Chapter Text
“No, Rin—your footing’s off,” Loki called out, voice clear over the crashing waves. He was already waist-deep in the surf, balanced effortlessly on his own board, “You’re too rigid. You need to loosen up and try to center your weight more.”
He motioned fluidly with his hands, , “Imagine umm imagine your core’s a gyroscope” demonstrating a smooth, practiced stance, “keep it steady, let the board move beneath you.”
“Yeah? And what the hell do you think I’m trying to do, genius?” Rin snapped, already irritated by Loki constantly butting in.
Rin, scowling and soaked, muttered something about “stupid metaphors” under his breath, trying to adjust his stance as if he were standing on a balance beam built from every poor decision that had led him here.
Loki arched a brow, “You’re fighting the board, not riding it. Let go of control a little, trust the movement.”
Just as Loki shifted forward to guide him again, disaster struck. Rin’s world tilted an abrupt complete three-sixty. His board lurched sideways as a rogue wave slapped it with full force, knocking his balance clean out from under him. His arms pinwheeled comically, grasping for control he no longer had, because It was already too late. With a strangled yelp, Rin plunged sideways into the surf, hitting the water in an ungraceful splash before disappearing beneath a rolling swell.
Loki winced. “...Or that works too,” he said, paddling over with a grin, “Ten out of ten for the dive, though.”
His vision blurred. Saltwater rushed up his nose and flooded his mouth. His sinuses burned, his throat scratched, and somehow he managed to sneezed underwater. Which should not even be physically possible.
By the time he surfaced, sputtering, the surfboard was tucked under one armpit, and his ears were ringing, popping, trying to adjust from water to air, “Don’t laugh, asshole,” Rin growled.
Loki stood nearby, amused, the sun dancing on his dark skin like he was carved out of golden light. He wasn’t even trying to hide his grin. Lukewarm, Rin thought irritably, wiping a hand through his dripping hair once then again, in a half-hearted attempt to look less like a drowned cat.
“I didn’t say anything,” Loki said with mock innocence, hands raised in defense. The sparkle in his eyes betrayed him instantly, and Rin rolled his eyes, already exhausted by the performance. The slight head tilt, those soft brown eyes, Loki’s warm smile that made Rin want to hit something. That infuriating smile.
“Tch. Whatever.” Rin dropped the board at Loki’s feet and stalked off.
“Sooo… same time tomorrow?”
Rin didn’t have to turn around to hear the smug smile in his voice. He raised his middle finger without looking back. Loki’s laugh rang out behind him, only making Rin’s blood boil more. The sand beneath his feet was scorching, forcing him to hop and quickly shove on his sandals before the heat blistered his skin. No way he was letting loki out of everyone get to him.
How the fuck did I even end up here? he thought as he trudged back toward the hotel, kicking every damn pebble in his path. In Biarritz. Taking surfing lessons from Loki. My captain. Seriously, what part of me thought this was a good idea?
Then he remembered. It went something like…
Two days earlier
One, two, three, four, five, six—
Rin exhaled slowly, trying to center himself. The PSG locker room smelled like old sweat and liniment, thick in the air like a second skin. A low hum of post-practice chatter buzzed in the background until it didn’t.
He was just trying to mind his own business. Just trying to not hear Shidou’s voice. The guy seriously needed a hobby preferably one that didn’t involve harassing Rin like it was his life’s purpose.
Rin sat on the dark blue plastic bench stamped with two vertical white stripes in PSG’s signature colors untying his cleats when a sudden flash of movement caught his eye. A foot swung into his view too fast for him to react making it collide with his own, knocking it off the bench. A sharp jolt of pain shot up his ankle, but Rin didn’t flinch, he just grit his teeth and swallowed the sting.
He didn’t even bother to look up. He knew better. Giving Shidou attention was like adding fuel to a bonfire. Silence was always more effective than yelling. If Rin didn’t give him the satisfaction, he’d eventually get bored and piss off.
Or so he thought. He reached for his other cleat with his free foot, intent on ending the interaction before it could go any further. An arm dropped over his shoulders. Rin reacted without thinking, shoving it off hard, just in case the message hadn’t landed.
“OW—! Damn, you’re touchy today!” Shidou whined, stumbling back dramatically like he'd been mortally wounded, nearly knocking into the bench behind him, “Chill out, Jr. underlashes.”
