Story Title: Right By My Side

Rated: T

Warnings: Language, Yaoi.

I don't own Free! This Fanfic is produced for entertainment purposes only.

O.o.O Right By My Side O.o.O

Tachibana Makoto smiled brightly at how the small kitten nuzzled to his extended fingers. At moments like these, Makoto didn't regret reaching school a minute away from being exceedingly late. The reason Makoto is so cheerful in the morning would be probably because of his morning sacred rituals that he pledged to carry on from when he was just a kid.

Rituals?

They were too many, but people didn't see much of them. First, he let himself be disturbed from his morning sleep by his two loud siblings. Then, he accompanies both of the squirts to the bathroom to help them wash themselves, dress up, and modify their crazy hair of a long night sleep with his magical hair brush (They believed in that). Later on, he helps his mother making their lunch in the kitchen while his father just reads the newspaper while drinking his morning coffee which was done by Makoto too.

When he's done he goes to dress up and gets ready to go to school himself. He passes by the house in front of his own, and helps the old man living there in climbing down the stairs (Which didn't change from the past five years) and yes, Makoto thought that old man should get a clue and change his house's arrangement to live downstairs, but he shrugs the thought and does it as he used to do. When he walks a little bit further, he meets the old lady and makes sure that he greets her until she became the closest thing to his own grandma. And, then of course… the kitten (Although he couldn't tell, there were many kittens before this one).

Almost all things that Makoto does are voluntary. He did them because he thought it was his duty and that no one actually should ignore those things. Yes, he was the typical irritating model of a good boy. If one of those punks in the streets saw him, they would probably smash his face because it was too bright with that agonizingly aggravating smile.

There was this one thing though of Tachibana Makoto's rituals that he didn't consider as a 'duty' or a 'Voluntary' work and that is-

"Good morning, Haru-Chan."

"Stop adding 'Chan' to my name."

Green eyes just shuts to smile at the boy who looks at him with a twitching eyebrow from the small squared bathtub. That's right. Taking care and spoiling Nanase Haruka wasn't something that he did because it was a 'must'. He did it because he loved it. He supposed that he was a selfish guy to just 'Do' it, but he really didn't care. Makoto achieved many good things in his life, so he just hoped that he would be forgiven by whatever force controlling this universe for his selfishness.

Extending his hands to Haruka to get him out of the bathtub, escorting the boy to school even though the boy, Haruka, didn't clearly show if he was totally fine with it, Makoto did it all for self-satisfaction.

"Haru-Chan, will you go shopping with me today? My siblings will be out with their school trip, and I would feel lonely by myself."

Nanase Haruka didn't answer as he was staring at the large ocean with slightly sparkling and disappointed eyes.

Makoto smiled again, almost chuckling. It was very interesting how Haruka showed water some emotion which he will never show to normal human beings.

Makoto tried to sound pissed because Haruka was ignoring his talk completely. "Haru-Chan! Listen to me when I am-"

When Haruka flinched from the small outburst and looked at him with some longing expression in his eyes, Makoto's face immediately broke into a smile. "Wh-What is it?" Haruka asked confused as his eyes returned emotionless again.

"Will you listen to me just once?"

"I always listen to you."

"No you don't. You listen to water more."

"Because water is amazing."

"And I am not?"

"…" Haruka paused. "Do I really have to answer that?"

"Man, that's so cruel."

Haruka didn't try to reply because part of his attention was directed at water again.

"I said: go shopping with me today and I might buy you another dolphin toy." Makoto sighed.

"Why are you ordering me?" A small tiny atom of anger lingered on Haruka's voice.

"Because I asked nicely the first time, and you didn't pay attention."

"Right. I refuse."

"Huuuh?Why not?" Makoto whined.

"Because I don't have time to waste staring at crappy products when I can-erm. When I can…"

Makoto blinked. "When can you do what?"

Haruka stopped thinking about it staring at the water, hoping that it'll give him some sort of an inspiration to his problem while Makoto sighed. The black haired boy turned around with a serious face then walked again, "Screw it I don't have an excuse, I just don't want to. So leave me alone."

