Disclaimer: I do not own Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club or any of the swim club members that should confess to each other and kiss but never actually do.
The show is a tease XD So close to being yaoi, yet isn't.
Death is a cruel and heartless thing.
It doesn't care who it takes, snuffing out the lights of many before their rightful time.
No one saw it coming. No one wanted to believe that it would happen. Not to one of them. Not to someone that Haru is so close to. Someone he cares about dearly, so much so that he is his soulmate. It's a nightmare. It just has to be..
It happened only a week ago.
During Iwatobi Swim Club practice, the four male members of the team were training for a relay, trying to shave the times between when one member touches the wall and the other jumps into the water down to zero. It's what will set them apart from the other teams and give them a fighting chance.
Makoto was on his way back from his turn when all of the sudden, he was struck by a sudden ailment, shooting pains radiating through his head. It made him clutch onto the side of the pool, having to hold onto it so he wouldn't fall underneath the water.
The others were alarmed, the brunette climbing up out of the pool and resting for a moment as he massaged his temples. "Mako-chan, what's wrong? What happened to you in there?" Nagisa inquired, being the first to speak as he knelt down beside his friend.
"I'm sure it's nothing. Don't worry." Makoto replied, flashing a warm smile as he slowly stood up, Haru's eyes watching him closely. "Maybe I just reached my limit for the day. I'll head home and sleep it off so that I can perform even better tomorrow."
"You promise?" Nagisa said, his ruby eyes glistening. "Haha yes. I promise."
Practice had ended after that, but it wasn't the last of Makoto's episodes.
The headaches continued, seeming to just get worse and worse and even go as far as to interfere with his swimming. On the third day, Makoto had started getting fevers and he had trouble concentrating on everyday tasks. He took himself to a nearby clinic, where a doctor drew some blood for tests, but the results were inconclusive. No one knew what was wrong.
Later that night, it began to rain, droplets pouring down from the sky when Haru heard something outside of his house. It wasn't the storms doing, but something else. He opened his front door, seeing Makoto standing there outside. He was facing to the left, blankly looking off into the distance as if he hadn't the slightest clue as to where he was.
"What are you doing here at this time?" Haru inquired in his usual monotone voice, finally getting Makoto's attention as the brunette looked at him, seeming just as confused as he was. "This isn't my house?" Makoto inquired, Haru shaking his head in response.
Haru allowed his best friend of many years to stay over, not wanting him to walk home in these conditions. He led him to bed, but neither of them could sleep for long and the brunette's health took a turn for the worst.
Makoto still felt feverish and he was sweating. He tossed and turned, having to get up to use the bathroom only to end up getting sick in the toilet. This happened quite a few times, Makoto feeling nauseous and throwing up again every thirty minutes or so. The noises had woken Haru up from his slumber, who went to check on the brunette, but when he tried to touch Makoto, the other pushed his hand away. "Don't touch me!" He hissed out, green eyes turning to look at deep sea blue and taking Haru aback. That look. It wasn't Makoto at all. A few seconds later, Makoto returned to normal, sighing as he ran his fingers through his damp hair. "I'm sorry..." He said, feeling apologetic. Haru immediately took his phone and dialed 911. Something was seriously wrong with Makoto and he feared that his life was in danger.
Inside the hospital, Makoto was rushed to a room right away, where he continued to get sick, but he was put on an IV where he was given fluids and anti-nausea medication as well. At that point, he was finally able to fall asleep, where Haru stayed inside the room with him, silently watching him with a blank expression on his face. He may not look worried or scared, but deep down, he is. He is terrified of losing his best friend..
The next morning, things appeared to be looking up.
Makoto's condition has improved a bit. He is no longer getting sick and even grew hungry, asking for one of the nurses to please bring him something small to eat. He ate some jello and was doing well enough to even go home.
The doctors were going to discharge him when all of the sudden, his mental status changed. He throws his tray of food off of the bed, panicking as he sees and hears things that aren't there. "Ghosts! Ghosts! I see ghosts!" He called out, Haru knowing how scared he was of them. He was trembling, his hands going up to cover his ears in an attempt to drown out all noise. "Don't you hear them?! They're talking to me!" He said, rocking slightly in the hospital bed. Nurses came over and tried to calm him down, but he began to thrash about, screaming until his voice died down and he began to shake, his body tensing up as he went into a seizure.
The nurses move Makoto onto his side so fluid can leak out of his mouth, Haru unable to do anything but stand there, his eyes wide as he witnesses this in horror. The doctor makes him leave the room, just being in the way if he stays there like that any longer. The doctor then takes out a large needle, inserting it between Makoto's lumbar bones so that he can draw a sample of cerebrospinal fluid. When testing the fluid, there is finally an answer, but the truth is devastating.
The doctor leaves the room and tells the news to Haru, saying that Makoto has what is known as Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis. This is caused by the Naegleria fowleri: known as the Brain Eating Amoeba. There are known cases, but it's rare, so how did Makoto catch such a thing in the first place?
"Do you know if he swam in any fresh bodies of water recently?" The doctor inquires, Haru remembering that just before his best friend's first incident, the team went to a nearby lake for a quick dip. It was about three days prier to the beginning of his symptoms. Haru nods, the doctor continuing. "Naegleria fowleri is allowed into the body through the nose.. You contract the infection while swimming in warm, fresh bodies of water, like lakes or rivers."