Rin doesn’t even look at him, “Your fault for touching me, roach.”
A cackle slices through the air, tch Charles, lounging shirtless on the bench nearby, towel draped lazily around his neck, amusement glinting in his eyes.
“God, you two are like a nature documentary. I like watching it HAHAHAHA!”
Rin’s jaw ticks. The taste of Bastard München’s win still lingers like acid in his throat, and now he’s got a clown show on either side of him.
He yanks his jersey over his head with a little too much force, “Don’t you have someone else to bother?”
“Not when you’re this fun,” Charles grins, kicking his cleats off and letting one land way too close to Rin’s foot. “You’ve got that storm cloud about to burst vibe going on. Honestly, it’s art.”
Shidou leans in from behind, chin nearly on Rin’s shoulder again, “Maybe you need to get laid. Or better yet go out with us.”
Rin snaps his towel hard against Shidou’s shin. Smack. The sound echoes across the locker room. If the other PSG players weren’t already used to it, they might have reacted but it happens often enough that no one even bats an eye anymore.
“OW—! Jesus, you violent little rat!” Shidou yelps, hopping on one foot like he’s been shot. “What was that, your idea of foreplay?”
Rin doesn’t even blink, “Ew. But realistically that was probably the only physical contact you’ve had in months outside from our matches.”
Shidou gasps, clutching his chest like he’s been wounded, “Rin! That was so mean. I’m telling your brother.”
Charles practically folds in half laughing, clutching his ribs as he slides down the bench. “Rinnie. It’s the off-season. You said you're not going home. So unless you actually have plans— which we doubt by the way, nothing personal— you’ll need to find a better excuse as to why you can’t come with us to the club.”
Rin slams his locker shut with a metallic clang, “I don’t like you guys.”
Shidou plops down beside Charles, hair still damp, smirking like the overgrown child he is, “Yeah, that wasn’t hard to miss.”
“We’re fixing that,” Charles adds, pointing at Rin, “ Let’s become best friends. Step one: club. Tonight. Drinks. Music. You, trying not to commit homicide on a dance floor, because we all know you can’t dance.”
“Pass.”
“We weren’t asking.”
Rin’s glare could level cities, but neither of them flinched. If anything, Shidou leans in like he’s considering licking him just to see what would happen.
“We’ll pick you up at one maybe one-thirty?” Charles grins, “Wear something that doesn’t scream ‘I never go out.’”
“Rot in hell.”
“Love you too, man,” Charles sings as he hops to his feet, “see you tonight!”
Rin exhales through his nose and rubs the bridge of his nose. They’re worse than mosquitoes, and unfortunately, just as hard to kill.
Later that night
Rin hated clubs.
Everything was loud, everything smelled like sweat and overpriced alcohol, and everyone was either half-naked or grinding on each other like feral animals during mating season. The lights were too bright, too flashy. The music felt like it was trying to punch him in the soul. And the people—God, the people—were sticky and drunk and way too happy.
He downed another glass, hoping the alcohol would dull the overwhelming urge to vanish into the floorboards. No such luck. The vodka tasted like floor cleaner. Not that it helped.
Lukewarm. He glared at a couple dry-humping a few meters away. Can’t they do that somewhere else? Uncivilised animal.
Across the booth, Charles and Shidou were fully unhinged laughing so hard they were wheezing, spilling drinks, and slapping each other like rabid toddlers with adult strength. Rin’s eye twitched.
Why did they even invite him if they were just going to ignore him? Not that he cared. He didn’t need their attention. He didn’t need anything. He only came because last time he skipped out, they picked his lock and terrorized him and his neighbours until he finally relented and joined them.
He was mid-shot when he caught a familiar name. “Bro—BRO. You are not ready for this,” Charles slurred, slamming his drink on the table, barely missing the edge, “Guess who I found out does secret surf lessons in the off-season.”
Shidou gasped dramatically like he’d never heard something more interesting, “Don’t say it. Don’t you dare say it. I want the suspense. Tease it out. Give me drama. EDGE ME!”
Rin side-eyed them, unamused, but neither noticed.
Charles leaned in, eyes wild, “You know him,” he whispered.
Shidou leaned forward too, nodding like a maniac. “I know him,” he whispered back.
Charles didn’t say another word. He just handed his phone to Shidou. Rin couldn’t see what was on the screen, but judging by the sharp gasp Shidou let out, it had to be someone deeply unexpected.
