AN - The title has nothing to do with anything. For the life of me I COULD NOT think of a title this time. This is not going to be a cohesive narrative; this is going to be a collection of related oneshots in the same universe - that universe being that Haru is a girl (and so is Rei because I like to torment him I guess). Every piece will be set at varying times along the canon timeline, and it's up to you the reader to catch on quickly. It shouldn't be that hard. The idea for this style (and a genderswap at all) was taken from half_sleeping's Burning Bright and Miracles (found on AO3 only, as far as I can tell). Both of these are infinitely better than anything I could ever hope to publish. So if you like MY work and you like KnB go show her some love. Seriously.

He's four years old when he meets her.

Apparently, his mother is a college friend of her mother, and after his family moved the two women conveniently live quite close to each other, so it seems only natural to introduce their two children.

The ladies greet like old friends — which is what they are, he supposes — with Makoto clutching his mother's hand tightly and staring at the girl sitting on the steps with her face turned away from the scene.

She has her head in her hand and a scowl on her face. She looks bored, and also utterly uninterested. Despite this, Makoto thinks she's kind of cute.

Cute, but not nearly as cute as the little blue-haired girl he and his mother passed by on the way here that he's certain he's going to marry someday if only he gets the chance to see her again.

The little blue-haired girl had a mane of messy hair done up in two low pigtails that looked adorable, and a radiant smile.

In comparison, this girl looks entirely plain, with simple raven looks reaching just past her shoulders and an unattractive frown adorning her lips.

"Makoto," his mother calls for his attention. She places a hand on his back to push him forward a little, towards the strange and discontent girl. "Why don't you introduce yourself? Go say hi!"

He doesn't see much point in it, as she seems dead-set on ignoring the world around her, but he'd never go against his mother, so he steps forward until he's directly in front of the girl.

When still she pays him no heed, he clears his throat uncomfortably. "Um…"

She is adamant in her decision to disregard everything. Or perhaps, he wonders as he catches a glimmer in her eyes (his breath catches for just a moment; her eyes are beautiful and deep and blue and…) as she looks at something far-off, she simply has something better to give her attention to.

Before he has the chance to follow her gaze and see what's caught her interest, her mother sighs unhappily. "Haruka-chan…"

The effect is instantaneous; the girl's eyes snap to her mother's face, scowl deepening — Makoto hadn't known it was possible — as she grumbles, "Don't call me that."

The woman sags a little, appearing weary as if she's been forced to endure this many times before. "You're my daughter, and I'll call you as I like. It's my right as your mother. I don't know what you have against it, anyway. Haruka-chan is a cute name for a cute little girl."

The girl — Haruka, apparently — glares and holds her ground with a single word, "Still." That said, she seems to consider the argument finished, and promptly turns away again.

Defeated, the girl's mother turns to his mother to confide, "She only lets my mother get away with calling her that. I feel unloved in comparison."

His mom laughs gently and consoles her with a pat on the shoulder. "Now, now… I'm sure that's not the case. She just seems to be the quiet and aloof type."

Makoto squirms awkwardly beside the girl, unsure how to proceed.

His mother catches onto his unease and sends him a small smile before catching the other woman's eyes and inclining her head to the children. Realizing what his mother wants, the woman rolls her eyes before shouting, "Haruka-chan! Introduce yourself to Makoto!"

For a long, tense moment the girl simply looks at her mother and appears to contemplate ignoring her like she did everything else. Then, with a sigh, she finally — finally! — turns to acknowledge him.

Looking at her head-on is quite different from the view he'd caught from the side. Staring directly into her face — he can't help but inhale sharply in awe.

He already knew she had beautiful eyes, but having them bore into his own he feels the power and force storming behind them, almost as if they hold the ocean itself within. They are the right shade of blue for it, he muses.

Her hair is styled simply, but it is a deep and dark black that shines and frames her face wonderfully. Her lips are thin and currently angled down in what is apparently a permanent frown.

He knows instinctively she'd have a gorgeous smile.

Her form is small and graceful as she finally bothers to stand; her skin ivory.

She's beautiful, and she puts the little blue-haired girl to shame.

"Nanase Haruka," she says flatly, not even bothering to extend a hand.

"You're really pretty," he blurts thoughtlessly, and then wishes he could die on the spot.

He doesn't even hear the two women burst into laughter behind him, as he can only focus on Haruka, who… doesn't smile, but her face evens out into a more neutral visage.

He feels victorious anyway.

"Thanks," she says blankly, not giving anything away, "and your name?"

"Makoto!" he says jubilantly, attempting to ignore how warm his cheeks feel, "My name is Tachibana Makoto. It's nice to meet you, uh…" he trails off and ponders what to call her. She had been unhappy being called "Haruka-chan." Was that because of the –chan or because of her name?

Only one way to find out.

"Nice to meet you, Haru-chan."

She stares at him for a moment before saying, "Don't call me –chan."

"Haru, then."

She doesn't say anything to correct him, so he assumes it's acceptable and smiles at her. She allows this for a long, silent moment before looking away just as it gets awkward and sitting down once more on the steps to gaze out at what he can now see is the ocean.

She's so unsociable, he hears her mother whisper to his.

It doesn't matter, he thinks. She's still beautiful. He still definitely wants to be friends with her.

Tachibana Makoto is four years old when he meets Nanase Haruka.

He's four years old when he falls in love.

AN - I decided to post this here as well as on AO3; I debated about not doing so, but... to be honest, while I like reading fics on AO3 better, I vastly prefer the editing system here. I have to fight with the system there when I post stuff. Anyways... do you think the ending line was too much? I contemplated leaving it out, but this IS a shipping fic so I kept it.