free! iwatobi swim club oneshots

to be free [haruka nanase]

(Y/N) (L/N), a third year at Iwatobi High. She was a competitive swimmer, transferring from Sano to Iwatobi due to her parents jobs moving.

Makoto had been the one who offered to show the new girl around on her first day, and that had made (Y/N) exceedingly happy. She wasn't antisocial, but not quick to make friends and could use the help.

At lunch time, Makoto decided to take the girl up to the roof, where he and his friends normally sat. They got there earlier then everyone else, and maybe it was the clear blue skies or the bliss of finally getting to eat, but they broke out into genuine conversation.

"This school seems great, it really does. I just gave up so much to be here.. I used to be captain of my swim team. Now.. That's over. Who knows if I can even swim in college?" (Y/N) had ranted to Makoto, staring down at her crossed arms.

"No way! You're a swimmer?" Makoto looked at her with curiosity sparkling through his forest green orbs.

"Yeah, I guess I was.." she said sadly.

"You should totally join the swim team here, (Y/N)! You could meet Haru, Nagisa, and Rei!" Makoto said cheerfully.

"Ah, I'd love to but I'm kind of suffering from a major block right now.Maybe sometime later in the year?" she suggested.

"Sure." Makoto gave his typical smile.

--
Even though she had said she would consider joining the swim team later, Makoto still bugged her about it, over and over. He had even talked about her to the others and they even would briefly tell her how nice it would be to have another person on the team.

--
They kept pushing and pushing and pushing, and eventually it was time for Regionals and they wanted someone to get Rei in top form before the tournament; and she specialized in his strongest stroke (butterfly). She had hesitantly agreed, but not to join the team.

--
(Y/N) worked with Rei, little by little. She could see the improvement, even in his confidence. It made all the difference, and the team was grateful to her.

--
One day, everyone was lounging around by the pool just relaxing. (Y/N)'s legs hung off the edge of the pool, feet swirling around in the water. She sat farther away from everyone else, enjoying the water.

"What do you swim for?" a voice next to her had said. She looked and saw a certain raven haired male with two oceans for eyes, his legs dangling off the edge just like hers.

"I don't know. I used to swim because.. Well.. it's weird." she mumbled.

Haru stared at her, silently urging her to continue.

"When I was little, I wanted nothing more than to fly. Just the adrenaline rush, just to soar above my problems, feel nothing weighing me down. I tried every thing and ever sport possible and nothing made me feel like I could fly. Finally, on a whim, my Mom put me in swimming and that was it. The adrenaline, the weightlessness. I felt like I had nothing to weigh me down." she explained, making hand motions as she tried to get Haru to vividly picture it.

Haru nodded, as he understood.
"Why won't you join the swim team then?" he asked.

"Lately, I felt like the opposite than I described to you. I felt all of the pressure, all of the weight. I felt this grief every time I jumped in the water and I hated it. Even if I didn't switch schools I would have quit." she started. Tears swelled in (Y/N)'s eyes and Haru just listened patiently.

"I miss it. I miss soaring."

"To be free." Haru said.

"Hm?"

"That's why you should swim. To be free." he explained, leaving the (h/c) girl dumbfounded.

"You're in your head too much, focused on times. You used to not be and you disconnecting with swimming is your mind adjusting. That's it." Haru diagnosed her.

She stayed silent, until she saw Haru get up and offer a hand.

"Join the swim club. I'll teach you.. how to be free again." he lightly smiled.

"That was cheesy." she replied, laughing. The male blushed, but (Y/N) took his offered hand. "But I'd very much like that."