Yo, what's up? I actually wrote this originally for Chapter 1, but it looked like a lot, so I cut in half. It's still twice as long as the first one though, sorry about that. While writing Chappie 3, I got a plot bunny and started writing it. It's a companion to this fic and I'll upload it soon if you're interested.
Anyways, in response to my first two reviews:
MidoriTenchi90
ashira23
I love you guys. I hope the story will continue to be to your liking.
Warnings: Awkward, awkwardness and OOC-ness
Disclaimer: I don't own Free!, hell I haven't finished it yet.
Makoto woke up and saw the sun already setting in the horizon. He turned and saw they were nearing the docks and he was about to walk back into the captain's cabin when he heard some rather…interesting, noises. He backed away and sat back down. He tried very hard to keep down the blush threatening to spill over his face.
Eventually they docked and they came out and wandered the pier. Makoto stood slightly apart from Rei and Nagisa, they were now holding hands.
Rei and Nagisa opted to go back into the Hazuki household and proposed a sleepover to which Makoto politely declined. He said goodbye to them and then went out to the pier and sat down, dangling his legs over the water, thinking those depressing thoughts of being alone again.
He was pretty awkward. He acted a little childish and was a little bland in personality. He didn't have many close friends. If Nagisa and Rei went away, where would he go? He doubted he could find someone willing to put up with him.
And then he heard a splash.
He looked around, and seeing nothing, he fell back into his thoughts. And then another splash, this time, Makoto snapped his head around and saw it, a tip of a familiar blue fin. Makoto was alert now. He scanned the water; he couldn't have…could he? He yelped when he felt a hand pull at his leg and fell into the water. He fell under and managed to get back up to the surface.
"Haruka-san! What are you doing here?!" he yelled at the offending merman.
The other looked slightly sheepish after being yelled at, and Makoto wished he hadn't yelled so loud, "Er….did you follow me all the way here?" he continued in a gentler voice. Haruka nodded.
"Well, can you not drag me down next time? I told you I would come back didn't I? There was any need for you to go to the trouble of following me…" Haruka looked bored, and then dived under. Before he knew it Makoto was flipped over as Haruka grabbed his left leg and lifted it out of the water. Makoto freaked out. He didn't like the fact that he was upside down and completely unable to flip himself upright. Haruka was stronger than he looked. Finally, Haruka let go and Makoto splashed up, gasping for air.
"Please, Haruka-san!" and then he lowered his voice, looking around for anyone close by, "Please don't do that, Haruka-san, I need to breathe you know. I'm not like you." At this, Haruka slumped his shoulders. "A-ah, it's okay, but don't do it again, Haruka-san."
"Haruka," the merman said suddenly.
"Eh?"
"It's Haruka. Drop the –san already."
"O-okay, Haruka," Makoto said, he felt a little awkward calling someone he just met so intimately.
He began to swim away, hoping to find a ladder to get up and dry off, but Haruka grabbed onto his arm.
"Where are you going?" he said, his eyes betraying the cold expression on his face, that light of curiosity in his eyes.
"Up, Haruka. I need to get dry and then I need to get home," and he swam up to the nearby ladder. He climbed up and looked back at Haruka, "I'll come back tomorrow, wait for me, okay?" and he smiled gently at the other boy, slightly amused at the slight blush that came on the other's face.
"I'm coming with you," and Haruka began to climb the ladder, much to Makoto's surprise. How was he going to climb the ladder with fins?
"W-wait, Haruka," and Haruka stopped to stare up at him, "you can't come."
"Why not?"
"Well, Haruka, you don't have…well…you have…"
"I don't have legs," Haruka finished for him, he continued in almost a bored voice, "But I'll get some, just wait."
"Wait, wait, wait, how can you get-" but Makoto didn't finish as he watched to other boy climb up the ladder with difficulty, trying to hoist himself up, his large fins flapping in the effort to get to the pier. Without thinking, Makoto gave Haruka his hand and in the end, pulled Haruka up.
He looked a little awkward out of the water, his fins flicking lazily before going still. Makoto was going to say that he couldn't exactly carry him home when he saw the fins begin to shrink.
