Seijuurouwas flying high on the adrenaline of competition and a race wellswum. Swam? Swimmed? Whatever. The point was, he was on cloud nine,and nothing was going to bring him down. Especially not his minusculechances with Tachibana. No, tonight, Seijuurou was a man of action,of doing what he said he was going to do, of taking chances and risksand getting rewarded. Tonight, Seijuurou was going to get what hewanted.
“Tachibana!”he called, jogging across the emptying natatorium to where Tachibanawas standing with Nanase and a few of their other friends. Tachibanalooked up when he heard his name and lit up at the sight ofSeijuurou, which only shot Seijuurou higher into the atmosphere.Tachibana said something to Nanase and ventured out to meet Seijuurouhalfway.
“Mikoshiba-kun,”he said, grinning. “You did great today.”
“Tachibana,”Seijuurou interrupted, speaking too loudly and standing too close.Tachibana blinked at him, but Seijuurou wasn’t about to lose hismomentum. “I’m going to kiss you now,” he said.
Tachibanalaughed. “Doit,” he said. “I dare you.” Seijuurou blinked at him, utterlyat a loss.
“Doyou not want me to kiss you?” he asked. Tachibana grinned.
“There’sonly one way to find out,” he said.
“Imean, you could just answer the question,” Seijuurou said. “Consentis an important thing.”
“I’mliterally daring you to kiss me,” Tachibana said. “What moreconsent do you need?”
“Theknowledge that you’re gonna take this as seriously as I do would benice,” Seijuurou said. Tachibana stepped back a bit, as thoughrealizing at last that Seijuurou was indeed serious about this. Hebit his lip.
“Whydid you have to be like this?” he whispered.
“Likewhat?” Seijuurou asked. “Tell me what I’ve done wrong.”
“Nothing,”Tachibana said. “You just make it very hard not to fall in lovewith you.”
Nowit was Seijuurou’sturn to step backwards, though rather than keeping his gracefulfooting the way Tachibana had, his foot hit a puddle and he wentdown, hard. He landed on his ass with an audible thud and groaned,lying flat on his back and staring at the ceiling of the natatorium.Tachibana laughed and crouched down by his head.
“Doyou want me to kiss it better?” he asked. Seijuurou stared up athim.
“Wouldyou?” he asked. “I think I hit my lips pretty hard. They’re indire need of some kisses.”
Tachibanalaughed, the most beautiful sound, and bent down to comply. Seijuurougrinned into the kiss. Tonight really was the best night of his life.
There are still a few more days left to sign up for the 5th annual Makoto Birthday Exchange!
countdown clock | what time is that for me?
The exchange is open to art, comics, fic, and manips centered around Makoto.
Despite the name, fanworks don’t have to be birthday-themed.
All romantic pairings (het/slash/other; twosome/threesome/moresome), platonic pairings (with friends/family) and non-pairings (Makoto alone or with animals) are welcome.
Full details about the exchange, including a timeline, are here.
We’d love to have you come celebrate with us!
Please note that an AO3 account is required for this event. If you don’t have one, send a message and we’ll get you an invitation code (we’ll need your email address).
To keep up with the exchange, follow this blog or track #mako bday exchange. We’re also on Dreamwidth and Twitter!
(Credit and thanks to molteniridium for the wonderful banner base. ❤)
my family invites you to join our holiday meal as an obvious setup and i’m so sorry - SeiMako
This got so out of hand it’s not even funny.
A Boy To Bring Home And Other Things On Makoto’s Christmas List
Words: 2569Pairing: Tachibana Makoto/Mikoshiba SeijuurouRating: GSummary: Makoto's family keeps nagging him to bring a boy home already. Problem is, the one he has his sights set on has other ideas about their relationship. So he strikes a deal. And it all goes downhill from there
Seijuro didn’t know what was wrong with him. He’d went from Makoto’s and Haru’s apartment to his dorm room. On the walk back, he kept thinking of Makoto sleeping in the crook of the couch. When Makoto had fallen asleep, Seijuro had pulled the blanket down from the back of the couch to cover them and leaned back looking from the movie to Makoto’s sleeping face and thought of Gou. He had seemed nonchalant about his hopes for a future with her, but he honestly felt like there wasn’t one. Gou and he had never been as tightly tethered as Makoto and Haru. She almost seemed to have signed a new lease on single-life after her brother’s fiasco. In reality, Seijuro knew after that date that he and Gou would never be. It was still hard to move on. He sighed and placed his head in his hands wiping his hair back while simultaneously wiping his negative thoughts away.
