Prompt: Okay fluffier response. After the confession scene at the pool, Makoto and Haru head home while holding hands. Make it as romantic as possible. (Because I'm starving for fic that focuses on what happens right after that scene.)

A/N: Today (December 29th, 2016) it has been exactly two years since I wrote my very first fic. I want to thank every single person who has ever read one of my fics and left a review, favourited it, etc. Every bit of attention my fics receive means the world to me and I am truly grateful to everyone who has continuously supported me throughout the past two years. I really hope that you'll continue to support me and enjoy my works in the future! ^^

So because it's my "anniversary" of being a writer, I wanted to have the fic that I am currently working on finished so I could give it to you all as a gift. Alas, some things happened in my life because of which I had to stop writing for some time and therefore I wasn't able to finish it on time. Now that I'm back into writing I hope I can finish it as soon as I can. For now, I decided to post the latest piece of work that I finished but hadn't shared here yet. I originally posted this fic a little while ago on my Tumblr, so you might have read it already over there. Nevertheless, I know there are some people who solely read fics over here so I want to share it with my FFn-exclusive readers as well! ^^

If you don't know, this fic is basically a "missing scene" from the movie High*Speed: Free - Starting Days. If, by any chance, you have not watched the movie yet, I recommend you do so because it is necessary in order to understand this fic.

Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy it! ^^

Rating: T

With wet clothes, racing hearts and intertwined fingers Haruka and Makoto made their way back home through the empty streets of Iwatobi, which were dimly lit by the streetlights and the moon.

The cool evening breeze that was pleasantly blowing should have made them shiver in their wet clothes, but neither of them could feel the cold because a fire of emotion was burning inside of their bodies.

Although the feeling of Makoto's hand in his was one that Haruka was all too familiar with, it was different now, not only because their fingers were laced together, but also because the meaning behind the simple gesture was entirely different. Something had changed. It was something that made his stomach tingle and feel funny with warmth of feelings and emotions he hadn't quite understood yet before. But tonight he had learned to put a name to these feelings. Love.

Haruka didn't like change. He never had, and he probably never will, preferring the comfort of familiarity. But alas, life didn't wait for anyone and change was inevitable. Even if things changed, everything would be fine because the soothing presence of his best friend would always be by his side, experiencing the change with him and supporting him through it. At least, that was what Haruka always believed.

Entering middle school was one of those changes that Haruka dreaded more than he looked forward to. Luckily for him, Makoto was going to the same school so he wouldn't have to face this new world all by himself. Then the first disappointment came: they weren't in the same class. At first he thought that that wouldn't be that big of a deal; they could still see each other during lunch breaks and after school they would continue to go to the swim club and hang out like they always did. Almost immediately that feeling of his changed when he realised that other people would be in Makoto's class, other people would befriend and hang out with Makoto, without his knowledge. And on top of that, he was in a class all by himself while these other people had Makoto. It was at that moment that he realised that unlike in elementary school, this place didn't know Haruka and Makoto, didn't know what their relationship entailed nor to what extend it went. Didn't know that you can't have one without the other. There was no Haruka and Makoto here but rather Haruka and Makoto, two individuals rather than a duo.

It took some time to get used to, but after a week or two he had accepted that this was reality now. Although his classmates were pretty noisy, and most of all they weren't Makoto, they were all right, he supposed. He saw Makoto more often since they had joined the school's swim team together, enabling him to share the water with Makoto more often than he previously had been able to, so that was nice. Even if this place didn't know Haruka and Makoto that didn't mean that it was going to cease to exist. They were still best friends, sharing a bond stronger than any other, and nothing could ever change that. That was what he sincerely believed. Until Makoto started to change as well.

It had started on the first day of school, when Makoto suddenly changed the way he addressed himself. When he mentioned it to Makoto, he had sheepishly explained that now he was a middle schooler, he thought he'd use a different way to refer to himself. Haruka had found it weird and unnecessary, but he didn't say anything else about it, deciding to drop the subject and let Makoto do what he wanted. If Makoto felt more comfortable with using a more 'masculine' or 'adult' way to address himself, then that was fine and he chose not to think about it too much.

But then as time passed Makoto seemingly began to distance himself from Haruka. When he had finished a lap in the pool and Makoto's hand wasn't there, not reaching out to pull him out of the water, Haruka knew something was wrong. They saw each other less and less and at one point it even seemed as if Makoto was purposefully avoiding him. All of it made Haruka feel bad and insecure, like Makoto consciously chose to leave him behind in order to take a different path in his life; a path that didn't include Haruka.

Even if he didn't mind solitude and could enjoy being alone, Haruka couldn't remember a time he had ever felt so lonely. His best friend was growing up without him and when he came home he was greeted by the emptiness of his house.

