Why did you kiss me?"

And this was the other problem with Haru. Haru rarely put his feelings into words. He was, as Makoto said, honest about how he felt. At least physically. Then he threw Rin on another curve like this with his apparent inability to put his physical and emotional in synch. Joy, he was discovering all these problems about being with his two best friends. How on earth did they ever think this could last?

Except they kind of had. For two weeks, anyway.

"I wanted to," Rin answered honestly. "I do care about you, you know."

"But not the same way you care about Makoto."

"That's the same for you, isn't it?" Rin shot back reflexively, then took a quick breath. Makoto said they would be there for each other no matter what happened. Even if their tentative relationship came crashing down on their heads. They were supposed to be in this together, trying to make it work. Yet here he was, already ready for the moment it fell apart, when they would inevitably hurt each other. He could almost see the look Makoto would have given him: a little sad, a little disappointed, and mostly hurt. Rin took another breath, then let it out slowly. When he spoke again, Rin's voice was noticeably gentler. Probably channeling his inner Makoto or something. "You and Makoto are not the same person. You feel differently for the two of us, don't you? It's like that for me, too."

Haru mulled over that, then gave him a nod. "I wasn't sure if you'd want to. With me." Rin could have groaned in frustration. What did Haru have against concrete, comprehensible verbal expressions? Everything was abstract and vague when Haru talked. How did he ever carry on a conversation with someone other than Makoto? "Without Makoto," Haru specified, and Rin tentatively concluded Haru meant their budding romantic relationship. Or possibly the sex.

Or both, hell. "If you're talking about dating, I don't even know. Can't say I'm too fond of the way you talk. Or don't talk, for that matter. And your habit of jumping me." Rin softened his smirk, so it was clear he was joking. "Or are you talking about the sex part?"

"Both," Haru answered, deadpan as you please. Rin felt his eyebrows twitch.

"I'm not sure. It's—" Rin dragged a hand through his hair with a sigh. "I wonder about the same thing with Makoto." Honesty for honesty. There, and he even managed to not sound defensive. Makoto would be proud.

"Makoto said we could. If you and I wanted."

Rin raised an eyebrow at him. "And would you want to, without Makoto?"

"I don't know. Maybe." Haru, to his credit, looked like he was giving the question proper thought. "Right now, it'd feel strange."

"So for now, save it. Figure it out later," Rin suggested. Because one of them had to act like an adult here, and clearly it wasn't going to be Haru. Not where hormones were involved. "We can take our time. Go slow."

"I don't – I didn't get you, when we first met. You got worked up about the strangest things and I didn't like the way you made me rethink everything." Despite the complete non-sequitur, Haru was being expressive. For Haru, anyway. Rin decided to hold his comment until Haru made sense. Or done. Either or. "You were disrupting everything I'd ever known. And I resented it. I think that's why I'd – disliked you at first. Or so I thought."

"Okay," Rin said when Haru paused again, his brain trying to process all that. The sad thing about Haru was, even when he was being expressive, he wasn't any more understandable.

"Then you... I'd never cared about competing before. But you said you'd show me a sight I'd never seen before. And you did. You changed my world." Haru paused, and a crooked smile pulled at his mouth. "After that I still didn't understand you or why you'd be so invested about becoming Olympic swimmer or – everything else. I don't know if I understand you even now. But I..." Haru's mouth looked so soft, Rin nearly reached out to touch it. Faint dusting of pink spread on Haru's cheeks, but Haru didn't look away, meeting Rin's eyes, equal parts brave and stubborn. "I like my world better after you entered it."

That was probably the longest Rin ever heard Haru speak in one sitting. Rin was sure he could manage a comment or two about that, maybe even crack a joke if he tried hard enough. But all he could manage was to look back at Haru, nothing held back, and admit softly: "Me, too."

As much as Haru confessed the same, Rin was pretty sure he would never entirely get Haru, either. And they got on each other's nerves plenty. But Rin had a sneaking feeling Haru would probably get away with just about anything whenever his eyes sparkled like that. Rin was also done with Haru taking control of their make-out sessions every single time, though, so Rin kissed him first again. Tried to, anyway, because Haru met him halfway.

Yeah, he and Haru would never stop competing. Ever. Even when it came to things like kissing and sliding hands under each other's shirt, trying to see who could reach bare skin faster. But Rin thought he might be sort of okay with that. Especially when it led to kissing Haru under a tree, the bark rough under his palm and Haru's hands sliding softly over his back, bunching up his shirt. Shivering at Haru's hot breath against his neck. Nothing but Haru and the sunlight warm on his back.

Definitely okay.