Haru's eyes widen, recalling that Makoto did complain about it stinging when he dove into the lake. Some of the water must have went deep into his nose, giving him this horrible infection. But it was just an innocent day, going out for a little swim.. There's no way they could have known that something as simple as getting water up the nose could do this..
"I'm sorry to say this, but...this infection is 98 percent fatal.. I'll do everything I can for him now..but you might want to say goodbye before it's too late.." The doctor finished, placing a hand on Haru's shoulder before walking back into the room.
Makoto was put on strong antibiotics via IV that night, the doctor hoping to combat the infection and save him, but only time will tell.
Haru is in the room with him, by his side as Makoto sleeps. The brunette soon wakes up, hearing soft sniffling by the bed, his right hand encompassed in warmth, as if someone is holding it.
"Har...uka.." Makoto says, his voice weak as he looks over at his childhood friend, the smaller male in fact holding his hand, tears slowly trailing down his cheeks. The brunette couldn't believe that Haru was crying. This is the first time he has seen it, the raven-haired male showing his emotions at last.
"Hey...don't cry.." Makoto says, reaching out with his free hand and wiping the moisture away from Haru's eyes. He smiles at his best friend, being so caring and warm even though he's in so much pain. He still cares about Haru more than himself because that's just how Makoto is. He's always warm..like the sun.
"Don't leave!" Haru says, the brunette's green eyes widening from the outburst. "Stay with me!" He continues, the grip on Makoto's hand tightening. "I've always hid my emotions and did everything on my own, but I know you can read me, so you understand that I need you!"
Makoto places his left hand over the one on his right, slowly rubbing it. "I-I won't leave..." He says, a faint smile still dancing upon his lips, even though part of it is forced. He doesn't have the heart to tell Haru the truth, but he can feel that his end is near. "I'll hang on for you..f-for as long as I can. I'll fight..so that we can still swim together..."
Haru releases Makoto's hand and hugs him, wrapping his arms around the taller male. That is what he wants more than anything. To be free in the water...with Makoto. He needs it.
The brunette is able to fall asleep again later on, but he doesn't wake back up. He slips into a coma which he remains in for two days. During this time, the doctors do everything they can for Makoto, but all of the treatments are failing. The infection progressed too rapidly, and Makoto was losing the fight..
He is placed on life support, a tube being put down his throat because he can no longer breathe on his own. On the third day of the coma, about seven days after his symptoms started, Makoto was gone. The monitor beside his bed, which showed his brain waves, had flat lined, meaning that his brain is no longer functioning.
Before he was taken off life support, Haru got to see him one last time. He was alone in the room with him, softly crying over Makoto's body as he rubbed his face, wishing that this was all a sick nightmare and that he would wake up.
"I've always loved you..." The raven-haired male chokes out, wanting to turn back time so he could say it sooner, but he always kept his feelings bottled up and thought that maybe he would be rejected. "I'll miss you, Makoto..." He said, leaning down to the other's lips, giving him a gentle kiss goodbye.
Haru had to leave the hospital without his other half, but he didn't just leave Makoto behind back there. He left a part of himself as well. When Makoto faded away, his soul was torn apart. Ripped into tiny little pieces and scattered all around, never to be whole again.
Two days after Makoto passed away, Haru lays submerged in his bathtub. His swim trunks are on, eyes open as he floats, staring up at the ceiling.
He thought the water might help relax him. Help him forget the pain he feels every second without Makoto, but it isn't working this time.
Even water cannot heal these wounds.
It's a bitter feeling...knowing his favorite thing took part in taking his favorite person away. The truth is, the water helped kill Makoto and destroy his world..and if he could get Makoto back, he would stop swimming for good. He would do anything just to see that warm smile again..
Haru's Point of View
Makoto...you were always there for me. Always listened and understood me. Even when I said nothing at all.
I couldn't find a way to express myself. I came off cold sometimes and I thought you wouldn't be able to put up with me, but you did.
My heart was frozen. I wanted to be free. To be held down by nothing, but you and your smile came and changed my mind. I thought nothing could melt the ice, but you did.
Makoto...do you remember our last conversation? I was holding your hand and told you not to leave.. You said you wouldn't...but you did...
Beep Beep Beep Beep!
Haruka awakens with a start, his covers messily thrown off of him and onto the floor beside his bed.
He is panting, his chest quickly rising and falling as his forehead drips with sweat.
"It was...a dream?" He chokes out, reaching a hand over to shut off his annoyingly blaring alarm clock.
He needs to know right away if Makoto is okay.
He jumps out of bed, hurrying out of his house while wearing only his swim trunks(which he slept in)
The raven haired male rushes down the stairs that lead to his home and instead took a turn to run up Makoto's stairs. When he got to the door, he knocked impatiently, calling out the brunette's name.
"Makoto!" He shouted, which was very rare for him. "Makoto, answer the door!" He continued, turning the handle. The door is locked.
Soon, the knob begins to turn, the hinged barrier slowly swinging open to reveal Makoto, looking at Haru with confusion filling his green orbs.
"Oh, good morning, Haru~" He said with his hand in front of his mouth, suppressing a yawn. "This is odd. Usually I have to come get you because you're going to be late for school taking a bath for two hours."
To Be Continued!
If you've read this before already, I've changed it because I had a new idea. As you can see here, it was a dream, and Makoto isn't dead, but what will happen next?
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this and please review. I want to hear what your opinions are~