IkuHaru

IkuHaru is the slash ship between Ikuya Kirishima and Haruka Nanase from the Free! fandom.

Dive to the Future
SPROUTING DIVE START!

As Haru, Asahi, Makoto and Ikuya are sitting in a cafe looking through Asahi’s photo album, they find a picture of Ikuya. Makoto explains to Asahi where Ikuya went after middle school, while Haru looks at the photo sadly. The others begin to talk about the newcomers tournament, but Haru barely listens, staring at the picture of Ikuya instead.

Later, back in his apartment, Haru begins to think of the relay race he did with Ikuya, Makoto and Asahi in middle school. They placed third overall, upsetting them after training so hard. As they talk about the relay, Ikuya says that they need to practice more. Haru assures him that they will so they can win next summer’s tournament. Asahi and Makoto begin to talk about a possible training camp as Haru looks on. Ikuya looks over at Haru instead of the other two. Haru notices, which seems to cause Ikuya embarrassment and he looks away. Haru continues to stare at Ikuya, despite this. Back in the present, Haru feels sad as he sinks below the surface of his bath.

At the newcomers' tournament, Haru walks with Asahi after their race. He looks ahead of him and sees Ikuya walking by. Time seems to slow and Haru stops. Asahi asks what’s wrong, but Haru simply says, "Ikuya."

A PROMISE ON A SHOOTING STAR!

Asahi turns and also sees Ikuya, so Haru and he head after him, but lose sight of him.

In the past, the the middle school relay team is seen losing, but once Haru gets in the water, they seem to have a chance. Ikuya stares at Haru in awe and cheers him on along with the rest of the team. A couple of days later, the team sneaks up on Haru while he’s sleeping and announce that they’re going to do a training camp at school.

When Haru gets out of the water, Makoto points out that Ikuya is swimming freestyle, much to everyone’s surprise. That night, the four of them sleep at the school. Haru awakens in the middle of the night and notices that Ikuya is no longer there. He walks outside to the pool and sees Ikuya sitting on the edge and looking up at the sky. Haru walks over and asks what he’s doing, startling the other boy. Ikuya says that he's looking at the meteor shower. He asks if Haru has ever wished on a star. Haru says that he hasn’t, since people have to make their dreams come true for themselves. Ikuya says that’s a very Haru answer. Haru asks why Ikuya was swimming freestyle. Ikuya replies that he was inspired by Haru’s freestyle at the tournament and wants to swim like him. Haru doesn’t want Ikuya to copy swim his own way. Ikuya vows to become better at freestyle and leans into Haru intensely. He wants Haru to have a freestyle race with him someday. Haru stares at him a moment before agreeing. The two then look up to the meteor shower. Ikuya puts his hands together and makes a wish, but when Haru asks what he wished for, Ikuya just smiles at him and says that it’s a secret.

In the present, Haru and Asahi look through the locker room for Ikuya, but can’t find him. Asahi begins to wonder if it was actually him. Haru insists that it was. Along with Kisumi they begin to look through the program to find Ikuya’s name. Haru is confused as to why Ikuya is swimming an IM instead of relays. They find his teammates, but are unable to find Ikuya.

In the locker room, Ikuya recalls swim practice in middle school. He sees Haru swimming and decides to work hard. Both Makoto and Haru notice how hard he’s working. When practice is over, Ikuya decides to swim some more. As Haru watches, Ikuya passes out and Haru dives in to save him. When Ikuya wakes up in the hospital, Makoto tells him that Haru was the one that saved him. Ikuya thanks him and Haru is happy to see that Ikuya is okay. A few days later the two are at the pool. Ikuya says he’s sorry that the rest of the team couldn’t practice because of him. Haru says it’s okay, but Ikuya know that this means they won’t get to swim for the rest of the summer. Haru tells him that they just have to wait a bit longer to reach their goal. Ikuya vows to get stronger by next summer and holds out his pinkie to Haru. He asks for them to share a freestyle at that time and Haru promises to do so.

Back in the present, Ikuya looks at his pinkie and remembers. As Haru and the others watch Ikuya swim, they notice how similar his freestyle is to Haru’s. When the race finishes, Haru tells them that Ikuya had wanted to get better at freestyle in middle school. They race to the locker room hoping to catch Ikuya. They don’t find him, which disappoints Haru.

As Haru heads back to the tournament and Ikuya is returning to the restaurant, they meet on a connecting bridge and stop when they see one another. Each one says the other’s name quietly. Haru tells Ikuya that he he saw his IM. Ikuya wasn’t aware that Haru was there, so he didn’t see him swim. Haru asks why he swims the IM instead of a relay, but Ikuya doesn’t care, since it means he can swim alone. Haru is taken aback, then apologizes for quitting the swim team in middle school without saying anything. He’s about to explain why when Ikuya interrupts him, saying it doesn’t bother him since it's in the past. Hiyori interrupts them, saying that Ikuya’s tired and that he should take him home. As he leads Ikuya away, Ikuya gives Haru a lingering gaze. Haru reaches out his hand and softly calls to Ikuya, but is ignored.

