Chapter Eight

Date Seven - Aquarium

It wasn't a date. Rin wasn't even thinking it was a date. To him, it was a "group outing". Sousuke was amused at him as Rin kept asserting that as they arrived at Iwatobi train station, waiting for the rest of the people travelling on the "group outing".

As, yeah, Haru was going on the "group outing" but that didn't mean anything as so were Sousuke, Momo and Ai, and Makoto, Nagisa and Rei. So there were plenty of other people and so Rin was not even going to think of it as date seven. As seven unsuccessful dates was just too much for him to deal with.

"You and Nanase could sneak off and make out near the sharks or something," Sousuke had teased.

Rin had only made a low growling noise in the back of his throat. "And you and Makoto can give each other mutual blowjobs near the whales, right?"

It had effectively shut up Sousuke who seemed increasingly interested in his sneakers for the rest of the time waiting for the Iwatobi's to arrive.

With his hands stuffed in his pockets, Rin rocked back on his heels and felt an certain anxiousness as he waited to see Haru. He'd not seen him since he left the morning after the Tachibana twins had been found and Rin hadn't even bothered with a text since then, unsure of how to word anything when Haru hadn't answered him. And when Haru arrived, Rin barely acknowledged him as Makoto handed over some gifts made by the twins for Rin – a card saying thank you and some homemade cookies, Rin giving them away to Momo and Ai as they had a sweeter tooth than him as they all got on the train to travel to the city and aquarium.

Rin wasn't exactly sure who had chosen the aquarium and why they all ended up going along – he guessed it was Nagisa by his clear enthusiasm but Rin did want to get away from Samezuka for a day and he did want to spend some time relaxing considering managing a third years work load and his swimming was wearing him out. When they arrived at the aquarium, admissions paid, Rin watched as Sousuke and Makoto not so subtly went ahead, Sousuke pointing out fish and Makoto making comments Rin couldn't hear.

Groups started to form and they started to separate, each going in their preferred direction – Nagisa wanting to see the penguins and dragging Rei along, Momo wanting to see some turtles and Ai rolling his eyes as he was dragged with the words "Nitori-senpai" seeming to bounce off the glass of the aquariums tanks.

Rin soon realised, whether done on purpose, that he and Haru were alone walking beside each other, not touching but clearly "together", close enough that if Rin extended his pinkie finger he could touch Haru's hand. Not that he wanted to. Or maybe he did as the slowly walked passed the tanks, seeing octopuses stretch their limbs and string rays swim close to the glass.

"Are you upset with me?" Haru asked when they paused in the tunnel viewing area, stood near a nurse shark that had perched itself near the glass.

Rin leaned against the railing and looked above him, a turtle floating gracefully and its flippers lazily making it seem like it was gliding, flying…

"You didn't say anything," Rin answered and then pushed off the railing, walking in the vicinity of the gift shop and away from Haru as that was the damn problem.

It wasn't that the dates had gone wrong – it was that it almost seemed like Haru didn't care that they had.

Rin felt something sting at the corner of his eyes as he stormed through the aquarium trying to find his way out and turning around a wrong corner so that instead of being near the gift shop he was in front of a large tank with dolphins in. He walked towards it, watching wide eyed as they seemed to elegantly cut through the water like Haru did, Rin's hand touching the cool glass as they swam.

He hastily wiped a hand across his eyes, glad that Sousuke was probably getting blown by Makoto or something and that meant he didn't see him as he pressed his head against the glass, his fingers of one hand clenching into fist.

"Rin…"

He turned his head briefly when he heard Haru's voice and he was aware they were alone, glad that there were no kids or families or their friends. It was feeding time with the otters or something so everyone must've been there. He'd hear Momo talk about it.

"I'm sorry…"

"Naw… we're just sucky, right? Me and you… this isn't meant to be Haru. Let's stop kidding ourselves."

Rin didn't look at Haru as he said the words, his voice harsher than he intended as he spoke. As he finished, he turned to see how Haru looked and he wanted to kick himself for his tone as Haru looked… lost. Wide eyed. And Rin couldn't kid himself as much as he wanted to.

He had always loved Haruka Nanase in his own stupid dumbass way. Whether it was when they were kids and it was puppy love. Whether it was now when he wanted to kiss him, touch him… whatever, Rin Matsuoka had to admit it. That no matter that they had screwed up six dates… well, that didn't matter. As he loved Haru.

Haru looked ready to bolt, back away and run but Rin didn't let him, grabbing for his wrist, pulling him close and kissing him like Haru had kissed him that first time. Needy and sloppy and full of teenage passion and longing. Haru kissed back, a hand in Rin's hair, a hand on the small of his back and they pressed close together, chest to chest, Rin almost feeling his own rapid heartbeat mirrored by Haru's.

Unaware of the world around them – the blue lighting from the aquarium, the sound of other patrons, not bothering where their friends had ended up, Rin gripped for Haru's body, running his hands over his back, through his hair, down to ass, kissing him with everything he could: telling Haru with his tongue, his lips, his breath that he did love him, even if they were dumbass teenagers, even if things ended up screwed up, even if their relationship wasn't going to last long and be set with disasters. Or maybe as dating had been so amazingly chaotic and crazy… maybe… maybebeing "together" would be pain free. Rin could dream that as he pulled back, his hand reaching for Haru's cheek, a thumb across his skin gently.

"No more dates," he said softly.

Haru agreed with a curt nod. "No more dates."

Rin took hold of Haru's hand, lacing their fingers together and they set out to walk around the aquarium together, on their "not date date". As they were looking at the jellyfish, both watching them lazily swim through the tanks, multi-coloured lights illuminating the darkened room, Rin let a small smile cross his face. Or he did briefly.

Until he suddenly saw Makoto running, Sousuke a few steps behind him, a clear look of something like panic on Makoto's face and amusement on Sousuke's.

Stopping and catching his breath, Makoto explained in rushed pants.

"Nagisa… tried… to get into the penguin enclosure… they're now locked up in the security office…"

Rin tried not to laugh as the seriousness of Makoto's expression and the ridiculousness of what he was saying but Sousuke had something to add.

"And Momo and Ai might be there too… Momo touched an otter."

The amusement of finding out Nagisa had been an idiot vanished as Rin had to fit into his captains role to gather up Momo and Ai. Rolling his eyes, he gave Haru a small smirk.

"Guess we have to pick up our idiot friends…"

After they were collected, Rei looking scandalised at Nagisa and his behaviour, and also more annoyed that he had been taken to security too, and Momo still excitable while Ai looked mortified, they all waited for the train. It was tempting to snicker under his breath at the fact lifetime bans had been handed out but Rin kept an arm around Haru's waist as they waited, kissing lightly at his forehead as they watched the other's alternate between arguing and teasing each other.

"I gotta take these idiots back to Samezuka, teach 'em a lesson, you know?"

"I know," Haru breathed and when the train arrived, they sat together, listening to excitable chatter as they leant against each both maybe a little relieved that their last "not date date" was done and they were now just together.