NerdyPenguWrites

"You seemed to be in your own world. Good read?"

"Yes, Brimmed. Have you heard of it?"

The professor nods casually, eye flickering over the open pages on (name)'s lap.

"It's a comic I've been reading for years, it's amazing. At first I wasn't really into superhero's and stuff, but this character, The Watchful Eye, has really pulled me in. It's amazing, the art, the character's background and his development throughout the story, everything. But I'm really afraid that this chapter is going to end on a cliffhanger and I have to wait another month to see how it continues. And with how everything is going, I'm afraid he's going to die by sacrificing himself for someone else-" (name) rambles "Anyway- sorry- I shouldn't keep you. How about we go into the water?".

Qifrey has been smiling at them, almost fondly, and drops his towel onto the bench as (name) closes the comic. "I get your enthusiasm, don't worry. But yes, let's go in".

With the pool now at 1 metre depth, they're slowly starting to swim more and more as Qifrey gains confidence. He can float, and use his legs to slowly move around in the water both on his front and back.

Now, (name) wants to start teaching him different strokes to actually start and take the first steps towards the end goals of the exam.

"So, you have two choices. I don't mind which one you pick, but there are both pro's and cons for each" (name) says, holding up an index finger "Option one is the breaststroke. Pro's are that you can swim it with your head above the water the whole time, but a con is that this is a very difficult stroke to learn. There are many steps to it".

They then raise another finger "Option two is the backstroke. It only uses the legs, so you don't have any issues with the complexity of timing. Also your airway will be free at all times, making breathing easier and the stroke safer. But- it's on the back, which in your case can be uncomfortable even though I feel like it's going really well".

Qifrey bites the corner of his lower lip a little as he thinks. "What would you recommend?"

(name) takes just a short moment to formulate their answer, putting their hands on their hips "In your case, I do lean towards starting with the breaststroke. But I wanted to give you a chance to think about it too".

Nodding, Qifrey pushes a hand through his hair "Alright".

"Breaststroke then?" they ask.

The professor nods, confirming.

A bit later, they're seated on the edge of the pool and (name) tells Qifrey how to move his legs if he wants to swim the breaststroke.

"Start with your legs stretched, together. This is your end and starting point" they say, making the movement themselves as they talk.

He nods.

"Flex your feet, you want your toes pointing towards your knees as much as possible during the stroke. Then, bend your legs, knees point out, then open and close. Waves make you move, the bigger the circle you make, the better you'll move in the water".

He mimics them and, due to his longer legs, almost kicks them. "Oop- sorry".

"No worries, I'll come down so I can have a proper look at what you're doing. Keep going" they say, hopping off and then looking at his movements as they stand in front of him in the water.

"Okay, perfect. Now, try it in the water. You don't want to pull your knees up, right? You want to keep your legs behind you. They explain, lying down and showing it off.

Soon after, Qifrey goes to try, holding the flexibeam in a curve under his arms to support his torso.

"Okay, so, bend your legs, tuck your feet, open and close" they say, and Qifrey tries it out.

"Yes, that's a great start" (name) tells him "Keep your legs straight after closing them, wait, and then make the next stroke".

He tries it again, already better.

(name) stays beside him, as Qifrey keeps swimming dutifully.

"I'm… I feel like I'm sinking with my legs" he says, standing up.

"That's because you're pulling with your legs almost as much as pushing. You want to make waves by pushing against the water. Don't pull your legs towards you too hard".

He does it again, and it's becoming an issue that (name) wants to fix as quickly as possible.

"Stand up for me please" they say, and he does.

"Look, now you're doing this" (name) says, mimicing how he pulls his legs in with as much force as he pushes against the water. The water churning as they pull their leg in makes it even more visual, next to the fact that (name) is being pulled backwards with the force of it.

"But, you want to see this" they slowly move their legs first, and then put more power into the pushing motion that's created by closing the legs. A wave is being created, and they shift forwards. "Do you see the difference?".

Qifrey's eye is focussed on their legs, a thoughtful look on his face "Can you do it again?"

"Sure".

(name) swims again, putting emphasis on the movements.

"Okay". Qifrey tries again. He struggles for a moment, but eventually gets the hang of it a little bit. It still needs some work, and he has to build up the strength in his legs, but it's definitely a great start.

(name) calls for him when it's time and holds up a high-five.

The automatic door clicks behind them, and Qifrey begins to smile at the person behind the instructor. "Olly".

There's a prideful tone to the man's voice as he says "I saw you swim".

"Yes" Qifrey says, smiling still as he gets out of the water.

"Is it going well?" Olruggio asks both his friend and the instructor.

(name) nods, glancing over at Qifrey, who also looks at (name) to see what their answer is. "It's going really well. We're actually moving on to swimming strokes so we're really picking up the pace now".

Qifrey grabs his towel and wraps it around his shoulders, pressing the corners against his face to start dry himself.

"Qifrey told me you're training more as well, how is your progress?" (name) asks Olruggio, who puts a hand in his neck.

"My shoulder is aching a bit, so I focussed on my legs today. But it's alright, slowly losing weight, that was one of my goals" Olruggio explains.

"Nice to hear" (name) says, smiling.

The man shrugs and hums, clearly just as bad at taking compliments as they are.

"Thank you, (name)" Qifrey says, opening the automatic door.

"See you next week!".

~ ~~~ ~

Music is raging in their ears as (name) reaches for the handles of the rowing machine at the gym. The screen in front of them counts down from 3, and then they start another set.

They always use the same training program on the rower, as it trains both strength and endurance.

After 3 minutes, they have to take another break. They look at the amount of metres they would've done if they were in a real rowboat, catching their breath. It's getting better and better, good.

Suddenly, they feel a tap on their shoulder.

Looking up and taking off one of the earpieces of their headphones and pausing their music, they look at who disturbed them.

It's their ex, Ylan. "Hey, been a while".

He's smiling as if nothing has happened.

(name)'s face falls, shock and irritation bubbling up inside their chest "Hi".

He has been messaging them privately for a while, even though they asked not to. They ignored him, but because he still lives nearby, they knew they'd see each other anyway.

There's an awkward silence for a moment, until the guy speaks up again "So, how are you? You haven't been responding to my texts, as if you're suddeny very busy". At the last part of the sentence, he chuckles softly, leaning onto the machine. "I'm doing alright, by the way, trying to get back to the gym. The physio gave me some exercises but I'm doing a bit more, you know. Gotta catch up".

They hum.

"You're still working here?"

"Yeah, but- uhm- I should really go back to the next set. It starts in a few seconds".

"Right, sure. You know, I thought you were going to look into going to university, right?"

No, that is what he wanted them to do. Over a year ago. "I didn't and I don't think I will, now please…"

He gives them a glacre "Alright- no need to get fussy. Just wanted to catch up a bit".

(name) puts their headphones back on and sighs, grabbing the handle once more.

Ylan leans in, "Stop- stop-" pointing at their hands "You wanna-"

They begin to pull, and he jolts back. "Hey, careful!"

"I said I was going to start again" (name) snaps back, stopping and taking off their headphones again.

"Don't talk to me like that, I was just trying to help"

"I didn't ask".

"Oh shut up" he rolls his eyes "You've never been grateful. You haven't changed at all".

(name) presses their lips into a thin line.

Another voice then interrupts "Hey, everything alright?"

The set is already ruined anyway, so (name) looks up. Their eyes go wide for a second, noticing it's Olruggio. He's standing on their left side, while Ylan is on their right.

"Yeah, fine. Why?" Ylan says, frowning at the man across from him.

"It seems to me like you're disturbing their set, just let them do their thing, alright? They'll talk with you if they want to".

The younger man huffs out a sarcastic laugh "Who are you?" he looks down at the swimming instructor "Do you know this guy?".

"Yes" they answer plainly "Now, please, let me do my thing. Okay?"

Ylan stares.

Olruggio crosses his arms "You heard them".

Ylan pulls up an eyebrow and huffs out a laugh "Come on, is he your boyfriend or something?"

The heat rises from their chest in anger, colouring (name)'s cheeks even redder.

"What does that have to do with it?" Olruggio counters before they can say anything "You're disturbing them, and clearly they are uncomfortable. Now, for the last time, leave them alone".

Ylan mumbles something before walking away.

When he's gone, (name) pulls on the strips around their shoes, releasing them from the machine and getting ready to stand up.

"Are you okay?" Olruggio asks when they get up.

"Fine" they mumble "Sorry".

"It's alright" he says, putting a warm hand on their shoulder "He should be the one apologising".

(name) sighs "Thanks for helping out".

"No problem, I saw you having trouble. Who is he, if you don't mind me asking?"

"It's…" they roll their eyes "It's my ex. We broke up about a year ago, but he's been trying to get in contact again while I asked him not to".

The man in front of them pulls a face.

"Yeah…"

His other hand lands on their other shoulder, making them look up.

It's a very wrong moment to realise Olruggio has very pretty eyes, a darker blue compared to Qifrey, who- nope- nope. (name) begins to blush, but they blame it on the exercises they've been doing.

"Take a breath, (name)" Olruggio says, gently shaking them "Relax, you look like you're about to implode or something".

This makes them laugh, and their body sags a little with the release of tension.

"There you go" he says, smiling kindly.

His hands slide down their shoulders as he lets go.

"Thanks" they say softly.

"No problem, really. I was leaving anyway".

"I was also finishing up, this was actually the last bit" (name) says, looking back at the rowing machine.

Olruggio leans down and grabs their towel and bottle "Aight, let's go".

Taken aback, (name) takes their things from him and they walk to the exit together.

"Do you still have trouble with your shoulder?" (name) asks, remembering he said something about it a few days ago.

He rolls his right shoulder, left hand resting over it. "Yeah… it's getting better. I had a long day of work so I overworked it a bit, but it's alright. I managed to finish what I wanted to".

"That's great" they say, and they step out of the building.

(name) walks over to their bike and looks back at Olruggio "Tell Qifrey I said hi, by the way".

"Will do" he says, lifting his hand is a quick wave "See you next week, (name), and drive safe".

With one last look, they part ways.

~ ~~~ ~

Qifrey steps through the automatic doors with a towel, but also something else in his hands.

"Hi, good to see you" (name) says, smiling as they're tapping the depth of the pool into the panel "How are you doing? The heat has been bad lately, huh?"

"Yes, but luckily we have good airconitioning at work" Qifrey says.

"Oh, yes, that helps" they say, keeping their eyes on the display and then turning on the walky-talky they forgot to turn on when they were on their way here. "Anyway, the floor is almost done moving and then we can get in. I was thinking-"

"Uhm" Qifrey interrupts them "I actually have something, and it might be smart to do this before we get into the water".

(name) looks up for the first time, and sees the professor stand next to them. They turn, facing him. "What is it?".

Qifrey holds out a comic book, neatly placed in a large plastic zip up bag. The bold blue letters of Brimmed are printed on the front with the art of one of the superhero's posing in the middle of an action scene. At first, (name) is silently staring, but then they realise they don't recognise the cover, and they shift their eyes to read the issue number.

They gasp loudly. "Hold up- This is the newest installment?! How did you get this? This won't be out in a few days!"

Qifrey simply smiles, his eye closing with the movement.

"How- why? What? Sorry-".

"It's a thank you, for everything you've done up until now. Starting your shift earlier to teach me, and all the support. Where at first I hated water and swimming, I'm now starting to tolerate it. You make me feel a bit more confident when I get into the water, where it was once the complete opposite".

(name) is stunned into silence.

Qifrey puts the book in their hands "So, thank you".

"That means a lot to me" they say "Thank you, this is incredibly kind".

A warm feeling envelops (name) from inside and out, as they hold the comic to their chest instead of giving in to the urge to hug Qifrey.

"Uhm- shall we start?" they say, putting down the comic after a moment.

"Yes" Qifrey nods, going ahead of (name).

They've been working on the breaststroke more, and (name) is teaching him how to use his arms.

Standing next to each other in the pool, (name) shows it again while stationary.

"Arms outstretched, they open up, bend your arms until your elbows are in line with your shoulders, bring your hands together under your chin and stretch".

Qifrey mimics them, watching closely. "Arms start, right?"

"Yes, first arms, halfway through the motion your legs go, and then stretch out".

With the flexibeam under his armpits for support, he begins to swim. It's clumsy, a little uncoordinated, but he's trying.

"Why isn't it working?" he asks "I'm incredibly slow".

