Free to Be (Naruto/Free! Crossover)

Free to Be

"So, I'm also new to this particular swim club as well."

"Gaara doesn't swim."

"Okay." Makoto looked at the three newest members of the swim club he now coached at Gaara's sister was the one telling him that Gaara didn't swim. She glanced around as if she weren't interested in the swim club at all. He found himself interested in the importance f this statement. "So..."

"So Gaara got us kicked out of our previous swim club because he bit our previous swim instructor." Gaaa's older brother said looking far too amused about what he just said. "Gaara likes blood."

"Okay."

"Not okay." Gaara's sister now looked him in the eye. "Gaara's autistic. I bet you've never dealt with an autistic individual before." Which actually wasn't true. "They don't like being touched."

"I'm actually aware of the fact such individuals aren't fond of being touched." He knew from personal experience with Haru how such individuals weren't fond of being touched. It wasn't an absolute, though he imagined it might seem that way to the two.

"Uh-huh." Gaara's sister didn't at all seem convinced by what he said.

"So, you don't like water Gaara?"

Gaara's sister didn't let Gaara answer, speaking for him, still glaring at him as if he were an idiot, but there was also a level of protectiveness in her voice. "Autistic people are touch and sound sensitive."

"I'm also, believe it or not, aware of that, but surely Gaara can speak for himself." Glancing at Gaara, his facial features remained twisted into a rather grumpy scowl, but one of his eyebrows went up at Makoto's comment as if what he said interested the boy.

"Well, Gaara can sit on the bench or the edge of the pool."

His sister – Makoto remembered she introduced herself as Temari, and the other as Kankuro, gave him a rather dirty look. "I told you. Gaara doesn't go into the pool."

"No. You told me Gaara doesn't swim. And yes, there is a difference." This of course earned him a glare from Gaara's sister. Makoto somehow felt those two would be far more trouble than Gaara. "Anyways, I won't push you into going into the pool, and by that, I mean fully in before you're good and ready, but I'm here when you are ready. Anyways, the other kids would be here soon."

Makoto watched Gaara move over and sat down on the benches while his siblings started warming up.

"Cannonball!" came a rather loud voice before a loud splash was heard. Turning his head, Makoto found his focus shifting to the blond-haired boy as the boy stuck his head out of the water, spitting water as he did so. Makoto crossed his arms, narrowing his eye and attempting his best stern look.

"Naruto," came the voice of another child. Makoto shifted his attention over to a girl with pink hair wearing a pink bathing suit. Her arms were likewise crossed. "When are you going to grow up?"

"Ah, Sakura." The boy with the blond-hair beamed at the girl as if he didn't take her words as the insult they actually were.

Makoto let out a sigh. "Well, I certainly didn't give you permission to yet..."

"And who are you?" Naruto didn't hold back in interrupting him but gave him a look which indicated he was far from thrilled with Makoto's presence.

"The club's new swim coach," the girl piped up.

"Ah. The one replacing the previous one Naruto scared off." Makoto turned his head, this time seeing a girl with blond hair which was paler than Naruto's. She wore a purple swimsuit while another girl, a rather shy girl, hung out behind the girl, peeking out with her eyes focused on Naruto. "Don't mind Naruto," the girl said as if she were used to Naruto's antics. "He likes to cause trouble and thinks adults are stupid."