Ugly feelings coiled in his stomach: pain, anger, loneliness and some he couldn't place. These feelings dominated his mind and mood, to the point of him not having an appetite, not even for his beloved mackerel.

He'd had enough. He just wanted his best friend back, to stop this change that was happening and for everything to return to the way it was before they entered middle school.

One night he had gone out to the convenience store to get himself some groceries for dinner and when he had returned Makoto was there, standing in front of his door, leaving food that his mother made behind for him. Haruka hadn't eaten any of the meals Makoto brought for him; he just couldn't. In a way, it was his stubborn protest against Makoto's change.

Like he always did, Makoto saw right through him and scolded him and at that moment something inside of Haruka snapped. No longer able to contain his true feelings, he had yelled at Makoto, spilling his every thought before they could explode inside of him.

As he was catching his breath from his sudden outburst, Makoto had seemingly realised something. Everything was going too fast for Haruka's mind to comprehend when he was suddenly pulled down the stairs by Makoto, his grip around his wrist firm yet somehow still gentle.

Makoto had taken him to the swim club, where they had swum together - fully clothed - in the pool that was illuminated by the light of the full moon. Submerged in the clear water they swam circles around each other and Makoto had reached out his hands to him. It took him by surprise as it was the first familiar gesture he'd been given in a time full of uncertainty. He had taken Makoto's hands and allowed Makoto to pull him upwards. They had floated on the water, hands clasped together and even if things hadn't been solved yet, for the first time in days Haruka felt a little bit of peace and comfort settling into his heart.

After a while they were resting on one of the lane dividers and Makoto had explained to him what had been coursing through his mind these past couple of weeks and he had apologised. Nonchalantly Haruka had said that it was okay and that he was sorry too, but on the inside he was practically dying from the overwhelming relief that washed over his body at those words. He didn't want Makoto to notice, so he asked if Makoto had found an answer to the question that had been occupying his mind and controlled his actions.

It was then that Makoto spoke the words that made the pieces of the puzzle finally fall into place, slotting together perfectly to form the clear image that Haruka hadn't been able to see before.

"I love swimming and I love Haru-chan, so I want to swim together with you."

Love. He loved Makoto. That was why he was so afraid of things to change, so afraid of other people hanging around Makoto, so afraid of Makoto distancing himself from him. Because he loved Makoto, and the thought of Makoto leaving him behind was terrifying; the thought of Makoto no longer being with him stabbing him deep in his gut.

But he didn't have to worry about that anymore, because Makoto loved him too.

When everything clicked together, the realisation that engulfed him left him shy and practically speechless. Like he had said earlier that evening, Makoto was still Makoto; still the same Makoto as the little boy he had always known, his best friend that he was growing up with, and the person he loved. His cheeks felt hot and he had to avert his eyes, because Makoto's bright smile and sparkling eyes were too much for him to handle.

He knew he had to say something in return, because he couldn't just leave Makoto hanging like that, not when his feelings were definitely returned. Although he wasn't quite ready yet to tell Makoto that aloud, he knew that his true feelings would bleed through his words and facial expression.

Habitually he told Makoto to stop with the '-chan', which made Makoto apologise once more, though there was no trace of actual remorse in his voice, indicating that he definitely wasn't going to stop calling him the childhood nickname. Unlike his half-feigned annoyance would suggest, he actually didn't mind Makoto calling him 'Haru-chan' as long as they were alone. In a way, it was a reminder of them still being the same Haruka and Makoto they had always been.

After Makoto's remorseless apology, Haruka had shyly muttered, "Also... Of course we'll swim together."

Those words were completely true, but they held a hidden message that only Makoto would be able to understand. Not only would they continue to swim together, they would to be together as well, both in the water as in life in general.

The brilliant smile that lit up Makoto's face told Haruka that Makoto had gotten the meaning behind his words quite clearly. If Haruka's insides weren't already tingling with butterflies, they would have melted on the spot upon witnessing the overjoyed expression on his best friend's face. Unable to deal with all of these overwhelming emotions that his best friend was drowning him in, he needed to get himself out of this situation so his blazing cheeks could cool down and his heartbeat would hopefully return to normal once more.

So he proposed to go back home and began to swim away, which made Makoto yell to wait for him.

And that was how they ended up here, on the road they took almost daily, now with entwined fingers and blushes dusting their cheeks.

Everything still felt so surreal to Haruka; the whole revelation of not only Makoto's feelings, but his own as well was a lot to take in. For once, the water had done nothing to calm him down, it was like it was only adding to the sentiment that painted the air that hung between Makoto and him then, like it was adding even more impact to the already powerful moment. Makoto's confession kept repeating itself in his head, and with every echo Haruka's heart felt heavier, the meaning of his words finding their place inside of him, seeping into the spots his heart had always saved up for them, even if it was without his knowledge. Every syllable heated his cheeks even more. He had hoped that removing himself from the situation would give him time to regain his cool demeanour, but instead it was doing the opposite: this quiet walk back home gave him the opportunity to analyse and overthink every little thing about Makoto. It made him realise that this newfound love between them might have been there all along, but it was so natural to them that neither realised it until they were separated for some time. That thought made him almost glad that Makoto had distanced himself from him so he could figure himself out. Almost.