"But Haru-chaaaaan! I don't like to be lonely."

"Take Nagisa or Rei with you." Haruka tried to stop Makoto from pressing on the subject further.

"But Nagisa promised Rei that he will accompany him for today's training."

"I will not go, Makoto."

"Haruka! Pleeeeease?"

"No."

"New dolphin toy?" Makoto tried to seduce Haruka.

"No."

Tachibana Makoto sulked. He kind of expected his friend to act that way, but to be constantly rejected like that… he sighed then when he saw Haruka being something else when looking at water again, he smiled widely.

That's just Haruka. He'll never change.

When they returned from school, having to drag Haruka out of the pool to not obscure Nagisa and Rei's tough training session, Makoto walked side by side with Haruka again watching the blazing sun setting. However, they didn't expect to see Gou with her brother arguing and walking on the lane close to them.

Haruka stopped looking at Rin with wide eyes making Makoto smile and pat his black hair. "Wanna go say Hello?"

Haruka tried to recover from the shock, but nodded slowly.

Gou's eyes sparkled when she saw both of the talented swimmers and hurried dragging her brother to have a conversation with them. Tachibana Makoto knew how much Rin meant to Haruka and how his absence from their 'team' was severely hurting his friend. On the other hand, Gou wanted nothing but to make that genuine smile return to her brother's scowling face. Makoto didn't know when but, suddenly, Haruka and Rin were arguing over something while Gou dragged Makoto away behind the bushes.

"What are you doing, Kou-chan?" Makoto was confused.

"I was going to go shopping with my brother for tonight's dinner, but I figured this will be a great opportunity for those two to go together!"

Makoto frowned then smiled again. "You're right! Maybe something will be mended. Oh… But Haru-Chan might refuse-"

"Look! Look! They are going together!"

Makoto was surprised. He looked again and although the two friends were arguing over something, their legs walked unconsciously to the store. The boy sighed then, Gou could've sworn that she saw a glint of a deathly glare on Makoto's face before the boy smiled widely taking Gou with him shopping instead of Haruka with his usual kindness and cheery spirit.

So damn weird.

"So as I was saying-"

"Hey. Stop walking on that side." Haruka interrupted Rin.

"Huh? Why not?"

Rin was walking on Haruka's right side. And Haruka looked very annoyed. "That's Makoto's side."

"What the fuck does that mean?"

"It means that Makoto walks on this side."

"Really?Then who walks on your left side?"

"Anyone."Haruka blankly replied.

"So why the hell this is Makoto's 'side'?"

"Because…" Haruka stared ahead looking for a way to explain to his companion, but shrugged losing hope, "Just on walk on the other side."

Rin couldn't be any more annoyed.

Makoto hummed while the small homeless kitten nuzzled to his cheek. He laughed as the kitten licked the side of his face. By then, he abandoned the shopping bags on the stairs temporary for the sake of keeping this small kitten company.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Makoto blinked raising his head to see his 'best' friend standing and looking at him with a small irritated look. Like What-the-hell-are-you-doing? Look.

"Oh. Haru-Chan! Welcome back. Did you have fun?"

"No shit. How could I have fun when Rin won't let me jump in the aquarium?"

Makoto sweat dropped. "Nobody normal would allow that."

"Are you making fun of me, Makoto?"

"No, No. I-waaah, this kitten is so cute." Makoto nuzzled with the kitten and ignored Haruka's pissed aura.

"Don't ignore me."

"Why not?You ignore me every day while you are looking at water."

"That's different. We're talking about water here."

"Yeah, and I am talking about a kitten here." Makoto smiled as realization smacked Haruka who gave a thinking face, but nodded understandingly, "Oh, I see now."

Makoto actually thought of Haruka like that kitten. Nanase Haruka's cuteness might be hidden from most of the people, but those who are close to him see his beauty when he's swimming and his cuteness whenever the word 'Water' is mentioned in front of him plus his illogical attachment to small Dolphin toys or any pendant toy and just really… He is so fucking cute. Haruka didn't complain when he's spoiled too, or when someone takes care of him, just like a snobbish cat.

