Drowning (MakoHaru) *HIATUS*

Chapter Five

"Haru-chan's sick?" Nagisa asked, latching himself into Makoto's arm.

"How sick, Makoto-senpai?" Rei asked, subsequent to the blonde's question.

"According to Aki-chan," Rei and Nagisa shared knowing looks. "He has a fever." Makoto confirmed.

"According to Fujioka-san? So you don't know yourself?" Rei pressed, baffled at Makoto's uncharacteristic behavior.

"Waah! Does Mako-chan not care for Haru-chan anymore!?" Nagisa exclaimed, unlatching himself from Makoto's arm, only to run around flapping his arms about. "Poor Haru-chan!"

"No!" Makoto cried. "It's not like that one bit!" Nagisa and Rei met eyes as if saying 'he truly knows nothing' to each other without speaking. "Aki-chan had to ask Haru something so they told me to go on ahead! I tried to stay, but then I realized that we'd be late and that if I stayed we would end up even later so by walking a bit, really slowly, it would help us get there faster, and," Makoto took a breath from his babbling, having said that all in one breath. "When Aki-chan came up to me he said Haru had a fever so he went home and dragged me to our class! I didn't have a choice!"

"Mako-chan?" Nagisa asked, a sly smile tugging at his lips. "Are you making excuses?" Makoto blinked, registering what Nagisa had said. Once it settled in, he started waving his arms around frantically.

"No!" Makoto cried. "No! Not at all! I just, I-I-"

"-should probably hurry over to check on Haruka-senpai, Makoto-senpai!" Rei sighed. "Honestly, Makoto-senpai, you should really watch the-"

"Time!" Makoto freaked. "Crap! I'm gonna be late back at this rate!" He whipped his head around, checking if he had left anything. He scrambled up from his sitting position and grabbed the other two swimmers' wrists, sprinting with the two in tow. He ignored Rei and Nagisa's complaints, his mind preoccupied at that given time.

Rei smirked as he kept the pace with Makoto's running. He readjusted his small red glasses that were sliding down his nose to their original spot perched on the bridge of his nose. His eyes shone, as he glanced at Nagisa. The little knowing half smile placed on Nagisa's face was beautiful. Nagisa was beautiful. The way he talked, the way he walked, the way he swam. Everything. Even his somewhat annoying random hugs he attacked the group with. Even his flaws were perfect.

Rei smiled, peeling his eyes off of his little penguin and planting them back to Makoto. The dense idiot knew nothing of Haru's love, and Haru seemed to want to keep it that way.

"Haruka senpai!" Rei had exclaimed hotly. "Your fascination towards Makoto-senpai is evident! Why haven't you confessed yet?!" Rei was fuming. The fact that the two second years clearly held romantic compassion towards each other yet was so blind to the other's love was infuriating. At least, it was to Rei.

"It's for the best, Rei." Haru stated, monotonously. He discarded his clothing, pushing passed Rei to get to the cold pool standing before him. Though, before he could get close, Rei had grabbed his forearm with a grin that seemed impossible to break free from.

"'For the best?'" Rei repeated, shocked. "You two clearly love each other! Even blind person can tell!" Seething, Rei glared daggers into Haru's cool, bored, eyes. "Why can't you see that, Haruka-senpai?!"

"Calm down. Makoto and Gou will hear you."

"I will most certainly not calm down! I-"

"Rei." Haru started, having enough. "Makoto doesn't love me. You can see it in his eyes when he talks. Mention me, his eyes will shine. Mention Fujioka, his eyes will dance. It's clearly love, and I don't care. Makoto's needs before mine."

"And what will happen to you in the meantime, Haruka-Senpai?" Rei inquired, curious as to how Haru would answer.

"I wait." Was all Haru uttered before breaking free of Rei's strong grasp and dove into the glistening surface of the pool.

He frowned slightly. He wouldn't just sit by and watch his friend suffer.

He had to think of a plan.

---

Haru blinked his crystal orbs, disoriented and in pain. The sleep still evident in his eyes, he clambered out of his small bed to see what the fuss was downstairs. He stumbled every few steps and his eyes threatened to close to send him into the world of dreams again, but preceded to wobble to the source of the noise.

Haru made out a few faint words of the conversation the people were having (Honestly, it was no surprise to him that those same voices belonged to none other than Makoto, Nagisa, and Rei) in his kitchen. He leaned on the wall for support, reaching the entrance to his dining room and kitchen.

"What are you all doing here?" He asked sleepily, his words slurring together. He had never been this sleepy, ever, so his own voice surprised him. He crossed his arms over his chest, watching the three boys freeze in their tracks.

"Haru-chan?"
"Haru?"
"Haruka-Senpai?"

All three asked in sync, dumbly.

"Who else would it be..?" Haru mumbled, trying to rub the sleep from his eyes. He gripped his bruised side and clenched his teeth as pain coursed through out his body. Drowsy but still mostly aware of his actions he stumbled towards his kitchen.

"I'll get... Tea.." He announced half asleep, moving with languid steps.

"No, really we're fine!" Makoto said, steering the somnolent dolphin away from the kitchen where one mistake could lead to injury. "If we want tea, I could get everyone some. Plus!" He added. "We came from lunch, so we don't need anything."

"Speak for y-" Nagisa tried before Rei slapped his hand over Nagisa's mouth, successfully muting the loudmouth. Rei watched as Makoto set Haru down at the table. For a moment he saw the glint Haru had said was only in Makoto's eyes when talking about Akihiko, but before he could think about it properly, it was gone.

"Haru, you should be resting, not getting up to do things!" Makoto scolded. Drearily, Haru looked up and locked eyes with Makoto. Through half lidded eyes, he watched Makoto baby him before he let his head droop and closed his eyes, slipping into unconsciousness yet again.