Chapter Six

Yup, he had. He'd managed to make things much worse.

Sousuke came through on his promise less than 24 hours later. His hands dug into Makoto's scalp as he shoved himself deeper down Makoto's throat. Makoto's hands flailed, trying to find something to hold on to. He managed to knock something off the shelves at his side, but could really care less as to what.

They were supposed to be in class, but instead Sousuke had backed Makoto into a dark maintenance closet, before tripping him onto his knees and pulling Makoto's face up with a big hand tangled into his hair.

It was surprisingly fine with Makoto. He'd spent the night waking every few hours, his chest heaving, the thought of car tires screeching and endless heart wrenching screams. Wild eyed, he'd calm himself before trying to sleep again. By morning, he was red eyed and strung so tight a tug or two and he might snap.

On his way out the door, he'd smacked the framed photo face down on to his desk. Though not looking at it didn't help. Nothing helped anymore. Well nothing except for-

Sousuke tightened his grip on Makoto's hair, making him pay attention as he rocked deeper down Makoto's throat.

That was fine. Makoto could use an excuse not to think about anything for a while.

As if on cue, Sousuke combed his fingers through Makoto's hair, brushing the fringe back from his face. Sousuke pulled his hips back, his cock sliding out from Makoto's mouth, sliding against his tongue before dropping out, a clear string of saliva stretched between the tip and Makoto's tongue. It snapped and dripped to the floor. Makoto let out a coughed breath, brushing his hand over his mouth.

Makoto closed his mouth, swallowing and licking his lips before opening his mouth again, so Sousuke could lean his cock forward. He lapsed at it again before he had to cough, turning away.

Before this, Makoto had never looked at Sousuke's cock before, (he'd obviously seen it, felt it, humped against it, but never looked at it) but now that it was literally right under his nose he noticed how dark it was in color, at least when flushed. It wasn't particularly long, but it was thick, a mouth full for sure as Makoto had to strain to fit it past his lips. It wasn't like Makoto's at all he felt like. It had a broad head, and struck out from Sousuke's body, heavily pointed downward, even when Sousuke was this turned on.

Makoto tried again, tipping his head to try and take Sousuke in again. He was stopped as Sousuke petted his hair away from his face, even running a hand down against his cheek.

"Catch your breath," he gruffed, his hand still playing with Makoto's hair, running through it at the side of his face. "The last thing that's going to be attractive is you puking and coughing up a lung."

Makoto nodded, his mouth pressed against his hand. He coughed a couple of times more, regaining a steady breath before he turned to Sousuke again.

He coaxed Sousuke back to leaning into him, licking his way up the underside of Sousuke's dark tan cock. When he got to the head Makoto licked his lips again before pressing a wet tongue to the slit. The deep red color was quite attractive. He mouthed his way down the side again, before he encountered Sousuke's skin.

He tipped his eyes up, to see teal eyes focused on him, slightly narrow and a hard set of Sousuke's mouth. Did he expect Makoto to fight him? After the fight they had had the night before that was the logical thing. But this was just sex, and a damn good distraction, and the sooner he made Sousuke shoot the sooner Sousuke would leave him alone.

Makoto kissed the skin just above Sousuke cock, wondering absently if Sousuke had a treasure trail by chance. As a swimmer, he shaved every thing from his chest to his cock so it wasn't like Makoto would get a glimpse of it.

"Back to work," Sousuke growled.

God, he looked so pissed even with Makoto's mouth moving over his cock.

But supplying what was ordered, Makoto leaned back on his heels, popping the tip of Sousuke into his mouth and giving a hard suck.

A groan above him, told Makoto that was a move he'd need to remember for the future. Filing it away Makoto started to move his head, bobbing as he took more of Sousuke in every time.

It wasn't long though before Sousuke took control back again, gripping at Makoto's jaw he thrust forward, face fucking Makoto all the way back to his tonsils. Makoto tried his best to let he head lean back and relax his throat. What ever Sousuke wanted, Makoto found he was surprisingly okay with giving it. He let his eyes drift closed.

