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It was the same story every fucking year.
Last year Haru at least had the decency to pull his vanishing act after the party. The year before that was the morning of. But this year? He was so polite as to vanish right before the party started. The worst part was?
Everyone was acting so normal about it. It pissed Rin off.
“Why does he keep doing this?”
Rin spat, shoving the cake into the fridge so the icing wouldn’t melt. He wasn’t a baker by any means, Haru had the one up on him with everything like (except for cooking steak, thank you very much) this. Makoto hummed from next to him, clearly trying to stifle a chuckle. Rin bristled and slammed the fridge shut.
“It’s his birthday, he’s being rude as shit–”
“Easy, Rin. Haru-chan does what Haru-chan does. You know he doesn’t like being fussed over. Plus, lots of people and everything.”
It lingered on the tip of his tongue. If only you knew how much he gets fussed over when him and I– not the point. Rin rolled his eyes, and wiped his hands on his pants.
“I asked him this year if it was okay. He said it was fine! I even made Nagisa double check and ask him too!”
From the table, Sousuke sighed and tipped back a can of beer.
“Chill. He’s been doing this for ages. You’re the only one who still gets their panties in a twist over it.”
Sousuke ducked just in time for the plastic cup to miss his head, as it sailed across the room.
It was the benefit of the two of them knowing each other their whole damn lives. Maybe an unfortunate one for Rin now, because he sunk into the chair opposite Sousuke and dropped his head against the table with a loud noise.
“I swear to christ Sousuke, I don’t want to hear the words panties coming from your mouth again unless–”
“Quit being gross.”
Ikuya huffed, strolling back into the kitchen. Rin didn’t lift his head, but he felt something wet and cold press against his cheek. He shifted and looked up at sympathetic, yet amused eyes staring down at him. Ikuya held a cold soda against his cheek, which Rin took with an appreciative grumble.
“...sorry.”
Ikuya laughed, and sat beside him, nudging Rin with his knee under the table. Rin opened the tab, and pressed the cold can to his lips as Ikuya continued. “Stop fussing so much. He’ll come back, and everything will be fine. Besides, if you want to marry him so badly, better get used to it.”
Rin choked on his drink, and came close to spitting all over the table. Sousuke snorted from next to him, and Ikuya had to bite down a laugh as well. Rin kicked Ikuya’s shin under the table, slamming his soda on the wood.
“Shut up! Don’t even start. Okay mister know-it-all, where is he then? You seem so confident that ‘oh he’ll come right back’ when he doesn’t even give me the time of day where he is.”
Ikuya ignored him. But suspiciously, everyone else quieted in the room as well. Rin squinted.
“...you know where he is.”
Makoto stammered. “No!” Way too quickly. Rin latched on.
“You liar! You’re covering for him aren’t you??”
“I–No! Of course not! Haru-chan is just…” Makoto couldn’t even finish. Which enraged Rin further.
Of course his brain flew to the worst possible scenarios. His dad dropped dead at age 12, and ever since then his life has been one set of bad news after another. He was sick of people treating him like he couldn’t handle something like the truth.
Makoto sighed, and rolled his own bottle between his fingertips, a wartorn expression flush on his face. “It’s just…” But the hesitation only made Rin feel more prickly.
“Just what?”
Makoto glanced at Ikuya, who looked away. He saw Ikuya looking at Sousuke from the corner of his eye and equally tuck their gazes. Cowards.
“...it’s important to him.”
Rin’s mouth hung open for a moment. It wasn’t like the implications of that weren’t clear. And his head took it in the worst way imaginable.
“Right. I’m not. Got it.”
“Quiet, I am sick of your princess attitude every time Nanase acts remotely not perfect. Not saying I wouldn’t be happy if you dumped the guy but.”
“Shut the hell up, Sousuke.” Rin growled, his fingers clenching the soda can so tight it creaked a little. Ikuya’s hand covered Rin’s own, and he hated how the gesture was warm and reassuring and worked all in one. Rin glared at all of them.
“You all know, don’t you?”
Ikuya seemed ready to retort, but Sousuke stepped in.
“Quit interrogating everyone. You’re supposed to be off the clock.”