The silence between them was heavy unlike usually, although it wasn't because it was awkward or uncomfortable, but there was a certain bashfulness emitting from both of them. Realising that you feel more for your lifetime best friend than just the friendly feelings there normally were was a lot to take in, and they still had to adjust to the idea. But even then, they found that they didn't dislike the idea of their relationship being more than friendship; they didn't dislike it at all. Somehow, it was like it was always meant to be this way.

For Makoto, the revelation of him loving Haruka had come a little earlier, when Haruka had yelled at him. It was something small clicking into place, nothing at all like the big bomb exploding like he had always believed it would be. Of course, he loved Haruka. That was why everything had hurt so much, why he had felt so miserable during the days they spent apart. It was why Nao-senpai's question had hit him as hard as it did, which had led to him forcing himself to change. Because he wanted to find his own identity, who he really was apart from Haruka. But he hadn't realised that their lives had been intertwined from the moment he was born, like there was a red string of fate tied around their pinky fingers that bound them together. Loving Haruka was part of who he was; to deny Haruka's role in his life was to deny himself. He knew that now, and he had to make sure that Haruka understood as well.

The confession he had spoken was not something that he had carefully thought out, not something he had pondered over to craft to perfection. Instead, the words that had flown from his lips were his true feelings right at that moment, what he needed Haruka to know. And he had meant every single one of them; no words more accurate could have been spoken.

And he didn't regret them, not in the slightest, but now that he had time to think everything over, he felt a little more unsure. Not about his confession itself, but rather Haruka's reaction to it. The response Haruka had given him was so like his best friend and he got the message that he had silently conveyed with them, but what if he had interpreted it wrong? What if this was something he wanted so badly that he read into his friend's words too much? What if the hidden meaning of his words weren't there at all?

The blush that adorned Haruka's cheeks and the fact that they were holding hands now contradicted this idea, but he couldn't help but feel insecure by his own thoughts. He needed to get the reassurance and all he could do was ask.

"Hey, Haru?"

"What?" Haruka questioned softly, meeting his eyes for the first time since they had left the swim club.

Knowing that Haruka wasn't quite ready yet to admit how he honestly felt out loud, Makoto knew he had to ask him in a more roundabout way. "When you said that we'd swim together," he started, "what did you mean with that?"

Immediately Haruka averted his eyes again and if his cheeks could have glown a darker shade of red, they would have. "I meant what I said," he muttered quietly.

"Yes, but," Makoto halted, trying to think of how he could properly formulate this, "Did you mean that we would be together? As in, together?" His voice cracked as he said this, making him cringe a little at himself, but he tried to not pay too much attention to it, wanting to sound confident even if he wasn't, really.

Suddenly Haruka started to question if he hadn't interpreted things differently than he should have. He thought it was clear that they were together now, but if Makoto asked it like this then that could only mean that it wasn't as obvious to him as it was to Haruka. Or maybe he realised he didn't actually want it.

Not wanting to force Makoto into anything if he did actually feel different than him, Haruka tried to answer as nonchalantly as possible. "If you want..."

Those hesitant words were all the confirmation Makoto needed. He chuckled softly, covering his mouth with his fist and he lightly squeezed Haruka's fingers with his other hand. "I'd like that," he murmured earnestly, biting his bottom lip to prevent a wide smile from stretching his face, but it was in vain.

"Alright," Haruka easily replied, but Makoto could tell that his agreement made him incredibly happy; his face may be downturned and half-covered by his fringe, but Makoto could still see the small smile that was betraying his true feelings. The way he softly squeezed Makoto's hand in return only encouraged this.

In silence they continued their way home, walking beside the beach, where the moon was reflected in the shimmering ocean.

A loving sigh escaped Makoto's lips as he watched how the moonlit ocean view framed the sight of the beautiful boy walking next to him, his eyes softening as his chest filled with warmth. He gently caressed the hand in his with his thumb, his gaze never straying from Haruka. His Haruka.

When Haruka turned his head towards Makoto and found that he was already looking at him, he quickly turned it away again, pretending to stare at the water instead. It took all of Makoto's strength and willpower not to giggle at how cute Haruka was, but he didn't want to embarrass him even more so he tried to contain it. Now that he knew how he really felt towards Haruka, he didn't understand why he didn't realise it sooner; it was clear as day that he regarded Haruka as way more than just his childhood best friend.

