Title: Reunions
(Fic Series): A Life Worth Living
Fandom: Free!
Pairings: Sousuke/Rin, Makoto/Haru, Nagisa/Rei
Rating: T
Warnings: N/A
Summary: Post-Free! Eternal Summer Fic

Ten year reunions come quick and the two Samezuka boys return from Australia, where they are newly official residence of, to visit their old school and more importantly there friends from Iwatobi! Some important, and not entirely unexpected announcements come up.

A/N:

Man I've really been having a rough time lately and it shows in my writing... I really wanted to do more with this and I ended up not writing exactly what I wanted to do, but looking on it right now, even though I've been toying with it for a month or so now it looks complete. Any more and I'm afraid I'd over saturate it. I might be adding an extra installment in the series to make up for it.

I'd just like to say how inspiring it is that old people, and by old I mean older than ridiculously young Olympic athletes, are striving to compete and even doing well after their "prime"! I think it's a wonderful show of what the human body is capable, and what we might all be capable of someday.

I hope everyone likes it! Despite my writers block and other various things life has thrown at me lately, I did enjoy writing this. Didn't enjoying editing it though, so if you see any big mistakes, please let me know!

As a side note for anyone reading this as a stand alone: Nurul Ayuni Wan and Amber Wilson are both Sousuke's friends (and OCs) from my fic Adjusting!

You can find this work on both tumblr and ao3

Reunions

"It's kind of depressing that Ai and Momo were in different years," Rin mumbled into his hand as he looked out the train window. "It would have been more fun if they were there."

"It would be more fun if we never went," Sousuke retorted. He had no real connections to any of his class year in the first place, and the addition that they all judged him based on societal standards had just served to sour his mood. He wouldn't have gone if it wasn't for Rin's quiet pleading that he joined him for the ten year reunion. "If you wanted to see them we should have just met up with them instead."

"Stop being such a pessimistic brat," Rin sighed, but he agreed. He had a few people he was okay with, but it wasn't worth going back. He wouldn't bother with the next one; everyone he cared for wouldn't be there anyways. "Besides, at least we get to go see Haru and the gang. Nagisa and Rei flew in from Tokyo for it."

"So at least someone was thinking," Sousuke sneered, but smiled when Rin shot him an angry glare.

"Ten years goes by a lot faster than you'd think," he sighed and turned back to sit properly in his seat, staring across out the other way. He was surprised that Sousuke said nothing, no jokes about how he sounded old, or was being too sentimental. Rin looked over to see Sousuke gazing out the window just as he had earlier, his lips in a small and thoughtful frown.

Rin averted his eyes back down to his phone and tried to shake the solemn feeling he got from seeing Sousuke look like that. Ten years and not a word from anyone in his family, it must have been tough. He couldn't even begin to understand it, but he knew at least that Sousuke wasn't lying when he said he was happier without them. He'd trust that Sousuke was just having a moment, after all when you heard it like that of course it sounded big. Ten felt like a big number, something about the zero at the end just made it feel dramatically larger than nine or eight.

"Makoto says everyone's already there," Rin said in a quiet tone before clicking his phone's screen black and slipping it into his pocket. He risked a glance back at Sousuke and let their legs slide against each other. Sousuke gave him a passing smile before sitting properly and leaning his shoulder against Rin's, assuring him he was alright. Even through the small gestures Rin could tell it was the truth. It was just a passing moment.

Time is all relative anyways.

"It's so nice to have everyone together again, right Haru?" Makoto asked and smiled when Haru nodded at his side. "Haru and I are moving back to Iwatobi this coming year since Haru's done with swimming competitively, but it'll still be lonely without everyone."

"Retiring completely? I'm pretty sure you could go another year. Rin's at least making an attempt at it," Sousuke commented and Haru frowned.

"It's annoying."

"Ah, he means the interviews," Makoto amended. "Haru's not fond of them, and his manager has had to fend off a lot more questions about why Haru was adopted by our family even though his parents come to see him swim."

"Oh, yeah. Congratulations by the way."

"You've already congratulated us," Makoto giggled. "Rin even sent that wonderful gift basket, wasn't that nice Haru?"

"It was."

"Yeah, but still that's something you should say in person. And yeah he figured you'd like the canned mackerel," Sousuke laughed at Haru's unabashed shrug. He wasn't ashamed of what he liked.

"It's still weird thinking that you guys are listed as brothers," Rin observed from the porch where Nagisa was piling lazy neighborhood cats on him with great interest. "But I suppose you'd be the twins' brother in-law anyways."

"They were very excited to have me as a brother," Haru informed him, a tinge of pride in his voice.

"It's nice enough that your parents adopted him for you in the first place," Sousuke added as he flopped down next to Rin, scarring off the three old cats.

"Haruka-san and Makoto-san's parents are very understanding. It was quite a surprise when you told us," Rei chimed in. Nagisa also shouted his agreement as he ran inside to bring out the cat food Haru had just bought.

