{completed} one-shots 》free! x reader

Makoto Tachibana ~ Backstroke

Am I the only one who actually prefers the dub of Free? I mean, I've seen both sub and dub and they're both amazing, but the dub has so many great voice actors in it and I just enjoyed the dub more overall. It's like with Servamp, the dub appealed to me more overall.

I don't know, perhaps I'm just weird.

Anyway, requested by laughing-me so I hope you enjoooyyy!

~*~

Aquaphobia.

People suffered it in many different ways; from bathing, to just so as looking at the ocean, but for you it revolved around swimming.

You had no problem with bathing, or walking in the rain, but the thought of swimming absolutely terrified you.

Having to physically put your face underwater gave you the feeling that you were drowning, and the ample pressure of the water made you feel like you were trapped, being held under the surface on purpose.

And you hated it.

However, Makoto thought there was much more to swimming, and that if it was being underwater that scared you, then maybe you should try learning backstroke.

He'd talked to Coach Sasabe about perhaps staying later after everybody else left so he could maybe try and get you in the water, and the older male trusted Makoto to drain the pool and lock up afterwards.

~*~

When Makoto told you to bring a swimsuit when you met him after his 'shift' at the ITSC, it would've been an understatement to say you were a bit suspicious, but you couldn't turn down that sweet smile he wore, so you slipped on a swimsuit just like he said.

By the time 3 o'clock rolled around, you were stood waiting at reception for your boyfriend, greeting the coach on the way in and starting a lively conversation with him while you waited.

"Y/N!" You heard Makoto call out to you, and you looked over in his direction, smiling as he waved at you.

You were about to say bye to Coach Sasabe when Makoto suddenly grabbed you by the wrist and tugged you away and into the changing rooms.

"M-Makoto, what are you doing?" You asked quietly, as noise tended to echo inside of the changing rooms.

"Don't worry, it's nothing weird," he chuckled nervously, smiling at you with that gorgeously adorable smile of his. "You brought that swimsuit, didn't you?"

"I'm...wearing it..." You answered nervously, and Makoto smiled again.

"Perfect!" He replied happily. "I wanted to teach you a style of swimming that I think you'll like, trust me."

"Makoto, you know I-" you started, but he cut you off - not rudely of course.

"I know, I know, but this stroke doesn't require you to put your face underwater," he reassured, interlacing his fingers with yours gently and tugging on your arms softly. "It's backstroke, the stroke that I swim."

You looked up at him and gulped, but nodded anyway.

"I'll be waiting in the pool, ok? Take your time, nobody else is out there so it'll just be me and you," he said softly before leaning in to press his lips to yours ever-so-gently, like he was scared of breaking you.

When he pulled away, he smiled at you once more before disappearing out of the changing rooms, and you presumed he was going to the pool.

Stripping down to your swimsuit, you picked up your clothes and sighed, making your way to the main pool where you knew Makoto would be.

When you arrived, the lights were dimmed to an extent where the atmosphere could almost be classed as romantic, and you noticed the pile of clothes on one of the benches and set your own clothes down next to his before walking over to the side of the pool.

"Hey," Makoto greeted, already in the water, his hair wet and everything. "You ok to get in?"

You nodded hesitantly and sat down on the side of the pool, staring at the wet surface before slowly easing yourself into the pool.

Your instincts immediately kicked in and you started panicking, despite being in the shallow end with the water only up to your waist.

Makoto noticed your strong unease and calmed you by placing his hands on your waist and directing your head to look at him.

"It's ok, you're ok," he cooed softly, keeping his eyes on yours until your breathing was back to normal. "I'm right here, you'll be ok."

As he was reassuring you that it was ok, Makoto's hands traveled up your arms, bringing them up above your head as he went along, directing your body into the water calmly.

But you weren't scared, because you could see Makoto, and he was smiling reassuringly at you, telling you with his eyes that everything was going to be ok, and you believed him, thus allowing him to move you along the water surface, and allowing yourself to kick your legs like you'd seen Makoto do many times before, but this time slower and more relaxed.

You managed to reach the other end of the pool before Makoto pulled you up, smiling so damn big at you it could be considered a crime.

"You did it!" He exclaimed happily, wrapping his arms around you in a hug, but you were still shocked by the fact that you were able to swim a lap with no trouble.

"I...I did, didn't I?" You asked in disbelief, and Makoto laughed happily.

"Yeah! And I'm so proud of you, Y/N," he added, pulling away to kiss you sweetly before pulling away and helping you out of the pool.

Drying yourselves off in the changing room, the two of you quickly changed before Makoto drained the pool and the two of you started walking home - but not before locking up the ITSC.

Hand in hand, you couldn't fight off the smile on your face as you remembered that you actually swam for the first time in your life today, and you did it pretty well.

"Hey, now that you're able to swim backstroke, you think you'll be able to swim free too?" Makoto teased, and you shot him a death glare.

"Don't try me."

~*~

Makoto, my baby.