"...and that should be all for today's lesson."

"Come on, Haru, class is over. ….Haru?" Makoto sighed as he turned to face his boyfriend at the desk beside him. Of course: he had fallen asleep, head buried in his arms. It was likely that he had been in that position since the beginning of class. Typical Haruka…

"Haru, you need to wake up!" Makoto half demanded, half whined, placing a hand on Haruka's shoulder and giving him a firm shake. Haruka shifted slightly and let out a sleepy, aggravated moan, the sound muffled against his desk.

"I'm awake," he mumbled, sitting up groggily with his eyes still closed.

Makoto wanted to cross his arms, narrow his eyes seriously, and give Haruka a proper scolding about falling asleep during lecture. ...But Haru looked so cute when he was still half asleep, that he simply couldn't bring himself to be stern with him. Silently scolding himself, Makoto allowed himself to smile warmly and gave an adoring shake to his head. "Were you sleeping the entire class?"

Haruka sat back and yawned, digging his knuckles into his eyes. "Dunno…"

"Your grades are going to start suffering, you know. I can't always lend you my notes…" Makoto said that, yet both of them knew that wasn't true; Makoto struggled greatly with denying any of Haruka's requests, and both of them knew it.

Still, Haruka opened one eye and quickly glanced away from Makoto, pouting his lips slightly. Usually, his silence meant that he knew that he was in the wrong. Perhaps a gentle scolding was enough after all. Makoto smiled wider and stood from his desk. "Well, let's head to practice, now. Don't want to keep the others waiting."

"Oh, wait, I nearly forgot!" the teacher called out as the class began to file out. All of the students paused to listen. "You're all familiar with the 'artificial womb' breakthrough, correct?" The teacher was met with a soft response of nods and various other forms of confirmation.

Of course everyone had heard about it: it had been the only thing on the news for weeks about a year ago. With the worldwide revolution of gay rights, scientists had discovered a way to create an artificial womb that would be functional with the male anatomy, so that two men could naturally conceive a child. Although not all men had compatible anatomy, procedures had been developed to determine whether or not they were.

"You may have heard this before," the teacher continued, "but Japan has mandated that all high schools in the nation test their third year boys to see whether or not they are qualified for the surgery, unless they've already conceived with another male. I'm sure you're wondering, 'Why do we second years need to know this?' Well, first and second years that wish to be tested before it's mandatory can also have it done, with consent from a legal guardian. So, if any of you boys would like to be tested, ask the nurse for a form, get it signed, and bring it in within the next two weeks. Doctors from Tokyo will be in our school performing the tests until then. Now, that's all! Dismissed."

With that, the students flooded into the hallway, the girls grumbling about how that had been a waste of their time and heterosexual boys questioning why they would need to be tested. "Isn't science amazing, Haru?" Makoto remarked cheerfully as the two boys made their way to the pool for swim practice.

"Mhm…" Haruka always had a distant vibe about him (especially when he was tired), and so Makoto thought little of his inattentive response and continued smiling, his pinky finger hooked around Haruka's. However, there was actually a legitimate reason for Haruka's indifference, this time: he was thinking about something. After a few moments of silence and Haruka's expression remaining unchanged, Makoto considered asking Haruka if anything was the matter, just in case; but by that point, they had already arrived at the pool.

"Pleeeease, Rei-chan? Just one kiss?"

"It isn't as if I have a problem with kissing you, Nagisa, but do you understand that we are in public? If someone were to see…."

"Who would see? Gou-chan? Haru-chan? Mako-chan? They wouldn't care! I've seen Haru-chan and Mako-chan kiss at least twice!"

"But- ….w-well… Alright, if… you insist… One kiss."

Makoto laughed quietly at the dialogue he was overhearing. He paused (Haruka bumping into him as he did so), and waited a few seconds after his two underclassmen had fallen silent before rounding the corner. Rei and Nagisa, sitting on the edge of the pool, were not kissing when Makoto and Haruka saw them, but Rei's face burned redder than the rims of his glasses and Nagisa wore a satisfied grin, so it could only be assumed that they had kissed very recently.

