Troubled But Strong

One Step Closer to Victory

  "Y/N-CHAN!!" A certain red haired female yelled at the door. "We have to leave in 10 minutes.
The H/C haired teen shot up out of bed, "I'll be out in a bit!"
Quickly, Y/N brushed her teeth, and slipped on her bathing suit. Then, put on a pair of black shorts, and her Iwatobi swim
club jacket. Before leaving to meet everyone down stairs, Y/N grabbed her swim bag, exiting her room.

"I'm here! I'm here!" Out of breath, Y/N made her way to the group. A few chuckles amongst the boys were shared, Y/N's S/C face turning a shade of red.
"Alrighty! Let's go!" Kou shouted, the boys following the eccentric female to the bus.


~Time skip~

"Okay Y/N, your race is after Haru's," Kou stated as the H/C haired female nodded.
Haru headed down to the pool, Y/N grabbing his wrist, "Good luck, Haru. Not that you'll need it, but...." Y/N blushed, looking away for a moment, "Show me a sight I've never seen before."
Haru's deep blue eyes shined as she finished her sentence, nodding in response.

The race was about to start, Haru and Rin side by side. Rin was smiling cockily.
'I've never seen Rin like this before. Is this what the whole awkwardness is about?' Y/N thought.
As the two boys swam head to head, Rin miraculously pulled ahead of Haru, winning the race.
'What?!? Haru was leading the entire time?!'
Y/N saw Rin say something to Haru, and from the looks of it Haru looked like he was about to cry. His face might not show it, but his eyes did.
"I better head down," Y/N said, immediately bolting for the door.

As she made her way down, the two boys were fighting, but as they heard the door open, both of their heads to the direction of the E/C eyes staring their way.
Y/N's eyes narrowed as she saw Rin's hand gripping Haru's goggles.
"So this is what no one decided to tell me...." Y/N looked down, fists clenched.
"Y/N.." Rin started.
"Save it Matsuoka!" Y/N snapped.
Rin let go of Haru, his red eyes widening, but soon narrowing at her small figure.
"Tch..Should've known you'd take his side." Rin walked past Y/N, pushing her slightly with his shoulder.
"Rin!" Y/N turned around, making him look at her, "He is my teammate. What I do is for my team, not for you. I swim for my team, and for my team only," Y/N yelled, tears streaming down her face.
"Now if you excuse me, I have a race to swim." Y/N started walking up to Haru, and Rin just walked away, back up to the bleachers, his heart feeling like it just got smashed into pieces.
'Good job, Rin' The maroon haired teen thought to himself.

"Haru..." Y/N started, her voice shaking slightly, "You swam amazingly today," she smiled brightly.
Haru stared blankly, whatever Rin said to him affected him deeply. Y/N could see right through his eyes, and ran up to him, hugging him tightly.
"I'll swim for you," She started, tears running down her cheeks, " No matter what it takes, my race today is for you and you alone."
Haru's eyes widened, and Y/N pulled away.
"I better get going my 400m race starts in a few." Y/N smiled, and Haru grabbed her wrist, making her stare directly into his deep blue eyes, "Good luck Y/N," he squeezed her hand reassuringly, Y/N smiled brightly, quickly kissing Haru's cheek, and running off.
Haru's eyes widen at the contact, but he closes his eyes, smiling to himself.
Meanwhile, Y/N's face was red as a tomato at the sudden realization of what she just did. She shook her head, regaining her composure.
'You got this Y/N' She said to herself.


All of the female swimmers line up for the 400m freestyle, and Y/N is smack in the middle. She snaps on her goggles her signature way, and gets in her ready position. Many determined faces of the woman about to race.
"Ready...Go!"
Y/N leaped off of the board ever so gracefully, immediately in first place. She kept her pace, unlike other swimmers who put full force, trying to pull ahead of her.
"Go! Go! Go! Go! Y/N!!!"
Y/N could hear her teammates cheering, and as the final turn came around, all of her reserved energy kicked into high gear. She pulled ahead of every swimmer, hitting the board first.
Y/N looks up at the board, her time 4:02:52.01. Smiling to herself, she pulls herself out of the pool, preparing for her next race.