"There are two things" (name) says "First, muscle. You use your arms to keep your head above the water, and your legs have the task to push you forwards. The muscles that have the biggest role are your thighs, those are your biggest and strongest muscles in your leg. You're also not used to using your muscles like this yet, so they need to be trained. Then second, timing. You want to float for just a few seconds before you make the next stroke. Two seconds, basically".

The instructor starts to give an example, swimming past him using the breaststroke "Every time you are stretched out, you wait. You see, even when I'm doing nothing, my body still flows through the water. I float. This is also time to blow out, take a break. If you keep going-" they start to rush their movements "You'll get tired fast and you swim slower, trust me".

"Right" Qifrey says, watching them and taking it all in "Okay".

They continue practicing together, and with small steps, he's improving more and more.

Later that evening, when (name) arrives home, they immediately open the zip up bag and open the comic. On the inside of the cover, in the white space, there's a scribbly text in black pen.

I heard you are a great fan of The Watchful Eye, so have the first copy of the 40th installment early. Keep up the great work, and I'll do the same. Stay strong. O

(name) reads the text multiple times.

How did Qifrey manage to get this?

And with the signature of the author as well, O.

The instructor has seen the signature before, on multiple different artpieces. He prefers to keep his identity a secret, the only thing they know is that he's a man. Other than that, nothing much is known, so (name) can't look it up on the internet.

Then something clicks in their brain… and the coin drops…

Staring ahead, the comic drops from their hands.

There's no way-

~~~

They focus back on their ice cream and grab their phone to check out their messages, enjoying their free time before having to go to work later in the evening.

A few minutes later, the four girls appear again, chatting together while picking out a table to sit at.

"Shall we sit in the shade?" a girl with green-ish hair asks. "I want to enjoy the sun" another one says, holding a pink ice cream that matches her hair. One other girl mumbles an answer that (name) can't catch and the last one doesn't say anything, just rolling her eyes.

"How about we pick a table that has both sun and shade? So everyone has their preference?" a familiar voice then follows and (name)'s eyes widen.

How do they manage to meet this man in the wild twice already?

Pausing their reading and looking up properly, they catch the blue eye of Qifrey. He halts and stares for a moment.

The girls have already taken a seat at the table he's standing at, not too far away from (name).

"Professor? Everything okay?" the girl with green hair asks.

"Yes, sorry" he says, and then smiles at (name) before sitting down.

The instructor smiles back and decides to turn their attention back to their phone. They can't help but overhear the other table though.

"Do you know that person?"

"I do actually" Qifrey answers, smiling lopsidedly.

"Who is it?"

"That is… my swimming instructor".

"Huh?!" "You don't know how to swim?!" "Professor Qifrey, you never told us about that!"

"Well- I didn't no- but nevermind that... they teach me how to swim. Even teachers still have to be taught some things".

"Are they a professor just like you? But then for swimming?"

"Eh- well-" Qifrey's voice cracks a little "They don't have the status but they are very good at what they do, yes"

"Just like how good you are at English"

"Indeed"

Then one of the girls gasp "I have an idea! When Professor Qifrey can swim, we should all go to the pool together!" "Yes!" "YEAAH"

(name) has a hard time not laughing out loud as Qifrey tries to calm down the four over-enthusiastic pre-teens. "Alright, calm down, how about- wait!"

An extra shadow is cast over (name) when the pink haired girl is standing in front of them. They look up from their phone. "Excuse me, are you his swimming teacher?" she asks, pointing at the man with reddened cheeks.

(name) grins "Yes".

"Can we maybe come and swim when he's done his exam?"

"Tetia!" he calls out.

Shrugging casually, (name) thinks for a moment "If he keeps up the good work, I won't stop you, but-" they hold up an index finger "He also has to agree too".

"Professor!" Tetia shouts, turning and running back.

"I have to think about it, okay? I'm still learning a lot. I don't know how long it'll take, so I can't make any promises" he already answers before she can even start talking.

(name) is chuckling now, and catches the man's gaze again.

He smiles back, sheepishly, making them laugh more and shake their head fondly.

Later that same day, the automatic door clicks open to reveal Qifrey stepping through.

Immediately, (name) grins again. "Hello professor Qifrey" they say, teasing him.

He immediately groans and hides his face in his hand "Oh god, no".

They laugh louder. "Sorry, I just had to".

The man also seems to get the joke and chuckles along as he sits down on the bench "Fine, I get it. Anyway, yes, those were four of my middle school students. Because they all got an A on their tests I brought them along to get a treat during our usual practice hour".

"That's very nice of you, kids deserve those kinds of things sometimes".

"I think so too, they're already quite hard on themselves".

"Students usually are" (name) says, glancing at him.

He catches it, and then glances away.

(name) looks him up and down. "Anyway, I see you don't have your patch on, do you need help again?".

"Oh- yes".

(name) takes the plaster from him and steps closer. He tilts his head back a little and pushes the hair away. They notice when he blinks, the eyelid of the right eye also jolts along, even though he keeps it closed. Then they notice there's something that looks like dried up tears around the eye, but thicker. It's like the crusty bits they have in the corner of their eye in the morning, but worse. It's underneath and in his eyelashes, sticking to the skin, that looks a little red too.

"I'm so sorry, I just want to tell you because I know your vision is not great and I want to help, but your eye has a bit of-"

"Oh- is it dirty?" he asks, tilting his head away and covering it up "Sorry".

"No, it's fine. I just wanted to tell you so you know, I can just put the plaster on if you want".

He looks up at (name) while talking, frowning with worry "I thought I did it properly this morning but Olly is out of town again so I have no one to check it. I should clean it though, I don't want it to get irritated".

(name) nods and steps back "Of course".

Qifrey thinks for a moment "I only have my eye drops with me… do you have clean water and a cloth that can be used to wipe it away?".

"I'll have to go back to the staff room, is that alright?" (name) asks.

"Yes, I'll wait here".

"Okay, I'm usually not allowed to leave people at pools unattended, but I trust you're not just going to go in the water willy-nilly".

A chuckle escapes through the professor's lips. "Hah, no. You don't have to worry about that".

(name) grabs their keys and walks out, getting to the staff room to grab a cup of water from the tap and a small clean towel and quickly moving back. There, Qifrey is still on the bench, with his glasses off and twiddling his thumbs. His gaze was averted to the pool, but he lifts his head when the automatic door clicks and swings open.

"I'm back. Here" (name) says.

They offer the cup, but watches Qifrey fumble as he tries to grab it and dip a corner of the towel into it. It looks a little clumsy, and he squints with his good eye. "Uhm-" he sighs "I'm so sorry, can you-?"

"Yeah, let me" (name) takes the towel from him and dips it in the cup Qifrey keeps hold of "Tell me if it hurts or feels uncomfortable and I'll stop".

They brush their fingers through his hair to push it back and gently begin to wipe at the skin under his eye. He moves along with their movement, so they're able to help easily.

The dried up, salty substance slowly rubs off as (name) wipes gently over his skin. They move to the corners of his eye and are careful not to move too harshly when a piece is stuck.

While working on it, they notice the eyesocket is actually hollow when a lid moves away due to the wiping. He keeps his eye closed, but that's probably just to hide or protect the inside. The pinkish colour takes them aback at first, but they are able to ignore it and finish up. They've seen all kinds of injuries during their career here, anyway, so seeing this doesn't do much anymore. They almost expected it.

The whole pool is quiet except for the machines humming in the background, but it's not uncomfortable or tense. Doing this feels strangely intimate, but not disturbingly so. (name)'s slowly growing more and more comfortable around him, and he seems to be as well.

Trust...

"Okay, it's clean. Do you need anything else?" they say eventually.

This whole time, Qifrey kept his other eye closed as well, but opens it when he feels (name) remove their hands from his head. His cheeks are a bit redder than usual.

"Not really, I'll do the other things later. Thanks" he says "Just the patch now".

(name) takes the strangely shaped black circle and pulls off the stickers from the back, revealing the adhesive. They're getting the hang of it a little, and it's on within seconds. "Done".

Qifrey sighs when they step back. "Thank you" he says, adjusting his hair and feeling around his right eye to check it. Next, he takes his glasses and slides them on "So, what are we going to do today?"

"Swimming"

He lets out a chuckle. "Well… yes… of course".

Playfully, (name) turns on their heel and moves to the pool, hopping into the 60cm water. "Come on!"

~ ~~~ ~

Irritation rises in (name)'s chest.

"You didn't get a message about this?" Ruth asks, voice high-pitched in surprise.

"No" (name) says, frowning "Nothing in my mail, or through chat".

The receptionist looks up at them from their desk chair "I'm sorry".

"It's fine, you're not to blame but my manager".

(name) scratches the back of their head, thinking.

When they entered the reception to clock in and ask if there are any changes in the schedule, Ruth had casually dropped the information about the floor of the pool having a malfunction. "It happened in the morning, but the company that's able to repair it is only able to come over tomorrow at the end of the day!" she had said right after.

Apparently it's stuck at 1.40m. No one has told (name) about this, but apparently the manager had sent an email to everyone.

Now they have to change the whole plan they made for today.

Changing into their work attire, cleaning up the pool and staring at the panel with a frown, they prepare for their shift.

With the other 3 classes, they can manage the depth easier... but for their first cliënt...

"Good evening, (name)" Qifrey says, pulling the instructor out of their thoughts.

"Hi, Qifrey".

He stops midway and stares at the pool, noticing the depth. 1.40m isn't deep at all, but for him...

"I'm very sorry" (name) says "I would've warned you if I also knew this beforehand. I just came in and then heard that the floor has a malfuction, so we can't move it"

"At all?"

(name) shakes their head.

"Oh…" he wraps an arm around himself, hand clutching his opposite elbow.

"So for today, we can take it easy. This will be purely experimental. To see what you can or can't do in deeper water. But a reminder that it's okay to struggle, because the depth is quite a change from what we're used to".

Qifrey drops his towel on the bench and pulls on the long sleeves of his swimshirt "Okay… yeah… can't do anything else now, can we?"

"I'm sorry" they say softly.

(name) uses the stairs to enter the pool, pauses to glance back at the professor, and glides in further.

Looking back, they watch Qifrey approach the steps. He grabs the railing and slowly steps in. "Okay, it's not bad at first" he says as he begins to descend the stairs.

(name) smiles softly, watching where he's going. "You're doing great".

When the water begins to reach his hips, he slows down "Now I don't like it anymore".

"You're still doing great".

His smile in response is a bit tight, clearly uncomfortable with going any further in the pool.

"Keep on breathing, take one step at a time" (name) says, approaching him.

They automatically reach for each other's hands and (name) guides him down the next step down the stairs, and then the last two take about 5 minutes.

Qifrey is looking away, his whole body tense.

"Alright, let's just take a walk through the pool to get used to the depth" (name) says, walking backwards so Qifrey goes forward.

He's looking to the side at first, then he glances down, clearly regrets it, and moves his gaze to (name). "It feels strange, walking like this".

(name) smiles, jumping carefully so they don't scare him with water suddenly sloshing around "It's kinda like you're on the moon".

He blinks at them, taken aback by their comment.

There's still a soft but playful smile on the instructor's face when they meet his gaze. "Try to jump, you'll feel it".

He does a very small hop while tightening his grip on (name)'s hands. There's a pause, he looks down. Then, he does it again, a little higher. "Oh… yeah I get what you mean".

Slowly but surely, minutes go by, and eventually Qifrey walks around without needing (name)'s support.

(name) looks over at him "So, do you want to try floating?"

He looks uneasy again. "I don't…" he wraps his arms around himself "Can you help me again? I know I can already do it but…"

"Of course"

Qifrey glances over.

"There's a rule in teaching with swimming classes" they say. "There are always three key points that influence someones ability to learn. The teacher, the pool itself and temperature. If one of those three changes, people who are still learning take a small step back in their progress. So, in our case the pool changed, so it's only normal that you want help again, before you regain the confidence in doing it yourself" (name) explains.

"Right" Qifrey mumbles "That sounds quite logical".

Gently, (name) offers their hands again. "I thought so too".

Taking their hands in his, Qifrey looks down at the floor, taking a few deep breaths. Then, he puts his face in the water, but nothing much happens. He quickly stands up straight again and shakes his head.

(name) closes their eyes to avoid getting droplets in their eyes, and then looks back over when he's done.

"I can't" he sighs, his breathing quick and short. His whole body completely tensed up.

"Yes you can, you just have to know how it works this time around" the swimming instructor encourages. "First, relax a little. Remember that stress doesn't improve swimming".

Nodding, Qifrey takes a deep breath and rolls his shoulders.

When they're sure he's okay, they let go of his hands. (name) explains how he has to kick off of the floor and then do what he had always been doing.

"Your head position is very important right now. Look down at the floor and your body will follow to be horizontal in the water.

He tries it once more, and he tilts just like (name) explained it to him. They smile, glad that it worked, but then he feels them pull at their hands.

Gasping for air when he lifts his head out of the water, he comes closer, taking hold of their shoulders and gripping tightly.

"You're safe" they immediately tell him, catching him in turn, arms wrapped around him as his head lands on their chest.

"Sorry"

"It's okay" they say, and Qifrey pulls away as his feet land on the floor.

"I was- I felt like I was sinking- and the floor-" he says, hugging himself again.

"You weren't, though" (name) says "It might have felt like that, but you were doing it perfectly".

"I was?"

The instructor nods, and offers a hand again, quietly asking him if he wants to try again.

Qifrey takes it.

They do it a few times, he still needs them to hold his hands, but it's getting better each time. Also using his kicking legs is something that makes him anxious to fall out of balance, but he manages with (name)'s help.

Floating on the back will be reserved for another time, they decide together.

At the end of class, Olruggio enters with widened eyes. "Qifrey, you're in the deep!"

Qifrey looks up, smiling awkwardly "Yes- I am".

(name) chuckles and shrugs "The floor has a malfuction so it can't move. We either had this, or no class at all. The pool will be fixed tomorrow though, so next week we'll get back to where we were".

While they were explaining the situation to Olruggio, Qifrey has climbed out of the pool using the stairs, wanting to get out of his personal hell as soon as possible.

"Ah- well- great job" the dark-haired man says, reaching out to Qifrey.

(name) then stares at how Olruggio cups one side of Qifrey's face, and tilts it enough to press a kiss onto the man's cheek.

Qifrey blushes then.

The instructor quickly looks away from the two men, blushing themselves. So they're a couple, huh.

"Thanks, (name)".

They turn back again, seeing Qifrey already wrapped up in his towel. "Yeah- uh- bye! Have a nice evening!".

Olruggio waves and (name) lifts their hand in return, watching them leave.

Why did that catch them off guard so much?

~ ~~~ ~

(name) enters the SportsWorld building through the large revolving doors, tucking their car keys in their coat. It has been raining all day, so they left the bike behind at home.

"Are you really sure you didn't put it somewhere else?" the voice of Qifrey makes them turn their head.

He's standing with a hand on his hip, looking down at Olruggio who is searching around in his bag, grumbling "Why would I? This is my gym bag. It has to be here".

"Not in any of the side pockets?"

"No, I already checked".

"In your coat?"

"No".

Qifrey sighs "It's probably still at home".

"I'm not going back" Olruggio protests.

(name) was hesitating at first, but when they see Qifrey notices them, they walk towards him and Olruggio anyway.

"Oh, hello (name)" Qifrey says, smiling at them "Nice coincidence".

"Yeah" they say, looking between the two men "Everything alright?"

Qifrey adjusts his shoulderbag, gripping the strap "Olly lost his membership card from upstairs".

The gruff man zips up his bag and sighs "I'll just wait here and drink a cuppa instead, you go ahead".

An idea pops up in (name)'s head. "You can use my card".

Both men look surprised.

The instructor already starts to dig in their bag for their wallet, they take it out, flip it open and pull out their membership card.

"Are you sure?" Olruggio asks, glancing between the card and their face.

"Yeah, of course. It's not as if they check who scans it. If they do start a fuss, just send them to me" (name) says, waving with the card between their tumb and index finger "Use it, and when you come and pick Qifrey up, you can give it back to me".

Taking it, Olruggio smiles. It's very small. "Thanks"

(name) shrugs and smiles back "No problem. Good luck".

Their eyes then shift over to Qifrey. "Ready?"

"Yes".

Swimming on the back causes a lot more issues for Qifrey than swimming on the front. When he starts to use his legs, he tenses up too much around his torso, causing his body to sink. Luckily the floor is shallow, so he doesn't go under yet, but it makes him sigh in defeat.

"It sounds silly coming from me for the thousandth time, but you have to relax more" (name) says near the end of class, after watching Qifrey doing it over and over again.

"I'm trying" he mumbles.

"Good, then we keep on going, alright?" (name) holds up their hand for him. He glances at it and meets it with his hand in a high-five.

The door behind them clicks, and a low voice echoes through the room "Qifrey".

Both people in the water turn around and see Olruggio enter, a soft smile on his face.

"Right, it's time" (name) says, standing up.

Qifrey follows suit, getting out of the water and walking over to his towel.

"How did it go?" Olruggio asks his partner.

"It was alright" Qifrey says, throwing the towel over his head and drying his hair "Being in the water on my back is just… still an issue".

(name) nods "When he wants to start swimming, he tenses up too much, making him sink again. We're still working on it. Practice makes perfect".

Qifrey peeks from underneath the towel when Olruggio speaks up. "In due time, eh" he says "I know you, no need to rush this".

"I know…" the other man says, wrapping the towel over his shoulders "I know".

Olruggio approaches (name) and hands them their gym membership card "Thanks again"

"No problem" they say, putting it on top of their stuff on the bench.

"What do you get from me?"

They look up, taken aback. "What?"

"I can't just take this from you, how do I pay you back?" he asks.

"Oh, I can go there for free because I work here, so there's no payment involved" (name) says, shrugging.

Both men look stunned, just like when the swimming instructor offered the card to him less than an hour ago. "Oh- well- okay" Olruggio mumbles.

(name) chuckles "Have a nice evening".

"You too" he says finally, and Qifrey waves at the instructor before walking along with his partner.

