Pre-AN :: I'm gonna be honest with you. Like, super honest. I just spent the last week between other stuff watching Free!—both parts of the series. I kind of fell in love with Haruka. Hell, the whole show. Naturally, I went digging for M-rated Haru/Gou fics. Not a lot out there worth reading. Poo. Decided to write my own.

You should know a few things. One, I set this around the time before nationals in the second part of the series and before Haruka and Rin went to Australia. Two, I'm fairly certain Gou lives not-in-the-same-area as Haruka; however, for the purposes of this fic? She does. Three, Rin was visiting the fam over the weekend. Four, I can't remember if there's a clock on the wall where the locker room is, much less a light. There is for this! Creative license, bitches! Basically, ignore what few silliness-bits there are. I did this one shot for the fluffs and the luffs.

Love you all—enjoy! (Sorry my AN was at the beginning this time.)

Warm-Up

"You staying behind, Haruka-sempai?"

Blue orbs shifted from where he'd been staring out at the pool, watching the way the water lapped at the aqua-painted sides. They connected with deep red that bore a hint of amber-gold. The array of shades blended together, one sinking into the other. They were twin sunsets floating on her features, poised in time just before disappearing behind the ocean's edge entirely.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed staring at Gou, but eventually he looked back at the pool and gave a nod. Time didn't matter much anyway, not when each moment was measured by when he could get back here—or any place that held enough water to satisfy his infinite want. Minutes and hours were regulated by the bathtub, the ocean outside his house during the summer, and the pool at the club. Everything in between became something he had to do until it was over, until he could let go and be one with the life-giving element.

He didn't understand it much of the time, rarely gave it any thought. There was no thinking, after all; only being.

"Be careful," he heard her say before the telltale sound of her footpads made themselves known—disappearing entirely. By then he was leaning down at the edge of the pool, legs dipping into the addictive substance.

Another hour or two passed, another hour or two in which he let the silence of the water overtake him—make everything else go away. It rolled over his skin, pushing and resisting while at the same time seeking to become one with his every action. Rei called it beautiful, whatever it was that he did; Haruka didn't care about that. It was hard to care about anything when one felt like they were flying, always poised somewhere between being taken entirely and or simply being taken by the water.

Eventually the brilliant rays of the day began to relax into darkness; a telltale sign he needed to go home. But as he dried off and made way to the changing room, his gaze settled on the retreating yellow and red. They held the colors saturating the dying canvas, the mind behind them unable to keep from thinking on a certain 2nd year's matching eyes.

When it was gone, stirring something curious within, he turned and left.

"Where are you off to?"

Gou blinked once as she turned from her trek towards the door, bag slung over her shoulder. Rin was looking at her with single brow raised. "Out," she told him, not really wanting him to worry about her true destination.

"Need me to walk you?"

Gou shook her head with a smile. "I'll be alright." And then she knelt. The bag's straps were long enough that it rested on the floor beside her as she popped a squat and moved to slip her shoes on. "What about you? Any big plans tonight?" There was no better way to distract her brother really. Well… anyone, she supposed.

She looked up as he ran a hand through his unruly red hair just as she laced the first sneaker.

"Not really." He shrugged and one hand dug into the front pocket of his zipped up hoodie. "Momo wanted me to go on some group date…"

"You should go," she said as she stood up. "Could be interesting."

He snorted. "With Momo? Probably." He sighed. "Got nothin' better to do. Maybe I should drag Sousuke along."

Gou chuckled behind her hand, eyes shutting partially. "Take pictures if you do. I'm gonna head out, alright?"

"Sure you don't want me to walk you?" he asked again.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm sure. Go on your group date and quit worrying about me, yeah?" Her hands were on her hips. "I'll be back in a few hours and you can tell me all about it later." She hugged him, huffing when he ruffled her hair.

"It's not a date, right?"

"No! Just... none of your beeswax, idiot!" She stuck her tongue out at him and then opened the door. "Bye!" She heard him return the salutation just before she shut it behind her. And before he could change his mind she jogged down the steps and onto the sidewalk.

