"Nagisa, this isn't working," I said. I felt incredibly ridiculous. I couldn't believe that I had even agreed to this.
"Hush, Haru-chan," Nagisa quieted me and walked around the table, sitting beside me. "You'll never be approached with that attitude." He gave me a large smile and I grumbled quietly to myself.
Currently, I was stationed outside of the school with Nagisa. We were trying to get, or actually Nagisa was I was currently sulking (obviously), people to get a chance to "meet their true love" with Guru Isoya. We were actually cheating a little though, Nagisa was only talking to those that he could feel a "pull" with.
To be honest, that wasn't the problem, that is my job after all. No, what the problem was was Nagisa's insistence on the cheesy banner that currently hung in front of us.
It was a little refreshing to draw again when I think about it, I haven't drawn since…I scratched my chin lightly. Actually, since when could I draw? The only thing I knew how to do was fly and match make.
Nagisa was currently trying to reign people in from his spot beside me, loudly I might add. So I let my thoughts wander. Since when could I draw?
I had noticed that a few of my classmates earlier obviously recognized it somehow. Maybe I was an artist before I passed?
This was slowly growing to annoy me. All day I've been performing simple actions that some people recognized and would ask if they had met me before. Especially when I was drawing the banner for Nagisa. And people questioned my female-like name.
I was still upset at myself for that one.
Suddenly, visions of green and a pool and a penguin flashed across my mind. I was so surprised that I fell out of my chair, falling to the hard concrete. A headache soon followed, making my thoughts incoherent. The visions were gone as soon as they had come.
"Isoya?"
I turned to the panicked tone and saw Makoto above me with a worried expression. Nagisa beside him was wearing an anxious one.
"I'm fine," I responded, avoiding both of their gazes.
Makoto held out his hand and I gratefully accepted. As I was pulled up, my head ached harder than ever before, a blinding pain shooting through my entire head. The sensation of water was around me, but…wait. Was I flying?
"Ugh…" my knees buckled and I fell, but someone caught me. I looked around. No I wasn't flying. Makoto was holding me up. I blinked, the feeling of water was gone.
"Are you sure, you're alright Isoya?" Makoto asked.
I released him, blushing, and tried to straighten up. He kept his hands on my shoulder to steady me. Why was this happening to me? How could I match the souls necessary if I kept having these annoying visions?
"Yes, thank you." I stood by myself this time.
Makoto nodded and looked at Nagisa, "What's all this?" He gestured to the table and banner we had occupied for the last half hour.
Nagisa removed his wide eyes from me and looked at our table, "Ah! Yes well Isoya was helping me with a hobby of mine." He quickly went to put away the ridiculous table sign and gather his things.
"Practice over?" I asked Makoto, turning his attention away from Nagisa.
Makoto shook his head, "We're done warming up here, we're headed to another school for a joint practice." He thought for a second then added, "You're welcome to come along."
I did not understand why I was desperately wanting to say yes the second Makoto asked, or why my heart was speeding up. So instead I didn't say anything for a second, to make sure I was composed.
But Makoto smiled, "I suppose that's a yes."
"Gah…" I gasped softly. I turned my head away to hide my reddening cheeks. How did he know that was what I so desperately wanted to say?
Makoto chuckled, "Ne, how about you, Nagisa?"
"Yeah! That sounds fun!" The small blonde was practically jumping for joy.
Rin came forward at that moment and placed a hand on Makoto's shoulder. My eyes narrowed slightly at the lingering touch and the smile Rin and Makoto shared. "Are you ready to go? Gou is getting impatient."
Makoto nodded, "Yes, Nagisa and Isoya are coming too."
Rin looked at me with a slightly angry expression, or maybe that was his normal facial expression. Then turned to Makoto, "Alright, that's no problem man." Makoto smiled at Rin.
Next thing I knew, we were with the Iwatobi team at the other school, Samezuka, being approached by a tall man with flaming red hair.
"Makoto, Rin, nice of your team to visit again," the man said, while throwing a wink at Gou.
"Mikoshiba," Rin growled.
"Seijuro," Gou stepped forward, interrupting her brother, "ready for the joint?" She gave him a wide smile.
Seijuro nodded, a faint blush on his cheek. My eyes narrowed slightly, not enough for anyone to notice anyways, calculating. What's this? Is this what Nagisa was speaking of earlier?
I took this time to look around and get a handle on the surroundings. The place was extremely large. The pool took up most of the ground space. There were platforms on one end where most of the swimmers were gathered before the practice began. The entire placed smelled like chlorine, and, before I knew it, I was breathing in deeply.
Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm and was dragging me away from Makoto's side. "Eh…?"
"But he has no suit," I heard Makoto saying.
Seijuro shrugged, "We will lend him one. It is practice after all. And you all need to get better."
Rin continued his talk with Seijuro as Makoto rushed to my side. "Sorry Isoya, we need you to practice with us if you're going to stay." Makoto followed me and another boy to Samezuka's locker room. I was quickly handed a suit to change into and the boy quickly walked out of the locker room.
