What’s a soulmate? It’s like a best friend, but more. It’s the one person in the world that knows you better than anyone else. It’s someone who makes you a better person. Actually, they don’t make you a better person, you do that yourself because they inspire you. A soul mate is someone who you carry with you forever. It’s the one person who knew you and accepted you and believed in you before anyone else did or when no one else would. And no matter what happens, you’ll always love them. Nothing can ever change that. Make sense?
Free & Free Eternal Summer: Makoto&Haruka’s relationship appreciation post.
The prompt was “matching clothes” and this popped into my mind before I could stop it…
Yeeeees Kris did Free! fanart life is complete!
Sorry to bother you with this, but someone on my dash keeps talking how abusive Makoto is to Haru and I'm mostly confused and asking a second opinion on this matter?
Makoto is my second favorite character in Free! I love him a lot, so I might be a little bias, so the most I could come up with has to do with the fact that Makoto can often be an enabler for Haru. He does and says (or doesn’t) a lot of things that he probably shouldn’t (or should) to keep Haru happy. This is obviously because he cares about Haru and wants to please him. I think many people are guilty of this whether the person be their friend, lover, family member, or whatever. The problem is that because Makoto holds back on saying things that need to be said to Haru, when he finally does say them, it ends up involving a lot of heightened emotions (like this past episode).
So if you consider enabling as abusive, then maybe that’s why people are saying that Makoto is abusive to Haru . In that aspect, I can see why someone would say it. However, their argument from the past episode clearly shows that Makoto truly cares about Haru and wants him to have a purpose in life (whether it’s swimming or something else). To me, Makoto seems like one of those people who won’t really say anything because he believes people have to be themselves and learn from their own experiences. So when he does actually speak up, it’s probably something that someone should actually take the time to consider (I’m like that, too).
Makoto is not without flaws, and he could stand for a few behavioral changes when it comes to Haru, but he’s not a bad guy. I’m not excusing his enabling behavior, but there are other characters (whom I also love) who could be considered abusive toward Haru as well.
But yeah, I don’t know what the people on your dash are saying, so this is just my opinion.
To add, I thought it was interesting when Haru was like, “You’re always worried about other people, what about yourself?” Because that is something Mako does, a lot. You can see it throughout the series. When they were kids they both reached for the dolphin toy, Mako let Haru have it. Mako suggested going to the swim club, when Haru said no, Mako wasn’t going to go at all. In first season everyone wanted to train in the ocean, and even if Mako was terrified, he brushed it off and went along with it (and Haru even asked if he’d be o.k., he said it was fine). Even when he raced against Haru this season and cried, he brushed it off with a smile, and told Nagisa (not Haru) that maybe he was jealous of Rin. Rin, who goes after what he wants, and just flat out says what he wants. He has a problem with Haru stopping in the middle of his race? He’ll tell him. He wants Haru to get out of this slump? Let’s go to Australia.
Mako is too nice. He’s that friend who agrees with everything, and as great as that may seem, it’s not. You start to wonder what your friend actually likes. If you have a friend who says yes to everything because you like it, you wonder… well, what do you want? "Whatever you want.“
And you can tell Mako was trying to speak up. "Why were you here?” "I spoke with Ama-chan about-“ "Oh.” “Y-yeah.” And, “Haru, I want to talk about graduation plans.” “Not interested.” “No wait-” So finally, it turned into, “Listen to me!”
Here’s the thing, though. Haru’s not a bad guy and neither is Mako. They’re just friends, really really good friends, since childhood. And this is the first instance where they really have conflict (from what we’ve seen). This conflict has been building up since the first episode. "What are your plans for the future?“ This has been stewing in the background and they’ve said nothing to each other. Honestly, this is something that friends do sometimes. They don’t want to touch the heavy stuff, so it builds and builds until it finally explodes. Sometimes, with the people you’ve had in your life forever, that’s what happens. You don’t want to bring up things that may damage the relationship, so you keep it to yourself. But, eventually, it needs to be said.
