#free!hc

[rovmustang-archive]

at some point after sousuke and makoto move in together, makoto starts noticing that there are times when sousuke seems... more tired than usual. despondent. listless. the shadows under his eyes grow deeper, darker. he doesn't realize what's behind it until he stays up late to study. sousuke sleeps on the couch, but suddenly wakes up, sucking in a deep breath as he does. makoto turns around to see sousuke staring at the ceiling with wide, wide eyes. makoto reaches out, puts a hand on his forearm and asks if everything's okay sousuke sits up, unable to meet makoto's eyes. it's nothing, he says, but he gets up and retreats to the bedroom. makoto doesn't hesitate in following him. sousuke sits on the edge of the bed, head in his hands. makoto sits next to him and waits, hoping sousuke will open up on his own (since being together sousuke has started to be more open, to trust makoto with feelings he'd usually keep to himself). finally sousuke starts talking. 'sometimes i have dreams about swimming on the international level. swimming with rin. even nanase has started to show up,' he says with a laugh. 'but then i wake up and remember—' and he clenches his fists. 'i'm happy, makoto, i'm so happy with you and at university, which I thought would never happen, but sometimes i remember what could have been and i—' makoto takes sousuke's hand in both of his and squeezes, shushing him gently. 'you don't have to explain,' he says. 'there's nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to be sorry for.' sousuke puts his head on makoto's shoulder. makoto makes no mention of the growing dampness on his shirt. makoto waits until sousuke falls asleep, watching the lines disappear from his eyes, before he allows himself to follow.

[rovmustang-archive]

no but imagine how much rewarding it would have been if, after a season of joint practices and joint training camps, how much it would have meant to see samezuka cheering iwatobi on in their relay

seeing each member of samzeuka's relay team pushing for iwatobi because they've both helped each other grow. sousuke cheering haru on, helping to bury the hatchet. rin cheering rei on because rin knows better than anyone how much rei worked this season and cheering haru on because finally haru feels at home in the water again (rin cried a little watching haru jump off the starting block don't lie). momo yelling 'makoto-senpai' because makoto gave him a few backstroke pointers.

god there was so much potential for swim club bonding and they just missed it

[rovmustang-archive]

makato and sousuke seeing each other their first year at university

makoto and sousuke starting to study together during their first year

spending hours in cafes or the library, actually building a friendship

makoto and sousuke deciding to split cost of living so they can live in a slightly nicer place, closer to campus in their second year

makoto and sousuke learning they live together really well, minding each others space while still being comfortable enough with each other to eat dinner together

slowly but surely the lines beginning to blur in terms of personal space, each of them carefully feeling their ways past previously established boundaries

and one night, sitting on the couch just talking and drinking tea it just—culminates. 

god give me slow burn university au soumako please

[rovmustang-archive]

okay but spectrum slid!soumako which is a thing i want now (thanks johanna.) sousuke teasing makoto about her grandma outfits (lots of dresses and cardigans) and mom jeans and makoto giggling at sousuke's massive bed head in the morning. oh and sousuke complimenting makoto's boobs b/c they're really nice and mako gets all blushy and embarrassed AND LINGERIE/BIKINIS. OH AND THEM TALKING ABOUT HOW RELIEVED THEY ARE NOT TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR HEIGHT since they're both tall uwu

i just love everything about this

sousuke constantly being looked at strange in the gym because she’s a girl? and tall? and in there more than most of the guys god what a try-hard she is and she’s been dealing with those feelings of self-doubt and self-consciousness for a long long time but then makoto is just like ‘sousuke your body' and that leads to a conversation where sousuke's like

'yeah no one has ever really. appreciated it like you have??'

and makoto is just aghast. ‘sousuke you are stunning idk if you realize—’

sousuke: ‘well you’re pretty too!!’

and then they’re both just sort of staring at each other getting increasingly red

god these two are such dorks

[rovmustang-archive]

10 years down the line though

makoto coaches the classes with younger kids, getting them through the basics and getting them really started, already sort of figuring out who would be pursuing swimming into high school and passing that knowledge on to sousuke

because sousuke helps coach the older ones, the ones that need a hand with the finer points of their technique and need a firm hand in terms of discipline of their training regimen, and making sure no one overworks themselves in such a sensitive period of physical development

10 years down the line sousuke and makoto get to watch kids they coached compete in their own tournaments—prefecturals, regionals, nationals—winning and kicking ass and generally being some of the best swimmers out there because they had two awesome coaches the entire time

coaches that encouraged them and taught them and genuinely really cared and made sure they were still doing their homework and taking care of themselves because they both lived and learned when they were that age

the two of them seamlessly and effortlessly working together and bantering during practices and everyone rolling their eyes but amused by it all the same

ugh co-coaching au IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME

[rovmustang-archive]

imagine sousuke getting crazy turned on by makoto's trash talking/banter side. like he over hears the exchange between momo and makoto and falters momentarily cause "shit the nice sweet iwatobi giant that rin says can do no wrong has a feisty side? why is that so hot? wait is it my turn to trash talk? um, sure something about not being in the mood to lose... because im definitely in the mood to find tachibana in the locker room after this (oh god mouth, please dont say that outloud)"

bye friends sara has killed me