You’re a hypocrite, Sei.
His advice to Makoto was some that Seijuro had been trying to take for himself for a while. He pulled out his phone and opened his new message. He had texted himself from Makoto’s phone when he had picked it up earlier that day. A wry grin split his face.
First time I’ve done that to a man.
Seijuro was collectively known on the swim team for fabulous crazy romance that crashed and burned brilliantly. College hadn’t made it worse. A large portion of it was simply the wreckage from Gou’s rejection. He could rationalize it all he wanted, but his heart wasn’t so easily fallen which is why when things got a little serious he became a pyromaniac orchestrating the best break ups.
He named Makoto’s number and smiled for no reason that he could imagine.
A booming laugh split the air. Seijuro knew that laugh. He’d lived with it for a year. The captain walked into their dorm suite’s common room from the hall.
“Hey, Sei! Where did you crash last night? There were a few of your girls there.”
“Nah. No women for me last night.”
The captain – Kineko – visibly relaxed. Hinata, a one-time liaison of Seijuro’s, had come to the party last night. Kineko had been fond of her ever since Seijuro had introduced them.
“Me neither.” Not a surprise. Kineko had a reputation for being old fashioned and was one of Seijuro’s known critics. He wasn’t mean. He just had one of those stares that bled disapproval.
“One of the freshmen from my hometown needed a walk home. He was pretty drunk and not having such a great time.”
“Who was it?”
“Makoto Tachibana.”
KIneko’s bushy eyebrows knitted together. “Didn’t he and Haru refuse dorms?”
“They live together.” Seijuro didn’t think Makoto would like the other side of their relationship advertised.
“Mmmm.”
Kineko began to rustle around in the kitchen for breakfast. “Seniors only party tonight. Want to be my plus one? We can bring some water in vodka bottles like last time.”
“Did you ask Hinata if she wanted to go?”
“She said she has to study.” Kineko’s face fell. Seijuro knew that he was trying to convince himself that Hinata actually had to study, but classes only just started, and they both knew she was just putting him off. Kineko was not a classic beauty with the lithe swimmers body. He was shorter than Seijuro with a full head of jet black hair that curled around his ears. Kineko was also thick where most swimmers were lean. He was fast but not the fastest. His ability lay in decision-making, on-the-job experience, and the most positive attitude Seijuro had ever seen. Hinata wanted someone flashy which was a shame. Kineko was down-to-earth and ready to make anything happen for those he cared about, but he was not an arm piece.
“Too bad.”
“So?”
Seijuro looked over at his phone and saw his text message light was blinking.
“No. I think I’ll stay in.”
Kineko followed his gaze and broke into a grin. “Where did you pick this one up?”
Seijuro tried to stop the color spreading through his cheeks.
“It’s not like that!”
…is it?
Makoto set his books down on his desk. He had spent all day looking over every syllabus, then identifying ISBN numbers, then Amazon/bookstore/classmate price comparisons. He was over it. His scholarship had only allotted $500 for books, and he had come in $300 under that number which warranted a celebration. He had his books and money in his pocket. He grinned at his success and set his hands on his hips.
I can accomplish things!
His confidence with life had boosted considerably. He had been “not exactly free” beforehand, but with things turning in his favor, he was growing more confident at having a shot at being his own person and not just Haru’s friend. He felt a gaze on him and turned to the door. Haru looked at him a bit angrily and somewhat skittish making Makoto’s wave of self-support crash and burn.
“What’s up?”
“You went book shopping.” Haru’s voice was steady, but his eyebrows drew down his forehead into terse lines.
“Yeah. Just basics: Bio 101, Chem 101, Sociology, and Japanese History. The PE courses don’t have a required text. We’re supposed to be able to find everything we need in the library. I asked.” He and Haru were taking the same PE courses as was Rin and the other freshmen.
“What about First Look?” It was another only freshmen class. It seemed to be a joke to about everyone he talked to – a sort of introduction to college life.
“No book.” Makoto put his receipts in the filing cabinet.
“Mmmm.”
The silence stretched as Makoto rummaged trying to look and feel busy. He knew Haru was off balance by all this. When they had talked about books, Haru had simply handed Makoto his class list and affirmed the classes he would enjoy and the ones he would hate. Makoto knew this cue. It was Haru’s way of not dealing with reality or, more accurately, making Makoto deal with it for him.