The bag slapped against her side as she evened out her pace in the dark, as she passed parked cars and the occasional passerby. The temperature was nice, she mused; not too cool and not too hot. Wonderful for a midnight dip. Well, it wasn't that late; though, it would be by the time she got out and made her back to rest her bones.

The heat in her thighs and calves was soothing; they didn't ache quite the same way they had two weeks ago when she'd started this regimen. The first few blocks had been a little hellish; then she'd had to go back to her internet searches, quickly figuring out if she pushed herself too hard from the go she'd just burn out. Massaging her muscles before beginning helped too. Rei had given her some pretty sound advice about running short and long distances. He'd wanted to know why she was curious; nervously, she'd laughed it off at the time and told him she was trying to lose a little weight. He'd bought the girly excuse, so it was par for the course.

When she made it to the school all was quiet. Happily, she slowed her jog to a walk and slipped through the pathways until she made it to the outdoor pool; through the gate she went with nary a soul to impede her.

Technically speaking, it was frowned upon to be here after hours; at the very least after sunset. Gou knew she wouldn't be scolded though, not when the team was doing so well—not when they had a shot at winning something at nationals. Was she pushing her luck? Maybe. But… it wasn't like she could do this while they were here. The whole group needed every second they could during the day to prepare.

Asking for help seemed like an even more selfish thing to do. Plus… there was the latent embarrassment. Gou felt a little incapable of laughing everything off like Rei and Nagisa did. She knew Mokoto-sempai would help if she asked…

No, she could do this herself; she had been.

Gou dropped her bag on a bench in the locker room and opened it up. She shed her clothes, folded them, and took out her swimsuit before putting the latter away. And then she undid the tie in her hair, letting the long red locks cascade down her back.

The one piece felt practical. Chigusa had made the attempt three weeks ago to get her into a bikini, but between her brother and their friends Gou had spent a little too much time at actual swim events. Popping out of her top, considering her cup size, was not her idea of fun.

She brushed her hands through her hair once as she left the dark locker room and stepped out onto the pool deck. She avoided the starting blocks and moved towards one of the far corners. Her bottom was on the ledge for a moment, legs in cool water for a second, before she slid into the shallow end and bent her knees. One inhale and she submerged completely, breath held tightly in her lungs. And when she rose above the surface she gasped, pulling back her head so her hair didn't stick to her face.

She reached up and rubbed water out of her eyes, blinking it away as she gazed across the rippling expanse. Night was vastly different than the day here. It felt more like a dream than anything else with all the silence. As she looked up at the moon, the way it wasn't quite full and open but brilliant all the same, she reminded herself she had things to do. With a smile, Gou pushed aside the romance present in the evening air and got to it.

Haruka stared at the contents of his fridge, slight frown marring his otherwise passive features. Cold, white, and lit with an oppressive bulb, there was nothing interesting about it; no… just a half a dozen eggs, a full gallon of milk, and drawer of veggies he hadn't touched since Makoto purchased them. He'd been hoping for a late night snack before taking a long soak in the tub and then crashing. But there wasn't any mackerel; more to the point, his breakfast would be rather bland tomorrow unless he went shopping first.

With a sigh, Haruka shut the door and closed his eyes. Fifteen minutes later and he was dressed and on his way to the twenty-four hour grocer.

He resisted the urge to run, knowing he'd done enough cardio for the day between his morning jog and afternoon-long practice. Running or jogging to his destination would get the food to his frying pan sooner though… With a soft inhale, he pushed it down and continued his slow momentum and tried to enjoy the ambiance of quiet and night.

Life was easier in the water, he thought. The water didn't expect you to make life-changing decisions; didn't expect you to become a world champion; and it certainly didn't expect you to explain yourself. It just was, knowing and accepting you so long as you gave it the same acknowledgement.

At the same time it had the potential blanket you, to suffocate you, and pull you under until the surface was nothing more than a dream. Gripping and grasping, coiling around ankles and wrists while spheres of air escaped the opening of a mouth, it could be merciless in its beauty.

He stopped as he turned his head up to look at the moon, wondering if he was too deeply entrenched in his thoughts—about other people's in regards to his capabilities. He blinked once as his eyes drifted lower and focused on the back path he and Makoto generally took. His heart strained once, a little torn. He told himself he'd been in the pool enough today; much of the afternoon, in fact. It was what Makoto would tell him. But Makoto would also tell him he'd eaten enough fish to last a lifetime. So really, what did he know?

