A/N: Thank you so much for clicking this! I haven't written anything in like years so don't hate on me too much, I'm just trying to get back into it while coping with my MakoHaru feelings. This is gonna be a Future Fish AU but it's probably important to note that the Haru being a merman part of that AU is going to be neglected, I'm more just focusing on their occupations. Otherwise, I hope you like it
Cold water ran down the planes of Haruka's body as he stood from the bath, the drops gently falling into the small pool below. His now pruned hands reached for an old towel as he reluctantly dried his body. Haruka stepped out of his small bathroom as he lazily dried his hair, not particularly bothered by his nakedness. He lived alone and most of his blinds were still closed so the thought of dressing didn't really cross Haruka's mind.
Haruka's shifts at the restaurant had slowly been growing longer and longer. He was talented, especially when it came to cooking seafood, however this talent had lead him to being heavily relied upon in the kitchen. It was ordinary for shifts to now run into the early hours of the morning and by the time he would get home, some people were already starting to rise for their own jobs. Haruka had to admit it was beginning to strain his body.
It was just past noon when Haruka put on sweatpants and began to fry his 'breakfast', despite the time. Mackerel was the usual choice. It was easy to cook and Haruka didn't particularly like spending his free time doing what he could be getting paid to do, plus he had always enjoyed the taste of the fish. All Haruka wanted to do in his free hours was laze about in the tub, but unfortunately that wasn't a practical way to spend ones day, especially with his shift starting relatively soon.
Haruka sighed as he ate his mackerel by his kitchen bench, not bothering to pull out a plate to serve it on. The frying pan would do and it meant less cleaning up for him later. He looked out his window to admire the expansive blue sky before him. It would have been a perfect day to visit the beach. Haru could almost feel himself floating in the water and staring at the sky above, drifting away from all the stresses of the land. Maybe he would get a day off soon, it had been a while since he'd had a day off.
The creak of a door outside dragged Haru back to reality, a soft thud following it. Haru's head snapped to the direction of the sound to find it was simply his neighbour leaving. Haru watched as the built male fumbled through his keys to lock the door. Despite his neighbour's tall frame and heavy build he seemed incredibly clumsy when it came to his keys. Haru hadn't really taken the time to speak to his neighbours and hence knew next to nothing about them. Did his name start with a T? Tachi-, probably not, Haruka wasn't one to properly pay attention to these things after all. All he knew about his neighbour was derived from conversations he'd overheard in the street outside.
Haruka watched as his neighbour placed a small bowl onto his verandah. With the clink of the bowl hitting the ground, a soft mewl came and a small white kitten scurried out of the bushes in a clumsy gallop. The kitten had no collar, was it perhaps a stray? Hungrily eating at the bowl, his neighbour gave a soft laugh and gently stroked the kitten's back. It stopped eating for a moment, gently nuzzling itself into his large, calloused hand and purring before returning its focus to the food.
Taking a bite of his meal, if you could call it that, Haruka intently watched the scene below him. While Haruka didn't know the slightest thing about his neighbour, it did seem uncharacteristic of someone with such an intimidating build to mother a stray kitten. This was one of the few times Haru had actually seen the male, the other times being when Haruka got home late at night and was surprised to find him return home even later. It wasn't often he'd see the neighbouring lights turn on so late, but it happened frequently enough to make Haruka question it. Perhaps his neighbour was involved in some shady business, it would explain that police car that would come by every so often.
Haruka smirked. His neighbour was a cat loving thug. No wonder he had such a built body. Haru was slightly amused as he wandered through his own imagination, picturing his neighbour in dark alleys at night, probably coming home with bruises and new scars. Finally something interesting to happen on that god awful quiet street of his.
As Haruka was zoned out, he didn't notice his neighbour's turning head until it was too smirk on his face dropped when a pair of green eyes locked onto his. Crap. He'd been caught staring. His neighbour would probably get the wrong idea, maybe a gang of men would come to his house and force him to move house, beat him to a pulp as punishment for disgracing their leader…
But then the unexpected happened. His shockingly unmarred neighbour smiled, and Haruka felt his eyes widen at the sight. It was one of those smiles that so few people possessed that made you almost hear their voice comforting and supporting you. Those green eyes warmed up like butter in a pan and swallowed Haru whole, not letting Haru breathe for even a moment while those eyes were locked onto his. The man's smile was wide and his droopy eyes crinkled in the corners as he did so. Haru had never had someone smile at him that way and it made his heart skip a beat.