“I’m a cop, genius. I’m never not on the clock.”
“Interrogations are your worst field, zip it.”
Rin ignored him, and swept his gaze across the room. Rei and Nagisa weren’t even there yet, Asahi and Kisumi running late…but these three.
“You all know where he is.”
“No.”
“You know why the fuck he didn’t stick around for his own party.”
“Nope.”
“You know when he’ll be back.”
“Ah yeah, probably–”
“Aha!”
Rin spat, pointing a finger at Makoto and whirling on him. Ikuya and Sousuke glared at Makoto, who seemed to realize his blunder and choked up, staring down the length of Rin’s arm. All the while he waggled his finger in the brunette’s face.
“The hell does probably mean?”
“Way to go Makoto.” Sousuke groaned, taking another sip of his beer with a sigh. Ikuya rolled his eyes, and pressed his palms flat against the table, heaving himself up.
“Leave him alone, Rin. Come on, I need help getting something from downstairs.”
Rin bit his lip, staring furiously at the other two…before he slumped and slapped his soda back against the table, grumbling as he followed Ikuya down the stairs into his basement. Rin hated this place sometimes. He had specifically moved into this place because it had a giant tub, a guest bedroom, a giant kitchen and ample storage downstairs…and Haru still hadn’t even moved in yet!
What kind of guy paid his portion of rent on a place he never even lived in??
Ikuya was Haru’s best friend besides Makoto. Annoyingly, it felt like Ikuya was the one who understood him better than anybody. Rin definitely felt in last place compared to everybody. Even though they had been dating for years now, Rin was teetering on popping the question, but now.
He slammed the basement door behind him, and the noise from above dulled. Rin shoved his hands into his pockets, raising a brow at Ikuya.
“What do you even need, I didn’t know you were aware of the inner workings of my basement.”
“Nothing.”
Rin walked into him as he paused at the bottom of the steps. He grit his teeth.
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
“What the hell! Why did you drag me down here then??” Too busy contemplating murder, Rin shouldered Ikuya aside, going to stand awkwardly in front of a stack of storage bins instead. Ikuya reached up to tug the light cord, and leaned against the wall.
“You were making a fuss. Quit bullying Makoto, you know he’s a bad liar.”
“Not my fault. He should get better at it.” Rin kicked at the corner of a box nonsensically. And Ikuya just smiled at him, which only set him back to his bristling cat-like state. “What??”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t nothing me. Spit it out.”
Ikuya shook his head. “For someone who’s supposedly ready to propose, you’re awfully insecure.”
Rin wanted to bash his head into the shelves. But instead settled for tucking his gaze, muttering under his breath as he felt his ears burning. “Shut the hell up. You and Sou aren’t allowed to fuck anymore. I’m sick of you two teaming up on me.”
“Oh so you’re the only one allowed to fuck the dark haired mysterious guys. Got it.”
“Shut it!”
Ikuya laughed, and reached over to pull Rin’s hand from the shelves, pressing his fingers against Rin’s palm. Rin returned the favor by staring at the floor. He could feel those stupid lashes staring at him, and suddenly he wanted to sink into the floor.
“...does he hate being here?”
“Hm?” Ikuya let go as Rin pulled his hand back, pressing his own fingers into the divots of his palm. Though he still refused to make eye contact.
“Y’know. He still has his apartment…he doesn’t stay here that much…none of his shit is even here– I had to buy the shampoo he likes and a tooth brush and. He gripes about my cookware all the time, but doesn’t even bring his own over. Feels like...”
…like he’s hiding something from me?
It was at that moment Rin dared to glance over at Ikuya, and he saw something pass over his gaze. But it was gone an instant later, and Rin had to wonder if he just imagined it. He sighed, and pushed his bangs out of his face, dragging his hand down the back of his neck a moment later.
“Forget it. Sorry for talking your ear off. You’re right, this is just what he does.”
“Rin…”
“I got it, it’s fine.
The basement suddenly felt suffocatingly warm. Rin swallowed heavily, ready to excuse himself before he made a further fool of himself…shit. All he wanted to do was celebrate a day for Haru, for once. Be a little selfish and show him how much he loved him–even if Haru didn’t want to live together.
