A/N: This is my first independent character death fic. It was originally a prompt from an anon on tumblr. This is a pretty neutral fic, so sorry if you were expecting Maruka! It's my otp, but this just isn't the type of fic where I'd want to write romance in. Okay? Okay. Enjoy? I don't even...

Disclaimer: I don't own Free! or High Speed! or any of the characters, do we really need to say this anymore?

A Life for a Life

Haruka woke up in an unfamiliar room. Everything was absurdly bright and his head felt fuzzy.

Where am I…? he thought as he tried to move. He felt something tugging at his wrist and looked down to see an IV running from it.

His heart dropped. Everything seemed to stop as he remembered just what had happened.

They had been walking home from school, like they usually did. It was winter, which meant the pool was closed and practice was suspended.

It also meant icy roads.

The truck must have lost traction, because it started skidding and the two of them were still in the middle of the crosswalk. Haruka was sure there had been other people, but all he could see was Makoto.

Makoto's horrified expression.

Makoto leaping towards him.

Makoto wrapping around him as if he was some sort of hero.

Makoto's face twisted in agony.

Makoto's shirt slowly turning red.

Then nothing.

A nurse walked in suddenly and her face lit up in surprise. "You're awake…He's awake!" she called down the hall to one of the doctors. She turned back to him and gave a small smile. For some reason it chilled him to the bone. It wasn't a happy one. "You've been out for two days. Your friends are worried. The doctor is going to see you first, then they can visit you."

She exited as the doctor came in.

"Hello," his voice seemed almost too loud. "How are you feeling?"

He didn't want to waste time with useless quandaries and small talk. They knew exactly how he was feeling, if all the machines were anything to go by. And he had questions of his own.

"Where is he?"

The doctor froze.

"There should have been someone that came in with me."

Still no response. He started to panic.

"What happened? Why aren't you saying anything."

Nothing.

"Say something!"

"…I'm sorry, but-"

"No. No. That's not what you're supposed to say. Where is he, dammit?" Haru asked again, raising his voice.

The doctor gave a huge sigh and was about to say something else when the door opened. Haruka turned to look, hoping that it would be Makoto. Beat up and bloody even, but it would be him and he would smile and say everything was fine and-

"Haru-chan!" Nagisa said as he entered the room. Then he saw Haru's pained expression and he just knew he knew. Behind Nagisa was Rin, looking extremely pale. Nagisa had bags under his eyes too.

But Haru didn't notice. He couldn't. Because all he noticed was an empty space. Because there was no Makoto.

He was in shock. He clutched at his chest. He couldn't breathe. Everything hurt. The world was spinning. He felt faint. It couldn't be.

He shook his head as the shaking started. Curled up as the first tear fell. Closed his eyes as a sob broke out of his chest and ripped its way from his mouth.

"No…No….No!" he yelled, over and over again as he cried out.

He was dimly aware of the doctor making everyone leave the room and going to get help, but it was on the very edge of his conscience.

Makoto couldn't be gone. There was no way. He had always been there. His whole life he had been there. When he started swimming, when he had almost drowned, when his father had left overseas, when Rin had moved away, when his mother had joined his father, when he's grandmother passed, through elementary school and middle school and high school. Always, always, always there. He refused to acknowledge it. Denied the very possibility that he would never hear Makoto call him "Haru-chan" ever again.

Why had he ever told him to stop? It was such a trivial thing, adding the suffix to his name. Right now, he'd give anything to hear Makoto call him that, even if it was for only a brief moment.

But he would never even hear his voice. The doctor didn't need to tell him anything. He knew.

Makoto was dead.

He had died protecting him.

Makoto had died so he could live and it was killing him.

A/N: -GROSS SOBBING- I'M SO SORRY BLAME THE ANON I HAVE THREE MORE OF THESE LEFT TO POST AGH (one for Nagisa, Rin, and Haruka himself)

Any and all reviews are greatly appreciated!