Darkness. That's all he could see now. His freedom, limited. Haru hasn't been the same since the accident. It took his sight from him. To be honest it scared him. He felt like he is in a perpetual state of unknown. He quit swimming, his one passion. The water feeling like tendrils that wrap around his body pulling him under. His friends try to help him as much as they can, but he doesn't want them around like he used to. He doesn't want their sympathy, but it didn't stop them from coming around.
Haruka laid in his bed, he felt the morning sun warm on his skin. He envisioned the beautiful golden ray filtering through the windows in his room, he missed the light. He took his blanket and pulled it over his head and nestled farther down in the blanket. He didn't want to leave his bed. He didn't have the energy to leave. He lightly dozed back off into his slumber only to be startled awake to the sound of knocking. It was probably one of his friends. He didn't have to answer the door. They all came in anyway. He tucked the blanket in more around him and buried his face in his pillow. He heard the echoes of feet walking down the hallway to his room.
"Haru?" a familiar voice sounded out in the quiet house.
His door squeaked open and he felt a warm hand through his blanket as it grabbed it and pulled it down off his head. Haru groaned and buried his face deeper in his pillow if was even possible.
"Haru. It's me, Rin. I brought you some food." Rin's voice was calm as he sat down on the bed next to Haruka. "When's the last time have you eaten? There's still food in the kitchen that I brought a few days ago."
Haru rolled over, his back on the bed. His eyes fluttered open, but still to his disappointment, he couldn't see his friend what so ever. "What's the point?" He reached out and felt for the maroon-haired boy, trying to find his solid form in the darkness.
"Because you'll die and I just can't let that happen. I made this one today just for you: mackerel soup." Rin grabbed ahold of Haru's hand, squeezing it.
The raven-haired boy pushed himself up, sitting up in the bed, his hand trembling as he held on tighter to Rin's hand. His clothes hung around him, feeling like sheets draped over him. His form lost its size, no longer toned as it once was.
"Have you bathed recently? We can't have your hygiene slip, too, bud." Rin's voice was filled with concern.
Probably from looking at the hollow shell that I am, Haru thought. "Yeah, last night when Nagisa and Rei came over. They wouldn't take no as an answer. Please don't make me get up." His hand left Rin's and felt up to his chest, fingers curling over the found collar of this t-shirt.
Rin laid his hand on top of Haru's trembling one. His other one gently pushed Haru's hair out of his face, Haru flinching slightly from the unexpected touch. "Then you are going to have to eat here. I'm not letting you hole back up in your bed."
"I'm not hungry." A rumbling noise came from his stomach, betraying his words. Haru's pulled his hand back and balled them up in his lap.
"If you are not going to feed yourself I will do it for you." Haru could feel the bed shift and a container popping open, the smell of mackerel hitting his nose. It smelled so good. He couldn't remember the last time he had mackerel. Well that one was a lie. It was the last day he could see.
"Rin. I told you—"Haru was cut off when he felt a spoon being pushed into his mouth, a liquid and bits of fish was tipped into his mouth off of the spoon. He swallowed it, he could feel the warm food go down, leaving a trail of warmth behind.
Another spoonful of soup pressed against his lips, not forcing its way in his mouth. Haru didn't open his mouth, and a few seconds later the spoon disappeared from where it was.
"Come on. Just eat a little." Rin's voice was pleading to him.
"Just quit, Rin. I don't want you to take care of me." Haru sighed.
There was a bit of silence, just seconds but it felt like an eternity to Haru, until there was a sound of a spoon clanking on the floor and the sound of a container closing. At least he listens, Haru thought. Warm hands cradled his face, and pulled them towards where he knew Rin was. Soft lips pressed against his. Haru was stiff from the surprise: his best friend has his lips pressed against his. He wasn't asleep still, was he? Haru Relaxed into the touch and returned the kiss. When he opened his mouth just slightly to deepen the kiss, he realized. Soup rolled over his tongue. He pulled away slightly and swallowed.
"I don't think you understood, I want to take care of you." Rin's breath was warm against Haru's lips.
Haru reached up searching for Rin's face with his hands. Rin's hands grabbed them gently and pulled them to his cheeks. Haru lightly pulled Rin back in for another short, tender kiss.
He separated again, his forehead resting against Rin's. "Why. I'm just…I'm not worth the trouble."
Rin huffed, "You are more to me than you understand, Haru."
"Is this even real?" Haru stole another quick kiss, hoping this was real, it wouldn't surprise him at this point if life was pulling some cruel joke on him.
"Yeah. Let me show you, Haru. Open your eyes. " He felt Rin's warm lips press against his own again, deeper than the rest. Rin rested his hand on Haru's right cheek as they parted.
Rin pushed Haru back onto the bed and laid down next him. Rin turned on his side, the warmth of his body was seeping into Haru's own. Haru turned too, facing towards Rin, getting close as he could. Rin's breath tickled his face with each exhale. Rin threw his arm over Haru moved his head to where Haru's was under his chin. Haru buried his face in Rin's neck.
"Haru, what do you see? Someone once told me a person who is blind can see things only when they wanted to. Only what their heart wants them to see and nothing more." Rin asked, his voice soft.
Haru was surprised to hear that question. Darkness. He already knew that answer, but he still opened his eyes. He wasn't expecting to see anything other than the inky blackness he already knew all so well. Tears prickled at the corners of his eyes and he could feel Rin's shirt grow slightly damp.
"Are you okay?" He could feel the arm the was threw over him leave and its presence was known quickly again as it caressed his face. Other than that, Rin kept Haru's head under his chin still, but got closer as he could get.
"It's beautiful. What I see is beautiful." Haru choked a little bit on his words.
Haru could feel Rin stroking his hair." What do you mean?"
He told him exactly what he saw. The darkness, like a never-ending mist but he could see something he hadn't seen before when he tried to see before. He could see a red mist, bright against the blackness. It was pulsating in front of him, where Rin's chest would be. It pulsated with each beat of Rin's heart. The red mist flowed out of its mass, breaking through the blackness. He could see a glittering light coming from his chest swirling into the red mist. The shimmering light caressing itself around the red. He closed his eyes.
Tears were streaming down him face, dampening Rin's shirt more. He could feel Rin move, his hand moving to wipe the tears rolling down his cheeks. Haru could feel Rin wrap his arm back around him.
"Do you believe me, Haru? I care about you a lot." Rin tightened his grip around Haruka. "I…love you..."
Haru buried his face deeper into Rin's chest. He held his hands flat against Rin's chest, he could feel the beating of Rin's heart in his chest speed up. "I…love you, too."
Rin's chin no longer rested on top of Haru's head. Rin gently pressed his fingers of his other hand below Haru's chin, lifting his head up. He could feel soft lips press against his forehead for a brief second before he felt Rin rest his forehead against that spot.
"Rin…" Haru's voice was tired, his energy he had diminished.
"Hmm?" Rin hummed, the vocals vibrating through to Haru.
Haru yawned and wrapped his arms around Rin, pulling his friend close. "Please don't leave me."
He felt Rin move and a soft feeling of a blanket falling over them. "I'll stay as long as you will have me."
Haruka smiled, sleep fighting to overtake him, a sleep he welcomed in open arms. For the first time in a long time, he didn't feel alone. For the first time in a long time, he could see something. Something he wanted to see forever. Something no one else could see, but him.