Author's Note: Hey, everyone! I'm really, really sorry that I've taken so much time to write. School's been really busy, but summer's in four and a half days, so I'll be sure to write more soon!
Disclaimer: I don't own Free! Iwatobi Swim Club, or any of it's characters.
Thank you so much to sparkling apples for reviewing! I really appreciate your continuous support!
When Gou woke up, it was dark outside, and the door of the carriage was open. Makoto was also gone. She shivered slightly and stuck her head out the door. They were facing the woods, and the dark, twisted branches of the trees casted frightening shadows on the uneven earth.
Just then, Makoto tip toed around the carriage and then jumped when he saw Gou's head. "Oh hello! I didn't know you were awake." He extended his hand and offered it to Gou, who accepted and stepped out of the carriage.
Makoto walked back around the carriage and Gou followed. "The inn is right across the road," he said, while untying the horses. "I've told the coachman to go first. I thought that I'd see if you'd wake up soon, and, hey, look, you did!"
He grabbed Gou's hand with one hand and the horses' reins in his other and started to walk to the inn. Gou, though surprised, did not pull her hand away. His hand was firm and when he twisted his fingers to fit with Gou's, his biceps rippled invitingly.
When they reached the inn, Makoto passed the horses to a stable boy with a few coins and strode forwards purposefully through the front door. Gou trailed behind him, looking around, taking in the empty fireplace and worn wooden table and chairs. There was a fading mural painted on the ceiling, and Gou took her time studying it.
Makoto returned soon. "They only have one room left, and they apologize, but we take it or leave it."
Gou shrugged. "Well, it's not like we have much of a choice, right?"
Makoto smiled. "I thought so. I have the room keys, so we can head upstairs. It's a chance for us to get to know each other better, yes?"
Gou tilted her head to look up at Makoto – he was quite a bit taller than her. His expression was genuine, and he basically emitted trustworthiness. "I suppose. And, um, thank you, Tachi – Makoto." The name felt new and, although not altogether horrible, uncomfortable in her mouth.
He shook his head, and his emerald eyes twinkled. "It's nothing."
They entered the room together, and noticed something at the same time. There was only one bed. It was definitely large enough to fit the both of them, but that wasn't the problem. Makoto immediately read into Gou's pursed mouth and tight shoulders. "Okay, so why don't you take the bed for the night? I'll sleep on the sofa."
Gou exhaled in relief, then saw the sofa he was talking about. It was probably half the size he was; there was no way he could sleep comfortably in that. "No! I couldn't! Please, take the bed! I'll fit better on the couch, anyways."
Makoto laughed. "I couldn't be so rude. Why don't we share the bed? It's big enough so that we'd both have our own space, and if it makes you very uncomfortable, just tell me, and I'll roll onto the floor, okay?"
Gou was uncertain, but she was also tired, and though Makoto was smiling, she could see he was weary, too. She nodded. "Sorry for the trouble."
"It's alright, really. Why don't you change into your nightclothes? You can change in the bathroom."
Gou nodded, and collected her things. Her nightgown was simple: made out of silk, it was a soft coral, and went up to her calves. The sleeves were long.
When she walked out again, she almost squealed. Makoto was taking his shirt off. When he saw that she had come out, his face turned red, and he immediately tried to pull his shirt down, though the fabric got caught on his elbows and shoulders. Despite herself, Gou laughed. She quickly went over and untangled the prince, who was, by now, a deep shade of pink.
He coughed. "Sorry, I wasn't – I mean – I just – these clothes aren't that comfortable to sleep in."
Gou just nodded and told him that it was okay. It wasn't like she wasn't used to guys without their shirts – after all, Rin swam all day when he was home, and Sei was a merman.
Makoto kept his undershirt on, which was made of white cotton, and was tight on his body. Gou could make out his biceps, triceps, pectorals, abdominal muscles… She wouldn't deny that she could get quite carried away by looking at nicely shaped muscles – Sei had used to joke that she was more interested in his muscles than him.
They got into the bed, and scooted to either side of it, their backs faced each other. It was more than a little bit awkward, but neither complained. Both wished the other a good night's sleep, and then slowly slipped into a deep slumber.
Gou's first thought, when she woke up, was that Makoto looked quite cute sleeping. Her second thought was a combination of 'why are we so close' and 'Sei!'. Although she was half-sitting, Makoto's arm was still pressed softly on her wrist and forearms. The rest of his body was curved in a subtle bend towards her. His sandy hair was mussed, and he looked smaller, younger, and more vulnerable.
Gou slipped out of the bed as quickly and quietly as she could and headed to the bathroom. When she'd come out, back in her day dress, Makoto had woke up. He was resting on his elbows, yawning, and smiled when he saw her. "Good morning. Did you sleep well?"
Gou nodded, and couldn't help feeling a little guilty. She had promised Sei that she wouldn't fall for Makoto, but they had already shared a bed and she had barely thought of Seijuurou at all. There was something about Makoto, Gou knew, that drew people towards him. Maybe it was his toothy smile, or the way he was so kind and gentle to everybody, but Gou couldn't deny that she didn't harbor any feelings of distaste towards spending a whole year with him.