They shrank and slowly, he saw the fins disappear and take the shape of legs, the blue disappearing and replaced by creamy white skin. Haruka now had legs. And some other stuff.
Haruka was now completely naked. Makoto felt the heat go up his face. They were both guys, but this was a little too indecent. Really though…Haruka had some really nice legs…Ugh…He quickly covered his face in embarrassment.
"Hey," and he felt his hands being pulled away from his face, Haruka looked intently at his face with those mesmerizing blue eyes, "I have legs now. Let's go."
Makoto did his best not to look down, "Y-you're not wearing anything!" and he pulled off his wet jacket, it was better than nothing, "Put this on!" Haruka looked confused, by it and when he took it, he just looked at it. Makoto sighed and helped Haruka get into the jacket. Haruka still needed pants, but at least the jacket was big enough to cover the upper part of his legs.
"Wait here for me okay? Don't move," and Makoto ran off to Nagisa's house, hoping there would be something in Haruka's size for him to wear. He finally got to the Hazuki household, panting at the doorstep before composing himself and pressing the doorbell. Nagisa's mother didn't even bat an eye at Makoto's appearance, used to Nagisa and her son's friends coming a lot in the same condition.
"Nagisa and Rei-kun are upstairs, Mako-kun. Try not to make too much of a mess, ne?" Nagisa's mother smiled and let him in.
"Ah, thank you, Ms. Hazuki," he replied, slightly out of breath.
He walked in and knocked on Nagisa's door. He heard loud shuffles and whispers inside and then the door was opened, showing a disheveled, red-faced Nagisa.
"Oh…uh, hi, Mako-chan!" Nagisa then realized that Makoto was dripping on the floor, "Eh? What happened Mako-chan?" he pulled Makoto inside, rummaging through his dresser for dry clothes. "Here we go!" and he gave Makoto some loose gym shorts and a large t-shirt, "Did you go for a swim with your clothes or something?"
"Ah, something like that," rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment, "I..er…fell into the pier." Not exactly a lie.
"Oh, I see. Are you sure you don't want to sleepover?" at this, Nagisa sounded a little uncertain, and he glanced at Rei, who hadn't said a word during the entire exchange.
"Ah, no, it's okay, I'll be going now. Thanks, Nagisa-san."
"Hey, Mako-san," and Makoto stopped and turned to look at Rei, "take care of yourself. Don't get sick okay?"
"Ah, yes."
"And…thanks for getting me my goggles, they mean a lot to me," Makoto only smiled in response and nodded his head. He went out of Nagisa's bedroom, said goodbye to Mr. and Mrs. Hazuki and as soon as he was outside, he ran to the pier, hoping Haruka hadn't wandered off.
When he got there, he found the place deserted. He looked around, panicking. Surely, Haruka wouldn't wander off…right? Oh who was he kidding? Haruka was probably wandering the neighborhood half-naked and maybe some policeman found him or worse, he met up with some pervert.
"Haruka! Haruka!" he called and called, and when he was just about to give up, he heard a splash. He looked down to see Haruka in the water, still wearing his jacket, and his legs now fins.
"You're slow," Haruka said, lazily opening one eye to look at him.
"Ah…Haruka, if you want to stay in the water then…" that got Haruka moving, he swam over to the ladder and Makoto helped him up and gave him the shorts. Haruka only gave them a disinterested glance, "Do you really need…this?" and he gestured to Makoto's clothes.
"Yes! Please put them on, Haruka, please?" Makoto pleaded and Haruka reluctantly took the shorts. But it became obvious Haruka didn't know how to put them on, not that it was surprising since he obviously didn't really use his legs that often.
"H-here, let me help," and Makoto took the shorts and helped Haruka into them, blushing every time his fingers happened to touch Haruka's smooth skin. After that embarrassing ordeal was over, Makoto sighed in relief. He was doing a lot of sighing lately wasn't he? Ah well, considering the circumstances…he looked at Haruka, who was staring intently at him. Makoto tried to make the red go away from his cheeks but found that he couldn't.
