Disclaimer: I do not own Free! Iwatobi Swim Club or any of its characters.

This story has been written in first person, and I tend to try to avoid having the characters in the story call the character (or you). Basically, I try to keep my Reader X Other Character stories free of anyone calling (you), "_-chan/-san/-kun/-senpai/etc.)

[CHAPTER ONE]

"Senpai... Are you actually afraid of the dark...?" I asked gently, careful not to offend him. He smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah." he replied quietly, and I laughed lightly, much to his dismay, "I-I know, it's kind of silly..."

I looked up at him and shook my head disapprovingly.

"I think it's cute. When it gets dark, I promise to protect you Mako-chan-senpai!" I giggled at his new-found nickname, giving him a cheery thumbs up.

"Oi." he called, his voice melodic to my ears, "Mako-chan-senpai? Did you get that from Nagisa?"

"Yup." I teased proudly, "Nagi-chan told me your nickname was Mako-chan back in elementary school, and calling you just Mako-chan would be too informal, so I decided to add 'senpai' to it. Hence, Mako-chan-senpai!"

"Nagi-chan?" he questioned.

"I have nicknames for everyone. Rei, Reirei-chan, Nagisa, Nagi-chan, and now you senpai! Or should I say Mako-chan-senpai?" I pulled open the door to the school's exit, and stepped out quickly into the early evening weather.

Grinning happily, I felt a soft breeze caress my face then travel through my hair, slightly lifting my pony tailed locks. I glanced back at Makoto who watched me with fascination. I skipped back to him, pulling on his sleeve.

"Come on, senpai. If you don't hurry, you'll be walking back to your house in the dark." I chimed merrily.

The color immediately drained from his face, and the roles reversed with him running ahead, lugging me behind by the arm. Soon, my shoulder began to ache from the awkward angle that Makoto had pulled my arm in, and I called for him to rest for a bit.

"Senpai! Please slow down!" I panted, out of breath.

He stopped, and I rubbed my shoulder aggressively, attempting to soothe the pain. As it slowly faded, I realized Makoto was still firmly gripping my left arm, and my face turned red.

"Oh, sorry. Did I hurt your shoulder?" Makoto asked as he turned around to face me, dropping my arm in the process, I pouted slightly, sad that he eliminated our contact.

"Yeah kind of..." I answered.

"Hey, Mako-chan-senpai?" I called, trying to change the topic.

"Did you need anything?" he questioned, "Is something wrong?''

"If anything were to happen to me, it would take more time for you to walk me home right?" I said teasingly, as my legs traveled backwards. Makoto shot me an awkward smile.

"Y-you wouldn't try t-to do anything r-r-right?" He stuttered hesitantly.

"Who knows Mako-chan-senpai. Mayb-" The conversation cut off as my foot slid on the edge of the road, and it fell into the gutter.

An excruciating pain shot through my ankle and traveled up my leg as my eyes widened, and I realized that I had twisted my ankle.

"I'm so sorry, senpai. I was just trying to- I didn't mean to." I explained hurriedly.

Makoto dropped his gaze to my left ankle, which I had pulled up and kept hovering above the ground. Makoto knelt and extended his right hand, as he looked up at me. I blinked at him confused, and he pointed to my leg. My mouth formed an understanding 'O' and I stretched my leg out towards him. He held it delicately, and he gently slipped my shoe off before observing my swollen ankle.

I chewed on my bottom lip in discomfort, and Makoto noted my attempts to suppress my hurting. He carefully slipped my shoe back on my foot and he stood back up, his frame towering over my 5'5" height. He drew his lips into a thin line, and he pulled his eyebrows together worriedly.

"You sprained it pretty badly." he concluded, and I smiled apologetically.

"I don't think any clinics will be open at this time..." he said, checking his watch, which read 6:30 pm, "I don't know how to attend to a twisted ankle... Do you?"

I shook my head sadly. I wasn't a very accident prone person and I never really cared for learning how to treat injuries. Before I had moved to live by myself, my Mother would always scold me for being so carefree.

"It'll come in useful when you get hurt." she had nagged, and I would always respond by telling her that I would deal with it when the time came.

I sighed, I really need to learn to listen.