Deciding the mackerel could wait, he turned and made his way down the path. Already he could feel the way his body eased out of the stress, the worry of tomorrow, as he neared the steps going up to the club pool. However, what he hadn't been expecting were the sounds of splashing or a series of soft curses.

As he pushed the gate aside and turned cobalt hues towards the noise he caught a glimpse of figure in the water—bent over and coughing where they stood in the shallow end. Moonlight created black shadows and white shapes that bounced off the surface. Some of it danced around their face as they hunched over, sparkling just so.

His brows rose as he stopped near the edge of the pool. "Kou-san?"

She gasped, body jerking before her eyes met his. In this light though, it was hard to see her exact expression. "Haruka-sempai," she breathed at once. And then she laughed and scratched the back of her head. "You scared me."

"What are you doing here?"

She blinked several times and opened her mouth to speak, hesitating. "Well… I…" And then she frowned and shifted her gaze downward, eventually sighing. She supposed it wasn't exactly a secret…

Haruka finally moved to sit on his haunches, knees bent and arms crossed over the top. His chin settled on one forearm. "I thought you said you didn't know how to swim."

Eyes he couldn't quite see in the dark met his. There was just the right amount of light from the moon, more coming from the lamp on the wall outside the locker room, that he could catch that. She seemed startled again. "I've been working on that," she admitted. "Were you going to swim?"

He wanted to say something about her 'working on it', but held his tongue when her question came. "Yeah."

"I'll get out then."

Before he could stop her she was wading towards the edge next to him, pulling up to get out. Without really thinking about it he stood and reached for her hand. "Here, Kou." A wet palm and slender digits gripped into his and he tugged.

"Thanks, sempai," she murmured as he stepped away and released her.

"Sure."

He realized rather quickly that this was the first he'd seen her in a swimsuit, soaked from the pool with her hair down. Kou had a relaxed way of dressing outside of her school uniform whenever she'd been with the swim team. It didn't bother him, but this was…

Light from the lamp slanted across her features as she looked up. Her eyes held his, making him once again wonder how the sun had been captured there—poised before fading with breaking of night.

He shook himself out of the daze, not entirely understanding while at the same time reminding himself he was not Momo.

"I'll head out," she announced and moved to turn away.

"You don't have to go," he blurted as he stared at her back where the length of her hair didn't fall, at the way her swimsuit left the entirety of that bare. He then watched as she stopped and looked over her shoulder.

"I didn't want to be in the way if you were going to practice."

"You won't be," he assured her.

Gou smiled. "Alright." She gave a quick nod. "Just uh… can you not tell the boys I was here…?" Not that she thought he would, but she felt the need to ask anyway. She looked down. "Not even Makoto-sempai."

"I won't." When she didn't move to get back in the water he wondered if she was waiting for him to say something else. Should he? There wasn't any real reason for this to feel awkward; he'd been with her before… just not at night with no one else for company. With an internal shrug he was moving past her, heading towards the locker room as he shed his hoodie and shirt in one smooth motion. By the time he entered his shoes were in his hands. All of it was piled on the same bench as Kou's bag, but he didn't bother to fold it. When he came back to the pool she was sitting on the side, calves half in the water.

"Did you warm-up before?" he asked, hoping that if he engaged her in conversation it might feel less odd.

"Warm-up?" She inclined her head and tapped her jaw once. "I didn't really think I needed to."

"Keeps the cramps away," he reminded her.

She laughed. "I'm not really trying to swim seriously. Just kinda… I dunno." She looked out at the water. "Wanted to get a feel for it… A girl my age should know how to swim, right?"

He didn't have an answer for her last question; mostly because he only warmed up when he had to before practice. Whatever he was doing tonight was not, but it might help settle whatever there was about Kou that was throwing him off.

"I suppose I could," she said when he didn't reply right away.

As he took a seat on the deck she moved towards him and sat down directly across from his place. Briefly, he glanced at her before straightening his legs and leaning forward to grab his feet. His back elongated as he exhaled and dipped his head towards his knees. He held the pose for ten seconds before lifting up, brows rising when he caught the way she could barely reach her ankles.