His thoughts wandered to Haruka's skin, it was so soft and pale and smooth and….he was wandering into pervert territory. Get yourself together already, Makoto! He smacked his cheeks with his hands, making Haruka tilt his head in confusion at the action. His parents had just left on a business trip and thankfully, wouldn't be back for two weeks while his little siblings would be out for just as long on summer camp. They worried about him being home alone but he pushed them out of the house to let them have fun.
No one would be home to question this odd occurence. And whether there were people or not, Makoto had a feeling that Haruka would follow him home any way if he rejected to show the merman around.
"Ne, Haruka, we're going to my house, okay?" and he extended his hand. Haruka looked at it for a moment, before taking it and they walked to Makoto's house. Haruka seemed to be curious about everything. He stopped a lot to examine things and Makoto would have to explain each of them. It was really cute to see Haruka pointing out things like a child, his eyes wide with wonder, although he managed to keep the rest of his face blank.
All in all, Makoto didn't get home until it was seven because of all the stops and detours Makoto made so Haruka could explore. He found that he didn't really mind. Haruka wasn't much of a talker, but his presence calmed him down. Haruka reminded him of the ocean, calm and peaceful and beautiful…
"And this is my house, Haruka."
"Hm…" Haruka seemed unable to get enough of the place, when they got inside, Haruka touched and picked up everything. From shoes, to pots, to a few bugs that somehow got into the house. Makoto had to lay down the line and tell him what he could and couldn't pick up when Haruka started playing with a lighter and nearly burned himself. Haruka was a little bit more careful from then on. Makoto showed Haruka the house, though Haruka seemed most interested in the bathroom, which wasn't really surprising.
Makoto spread out the sheets for the guest bedroom and told Haruka to sleep there. Haruka didn't say a word and lay down on the bed, testing it.
"Do you like it?"
Haruka grunted in response and Makoto smiled, happy that he was comfortable, not noticing the slight blush that passed the other's face.
"I'm going to take a bath now, Haruka, just…just make yourself comfortable, okay?" he smiled again when Haruka nodded and he walked out into the hall. He ran his hands through his hair, this was really the strangest day he had ever had. Weirder than the time the G-er…Kou, asked him and his friends to dress in rather, questionable costumes, to advertise the swimming club at school.
Needless to say, the swim club was flooded with new members after that, but Makoto still had nightmares of G-er…Kou coming into the night and forcing him into that maid costume like that time. That girl had the strength of ten gorillas. He shuddered. Hopefully, things would be back to normal tomorrow, and Haruka would go back to the sea where he belonged.
The thought of Haruka leaving however, made Makoto rather sad. He liked Haruka's company. He shook his head. It was selfish to keep the merman away from home. One night should be enough, right?
He decided a hot bath would help clear his head and he ran grabbed some fresh clothes and set the bath. After washing himself, he stepped into the tub and sighed in contentment as he sat down. A warm bath was just so relaxing and usually helped to clear his head when he was troubled.
A mermai- merman, was in his house. He wondered how he had gotten himself in this situation and wondered vaguely if this was either a punishment or a blessing as the mermen could be a potential friend or problem later. Ah well, he would deal with it later, his family wouldn't be coming home soon so it'd be okay to let Haruka stay for a while. No need to worry.
He nearly fell asleep when he felt something or someone enter the bath and lean against him. His eyes snapped open and he looked to his right to see Haruka in the bath with him, practically sitting on Makoto's left leg, his legs now fins. He yelped and hit his head against the tile in the attempt to distance himself from the other.
They were in the tub together. Makoto was practically naked, and Haruka probably was too, considering his borrowed clothes were on the ground.
"W-What are you doing, Haruka?" Makoto was practically a tomato now, trying to cover up his delicate parts.
Haruka ignored the question, "Is this a bath?" and he patted the water and poked the tub.
"Yes, Haruka, and can, can I have some privacy please?"
"Is a bath something that's private?"
"Yes, Haruka, but…" not wanting to hurt the other's feelings, "I'm done anyway, can you move over so I can get out?"