~~~

He nods, still smiling. "I'm a teacher as well"

Their eyes widen further "Really? What do you do?"

"I have a degree in English, and help all kinds of students struggling with the subject at different schools, also with literature sometimes. They're from middle school all the way up until university, you name it".

Pleasantly surprised and impressed, (name) grins back "Oh wow, that sounds great".

"It is, yes".

"Never expected to teach a teacher"

Qifrey chuckles again. "Well, from teacher to teacher, you're doing a great job"

Blushing now, still unable to handle the kind words, (name) scratches the back of their head. They're also much more aware of what they've been doing in the past few weeks. "Thanks".

Qifrey grabs his towel and turns around, wishing (name) a nice evening.

Right on that moment, (name) is yawning, only covering their mouth at the last moment. "Oh- Sorry"

"Are you alright? You've been yawning often today"

"Yeah, sorry. It's been a long day"

It has been, as (name) had to help their ex move back to his apartment. At the end, they also told him to actually cut off contact and remove them from his ICE list.

He started to get angry at them, but (name) left before it could escalate.

"Okay, take it easy, alright?" Qifrey says, gently placing a hand on their upper arm.

(name) smiles back "I will". They wish him a good evening, noticing Olruggio standing behind the glass door. Both men immediately start to talk with each other, but it's drowned out by the other people walking in for their class.

They really do wonder what the relation is between those two.

Shaking their head, (name) moves on to prepare for their next class. It's none of their business to know.

~ ~~~ ~

(name) manages to turn down the music just in time before Qifrey enters the pool. "Hi, welcome".

He smiles, just a little tense. "Hello"

They then notice how the usual patch is not over Qifrey's eye.

"Can you help me with this again?" he holds up the black plaster in his hand "Olly is out of town for work and I couldn't do it myself at home".

(name) nods and holds up their hand to take the plaster.

Qifrey takes off his glasses as (name) peels off the stickers from the back and then holds it up. The man stops before he pushes his hair away "Wait, do you want me to sit down?".

Sure, the man is taller than them, but it's not as if they can't reach.

"I'll be fine" (name) says.

Reaching up after Qifrey pushes his hair up and to the side, they place the plaster carefully over his eyesocket.

"There… you… go" they mumble, making sure there are no wrinkles "Done".

"Thanks, again" he says, cheeks slightly red.

"No worries".

(name) throws the white pieces they pulled off the plaster away and walks past Qifrey to get in the water.

He puts his glasses on and follows suit.

Qifrey shifts back and forth on his feet in the water. "For today… I was actually thinking to… to just do it and lie down on my back".

Taken aback, (name) turns to the man, the water gently swishing around their calves.

"I have to get over it someday" he continues, fidgeting with his hands.

Slowly nodding, (name) understands where he comes from, but they don't want him to slip into another panic attack. They've been trying to let him get comfortable in the water on his back, but there's not much progress yet. Just stress and tension, and long breaks in between.

"And I trust you" he says, clear and steady.

(name) swallows.

He lowers himself into the water, cups it in his hands and gently throws it over himself, droplets casting down his white hair. It droops under the wait, the waves in his hair slowly disappearing.

The instructor kneels and they make eye contact again when Qifrey's finished with his routine. He reaches out to them and they respond, taking one hand in theirs.

"Keep breathing, I will talk your through it. Is it okay if I hold you?"

He nods, turns his back to them and leans down, his back sinking into the water.

"I will slowly let you down into the water, my hands go from your back up to your neck and the back of your head. I will hold you stable, so there's no way you will fall over or that water will get into your face" they say, putting their palms to his shoulderblades.

"Your shoulders will go in the water soon" (name) continues to talk, hands shifting to the back of his shoulders.

"Relax, keep on breathing" they remind him when they notice his breath hitching. His expression is strained almost as if he's in pain, one eye shut tightly.

(name) thinks for a moment, wanting to try something else "You are in the swimming pool, here, on wednesday, with me. And I'm here helping you. You're not alone".

He swallows, opening his eye for just a moment, before closing it again.

"I'm slowly letting the back of your head sink in the water" they say, shifting their hands again and guiding him further down. They rest their elbows on their thighs for stability.

"You're doing great, just keep breathing. You're almost there, just your ears in the water and you're done. Relax your arms and legs. Remember, the more relaxed you are the more easy it will be".

Qifrey visibly takes a deep breath. His hands that have balled into fists during the whole motion, slowly open back up again.

"Listen to my voice, it'll become dull when your ears go in the water, but you'll still hear me".

And a few seconds later, Qifrey is fully on his back in the water. Not yet floating because (name) is still holding him, but it's another milestone.

"Open your eye, look".

His already existing frown deepens.

"You did it, look up" (name) encourages.

He blinks, slowly, opening his eye just a little bit.

A smile plays on the instructor's lips when they see the light blue colour of his iris appear.

"There you go. You're on your back in the swimming pool. Take another deep breath, and then I'm going to help you sit up". He takes a shaky breath and (name) then helps him upright, before sliding up to sit next to him. "Well done".

Qifrey is still taking unsteady breaths, but it's not as bad as when they first tried it a couple weeks ago. He pushes a hand through his hair. "Did I do it?"

"Yes you did"

"You helped me"

"So?" (name) says bluntly with a shrug "You were on your back in the water".

A short laugh escapes from the man, but (name) watches him closely, as the expression shifts. His eyebrows crease and his eye flickers away from (name).

Qifrey curls up, wrapping his arms around his legs and hiding his face in the space between them. His shoulders begin shake softly.

(name) waits for a moment before they put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently "You did amazing". They feel him tilt into the touch. To support him better, they shift the hand from his shoulder to his back, feeling his spine under the palm of their hand.

Eventually, he lifts his head again and takes a deep breath "I remember… back then".

A moment of silence falls as (name) watches him, he gazes at the wall in front of them, eye watery from emotion.

"I was 10… and the only thing I knew was that I was locked up. Water was seeping in, filling up, my clothes were wet and sticky while I couldn't do anything. My hair stuck to my skin. Dirt and grime and mud was everywhere".

(name) quietly listens.

They've heard many stories about how people got trauma from swimming and drowning. Some were alone or with friends or family, or had to flee from a war by boat. Some people were on vacation when it happened, or got into an accident with their car.

But they never heard something like this.

"I was so scared but now… I can still remember how I felt… but it doesn't feel like danger anymore" Qifrey mumbles.

(name) gently lifts a hand to put it on his lower arm "That's huge progress".

Qifrey wipes at his left eye and then glances at his instructor.

(name) only smiles at him softly.

They wait a little longer for Qifrey to calm down further. Eventually he clears his throat and straightens his back. "Let's… move on".

"Alright, are you ready for that?"

"I want to practice kicking my feet on the front" he says, with a nod "I'm okay… I'm alright".

