Pairings: Makoto/Haru. Nagisa/Rei. Mikoshiba/Gou

Warnings: AU Universe. OOC. Gender swap. More expressive Haru. Jealous Rin. Jealous Makoto.

Disclaimer: I do not own Free! and any of the characters, but the OC characters belongs to me

Chapter Seven: Don't Let Her Go

"I've only found out myself recently." Makoto was the first one to start speaking after Ren had led them both to a nearby café so that they could have their discussion over some coffee. He stared at his coffee even as he stirred it slowly. "I met Rin at the same time that Haru and Nagisa did. We were all in the same swimming club during grade school before it shut down. At that time, all four of us participated in our first medley relay race because Rin convinced us to."

Ren nodded slowly, not saying anything, but merely allowing Makoto to speak.

"Haru didn't like Rin in the beginning." Makoto managed a small smile as he remembered how annoyed Haru had been in the beginning when Rin followed her everywhere, chatting her ear off about the tournament that he wanted to participate in with her. "But he kind of got under her skin, and before we knew it, we were participating in the medley tournament like Rin wanted to. We…were all good friends." Makoto gave a weak smile. "Rin left for Australia to attend middle school after we finished grade school, and only returned recently."

"That's what I heard too." Ren nodded. As vice-captain of the swimming team of Samezuka, he had the profiles of every single member, and Matsuoka Rin was no exception. "The school that he had attended in Australia is the sister school to our Samezuka. That is why Samezuka accepted Matsuoka in the middle of the semester."

This was news to Makoto, but he didn't let it show on his face. And honestly, he should really expect it, as Samezuka is an elite school. Even when Ren was sitting for his entrance exams, he had to take all kinds of tests and interviews just to be able to enrol into Samezuka. To be blunt, Rin isn't exactly academically inclined.

Makoto should know; he and Haru were always the ones coaching Rin back in elementary school.

"I don't really know what had happened to Rin in Australia, as he never contacted us whilst he was there." Makoto admitted, curling his fingers together. "And it is only recently when I'd found out that Rin and Haru used to date for some time—having a long distance relationship. Rin's sister, Kou told me that they split up during our second year of middle school though. But even before that, their relationship seems to be pretty strained as it is."

Ren sighed. "I see," he murmured. "I think I can put the pieces together myself." He glanced at Makoto. "Matsuoka didn't have to say anything. I can see. Especially after you guys came for the joint practice a few weeks ago. It seems to me like Matsuoka is pretty intimidated by Haruka's talent in swimming." Makoto looked surprised. "Haruka isn't really the type to care about her timings and all that—she swims because she wants to. I think that's what makes her as good as she is now—she simply loves to swim. That's all there is to it." Makoto nodded slowly. "In Matsuoka's case though…" Ren pinched the bridge of his nose, wondering how to phrase it. "In the report that his swimming coach from Australia had sent us, he said that Matsuoka had his heart set on becoming an Olympic swimmer for some reason. When he first joined the swim team, we didn't pay much attention to him. But recently, he has been wearing himself out, training day in and day out. I honestly wonder if he even has time to study." Ren pinched his nose. "In my opinion, it is almost like his timings are never good enough for him. It is to the point when I am starting to wonder just who he is trying to beat. Haruka? Or himself? It's becoming a point of obsession for him." Ren admitted. "Even Seijuro's worried. As a rule, we don't interfere in the lives of the juniors unless they come to us. But this is slowly getting out of hand."

Makoto was silent for a long time. "…I don't know what Rin is thinking anymore," he admitted. "He's changed. He never used to be like this. And honestly, I don't want him anywhere near Haru." He admitted.

Ren raised a brow. "Is that just plain concern for a friend, or something more?" he asked with a knowing tone, and Makoto blushed. "I know you, Makoto. And I know my cousin. All I can say is this however…" He leaned across the table slightly, a knowing look in his dark blue eyes so much like Haru's. "If you don't hold onto her tightly, she'll disappear. And you'll regret it for life if you do."

XXXXXX

A week was spent getting Rei caught up to them in terms of stamina and skill. And while Rei is still pretty much a beginner in swimming, and is definitely no Haru, she had improved tremendously in just a week when they take into account that Rei doesn't even know how to swim just a few weeks ago.

With the prefectural tournament coming up, Kou had came up with the idea of a summer training camp to be held during the upcoming summer holidays for the swim team to train on their stamina, and in Rei's case—her swimming skills.

Only one problem: the lack of club funds.

In the end however, the Iwatobi Swim Club had managed to acquire a boat ride to the island by literally begging their old swim coach to take them on his old fish boat, and instead of staying in a hotel of some sort, they will have to camp outdoors. As it is currently summer, the weather won't be too cold to camp outside, and they can even train in the sea.

Like what Makoto had said, it'll be good stamina training to swim against the currents of the sea instead of in a pool. The swim team that Makoto and Haru have been part of during their middle school years have taken them once on a summer training camp to the sea during their first year. Makoto had never fallen asleep so quickly before.

"Look like this camp is going to work out." Makoto said as the sun is slowly setting, walking with Haru along the Iwatobi coastline after having seen the rest of their teammates off on the train. "We just need permission from Ama-chan-sensei." He beamed. Makoto then looked at Haru who had kept her eyes steadily on the floor in front of her like it's something interesting. "Are you staying the night today?" Haru tore her eyes away from the floor and looked at Makoto in slight confusion. "The twins asked you to, right?" Makoto smiled.

