„Mako-chan, why did you want to swim with Haru-chan?"
„I wanted to try swimming a serious race against Haru."
„I wonder why, though."
„Maybe, because I was jealous of Rin."
„I see..."
After the first day of prefecturals was over, Makoto and the others were still sitting, waiting for Haru to finish at the locker room to go home together. Makoto kept his usual smile up, trying not to think about the tight feeling in his chest that was forming for some time now.
Being honest about his jealousy to Nagisa was something even he didn't expect of himself. He swore a long time ago that those feelings are going to stay burried deep down, hidden forever; but the sudden outburst of emotions was something he couldn't perceive.
That is why when Haru still didn't show up after 15 minutes, he found himself running towards the locker rooms, leaving behind a very confused Rei and Gou, while Nagisa only gave him a small and sad smile. He wanted to be the first one to congratulate Haru on winning the race. He wanted to be the first to hear Haru's voice, the first to offer him his hand in congratulations.. And most important of all - to tell Haru about the feelings he always had for him...
His plans didn't really work out.
Arriving on the spot he noticed that most of the competitors were already leaving. He thought he would see Haru within them, leaving to meet the team, but it wasn't the case. So he proceeded to the locker room, hoping he didn't miss him. The door was slightly open and he pushed it when... His heart stopped.
His biggest fear was becoming reality, and right in front of him, when he finally decided to come clean to Haru. Haru was standing beside his open locker, his dark hair wet against his forehead, blue eyes like deep pools of fiercely cold water, aimed at the red head that was standing against him. Makoto held his breath and stopped on the door, his eyes catching a glimpse, a glimpse too much none the less.
Haru was looking at Rin, who stood against him, hair and body also wet, and a towel around his neck. His muscular hand was pressing against the cold metal of the lockers and his eyes pierced through every centimeter of the other's flesh. His lips were slightly apart, still fresh with the words he'd just spoken.
„This time, I am not letting you get away." Rin's voice was low and raspy as he approached the other teen.
„I don't know what you're referring to." Haru replied in his usual indifferent tone.
„We both know you do. Please, stop denying me your presence." Rin's voice raised for just a moment, his eyes lowered his head. With sudden determination he raised it and met Haru's eyes. „I don't want to lose you again."
With those words Rin closed the distance between his and Haru's lips, and Makoto involuntarily released a low gasp, while a small tear ran down his cheek. It felt like everything froze in that moment; his heart was screaming at Haruka to push Rin away; the sound of shattering noise in his mind was deafening.
The push never came; instead, Haru pulled Rin closed, grabbing him by the waist, their chests colliding with short intakes of air as they continued to kiss. As Makoto's world collapsed around him, he was pulled back to reality, quite literally, by a strong hand. When he turned he faced the wide-shouldered Yamazaki Sousuke. Sousuke, with a single finger on his lips showed him to stay quiet and pulled him down the hall to another locker room, this one thankfully empty.
Here, Makoto's suppressed cry finally left his throat. He didn't even care he was in front of Rin's classmate and good friend, he just couldn't bare the fact that he just witnessed the thing he feared the most in his life. Uncontrollable tears poured down his face and he bowed down, grabbing a hold of his knees as not to fall down when Sousuke spoke.
„You too, huh?" he asked in a deep voice, his back against the lockers, his arms folded across his Samezuka hoodie.
„Wha.. what?" Makoto asked, trying to sound more normal. He wiped the tears and looked at the other teen. Then he realized.
„I'm sorry Yamazaki-san, I didn't know."
„It's alright... Tachibana, right?" Sousuke replied.
„Yes." Makoto composed himself and sat on one of the benches while he waited for Sousuke to continue.
„Are you alright now? It seems both of us are in the same trouble."
„I don't think I will be able to be alright for some time." Makoto replied teasingly, an easy smile sprouting on his face. Typical Makoto, hiding his pain behind a fake smile. He mentally slapped himself for being so weak. „I didn't know Yamazaki-san liked Rin."
„Well, I don't think it was that hard to guess, really. Rin was the oblivious one, though. I don't think he knows, even today." Sousuke sighed. He seemed to be faking calm, same as Makoto.
