28 DAYS [MakoHaru]

forty two

Chapter Forty-Two

A/N: random adorable makoharu fan art bc i need some fluff in this angst pit of hell,,, i wrote the final chapter (the chapter after this one) for this a couple days ago, just have the epilogue. i know i'm gonna cry lmao

Darkness surrounding him, Makoto stares blankly at the ceiling.

He huffs, flops on his side for the hundredth time. Glancing at the clock, he sees red numbers flash amidst the pitch-black room. 11:56 pm.

There's no way he's falling asleep tonight.

"Makoto?" A soft voice cuts through the silence. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah," Makoto whispers. "I can't sleep."

"Me neither."

A pause. "Want to go for a walk?"

"Okay."

The two of them shuffle out of bed, quietly layering coats and heavy boots over their pajamas. It's too dark to be sure, but Makoto thinks he sees Haruka wrap a scarf around his neck, the same scarf he gave him.

They tiptoe down the hallway, and Makoto stops, lingering by one of the guest bedrooms. He sees Asuka sleeping soundly. Suzuka and her parents are staying the night at the hospital (Suzuka needed nine stitches for the gash in her leg).

They slip out of the house undetected, met with the late-night winter breeze. Walking in silence, it is only ten minutes later that Makoto thinks to ask where they're going.

"There's something you need to see before we leave tomorrow morning," Haruka answers curtly, and that was the end of the conversation.

Makoto remembers the path they're on; it leads them to the sea, but Haruka takes a set of stairs instead of the hill that leads to the shore. Makoto follows suit, breathless by the time they reach the top. He barely regains his breath as they walk down a stretch of land, only to have it stolen from him as they reach the edge.

The view of the cliffs of Normandy are stunning in books, but experiencing it for himself, it's like... it's like he feels like time has stopped, and he and Haruka are the only to people on Earth. While Haruka sits down, letting his legs dangle off the cliffs, Makoto admires the stars.

He couldn't even begin to try to count how many were scattered across the sky. It was so different from Iwatobi; carbon dioxide and light pollution blocked them out. The stars were surreal; they illuminated the darkness, melting away all his fear. In that moment in time, Makoto didn't have to think of time running out; he wrapped himself up in the stars and drifted away.

"It's insane, right?" Haruka comments. "I'll never get used to this view."

Feeling dazed, he barely manages a nod. Makoto sits down, too nervous to let his legs hang off the side, so he pulls them close to his body.

Seeing the stars, and next to him, the beautiful boy painted in starlight, an overwhelming sense of guilt washes over Makoto.

"I'm sorry," He mumbles. "I shouldn't have come here."

"What?" Haruka tears his gaze away to look at Makoto incredulously. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"I--" Makoto swallows. "I just feel like I ruined this trip for everyone. Your parents blowing up at you, Suzuka's injury, Asuka's disappointment... none of it would've happened if I hadn't come."

"That's bullshit, Makoto," Haruka narrows his eyes. When Makoto dares to look at him, he sees how angry he is, and it takes him by surprise. "How can you just say something like that?"