But he still needed to breath so the peaceful moment didn't last long before Makoto had one clawing hand at Sousuke's thigh. Sousuke pulled back immediately. As Makoto coughed and sputtered for breath, he felt Sousuke's fingers again running through his hair.

"I'm close." Sousuke mumbled over him.

Makoto nodded, looking back to the intimidating equipment and murmured, "alright."

He opened his mouth again, signaling he was ready and Sousuke slid in. He thrust in a few times before Makoto heard him gasp and he became erratic, hand fisting in Makoto's hair to the point of pain before Sousuke pound harder into him.

Eyes a bit wide, Makoto's hands scrambled to hold on to anything, one going to the shelving and the other grasping at Sousuke's thigh.

And then Sousuke was spilling into him. It wasn't pleasant to the taste, but Makoto wasn't sure he minded. As Sousuke pulled out, his semen dripped out of Makoto's mouth, running down his chin and even some trailing down his neck.

He felt-not better off at all-but not wholly there. His body swayed on his knees, looking down at the cement floor where his spit mingled with Sousuke's cum. It was a mess. Makoto didn't even want to consider what he looked like.

But it was like his brain had stopped. Exactly what he wanted, it was always so relieving after Sousuke did this to him. He didn't feel and it was so perfect.

"Come on, look up," Sousuke startled Makoto out of his trance.

It was startling to peer forward straight into bright teal eyes. Though Sousuke still didn't give him any other expression than cold ice. He was hunched down in front of Makoto. He had already buttoned his shirt and tucked himself in, all zipped up as if nothing had happened. He reached for Makoto, holding his jaw up so he could use a rag to wipe away the semen dripping down Makoto's throat. He looked possibly more pissed than he had before shoving Makoto into that closet.

"I wish I could manage to figure you out." Sousuke growled. It was under his breath, but Makoto managed to make it out.

Makoto smiled sadly, at least he'd managed to hang on to something, even if it wasn't his dignity, or pride, or feelings, his family, his home, or even his former best friend, he at least had something.

Sousuke just kept cleaning him off, a hint of that strange intimacy present again. It continued as he pulled Makoto up to stand, tucking his shirt back in and fastening his uniform closed. The front of Makoto's shirt was soaked in his own spit and semen. But Sousuke hid it satisfactory enough before placing a hand on Makoto's back he led him out of the small room.

Neither of them mentioned that Makoto hadn't even been remotely hard as Sousuke dropped his hand and led the way to the cafeteria.

There were too many fucking questions when it came to Tachibana!

The leading one being, why in the hell was the mother hen of that shit stain of a friend's group now such a wreck? And why the hell was it no one else noticed? And if they had, why was no one doing anything about it?

Sousuke tossed his lunch tray down beside Rin, before he looked up to Makoto, tipping his head to the seat across from him. Makoto had tried to say something about not being hungry but Sousuke had pushed him in line. Sousuke knew he hadn't had breakfast either so he wasn't missing lunch. Because like hell was Sousuke letting that little twat out of his sight for one fucking minute anymore.

"Yo," Rin greeted as he looked up from the school paper.

"Yo," Sousuke mimicked, he still stared at Makoto across from him. He looked presentable, if not vacant. He looked around the room, his hand grasping a pair of chopsticks, but not really eating anything. It was like he was just floating, just there. And it was pissing Sousuke off!

"Oi Makoto," Rin said setting down the paper.

Just like that, Souske blinked and for the first time he could see it. Like slipping on a mask, Makoto managed to force a smile-had it always been like that?-and look at Rin like what ever he had to say was the most interesting thing in the world. And yet-his eyes, he wasn't there still. It was so perfectly fake it kind of crushed Sousuke to see it.