I’m not his mom. Or his boyfriend. Or his lover. I’m just his friend. Friends don’t…”
Honestly, he didn’t really know what friends generally did. It had always been him and Haru. Makoto had only been the one that craved attention so much that he tended to give with no cut-off. He was pretty sure friends took care of each other, and he would take care of Haru.
I just want to be asked. Appreciated. Not expected.
Makoto’s phone buzzed in his back pocket. He took it out and inspected it.
Sei
What cha doing tonight?
Makoto hadn’t thought he had had Seijuro’s number, and he certainly wouldn’t have listed it as ‘Sei’. But it seems he had sent Seijuro a test reading Makoto Tachibana that morning. He recalled Seijuro tossing him his phone with a bit of realization and a momentary sense of breathlessness.
“Dinner?”
Makoto met Haru’s gaze squarely. Haru fidgeted and looked away. Makoto was a little crestfallen at this response but had no qualms about his decision.
“I think I have plans.”
Haru looked at the phone, nodded, and walked away leaving Makoto to take a deep breath, reassert himself, and put his fingers on his keys.
Nothing really.
Me neither. Captain is going out.
Makoto’s hands hovered. Should I ask?
I need groceries. Need anything? The reply startled Makoto as he was expecting something different. He thought back to Haru. Makoto was pretty certain that he was very adept at reading vibes.
Yeah. He hoped Seijuro wouldn’t ask him exactly what he needed.
Great. Do you want to come? I can swing by.
Yeah. That’ll be great. :) Makoto wondered if the smiley face was too much.
Awesome! ;)
Definitely wasn’t too much.
A smile split Makoto’s face. He didn’t know where this might go, but he liked it so far.
Fandom: Free! Iwatobi Swim Club
Characters/Pairings: SeiMako, Momo
Prompt: Ghost/Living person AU for anon
Summary: "Onii-chan," he says, voice hushed in awe. "You never told me the place was haunted!"
A day ago - heck, an hour ago - Sei would've dismissed the very idea as ridiculous. But he can't exactly deny the strangeness of what he's just witnessed, and now that he's recounting the previous... incidents for Momo he finds it more difficult to explain away the irregularities.
Though weren't hauntings supposed to be incredibly unpleasant?
When Sei finally manages to drag his eyes open, he finds himself slumped against the wall of the small 1DK he will now be calling home. He's surrounded by tall towers of cardboard and the sight has him groaning into his arm.
His limbs are still leaden from lugging all his worldly possessions up two flights of rickety stairs (with the help of a few friends who had been compensated for their trouble with beer and a frankly ungodly amount of pizza), and the pitter patter of rain against the window pane keeps him feeling drowsy and unable to summon his usual vigor.
He hadn't, in the end, managed to unpack a thing the night before as Rin and Sousuke had plied him with a reasonable amount of their reward beer in the name of housewarming...
Which begs the question of how exactly he's become tangled up in the Pokemon blanket he'd packed for his brother to use when staying over. Because he's pretty sure he hasn't touched the binliner that he'd stuffed it into the depths of since dumping it unceremoniously into the far corner of the room yesterday afternoon...
Sei flinches as a muscle in his neck spasms from the awkward way he'd fallen asleep in, and he abandons the train of thought in favour of reaching back to poke at the affected area with a wince. A quick glance at his phone tells him it's mid-morning already, which only really gives him the rest of today to finish unpacking and grab some groceries before he's due back into work tomorrow; he'd better get cracking.
He folds the blanket and sets it aside to hunt down the box hiding the coffee from him, and that's the last thought he gives it all.
--
The walk home from the train station after work is made shorter as he chatters to his mother about his day, the apartment and the fact that he still has a suitcase of clothes to unpack when all he feels like doing is collapsing on the sofa and maybe watching a mindless game show or two before crawling to bed. His mother's voice is tinny through his phone's speaker as she catches him up on which idols will be in tonight's episode and an update on his brother's high school escapades; she's badgering him about making an actual dinner before he slinks to the couch ("I will, I will," he assures her while pointedly looking away from the bag of take out in his hand) when he finally arrives home.
He bids her a quick farewell (hoping she can't detect the tiny white lie in his voice) before dumping his dinner in the kitchen to change into something more comfortable.