~Time skip..again~

"You got this Y/N!!!" Nagisa shouted from the stands.
Y/N looked up and waved to her team, smiling brightly. She snapped her goggles back on, and her head was in the game.
'I'll show you how to swim butterfly, Matsuoka.' Y/N smirked to herself.
"Ready..Go!" The whistle went off, and Y/N's body raised above the water higher and faster than anything the boys have seen her do at practice.
"Ugh!" Y/N choked on water, unable to breathe properly, she quickly caught her breath enough to pull to the very end.
She looked up, her E/C eyes widening in shock.
'First place....Y/N L/N. Time: 56:02'
Y/N pulled herself out of the pool, making her way back to the locker room. As she made her way, she felt something jump to her throat, running to the bathroom, the poor H/C haired girl vomits.
"S-Shit," Y/N gasps, flushing, and walking over to the sink, rinsing out her mouth.
'At least I have gum in my bag.'
Grabbing her bag and changing back into her normal clothes, and takes a piece of gum, putting it into her mouth.
'Damn nerves.'

As soon as the H/C haired teen leaves the locker room she is greeted by a giant hug from Kou, "Congratulations Y/N-Chan!!!" her team yells, Y/N looks up at her team, almost in tears, she runs up to the guys, enveloping them into a giant hug.
"I wouldn't have been able to do this without you guys."
Many 'awws' were heard from Miss Ama-Chan, Kou, and other teams that walked by.
"Now, let's go home," Y/N takes Haru and Makoto's hands, walking back to the bus.

Rin's eyes could only glare at the position Haru and Makoto were in.
'It should be me with her! Not them...I helped her through so much more than they ever could...'
Y/N looked back at Rin, seeing the hatred and despair in his red eyes. She turned her head back around, and made her way to the back of the bus. Immediately pulling out her phone.

To Shark Week:
Congratulations on your win today. I don't know what you said to Haru, but he's not the same... Sorry for interrupting you dispute, but he's my teammate Rin...Thank you for getting me back to my normal, swimming self. I don't think I can ever repay you for what you have done. Thank you...

Y/N closed her phone, curling up in a ball on the seat.
'I hope things get better soon between you guys.'

Y/N soon fell asleep, but her phone went off in her pocket.

From Shark Week:
Thanks Y/N...I'm errm sorry you had to witness that earlier. I'm sure you'll find out soon...I'm glad I could help. Y/N...Sometime this week we should meet up..There's something I need to...discuss with you. Congrats on your win.

The team made their way back to the school, but Y/N was still out like a light.
"Where's Y/N-Chan?" Kou asked.
"Found her," Nagisa said, whisper yelling, picking up the female.
"I got her bag," Rei said, as he exited the bus.
"Ne, Mako-Chan, is Y/N-chan still staying at your house?'
Makoto nodded, "My mother is here to pick us up now, she's right over there actually." Makoto said, looking at the car, with Ran and Ren waving out of the windows.
The boys followed Makoto to his car, placing both his and Y/N's bags into the back.
"Looks like someone's had a long day," Makoto's mother motioned to the sleeping Y/N in Nagisa's arms. Makoto blushed at the comment, "I got her Nagisa."
Nagisa nodded, handing over the small teen carefully to Makoto, Makoto gently placing her into the back seat.
"Bye guys," Makoto said waving to the boys. Getting into the car, he hopped in the back with Y/N. After a little bit, Y/N fell over, resting her head on Makoto's shoulder. Makoto immediately tensed, but relaxed, and carefully put his arm around the frail girl.
"Did you win Nii-Chan?" Ran asked.
"No," Makoto started, but looked down and smiled at the girl in his arms, "But Y/N-chan won both of her races."
Makoto's mother clapped happily at the stop light, "This calls for a celebration when she wakes up!"
Makoto nodded, hugging Y/N closer to him. She snuggled closer into the chest of her protector, becoming more comfortable with her current surroundings. Makoto's face was burning red, but he relaxed at the sensation of this girl being with him.

'Congratulations, Y/N-Chan...'