That's probably why Tachibana Makoto is too drawn to Nanase Haruka.

"Why… Did you leave back there?" Haruka asked not looking at Makoto and staring at the stairs instead.

"Hmm? What do you mean?"

"I am talking about Rin."

"Ahhh! Well, Haru-chan, you looked so happy talking with Rin, so I thought I would leave you two alone, to catch up a bit."

Nanase Haruka couldn't understand. Never ever never, never and never did Tachibana Makoto get pissed from anything he did. He would just smile this wide shiny stupid smile while nuzzling to a cat or patting his head while making excuses for Haruka's actions almost in a generic fashion. And Haruka himself will admit it. It was getting so irritating. Why wouldn't he just burst into his face like Nagisa or Rin? That's what the so called 'Normal humans' that Makoto himself was talking about, would do.

Haruka tries to ignore that swelling warmth and flip of a stomach as Makoto offers him one of his most dazzling smiles.

The boy sighed heavily and turned around, walking away almost feeling sorry for interrupting the lovey-dovey human to kitten time.

"Haru-chan! Wait for me!"

"Why should I?" Haruka huffed with redness creeping to his ears while Makoto managed to catch up with him and smiled.

"Because I am your friend."

"Right."

"Oh look! That's Rin standing in front of your home, right?"

"What the hell?" Haruka sounded surprised.

They went to talk to Rin who looked tired and irritated. "Rin-Chan! How are you? We meet again! Isn't that wonderful?" Makoto smiles and Rin shakes his head thinking that his childhood friend will never change.

"Nanase. After going through all the trouble of buying you this ridiculous Dolphin pendant 'Which I was laughed at by kids for holding it' you decide to go and leave it! IDIOT!"

Makoto's smile never falters while Haruka took the Dolphin pendant, mumbling a faint apology and looking the other way so that neither Rin, nor Makoto will see his face.

"Right, my job is done."

"Goodnight Rin-Chan!" Makoto waves his hand even though Rin ignores the boy's whole existence. Makoto laughs inside. Rin is Rin. He never saw anyone except for Haruka.

And suddenly he snaps out of it when he hears Haruka's door slams shut. "Haru-Chan! Let me in!"

"No, go home. I am tired."

"That's mean." Makoto pouted, but shrugged taking his bags and humming while walking back home.

Haruka is definitely cute.

Next day when Makoto goes to escort his friend as always from his home, he sees Rin knocking the door impatiently.

Makoto's surprise didn't last long. "Rin! Wow, we are lucky these days." The green eyed boy smiled, "Haru-Chan will be so happy to see you again."

"Yea, like he looks like it. Where is he anyway, Makoto?"

"Oh, uh, he is in the bathroom. Just wait about… fifteen minutes and he will be out." Makoto carried the kitten on the ground and hurried walking to school. "Or you can just go and enter from the back door, have a good day, Rin! Tell Haru-chan I said good morning too!"

"He said good morning, what are you so pissed from?" Rin asked Haruka who had a dark aura surrounding his head.

"Hey. You are walking on that side again. I thought I told you to take the other side."

"Right. Because it's Makoto's side?"

"Yes."

"How immature…"

And again, Rin thinks that this is so annoying. What the fuck did Tachibana Makoto do so that he could reserve himself a side from 'Haruka's' Sides?!

Rin didn't even want to think about it.

Haruka was very not comfortable. These days, he has been seeing Rin more often with his sister (which was understandable because it's a small area), but the issue is that he doesn't like being abandoned. Tachibana Makoto wasn't distancing himself from him. No, he was just abandoning him! It's like Makoto couldn't be with Haruka as long as he interacts with Rin with any way. Arguing, talking, walking. All of that.

Makoto abandoned Haruka whenever the boy was in Rin's spot lights.

