Free (ReiHaru One Shots: A Free! Iwatobi Swim Club Fanfic)

Decisions and Distractions

Prompt: Food

"I think we should tell them," Haruka said. "I mean, we've been keeping this secret for a few months now, and I no longer see the point in pretending we're not together."

Rei nodded his head. He completely agreed with what his boyfriend was saying. It was time that they came out of the dark and showed their friends what was really going on.

"How should we tell them?" Rei asked, scratching his head.

"I have no idea," Haru said, looking at the restaurant's menu. "Ooh! Look, Rei, they have Mackerel!" He said enthusiastically, flipping the menu around and pointing at his favourite dish.

Rei chuckled. "Don't you want to eat something different for a change?"

Haruka just stared at him.

"Alright, alright. I get it. Mackerel is the best food on the face of the earth, I know. But, you really have no ideas? Nothing at all? We seriously have to do this right or else we might screw up the team dynamic, or even our friendships with the guys!"

Before Haruka could respond, a waitress approached their tables and asked for their orders. After she had walked away, Rei attempted to resurrect the previous conversation in order to sort out their game plan for the coming task. However, upon hearing Rei's first few words, Haruka interrupted to say "I think I need to use the restroom." After which, he got up and left, leaving Rei alone to contemplate his feelings.

By the time Haruka returned from the facilities, their food had already arrived. As soon as he saw it, his eyes widened and his mouth grew into the smile that Rei loved.

"Oh, yes" he whispered softly as he took his first bite.

Rei stared in disbelief. "Are you serious right now?" He asked in an incredulous tone. "It seems like you care more about some fish than you do about the future of our relationship!" He was really getting upset now. He couldn't believe the audacity of him, leaving him alone for so long, seemingly in an attempt to avoid a conversation that he started! Why in the world was this he boy that Rei had gone and fallen in love with?

"Some fish?" Haru looked like he was getting upset now, too. "This is mackerel. The most beautiful and delicious fish of all the fish in the sea! It is the perfect food for breakfast lunch, dinner, and everything in between! How dare you call it just some fish."

Crap. He didn't mean to upset Haruka. "Look, Haru." Rei lowered his voice and leaned across the table. "I just really think we need to talk about how we're going to tell everybody about us. This is super important right now because I really don't want to hurt our friendships with everyone."

Haruka smiled. "That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"Oh, don't give me that look, Rei. I didn't mean it like that. I only meant that I don't think we should be concerned about how to tell our friends, because they're our friends. It doesn't matter in which way we deliver our message. They will accept us and our relationship no matter what, because of that friendship." Haruka looked in his eyes lovingly and Rei knew that he was right about everything.

"Besides," he continued. "It just seems unfair that I haven't been able to share such a big part of my life with my best friends. I want them to know-I want everyone to know-how much I love you."

Rei softened at this and looked into Haruka's shimmering blue eyes, "I love you, too." He replied quietly.

"You're just like mackerel" Haruka said, immediately killing the mood.

Rei sighed in exasperation. He was never going to understand this boy.

Haruka continued, "because I want you every time of the day, and because I'm never going to find anybody else who will make me feel the way I do about you."