“No.”
Rin blinked. “Huh?”
“He doesn’t hate it. Being here.”
Rin jerked his head up, staring at Ikuya. Ikuya folded his arms, and sighed. His expression remained that annoying, cool all knowing manner he had about him. But something…something else lingered there. Rin bit his lip, unsure of how to proceed.
“Then why–”
Ikuya laughed. “Because it’s Haru.”
“That’s not an answer!”
“Just because it’s one you don’t like–”
“Quit talking about him like he’s some kind of cryptid, shit–”
“Well, he kind of is–”
“Not helping. What the hell does that even mean?”
Ikuya laughed. “Nevermind. Just quit thinking Haru’s apartment is somehow competing with you. Give him a little time. This is very new to him. He keeps a lot to himself, but not on purpose. Sharing that stuff is just hard sometimes. Let him breathe, he’ll be fine.”
Rin couldn’t help but agree with Ikuya’s words, even if something still felt horribly off in all of this. He leveled him with a glance that screamed uncertainty.
“...you promise he’s not hiding anything?”
“Let him come to you, Rin. He’ll be back. Trust me.”
Rin sighed, though he couldn’t help but latch onto something strange in Ikuya’s tone. Something that made him feel like he knew something but. Rin’s chest tightened painfully, but he nodded. That didn’t answer my question either…
It felt like everybody knew something he didn’t. It was alienating, but Rin knew better than to push it any further. He didn’t want Haru to come back (like everyone was so convinced he would) and find Rin stirring the pot.
So he told himself he could behave.
Ikuya tugged at his sleeve, and they went back upstairs together.
–
Rin first met Haru when Sousuke dragged him out to lunch after a particularly rough case.
Anything with kids made Rin’s skin crawl, and while it was rare in the quiet seaside town, it happened every now and again. Apparently going home and drinking yourself half to death wasn’t a good reaction.
And what followed was something Rin never could have predicted.
He met the most infuriating person he had ever stumbled across. Haruka fucking Nanase.
And was obsessed ever since.
The atmosphere at the restaurant was so unlike Sousuke, it almost took Rin for a loop. Rin had gone abroad for so many years though…it made sense. Did he really know Sousuke? Despite knowing each other since they were kids, he never thought he could see his friend acting so casual with people.
…maybe Rin had just been away for so long. They were both just different people.
But while he was stuck in his pouting, Sousuke was talking to the waiter (getting awfully friendly too…!) and suddenly Rin felt something sticky and cold all over his head and neck.
Said fucking Nanase had tripped and dumped a cake on him. Accidentally of course. And while Rin leapt to his feet and was quick to spit blame and demand an apology, the guy just shrugged, crossed his arms and said “It’s your fault.”
Rin should have known what he was in for then. Because from then on, life was full of being torn between wanting to strangle Haru, and a myriad of other things he tried desperately to swallow down. With each infuriating encounter, he was more and more drawn to Haru’s eyes and that stupid, too cool attitude.
And as all things did with Rin, it finally came to a head.
Surprisingly, Rin wasn’t the first one to act on instinct. That was all Haru.
There was a storm. And despite Rin’s own fear and insecurities following those coastal storms, they had received a frantic call about someone’s elderly mother who wandered from the house. Rin didn’t even bother with the patrol car, deciding the torrential rain would be more a hindrance than if he was on foot.
And after two hours of searching he found her. Shivering underneath a bus stop. She was mumbling something about having to go to the store to get something for her sick husband (who the daughter had said had long since passed) and something in Rin’s chest seized. It took everything in him to not choke up as he called Sousuke and sat with her until he arrived.
The hospital said she would be okay, and hopefully they could curb any possibility of pneumonia. But still…
“You okay?” He heard Sousuke talking, but it sounded far away. He blinked at him, and shook his head.
“Yeah. Fine.”
“You’re soaked. I’ll drive you home.”
“Ah…pass, sorry.”
“Let me get this straight, you want to go back into that monsoon? You’re insane.”
“Screw you.” Rin snorted and kicked Sousuke’s shin as they parted ways underneath the hospital entrance.
