[fic] Running [Watari, Tatsumi]
Title: Running
Author: Shan
Rating: G
Status: One-shot, complete
Summary: A night like this should never go to waste. Watari uses it to take a midnight swim at the local pool.
Music: Poets of the Fall - Shallow
The conditions were perfect.
The full moon lit the grounds, leaving no need for unnecessary lamps. The subtle wind felt nonexistent, as the buildings around the pool blocked the currents from the ocean. A night like this looked perfect for a swim.
Watari stood on the slippery surface of the springboard, analyzing the water in front of him. He had already calculated the length of the track, the strength of the strokes he would have to do and how long one lap would take. Science, math - those were his job. Swimming; the best pastime to relax. There was nothing more exciting than to join pleasure with business.
A quick thrust forward and he made a perfect dive into the water. An experienced swimmer, he already had his unruly strands tightly braided. The weight of the wet hair alone, he knew, would slow him down quite significantly. With that in mind, he intensified his pace.
His muscles worked steadily underneath his skin; moving, stretching, pushing forward, ever further. Even with nobody around, it was still a race. His body worked as a vessel to run away from everything that pulled him back, that stalled his progress. No choice but to win.
A quick backward flip and he continued on the way back to the springboard.
He was losing velocity, he knew it. His muscles silently groaned at the increased speed, but complied anyway. He would never let his own flesh stay behind his mind. Achieve the goal, or die trying.
Keep swimming, Watari. Just keep swimming, he told himself. All of his problems stayed outside, somewhere beyond the slightly bitter water. If only he could go faster, they would never catch up with him. Never.
Another flip and back on track again.
He found it harder and harder to keep up the pace. He needed to speed up again, but his body gradually refused to obey. His breath became staggered, labored. Annoying, how many times he had to come up for air. He couldn't force himself to hold it in any longer. Move faster, he told himself. That's not enough.
A flip again. The last lap to go.
He had to get to the finish line quicker than this. Something at the back of his mind kept laughing at his poor performance, but Watari squashed it at once. He needed full concentration to reach his goal. To leave everything behind.
His fingers touched the cold tile and he quickly emerged from the water, gasping for air. Assaulted by the wind, he suppressed the chills. He glanced up and squinted at the blurry figure squatting at the edge, holding out a dry towel.
"It was your best time so far," said Tatsumi.
Watari smirked.
"I know."
Ps. Almost forgot to credit my better half (Rhea, that is) for editing on this piece. Thanks, Love!!! <3
Author: Shan
Rating: G
Status: One-shot, complete
Summary: A night like this should never go to waste. Watari uses it to take a midnight swim at the local pool.
Music: Poets of the Fall - Shallow
The conditions were perfect.
The full moon lit the grounds, leaving no need for unnecessary lamps. The subtle wind felt nonexistent, as the buildings around the pool blocked the currents from the ocean. A night like this looked perfect for a swim.
Watari stood on the slippery surface of the springboard, analyzing the water in front of him. He had already calculated the length of the track, the strength of the strokes he would have to do and how long one lap would take. Science, math - those were his job. Swimming; the best pastime to relax. There was nothing more exciting than to join pleasure with business.
A quick thrust forward and he made a perfect dive into the water. An experienced swimmer, he already had his unruly strands tightly braided. The weight of the wet hair alone, he knew, would slow him down quite significantly. With that in mind, he intensified his pace.
His muscles worked steadily underneath his skin; moving, stretching, pushing forward, ever further. Even with nobody around, it was still a race. His body worked as a vessel to run away from everything that pulled him back, that stalled his progress. No choice but to win.
A quick backward flip and he continued on the way back to the springboard.
He was losing velocity, he knew it. His muscles silently groaned at the increased speed, but complied anyway. He would never let his own flesh stay behind his mind. Achieve the goal, or die trying.
Keep swimming, Watari. Just keep swimming, he told himself. All of his problems stayed outside, somewhere beyond the slightly bitter water. If only he could go faster, they would never catch up with him. Never.
Another flip and back on track again.
He found it harder and harder to keep up the pace. He needed to speed up again, but his body gradually refused to obey. His breath became staggered, labored. Annoying, how many times he had to come up for air. He couldn't force himself to hold it in any longer. Move faster, he told himself. That's not enough.
A flip again. The last lap to go.
He had to get to the finish line quicker than this. Something at the back of his mind kept laughing at his poor performance, but Watari squashed it at once. He needed full concentration to reach his goal. To leave everything behind.
His fingers touched the cold tile and he quickly emerged from the water, gasping for air. Assaulted by the wind, he suppressed the chills. He glanced up and squinted at the blurry figure squatting at the edge, holding out a dry towel.
"It was your best time so far," said Tatsumi.
Watari smirked.
"I know."
Ps. Almost forgot to credit my better half (Rhea, that is) for editing on this piece. Thanks, Love!!! <3