The Fundraiser

"It's easy," Gou explained to the two. "All you have to do is show up, and then they pay us."

Haruka looked slightly impatient as he gazed at the swimming pool's gleaming water. He let his eyes flicker back to the beaming redhead and gave a slight nod of consent, hoping that would be enough to appease her so he could swim.

Makoto however seemed a bit more curious. "All we have to do is show up?" he asked, mild surprise in his voice. "Just like that?"

Gou nodded, smiling brightly. "Hmh," she said. "I was rather surprised too, but you're quite popular!" Her eyes went a bit misty as she stared at Haruka, who had already stripped to his swim suit and was currently preparing to dive.

Makoto sighed. "Alright then, it seems like a good idea~"

The next day Makoto and Haruka stood outside a large building. Gou had given them a map and sent them on their way, saying something about how it was just a convention of young writers and it didn't seem too dangerous and besides showing up, she didn't know how to support them. In the end she had decided to stay with the other boys and run them through special training.

The building in front of them appeared to be a kind of warehouse with large windows and a rather plain looking sign that advertised 'Young Fanfiction Writers'.

Something about the situation set Makoto's teeth on edge but he pushed it away and ignored it. It was perfectly safe, Gou wouldn't have put them in any dangerous situation, and besides that, the sign proved it. The only people inside the building would most likely be writers and all the writers Makoto had ever met had been extremely nice. Settling himself he turned to Haruka who was expressionless as ever, looking at the looming doors with a slightly bored expression.

Makoto smiled and pushed the doors open. His eyes widened as he scanned the room in front of them. There were rows and rows of people. They sat and sprawled in different positions around the room. Some of them sat at desks, others were lying down.

Haruka let a small frown crawl to his face as he stared into the room. "Who are they? What are they doing?" Although his voice was relatively loud, no one looked up and continued with their previous activities.

"I don't know," Makoto smiled at his friend. "Let's see." He carefully walked the aisles. Girls and boys worked, on closer inspection they were all writing something; judging from the building's sign they should have been expecting. They typed on computers and tablets, some writing freehand.

Gazing up Makoto noticed a hanging blue sign that read Angst, Hurt and Comfort. He motioned Haruka over, who came quickly, with speed that was usually never shown without water.

"Mako, let's go," he said as soon as he was close enough to be heard.

"Why Haru-chan?" Makoto asked confused.

"I thought I told you not to call me 'chan'," Haruka said unable to drop the age old argument although it was clear that something was bothering him. "These people; they're writing about us. . ." Haruka hissed looking slightly scared.

Makoto didn't seem all that bothered besides a slight frown. "Okay," he said slowly, stepping past the sign.

Haruka followed. "Did Kou tell you what she reads in her spare time? It's called fanfiction and some of it's quite. . . . out there," Haruka paused, his face twisting in pain. "Why did you do that?" he screamed suddenly, catching Makoto off-guard. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Huh, Haru-chan?" Makoto frowned, now fully aware of an unpleasant twisting in his heart. He wrinkled his nose trying to place the feeling, but his concentration was broken when Haruka began speaking again.

"Why didn't you tell me when you were going after Rei? You could have died!" Haruka shouted.

At the mention of the ocean incident, Makoto felt his eyes tear up and the twisting in his heart intensify. It stabbed him, sharp and hard and brought the taller to his knees; fighting back tears. A small part of his brain insisted that he was being irrational, that there was nothing to cry about. But Makoto found that he couldn't help it and tears streamed down his face. "H-huh?" Makoto spluttered through his tears. "I-I'm sorry Haru!" He cried as his friend's eyes narrowed.

"Would you like a hug?" Haruka asked, his voice sounded forced and somewhat questioning as if he couldn't believe what he had just said.

Makoto nodded and stepped forward, embracing his friend before realizing what he was doing. Looking down at his friend confused, he managed one word. It was choked and harsh, for some reason it seemed that he had lost control of his voice. "What?"

Luckily, their long friendship had given Haruka enough insight on his friend's thought process so he wasn't confused and answered. He too was having some difficulty speaking. "They are writing about us, remember?" Haruka reminded him, huffing slightly.