Unfortunately, since it’s been brewing for so long, it came out as yelling. If you look at what they said to each other, it’s needed to be said between them, for a long time. Mako is an enabler, he does worry about others before himself. But since it’s been brewing it came out as, "Stop putting your nose in other people’s business!” And Haru is bothered by things and does need to focus, which came out as, “We love you can’t you see that?!”
Honestly, the episode was a pretty real depiction of friendship (and love, if you see MakoHaru that way). When heavy subjects are pushed aside in favor of keeping the person you love happy, when those subjects come up they explode.
“That is when I remembered how it felt to swim in the same lane together, how it felt when everyone was waiting at the finish line. It made me just as happy!” “Where I swim and who I swim for… I’m free to decide that for myself! And I’m saying I’m fine with the way things are!”
Free! Parallel: 01x09 & 02x11
Damnit :(
I still can’t stop talking about this
Like nationals are next week and Rin’s like, “get up let’s go!” It’s like a romantic comedy! Someone needs to make that trailer now fuck…
When he thought love was over… *insert Haru and Mako fight*
… there was an answer… in the land down under *insert Rin taking him to Australia complete with catchy music and shots of Australia*
But is there still time to fix what was broken? *Rin shows Haru the message from Mako, I bet that happens in the next ep.*
Can what was lost ever truly be returned? *dramatic shots of nationals, Iwatobi boys, and Haru approaching them*
SWIM FOR LOVE! Rated PG. *end trailer with Haru being like, “Makoto… there’s something I need to say.”*
You know the more I think on this I wonder if the “Listen” goes into some metaphor about fireworks in the sky because of the whole, “Unchanging sky, unchanging sea” thing Haru was saying in the preview that Mako responded with something like, “They don’t look like it, but they’re changing, like us.” I bet that listen goes something like, “Listen… to the fireworks… look at them exploding in the sky. They’re changing it, and its beautiful.” Or something more deep than I can come up with when I’ve just woken up.
I got Haru and Rin on my Facebook page for that ship thing!
Who kills the bugs: Haru, but only if they’re near the pool, otherwise he doesn’t care. Rin pretends like he doesn’t care, either, but then he’ll start harassing Haru. “Just kill it already. What are you, scared?” But the truth is Rin hates bugs. He went to Australia and they have spiders like candy stores have candy.
Who hogs the sheets: Haru. He does it on purpose to hear Rin whining, because he finds Rin’s whining to be adorable.
Who hates mornings: Haru, until he gets to the bathtub. Rin’s already outside jogging.
Who’s cranky before they had their coffee: Neither drink coffee, but Haru is cranky until mackerel.
Who’s doesn’t like their mother in law: We never see Haru’s parents, or Rin’s mother, so I’m going to say neither. These two were childhood friends I’m sure their parents have had time to get used to them.
Who drives: Rin. Haru could care less about driving, until Rin suggests driving to the ocean.
Who gets horny in awkward public places: Haru. And he’s incredibly blunt about it. He strips at the site of water, he really has no filter. If he wants Rin he’ll voice it out, in front of everyone, without batting an eye. Rin will try not to blush and he always sounds annoyed but he’s always excited.
Who had a scene phase: Rin. He blames Australia.
Who wore braces: Rin, and he was one of those kids who got different colored bands for them, he gave no fucks he thought they were the coolest thing ever.
Who got bullied: Neither really, they were both well liked as kids and now.
Who collects ceramic elephants: Haru. Rin doesn’t want the house to be overrun by fish things, so Haru starts collecting elephants… because they spray water from their trunks.
This is the story of a geeky anime/gaming gal by the name of Chibi. Please fasten your seat belts and prepare for... some sort of ride? Oh! I love to write, and I also love doing crafty things. I go to conventions with my partner and sell woodburned things, clocks, mirrors, and more! So expect to see those on here too :)
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