When had the scales fallen from Souske's eyes? Ever since-God, he'd managed to break him hadn't he? He'd finally managed to decipher the code enough to see through shades and-this couldn't seriously be what Makoto walked around like all the time? ...could it?

And how in the world could his friends not see it?

"Yeah?" Makoto asked, the cracks between that smile so glaringly obvious. He wasn't smiling he was imitating, pulling on the act and hoping no one noticed!

"Did Sousuke tell you?" Rin asked in an excited voice.

Those lifeless, vacant eyes shifted to Sousuke. "Tell me what?"

That was a very good question. Sousuke glanced at Rin. He looked slightly peeved that what ever it was Sousuke was supposed to remember he clearly didn't.

Rin let out a frustrated sigh, "you're supposed to be my back up, no wonder running this team seems so hard," he grumbled and whined before looking to Makoto. "Sousuke is swimming in the relay!"

...oh. OH! Yeah well he'd fucked Makoto twice since that little late night show down in the pool so Sousuke wasn't actually surprised he didn't remember. He pulled on a cocky smile though to answer.

"It wasn't hard beating you once we were in the water." He shifted his eyes back to Makoto though, curious which mask the boy would pull on next.

Through the cracks there was a tinge of something real, before the vacancy was shifted back and Makoto pulled on the smiling mask, clearly a personal favorite. "That's really great Yamazaki-kun."

"Yeah," was all Sousuke could manage. He still wasn't sure why this relay stuff always mattered so much to everybody but for Rin he could at least give it a shot.

"So uh," Rin went on, he bit at his bottom lip before continuing. "I was kind of wondering, you know, what about you-and the relay maybe."

It made sense. Makoto left everybody else in his water tread when he used his backstroke to propel himself though the water. Though Sousuke was now thinking that was less attributable to 'love of the sport' and more to the fact he spent every second in the water anymore. It was actually a little frightening. Despite being told by everyone to cool his jets, Makoto still stayed a few hours past everyone else. Rin had mentioned that on weekends it was nonstop to the point of insanity. Rin would tell him to leave in the morning and by noon Makoto would be back, diving in with out abandon.

Makoto let that happy mask slip for all of half a second, and Sousuke jumped in with out thinking.

"I thought you were changing it up this year," he quickly spouted to Rin. "You know desire and heart and all that riding shot gun."

"Well yeah, that's why I'm asking!" Rin grumped to him. He looked back to Makoto again. "I mean if you don't want to do it, that's cool- but you are looking like the fastest and it's your last year and everything so I wanted to offer it to you first." Rin needled his chop sticks into his food. "And ya know I just figured maybe it would, I don't know-help a bit. You know if we won and all."

Help with what?! What about some synchronized friendship swim was going to magically smack Makoto up side the head and out of his Prozac-popping funk?

Makoto's smile this time was genuine and sad, genuinely sad and that was about all that was genuine about it. "I," he looked down at his food, struggling with something, his brow furrowed. "Yeah," He finally settled on. "I think it might. I'd be glad to do the relay with you guys."

Next to him Rin breathed a sigh of relief.

Sousuke just looked on at Makoto in wonder. He didn't want to. He so clearly did not want to go, and he still fucking said yes! Why was he doing-he was he really going to put Rin first in this? It wasn't like they couldn't find a replacement.

"I don't think-" Sousuke growled.

"Oh lay off him, grumpy!" Rin said. "He's a good swimmer, just admit it." He smiled at Makoto before turning back to his food.

Makoto pulled on that ridiculously fake smile for Rin again before he turned to Sousuke.

All Sousuke wanted to say him was, 'I see you, you bastard, I fucking see you.' Makoto winced just slightly, marking that Sousuke's expression had probably relayed at least a bit of the message.

Hurriedly, Makoto shifted his eyes away, shoving a few more mouthfuls of food in. Was he even chewing or just swallowing so he would have at least a few calories to manage to swim on later?

