#i miss makoharu

[furunui01]

Just realised I've been using the same card holder for 10 years. Haru, you'll always have a place in my heart

[makoandharu]

水泳もハルちゃんも大好きだから

[holostarz]

my problem is i think most of p5s ships are cute and thats why i almost always am down for some form of polythieves

usually i just lump all the guys together cause all those ships are just so good to me??? and i mean like, every combination of them, even without ren. ill ship ryuji and yusuke. and i also love goro with either of them. ryugoro and akekita are so rare but theyre so nice?? they all just. clenches fists. theyre so good ot4 pegoryugorokita

goroann besties is real in my heart. also goroharu being like the Cursed besties ever in the end like. my god they have such a wack and unhinged platonic soulmates/kindred spirits potential. goromako rivals forever my guy they are so fucking funny. and ryukoto is kinda cute...

i think shumako is nice but its just not my cuppa tea. they are dear friends and i do love the image of ren and makoto being a bit rivalcoded and butting heads over phantom thievery and how to lead the team best. and goro is weirdly the one who can actually somehow stop arguments before they happen and get them to compromise.

makoto is NOT the mom friend okay she is the bossy and protective older sister friend. and she is smart and sensible but not immune to her friends infecting her with Stupid. ren is the mom friend. and the dad friend. best of both things. :)

ren: its hard raising 8 kids when youre in high school and an 18 y/o whos like if a divorced widow was a boy 😔 sojiro: what happened to your husband??? ren: he was lost at sea goro: ren, look at this dog i saw on my way here ren: i can still hear his voice

meanwhile i love futago half siblings headcanon. so while goro and makoto are a little more sibling rivalry coded, futaba is still goros actual gremlin sibling who will bully him to death. meanwhile, futaba is actually adoptive siblings with ren. these two are WAY more sibling coded than goro and futaba ever.

and when futaba starts trying to do similar Sibling dynamic things with goro. goro is like ??? "ren, futaba just came in here. stared at me. burped. and then left. what does this mean." and ren is like. "oh is there food? theyre probably telling you theres food and to come out if you want some. or if this is your first time seeing them today they could just be greeting you." and goro is like ????? but louder this time

i love shujin trio poly... and i default to them being the OG Cule. shuann? v cute love them. ryuann? also cute and honestly v funny of how messy i imagine their hookups being. like they keep breaking up and eventually finding their way back to each other. sometimes i see them as sibling coded, too, more than anything else. overall i just love these three together they are the tomodachis of all time they are partners for life

i also love ryuharu. and harukita (yuharu?) theyre really cute.... then theres good ol makoharu and annmako (makoann?) and i love them too... honestly love hifumi and makoto too?? i think they would be huge fucking dorks together... perhaps.... rivals, even?

goro and hifumi being friends... good shit. hifumi and yusuke being close friends? plz... and ren and hifumi are just. wahh i love them theyre so good. even futaba and hifumi could be cute, honestly.... wtf

and we cannot forget ANNSHIHO,,, forever. my GORLS.... lesbiabs of my heart.

anntaba is a rare one but theyre also v cute to me... and if they arent girlfriends i love the idea of futaba having a crush on her and then realizing those feelings are actually just Admiration and Gender envy. i also love the idea of morgana finding out his crush on ann is ALSO GENDER ENVY RELATED.... we love nonbiney morgana. hope is genderless

ren: my CAT IS TRANS!? NOT CLICKBAIT?

and makoto is always being an older sister to futaba. yutaba is nice, too. i honestly see futaba and yusuke being aspec and theyre platonic soulmates and in a qpp. and ofc sumitaba my beloved... i love sumitaba a lot

i adore ryusumi too like oh myg od,,.. wahh.... the sweeties. sumikita is so rare but like. i think they could be kinda cute too?? sumigoro is V platonic soulmates to me like my god theyre so. clenches fist. honestly whole royal trio tbh is just. "they can make each other worse" and each of them thinking "thank god im the normal one here" thats it thats the whole dynamic. and its so funny.

shusumi is cute too but honestly i think i prefer both ren and goro have somethin of a platonic soulmates or older sibling dynamic with sumire. they have adopted her okay. sumiann isnt one i see a lot either but they.... THEM.....

any mishima ship is super funny imo but like, theyre cute. love yuuki having a crush on ren but like. the game makes it near impossible for you to actually be fucking nice to him so i always get the vibe that ren would rather keep him at a distance, even tho they appreciate him and care about him.

its okay tho cause i say hes good friends with the OG trio + shiho and they vibe. yuuki crushing on goro, to his own horror? hilarious. and weirdly enough shiho and ren?? idk what their acronym is. but. oh my god. theyre actually weirdly cute? but i see them having disaster twins energy. theyre absolute menaces.