Checking one last time, meeting his eye, (name) shifts to sit a bit away from him, facing him, and then they move on to the usual exercises.

At the end of class, Qifrey grabs his towel and throws it over his shoulders as (name) taps away on the panel to move the floor down for the next class.

"(name)… I-"

They turn their head, watching him fidget, twiddling his thumbs.

"Thank you for today" he says.

"No problem, you've done great".

~ ~~~ ~

"(name)"

Suprised to hear Qifrey's familiar voice already, the instructor turns around to see him coming through the glass door. "Qifrey"

"How are you?" he asks.

"I'm alright, and you?".

"Doing well".

(name) nods "Shall we start?"

"Yes, I… I actually tried to practice with Olruggio" Qifrey says, following (name) towards the edge of the pool.

They turn their head, taken aback "Really?".

"We went swimming on sunday, it wasn't a great success though. Olly actually did something, but couldn't convince me to go in all the way. I sat on the stairs, on the edge or in the kiddie pool" he says, chuckling pathetically at the end "The fries from the cantine were the highlight of the day, in my opinion".

(name) laughs for a moment. "That's great though, I'm proud of you for trying" (name) says, nudging the man with their elbow.

He smiles softly.

"So, ready to practice everything you already learned before we move on?"

"Yeah".

They start with blowing bubbles, then move on to floating on the front. This all goes down smoothly, and Qifrey also starts to swim.

"Alright, ready for the next step?" (name) asks.

"Uhm… am I?"

The instructor chuckles and then kneels down beside him "Let's add the arms. Instead of keeping them in front of you, we're going to turn them".

(name) shows how they move their arms while swimming freestyle. "Elbow out, then lift, bring them over and stick them back in with the tips of your fingers, then pull yourself forward. Elbow, lift, fingers, pull". Then they swim away, careful not to hit the shallow floor with their swimming strokes.

"Are you sure I can do that?" Qifrey asks, clearly hesitant.

"I wouldn't offer it to you if I didn't" they say "Try it, if you want. Otherwise we're going to move on to floating on the back and practicing those kicking legs".

"Okay… okay" he says, breathing a few times before lying down.

He turns his arm once, tilts and scrabbles up again "Nope".

(name) grins softly "Good first try".

The man sighs, and tries again.

It looks tense and rushed, like he's fighting the water. There's a lot of work to do, but it's a start.

"Okay, now let's go to floating on the back" (name) eventually says, when they're halfway through class.

"Can you help?"

The instructor nods.

They told him how to get his body off the floor when he lies down on his back, so with the very subtle support of (name), Qifrey practices.

(name)'s hand on the back of his head is purely there for Qifrey to feel safe, but it doesn't do anything anymore. The instructor feels it when he starts to float on his own, and a proud smile plays on their lips.

"Qifrey"

"Hm?" His adam's appel shifted as he hummed.

"You're floating"

"I am?"

"You are, can't you feel it?"

"Is this what it feels like?" a pale blue eye meets (name)'s.

They nod.

"Oh"

"Now try to get back up by looking at your feet".

He does the trick, and he sits up.

(name) moves to kneel next to him, their lips still curled up in a prideful grin. "You can float".

He turns, droplets of water shaking from his hair "Was that correct?"

"Yeah, I felt you lift off my hand. You didn't need my support anymore".

Qifrey's chest heaves as he lets out an airy chuckle of disbelief.

(name) puts a hand on his back "Breathe, Qifrey".

"Yes- yes- sorry" he says, followed by a deep breath "I'm just surprised".

They smile at him, and (name) catches themselves doing it fondly.

Qifrey meets their gaze.

A sudden heat flashes up, and (name) feels it rise to their cheeks. They shift back slightly, realising how close they are, and how his cheeks also seem a bit more red. But that's probably the adrenaline, nothing else.

At the end of class, Olruggio is waiting at the door as usual.

(name) waves at him, and he wants to wave back when Qifrey comes up to him "Olly, I did it".

Seeing the smile on the other man's face makes (name) smile even brighter than before, a warm feeling filling up their chest.

~~~

(name) nods "Yes".

"Olruggio, nice to meet you" he says, offering his hand "I know we've basically already met, but-"

Chuckling, (name) takes his hand. It feels warm and calloused. "It's nice to meet you too".

"It's great what you've been doing with Qifrey"

Alarm bells start to ring in (name)'s mind. Receiving compliments are not something they're good at.

"Qifrey has been struggling for years, having to face his fear of water. But your classes are already helping, even if he only had a few. When we received your mail that you were open to teach him privately, he actually got excited".

"Really? That's nice to hear, thank you" (name) says, smiling kindly "But he also has all this progress thanks to you. I heard you have been pushing him for a while".

Olruggio scratches the back of his head "Yeah… it's not like he has an irrational fear that has to be taken care of, it's very delicate. We've known each other since we were kids. I've always wanted to help him, but never could. And I thought it would really help him in his day-to-day life too".

"It can, yes".

"So thanks, (name)".

"No problem".

~ ~~~ ~

Qifrey has his eye closed as he takes deep breaths. He wants to put his whole face in the water, to eventually try and float for the first time.

Patient as always, (name) waits for him.

The whole pool is quiet, except for the sound of the ventilation and the water filtration system. (name)'s eyes move around the room, but also flicker over to the man. To the patch stuck over his right eyesocket, the wrinkles around his left eye as he holds it tightly closed. His whole body is tensed up.

They actually want to say something, but they keep their mouth shut. They first want to see what he's going to do on his own, wanting to give him the space to explore for himself. Exploration and experiences are the strongest teachers after all.

"Can you help?" he asks after a moment, looking over at the instructor.

"Of course" they say.

"Can you hold my hands?" he says "If that's alright".

(name) nods and kneels in front of him, holding both hands open to him.

He takes them, arms tense.

"Deep breath. I'm right here to help".

Moving further down, (name) follows his tempo as they guide his hands under the surface of the water. He grips them just a little tighter when he puts his face down. His shins are still on the ground, but it's already a great start.

After 3 seconds, Qifrey makes a move to get up and (name) helps him.

"Well done" they say genuinely proud of him "That was great".

He grunts, shaking his head to get the wet strands of hair out of his face. He also releases (name)'s hands to wipe his face, chest heaving as he catches his breath.

"Stupid… water" he mutters, blinking his eye open and eventually making eye contact with (name) "Sorry".

"No need to say sorry"

Qifrey breathes in and lets out a sigh one last time, as his shoulders sag "I did it".

"You did" (name) tilts their head, wanting to try and challenge him "Want to do it again?".

He seems to think about it. "How long was I under?"

"About three seconds".

"What do I have to do if I want to go for the exam?"

The instructor's eyes widen.

They did mention that they both offer to generally teach a person to swim in case they fall into the water, or to train them to take an exam which would include more advanced techniques. Because they were so focussed on getting Qifrey in the pool in the first place, they never asked again about what his end goal is.

"Five" they answer.

Now his eyes widen. "Oh"

"So you're basically almost there"

He breathes, and his body language shifts into something more determined "Okay, I want to do it again".

A grin plays on (name)'s lips and they nod, offering their hands to him again "I'll count".

They almost count to four, but Qifrey sits up, wiping his face "I don't- I didn't have enough air".

"Let's practice dry first then" (name) says, and lifts their hand to grip their nose "Keep your nose closed, take a breath and then hold it for 5 seconds".

He does, as they expected.

"Alright, now remember that you want to softly blow bubbles when your face is in the water. Now do the same thing, but blow out for 5 seconds".

Again, he succeeds.

"Now try it in the water".

(name) holds his hands, counting out loud to four until he comes up. "Almost".

Qifrey shakes his head, droplets of water being flung out of his hair.

The instructor sees a hint of frustration and wants to squash it immediately.

"Don't bring yourself down. We have enough time to practice. There's no need to rush. You already took another step forward in your progress".

He brings a hand up to the black plaster that covers his right eye, making sure it's still on properly. "Yes... I… thank you".

"No problem".

"Can I take a break?"

"Of course".

He stands up and walks out of the pool, going through the door. (name) guesses he simply needs the bathroom.

Taking a deep breath, the instructor lies down on their back and stares up at the ceiling.

A few minutes later, Qifrey appears in the corner of their eye, and (name) sits back up.

"You… really do enjoy being in the water… huh" he mumbles, sitting down on the edge of the pool.

"Yes, I grew up with it" (name) says, twisting their legs back and forth in the water "I also use it to regulate myself, it's kind of a safe space for me".

"It regulates you?"

(name) nods "When I'm frustrated, or overwhelmed and I go into the water, it helps me regulate all of my senses. Moving around with the flow really helps me calm down".

"That sounds nice" Qifrey says with a gentle smile.

"Being in the water can be very nice" (name) agrees "Want to try lying on the back too?".

With a hesitant nod as a response, (name) shows him how to lie down.

Careful, he sits and goes back onto his elbows, and tilts his head back.

"Put your shoulders in the water as well" (name) says, putting a hand onto his shoulder.

His breath hitches and he brings his head up again.

"Keep breathing" (name) reminds him.

"Sorry, this is… scary".

"Take it easy, keep breathing. Slowly let yourself lie down. Shoulders, back of the head, until your ears are in the water".

He does it, but shakily and uneasy and with his eye tightly closed.

Right when the water envelops him, leaving only his head out, he jolts back up. His breath catches, and he reaches for his head with one hand while the other holds himself upright.

"It's alright" (name) tells him.

Qifrey shakes his head "Get me out". His eye goes to the nearest poolside and he crawls towards it, climbing out.

(name) saw the switch flip in his whole body, now that he's in full panic. Qifrey is shaking, his hands on his arms as he hugs himself, curled up on the side of the pool.

"Keep breathing, Qifrey" (name) says, keeping their voice calm as they approach.

They've had enough panic attacks themselves to kind of know how to handle the crisis he's having now.

"I'm right here, focus on my voice. You're at the swimming pool" they say, kneeling down beside him "I'll grab your towel, okay? I'm not leaving. I'll be back in just a few seconds"

He doesn't respond, but (name) moves anyway, as it's not too far away.

They kneel back down on the tiles "I'm back again, I'm going to put the towel around you". Qifrey lifts his head just slightly, right before (name) throws the towel over his shoulders.

"You're safe, alright? I'm right here" they say and his eye flickers over to them for just a second.

"Breathe in through your nose… and then out through the mouth".

His shoulders move along with his breathing, as he follows (name)'s instructions.

After a while, Qifrey seems to get his focus back. "I- I'm sorry"

"Don't say sorry, you panicked. It's a normal response. No need to be ashamed".

He fidgets with the edge of the towel, running his fingers along the fabric.

(name) tilts their head, sitting back "How about we call it a day?".

Qifrey looks down, clearly disappointed "Yes…".

"You did a great job, okay? Take a few minutes to calm down further, I'm going to set up for the next class"

The man nods in response and (name) stands up.

After a little while, Qifrey appears beside them. "(name)".

They look over and gently smile up at him. "Good job today, even if it ended on a less happier note. I'm still proud of what you managed to do today".

"Thank you".

"Have a nice evening, Qifrey".

"You too".

~ ~~~ ~

It's raining heavily when (name) approaches the busstop.

Many people are underneath the canopy, seeking shelter.

There's a teenager wearing a cast around his leg and hopping on crutches, and an elderly woman is tucked under the umbrella of what (name) guesses is her husband, a big bandage stuck to her cheek.

They've clearly returned from the hospital right around the corner. Other people are also waiting, looking down at their phones. There's some space for (name) to also stand under the canopy of the busstop, but they don't want to get into any of the other people's aura, and they don't want them to get into theirs either.

So staying in the rain it is.

Looking up, they check the display. Line 43 - 5 min

(name) stares down at the pavement under their feet. They also just visited the hospital, not for themselves, but to see someone. It felt painful to walk into the room, to stay there for longer than they wanted, but they couldn't say no when they got the call.

It was their ex, Ylan. He got into an accident with his bike, but still had (name) as their emergency contact. He's doing better now, has two broken bones in his right leg, but will be discharged soon. (name) is glad, but there was a reason why they broke up.

When they got together as a couple, (name) told him about their insecurities. About how they viewed their own body. At first, he wanted to support them and did a pretty good job. But slowly, it faded away, and he became more rude and irritated. Whenever (name) did something that made them feel comfortable, he immediately dismissed it and told them he didn't like it. And then it seeped through into their every-day lives, and (name) couldn't handle it anymore.

He was distructive. Still is, apparently, as he commented on their hairstyle.

He hadn't learned a single thing.

And (name) had to stand up for themselves, again and again.

They take a deep breath and close their eyes. The sound of the water hitting the pavement and the cars passing by is strangely soothing, except for the fact that they feel the water seeping through their coat.

As soon as this is over, when he's out of the hospital, they will break contact with him for sure.

Then suddenly, they hear their name being called, pulling them out of their thoughts.

(name) looks up and around, trying to find the source of the noise. It sounded a little familiar, but they can't place it.

Then, through the heavy rain, they see a figure with a big grey coat and white hair approach. Suddenly the water doesn't fall onto their body anymore, but makes tapping sounds on an umbrella that's being held up above them.

A pale blue eye looks at them, a lopsided smile on the man's lips. "I'm surprised to see you here".

"Qifrey, yes, hi, indeed" they splutter.

Shifting back a little, (name) wants to make sure there's a big gap between them. The more personal space, the better.

"Sorry, I really did startle you, didn't I?" Qifrey asks.

"A little, I was in my own head so…" (name) gestures vaguely.

"Stay under the umbrella, here" he tilts it a little towards them "Why aren't you seeking shelter over there? You're going to catch a cold" He points at the seating area beside the busstop.

"It's… too many people" they answer, pulling up their shoulders.

There's a moment of silence, very short, but there.

"You can wait here until your bus arrives" Qifrey says, breaking it.

(name) puts up a smile "That's… thank you… that's very kind of you. I have to grab line 43".

"I have to catch the one after, so that's convenient".

They catch his eye glancing over at them "Did you just come from the hospital?".

They nod, deciding to be honest. There's no other building nearby that would explain why they're here.

"Is everything alright?" Qifrey asks, his voice taking a concerned tone.

(name) nods quickly, not wanting him to worry "Oh, yes. I'm fine".

He takes a look at them and nods "Okay".

"Where are you going?" they ask, a little curious but also not knowing what else to say.

"Home, I- uhm- I just got back from my appointment" he says, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder at the hospital building.

(name)'s eyes widen "Oh".

That's when they notice he isn't wearing his usual black patch to keep his right eye covered. Now his hair is simply in front of it, together with the blacked out glass.

"It's alright, it was just a check-up" Qifrey tells them calmly.

At that moment, a bus stops in front of them. (name) glances to the side, reading the bus number. "This is me".

"Alright, take care. See you tomorrow" Qifrey says.

Walking over to the bus, they turn around right in front of the door and give him a small smile "Bye".

~ ~~~ ~

Music fills the room as (name) cleans up the mess around the pool.

Oh, Eileen. I said. Come on, Eileen, ta loo rye aye. Come on, Eileen, ta loo rye aye.

They hop on their feet, signing along.

Now I must say, more than ever. Things around here change. I said toora loora toora loora aye~

They throw the things in the closet and run into the water, kicking it on the beat and spreading their arms. It splashes up in the air, creating a strange but fun spectacle.

Come on eileen, oh, I swear well he means. At this moment, you mean everything. You in that dress, my thoughts I-

When they turn around during their dance, they immediately come to a halt when they see Qifrey.

"OH MY GOD" they startle, putting their hands over their mouth "Sorry, I didn't expect you yet!"

Qifrey is laughing softly, putting his towel on the bench "Well, my mistake for being too early. I didn't mean to scare you".

(name) goes over to the display and lowers the volume of the music. "I'm so sorry"

"No need, it looked like you were having fun. That's important".

"Yes, I- okay- uhm- restart" (name) says, pushing a hand through their hair and taking a deep breath "Hi"

"Hello"

"Good to see you again"

"Indeed"

"Ready to go?"

Qifrey nods, still grinning.

They've made some progress by putting the floor a little lower, and Qifrey can now float on his front for a few seconds without (name)'s help. He still wants them to stay close, but he manages.

When he does it the fourth time in a row and stands up again, (name) sees the edge of his plaster covering his right eye getting loose.

"Oh- Qifrey, your patch" they warn, pointing at their own right eye.

He curses softly and puts a hand on it, but it doesn't seem to stick anymore, the water having removed the glue.

"The doctor said these were adhesive enough to withstand water" he mumbles.

(name) frowns empathetically. "Maybe this is a faulty one, up until now they've stuck pretty well".

He hums softly. "I have extra in my bag, I'll just replace it. Give me a moment"

"Of course".

He stands up, water dripping down as he makes his way out.

(name) sits back in the pool, waiting patiently while thinking of what they should do with their other cliënts later tonight.

It doesn't take long until he comes back, looking a little sheepish "I forgot my towel is still here, so I can't dry my face to put it on".

"Oh, right" (name) says, sitting cross legged in the water.

He sits down on the bench and takes off his glasses and then pulls off the patch from his eye, dropping it next to him. He quickly brings the towel to the side of his face and makes sure it's dry enough to put the new one on.

(name) looks off to the side to give him some privacy.

After a little while, Qifrey speaks up again.

"Uhm… sorry… I usually let Olly help me do this at home. I can't see much without my glasses so a mirror is quite useless and I… I can't really put it on myself" he says "Can you help me, please?".

"If that's alright, yes, of course" (name) says getting out of the water and walking over to him. They wonder why he can't do it himself without a mirror, but at the same time, it's not their place to judge.

"Thank you. Just-" he holds up the plaster "It has to go right underneath my eyebrow, and…" He feels around the edges and then points at a side "This has to be on top".

The instructor takes the plaster and smiles softly, even though they're pretty sure he can't see it right now "I'll do my best".

Qifrey's smile looks more hesitant "Alright… and uhm- don't jump at the sight, okay? It doesn't hurt, it just looks ugly".

"Okay"

He pushes the hair away that's covering his right eye and (name) stares for just a mere second. His eye is closed, but some jagged scars are found going through the closed lid. Luckily, he said that it wasn't painful even though it looks like it. It probably was very painful when it happened.

They carefully place the top of the patch right underneath Qifrey's eyebrow, and then press it down along the side of his nose, then on the other side of his eyesocket and finally the cheekbone.

"Done" (name) says "I think that's it. How does it feel?"

"I think it's good, thank you" he says, pressing his fingertips to it clumsily.

"No problem" they say and watch how he puts his glasses back on, his gaze immediately going back into focus.

(name) smiles at him.

There's something in his expression that shifts, and he smiles back, almost relieved.

(name) walks back to the pool, suddenly feeling their cheeks warm up but wanting to ignore it "I think I want to teach you how to start moving through the water".

The man is still seated on the bench as he looks taken aback "What?".

"Your floating is looking pretty good, and when you can float, you can also swim. Look".

Lying down on their stomach, (name) first floats for a few seconds before gently starting to kick their legs, right-left-right-left-right.

Still on the bench, Qifrey peers at them from his spot "That seems… doable". He doesn't sound very convinced, but his determination is winning the battle against his disgust of water more and more often.

"Do you want to try?" the instructor asks.

Qifrey nods and enters the water too, kneeling and holding out his hands.

Automatically, (name) takes his hands in theirs "Before you lie down-".

He halts, gaze flicking up at them.

"I want you to push against my hands by moving forward. So put your hands against mine and try push me away by swimming".

When Qifrey first starts out, it looks clumsy and the movements are stiff. He sits up after just three seconds.

"What- how do you do that?"

"Kick your feet".

"Yes, but- how".

"Imagine kicking off your shoes in the hallway, after coming home from work or something" (name) explains "It's similar". They lie down on their front, and start to show it to him slowly, and then picks up the pace, swimming for a few metres.

Qifrey tries it again, and again. Slowly but surely, (name) starts to feel pressure against their hands.

"There you go" they say when he comes back up again.

"Was that it?"

"Did you feel yourself moving forward?"

He nods.

"Then you got it. Try it without my hands. I'm going to sit a little bit back, and I want you to swim towards me, when you hit my hands you can sit up again".

Bit by bit, they work together to extend the length Qifrey can kick with his face in the water.

"Well done" (name) tells him when it's time "Go tell your…" they fall silent for merely a second, not sure what Olruggio is to Qifrey "Tell Olruggio that you managed to actually swim today".

Qifrey smiles, clearly proud of himself "I will… and (name)".

"Hm?"

"Thanks again" he says.

(name) feels their cheeks warm up a little "No problem, see you next week".

