Akiyuzu-chan: HAHAHAHA THE BRAINFUCKERY SHALL CONTINUE.

anon: Glad you enjoyed~

Riomi-senpai: I know that the original Makoto would never hurt Haruka... or would he? But here is the next chapter, nonetheless.

ShinkokyuuKuwarrittii: OMIGOD NO LIVE WOMAN LIIIIIIIIIIIVE!

Guest: What? What what what?

UnderTheTide: Prepare yourself well~ And I've been complimented (or flamed) for my cliffhangers more than once. Even funnier, I don't actually plan on writing cliffhangers. This is yet another thing that I wing like mad.

NyxLied: Uhuhuhuhuhuhuhu~ I'm glad you enjoyed yourself, dear~ My erotica seems to have gotten a lot better lately, judging from everyone's comments. (IF YOU REALLY WANT TO SEE ME GO ALL OUT READ MY LEGAL DRUG ONESHOT *SHAMELESS ADVERTISEMENT*)

Abiding Angel: Actually, that's true. The more I write this the more I find Makoto becoming more like Sebastian... but most of the time he's more cute than sexy XD. Rei's turn is in this chapter~

Haruko: I won't spoil~ But I love your theories. Keep them coming~!

Lady Monochromic: I'm so glad that I managed to suck you in and force you to read all my secret erotic fantasies - *cough cough* I mean, and that you enjoy the plot. Makoto is Mr. Sexy Hands, lol.

Guest: I have no idea if you're the same guest or not but I do appreciate the review, lol. But have patience! All good things take time.

WolfPacFaan: All of the mysteries shall be solved in due time... (or in maybe a couple more chapters. We'll see.)

Alejandra Rosicky: Glad to have you back, darlin'. But no, I'm not trying to kill you~ Though his chapter may kill you from fluffiness.

I do not own Free! Iwatobi Swim Club or any of the characters in it.

I'll warn you right now that this chapter is filled mostly with fluffy feelings. I wanted to make a change of pace from the usual sexiness, but don't worry. The fluffiness won't be too overbearing, I hope.

Basically, this chapter was written to somewhat slow down the pace. Oh, and Rei's here.

Haruka woke up to fresh-smelling bed sheets, a warm bath readily prepared, and a lavish breakfast waiting for him at his personal dining table.

But no Makoto.

Feeling sulky, Haruka buried himself back underneath the covers and privately fumed at the fact that Makoto had not returned for almost a week.

Where he was and what he was doing, Haruka had no idea and hated. Makoto was supposed to be his servant. Why was Makoto, at this moment, not at his side, greeting him?

He knew that everything had been prepared by Makoto. He could smell Makoto's scent on his sheets. It was a soft and subtle scent, almost like a sweet smoke. It brushed lightly over Haruka's nose and yet it seemed like that at any second it could disappear. A lonely but endearing fragrance. It reminded Haruka of the brunette's green eyes. Eyes that always seemed to hide his pain and his melancholy. For the longest time, Haruka had not given a thought to what was behind his servant's gaze.

Finally slipping out of his bed, Haruka reluctantly got up to eat his breakfast. He had just buttered a scone and was contemplating eating it with his fried mackerel when someone through an arm around his shoulder from behind and attempted to grab him in a chokehold.

"Rin, stop that."

"What the hell? You knew? That's boring."

The redhead released his best friend's neck and plopped himself down next to him in another chair. "Pass me a scone, will you?"

"Get your own," Haruka replied flatly. Just as he was about to take a bite, Rin deftly snatched it out of his grip and sunk his sharp teeth into it.

"Oi."

"You were too slow," Rin mumbled out from a mouth full of pastry. He roughly swallowed it and licked his lips. "Anyway, I just thought I'd check up on you and Makoto. Have you changed your mind yet?"

Haruka experienced a flash of irritation on top of another flash of irritation. "No, I haven't. I'm not giving Makoto to you, and I never will. Get over it."

Rin scowled, his pointy teeth gleaming in the light. It would have been easier to take him seriously if there weren't crumbs stuck between his gums. "Whatever, you'll see my way eventually."