Warm and fluffy feelings roamed through his body, making him feel like he was as light as a feather. That feeling was mutual, as Haruka very much felt like he was on cloud nine as well.

They arrived at the bottom of the stairs that would ultimately lead to their houses, but Haruka found that he didn't want to part from Makoto yet. After spending so much time emotionally apart, he needed more, more time with Makoto, and he wasn't ready to return to that empty house all by himself.

When they got to the steps that would mean for their separation, they both halted, not quite knowing what to do. Turning towards each other, they waited for the other to say something.

Suddenly Haruka got onto his tippy toes and placed a small kiss on Makoto's cheek. The second he did it he realised what he was actually doing and all of his blood rushed towards his face. He didn't know why he did it; it was an impulse, like his body was acting of its own accord, without him having any control of it.

Just as he was about to pull away so he could run back home, Makoto wrapped his arms around his body. It told Haruka that it was okay, and even though he was still embarrassed by his own action, he felt himself relax in Makoto's hold. His own arms found their way around Makoto's waist and he lightly clutched the back of Makoto's damp cardigan.

No word was spoken, but both of them felt the nerves that had been flowing through their veins trickle out of their bodies. Their embrace comforted them both and reminded them that everything was alright; even with their newfound feelings, they were still themselves, still best friends, still Haruka and Makoto.

Blue eyes met green ones, staring into each other's soul and practically reading the other's thoughts. They fluttered shut as their lips met each other halfway in a chaste, close-mouthed kiss. It only lasted for a second before they pulled away. Haruka buried his red face into Makoto's chest while Makoto attempted to do the same in Haruka's hair, but he had to bend his neck weirdly and could only nuzzle his black locks at most. So instead, he gently rested his chin atop of Haruka's head, tightening his grip around his back and closing his eyes.

Although everything was still new to them, it somehow felt so natural. Being inside each other's arms made a strange sense of belonging wash over them; it made them feel safe. They hadn't know that the simplicity of feeling someone's body against their own, of holding someone close, could feel this good. It was probably because they were holding each other that it felt so nice, they thought, and even though neither of them had been big on expressing affection physically, they knew that they definitely wouldn't mind holding each other like this more often. If it already felt this great now, they could only imagine how great it would feel if their clothes would be dry.

Neither wanted to break the hold, for it felt much too nice to let go, but they knew that they couldn't just stand here for the rest of the night. Still, releasing Makoto would mean that they were going to part ways, and Haruka would do anything to prevent that from happening.

"Come over," he whispered into Makoto's chest, burying his face a bit further into Makoto's pectoral, the scent of chlorine mixed with something he couldn't describe as anything but Makoto filling his nostrils.

In response Makoto hummed in agreement, so softly that Haruka wouldn't have noticed it if it weren't for the feeling of it vibrating through Makoto's chest. The sound was so small, almost as if Makoto was afraid of breaking the air of tranquility that enveloped them.

Tightening their arms ever so slightly, squeezing each other lightly before they sighed and slowly let their hold slip away. Their eyes met once more and Makoto smiled sweetly at Haruka, who returned the gesture with his eyes rather than his lips.

Their hands found each other once more, fingers lacing together as if it was second nature to them as they ascended the rest of the steps leading to Haruka's house.

The plastic bag that Haruka had previously dropped was still there, a calico cat inside of it beside the food that Haruka had bought. Makoto's fingers slipped out of Haruka's hand as he went over to retrieve the bag - and maybe pet the kitten a little.

The sight of Makoto - his Makoto - crouching and stroking the cat's fur affectionately made a flair of adoration mixed with something else - jealousy, he later realised - shoot through Haruka's stomach. He walked to his front door and picked up the box of side dishes that Makoto brought over earlier, and he opened his door.

"Makoto," he called out. The boy in question lifted his head and nodded, saying goodbye to the cat before he got up and returned to Haruka's side, the plastic bag in hand.

They went inside so they could take a bath and change out of their wet clothes. And maybe, when they were done, they could continue to hold each other for the remnants of the night.

Haruka didn't like change. But perhaps some changes weren't that bad.

A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you liked it! ^^

I'm sorry for the first part, though: I wanted to capture Haru's feelings before and during the pool scene, and I sort of ended up recapping it. I tried to keep it brief, because I can talk about and describe that scene for hours, but I didn't want to put the focus on that part because that wasn't the prompt. I also tried to keep it as realistic as I could, but as you can tell that didn't really end up happening.

So do I think this is what truly happened after that wonderful scene? Probably not, but a girl can dream.

Either way, thank you so much for reading. As always you can talk to me on Tumblr and Twitter at DatHeetJoella :)

I hope everyone has a wonderful day and hopefully I will see you all the next time.

See you in 2017! ^^