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Rin stood in front of Rei’s bookcase, scanning his impressive, almost intimidating collection of books. There was very little fiction on the shelf (though he’d already slid some of what there was out to borrow – he was interested in what kind of stories Rei read for fun), and the rest was dedicated to books on theory.
Theory on… a lot of things, Rin noted. He’d thought it was just swimming and math, but there were track books as well (not that surprising), and books on biology and chemistry (still not too surprising), art and music (of course, he’d been wanting to improve his profiency in those areas), interpretive dance and wood carving (okay, well, it was true Rin had never heard him mention an interest in either…), and basket weaving (what).
“Why do you have so many books? Are you even interested in any of this stuff?”
“I was interested in them at some point in my life, even if I’m not as interested now,” answered Rei dismissively, not looking up from his homework. Rin had arrived earlier than he was supposed to for their movie date that night, hoping they could just hang out a little before heading to the theater. But Rei hated having his schedule thrown off, so of course he’d told Rin to occupy himself while he finished his homework for the night. One day, Rin was resolved to get his boyfriend to indulge in a little spontaneity, but he couldn’t begrudge him getting his homework done.
“Yeah, but basket weaving? Did you really do interpretive dance?”
“I saw it on television once, thought it looked beautiful. I wanted to try it. Is there something wrong with that?”
Rin grinned, though Rei wasn’t looking at him to get the full effect. “Can I see it sometime?”
“I wasn’t very good at it.”
“Really? But you’re so flexible and graceful.”
Rin’s grin widened when the tips of Rei’s ears turned pink, but then fell again when he said, “Flattery will get you nowhere. I’m really busy, Rin.”
Rin pouted but turned his attention back to the bookcase, pulling out two more books on swimming he hadn’t read to add to the pile he was borrowing. Rei had been almost terrified at first of letting anyone touch his precious collection, but now book swapping was just a thing they did. Rei trusted Rin not to do his books any harm, and while it might seem like a small thing to others, that meant something to Rin.
But right then, his interest in the bookcase was waning fast. It wasn’t that he expected Rei to entertain him (he had been the one to come early and impose, after all), and normally they were both fine doing their own thing in each other’s presence. They liked that, it was how they worked. But Rin was feeling a little antsy for no real reason, and he was running out of things in Rei’s room to poke through.
At least, until he saw something sitting there that he’d never noticed before, blocked partially by a picture of the Iwatobi team together. Some sort of little wooden figurine. He reached for it and gingerly pulled it off the shelf, squinted, and recognized it as that ridiculous mascot suit they’d crammed him in once.
“Hey Rei, what’s this?”
Rei actually obliged him by looking up and twisting so he could see what Rin was holding out toward him. “Oh, that? That’s my Iwatobi-chan keychain.”
Rin snorted, looking back at it. “Why do you have it? I didn’t know you cared much about school spirit.”
“Haruka-senpai was giving them out as a “perk” for joining the swim team,” Rei said, and Rin could just hear those air quotes. “He put so much effort into them, well, I had to keep mine.”
“Haru made this?” repeated Rin, staring at it. Was there anything Haru couldn’t do, and do well? Rin was starting to think there wasn’t.
He twisted the keychain around in his hand, then suddenly snapped his head up to look at Rei. “O-oi, this isn’t why you joined the swim club, is it?”
Rei gave him an affronted look. “Of course not! I joined because Haruka-senpai’s swimming was so beautiful, I wanted to swim like him!”
Okay, well, Rin understood that, having felt the same thing about Haru’s swimming on numerous occasions. He gave a hum of satisfaction, started to put the keychain back in its place, and then an idea struck.
“Hey, since you don’t sound like you like it that much, I think I’ll take it.”
Rin didn’t actually want Iwatobi-chan, but the speed with which Rei switched his focus from his homework to Rin was satisfying. “Hey, I didn’t say I didn’t want it!”
“You just don’t sound too attached to it, that’s all.” Rin looked mock-lovingly at the keychain. “Iwatobi-chan deserves to be with someone who appreciates him.”
He moved like he was going to put it in his pocket, and Rei sprung to his feet, reaching out. “Give it back, Rin.”