He always had some in his house, he even paid the house keeper to feed them, though he's sure Ren would have fed them anyways. It gave him more to do and made him feel like he had a real job. Ran had already got a part time job to save up for college. Makoto was worried about his more reserved younger brother so they decided it was best to give the job to him. He liked doing housework anyways, and since he and Ran would be off to college not long after they moved back in they wouldn't have to worry about having someone else do it.

"Well," Makoto reasoned, "we had already been together for so long. They said it wasn't much of a surprise, but it was still shocking to hear it ourselves."

"It would have been very difficult if the Tachibanas had hated me for it," Haru concluded in a soft voice. He looked up at Makoto with a meaningful gaze that caused the others to turn away. Makoto smiled back and interlaced their fingers.

"So does that mean you're going to be a teacher at Iwatobi, Makoto?" Rin coughed, trying to break up the moment. Haru and Makoto always had a certain strange intensity to them. It felt embarrassing, like watching your parents flirt or something.

"Yup! A position finally opened up and since Haru already decided on retiring, it's working out really well," Makoto answered with a blinding smile. "Haru's parents had already decided to put the house in his name once we decided to move back anyways."

"So you always planned on moving back?" Sousuke asked before he doubled forward and almost fell to the ground when Nagisa sprung a surprised hug on him. Makoto scolded Nagisa but they all started to laugh anyways when the dry cat food spilled over them and the cats jumped forward.

"Yeah, I couldn't give up this place," Makoto sighed looking over to Haru.

"I couldn't either," Haru replied before glancing down at the big fat brown cat that had finally found its way back to the porch. The brown cat was the second oldest cat around and by far the friendliest. Haru scratched at its chin and the lazy thing flopped on its side next to Haru, claiming the spot as its own.

"So you are planning to try for one more Rin?" Makoto asked, latching back onto the previous information. Rin shrugged, crossing his ankle over his knee and leaning back as he looked at Nagisa who was trying to steal some of Rei's soda instead of getting his own.

"Well, I figured why not. That thirty-three year old just won silver and bronze last year so it's not like it's a stretch." Rin hummed before he snapped his fingers and pulled his chain out of his shirt and took it off, slipping the ring off the silver chain. "I forgot to show you guys," he mumbled as he slipped the thin silver and gold circlet onto his ring finger. He held his hand out for them to see and Makoto took it, with a small gasp.

"It's beautiful Rin!"

"What is?" Nagisa snapped, finally forgetting the carbonated drink and focusing on the group that was looking at Rin's hand. "Is that the ring!?"

"Engagement ring," Rin corrected. "I can't wear it in public yet so when I'm bringing it somewhere I just put it on the chain. Sousuke left his at home though."

"If I brought it to that reunion it would have been a pain in the ass," Sousuke reminded him. Rin shrugged, Sousuke wasn't wrong. Anyone who was hitched at the reunion got a huge fuss made about them and all of the single guys would complain. A few guys brought their wives and they barely got a moment to breath under the intense questioning.

"The gems are embedded in it. It's quite beautiful," Rei observed. Five small white stones were embedded in the gold middle strip, the rest a striking silver. Rin grinned at the praise, enjoying the noises of awe and the careful examination of the ring. Makoto was all soft eyes and smiles and even Haru was looking at it with great interest.

"Ah," Makoto cooed, "it is beautiful. And you're going to wear both your rings after you get married? That's so sweet. Haru isn't that sweet?"

Haru shrugged and leaned back before turning his head away. Makoto sat up and looked at Haru, his head tilting to the side. Haru seemed distressed.

"Do you want one?"

"One what Haru?" Makoto asked oblivious before Rin started laughing and Nagisa started wiggling his eyebrows. Haru huffed and glared at him from the corner of his eyes and Makoto gapped like a fish.

"Oh! Oh, Haru that's. I mean, if Haru-chan wants to that would be, but what would people say? It's already strange enough that we, but then people at work would stop asking so it'd be helpful. Ah, but people would start asking Haru even more questions wouldn't they? And it'd be a lot of money so," Makoto babbled on and the rest of the group broke out into giggles as Haru stared at Makoto with a blank face. Clear and blatant affection showed in his seemingly dispassionate expression, so strong that even the rest of the group could see it. Makoto slowly brought his lips together and resigned to being quiet since Haru had made his thoughts very clear.

"That's so cute Mako-chan! Maybe Rei-chan wants one too?" Nagisa grinned as he elbowed Rei in the side. Rei huffed and tried to keep Nagisa from landing anymore blows. "Right Rei-chan? You want a ring too don't you?"

"Nagisa-kun please!"

"Ah! Rei-chan! You said Nagisa-kun," Nagisa shouted, pointing an accusing finger at him. Rei sputtered before pushing the offending appendage away and crossing his arms. "You know what that means!"

"But we don't, and we'd gladly appreciate it if you kept that to yourselves," Rin sneered before grabbing a drink out of the cooler.

"Rin-chan! That's so rude. My Rei-chan is perfectly pure! An angel! Chaste for life!" Nagisa cheered and Rei just groaned into both hands and crumbled, squatting down to his knees and cursing Nagisa the entire way. "No need to be shy Rei-chan!"

