Chapter Three

Date Two - With Back Up

A second date was not something Rin had hoped for. He doubted whether Haru would want to see him - never mind go on a "date." Maybe it was better that they remained rivals who occasionally made out together. Even if that sounded like a situation only found in bad television dramas Rin's mother used to watch.

But yet Haru did want to see him and not only that - he wanted to try this dating thing and so Rin had to think about a way to ensure it wasn't a complete disaster.

One way was having back up. After some thought, lying on his bunk, his phone in his lap, Rin figuring out whether a Sousuke was asleep, he spoke softly.

"Sousuke? You awake?"

A grumpy noise was what Rin heard in response. It seemed that while Sousuke wasn't asleep, he still was too tired for communication. A sleepy Sousuke had always been a grumpy Sousuke. Rin knew that well.

"On my next date with Haru... Would you come along?"

The question prompted a more articulate reaction than grunting as Sousuke leaned over the bunk, looking down at Rin and narrowing his eyes.

"What?"

"I need back up... So I don't do something to fuck up again."

Rin didn't meet Sousuke's eyes, instead, he looked at the slats above his head in the dim light and heard them creak as Sousuke laid back down fully on his bunk.

"Won't I be the third wheel? And me and Nanase..."

"Naw...I'll get Haru to bring Makoto along. Even up the numbers."

"Tachibana?" Sousuke mused out loud and then he made a soft noise in that back of his throat. "Okay... You pay for me, though. I'm doing you a favour. And I want permission to kick or hit you if you're being an idiot."

Rin worried at the inside of his cheek. He knew Sousuke would have terms for such a suggestion and Rin had to be grateful he was helping him so he agreed.

"Okay. I'll arrange with Haru."

There was some more creaking from above and Rin heard Sousuke chuckle.

"You're an idiot, Matsuoka."

In response, Rin kicked at the bottom of the bunk before he turned onto his side, laying down his phone and going to sleep planning a more successful date with Haru than his first.

It was a double date that wasn't a double date - in that while Rin and Haru were definitely on a date, Sousuke and Makoto were merely tagging along.

Sousuke for free food and the potential opportunity to kick Rin in the shins and Makoto as moral support. Or maybe free food. Rin wasn't sure if Makoto could be mercenary but whatever he was here.

They had travelled from Iwatobi to avoid people who knew them seeing their date and instead travelled briefly by train. There was a small restaurant with a show kitchen located in the middle of a busy row of shops and it was this place Rin had chosen.

The fact that Sousuke and Makoto had come along with them and the more theatrical location with the show kitchen would mean less opportunity for Rin to look like an idiot or offend Haru. So it all looked good and the recipe for a more successful date.

Or perhaps it was until they were seated and Haru looked at the menu.

"There's no mackerel."

"Not every restauraunt has mackerel," Makoto said with a small apologetic smile.

"There's other fish. And other things," Rin offered but Haru wrinkled his nose and looked steadily at the menu.

Rin raised his eyebrows at Makoto who shrugged as they sat on the table for four, Makoto opposite Haru and Sousuke opposite Rin. He didn't look at Sousuke, sure his expression would be infuriating.

It did get better - Haru found a simple fish dish with broth and noodles he liked and Rin ate some beef cooked on a flame in front of their eyes, finished with a spicy sauce. And they started touching underneath the table - at first it was the touch of shoes and then it progressed to hands on knees and thighs. Haru kept his face completely impassive as he began to tease Rin more - his hand skimming to his inner thigh and Rin shifted awkwardly as he felt turned on - his body betraying his teenage horniness.

Somewhere during their teasing touches, Sousuke and Makoto had left and Rin breathed a small sigh of relief as he raised his eyebrows in Haru's direction. He made the assumption that they'd left them alone, aware that the night was going well so when Rin mouthed "bathroom" to Haru and got up, Rin assumed that something good was about to happen. As he walked over to the bathroom, his hands over his groin he waited only a few moments for Haru to follow him, both of them giving each other hot glances.

Rin didn't care that they were obvious and unsubtle as they weren't known here and as he pushed the door open and stepped inside, Rin stopped dead. Not because Haru was behind him, a hand on his ass but because of what he saw.

Sousuke was propped up on the sink counter, his legs open and in between those legs was...Makoto.

Blinking, confused, his brain barely able to process, Rin figured out what had happened. They'd not been left alone for their benefit but for Sousuke and Makoto's benefit as...

There was only so many ways Rin could phrase this as he saw Makoto sucking Sousuke's dick, Sousuke's head thrown back and his gasping breaths quiet. It had been a scenario that Rin had wanted to practice with Haru - one his dirty mind had conjured up - and now that was clearly not going to happen. As Rin had tried to be silent as he took in that scene but Haru's hand on his back and ass had made him gasp and that made Sousuke turn and Makoto remove his mouth, ugh, from its earlier position.

Rin might've mumbled something - Haru certainly said nothing at all as they left back to the restaurant. The idea of staying any longer seemed bad so after placing some money down, payment even for Sousuke, the bastard, Rin and Haru left, taking the next train back to Iwatobi.

"Was that...?" Haru said after silence most of the way.

"Yeah. Makoto sucking Sousuke off," Rin replied matter-of-factly.

"Hmf."

They didn't speak anymore as Rin walked Haru home - a shared kiss no more than a brush of lips in their seeming embarrassment due to what they had seen their friends doing. Rin slowly made his way back to Samezuka, hoping he would arrive before Sousuke and glad when he did.

He stripped swiftly and climbed into the bottom bunk, determined to pretend he was asleep even at an early hour. He preferred that idea than having to look Sousuke in the eye. As what did you say to your best friend after you've seen them being sucked off by another friend? Hallmark didn't provide cards for that.

Instead, Rin texted Haru.

/try again?/

The answer back was simple and swift.

/yeah/

Rin lay down his phone after that and laid in the darkness, listening for Sousuke's arrival. When he appeared, he moved quietly and stealthily, climbing up to his bunk after stripping without a word to Rin.

They both knew the other was awake but both decided not to speak. And Rin was glad. As when he'd got over the shock, there would be plentiful teasing. As Sousuke deserved that. The asshole.