"Afternoon, Nagisa! Rei!" Makoto greeted them casually. Rei let out a startled gasp and nearly fell face-first into the pool while Nagisa looked over his shoulder nonchalantly and waved with a joyful smile.

"G-good afternoon to you, as well, Makoto-senpai-! Haruka-senpai-!" Rei spluttered, scrambling to his feet and standing at attention. Nagisa giggled and hopped up beside him.

"Gosh, Rei-chan could you be any more suspicious?" Rei's cheeks flamed an even brighter red.

Nagisa had fallen in love with Rei Ryugazaki at first sight. Watching had turned into greeting, greeting had turned into teasing, teasing had turned into flirting, and at some point along the way they became a couple. They never officially announced their relationship to their fellow swim club members, but it was obvious enough that it didn't really need saying.

Makoto chuckled pleasantly, and turned his attention to the boy at his side. "Let's go get changed while we wait for Gou, shall we?" Haruka didn't even look at him when he spoke; only continued to stare at absolutely nothing. Makoto's smile faded into a concerned frown. "Haru…? ...Haru?"

It wasn't until then that Haruka seemed to acknowledge he was being spoken to. He blinked a few times as if clearing something out of his eyes, and glanced up at Makoto.

"...yeah… We should get changed."

Haruka's suspicious behavior continued throughout the practice. His times were slower than ever, he zoned out when Gou gave instructions, and oddest of all, when Gou suggested that they end practice early, he was the first one out of the pool.

"Haru… Is there something wrong?" Makoto inquired gently as they changed in the locker room. By the time Makoto was just taking his shirt off, Haruka was already fully clothed. Haruka paused briefly as he reached for his bag.

"...no." Makoto raised an unconvinced eyebrow. Ever since they were children, he had been able to see through Haruka like a window, even if he didn't always understand what exactly was on his mind.

Haruka remained silent as he gathered up his bag and slung it over his shoulder. Just when it seemed like he had no intent of responding, the unthinkable happened: a gentle pink blush rose to his cheeks. "...I forgot something in the school. I have to go back for it."

That did absolutely nothing to ease Makoto's concern. "Want me to come with you-?"

"No," Haruka answered immediately. Makoto couldn't think of a time that Haruka had responded to anything so swiftly, and it caught him quite off guard.

"Ooh, I'm running back into the school, too!" Nagisa, who had evidently overheard their conversation, chimed in. "I wanna get a form from the nurse for my parents to sign. Y'know, for that womb thingy!"

As if Makoto wasn't already suspicious enough about Haruka, his eyes suddenly widened when Nagisa spoke those words.

"'Womb thingy'-? Wait, why do you want that procedure done, Nagisa? Is it even safe-?" Rei inquired as he dressed, eyes wide and voice dripping with worry. Nagisa flapped his hand dismissively.

"I'm curious, is all! No need to get all panicky, Rei-chan. I'm just gonna sign up to take the test." Without providing any further explanation, he bounded across the locker room to give his boyfriend a reassuring kiss on the cheek. Except, Rei didn't look very reassured at all. Before he could say anything, though, Nagisa had already turned to leave. "You coming, Haru-chan~?"

Two things Haruka rarely did: denied walking somewhere with Makoto, and accepted walking somewhere with Nagisa. Something was most certainly going on. With his caring nature and compassion for Haruka, Makoto desperately wished to know what was going on, but he didn't want to pry. And so he stayed silent, and watched in confusion as Haruka shuffled after Nagisa back to the school.

Nagisa hardly seemed to notice or care that Haruka followed him through the school, without mentioning what it was he had forgotten inside. He swung his arms cheerily as he walked, humming a peppy beat all the while. "...why do you want to take the test?" Haruka suddenly asked, breaking the one-sided silence between them.

Nagisa stopped humming. "Hmm? Well…" He tilted his head, smiling. "It's like I told Rei-chan: I'm just... curious. My sisters always tease me for being so girly, so, I bet I am a match for it! And I don't really wanna wait until my third year to find out…"

Even though Haruka was the one to ask the question, he gave no response, as if he wasn't listening to what Nagisa said. In actuality, he had heard Nagisa; it was just that he was struggling as to whether or not he should speak what was on his mind, and if he should, how he would say it.