He undoes his tie on the way, unbuttoning his shirt sleeves as he shoulders through his bedroom door ready to dig through his suitcase for a pair of sweats and an old t-shirt. Only. He's pretty sure he'd left his suitcase open on his bed this morning in his rush to get ready for work (with his clothes spilling out after shuffling around in there to find a pair of matching socks).
Sei blinks and rubs his eyes just to be sure, but when he opens them again the suitcase is still standing closed and propped against the wall.
He ambles over and lifts it up; it feels like it's empty.
Brows crawling up his forehead, his eyes go over to his wardrobe. His wardrobe which should, by all rights, be empty.
Sei slides the door open to piles of neatly stacked clothing, the rack filled with hangers of jackets.
He stares, wondering briefly if he could possibly have started sleepwalking. Then the rumble of his stomach makes him remember that his dinner is quickly cooling in the kitchen and saves the thought for another time.
--
Sei watches the way Momo hugs his jar to his chest, suppressing a smile as he lets his brother into his apartment.
"So you don't think he's given up yet then?"
Momo looks up at him with soulful gold eyes, bottom lip sliding forward into a pout so familiar that Sei has to hold back from reaching over to pinch Momo's cheek.
"If I'd left Pyunsuke at the dorm senpai would probably leave his jar open outside and lock the window so he couldn't get back in!"
"It's okay, he'll be safe with us." Sei ruffles Momo's hair with a grin, honestly glad for the company (Pyunsuke included). He's definitely going to have an eventful weekend; his brother isn't one to sit still and stay quiet after all.
It's one thing to go out for drinks with colleagues after work - it isn't as though Sei's particularly lonely - but there's something about having the hustle and bustle that Momo brings with him wherever he goes that sets Sei at ease.
He cooks up their lunch, lights a candle to clear the air ("Mum would be so proud") and sets a DVD to play on his laptop as Momo snuggles into the couch.
It's once their movie has ended and Momo's squinting at the coffee table that they realise that something might be amiss.
"Onii-chan. I think Pyunsuke's jar might need a heavier lid or something because he is getting way too smart."
Sei glances down at the empty jar and indeed, the lid seems to be ajar. His brows crawl up his forehead as he confirms that the stag beetle isn't easily visible in the room... He feels like as a responsible adult he should probably be shaking his head and sighing... but honestly? It's kind of funny.
He lets out a snort of amusement which at least gets that tentative look off Momo's face before they settle on a strategy to comb the place for little Pyunsuke before he can get himself hurt.
They search high and low for a solid ten minutes before being able to claim any kind of progress; Momo lets out an excited squeak and when Sei glances over it's to see Pyunske zooming under his desk with surprising speed.
The thing about Sei's desk is, it's really just a normal table. And it's kind of short so his knees tend to knock on there a little when he actually deigns to use it. (Which he hasn't since his first month of residence, at which point any work had been moved to his couch and the desk had become more of a convenient surface to dump stuff.)
Momo's small enough to crawl under the table easily enough, and when he waves his hand backwards at Sei he hands over the jar and lid.
Pyunsuke's safely back in his jar and Momo whips around, grin wide in victory. Only, he manages to smack his head on the table as he does.
Sei would usually find this hilarious, and as he's setting Pyunsuke down again (they'll need to find some way to keep him in his jar overnight without covering his air holes) the corners of his mouth start to tug up into a teasing smile. Until he turns, that is.
Because the jolt of the table is enough to have the candle wobbling precariously in its holder and Sei's eyes widen in horror at the way it teeters over a pile of forgotten paperwork next to the curtains. Momo's still under the table, completely unaware as he scrunches his nose and holds his head where it smarts.
"Momo, the candle!"
Momo somehow manages to scoot out just as Sei's getting close enough to the table to try and snatch the paper away when-
-the candle, which had been about to tip over flame first onto Sei's bills, freezes mid-fall as though it's been caught.
Sei's pretty sure his jaw's dropped open by this point, his wide eyes staring at the tiny part of the candle's base still in contact with the table as the rest of it just hovers. Momo thankfully thinks to pick up the stack of paper that Sei had been going for.
Sei had thought that maybe the paper had been propping the candle up somehow; that that could be the only possible reason he hasn't had a smoke alarm go off just yet. But as Momo sets the paper down far from the flame, the candle seems to defy gravity to straighten into a safe standing position.
And then it scoots back slightly, as though in after thought, away from the curtains that had been so close to going up in flames.
"...You saw that too, right?"