[mako-tachi]

thinking about makoharu gold medal official art

[astrophilix]

Redraw of an OLD piece (nearly ten years ago) cause my best friend put me in a Free mood

[edenfire]

💒🌸 Haru Week - Day 6 - Free! Day 🌸💒

whoops I know these are out of order, so pls bear with me🥺🙏 thank you so so much to everyone who has supported me during haru week!!💙💙💙💙 (tho I totally turned it into makoharu week lol😂💦💚💙)

this was a lot of fun and I really hope yall enjoyed it too! haru will always have a special place in my heart💘

[prettyboykatsuki]

WHAT FREE SHIP

FOR THE SUBTOP THING?

twas haru and rin for the subtop thing </3 their power KJFDJK. they were my second or third favorite free ship though . tbh in either direction but subtop haru moved me ...

[caffernnn]

So the makoharu mook, we all know the story — Haru rushes in, shields Makoto, and sacrifices himself to protect the first person to prove to him he deserved a life full of connection and joy… but what if that’s not how the story went, at least not the first time? Hear me out:

What if Haru rushes in, determined to help, knowing this can’t be the end for Makoto, for this happy life they’ve built in their short time together, but that’s not enough? In the face of flames, he’s just a man (just a half-man, just a mortal creature), and he’s watching Makoto, he’s right there, but it’s not enough. Maybe he couldn’t lift the pillar himself, or maybe he somehow did. Maybe they almost made it out, no magic water shield needed, running toward the exit, but Haru doesn’t realize Makoto’s footsteps are too distant, his injuries slowing him down, until he turns.

And Haru loses him.

In the aftermath, he’s the one left to grapple with the void. He’s the one left to feel like, despite only knowing each other a short time, their bond felt gut-deep and transcendent — he didn’t lose just a new friend, but someone tethered to the deepest roots of himself. And maybe at first it makes him numb and resigned, because he’s back to being alone. Like maybe he was always meant to be.

But the emptiness takes on a different form, when he thinks too much about Makoto. It grows teeth. It’s not aching as much as it is STARVING. So, he gets desperate. He searches for a way to go back, anything for a second chance, anything for a friend, anything for his… his—

And a proposition is made. A chance. The sea speaks to him. Tells him he has a choice, if he really wants to change the outcome.

“All of your tomorrows for just one yesterday? For one man? Prove it.”

He’s had too much time steeped in loneliness to recognize all that he’s lost already. When it’s for Makoto, the choice is almost too easy.

So, he gains one more yesterday. And he’s given the water shield.

Which leads us back to the story we know: Haru rushing in. Haru embracing Makoto, shielding him. Haru at peace, knowing Makoto isn’t alone, and that he’ll make it back to his blossoming life and friends… even if Haru has to go. He thinks he made the right choice, when Makoto makes it out of the building and he’s almost faded away.

He isn’t prepared in his last moments to recognize the despair in Makoto’s eyes, and only then realize just how reciprocated their bond was, how Makoto is now left with a familiar aching emptiness.

So, stubborn and determined, he tries to do the impossible all over again. He doesn’t want to go back or change again, not really, but he wants a future. He wants a future in a way he’s never wanted one before.

And that will manifests another chance.

(Something something, water cycle, a journey of changing and transforming and being pushed to almost abandon his previous self in shape and form just to be asked at the end who he is, and what he wants.

Throughout it all, Haru is still Haru. And he wants to go home.)

When they’re in their “happily ever after,” Makoto watches Haru sometimes. He sees the way that he carries a story he hasn’t voiced, despite all of the ways they’ve been vulnerable with each other.

Haru thinks, for now, the details aren’t important. Because he’s home.