He didn’t know how long he wandered around in the rain, or how he even ended up at the fucking restaurant but–
The alley door was cracked open. It was probably two am, when Rin ducked through with a quick sorry so he didn’t take anyone off guard. And there Haru was. Doing what looked like some prep work for the following day. He didn’t seem surprised when Rin stepped in, and didn’t look back for a few minutes. And so Rin just leaned against the wall, and watched him.
After a while, Haru set the knife down and walked towards him. Rin had been staring at the floor, but by the time he got some sense of his surroundings, Haru had already taken him by the front of his soaked uniform and kissed him.
It lasted for a moment, Rin’s mouth still cold from the storm. But Haru’s was too…huh. He didn’t take too much notice because Haru pulled away, and Rin’s brain had already ceased functioning. He felt the blood quickly returning to his face, and he bit his lip.
“O-Oi, what the hell do you–”
“You talk too much.” Haru said, and kissed him again.
Rin kissed him back hard enough to knock them onto the counter.
–
Rin smiled.
He’d fallen in love with the most aggravating man on the face of the earth.
A man who’d kissed him without so much as a warning. A man whose birthday ritual was pulling the worst disappearing act. A man who made the best curry Rin had ever had, and who Rin wanted so badly to…
He clenched the small velvet box in his pocket, as he walked along the shoreline. The house had felt too suffocating, and he couldn’t entertain any more questions about Haru without getting prickly so he went for a walk. Just to clear his head. Maybe Ikuya was right…maybe Rin needed to cool it, and let Haru be himself.
The rings weren’t great. But they were what he could afford. He thought back to the lonely wedding band sitting tucked away in his sock drawer. His Mom couldn’t bring herself to wear it anymore, and Rin said he would keep it safe. She smiled thinly, and said maybe Rin should give it to someone special one day instead.
…it didn’t feel right. Because the other half of it was somewhere else. Lost to the sea. Rin shoved the thought to the back of his head, and pressed on. He came out here to take a breather after all, not further wind himself up…!
“Asshole should have at least texted me…”
Rin grumbled to himself. Even though he knew that was a fat chance. Haru was terrible at talking normally. But phones? Computers? They were like foreign things to him, and he never seemed bothered enough to learn. Which only pissed Rin off more, but that was neither here nor there.
A wave smashed into the outcrop, and sprayed water against him. Rin grit his teeth, and scrubbed his face with his sleeve. He loved this trail. It was full of dark stones and sat nestled behind one of the bougie hotels in town. There was never anyone around, and he could clear his head–especially later in the evening.
He stopped for a moment, and stared at the black water…yeah, his little freak of nature birthday boy would love nothing more than to strip and jump right in, wouldn’t he? Rin had long since accepted Haru’s one true love was water and that he would always be second.
He squinted as his eyes roved across the water, and he thought he saw something flash in the distance. Like something shiny broke the water…huh. Rin shrugged it off, probably just a seal or something in the bay.
He saw it again though, and took a step onto what looked like a flat rock, leaning in–
“Ah, shit…!”
–and Rin misjudged, because there was a giant slick patch on it. He tried to throw his weight backwards, reach for a fucking tree branch, anything. But everything lurched as he tumbled off the outcrop with a barely constrained yelp.
–and hit the water hard.
Despite the impending summer, the water felt frigid. It hit him like a vat of concrete, and he winced as the water replaced the air in his lungs. He hadn’t been anything close to a professional swimmer for a long, long time. Sure he knew how to swim, but that was in a fucking pool and on the shore.
Waves slamming into him over and over were a whole different breed. Panic flooded him, and he tried to kick upwards, but the moment he broke the surface something hard crashed into his head. Maybe a piece of trash, or a branch or something. All Rin knew was it hurt and his vision felt cloudy as the water swallowed him once more.
His chest ached, and dimly he thought to himself.
I’m gonna go out…just like him.
He wasn’t going to ever get that kitten at the shelter he had been eyeing, she had been there so long. He wasn’t ever going to make Haru like steak and–
Haru.
That was the most agonizing thought of all.
