Makoto settled the floppy fake dog ears on his head and turned to his siblings.
"Like this?" He asked.
Ran grinned and nodded. "Yup! Good job big brother- err, Mako-chan. You're a good boy!"
If Makoto hadn't been long used to these games by now he might've been embarrassed by the words but as it were he just smiled and replied "Woof!"
Ran pivoted and smiled (which, at that moment on the little girl, looked unsettling) at Haruka.
"And how's the baby, dear?" She crooned to a blushing Ren. Ren had just finished tying on Haru's bib and was sitting back to admire his handiwork.
"Umm, I changed his diaper," Which meant Haru was sitting with his usual bland look next to the low table in only his jammers. "So he's ready to be fed. Uh, dear."
Ren didn't really like playing house (his sister made for a controlling wife) but since Haru had agreed to play...
Makoto fought down a chuckle at Haru's nonchalant expression because he could see the slight twist to the black-haired boy's lips that spoke of mild discomfort. Still, the brunette wasn't about to complain about a reason to stare at a half-naked Haru for the next while. He could think of worse things to do.
The game progressed from the dressing to Ren sitting at his desk with a book propped open as a laptop and Ran 'cooking' at her plastic stove set while Haru continued to sit at the table and look nonplussed. Makoto, with a burst of inspiration, crawled over to his boyfriend and stretched out over Haru's lap. The blue-eyed boy jerked in surprise, blinking down at his boyfriend, but Makoto winked and whispered "Pet me?"
Realizing this chance Haru reached down and buried his fingers in Makoto's hair, feathering through the thick brown mess as Makoto just reclined across his lap with his usual beatific smile.
Ran turned around with a plate of plastic pancakes and grinned at the sight.
"I'm so glad the baby and the dog get along," she said far too coyly for Haruka's taste.
"They do?" Ren whimpered, half turning, but Ran pegged him with some plastic butter and shrieked "You're at work, dummy! You can't see in the house!"
"Ran," Makoto admonished from his spot on Haruka.
She pouted but a green eye cracked open and the gentle glare made her shoot an apologetic look at her twin's back.
"Sorry, Ren."
The younger twin hesitantly smiled back. "It's okay," he forgave quietly. "Er, dear." He added quickly.
The spat forgotten like that, Ran put the plastic pancakes in the center of the table. She hurried back and fetched a toy spatula and set a small fake bowl in front of Haru, then pantomimed cutting the pancakes (with the spatula) and put the imaginary piece in Haru's bowl.
"It's almost dinner time and my husband isn't home!" She announced.
Ren got the cue and with a startled "Oh!" he snapped the book shut and rushed over to the table. He kicked a large block on the way with a sharp cry that had Makoto's huge frame tensing in Haru's lap and the brunette immediately glanced at the noise- only to sigh in relief as Ren assured them all he was fine- and then closed his eyes to complacency once again.
Haru, meanwhile, gazed blankly at his empty bowl.
"Pancakes aren't a dinner food." He said in a deadpan voice.
Makoto shook in his lap with silent laughter.
"Baby's getting fussy!" Ran chirped and hurried to the older boy's side. She picked up the spatula, scooped it into the empty plastic bowl, and held it up to Haru.
"Open wide for the fork, baby!" She cheered.
Haru half-glared at the girl. "That's not a fork."
Makoto was snickering helplessly, finding everything far too hilarious now and wishing Rin was here to see this, and earned himself a dirty look from the blue-eyed boy.
Ran's other hand got propped up on her hip and she glared right back at Haru, not afraid in the least. "I said, open up."
The stalemate might've gone on forever if someone hadn't knocked on the door.
They all stared at it and Makoto started when he remembered- he'd invited Rin over. So it was probably the redhead.
He crawled across the rug, being a good puppy, and barked a few times at the door. The twins looked at each other and in a stroke of genius Ren blurted out, "Remember we taught you how to open a door, Mako-chan?"
Ran beamed and nodded. "Yep! Because Mako-chan's a smart puppy!"
Makoto grinned and shook his head, reaching up for the knob and opening it.
Rin had never, in all his life, expected the sight in the room.
The first thing he saw was the table- the Tachibana twins sitting expectantly at it, curious as to their visitor- with the girl holding a plastic spatula to... was Haru... naked? And... wearing a bib..?
Then he glanced down and nearly had a heart attack.
Makoto was sitting on his hands and knees, hips swaying sensuously back and forth (trying to wag the tail he didn't see), wearing a collar and dog ears.
Oh my god, was the only thought he could muster.
Then Makoto, green eyes bright with amusement calmly opened his mouth and said, "Woof woof! Woof!"
Rin was, suffice to say, totally floored by this turn of events.
Worse, Makoto promptly rose onto his knees, fingers hooking over Rin's belt, and gave him about the sexiest look he'd ever gotten out of the brunette. Half-lidded eyes, mouth slightly parted, that suggestive swing of his hips... Rin felt his face flush at least three different shades of red. If only they were alone...
Ran broke the tension when she dropped the spatula unceremoniously into Haru's lap (who turned an indignant glare on it) and clapped her hands together.
