Pairings/Warnings: SouMako, AU, magical realism, light angst, awkward romance, grumpy!Sousuke, healer!Makoto, masturbation, explicit sexual content

Chapter One

It was the last stretch of Sousuke's journey and for that reason it seemed to be the slowest. It had taken him a few train switches and plenty of hanging around for it to be the final leg and now he was on the last train, Sousuke was feeling particularly impatient.

He supposed he should look outside and admire the countryside. It did appear a beautiful area and it was a warm sunny autumn day so it seemed even prettier. Or it would have if Sousuke had been in the right mood. As all Sousuke wanted now was time to be free of transportation and be able to stretch his long legs that had seemed cramped so many damn times on this long and frustrating day.

Sousuke had never been to Iwatobi before. Neither had he heard of it prior to a few days ago. It seemed to be a small town where fishing was the most prominent industry and employer. He supposed it looked nice enough but his visit was intended to be brief so it wasn't like he was going to spend time exploring it. Instead, Sousuke planned on spending one or two nights and then head back home to Tokyo, hopefully successfully. He really hoped it wasn't another wasted journey.

Sighing under his breath, Sousuke leant his head against the cool glass of the window and looked out at the flashing greenery that passed by. He could start to see the ocean, it gleaming and sparkling and Sousuke felt a sense of excitement at being by the sea for the first time in a while. It had been a long time since Sousuke had swum in the ocean or jogged by the water's edge and he supposed even if he was unsuccessful on his visit he could enjoy that simple pleasure.

He didn't want to be unsuccessful again. He didn't want another pointless venture. All Sousuke wanted was something that would help and at this stage, he was willing to try anything.

Sousuke wasn't supposed to be wasting his time travelling to random towns, villages and cities. He should've been able to take his university place in Tokyo and spend his time training in the competition-sized pool for his dream – a chance of a spot on the Japanese National Swimming Team. It was a dream he had harboured since childhood, one that was aided by his best friend and fellow swimming enthusiast Rin. They had spent all their time as kids swimming – they'd joined clubs and swam in relays and any regional competition they could. As they had got older it had become more competitive and soon they were training together daily, jogging every morning at dawn and swimming huge distances under the watchful eye of their schools coaches. By the time they got to high school, they were the best swimmers in their school and it was whispered behind their backs everywhere they went that they would be Olympians one day.

It wasn't under his final year of high school that it happened. Sousuke knew he pushed his body hard. His work ethic was exemplary and he was always used as an example to others. Rin would tease him about that, "tch" under his breath and warn him not to push himself so hard. Sousuke didn't listen. He supposed he rarely did listen to anyone else. He'd always been stubborn, always so focused that they day his shoulder began to hurt, he ignored it.

His specialism was butterfly and Sousuke soon found that the shoulder pain was getting worse. He continued to ignore it, training harder and gritting his teeth when he found the pain grew too much but it wasn't long until it became unbearable. It didn't take long for Rin to figure something out.

In agony after practices, Sousuke would ensure he was the last to use the showers and he often found himself nearly in tears as the water grew cool on his skin as he sat on the tiled floor. Rin found him like that one day – in pain and with water in his eyes, his dark hair covering his forehead. From then on Sousuke couldn't hide.

The school knew Sousuke was one of their best swimmers and it didn't take long for them to organise physios and any additional help they could. He started wearing a shoulder brace and his training regime was changed. The steps were encouraging as his shoulder hurt less but it soon became apparent that he was no longer the same competitive swimmer he had been.

It was during a leg of a relay that Sousuke knew he couldn't do it anymore. The pain was immense, all consuming and for a moment, he felt like he was going to drown. He didn't, instead, all Sousuke felt was a blackness as he finished his leg of the relay and waited at the side of the pool, exhausted and barely able to hold on.

Rin helped him then, reached out his hand as Sousuke struggled to lift the weight of his body out of the water but after that Sousuke knew he was done.

It hurt, not just physically, but emotionally as Sousuke started to let go of swimming. One of the coaches suggested Sousuke should think about coaching as he had the talent for it but Sousuke soon started to resent swimming and what his failed dream felt like. Sharing a room with Rin became unbearable and he stopped their joint jogs and training. He stopped showing at swim practice despite the fact he was still part of the team and Sousuke began to slip into a despair he wasn't sure how to get out of. It only got worse as Rin moved on, as there was this new Nanase guy on the team who Rin enthused about the whole damn time and Sousuke began to isolate himself and avoid everyone.

Without swimming, Sousuke wasn't sure what to do. He focused on his schoolwork as best as he could but he was distracted and the university's that had been interested in him due to his swimming prowess soon were not interested at all. Sousuke had to rethink and he didn't know what the hell else he could do.

Graduating was painful as Sousuke felt like bystander, as though he watched everyone else pass him by and though he was glad for Rin and his potential Olympic opportunity, he couldn't help being bitter. And he couldn't help threatening Nanase a few times. It just happened.

Now everyone else was at university and Sousuke… wasn't. Unsure of what to do and what to study, Sousuke instead moved back home and began working at his father's hardware store. It was a dull job but it earned him some money and Sousuke soon began to save it up as he figured out what he was going to do.