“No,” said Rin petulantly, and stuck his tongue out to complete the effect. That was all it took for Rei to spring at him.
Instinctively, Rin clutched the toy and held it over his head, but as he and Rei were the same height that wasn't near enough. He pressed his hand to Rei’s chest to hold him back, arching his own to pull his hand out of Rei’s reach.
“Give it back,” snapped Rei, doing his best to look annoyed, but Rin could see the twitch of a smile on his face. He enjoyed this game as much as Rin did.
“You’re gonna have to try harder than that, Ryugazaki!”
“Or maybe I should just change tactics.”
Before Rin could guess what he meant, Rei stopped groping for his hand and shot his fingers for Rin’s sides instead, tickling fiercely. Rin couldn’t help but cough out a laugh, stumbling away from Rei. His boyfriend kept after him, not letting up on the tickling.
“Rei- haha- Rei, fuck, stop you- hah- you know I h-hate that!”
“Surrender Iwatobi-chan and I’ll stop!”
“NEVER!” Rin crowed, jumping away from him and leaping up onto Rei’s bed. He expected Rei to stop and gripe at him about jumping on his mattress, so he was surprised when Rei followed after him, mirroring Rin’s stance as they circled each other.
Maybe Rei was learning to be more spontaneous.
“Give Iwatobi-chan back, you fiend!”
Rin held the keychain up over his head again. “You can pry him out of my cold, dead hands!”
“You asked for it!” And Rei lunged, hooking Rin around the waist in an attempt to pull him down. Rin countered by twisting in his arms pulling Rei into a headlock.
“Do you give up?” he asked, rubbing his knuckles against Rei’s scalp. Rei let go of his waist and started trying to pry Rin's arm off him.
“Never!”
They grappled around like that for another moment, Rin forgetting he had the keychain in his hand.
Until he felt a snap and froze.
Sensing his sudden tenseness, Rei stopped too, looking worriedly at his face, afraid he’d hurt him.
“Rin?”
Rin didn’t answer, instead opening his hand to look at Iwatobi-chan. “Oh. Crap.”
Rei moved to see as well, and his jaw dropped. In Rin’s hand was Iwatobi-chan, with its leg snapped off.
“You broke it!?”
“J-just the leg! I’m sure I can fix it.”
“You broke Iwatobi-chan!” repeated Rei, looking a lot more upset than Rin would have thought for such a bizarre keychain. Then again, it was from when Rei first joined the team.
“Look, I’m really, really sorry,” he said, sincerely, and Rei looked away from the toy to frown at him. “But I’m gonna fix it, okay? Just… where do you keep the superglue?”
Rei sighed, adjusting his glasses in a show of exasperation. “In the kitchen, first drawer in the row.”
“On it,” said Rin, hopping off the bed and hurrying to the door. “You just finish your homework, babe.”
“This is why you should watch how you handle other’s possessions!” yelled Rei after him. Rin scowled, but didn’t give a parting shot back. He probably deserved that.
He tripped down the stairs to the Ryugazaki kitchen and opened the drawer Rei had directed him too, digging around for the bottle of superglue. He found it quickly enough, pulled off the cap, and carefully squirted a dollop onto the body of the toy. Then he pressed the leg in it, held it until it dried, and examined his work.
There was glue visible around the leg and it didn’t sit straight. Rin grimaced.
He tried to clean it up a little, but it didn’t help. There was no way this would hold up to Rei’s standards, but there wasn’t much else he could do about it.
Actually feeling guilty now, he trudged back up to Rei’s room. Rei was back in the floor at his table, bent over his homework, brow creased in concentration. Rin cleared his throat to get his attention, then thrust the toy out for him to inspect, eyes on the floor.
“How’s it look?”
He felt Rei take it from him, waited as he studied it with a, “Hmm,” then looked up when Rei set it on the table and said, “Thank you for fixing it.” He had a light smile on his face, but his eyes lingered on the glue spot.
Rin stared at it, sitting all lopsided and ugly on Rei’s table, and felt guilt twist his gut. Rei seemed to have already put it aside, but what if he was more upset than he was letting on?
As though he could tell Rin was about to get locked up in his own head, Rei got to his feet and wrapped his arms around Rin’s shoulders, kissing him. “Anyway, we should get going if we’re going to make it to the movie on time.”