"Look who it is, dear!" She squealed to Ren. Rin wondered if he had enough time to escape. "Our son's returned from college to pay us a visit!"
"H-he did?"
"Yes! He did! Oh, how nice to see you!"
When the girl's vice grip wrapped around Rin's wrist he knew he'd screwed the pooch.
He flushed and hid his face behind his free hand. That was a... less than savory phrase in present company. Speaking of, Makoto hadn't really let go- instead he shifted his grip and dug his fingers into the back pockets of Rin's jeans. The redhead gave an affronted noise when his pants threatened to fall off and turned slightly, reached down, and hooked his own fingers underneath Makoto's collar and yanked him up.
"Oi, Mom. Get your mutt off me," he growled into Makoto's face.
Makoto smiled serenely, leaned in, and licked a trail up Rin's jaw that made his cheeks blaze like fire. He dropped the brunette like he'd been stung but Makoto just chuckled.
"Sweetie how could you say that?" Ran exclaimed. "You love Mako-chan."
Oh good god they were using the nickname.
"I don't like dogs." He grumbled.
Makoto paced back across the rug, red eyes tracking his every move, and sprawled out over Haru again. A muscle jumped in Rin's jaw.
Oh hell no. That wasn't fair.
Blue eyes dissected the Samezuka student's expression before he ran his fingers through olive hair again and stated simply, "Dogs often spend a lot of time around those who don't like them to try and change their minds."
The whole room blinked at the black-haired swimmer. Then Rin drawled "Really?" and sat next to Haru. Makoto got up and draped himself across both his boyfriends, humming in contentment, and Ran started 'cutting' the pancakes.
"Darling," she chimed, "We need more plates! Be a dear and fetch them please?"
Ren scrambled upright and hurried back to their kitchen set, coming back with a bowl and two small plates.
"H-here, s-sweetie." Rin got the other bowl and the twins the plates.
"Wonderful!" With that, Ran started dishing out the dinner.
Haru simply reached down and recovered his spatula/fork from under Makoto's shoulder and began (haltingly) to 'eat'. Ran squealed- "Baby's feeding himself!"- and Rin rolled his eyes.
"I can't believe I'm here..." The redhead grumbled.
A hand caressed his thigh and he promptly bit a little too hard into his plastic fork, puncturing it. He shot a nasty look down but the damn dog was just chuckling to himself.
"Relax," Makoto whispered. "Play."
How the hell was he supposed to..?!
Think, Rin, think.
"I- I gotta say," he started. "I've- missed your home cooking?"
It was a weak attempt and it garnered him a pair of eyebrows that went up in silent childish judgment but Haruka smirked and Makoto rewarded him with a gentle squeeze to his thigh.
Ran recovered. "It's nice to have you home, sweetheart!" She beamed (damn did that remind Rin of a young Makoto) and tilted her head. "Mama missed you too!"
Rin fought down the pleased blush and continued to fork nonexistent food into his mouth (but not really) while Makoto remained a comfortable weight in his lap and Haru a familiar presence at his side.
Twenty minutes later Mrs. Tachibana poked her head in, giggled at the sound of Haru 'crying'- blandly repeating 'waaah, waaah' with a total lack of enthusiasm- as Ran tried to feed him, her eldest son looking comfortable as could be, and Rin sitting with Ren at Ren's desk.
"Boys, it's the twins' bedtime. Makoto?"
The brunette rose immediately, unhooking the tail and taking off the ears and collar.
"You heard Mom. Bed for you two."
"But baby won't eat!" Ran whined, frustrated.
"Did you try mackerel flavor?" Rin drawled from the other side of the room.
Haru's eyes sparkled at the thought and Makoto hid a snort beneath a cough.
"Come on, Ran, Ren. Brush your teeth and get to bed, both of you."
Haru took off the bib and carefully folded it, handing it to the girl.
"Good night, Ran." He said quietly.
"Good night Haruka!" She chirped, putting the bib on the top shelf of the kitchen set and flouncing out of the room where her mother greeted her.
"See ya, kiddo." Rin said as he ruffled Ren's hair.
"Thanks for the help on my English," Ren whispered, ducking his head.
"No problem. Tell your brother if you ever need more help. I'm an ace at English."
"Okay."
The male twin stopped short at the sight of Haruka though, and he shuffled up and took the black-haired boy's hand. "Umm, good night... H-Haru."
"Good night, Ren." The older boy replied. "Sleep well."
Ren flushed scarlet and booked it out the door. Makoto watched his younger brother go with a grin.
"Will you be staying with Haru again tonight, Makoto?" The brunette's mother asked gently.
Makoto glanced between his boyfriends and nodded. "I think so."
On the way to Haru's Rin yanked Makoto down to eye level and hissed "I don't want to see you like that again unless it's in the bedroom."
"Oh, I can do that," the brunette purred.
Rin blushed yet again and stormed ahead. Haru smirked at the redhead. "It was pretty... interesting."
"I can do it again." Makoto hummed easily. "Especially if my reward, so to speak, is Rin this flustered."
(Because someone asked... Ren's got a case of, shall we say... puppy love involving Haruka~