Note: This is my first foray into a multi-chapter Mariemaia fic. I guess I missed writing her more than I thought I did.
Heero and Trowa can be read as either together or just close friends since this is viewed through Mariemaia's eyes.
The air is cold in the subterranean locker room. Mariemaia's skin prickles with goose bumps and she shivers as she pulls on her swimsuit and folds her school sweater and pleated plaid skirt. She sets the clothes on her black shoes inside the metal locker she had picked out as her own a few months ago. The slamming of the metal door echoes in the empty room and she snaps the lock in place. As she crosses chilled grey tiles she tucks her red hair up into her purple swim cap to keep it out of her eyes.
Through the locker room door is the underground pool area – seemingly the only deserted part of the Preventers building. Few of the Preventers venture into the pool; they prefer to stay in the brightly lit gym that reeks of forgotten socks. She prefers the chlorine scent and cold air of the pool area, especially since Sally told her it would help build her legs back up to their previous strength. It's the only physical therapy she's stuck with over the years.
Mariemaia grabs her towel off the rack by the door and pushes through only to freeze to her spot. The soft echo of lapping water reaches her ears first and then she can make out the figure doing laps. She stays in the shadowy area of the doorway. Her hands fist irrationally, this isn't her private pool, after all it's public, but in the three months she's been swimming after school she's never come across another swimmer.
The figure pulls himself effortlessly out of the water and moves to one of the starting blocks. Her breath catches as she recognizes him: Trowa Barton. With a slight bounce his body arches and he does a somersault easily into the water. Her eyes narrow and she watches him surface over halfway down the pool.
"Are you just going to stand there?" he questions before resuming his laps.
She flushes. "What are you doing here?"
He stops in the shallow end and turns to face her. "Swimming." His voice isn't mocking and it isn't sarcastic, it just is. Her eyes narrow some more as she stalks over to one of the benches and deposits her towel on it.
Normally she would let herself adjust to the water; get over the first shock of cold slicing through warm skin. This time she doesn't allow herself the luxury. Instead she climbs the block he didn't use and gets into position. She inhales deeply and then lets it go with a quick release of air. "One…two…go," she whispers.
Her feet push off on go and she sails through the air before her hands breach the water and she slices through it. She arches up and then begins to kick once her head breaks the surface. Her arms extend farther and she forces her legs to move harder, faster. Her fingertips touch the wall and she presses her forehead against the cold tile and breathes deeply. She can almost forget that Trowa's in there with her. Almost.
The fluorescent lights overhead flicker and the water slaps the sides noisily. She brushes strands of loose hair off her forehead. When Mariemaia finally turns around she sees Trowa staring at her from the other end of the pool. She glares at him and ducks under the water, feels the lack of oxygen burn at her lungs. She kicks off the wall and beats at the water, feels the resistance from the tips of her fingers to the bottom of her feet. She surfaces briefly, inhales quickly, and does a fast turn at the end, starting on her return.
Her calves ache and the backs of her thighs throb pleasantly when she resurfaces at the other end. She hears footsteps and turns to see Trowa mounting the block again. His hair hangs in his face but he doesn't push it out of his eyes. He does another dive and enters the water cleanly. The waves bump against her softly as she pulls herself out of the pool, the water clinging to her.
The air is cold and the only noise in the room comes from the lapping water and her dripping. She tugs at one of her suit's shoulder straps and then gets into position. "One…two…go," she repeats. She pushes off and extends her body, tries to streamline her body as she enters the water. She hits the water hard on her stomach and grunts as she sinks to the bottom.
She surfaces to his smirk and she glowers. "How do you do it then?"
"Practice." He does a lazy backstroke and she feels her face burn as he passes her in the next lane. She pushes her hair behind her ears and climbs out of the pool, repositions herself on the starting block. "You need to use more force when you push off or you'll never get the momentum you need."
"I do push off hard," she protests.
He shakes his head and water droplets fly before he climbs up to stand next to her. "Arch your back like this," he instructs. He presses on her shoulder blades and collarbone, forcing her to bend. "Bend your knees deeper; dig your feet into the block. Not your heels, keep your weight on your toes." He pushes on her shoulders again and she grits her teeth as her right knee throbs painfully. "Does that hurt?"
"No," she lies. She presses harder and he narrows his eyes. He doesn't comment though, just steps back. "One, two, go." She pushes off hard, her knee throbs and she falters as she tries to extend out quick. Again she hits the water hard. She slaps the water in frustration when she surfaces.
Trowa sits on the edge with the water sloshing against his legs. "Try again. You're slow off the block. Don't hesitate."
Mariemaia hoists herself out. Her feet slip on the smooth floor and gooseflesh erupts on her arms and back. She climbs onto the block and wiggles her feet against the gritty texture. A couple deep breaths, back arched, legs bent, and toes dug in. Her eyes narrow as she moves her arms into position. "One-"
"Go." His voice startles her and she does a half jump, landing in the water in an undignified mess. She resurfaces and he gestures for her to resume her position. "Lady Une says you're on the swim team, you shouldn't be scared to jump in. Go when I say go."
"I go when I want to go," she growls. She isn't sure how she feels about Lady Une telling others about her activities. Especially him. She resumes position though.
"Not if you want to win." Her shoulders stiffen. "Loosen up. Go."
She's smooth this time. Her body cuts the water like a sharpened knife. When she surfaces the pool area is empty.