He watched for a few more seconds before bending his knee and pulling his leg into a cross-thigh hug. She followed his pattern through both, and then through his lower back stretches. Next he did a few that forced him to stand, watching every so often as the way she executed the same ones. And then he was sitting back on the deck and spreading his legs so that he could lean forward.

"Do you want me to help you?" she asked. "I could push a little and then you could do the same for me."

Not thinking much of it, Haruka nodded. When she stepped behind him he moved to lean forward, bracing his hands on the deck. As he exhaled he could feel her soft hands push gently. In turn, the chilled heat present in them spread outward; it danced along the muscle under his skin, down and up his spine, and… he frowned. They were slick from the pool—cold. Why was he suddenly warm?

"That good?" she asked, hesitating but not pulling away.

He made a sound of confirmation and she released him. He noticed though, she didn't pull away quickly; rather, her palms cupped and then her finger-pads dragged—creating trails of barely-there dampness. And then it was gone. Conflicted about something he wasn't entirely sure about, he nearly jumped when she called his name after taking her own spread-legged pose—waiting for him to return to favor.

Haruka stood up and took his position behind her. He didn't want to tug on her hair accidently, so he pushed it out of the way on over her shoulder. "It's not tied back," he said idly.

"Yeah," she agreed as she waited. "I like it down when I'm in the water. Feels better."

It was thick, he noted. A full mane of garnet; it lacked the yellowed tones in her eyes. Like this, it looked like threads of red seaweed laid out on the sand. Underwater… did it look alive… conforming to the flow of the water… ebbing a flowing with the drifts and currents…?

"Haruka-sempai?" she asked.

"Sorry," he murmured before placing his hands to either side of her spine and pushing her forward. Her skin was cold initially, not quite dry and no different than her hands had been. But, the longer he pressed the more the warmth underneath joined with his own. And again, that heat spread—this time up his arms and along his chest.

What was it?

"Done."

He pulled back and resisted the urge to look at his hands. Instead, he stepped past her and moved to lie down, to shut his eyes and burn it all out as he lifted his leg for his final stretches. Unexpectedly, he felt hands under his thigh—under the leg he was lifting upward. Blue orbs snapped open and met evening sunsets. Aqua swirled, soft colors mixing like a lit lagoon as she kneeled in front of him with a smile.

"Is this ok, Haruka-sempai?"

He didn't know how to respond and opted to nod as he swallowed back words that could not escape. He chose to stare up at the stars as she pushed—as she leaned into him and her knees pressed into his butt. His usual confidence felt shaken in her presence while in the absence of anyone else. There was something new about this territory, something alien and unsteady. As her gentle grip held fast to his leg, and as he relaxed into the stretch, he thought about the first time he'd learned to swim—to breathe in all that the water offered into his body. There was something about that moment that reminded him of this one.

"Next one," she said.

He was wholly aware of every movement she made, every fluid motion, as he lifted his other leg and she pushed once more. Ten seconds… it felt like… like if he fought against the current it would take him entirely, but… if he let it be—if he became one with it—the rush and roar would cradle him…

…Like the water.

"All done," she said as she released him.

He sat up and rubbed his eyes before looking at her, at the smile she couldn't seem to remove from her face. "Do you—."

"I think if I stretch much more I might pull something." She smirked. "You're much more flexible then me."

"I didn't hurt you…?" he asked, for a moment genuinely worried.

"Nah." She shook her head. One hand reached up and pushed her slicked strands back over her shoulder. "I'm alright. Just ready to get back in the water." He watched as she stood rather abruptly.

He took the offered hand, gripping more comfortably as she pulled him up.

"I'll let you get to it. Just tell if I get in your way."

When she turned to walk away he reached out, fingers brushing her elbow. "Kou?"

"Hm?" she asked, moving so her side faced him.

"…Are you trying to learn how to swim?"

Her brows had been high; now they dropped back down. Her newest smile was gentle and she didn't look away from him. "Yeah."

"Why not ask for help during the day?"