Why did he never fight back here? Sousuke also wondered. From the verbal tussle they'd had the night before it was clear he knew about Sousuke, and Sousuke's gaze flecked to the oblivious red head next to them. Makoto had the ammunition. Even just an hour ago, he didn't let out a squeak when Sousuke took out his anger and pushed him on his knees. Hell, Makoto had jumped in, nuzzling up to Sousuke's dick in less than a minute.

"I'll see you guys at practice." Makoto said as he stood.

Sousuke jumped a little. He wanted to follow Makoto, but- Sousuke wasn't his mom. He sent a look Makoto's way. He hoped he was going up to the dorm to change, maybe shower. He looked like hell. Not that Sousuke could blame him. He could have picked a better day to shove down Makoto's throat, he'd heard how restless Makoto had been all night.

But when Sousuke felt white hot with the anger like that- burning it off wasn't so easy.

"Chow!" Rin intoned and waved.

Makoto waved back as he turned away to go dispense his tray.

"He didn't eat very much." Sousuke grumbled.

Rin gave him a long look for several seconds.

"What?" Sousuke growled.

"What's got your panties in a bind?" Rin asked. "I thought you two were getting along better. He wear your favorite Sailor Moon shirt or something?"

Sousuke just, "hmft'ed" at him as he tried to pay attention to his own food. He rolled his eyes. "He just seems off is all."

"Well why don't you have an intervention and see if you can get him to admit there's a problem." Rin said, and Sousuke was a bit shocked to hear it was-well nice and fried in a bitter attitude.

Sousuke turned back to his food. Maybe he would do just that-and shove it up Rin's ass the next time he saw him.

Makoto was surprised as he surfaced from the water, gasping for air and looking up to discover standing directly over him was Sousuke. Well there was no hiding from him in the pool anymore it seemed.

Makoto wiped the water from his face, reaching for the side to pull himself out.

"Don't bother." Sousuke said as he knelt down. He was dressed, wearing a hoodie over a plain dark teal shirt and board shorts. He must have removed his shoes while Makoto was occupied with the water as his bare feet slid into the water when he sat at the edge of the pool.

Sousuke extended a hand, holding it out to Makoto with his ever-present stony expression.

Makoto slid a hesitant hand into Sousuke's and with a yank he was pulled half way out of the water. He scrambled onto the side of the pool, to sit next to Sousuke. He removed his swim cap setting it with his goggles near the edge.

Sousuke just looked down at the water, not avoiding Makoto's face but not acknowledging it either.

Not sure, if he should break the silence or let it be, Makoto ran a hand through his wet hair, brushing it unprofitably away from his face.

"Do you want to keep doing this?" Sousuke suddenly asked.

Wide eyed, Makoto wasn't sure what he meant. Sitting there? Swimming? Avoiding Sousuke unless they were naked and grinding? Tearing his own insides out at every chance he got? Oh wait, it really didn't matter since he was still basically doing all of those things with out a second thought.

Sousuke looked at Makoto, making Makoto realize his dark shirt matched his bright eyes. That was nice at least.

"I mean the screwing each other thing." Sousuke said, probably in response to Makoto's lost expression.

In all honesty, Makoto hadn't thought there was much of an option. After it happened the first time, maybe, but after the second-he'd just figured there would be after that a next time and a next time and they'd use each other up till Makoto didn't have anything else to give to alleviate his hollowness. But now that Sousuke was asking-

"Yes." Makoto heard his own voice affirm. Feeling like he could just-not even 'be' was his only salvation.

Sousuke just nodded, "alright." He looked like he wanted to say more but instead he just glanced back at the water.

"We should probably set some ground rules then."

Confused, Makoto looked over, "like what?"

Sousuke gave an exasperated sigh. "Like if you tell Rin I'll make sure you drown in the shower."

Right, like those kinds of rules. Makoto pressed his lips together, nodding. Rin was clearly off limits all the way around.

