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It was a good idea, all things considered.
A hot summer day, crystal clear water, and ice cold drinks? His boyfriend in a bathing suit? Honestly, what could be better?
Well, maybe if said boyfriend actually knew how to swim and wasn’t terrified to put his big toe in the water in case he slipped and fell into the deep end, as if Togame would ever let that happen. Then maybe, their little day date might actually be perfect.
But perfection was a pipe dream, and Togame was pretty damn happy with imperfect because it was Sakura, and Sakura could be the biggest goof ever and still, Togame would love him and want to spend time with him and just be around him. Even if Sakura was pouting.
It made sense though that Sakura didn’t tell him. Sakura never liked to present himself as anything less than strong and capable, so why would he actually admit that he couldn’t swim? Maybe he thought he could learn on the spot, because really, once you learned, swimming wasn’t really that hard. But until you learned, it was absolutely terrifying because one wrong move, and boom. That was it. Fish’s dinner. The wettest nap ever.
But also, they were just at a local pool… so it wasn’t like Sakura was going to get pulled under in a river or yanked out to sea by a rip current. Togame wouldn’t let a single thing happen to him. He wouldn’t even tease him by going into the deep end with him. But still, Sakura’s nerves were apparent from the moment they set their things down by the edge of the pool.
It was a quiet day… hot, so even though the pool was the place to be for the afternoon, not many people were out and about. Mothers with small children had come and gone for the day, their little ones whining about the heat. A singular swimmer running laps on the far side of the pool, goggles and swim cap so tight around their head that Togame pictured it popping like a watermelon wrapped up with rubber bands. And then it was just them, folding their towels over the back of chairs to claim a spot that no one would want in this heat.
Sakura glanced nervously at the water as they were getting settled. Togame had noticed as they were walking over that Sakura’s trunks looked brand new, the creases from being folded up on a store shelf still visible. After Sakura peeled off his white t-shirt, the one he always wore and suited him so well, Togame also noticed the barcode sticking out of the back of his shorts, still very clearly attached to the fabric.
Reaching behind him, Togame snatched the tag, ripping it free while Sakura yelped, as if he thought Togame’s intentions were anything less than innocent. The not-so-innocent part came from asking Sakura to the pool at all after he woke up, his own t-shirt stuck to his skin from sweat. Tossing the shirt and his covers to the floor, Togame laid there in the semi-darkness of an early morning, wondering what he could possibly do with his day when it was so unbearable, before remembering the pool that the boys from Shishitoren often frequented, just to escape the mid-summer heat.
Oh, and he realized he had never seen Sakura without a shirt before. So a two for one deal of fantastic things. Escape the heat, as best they could at least, while trying to not pass out from seeing his boyfriend’s pale skin clearly.
“Did’ja get a new swimsuit just for me, Sakura?” Togame asked, sunglasses covering his eyes but not his gaze. Sakura blushed when he saw him staring, because of course he did, but Togame didn’t comment on it. It was so hot after all. Maybe Sakura’s fair skin was already burning up to a crisp, not because he was embarrassed at being ogled.
Sakura pouted, even so, crossing his arms over his chest to cover himself.
“No… I just didn’t have one, okay?”
Togame laughed, a short little snort of a laugh exhaled through his nose. Sure, sure, Togame thought at the time. Not likely he’d be able to find one that suited him so incredibly well on a random morning in July, but it was a nice thought. Now, Togame realized he was being honest, and he really didn’t have one. Because why would he? He didn’t even know how to swim, and the lack of a bathing suit should’ve been his first clue.
Oh well. So he didn’t notice right away. But that was fine. He was too focused on the little things, like the way Sakura’s back tensed when he slapped a handful of cold sunscreen onto him. Or the little lines of muscle that relaxed as Togame rubbed the sunscreen into his skin, making sure that every inch was covered, or he would be in for a scolding later when Sakura complained about the burn. Or the little perfectly thumb sized dimples on his lower back, that yes, made some of those less than innocent thoughts pop back up, but he ignored them to wrap his arms around Sakura’s waist, tickling his stomach before stepping back, dodging an elbow aimed straight for his nose.
But he was innocent, he swore it! He’d never do such a thing to his little guy, even if Sakura’s disgruntled little face, nose scrunch and all, was too cute for him to handle. Holding out the sunscreen, Togame savored the moment as Sakura followed suit, spreading the sunscreen over his back, little fingers squeezing his shoulders when he was done.
