[ it's unsettling to be talking in terms like this: protecting one another, fighting off dangers. it doesn't feel real when he says the words aloud, but he still means it. he'll do everything he can to make sure they make it through this—rin, and ylfa, and gerard.
haru hangs loosely onto rin's sleeves so he can move, at least. ]
I could use it better.
[ it's just habit to make everything a competition, but there's nothing needling in his tone. he's apparently worked through the worst of his (1) allotted emotion for the day. ]
...Oh. [ normally, he'd get in one of the sleeping bags, but he just lays out on the other side of the lumpy pillows and blankets. don't freak out rin, touch week allows for them to be within 5' apart and not gay. ] You've spoken to him before?
[ he's just sighs in agreement, dissolving into a pile of mush. being horizontal only makes him very aware of how tense he's been since he woke up, muscles aching. ]
[ there isn't even much they need to attend to. their last, boring year of high school. odd iwatobi festival traditions. being late to practice. but all he wants is to go back to worrying about college, and how to shave time off his laps, and summer swim competitions. he grips rin's hand with sudden, urgent tightness. ]
Rin. I'm glad it wasn't you. [ is that a terrible thing to say? it probably is, but he's okay with that right now. ]
[ His eyes shine again, warm from Haru's words. Among everything else, this also feels unreal. How deep his envy and longing was just a week ago, convinced that he had to throw Haru away if he wanted to succeed as a swimmer.
It was so stupid. How lost would he be without him? How much more afraid? ]
I'm glad it wasn't you too. I don't... [ He grips his hand tight in return. ] I need you to stay with me.
[ rin has always been demanding, and when they'd first met, it'd annoyed him to death. maybe being ambitious came with being pushy, and explosive in emotion.
but that's what it took to enter haru's orbit, stubborn and isolated and set in his path as he was. and now that rin's here again—his heart warms a little. what's happening is scary, but at least they can face it together. he thinks to say, yeah, i need you here, too.
what actually comes out: ]
...Okay.
[ he squirms in closer to steal some of the blankets, and rests his head against rin's shoulder in the process. ]
[ The reassurance helps, even if he has a hard time believing it. This is so beyond what either of them have ever experienced or dealt with before, Rin can very keenly the lack of control they have over the situation.
But Haru stays close, for now, and that's all he could ask for.
He shifts closer to Haru too, while still holding onto his hand, too exhausted to even be embarrassed by the proximity. ]
Good. [ Grumbles. ] Text me more often too. Makoto's not here to manage your correspondence.
[ his gut response is to argue, because texting is a pain and he shouldn't have to just acquiesce to all of rin's demands, but also someone just died and so he, perhaps, sees that this is a reasonable request.
it is a little weird that "because someone just died" is a thing they need to get used to. ]
I don't need Makoto to do it.
[ yes, he does. he doesn't move from where he's settled. ]
[ Yes, he does. Rin actually wonders how Haru is going to manage without Makoto... Should he step up and taken on Makoto's responsibilities? Psychically intuiting Haru's feelings and helping him get out of the pool?
Pushing those thoughts away, grumbling slightly. ]
Is that surprising? There's plenty to be freaked out around here.
[ he should just scoff, but the weight of death is still around, and he goes silent for a second instead, a quiet that stretches too long and too awkwardly because he's not good at talking.
he doesn't know how to ask rin not to leave. that's always been the problem. all he can promise is that he'll stay and hope rin does the same. he grumbles, ]
[ The silence does go on a little too long not to be awkward, and for a second Rin wonders if Haru thinks he's being serious. He was a jerk for a good period of time before they got here...
Then Haru just grumbles, and he relaxes. Even if it is still awkward. ]
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haru hangs loosely onto rin's sleeves so he can move, at least. ]
I could use it better.
[ it's just habit to make everything a competition, but there's nothing needling in his tone. he's apparently worked through the worst of his (1) allotted emotion for the day. ]
...Can we go inside? I'm tired.
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[ But he sighs, tired from the day (it's barely noon). ]
... Yeah. I slept terribly last night. Where were you anyway?
[ His head hurts from crying... But anyway, he heads inside. ]
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but first, he just follows into the warehouse. ]
Pool.
[ obviously ]
Where were you? Were you alone?
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Realises he shouldn't be surprised Haru was at the pool. ]
I was in McDonald's. Hikari was there too with his entire team.
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Yeah, a couple times. He reminded me of a manga protagonist. No family... A life of hardship, but devoted and strengthened by his friends.
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he holds his hand and then smiles. not happily, but in like, shock. ]
...That doesn't even sound real.
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Yeah, but nothing sounds real around here.
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If only this were all a play. Or an anime.
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[ shifts a little closer to haru ]
Tch, even if it were I wouldn't want to be in it. I'm happy with our boring school lives.
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[ there isn't even much they need to attend to. their last, boring year of high school. odd iwatobi festival traditions. being late to practice. but all he wants is to go back to worrying about college, and how to shave time off his laps, and summer swim competitions. he grips rin's hand with sudden, urgent tightness. ]
Rin. I'm glad it wasn't you. [ is that a terrible thing to say? it probably is, but he's okay with that right now. ]
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[ His eyes shine again, warm from Haru's words. Among everything else, this also feels unreal. How deep his envy and longing was just a week ago, convinced that he had to throw Haru away if he wanted to succeed as a swimmer.
It was so stupid. How lost would he be without him? How much more afraid? ]
I'm glad it wasn't you too. I don't... [ He grips his hand tight in return. ] I need you to stay with me.
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but that's what it took to enter haru's orbit, stubborn and isolated and set in his path as he was. and now that rin's here again—his heart warms a little. what's happening is scary, but at least they can face it together. he thinks to say, yeah, i need you here, too.
what actually comes out: ]
...Okay.
[ he squirms in closer to steal some of the blankets, and rests his head against rin's shoulder in the process. ]
I wasn't going anywhere.
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But Haru stays close, for now, and that's all he could ask for.
He shifts closer to Haru too, while still holding onto his hand, too exhausted to even be embarrassed by the proximity. ]
Good. [ Grumbles. ] Text me more often too. Makoto's not here to manage your correspondence.
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it is a little weird that "because someone just died" is a thing they need to get used to. ]
I don't need Makoto to do it.
[ yes, he does. he doesn't move from where he's settled. ]
Are you scared when I don't?
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Pushing those thoughts away, grumbling slightly. ]
Is that surprising? There's plenty to be freaked out around here.
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even if he is annoying sometimes. ]
We sleep in the same house. You'll see me everyday.
[ it's kind of an argument—he doesn't need to text when they live together, does he?—but beneath that, a reassurance. ]
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but rin just snorts. ]
When you put it like that, I should be more worried about getting tired of you.
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he raises his head just enough to bonk rin's shoulder in retaliation, hair mussled up against his forehead when he stays there. ]
You just said you need me here.
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he is bonked, and it just makes him grin at the ceiling. ]
Yeah, but then you raised a good point.
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he doesn't know how to ask rin not to leave. that's always been the problem. all he can promise is that he'll stay and hope rin does the same. he grumbles, ]
Don't joke.
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Then Haru just grumbles, and he relaxes. Even if it is still awkward. ]
You're worrying too much.
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right now he is just focusing on their points of contact. rin's hand. his shoulder. he's safe. they're safe. ]
You make me worry. [ ... ] Because you're an idiot.
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[ He lifts a hand hand to knock Haru on the top of his head. ]
I don't want to hear that from someone with mackerel for brains.
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Yeah? I'm still smarter than you.
[ no they're both pretty dumb ]