Sousuke shook his head. "You don't tell him any of it, not the sex, not what we do before, not what we do after." He snorted, seeming to find his own statement a bit humorous. "You know it's probably just good if you only talk to him about swimming, and maybe homework."

Looking over at the sad way Sousuke spoke, Makoto gave his own smile. If Sousuke wanted to lighten the mood a bit Makoto wasn't going to stand in his way. "I'm not sure there is anything for me to talk about with Rin besides swimming. ...Sometimes he mentions the weather."

Sousuke let a smile peek at that. His teal eyes skirting back to Makoto.

The sad but humorous moment shared couldn't seem to last though as in the next moment Sousuke's smile was gone as he spoke.

"Anyone you don't want me to mention this to?"

No one really. But Makoto made to at least try to think about it. "None of my old friends." Or maybe his mother.

He was glad that Sousuke didn't give some crude comment, only nodded and affirmed. "Iwatobi's off limits, got it."

He sighed then, sitting back a little as he continued. "You're okay with the bondage?"

"Not duck tape again." Makoto tried.

Sousuke smiled at him, chuckling. "It was a bad idea. I wasn't thinking about pulling it off at the time." He looked over Makoto's hands. "But maybe if I found something else, you okay with that?"

Makoto was well aware of the blush on his cheeks as he looked away to the water. How was he supposed to answer that? It sounded so-dirty.

Feeling the heat radiating from Sousuke as he leaned closer. "I need you to answer. I don't know if you hate what I'm doing if you don't let me know."

Looking over, Makoto gave a small nod, still not looking up actually at Sousuke. "I'm okay with-with you tying me up." He mumbled most of the last half but at least he said it.

"And with teasing you?" Sousuke asked. He cocked his smile to the side as he went on. "Or maybe if I tried the gag again?"

This time, Makoto pressed his lips together as he looked at Sousuke, letting his expression speak for him.

Sousuke's smile just widened. "Alright, alright you're right I pushed that time on purpose." He dropped the smile though as he went on, "but really, I don't want you to do anything you don't want to." A finger slid forward, brushing against Makoto's wrist lightly. "I need to know what is off limits."

Makoto looked away again. He wasn't sure but, he just went with what he was thinking. "You've got to be kidding right?"

Sousuke cocked his head. "Not really." He withdrew himself, all vestiges of a 'light' conversation with Makoto gone in an instant. Well it wouldn't be a conversation with Sousuke if it all went smoothly,

Looking at him, Makoto wasn't sure what sick game he was playing at this time around for things. "I don't really care what you do to me."

The intensity in Sousuke's teal eyes was a bit frightening this time around. "I want you to care."

"I don't."

"You should."

"Well I still don't." Makoto laughed this time. He wanted to cry so he laughed instead. "I don't care if you use me as a punching bag or as-" Makoto looked away. "Or like that. I don't care."

It was quiet for a painful moment before Sousuke was pushing again. "I need you to care."

"Or what?" Makoto asked as he looked at the water.

Sousuke was blinking at him, but not in a vacant way, in the way that suggested he was processing, taking in Makoto to appropriately offer blackmail.

"You want to keep screwing?" He asked again.

Makoto sighed. He brought a hand up to his face rubbing at his eyes and forehead before tiredly answering. "Yeah." The relief of it was more than swimming, more than the oblivion of homework. It only lasted a few hours at a time but it was a blissful few hours that felt like he was just-nothing. "I want to." Makoto said under his breath.

"Good." Souske voice was level this time. "Then you'll care."

Makoto's looked at him exasperated. He'd just told him!

Sousuke tipped his head in response. "I feel like I'm raping you, It doesn't seem to matter if you're hard or you come I still think that. But you never say anything before and you never say anything after and we're heating up fast. And I know I'm being used for something, so at least give me the dignity of full disclosure on consent."

"I've never said no-" Makoto started.

