#rainbowthinker

[sassare]

Okay.

[iwatobiaquarium]

like a fire in the night

Pairing: Sousuke + Haru Rating: G Art: by @rainbowthinker here (x) Prequel: unshy and full of grace, as you come from the sea Summary: 

Sousuke stays out as late as he can. Immediately after the kiss he had left the house and eaten breakfast elsewhere, mulling over what had happened. A kiss. Fatally simple, as everything had been with Haru. 

So this would be his undoing.

When he comes home, it’s close to midnight. Sousuke hopes that Haru is asleep by now. He lives on hope these days, it seems, his days fraught with fear. Of Haru finding out, of Haru leaving, of Haru never coming back. But Haru is back-- has been back, for god’s sake. But Sousuke doesn’t know if he’ll still be home. 

He opens the door.

Haru sits in the gloom. Yellow light spills in from the corridor outside the apartment before the door swings shut, and Sousuke can see Haru backlit by the city lights. He’s beautiful. Sousuke knows this, and not in any objective manner, either. When they were younger he had fallen slowly in love with Haru, and those eyes that were clear as the water became familiar to him, and the more familiar they became the more Sousuke loved them. Loves them. 

‘You were out late,’ Haru says. 

‘Yes,’ Sousuke replies. They’re both in the dark, and Haru’s arms are curled lightly around his knees as he rests his chin on them, gazing at Sousuke.

‘Are you going to kiss me again?’ 

Sousuke’s heart seizes. He wants to. He misses Haru’s lips, and the soft gasps beneath him in bed, and Haru’s petulant insistence that breakfast be accompanied by a whole grilled mackerel. 

‘Do you want me to?’

Haru seems to genuinely consider this, standing up absently and touching his lips with his fingers. A long moment passes, and a distant look comes into Haru’s eyes. ‘I do.’

Sousuke crosses the living room in an instant, bringing the both of them nearly chest-to-chest. He looks down into Haru’s eyes, and grasps him by the shoulders. This is meant to be neutral. 

‘I don’t think...’ But Sousuke’s left hand moves of its own accord, coming up behind Haru’s neck to curl in the short strands, caressing gently. Haru tilts his head up to Sosuke, lips parted in invitation, and Sousuke takes him up on it.

To Sousuke, it feels as though his Haru is back with him. Haru kisses clumsily, but as Sousuke tries to draw away to say something, Haru throws his arms around Sousuke and pulls him closer. He draws in ragged breaths when they part, and Sousuke sees tears shining in the corner of Haru’s eyes, glinting like diamonds in the night.

+

When Haru finally lets up on the kissing, they’re on the sofa, shirts off, with Haru’s head resting on Sousuke’s chest.

‘This is familiar,’ Haru says. 

Sousuke hums, contented. He has one hand buried in Haru’s hair, and the other wound possessively around Haru’s waist. ‘Is that right?’

‘Were we involved?’ Haru’s voice is tremulous, ticking up at the end of the sentence. ‘Before the accident.’

‘Yes,’ Sousuke says. ‘But it was only for a little while.’ He can hear Rin screeching ‘don’t lie to him’ somewhere inside his mind, but he closes that door for now. He doesn’t understand why he’s still keeping the facade up. They’ve been kissing, and if Haru had his way they’d probably both be in bed by now, doing things that kissing often led to.

Haru makes a frustrated noise, and rubs his face against Sosuke’s chest. ‘You feel so familiar to me.’ He brings Sousuke’s hand to his face, gently pushing his cheek into his palm. ‘Tell me. You were married. Did they leave because of me? Did we love each other? Who am I to you?’

Sousuke looks at the complete absence of the last few years in Haru’s eyes, and makes up his mind.

‘We didn’t love each other,’ Sousuke says slowly. ‘But we were companions, and that was enough for you.’

Haru closes his eyes against Sousuke’s hand. ‘It feels like I love you.’ 

Sousuke’s heart flutters in his chest and he pulls Haru up for a kiss, brushing his lips gently over Haru’s, shifting to his ear and kissing the hollow behind it tenderly. 

There is a stone in the pit of his stomach.

[araminthe-ispwitch]

Hello! Im your knb secret santa and im just gonna say im working on your gift atm so dont worry if its a little bit late! Once again sorry!

i am so sORRY THIS IS SO LATE BUT I PROMISED MYSELF I WON’T REPLY ABOUT THE KNBSS15 ONCE I FINISH MY OWN WORK AND NOW THAT I’M FINISHED LET ME REVIEW THE SHIT OUT OF YOUR ART HUFF HUFF

… I need to sleep. orz

[iwatobiaquarium]

to burst into flower 

Prompt: day 3 // confession & coincidence By: @rainbowthinker and @iwatobiaquarium Rating: G Collection: (x)

The receptionist clearly recognises Rin, if the way she looks at him is any indication. She smacks her gum and slides the keys across the counter to them before saying something in English too fast for Makoto to catch.