She sighed and looked out at the pool. Her gaze settled on the starting blocks. "You guys are busy, you know? I didn't want to burden you with nationals coming up. Plus…" Just barely, a hint of pink dashed across her cheeks. "With stuff like this I get easily embarrassed."

He wanted to tell her she shouldn't be, that there was no reason to worry about anyone on the team thinking less of her. If anything, they would encourage her. And on a normal day, Haruka wouldn't say a thing—just as he hadn't said a thing when it came to Rei. More than likely, he'd let it all go—as he always did—and let Makoto or Nagisa help her. He'd never been the instructor type, the kind of guy to step forward, or the one to say more than a few words. But, a lot of things had changed since the club had started.

He didn't understand it… just as he didn't understand the water—the raw need to let it envelope him.

"Come," he murmured as he took her hand, as he gently tugged her towards the pool.

"I—what—."

He let her go so that he could take a seat on the ledge and slip in. When his feet touched the bottom he looked up at her. "Come." He waited patiently, watching the curiosity present in her eyes—what he could see of them in the shadow of night.

She bit her lip nervously, but eventually nodded once and sat—then slipped in the water so that she stood in front of him.

"Do you know how to float?"

It was like a lightbulb went off behind her eyes. "Haruka-sempai, you don't have to teach me! Really, it's fine. I—."

"Can you float?" he repeated gently.

"…Yes."

"What are you having trouble with?"

Gou wrapped her arms around her, hugging herself. "Just… swimming, I guess. Actually swimming. I can't seem to keep myself up." She jumped when Haruka began to pull her hands away from her body.

"I'm going to guide you," he told her. "Don't worry about your arms—just keep your head above water and kick." He tugged her and stepped back.

Gou tugged back in return, bearing down on her heels so she couldn't be pulled.

Haruka stopped, but he didn't let go of her hands. If anything, he held fast to them and more tightly wound his fingers under her palms. His thumbs idly rubbed over the top of them, spreading water droplets between the spaces where they touched.

She was frowning. "You don't have to help me, you know. You came to practice."

True. He had. But right now he didn't care about that. Right now all that seemed to matter was being in the same space with her; for some reason that superseded his wish to swim for himself. Thus, he moved forward and stepped into her space, not missing the way her gaze jumped to his.

"I want to," he whispered.

She blinked slowly, long lashes dropping and then rising. Her lips parted and something shot through him—the same thing from when she'd pushed him into the stretches.

After a long pass of a moment he tugged on her hands again and took a step back. This time she lifted her legs and relied on his grip. His gaze remained fixed on hers as she kicked, as he led her from one side of the pool to the other over and over again.

"Good," he told her, stopping. When her feet touched bottom he moved to her side. "Move forward into the water and use your arms to paddle—kick at the same time. I'll hold you up underneath."

"Alright."

"Then I'll let go when I think you might have it."

"…Ok."

"I'll be right here, Kou," he assured her softly. "And you can always stand up."

She nodded and then moved forward in the water. His hands were right there to catch her, too hold her up if she needed.

"Make sure you breathe," he reminded her as they began to move. Eventually, his hands pulled away. The taunt spandex covering her abdomen caressed along his fingers and she continued on her own for a few moments.

The water was cool—healing. And yet… he felt nothing but the heat, the sweet warmth that came from her and worked its way through his veins. It remained long after she fell away from him, making him want to step forward and touch her again. And he did, moving in her direction once it registered he'd been so distracted that he hadn't focused on the path he'd let her continue in.

Deep end.

She realized it around the same time he did; when she came up to take a break and couldn't find the bottom, she fell under—hands reaching and splashing. Her arms flailed; white water cut through air and struck the surface. Coughing, she cried out for him—reaching for anything. "H—Haru—!"

He dove under, hands cupping and spreading—propelling him. Those same hands—arms—encircled her waist. He kicked upward, hearing as she gasped for air. Her arms wove around his neck and he kicked back—dragging them both towards the shallow end.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, cheek pressed against hers. His toes got purchase finally and he found solid ground. Even so, he didn't release her—choosing instead to focus on her breath as it calmed to a gentle current across his ear, on the way her lips just barely brushed, on the way her body radiated that undeniable heat.

