Artificial Kids

9 | Golden | after the end

Love confessions :)
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The crowd's cheers echoing through the halls didn't disturb the perfect silence in Finn's head as he got into position on his starting block.

He was burning with anticipation while part of his mind screamed at him to panic because he hadn't practiced enough, because Zack looked way more confident, because the coach hadn't complimented his performance as much as she usually did. Finn was highly anxious and completely calm at the same time, and he loved every second of it.

So when the start of the race was finally announced and the whole swim team simultaneously dropped into the water, Finn was almost smiling.

By the time he climbed out of the pool and a cheering Ian wrapped his arms around his neck, that smile had turned into a joyous grin. Finn had won. He grinned even wider when he spotted Holly behind Ian.

The girl slightly shook her head as she pulled Ian away, glancing at the blonde's soaked clothes and settling for a simple kiss as she too congratulated Finn.

"You really didn't exaggerate," she stated, turning back to Ian with a smile. "He's faster than the speed of light."

Ian replied with a bright grin. "Look how pissed Zack is."

Finn glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Zack walk up to them, a towel loosely draped over his shoulders. "That was so fucking close I should kick your ass," he stated frankly. "Rematch?"

"Let me participate," Noah demanded as he finally joined them down by the pool. Ian glanced at him.

"It really took you that long to walk down the stands?"

"I got distracted," Noah replied with a shrug, eyeing the blonde's clothes. "You're a little wet."

Ian shot him a grin. "I wanna swim too. Holly, join us."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure one of the guys has a spare bikini in his bag," Holly replied, narrowing her eyes at him.

Ian just shrugged and shoved Noah towards the locker rooms. "Not my problem. We'll be right back."

"You sure you want to swim?" Noah asked as Ian opened Finn's locker and eyed his spare swimming trunks. "In front of all the others? In water?"

"Where else would I swim?" Ian replied, rolling his eyes. "You taught me how to do it. And you said you're the best teacher available, so either you lied-"

"I didn't," Noah cut him off and took a pair of swimming shorts from the blonde. "You're pretty alright now. But if you do get scared, we can just stop."

Ian eyed him for a moment, knowing Noah wasn't just talking about swimming. "I won't."

Noah shot him a smile. "Alright then. Strip."

"Pervert."

Once they were done changing they went back to the swim team and Holly. The coach was also still there, congratulating Finn on his victory while correcting the team's mistakes and commenting their overall performances. Ian and Noah sat down on the pool's edge where Holly decided to join them.

She was wearing a simple black dress and tights underneath, so she didn't bother undressing enough to even just let her feet dangle in the water. Instead she remained standing behind the boys, threatening to push Ian in if he didn't stop making comments about how eagerly Finn nodded to each one of the coach's words.

When the coach finally released the team and left, Zack whistled. "Didn't think I'd ever see you in that position, Ian."

Zack's eyes on him felt like daggers piercing his skin, and Ian averted his gaze while Noah raised a brow at Zack. "It's the only position you'll ever see him in, freak."

Before he got a chance to reply Zack was pushed into the water by Finn who soon jumped in after him. Noah shot the blonde a smile before lowering himself into the water, and with slightly shaky arms, Ian copied him.

They had trained a lot in the pool at Ian's house, so Ian at least didn't have to worry about drowning anymore. He wasn't as fast as the swimmers or Noah so he didn't even try participating in their races, but he stayed above the surface and his lungs remained free of water, so he was content.

"Good job," Hasan commented as he swam past Ian.

"Give me credit, too," Noah demanded with a grin. "He's a pest to train."

Ian narrowed his eyes and splashed him with water, immediately regretting it as he noticed the weird glint suddenly appearing in Noah's eyes. Just a second later he was pulled through the water, eyes widened in fear as he tried to cling to Noah who firmly held on to his arm.

"Dumbass, I'll drown!" he cried, but Noah just grinned at him.

"I won't let you."

"Corny ass," Hasan commented, shaking his head before swimming away to join Finn and the others. Ian managed to free himself from Noah before the both of them lost balance, and he glared at his boyfriend with as much hate as he could muster – over the years he had perfected that look, and even though he felt differently now it was still easy to wish Noah death through his eyes.

Noah just laughed. "Let's get out, I'm hungry."

The two swam back to the edge and climbed out of the water. Just as Ian wanted to shout at Finn to get out as well, Noah captured his jaw and turned Ian's face in his direction.

"You're pretty," Noah stated, admiring the droplets of water clinging onto Ian's lashes and his slightly reddened cheeks.

"Don't kiss me, you taste like chlorine," Ian replied.

Noah just grinned and leaned in for a brief kiss. He pulled back after a few seconds yet remained leaning towards Ian, watching the blonde with a serious face.

"You okay?" Ian asked, raising a brow. Maybe Noah had swallowed a ton of water.

But the question didn't even reach Noah's ears as he was too focused on the realization that had been on his mind for a while now. The realization that made being near Ian almost nerve wrecking and saying goodbye to him nearly impossible.

"Kilian," he said quietly, ignoring Zack's laughter echoing through the hall and Holly reprimanding him. "I love you."

"No," Ian replied, groaning in annoyance. Noah raised a brow and leaned back.

"No?"

"No, fuck. I wanted to say it first." Ian rolled his eyes. "Guess you won."

Noah laughed in disbelief. "You turned even this into a competition? Are you kidding me?"

"No," the blonde replied, his face as serious as Noah's had been just seconds ago. "I don't lie to the people I love. At least not as much."

"So..." Noah started, trailing off with a grin as he noticed Ian's reddening cheeks.

"I love you too, loser," Ian muttered. "Most times, anyway."

Noah just laughed and captured his lips in another kiss because what else could he do than laugh and kiss the boy he loved. The years he had spent locked away in his room to study or hooking up with people that had never managed to make his heart race the way Ian did, all those years seemed like pointless effort now that he finally had all that he had ever wanted, all that he had ever needed without knowing it.

And Ian kissed him back, smiling against Noah's lips that moved so tenderly and slowly it almost drove him insane. Noah almost drove him insane. When Ian had thought it would be his own desperate need for success and hollow strive for a sense of perfection he could never reach, it ultimately was Noah who would be the end of him. And while that thought seemed frightening Ian embraced it fully for there was nothing better than being driven insane by Noah Rivera.