I went behind a wall of lockers, away from the Makoto's line of vision, and stripped my clothes and slid the suit on. The feeling of this suit was unpleasant but oddly familiar. I stepped into view with my clothes in my hand and decided to place them with Makoto's things.
"Is it alright?" Makoto questioned.
"It feels strange. Like the wrong fit." I shook my head as another headache began pounding. "Let's go."
We joined the others and I noticed most everybody else was already swimming. The small one…Nitori?...was already being pulled out of the pool by Rin with a wide smile.
The prolonged hand touch did not go unnoticed by a trained eye.
"Isoya, you know how to swim, yes?"
I jerked my head. No, but I can't say that now. It was too late. I cursed internally.
Makoto led me to the platform, "You'll be against one of Samezuka's best, but don't worry about that. This is only to see where we're timed at, yeah?"
I nodded, accepting the cap and goggles from Makoto. I slid them on easily and stepped onto the raised platform.
Suddenly, it was as if I was somewhere else. My body was instantly at ease as I bent at the waist, gripping the tip of the platform lightly. Instinctively, I put my right foot slightly behind my left.
It's for a good kick off.
The whistle blew and I was in the water.
It was indescribable. I was flowing, riding on the waves of the water. My hands stretching in front of me, pulling me forward, pulling me through the opening in the water I was creating. My legs were giving powerful kicks behind me, propelling me forward. Every so often my head broke the surface to gasp at air.
Then my body tensed, and I was rolling in the water, kicking hard off the wall, going back the way I had came.
I was flying.
It was over too soon. I stopped at the wall pulling the cap and goggles off, shaking my hair loose.
I climbed out of the pool and that's when I noticed it.
Everyone staring at me.
"That was beautiful," I heard-what was it-Rei say.
Seijuro came forward with a large smile, clasping my shoulder, "How did you do that?"
I shied away from his touch, grunting, "Mm?"
Rin came forward, "You beat their second best swimmer." He was giving me a curious look.
I then noticed the swimmer in question panting behind Seijuro.
Nitori also came forward with a look of awe. "I haven't seen amazing natural swimming ability since-ugh." Rin elbowed him gently in the side glancing at Makoto. Nitori blushed slightly, "How did you do that?"
"I…" I looked around and caught Makoto's eye.
Makoto had a strange look in his eye. Pain and bewilderment. But he understood and came forward. "Beginner's luck," and he gently grabbed my shoulders, leading me to Iwatobi's side.
Makoto left me with Nagisa and Gou before going over to the platform himself. Nagisa bumped me away from Gou while she watched Makoto's performance, a notebook and pen in her hands.
"How did you do that?" the little blonde whispered.
I shrugged, not answering instead staring at Makoto. He was focusing solely on his chance to begin swimming. He was staring at the water intensely, concentrating. I found myself staring at his form. His back muscles were extremely profound and the long, black and green swimsuit showed off his leg muscles. He was bent over at the waist and he was gripping the platform loosely. His right foot back also set slightly behind his left.
Makoto had great form, but the look on his face… He seemed to not want to be swimming at all. He glared at the water. That wasn't concentration, I corrected myself, that's something else.
The whistle blew and I turned my attention back to Nagisa. "I don't know how I did that," I replied in hushed tones, "but I loved the way it felt. I felt like I was flying."
Nagisa frowned slightly at the tone my voice had taken. "Flying? But Haru-chan," he lowered his voice to just above a whisper, "you don't have your wings. How can you be flying?"
I shrugged again. I turned back to the pool and saw Makoto climbing out of the pool. My eyes strayed to his exposed muscles and water falling down his back.
I shook my head and turned my attention back to Nagisa, "How did you not end up having to swim?"
He gave me a sheepish smile, "I…uh. That is, I said I was the assistant manager when we were being introduced." His cheeks were dusted a light pink and I could tell he felt embarrassed for me.
I gave him a small smile and he brightened immediately. "It's alright. I enjoyed the swimming."
I stood beside Nagisa as Rin took his turn to be tested for times, Nitori cheering for him on the side. The rest of Iwatobi was talking about the necessary win they need at the next tournament.
"But Makoto-senpai," Rei was saying, "we need a stronger breast swimmer. You and I are fine on the backstroke and butterfly for the relay. And Rin-senpai is definitely strong with the free style. But Nitori-kun is not doing so well with the breast part. He is a great long distance free swimmer and should focus solely on that."
Nagisa gave me a look. We continued listening.
Makoto nodded, toweling off his face. "Rin could definitely be just as powerful doing the breast and maybe we could put Nitori in the free style."
Rei shook his head, "Nitori-kun isn't that strong in the short distance." He glanced behind Makoto, and I looked behind me. What was he looking at?
Makoto shook his head and said in a warning tone, "Rei." And he continued off in a whisper.
Nagisa nudged me with his arm, "What do you think that was about?"
I glanced behind me again. On seeing nothing, I turned my attention back to Nagisa, "I don't know." I turned my gaze to the water. "But I do want to swim again."
I stepped into Makoto's room after my shower. The water helped calm my thoughts after the swimming practice today.
Makoto was lying on his bed and staring up at the ceiling. He didn't move when I entered the room and fell on the inflatable mattress he set up for me.