Surprised by the sudden feeling, Haru quickly turned around and left the kitchen. Haru wasn't entirely sure what he was feeling but decided it must have been surprise. That man's face had been so soft, so gentle and caring. Hardly something that matched his huge frame. How was a mobster meant to get away with anything if he had a face like that?
More importantly, Haruka had no idea what his heart had just done. Was that what arrhythmia felt like? He hadn't experienced any arrhythmia in the past, but then again it had been a while since he'd had a check up with his doctor. Maybe he had a family history of it that he didn't know about…
Letting out a sigh, Haru relocated to his bedroom to eat his breakfast, suddenly not feeling comfortable doing so in his kitchen. Why had he even smiled at him? Had Haru been smiling? He wasn't quite sure. Haru took a peek out of his bedroom window this time, careful to not be seen from behind the curtains. He watched as his green eyed neighbour mounted a bicycle in sweatpants and a loose olive tee. Did gangsters ride bikes to work? Haru shrugged, bicycles were a popular mode of transportation so he supposed it wasn't so odd.
Watching his neighbour's strong legs work the pedals, Haru felt another bout of arrhythmia hit him. He would definitely be booking in to see his doctor when he found out what days he had off.
Haruka's face dropped as he stood outside of his restaurant, the back walls charred and smoke slowly dispersing into the air above. The sirens were still piercing his ear and the whisperings of the gathering crowd were certainly irritating but he was too focused elsewhere to really care about their mindless chatter.
Haru wasn't even sure how a fire could have started. It was hours before they were set to open and they were all just meant to be doing food preparations such as peeling vegetables and chopping onions. Haru's eyes scanned over the area. The owner was crying on the sidewalk, some of the other chefs scratched their heads and watched on, and then he saw what he was looking for. The head chef was swearing like a sailor, yelling at a much younger boy. The head chef's bald head glistened with sweat and the vein on his forehead pulsed and twitched while he ground his teeth and spat at the ginger in front of him.
"What the HELL made you think you were capable of a flambé!? You're a god damn trainee!" The head chef yelled, leaning forward into the boy below him. His fists were clenched and Haru was shocked the boy hadn't been beaten to a pulp already.
"I- I'm sorry! I was- I was just sick of peeling potatoes and wanted to prove I could do more…" The boy stuttered, clearly trying not to choke on his words. Haru believed his name had been Momotarou, a senior at a local high school who wanted to be taken in as an apprentice after graduation. Haru snorted. Fat chance that was happening now.
Momotarou continued to be verbally abused by his superior while Haru directed his focus elsewhere. The fire had somehow managed to stay fairly contained. The front of the business remained unharmed with only the kitchen area having been affected by the rogue flames. The fire department had been quick to react, probably because there was so little to do in the Iwatobi area but Haruka was thankful nonetheless. The minimal amount of damage meant they could all return to their jobs fairly quickly. It was times such as these that Haru was thankful for working full time with a set salary.
Unbuttoning the top of his uniform, Haruka decided to sit on the sidewalk with a bottle of water. There wasn't too much he could do for the time being except cool down from the heat that still seemed to radiate from the building. He had to wait for a statement to be taken by the police. He didn't entirely understand why; it wasn't as though he had seen what had happened and no one had been hurt (except for Momotarou who had lightly burnt his hand) but he supposed it was just policy.
After about a half hour of listening to the gossip of bystanders and their wild stories of what may have happened, Haru was finally approached by a police officer who boredly asked, "Hello, I'm Rin Matsuoka and I'll be taking your statement, can you tell me your name and what happened?"
Haruka looked up and found that Rin was a lot younger than most of the other officers in the area. His sharp red hair poked our from beneath his hat and framed his pale face but his teeth happened to catch Haru's attention. A perfectly straight line of unnaturally pointed teeth. Haru had to force his eyes away from the teeth to look into the man's deep red eyes.