He eventually decided it would be best to simply come out and say it. "I want to take the test, too."

Nagisa practically tripped over his own feet. He spun around 180 degrees to face Haruka, his eyes bulging and his mouth agape. "You do? How come?" His eyes widened even more, and the corners of his lips turned up in a teasing grin. "Do you want to have babies with Mako-chan~?"

Haruka saw no reason to answer dishonestly. "...one day, yes. So when the day comes, I'd rather know if we can have our own or not, and if we can, be ready to do it."

The playful expression faded from Nagisa's face. It was a very rare thing for Haruka to be this talkative around him… And it also wasn't very often that Haruka would willingly talk about his relationship with Makoto. Nagisa smiled and continued down the hall. "That's a good idea, Haru-chan! So, if you are compatible, will you get the surgery? Y'know, to get it over with?"

"...yes. What about you?"

"Hmm…" Nagisa tilted his head thoughtfully. "Well, maybe! I guess I'm not really sure, yet." Smiling, he skipped ahead and turned the corner into the nurse's office. "Hello, Ms. Nurse! Can I please have two consent forms for the artificial womb? One for me, one for my friend?"

Haruka waited at the corner until Nagisa reappeared in the hallway with two sheets of paper. "One for me, and one for you!" he declared, handing one of the forms to Haruka. He took it hesitantly, as if uncertain as to whether or not he should truly go through with this.

After gazing at the form for a moment, Haruka gave Nagisa a subtle appreciative nod. Nagisa grinned; briefly.

"...but wait a second. Don't you live alone, Haru-chan? Who's gonna sign the form?

...Haruka hadn't thought of that.

Makoto was waiting for Haruka at the front gates. It surprised Haruka to see him there when swim practice had let out over ten minutes ago, and also tugged at his sense of guilt since he knew he was only waiting up for him. He knew he should apologize for making him wait; still, he said nothing of the sort and simply began walking home with Makoto at his side.

There were two questions Makoto wanted to ask: what really was wrong with him, and what was the paper in his hand? He felt as if the first question would sound too needy and prying, and so he decided to ask the latter. "So, what do you have there-?"

It was immediately clear that this question made Haruka uncomfortable. Feeling spontaneously guilty, Makoto was about to apologize, to tell him he didn't need to know, when suddenly Haruka pressed the paper into his hands. Makoto stared at the paper, then up at Haruka as if to say, "Can I really have this-?" except Haruka was avoiding his gaze. So, Makoto slowly unfolded the paper and scanned over what was written on it. His eyes widened.

"...Haru, this is-!"

"It doesn't matter," Haruka interjected quietly. He was still staring in the opposite direction of Makoto. "...my parents won't be home until summer. Nobody can sign it, anyway."

"...well… We could ask my parents to sign it…"

Haruka froze in place, his head whipping around to face Makoto. "...would they do that?" His blue eyes were wide and shining with emotion that he typically hid. It made Makoto smile softly.

"Of course they would! They love you, Haru. And, if you really want the test done, they're in no place to stop you," he insisted.

The shine in Haruka's eyes continued to glisten, and it seemed as though he might smile. But Makoto knew it took a lot to earn a smile from Haruka, and wasn't surprised when Haruka gently took the form back and turned away without another word. Makoto was content enough just knowing that Haruka was happy.

There were plenty of questions Makoto was wondering: why did he want to take the test now instead of waiting until next year? Was that why he had been acting strangely? If so, why did it mean so much to him? Did he plan on getting the surgery if he was compatible? What made him decide he wanted the surgery in the first place, if that was the case?

But he respected his privacy and kept quiet, continuing down the road towards his home.

And then something strange happened: when he nudged Haruka's hand to signal that he was going to link their pinkies like they normally did, Haruka spread not just his pinky, but all five of his fingers, apart and took Makoto's entire hand in his.

Haruka and Nagisa turned in their forms promptly the next day. Makoto was impressed; Haruka hardly ever turned anything into school on-time. It seemed not many first or second years had signed up, as both of them were called to the nurse's office within an hour of handing them in.