Haruka rolled his eyes. He poured himself a cup of coffee before he remembered something that Makoto had said during the night of the party. It had been bothering him up until now.

"Rin, do you remember the drowning incident?"

"Which one? The one where you rescued a guy from drowning, or where you were the one who needed your ass saved and CPR?"

"Don't remind me," Haruka grimaced at the idea of getting kissed by Rin. Not because he hated the idea, but because he did not want those teeth anywhere near his lips. "The one where I rescued someone from drowning. Do you remember anything about that person at all?"

"... What brought this up all of a sudden?"

"Makoto mentioned it before..."

Rin suddenly got very quiet, a thoughtful look in his eye. Haruka watched as his slim fingers drummed on the tabletop. It was Rin's habit to do that when he was trying to come up with an excuse. Either that or stutter.

"I... I don't know," Rin shrugged at last. "Nagisa would probably know though. Why don't you ask him?"

"Why would Nagisa know? He wasn't there at the time."

"No, but... well, it seems that he's gotten to know the guy pretty recently. Just ask Nagisa. I'm sure he could tell you something. Hey, so how is the bride-hunt going?"

Haruka raised an eyebrow at the sudden change of subject, but silently admitted to himself that he would be unable to pull anything more out of his redhead friend. "My mother won 't let the idea of marrying Kou go. I think she's really trying to push for it."

"WHAT?!" Rin screeched, slamming his hands down on the table and rising to his feet. Several scones fell to the carpet from his rage. "YOU AREN'T MARRYING MY SISTER. YOU AREN'T TOUCHING MY SISTER. I WOULD KILL YOU IF YOU POKED HER WITH A 65 METER LONG POLE. STAY AWAY FROM GOU."

"I don't want to marry Kou."

"IS MY SISTER NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU."

"Rin, make up your mind."

"Fuck you," Rin calmed down and sat back into his seat. "I don't care who you marry so long as it's not Gou. I've got enough of a headache with that one policeman asshole courting her..." he went off into a tangent of complaints that Haruka tuned out. His thoughts went back to Makoto and wondering of just where he was. He glanced out the window for a brief moment and suddenly stood from his seat.

"Haru?"

"Isn't that Nagisa's carriage?" Haruka pointed out the window where a black and gold carriage drawn by chestnut brown horses could be seen pulling up in the front yard. "What is he doing here?"

"Who knows? Nagisa's the kind of guy who does whatever the hell he wants. Specialty of the privileged," Rin hooked his chin over Haruka's shoulder as he too looked out the window. "Come to think of it, there was someone that Nagisa wanted to introduce you to. He didn't tell me much but he said that he used to go to school with us, but a grade below. Do you remember having any friends from the lower grades other than Nagisa?"

"We haven't gone to an actual school for almost five years. We've been home-schooled since middle school. How would I remember someone from that long ago?"

"And here I thought you had a good memory. Well, not that good," Rin muttered to himself at the last second. "Come on. Let's go down to greet them."

.

.

.

"Haru-chan! Haru-chan! Haru-chan!" Nagisa ran forward and tackled Haruka in a full-bodied hug. "I've missed you so much! Oh, and Rin-chan too, I guess."

"Am I an afterthought or something?! And what do you mean by 'I guess'?!"

While Nagisa playfully teased Rin, Haruka's attention was caught by another person emerging from the carriage. A young handsome teen with blue hair and red glasses gazed at him for a brief moment before bowing deeply.

"It is good to see you again. My name is Ryuugazaki Rei. I am Master Nagisa's personal servant. Please take care of me from now on."

"Ah," Haruka's eyes swept over his figure, lingering over a prominent gold triangle earring on his ear. "... Pleased to meet you."

Rei lifted his face, looking puzzled. Nagisa quickly intervened. "Now now, Rei-chan. I told you not to get your hopes up. I told you Haru-chan probably wouldn't remember you."

The dim hope on Rei's face went out completely. "O-Oh. I see. I'm terribly sorry, Haruka-senpa – I mean Master Haruka," he glanced off at the side. "... I suppose you don't remember me either, Rin-san?"

