A/N: Oneshot. I felt like writing I let my mind wander and my fingers be "free" this is what I came up with. It was 12am when I first starting writing this, and I didn't edit, bear with me.

I let the water gently caress my skin with each patten I draw in the water.

I can feel the weight of my troubles disappear as I exhale.

The water is where I have always been most free.

I can't really describe how it makes me feel, but I know nobody should take that away from me.

I look up to see my friend Makoto looking at me.

"Good morning Haru" he says as he extends a hand out towards me. I have become familar to him entering my home while I am taking a bath, it's turning into a pre-morning ritual.

"Oh hi Makoto" I say, stepping out of the tub and putting on my trusty apron to cook my favourite meal: mackerel.

I inhale the fragrant smells of hot oil against saba and take a bite of the savoury seafood. It doesn't really taste right this morning so I set it down. Makoto taps my left shoulder as if to say, we should be heading out soon. I make no objections.

I change out of my swimsuit and I set out to wear my school uniform: light brown trousers, a white shirt with a green necktie, and dark gray blazer.

I enter class 3-1 and glance over at the english the teacher has written on the board. I'm not very good at English, I don't really understand it too well. It's nothing like Japanese. Japanese class is better, I am fast at memorizing the kanji that students learn to write and making sentences. I'm ok at reading and any analyzing sentences in Japanese, which is what they made my class do today. I almost doze off in math. The day is feeling like it is taking forever. I shift uncomfortably in my seat. Finally it is time for the swim club meeting.

"Hey Haru-chan!" said Nagisa cheerily.

"Haruka-senpai!" called out Rei.

I zoom right by them and strip off my school uniform, revealing my black swimsuit with purple stripes underneath as I jump into the water.

I have been waiting all day for this.

The water feels great against my skin. I swim faster and faster, matching the my strokes to the kick of my legs. I block out all the sound around me and focus on the water as it takes what I give.

Nothing else is there, only me and the water.

I can feel myself becoming exhausted, so I stop.

I can feel my energy draining and I wonder is happening. I never get tired so quickly when I swim.

I stand in the pool with my head down and from the corner of my eye I see Makoto, Rei, and Nagisa rush over to help me.

"Haru, are you ok? You're looking very pale". Makoto is very motherly sometimes but he's a great friend in that aspect. He's a wonderful brother to his siblings as well.

"I'm fine Makoto, don't worry about me, I'm just tired"

Well, I wasn't lying. I hadn't slept well the night before.

Makoto puts his cool hand on my forehead. "How do you expect me to believe that, look at you. Your face is flushed and you're burning up"

It is?

In a moment, my head feels like it is a ton and I suddenly feel nauseous.

I focus on my breathing as I try not to get sick on Makoto, choking down the gagging feeling I have in my throat and disregarding the pain in my stomach.

"So, maybe I'm not okay" I shrug sheepishly. Kudos to Makoto for figuring that out before me. Makoto whispered something to Rei and Nagisa as they look at me, concerned.

Makoto places my arm on top of his shoulder to support me and tells me that me that he's taking me home.

The minute I walk into my house Makoto grabs a hand cloth from the lien drawer, soaks it in cold water, and places it on my head.

He leads me to the couch, where he gets me to lie down.

"Sleep Haru" he says. "You need rest if you want to get better".

Makoto sets a glass of water on the end table beside the couch.

"Hope you feel better soon."

I know if I get up that Makoto will just find a way to get me back down so I lie and pretend to sleep. The weight of my body becomes heavy and I am soon dragged down by the clutches of sleep.

I wake up, not knowing where I am for a brief second. Then I remember.

"How long was asleep for?" I ask Makoto, who was standing right beside me.

"3 and a half hours... You feeling any better?"

"Yeah... A little... Umm thanks for helping me Makoto. You didn't have to do that... I don't want you to get what I have"

"Don't worry about it Haru"

Makoto reaches his hands out for the TV remote and we watch a slice of life sports anime series together for the rest of the afternoon.

I can't ask for a better friend than Makoto.