Pairings: Implied Haruka/Makoto
Ratings: K+
Categories: Friendship/Humor/Romance
Warnings: None
Status: One-shot, complete
Summary: Makoto has to deal with more than just a sprained ankle.
Notes: Beta read by Cassandra Cassidy, although any errors that remain are my own.
"Haha, race you!" Nagisa called, already a flight of stairs above his classmate. The challenge was easily met by Rei, whose track record allowed him to catch up after his protests. They reached the roof door simultaneously, wedging themselves in the frame.
"Nagisa! You need to move over."
"Ah, your elbow is digging into my-"
"Just lean forward!" Rei ordered, figuring the best method and wriggling loose. As soon as there was enough leverage, both boys popped free and sprawled to the ground.
"For being all limbs, you're awfully heavy…"
Rei shoved off, adjusting his glasses. "I'm perfectly proportionate!"
But Nagisa was no longer paying attention; he was on the lookout for the rest of their swim club. The only member to arrive earlier than them was Haruka. Springing back to his feet, Nagisa quickly reached his post by the wall facing the school pool and greeted him.
"Is Makoto not here today?" Rei asked, following in the smaller boy's stead.
He looked around for their team captain. Kou sometimes ate with her female friends, but rarely were Haruka and Makoto seen without one another. This was especially true at school, considering they shared the same classes.
"He went to run an errand," Haruka said, though he may have sounded skeptical.
As if summoned by their discussion, Makoto appeared through the roof exit. He seemed out of breath, sweat highlighting the small hairs at his temples.
"Sorry I'm late, everyone! I wanted to make certain we're hydrated today. It's supposed to be a hot one."
Makoto was carrying some bottles of cool, flavor-colored water with him, cradling all of them close to his chest to keep from losing his grip. He distributed the grape, blueberry, and pink lemonade, and kept the kiwi for himself. The group said their thanks, Nagisa not even waiting before taking a drink from his as he took a seat. Makoto remained upright, leaning against the same wall Haruka rested on. All of them dug into their respective meals.
Through the idle conversation that followed, Haruka said very little. This occurrence by itself wasn't entirely unusual, but his focus was on their captain. If Makoto took notice of the extra attention, he was acting rather oblivious today.
"What happened?" Haruka asked, interrupting the light chatter.
"Eh? Well, my neighbor was really nice about it," Nagisa finished his explanation.
Haruka shook his head, still gazing pointedly at Makoto. "Something must be wrong to give you that limp, and you're holding yourself stiffly."
All other topics dried up and were forgotten as Rei and Nagisa paused in their eating to stare at their captain expectantly, too. Makoto stuttered at finding himself the center of attention, but relented.
"I suppose it would have come to light at practice today. It's nothing serious," he was fast to point out," but I…sprained my ankle."
"That's terrible!" Nagisa said. "What'd you do?"
"How bad is it?" Rei asked at the same time, pushing his glasses up. "A sprain may not seem like much, but it's nothing to scoff at. If you're not careful you could make it worse."
"Ah, with your experience in field I forgot you must know a lot about them," Makoto said.
"Have you been examined by a professional?"
"Of course. I promise, it is well taken care of."
"Hmm… Will you be okay not practicing?" Nagisa inquired. "The competition will be here before we know it."
Makoto nodded. "I'll compensate with weights and continue to oversee everyone in the meantime. Gou and myself need to practice our team building, as well. This will be a great opportunity to work on our supervision."
"So no slacking off," Rei advised, eyes trailing to Nagisa in particular when he said it.
Nagisa's cheeks puffed out a little when he retorted, "I wasn't! And Mako, you still haven't explained how you got hurt."
If possible, their captain looked even more awkward than when his injury had been discovered. A finger ran alongside his face as he searched for words.
"It's not… That is…"
"If you were in trouble, you should have called me," Haruka said, Nagisa and even Rei chiming in agreement.
"The thing is, on the way home it was dark and I saw this flash of white-"
"Did you see a ghost?" Nagisa exclaimed, suddenly perking up in excitement at the prospect.
Makoto paled, shaking once, but he continued. "I only saw the movement out of the corner of my eye. I was so startled that I missed a step by accident."
"Was the spirit out for revenge?" Nagisa persisted. "What did you ever do to them, Mako?"
"When I recovered there was only a cat!" Makoto finished in a single breath, releasing another full-body shiver. "I think I accidentally scared it as badly as it scared me. I was close to my house, so I was able to reach it on my own."
"Aw…" Nagisa said, deflating.
Rei gave him a scandalized frown. "What do you mean, 'aw'? Did you want Makoto to be haunted?"
"Well, no. But it'd be a much cooler story."
"I think you mean it's good that he's okay."
"Oh yeah!" Nagisa turned back to Makoto, picking up some egg from his bento lunch and holding it up to his classmate. "You're going to need to eat well, too! Come on, come on, eat some of my egg. It's packed with protein."
