The breeze was warm against his skin, the late afternoon sun lending the air a golden hue. Haru was walking home with Makoto from Iwatobi Elementary as usual, barely tuning in to the other's chatter. His thoughts were rather fixed on the fish his Obaasan had promised to cook for dinner.

"Haru-chaan, you've got that hungry look again! Stop thinking about mackerel!"

Haru, broken out of his thoughts, ground his teeth but said nothing in response. Wish he would stop being able to read me, he thought briefly.

No sooner than they had set foot outside the gate, yelling reached Haru's ears. Exasperation stirred slightly within him at the angry shouting disturbing the soft and lazy atmosphere. He was prepared to keep walking and put distance between himself and the arguers, but then—

"I dare you to say that one more time about Nagisa!" a shrill voice rose into the air.

Haru stopped walking, his brow furrowing. That voice—was he recognising it right?

"Haru-chan, did you hear that?" Makoto was looking at him, his green eyes wide with worry. "It sounded like Rin-chan!"

Rin. As soon as he heard the name Haru knew for certain it was Rin. He hesitated, torn between the temptation to distance himself from getting involved, and curiosity to see what was going on. He didn't have a choice in the matter, though, because at the sound of fists flurrying Makoto had grabbed his wrist and yanked him back into the school grounds, following Rin's clamour.

The redhead was standing in a protective stance in front of Nagisa, looking battered but resilient. He faced off against two taller boys that Haru didn't recognise, and they completely ignored his and Makoto's presence.

"We can say it as many times as we want, cat boy."

His friend let out a jeering laugh. "You expect us to believe your friend is a boy? He looks like such a baaaby!"

Nagisa flinched at the verbal abuse, but Rin was only incensed. "Lay offa him! He's done nothing to you!" He ran at them, his fists flying, and landed one smack on the boy's shoulder before he was shoved back roughly, landing hard on the ground.

"Rin…!" Makoto blurted, starting forward. For the first time, the bullies noticed the two younger boys witnessing the fight.

"Aw, cat boy and baby girl have a defence squad," cackled the taller one. "Bring it on, you sissy."

"Leave him alone!" Rin staggered upright. "You're picking a fight with me, remember?"

"We should shut him up," the other boy sighed, cracking his knuckles, and without warning took a clumsy swing at Rin, catching him in the chin. Although he stumbled, Rin wasn't deterred and glared straight into the boy's face and charged at him with an outraged yell.

Haru stood still, astonished by the way Rin kept throwing himself into the fight no matter how many times he was knocked down. There was a determined fire that surrounded his movements as he struck wildly, again and again, landing some hits but taking the brunt of the bullies' attacks. He was actually debating whether or not to step forward—Makoto had already inched closer—when a teacher's voice boomed across the ground.

"Hey, you over there!"

The two boys froze and looked at each other. "We gotta scram!" exclaimed one.

"You haven't seen the last of us, cat boy!" the other threatened as they fled.

"Quick, Haru-chan, we gotta go too!" Makoto grabbed Nagisa's arm, Haru took Rin's wrist, and they dashed around the side of the school building, then into it, running through the empty halls and away from the teacher's irate calling.

Thirty seconds later, Haru noticed that his fingers had slipped from his friend's wrist to being entangled with Rin's fingers, and also that the younger boy was limping. For the first time he saw just how beat up Rin looked, with dirt and scrapes adorning his face. He slowed down, ceasing to tug Rin along.

Makoto noticed the two lagging behind pretty quickly and he came back, double-taking when he saw Rin's state. "Ah, you don't look so good…"

"I'm fine!" Rin insisted stubbornly. "The teacher's probably gone now, we can go home."

"The infirmary," Haru said suddenly.

"Huh?"

"I'll take you there."

Makoto looked back and forth between then. "I agree, Rin-chan should get cleaned up. What if you attract attention?"

"Rinrin!" A yellow blur shot past Makoto and onto the boy beside Haru. Rin rocked back, barely able to keep his balance. "Thank you for saving me, Rinrin!" Nagisa wailed.

"Jeez…" A proud smile suddenly shone from Rin's face. "It was no problem, Nagisa! Don't call me Rinrin, though," he added as an afterthought.

Haru rolled his eyes at his friend's boasting.

"Make sure you get home safe!" Rin said, clapping the smaller boy on the shoulder.

"Hey, how about I walk you to the entrance, Nagisa?" suggested Makoto. "I'll help you keep an eye out for the bullies."

"Mako-chan!" This time it was Makoto's turn to be engulfed.

The pairs parted ways, Nagisa chattering and clinging to Makoto's arm, and Rin and Haru walking in silence.

Thankfully, the nurse wasn't in the infirmary when they arrived, so they avoided any kind of interrogation. "Sit," Haru said briefly, pointing to a chair, and ruffled around the drawers until he came across a first aid kit.

"Hey, Nanase, how come you didn't fight as well?" Rin asked abruptly, his eyes fixed on Haru, who internally fidgeted under the scrutiny. Haru didn't answer until he had unpacked the kit and moved over to Rin. When he really thought about it, it came down to—

Haru frowned as he dabbed a bit of antiseptic on the scrape just about Rin's eyebrow. "Fighting is bothersome."

Rin winced at the sting of chemicals. "Don't be such a downer, Nanase! They were being mean to Nagisa and I had to stop them!"

Too much trouble, why didn't you get Nagisa and walk away? Then you wouldn't have gotten hurt and I wouldn't have had to clean this mess up, Haru thought. "Hold still," he said sharply, as Rin tried to duck away from his hand.

"But that hurts, Nanase!" Up close, Haru could see the scrunch of Rin's eyebrows, the white flash of his fang-like teeth, the watering of his eyes.

Does he really have to cry? He didn't cry when getting beaten to the ground, but now…Haru felt like sighing in exasperation, but something…something seized him and his eyes were riveted on Rin's red ones, which were glistening with unshed tears.

"You gonna fix me up, or what?" A wavery but teasing grin alighted on Rin's face. Haru tore his gaze away, pressing his lips together in annoyance. He had just been thinking of how the tear-filled eyes reminded him of a sparkling pool.

Wanting to get that irritating smirk off his friend's face, he put a bit more antiseptic than necessary on a cotton ball and swiped a graze on Rin's cheekbone.

"Ow." Rin squirmed, squeezing his eyes shut against the pain, but his movement forced a tear to make its way out and trickle slowly, ever so slowly, down the side of his face and linger on his scuffed jaw.

And Haru wasn't sure why—maybe it was because he wasn't used to seeing Rin in pain, maybe it was because he just wanted him to stop crying, or even maybe it was because the tear drop reminded him of the water he loved to surround himself in, but a strange feeling came over him and before he could think properly he had leaned forward and gently, ever so gently, pressed his lips against the other boy's jawline.

He felt Rin's entire body stiffen. "H-Haru?" the redhead stuttered.

The way his name was said was like a splash of cold water. Haru drew back suddenly, struggling to keep a composed face, but confusion had erupted inside him. Why did I do that?

"You kissed me! Haru, you kissed me!"

But Rin's face wasn't gleeful or mocking, just plain surprise and a faint redness was on his face.

"I did not," Haru muttered, unable to wrench his gaze away.

"You kissed me," Rin repeated in a much quieter voice, his face softening.

"Shut up." Haru knew he was blushing considerably and he finally turned his head away in embarrassment. "That wasn't a kiss."

A/N: Rin's called 'cat boy' because he only had his lil fangs back then

hah my outline for this drabble was 'Shota rin fighting weeee haru fixes him up WEEEE haru kisses his cheek WEEEEEEEEEE'