Stupid Makoto. Haruka's heart banged loudly as it used to do whenever the green eyed boy crossed his mind. He and his smile… His attractiveness to females… his…

Haruka's eyes widened as he noticed himself thinking of something else when he was looking at the abundant amount of ocean water. How did that even happen?

That morning, he was determined to settle a bet with Rin once and for all when Makoto waved from far away holding a kitten and running to school (Because he was late). Haruka knew that this won't take long with Rin, and Makoto's foolishness made Haruka walk all alone to school, for the first time feeling emptiness on his right (Also known as, Makoto's) side.

He couldn't take it anymore as the sudden emptiness next to him seemed to dig a hole in his chest.

"Hey Haru-chan! Wait for me! Waaaait!" Makoto ran behind his friend.

"What do you want?!"

"Let's walk home together."

"Why?"

"What do you mean 'Why'? Haru-Chan you are so weird." Makoto patted Haruka's hair and got the boy immediately shoved his warm… and gentle hand away.

"Haru-Chan, are you in a bad mood?"

"Don't ask."

"But I wanna know."

"I don't want to tell."

"Haru-Chan, stingy!"

Haruka uncharacteristically glared at Makoto who blinked a bit surprised from his friend. And he searched in his mind for something that pissed Haruka that much. "Boy, you are really angry."

Haruka huffed and walked again ignoring the comment.

"Haru-Chan, wait."

"You are so annoying."

"Yeah, but you love me." Makoto patted Haruka's black hair chuckling at the faint red that gathered in Haruka's ears and decided again that Haruka was so cute, even when he was angry.

"How can you be so sure? Did I ever tell you that? Don't just assume things, idiot."

"You tell me that we have been friends since elementary school and you hate me? No way, right?"

Haruka scoffs and looks at Makoto with a big amount of redness creeping from his ears to his cheeks. "You don't know that!"

"Haru-Chan, don't be so mean. I know you lo-"

"Shut up! I said stop it!"Haruka strode forward leaving Makoto to run after him and in the middle of their argument which was causing Haruka so much confusion and abnormal beating of the heart, strong rain poured down like a strong shower, instantly soaking them both. "Aw man… Now I won't be able to see that kitten…" Makoto sounded disappointed.

"Is that why you were abandoning me? Because of a kitten?"

"Eeeh? When did I ever abandon you?"

Haruka's eyes brightened when the sky roared and he held his bag tightly. "Forget it."

"What? Haru-Chan wait, oh geez… I'm all wet."

Haruka kept silent feeling Makoto following. His friend was silent too, and it was weird, but he wouldn't care. If he had looked behind, he would've seen that kind smile again. For the first time in Haruka's life, he feels bothered by all the water that was soaking his uniform and everything and decided to run quickly to his home.

"Why are you coming too?" Haruka fumbled through his things to get his keys while Makoto whined.

"Because my house is far, and I might get sick."

"Yeah right."

As soon as Haruka opened the door, both boys tried entering in the same time, and couldn't get through it. They both sighed and tried again, and ended up in the same situation.

"On the count of three…" Makoto said and Haruka nodded.

"One… Two… THREE!"

They both entered, but this time Makoto was ahead of Haruka with a small part of a second and that's why both stumbled on top of each other.

Makoto laughed, instantly causing Haruka's eyes to widen while feeling his heart almost exploding in his chest. The green eyed boy supported his weight on his arms to the floor while Haruka was between his legs, half upset and the other half is confused. "Haru, are you alright?"

Haruka looked up to find himself the closest from Makoto whose face was with wet droplets of water, and uniform's shirt sticking to his bulky body while the first buttons were as usual undone. Makoto's hand rested on Haruka's head and the boy found himself speechless.

Makoto blinked. He didn't understand why Haruka wasn't moving. Furthermore, it was the first time he saw those blue eyes looking straight at him and no one else. Not even the bathroom where warm water was waiting for him. A small smile rolled over his lips after a soft sigh escaped, "Haru-Chan… Stop seducing me, or I might kiss you." He whispered.

