MakoHaru One-Shots

Make Us Free (Fluff)

Background/Warning: The time setting is where Haru was basically having an existential life crisis. Feels(?).

POV: 3rd Person Omniscient

Makoto laid on his bed, his eyes not even close to closing and his mind not being able to reach sleep. He was tired, without a doubt of that. It seems like lately, the days try their hardest to drain the life out of him. Rei and Nagisa try their best to understand the situation, and Makoto couldn't be happier that they aren't having such a bad time as Makoto. Truly, Makoto has seen some better days.

Haru sat in his bath, staring blankly at the little rubber dolphin he got when he and Makoto were just kids. It seems like everyone around him is expecting so much from him. All they ever do is tell him what he should do with his life. He should pursue a career in swimming. He should try going to culinary school. He should become an artist. He just should.

"Hey, Haru!" Makoto said, opening the door to his best friend's house.

He looked around yet didn't see any sign of the blue eyed boy. It seemed as though Haru didn't want to be found at all. He finally thought of the place he could be. Makoto made his way into Haru's bathroom, finding Haru staring at his little bath companion. Somehow, Makoto found himself doing the same thing.

He remembered exactly what happened when Haru got his dolphin. His face may not have shown his excitement for something new, but Makoto could tell that Haru was preparing himself for what was about to happen. In some weird way, Makoto knew that it'd last– the swimming at least. Their friendship grew in the process, making it harder for Makoto to see Haru in the state that he's in.

"H-Haru," Makoto said as he walked closer to the bathtub,"we're going to be late."

After a few moments of Haru blatantly disregarding Makoto, despite the ache in his chest from seeing his friend so pained over him, he looked up at the taller boy and stuck his arm out towards him. Makoto reached over to grab Haru's hand, but when he did, he suddenly found himself embracing his best friend.

Instead of Makoto pushing Haru away, Makoto hugged him back. Makoto, being the physically stronger (not by much) one of the two, he lifted Haru out of the bath and wrapped a towel around him. After standing there and hugging each other for a long time, Haru decided to speak.

"I thought I was free."

"Somehow, you still are, Haru."