The next Sunday, Haru and Makoto had their very own first date. Two hours into the said date, Rin decided it would be their last or so help him, he might have to strangle both his friends. Sort-of-boyfriends. He could use that word. For the time being, he mentally added out of sheer habit.

First of all, part of the reason Haru and Makoto chose that day was because Rin had a test on Monday and couldn't join them. There were reasons why classical literature was Rin's least favorite subject. Not the least of which was that Rin had spent four years overseas not studying obscure kanji characters. But trying to focus on the stupidly long passage was quite difficult when Makoto kept messaging him every other minute.

After text message number sixteen, Rin gave up and picked up his phone and pressed speed dial for Makoto.

"Rin," Makoto greeted warmly. "Hey."

"How's the date going?"

"Good! We're at the game shop now and Haru's looking at the new release section. He wants to get the one you told him about, what's the name, 'The—'"

Rin closed his eyes and took a deep, exasperated breath. "Makoto. Is this you trying to keep me in the loop while you're out with Haru?"

"Er." Makoto sounded sheepish, even over the phone. "Sort of? I don't want you to feel—"

"Left out," Rin finished for him. "And I get that. I appreciate it even. But I actually need to study today."

"Oh." Guilt, now. "Sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"Told you he'd tell you off," Haru said in the background, breaking up a little but still reasonably clear. Rin glared before remembering they were over the phone and Haru couldn't see him. He wasn't telling Makoto off. At least not in a mean way.

"Yeah, but..."

"Enjoy your date today, and you can give me the full report next Saturday." A reminder, subtle as Rin could make it, to focus on Haru today. Haru had been the one who came up with the dates thing, and at least a good part of that for Rin. As touching as it was to have Makoto so concerned for him, it wasn't fair to Haru that Makoto was out on a date with him and spent the entire time texting Rin.

"After we finish, d'you want me...us to come over and help you study?"

Rin, startled by the offer, took a moment to answer. Before he said anything, however, he was interrupted by another question, this time from Haru.

"Rin, do you have a TV in your room?"

Rin tamped down on the reflexive refusal. Besides which, Makoto was an excellent student and probably could help him. Rin was proud, not stupid. "Yeah, sure. And tell Haru I don't, but he can use the one in the lounge."

Apparently Makoto either had him on speakerphone or had Haru on top of him, because Haru immediately answered. "Fine. You've got your Nintendo console, right? We'll drop by later."

"What about your roommate? Wouldn't we inconvenience—" Makoto this time, recalling his manners because he was Makoto. Which meant the dismissive sound in the background could only be Haru. Rin made a mental note to keep Haru away from his hapless roommate. For one, Nitori actually liked Haru, and would be hurt if Haru kept being so weirdly hostile to him for no apparent reason.

"Ai's out until Tuesday. Family celebration, he said."

"Oh. Okay, then. Would you like us to pick up anything on our way? For dinner?"

"Something Thai. If you can manage to convince Haru."

Haru made a noise that didn't sound very promising for Makoto, but Makoto laughed. "Noted. We'll just make a quick side trip for Haru. See you in the afternoon, Rin. We'll try to make it around – how about three or four? Haru?"

"Fine," Haru said again, sounding uninterested now that he wouldn't be expected to deviate from his usual diet. "See you, Rin."

"Start carrying your own phone," Rin advised Haru tartly. "See you two later."

Letting Haru and Makoto come over after their date was, in hindsight, either the best or the worst idea Rin ever had.

Makoto had entered with all the decorum of a proper visitor, but Haru, after a curt hello, had immediately zoomed his eyes over to Rin's bed, and bam! Rin's mind was right back to what happened the last time Haru visited that bed. Luckily for both of them, Makoto had been able to read Haru's mind since forever. Makoto was also a very responsible person. So before Haru could take more than two steps toward Rin, Makoto intervened by clearing his throat.

"Rin has to study first, remember?"

The look Haru gave Makoto, which he then transferred to Rin, could only be described as predatory. But Haru nodded docilely enough. "After," he promised. "Rin, can I borrow your Nintendo?"

Rin, who totally wasn't disappointed because he was an adult (except not legally) unlike Haru the sexually frustrated former virgin, did not respond immediately, distracted (but only a little bit) by the first empirical evidence Nanase Haruka did, in fact, understand the nuances of human interactions enough to dress nicely for his dates. He'd obviously made an effort for Makoto, go figure. Or possibly Haru was actually listening last week when Rin was rather unsubtly bitching about boyfriends who showed up on dates without bothering to dress up.

Makoto cleared his throat. "Rin?"