"What the hell? Why is Haruka 'Master' and I'm 'san'?" Rin scowled. "Well, whatever. I don't really remember you either."

"Well, I didn't particularly care about you..."

"WHAT THE HELL?! WHAT'S WITH THAT ATTITUDE TOWARDS ME?!"

"Oh, sorry, Rin-chan. Rei-chan doesn't like you that much."

"WHAT THE HELL DID I DO?!"

Rei scanned the area around them and frowned lightly. "Hm? I thought that Makoto-senpai would be here as well... Is he away today?"

Haruka's blue eyes widened momentarily and he grabbed Rei by the hand. "How do you know Makoto?" he asked urgently, tightening his grip. "Were you childhood friends? Did you used to work together?"

"Haruka-senpai, you're hurting me..."

"Haru-chan! Stop that!" Nagisa jumped in between them and pried his friend's hand off of his servant. "You can't just grab someone else's servant and interrogate him like that! There's a such thing as etiquette towards other family servants you know!"

The dark-haired master reluctantly backed off while Nagisa fussed over Rei like a mother hen. "Rei-chan? Are you okay? Your wrist doesn't hurt, does it? Want me to kiss it and make it better?"

"Master Nagisa! Please refrain from making such crude jokes in public!" Rei scolded, yanking back his hand. "Even for a joke, you should restrain yourself! Not everyone agrees with your sense of humor!"

Nagisa grinned. "Especially you, right Rei-chan? Then again, you don't have a sense of humor in the first place."

"I have a perfectly good sense of humor!"

"I think the rest of the world would disagree with you..."

Rin and Haruka watched as Nagisa and Rei bickered like two childhood friends. "Have they known each other long?" Haruka asked.

"Not sure. It seems like they have," Rin winced as Nagisa tried to jump onto Rei's back, missed, and ended up face-planting the ground. Rei panicked. "But then again, Nagisa is the type who can get along with anyone right away."

"WAAAAH! MY FACE HURTS!"

"M-MASTER NAGISAAAAA!"

"So noisy..." Haruka muttered while blocking his ears. Rin agreed with him.

"Let's go inside. Maybe Makoto will come back soon."

"Who said anything about Makoto?"

"You didn't have to. It's written all over your face."

Haruka scowled. Rin let out a short bark of laughter which ended in a cry of dismay as Nagisa decided to tackle him around the middle.

"Rin-chan! Don't laugh at me!"

"I WASN'T LAUGHING AT YOU DAMMIT!"

.

.

.

Haruka watched as Rei bustled around while Rin, Nagisa, and himself were all lounging on the couches in Haruka's room. Now that he took a closer look at Rei's face, there was something familiar about him. It wasn't a faint nostalgia exactly, but more of a hard press on his memories. As if something in his brain was struggling to surface.

"You were a year below us in school?" he asked finally. Rei looked up in surprise from pouring Darjeeling tea and nodded swiftly.

"Yes, Haruka-senpai."

"... Why do you call me senpai?" Haruka had figured that if Rei had used to go to a noble's school, then he himself must have been from a family that had fallen on hard times. In retrospect, Rei should be speaking like a servant. Not that Haruka would force him.

"Senpai is still senpai after all," Rei shrugged.

"Hey, but you call me 'san'."

"I was not as attracted to Rin-san as I was to Haruka-senpai."

"The fuck? What, you're in love with Haru?"

"Aesthetically speaking, yes," Rei replied without hesitation. Nagisa, Rin, and Haruka all turned to stare at him. "What? There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"

"What the hell is aesthetically supposed to mean?" Rin asked in disbelief. "You're just into him for his looks?"

"That's - !"

"That's not quite right, now is it?" a familiar voice said from directly behind them. Haruka felt his heart leap into his throat, but outwardly he was as calm still water, as always. "Master Haruka, I am back."

"Welcome back," Haruka replied, tilting his head back to see his servant smiling down at him. Thankfully he didn't smell like perfume this time. In fact, he didn't smell like anything at all, which was odd. "Where did you go this time?"

"Ah, I'm afraid to say... it's a secret, Master Haruka," Makoto gave him an easy grin. "Master Rin, Master Nagisa, it's been a while. And Rei..." he turned his attention to the newest addition to their little group. "I'm glad to see you again. You're looking well."