"Well, I can ask my Mom to dress your injury if your willing to come over." he suggested. I nodded.

Partially because the sooner the throbbing would subside, the happier I would be, and partly because Makoto had just invited me over to his home. Sure, it was because I was hurt and his Mother was the only one we knew could help, but an invitation was still an invitation, and I smiled coyly, reassuring myself that this wasn't a sneaky way for me to come over, and that I was, in fact, hurting. Makoto took my arm and wrapped it around his.

"Feel free to lean on me." he smiled, and I nodded.

We walked back to his house in silence, the only sound ones of our heels clicking against the ground and his occasional asking if I was feeling alright to which I would only nod in response to. I felt as if I should probably attempt to start a conversation, but my words would get jumbled in my mouth as the thought of me walking home with him made my mind and heart race. I wondered if this was how Makoto felt, since he had been the one to walk me home everyday for the past couple weeks after he learnt that I was living alone.

"A girl shouldn't walk home by herself. Especially when she leaves class so late." Makoto had scolded me once. I shrugged.

"I'm sorry, I just like to make sure all of my stuff is in order before I leave." I replied.

I snorted to myself as I remembered that incident, and how happy I was when he offered to walk me home. I had argued that it would probably be troublesome for him to have to wait for me everyday, but he had just shook his head and told me that he stayed at the school for quite a while due to his swimming practice.

I felt a sense of relief wash over me when he persisted in making me agree that he would walk me home... After walking for what seemed like an eternity we reached his house, and he opened the gate and led me in.

We trudged up the pavement to his front door, and he scrounged around his school bag for his keys. He grunted in triumph when he pulled them out, and he quickly inserted them into the lock, turning it and the doorknob in sync.

"I'm home." he called out to the house, and we both stepped in.

The soft scent of home cooked food greeted me the moment I entered and I smiled, breathing deeply. Makoto looked at me happily and he bent down to help me take off my shoes. I thanked him before he guided me towards the source of the smell.

"Welcome home, Mako-" his Mother stopped mid-sentence and her eyes widened as she saw me limp in after him.

She smiled happily, revealing a set of perfectly white teeth, and she ran from where she stood in the kitchen and up to me, her face planted only a few inches from mine.

"Hello sweetheart." she greeted, gingerly scooping up my hands into hers. I smiled happily, introducing myself, and her smile's radiance increased.

"You have such beautiful name." she fawned, "Oh, I have a question for you my dear. Are you my son's girl-"

"Mom!" Makoto called, his face a light pink.

His Mother averted her gaze from me to stare at her son, and she let go off my hands reluctantly before walking over to her son and pinching his cheek.

"Oi. You didn't tell me she was coming over." I heard her whisper frantically, "If I knew, I would have made a whole feast!"

"Mom." Makoto whined through gritted teeth, and I snickered at his childish composure.

Makoto turned to look at me apologetically, and I smiled at him brightly, then winced slightly at the swelling in my foot. He noticed the change of expression on my face, and he gripped his Mom's shoulder, making her let go of his cheek.

"She twisted her ankle when I was walking her home, can you-"

"You were walking her home!?" Makoto sent a glare in his Mother's direction, "Ah... Never mind that. I'll tend to your ankle, but I left the first aid kit upstairs. I'll be right back."

"I can walk upstairs." I offered, moving to follow his Mother. She hesitated then nodded.

"Alright... But if it starts hurting, tell Makoto and he'll carry you up the stairs." I laughed at her joke, but immediately stopped when I noticed the seriousness in her face.

I blinked uncomfortably, and Makoto's Mother walked by me, wrapping her arm around my shoulders.

She steered me to the bottom of the stairs, and we started up it. I bit down on my lip, forcing myself to swallow the pain of my ankle. I felt the pressure on my ankle disappear, and the weight from under me vanished as a strong pair of arms scooped up my legs and snaked around my back. I gasped loudly and looked up to see Makoto looking away awkwardly, his Mother beaming proudly at him.

I looked away uncomfortably, and kept my chin tucked against my chest as he carried me the rest of the way up the stairs, when we had finally reached the of the stairs, Makoto set me down gently, and his mother rushed to lead me to his room.

[END OF CHAPTER ONE]