And maybe one day, he’ll tell Makoto about the deals he’s made, what he remembers… but by then, it’ll be just one among many bold choices they’ve made to look after each other, save each other. And maybe those stories pale in comparison to the joys and peace they won from it all

[haru-noir]

❁ hello! welcome to my haru rp/ask blog! ❁

❁ MUN: @lunxrspook | they/them | 18 | PST (but my hours are really inconsistent so it hardly matters)

an indie rp/ask blog centered around a somewhat headcanon-based haru okumura from persona 5!

please make sure to read my rules below prior to interacting. thank you!

all rp ❁ haru answers ❁ haru blogs

RULES

➨ ONE: No NSFW or 18+ at all. I'm not comfortable with these things, and would rather not interact with them. For these reasons, I will likely not interact with any accounts that post primarily NSFW or 18+. ➨ TWO: Please be patient with me, as this is my first time running a RP blog. I tend to be a bit slow in responding, but I will try to respond as soon as I am able. ➨ THREE: Interactions with any characters from any media are welcome! I may be more selective when it comes to media I'm unfamiliar with, but feel free to send an ask! I'll do my best! ➨ FOUR: I might not respond to an ask if it makes me uncomfortable or if I am unable to think of a proper answer. Apologies! ➨ FIVE: Please avoid god-moding, or controlling my character's actions.

OTHER INFO

➨ feel free to send asks about ships! i am a multishipper, though i lean more towards shipping makoharu (makoto x haru). just keep in mind i am not very good at writing romance or romantic gestures. ➨ that being said, please do not push headcanons or ships on me. ➨ i'm really, really bad at social cues and this is my first rp blog (;_;)/~~~ if you send me an ask/response in hopes of it being a longer rp or for me to continue responding, please let me know. my dms should be open if you want to start a rp with me or anything! ➨ i've only played persona 5 royal and persona 3 reload so far, though i know a little about persona 4 and its characters as well. ➨ a lot of my posts are queued/scheduled, so online does not necessarily indicate i'll post, and a post does not necessarily indicate i'm online. ➨ this isn't related to the blog, but if you have any fics that you made or enjoy that are for persona 5, please share them! i love reading and I'm not picky about ships/characters it's about, as long as it is fairly sfw

i may update the above at any time. i'm new to rping on tumblr, and i'm a generally anxious person, so i am likely to make mistakes. please kindly let me know if you find any that i missed. thank you for reading!

[giggly-squiggily]

OMG AN EVENT ISHDHFJDHSJA I’d like to request something from Free! Iwatobi Swim Club.

Makoto thinks Haru doesn’t smile that much, so whenever he wants to see it he just gives him the tiggles.

(Headcanons to Dabbles: OFFICIALLY CLOSED)

Oo, I love this!!! I haven't written for MakoHaru in forever! (Have I ever truly written for them romantically? I can't recall- that's changing right now) Anon I've gotcha covered!

Ever since they’ve known each other, Haru had what Makoto lovingly referred to as “Resting Bitch Face”. It didn’t bother him- he could always tell when Haru was happy or upset or annoyed. He learned to read beyond a facial expression with his blue eyed companion- watching more for body language and tone of voice.

That all being said; it didn’t change the fact he missed seeing it. The rare smiles that graced Haru’s face after a good meal or the first swim after winter break or just because. And his laugh.

God what a laugh he had.

He needed to see it again- like, right now.

“What are you doing?” Haru furrowed his brows when Makoto cornered him in the kitchen, trapping him between the counter and himself. “Makoto?”

“I want to see you smile.” He told him, waiting. Haru rolled his eyes with a soft tch, shoving at him lightly.

“Go gawk at that picture you took. I’m smiling there.”

“I want the live version.”

“Tickets are sold out. Try again next year.”

“What if I sneak in?” Makoto trailed his hands up Haru’s sides, making him flinch with a sharp breath. “Past security and into the crowd? Can I see it then?”

“N-no wa-ay! The-they’d totally f-find you!” Haru twitched and grasped his shoulders, fighting the urge to give in as he looked for an exit. “It w- won’t show until yo-your gone!”

“Aww, I’m that special, huh?” Makoto giggled as he began skittering his fingers rapidly, making Haru jerk with a puff of laughter. Soon he was broken, falling into his boyfriend’s chest as he laughed himself silly. “You’d stop the whole world to avoid the feeling. Good luck babe.”