Haruka moved over and Makoto quickly got out, covering his privates until he reached a towel. He quickly changed behind the shower door and then came out to look at Haruka, who was cupping the water and letting it drip through his fingers. His eyes looked lovingly upon the precious liquid as he watched it slowly fall back into the tub.
"Haruka, why did you want to leave the water?" Makoto asked hesitantly, he didn't want to intrude upon Haruka's privacy after all.
"My friend is up here. I want to see him," Haruka looked a little sad now, probably thinking about his friend. Makoto wondered vaguely if his friend was something more and it made him a little sad too, did he like like this person?...why did he even care for that matter?
"I see. Well, let's try to find him together! Ne, Haruka?" and he stuck a hand out to shake, Haruka shook it hesitantly. "Do you want to sleep here or in the bedroom?"
Haruka pondered this and shook his head, leaning back and relaxing in the tub.
"Well, okay then. Good night, I'm going to turn off the lights, okay Haruka?"
"Good night….Makoto," and Haruka turned away and promptly went to sleep. Makoto blushed at the use of his name but muttered another 'good night' and left. His heart was still fluttering by the time he stepped into bed. The last thing he thought of was how cute Haruka's face was when they were walking, those bright blue eyes alighting in excitement and wonder every time Makoto talked to him.
Day 1
Makoto woke up to hear the sound of the TV and the smell of something cooking in the kitchen. He got up, and wandered out of his bedroom, still half-asleep and wondering what his mother was making which smelled suspiciously like fish.
After freshening up, he realized that Haruka was no longer in the tub and he ran into the living room which was adjoined to the kitchen. He saw that the TV was on some cooking channel and teaching how to cook fish and he turned around and leaned over the counter to see Haruka cooking some fish, wearing nothing but an apron.
"H-Haruka!" Makoto blushed furiously, "W-Where are your clothes? And…and what are you doing?"
"Cooking fish," he said nonchalantly, and went back to work. How Haruka had managed to turn on the TV, work the stove, and not set the house on fire was a miracle in itself, considering the teen seemed to know nothing of the customs on land.
"Here, let me hel-"
"It's done," Haruka said and he turned off the stove. He turned to Makoto and gave him a peck on the cheek.
"W-Wh-What are you doing?" Makoto was completely crimson now.
"The cooking lady did it on the picture box, when she was done with the man."
"You don't have to follow her every move, Haruka!" and he couldn't look at Haruka's face anymore, completely red and unable to look the other's adorable face from embarrassment. "A-a-a-at least, put on some clothes, now Haruka, I'll clean up."
Haruka frowned, "There are clothes."
"But they're not proper clothes, er, just let's clean up and I'll get you clean ones," and Makoto put the fish onto plates and put the pot and spatula in the sink. Haruka, surprisingly, had not made a mess, and Makoto found that everything was in its place.
"Okay, Haruka, let's get some-" he was cut off by the piece of fish Haruka had stuck in his mouth. Haruka motioned for him to eat it and he did. It was surprisingly good, better than his cooking at any rate and the fact that Haruka had probably never even touched a stove and managed to do this was even more astonishing. "Wow, Haruka, this is…great…" and he quickly ate the rest.
Haruka blushed slightly at the comment, muttering something under his breath, and ate his piece. Upon finishing, Makoto smiled and clasped his hands together, "Thanks, Haruka." Then he heard the doorbell ring, and he remembered that Haruka was still completely naked save for the apron. He turned white and Haruka, having never heard a doorbell before, began walking towards the door.
Makoto grabbed Haruka and pushed him into the bathroom. "Please, Haruka, stay in here and don't come out until I come in here okay?" He didn't wait for a reply and shut the door before running to the front door to greet Nagisa and Rei.
"Good morning, Nagisa, Rei," and Makoto flashed a smile, albeit it was a little strained.
"Ah, good morning, Makoto-san," Rei replied, returning the smile.
Nagisa smiled too, but faltered upon seeing the strain in his good friend's smile, "Is there something wrong, Mako-chan?"
"Ah, no, just didn't get enough sleep last night, ahaha…" Makoto replied, trying to figure out a way to send the two away so that he could properly hide Haruka.