Shidou shrieked, “NO. Stop. Shut up. Our Loki? Captain Loki?” He slapped a hand to his chest like he’d just been struck by divine gossip. “I am SHOCKED!”
“Yeah, bro,” Charles said, barely containing his laughter. “Apparently he’s out there teaching surf lessons. Like—tiny humans. Middle-aged beach moms.” He paused, thoughtful. “I stalked the Instagram page… and there’s an ungodly number of middle-aged women, though.”
Shidou wheezed, clutching his chest. “Oh my god. We all know why the moms are there. Loki’s always catered to that demographic.”
Charles nodded solemnly, “That’s true. I wish I was there.”
There was a moment of silence, like both of them had fallen into deep, dangerous thought… then both the idiots slammed the table slammed at the exact same time.
“I NEED TO SEE THIS IN PERSON. WE NEED TO SEE THIS IN PERSON!”
They both looked at each other like they’d just discovered the meaning of life. Meanwhile, Rin slowly poured himself another drink, questioning every decision that led to this moment.
“I’m gonna sign us up for lessons,” Shidou said, already typing on his phone. “We can show up all mysterious and hot and watch Loki ascend. Maybe wear sunglasses. Or cloaks.”
Rin sighed. Loudly. “Don’t you have better things to do?”
Charles blinked at him. “Rin, my brother. Don’t you mean don’t we have better things to do? Because you’re coming with us.”
“We’re including you,” Shidou grinned, swinging an arm over the back of Rin’s chair. “And if you say no, we’ll just break into your apartment again and kidnap you ourselves.”
Rin didn’t even look at him. “Bro, I’m not French. I don’t know this ‘oui’ you two are talking about.”
Charles and Shidou sighed at the same time and exchanged a look. Rin didn’t know what it meant, but he had a feeling it wasn’t anything good.
After a moment of deeply uncomfortable silence, Shidou spoke up. “Okay, bro. You, him, and me.” He pointed at each of them in turn. “You don’t have a choice. Either you come willingly, or we steal a fish from you and hold it hostage.”
“You tried to microwave my fish last time. My pet fish. You’re a murderer.” Rin’s voice sharpened, “Touch one of my fish again and I promise I’ll come with you just so I can drown you both in the ocean and make it look like an accident.”
The promise was clear enough that both Shidou’s and Charles’s throats bobbed. Shidou recovered first, “It was a social experiment, bro,” he said quickly.
Maybe I should plan his death and claim it as a social experiment, Rin thought, Fucking assholes.
Charles hummed, “I mean… it was kinda fire, though—” He immediately flinched under Rin’s glare.
“😈😈”
“💅✨🌊”
“🔥🔥🔥LOKI SURF ARC🔥🔥🔥”
Rin ignored the emojis. He’d learned long ago not to question their emoji telepathy, that way lay madness. He’d never met anyone who literally communicated through emojis, and he had no intention of testing his sanity by trying to understand it.
But still… Loki as a surf instructor? Something about that image stuck. It didn’t fit, but maybe that’s what made it make sense. That guy had a way of doing things that shouldn’t work and somehow pulling them off with a smile.
Rin glared into his empty glass.
He wasn’t going. Definitely not.
There was no way.
In the morning
Take a deep breath.
Rin sat cross-legged in the center of his living room, sticking to his routine despite the dull throb behind his eyes. He was hungover, dehydrated, and cranky. God, I’m never drinking again. The only thing that gave rin some sense of comfort was his routine, he knew the drill; do his yoga, take a long shower, eat a solid breakfast, take an Ibuprofen and he’d be fine.
He moved into his final pose: the elbow balance. His arms trembled slightly from the strain, but his breathing remained steady.
Let it out.
He held the position until his timer buzzed. One hour exactly. His yoga session was done. The clock read 7:00 AM. Time to clean his stationary and feed his fishes.
Stretching his stiff muscles, Rin rose and walked into the kitchen. He retrieved the fish food from a cabinet and padded barefoot to the tank, one hand pressed gently to the glass. Several curious fish darted toward him. In these rare, peaceful moments, Rin allowed himself to smile.
“Good morning,” he murmured.
Even with a gun to his head, Rin would deny ever talking to them as if they understood, let alone naming all thirteen of them.