They went down for breakfast together, and then collected the horses and got ready to leave.
"Can you ride?" Makoto asked, holding up two extra saddles to show that he was prepared.
Gou nodded. Before she had met Sei, she hadn't been a very big fan of swimming, tagging along with Rin only to spend more time with him. She had developed a special sort of love for the ocean and swimming since then, of course, but way before that, she had loved riding.
"I was thinking we could ride some way to Iwatobi. We can go ahead of or behind the coachman and stop to eat and rest whenever you want."
Gou nodded, once again. She accepted the saddle, bridle, and helmet, and went to tack up. She ran back into the inn to change into a pair of old jodhpurs she had seemingly subconsciously stuffed into the bottom of her bag. She retied her hair into the usual high ponytail, making sure the thin piece of ribbon was tight and secure.
When Gou returned outside, Makoto was ready and was holding both horses by their reins. There had been four horses total, and he told her that he had already sent the other two ahead with the coachman. Gou placed one foot in the stirrups and then swung herself over. She hadn't gone riding in a little while now, but once she was up on the horse, she could feel the knots in her muscles loosening, and the feeling of guilt she previously couldn't shake was now ebbing away.
They rode in silence for a while, and Gou's thoughts drifted back to Sei. It was almost midday, and the sun was high in the sky. Usually, by this time, Gou would have been in the water for a while, and her fingers and toes would start pruning.
"So…" Makoto's voice snapped Gou out of her thoughts and daydreams. "When did you meet the merman?"
"Seijuurou, you mean." Gou tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "A year back, I think. I didn't mean for it, really. My friend had sent a scarf as a gift, and I was wearing it out in the garden, when a really strong gust of wind blew it away from me. It landed in the sea, and the currents pulled it out. I wasn't a fan of swimming, back then, and my skills were a little… rusty. And the waters were rough that day. I lost consciousness, and then when I woke up, I was on the rock, and Sei was staring at me. I was a little freaked out at first, but I hung out with him more and more. Rin was away, so I didn't really have anyone to talk to."
Makoto nodded, though he didn't really understand her situation exactly. He always had three – 'well, four, if Rin would just talk to them again' – friends that supported him. "You know, I think Rin told us about you."
Gou looked at him, her misty expression that she had worn while talking about Sei was gone. "'Us?' Were you guys close with nii-chan?"
Makoto nodded, and smiled wistfully. "Yes. Back when we – my friends, Nagisa, and Haruka – we were small, we hung out a lot. You probably remember, right? Your family lived in Iwatobi when you were younger."
Gou nodded. Her mother, Rin, and Gou, had not been borne into the royal status. Their father had died when they were young, and though Gou didn't know how, her mother and the king got married a while after, and they left Iwatobi.
"Well, RIn, Haru, Nagisa, and I would go swimming together back then."
"But back at the palace, Rin seemed pretty… mad at you."
Makoto shook his head. "I'm not really sure what happened either. Just that just before Rin left Iwatobi, he suddenly stopped talking to us. I'm not sure if it's something we did or what, but we just kind of fell apart."
Gou studied his expression – the horse was going slowly enough and the ground was smooth enough that she didn't have to worry about falling. He seemed sad, but not only that, there was a little bit of determination shining through. "I'm sorry," she finally said.
"For what?" Makoto asked.
Gou shrugged. "You seem pretty miserable talking about nii-chan."
"I just really hope that we'll be able to make up soon."
Gou flashed him a sudden smile, and Makoto's eyes widened in surprise; she had seemed to be trying to keep her distance since the morning had started. "I hope so, too."
The sun was high in the sky and blazing fiercely in the empty blue sky now. Gou tugged on her reins and slowed to a stop. "Why don't we stop for lunch? I'd really like to hear about you and Haruka-san and Nagisa-san and onii-chan."
Makoto dismounted quickly and helped Gou down. "Why not?" He said, and pulled four slightly squashed sandwiches from the saddlebags. He handed two to Gou and sat down on a patch of shaded grass, under a tree. He patted the spot next to him and Gou sat, too. The horses grazed slightly on the grass and reached up occasionally to pull an apple or two down from the heavy-laden trees.
Makoto recounted stories at Gou's will, telling her of the time when they'd won a swimming competition, or of the time when Haru had refused to change out of his swimsuit, or the time when they'd all thought Nagisa had drowned, but he'd really been sleeping, half-buried, in the sand. Gou laughed at all the stories, especially the one about Nagisa. "It turned out that we had buried him, but then forgotten and went to swim. When we couldn't find him, we panicked and jumped to conclusions."
The sandwiches were soon gone and Makoto and Gou picked out a bright red, juicy apple each. Then they sat some more, exchanging stories and just talking.
Soon, they set off again, and silence once again settled in between the riders, but this time, it was much more a comfortable silence than an awkward one. Something had already begun to happen between the two riders, and maybe the odds were just evening out a bit for Makoto Tachibana.
Author's Note: Hey guys! Chapter finished~ This chapter is a little longer than the others, and I was wondering if you wanted it to stay this length or be even longer! Love you all!