After finishing up the rest of their sun protection, it was finally time. Togame could already feel the sweat forming on his face, the bottom edges of his sunglasses fogging up from the heat coming off his skin. Sakura refused to borrow a spare pair he had in his bag, choosing instead to squint his eyes as they walked over to the edge of the pool.
Togame didn’t hesitate, jumping in feet first, holding his sunglasses over his head to keep them dry while dunking his head under the water. He popped back up with a sigh, the feeling of the lukewarm water good enough to provide some relief, even if it wasn’t as nice as it would’ve been if they had come earlier in the day before the sun had a chance to heat up the water. Togame only noticed that Sakura hadn’t followed him when he opened his eyes again, satisfied that the chlorine from the water wouldn’t burn them.
Sakura was standing on the top step of the stairs leading down into the shallowest end of the pool. It was only a couple of feet deep there, suitable for children to splash around in without their heads going under. He was gripping onto the railing with his left hand for dear life, hesitating to go any further.
Togame swam closer to him, splashing him when he was close enough. Sakura flinched, his grip on the handrail tightening even further, if that was even possible, making his knuckles go white.
“Stop it, ” Sakura hissed, gritting his teeth as Togame inched closer, noticing Sakura’s out of character reaction. He seemed… scared? But nothing ever really scared Sakura, so that really couldn’t have been right, could it? To his knowledge, the only thing that scared Sakura was losing his friends and the people that loved him. So… why this?
“Can’t swim?” Togame joked, clasping his hands together to squeeze the water into a little spout, the water wetting Sakura’s shins. He was only in the water up to his ankles, and still, he refused to step down further into the pool. Sakura’s skin was already turning pink, even with the sunscreen, so Togame really wanted him to join him. Get under the water… cool off… let Togame touch his wet skin beneath the water… it was gonna be so nice, and yet, Sakura was still pouting, lower lip stuck out in a pathetic display.
“So what if I can’t?” Sakura mumbled, gathering up the bravery to step down another level. Now, in the water up to his shins, his skin started to raise goose bumps all over his arms like the water was actually cold.
“I got you.” Sliding up to the stairs, Togame opened his arms, letting Sakura know it was safe to go the rest of the way. He was standing on his knees, and still, the top of his chest poked out of the water. “It’s not deep, don’t worry. You can stand here.”
Sakura nodded, still unsure of the water. It was obvious he wanted to try, or he wouldn’t have accepted the invitation, bought a swimsuit, and trekked all of the way out here for this. Or maybe, he just wanted to spend time with Togame, which was a nice thought and probably not completely inaccurate. It made Togame feel nice to be wanted… needed, especially when his partner put himself in an icnredibly new and uncomfortable situation just to be there with him.
“Come on, I got you…” Togame repeated, holding a hand out for Sakura to grab as he made his way down the stairs. Sakura grabbed his hand almost immediately, gripping it as tightly as the handrail, and bravely took another step down, and then another until his feet finally met the smooth, tiled surface of the pool. The water came up to just below his hips, and he looked down at Togame suspiciously.
“Why are you all crouched down like that?”
“What? Like this?” Togame scooted back, pulling Sakura forward as he walked through the water. Out into the center of the pool, where it was a bit deeper, but not so deep that Sakura would be completely covered or so his feet left the ground. His belly button disappeared, and the lower half of his ribs, but Togame was happy, because now he could fully be under the water, crouching still, but at least his legs were no longer squished up to his chest like they were in the more shallow water. “Don’t you wanna get your head wet? It will feel better.”
Sakura looked down, eyes going wide when he realized how deep they had gotten. His grip on Togame’s hand tightened, and he shook his head, content to stand as still as a statue. Togame reached out, grabbing his other hand, and pulling Sakura forward, his nose squarely settled in the middle of Sakura’s chest.
Sakura flushed, taken off guard by the sudden display of sort of affection, and he glanced around, making sure no one had seen. The swimmer that was keeping them company before was now sitting on a lounge chair, towel around their neck, and completely unbothered by the pair canoodling in the water. There were no lifeguards on duty today, meaning that in the span of the pool, they were completely alone and unbothered.
“I’ll do it with you, if you want,” Togame offered, plucking his sunglasses off to prepare for dunking himself under the water again. Sakura frowned, but nodded, pinching his nose in one hand, while gripping tightly to Togame with the other. Togame counted down, holding his glasses over his head, before nodding to Sakura that it was time. He half expected Sakura to chicken out, but he didn’t, and Togame’s next view of him was watching him sputter and splash as he resurfaced, two toned bangs sticking to his forehead. He coughed as he cleared his throat, glaring at Togame as if he had anything to do with Sakura sucking in water as he went under.
