Yes and I so glad people are excited about it!
Rin, as you know from my announcement post, is my fave swim bae with Makato a close second (maybe tied for first because Coach Makato is my new drug as much as Captain Rin is).
So I’m switching this if you don’t mind because the scene I had pop in my head worked a bit better if the s/o is visiting him in Japan. Hope you enjoy and thank you for the ask and the enthusiasm!
Starts out melancholy but ends fluffy!
“Nitori! Don’t spread your legs too far, you’ll get fatigued faster!”
“Hai, Rin-senpai!”
“Momo! Stop flailing around! I thought you could swim?!”
“Sorry captain, I thought I saw Gou!”
Rin rubbed his forehead. At this rate he’d look like an old man before he graduated! Twirling the chain of the whistle held loosely in his hand, he continued observing and giving guidance to his swimmers. Thank goodness he’d done his work out already, he was going to be here a while whipping these little sharks into shape. But despite his irritation, he felt his lips tilting up a bit as he saw Nitori do a flawless turn and Momo finally swim a perfectly straight and fast line; maybe there was hope for them yet.
A dull murmur from behind vied for his attention but he ignored it until an unmistakable voice came to his ear. “Good to see you smiling again, I thought maybe you’d forgotten how.”
Rin slowly turned around, chest tight and palms suddenly sweaty. He stared, blinking rapidly. Did he have too much chlorine in his eyes? No, not with wearing goggles. So the only other explain there could be was you were actually there.
“What are you doing here?” he blurted out.
You rolled your eyes, hands resting on your hips. “Is that anyway to greet a foreign guest?” you teased, eyes lighted with mirth.
“Rin-senpai, did you see- oh, hello!” Nitori scrambled into a bow, saying to the floor, “Welcome to Samezuka! I’m Nitori Aiichiro, please to meet you-” he paused as he stood straight.
“________,” you supplied, returning the bow with a slight bend of your waist. Your eyes met Rin’s once more. “That’s how you do it,” you laughed. Turning on your heel you called over your shoulder, “Catch you later, captain!”
For some reason, Rin’s cheeks flushed pink.
“Captain, are you ok? Who was that?!” Momo asked bounding next to Nitori.
But Rin was already moving to follow you, calling over his shoulder, “Take five, I’ll be back!”
You took a deep breath of chemical free air, letting the breeze cool your face. It was odd seeing Rin again after so long. After you’d parted on not the greatest of terms.
Watching him work with his team, it was like you were looking at a completely different person; maybe you were. Because the Rin you knew wouldn’t have been caught dead instructing, much less encouraging others; especially younger teammates.
He seemed bigger somehow, which you couldn’t really understand since it had only been a year since you last saw him. Still, a lot can happen in that time and you wondered what it was that took the snot nosed, high and mighty Mastuoka Rin down a few notches; while somehow elevating him at the same time.
You were about to head off campus back to your hotel when Rin called out, “Wait up!”
You stopped, turning to watch as he ran up to you. He halted, slightly out of breath which you found funny considering how much he probably trained. Red eyes met yours and you almost gasped at the wealth of emotion playing in them. It’d been so long since you’d seen him look so alive, so present, so…on fire.
“Looks like Japan’s been good to you,” you said with a soft smile. You’d planned on giving him a harder time, maybe pull a little “turn about’s fair play” crap but it all felt so childish. What would throwing his past poor behavior into his face accomplish? Nothing.
“Yeah, I…a lot happened.” He looked up to the sky and took a deep breath. “My friends helped me a lot,” he admitted looking back down to you.
“I could have helped you too, if you’d have let me.”
Damn it.
Rin’s expression said it all, regret plainly painted on his handsome features and you wanted to kick yourself. So before you could make matters worse, you followed up that lovely drop kick with, “Well, gotta run, it was good seeing you Rin. Good luck with practice!”
Then you turned tail and ran.
Rin watched your ever diminishing figure with a tightness in his chest he’d forgotten existed. Why didn’t he stop you? Call out, say something to get you to turn around.
Because I have no idea what to say.
He didn’t even know why you were here. He’d like to think it was solely to see him but that was wishful thinking at its best. Before he left Australia, he’d been an absolute ass to everyone – including you. You, who’d welcomed him his first day of classes with a smile instead of mocking laughter. You, who’d helped him with his homework as best you could given the language barrier you both had. You who he’d fallen so completely in love with but refused to acknowledge that fact because how could he accomplish his dream of standing on the international stage if you were there distracting him?
So he’d pushed you away – hard.
Now, here you were again, only you were the one running away. And he knew that’s what you were doing because he recognized the look you held in your eyes. It was the same one he’d let show only in his reflection at home.
“Better get moving.”
Souske’s voice had Rin’s head whipping around so fast he felt dizzy; or maybe it was left over nerves from seeing you up close again looking more amazing than he remembered.
“But I-”
“No buts! Second chances don’t always turn into thirds. Go! Now!”
Clenching his fist and jaw, Rin nodded once, turned on his heel and sprinted in the direction you’d headed. He could only hope his longer limbs would carry him farther faster before he lost any hope of finding you.
Your chest hurt and legs burned and why were you still running?
Stopping to catch your breath, you leaned heavily against a light post. What the hell was wrong with you? It’s not as though Rin even knew how you felt! You’d never made it known, never had the guts to open your mouth and shout, “Stop being an asshole because I can’t be in love with an asshole!”
What a confession that would have made!
But it was no use. Rin’s first – and really if you were honest – only love was swimming. He lived and breathed it like the shark he was and you refused to place the burden of your feelings on him. Why ruin what you had?
But he’d done that on his own. Pushing you away, making you feel like you were worthless and a waste of time to even be friends with let alone anything more. The memories stirred pain in your heart drawing tears to your eyes. Why? Why after all this time did it still hurt this much to even look at him?
The call of your name made you inhale sharply. Your head rose, eyes widening as Rin barreled towards you at a frantic pace.
“What are you doing here?” you asked as he – now for good reason – stopped breathless before you.
Despite his exertion, he managed a smirk. “Is that anyway to greet the man who loves you?”
“Listen here, Rin, you-”
Wait.
“What did you say?” you asked, voice quiet and small.
Rin flashed a bright smile, drawing closer. One hand landed upon your shoulder, the other gently on the side of your face. “I love you. I have for years. I just-,” he sighed, closing his eyes. Opening them once more he leaned forward, drawing his face closer to your own. “I have no excuse other than I was young and stupid. Please…can you forgive me for treating you so terribly?”
You stared, mouth parted slightly as you tried to gobble in air. Was this really happening? Dumbly, you nodded and he moved again, pressing his lips to yours in a sweet soft kiss.
You wrapped your arms around his neck, his own sliding to encircle your waist hugging you close.
Sniffling you said, “Just so we’re clear, you’re still young and still stupid.” His laugh rumbled against your chest and you smiled. “But then again,” you went on pulling back to look into his eyes, “so am I.”
“No,” he insisted, nuzzling his nose against yours. “You’re brilliant and beautiful and bright and sweet and caring and…and…there aren’t enough words in the world to describe what you are.”
“There’s only one I care about to describe me,” you said leaning up on tiptoes to brush your lips against his. “Yours.”
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