Drowning (MakoHaru) *HIATUS*

Chapter Four

Makoto smiled as he heard footsteps behind him, for he was feeling quite guilty when he agreed to leave both Akihiko and Haru behind. He spun around, only to face an all too mischievous Akihiko. Haru wasn't anywhere in sight. Makoto frowned, his eyebrows wrinkling slightly. He cocked his head, his eyes pleading for an explanation from Akihiko.

"Haruka wasn't feeling well, so I sent him home." Was all Akihiko said before passing Makoto, and embarked on his way to their school. Makoto stood his ground, confused.

"You're calling him Haru Haruka now? And if Haru isn't feeling well, then the least I could do is go make sure he's situated." Makoto stated, already heading towards his friend's house.

"No!" Akihiko cried out, voice panicky. "See, Haruka was really sick, like, fever sick, yeah!" He exclaimed, as if he was trying to not only convince Makoto, but convince himself at the same exact time. "That's it! He asked me to just leave him be and to get you to school on time!"

"If he's that sick, then I should take care of him!" Makoto cried, stubbornly.

"Makoto-Kun, we really need to get to school!" Akihiko blurted out, grabbing Makoto's hand and dragging him down the path. Makoto made no efforts to pull his hand out of the shorter one's grasp but continued to press into the matter.

"Haru didn't seem that sick when I met with him." Makoto pointed out.

"He was hiding it."

"Haru wouldn't hide it."

"Makoto-Kun, that's what Haruka told me, so please accept it." Akihiko grumbled, saying nothing more on the topic. Makoto sighed, running his free hand through his hair.

'Just hold out until lunch, Haru-chan.' Makoto thought. 'Please, Haru-chan, please be okay.'

---

As if passing out in an awkward position for god knows how long was bad enough, try being knocked out and left heartbroken leaning on a strangers wall.

Haru, dazed and aching, pushed himself into a standing position, wobbling a few times before regaining balance. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, stretching his aching muscles. He winced as he raised his arms into the air, instantly withdrawing them. Akihiko must've thrown a few kicks in while he was out. He rubbed the sides of his chest. There would definitely be a bruise later, if not there already. He had no idea how he would explain this to Makoto.

Fell down the stairs?
Like Makoto would believe that.
Walked into a wall?
What wall do this kind of damage?
Got mugged?
Fell of the bed?
Had a shelf fall on him?

Akihiko had probably made some lame excuse for him, anyways. So it's not like Haru had to think up an excuse and run to catch up. Half walking, half dragging himself out the door, he set on his journey to walk up the concrete steps to his lone house.

Wincing every time he moved, Haru realized how long this walk would be. It had taken Makoto and Haru five minutes to reach Akihiko's house by running. Now that his walk speed had decreased by tenfold. It would probably take ten times that amount to reach home. He swore under his breath, mentally stabbing Akihiko. Oh how he would love to watch that son of a bitch burn.

Crossing an arm over his stomach, hand over one of many of the bruises, Haru had realized he had never been so angry in his life. Sure, Rin was an asshole in elementary school, but he never threatened his swimming and Makoto, and then proceeded to beat him up! Sure, everyone who didn't understand Haru were dicks, but they never took it this far.

Haru coughed into his palm, eyes widening as he felt warm liquid splat onto his hand. He pulled his hand away to inspect the substance. He was taken by utter shock as he spotted the crimson fluid attached to his palm.

Blood.

He quickly wiped it off onto his pants, adding a side note to wash his clothes as soon as possible to avoid staining. Akihiko had really gotten him good.

"Fuck... you..." Haru wheezed, as he ascended the mountainous stairs in front of his house. Out of breath, the beaten up dolphin shook open the door of his home, itching to just take a nice warm bath to take a moment to think. Coughing more blood into his palm, he dragged himself into his bathroom and ridded himself of his school clothes, dropping them into the small sink in his bathroom and filling it with cold water. Letting the articles of clothing soak, he limped his way to the bath.

As the warm water poured into the porcelain tub, the ravenette fiddled with the bitten of his swim jammers. He coughed more blood into the palm of his hand and wiped it off almost instantly onto a paper towel. Once the bath had reached Haru's standards, he plopped into the bathtub, laying his head onto the back.

Haru sighed, content with the warm water calming his aching muscles. Though, after hours of soaking, the pain in his side would not go away. He frowned. Why wasn't it disappearing in the water? He grumbled about Akihiko being an asshole before ducking his head underwater. Instantly, he started coughing and brought his head back up. Blood sprayed out of his mouth into the once clear water of his bath.

Haru, still in a coughing fit, dragged himself out of the watered down red tub and pulled the plug. Sadly, he watched the water swirl away into the drain. He breathed heavily as the coughing fit ceased and gabbed a towel to dry himself off. He checked the time.

"Lunch should be starting soon..." Haru mumbled as he made his way into his bedroom to change into some comfortable clothing. He sighed, dropping himself into his bed, and closing his eyes. In a matter of seconds, the young boy had slipped into unconsciousness, Makoto being the only thing on his mind.