"Damn it," cried a girl to their right. "Writer's block. Why won't you two do what I want you to?" she asked the glowing computer screen. Sighing in frustration, she resumed typing.

"Let's go," Makoto managed, pulling his friend past the blue sign and into another area. He was in such a big hurry that he forgot to read what the sign proclaimed; crime.

"Stop right there you two!" a voice shouted.

Makoto turned confused.

Suddenly the busy warehouse was gone, the sound of typing and lead on paper was still audible but it was muffled. Instead, Makoto found himself standing on a darkened street corner, Haruka beside him.

"Rei?" He offered, staring at the man in front of them, wondering how their friend had appeared.

The Rei lookalike frowned scowling, and pushed his glasses farther onto his nose before replying. "Don't call me that Tachibana," He spat so coldly that Makoto actually took a step back.

"Hey!" Haruka said, sounding uncharacteristically angry. His blue eyes blazed and he took a step forward, sensing Makoto's discomfort. "Don't talk to Makoto like that."

Rei's lookalike sneered. "Oh because Tachibana's such a great guy? You're both under arrest."

The two friends shared a look and came to a collective decision. Together almost as if they had practiced it beforehand, Makoto and Haruka turned and ran, hearing the sounds of gunfire in the distance.

"What's happening?" Makoto asked. He was pretty smart, but this defied all logic he knew and besides that he figured Haruka would know a bit more as Makoto hadn't been aware of their manager's fanfiction addiction.

"I think," Haruka said as he continued to run. "This is what Kou would call an AU. It stands of 'alternative universe' or something like that. I think we must be running from the law in this story."

"Ah," Makoto said. "Makes sense-" he was cut off by a sharp scream.

"Mako, watch out!" Too late the warning met his ears and Makoto let out a sharp gasp of pain as a bullet hit him, ripping through skin and muscle.

Makoto felt his body shut down as pain washed over him in waves. Blood was pooling from the wound and he pressed his fingers against it, cringing as it stung. He felt the world shift out of focus, and heard laughter. It was Rei, but it seemed off, it seemed wrong. But his mind was fuzzy and dim and Makoto couldn't figure out why it sounded weird. He heard Haruka yelling at him. Haruka's voice was soft and muted. Was he underwater, was that why everything was so soft and faded, was that why his friend's laugh seemed so off? Makoto found that he could not answer these questions and slowly closed his eyes, letting his mind sink into darkness.

When Makoto opened his eyes again he was on the floor of the warehouse. His head hurt, and his stomach was in knots. "Ugh, I feel like I'm going to be sick," he declared sitting slowly.

"You're up," the statement was soft and almost surprised. "Thank goodness, the blood. . . ." Haruka trailed off, flushing a soft pink. "I didn't know if you were going to make it."

Makoto's mind finally caught up and he cringed. "Oh. . ." he paused, noticing that the street had faded away and the warehouse writers now surrounded them again. "Where are we?"

Haruka shrugged. "There's all these signs hanging around, but I was a bit preoccupied and didn't really look."

"Fair enough," Makoto sighed, pushing himself to his feet swaying slightly.

Haruka turned and gave him a rare, small smile.

It was at that moment that Makoto realized how blue Haruka's eyes were, it was not that he hadn't known his eyes were blue; it was just he never realized how deep and captivating, how beautiful they were. He felt a small frown crawl to his face. Why was he thinking about him like that? They were best friends, really good friends. On top of that they were both guys, not that Makoto personally had any problems with people that preferred that, it was just for him, with Haruka? It felt so very wrong. But those thoughts were pushed away, as he found himself taking a bold step forward.

Haruka didn't move, continuing to stare at him with those unfairly captivating blue eyes.

Makoto found himself thinking about his friend in ways that friends didn't think about friends. Makoto had long ago figured out that slightly brooding, silent guys like Haruka were attractive to some girls. After learning that Makoto hadn't really thought about the information very much besides occasionally teasing his friend about it at their sleepovers, which until recently had only been the two of them and Makoto's twin siblings, Ren and Ran. However today and more importantly right now, Makoto felt jealousy stir. He realized with a slight start that he hated how those girls looked at his friend, like he was a prize, like he was something to be hunted, to be won.