“Dohoohohn’t you dahahhahre quohohohote sohoohohngs ahaht mehehehe you ahahhaha-ehahahahhahahahah!” Haru spasmed when Makoto snuck a finger into his armpit, making him squeal and jump back so high he ended up on the counter. “Ehehenohohohugh!”

“Hehe, okay.” Makoto smiled, leaning in and relishing in Haru’s tired yet happy expression. “I like you up there.”

“Uuhuhgh, you’re so wiehehrd.” He lightly kicked at his boyfriend, rolling his eyes as Makoto kissed his cheek. “Fine, you got your smile, now leave me be. They’re hosing loiters.”

“Huh-AH!” Makoto yelped when Haru grabbed the sink hose, spraying his boyfriend with it as the other ran away. The entire time he was laughing.

Haru had to laugh too.

[friends-to-lovers-tournament]

Friends to Lovers Tournament: Round 3, Side A, Match 1

propaganda under the cut!

Tasutsumu:

Submission 1:

(exploding) sorry if this is badly written i am walking rn . Mods know the series but A3 is about stage actors.

TasuTsumu are literally the friends to lovers ever. They're childhood friends, even. They did everything together. They've acted together since elementary school. but then (VINE BOOM) thry both try out for a prestigious acting troupe called GODza... but only Tasuku makes it in (sad horn sounds) Tsumugi lost a ton of confidence after not making it and kinda ghosted Tasuku and ran away from his problems </3 he originally had given up, but missed the stage so he tried out again at the Mankai Company (troupe all of the characters are in). Of course, as fate has it, Tasuku had just left GODza after their... unsavory business tactics, but the troupe had blacklisted him from becoming an actor at any other high end troupes in the area, leaving him to go to the Mankai Company. And of course times 2, he and Tsumugi try out for the same troupe. Tasuku is less than pleased with seeing Tsumugi's face after he just disappeared before, and things between them are tense, especially when Tasuku gets fed up with Tsumugi's lack of confidence after he becomes the troupe's leader. But!! Fate wants them to get along (and be together) and Tsumugi finds this cursed doll that traps them in a time loop of the same day. They're stuck until they resolve their issues. Nothing like a good ol divine intervention to get two friends to lovers back together. tldr Tsumugi owns up to his insecurities to Tasuku and works to overcome it. In the process, while performing their play in an act off (if they end up in the competition ill actually essay about it) Tsumugi feels that his acting is inferior once again and totally bombs a show. Tasuku finally works around his own regrets of not reaching out before when Tsumugi had "quit," telling him how much he loves and envies Tsumugi's acting, and apologizes to Tsumugi. Then boom they pull off an incredibly gay play about angels and become lovers (not canon but Trust me).

please let me write properly about them and put them in i love my blorbos <3 they were made for this tournament

Submission 2:

absolute best friends in childhood who had a very impactful falling out, but managed to resolve things. nowadays they're in a theatre troupe together where their troupe is quite literally married.

Submission 3:

1. CHILDHOOD FRIENDS

2. Their introductory arc was literally a whole divorce-reunion arc. They divorced because Tsumugi failed an audition into the God Squad theatre troupe while Tasuku got in which was a blow to Tsumugi's confidence as an actor and he ran away and Tasuku was mad at him for that. It was literally so bad that the game had to break its slice-of-life genre to introduce a doll that traps people in a timeloop until they're able to make up, and they (and another guy who's kinda a cryptid) are the only ones aware that the day keeps repeating

3. After one of their shows, Tsumugi overhears some audience members criticising him and comparing him to Tasuku, which leads to him changing his acting style in the next show which completes bombs their show. Out of shame, Tsumugi runs away, and it takes Tasuku some hesitating before chasing after him and finally telling him how he REALLY feels -- that he was guilty for not being able to do anything to help Tsumugi when he failed that audition years ago and ran away, and that he admires Tsumugi's acting for what it is. The anime makes this scene even gayer by having them meet on a bridge in the snow and Tasuku holding an umbrella over Tsumugi's head as he pours his heart out to Tsumugi

4. Tsumugi regains his confidence after hearing that, and they finally FINALLY 100% reconcile

Makoharu:

They are the first ship that comes to mind when I think of friends to lovers. I know Free! hasn't been popular since 2013, bug I just love them so much... Makoto's devotion to Haru. There's even a movie that flashes back to when they're kids when Makoto says "I love swimming and I love Haruka". Soft...