"Haruka Nanase," he began, "I'm not too sure what happened. I was just cutting carrots in the corner and then everyone was yelling. Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me out the side door onto the road. Then I noticed there was the fire. I think I heard something about Momotarou starting it, so he'll probably be more helpful." Haru's answers had been monotonous and he honestly didn't care much for his recount. The officer above him had probably already heard the same story multiple times and just sighed as he wrote it down. It was just their paperwork and Haru could tell Rin had been expecting something a bit more exciting.
"Thanks for letting me know, I'll go speak to the kid next." Rin stated. Haru just nodded and kept his eyes cast to warm asphalt below his feet. With the restaurant closed he might be able to go to the beach. Just as Rin began to stride towards the culprit a voice stopped the lean officer in his tracks.
"Rin!" a cheery voice called out, causing the officer's head to snap. Haru listened as hurried footsteps came from behind him, clearly headed towards the police officer. Rin turned, his eyes looking behind Haru and a smile plastered across his face.
"Should've expected you to be here, Mako." Rin said with a laugh. The footsteps passed Haruka and he felt a small breeze float over him as the tall firefighter ran towards Rin. The firefighter, or Mako as he'd been called, carried his helmet under one arm and the top half of his suit had been pulled down and tied around his waist to reveal a sweat drenched shirt that appeared to have once been olive in colour.
Haruka watched as the two in front of him conversed. They were obviously close, which didn't surprise Haruka. Iwatobi was only a small area and where one emergency service was called, another would surely be close behind. Haruka couldn't help but admire the tall firefighter and his broad shoulders. While Haruka could only see the man's back, that was enough to get his imagination running. The way his shoulder blades moved beneath his shirt, slightly adjusting the suspenders with every movement. Mako lifted his now dirtied arm to scratch his head and Haruka couldn't help but notice the slight flex of the man's muscles. A fine film of sweat coated the firefighter and something about that mixed with the small patches of ash covering his skin sent Haruka's blood pulsing. This man was certainly a sight to behold and Haruka wanted to enjoy it for just a little longer.
"Anyway, I need to keep doing these reports, but I'll stop by after work today if you're not busy, stock up the fridge would you?" Rin stated, giving the firefighter a friendly slap on the back as he walked in the other direction.
"Please don't bring that dog with you, you know it scares the cats!" Mako called out, but Rin only acknowledged him with a laugh and a careless wave of his hand. Haruka's eyes were slowly beginning to travel lower and lower as he tried to engrave it all into his mind, but without warning the object of Haru's lust had suddenly turned around and Haruka was faced with an equally impressive set of pectorals.
Haruka's eyes quickly flashed up to the firefighter's face and he almost wished they hadn't. Mako's messy hair lightly stuck to his face as he tried to wipe some soot off of his face with the back of his hand, which just smudged it even further. When Mako finally felt someone's gaze upon him, those green eyes immediately latched onto Haruka, who's jaw suddenly dropped. Haru tried to ignore the irregular beat in his chest and swallowed hard, trying to remain calm.
Haruka had been caught checking out his next door neighbour.
And there it was again. That goddamn smile that stopped his racing heart altogether for a moment. He was definitely booking in to see his doctor as soon as he got home. Haruka's eyes widened at the feeling that coursed through his veins. Unable to speak he just sat frozen, letting those crinkled green eyes draw him in
Then Mako was walking towards him, that same dumb smile still on his face. With each step Mako took Haru's mind ran faster and faster. Why was he approaching him? What was he going to do? Was he going to beat Haru up for staring this morning? No. Obviously not. It was fairly clear by this stage that his neighbour wasn't a mobster but in fact just a regular shift worker, but logic wasn't one of the hundreds of things racing in Haruka's skull at that moment.
"Are you alright?" Mako questioned, his head slightly tilted to the side. That sweet voice washed over Haruka like a warm summer breeze and made him feel like he was mindlessly drifting in the ocean. Haruka was so at ease and for the briefest of moments he wondered what that voice would sound like when saying his name. Still dumbstruck, Haruka's body worked on instinct and just slowly nodded, unable to look away from those eyes.