"It's ok," she murmured. "I wasn't paying attention."

He hummed once, the fingers splayed on her upped back—under the sway of her hair—rubbing circles. She shifted in arms, hers relaxing just so; he found he was glad she didn't pull away as he listened to lack of sound around them. And there was nothing—nothing but her radiating and addictive heat, the soft lapping of the water against their bodies, and the even breaths they both released. He became encompassed by the moment, eyes closing as he drifted into her and inhaled the scent of chlorine and them.

"Haru…?" she whispered.

He felt her move. Her head drew back and he lifted his own to meet her gaze. It was almost too dark to see the sunset in her eyes—almost. But somewhere between the slips of light behind him and faint illumination the moon provided… he could. He watched as her eyes went lower, watched as she looked at his lips.

His neck bent and he closed the distance—the all heat-preventing space between them. Her sharp inhale sucked a coolness over his mouth before he capture hers. There was a muffled sound of surprise as he slanted his head with action, as he squeezed her. Then her arms wound tighter around his neck; slender fingers curled into his choppy dark strands.

Had this been his body's plan all along? Had he—somewhere in the back of his mind—wanted to sink into her the same way he did into the water?

He stepped back, pulling her with him—moving them both through the calm of the pool until he was certain they wouldn't fall back into the deep end. She moved up his body, using the natural buoyancy of the water to her advantage. Their lips separated as she wrapped her legs around his hips and rested her hands on his shoulders.

Heady, he slowly blinked through the haze—watching the way the smiled at him. She basked in the light behind him emanating from the locker room; it covered her and reflected off the droplets sticking to her skin, hair, and suit.

And then there was the warmth of her; the water's chill fought against it, joined and separated with it. And when she inadvertently rubbed against him, hotter place still, he inhaled sharply. And yet his eyes never closed; they remained riveted on her gaze as she leaned into him again—pressing her lips to his and taking control.

"I always wanted to kiss you…" she whispered along his mouth.

He could feel something hot sweep over his neck—his cheeks and along the bridge of his nose. A blush. "Why..?" he asked anyway.

"There's a gentleness about you, Haru." Her fingers caressed over his neck and then followed a path up and into his hair. He sighed, the curtain of his lashes dropping over aqua as she scratched his scalp—as she nipped at his lower lip. And he reciprocated, pressing his mouth to hers fully just before she pulled away and left him aching a little.

Something like fear sliced through him; it made him reach before she felt him entirely and grab her upper arms. Blue depths snapped open and his chest tightened. His grip was firm, but not harmful.

He hadn't been expecting her own blush; the way her eyes danced with nervousness as she placed her hands on his abdomen. His brow furrowed when they went lower and tugged at the band of his swimsuit.

"Is this ok…?" she asked quietly as he felt her skin against his, as he felt her hesitate. "I've never…"

"Me either," he breathed, both in awe and want. And that's when it hit him—this sudden obsession with Gou, this sudden fear that she'd walk away. He wanted her. He wanted her like he wanted to sink beneath the surface of the water and simply be. He remembered as a child what that had felt like; the numerous times he'd held his breath and kept praying he'd just grow gills so he could stay there forever. And that's what this felt like—this want. The desire was so deeply rooted that it was visceral once it made itself known.

He dropped her forehead to hers as his hands moved down from her arms; they went to her sides, down along her ribcage. His fingertips danced—trailed under the surface water—before moving back up. He inhaled deeply, taking her in through senses alone as his fingers hooked on the straps of her suit. He paused, internally uncertain as he waited for her—as he listened to the way she exhaled shakily.

"Can I?" she asked.

"Can I?" he countered softly.

She didn't answer, not really. Her response was to pull the waistband down further. Cool water licked his hips; soon enough, the insides of his thighs as well. Her careful hands wrapped about him then. He couldn't stop the way his body tightened, or the exhale of a sound that left his mouth. His footing slipped and he found his back pressed against a wall of the pool. Coherent thoughts, if they ever existed in his mind, disappeared. There was only her—her hands; all that existed was this, the way her slender fingers moved up and down. He felt his hands moving and slipping away from her suit straps. She pushed them away. His eyes snapped open just as she pulled it down. Mesmerized, he watched a she removed it entirely while he leaned back into the wall.