The compatibility test required various liquid samples: blood, urine, and… a certain white bodily fluid. It also required several measurements, including height, weight, hip width, and, embarrassingly enough, penis length. Nagisa didn't mind all that much, but Haruka felt increasingly regretful with each piece of information they gathered. But before he could really complain, the testing was over and the doctor told him they would page him back down when the results were in.

It took the doctors three days to analyze the data. Haruka and Nagisa waited in two very differing ways. Nagisa was completely impatient, staring anxiously at the loudspeaker all day and spending swim practice whining about how he wanted his results. Haruka, on the other hand, was back to his normal self, as if he had completely forgotten about the test and the results were of no concern to him. This was another instance where even Makoto didn't quite understand what exactly he was thinking.

But that Friday afternoon, the results had come in. About half an hour into the final period of the day, just when it seemed like they would have to wait through the weekend to get the results, Haruka and Nagisa were called down over the loudspeaker. Nagisa immediately bounced up out of his seat, almost forgetting to take his belongings with him, while Haruka's eyes widened at the sound of his name but otherwise stood casually. He took his time walking to the nurse's office, while Nagisa practically ran the entire way.

Nagisa's results were crystal clear. "Soooo? Am I compatible?!" the little blonde demanded eagerly the second he sat down in the nurse's office. The doctor, holding a clipboard, smiled at him.

"Mr. Hazuki… Your compatibility was 99%. In other words, assuming you go ever through with the surgery, the womb would fit right in completely naturally, as if it's been there all along, with a nearly perfect probability of conception."

Nagisa's eyes rounded, his mouth forming an "o" shape. He didn't actually know what he expected the results to be, or if he was surprised at what they were. Was he excited? Happy? Disappointed? Scared? Shocked? Nagisa found himself speechless and even a bit dazed. "...Wow!" he mustered.

"Now then. Do you plan on having the surgery done?" the doctor asked him.

Nagisa tilted his head, closing his mouth and pursing his lips slightly. As eager as he was to hear his results, he realized, now, that he wasn't actually prepared to know them. He hadn't thought this far ahead. "IIII... don't know," he answered honestly.

The doctor continued to smile. "And that is perfectly alright. There's no need to rush, Mr. Hazuki. We'll be here for another week, if you only need a couple days to think on it. But if you decide you'd like to wait, we will be here the same time next year, and the year after that, as well. If you don't want to wait that long, you can contact your local Planned Parenthood, and they can refer you to somewhere that you can have it done."

"...um… Okay!" Nagisa grinned and hopped off the bed. "I'll think about it!"

Haruka's results, on the other hand, were not quite as clean cut. It wasn't as though his doctor seemed grim or anything, but he certainly was not smiling, and scrutinized the clipboard in his hand for a while before speaking. "Mr. Nanase. Your results were difficult to determine… But, we concluded that you have a 55% compatibility with the artificial womb."

"...is that bad?" Haruka looked as calm and apathetic as ever, but his heart was beating rapidly inside his chest. It was clear to him that he wanted a baby with Makoto, one day, and knew it would be easiest to bear it himself. ...but if he wasn't even compatible… He hadn't thought much on the subject, but now that he had no choice except to think about it, it made him nervous.

"Not necessarily… We allow all men with 50% compatibility and above to undergo the surgery. However, your body may have more trouble adapting to the change, and even once it's adapted, your conception rates will be much lower."

"...but I am compatible," Haruka confirmed slowly.

"Well, yes, technically…"

That was all Haruka needed to hear. He didn't care about the risks; if it meant being able to one day have a child for Makoto, as long as it didn't kill him, he would do it. "Then can I get the surgery?"

The doctor blinked, a bit surprised at Haruka's straightforwardness. "Are you certain that you don't want to wait? You'll have to miss a minimum of three weeks of school…"

...three weeks… That meant at least fifteen days of training Haruka would have to miss out on. What would that mean for the Iwatobi swim team-? ...he could make up for that lost time. He knew he could. They didn't have a competition for another four weeks, so if he put in extra practice time each day he was back in school… He could do it.

He had absolutely no idea why he wanted the surgery done so quickly, why he was unable to wait; but that was simply how he felt, and he was going to act on it.

"Yes. I'm sure," he insisted with flat confidence.

"...alright… I'll explain the procedure to you, and then we'll make you an appointment."