"And until now you've never said yes either." Sousuke interrupted. "Now I need to know all the things you're saying 'yes' to so I'm absolutely sure I don't trail into 'no' territory because you 'don't care.'" Sousuke huffed looking away to the windows. "Or at least up until you do, and I have to deal with the fact I've hurt you."

Makoto looked down. "Fine."

He could kind of see where Sousuke was coming from now a bit. If Sousuke hurt him it would be on his hands, for the rest of his life. Makoto wasn't sure he had it in him to hurt someone else and certainly not like that.

"Now for real this time, the bondage?" Sousuke affirmed. "I'll find something less-agitating to take off."

Makoto nodded.

"And the gag was okay?" Sousuke prompted.

Giving a simple but firm nod Makoto still didn't look at Sousuke.

"Okay." Sousuke let out a long breath. "Now what's off limits?"

This was a lot harder to talk about than to just-doing. No body had really made him talk about it, then again no one had ever been as demanding as Sousuke about anything. He was assertive and headstrong in a way Makoto had never been accustom to.

"Well?" Sousuke prompted.

Like now. Sousuke was being pretty demanding right now.

Makoto felt the heat rise to his cheeks. Was there anything he wasn't okay with? So far he'd just let Sousuke do what ever he wanted. That was the point! If Sousuke took control then Makoto could finally have a few moments he wasn't white knuckling his way through his life. But was there anything that made him uncomfortable? A lot of things Sousuke did made Makoto uncomfortable. Like talking about it... But was that really bad? Makoto did have to admit he was the one that was pretty quiet about what they were doing. Sousuke just wanted limits.

"Tachibana," Sousuke was growling this time.

"I'm thinking," Makoto assured he wasn't tuning Sousuke out in a calm voice.

Sousuke backed off immediately. "Oh." He breathed. His expression changed a bit, looking away a bit awkwardly. "Uh, it's okay, just take your time."

Makoto's frowned. It was things like that working to confuse him about their relationship. Sousuke pushed and pushed and did what ever the hell he wanted all the way up until Makoto gave him an inch and he pulled back, messing up their relationships with things that were just-intimate. Things you didn't do with someone you hated.

He ran a hand through his hair. What didn't he want Sousuke doing to him? Everything he'd done so far had been-well it had pushed Makoto but not like he had gotten scared or really uncomfortable. Sousuke exuded with alpha male, and controlling their-uh, play had been kind of expected.

"Marks." Makoto settled on.

Sousuke perked up next to him, leaning back on his hand, he leaned closer to Makoto, looking like he was all ears.

"I don't want you to leave marks." Makoto had plenty of those all over his insides, he didn't need more to explain on his outsides.

"I've kind of already," Sousuke started, his eyes drifted to Makoto's neck and shoulders.

Makoto brushed that off, shacking his head. "Those are easy to hide." He shifted uncomfortably. "I mean like lasting ones. Ones I can't just blame on a girl friend or what ever."

At first Sousuke's face shifted into surprise. "You mean like breaking skin kind of marks?"

Biting his lip, Makoto gave a confirmation nod.

That's when Sousuke's face shifted back to hard, eyes narrow as his brow lowered. "I'd never do that to you." He looked away, growling under his voice. "I promised I wouldn't hurt you." His teal eyes shifted to Makoto. "What else?"

Was there anything more? Makoto shook his head, not sure what else they could really manage to do.

Sousuke sighed and closed his eyes for half a second. "Exhibitionism?"

Makoto shot back, shaking his head no immediately. "Uh uh."

Chuckling, Sousuke let Makoto see his amused smile again. "Thought not." He powered onward though. "We will start easier. Penetration?"

He was so frank about it, Makoto could barely bring himself to meet Sousuke's eyes. "Uhm uh I-I'm fine with that." Sousuke had already threatened it plenty of times to know that.

"And if I use toys?" Sousuke pushed right on ahead.

"Toys?" Makoto's brow furrowed.

Sousuke's brow lifted, "like an anal plug."

