Gou had lost her mind. She knew that could be the only explanation. She had offered to help her own personal demon. Yes, she gained from it. Yes, she was sure that she could pass without his teasing, innuendos, and overall performance of being an ass. It would be just like old times, really – exactly like the time he had helped her to study in an effort to get into Rin's ritzy Australian school – a time of blood, sweat, and tears and the occasional delightful hug made of sculpted biceps and pectorals which she certainly only viewed from a researchable perspective. This reminiscence had led to Gou actively seeking out dark corners at work. Goro was positively thrilled. Did he need someone to slug through the ridiculous amounts of paperwork during the lunch break? By God, yes he did! Did he need someone to clean out the detestable band aid filled filters? She was his girl! Did he need someone to participate in a joint practice with the older age group that happened to be over seen by a beautiful idiot? Well, she really had to count the pool floats, and it just couldn't be helped.

She wasn't avoiding him. She was avoiding the inevitable question that was always hanging on his lips when she made eye contact with him. He would shift from foot to foot looking like a fish that had suddenly found itself in a pot of hot water. Coincidentally, he would turn the same shade of red if she graced him with her presence for long enough. Sousuke had always had a problem asking her for help of any kind of help (She assumed it was, because he was a strong independent man who don't need no woman. Hana disagreed and frustratingly enough wouldn't tell her any other opinion.), and she was using this to her obvious advantage.

Which brings us to nearly a week after her initial invitation. She was sitting in the pool storage area during another joint practice knowing that there were exactly 12 pairs of arm floats (one pair that didn't match but worked), 45 pool noodles, 27 diving toys (12 rings, 14 rods, and a plastic dinosaur), no splash balls left, and 47 and a half kickboards. She had reorganized it at least three times this week and could find absolutely everything anyone could want. The single pull string light hanging in the center of the room gave a gloomy and dark feeling to the room which echoed the doom and ticking clock that she knew she was on.

Her adorable persona that she had endeavored to create was doing her little good stuck in the dark damp closet, and she hated it. A week of her precious summer was gone, and she was no closer to having the adorable summer romance that she had hoped for. She imagined walks on the beach, snow cones, and candle lit dinners, and she was going to have it if she had to date herself.

She sighed picturing herself chatting aimlessly over a tea light and a sandwich in – you guessed it – this god forsaken closet. Perhaps she could pull a Castaway and name a pool float "Wilson" or something.

Depressing.

"Miss Gou?"

She grimaced at Sousuke's influence over her sweet little Eren.

"Yes?"

"Sou wanted me to tell you something."

She could tell the little boy was uncomfortable, so she forced her best smile. She was sure the shadows in the room were making her look about 80 years old right now. "Go on, honey. You can say it."
The little boy turned the most adorable shade of red at the endearment, and Gou was grateful that at least someone found her cute even if he was way below her age range. Perhaps the next one can be legal, she mused hopefully.

"Sou says that you should do your job," Eren blurted. "I told him that he was wrong, and you were the best instructor ever!"

Gou was grateful for the defense even if her supervising free swim was very little instructing and more soaking up her own momentary happiness, and Eren looked adorable with those little cheeks puffed out and his eyebrows drawn together.

"Can you tell Sou that I said he's a… meany head and that I hope he… likes long walks and short piers?" It was the best PG cursing she could do off the top of her head, and it roughly translated to "I'm doing my job, idiot. Feel free to go jump off a bridge". She could only imagine the tongue lashing Goro would give her when a disgruntled parent came in wanting to know why Eren had suddenly gotten so creative when he was punished.

Eren furrowed his brows not understanding but nodding sagely before scampering off to do her bidding. It was almost like she controlled a small army through the use of popularity which – all things considered – wasn't so bad.

Sousuke was not thrilled at all when he received the lovely message via Eren. He would've been blind to not notice Gou's avoidance and had secretly filed away all of the little hideaways that she had been collecting. It was easy to notice how clean the storage room was especially when the normal state could be mistaken for a teenage boy's dorm room complete with some of the worker's explicit objects.