Sei keeps his eyes on the candle just in case it decides to do any more acrobatics, but he catches the way Momo slumps as though his legs have given out from the corner of his eye.
"Onii-chan," he says, voice hushed in awe. "You never told me the place was haunted!"
A day ago - heck, an hour ago - Sei would've dismissed the very idea as ridiculous. But he can't exactly deny the strangeness of what he's just witnessed, and now that he's recounting the previous... incidents for Momo he finds it more difficult to explain away the irregularities.
Though weren't hauntings supposed to be incredibly unpleasant?
If there are any supernatural forces at work in Sei's little apartment then surely they'd already proven to be perfectly benign?
Momo hums at this line of thought.
"I think they're more likely to be a superhero cleaning fairy or something at this point... Though if they are a ghost we could make a Ouija board and ask them questions!"
Sei thinks he might hear an unfamiliar but terrified squeak at that; it's probably just his imagination but he steers Momo away from the idea in any case. Sei's not sure whether the suggestion is because Momo's been watching too many horror movies or not enough. (Because seriously, when do they ever end well?)
Momo starts to collect the dishes, content to chatter about his theories, each growing ever wilder before he moves onto the next.
Sei, after blowing the candle out, follows him into the kitchen with a shake of his head.
--
In the days following Momo's departure the apartment feels a little too quiet; a little too empty.
Sei fills the silence with the clinking of plates as he washes the dishes, the clack of the keys on his laptop keyboard and his own tuneless humming as he putters around finding chores to keep himself busy. He finds himself thinking of Momo's cleaning fairy theory and chuckles to himself as he drops down onto his couch with a bag of clean laundry to fold up.
"At this rate I'll be putting any resident cleaning fairies out of business..."
The curtains rustle in the breeze from the window, but as he picks up the first pair of boxers from the pile he wonders if the tinkling laughter he hears belongs to a guest of one of his neighbors.
(The sound sends a spark of warmth through Sei's veins, and he can't help but hope that if does, that they are invited over more often.)
--
Over the weeks following, life goes on much on the way it always has. Sei goes to work, comes home, and tries his hand at making a decent meal when he can muster the will to.
He still finds the odd chore completed before he gets the chance to get around to doing it himself; dishes from dinner cleaned and drying after he's left them to soak in the sink, finding items he's misplaced sitting innocently on the coffee table after giving up on ever seeing then again...
Sei starts to catch the occasional flicker at the very edge of his vision; a sparkle of lively green, a soft looking tuft of brown. Surely he must be imagining the slight quirk of smiling lips he catches reflecting back at him from the window.
He thinks back to Momo's visit, and while Sei would never seriously consider his brothers Ouija board idea, he wonders if he can maybe thank his helper another way.
He leaves a simple but unmissable note on the coffee table before he goes to bed:
"I really can't thank you enough for how much you've been helping me. I don't think I've even introduced myself to you properly even after so long. Which is pretty rude since I guess you've been living here longer than me and I just kind of barged in. But hi, as you probably know by now I'm Mikoshiba Seijuurou. Can I ask your name, roomie?"
Truthfully it feels a little silly, but he's still optimistic. Sei leaves a pen beside the note, which has plenty of space left on it for a response to be written if his unexpected room mate feels inclined to reply.
They do not feel inclined to for the first couple of days.
Sei first think much of it when he first gets back from work and the pen doesn't seem to have moved at all; it's not like his mysterious helper makes their presence known every day, and Sei makes sure not to leave chores undone as much as possible.
Human or not, Sei does not want to take them for granted.
He shrugs and goes about the rest of his evening, thinking that maybe he'll have a name for them tomorrow instead.
The pen is still in exactly the same place the next day after work, and although it makes Sei pull a face, he tells himself to be patient. He can't really dwell on it since he has a presentation to prepare for work the next day, and his evening passes far too quickly as he goes through his cue cards.
He lays out his suit that night to ensure he won't run late, but can't find his lucky tie for the life of him. He turns his wardrobe upside down trying to find it and has pretty much given up when he gets up to grab a glass of water from the kitchen. As he sinks down onto the couch to rack his brains for where else the damn thing could be hidden, he looks up to find the very tie he's been looking for folded neatly on the coffee table.
Sei sags back into the sofa. "Thank you," he says with feeling.
It's not until he's in bed that he remembers his note, and his heart sinks a little at the realisation that it seems like it's just being ignored.
He lets out a soft groan before his eyelids flutter, finally allowing him to sink into sleep.