He missed swimming like a dull ache and without the constant repetitive strain his shoulder seemed to be getting better but it wasn't going to heal overnight. And he probably wasn't going to be competitive again nor be able to swim with Rin.

Rin visited even though he was busy with university and it was as he was leaving for his train he said the words that had begun Sousuke on this stupid journey.

"You know… you gave up too quick, Sou. You should look into other options… I'm sure with how stubborn you are we could swim together again, huh?"

Rin had touched his shoulder gently and Sousuke didn't flinch from the touch, in fact, it didn't hurt at all. As he saw Rin's smile, Sousuke felt a jolt in his stomach. He had just given up. He hadn't fought and he'd just quit. That wasn't very much like him and suddenly Sousuke felt a stirring in his gut.

And that began his quest to find some way of healing his injury.

Doctors could only do so much and Sousuke had given up on that rapidly. He was taught stretches, given creams with numbing agents and given exercises but they did little. Soon he began to think more widely and he began looking into other avenues.

After much internet research, Sousuke had begun his search to find another cure for his shoulder and soon he had met a variety of interesting people who had so far been unhelpful. He'd tried different therapies, different concoctions of teas and pills and had meditated in numerous ways. He'd steamed, he'd been in ice baths and he'd done everything in between. He'd found the strangest shops in Tokyo and travelled to shrines in the middle of forests. And everything Sousuke had done so far had done little for his shoulder.

He supposed his shoulder didn't feel healed but Sousuke had started to feel better than he had for quite some time. He started to train again, swim again, and even though he was taking it easy, Sousuke was beginning to feel like his old self again. He felt focused and determined and Sousuke was sure he would be able to make his comeback and re-apply for one of the universities that had been interested in him prior to his injury.

He felt hopeful even if he was getting irritated by all the different cures that hadn't helped so far. But he was still determined and maybe, just maybe this guy in Iwatobi might be the one.

The guy in Iwatobi had been recommended by some internet friends and so Sousuke felt a little more hopeful than if this name had popped up on some random search. Unlike many other healers, this one didn't have his own website and instead all that Sousuke could find was a small blog page that highlighted a few details regarding the guy. His name was Tachibana Makoto and Sousuke had found the email address and contacted him, waiting impatiently for a response.

It hadn't taken long and soon a few emails were exchanged. It seemed Tachibana was curious about how Sousuke had come across him and Sousuke had mentioned a few people he had apparently seen. This seemed to work as the messages after that were more friendly and an appointment was set within a few weeks. Sousuke had given brief explanation of his shoulder injury but Tachibana had said that he didn't need that information – they would talk about that when they had their appointment. Sousuke didn't question Tachibana as he had come to learn that the sort of people he dealt with were often somewhat odd and Tachibana was probably the same. So instead he agreed and finalised his appointment.

Now Sousuke was approaching Iwatobi and the train was beginning to slow down as it arrived at the station. Iwatobi was a small town and Sousuke was sure it was difficult to get lost but he also knew he had an appalling sense of direction so he pulled up a map on his phone prior to their arrival. His appointment wasn't until tomorrow so Sousuke planned to stay over at a guest house in the town. He had rang ahead so he was expected and so Sousuke pulled up the walking route to his resting stop for the night instead of to Tachibana's home. He supposed it was a good idea that he didn't have the appointment tonight. Sousuke felt stiff as he began to move his limbs and he felt his shoulder more pronounced than usual as he left the train and stepped out onto the platform.

The day had been warm but Sousuke felt a slight chill as he walked slowly away from the train and station. It was early evening by the time of his arrival but it was also the cool sea air that made him shiver and Sousuke took a deep breath of it as he listened to the distant sound of gulls. It felt peaceful as he walked and Sousuke barely saw anybody as he took his long strides around the town, his phone poised in his hand to check his directions as he walked.

He thought of Rin then, Rin elbowing him in the ribs and mocking him for being able to get lost "anywhere" but Sousuke only shook away the thought. As since he'd started this attempt to find someone to help him heal, he'd travelled far and wide and only got lost once or twice. Which was a lot better than what Rin would expect.

Despite his bad sense of direction, Sousuke was able to find the house without any trouble and he paused outside it. The night was beginning to draw in and he had a long day of travel but Sousuke didn't feel tired. He felt like he wanted to run, like he wanted to explore the town and so he fidgeted with his bag and debated about whether he should go in or just walk. Yet his moment of indecisiveness was ended as he saw the door open slightly and a small head peeked out of the opening.

"Are you coming in?" a little boy asked and Sousuke cocked his head as the door opened wider.

The little boy had pale hair and bright eyes and Sousuke couldn't help the confused expression on his own face at the appearance. "I'm looking for a guest house…"

Smiling widely, the boy nodded. "You found it."

Unable to suddenly be rude to the kid, Sousuke shrugged. "Then I guess I'm coming in."

"I'll shout grandmother!"

The shout was loud enough that it seemed to echo through the empty streets and within moments another figure appeared at the door.

"Yamazaki?" the old lady questioned.

"Yeah."

"Welcome to Iwatobi," she said, smiling.