"Haru-chan?" he asked staring slightly. "What would you do if I kissed you right now?"

Haruka frowned. "I thought I told you to lay off the 'chan'," he repeated, emotionless as always. "And why would you ask me that? It's an odd question."

Makoto didn't answer as he lurched forward, pressing his lips against the other's. If Haruka had any complaints he didn't voice them. Makoto's head was spinning, why was he doing this? Why? He wasn't sure and the more he thought about it, the more he realized he really didn't care, even if that little nagging voice in the back of his head said he should.

He nipped lightly at Haruka's lower lip and he opened without complaint. Makoto explored the new territory with vigor, laugher lighting his eyes when Haruka fought him for dominance. All too soon the pair was reminded that breath was necessary for life and broke apart.

Makoto turned away from his friend panting slightly, red in the face from embarrassment. He wasn't really sure what had come over him and he was pretty sure Haruka would be disgusted with him. Instead he felt a hand on his wrist pulling him back. He turned to look into stunning blue eyes.

"Mako," He said, voice low and Makoto then realized that Haruka was breathing just as heavily as if he had just raced.

"W-what?" Makoto asked, flushing darker at his friend's tone.

Haruka decided not to answer and instead began kissing him again, his soft lips pressed against Makoto's.

Makoto didn't really know what to think. It, this, was pretty odd, even if he accepted the fact that he was homosexual, he was still fairly certain he wasn't, or, that is the little nagging voice in the back of his head was pretty sure he wasn't. That aside, the lips on his where Haruka's, as in his best friend in the world; wasn't that breaking some sort of friendship code? Makoto was faintly aware that Haruka's lips had left his mouth and were trailing kisses down his neck, leaving hickeys and bright bruises. "Ah-Ah- H-Haru-chan," Makoto gasped his breath hitching.

Haruka spared him a quick glance, gazing up at him through lustful eyes. "What Mako?" he almost purred.

Makoto felt his face flush bright red at the implications of Haruka's tone. He felt desire stir within him and he let out a light groan as Haruka turned back to his neck, biting his exposed shoulder. Makoto wasn't sure when that had happened; his shirt was now hanging off of his frame, one shoulder completely exposed. Once again he found he didn't care. Makoto tossed his head back, a moan escaping his lips. He breathed through his nose to avoid having to break apart again.

Haruka kissed his temple, brushing away some of his hair. "Mhh," he sighed.

Makoto smiled, tangling his fingers with Haruka's hair, tugging him closer. Their lips crashed again into a heated kiss. Haruka took the lead this time and wasted no time in nipping and sucking at Makoto's bottom lip, asking for entrance which Makoto happily granted. Haruka was slightly forceful, but Makoto found that he didn't really mind.

Something in the depths of his mind said it didn't make sense. That he shouldn't be making out with his best friend and even if he did, on a completely unrelated note, they shouldn't be doing it here with the writers around. But Makoto's mind was clouded at best, now and he realized that he couldn't hear the noises any more. Of course the last bit of his composure reasoned that the writers were probably still there and the noises of typing and writing just couldn't be heard over their 'activities'.

He gasped lightly as Haruka's hands slipped up his shirt, grasping at his arms, tracing a finger down, ghosting the skin. Haruka's feather light touches caused Makoto to shiver slightly. His lips pulled away leaving a trail of saliva connecting their lips.

"You're mine," Haruka informed him, as he brought one finger up to sever the string connecting them. "You're mine and only mine, I'll make sure you will never forget it."

Makoto shivered in anticipation as he watched his friend. Haruka caught his lips in another kiss, sucking at the already swollen tissue. Haruka's left hand crawled higher, resting on Makoto's chest as his other dipped lower, fumbling with the closure of Makoto's jeans. Makoto let out a moan which was eagerly swallowed as Haruka pushed him backwards causing the taller to stumble slightly. . . . .

"Wake up, Tachibana Makoto, wake up right now," a voice snapped, frustrated.

Makoto sat up, turning bright red when his last memories settled into place. "Ah, did we, uh . . ." he trailed off, losing his composure, looking somewhat helplessly into his friend's eyes.