"Oh well, want to hang out? They've added Ferris wheel to the pier and we can go swimming afterwards," Rei said, "Might as well enjoy the summer while school is still out."
"A-ah okay. Yeah, just let me get ready..." and Makoto turned to go inside and shut the door when Nagisa called out to him.
"Oii! Mako-chan, aren't you going to let us in?"
"Oh, right," and he took them in and led them to the living room. The TV was still on.
"Trying to learn how to cook, Makoto-san?" Rei raised a brow at him, normally; Makoto would eat instant things or simple stuff like sandwiches considering he was a horrible cook.
"Ah, yes, well, I'll just go change and I'll be right back," Makoto backed away and walked into the hallway. When he was out of sight, he opened the bathroom door, to see that no one was inside. Ahhhhhh, where could he have gone!? Makoto thought, as he grabbed his hair in frustration. He noticed the clothes were still on the ground and he threw them in the basket.
He ran up the stairs and found Haruka in his bedroom, staring out the window.
"Haruka!" he whispered as loudly as he could, "Haruka, we're going to go to the beach now. Can you handle staying here…" Makoto stopped. Leaving Haruka alone would probably be bad. With no one to watch him, what other stuff could he end up doing? "Actually, do you want to come with us?"
Haruka turned to him, thankfully still wearing the apron at least, "Us?"
"Yes, my friends and I are going to the pier to see the Ferris wheel and swim, do you want to come with us?" The swimming thing was something he was unsure about considering what Haruka was. But maybe a little fresh air and new human contraptions would distract him from the waters and keep him occupied.
"Okay," Haruka finally replied.
Makoto smiled. He took out some of his own clothes and gave them to the other teen, they were a little bigger on him but at it would have to do for now, it wasn't like Haruka would be staying with him permanently anyway.
Makoto began thinking of ways in which he could introduce Haruka without making it seem too strange, to Nagisa and Rei, the former of which would most likely say that Makoto was having a 'one-night stand' with the merman. Just as he was thinking these things and done changing, did he realize that Haruka had left the room. When did he…?
Oh god, Nagisa and Rei were downstairs. Makoto ran down the stairs and came into the living room to see Nagisa chatting away happily to a confused Haruka. Nagisa saw Makoto run in and smirked, "Hehe, were you trying to hide him from us, Maaaako-chaaan?"
Rei's face darkened slightly, "I didn't think you were that type of person, Makoto-san…"
"H-hey, it's not what you think!"
"Oh, Mako-chan, is this what you meant when you 'fell into the pier' last night? You know, if you were lonely you could have told me! Then we could have had a threesome!" Nagisa said while wrapping an arm around Haruka's, who seemed unfazed by the entire thing, still wearing that bored expression on his face.
"Ne, ne, so how was your night, Haru-chan?" Haruka twitched a little at the nickname before responding.
"Don't call me that," and he disentangled himself from Nagisa and walked over to Makoto and pulled on his sleeve. "Are we going to go soon?" he said impatiently.
"Ah well, er…"
"First, Mako-san has some explaining to do…" Makoto could practically see the dark aura around Rei and he backed away.
This was going to be awkward…
"Well, er…you see…I kind of…sort of…"
"Spit it out already," it was amazing how intimidating Rei could be, despite being younger than him.
"Well, I sort of found Haruka at the docks when you left. He was lost and he said he didn't have a place to go, so I let him stay here overnight," Technically it was true, just missing the 'merman' part and the fact that Haruka had followed them to shore and what not.
Nagisa didn't look convinced and neither did Rei, "Is that really all that happened, Mako-chan?"
"Yes! I didn't do anything…indecent or anything!" Makoto blushed at the suggestion, there was that time in the kitchen this morning, but that was it! Thankfully, Nagisa seemed to let Makoto off the hook and pulled Rei back before he could question Makoto any further.
"So," and Nagisa turned to Haruka this time, "You're lost huh?"
"…"
"Well, maybe you can spare a few hours? We can head into town to see if that jogs your memory, and we've got a map, so don't you worry Haru-chan!"
Haruka twitched again at the name, but didn't say anything and only nodded at Nagisa.
That's another chappie done. Hope you liked it. Peace 3