He couldn’t tell up from down anymore, and at some point his hand had dropped into his pocket to squeeze the small box between his fingertips. But with a fresh wave of anguish, he realized it was gone–probably lost to the sea. And the greedy ocean tugged at his clothes, pulling him further and further out. Even if he was close to the outcrop, it would have been bleak. There would be no way to haul himself up those slipper rocks without the risk of the water slamming him back into them.
If he wasn’t underwater, Rin would have been crying.
He wasn’t ever going to propose to Haru. He wasn't ever going to see him again. Too pissed and pouty to wait for him to return to his own birthday party, all their friends waiting for him to come back…would anyone even know what happened? Or would they all just assume he ran off into the night?
In one ragged and disorienting moment, Rin swore he felt something clawing his wrist. The one he had shoved haphazardly into his pocket. He tried to tear back, swallowing water in the process, everything began to blur. Of course. Something was going to eat him too.
This was it, he thought dimly to himself, as he stared up at the choppy surface above him–something so painfully calm looking from down below.
Something sharp grappled at Rin’s waist, and the blackness swallowed him whole.
–
…funny. He had always imagined dying would hurt more than this.
All he could think about was that stupid cake in his fridge. He tried to replicate the very one Haru had dumped on him when he tripped. But instead of aching cold, something warmer than the air around him pressed against his face.
It felt like fingers brushing hair away from his forehead.
“...idiot.”
Was he talking? Or was it just a thought conjured up by his brain fizzling out? Something soft pressed against his lips. Well, at least if his brain was making one last hallucination before he kicked the bucket, it had good taste.
Slowly, warmth poured down his throat, filling his chest and blossoming up his neck, into his head. Rin kissed back weakly, choking the words against those lips.
“...happy birthday.”
The warmth disappeared, but a second later it returned with a newfound ferocity. And the air that was flooding his lungs was more apparent now. His chest spasmed as his eyes flew open, and he lurched sideways, violently coughing onto the rockbed.
Everything fell into place all at once, and Rin looked blearily around him. It was pitch black, and all he could hear was the water between his own fits of coughing. The sea water burned his throat and nostrils, and pain blossomed through him.
He gasped for air as he looked back at his palm splayed against the rocks…wait. Wasn’t he drowning a moment ago?
“Holy shit.”
He shook his head with a wretched laugh, falling with his cheek pressed against the rocks. He didn’t even care that it hurt, he just couldn’t stop laughing. But something else came into focus beside him, and his throat tightened for another reason entirely.
“Haru.”
Rin whined, feeling a hot sting well at the corner of his eyes. Relief crashed into him. Haru was soaked beside him, breathing hard, blue eyes wrought with concern and frustration.
“Idiot.”
“Who’re you calling idiot, idiot–”
“You shouldn’t have been on those rocks.”
Rin bristled instinctively, everything was blurry still, but slowly coming back into focus as he spat a retort, a cough slipping through the cracks.
“I slipped! Think I’d willingly take a dip in the ocean?? Think again!”
Haru was laying close to him, their bodies brushing. He must have dragged them right out here and collapsed against the sand. Rin choked back tears, what the hell was Haru doing out there anyways? But before he could ask, Haru fixed him with an unsure look.
“Don’t freak out.”
“The hell? Why would I–”
His brain refused to comprehend what he was seeing. He must have really hit his head hard, huh?
Because his gaze traversed down the length of Haru’s body and once it reached his hips…well.
“You almost died–”
“You have a FUCKING TAIL–”
“I told you not to freak out, be quiet.”
“WHAT THE SHIT HARU, WHAT IS THAT?!??”
Rin had no comprehension or bearings still, and he awkwardly tried to reach down for it only to slap the scales where Haru’s thighs normally were. Rin winced, because he wasn’t sure what he was feeling. And he was actually becoming more and more convinced that he really was dead, this wasn’t real right?
…right??!
Rin stuttered, while Haru slapped his palm over Rin’s mouth. Rin grit his teeth, not about to be silenced. And so he licked Haru’s palm, who immediately recoiled with a grimace.
“Are you…Haru. A fucking mermaid, I–”
“Half fish man.” Haru corrected him with a snort, curling his fingers through Rin’s hair.
…
Rin deadpanned at him, and finally shoved at Haru weakly, pressing his forehead against his shoulder with a groan. He was freezing, nothing felt warm anymore. He shivered, and felt Haru wrap his arms around him, tucking his chin on the crown of his head.