~~~

When Hannarah goes into the pool and starts to practice, (name) decides to move on to Nona, giving Qifrey a little more time. But even still, after helping Nona understand the timing of her backstroke technique, he's not in the water yet.

He's still staring at the floor when (name) approaches, looking up at him. "Hi, how are you doing today?"

"I'm alright" Qifrey answers, glancing shortly at the other's eyes "Just… not…".

"How about you use the stairs today?" (name) offers "Take it literally step by step".

His blue eye flickers over to the stairs. "I can try".

"Go right ahead".

When (name) visits him again, he's sitting on the third step. The water wades around his waist, his knees peeking above the surface as he's curled himself up, but he doesn't look satisfied with his progress.

(name) goes to sit next to him, leaving a healthy amount of space between them "Did you have a nice day today?"

Qifrey looks up "Oh… uhm… yeah I did. Got a lot of work done, which was needed".

"That's nice. I can understand that that's a weight off your shoulders".

"How was yours?" he counters.

(name) tilts their head "It was alright. Still had to do some administrative work from yesterday. We give private lessons on Tuesday and some things have changed in the system so I wanted to do it at home instead of on my tiny tablet".

Qifrey stretches his long legs out in front of him, his hands resting on the step he's sitting on "You give private classes too?"

"Yes" they answer with a quick nod "Those are usually for the kids with special needs".

"Really? I didn't know you also did that".

"It's great. It's challenging but also very rewarding, just like this" (name) gestures at the pool in front of them "I've been teaching kids since I started working here. Teaching adults is a very different thing from teaching children. But since I started doing this a few years ago, taking over from my collegue who was leaving, I learned a lot".

There's a moment of silence between them.

(name) turns their head to notice Qifrey's watching them. He quickly turns his head away, but his smile lingers "You seem to have a lot of fun. And I get it, teaching is a rewarding job even when it's difficult".

"It's important to have fun at your job" they say, going down the steps again to give Hannarah a tip about her head position in the water that they've noticed. "Try to do your breathing exercises, okay?"

The class wasn't as much of an success for Qifrey as it was last time, but he tried anyway, and (name) still told him he did a good job. Even though he didn't really believe he did.

~~~

It's Saturday, (name)'s usual and longest workday of the week.

Dripping water onto the reception floor after giving classes from 8am until 12.30am, they approach their collegue behind the computer "Hey, how has it been?".

A few months ago, the manager approached (name) to ask if they are interested in taking on a leading role on the days that he can't be there, as his wife is pregnant with their first child and he has to be home more often. Now, right after classes, they help out the reception with any emails they receive from parents or other matters that have to do with the classes.

"Saturday mornings are always such a chaos, but I survived!" Ana answers, the standard receptionist on Saturday.

"Good to hear, any things I need to help with?"

"Not really, maybe later, after the private classes, but I do have one email that has to do with your classes on Wednesday evening. You should read it, it's from someone called… Qu-Quee-"

"Qifrey?"

"Yes".

The receptionist shows the instructor the screen and they open the mail.

Sir/Madam, My name is Qifrey, I'm one of (name)'s students on the adult swimming classes. Due to the circumstances I'm having a lot of trouble with my progess. I have been talking with the teacher and learned that they also teach private lessons. This is probably only reserved for children, but I still want to ask if it's a possibility for me to do that, instead of joining in the classes on Wednesday evening. Even if it's temporary, I think it would already help a lot. My experience with (name) is very positive and I hope they also understand my situation and want to continue teaching me, especially after we accidentally already had a lesson one-on-one two weeks ago. I found it really helped me and I assume it would help me further. Please consider this request. Thank you. Qifrey.

(name) tilts their head, re-reading the mail. It's true that he made significant progress while one-on-one.

They scratch the back of their head and turns to Ana "Do you have spots opening up anytime soon for the private lessons on Saturdays?"

"Not for a long time, the waiting list seems endless" the receptionist answers, before turning to a family that want to buy tickets to the recreational pool.

Staring at the screen, (name) thinks for a moment, before looking at the schedule on wednesday evening. Then, after confirming the time, they begin to write a response.

Hello Qifrey, Thank you for your email. I have considered your questions and looked at the schedule. The half hour before your usual class starts (at 6:45pm) is empty, so it's possible that you can follow a private lesson in that period (so starting at 6:15pm). Any other timeslots or possibilities aren't open because of a large waiting list or scheduling issues. We can see if the private lessons help for the upcoming weeks and based on that take further actions, to either stay or go back to the group. Do consider the price will be higher if you want to follow a private lesson (or multiple). With kind regards, (name)

"What do you think of this?" the instructor asks and turns the computerscreen to Ana.

It takes a moment until she's done, and she lifts her head in surprise "Are you open to coming in earlier?".

(name) shrugs "Yes, I can see the use in private lessons for him so I want to try it out. If it works, we keep going, and if it doesn't have much effect after all, we can just go back".

"If you're sure".

"Yeah".

"Alright then, send it. I'll let you know when I get a response" Ana says with a nod and (name) clicks the botton.

