RinRei

RinRei is the slash ship between Rin Matsuoka and Rei Ryuugazaki from the Free! fandom.

Canon
In the first season, Rin and Rei had an extremely antagonistic relationship, with Rin being resentful that Rei had replaced him as the butterfly swimmer in his friend group, and Rei feeling like a replacement for Rin. Despite their respective teams' efforts.

When there was a given opportunity for Rin to reunite with Haruka and swim with his best friend again- Rei backed out of the relay and allowed Rin to take his spot. Despite training everyday for that very relay, Rei allowed Rin to swim with his new friends for their happiness. As he watched Rin compete and at the end hug his friends, Rei watched from the audience, a notably bitter smile on his face.

Following the tournament, Rin becomes noticeably more friendly and magnanimous towards Rei, as they are seen on good terms when the Iwatobi and Samezuka swim teams decide to play with water guns, and Rei and Rin are forced to dodge Nitori's frantic fires together. When Rei gets shot (watered) down by Nagisa, Rin yells Rei's name and cradles him in his arms as though he got hit by an actual shot.

Rei asked Rin to help with with strokes other than his signature butterfly, so the two started practicing together, causing the other Iwatobi Swim Club members to think that Rei had been ditching them to see a secret girlfriend, but they later find out that Rei had been getting extra help from Rin. Rei made cookies for Rin as a thank you for coaching him.

Songs

 * GO ALL OUT by Miyano Mamoru and Daisuke Hirakawa 

Fanon
They seem to be mostly shipped for their potential and dynamic, sometimes taking on the Enemies to Friends to Lovers trope. It is primarily rivaled by Reigisa, RinHaru and SouRin and usually shipped alongside SouMako.

RinRei started being shipped in the first season. This due to their minor rivalry, and the animosity caused by Rei joining the original friend group Rin was a part of. Many seeing tension and chemistry between the two. Although a lot more people started shipping the two in season 2. When Rin was secretly teaching Rei how to swim. Many took this and decided that they were also secretly dating at the same time, or will write AUs where that was the actual reasons Rei was sneaking around. A lot of fics will typically explore the reaction of their friends.

On AO3, RinRei is the second most written ship for Rei and the fifth most written for Rin. It is also the tenth most written ship in the Free! tag.

Fandom
FAN FICTION

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