„Yeah, Rin is like that." Makoto looked at the other teen with a sympathetic glance. „Haru isn't like that, I think. He pretends not to care and acts like he doesn't notice, but he always knows what's going around him. I am such a coward, keeping this until now. Now, when it's too late."
He covered his face with one palm, swallowing the bitterness. Sousuke approached him and grabbed his hand.
„Yamazaki-san?" Makoto quickly raised his head.
„Do you want to get back at them?" Sousuke asked with a passionate expression.
„What do you mean?"
„I want Rin, you want Nanase. Lets make a deal and get them apart by the end of the school year?" Sousuke's voice was cold. Makoto hesitated.
„Yamazaki-san, I don't believe it's such a good idea. I don't like what has happened, but if Haru is happy, I am happy for him. Rin, too." His chest ached to comply immediately, but his usual calm self was trying to prevail over the saddness and the selfishness. Sousuke seemed to see that.
„C'mon, Tachibana. Are you really going to let your last chance slip like this? I can feel your bitterness, you know. I feel it too, whenever I see Nanase with Rin. Are you going to let all you've worked so hard for dissolve into thin air? This chance is not going to come ever again. If you lose him now, you will never know what you might've had."
Sousuke spoke in a very convincing tone. Makoto stopped right when he wanted to decline completely, and let his heart wanted for a second. Selfishness overtaking him, in his head he saw all the moments he wished for with Haru – winning the relay against Rin; the two of them at open sea; Haruka smiling at him as he prepares mackerel in the backyard; moving to a bigger city and being roommates... Haruka moaning in his ear as he travels down his neck...
A small, piercing feeling in his chest followed. The pictures disappearing, Makoto felt the pang of the pain he was introduced to earlier that day when he first saw Rin and Haru together. Before he was aware of it, he heard himself.
„Agreed."
Sousuke gave him a small, meaning full smile and stood up.
„We'll be in contact then." he said and left.
When Makoto finally joined the others after some time, Haru was already with them. He didn't seem anything out of the ordinary – his usual detached Haru, but Makoto knew better. He knew he was better than Rin, he felt it in his bones. He was going to show Haru what kind of man he was this summer, and he was going to win him over, proving that he is the perfect one for Haru. And Sousuke was going to help him with it.
„So, you're not gonna push me away this time, Haru?" Rin whispered, separating their lips. Haru's lip trembled for a split second before he responded.
„I wasn't really trying to push you away. I just thought I was bad for you." His eyes didn't meet Rin's as he spoke, which made Rin hold his chin up.
„You are the best thing that happened to me." Rin said, his voice crackling. „Don't push me away, please. Not again."
He took hold of Haru, hugging him tightly as tears steadily streamed down his face. His shoulders shook and Haru hugged him back, placing his palms against the small of Rin's back.
„I will do my best." Haru replied before softly kissing Rin again. His lips tasted like salt and chlorine, mixed with an alarming sweetness for someone who claimed not to like candy. He continued to explore his mouth, allowing Rin to let go of his fears.
Rin's hands soon found Haru's naked torso and slid down his abs, while their kisses became more steamy. There were no more tears on the red heads face, only a vague, groggy expression as they continued to kiss, and Rin slowly became the more assertive one. His tongue pryed Haru's mouth and his hands were everywhere on Haru's body, slowly discovering the secrets he was denied for such a long time. When his palm found Haru's groin, the black haired teen moaned.
„Not there... Rin." Haru whimpered as Rin rubbed over the thin layer of Haru's swimsuit.
„Why not?" Rin asked with a devilish smile, half kissing, half biting Haru's lip.
„Not here." Haru said. „Come to my place tonight."
Rin attentively dropped his hand, regretting the warm feelingthat was forming between his own legs. His skin was shivering.
„Okay." he replied. Haruka proceeded to drop his hands and tried to move away. Rin's arms were around him the next second.
„Rin?" Haru's eyes widened as he was suddenly struck with Rin's intoxicating scent once again.
„Just a bit longer. Let's stay like this, just a bit longer." Rin whispered into his ear, sending chills down his skin.
„Alright." Haru hugged Rin back tightly, burying his head into the other's neck.