Haruka gasped and stammered words that he couldn't understand himself, and in spite of the excessive vermilion color clustered in his ears, he remained in his position close to Makoto, between his legs, under his gentle hand, looking at the warm smile and then the wet lips, nose, eyes, hair and everything. He suddenly realized that there wasn't a reason for him to escape all of that. Makoto gave him everything. Everything and more.

Haruka looked down. "Do you really want to?"

Makoto smiled and caressed Haruka's hair which was behind his ear. "Yeah."

"Why?"

"Hm? Why do you think? It's because I like you."

Haruka released a small gasp. "H-How are you able to say such shameful thing s-so direct?!"

"What are you talking about? It's not shameful, I really do like you. A looot."

"…" Haruka was speechless as he stared at Makoto's carefree smile and wondered where the hell Makoto got this brash confidence from.

"You are so unfair."

Makoto dismissed that comment and focused on Haruka's slightly trembling hands and lips and finally lost it all. He leaned to the front towering over the shorter one with eyes full of adoration that Haruka saw for the first time. That look pinned him to the ground and didn't allow him to move anywhere. He wanted to move, he wanted to avoid looking at Makoto or his heart will just burst into little…

"Wait-"

"No, I am not gonna wait any more, Haru."

With that, Makoto brushed Haruka's lower lips with his own sending waves of heat through all of the black haired boy's body and for a minute Haruka was going to pull away, but Makoto's hold on his waist didn't let him do as he planned. Every thought was being crumbled in Haruka's mind when his body, 'un' willingly tugged Makoto closer as lips crashed over and over again in a heated touch that fogged up both of their minds.

Makoto held himself from smiling when Haruka responded with passion that wasn't expected at all and even more when he…

Oh lord… Did he just… moan?

"Haru… are you in heat?"

That did it.

Makoto smiled sheepishly as he rubbed his bruised cheek while Haruka was drying his hair with a towel and not in control of his flared cheeks.

"Haru-Chan, don't get angry."

"That happens when you think of me as a cat."

"But you really are similar to them."

"What the hell...? What do you mean? Explain now."

Makoto smiled and moved over to sit right next to Haruka who flinched. "See? You don't get comfortable with things that approach you so suddenly. I didn't want to do that. I wanted you to come to me instead of me pressing my feelings on you. And you did."

Haruka's mouth was slightly open with shock. "Is… that why you abandoned me with Rin?"

"Geez, stop saying abandoned you. Haru, you need Rin. You have this look on your eyes whenever he's around, and I wanted to give you your time. I can have you for as long as I want, but Rin won't."

"…"

"What, Haru?"

"I… didn't let him walk on your side."

"My side?"

"When we walk together… you always walk on my right side. I didn't let him do that. And your side was empty yesterday… That's why you abandoned me."

Makoto couldn't understand a word. But suddenly he laughed and wrapped an arm around Haruka's shoulder bringing him closer. "Do you know why I always walk on that side?"

"…No, I don't."

Makoto kissed the top of his friend's head. "It's because you look so happy while staring at the ocean. And I won't ever disturb your view because it's what you love, right?"

Haruka felt his head dizzy and couldn't look anymore at Makoto when his face and ears were all red.

"Haru-chan, look here."

Haruka refused, but Makoto held the other's chin and caused Haruka's heart so much pain when he took his lips between his, hungrily tasting every corner of his mouth as a small thread of saliva slipped on Haruka's chin.

Yes. Tachibana Makoto was so unfair.

"Haru-chan, will you go shopping with me today?"

"No."

"Why noooot?!" Makoto scowled.

Haruka blinked. "Oh. Makoto, walk on this side."

"Eeeeh? I told you I don't want to block your view."

"I don't care, walk on this side." Haruka's ears slightly reddened.

"Ok…" Makoto hesitated, but did as his friend wanted anyway.

Ten minutes later.

"Makoto, I changed my mind."

"I told you so." Makoto rolled his eyes and went to walk where he was supposed to walk as always.

…. The End….

A/N:

Thank you very much for reading. I hope you enjoyed that. Feel free to share any question, comment, or advice.

Love,

Flame-Belt