And that’s when Rin began to sob.
He felt Haru stiffen underneath him, but Rin couldn’t swallow it down. He could feel himself shaking, and it wasn’t the cold anymore. His fingers curled uselessly against Haru’s bare skin, whatever he could grab onto.
“...Rin.”
Rin heard Haru start, pressing his nose into Rin’s hair. Rin just shook his head, refusing to come up to look at him. He had lost the rings, he almost died he–
“I almost watched you die.”
Well obviously Haru was a mind reader fish man too. Yipee.
“You didn’t, shut up. I was fine.”
“Okay.”
Haru’s words were agonizingly soft, and it just made Rin feel ten times worse. He couldn’t even be miffed about whatever appendage Haru had grown since this morning. But he felt it slap at his calves, and he tried kicking uselessly back at Haru’s tail…tail? Fins??
Silence settled for a moment, only the roll of waves around them could be heard. Rin knew he needed to figure out what was going on, needed to ask Haru so many questions. But his throat hurt and was agonizingly dry from the seawater. Not to mention the absolute shock of…well, everything.
So Rin decided to try something easier first.
“Guess that settles the matter of where you’ve been.”
Rin laughed, a bitter thing that trickled out in a self deprecating tone. He couldn’t place the feeling. Only that he felt a mix of relief, that still lingering fear of Haru being right and him almost dying, and confusion and hurt. Why did Haru hide this from him? So much for easier…
Wait a minute–
“...who knows?”
Haru looked away guiltily, with a shrug. And that sinking feeling only swallowed Rin deeper. He wanted to sob, and he couldn’t bring himself to look at Haru anymore. Haru’s reaction spoke volumes.
Everyone. That’s who knew.
“Rin…”
“Got it.” Rin spat. He hated himself for the thought, but suddenly Rin didn’t even care that he lost the rings in the tide. Haru–everyone–lied to him. Or rather didn’t tell him the whole truth, let him believe Haru would rather ditch Rin than spend time with him.
“Stop.” Haru chided him, slapping Rin’s shins with his tail.
Rin jerked in response, trying to kick uselessly back at him. He couldn’t help but laugh. Because really, this was all so fucking ridiculous. He had just almost drowned, lost the stupid rings he was going to propose to Haru with, it was Haru’s birthday and Haru was a mermaid–half fish man–whatever he wanted to call it.
“How long then?” Haru tilted his head at Rin, who in turn frowned and sighed. “How long were you gonna keep this from me?”
Haru paused, before answering. “I wasn’t.”
“Like hell.” Rin couldn’t help but bite back, earning a harder slap at his legs this time. But he took the hint and bit his tongue.
“I wanted…” Haru paused, clearly fumbling for words. “Today. I wanted to.”
Rin raised a brow, skeptical.
“It’s why I left.”
Haruka Nanase was famously bad with words. It was anyone’s guess why Rin was so drawn to him. Maybe because more often than not, Rin had far too much to say. Maybe that was part of the reason they worked so well together. Still, Rin was a bit confused and it leaked through.
“Because…?”
“I had one more place to look.”
Haru shifted to look back towards the jet black water. It had stilled a little now, and Rin’s gaze trailed after his. They’d spent so many nights along the shoreline just staring. And Rin had always just equated it to his better half’s obsessive love of anything h20. Because he was a water freak.
Except Rin knew now…it ran much deeper than that. And he felt bad for a moment, before trying to shove it to the side. Because Haru spoke again, and Rin’s eyes widened.
“Where your dad’s boat went down.”
Rin stared at Haru, but Haru kept looking at the water, obviously shifting in discomfort under Rin’s stare.
“I’ve been looking there…”
“Looking for what?” Rin asked shakily. Haru’s brow furrowed for a minute, and his fingers tightened. But he relented after a moment and sighed, turning back to look at Rin.
“Close your eyes.”
“Hah? What are you–”
“Be quiet. Just do it.”
Rin wanted to bite back that he didn’t have to do anything–as payback for being lied to or whatever. For all of Haru’s disappearing acts over the years.