“You okay?” Togame asked, begging for forgiveness for something he didn’t even do as he wrapped his arms around Sakura’s waist. “I can teach you how to float, too.”
Sakura rubbed his nose, now running from the water rushing up it. He looked at Togame skeptically, before tentatively nodding his head. Down to try anything once, at least until he choked on pool water and floundered.
Togame grinned though, proud of his guy for trying. He tried to not look too devious, as Sakura had once told him his face looked evil when he smiled a certain way, like Sakura couldn’t trust the things he was saying.
But Sakura trusted him, as much as he could, and leaned back into his hands. His eyes were screwed tight as the back of his head hit the water, and Togame instructed him to relax, breathe normally, and loosen up his legs. Togame kept a hand under his lower back, and another under his shoulders, keeping him steady as the swimmer jumped back into the lap lanes, sending small little waves in their direction. Sakura tensed for a moment, not sure why the water suddenly got so rocky, but relaxed again when it calmed, barely needing Togame at all to keep him steady.
Togame lowered his hands, no longer touching Sakura’s skin (what a shame). He was sure he was steady, finally relaxing, breathing normally just like he said. His eyes were still closed, but no longer did it look like he was fighting the sun, the wrinkles all smoothed out on his perfect face. Togame half considered spooking him by diving in for a kiss, but that may make Sakura dip down under the water again, and he knew his boyfriend wouldn’t appreciate that much.
Just like he didn’t appreciate being let go of while he was still learning something new.
Sakura’s arms and legs went rigid, and he immediately dropped below the water, his face pointing up towards the sky as he flailed. Togame was still at his side, and immediately grabbed his arm, pulling him back towards the surface. Togame grabbed his waist, pulling Sakura forward and holding him tightly, knowing he fucked up before Sakura even said anything. Sakura wrapped his legs around Togame’s waist, locked in tightly, refusing to let go, unlike Togame, who had practically let him drown.
Or at least that was what he was picturing Sakura saying as he dug his nails into his back, clinging to him tightly, shoulder pressed a bit to tightly to Togame’s throat.
“You okay?” Togame soothed, running a hand up and down Sakura’s back.
“Why’d you let go?” Sakura accused, hiding his face, embarrassed and ashamed, on Togame’s shoulder. A new insecurity, one Togame didn’t even think about Sakura having. Ah… he loved the water, but maybe their dates to water related places would be restricted to the bath house from now on, once he convinced Sakura to go for him. No way to drown in a public bath, even if you tried… Sakura might find a way though…
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that, little Othello…”
“I’m not little…” Sakura mumbled, nails digging into his shoulders tighter, daring Togame to say something else.
“Littler than me. But you can touch here, if you wanted to let go.” Not like Togame really wanted him to let go. He was kind of enjoying this… Sakura holding onto him tighter than he ever had before, their wet chests all slick with water and sunscreen, and Sakura’s legs testing the strength of his hip bones with every movement he made in the water. Togame was really only swirling them about now, not sure what else to do when his little kitten had sunk his claws in so deeply.
“No…” Sakura mumbled, loosening his grip just slightly, but still comfortably tight around Togame’s neck. At least he could breath a bit easier now, as he walked Sakura through the water, edging dangerously and dangerously closer to the drop off of the deep end. Whenever he got too close, the grip would retighten in warning, and Togame returned to more shallow waters, letting Sakura sit on the tops of his legs as he inched around, letting the water swirl around them until Sakura sighed, deep and heavy.
“What’s wrong?” Togame asked, stopping in his movement. He was enjoying this, so he was honestly just waiting for Sakura to tell him he was ready to go home and get showered up. He liked being with Sakura like this, where nothing was rushed or hurried and they could just be for a bit. Sitting together watching a sunset, or taking a nap after a filling meal. It was unnecessary to fill the moments with words just because it got quiet, so having Sakura hanging from his shoulders, content to just be in his arms, was the definition of an amazing day with his little guy.
“Didn’t you bring a snack?” Sakura mumbled, a voice so common that Togame could picture the exact face he was making right now. Pursed lips, shifty eyes that wouldn’t make eye contact with him, even if he could, and a blush that went right over the top of his nose. Cute.
