Lifeboat
By – Hime no Ichigo
Genre: Romance/Angst
Rating: PG-13
Characters/Pairing: TACHIBANA Makoto + NANASE Haruka (+ MATSUOKA Rin)
Story Type: Drabble
Summary: As easygoing as he is, he hates being second.
Disclaimer: Free! is the intellectual property of Kyoto Animation.
Notes: This is from this week's theme: "3p". I'm interpreting it as "love triangle" hahaha.
When Makoto picks up Haruka every morning now, he has a fear of also Rin there. He's not with Haruka every moment – they have their own lives outside of school and club activities (and his siblings do take up a chunk of his time) – and as far as (best) friends go, he shouldn't really pry into his personal life any more than this. Nagisa can probably get away with it though. Makoto simply can't put it past himself to be nosy and inquisitive, like an insecure boyfriend.
Which is what he is...except the boyfriend part. Perhaps. He's fairly confident that he has some sort of standing in Haruka's heart – a decade now – but romantically? Platonically?
Haruka is good at facing people with poker faces, and even Makoto can't break through it.
Makoto knows things he doesn't want to. His passion for swimming doesn't run as deep as Haruka's, and it's precisely that bond keeping him and Rin together, although currently in animosity. But animosity is better...than nothing.
On the off chance they get to be alone and Haruka isn't pining after a body of water, Makoto studies his face—quiet, barely phased—even as they strip down. Even as he brushes against his skin. Even as he strokes, slow and firm.
Sometimes, Makoto wonders what Haruka thinks, with his eyes closed.
As the night progresses, he can't help but think—it's not really him there with Haruka.
But he hates to play second fiddle.
So he's back the next morning.
- Owari -
Authoress' Notes: Whoops.