[fawn-eyed-girl]

Hi everyone! I have been rewatching Free! these past few days, and it inspired me to do a kiss story for one of my favorite comfort ships: MakoHaru. This story takes place between Dive to the Future and Take Your Marks, and in it, Makoto goes to Tokyo to find an apartment, and Haru is not happy, because he doesn't want to be apart from Makoto, ever. If you love Free! and MakoHaru and need a little angsty fluff, I hope you'll give this one a peek. Please enjoy!!

Ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/49305436

Preview below the cut!

It wasn’t a presence that finally brought Makoto and Haru together; rather, it was an absence. The day that Makoto and his father left to go look at apartments, Haru woke up for the first time in over a decade by himself, without Makoto ringing his doorbell or coming to find him in the bathtub, begging him to get ready for school. 

The absence of Makoto’s “Ohayo, Haru-chan,” loomed larger than Haru could have ever thought possible. He didn’t love the childish nickname, but the way that Makoto always said it, so full of love and affection?

This morning, he missed it, more than ever.

He knew Makoto wouldn’t be gone long. He and his father would be back late the following evening: they had several apartments to see, and once they chose one, they would have to spend some time signing the lease and finding Makoto some furniture. But it was two nights longer than Haru had been without Makoto since they were babies, and every second without him already felt grueling, agonizing, impossible.

He didn’t like it.

[badpostureart]

It Could Only Ever be Rinharu

Author’s Entry Angle

As of May of 2023, the Makoharu v. Rinharu debate is alive and well, albeit on a much smaller scale than in years prior. I’ve been on team Rinharu for almost a decade now. The earliest I expressed (purely personal) written support for them was back in late October 2014 and my first fanart of them (never shared publicly) was finished in early November of that year. Since then, my writing and art have improved dramatically, but my feelings about Rin and Haru have largely remained the same. Equally, the debate hasn’t changed that much either—at least from those outspoken about their dislike of the other side. Indeed, some variation of the word “toxic” has at one point or another been used to describe both pairings, with fans caricaturing the other side as being overly emotional and/or delusional when faced with content of the pairing they don’t like. It’s honestly quite funny to read!

For me, shipping has been a cheeky exercise in empathy and introspection about relationships more broadly. Rinharu is kind of like a first love. Not only were they the first coupling I would defend with my dying breath, but they were invaluable in contouring my understanding of romantic love in all its absurdities. Undoubtedly, my own experiences (limited as they are) and personality colour my preference, and I’ve spent the last 10 years trying to articulate what I love about these goobers so damn much. What does being a Rinharu truther say about me, if anything at all? I would like to explain my Rinharu-or-bust rationale precisely because this has been such a polarizing debate in the fandom. What is obvious to me is not obvious to others—there would be no debate if that were the case. After all this time, I don’t hate people who ship Makoharu. They have poor taste, of course, but that isn’t worth hating someone over. Heh, just kidding! I’m being an ass on purpose because it’s just so easy!

Being that Free! has recently celebrated its tenth anniversary, I understand that people have had a long time to formulate their opinions and dig their heels in either way. I don’t believe engaging in debate will change people’s minds, and that isn’t what I’m trying to do here anyway. This is purely for fun! Additionally, while I’m still relatively new to posting on social media, I’m pretty sure it’s too late to respond directly to some of the points I mention below. Moreover, I don’t want to impose myself onto other people’s conversations—even though they’re public and some are overtly anti-Rinharu and antagonistic towards its supporters. These folks are ultimately entitled to their wrong opinions.

If you decide to indulge me and give my thoughts a read, I offer these disclaimers: I fully appreciate Makoto’s role in the Free! series more broadly and recognize that he is an important person in Haru’s life. Although I’ve never been a fan of Makoharu, I can appreciate where their supporters are coming from. I’m not writing in bad faith and do not wish to antagonize anyone. Equally, if I say anything you agree with, feel I’ve missed something, or think I’m completely out of line, please don’t be shy in letting me know! I’ve long wanted to engage in this conversation, but largely felt too shy to do so!

On Makoto Being “Boring”

Recently, I read a thread on Twitter where someone expressed indignation at the prospect of someone disliking Makoto for being “too nice.” Even after hearing at some point that people who aren’t his biggest fan find him boring, another commentator concluded that it’s “definitely something else.” What that “something else” could be…I’m not sure either! But I can certainly elaborate on the sentiment that Makoto is a boring character.

