Summary: What is wrong with Makoto? And Rin makes a move.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. This is fiction

Thoughts

Reasons

Haruka stared at his friend in the bed. For so long Makoto had looked after him and protected him and then, when his friend finally needed him, there was nothing Haruka could do.

"Haru, there's nothing you can do. We just have to wait for the test results to come back."

The swimmer looked up at Rei's comforting words. Rei was curled up in a chair with Nagisa, Liana resting on Aello's head at their feet. Gou and Amakata-san had gone home, leaving the swim team and Rei in the room.

"Have you rung his parents?"

"They took his brother and sister to Disney World in America. I rang them and they've decided to stay there until we know what's going on. No point freaking out Ren and Ran."

Rei nodded, seeing the sense in their decision. Rin peeked into the room, Aesina, at his feet, carrying a bag from the grocery store.

"He still asleep?"

He frowned when Haruka nodded.

"I don't like it, Makoto doesn't sleep like this. Something must be wrong. Oh, we got food from the store. And some drink. We haven't eaten since we got here."

He handed the fruit and water to Rei and Haru and the doughnut and Pepsi to Nagisa.

"Thanks Rei."

No problem Nagisa. Haru, can I talk to you in the hall?"

Haru, confused, followed Rin into the hall. He sat in a chair, running his fingers through Celandia's fur, his thought still on Makoto.

"Haru, we've known each other a long time now, right?"

"Ah, yeah. About ten years? Maybe longer."

"And I always thought there was...something between you and I?"

"What?"

Rin knelt in front of his friend, taking Haru's hands in his own.

"I like you Haru. I really like you. I want you to be my boyfriend. Please?"

Haruka was frozen. Rin liked him? He had never thought of Rin like that. He had never thought of anyone like that. Except Makoto, you've always thought of Makoto like that. Haruka shook those thoughts out of his head, Makoto was his friend, nothing more. He looked down into Rin's pleading eyes and thought to himself.

'I don't love him. But I like him. And my parents are saying I should have someone at this age. It's not like anyone else is confessing to me.'

He smiled at Rin and tightened his grip on the other boys hand.

"I'd love to be your boyfriend Rin."

Their almost kiss was interrupted by Nagisa.

"He's awake!"

"I'm fine, honestly. Why you bought me to a hospital I'll never know."

Vendari growled at his human.

"You passed out! We passed out. That is not normal Makoto. You are a young athlete. You should be healthy, not collapsing at the pool side!"

Vendari started cleaning himself, ignoring Makoto's mutters about 'not collapsing, I sat down.' His friends were laughing, glad to see that Makoto was in a good mood. Rei leaned towards his friend.

"Do you know what the problem was?"

"I got a pain in my stomach. A really bad one."

Nagisa nodded, a serious look on his face.

"It might be an ulcer. My uncle had one and he often had stomach pains before it was diagnosed."

"I hope."

There was silence after that. What more could be said? They could hope all they wanted, but until te doctor walked in the door and told them the test results, there was nothing they could do. Out of the corner of her eye, Aello noticed something.

"Rin, Haru? Are you two holding hands?"

Haruka flushed as suddenly, all eyes in the room were on him. Rin straightened in his chair, a proud smile on his face.

"I asked Haru to be my boyfriend and he said yes."

Nagisa leapt out of his chair, rushing to hug the two boys. Rei walked around the bed as well to hug them, brushing a comforting hand over Makoto's arm. Haruka looked at his best friend, waiting for his reaction. Makoto was staring at the IV in the back of his hand, not looking at Rin or Haru.

"Makoto?"

He looked up, eyes closed and small smile on his face.

"I'm happy if my friends are happy. Congratulations guys."

Haruka accepted Nagisa's hugs, watching as Vendari settled against Makoto's side, blocking Haruka from touching him. The doctor walked into the room to the sight of a black panther licking his patient's face, a penguin waddling after a butterfly and a Tasmanian devil ripping apart a mackerel for a sea otter. He cleared his throat and smiled at the patient in the bed. He stepped into the room, his golden retriever daemon following him.

"Hello Makoto. I'm Dr Akanishi. I'm the one who ran your tests."

"And? Have you found out what's causing the pain?"

"We have. Makoto, it's cancer."

A/N Done. R&R please. Next chapter, the team reacts to the news.