The prompt was 'Haruka goes into a coma for ten years.' Well, my brain wouldn't let the idea be and this small drabble appeared. I made an add-on for Nagisa as well, which is the next chapter. ;3;

The view was just as he remembered it, seagulls high overhead, waves lapping at the shore. Sunlight turned the horizon red and orange, dying the sea a dark pink. Children ran up and down the sandy banks of the ocean, a dog jumping through the waves washing pebbles onto the shore. A sailboat drifted far off in the corner. Everything appeared just how it had been left, serene and gentle. A normal day. Except today was far from normal.

This was the first time in ten years that Nanase Haruka had stared at this scene.

He leaned back in the wheelchair, watching the thing he had loved all those years ago. The sea was calling him, but Haruka knew he couldn't go near it again. No, Makoto wouldn't allow him to. It was there that he had almost drowned, and it was there that little Nagisa saved his life during a swirling storm. Haruka had survived, falling into a coma that had lasted for ten years. At least, this is what Makoto told him, standing there beside him. His best friend refused to let go of his hand, as if he was afraid that Haruka would drift away from him again.

The former swimmer was twenty-seven now, far past the age of 'ordinary.' By now he should've obtained his dream, he should have disappeared in the water just like he wanted. To swim forever. That's all he had been reaching for.
He took a small breath, fingers clenching against the arm of the wheelchair.

"What happened to Nagisa?" The little blond hadn't been there when he had awoken.

Haruka glanced up, seeing an almost pained smile appear on Makoto's lips. "He went to South America with Rei about five years ago. Those two got together about a year after you went into a coma and ran off for a bit. You had made some progress by then, and you were so close to waking up, but something pulled you back under again." The black-haired swimmer noticed the glitter of tears running from those gentle green eyes. "A few days after that, Nagisa lost consciousness and died from malaria. He contracted it in South America."

"Rei was killed in an accident two days later. We think his grief got the better of him and he lost control of his car. Everyone went to their funeral. We buried both of them together, just like they wanted. Even Rin showed up. We hadn't seen him in so long ..." Makoto wiped away the tears, clearly not wanting Haruka to see them. "He came to visit you a few times, but he had a breakdown and got escorted out. Rin didn't come back after that. It's been nearly four years since I've last seen him."

Haruka looked back at the ocean, watching the waves lap at the shore once more. He thought back to Nagisa pulling them all together again. He thought of when they cleaned the pool together, when he tried to swim in a fish aquarium. The swimmer thought of Rei and how the teenager nearly drowned. His mind brought up the images of attempting to teach him how to swim; the butterflies, the frustration, the stress. Haruka thought of Kou and her obsession with how they looked. He went even further back and thought of when the four of them had swam together, Rin, Makoto, Nagisa, and himself. Had it really already been ten years since Haruka had taken that swim in the ocean?

"Kou went off to America to become a doctor. She wanted to try and help you in any way that she could. Now that you're awake, she's on her way back here." Haruka let out a soft sigh at the voice, looking back to Makoto. "Were they happy? Were Nagisa and Rei truly happy?" His best friend gave a small nod. "Yeah. They were really happy together." Makoto squeezed his hand a bit tighter. "Then that's enough. Let them rest together."

Haruka blinked in surprise as Makoto hugged him. "I'm glad you're back. I missed you."

Moments passed, before Haruka wrapped his arms around the other and held him close. It was all the movement he could do now; the swimmer had lost his ability to walk. He had been tossed against rocks during that terrible storm. His spine had been broken, rendering his legs useless.

"Hey Haruka, why don't we go for one last swim?"

"I'd like that," he whispered, and for the first time in ten years, Haruka smiled.