--
Sei collapses face first onto his bed when he gets in.
The presentation had gone well and his senpai had taken him out for a drink or three to celebrate the success.
He isn't drunk, but there's a pleasant buzz in his mind that has him grinning mindlessly into his duvet. Still, he manages to drag himself upright, rolling up his shirt sleeves and feeling around to loosen his (already discarded) tie before making his way over to the kitchen for a glass of water and some painkillers to stave off the possibility of a hangover.
It's on his way back that he sees the note again. Except that when he squints, he can see that the space he'd left blank... Is no longer blank.
"My name is Makoto. Thank you for not being scared."
"Makoto," he says to himself softly. "Nice."
He falls asleep right there on the sofa; he has exactly zero awareness of his surroundings when, a few hours later, he finds himself swaddled in Momo's Pokemon blanket once again. There's a faint sensation of fingers brushing hair away from his forehead, and when Sei's eyes flutter open he sees the faint silhouette of the hand's owner hovering over him.
"Makoto..?"
The fingers thread through Sei's hair, running through the silky strands softly with a low hum.
"You should get some rest."
In Makoto's gentle lilt the order sounds more like a suggestion, and Sei frowns. It's becoming increasingly difficult to keep his eyes pried open, but-
Sei's protest is cut off before he can even start to make it, when Makoto interrupts, sounding a little more firm. "You should really get to bed. But even if you stay here you should sleep." There's a moment of quiet hesitation that Sei almost misses in his drowsiness, but Makoto shrugs it away. "I'll still be here in the morning. So. We'll talk then. I promise."
The crease that had been forming on Sei's brow smoothes, and Sei sighs into the sofa's cushions. "I'll hold you to that."
Then he allows Makoto's soothing touch to send him back into slumber.
~Hollyrose~
Notes:
This took waaay longer to finish than it should have, and even then the ending's a bit rushed ^^' Oh well.
I was actually unpacking my own stuff when I started writing this so it miiight have been suggested that a helpful unpacking ghost friend was just wishful thinking on my part - and I wouldn't say that's inaccurate either XD
Also the reason Makoto freaks out when Sei leaves him a note is because he had a less than stellar experience the last time he tried to communicate in writing with the living ^^' Maybe I'll write about that some time too XD
Rin’s chatter pushed ahead of the pair making them aware of who exactly was finally home. Makoto temporarily forgot his embarrassment and a spark of anger and disgust borne from his feelings of inadequacy rose within him. Haru’s eyes rose from the doorknob and rested on the pair narrowing slightly. Seijuro recovered quickly taking the plates and heading toward the kitchen. Makoto reacted a second later by putting the pillow he had been leaning on over his erection. Down!
“We just finished breakfast – eggs and toast. You guys want some?”
Haru’s eyes never left Makoto as he shook his head.
“Yeah,” Rin answered after he recovered from seeing Seijuro in Makoto’s and Haru’s apartment. His eyes flickered from Seijuro’s retreating back to Makoto to Haru’s stiff back. “Do either of you have class today?”
Makoto shook his head and smiled his cover-up smile. “No, we’re both free.”
Haru turned silently and headed toward the kitchen as if dismissing Makoto entirely.
“What did you guys do last night,” Makoto blurted hating himself for his jealousy. Of course, they could have fucked all night long, and it was none of his damn business. It wasn’t like he had any control over Haru.
Rin shrugged. “I don’t really know. I blacked out. Haru says he volunteered to walk me home. Honestly, I don’t know how I survived let alone came out without a hangover.”
Well that’s a straight answer. Makoto simply smiled at him and nodded. “Seijuro was my escort. We watched a movie last night. I just got out of the shower,” he offered feeling the need to explain his state of undress.
Rin nodded and slouched in the way that Rin does when he’s brooding over something. The room was saved from the pause by Seijuro entering holding eggs and toast for Rin.
“Here you go. How did you guys enjoy your first college party?” Makoto sensed that the easy communicating they had earlier was gone. Seijuro sounded like a team captain right now, a peer.
“It was fun,” Rin offered. “Is this a usual occurrence?”
Seijuro laughed. “I’m afraid not. And don’t make it. We need healthy swimmers that are not consistently drunk. Your time will lag. It’s once a year for the new recruits.”