Oh. That kind of toys. Makoto's blush was back in full force. "Uh..."

Another amused smile. Right, Sousuke liked watching Makoto squirm, need to remember that more often. "We'll figure it out along the way with that one." He wasn't done yet though as he went right on asking, "blindfold?"

Couldn't move and couldn't see? The idea blossomed in Makoto's head. It'd be almost like swimming, he wouldn't have to think about anything at all. "Yes." He answered very clearly. He shifted though, finally looking at Sousuke for the first time in a while. "Is there anything-I mean that you don't want to..."

Sousuke didn't need him to finish. He traced along Makoto's shoulder, at some point shifting again into that strange mode where he actually seemed like he might almost like Makoto. He leaned forward pressing his lips to the peak of Makoto's shoulder. It was short but a blush was rushing to Makoto's face for an entirely different reason now.

"I don't like blood." Sousuke answered quite candidly. "I don't like hurting. If you're looking to work out what ever the hell you keep moping about with a whip or a cane or what ever, I won't be the one to do it." He kissed Makoto's shoulder again. "I'll hold you down all you want, but I won't inflict real pain." He turned away, retreating from his close proximity too Makoto. "There's enough pain out there for the both of us already."

It was surprising how honest his response was and Maktot found himself falling prey to the small understanding between them, leaning in-

"I like being in control." That wasn't even surprising. Sousuke let a small smile slip. "I like to tell you what to do and I like when you do it."

Makoto swallowed. Nodding was all he could manage again. Was it okay that he kind of liked letting Sousuke be the one in control? He hadn't really thought about it like that, he'd just-it was relieving to have something to fall against, let someone else deal with everything and just forget everything.

"I'd like to try role playing with you though."

In an instant the tender moment was over and Makoto was beet red. Sousuke of course just looked at him with that amused smile, watching every shade his skin transitioned through in the process.

Shifting his gaze nervously Makoto wanted to make sure, "you mean like, teacher and student? Or cop and prisoner?"

In answer, Sousuke just leaned in close again, his hand rubbing across Makoto's chest and lower to his abdomen. "Exactly Mr. Tachibana, now, what are we ever going to do about all those parking tickets?"

Makoto chuckled, mostly because he was amazingly nervous all of a sudden but half because, "parking tickets?"

Makoto had to admit he should have seen that one coming. Sousuke had liked watching Makoto squirm from the first time. It should have been expected he would think it would be hot to tell Makoto how 'very bad' he'd been before exacting authority over him to get a punishment, which mostly involved watching Makoto squirm some more.

Sousuke raised his brow as he shifted enough to look Makoto in the eye. "Oh? Are you confessing to more Mr. Tachibana?" He promptly nuzzled his way in under Makoto's ear. "I didn't know you had it in you."

Laughing again was all Makoto could manage, but an arm slid back resting across the Sousuke's lower back. Maybe getting comfortable with Sousuke wouldn't be bad at all... Maybe Makoto could make this work...

"Yamazaki-kun..." Makoto said quietly.

"Excuse me?" Sousuke's hard glare was back as he turned and pinned Makoto with his hard expression. "Is that how you refer to law enforcement?"

Maybe this could be fun... "Officer Yamazaki," Makoto corrected too embarrassed to look up.

"Hmmmnnn," Sousuke hummed, "Officer Sousuke?" He asked with another smile, it was less amused more-content? Hoping?

Makoto managed to look up. "Sou-" his mouth tested out the name.

But he never got to finish as startling both of then there was the scrape of the door leading into the pool.

Sousuke was the one to act first, grabbing Makoto's swim cap and goggles, passing them off to him before he unceremoniously shoved Makoto back into the water.

When Makoto managed to surface again, tossing his head to get his hair off his face. He looked up to see Sousuke's staring at him nonchalantly as he spoke.

"Your turn around times are still holding you back. You need to push off of the wall sooner. That second you hesitate is going to give your opponent a second to catch up."