“Chou, don’t be so impatient,” he scolded one of his betta fish before feeding. First came cleaning.
He grabbed a pair of long tweezers and began removing strands of algae. His Amano shrimp, Jun—not that he named it—usually handled that job, but today there was too much floating around. He gave Jun a break.
Then came the debris, fallen leaves from aquatic plants, stray bits of waste. God, those things shit a lot. Next, he snipped the browned leaves to promote new growth, like his vet had recommended. Reducing the nitrates was crucial.
When a leaf floated back into the tank, Rin reached in quickly, snatching it up before his angelfish could take a bite.
“Cosmo, that’s not a snack, fatass,” he muttered.
Now for the part he secretly loved the most… vacuuming. He hooked up the siphon and carefully began removing debris from the sand, gravel, and pebbles, making sure not to draw out too much water just twenty-five to thirty percent max, like always. He reminded himself aloud, “Don’t mess this up.”
Once the water level was low enough, he removed the filter, dunking it into a bowl of old tank water and squeezing the grime from it. Gross, but oddly satisfying.
Okay, almost done.
He reinserted the filter and grabbed the algae pad, wiping down the interior glass with slow, steady strokes. His tank was massive so he only cleaned what he could reach during the week. Every two weeks, he hired a professional diver to come clean the inside. It was a bit expensive, but they deserved only the best and besides it wasn’t like Rin had anyone else to send his money on. It was just him and his fishes.
After scrubbing the reachable spots, he dropped in a root tab to feed the aquatic plants, refilled the tank with treated water, and added a stress coat to dechlorinate the tap water.
Finally, he stepped back. The tank gleamed. A self-contained world of corals, soft sand, pebbles, bright plants, shrimp, and vibrant fish. And he loved every single living thing in there. Even the mini turtles.
Shidou and Charles never stopped calling him ridiculous for owning such a “uselessly gigantic” tank, but Rin didn’t care. People pamper dogs and cats all the time— helll, they give their dogs live prey to chase around, like true psychopaths. Yet when he pets his goldfishes, suddenly he’s the weirdo?
Fucked up double standards.
He poured the food into the tank and watched the flurry of movement as his fishes darted upward in a rush of color and scales. “Yes, Mana,” he murmured, voice low. “Can you believe it? He’s going back home.” His gaze didn’t leave the water. “So obviously, I stayed in France. What else was I supposed to do? Fly back just to get called lukewarm again? I’m not a masochist!”
His reflection in the glass was pale and unsmiling, blurred by rippling water and the slow glide of his angelfish. He leaned against the cool window beside the tank, arms folded tightly across his chest. The city outside was still waking up gold light touching rooftops, soft and quiet. It was too beautiful for how bitter he felt.
“Guess what?” he said after a pause, his tone forced casual. “He never answered my birthday message. It’s been almost a year.”
A few of the fish swam to the front of the tank, curious. He told himself they were listening. That someone was, “I almost joined Real AI. Had the damn contract ready.” His jaw tightened. “Flew all the way to Spain to talk to him before I signed. I thought maybe—” He shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. He barely looked at me. Said I was just copying him. Said I didn’t have anything of my own.”
Rin watched the surface of the water shiver under the filter’s gentle flow. His voice dropped lower, like it wasn’t meant to be heard, “I just… I don’t get it. He used to care. When we were kids.” He blinked slowly, his mouth flattening into a line, “Then one day he just—changed. Left me behind like I was never worth it.”
The ache in his chest suddenly flared up briefly but long enough to make his throat tighten. He bit the inside of his cheek, trying to will it away. But a single tear slipped down before he could stop it. He turned away from the tank immediately, wiping it off with the back of his hand like it never happened. His face was blank again, but his heart was still heavy.
Sae would’ve called him weak for crying over something like this. Lukewarm,“…Tch,” he muttered, trying to scoff it off.
He turned back to the aquarium, tapping the glass lightly as the mandarinfish swam in lazy circles, “It’s fine. I’ve got you guys, don’t I?”
With that, he moved through the rest of his routine, he took a shower, picked out a casual outfit, ate some healthy breakfast, downed down an Ibuprofen; the headache still hadn’t let up.
He was rinsing the dishes when there came a rapid, obnoxiously loud knock on the door. He didn’t even have to opened the door to know who was on the other side. Only two idiots would shamelessly show up uninvited at 8:30 in the morning.