And so a list began to be compiled between the two:

The antics and the name calling had to end eventually though, and it was Sousuke who begged, pleaded, and flexed his way out of work again to a female staff member, so he could stalk down to free swim in his own personal storm cloud. Gou could feel the prickles on her skin as he entered the room. Fortunately, they had an Olympic swimming pool between them, and she was armed with the water hose which she had been using to top off the pool. And she had an army.

She leaned down to the nearest child, pointed, and whispered, "Sou has come to play!"

The sentence rippled through the small crowd and culminated into a small mob that began vying for Sousuke's attention. Gou simply stood there and crossed her arms considering herself safe until shift change. She loved these kids more and more every day.

"Your hair does look like potty chocolate," a tiny voice rang through the pool echoing.

Gou flinched as Sousuke looked up at her slowly. His eyes darkened, and he started systematically nudging children out of his path.

Panic is a funny thing. It can be fast and freezing, or it can go absolutely insane, and one forgets what one is doing. Gou's panic had aspects of both. As Sousuke's footsteps started, she absolutely froze. Her face went cold and goosebumps covered her body. When he was about halfway to her, her voice came back, and she began brandishing the hose as a weapon. His footsteps increased speed, and with a shout, or –let's be honest – a squeal, she fired away.

Now it was Sousuke's turn to go on the defensive, so he blocked her spray with the closest thing he could find: a ten year old, his face – to be exact.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN HERE?!"

Both parties turned to look at Goro standing inside the door of the pool.

The walk of shame to the office away from the prying adolescent armies that the pair led respectively was not one bit entertaining. Gou and Sousuke stood staring straight into Goro's eyes as he berated them. Gou knew that she should be repenting her sins, but she rather forgot it whenever she snuck a glance at her own personal demon. He was too goddamn beautiful. The water had not yet dried on him and was making rivulets trickle through the paths his muscular frame had made.

"Gou, are you listening to me?!"

"Yes!" Gou snapped to attention with a high pitched squeak. She heard Sousuke stifle a laugh beside her and added knitted brows to her cherry red face. Her fists were clenched at her side and itching to connect with her neighbor's strong jawline.

Sousuke reformed his face into a mask of resigned shame as Goro glanced between them with an angry frown.

"Fuck it," he sighed. "Look. If you two don't start getting along, I won't care who your family is or how great your athleticism is. Until you can behave like adults, I can't have you as instructors. I think the rest of the staff and I would love to be free of this place after the kids leave, so you two are on cleaning duty for the week. Afterwards, we can discuss resuming your other duties. Come back tonight. "

"Goro-"

"I don't want to hear it, Gou. I thought you would've acted more professionally than this."

And with those words, he left our beloved couple standing in shock. Gou could feel the rest of her magical summer slipping away and being replaced by fishing band aids and various other unidentifiable objects out of pool filters.

What would Rin think? God, I hate myself. Have some self-control! She felt her eyes tear up. It was her first job, and she had treated Goro's business and livelihood as a convenience to her. She was appalled at how inconsiderate and immature that she had been.

Sousuke watched her tear up and began to parallel her thoughts but for much different reasons. Something tugged him toward her, and without thinking of what may happen next, he wrapped his arms around the girl who buried her nose in his chest. Tears mixed with water as he held her.

"I'm sorry."

Sousuke felt her shake out the words, and a measure of guilt began tapping at his conscience. "It's okay," he whispered.

And then he made the mistake of kissing the top of her head. He felt her body go rigid, and after a moment, she looked up at him. Her eyes were puffy and a bit of snot was peeking out of her nose, and goddamn it all he was afraid. He felt the cold pit of his stomach open up in front of this pitiful creature for whom he should definitely not harbor fear. Then her gaze broke away, and she simply left him still standing like a statue in Goro's stuffy office that smelled of chlorine and pizza questioning why he could not manage to be an idiot just once.

I know that I'm slow and horrible. Don't forgive me.