He was stolen in the moment, by her pale skin in the water reflecting in the moonlight. So much so that it barely registered with him that she was removing the rest of his suit until she was right in front of him and dipping under the water. He lifted his legs one at a time, holding onto the ledge as he watched the sway of her hair under water—just like red seaweed. When she came back up, however, he was right there.

His mouth was on hers again, cradling her cheeks in his palms as he maneuvered her so her back was to the wall. His hard length settled between them, brushing her abdomen and sliding along skin. Her hand took his, pulling it away from her cheek. He let her lead him, let her place his hand between her legs.

"What now?" he asked as his fingers settled on the folds, on the soft lips of her entrance.

"Touch me," she replied as she placed her hands over his, as she guided him while holding onto his shoulder with her free one.

And he did, listening as she gasped and moved—eventually pulling her hand away from him. He wasn't alien to this—this intimate path they'd sent themselves down. He supposed he'd just never thought too deeply about wanting it. And yet… that was all he could feel then—the want of her, the ebb and flow of her, and way she clung and murmured his name because of him—because of what he made her feel.

"In," she gasped out in a moan, both of her hands tight on his shoulders. "Please."

He kissed her brow then, eyes shutting as he slid one finger within. She bucked against him—pursuing more. And thus he slid another digit in. He massaged and curled his fingers upward, seeking whatever it was that made her cry out the most.

"Haru…" she whimpered next. "I…!"

Instinct made him capture her mouth with his, made him quicken his motions and swipe his thumb over the bundle of nerves higher up he'd figured out made her squirm the most. And that was when she tensed and jerked, muffled cries captured. Her whole body relaxed, heaving against his. Her breaths fanned over his face, tickling his lips and his cheeks as she pulled away—as he pulled his fingers from her.

Her face was flushed, slick with water from the pool and from sweat. It slipped down her face and along the column of her neck—eventually falling into the water surrounding her breasts as she pulled up and wound her legs around his hips again. Not entirely expecting such a quick recovery on her part, he nearly fell forward; his hands moved to brace against the ledge.

"Kou…?" She kissed him again, surprising him. He'd been trying to give her a moment, to give her time to catch her breath. Her interest in patience seemed faint, at best. Because in a series of jerky motions, she'd grasped him between their bodies—positioning him right where she wanted him. The next one was smooth, trapping the entirety of his hard length inside of her.

Tight—so tight.

He cried out, his voice mingling with hers. Fibrous muscle became taunt—poised; knuckles whitened as his fingers dug into the concrete and tile; and his heart hammered brilliantly. He could feel her nails biting into his shoulders and back; her thighs flexing against his hips; and her breasts dragging along his chest—pebbled nipples flattened.

"Too fast," he managed to get out. "Kou…?" he whispered, voice carrying a tumble of shake and fear.

"I'm alright." Her grip loosened and adjusted.

The cool water did nothing to soothe the fire, did nothing to temper the excited rush of blood through his veins and she lifted and moved. A woosh of air left his lungs before one hand went to her hip, unsure if he was trying to slow her or himself. As she moved down again though, tugging at his shoulders and pushing her back into the wall for leverage, he thrust forward.

"…Fuck." The words that escaped him were a shock, but not enough to make him quit his actions or hers. No, everything became sensation. Her breaths, his; her hands in his hair, his on her thighs and bottom; her mouth on his neck, his teeth nipping at her ear. The water became a part of those sensations, slipping between them, within her and around him, splashing across her breasts and his chest. It all boiled over. She ground against him, crying around against his mouth and throat.

It seemed surreal to be giving into this. It felt unearthly that he would want her this way, that she would have ever thought of doing something like this with him. It must have been in the back of his mind; maybe. And yet… there was something totally natural about it.

Would he ever be able to be in her presence without touching her? Without burying his face in her neck just to taste the salt on her skin? Would she become as addictive to him as any body of water deep enough to relax into?

"What are you thinking about?" he heard her say as he slowed his pace, as she arched her neck—arched into him—and he licked a path from her pulse-point to the underside of her ear. His grip slipped entirely from the ledge; both hands took hold of her thighs and partially dug nails into her bottom.