Rin blinked, and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was about time to go. “Oh. I didn’t notice.”
“Our cavorting around did eat up a lot of time,” Rei said disapprovingly, and Rin couldn’t help but snort out a laugh. “I didn’t quite finish. I still have one problem left.” He waved his hand dismissively. “But I can finish it when I get back. Let’s go.”
He dropped his arms and took Rin’s hand. Rin relaxed, and didn’t even look back at Iwatobi-chan. Of course Rei wasn’t angry. He forgave him. Rin felt a small sense of relief as he walked with Rei to the movie theater.
…
But he still found himself at Haru’s door two days later.
It wasn’t that he thought Rei was mad about it – Rei had put up with worse shit from Rin and hadn’t left him, and this was just an accident. Still, he felt bad about it; it held sentimental value for Rei, and now it was broken because of him and his stupid idea.
So there was only one thing to do: swallow his pride and beg Haru to make another one.
He’d already knocked the door twice, but there’d been no answer. Scowling, he banged harder, yelling, “I know you’re in there, Haru, I can see your lights on!”
A moment passed, and then the door opened. Haru was standing there, in an apron of all things, giving him his usual flat stare with a hint of annoyance you had to know him well to see. “Rin,” he said, which served as all the invitation Rin needed.
“Hey. I came to ask you for a big favor.”
“What is it?”
“Do you remember those Iwatobi-chan keychains you made? To get people to join the swim team?” Haru nodded, once. “Well, I need you to make another one.”
Haru stared at him a moment, then his eyes widened in surprise. “Rin,” he said, seriously. “You like Iwatobi-chan too?”
“No! Why would I like your stupid mascot?”
Calling Iwatobi-chan stupid was apparently the wrong choice, as Haru’s eyes narrowed dangerously. Rin wouldn’t have backed down in front of that, except he needed Haru’s help.
“Look, it’s for Rei, okay? I… sorta broke the one he had, so I need to get him another.”
Haru didn’t look any less angry. “You broke it?”
“Yeah. I tried-“
Haru slammed the door in his face before he could say more.
Rin blinked in shock at the door for a moment, before it fully registered that Haru just slammed a door on him.
Oh hell no. No one slammed doors in the face of Rin Matsuoka.
“HARU! YOU OPEN THIS DOOR RIGHT NOW OR I WILL BREAK IT DOWN!” he yelled, banging on it as hard as he could. He was hitting it so rapidly that he almost fell forward a few seconds later when the door did open.
Makoto was standing there, wearing an apologetic smile. “Sorry about that, Rin. Would you like to come in?”
Rin slowly worked the scowl off his face and nodded. “Yes, thank you,” he said, forcing his voice from rage mode to polite mode for Makoto.
“It’s my house,” he heard Haru snap from the kitchen, and his voice rose immediately again as he shouted, “Damn it, Haru, just help me!”
“Let’s just calm down,” said Makoto, sounding more like a stern parent than Haru’s friend/soul mate. Rin wanted to argue, but bit back the urge. Arguing with Makoto would just make him feel like an asshole.
Haru apparently felt the same, because he appeared in the doorway, giving Rin a hard look. “He broke Iwatobi-chan,” he informed Makoto.
“What happened, Rin?” Makoto asked, and Rin scowled.
“Look, I was just horsing around and I snapped off its leg. I tried to glue it back on but it looks bad.” His scowl fell, replaced by sheepishness. “I just want to get him a new one that doesn’t look like crap.”
Makoto chuckled. “I can’t believe Rei kept it,” he said, which earned him a hard look from Haru.
“Why wouldn’t he?” he asked, and Makoto froze, a shiver running down his spine.
“Ah, well, I just meant, um… you’re right, of course he would.”
Rin smirked. Makoto sighed and turned to face Haru again.
“Anyway, Haru,” he said, a bit too quickly, “why don’t you go upstairs and get a new one for Rin? You still have the bag of all of them, right?”
Haru gave them both one last scathing look (Haru’s own version of a scathing look, anyway) before going off toward his room. Makoto breathed another sigh, of relief this time.