~~~

"Shit shit shit shit shit" They shouldn't run, but they still do as they go through the hallways of the swimming pool.

The familiar white hair of Qifrey is the first thing (name) notices when they enter the showering area that's right before the entrance to the actual pool area's. His arms are crossed, hands holding on to his elbows as he peers through the glass. He's watching the teenagers from the swimming club practice their butterfly technique.

(name) pushes the glass door open "I'm so sorry!"

Qifrey startles and turns as the instructor catches their breath for a second before rambling.

"When I wanted to leave on my bike I turned around the corner and my front tire busted because there was a nail on the cycling lane. So I had to put my bike back, get up to my apartment for my car keys and then drive here, but then there was traffic because someone crashed their scooter so we all had to go around and- anyway- I'm here!"

"Don't worry, the lady at the reception already told me you weren't there yet when I came in, so I thought I should wait here" Qifrey says "I'm already glad you're willing to come in earlier for me. Thank you".

(name) smiles, relieved he doesn't seem disappointed they're late for their very first official one-on-one class. "It's no problem at all".

They fumble with their keys as they unlock the door.

"Welcome in" they say, stepping through themselves and dropping their tablet on the bench and shedding their bathrobe from their shoulders. Qifrey puts his towel down too.

(name) sighs at all the materials thrown across the poolside. "I'm very sorry for the mess, usually I clean it up before class start but I didn't have time for that. I'll put the floor up to 40 centimetres again while cleaning".

Tapping onto the display, they set the machinery to move the bottom of the pool to 40cm.

They notice how Qifrey follows what they're doing over their shoulder. "Oh, so you move the floor using that?".

"Yes, they have a whole new system. Previously I had to hold a button to make it move, so I couldn't move from my spot. Now, we can just enter the depth we want and the floor moves on it's own" (name) says, stepping a bit to the side to show him the panel.

"That's smart"

"It's great"

"How does… the floor move?"

(name) smiles, having expected this question "The pool is one large basin with a depth of two metres, what you see moving is a layer held in place by many chains. Those chains pull the floor down, or release to let it float up. It can even go diagonally if you want".

The man looks impressed, making the instructor grin. They then move to clean up the materials while Qifrey stands on the edge, watching the pool change shape. "It's done".

"You can already go in if you want, I'm just finishing up here".

(name) walks around the pool, picking up all the flexi-beams and putting them in the container they belong in. They then kneel to gather some of the sinking toys and drop them in the box, before lifting it up to put it in the materials closet.

Qifrey is seated on the edge, glancing at the water when (name) stands up and makes their way over to the pool too, stepping in and plopping down to sit on a random spot with a deep sigh.

"I was thinking of… doing those bubbles again… and maybe float too" Qifrey says, making eye contact again.

"I was thinking the same" (name) says with a grin "Great minds think alike".

The man in front of them chuckles.

"So, we want to breathe out under water, as if blowing out a candle. Then, lift your mouth out of the water to breathe in again".

Qifrey nods, and gently slides into the water, sitting down and shifting to go on his knees.

(name) easily rolls over and props their head up using their elbows on the floor, takes a quick breath and lowers their mouth in the water.

It takes a while, but Qifrey, slowly but surely, can properly blow bubbles with his mouth. "It bubbles up into my nose though, that's very uncomfortable" he says with a frown.

"It is indeed" (name) says with a clear confirming nod "I also don't like it. But that's where the next step comes in. Removing water from spots you don't want water to be".

"In my case, it wouldn't even exist" he mumbles, but the instructor catches it and starts to laugh.

"Right- yes" they say, chuckling softly.

Qifrey is also smiling a little.

"But, we have to deal with it. Tolerate it"

"Tolerate it" he confirms "Right".

"So, when there's water in your mouth, you spit it out. When there's water in your nose you blow it out like you're blowing your nose in a tissue. Water in the eye is easy to remove by blinking, as it acts just the same as tears. We don't have an easy solution for the ears, though, those holes are simply open, sorry".

It's always nice to see people be so attentive and focussed, really wanting to learn even though they experience a lot of difficulties. Qifrey is nodding along to what (name) is explaining, and already tries it with his head lifted.

"So, try it out. Blow bubbles, let some water go into your nose. Lift your head up and then use your nose to blow out" (name) tells him, and then shows it.

They use the last 10 minutes of class to start floating.

"Do you want to do the back or the front?" (name) asks.

Qifrey fidgets with the ribbon on his wrist "Can you show me first?"

"Of course".

(name) lies down on their back, letting their ears dip in the water and pushing their belly up gently. "This is on the back, I can just lightly lift my body off of the floor. And on the back it looks similar, but my face is in the water instead."

Flipping around, they dip their face into the water and wait for five seconds before rolling over to the back again "Like that".

Qifrey's expression makes (name) grin a little. It's such a clear show of being uncomfortable, while also trying to keep a very neutral face at the same time.

"What are you thinking?" they ask.

"You make it look very easy, but even thinking of doing that makes me…" He pulls on his sleeve "Anxious".

"May I ask, is that because you're scared of what might happen? That it's still unknown? Or does it bring back memories? You said you had a traumatic experience".

"Yes, the… Well… both but mostly the last one. Especially if I have to lie down on the back".

(name) is wondering what happened, but doesn't want to pry. It's something he clearly wants to avoid talking about, so pushing into it is not going to work.

"Then, do you want to start on the front?".

Qifrey stares at the water again, almost dissociating.

They know how it feels to face a fear, so they tread with caution. "We don't have to do this right now" (name) tells him after a moment.

His gaze flicks up. A blue eye meeting theirs.

They keep their voice calm and low "Some pressure is alright, but I don't want to actively push you into doing anything. And I also don't want you to push yourself too hard. I don't want to make the fear worse by triggering it".

The man shifts, sitting cross-legged in the water.

"I want to get over this… But… I don't know how".

"Slowly, very slowly. It's about building trust" (name) tells him "Trust in yourself, mostly. But it also means you have to trust me a little at first too. I'm your support, I keep you safe, and you have to trust me in doing my job. Then, you will also build trust in yourself by succeeding in exercises. Just like that, you'll learn how to swim".

(name) also crosses their legs as they continue "If you need anything from me, tell me. To hold you while you try something, or let go. To keep talking or stay quiet. Whatever feels right".

Qifrey nods.

"I'll think about it".

A soft smile plays on the instructor's lips. "Great".

They clance at the clock and sigh "It's already time. Well done".

The corner of Qifrey's lip curls up just slightly "Thank you". He pauses, kneels and straightens up "Really, thanks for all the effort".

(name) dismisses it gently, unable to take any compliments or anything similar to it "It's my job, it's alright. I wouldn't offer this if I wasn't convinced it would help. You're doing fantastic, so keep it up".

They get out of the water together and Qifrey grabs his towel. (name) starts to tap in the depth of the floor for the next class and turns to the man beside them, who is throwing his towel over his shoulders. "Same time next week?"

"Yes, have a nice evening, Qifrey"

Making his way through the streets, luckily it's very calm at the moment, he goes to the library.

Olruggio told him to wait outside, so they could go onto an adventure in the outside world again.

With his hands underneath his cloak, thumbs twiddling, Qifrey waits. People pass by as the day goes on calmly in the Great Hall. Until-

"Boo!"

Qifrey yelps, his shoulders tensing up before he turns his head and glares at the boy right behind his shoulder.

"Got ya". Olruggio is grinning, but his eyes look tired and his nose is red, just like his cheeks.

Qifrey wanted to tell him off on scaring him, but the look on his face makes him ask if he's okay.

"Oh, it's just a bit of a cold" Olruggio dismisses, waving the problem away with a hand. Right after, he sniffles.

"You sure?" Qifrey asks, and his friend nods. "Okay, just say it if you want to turn back. You look a little sick".

"I'll be fine".

With one last glance, a light blue eye meeting darker ones, they start walking towards the large stairway.

"Let's go to that place again, in the Naakiwan Downs" Olruggio says, running ahead after going through the windowway.

"S-sure" Qifrey says.

Both of them put their feet together, activating the seal under their shoes and flying off.

The last time they were there, it was nighttime. Stars twinkling high above them and the horizon stretching far and wide. Now, the sun is high in the sky, accompanied with some clouds, and the grass is lush and green.

"Wow, this tree is perfect to climb!" Olruggio says, running up to a tree as they make their way through a small forest.

"You're going up into the tree?" Qifrey squints against the sunlight that passes through the leaves, and then he looks back at his friend.

The dark haired witch his already pulling himself up onto the first branch. He looks down, grinning. "Come on!"

Qifrey puts his hand on the bark of the tree, feeling the ridges underneath his palm. "How do you do that?"

"Grab onto here" Olruggio says, patting the branch he's already standing on, and then he points to the branch right in front of Qifrey "And then step onto there, and pull yourself up".

With some help and instructions, both boys end up sitting in the tree, swinging their legs.

"This is fun" the white haired witch says, looking around.

"Right?" Olruggio says. He then shifts and leans backwards.

Qifrey watches with a widened eye how his friend dangles upside down, his legs hooking around the tree tightly. "Tadaa!"

"Aren't you going to fall?"

"No, I've done this many times before. It's-" As Olruggio tries to sit upright again, his hand misses it's target on the branch. The grip around one leg also slips and the boy topples over to the ground with a loud shout.

Birds flee from the other tree and Qifrey gasps as he stares down at the ground. There was a flash of green magic. "Are you okay?!"

Carefully, still learning how to move around in a tree, Qifrey makes his way down. He kneels in front of Olruggio and puts his hands on the other's shoulders, checking for any injuries.

"Fine" Olruggio mumbles, wiping the dirt off his clothes "I used my sylph shoes in time".

"Oh" Qifrey says, impressed how quickly his friend was able to react "Okay".

The two young witches continue, deciding that it might not be smart to do all these tricks when Olruggio has a cold. They climb up one of the hills instead, and the old barn they've visited before appears on the other side.

"Let's take a break here" Olruggio says, sighing as he plops down onto the grass. He stretches his legs out in front of him, leaning back on his hands.

Qifrey's eye lingers on the delapidated building, wondering what had happened to it.

Olruggio sniffles again before he speaks up. "I get why you said you wanted to go and live here"

The white haired boy sits down too, pulling up his knees and wrapping his arms around them.

"It's beautiful at nighttime and in daylight" Olruggio continues.

It's true. Nature here looks amazing, the colours of the flowers almost seem to pop.

"First we have to graduate though" Qifrey notes "And I want to get my memories back".

"Of course" Olruggio tilts his head "But I'm sure we'll get it in one try, we're both smart, right?"

A smile tugs on the corner of Qifrey's lip "You think so?".

"I know so!" Olruggio says enthusiastically, but it's a bit too much, and he begins to cough.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm-" he coughs again "I'm good. I really wanted to go outside with you today".

Qifrey pats his friend gently on the back, not really sure what to do with those words.

"We'll work together, studying hard for our third and then our fourth test. And then we graduate and live out here" Olruggio says when he has recovered.

"We?"

Olruggio shrugs "Y-yeah, maybe it's best to stick together for the first few years".

That sounds logical, but something stirs in Qifrey anyway. Maybe those are the fuzzies Olruggio told him about a while back. Apparently it's normal, but he just has to get used to it.

It still feels very strange to him. The feeling stirs inside him, popping and almost slithering under his skin, moving through his whole body.

Suddenly, Qifrey is shoved to the side. It wasn't very harsh, but he almost topples over, caught off guard. "Olly!"

Laughing, Olruggio pokes him "Don't look so angry, you'll get wrinkles". Then, his eyes go wide "Did you just- did you call me Olly?"

"What?" Qifrey's cheeks begin to warm up "No".

"Yes you did" Olruggio chuckles.