"Touching you," he murmured, lips brushing the cuff of her ear.

"You're doing… that now," she said before broken breaths. She pulled his face towards her; her fingers wove into his hair and settled on the base of his neck. By the end of it, his forehead rested on hers—her gaze locking on his.

"I mean after." His lips were lazy in their caress along hers, but the movements of his hips—while slow—where harder.

"After?" she gasped.

"After this. Tomorrow. The day after." Another hard thrust and his hips twisted just so to grind against the sensitive bundle of nerves. She cried out, tensing, and his heart swelled. "Water makes me ache, reminds me of what it feels like to let go. Touching you," explained between tight exhales as she squeezed the whole of him buried inside her, "this—it feels the same way.

"Not enough unless I'm here."

At those words her whole body flexed—his did. As she pulsed around him, arching and calling his name, he really did let go. His mouth captured hers to stifle the sounds and he enfolded her into his embrace. Nothing remained but the heat—the blissful heat and euphoria that overtook them both as they leaned into the wall together.

"Wow…" he heard her whisper against his collar bone after a long moment.

"Agreed."

When she pulled back to look at him he smiled; the expression was almost secretive. It didn't quite reach his eyes and it didn't show teeth. Gentle and unobtrusive. Was it normal to feel this at ease after doing what they'd done?

"Not what I'd been expecting," she said next, shivering once.

It occurred to him that some time had passed with them both in pool. Blue eyes shifted to look between the starting blocks and gander at the clock on the locker-room exterior wall. Ten after midnight. He turned back to her. "We should go. It's past midnight."

Her eyes widened at mention of the time. "Crap. My brother s going to kill me if I don't get home before him." And then she began frantically searching for her suit.

Haruka spied it first, grabbing for the black scrap of spandex. He handed to her.

"Thanks."

With a nod he moved to look for his own. Unlike hers, it was a bit further away and he had to wade out to nab it.

Both parties put their suits back on without a word. Haruka couldn't help but hiss, not entirely used to dealing with post hard-on sensitive flesh in a skin-hugging material. Even so, he pulled himself out of the pool and turned to offer her a hand up.

Without a word, she took his hand and pulled herself up with her other and his for leverage.

"You change first," he told her, motioning towards the locker room.

She blushed, making him curious, and nodded. It took them both about twenty minutes combined to change and put their things away. Haruka had to carry his suit, not entirely minding while he waited for her to catch up to the gate leading out.

"I'll walk you home," he offered, reaching for her hand and interlacing her fingers with his once they got the bottom of the steps.

Gou didn't jump, but her wide eyes met his all the same. "You… you don't have to," she told him.

"I want to," he countered, squeezing.

"Alright."

And thus they walked, taking the long path back to the sidewalk and away from the school. It was quiet, perhaps quieter than it had been earlier. Now, there was no one about—no one walking but them. The neighborhood sounds included the occasional scurry of a small animal in a bush and the mutual thump of their feet.

"Thank you, by the way," Gou told him. "For helping me learn to swim. I'm not sure I've got the hang of it… but it helped."

He wasn't so sure, having nearly caused her to drown.

"Can we do it again? If you're not too busy preparing for nationals…"

"I'd like that."

"Really?"

He nodded, eyes seeking hers as they passed under a street lamp.

Gou smiled.

When they finally came to her house and stopped she turned to him. Her arms wound around his neck, shooting electricity down his spine as she pressed her lips to his softly. He returned the gesture, taking to her—to this—as naturally as he dove. Perhaps some part of him should have been more put off, more embarrassed and unsure. And yet, he couldn't find it within himself. At all. If anything, breaking away from her made him want her more—made him hate the knowledge that he'd have to let her go up and into her house, that he'd have to go home to his bed by himself.

As he said his goodbyes, as she said hers, he realized one thing: the moments between would no longer be measured by when he could simply swim or submerge himself into his tub; no, they would also be measured—counted—by how long he would have to wait to hold her… to press his bare and slicked skin against hers. It wasn't until he was home, in bed, nearly asleep that he also realized something else.

He'd forgotten the mackerel.