"Makoto-senpai!" Rei said eagerly, nearly tripping over the carpet in his excitement. "It's been so long! I haven't seen you for almost a year!"

"A year isn't really that long, Rei," Makoto laughed, stepping forward to grasp his junior warmly by the hand. "But even so, you're right. It feels like it's been a long time. I see that you're with Master Nagisa now. It must be tough."

"... Indeed..."

"EHH?! Mako-chan, Rei-chan, the two of you are horrible!" Nagisa cried out. He jumped in between them to break apart their hands and threw himself on to Rei. "You guys both make fun of me all the time!"

"I do not recall making fun of you, Master Nagisa," Rei replied swiftly with an entirely too straight face.

"Nor do I, Mistress Nagisa," Makoto chipped in, smirking slightly.

"Ah, Mako-chan! Right there! You're doing it again?"

"Whatever are you talking about, Master Nagisa?"

"You changed it! You totally changed it just now!"

Haruka and Rin watched, bemused, as Makoto and Nagisa traded playful little jabs with each other, the little blonde still having no apparent intentions to let go of Rei. "Good grief, thank God that it's only us," Rin muttered. "Otherwise Makoto would have gotten killed by anyone else."

"That idiot still doesn't have any sense of danger," Haruka agreed, looking disgruntled.

"... Haru, are you just angry that he's not paying any attention to you?"

"Shut up. You're an idiot too."

Makoto glanced around at Haruka, expressive blue eyes meeting secretive green. Haruka promptly turned his head away in a pout but he could already feel the smug waves practically rolling off the brunette. Why did Makoto have to be so good at reading him?

"That being said, Rei-chan," Nagisa's voice interrupted his thoughts. "What did you mean by you're in love with Haru-chan?"

"I-I-I'm not in love with him!" Rei sputtered indignantly. "Makoto-senpai understands what I mean, don't you?!"

"I believe so," Makoto placed a calming hand on Rei's shoulder. Somehow such a simple gesture made Haruka feel annoyed. "Rei likes the beauty of Master Haruka's movements, right?"

"Yes!" Rei said, looking relieved. Nagisa, Rin, and Haruka, however, all looked confused. "That's exactly right?"

"What the hell does that even mean?" Rin demanded, shifting in his seat slightly to sit closer to his friend in a protective manner. "He's in love with Haru's body motions? Is he some kind of pervert?"

"I am not! How dare you, Rin-san!"

"Then what the hell do you mean?! Spit it out!"

"Now now," Makoto calmed him. "What we mean is, Master Haruka's simple little everyday motions, in Rei's eyes, are graceful and elegant... because of that, he thinks that Master Haruka is beautiful. Something along those lines?"

"Exactly!" Rei stuck his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest proudly. "The refined manner that he holds himself! The graceful way he walks each step with confidence! That classy, stoic attitude! Everything about Haruka-senpai is amazingly beautiful! I was a huge admirer of yours when you still attended school!" Rei's glance flitted towards Rin. "Which was also why I disliked the way someone like Rin-san, who has a rough personality, always hung around Haruka-senpai..."

"The fuck! You are a pervert!" Rin scowled. "So what, in the end you're just a Haru fanboy... Well, that wasn't uncommon..."

"It wasn't?" it was Makoto's turn to look surprised. Even Haruka had a mildly startled look on his face.

"Haru had tons of fans, both guys and girls. I did too, for the record," Rin glanced at his friend who looked befuddled. "You didn't know, did you? Well, you never did pay much attention to people who you didn't interact with everyday..."

"Oh my..." the young master flinched as he heard a rather recognizable tone in his servant's voice. "And here I thought only we here recognized the charms of Master Haruka..."

Haruka glanced up to meet his servant's eyes and flinched at the hint of raw wildness in his green eyes. It was something akin to jealousy, at least that's what Haruka hoped it was. "Well, I see that Rei has already started serving the tea. I shall go fetch some snacks to eat together with it. Are there any requests?"

