Free! (Reader x Character)

Tachibana Makoto: Mirai

  "(y/n)." There was a soothing whisper in your ear before a pair of arms wrapped around you from behind. You were putting up the laundry to dry in the balcony.

"Oi." You jumped a little, not having expected that. "Were you trying to scare me?" You laughed it off after that and clipped the onesie that you had just picked up from the bucket.

Baby clothes were just too cute!

"Aw. I was trying to seduce you." Your husband said in the same low voice, putting more of his body weight on you. You were literally wrapped up in his big figure.

"Ah! Makoto!" You laughed again when he caught your hands and made you drop the next piece of clothing that you had picked up. "What is it?"

"I'll put up the clothes later. Come inside for now, won't you?" He planted a kiss atop your head. "Midori-chan is awake too."

"She is?" You asked in surprise. "But she'd just gone to sleep."

"She's awake now and looking around desperately." He shrugged. "She wasn't satisfied with just seeing me."

"Aw." You laced your fingers with his and leaned back against him. "Has Papa's feelings been hurt?"

"No." He shook his head sheepishly. "Just come in for now."

"Okay." You gave in and allowed him to lead you back into the house by your hand.

Your five-month old daughter had been laid to sleep on a mat on the living room floor so that you and Makoto could always keep an eye on her. As he had told you, when you walked into the room, you found her awake, here beautiful green eyes wandering the room. Eventually, she found you both and her face crumbled as she began crying almost immediately.

"Oh? Seeking attention, are we?" You shook your head in amusement and knelt beside her. Makoto crouched next to you and placed a hand on your shoulder as you scooped your baby up into your arms and rocked her lightly. "There. There. Mama's here."

"Midori-chan." Makoto called and tenderly placed a hand on her head too. She stopped crying almost immediately.

"Woah. She really isn't satisfied unless the both of us are here, Makoto." You stated your bewilderment.

"Ah. Maybe we're spoiling her?"

"You think so?" You asked, then hugged her gently to your chest. "I still want to indulge in her a for a little longer."

"I'm a doting father too." Makoto shrugged, then sat down leaning against the sofa and pulled you onto his lap, wrapping his arms around you and cradling Midori-chan over your arms too. "This is okay, isn't it?"

"Mhm." You nodded and leaned into him. Following that, no conversation took place. You softly began humming a few songs to put Midori-chan to sleep again. It wasn't yet time for her to wake up. Once she had fallen asleep, you moved to lay her down on her mat once again and then looked at Makoto. "What are you going to do now?"

"I don't really have anything in mind other than to put up the clothes."

"Is that so?" You went back over to sit next to him. "Let's do that later then."

"Hm?" He arched an eyebrow at you in question. "And what do we do now?"

You took his hand, raised his arm and cuddled up next to him, wrapping yourself up in that arm. "Nothing." You closed your eyes.

You heard him chuckle before he embraced you tightly and kissed your forehead. "Are you going to sleep too?"

"No." You shook your head. Then, on second thought, you added, "Maybe."

He laughed softly. "Alright."

In the end, however, you were the only one awake. In between conversations, he had moved to your lap and eventually fallen asleep with Midori-chan by his side, a protective arm holing her close- her fiercest vanguard.

You muffled a laugh at that thought. Makoto was a kind and gentle person generally, but he was definitely capable of becoming fierce for the two of you.

Leaving them to their shared bliss, you stepped back onto the balcony and resumed putting up the clothes.

Household chores were never ending. However, you weren't one to complain. As long as whatever you had to do was for Makoto and your children, no matter how mundane the task, you would gladly do it.

As you stood there on the balcony after putting up the clothes, looking out over the neighbourhood, you remembered your mother. That very emotion of yours- that magic, the love, the happiness and the sweetness were all delicate to time. You did acknowledge that but you also strongly believed that if Makoto remained as he was and you did not lose yourself, you would be perfectly fine.

"(y/n)..." There was a hoarse whisper in your ear before a pair of arms caught you in them. You weren't expecting it this time either but you weren't as surprised as the first time.

"What? Trying to seduce me again?"

"Hm? No..." He breathed, putting his entire weight on you. You were struggling to hold the both of you up though. "I'm just... groggy."

You shook your head and laughed endearingly. "Oi. Oi."

"And you finished all the work... You were the one who had said that you wanted to sleep but I ended up sleeping instead. You could have woken me-"

"Makoto."

He stopped midsentence. "What?"

Of course, I would have let you sleep. "I love you."

He smiled happily and in the same hoarse voice as earlier, returned an "I love you too".

It was moments like these that made you believe in magic of the tangible kind.