“There’s a whole bag?” Rin asked, looking at Makoto incredulously. Makoto just gave a sheepish laugh in reply.
Haru was only gone half a minute. He returned, holding, to Rin’s shock, a few different versions of Iwatobi-chan.
“This is for Rei,” Haru asserted as Rin elected not to comment on the Iwatobis and instead just take a normal one. “Not you.”
“Jeez, sorry for pissing everybody off,” muttered Rin, holding the Iwatobi-chan carefully so as not to break it. “Thanks.”
Haru didn’t respond, instead turning to go back to his cooking. Makoto chuckled again, and said, “Make sure that one gets back to Rei in one piece.”
Rin smiled back. “You can count on it.”
…
Rin was still adjusting to how much Rei’s mom liked him. He’d been hoping that his parents would take the news that they were dating well, but he hadn’t been expecting them to accept him into their family as quickly as they had. He hadn’t been surprised when his own mother had grown immediately fond of Rei, he was the kind of guy that anyone’s parents would love, but he hadn’t been prepared for the reverse.
“I went from few friends and not even wanting a relationship to having four close friends and an amazing boyfriend in two years, they’re ecstatic,” was all Rei had said about it, and Rin hadn’t pressed him for more, mostly because he never trusted his voice after Rei did things like call him “amazing” so casually.
She greeted him with a cheery, “Rin-kun!” at the door, telling him that Rei was up in his room, and saying, “You’ll stay for dinner, won’t you, Rin-kun?” She pushed up her glasses in a way that was far too reminiscent of her son, and Rin had to fight not to smile in amusement.
He used to say he didn’t want to impose and things like that whenever this invitation came, but now he skipped their usual dialogue where she insisted and smiled instead, saying, “I wouldn’t miss it, Ryugazaki-san, thank you.”
She beamed at him before bustling off to the kitchen. Rin went up to find Rei.
Predictably, he was doing homework, brow furrowed as he bent over his paper. Rin leaned in the doorway a moment, admiring the way the sun caught his hair, the way his eyes moved over the page, the bizarrely elegant way his fingers held the pencil. The t-shirt he was wearing was loose, and more’s the pity, but some of it had come untucked, and Rin caught a glimpse of the skin on Rei’s back.
Sometimes he was perfectly content to just look at Rei, but today he was on a mission.
“E equals M C squared,” he said helpfully, and Rei’s head shot up to look at him.
“…This is chemistry homework,” he chided, but he was smiling as Rin strode into the room to sit down next to him. “What are you doing here?”
“Do I need a reason?” Rin huffed, thinking he really did need to get Rei used to spontaneity. “But luckily for you, I have one. I brought you something.”
Rin watched as Rei went from confused to worried. “Oh no. Is today- I didn’t forget anything, did I?”
Rin bopped him the head, the way he did any time Rei got some stupid idea in his head about doing anything wrong, making him frown. “There’s nothing today, I just wanted to get you this.”
On the last word, he revealed the new Iwatobi-chan proudly, and waited.
He wasn’t sure what reaction he was expecting, but for Rei to start laughing wasn’t it. “H-hey!” he said, affronted, and hit Rei’s chest lightly with the back of his hand. “That’s rude!”
“Sorry, sorry, it’s just that… did you really go to Haruka-senpai and ask for another one?”
Rin scowled dangerously. “Maybe.”
Rei stopped laughing, and looked a little confused. “But you fixed the other one. You didn’t have to do that.”
“Yeah, but now it’s all ugly and… look, just take this one and replace the other one, okay?” Rin looked away pointedly, still scowling.
He didn’t realize Rei had gotten up until he crossed into his line of sight, standing by the bookshelf. He arranged the new Iwatobi and the broken one next to each other, so the broken one was leaning slightly on the new. Their heads were too big for their wings to touch, so their cheeks touched instead.
“Beautiful,” said Rei in satisfaction. “Don’t you think?”
Rin huffed out a laugh. “They still look really weird to me,” he said, as Rei flopped unceremoniously into his lap, leaning back against his chest. “Why couldn’t you have a mascot that’s actually cute or cool?”
“Don’t let Haruka-senpai hear you say that.”
Rin said nothing, and Rei started laughing again, entwining Rin’s fingers in his.