The Iwatobi team have gone to Makoto's house in order to get their camping supplies earlier after all. The Tachibana twins were extremely attached to Haru, with the girl having several sleepovers at the Tachibana house when she was younger before her mother had forbid it, thus upsetting the two teens, and making Haru's grandmother angry with her own daughter for upsetting Haru the way she did. In Grandmother Tomoe's opinion, nine is a little too young to be banning sleepovers over at a male friend's house.

The moment that the Tachibana twins have gotten wind that the Iwatobi team will be gone for a week with the start of their summer holidays in a few days, they have all but begged Haru to spend the night with them, with Ran claiming that they haven't seen 'Haru-nee' for a long time.

"Yeah. I guess I will." Haru said. "Your parents will be out of town today, right?" Makoto nodded with a gentle smile.

His father will be going on another of his out-of-town business trips, and like usual, his mother will be accompanying him. The Tachibana parents trusted the oldest Tachibana child to tend to his younger siblings and to keep the house tidy and in order until they return. Usually, whenever the parents aren't around, Haru is usually around to help Makoto with the twins, as they tend to listen better whenever Haru is around.

"A training camp with everyone, huh?" Makoto switched the topic back to the upcoming training camp. "I'm looking forward to this." The olive haired teen never noticed Haru's worried expression as she looked at him. "Rei's a beginner, so we need to watch out for her. Is she going to be able to handle this? I'm not much of a long distance swimmer myself—"

Makoto was taken aback as Haru grasped his left hand by the wrist quietly. The taller boy looked at her in surprise. "What's wrong, Haru?"

Haru looked particularly solemn and worried even as she looked up at Makoto, not releasing her hold on his wrist. "…Are you really okay with this?" she asked. Makoto looked confused. Haru looked as if her next words were almost painful to speak even as she glanced at the waves of the ocean that they're walking by before turning her eyes onto Makoto once more. "…The ocean."

Makoto's eyes widened a slight fraction.

"…He's dead…!"

The slow solemn ringing of the funeral bells…

"…Haru…! Haru-chan!"

Panicking. No breathing.

"Rin! Call an ambulance!"

The olive haired teen stared back into the solemn eyes of Haru. It still gives him nightmares at times when he think about it—the close shave that Haru had with death when they were kids when she had fallen into the river back then. If Makoto and Rin haven't been swimmers as well, they would have lost Haru.

"I'll be fine." Makoto forced a smile on his face. "It was a long time ago."

Haru didn't seem like she believed him in the least, but she let it go for the time being. "…I see," she said as she started walking again. "Let's hurry. The twins are waiting, aren't they?"

"Yeah." Makoto smiled.

Makoto was really exhausted as he entered his room at nearly nine o'clock that night after finally getting the twins to sleep.

It is always particularly difficult to get the twins to bed whenever Haru is around, as they are always so excited and eager to play with their 'Haru-nee', especially his younger brother who plain adored Haru. However, the twins are always easier to control whenever Haru is around as well, as there is nothing that they wouldn't do for Haru, and all that she has to do is to just ask. Unlike Makoto who usually has to resort to bribery in order to get them to do their homework first before doing anything else.

With Haru staying over at their house so often, Makoto's parents have gone out one day to get an extra bed to place in Makoto's room for the occasions whenever Haru stayed over. Hence, all that Makoto has to do to make sure that Haru is comfortable for the night is to make sure that the bed had fresh and clean coverings.

"Are the twins asleep?" Haru's voice asked even as Makoto's bedroom door swung opened—with Haru clearly back from having her bath, bringing with her a strong smell of lilacs.

"Yeah. Finally."

Makoto turned to look at her from where he is currently sitting on his bed, reading a book of some sort, and felt his breath caught in his throat as he caught the sight of Haru currently dressed in one of his shirts that is at least two sizes bigger than what she usually wears, and thus, showing a fair amount of skin on her shoulders. There was even a towel hanging around Haru's neck.

For several moments, Makoto almost forgot to breathe.

It is true that as they grew up, Makoto had gradually stopped seeing Haru as 'just a girl' and started seeing her as more as a young woman. It had taken some extreme self-control on his part to not let his thoughts wander to forbidden territory. It only got worse when they've formed the swim club and he often has to endure the sight of seeing Haru in her skin-tight swimsuit. There had been more than once when Makoto had cursed Nagisa who had came up with the idea of forming a swim club.

"Makoto?"

Makoto blinked as he saw that Haru is looking at him curiously. "Are you going to bed now?"

"No… I still have some homework to do." Makoto said with a small smile, getting up to sit on the chair at his desk. "You should turn in soon. You look tired." He said as he turned on his desk light.

"Okay." Haru said with a small smile as she draped the towel over the back of Makoto's chair. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Makoto ended up staring at the same line on his Literature textbook for the next three hours, trying to clear his mind of any Haru-thoughts, but for some reason, his mind just isn't cooperating with him.

Finally, the olive haired teen sighed and leaned back into his chair, glancing over at Haru. He recalled Ren's words to him, and he scratched the back of his head. "…I can't deny it any longer," he whispered to himself. "I'll tell her… I'll tell her how I feel after the training camp. I won't let Rin hurt her anymore."

A/N: I hope that you like this chapter, and please read and review! Reviews give me inspiration to update!