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Open your eyes, idiot. Makoto is fucking head over heels for you.
Haru blinked at the text from Rin. A few moments passed as Haru tried to process this.
I'm so fucking sick of his stupid pining face. Make a move damn it, or else some else will!!
Another text opened on the screen and Haru felt his face heat at the words. But there was no way. Makoto was his best friend, that was his permanent facial expression. What was Rin talking about?
What?
He typed back and hit send, a flare of discomfort invading his chest and throat. What was going on? He'd never given their relationship any thought because there wasn't really anything there except friendship, right? But, his mind supplied, would more be so bad?
Haru glared at his phone, hoping Rin felt the daggers he was sending his way. Why would Rin even tell Haru that? Shouldn't Makoto be the one to tell him?
MAKOTO. FUCKING. LIKES. YOU.
Blunt and to the point, if vulgar. That was Rin.
Haru paused his cooking, turning away from the grilling fish. Makoto didn't like him that way did he? But what if he did? Haru put his phone on the counter and concentrated. His best friend's smile came into mind, his sleeping form on his front porch waiting for him, his hand as he pulled him out of the bath tub, his gentle green eyes that light up at the mention of swimming with his friends.
Oh.
"Haru!" A knock on the front door slammed Haru back to reality. Hastily, forgetting his lunch, Haru trotted to the door.
He paused before opening it. What would he say? How did he even feel about Makoto?
"Haru, I hope you're out of the tub by now." Makoto said to the door, his voice filled with amusement and absolute fondness. Haru felt his chest ache in response.
He slid open his door and revealed his best friend. Makoto was standing in his favorite shirt, one that Haru always borrowed when sleeping over. His smile was ever-present, stuck and never failing. He held up a plastic bag holding snacks and cat food.
"I thought we could try and coax that kitten on the stairs into eating something. And Nagisa mentioned this sweet and its chocolate, so I had to buy it." Makoto walked passed Haru into the house, oblvious to Haru's inner monologue of momentary panic.
At the normalcy of Makoto's actions and behavior, Haru's shoulders relaxed and his throat no longer felt tight. How could he even doubt his best friend for a moment? However, in the next moment he felt shame crash into his mind as Makoto leaned to set the bag on the table, his shirt falling just enough for Haru to see a sliver of his collar bones and stomach. His face felt warm again.
"Is something burning?" Makoto asked, sniffing the air, looking into the kitchen. "Haru, your fish is black!"
Haru snapped his attention to his friend's cry and walked back into the kitchen, no longer hungry. His stomach felt heavy and jittery.
"Haru, are you okay? I've never seen you burn anything before. Are you sick? What can I do?"
Turning off the grill, Haru let Makoto's words wash over him like a wave of water. What can I do?
"Actually, Makoto," Haru started, but paused, fiddling with the grill.
Makoto immediately took his friend's arm and lifted a hand to his forehead.
"You feel kind of warm, you look sunburned. Haru, tell me what I can do."
He's head over heels for you. Emboldened from Rin's words, Haru looked into his green eyes, determined.
"Do you like me?" He asked, warm, sweaty, and spiritually reckoning with the saying 'like a fish out of water'.
Makoto quickly turned fifty shades of red, sputtering nonsense and yanking his hands away from Haru. He avoided Haru's gaze, looking at the burned fish, to his socks, to Haru's shoulder and then repeated the cycle. Haru huffed, slightly fond and annoyed.
"Makoto." He said, cutting off his babbling. Makoto shyly gazed up to Haru's face, bright red and adorable. How did I not notice this before? "I..." Don't know what to say. You always say it for me. He shook his head, angry at himself.
"I-It's okay, Haru, you don't have to say anything." Makoto said and his once happy face looked crushed, sadness pooling in his eyes. The sight physically pained Haru.
"No, Makoto, no, I have to. I have to or..." He stopped, feeling horrified at his stutter. Makoto matters, just say it! "I appreciate you, I can't imagine, I can't even think..." He stopped again, his blush matching Makoto's.
"Haru," Makoto's voice shook, but it was gentle. "I-I love you, Haru. I should have told you before, but I'm a coward. I just couldn't say it. I didn't want to ruin our friendship." His normally strong voice cracked when he finished, effectively pushing him to the edge. Tears brimmed his waterline.
Haru snapped his head up at his word's, feeling dizzy, like he was floating. Makoto made him feel like this, like he was floating in water, with just his words. He loves me, he loves me, and thinks he's the coward, oh god oh god oh god--
His brain seemed to shut off, his emotions swirling in his body in a frenzy. He loves me and I love him too, oh god, I have to tell him, but I can't even breathe. His throat closed, his stomach clenched and his face felt like a furnace. Then time seemed to stop. Haru was enveloped in warmth and a brick wall on his next breath.
Makoto was hugging him as he fell to his anxiety, his fear, his hope, his failure to respond.
"Haru, I'm so sorry, I'm disgusting. I'm so sorry," Makoto whispered and held on, Haru's anchor to dry land. His word's pierced his anxiety and all at once the world returned, he wasn't swimming in chaos, but grounded and held firm by his best friend.
"Makoto, I love you too." He whispered back and clutched at the shirt which smelled of chlorine, chocolate, and comfort.
The swimmer froze, his shaking and sobbing silenced. Haru waited, not ready to part, but the desire to see Makoto's smiling face was overwhelming.
"H-Haru," Makoto whispered and Haru wildly thought why are we whispering before he saw his best friend's wet, vulnerable face and then thought oh because this matters, this is it, oh god, I love him.
"Makoto, please don't," He said and hugged him again, releasing a shaky breathe, "Please don't let go just yet."
For what felt like years, the two embraced and calmed down, the storm passing. Everything was laid bare now and they simply had to choose.
Haru was bubbling with hysterical giggles when Makoto rubbed his back in circles, ever the mothering hen, making sure Haru was alright before thinking of himself. This was ridiculous, of course he loved Makoto. He loved his kindness, his strength, the way he always held out a hand to help, the way he shared his sweets, the way he took care of a stray kitten, the way he loved with his whole heart.
Pulling away, Haru stood on his toes and locked eyes with his best friend. Makoto's face was blotched red, the tracks of dried tears on his cheeks and Haru felt his breath catch at the sight.
Haru grabbed Makoto's head, fingers threading through his hair. They simply held each other, forehead to forehead in silence before Haru couldn't control his mirth and burst out laughing, tears of worry and anxiety finally falling away, making way for happiness.
Throwing away everything, his thoughts, his cares, his fucks, Haru pushed their lips together and put his love, his fear, his desparation into the kiss, knowing Makoto would understand because he was Makoto and god he was so stupid. He felt angry that it had taken Rin for him to finally see what was in front of him the entire time.
They broke apart, breathing heavily despite the shortness of the encounter.
"Oh Haru," Makoto whispered and pulled him closer, his body shaking again, "Oh Haru."
And because Makoto was Makoto, he placed a gentle kiss to Haru's forehead that left him more in love than anything.