I don't own Free! Iwatobi Swim Club.

PART I

She stared blankly at the road ahead of her, fingers tightening on her bag. Practice officially finished an hour ago, but both Iwatobi and Samezuka swim teams had decided to have extra practice. It wouldn't hurt. As Iwatobi's manager, she had to stay and supervise. She didn't know that the sun would so quickly. No, she wasn't afraid of the dark. Besides, the streetlights were on. What really scared her was-

"Ah, Gou-chan? Is that you?" a voice rang out. Gou nearly jumped a mile in the air and her red eyes flitted behind her, finding the source of the voice. When he stepped out of Samezuka High's entrance, she gave a sigh of relief.

"Oh, Makoto-senpai," she said. "Hello."

"You're still here?" he asked, coming up to stand beside her. "I thought everyone left?"

"I was suppose to go home with Onii-chan today, but he challenged Haru-senpai to another race and they still haven't come out yet. Nagisa-kun dragged Rei-kun off somewhere," Gou replied. "I was just about to go home."

"Alone?" Makoto raised an eyebrow. "Haven't you heard the news? Lately, high school girls have been disappearing during the night. They're found hurt and violated in empty alleys."

That was what she was really scared of.

"Well, Onii-chan was going to be with me, but I guess he forgot," she shrugged. She put on an air of bravado. "It happens now and then. Now, if you excuse me, I'll be heading back-"

He pulled her hand just as she was about to walk away and gave her his signature smile, the one that made her heart flutter every time. "Just wait here," he said. "I'm going to get my things and walk you home."

"Oh it's fine, Makoto-senpai! You don't need to trouble yourself!"

"Please?" He stared at her with his green eyes, pleading.

"Um...ah...o-okay," she stammered incoherently. Grinning triumphantly, Makoto let go of her hand and went back into Samezuka High. Gou found herself alone again, still facing the road. She faintly remembered Nagisa telling her that Makoto, despite his tall and muscular build, was actually afraid of many things.

He just doesn't want to be alone, she thought. I mean, why else would he walk me home? It's nice manners to accompany a girl.

"Sorry, Gou-chan!" Makoto called, his bag slung over one shoulder. "Shall we get going?"

"Yeah," she said. She latched onto his elbow, earning an odd look.

"Gou-chan?"

She quickly let go. "Oh, that was instinct! Um...that's how Onii-chan and I would walk when it's dark ever since we were kids. He said he'd rather have me next to him than in front or behind. You never know what could happen," she rambled, blushing lightly. She bowed her head. "Sorry."

He laughed and offered her a hand. "He's not wrong," Makoto said. "I'm the same way with my younger siblings."

She slid her hand into his. Without meeting his gaze she muttered, "It's getting late."

"Right!"

And on they walked. Makoto led the way to the Matsuoka house, having already been there before. As he glanced back at Gou (she was trailing a few inches behind him), he noticed that her eyes would move around and she'd flinch every time there was a sound. Her head was inclined, however, and if Makoto went on a different route, she wouldn't have noticed. He gave her fingers a reassuring squeeze.

"We're almost there," he announced when they turned onto the Matsuoka's street. It was then that Gou spotted the plastic bag in his hand.

"What's that?" she blurted.

"What's what?"

She pointed to the bag. "What's in there?"

"Nothing important," he said absently. They had stopped in front of her house. "See you tomorrow, Gou-chan."

"Makoto-senpai, you should stay for dinner!"

"I wouldn't want to impose-"

Gou shook her head. "It's fine. Think of it as a thank you," she insisted, giving him her own puppy eyes. "Please?"

"...If it's okay with your parents."

She smiled and pushed him into her house, yelling, "Mom, I'm home. And we have a guest for dinner!"

Ms. Matsuoka stuck her head out of the kitchen and her eyes perked up. "Oh my, Mako-kun, is that you?"

"Pardon the intrusion. It's been a long time, Matsuoka-san," Makoto greeted. "Do you mind if I let my parents know I'm staying?"

"Go ahead!" Ms. Matsuoka pointed toward the phone in the living room. Once he left, she turned toward her daughter. "So, it's Mako-kun, eh? I always thought you would go after Rei-kun or Nagi-kun, but I guess Gou-chan prefers the older ones."

"Mom, you're being embarrassing," Gou complained.

She only gave a laugh and ducked back into the kitchen, calling, "Dinner in thirty minutes!"

Gou skipped into the living room and plopped onto the couch, next to Makoto. "Mom says we're eating in half an hour."

"You eat late in the evening," he remarked as she turned on what she dubbed her 'undercover videos'. She had recorded other swim teams in order to learn their strengths and weaknesses.

"Sometimes Onii-chan would drop by to visit but only at this time," she answered. "Mom really likes it when we eat together, so she makes dinner and hopes that he'll come."

"Why doesn't your mom just tell him to come home and eat?"

She tilted her head. "Ever since Rin went to Australia, Mom let him have free reign over his life. I guess she doesn't want to hold us back from experiencing reality ourselves."

"Your mom is nice."

"Yeah."

They fell into a comfortable silence, watching the previous year's tournament. It was broken when Ms. Matsuoka shrieked.

"MOM?"

"I forgot some ingredients," the older woman threw a coat over her shoulders before rushing out the door. "I'll be right back!"

"But Mom-" The door slammed shut, leaving Makoto and Gou alone. The latter immediately jumped and scampered towards the kitchen, stuttering, "I'll go get some drinks!"

Like before, his hand shot out and latched onto her own. "Gou-chan?"

"Yes?"

"You wondered what was in the bag, right?" he asked, holding up the mystery package in question.

"It's fine if you don't want to tell me! It isn't my business anyway."

"No, it involves you," he said, placing the bag on the table in front of the sofa. Intrigued, she sat back down.

Makoto peeled back the bag and opened the box, revealing a beautifully round cake. Gou swallowed thickly. "I-Is that chocolate?"

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I heard from your brother that it happens to be your birthday today. He also said that you gave up chocolate in middle school, hoping to be more athletic."

"I told him never to repeat that!"

"But birthdays are suppose to be special and Rin said you used to love chocolate, so I...if you don't like it, then don't force yourself!"

Gou grinned. "I love it!" She tackled him in a hug. "Thank you, Makoto-senpai!"

He wrapped his arms around her, his brotherly instincts taking over. "It's nothing-"

They heard the front door open and the all too familiar voice of Rin Matsuoka call out, "I'm home!" His footsteps were frighteningly fast and he was at the living room entrance before Gou and Makoto could separate.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Rin grinned, his shark-like teeth glinting. "Makoto Tachibana, I'm giving you 10 seconds to run before I tear you to pieces."

Author's Notes

I just love MakoGou. They're adorable w Anyway, this is another of my AlphaBits stories. I'm a bit slow on updating (it's been months!), but please bear with me. Part Two will come out as soon as possible.