"Cake! Strawberry cake!" Nagisa chirped eagerly. Makoto nodded.

"Very well. I shall be back shortly..."

"I'll go with you," Haruka spoke up, standing from his seat. "After all, I need to talk to you..."

"Is that so? Well then, please accompany me, Master Haruka."

Rei watched them leave, the sunlight from the window causing a glare on his glasses lens. Nagisa glanced up at him. "Rei-chan? Is something the matter?"

Rei turned his head, causing his glasses lens to clear but also causing the sunlight to shine brightly on his golden earring, making it glow.

"Nothing at all, Nagisa-sama," Rei smiled lightly. "Nothing at all."

.

.

.

"I'm always impressed when I come down to these kitchens," Makoto commented as he pushed the door open and held it for his master to walk through. The stone room they entered was surprisingly airy and light because of the many windows in the walls. The chefs that were in the kitchen glanced over casually, then quickly bowed as they realized that the young master of the household was coming through. "We're just here to get tea snacks, everyone."

"Of course," one of the chefs, an older man with many lines on his face nodded. "Makoto, the pastries have already been put out to cool on the rack. Help yourself..."

"Thank you," Makoto gave him a quick bow and went to fetch a tray. "Master Haruka, please wait a moment. This shouldn't take long."

"... While we're here, I want mackerel..."

Immediately the chefs all went into work without question, pulling out raw slabs of fish to bake in the oven. One person cleaned it. Another seasoned it. Yet another shoved it into the oven. They worked with such alacrity that it almost seemed to borderline on panic. Makoto watched them as he loaded the sweet cake on his tray, his expression thoughtful.

The chefs had made the oven so hot that the fish was done in a matter of minutes. Swiftly, they laid the fish on a platter and shoved it in Makoto's direction before continuing with their earlier duties. Makoto picked up the platter without a word and he and Haruka walked out quietly.

About ten meters away, Makoto let out a breath he had been holding. "Whew!" he said, trying to wipe at the sweat on his brow but because of the plates in his hands he couldn't. "The air in there was so tense! Even though it's not the most cheerful place it isn't like that normally..."

"That's because I was there," Haruka reached over to take the platter of mackerel so that Makoto could wipe away the sweat. "Most of the servants here are tense around me."

"I'm not tense around you though, Master Haruka."

"That's because you're strange," was the flat reply. "But you're the only one here that doesn't treat me like I'm some sort of monster..."

Makoto took back the platter of mackerel and gazed at his master until said master became fairly uncomfortable. "... What?"

"Does this mean that to Master Haruka, I am a 'special' existence?" the brunette's voice was soft and hopeful. Haruka felt his face flame.

"... Don't ask questions that you already know the answer to, fool."

"Master Haruka..." for a moment, green eyes shimmered fondly, and there was something in them that looked almost like love. Makoto glanced around and spied a decorative table with a vase of pink stargazer lilies on it. Conveniently, it was right next to a large window looking out into the garden. "... Master Haruka, will you please come outside with me for a bit?"

"Eh?"

"Just for a short moment," Makoto assured, already placing down the cakes and the mackerel on the table. "The food won't even get cold."

"... But the garden door is over back the way we came – " his words died in his throat as his servant swiftly opened the window and slipped out. Standing outside on the green grass, he held his hand out to his master with an imploring smile.

Sighing his defeat, Haruka consented and allowed Makoto to help him climb out the window to the outside. His servant led him by the hand towards a tall expanse of hedges, which he promptly pulled his master behind. Now the two were completely hidden from the house's view.

"Makoto – " gentle kisses rained down on Haruka's face, on his forehead, eyes, nose, cheeks, and chin. Gloved hands cupped his cheeks to hold him still. Not that Haruka even bothered to move. He merely tilted his head up to make it easier and closed his eyes, enjoying the light brushing sensation on his skin.

"Master Haruka."

"What?"

"Nothing," Makoto's smile was contagious. "I just wanted to say it. Master Haruka."

... Huh...?

Something in Haruka's chest ached. The expression on Makoto's face was so very different from ones that he had seen before. This expression was so childish, innocent, and loving. It was different from the fond, gentle look that he usually wore, and very different from his bestial expression in bed. It was an expression so beautiful that even Haruka wanted to cry.