Rin turns red and says something in a tone that brooks no argument, and the receptionist’s eyebrows rise as they turn to head towards their room.

‘We’ve checked in,’ Rin says, cheeks still burning up, and gestures for Makoto to follow him. ‘Um, she says they only have a queen-sized bed.’

Makoto laughs. ‘I’ll be fine.’ No, his brain says. You’ll be hard. He pretends not to have thought that as Rin leads the way up the stairs, rehearsing his confession in his head.

It’s not a coincidence that Makoto chose to visit Australia during Rin’s break. They’re no Sousuke and Haru, who fell into bed first before feelings followed. Look at them now, all moved in together for their final year of school. It’s more sweet than infuriating, but Makoto’s been stewing in unrequited love for Rin since years ago, so he’s entitled to a few mixed feelings about his best friend hooking up with Rin’s best friend like a tsunami when Makoto’s own love life has all the speed and power of a glacial melt.

‘Here,’ Rin says, opening the door. The room is plain and homely, but Makoto finds himself liking it enormously, and moves forward to sit on the bed.

He pats the space beside him, gesturing for Rin to sit too. ‘It’s soft, but not too soft. This is a good recommendation, Rin.’

‘You’re welcome,’ Rin says, but hangs back. ‘Well... Are we going to bed now?’

‘I want to say something first,’ Makoto tells him patiently, and Rin sits down, looking apprehensive. ‘Thank you for showing me around. Russell and Lori were really nice.’

Rin grins. ‘Yeah. Though you didn’t understand a word.’ 

‘English is one of my weakest subjects,’ Makoto points out. ‘Let me just...’

He means to just brush a speck of dust out of Rin’s hair. Honest. But his hand moves of its own accord to cup Rin’s cheek, and Rin is looking at him in happy surprise, and as they draw closer to each other Makoto silently thanks the receptionist for giving them a room with a double bed instead of two singles.

+

When they emerge from their room the next morning, it’s not awkward at all (it is). They haven’t spoken about last night--not completely, at least-- and Rin is unsure of whether or not to bring it up. But when they’re standing in the lobby, Makoto grabs Rin’s wrist and smiles at him. Just like that, Rin smiles back. It’s going to be alright.

The receptionist’s eyebrows disappear into her fringe. ‘So it’s like that, is it?’

‘Yes,’ Rin snaps, but blushes when Makoto kisses his cheek. It’s a brief, chaste pack, but Rin hides his face and can’t quite manage to look the receptionist in the eye all through the check-out process.

FIN.

Author’s Note: A year ago during makorinweek2014 was the first time I’d ever collaborated with Fira. Now, a year on, we are as thick as thieves and I have met her mother (though not Fira herself). I am so happy to work with, send memes, and drag you through different anime hells, my jojhoe friend. 

[aaarchiveddd]

[iwatobiaquarium]

part of your world

Pairing: souharu Rating: G AO3: (x) Prompt: Beach. Accompanying picture by @rainbowthinker here! Summary: 

 'I'm not a mermaid,' Haru says. 'I'm Haru.'

Sousuke stares at him. 'What about that tail of yours?'

'It's decoration,' Haru says. It most definitely isn't. The tail glitters in the light of the sunset, and Sousuke can see tiny scales starting around Haru's waist flaring out into large scalloped ones, down to his blue fins.

Sousuke sighs, and holsters his gun. 'So you're the reason why Rin is being so sneaky. He's been coming down to the beach every day around this time for his so-called routine inspection. But he's really down here to talk to you, isn't he?'

'Makoto left him in charge,' Haru says. 'While he's out of town.' Sousuke dimly recalls Rin smiling wistfully at his phone a lot more often during lunchtime, and realises why.

He gives Haru a slight tap on the shoulder. 'Well, it's really none of my business what those two get up to in their spare time near the ocean.'

'That is how I met them. They were getting up to things in their spare time in the ocean.' Haru's tone, while flat, assures Sousuke that he knows exactly what Makoto and Rin get up to in their spare time in the ocean.

'Oh,' Sousuke says quietly, and they sit there in silence until Haru flicks his tail impatiently.

'Where is Rin today?'

Sousuke laughs. 'I created a diversion so he'd be held back and I could come and see for myself what he was so preoccupied with. You're like his little pet project. Kinda cute.'

Haru stares at him, eyes wide.

'You think I'm cute?'

Sousuke's mind reviews his words. 'What? No! I didn't mean that you're cute, I mean this whole thing...' He fumbles for the right way to explain what he thinks. Sousuke certainly doesn't find Haru cute. Not the way he tilts his head when puzzled, or the way his eyes shine when talking about Rin and Makoto. Not cute at all.