A hand was offered out to Haruka, open and inviting. It wasn't a fist and despite calloused and ashen, Haruka couldn't help but picture that kitten from the morning. Perhaps they were soft hands. Haru's gaze travelled from the open hand and back up to Mako's face, that smile still there and making this tall man appear so genuine and kind. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Haru sorted his thoughts to regain his composure. This was just another person. Just a neighbour who didn't know the first thing about him. Haru placed his hand within Mako's and gently pushed himself up, using Mako's strength for support.
Mako's hands had been gentle and incredibly warm, only lightly wrapping around Haruka's. Mako hadn't actually pulled Haruka up, in case that had been too strong for Haru but instead just offered support. When Haruka was standing, he let his fingers reluctantly slide over Mako's hand until they hung loosely at his side once more, ash now coating his own hand. They were soft Haruka thought, this time picturing his own face in that hand rather than that of a kitten's. Haruka shook the thought from his head and returned his gaze to Makoto's eyes, refusing to get nervous this time.
"Thanks." Haruka said and was surprised that Mako's smile could somehow become even warmer than it already was. Haruka looked off to the side, not wanting to get lost in those eyes again.
"You're Haruka, right? Haruka Nanase?" Mako questioned, his voice full of sincerity. Slightly surprised Haruka nodded his head with widened eyes, "Sorry I haven't introduced myself. We've been living next door for so long. I guess I just never got around to it." Mako stated shyly, his hand rubbing the back of his neck nervously as a light blush spread across his cheeks. Haruka returned his gaze back to the ground, and noticing the change of mood Mako continued, "I'm Makoto Tachibana, but I'm used to Mako so just call me that. Did you work here?"
"Yeah." Haruka mumbled, his eyes still cast downwards as he slowly dug his heel into the road. Haruka had never been one for words, but for some reason he found it incredibly difficult to speak with Makoto around. Maybe he really was coming down with something.
"That'd explain all those late nights you have then," Makoto stated. Haruka's eyes widened in surprise, but he still refused to look at Makoto's face. So Makoto was actually semi aware of Haruka's existence? To say Haru was shocked was an understatement; he was so used to being invisible he wasn't sure what to do after being told he was noticed. Mako turned to face the restaurant, his hands placed lazily on his hips, "I'm glad you didn't get hurt."
That was when Haruka looked up, his jaw slightly agape. He was sure Makoto had meant nothing by it, but Haruka couldn't stop that small flutter in his chest. Makoto slowly turned his head back around to face Haruka and smiled reassuringly. It wasn't like the other smiles, this one seemed to tell Haruka it was going to be alright, and the shorter man couldn't help but feel his shoulders relax at the sight of it. Haruka felt like he could watch it all day.
"Anyway, you should probably head home and rest. You've had a pretty big day," Makoto continued, his eyes turning back to the building. Haru was glad he was facing the other way because he could focus better now, but a small part of him couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that those green eyes weren't looking at him, "Did you need a lift home?"
Clearing his throat Haruka stated, "No, I can walk home." Makoto looked at him with a slightly raised eyebrow, as if to push the offer again but Haruka just looked away. Stepping into a strangers car was the last thing he wanted, especially when that car was a particularly large and incredibly conspicuous fire truck. Haruka turned on his heel and began to walk away from the large man.
"Haru-chan?" Makoto called up and Haruka felt his body tense at the name. Who did this guy think he was? Sure he was gorgeous but there was a line that wasn't meant to be crossed like that after first encounters. Haruka twisted his head around over his shoulder and his anger was all but forgotten when he saw those green eyes again, "You know, if you have some free time tomorrow, you should come over. I mean, we are neighbours and all…" Makoto said, his hands wringing themselves nervously. Haruka just grunted in reply and continued his walk back home.
Haruka could still hear the commotion in the distance but it was well enough behind him to forget about it. So he'd be out of a job for a while, that would be interesting. Haruka wasn't sure what to do with free time. Perhaps he'd start sketching again, it had been a long time and his charcoal was just sitting there to rot on his desk. It would be nice to get his fingers a bit dirty again.
Haruka looked down at his hand, observing the fine ash that stained his hand from when Makoto had touched him. He had a bad feeling this wouldn't wash off too easily.
A/N: Well that's that for chapter one. I don't know if I'll keep writing it, so review or favourite it so I can know if I should continue. Any reviews would be great because I feel a little lost in this whole writing thing. It's been so long .