Behind Sousuke, Rin approached, hands in a hoodie jacket, wearing a plain tee underneath and track pants. he peered down at them both.

He signed exasperated. "The last thing I need is you encouraging him, Sousuke." Rin whined his eyes glancing at Makoto treading water and then back to Sousuke. "He already over practices! Don't make it worse."

Sousuke shrugged. "He's embedding bad habits with out a second of some kind." Sousuke turned then to better face Rin. "What are you doing down here?"

Rin just sighed again. "Trying to find you. Your dorm room was empty," he gestured to the two in the water. "Now I know why."

Makoto drifted towards the edge where he pulled himself up enough to rest his arms over the cement ledge. Makoto noticed that though he was trying to look at ease, Rin had a bit of-he looked a twinge annoyed, though Makoto couldn't understand why. Maybe it was all of the swim time he had been putting in. If Makoto did end up getting hurt it would be under Rin's leadership so could be looked at as Rin's fault, or at least partially.

Pushing up onto the ledge, Makoto stood, dripping water on mostly Sousuke. "Rin's probably right." He looked down at Sousuke. "I have been pushing pretty hard lately."

Sousuke hummed an agreement, standing as well. He tossed a towel into Makoto's face before speaking. "Go get dressed,"

Makoto ducked under the towel, managing it from Sousuke's grasp, using it to dry off his hair as his wet feet slapped on the tile on his way to the locker room.

"You've got quite a change of tune since lunch today." Rin commented as Makoto entered the locker room.

Sousuke shrugged. "I tried your idea. The intervention went smoothly, I've got him on a 12 step plan."

Rin rolled his eyes. It was a second before he commented again. "You kind of hang out with him a lot."

"He needs a lot of work." Sousuke gave the comment off handedly. "Like I said, if I'm not around he'll just keep producing bad habits."

"Not everyone is shooting for the stars." This time the comment was a bit more digging.

Sousuke looked over this time, making sure his eyes were glaring into Rin. "You've still got a goal for the moon and back.. Right?"

He saw it, that flash of half a doubt before Rin smiled at him. "'Course. Sheesh. Lay off a little. You're a bit of a drill Sargent at times."

Sousuke just hummed, looking over at his best friend. He could see it, Nanase's pathetic philosophy of water and balance and all that stupid shit clouding up Rin's thoughts. They weren't spending all that much to time together, but Sousuke had no doubt every weekend he went home Rin and the fish fryer spent plenty of time harmonizing.

Makoto walked out of the locker room and Sousuke couldn't help but notice the contrast of the boys in the room.

Rin had enough natural talent going all the way to the top wouldn't take half as much work as it would for Makoto. If he spent as much effort on his dreams as Makoto he'd take nationals with out a bat of an eye. A sun so freaking bright he could shadow everything else near him. Rin would have so much opportunity falling at his feet. All he'd have to do was pick a direction and he'd soar ahead of them all.

Then there was Makoto, dreamless and though he had the build for swimming, the power in his shoulders to make him good at backstroke he wasn't all that talented. He was only making leaps and bounds because he spent every free second in the water. But he was still-directionless. He couldn't even seem to come up with a vision of his future himself. He was dim, not a blaze of light leaking from him, not much glimmering of hope. Those hours spent in the pool were perplexing Sousuke, but it was becoming clear it sure wasn't so Makoto could leave the competition in the dust.

And coming in last was Sousuke. He let a sad smile show. He'd already reached his peak and burned out from it. He'd streaked across the sky in glory and was already on the descent. Who even knew where he'd end up.

"Come on Rin," he bumped Rin's shoulder as he turned to the doors, "come hang out with us for a while."

Maybe if Rin rubbed off on Makoto he could get him to at least realize his own existence. Or maybe Sousuke could could feel what it was like be on fire again for once.

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See you next swim time! Stay cool, don't sniff pixie sticks-it hurts... Totally not from personal experience.