Haru meets the others at the cafe where he tells them about his run-in with Ikuya. As they discuss going to go visit him at his college, Haru looks over at the picture of them with Ikuya in middle school. He turns aways from it and looks down at the table.

FIRST SWIM IN ANOTHER COUNTRY!

As Haru listens to the results of the tournament, he thinks back to the day before, when he ran into Ikuya. Later, he meets up with Makoto and Asahi to discuss what to do about seeing Ikuya again. The three realize how little they know about Ikuya in the process. They head to Ikuya’s university to find him.

INTERFERENCE OF LOSS!

At Ikuya's university, Haru, Makoto and Asahi head towards the pool area, but learn that there's no practice. As they leave, they run into Ikuya’s teammate, Tereshima. Haru tells Tereshima that they’re here to see Ikuya, asking if he knows where he is. Though reluctant, Tereshina eventually tells them.

As Haru, Makoto and Asahi look through the windows of the pool, Hiyori shows up. He asks what they’re doing here. Asahi responds that they’re here to see Ikuya, which annoys Hiyori. He asks Haru if he remembers how busy he told him Ikuya was. Haru knows that there’s no practice today, but insists on seeing Ikuya. Hiyori eventually gives in and asks that they at least wait till after training is over. Haru looks at Hiyori angrily.

The three go to the cafeteria and discuss what they will say when they see Ikuya. Haru wants to talk about the training camp they shared in middle school. He tells the others about the conversation he had with Ikuya that night, and how Ikuya wanted to have a freestyle race with Haru the following summer, Ikuya wishing on a shooting star, but not not sharing the wish.

The three walk to the pool again, where they run into Hiyori once again. Haru asks if they’re allowed to see Ikuya now, but is told that Ikuya left early because he wasn't feeling well. Makoto suggests that they check on him, but Hiyori tells them that they should mind their own business. Asahi asks what Hiyori is to Ikuya and Hiyori repleis that he’s his best friend. Haru asks if he knows about the three of them. Hiyori says that Ikuya told him how they were his teammates but broke up before their second year of middle school. Haru says that they want to apologize to Ikuya for that and for not fulfilling his promise to race Ikuya. Hiyori says that Ikuya doesn’t remember the promise and believes that he doesn’t need people who are as weak as them. Haru becomes angry and challenges Hiyori to a race. Hiyori agrees, with Ikuya’s friendship on the line. Before they can officially agree, Makoto says that he’ll swim against Hiyori instead since Hiyori swims backstroke.

When Hiyori arrives at the pool, Haru says that they thought he wasn’t coming. Hiyori says that he always keeps his promises, unlike Haru. Haru is taken aback by this accusation, but Hiyori ignores it in favor of asking Makoto to start the race, which Hiyori wins. Hiyori tells them that after Ikuya went to America he almost drowned, just like he did back in Japan. He tells Haru that he’s heard a lot about him, that those who swim with him end up suffering somehow. Haru wonders if this is true, thinking back to both Rin and Ikuya's issues. As Hiyori walks away, Makoto tries to get Haru's attention, but Haru just stares straight ahead, caught in his thoughts.

Dive to the Future
First Swim in Another Country!
 * When Hiyori starts to bring up Haru, Ikuya tell him to drop it.

Interference of Loss!
 * Ikuya knows that Hiyori talked to Haru and the other’s today
 * Haru is looking over footage from the last race with his team, when he see’s Ikuya in the IM.
 * Ikuya reads the little mermaid, and begins to think about what he became, and wonders if it was worth giving up his friendships to obtain it.

Quotes
"Why do you have to quit swimming, Haru?"

- Ikuya; "A Promise on a Shooting Star!"

"I have to get even stronger….like Haru…."

- A Promise on a Shooting Star!

Fanon
Shipping between the two began at the start of Free! Dive to the Future. The second episode mostly focused on the two's past as well as a subplot of Haru trying to find Ikuya. This fueled shippers.

On AO3, IkuHaru is the second most written ship for Ikuya and the fourteenth most written ship for Haru.

Fandom
FAN FICTION
 * Ikuya/Haruka tag on FanFiction.Net
 * Ikuya/Haruka tag on FanFiction.Net
 * Ikuya/Haruka tag on FanFiction.Net

TUMBLR

Trivia

 * Both have tendency to wonder about the possibility of being ordinary.
 * Ikuya was effected emotionally when Haru quit swimming, given how much he dreamed of racing him.
 * Sousuke and Kisume have remarked on how similar their freestyle's are.