Free! Eternal Thoughts

Tell Me

50th oneshot special
Natsunao
NATSUYA X NAO

• • •

"Your surgery will be in five minutes," The nurse's voice rang in his ears, leaving him completely dumbfounded as she shut the door close upon her departure. He blinked his eyes, the very eyes the doctors will operate on five minutes from now.

"Nao," a different voice called, snapping him out of his trance.

"Nao," the voice tried again, this time placing their strangely warm hand in his. It's then when the white haired got back to his senses, and as he felt the other's hand squeezing what he hardly noticed his own trembling hand, he turns to the person silently calling out for his name.

Brown.

It was a blur of brown.

Nao squinted his eyes, and as his sight got clearer and clearer, he came face to face with Natsuya, who has moved from the plastic chait to sit across from him on his hospital bed.

"Are you okay?," Natsuya asked, his orange hues soft.

When Nao couldn't find the words to say, Natsuya leaned in, holding his head to place yet another soft kiss on his forehead. "It's alright," he whispered, right above Nao's lips as he hugged the white haired afterwards.

Nao nodded, smiling as their forehead stayed against each other's.

Natsuya was of the same comfort when Nao decided to tell him about his retinal surgery he has kept from him for so long. In the lockers, back to when everyone else was done changing back into their school uniforms after swim practice, Nao was patiently waiting for Natsuya to get fully dressed. To be fully prepared.

What happened wasn't exactly how he expected it to be.

He was about to speak then, but even before he could say a word, Natsuya was already storming towards him, backing him up the wall, silencing him with a kiss.

"Why didn't you tell me?," he said between kisses. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?," his voice broke, tears pouring out of his eyes as he looks up at him.

"How did you know?," was all Nao's response, voice low, breathing shallow. "I followed you, " Natsuya looked even more directly to him.

Nao's eyes widened.

"I followed you everyday, saw you come in and out of the optical clinic," he explained, but found it hard as he force himself not to cry in which he fails every once him and Nao's eyes would meet. He wasn't even sure if Nao could clearly see him right now.

"I didn't know Nao," he mumbled, reaching out to gently run his thumb right below Nao's eye. "I didn't know," he sounded so very sorry.

Again, the white haired tried to speak, to say something, anything, but before he could even utter Natsuya's name, he gets cut off once more. "Can you see me?," he heard him ask.

"Tell me," he held his cheek with a voice so desperate Nao found himself teary. He bit his lip, thinking he would be lying if he said he could clearly see him. Reality hit him that even in their close proximity, Natsuya's face was unfortunately a blur.

"I see you, Natsuya," he half-lied, scanning his face hoping his eyes would somehow trail details of him even for the last time. "You're the only one I see."

Tears threatened to spill in his own eyes, but they were already falling down his cheeks before he could even realize it. Natsuya hugged him, so tender and tight and from there on out, he cried. Right there in his arms. What do he do now? What if he is to really lose his eyesight?

"It's alright," he told him, rubbing his white locks, his shaking back. "It's alright," he kept repeating, burying his face in the crook of Nao's neck.

From that moment, Natsuya never left his side and accompanied him in all his consultations up to the day he was hospitalized until now. Until the big day. Natsuya was right there for him. He was right there and Nao couldn't wish for any more else aside from fast recovery.

"Promise me you'll make it," his soothing voice send Nao back to reality. He was playing locks of his white hair against his fingers, the other intertwined with his own hand and was resting on his lap.

"I'll make it," his free hand holding Natsuya's wrist tightened in determination, "...for you."

The obviously exhausted brown haired finally smiled, slowly leaned in, and gave Nao a light, yet still passionate kiss. He held his cheeks, hands travelling down his neck and the same goes for Nao. Only gentler. A little tighter.

Nao will sure make it. He will make it and Natsuya hopes they'll be able to swim together again. Someday.

"We'll be taking you now to the operating room," announced the same nurse just in time as the lovers pull apart.

Nao looked at Natsuya, returning him his smile.

He's more than alright now.