"No- I- I was-"

An arm wraps around Qifrey's shoulders and Olruggio pulls him closer. "Just admit it, we're best friends".

They look at each other for a moment, the wind blowing and messing up their hair.

"Really?" Qifrey asks.

Olruggio shows off his grin again before answering "Yes, of course. I've never been this close with anyone except for you".

That fuzzy feeling is there again. Qifrey moves to sit upright, their shoulders brushing against each other. Olruggio's arm lingers behind his back. "Thanks… Olly".

Warm smiles appear on both of their faces and they look at the horizon once more.

Under the shadow of a fruit tree, in the middle of the Naakiwan Downs, the two best friends sit next to each other. One quietly dares to dream of a future, while the other rests his head on his best friend's shoulder.

When the sun started to set, the boys decided to head back. Olruggio started to fall asleep, and Qifrey was worried he was getting feverish.

"Aha"

Both young witches freeze on the spot when they hear Beldaruit. He's approaching them, looking unimpressed "Gone off again? What did I tell you boys? And Olruggio, your master is quite worried about you. He told me you had a cold and was told to stay in bed"

Qifrey looks down at the ground.

"It was my idea, master Beldaruit" Olruggio says.

Qifrey immediately lifts his head, his eye going wide.

"I wanted to get some fresh air… because… because I thought that would be good for my health"

Beldaruit sighs, something softer seeping into his features "Alright, but shouldn't you let anyone know? Your master? Or even better, you should visit the medical spire?"

"Uhm" Olruggio scratches the back of his head "Y-yeah… maybe… for next time".

Nodding, Beldaruit steps aside "Well, let's go back. It's almost dinnertime as well".

The two boys glance at each other, their heads low as they know they'll both get an earful seperately after dinner too.

But, then, almost at the same time, they grin at each other. Because it was always worth it.