Damn. Rin turned on his heel before either of them could see his neck heating up. "Yeah, hold on."

Haru retreated to the lounge with the console in short order, but not without shooting a look at Rin first that made it clear he hadn't missed Rin's appreciative appraisal. Once Haru was out of the room, Makoto gave him an apologetic smile, and Rin dragged over Nitori's chair so they could sit together at his desk.

"Sorry. When I suggested that we come over, I didn't mean..." Makoto laughed self-consciously. "Well, I didn't have any ulterior motives. Truly."

Rin gave him a withering look. "I think Haru begs to differ." Three people, three different agendas. At least some parts of their agendas overlapped. It struck Rin that what they were doing was a little bit like trying to get three separate ocean waves to overlap exactly the right way so that they formed a tall breaker rather than canceling each other out. Rin cringed. Clearly he'd been hanging out with Haru too much if he was using water-related metaphors to describe their relationship. Also, he should make a note to review the wave properties for the physics test on Thursday. He penciled that part on his calendar and turned back to his classical literature textbook, brows knitted. "I think I'll be able to finish in an hour or so."

"We can wait until we meet next week?" Makoto suggested, but didn't sound very invested in the idea. "We don't have to stay at the park the whole day."

"I thought you wanted to try the new rides?" Not that Rin was opposed to cutting short the amusement park portion of the day in favor of the carnal acts portion. But it was the principle of the thing.

Makoto blinked. "I might as well? When I go with my family we're always stuck with things like the ferris wheel and turtle and carousel because of Ran and Ren. But Haru mentioned you wanted to go, and I thought—"

"Haru," Rin pronounced flatly, "is an evil manipulative changeling."

Makoto looked puzzled for a moment before understanding dawned on his face. "Oh. He told you I wanted to go." Then he softened, because this was Makoto talking about Haru. "I think he really did think you'd enjoy it, though. He spent quite a while thinking about where to go for this date."

Rin did enjoy amusement parks. He might even have mentioned it to Haru when they were little. Much as Haru liked anything water-related, Rin knew he preferred by far an actual pool to a water-themed park ride. Rin couldn't quite help the surge of affection that pulled at the corners of his lips. "Oh, fine," Rin conceded, and didn't say anything when Makoto beamed at him.

"My cousin in Tokyo warned me about having dates at an amusement park, but—"

"Wait, the part about three-fourth of the couples breaking up?" Rin interrupted.

"Yeah. I told her I was getting ideas for a friend and didn't mention details but she kind of got excited and started telling me all these things about – um. Never mind."

If Makoto's cousin was anything like Gou, Rin was probably better off not asking. Rin made a noncommittal sound. "Girls read the strangest things."

"Yeah. Not that I believed her or anything. I mean."

"Of course not," Rin concurred immediately. They should know better than to believe what girls said. Girls read horoscopes and magazines with deeply questionable content. He couldn't believe guys got into trouble for reading dirty mags when girls didn't for reading those.

There was a short stretch of silence. "Should we mention it to Haru?" Makoto suggested tentatively.

"We'd end up skipping the amusement park entirely," Rin warned him. "You know, he's really not acting like someone who's getting some regularly."

"It's all a bit new to both of us," Makoto admitted. "Plus, it's been three weeks since the last time we were together."

That sounded like... "Wait, did you and Haru not—?"

"No." Makoto's voice was disarmingly gentle. "Haru talked to me about that after his date with you. Maybe later, when we all feel it's okay, we can try different things. But for now, both of us decided we can wait until all three of us are together."

Rin would have been way more touched if he wasn't at a risk of life and limb thanks to their reckless fits of chastity. "You just want me to do all the work," he grumbled, just to see Makoto smile. It wasn't like he was actually adverse to the idea. Rin was mature, not dead. He was a healthy teenage male and had needs.

Not to mention today was supposed to be Haru and Makoto's date but they still came over. And it had been three weeks since the last time. They all deserved a reward for their efforts, Rin decided magnanimously.

"Okay, let's finish this sucker."

Makoto smiled. "Sure. So, chapter four, you said?"

Credit for the "reckless fits of chastity" goes to Maya, and her drop dead gorgeous Harry Potter fanfiction, Drop Dead Gorgeous.

Next chapter is the last chapter. It will be mainly smut with flimsy excuse for relationship development via pillowtalk and/or wrap-up of loose ends. If Ch 5 was the reason I wrote the whole thing, Ch 8 is the reason I continued after Ch 5. lol

Unfortunately, because of RL issues I won't be able to update until after July 4th weekend. Sorry, y'all. =( I'll try to get something else up in the next few days as a peace offering.