Titolo: side by side
Fandom: Free!
Personaggi: Haruka Nanase/Rin Matsuoka
Genere: slice of life
Avvertimenti: future fic, in inglese
Parole: 836
Note: Per la seconda missione della seconda settimana del COW-T, "qualcosa di nuovo". Siccome non avevo mai scritto l'Harurin... e l'ho scritto di fretta perché boh. srsly non chiedetemi niente, è una cazzata, bon, posto, adieeeeeu.


It's the day after the Olympics' race, so they are both done. They have both grown into big, well developed men. Rin looks like he will never get rid of that shit eating grin, Haruka has learnt to let the outside world in. Not too much, but enough for more people to gravitate towards him even when he is not into the water.
Rin, however, has always been gravitating towards his raven-haired best friend. It's like his life was never fast enough, without Haruka. It was like the narration of his days dragged tiredly and boringly through days filled with nothing, an empty space with no life, no joy. But now they are both in the same hotel, tired after competing, after the adrenaline has pumped for long, infinite minutes in their veins. Rin has pushed himself over his own edge, he has felt life and love rush in his veins, pumping in his muscles like his life depended on swimming. He has cut through water like he had propellers, and yet. And yet Haru was a millisecond above him. He's shaken his hair in that way that Rin has always thought was pretentious. If his bangs were always a problem, then, "why don't you get a damn haircut already?" He scoffs, with that same smirk like he's making fun of Haru.
"Shut up, Rin," the other replies with his hair still wet from the daily bath - some things do not change, they never will, and Rin would never think of Haru as anything else than the same teenage boy who takes at least a bath each day.
"You know, you should get married to water," he sneers feeling stupid and silly and dumb, but that's Haruka for him. That's the kind of shit he says only to coax any kind of reaction from him. In response, he receives only a scoff, and then a sigh.
"That's impossible, legally."
"Yeah, I know, I was kidding, dumbass," the red-head replies rolling his eyes, and then he raises a brow in his signature 'what the fuck?' expression.
"You could marry Notting Hill," Haruka then retorts, his expression deadpan but laughter in his irises.
"Shut the fuck up," the other replies, slamming the door. Haruka snorts amused, before following him. "Where you going, Rin?"
"I'm gonna get a coffee, you boring asshole."
"Don't tell me you're offended now, RinRin."
"Oi," the taller warns with a slight hint in his voice.
Haruka smirks just a little, huffing a laugh out.
"Next time I'll kick your ass, I swear," Rin continues, only superficially annoyed. He wants to win, he wants to be at the top, but when Haruka wins he just cannot be angry or disappointed. He can just stare in awe, feel inspired, desire to be better. Haru will always be his Polar Star, the one he looks at to make sure his path is the right one. He orders a double black coffee.
"That's what you always say. A glass of water, please," Haruka adds to the bartender as he sits on his stool.
"Jesus, really, shut up," Rin retorts, really irritated now, because it's almost entirely true. He has beaten his nemesis sometimes, but not often enough to really feel satisfied.
"Why, are you mad that I keep winning?"
Haruka has gotten way cockier with the years. Not that he's gotten his head filled with bullshit, but he is just more comfortable with kidding, especially with his friends. The tighter he is with someone, the more he teases. That's part of camaradarie for him, anyway.
Rin throws a sideways glance at him, a threatening one, but then burst in a quiet giggle. "You were good yesterday, Haru," he says softly, with a shade of pride in his voice. He has gently pushed his friend towards competitive swimming, so he sort of made Haru into what he is now. He feels accomplished because swimming would be a poorer world without him. So many people would feel less inspired to make acquaintance with water, if it wasn't for Haruka. He knows he doesn't have the natural gift of making jaws drop. It's okay, though.
It's good enough that he is the only one who can keep up with this man, this man that he knows since childhood and that he's seen grow up. Not like Makoto did, but differently. He has been away from his life for years, and yet they were able to pick up again with no problems. They have chemistry. They are scarily similar, and hopelessly different, from two different worlds. They'll keep on swimming and challenging each other until they have to retire, and then probably even after.
It's healthy, it's joyful, it's just right for them. Haruka seems to be thinking the same, because while he sips fresh water, he looks up into crimson eyes and smiles just a little: he's happy.
And that's enough for now, Rin thinks as he mixes milk with his bitter beverage.
This just needs a bit more sugar.