I, for one, don’t find him incredibly interesting. It isn’t that he’s “too nice,” but more so that his kindness is among the only characteristics I can think of to describe him. Frankly, I don’t know much about Makoto other than he’s kind, considerate, and supportive of others. His biggest flaws, if you could even call them that, are that he has a hard time being assertive and can be cowardly. He’s a nice guy, and how can you hate a nice guy without looking like a complete monster? By the same token, while I can’t hate him, I don’t feel particularly strong enough to like him that much either. I appreciated how Nao asks Makoto in Starting Days whether he likes swimming or simply that it’s something he can do with Haru because it addressed the problem I, (and likely others), had with Makoto’s character: Who is Makoto if Haru isn’t there? Aside from Haru, what does he like? What does he want to do purely for himself? By the movie’s end, I didn’t learn anything new about Makoto. He at least made peace with confirming that although he does like swimming in and of itself, he likes it better when it’s something he can do with his best friend. While completely unoffensive, it’s nothing to get excited about either.

On “Codependency” and “Toxicity”

Based on what we’ve covered so far, is it fair to say Makoto is overly dependent on Haru? Perhaps in some ways, but not to the degree of a complex. Growing up is hard, and being apart from someone you’ve spent virtually your whole life with is quite the adjustment to make. A better example of codependency would be Hiyori and Ikuya, with the former isolating the latter in order to hoard him privately to himself. (But that’s a story for another day).

On the flip side, Rinharu has been called toxic, presumably because they fight and have said hurtful things to each other. Oftentimes, these instances are the result of miscommunications, and while I wish they would be more honest with each other from the outset, they deserve grace too. Being vulnerable is not an easy thing to do—especially concerning someone one has strong feelings for. It may seem easier to push someone away or refuse to let them in to preserve a sense of pride or to protect oneself from the possibility of being hurt all over again. But for all the fighting Rin and Haru do, they have always reconciled and been able to express what having the other in their life means to them. They wouldn’t be able to affect each other as much as they have if they didn’t really care about each other, hm?

On Canonical Material

With translations of the FS Fanbook underway, some folks have suggested that being an “irreplaceable existence” is more significant than “destined to swim together,” but this depends entirely on how each statement is interpreted. Being that Makoto and Haru have known each other for basically their entire lives, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who could possibly know either of them better. They were firsthand witnesses to how the other grew up over the years because they did it together. Indeed, this relationship should in no way be underestimated or thought of as dispensable. Still, being a “destined pair” suggests to me that Rin and Haru’s connection is bigger than either one of them. Put another way, it is as if the universe itself declared that the two were on a crash course to meet and would ultimately share a future together. Now, depending on whether you see swimming as just a sport/shared interest or whether you believe, (like I do), that it’s an intrinsic part of who they are and how they express themselves and love toward others, then the implications of the statement “destined to swim together” are decidedly quite different.

I’ve never felt like Makoto and Haru were anything more than best friends. Between running the same “drop the chan already” routine and essentially being able to read each other’s minds, their relationship has settled into something undoubtedly solid. It’s clear that they understand each other very well and have an unspoken agreement to always support each other. If romantic love were a matter of practicality, Makoto would perhaps be the most reasonable candidate for Haru. It’s a safe choice. But the laws of attraction don’t adhere to whatever is most rational—it isn’t a matter of who knows you the best, has known you the longest, or fights with you the least. It’s about who moves you and makes you feel something. I don’t wish for Haru to make choices just because they’re familiar and easy or out of fear of possibility.