He already dreaded today. They were going to drag him to the French coast to stalk their captain. He never agreed. They just made plans and assumed he was coming. Well, Rin wasn’t having it. He wasn’t opening the door. Rin was determined to ignore them and carry on with his day.
He knew it was only a matter of time before they'd break down his door, so he did the only logical thing: called security and had them escorted out of his flat. With the situation handled, Rin went about his day normally, made some lunch, tidied up his place, and gamed until around 17:00 in the afternoon. A new horror game had just launched, Alan ’Wake II: Night Springs’, and he was curious if it was any good. Rin wasn’t easily scared, so he wasn’t particularly worried, but he had to admit that this game was unsettling. It was kind of scary, but the good kind, it left his heart racing and kept him constantly on edge.
At around 18:00 o clock every day, he went for a run before making dinner it was one of his routines, so today would be no different. Rin quickly changed into his usual attire: comfortable sweatpants, a hoodie, and running shoes, all black, of course. He couldn’t be caught wearing anything colorful. That would go against his personal principles.
As he laced his shoes and started his run, an uneasy feeling washed over him. He couldn’t shake the sensation that someone was following him. He brushed it off, assuming it must be a fan. That would be strange, though, he’d never refuse a picture or an autograph. No matter how rude people painted him, he would never turn away the people who watched and supported him.
Though the feeling only grew stronger. He quickened his pace, looking over his shoulder, yet there was no one there. Just the usual quiet of his neighborhood. I’m probably just paranoid, he thought, trying to ignore the prickling at the back of his neck, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched.
Suddenly, a sharp blow to the back of his head struck like a bolt of lightning. Pain exploded behind his eyes, and the world tipped. His vision blurred, and before he could react, someone grabbed him roughly by the shoulders. He tried to push them away, his heart hammering in his chest but then a blindfold was slapped over his eyes. His breath caught in his throat.
What the hell? The world spun wildly as his arms were jerked behind him and cuffed with cold metal. The realization hit him with a gut-wrenching force: I’m being kidnapped. Panic surged, but it was quickly smothered by confusion and disbelief. This... can’t be happening. This doesn’t happen to people like me.
His pulse pounded in his ears as he struggled against his captors, but their grip was unyielding. He couldn't see, couldn't move, couldn’t even speak properly, there was a cloth pressing against his face, covering his mouth.
How could they just... grab me like this?
Before he could process it any further, he was dragged across a hard surface, the sound of doors opening ringing in his ears. His legs gave out as he was thrown into a car, landing hard against the seat. He grunted in pain, his body stiff and aching from the sudden force.
He could barely focus, his head still swimming from the hit. The car engine roared to life, vibrating beneath him.
“This is really lukewarm,” Rin thought to himself, trying to mask his fear, but it felt hollow. His mind was racing, what the hell was going on? Who are these people? Why me? What did I do?
The calm, calculated exterior Rin prided himself on began to crack like glass under pressure. His breath quickened. His fists clenched. He wanted to scream to demand answers but he couldn’t speak, there was a sinking dread in his chest told him what his pride refused to admit.
I’m not in control. Rin hated it.
The realization gnawed bitterly at the edges of his composure. Rin could taste blood in his mouth he had bitten his tongue from stress. He grit his teeth as the car jolted, swerving sharply enough that his shoulder slammed into the door. He braced himself, muscles tight, heart pounding.
This can’t be real. This has to be a mistake… right?
The car stopped abruptly. Before Rin could react, someone rifled through his pockets, fingers moved quick and shamelessly. He felt the familiar shape of his apartment key slip away. The car then started again, drove for a while then stopped once more. It left Rin assuming they were at his apartment. Were they going to rob his place?
Seriously? Robbing me after I’ve been kidnapped. They couldn’t have done this while I was on my run? There are easier ways to piss me off, you amateur clowns.
The longer the drive dragged on, the more unease crawled up Rin’s spine. The road was too long. Rin was used to silence but this felt too different, it was dead quiet, and too unfamiliar to him, paired with the violent swerves and sudden brakes that told him everything he needed to know about the driver.
Whoever was behind the wheel either had no license… or no fear of death.
Is this really how I’m going to die? Not like this. Not in a car crash. His contract was almost up he still hadn’t decided whether to renew with PSG or take Real Madrid’s offer.