Haruka crossed the bedroom, just as red, if not redder. "No but we probably would have if we hadn't stumbled right out of the romance section," he sighed. "Honestly how big is this warehouse?"

Makoto shrugged, relived. "I don't know; where are we now?"

"Family," Haruka answered promptly. "We're the only ones here right now."

"Good," Makoto mumbled, climbing out of the bed. "Haru, you've got to talk to Kou about her addiction to this 'fanfiction'. I mean honestly, if this is the kind of things they write about," he shivered at the thought.

"Maybe," Haruka said, with a faint smile. He turned his attention away from Makoto just in time to be hugged by a little girl around the age of three.

"Daddy!" she squealed, clinging to his legs.

Haruka turned to face Makoto carefully, trying not to disturb the clinging girl. His blue eyes were wide with shock and fear.

Makoto felt sick. He had no idea what was happening, but he felt like it should be a joke. Because the girl had long black hair and eerily familiar green eyes, the same shade of green as his own. Makoto fought the urge to bury his face in his hands. This had to be someone's sick idea of a joke.

"Uncle Mako!" the girl giggled happily and released Haruka's leg.

Makoto let out a sigh of relief, with the last 'things' that had happened between them in this place he had bit slightly worried that the girl, whatever her name was might have thought him as 'mother'. Not that his friends didn't already tease him a bit for being a mother hen.

He bent to pick up the green-eyed girl, smiling slightly. "Hello sweetie," he greeted her.

The appearance of a woman at the door stunned Makoto into silence. "Ran?"

"Mako," she smiled, wrapping an arm around Haruka who tried not to look too uncomfortable.

Makoto sent his friend a look as the girl in his arms wiggled out of his embrace.

"We're going," Makoto declared bluntly trying not to scowl. This had to be a joke. His sister and his best friend?

Ran looked a bit surprised as Makoto pulled Haruka out into the hallway. Of course, Makoto rationalized, it wasn't really his sister, because his sister would never marry his best friend, right? That would be weird and wrong on so many levels the foremost of many being the fact that Ran was his sister and Haruka, his best friend. The second being the fact that Haruka had been present at the time of her birth, waiting in the hall with the rest of Makoto's rather large family.

Makoto pulled his friend down the hallway and stairs and through the door. Slamming the door behind them, he blinked to see the warehouse rematerialize. The colors danced, too bright in front of his eyes and he swayed lightly, silently fuming.

"Mako," Haruka's voice called.

For the third time since entering the building Makoto forced his eyes open, wondering somewhat bitterly what would be waiting for them this time. However he was pleasantly surprised to be met with calming blue eyes and the plain boring ceiling of his own bedroom.

Ran was clinging to his friend, protesting having to get up so early.

Makoto frowned, remembering his dream and Haruka gave him a worried glance. "What's the matter Mako, come on, we have to go meet those writers," he let out a light laugh and added, "I thought you'd have to wake me up."

"Yeah," Makoto shook his head, chalking the weird occurrences up as a dream and got up.

He had nearly convinced himself that it was all a dream when Haruka turned to face him. "Some warehouse, huh?"

Makoto followed his friend's eyes to a building that mirrored the one he had seen the night before. Now the question remained, did Haruka really remember or was it just an observation.

Makoto tried his best to push these thoughts aside as he shut the car door and walked to the doors. He hoped this fundraiser would be worth it.

A/N: This is my first time writing in the Free!dom, so I'm very sorry if they seem out of character; I tried. Please tell me what you thought about it. Also in my headcannon if the characters were real and were affected by fanfiction, I figure their conscious and control would be pushed to the back of their mind and their actions, while under the influence of fanfiction, would be controlled by the writer's words. Therefore they would have trouble saying and doing things that the writer had not 'scripted' for them to do. Also if they do rebel, it creates 'writer's block', when the characters won't do what the writer wants them too. Ps. If any of read the story, 'A Bit of Meddling' you should know, I'm working on it, but I'm having a lot of trouble pairing the countries with the crew, if you have any ideas, PM or review them, thank you!