"When is Kou-chan going to be flying in?" Makoto asked with an awkward laugh. Even though Rei had already come out and was in a relationship with Nagisa, any mention to his asexuality seemed to embarrass him a great deal. A lot of it probably had to do with how absolutely dirty his partner was about everything.

"Monday. She had a few last minute things to do for her new charity or something." Rin leaned into Sousuke and took away the drink Sousuke had grabbed for himself and replaced it with a cola. He tossed the sweeter fruit soda at Nagisa carelessly and he caught it with surprisingly quick reflexes.

"Aw Rin-chan you're so kind for thinking of me," Nagisa joked. "Rin-chan is a saint!"

"Hardly," Rin scoffed. "If he drinks sweet stuff I'm going to have to taste it later."

"Naughty, naughty," Nagisa chided them with a wiggle of the finger. Rin rolled his eyes and flipped him the bird before seeing Rei's embarrassment and letting it go. He had plenty of remarks about that, but at whose expense really? There was no embarrassing Hazuki Nagisa. Only Makoto and Rei would serve as causalities to that war.

"If you think about it it's pretty strange that all of you ended up with male partners," Sousuke observed. Makoto looked up at the sky thinking about it. Rei glanced at Nagisa who was sipping at his drink and looking back at Rei thoughtfully. Haru just pet the brown cat and hummed.

"Fish swim in schools."

Rin was choking on his own spit in seconds and Nagisa had just sprayed Rei, affectively drenching his face and shirt with the soda he had just received.

"Nagisa!?" Rei screeched and Makoto was already running inside for a towel.

"Jeez Nanase, trying to kill your friends?" Sousuke laughed as Rin tried to stop his violent coughing. Haru looked at Makoto rushing past with a towel in hand, wet in one corner to help cleaning off the sticky substance. Haru let out a tiny laugh, effectively stopping what everyone was doing, besides Rin who was still hacking up a lung.

"Haru-chan is cruel! Only laughing like that when it's at us," Nagisa whined despite the big grin on his face. Makoto shook his head with his own smile before returning to Rei's aid.

"You're absolutely ridiculous," Rin concluded when he finally regained control of his body. "But I suppose you're right."

"I can't wait for Rin-chan and Sou-chan's wedding. I'll be the best man!" Nagisa announced with great gusto. Sousuke and Rin looked with twin expressions of disinterest in his joke. Nagisa puffed up his cheeks and sat down in a sulky manner before continuing to rock himself. "So who's it going to be then Rin-chan? Haru-chan? Mako-chan? Rei-chan!?"

"Ah," Rin laughed and scratched the back of his head. He turned to Makoto and Haru and smiled. "Well actually I figured Haru wouldn't want to do it anyways, which is kind of good because I can't have two best-mans, but would it be a bother Makoto?"

"No, not at all Rin! Thank you," Makoto answered with a smile, shocked by the answer. Rin's face flushed and he scoffed it off, mumbling about how it was weird for Makoto to thank him.

"But then what's Sou-chan going to do?" Nagisa asked tipping to the side and nearly falling. Rei finished wiping himself off and sat down next to Nagisa on the grass.

"A friend of mine will be the best-woman," Sousuke answered.

"Oh! Will it be Ayuni-chan perhaps?" Makoto asked and Sousuke nodded.

"I've already talked to Nurul about it and she said she'd be happy to," he replied with a shrug.

"You never told me you already asked," Rin mumbled, bumping shoulders with him.

"Rin we've been planning this for years."

"Yeah, yeah. Anyways, so she's best-woman and you'll be best-man and then the rest of you dimwits are going to fill up the rest of my slots." Rin waved them off, smirking at Nagisa and Rei's looks of disappointment. "So you three are going to be my groomsmen, and you have to show up."

Haru only turned his head with a noise of disapproval at the pointed look Rin gave him at the end. Haru didn't believe that was necessary, Makoto was going to have to be there so he'd be there as well. It was basic math.

"My other friend Amber will be there, and Gou and Kisumi will be filling up the last two on my side."

"You're still talk with Kisumi-chan?" Nagisa asked in wide-eyed surprise. Everyone else except for Rin was also looking at him and Sousuke shrugged. The friendship between Kisumi, Rin and he was something that wouldn't just disappear, even though there were years they went without seeing each other in person. It wasn't like Sousuke had many friends in the first place. Kisumi had just always been there for him, so he had earned his right to walk with him. Gou and Amber were no-brainers.

"Ah, that'll be something. I don't think I've seen Kisumi in five or six years?" Makoto thought out loud, looking up and away before glancing back at Haru for confirmation. Haru just kept his eyes and Makoto, a glint in his eyes and Makoto laughed. "Haru I'll have to walk down with Ayuni-chan. Kisumi will be walking down with one of you."

"I'll make sure he walks with Haru then," Sousuke challenged and Rin barked out a laugh at the heated glare he received.

"It's fine, Haru. Relax. You'll walk down with Gou, Rei will walk down with Amber, and Nagisa can have Kisumi all to himself."

Haru visibly relaxed and the whole group broke down into laughter. He didn't find it at all very funny, but he allowed himself a small smile. It was really nice to have everyone together again.