By the time the car screeched to a stop, Rin was dizzy with rage and confusion. He heard rustling, the door opening, and hands on him, removing the blindfold and the cloth from his mouth.
It took him a moment to adjust to the sudden brightness. He winced, hissing under his breath as his eyes struggled to focus. When the blur cleared and he could finally see, his stomach dropped. Groaning, Rin slumped back against the seat. Of course. Of fucking course. What did I even expect?
Standing outside the car, grinning like cartoon villains, were his idiotic teammates Shidou and Charles. He blinked slowly, jaw tight, “What the fuck do I even say at this point?” he muttered, his voice dry, exhausted and so done with today.
His mouth was parched, and his wrists ached from the too-tight cuffs digging into his skin. He raised them slightly. “Really? No?” His voice was low, but venom laced every word. “You kidnapped me? Get a fucking life.”
Shidou broke first his laughter loud and unhinged, echoing through the empty space. Charles followed, wheezing like they’d just pulled off the world’s greatest joke. Rin’s fists curled, fingernails biting into his palms. He wanted to scream, to throttle them both, but he forced himself to stay still.
“For real, man,” Charles chimed, stepping forward like this was normal as if literal abduction wasn’t happening. “We were gonna pick you up and stalk Loki—y’know, like we planned—but someone bailed and called security to kick us out. Not cool, by the way.”
“Yeah, that was kinda rude of you,” Shidou added, grinning. “But we forgave you and made sure we took you with us. Couldn’t just leave you behind!”
He threw a stupid handshake toward Charles, which the other idiot returned with a cackle. Rin’s blood pressure spiked, “Wouldn’t be the same without our angsty little gremlin.”
Rin stared at them, dead-eyed. “Okay… and?” His voice dripped with venomous sarcasm, “I never agreed to that plan. You want to chase after Loki like deranged fangirls? Be my guest. Go without me.”
Of course, Charles had to make it worse. With a melodramatic gasp, he dove half into the car, latching onto Rin’s arm like a barnacle, “But Rinnieeee, ” he whined, stretching the nickname, “It’s not the same without you. We’re a trio! There is no duo in our trio because we’re Best friends forever! BFFs!”
Rin looked at him like he’d grown a second head, “We are not BFFs,” he snapped, wrenching his arm away, “I can’t stand either of you.”
Rin’s words were final, but Charles and Shidou just exchanged smug grins, as if nothing he said could actually hurt them. Like none of it mattered. That made it worse. They didn’t care how pissed off he was. This was just a joke to them. A game. And somehow, against his will, he had been dragged into it.
Can I sue them for this? Rin wondered, adrenaline still buzzing in his veins. Rin was still reeling from the whole experience. He hated to admit it, but yes—they had actually scared him. His hands itched with the urge to draft a very angry legal complaint. I will sue them for this, he decided, jaw tightening.
“Uncuff me,” Rin said, raising an eyebrow at Shidou expectantly. Shidou just laughed in his face. Charles sighed dramatically and finally undid the cuffs, bowing as if presenting a prize.
Rin tugged at his shoulders, feeling the tension slowly release, stretching his arms overhead again, rolling his neck from side to side. And yet… something felt off. His instincts prickled.
“Whatever,” Rin muttered, jaw clenched. He reached for the door and shoved it open. He stepped out and immediately groaned, shoulders stiff from hours cramped in the car. His arms still ached from the cuffs. Rin swore they were going to pay for this.
He rolled his shoulders, stretching his arms overhead, cracking his neck. The air hit him all at once, the wind carried a salt breeze and it was uncomfortably sunny. Something wasn’t right. He froze for a moment, letting the unfamiliar scent settle, letting his eyes take in the scene.
Golden sand stretched before him, sun glinting off small waves. Seagulls wheeled overhead, shrieking, the surf pounding rhythmically against the shore. The horizon stretched wide and endless. Nothing like Paris.
He scanned the beach, spotting the car parked haphazardly at the beach, and then Shidou and Charles draped around each other like idiots, grinning like maniacs.
He looked out at the endless blue. The sea shimmered in the morning light, gentle waves lapping at the shore, “We’re not in Paris anymore,” he muttered under his breath, voice tight.
“WE’RE IN BIARRITZ!” Shidou and Charles shouted in perfect unison, arms thrown into the air. “SURPRISE!”
