A/N: So I wrote this for my best friend who mercilessly and selfishly pushed me into the Free! fandom and forced me to deal with the freelings. FREELINGS. And now I grieve over the fact that Makoto's hot body isn't real. [impure thoughts intensify]

This has a RinHaru theme.

'Rin...'

'I don't…'

'You do.'

Makoto slides his hand into Haruka's, pulling him out of the pool. He hands Haruka a towel and they stand in silence as he dries himself.

'Haruka I…' Makoto mumbles, the carefully chosen words dying on his tongue. Haruka stills, towel sliding out of his hands and falling to the ground. He stares at Makoto, waiting for him to continue. Makoto's gaze drops to the floor, unable to meet Haruka's.

'I'm- My uncle-' Makoto struggles, hands clenching into fists at his side.

'Makoto.' Haruka murmurs, barely audible.

Makoto lets out a defeated puff of breath and looks up at Haruka. 'I'm- I'm moving. To Akita. My uncle has his business there. He wants me to come. I can work in his company.' His nail digs into his palm as he watches Haruka's eyes widen in surprise.

'You're moving.' Its almost a question, but not quite. As if the words just fell out of Haruka's mouth in passing. He bends down, picks up the towel and stares at it for a moment. 'Why?' he asks, resignation apparent in his tone. And Makoto hates himself for putting him through this. Something he had already been through before with Rin. And it damaged him in ways that hadn't quite healed even after all these years. But that was Rin. And Makoto couldn't possibly compare to him.

All these years and he hadn't even come close.

'I think you know, Haru. I think we've always known.'

'All that time, Rin. Didn't you wonder?'

Silence. And then, 'I hoped.'

Makoto smiled softly and looked away. His fingers swiped over his wet cheek, wiping it quickly. 'You don't have to hope anymore. You never had to, Rin.'

'I always knew this day would come, Haru. Maybe I just didn't want to accept it.'

'Makoto…' Haru mumbles, reaching out and curling his fingers around Makoto's wrist.

'But yesterday when we won the relay, I couldn't deny it any longer. It was time.'

Haruka's grip around Makoto's wrist tightens. 'Forgive me, Makoto.' He says, voice trembling.

Makoto gives a wistful smile and runs his fingers over Haruka's damp hair. 'There is nothing to forgive.'

'Wont you stay?' Haruka whispers, staring at the still water in the pool.

Makoto gently tugs his hand out of Haruka's. 'I cant.' He replies, attempting to swallow the overwhelming longing. He turns around before it spills out from under his control and he runs until he is quite sure there is no going back.

'Will you take care of him, Rin? Promise me.'

He watched Rin carefully, caught the slight moment of hesitation as he bit back a retort. 'Yeah.' He says finally. 'Yeah, I promise.'

'Thank you.'