bud and bloom [Free!, Haru/Rin, Teen]

[sodomhipped]

Title: bud and bloom [or read on Ao3]

Fandom: Free!

Pairing: Rin/Haru

Rating: Teen

Warning: None

Tags: Alternate Universe - Age Gap, Injuries, Injury Recovery

Summary: After an injury, Rin has to take a break from swimming. Since he can't swim, he goes back to Iwatobi high school to watch the swim team.

Event: Sakurathon 2025

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A couple stops on the sidewalk ahead of him to take a photo of the cherry blossoms, and Rin slides past them with irritation. He’s on the way to Iwatobi to watch the swimmers, as has become his habit in the afternoons. Because he’s an alum—and an Olympian—the school administrators don’t mind his presence.

The doctors made him promise that he wouldn’t exert himself, but he can at least do that much.

“Right now, more than anything, you need rest,” the doctor had said. “If you listen to instructions, you might be in shape for the next Olympics.”

When he arrives, the small team is already practicing.

There’s not very many students who use the pool. Rin has gotten to know them all by sight alone. They all look so young to him, although he supposes he’s less old than he feels.

Most of the students aren’t anything of note. Their forms are rough and they horse around as much as they swim. But there’s one in particular that has caught his eye. A slim young man with ocean-clear eyes. He swims with such single-mindedness. In all the time Rin has watched, he’s never deviated from freestyle. His arms cut through the water tirelessly, so smooth and so effortless that it makes Rin feel as if he can breathe for the first time in a very long time.

There’s something relaxing about watching the team. He keeps his eyes on the single-minded one. True to form, he outpaces all his peers, slipping down the lane like a fish under the blooming trees. At the same time, Rin wonders what he should do with himself for the rest of the evening. Without swimming, he has far too much time to spend. He could call Makoto, who he hasn’t seen in years. If he remembers correctly, a mutual friend mentioned that he ended up settling in Iwatobi a while back.

Midway through practice, the single-minded boy pulls himself out of the pool. It’s too early to be finished with practice, so Rin figures he needs to do something in the school.

Instead of walking into the building, the boy strides to Rin. He’s dripping as he goes, the imprint of his steps left on the pool deck in chlorinated water. When he stops, barely an arm length away, he regards Rin with curiosity. For a high school student, he gives the impression of someone much older, his expression fathomless and serious.

“Excuse me,” the boy asks. His eyes are even more clear up close. “Are you Matsuoka Rin?”

“I’m surprised you recognized me,” Rin says, raising his eyebrows. “Nice to meet you..?”

“Nanase Haru,” he answers. “Are you here to swim?”

“No,” Rin says. He tries not to feel bitter. He fails. “But you swim very well. Do you plan to continue in university?”

Nanase looks away. “I haven’t thought about it.”

“You should,” Rin says. He doesn’t mean to say anything more, but he finds himself adding, “Maybe we can swim together one day.”

Nanase’s eyes are back on him, and Rin wonders what he sees. Rin probably looks tired. Maybe Nanase only sees a worn out ex-Olympian, stupid enough to injure himself. That’s what all the articles are saying about him anyway. Since he recognized him, Nanase has probably seen them. Rin grimaces against the thought.

“I would like that,” Nanase says, perfectly polite. He gives so little away. The indent of his collarbone is still damp.

“Do you drink coffee?” Rin asks, surprising himself again. “We can grab one after you’re done here. My treat.”