Makoto stood up securely holding his towel. Seijuro was embarrassed seeing him like this. He couldn’t imagine what would happen if he dropped his towel. He turned the hall corner and sniffed the air. The familiar scent of mackerel had already began to fill the house. Makoto sighed. He knew Haru was pissed at him, and the easy companionship that he and Seijuro had found seemed to have been broken. Once more, Makoto felt alone in his own home: his wall he had erected between him and Haru and the new wall of Seijuro’s captainship.
He flopped down on his bed, second door to the right, and stared at the ceiling. What is wrong with me? Seijuro is right. I need to say something. I don’t want to hang on to something that doesn’t love me. Does Haru prefer Rin? Makoto rolled over and examined the picked bedspread methodically removing lint.
I have to. I have to.
The mantra kept repeating itself in his head until the cold glare of Haru entered his mind freezing him to a stop. He shivered. Makoto stood up and grabbed cargo shorts from a freshly laundered pile. He could clean all day, but he hated putting clothes up. He wore the same outfits weekly, besides if he left his clothes in clean piles, Haru ended up wearing them somehow, and Makoto would always get that rush of pride. He pulled his shirt over his head and looked in his desk mirror. He hated how his eyes sagged a little, and his bangs wisped into them. The light blonde hairs on his arms glistened as he flexed. Everything rippled. He wondered if Rin’s small shoulders would support Haru when –
Ooookay! That’s enough!
He breathed all his feelings out and smiled at his reflection. Somehow it seemed empty. There was a knock at the door. Seijuro was leaning against his door frame with a wry grin on his face. He winked.
“You’re much prettier when you put some feeling into it.”
Makoto turned a bright red making Seijuro laugh even harder.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it. You were so intent on checking yourself out.” Seijuro walked in and offered a hug to Makoto. “I got to split, and I’m taking Rin with me.”
Makoto let it happen but touched Seijuro gingerly unsure of how he felt about this. “See ya at practice.”
Seijuro nodded and tossed Makoto his phone. “You forgot this.”
Makoto caught it with ease. “Thanks.”
He watched Seijuro leave and listened for the click of the front door. He was alone with Haru. A piece of him wished Seijuro just stayed here forever. Makoto grabbed up his laundry basket, picked up the soaking clothes in the bathroom, and headed to the laundry nook on the left of the hallway. He could feel Haru’s eyes watching him from the couch.
He separated his whites and loaded the laundry.
“Makoto.”
He stiffened and turned. Haru wordlessly held out his dirty clothes or, more accurately, Makoto’s freshly beer-stained shirt. Haru’s eyes were wordlessly issuing a challenge. Makoto knew if he took them the circle would continue: him caring for Haru and Haru expecting him to be there without anything in return. Makoto almost in a daze reached out toward the clothes.
Seijuro’s face flashed into his vision, and he reheard Seijuro’s confession about Gou.
“Sorry. It’s full.” He turned back to the laundry his face on fire. The silence stretched. Makoto studied the dials on the washer. Haru studied Makoto. Eventually, Haru simply turned and left. Makoto felt his body relax. He didn’t know if he felt free or not, but he certainly felt more hopeful.
Thank you for following ;V; I'm a big big Mako/Sei fan so like if you have any recommendations or anything that'd be super cool? HI I LIKE YOUR BLOG A LOT.
O.O I didn't realize I liked MakoSei so much until I just started thinking about it right now. Big, beautiful, boys. I don't have any suggestions because I super haven't delved into yet but... Man. I'm going to have to write that. How would their relationship even start?! Ah!! So many ideas!
A/N: This is my first part of the 100 Creature prompt writing challenge that I am currently taking. The prompt was number 58 (Centaur) and the pairing is MakoSei (Free!). I will admit that I don't know very much about centaurs outside of what is portrayed in the media (mainly Harry Potter and Narnia), even after reading the wiki page. So, some things are more than likely going to be incorrect or inconsistent.
Pairing: MakoSei
Warning: AU, mentions of blood,
Disclaimer: I don't own Free!
A victory roar sounded throughout the village as the Centaur army returned from their hunt. Loud galloping filled the air and the ground rumbled with their return as they charged down the dirt path. Glancing up from where he was picking herbs for medicine, Makoto saw the men and women bound into the village, carrying several deer and boars across their shoulders. A small smile came to Makoto's face as he saw a certain Centaur riding at the head of the herd, carrying the largest kill.
Placing the last of the herbs into the basket, Makoto stood up and made his way back into the village. Since he was one of the few healers in the village, he was forbidden from leaving with army. But that was fine with the healer. He had never really enjoyed battle and violence and preferred to help people as opposed to hurt them.
