A Chance Encounter [MakoHaru]

Chapter 3

Over the next few days, the two seemed to really bond. Makoto had to go to school during the day, so he'd leave Haru in the bathtub full of water with a few comic books and video games. He trusted him to not get them wet. Then when Makoto got home he'd do his homework in the bathroom and talk to Haruka until they had to go to sleep, in which they shared his bed. Makoto had to carry him a lot, so he was starting to build up quite a bit of muscle. Haruka had opened up quite a lot, though Makoto had yet to hear him laugh.

It was late one evening. The two were talking when suddenly a light flashed through the window, followed by a boom. The beginning of a thunderstorm. Makoto stared at the window wide-eyed, with a look of dread on his face. "Makoto?" Haru asked. More lightning and thunder went off and Makoto squeaked in fear. He looked like he was on the verge of tears, and he was shaking. "Makoto. What's wrong?" Haru asked again.

"I--" Makoto was cut off by more thunder. He quickly latched onto Haruka and tightly wrapped his arms around him, burying his face in his shoulder. Haruka's heart raced. What was Makoto doing?

"..Makoto?"

"I-I am t-terrified of thunderstorms!" Makoto whined and shook his head. Haruka nodded. He didn't particularly enjoy thunderstorms himself, for the ocean got too rough and dangerous. He wrapped his arms around the usually cheerful, gentle giant and rubbed his back.

"It'll be alright.." he murmured. "I-I'm here." With that, he pulled a blanket both over himself and Makoto. "There. Now you can't see it. Just close your eyes and focus on my voice, alright?" He had picked up a lot of Makoto's mothering instinct over the past few days.

"T-Thank you.." he whimpered. "I-I know its a little lame.. but.."

"I don't think it's lame. Everyone's afraid of something."

"..Are you afraid of anything?" Haruka went silent at this. He stayed quiet for a moment, then spoke.

"Being alone."

"Haru?"

"..Hm?"

"I'll always be here for you, I hope you know that.." Makoto mumbled. Haru stayed silent. His brain was processing the statement. He felt his cheeks begin to heat up and his heartbeat quicken.

"..Really?" he asked, as if he was afraid Makoto'd changed his mind in the past few seconds.

"Mmhm. Always."

"Thank you.." Haruka couldn't believe himself. Not even a week ago he was a lone wolf, faring for himself in the ocean. Now, he was enveloped in a warmth he couldn't even begin to explain. He was in a human's house, wearing a human's oversized shirt, wrapped in the arms of a human. What was it about Makoto that made him so happy? He didn't want that happiness to end. But, he knew he couldn't live just laying in a bed all day. He needed to go back to the ocean eventually. Pushing the saddening thoughts aside, he spoke again. "Makoto? Why are you afraid of thunderstorms? Is there a reason?"

"Yes... it's a long story."

"If it's too much for you, you don't have to tell it."

"No, no. I should. Maybe it'll help me feel better." Haruka nodded. "It was quite a few years ago. I was swimming in the ocean when an unexpected thunderstorm appeared out of nowhere. I didn't have enough time to swim back to shore. I lost my strength and started to drown. Then.. get this, as I was losing consciousness.. I swore I felt a hand grab my shoulder. Next thing I know, I'm on the beach, hacking up water."

"Makoto."

"Yes?"

"Quite a few years ago.. I was observing the humans from a distance. A thunderstorm came in. As I was diving to escape the storm, I saw a young one thrashing around. I didn't know what to do. I saw him go under. I felt the need.. to protect him. To save him. I'd never felt that way about a human before. Maybe because he was so young and had a life to live. I swam after him. He was almost dead, but I managed to drag him close enough to shore for his father to see him and rescue him, without detecting me."

"Wha.."

"The thing is, he had brown hair and bright green eyes." Haruka slipped off their blanket shield and pointed at a picture of younger Makoto hanging on the wall. "I'll never forget that face."

"So.. i-it was.. you.. who saved me all those years ago.."

"As it turns out." A flash of lightning illuminated Haruka's face. His deep blue eyes were staring straight into the green of Makoto's eyes.

"I can't believe it."

"I realized it when I saw that picture."

"Haru.. thank you."

"Hm?"

"All these years, I wondered about that hand I felt. I wanted to assume it was my father's, but.. it was you. Haruka, you saved my life. You're the reason I'm still here." That hit Haru like a sack of bricks.

"M-Me..?"

"Mmhm." Amazing, how delicate life is. If it hadn't been for the quick decision he'd made back then, he would still be alone now. No, he'd be dead. He would've bled out on that beach and then his corpse been discovered and sliced up for research after having decayed and been pecked at by seagulls.

"Makoto. You saved my life, too."

"Huh?" Haruka explained to him his thoughts. Makoto, with bright red cheeks and tears in his eyes, denied the praise.

"Seems like we both saved each other," Haruka commented.

"Almost like fate, or something."

"Yeah."