Rin froze. Closed his eyes. Took a long, deliberate breath, counting to ten, “...You have got to be kidding me,” he muttered, dragging a hand down his face before tugging at his hair in frustration.
He stepped onto the sand, boots sinking slightly into the grains. The sun warmed his shoulders, the wind tugged at his hair. He could feel the tension leaving his body in slow, angry ripples. And yet, the rage simmered because no matter how much the scenery tried to calm him, they had done this to him.
He turned to glare at them both of them levelled his glaze with a smile, Charles grinned at him while Shidou winked, making Rin pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration
This is going to be a very, very long day.
Rin paced across the polished floor of his hotel room, a towel still hanging loosely around his neck. Damp strands of black hair clung to his forehead, and the scent of mint shampoo still lingered in the air. He had scrubbed himself raw after the ride in Shidou’s car, God only knew what kind of bacteria were breeding in that trash heap on wheels. Just thinking about it made his skin crawl.
With his phone pressed to his ear, Rin moved to the large windows, then pushed open the door to the balcony. A sharp breeze greeted him, ruffling his hair and brushing against his bare arms. The moonlight spilled over the ocean like liquid silver, the waves crashing rhythmically against the shore below.
“…Yeah, just check the filter on the smaller tank too. They’ve been hanging near the top lately, so maybe something’s off,” he said into the phone, his tone flat, but attentive.
The woman on the other end, Françoise, had been taking care of Rin’s aquariums since he first signed with PSG. Middle-aged, quiet, just the way Rin liked her, but most importantly, she was dependable. Rin trusted her.
Françoise lived nearby and looked after Rin’s fish every two weeks. Rin called her, asking if she could “babysit” the aquariums until he returned. She agreed without hesitation, and Rin let out a long sigh of relief.
“Good, thank you. You’ve still got the extra key, right?” Rin murmured, watching the moonlight dance on the waves. Then a small nod to himself, “. Feed them the bloodworms on Sunday. I labeled the containers. I’m sorry for inconveniencing you, Françoise, but thank you.”
He ended the call and let his hand drop to his side, the phone still in his grip. For a moment, he stood there, arms crossed, chin lifted slightly as he looked out over the water. The ocean had always felt like home, in its own distant, unreachable way. He had grown up with that sound.
Behind him, the muffled buzz of his muted group chat flickered again. Charles and Shidou of course. Those two had been relentless, pestering him for some kind of sleepover as if they were kids on a school trip. Worse, they were sharing a room. The idea of being stuck with them in such close proximity made Rin's jaw tighten.
Which was why he did the only logical thing. He booked a different hotel entirely. Across the street. It was a nice room, and what made it even better wad the fact that there was no Charles and best of all, there was no Shidou. Rin couldn’t wish for more.
{ PSGOATS 🐐💯😈}
Charles
DUDE RIN
Do you want to join our séance 😈😈
We heard from the staff that there is a haunted room here 👻🕯️
like ACTUALLY haunted
Shidou
WE’RE CALLING GHOSTS 🔥😈
REAL DEMONS
It’s dangerous out here 🥶 🥶 🥶
Pull up under lashes junior
Charles
WE BOUGHT CANDLES HAHAHA
🕯️🕯️
circle almost complete
ur presence is spiritually required
Shidou
HE’S IGNORING US
BAD BOY
Charles
Very BAD BOY
Shidou
THIS IS HOW CURSES START 😡
Charles
rin u can’t ignore us forever
Shidou
IF I GET POSSESSED 😵💫
I’m coming for you 😝😈
Charles
AYO PAUSE
You’re COMING FOR him?
Brother you’re so freaky 🤤🥵🤪
Shidou
PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE PAUSE
You know that’s the wrong brother
Charles
Oh yeah
Mb mb king 😔🥺
Shidou
IM CHASING YOU THROUGH THE HALLS 💥👹
And maybe through YOUR walls 😈💯
Charles
BUT BRO I THOUGHT YOU SAID
That was when Rin decided he’d had enough and turned his phone off for the night. If those two wanted to chase demons, they could do it on their own. Rin had no intention of being dragged into it.
He leaned against the cool balcony railing and looked up at the night sky. The air was quiet out here, broken only by the low rush of the sea. He scoffed softly, dragging a hand through his already-messed up hair.
“What the fuck am I even doing here?” he muttered under his breath.