“Yeah, of course I did.” Walking Sakura back over to the stairs, Togame let him cling, holding on to him tightly until the couldn’t walk forward anymore without banging his knees on the solid floor of the pool. Sakura was reluctant to let go, but did so when Togame encouraged him to reach out and touch the floor of the pool with his hand so he could feel how shallow it was.
Peeling apart their skin, Sakura climbed out of the pool first, hand gripping the railing with much less force than he had earlier. Togame followed behind him, immediately regretting leaving the water as the sun baked their skin, but he had a duty to make sure his boyfriend had a good day, even if Togame could’ve relaxed in the water for a few more hours.
Cracking open the cooler he brought along, Togame pulled out the container of fresh watermelon slices he had cut up the night before in anticipation of the heat wave. Perfectly sweet and juicy, just like his boyfriend, Sakura’s eyes sparkled as he saw the cold red fruit underneath the lid. Handing Sakura a slice, Togame watched as Sakura took a huge bite, almost taking the whole thing in his mouth in one go. His tone immediately changed as soon as they left the water, much more at ease now that his number one natural nemesis was no longer surrounding their persons. Togame turned away to grab a Ramune bottle from the cooler as well, popping out the marble before turning to Sakura to offer him a sip. Sakura had already finished off the first piece, seeds and all swallowed down, and his chin was sticky with watermelon juice.
Greedily, Sakura sucked down the first half of the drink before passing it back to Togame and grabbing his second piece of watermelon. Togame was amused, Sakura keeping him on his toes like always. He didn’t even seem to notice when the watermelon juice dripped down onto his chest, pink but not yet burnt from the sun. Well, he supposed it would be about time to get Sakura inside and cleaned up.
“Want to come over to my place to shower?” Maybe together? Or would that be too much of an ask after putting Sakura out of his comfort zone for the afternoon. Nah, probably too big of an ask, because Sakura was already choking on a seed, pounding on the front of his chest with his fist. Togame snickered, patting his back until his throat cleared and Sakura sat up straight, setting his half eaten watermelon slice to the side.
“Sure. Yeah. Whatever, that’s fine…” Sakura mumbled, looking over to the side where a new group of rowdy middle schoolers had just walked in, hooting and hollering and paying no mind to the “no running” signs posted near the entrance. The boys jumped in, making a big splash, and Sakura flinched, the water nearly reaching their feet where they sat side by side on the lounge chairs.
Tossing on their shirts, Togame packed up their half finished snacks and passed the unfinished bottle of Ramune to Sakura to finish. He had more at home, so no harm in only having a couple of sips before letting Sakura have the rest. At least it left one hand free to grab Sakura’s wrist, pulling him down the street, the sun radiating heat from the sky and the concrete cooking their feet from the bottom up. Sakura seemed pleased with how the day had gone, and allowed Togame to hold his hand once they turned away from the busy streets of the town, to the quiet, vacant streets of Togame’s neighborhood. His neighbors were used to seeing them by now, walking through the streets late at night, holding hands and chatting about anything they needed to catch up on for the day.
But today, they were quiet. Once again, Togame’s favorite thing. The heat drained them, but still, Sakura seemed at ease, which was becoming more and more common for them every time they spent time together. On their first date, Sakura was so on edge, he could barely get out a sentence without stuttering. The silences felt awkward and forced, uncomfortable as two strangers sharing a seat on a train.
Now, the silence was welcome. Togame used their time walking to plan the rest of their day. Sakura showering in his bathroom, used only when Togame had no other choice and couldn’t make it to the bathhouse for his normal nightly routine. Sakura, who hadn’t really thought to bring a spare change of clothes because Togame hadn’t told him explicitly to do so, swimming in the smallest pair of shorts he owned, held up on one side with a knot made from one of Togame’s old hair ties before he cut off his braid. Sakura, eyes heavy, trying his hardest to stay awake, drifting off against Togame’s shoulder, only waking when Togame mentioned going to get a meal from a food stand in town that made cheap, hefty bentos. They would return, in no rush to end their day, Sakura saying he needed to go home, but falling asleep once again as soon as Togame laid him down on his chest.
That would be nice. A nice, quiet end to a nice, quiet day. Togame wondered if Sakura was thinking the same thing, but he didn’t ask, because it really didn’t matter.
Because yeah. Even if perfect was hard to come by, spending time with Sakura doing the slow, routine motions of an easy life? That was a pretty damn perfect way to live his days.