Chapter Text
“I suppose you’re wondering why I’ve called you here today.”
Makoto and Rin sat side by side, facing Nagisa and Rei on the other side of the table. Nagisa and Rei were sitting as far apart as they could manage without actually being on opposite sides of the table. They were at Haru’s house. Makoto had called Nagisa there on the pretext of discussing something about Haru (he kept it vague on purpose). Rin had done the same, only he had called up Rei. Now that they were gathered together, it was time to get down to business.
“Not really,” muttered Nagisa, “But what is he doing here.”
“I could ask the same,” Rei said, adjusting his glasses in the trademark way he had that used to turn Nagisa on but now just made him pissed off. “Matsuoka, I thought we were here to discuss Haruka.”
“We are,” Rin said with a sigh, “Look, Makoto filled me in on how you two have been acting. This feud has to stop.”
Makoto nodded his head in agreement, and continued, “It’s obvious that you both have become sort of… Well, fixated on Haru. I think you might have developed the wrong idea about our relationship with him.”
“I haven’t!” Rei protested, “He has! Matsuoka-san, you have to tell him!”
“No, Mako-chan! He doesn’t understand the depth of your love for Haru! Rin-chan, you’re my friend too, but nothing can come between Haru and Mako!”
Makoto and Rin remained calm in the face of these passionate pleas. They exchanged and glance and smiled, each shaking their heads slowly.
“I told you that’s what it would be,” Rin said with a chuckle.
“Yes, you did.” Makoto looked up at them. Nagisa and Rei hadn’t realized that in their excitement they had jumped up from their seats. Feeling ashamed in the face of Makoto’s patient expression, they book sat down again. Only then did Makoto resume speaking. “You two… You have to understand that for Rin and I, Haru is just a dear friend.”
“He means a lot to us, sure. But it’s not romantic like that.”
“No… Not like the two of you.”
Nagisa and Rei both opened their mouths to protest, but Makoto silenced them with a simple raise of his hand. “Don’t you two realize what you mean to our group? Sure, we were all surprised when you came out to us, but you’re so great together that we can’t help but accept you. Nagisa, without you and Rei, Haru and I wouldn’t have a swim team.”
“And I wouldn’t have anyone to compete against,” Rin added. “Is this silly fight over Haru’s pretend relationships really enough to tear you guys apart? You always look so damn happy together. You should be focused on your own relationship, not other peoples.”
For the first time since their argument, Nagisa and Rei looked into one another's eyes without feelings of anger or resentment. They looked away in embarrassment, then Rei reached out a hand toward Nagisa. Though he wasn’t facing him, Nagisa seemed to sense his intent, and his hand reached for him as well.
Makoto looked at their clasped hands, fingers interlaced with one another, and grinned broadly. “Does this mean we can get back to relay practice?”
Nagisa nodded and squeezed Rei’s hand. “I’m sorry, I overreacted.”
“It’s OK. I was being stupid too.”
Nagisa wanted to hug him, but he felt uncharacteristically shy in front of Makoto and Rin. But he owed them an apology too.
“Rin-chan… I’m sorry for locking you in a closet with Sosuke.”
“Wait… that was you?”
“I just really wanted Makoto and Haru to be together! Makoto… you’re so nice. You deserve happiness with Haru!”
“And Matsuoka-san, I thought you wanted to be with Haru. I thought that was why it was so important for you to swim together!”
Rin shared another looked with Makoto, then they both rose to their feet. They each gripped the zippered collars of their jackets.
“There’s something that you two should know.”
“Eh?” Nagisa and Rei stared up at the others in confusion. With the same flourish usually reserved for quickly disrobing and diving in a pool, Rin and Makoto unzipped their jackets and flung them aside. The wore matching t-shirts underneath which read in large, bold letters
“HARU X WATER-CHAN 4 LIFE”
“The truth is, we both ship Haru and the Water.” Makoto said happily.
“Yeah, I can’t imagine Haru ending up with anyone else, actually.”
“He’s happiest when he’s swimming.”
“Yup, anyone in a relationship with him would have to be comfortable being second best to the pool.”
Nagisa and Rei stared at then in stunned silence before they burst out laughing.
“You are so right!”
“Yeah, I can’t believe I didn’t see it before! Haru and the water are meant to be!”
“The ultimate OTP!”
The four of them laughed and laughed until their stomachs hurt. Nagisa wiped a few tears from the corners of his eyes before finally glancing around the room.
“Speaking of Haru, why isn’t he here?”
Makoto shrugged, “I’m not sure, actually. He was supposed to join us for this conversation.”
“It’s his house; it’s odd that he’s not here.” Rei said thoughtfully.
“Hey, wait a second you guys, there’s a note here!” Rin said, sitting up from a reclining position on the floor.
“A note? Where did it come from?”
“It must have fallen from the table when we first came in here. I think it’s from Haru.”
"Well, what does it say?”
Rin looked down at the note. Its message was brief. He read aloud, “Dear friends. I can’t fight this feeling anymore. I’ve forgotten what I started fighting for. It’s time to bring this ship into the shore, and throw away the oars forever. Kisume and I have decided to elope. See you later. Haru.”
There was a pause. Rin looked up at Makoto, his eyes wide with shock.
“Elope…”
Makoto’s expression mirrored his own, “With Kisume?”
Rin leaped up from the floor, “Impossible! I was prepared to remain his friend so long as Haru belonged to the water! I won’t stand for him belonging to someone else!”
Makoto jumped up as well, “He can’t do this to me! I’ll die before I see him with Kisume!”
In a rage, they tore out of the room, leaving their jackets and shoes behind in their frenzy to find and stop Haru from eloping with the least-likely partner in the world. Nagisa and Rei were left in their wake, ogling at the note and then looking at each other.
“What do we do?”
“I guess… there’s nothing to do. Funny that we were both wrong, eh?”
"Ha… yeah. I guess they were still right in the end. We’re better off just focusing on our own relationship. Other people are too complicated.”
“It was our first fight…” Nagisa said thoughtfully.
“Yes...”
Without warning, Nagisa turned to grip Rei by the shoulders, pushing him down to the ground and straddling him in one fluid motion.
“So,” he said, licking his lips and staring down into Rei’s surprised face, “Should we kiss and make up?”
End <3