Plus, it meant that he got some space away from his mate, who could tend to be a bit...overwhelming during and after a hunt. And as he drew closer to the bustling army, it seemed as though his mate was just as over-the-top as usual, and he was not alone. He could hear Rin and Seijuurou boasting loudly as he approached the center of the village, annoyance tinged in their voices. The two redheads were arguing amongst themselves, as per usual whenever they returned from a hunt.
The two redheads were standing tall, chests puffed out in annoyance as they continued to argue with each other. However, something drew Makoto's attention away from the two's faces as he walked closer. He came to an abrupt stop as he saw blood staining Seijuurou's flank. And while that sight wasn't quite strange, as many of the other Centaurs had blood on their body as well, he could visibly see his mate limping slightly, trying to keep his weight off of his right leg in the rear. Without hesitation, he pushed his way through the other Centaurs in front of him. He watched as Seijuurou turned to look at him, bright smile on his face. Makoto gave a tight smile back before he grabbed the redhead's hand and dragged him through the masses. He ignored the chuckles and whispers that followed behind them.
It wasn't a strange sight for a Centaur to be dragging their mate away after a successful hunt. However, Makoto wasn't quite that blatant when it came to when he wished to...bed his mate. He definitely wouldn't make such a claim public. No, when Makoto dragged his mate off after a hunt, it was to patch him up. The leader, while very strong and wise, was also a bit hotheaded and quick to attack. That usually meant that he ended up being injured, nine times out of ten.
Forcing Seijuurou into their hut, Makoto walked over to the center table where he had several salves and medicines already prepared. He grabbed a couple bottles before making his way back to his mate, who had already situated himself on their bed. A wince came to his face as he moved around too much, causing the wound on his flank to open a bit more, blood starting to drip down his leg and onto the bed.
Sighing, Makoto moved himself down and placed a cloth underneath to stop any more blood from staining the sheets. He then brought over the pan of water that they always kept by the bed just in case and wet another cloth before wiping away the blood from Seijuurou's body. A hiss left the Centaur's mouth as the cloth touched his wound, making him squirm in place.
"Stop moving, Seijuurou. You got yourself into this mess," Makoto scolded lightly before he deemed the wound clean enough. Picking up one of the vials of medicine, he grabbed a clean cloth and pour a little bit of medicine in the center before dabbing the wound, frown coming to his face as he inspected the wound.
It didn't seem too deep, but it also wasn't a wound that could be made by slight impact. He wasn't ignorant to wounds just because he didn't participate in battle. "How did you get hit this time?" Makoto asked with a raised eyebrow, staring at Seijuurou.
A faint flush of embarrassment came to the warrior's face and he averted his gaze for a moment. "It was just an accident. You don't need to worry about it," he muttered, waving his hand in dismissal.
Laughing in disbelief, Makoto smacked Seijuurou over his head. Seijuurou let out a noise of complaint in response, but Makoto just ignored him. "If I didn't need to worry about it, then I have to constantly patch you up every time you do something stupid to injure yourself. Now, stop acting like you're so big and strong and don't need anyone to worry about you and tell me what happened."
Seijuurou stared at Makoto for a moment before smiling, laughing underneath his breath. "And you call me stubborn..." Shaking his head, Seijuurou scratched the back of his head. "Well, the buck that I had caught turned out to be much stronger than I anticipated. One of his horns ended up swiping me on my leg while he was charging at me. Looking back on it now, I'm not exactly sure why I didn't get out of the way, but that's what happened."
Humming in concern, Makoto continued to methodically fixing up the wound. Thankfully, the wound wasn't all that serious. Or at least, not as serious had it could have been. He had seen much worse injuries due to bucks attacking Centaurs. Not wanting to think about how things could have gone, Makoto returned to patching up his mate. He grabbed the roll of medical bandages before slowly wrapping them around Seijuurou's flank.
"You're not going to be able to take part in the next few hunts, even with a minor wound like this. I would rather you not end up in the medical hut because you reopened one of your wounds, like you did the last time you had a serious injury," Makoto said with a pointed expression.
Seijuurou looked as though he was going to argue, but Makoto's disapproving look shot him down immediately. The redhead had the decency to look ashamed, although Makoto was aware that that meant pretty much nothing, as in about a month or so, Seijuurou would end doing the exact same thing again.