But he couldn’t help that little swell in his chest, leeching up into his throat. Because why the hell would Haru want to go there of all places? The thought made Rin’s stomach churn a little, and before he could bitch, he just closed his eyes with a tch.
“Fine. Whatever.”
For a moment, nothing happened at all. Just some sounds that would make sense given…yknow, Haru was currently sporting a tail and scales of all things…but he tried to not let his impatience leak through, even though he was gritting his teeth. Coming down from whatever emotional high or almost dying high he was currently experiencing, at least.
Then, he felt Haru gingerly taking his hand between his own. Rin tried not to shiver as he felt those jagged claws curling around his skin, and clearly Haru picked up on that too, because Rin could hear the smile in his voice.
“If you like them that much–”
“If you don’t shut up, I’m gonna jump back into that fucking ocean, Nanase.”
Haru hummed in response, and something cold slid onto Rin’s finger–wait…his ring finger…and his throat tightened, as he tried not to choke.
He didn’t want to open his eyes. He squeezed them harder, terrified that if he did, whatever improbable impossible would simply vanish into thin air. Rin’s breath hitched.
“Haru…”
“You can look now.”
Reluctantly, Rin’s eyes slid open. And his gaze dropped down to his trembling fingertips. And that sudden hot sting pooled in the corners of his eyes, but for an entirely different reason than the saltwater now. Or maybe it was just a different kind.
It was a little eroded, sure. The years spent down below tarnishing the shine he had memorized over the years. But Rin recognized it anywhere. It was the matching pair to the one currently stuffed away, always missing its pair.
A sob ripped from Rin before he could even stop it, and Haru was there, pulling him against him. Rin bit his lip, shaking, torn between wanting to kiss Haru and wanting to hit him.
“You…you’ve been looking for it. All this time?”
Haru seemed a little unsure, but nodded against his head, his voice murmured by Rin’s hair. “...I found the one from your mom.” Rin bit his lip. So much for a good hiding spot… “It seemed lonely.”
“I…” But before Rin could continue, Haru cut him off.
“That’s how we pick a mate.” Rin couldn’t bother to chide Haru from being crude, before he continued. “See who can dive the deepest, and bring back the best treasure.”
Rin was too busy brushing his fingertips over the band, rolling it under the pads and enjoying the feeling. Haru huffed. “...but you didn’t give me a chance to do it first. So it took a little while. Then you got the new place, and…”
Haru trailed off, and Rin lifted his head to look up at Haru. He didn’t meet Rin’s gaze however, and kept it tugged to the side. Whether it was from embarrassment or something else, Rin couldn’t be sure.
But Rin couldn’t help the snort of laughter that ripped from him, and he loved the way Haru absolutely pouted in exchange.
“Didn’t take mermaids to be so traditional. Thought you guys would just be freaky like dolphins, and get right to it.”
He expected that slap from Haru’s tail that time, and couldn’t even be mad, just giggling and leaning up to press their foreheads together. He tangled his fingers between Haru’s and gave his hand a squeeze.
“...guess I know why you didn’t want to move in so quickly. Sorry, I guess. For being so pushy.”
Haru shrugged and brushed his lips against Rin’s. The cold salt on his lips felt a little warmer, and Rin instinctively melted into it. His damn little romantic heart fluttering at a thousand miles an hour.
“...yes.”
“Hm?” Haru pulled back for a moment, tilting his head.
“Yes, you idiot. A thousand times yes.” Rin’s heart slammed in his chest, as he saw that glint in Haru’s eyes, but Rin reached down and pinched his nipple for good measure. Haru almost yelped in response, shooting Rin a dirty look.
“Don’t think I’ve forgotten everything else though, asshole. You and everyone have a lot of explaining for keeping this from me. Don’t think I’ve forgiven you, but…”
Rin smirked, and yanked at Haru’s hair a little.
“Think I know how you can make it up to me.”
Haru’s pupils turned into slits, and Rin grinned as he leaned up to whisper against his mouth.
“I picked that place because of the tub, you know. Guess you’ll just have to show me some new sights in there, with whatever else you’ve been hiding with that tail.”
Yeah. He'd kill everyone tomorrow.