Likewise, Rin is special to Haru in a way different from any of his other friends—something that is acknowledged and talked about by other characters throughout the series. Nagisa remarks in season one that “Haru-chan says he doesn’t care about his times or winning races, but he’s motivated when he’s racing Rin-chan.” Why is that? What is it about Rin in particular that motivates Haru in a way no one else does? Even when they first met, Haru knew immediately that the other boy was going to be a prominent character in his life whether he wanted him to be or not. He tries to get ahead of it, even run away from it, but he decides instead to be brave and open up enough to let Rin, in all his fleeting glory, nestle inside his bones. We’re treated to Haru’s entire emotional range where Rin is concerned. (Frankly, he was the first person I think Haru allowed himself to be vulnerable with by agreeing to join the medley in elementary school). Despite only being in the same class for a couple of months, Rin left a deep and lasting impression on Haru to the point where he thinks about the other boy well into high school. Hell, feeling as though he hurt Rin caused Haru to quit (and later come back to) the sport he loves most. For someone who goes out of their way to avoid participating in, well, life, Rin sure does a hell of a job in moving Haru to actively engage with what goes on around him. In season two, Nagisa knowingly asks Makoto why he wanted to compete against Haru in the prefecturals. Makoto can’t give a definite answer, but says, “Maybe I was jealous of Rin.” If the audience were to understand Rin simply as Haru’s swimming rival and nothing more, Makoto’s words are incomprehensible. It isn’t just a rivalry with Haru that Rin has, but a mutual, intimate connection over the sport. In other words, Makoto’s feelings towards Haru are not reciprocated—and he knows it.

Indeed, while Makoto feels swimming is meaningless without Haru, Haru finds the greatest purpose in swimming with Rin. With Rin missing from his life, Haru was prepared to resign to being ordinary. In being able to swim together, he wants to be and experience more. And this isn’t necessarily to say that Makoto and Haru would have an unhappy life together, just that Rin offers Haru something no one else can—namely beautiful sights to be shared. Whereas Makoto has expressed the desire to be a part of Haru’s life no matter what he decides to do, Rin proposes to Haru that they share a life and a dream together. Haru can always be certain that Makoto will be there for him, but seeing all he and Rin can be is realized only if they move forward together. I think it goes without saying how much Rin adores Haru, what with him talking virtually everyone else’s ears off about him. Kisumi didn’t even swim, but he knew who Haru was because Rin (apparently) told all of his buddies at Sano about the guy with the “cool attitude and eyes clear as water.” The guy thinks of Haru in prose for god’s sake!

Rin and Haru’s relationship has undoubtedly gone through growing pains, but they’re getting better at communicating and being completely honest with each other (and, frankly, themselves). I admire their relationship because it’s so god damn dynamic—it’s playful, adorable, rife with tension, beautiful, devastating, frustrating, complicated, and innate all at once. Perhaps precisely because Makoto lacks dynamism I find the prospect of a romantic relationship between him and Haru to be, well…boring. It's not that their connection is non-existent or some flavour of the word toxic—they have a wonderful friendship—but I don’t get the sense that it will change much, let alone develop into anything more in the future. From my perspective, as soon as Rin entered the picture any chance for a romance between Makoto and Haru was soundly squashed. There was simply no going back to the ordinary time before Rin Matsuoka “coincidentally” ended up at Iwatobi Elementary School.

[purenguyening]

Salty Ask: 9 and 19

Fandom: Free! or whatever you're comfy with

7. Is there anything you used to like but can’t stand now?*

For Free, I'm not quite at that point where I can't stand it, but I have lost a little intensity for my love the MakoHaru ship (I don't hate it persay, but it's not the first thing I'm searching either). I think this just comes with the territory of me being around fandoms. I play along with the fan-preferred couple and then over time, on my own free will, I meander to less popular ships.

19. What is the one thing you hate most about your fandom?

This is more something in general but...

There was a tweet floating around a while back about how lately being active in fandom feels like you're part of a Home Owner's Association, and I'm inclined to agree. There's a lot of hostility lately, and I'm aware of the influences. I miss being able to freely talk about things you love and bonding over that. Lately it feels like people are only bond over mutual dislike, which is fine, but it does feel tiring after a while, I find...

[Salty Ask meme]

[edenfire]

🌸💗 Haru Week - Day 4 - Past 💗🌸

childhood makoharu always makes me think about them having lil pretend weddings🥺💞🌸

would rin demand to officiate? or would nagisa fight him for it? XD maybe nagisa would be the ring bearer/flower girl lol

[starryo]

I saw your most recent white mask post and immediately read everything i could find on your blog about it. Out of curiosity, are there any romantic relationships you have in mind for it? 👀

(Also sorry if you've talked about this already and I missed it)

shuake is the focus of the ship!! who everyone else is romantically interested in isn’t as looked into but my usual ships for all my aus are makoharu, shihoann, ryukita, and sumitaba so there might be more emphasis ok those relationships (romantic or platonic). all of my aus are mostly centered around shuake and the royal trio!