'So why do they keep visiting you?'

Haru scratches at a loose scale on his arm. 'You want to know why?'

'Well, I'm asking for a reason. There are only so many times you can visit a merman until the novelty wears off.'

Haru scowls at him, but looks off into the distance. 'I wasn't always like this.'

'Like… This?' Sousuke gestures to Haru's tail.

'Yes. I was a human child. In fact, Makoto was my childhood best friend. My grandmother raised me. My mother's mother. She used to tell me that my mother had been seduced away by a young man from the sea, and she had told her daughter never to come back if she was to live with this man. So my mother never did.'

'You're kidding.'

'No. I'm not. So a year later I appear on her doorstep, with a note that says my mother will come for me when I'm old enough.'

Sousuke tries to look for any hint at all that Haru is lying, but he can't see any.

'My grandmother raised me. She passed away when I was nine and they buried her on the hill while I slipped away to the sea. That day, I learned what it felt like to truly be free.'

Haru's eyes are distant, and Sousuke can see the very first stars appearing in the darkening sky.

'... And now it's time to return to land. Most legends point to a true love's kiss to regain legs.'

The mood dissipates.

'What?' Sousuke says. 'Are Rin and Makoto running a dating agency for you to test out the lips of every girl in town? Wait, have you kissed Gou? If you have, I have to let you know that as her honorary older brother that you now have to marry her.'

Haru gives Sousuke a look.

'I didn't kiss her. We're just discussing it at present. How do you know if the love is true? What is true love? Is it the potential for love or is there a predestined true love out there? It is very philosophical. Rei enjoys discussing the questions, as does Nagisa.'

'I knew I didn't trust that scientist and that hyper little astronaut for a reason.'

Haru tilts his head. 'Nagisa says he has never been to space.'

Sousuke gestures. 'Well, you know, he's in charge of the local observatory. Dresses up like an astronaut for the kids and to make astronomy interesting. It's a great hit.'

'Ah,' Haru says thoughtfully. 'I see.' Even in the cool summer evening air his lips are pink. And kissable. Whoa, where did that come from?

Sousuke leans back in the sand, playing it cool. 'So you figure you should go around kissing everyone until you find your true love?'

'That does seem to be the best bet.' Haru's eyes are clear. 'Makoto is not in favour of it, though.'

Sousuke wants to plead temporary insanity, even as he finds himself drawing closer to Haru.

'Do you want to kiss me?' He asks. 'No pressure. Just trying it out, remember? In the spirit of helping you out and all that.'

Haru moves in, eyes half-lidded. 'Do you go around kissing strange mer-creatures a lot?'

They stop nose to nose.

'It's just you,' Sousuke says, and kisses Haru gently. There is nothing especially magical about the kiss, aside from Haru’s lips being curiously warm, but when Sousuke pulls back and opens his eyes the first thing he sees is the faint flush on Haru's cheeks.

The second thing he sees are Haru's scales melting away, moulting off into the water to reveal a pair of legs.

'What the-- Sousuke!' Rin's voice seems to come from a great distance, and Sousuke can't tear his eyes away as Haru pulls himself up onto the outcropping of rock, folding his legs neatly and dropping a hand in his lap to preserve his modesty.

'Sousuke!' He turns around to face Rin.

'Yes?'

Rin runs up to where they're seated, looking at the both of them. Sousuke's best guess at his expression would be bewildered but happy, and Rin opens his mouth before shutting it in awed silence. 'True love, huh?'

Sousuke can feel himself turning red. 'Maybe. It's all about the potential for true love. We should repeat it just to be sure.'

Haru is looking at him, and under the first stars of the night, Sousuke kisses him again.

[iwatobiaquarium]

so brownnod saw the makoto and rin ones for this series and was like hey, IF YOU DRAW A HARU ONE I WILL LICK UR EYEBROWS and I said OK, but not for the eyebrow licking.

ref, and as usual i fattened up the butt because these boys need bouncy booty.

there are 2 versions because I did the spanish mackerel one and then rainbowthinker said haru would lose his mind over a bikini with all varieties of mackerel on it so here it is, version 2

someday these may all be actually coloured and compiled so please let me know which version of haru’s bikini you guys prefer! 

[iwatobiaquarium]

companion to rin because rainbowthinker said so

ref from here! they gots refs for all the boys but i like to pick and choose my poses

also because i did not have the good sense to save everything in layers for rin before finalising and merging everything, i did this time for mkt. also if you haven’t noticed i like to thicken the boys a bit and add some ass   (ノ￣ω￣)ノ

i’m thinking of starting my own line of swimwear now