HiyoIku

HiyoIku is the slash ship between Hiyori Tono and Ikuya Kirishima from the Free! fandom.

Dive to the Future
SPROUTING DIVE START!

Hiyori and Ikuya are on a bus when Ikuya accidently voices out loud that he’ll never be ordinary. Hiyori tells him that being ordinary isn’t something he should have to worry about, since he’s Ikuya. Ikuya asks if that’s meant to be a compliment. Hiyori says yes, but then asks if he made the other boy mad. Ikuya says no, and stares out the window.

A PROMISE ON A SHOOTING STAR!

After the race, Ikuya is in the shower, when Hiyori startles him. Hiyori wants to take off, but Ikuya really doesn’t understand why, since there are still other races. Hiyori says that there's are finished, so they can leave. He asks if he wants something to eat, and he’ll let everyone else know that they’re leaving. They then go to a restraunt, where Ikuya asks if Hiyori’s backstroke time improved. Hiyori says it has, but it’s not as good as his, and then tells him to let his brother know about his race today. Ikuya says that he’s not in a rush since the he’s in another time zone. He then observes how weird Hiyori is acting, but Hiyori responds that he’s always weird.

As they head to the train station, Ikuya realizes he left his phone back at the restaurant. He says that he’ll see Hiyori tomorrow, which seems to disappoint Hiyori. Hiyori eventually follows him and find him talking to Haru. Ikuya asks why Hiyori didn’t head home already, and Hiyori says he got curious. He quickly acknowledges Haru before telling him that Ikuya is tired from his race and he should take him home. He then leads Ikuya away.

FIRST SWIM IN ANOTHER COUNTRY!

Ikuya wakes from a dream to the sound of his phone ringing. It’s Hiyori. He tells Ikuya he called to make sure he wouldn’t be late for practice, but Ikuya ensures him that he won’t. Hiyori starts to bring up his teammates from middle school but Ikuya says to drop it and that he’ll see him later, and hangs up. During practice, Ikuya is talking to his teammate, Hoshikawa, about his IM. Hoshikawa asks why Ikuya doesn’t do the freestyle relay just as Hiyori shows up. He says that Ikuya focuses on his individual swimming more, and Ikuya confirms this, since he’s not at his best during team events. The two then leave.

The next day Ikuya is swimming again as Hiyori watches, when Ikuya gets out, Hiyori meets him at the end of the pool and compliments him on his swimming. He notices how hard Ikuya is breathing and asks if he’s okay, but Ikuya believes that Hiyori worries too much and walks away from him.

INTERFERENCE OF LOSS!

Hiyori and Ikuya are about to go practice when Hiyori see’s Makoto, Haru and Asahi. Ikuya asks if something is wrong, but Hiyori just says that there’s something he needs to do and Ikuya should go to the pool ahead of him. Ikuya understands and says he’ll be swimming when he gets there and heads away. Hiyori responds that he’ll join him soon, and goes to confront the three.

Hiyori shows up behind them and asks what they’re doing there. Asahi responds that they’re here to see Ikuya. Hiyori becomes mad, saying that Ikuya doesn’t have time to look back on the past. Hiyori tells Haru, that he already told him how busy Ikuya was. There’s no practice today, but they're training on their own, and he doesn’t want them to bother Ikuya. Makoto says that they won’t do anything to interfere with his training. Hiyori sighs and gives in, asking that they at least wait till after training is over.

Ikuya swims as Hiyori watches, when he starts to go unconscious. Hiyori dives in after him. He luckily recovers before Hiyori gets to him. Hiyori is still worried, but Ikuya says he’s fine and brushes off Hiyori’s concern.

When the three come back later, Hiyori tells them that Ikuya left his practice early since he wasn’t feeling well. Makoto suggests that they could go check on him, but Hiyori wants them to mind their own business. Asahi wants to know what Hiyori even is to Ikuya. Hiyori explains that he’s his best friend and that two met when Ikuya was studying abroad in America, he was entrusted by Natsuya to look after Ikuya. Haru wants to apologize to Ikuya about middle school but Hiyori doesn't think it will do any good for Ikuya to dwell on the past, especially since it seems they don't really seem like Ikuya's friends to begin with. Hiyori believes that Ikuya needs such weak people in his life, and Haru challenges him to a race. He agrees but Makoto steps in and challenges Hiyori in backstroke. Hiyori agrees to race Makoto, to see how serious they are about being Ikuya’s friends again.

Ikuya is in his apartment when Hiyori walks in, announcing that he brought snacks. Ikuya wonders why there’s so much, as Hiyori explains that he wasn’t sure if Ikuya had eaten so he was going to make dinner. Ikuya says that he already ate, and that Hiyori worries too much. Ikuya starts to make coffee for the two as Hiyori waits in the other room. He tells Ikuya that everyone was worried about Ikuya, but Hiyori assured them that he’s fine. Ikuya knows that Hiyori talked to Haru and the other’s today, which confuses Hiyori as to how he knew. Ikuya saw them when he was leaving. Hiyori says that he told them the same thing that he did last time. This was an important time for Ikuya and the three shouldn’t be disturbing him. He asks if Ikuya was okay with that and Ikuya says that it’s fine.

Hiyori takes the train to the pool. Ikuya texts him to see if they can go out for dinner. Hiyori responds that he can’t since he has to take care of something. He gets to the pool and, Haru says that they thought he wasn’t coming. Hiyori says that he always keeps his promises, unlike Haru. They start the race.

Hiyori wins the race, and is impressed at how good Makoto is. Hiyori tells them all that he still doesn’t believe they deserve to see Ikuya. He decides that since they took the time for the race that he’ll at least tell them something that happened to Ikuya. He tells them that after Ikuya went to America he almost drowned just like he did back in Japan. Hiyori says that it was extremely serious, and he was in the hospital for awhile. The four are shocked. Hiyori knows that Ikuya came out stronger afterwards but he’s still delicate, and leaves the others.

Moments
Sprouting Dive Start!
 * While watching Asahi and Haru swim, Hiyori calls them inferior versions of Ikuya

A Promise on a Shooting Star!
 * Hiyori wishes Ikuya luck before he swims in his race
 * When Ikuya’s friends from middle school show up, he tells them that he isn’t here
 * When he watches Ikuya swim he comments that it could become a tournament record

Interference of Loss!
 * Hiyori comments on how much Ikuya likes The Little Mermaid
 * Hiyori feels that Ikuya is stronger without relays

Fanon
Shipping between the two started after the release of Timeless Medley, but took off more after the release of Dive to the Future. Many shippers liken Hiyori to a jealous or overprotective boyfriend, given his manipulations to stop Ikuya's friends from middle from seeing him, and his reminders to Ikuya to take care of himself and call his brother. Shippers are also drawn to the seeming pride Hiyori has over Ikuya, given the former's need to compliment Ikuya all the time.

On AO3, HiyoIku is the most written ship for both characters. It is also the thirty second most written ship in the Free! tag.

Fandom
FAN FICTION
 * Ikuya/Hiyori on FanFiction.Net