"Thank you, but I'm not sure that's necessary," Makoto said, laughing.
Nagisa wouldn't take no for an answer, making plane whoosing noises in his insistence. It was the threat of tattling to their teacher and club supervisor, Miss Amakata, that he wasn't taking care of himself that got Makoto to lean forward and eat the entire piece in a single bite. Gradually, the three of them resumed general topics, but Haruka remained pensive throughout the day.
"Alright everyone, good work!" Makoto called, clapping his hands for emphasis in garnering their attention.
He stood at the far end of the pool, adorned in their school's athletic uniform.
Rei sputtered somewhat when he stopped in his strokes too suddenly, but otherwise no one else made a commotion.
"You've completed today's training," Kou added for the team's benefit. She read the instructions she'd made on her clipboard, perhaps a tad forlornly. Makoto brought her out of her reverie with a hand on the shoulder, before addressing those still in the pool.
"The hour is getting late. We'll resume practice tomorrow, so please get a lot of rest tonight."
"Ahh, my bed is already calling me," Nagisa intoned as he drifted toward the ladder.
"Don't you have science homework to do?" Rei asked.
Nagisa's reply was to stick out his tongue and scurry out. The argument that ensued drifted into the locker room as they went to shower and change.
"We'll make it."
Kou had resumed staring at her notes, mind elsewhere until Makoto's voice interjected her thoughts.
"I think so, too. Although," she worried the edge of her bottom lip, "we've made a lot of strides to catch up using my brother's regimen, but Rin and the rest of Samezuka Academy have been actively participating in competitive swimming for years. A lot of rival schools have."
"That's true." Makoto didn't deny it. "But winning isn't the most important thing. Right?"
Something flickered in her eyes, and she turned to regard the pool where Haruka still did laps despite the dismissal for today's session.
"Yeah. It'd impress the school board if we won at a meet, and I would really like-" Catching herself, Kou shuffled her feet. "All of you are working so hard. I want everyone to see what we are capable of."
"Understood, Coach." Makoto beamed at her. "Each of us wants to get better and prove ourselves, together. We won't let you down."
Kou nodded, returning the grin. Makoto was relieved to see her leave on a happier note, which left one last, important matter…
Rolling up a pant leg, Makoto gingerly sat down at the rim of the pool. He dangled his good leg in the water, the slight chill of it soothing his bare foot. Makoto planted the other foot on the cement and wrapped an arm around his knee to keep it from slipping in and getting wet, not wanting to ruin the bandage he'd wrapped around his ankle for support.
Haruka finished his loop around the pool, ducking under and resurfacing beside his friend. He remained in the water, mostly submerged.
"Ready to head home?" Makoto asked. "You can come over for dinner, if you want."
Haruka blinked once, and then huffed, causing some bubbles to escape before he drew closer to lean against the grating.
"Not yet."
"Figures," he said good-naturedly.
To his astonishment, Haruka remained floating at his side, refraining from swimming.
Makoto smiled. "Honestly, I'm okay."
His friend averted his gaze, upper lip tensing. Instead of pushing away from the cement border, he turned to look at Makoto's ankle. He was level with it at this angle.
"Let me see," Haruka demanded.
Makoto's eyes widened at the request, but he didn't refuse. A wet imprint was left on Makoto's clothes as Haruka reached over and lifted up his pant leg. Makoto removed his arm to allow easier access, his teammate scooting closer and hiking it higher.
"Um-" Makoto's embarrassment vanished at Haruka's intense scrutiny. His concern was touching, as always.
"I told you, I'm all right," he said softly, knowingly. "Calling it a 'sprain' might be too severe. I just stepped on it wrong."
Haruka didn't respond immediately, not until he drew his own conclusions. Whatever such things were, he kept them to himself. He carefully lowered the pant leg, and heaved himself out of the water. Some droplets got on Makoto's jacket and in his hair as Haruka towered over him, but he didn't mind.
Twisting to attempt and do the same, Makoto discovered a hand offered in front of his face. Gradually, he gazed up – past the thin wrist, bent elbow, and shoulder to read Haruka's expression.
"Let's go," Haruka said.
"Of course," he agreed, lips curling until he was smiling once more. He hadn't realized he'd ever stopped.
Makoto clasped his hand, Haruka keeping steady so he could tug himself up. Regardless, he stumbled somewhat, imbalanced and unaccustomed to relying on his right leg so heavily. Haruka braced them in a heartbeat, steadying Makoto with a damp palm to the hip as he found his own hands gripping Haruka by the upper arms.
"Hey. Hey!" Nagisa yelled, freshly cleaned and dressed. He swung his bag around for easier carrying. Rei was trailing right behind him. "What's taking you two? We're going to miss the train."
"Coming," Makoto hollered, looking down at Haruka. "Better get ready, then."
"Mm."
"Don't take too long. Mom is making pineapple upside down cake."
Haruka's eyes glistened up at him, and that was the end of that.
-Fin-