And most of all, to Haruka at least, there was no trace of sadness in those green eyes.

This expression... where have I seen it before?

... Forget it... it probably doesn't matter anyway...

Haruka's arms went up to wrap around Makoto's neck as he tilted his head up more for their lips to meet. Makoto responded eagerly, connecting their lips over and over again in small, chaste kisses. Unlike the manner other times that they had kissed, there were neither sexual intentions nor any burning feelings. What Haruka felt, more than anything else under the blue sky, surrounded by greenery and the wind, was peace.

Kissing eventually turned into Makoto holding Haruka within his embrace, simply enjoying the warmth they felt radiating off each other. Minutes passed, but it all felt like seconds to Haruka.

"Ah..." reluctantly and slowly, like sticky candies refusing to be pulled apart, Makoto released Haruka and pulled out a silver pocket watch to check the time. "It seems like the mackerel would have cooled off completely by now... my apologies, Master Haruka."

"It's fine," Haruka murmured, feeling cold now that Makoto had let him go. "We should go back to the others."

"Ah, yes, that's right..."

Haruka led the way back with Makoto following closely behind. Suddenly, the young master stopped almost exactly at the same place where a man had been killed a few days before. "... That's unusual."

"What is, Master Haruka?" Makoto asked, glancing in the direction that his master was staring at. "Is there something the matter with the bush?"

"It looks more vibrant than it normally does," Haruka examined the leaves of the bush, taking in their waxy sheen. "Did they change the fertilizer or something?"

"Oh, I suppose. It looks like it's only this bush though," Makoto smiled a smile meant to disarm. "Only this bush received something more nutritious for soil..."

"Hm..." Haruka shrugged and walked on. "Well, whatever. Let's get back to Rin and the others."

Unseen by Haruka, Makoto plucked a violet hyacinth from a nearby flowerbed and tossed it on to the bush.

.

.

.

Rin and Nagisa were chatting loudly with each other while Haruka sat between them, eating his cold mackerel and taking small peeks at Makoto, who was standing over by the door with Rei. The servants watched their lively masters with smiles on their faces.

"Makoto-senpai," Rei said without turning his head or looking away from his blonde master. "You and Haruka-senpai were gone for an awfully long time. Did something happen?"

"Nothing at all. We only enjoyed ourselves in the garden for a while."

Rei sighed. He wasn't the quickest person to catch on to things, but he knew Makoto well enough. "... You shouldn't let personal feelings get in the way of your work, Makoto-senpai. You'll get in trouble with our Master."

"These are not my personal feelings, Rei," Makoto caught Haruka staring at him and sent a dazzling smile in his direction, causing his master to blush fiercely and turn away again. "This is also 'work' in a sense."

"I suppose... I do understand your feelings quite well, after all. I am quite fond of Master Nagisa myself," Rei sighed. "This distasteful job... really is not beautiful at all."

"That doesn't mean that you should slack, Rei," Makoto replied lightly. "Master Nagisa is also to be a 'product' which we must prepare."

"Spoken like a true senpai," Rei chuckled and pushed up his glasses. "Well, I will always carry out my duties properly."

"Oh yes, and as for Rin... that person has also been placed by his side?"

"Yes. Nitori Aiichirou-kun is also working his hardest."

"Well well well..." Makoto's eyes narrowed slightly as he smiled, making it seem more sinister. "It seems that everything has been going according to plan..."

The two servants watched the masters in front of them, fully attentive and watchful like jailers watching their prisoners. And the prisoners, fully unaware of the dangers ahead, laughed and talked without a care in the world...

Flower Language Notes:

Pink Stargazer Lilies: Prosperity. A fitting flower for the Nanase household.

Violet Hyacinths: "I'm sorry"/"I want to make amends" After all, no matter how much he hardens his heart, Makoto is a gentle soul.

Some of you who have read my previous words, notably Child of the Earth, Angel of the Sky, have probably noticed that I have a huge liking for symbolic meanings. The flower language is one of my special favorites, so keep your eyes peeled!