We lied there in silence for a while before he spoke up, "Isoya?"
I turned my head in his direction, "Yes?"
"Where did you learn to swim like that?" His voice was slightly strained and I could tell he was forcing this question. Why was this causing him pain?
I shrugged, "I guess I always could."
He sighed, "I haven't seen anyone swim like that since my best friend." His voice cracked at the end and I decided against pushing the subject.
We didn't say anything for a couple of seconds then Makoto spoke again. "Do you like swimming? Because a few of the other members wouldn't mind if you joined the swim club."
My heart began to speed up again. Join the swim team? Yes! That would be incredible! I would be able to swim again!
Oh, and match up Gou and that captain from Samezuka, Seijuro. And maybe Rin with…Makoto? They seemed close enough to be in that kind of relationship, like Gou and Seijuro. But, why did this make me clench my fist at the thought?
"Isoya?"
I shook my head of those thoughts and concentrated on answering Makoto. "Yes, I can join."
I sat up to catch Makoto nodding his head with a slight smile on his face. Maybe I should ask? I mean, it'll make my job a lot easier.
"Makoto," I started slowly. "Do you like Rin?"
Makoto nodded, not realizing I could see him. "Yeah, he's a great friend. He's helped me an awful lot though some recent difficult times. He's a great swimmer and-"
"No," I interrupted him. I studied his face quietly. The moon shinning light in from one of his windows allowed him to be slightly visible. His smile was still apparent on his face. He seemed relaxed. Could that mean a yes? "Do you like him?"
Suddenly, he tensed. Nervousness? "Uh…I, well, I don't- gosh." He brought his hands to his face, hiding it. So, I read his body language. He was still tense. And, if I didn't know any better, he was blushing under his hands.
"It's complicated Isoya," Makoto sighed, dropping his hands from his face. "I lost my best friend in a freak drowning accident a few years ago. He was my second half, at least I thought he was, I never talked to him about it. I was too content with what we had. He was always there for me and we really cared for each other. But then I lost him. I regret not saying anything now." His voice cracked again and I could see his cheeks shinning.
Was he crying?
I got off the inflatable mattress and went to his bed. Sitting beside him, I patted his knee. Makoto looked at me and looked back to the ceiling. "After he was gone, Rin sort of helped me through it. He was always there, the most reliable person." He sighed, "And, at the beginning of last year, my parents started arguing. At first, it was nothing bad, you know? Just little titters against what we should have for dinner or stuff about money. But then it got worse. I got the brunt of it because I tried to shield my two younger siblings from it. I don't want them to see it in case it ends badly. They're so young. And there he was again; Rin trying to help me. But it took him a while to figure it out. I don't like sharing things you see, but when he found out about that, he tried."
Makoto sighed, "I don't know if I like him. But I am grateful he's my friend."
Makoto let out a shaky laugh, "I'm sorry Isoya. I have no idea why I am unleashing all of this on you. I usually talk to Rin, if I even have to talk about it." He looked at me, "You're just easy to talk to."
I looked at him and gave him a small smile. "Don't worry, Makoto."
His green eyes bore into my blue ones, and I found myself unable to look away. I was caught, trapped in his gaze.
Makoto smiled then and said, "Well thank you, Isoya. But we should probably get to bed."
I nodded, tearing my gaze away from his. I got off his bed and slipped onto the inflated mattress. Staring at the ceiling, I covered myself and thought about nothing for a while.
I fell asleep and began to dream.
"Come on, Haru-chan," Makoto was saying beside me.
I rolled my eyes slightly and said, "Drop the chan."
We began our walk to the pool. Excitement washed through me when I saw it. Makoto placed a hand on my shoulder and I turned to look at him. "As promised. Now you can swim all you want, ne?" he smiled.
I gave him a small smile and nodded. "Thank you, Makoto."
I dove in and was engulfed by the water. Riding the slight current, I swam below the surface for a while, allowing my senses to relax and feel nothing but the water surrounding me.
I broke the surface and took a deep breath, flipping my straight black hair out of my eyes.
We swam together in the pool. I was happy, content. Makoto. Water. I looked over to my friend who was on the other side of the pool, my heart tugging slightly as I saw him smile and wave at me.
He swam up beside me and smiled, "Are you enjoying yourself, Haru-chan?"
I nodded, forgetting about the added title. I looked at him, trying to say something to him but I couldn't get my mouth to work.
Makoto only smiled softly at me, his green eyes full of understanding. "It's alright. I know."
When I woke up the next morning, I couldn't remember any of what I had dreamt.
Hey everyone! I am so incredibly sorry for this extremely late update, but the last two months of the last semester were taking all my time. I decided to work on this over break…and then I couldn't get to a place with wifi! It was horrible. So the semester just started again and I decided to update this before my next class.
Thank you for staying with me! I will try my best to update as soon as possible. I'll also put this on Archive of Our Own for those of you who prefer that site (I have the same user name!).
I've also started writing other stories so I'll be posting them soon. If any of you are interested, I have a tumblr (aramirez24) so you're more than welcome to geek out with me there or send me criticism or just chat!
I love all of you amazing people. Thanks for putting up with me! Lots of love! 3