Although- two days later Qifrey had a cold too.

~~~

(name) can't help but grin as they listen to his explanation how he ended up here. "That's one way to convince each other".

Qifrey laughs softly, but it slowly fades away and he tilts his head "Although I'm not really succeeding".

"What do you mean?"

"I haven't really been learning anything".

(name) looks over to Lolan, who is concentrating on his own exercise. He's still doing his thing, good. "Well, right now I'm also not really focussed on teaching you anything. I first want you to feel comfortable".

He shakes his head, white hair waving along with the movement "I feel like I'll never become comfortable in the water".

"Maybe tolerable is a better word" (name) corrects themselves, glancing back at the man beside them "I want you to tolerate the water".

It takes a moment, but Qifrey smiles softly. "That sounds more realistic".

(name) smiles "I think so too".

They hop back into the water, some drops that fly up due to the movement fall onto Qifrey's trunks, making him pull a face. "I'm going to check up on Lolan" they say, and dip underwater, putting their feet against the wall and pushing off.

Blowing the air out of their nose, they come up and swim the rest of the way towards Lolan with their head above the water. They talk together for a little while, as (name) tells him he's ready to go to the next level. He's glad, but also nervous now that he'll start to swim in the deep pool as during that class the floor will be moved down. (name) then gives him the next exercise to do, giving an example and explaining what they're doing with their arms and legs to get the result they want.

When (name) swims over to the side to clean up the materials Lolan has used, and then goes across the pool, they notice how Qifrey is watching them. Deciding to ignore it, (name) continues to clean up from the pool, diving underwater to pick up a cone that they used to help Lolan with diving down to the floor, and swims across.

They then decide, as class is almost finished, to go back to Qifrey one more time before wishing him a good evening.

"You move very gracefully in the water" Qifrey says when (name) pops their head out of the water again and swims over to him "It's very nice to see".

"Oh- uhm- thank you" (name) mumbles, moving their arm through the water in a wavy motion "Moving slowly and precisely is important if you want to swim well. It's about control and technique, not raw muscle power".

Qifrey smiles "Good thing I'm not a body builder or something".

(name)'s eyes glance over at his torso and arms. He's thin, but not necesarrily frail. There's some nice muscle tone from what they can see through the sticky swimshirt. Then they realise they shouldn't stare for too long.

Smiling back quickly, (name) leans against the side of the pool "Yeah. Uhm- Anyways, time is up".

"Right". The smile on his lips fades.

"Well done today" the instructor comments, making him look back at them.

"Yes… thanks…" he mumbles "See you next week".

"Bye bye, have a nice evening".

Qifrey stands up and nods "You too".

When everyone is gone, (name) uses the stairs to get out of the water.

They're done with classes as no one else applied for the classes. It's probably due to the holiday week, and most adults are gone for a few weeks with their family or friends.

With their hair still damp, but the rest drying pretty fast due to the warm atmosphere, (name) walks towards the reception to communicate that Lolan will be moving to another timeslot.

There, as they are chatting to postpone the cleaning that (name) has to do until her shift ends at 10pm, Qifrey passes by.

"Bye, sir" Ruth says, and he waves back with a kind smile, and then looks surprised to see (name) there as well, before smiling again.

Olruggio, who has been sitting on the couch in the entrance hall, stands up and waits for Qifrey to catch up with him. "How did it go?".

"It was alright".

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

When (name) noticed that in their first hour they'd only have Qifrey, they immediately had an idea.

They sit in the water, near the edge of the pool, waiting for the man to arrive. (name) guesses he's around their age, probably a bit older but not by too much.

Sitting back, leaning on their hands and stretching their legs, the instructor is looking at the new decorational stickers they put on the windows.

The automatic door clicks. A soft "Huh?" follows right after.

(name) turns their head and a grin plays on their lips "Welcome".

"What happened to the pool?" Qifrey asks, looking stunned.

"I made it shallow" the instructor answers with a grin, pointing at the depth display on the wall near the clock "40 centimetres".

Dropping his towel on the bench, beside (name)'s bathrobe, Qifrey still seems confused.

"I saw you were the only one in this class today, so then it's easier to adapt the floor to the person's needs. And I think this is perfect to start with right now, and I can always move it to something else if you want".

Qifrey stands on his usual spot on the edge of the pool, looking down at the floor. With one hand on the railing, he lowers himself to sit. The stairs are basically useless now.

(name) twists their legs back and forth, letting their toes point outwards and then inwards, and then out again. Out of the corner of their eye, they can see how Qifrey, slowly and gently, brings a foot into the water.

It reaches until his shins as his foot lands on the floor. And after taking a breath, he adds the next one before sitting down on the floor like (name).

(name) simply smiles at him, already feeling pride swell up in their chest. "Milestone".

Qifrey chuckles softly, probably because of the nerves. "I promised Olly I'd actually get into the water today".

(name)'s smile turns into a playful grin "Aha… and what does he need to do?".

"Extra reps".

They both genuinely chuckle.

(name) shifts, bending their legs a little and leaning with their elbows on their knees "Well, you succeeded. Well done".

Qifrey nods.

"Putting the water shallow is actually a great way to learn the basics of swimming" they start to explain "You can learn how to be around water, practice breathing techniques and start to learn how to float".

(name) shifts again, kneeling "So, my main focus is to let you be able to sit in the water. And if you think you can handle it, you can pick whatever you want to try and practice. Breathing or floating or maybe something else you can think of".

Qifrey looks at the water again, uneasy.

"Let me remind you that this is a controlled environment, and that it's a safe space. Nothing is wrong here…" that makes (name) pause "Well, almost nothing. There's an exeption to anything".

Qifrey's eye shifts back to (name) "Like what?".

"We never push someone into the water, even with their consent" (name) states.

"Right, that seems fair".

(name) nods "Luckily that's not going to be a problem now".

Qifrey moves his hands around as he watches the water slosh around him. He crosses his legs and then cups his hands together, bringing the water up and then letting it seep through his fingers back into the pool. "So… About those… things… to practice".

"Floating or breathing?"

"Yes" Qifrey looks up at (name) "What does that… entail?"

"Floating means that you literally float in the water. It's either on the back, or front, depending on what you want" (name) explains "Then breathing is also important. As humans, we can't breathe under water. So as soon as either our mouth or nose, or both of them, go under the water surface, we need to adjust our breathing".

While they're explaining, Qifrey is cupping the water in his hands and is pushing the water back and forth gently. Without him noticing, he's already learning a little about creating currents in the water by moving.

"Whenever you go under water, you want to breathe out, so when you lift your head out, you only have to breathe in".

"Okay, I think…" Qifrey shifts a little, his expression too as he kneels, his legs now fully under water. "I think I want to try breathing".

"Perfect".

(name) holds up a finger "First, we focus on the mouth. Breathe in, and then imagine blowing out a candle". They breathe in through their mouth and then purses their lips to focus breathing out the air to the tip of their finger. "Like that".

Qifrey imitates them, easily, as they expected.

"Yes, just like that. Try it a few times. And then we move on to the water, still doing the same".

(name) already does, laying down on their stomach, propping their upper body up by their elbows. They begin to blow bubbles in the water, keeping their mouth just under the surface.

Qifrey looks a bit difficult when he sees what (name) is doing. Lowering himself, very slowly, he also settles down, but keeps his head fully out.

"Is it okay with my glasses?"

"Yes, only some droplets can hit it, we can always clean those after. But if you want, you can take them off and put them on the side".

"Ehm… No- I- I do need them" Qifrey says.

"Alright, then you keep them on. You don't have to go with your whole face in the water if you don't want to yet. We can start with just your mouth".

Closing his eye, small wrinkles appear around it, and he lowers his head a little. Just when his lower lip touches the water, he splutters and pushes himself up, kneeling and gasping for air, and coughing.

(name) sits up as well, observing but also calmly talking to him to keep breathing.

"That was-"

"Your first try, well done".

One widened eye lands on the instructor.

They nod "It was, wasn't it? You tried it, and that's what counts. I'm proud of that".

His shoulders sag and he looks down, hands balled into fists on his shorts.

A moment of silence falls before he speaks up again. "I must be your slowest student ever".

"I don't mind" (name) says with a shrug "My job is to teach someone how to swim, no matter how long it takes. No matter what issue arises. I've been doing this for almost 8 years, and I'm just as determed as I was from the start to help everyone I meet in my classes. Maybe even more".

"You… You've been doing this for 8 years?" Qifrey asks, shocked "How old are you?" He then seems to remember himself "Sorry- you don't have to tell me- that was inappropriate of me".

(name) chuckles "No worries, you're not the first to ask. I'm 25, I started when I was 18".

"Really?"

(name) nods "I learned swimming when I was young, kept doing it throughout my life, then got a job here at the pool. And now we're here".

Humming, Qifrey shifts in the water. "Olruggio was searching for a proper teacher when I gave in to following swimming classes, and got a recommendation to go here, to go to the young instructor on wednesday evening".

He looks over at them. "Seems like I indeed got the right person".

(name) smiles, feeling bashful. "I'm glad to hear that".

Qifrey takes a few deep breaths before lying back down on his front.

"You want to try again?" (name) asks and the man nods.

They do this for a little while, also trying out the nose, but that catches the man even further off guard, so he moves back to try blowing bubbles his mouth.

(name) notices near the end of class that the dark haired man, Olruggio, is peeking through the automatic glass door. They don't say anything about it, keeping their focus on Qifrey and giving him tips and encouragement.

When they get out of the pool and (name) quickly moves to the panel to start moving the floor down (as it goes very, very slowly and soon the next person will arrive).

Behind them, they hear Qifrey and Olruggio talk.

"Did you really come here again to check up on me?"

"Yes, clearly" Olruggio says with a chuckle.

"You got some nerve, I'm now doubting if you even did any extra reps".

"I did, I promise"

Qifrey hums, clearly unconvinced.

The banter between the two makes (name) laugh softly, but they hide it by taking a sip from their waterbottle.

"Have a nice evening, (name)" Qifrey says, and they turn to face him. "Thank you for the lesson today, really. It helped a lot".

"I'm glad. See you next week?"

"Yes" he says with a small smile "Goodbye".

Olruggio is already in the dooropening, but looks back to hold his hand up just like before. (name) also waves at him, until he moves out of sight.

~ ~~~ ~

Stopping at the trafficlight, (name) turns the volume down from the radio, the sound of their old car coming back to the foreground. Right at that moment, the light turns green and they shift their feet on the pedals to get the car rolling.

As the car turns onto the parking lot, they have to squint against the sun. It's already setting, as it's right after dinner when (name)'s work starts. Wednesday is their only day they have to work in the evening, instead of during the day.

Bag, keys, waterbottle, phone. They glance around the car twice to make sure they don't forget anything. "Let's go" they say to themselves before getting out of the car and locking it.

The large revolving door moves slowly, but eventually (name) gets through and holds their hand up to the receptionist. "Hi Ruth, enjoy your meal".

The older lady behind the desk just put a fork full of salad in her mouth and she quickly covers it before speaking "Thank you, (name)".

Scanning their card in front of the gate, it makes a short beeping sound before it opens and lets them through.

"I updated the list of candidates for you" Ruth says, gesturing to her computer in front of her "You can see it on your tablet later, but you got someone new starting in your N1 group. They applied last week but because you already have a spot I immediately invited them".

"Oh, great, alright. It's been quiet, huh?"

Adult swimming classes are a whole different setup compared to regular classes for children. Some people are very dedicated to learn and follow the full program, coming in every week to get either their swimming certificate. Other people only come in to learn a specific kind of technique, or only to learn what to do if they fall into the water for survival's sake. Other people try it out, but then leave after a few classes for whatever reason. Usually work, or it turns out they're not interested after all.

While the kid's swimming classes are usually full because many parents put their children on this sport for safety reasons, the adults usually come in waves. There are some moments where there's a waiting list, and some moments like now that the classes aren't full and no one applies.

"It has been, I told my manager we should try and recruit again" Ruth says.

(name) shrugs "We'll see. It comes and goes". They still remember when they started doing this 4 years ago on the wednesday evening, that there was a huge waiting list. The instructor before them apparently wasn't very fast in teaching people how to swim, and (name)'s manager praised them almost all the way up to heaven when, within 4 months of taking over the old instructor's classes, they already had a group of people going for their exam.

Walking through the next set of doors, they make their way through the building, to the staff room.

Downstairs are 3 pools, one large 50 meter long pool for swimming classes, lane swimming or other water sports. Then, there's a recreational pool with two slides and a long lazy river. Lastly, there's a (much smaller in comparison to the other two pools) warm water basin. A square, 15 by 15 metres, warmed up to 34 degrees and with an adjustable floor. This pool is used for classes for elderly, baby's and disabled people and the only place where adult classes are available as the usual 50m pool is in use of a swimming competition club.

Upstairs in the buidling is a gym. It all falls under the same name, but (name) rarely ever sees the people working there, or ever goes there by themselves. They have the possibility to go there for free, but they don't use it often. Their work already makes them exercise enough already in their opinion.

(name) quickly changes into their work attire, the colours turqoise and black standard in their uniform. They stretch their arms and move around a little before putting on their bathrobe over their swimming clothes.

Before class starts, they first have to set things up properly. Tapping around on their personal worktablet, they make their way over to the small pool. When they were a child, they already followed swimming classes here, and now that they've been working here for almost 10 years, they can almost walk through the hallways blindfolded.

Unlocking the glass door to the pool and tapping the button on the side to open it, they take in how the previous swimming instructor has left it behind.

A sigh escapes through (name)'s lips.

Dropping their tablet onto the white benches along the wall, they start to clean up the mess, only leaving the things on the side that they would probably need.

Class is indeed going to be relatively quiet when (name) checks their tablet again.

They have 3 levels coming in every wednesday. To get to your first certificate, there are different things people have to learn, and that is set into 2 different sections.

First, people have to learn the basics, acclimatisation to water, floating, and low-level swimming strokes.

Then, in the second section, people will learn how to swim in deeper water, advancing the strokes they already learned. (name) also sometimes lets the people come in with their clothes to let them experience how it feels to actually swim with clothes on if they get into the situation that they fall into the water.

The last level they teach is even further advanced, for people that want to develop further on their strokes and want to eventually move on to other swimming sports.

In their first level, they'll get 3 people. The man, Lolan, has been coming in regularly for a while now and is making great progress. The woman, Nona, is still quite nervous to swim on her back so (name) wants to expand on that a little more. And then a new name is added to the list. They have to read the name a few times before they're pretty sure they'll pronounce it correctly, but they'll probably let the person say their name first during the introduction.

With all the materials set up along the side of the pool, (name) moves over to the panel next to the closet. Turning the key in the panel and then pressing height the want the floor at, they move the adjustable floor of the pool until 1.20m. Nona is quite short, and they don't know how tall the new person will be, so they'll just stick to the usual depth.

A click is heard behind them, the familiar sound of the automatic door that they unlocked a few minutes ago opening smoothly.

A man in his 50's enters, smiling at (name) and putting a towel on the bench right beside where they put their own bathrobe.

"Good evening, Lolan. Just wait for a moment, I'm still moving the floor".

"No worries, I'm always a bit early, you know me" the man says, always cheerful.

(name) smiles softly and turns their gaze back to the panel. It only takes a few centimetres more, and then they lock it again by turning the key back. "Alright".

"Thank you, madam!"

Their smile turns into a tighter one as Lolan passes them to get to the stairs.

Nona enters right after, saying a soft hello before getting into the pool.

Usually, (name) jumps in too, but because someone has their first class, they prefer to stay out until they arrive to give a proper introduction on the side of the pool.

Watching Nona and Lolan get to their individual exercises and already giving the man a tip about the position of his feet, they wait for the last person to enter.

It doesn't take too long until the automatic door clicks again, swinging open. (name) turns their head and puts up their usual smile "Welcome in, are you here for the adult swimming class?".

A man, taller than (name), walks in. He's wearing black swimming trunks with a single thick white stripe along the sides, and a tight black swimshirt with long sleeves. "Yes, good evening".

(name) also notes how nervous he seems to be, glancing at the water with one blue eye. The other is obscured by his white hair, and what seems to be a black patch. He's also wearing glasses, one glass blacked out while the other looks like a normal prescription.

"It's nice to meet you, my name is (name) and I'll be your instructor" they say, stepping closer to the man.

Used to the different cultures they meet during this work, they don't immediately offer a hand to shake. But he does offer a hand, so (name) reciprocates.

"I'm Qifrey, it's nice to meet you too. You're the usual teacher?"

(name) nods.

He nods in response.

The instructor glances to the side to check up on their two students before looking back "How are you feeling? Is this your first time swimming or do you already have some experience?".

Something flickers in his eye, but Qifrey answers rather quick. "It's my first time actually swimming, I never did it before… but uhm…" he scratches the back of his head "That's because I don't like water".

"Alright, that's good to know. Can you tell me why?" (name) asks, glancing to the pool again and then to Qifrey "It will help me gauge how to help you best".

"I- I experienced something traumatic"

"Do you mind sharing with me?"

The man fidgets with the sleeve of his swimshirt.

"It's alright if you are not comfortable with that. I'm just asking so I know what to look out for and approach certain situations with extra caution".

He meets the instructor's gaze for a moment "I almost drowned when I was younger".

It's not the first time they've heard about people having an experience like that. These are very delicate cases and they take a lot of time, especially because the people have to get over their fear and boundaries that they've set for themselves.

"I'm very sorry to hear that" (name) tells him genuinely, their brows furrowing "I understand that such an experience would make you feel uncomfortable being in or even around water".

Qifrey nods, barely visible to anyone except (name) who is close enough to see it.

They take a step to the side to be more in his view "I'll tell a little more about how these classes are set up".

He meets their gaze again, listening.

"These are group classes, but I teach everyone individually. That means that there can be up to 6 adults in the class at the same time, but I don't teach everyone at the same time. It rarely happens that I call everyone together to teach something to everyone at once, because everyone has their own learning curve and learns at a different pace. During the 45 minutes, everyone practices individually, while I walk around and give pointers or explanations. If you need help, you can always shout to get my attention, and it's my job to keep everyone safe so I usually have an eye on everyone at all times". (name) rambles, having done this routine many times before.

They gesture to the side "The pool is set up so everyone's able to stand on the floor, as this is the starting level where you learn how to move around in the water. Right now it's on 1 meter and 20 centimeter. Whenever you're ready, you can go into the water using the stairs, or you can slide into the water by sitting down on the edge".

"Thank you, eh-".

"(name)".

"Yes, thank you, (name)".

The instructor smiles kindly and then steps towards the pool, using the stairs that move along with the floor to get into the water.

In the corner of their eye, they see Qifrey hesitantly walk over to the stairs too. But instead of using it to go into the water, he uses the railing for stability, looking at the pool by standing at the side of it.

"The water is 34 degrees, so it's nice and warm" they note as they pass Qifrey, walking through the water to get to Nona to tell her what they're planning on practicing with her today "Take your time to get into the water and I'll be with you shortly".

After helping Nona, they then move on to Lolan, giving him a challenging exercise to build up more strength in his legs so swimming the breaststroke will become easier.

When (name) glances at Qifrey, he's still on the side of the pool. He's sitting down now, but is looking around, clearly uncomfortable.

Swimming across the pool, (name) dives down for a moment to fully get their hair and body wet after only having the back of their hair a little wet due to the exercises they showed to Nona. When coming up, (name) pushes a hand through their hair and blinks the water out of their face.

Qifrey notices them approach. He has his arms wrapped around his legs, just a toe touching the water when a wave pushes far enough to reach. "Sorry, I'm not sure if I can do this".

(name) watches him for a moment, but shakes their head "No need to be sorry. What happened isn't nothing. If you need time to adjust, please take it. Everyone moves at their own pace here. And this is a safe space to do just that. And I'm here to help, support and guide".

The man nods, and gazes at the water once more.

(name) moves to sit down on the edge beside him, keeping almost a full arm of space between them. "Can I ask, do you also have difficulty showering because of the water?"

"I'm not fond of it, but I do it because it's necessary, of course".

"Alright, that's good to know" (name) says with a nod, and then glances at him "Then I assume you wash your hands as well?"

For the first time, the man chuckles softly "Yes".

"Good, then let's wash our hands first".

With their legs still dangling in the water, (name) puts their hands in the water too as if they're washing them with soap in a sink.

In the corner of their eye, they see Qifrey watch them closely.

(name) glances back "Go on, try it out. We're going to start with things you're already familiar with".

Crossing his legs, the man bends a little to slowly stick his hand in the water. "This is quite a nice temperature".

Smiling, (name) nods. They watch his other hand join, and slowly begin to move, as if he's washing his hands.

Slowly but surely, (name) makes him put the water onto the sleeves of his shirt, then on his legs, and the rest of his shirt. Lastly, his face. He still looks uneasy, but he's not dry anymore.

"Do you think you're ready to go in the pool, now that you've gotten a little bit used to the water?"

Immediately, his whole body locks up. His expression changes too. (name) clocks it immediately as anxiety, fear.

"There's no pressure, it was just a question" they state "Do you want to try? You can use the stairs to slowly go in, step by step".

Qifrey shakes his head "I think… not".

"You can also stay over here and let your legs dangle just like what I've been doing" they say, letting their legs sway back and forth.

"Yeah… I'll do that". The man shifts and sinks his legs into the water, waves lapping at his knees.

"Alright, I'm going to help out the others and then come back".

(name) slips back into the pool and swims over to Lolan.

Eventually, class ends and the next person already enters, sitting down on the bench and waving over at (name). They wave back "Hi, nice to see you again, Randall".

The instructor finishes up with Nona and Lolan, wishing them a good evening, before moving over to Qifrey, who is still seated on the same spot.

"Well done today".

He frowns a little, staying silent for a moment before responding with a soft "Yeah".

"Qifrey!"

(name) looks up in surprise when they hear a rough voice come from the door. A man, clearly coming from the gym upstairs, holds up a white towel "I got your towel, it was still in my bag. How did you forget such a thing?".

"Ah, Olly" Qifrey stands up and moves towards the door. The man called Olly steps through the door, excusing himself to Nona, and pushing the towel into Qifrey's hands.

"How did your class go?" he asks, glancing at (name) before looking back.

Qifrey sighs "It was alright".

"Good".

"Did you do your exercises too?"

The black haired man laughs, putting his hand in his neck "Yes, yes. But it was pretty hard, not gonna lie".

(name) decides not to listen in any further, and turns around to welcome Randall into the pool. They give him a reminder of what they did last week and that they want to expand on it to work towards his upcoming exam, and that they'll soon move the floor down so they can practice properly.

"(name)".

They turn to the person who called their name, seeing Qifrey gently smile at them "Thank you, see you next week". The man beside him also holds a hand up in a simple gesture of goodbye.

"Bye, well done today! Have a nice evening" they respond, waving back and watching both men walk through the door.

~ ~~~ ~

Thank you for reading!