Free!Dom (Free! Fanfic/ONC Entry)

Freedom

Makoto found himself sitting in the police station waiting for answers regarding Haru and Haruna. Rin sat next to him with his arms crossed while looking up at the ceiling in irritation. Everyone knew something was wrong when Makoto discovered Haru's phone wasn't anywhere near the school, yet they decided the best thing they could do was let the police know something was wrong.

The meet up with Rin's school ended up canceled, yet both teams were now on edge. Gou was also near tears which didn't help Rin's mood at all. Until now Makoto never thought of the kind of impact Haruna's celebrity status would have on Haru, though he got a small taste of said impact yesterday after school. What worried him most was knowing the two were safe.

"It's them."

Makoto glanced up and saw Haruna and Haru being led in by the police officers, but felt a sigh of relief escape his lips. The police officers didn't bring them into the room but led them off to a corner where there was more privacy from the rest of the group. He glanced at Rin who was now looking up after his captain noted they were brought in. "I'm going to go over there."

"The police may not be happy with that."

"I need to see how they're doing." Makoto stood up and walked over. "Haru? Haruna?" Haruna looked up, yet Haru didn't move. Makoto's mouth opened. "Haru, what's wrong?"

"Haruna hates me."

"I do not."

Makoto let one of his hands reach up so he could rub his ear lobe with his fingers. "What's going on? Are you upset because you couldn't protect Haruna, because..." A look from Haruna said that wasn't the answer, but whatever was upsetting Haru was upsetting her. "Haruna doesn't hate you Haru."

"I'm an embarrassment. That's why..." Haru's mouth clamped shut and his hands clenched his pants legs. "I want to go home. I don't like this."

"Haru. Can you look at me?"

Haru shook his head in response. Haruna looked up at Makoto for help. "Just say what you want to say."

Haruna took a deep breath. "What those guys said wasn't true."

"Yes, it is."

"Haruna, what did the guys who kidnapped you say?"

He watched Haruna's mouth twist, but then saw her look away. "They brought up the fact I've kept Haru out of the media."

"It's because I'm an embarrassment."

"That's not..." Haruna stopped and closed her eyes. "There is some truth to that, but what they said about protecting myself wasn't true."

"But I do embarrass you."

"Haruna, there is no getting around this." Makoto shoved his hands into his pants pocket. "Haru may not be able to control his behavior, but he is aware of the fact his behavior isn't considered normal. He's also aware of the way people react even though he doesn't act like it. He's aware of a lot more than people give him credit for."

Makoto watched a few tears well in Haruna's eyes. "Haru, how do you feel about the way people react to what you do?"

"I don't know." Haru's lip trembled. "I know I don't like being an embarrassment to Haruna. I don't like not being liked."

"I don't hate you."

"Yes, you do. Just like everyone else who doesn't like the weird things I do."

"Haruna, maybe Haru..."

"Don't. Haru, I really need you to look at me. I need you to look me in the eye so you know I'm telling you the truth."

Makoto watched Haru look up hesitantly. "What does Haruna want to say?"

"It is true I've kept you out of the media. It's true I still want to keep you out of the spotlight. It's true I can't stand the way people look at you, but that has nothing to do with me being embarrassed about being related to you." A tear fell from Haruna's eye. Haru reached up as if to wipe it away, but stopped. Haruna grabbed his hand gently. "It's not me I'm trying to protect Haru. It's you."

"I don't understand."

Makoto did, but before he could say anything Haruna wiped the tear away and said. "I'm quitting."

"Why?"

Haruna reached out and grabbed Haru's face gently. "Because you got hurt."

"I'm not hurt." Haru lifted his hands up to look at where his hands were tied. "No, they don't hurt."

Haruna looked at Makoto for help explaining things to Haru. Makoto shook his head. "I don't know how."

"Haru, doesn't it upset you that people treat you differently?"

"No. I'm used to it."

Makoto took a deep breath. "But Haruna is not. She doesn't like it when other people treat you badly."

He watched Haru look his sister in the eye and then saw Haru do something unexpected. He pulled Haruna into a hug which in turn made Haruna burst into tears. Makoto watched Haru look at him in panic. "Wait? Didn't I do the right thing? Is what I did socially unacceptable? Did..."

"You didn't mess up Haru." Makoto felt a smile spread across his face. He glanced over at the others who accompanied him to the police station to wait for news and held up his thumb indicating things would be okay. He honestly felt things would be okay as Haruna's kidnappers were captured. The process towards everything being alright might be a difficult journey, but something told him it would happen.

The look on Rin's face said things were getting worse which in turn made Makoto laugh at his childhood's friends pessimism towards the situation.