The Insanity of Myself

Free! Iwatobi Swim Club: Misunderstanding

Summary: After hours in the swimming pool is when the best interactions happen - and they don't usually involve anything... school-inappropriate.

Warnings: Foul language.

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"You asshole!"

"You said-"

"That's not what I meant! How the hell did you get that meaning from that?!"

Rin growled as he sighed, his last yell ringing through the indoor pool. Nitori stood by the edge of the pool, hair still slightly damp from swim practice, eyes wet for a different reason.

"Rin-senpai! You said-" Nitori started, I've year finally escaping, but the red-haired shark interrupted him.

"I didn't mean it like you think!" Rin yelled back, fists clenching. "Yes, it would be fun to swim with Haru again. But..."

Nitori stood silent, waiting on an answer.

"It's not the same."

Nitori sniffed, shaking his head. "What do you mean?"

"I mean-"

"What, are we not the same as swimming with Haru?! Do you even realize-"

"Nitori!"

The gray haired kouhai quieted, sniffling. Rin sighed, raking a hand through his hair. "Nitori, swimming with you is different than swimming with Haru. There isn't as much competition, and it's easier, and I like it."

Nitori's eyes, focused down at the blue tiles of the pool, darted up. "You...You like it?"

Rin nodded. "It's relaxing.I have a set pace, but it's not... Gah!"

Nitori laughed at his flustered captain. "No words for it, Rin-senpai?"

Rin pointed to him, nodding. "Exactly.No words!" Sitting down heavily at the edge of the pool, his feet splashing into the cool water. "I hate not knowing what to say."

Nitori say beside him, his feet not quite touching the water. "I think I get what you mean."

"Then understand this."

Nitori blinked at his senpai, then yelped as he was shoved into the pool. Lucky, his school bag sat a few feet away, dry on the tiles. Rin slid in after him, sliding under the surface and letting bubbles escape from his nose. When he resurfaced, Nitori was floundering for the edge, gasping. "Rin-senpai!"

Laughing, the redhead leaned back, floating in the dark pool as Nitori failed to climb out. Rin watched Nitori give up, swim over, and reach over him, using him as a float.

It worked for about a second.

"Nitori!" Rin yelled, almost going under and narrowly avoiding kicking his kouhai in the head. But Nitori was laughing as his head popped above the surface, and soon, they reluctantly climbed out.

Rin shook out his red hair, earning a yelp from Nitori as the ice cold droplets hit him. "Rin-senpai!"

The third year's pruned hand ruffled his hair. "Let's head back."

He started walking, but stopped when Nitori didn't follow him. "Hm? Nitori?"

"Who do you prefer swimming with?"

In usual Nitori fashion, he'd blurted the question, no subtlety included.

Rin gave him the answer he hoped to convey by shoving him back in the pool and quietly saying something.

Nitori climbed back out, cold now with night settled in, and stared after his senpai. He swear he'd heard wrong.

"I never shoved Haru in the pool after hours."