Title: One Hell of a Reunion

Fandom: Free!

Pairings: Makoto/Haruka, Sousuke/Rin, Rei/Nagisa, (past one-sided Rin→Haruka)

Rating: T

Warnings: Cursing, Suggestive themes

Summary: Post-Free! Eternal Summer Future Fic

Already adults and in their late twenties, the boys get together for their annual reunions. Although a rather mild get together by their usual standards, an unexpected guest and a big announcement turn their standard reunion into something completely outrageous.

A/N: Honestly I wasn't expecting to ever write any fanficition again (not after middle school) but this simply wouldn't leave me alone. Please forgive any spelling and grammar errors! I haven't written anything in over a year and I'm sure it shows. I hope that everyone can find some enjoyment out of this, as I certainly did.

You can also find this on my tumblr under the username melonmachinery.

One Hell of a Reunion

Haru wondered exactly how he and his friends ended up a buzzed, giggling mess on Nagisa and Rei's living room floor. The trip from the restaurant to their house must not have been all that interesting if he didn't remember, he decided. Sipping more of his drink, he gazed over at the group and watched them all. His usually giddy childhood friend spread across his partner's lap in his sleepy state, making some off handed remark. Rei was sputtering in embarrassment and Haru couldn't wrap his mind around how the man had survived living with Nagisa for so long. But, he supposed, it was likely due to Nagisa's special charm.

Nagisa had always been the glue in their friendships, the force that kept them from drifting too far from each other. He was the planner, the schemer, the one who'd force them all to make time to see each other, at least once a year. He made it so that you wanted to get together at some outrageous place to meet your friends. He made it fun and exciting and everything hanging out with old friends should be. Everything with him was new and old and not in the least bit boring. The older they got the harder it became for these get-togethers, sure, but Nagisa was never one to be discouraged by something as simple as the passing of time. Still, having these reunions of Nagisa's was difficult, and it wasn't unheard of for someone to miss a year.

But this year was different, instead of just missing someone, they had gained someone. Haru was more than a little surprised when Yamazaki showed up to their secluded table at the random restaurant Nagisa had decided as their meeting place. He looked awkward and out of place at first, but Nagisa and Makoto were good at making him feel like he belonged. You could tell in the ease of his shoulders and the slouch in his posture as their rambling went on. Haru was wondering just why their old acquaintance was at their intimate reunion, but as soon as Rin showed up all the awkwardness of his arrival made sense. Rin and Yamazaki Sousuke had been talking more recently, apparently a lot.

Haru was in and out of conversations. He enjoyed the atmosphere and how Sousuke's disposition towards him seemed good this time around. Time changes all things, Haru supposed. The conversations over dinner that night ran wild. They went from the Olympics and recent job promotions to much needed haircuts and streaking at bars. It was enjoyable and light, and somehow just what Haru needed.

He had been feeling uneasy the past few months, about his current situation. Haru and Makoto were still living in Tokyo, although in new districts, and visiting each other weekly if they could manage. Makoto had moved closer to the school he worked at, and Haru switched apartments long ago. Although they made time to see each other, the distance seemed to be growing recently. Haru's anxiety about the future increased when Makoto mentioned the possibility of moving back to the seaside in the next school year.

Haru was by no means blind to his own feelings, and knew long ago that he had fallen for his best friend. He also knew that with each month and year passing, Makoto was getting farther and farther away from him. It made him nauseous, and he felt desperation settle at the bottom of his heart. Haru wondered how long this one-sided love would last. He had hoped it'd disappear on its own for many years, but it didn't so instead he hoped it wouldn't see the light of day. He was afraid it would ruin their friendship.

Seeing Sousuke was a huge shock. Haru knew by the end of their high school career that the man had a deep love for his fiery childhood friend. He knew that he had a deep routed love for Rin, much like Haru did for Makoto. So seeing Sousuke look at Rin when he stumbled into the restaurant, apologizing for being late, and sliding in next to him, it was like a cold wave splashed against him. He could tell just from that look that nothing had changed for Sousuke either, he was still stuck in the same place Haru was. His heart went out for him, but he said nothing.

"Haru-chan you're soooo quiet today." Nagisa yawned, propping himself up against the small coffee table in front of them all. Rin threw his head back and laughed, the sound bubbling up from deep inside his stomach. The infectious sound caused chuckles among the taller members of the group.

"Isn't he always?" Haru felt the ends of his mouth twitch at that, but shook his head taking a sip of the alcoholic beverage in his hand.

He watched as Rin laughed more leaning into Sousuke at his right, it was not lost on anyone that Rin sat himself on Sousuke's good side. The scar from his shoulder surgery would peak out of his t-shirt every once and a while, but noone commented. It was pointless, that was a long time ago. Sousuke just smiled, stifling his own chuckles.

In front of Haru, Nagisa continued to fidget in Rei's lap, trying to get comfortable as he had just laughed himself out of place. Rei too was stifling a laugh, and responding to something Makoto had said about not bullying Haru. Haru glanced over at his left, there Makoto sat with his legs crossed, leaning back on his large hands.

Makoto, though the years have passed, did not lose much of his devastating allure and sculpted muscles. He had noted before, while swimming with Makoto just the week prior, that the biggest difference was Makoto's softened abdomen. It was no longer as defined, instead showing gentle outlines of his six-pack. His back had remained almost completely in shape, and Haru was not disappointed in the slightest.

Rin and Nagisa were the most notably changed by age, Rin's hair was longer, and almost always up in a high ponytail, and his muscles were all power and no jokes. He hadn't an ounce of fat on him anymore. Nagisa was taller, still the shortest of them all, and all softened out by time. He was the most neglectful to staying in shape as they got older, and his huge sweet tooth got the best of him after his metabolism started slowing down. Upon gentle teasing at the pool during last year's reunion, Nagisa stated his thoughts on the development with a simple "Rei-chan will love me no matter what" and that was that.

They had all changed a lot during the years, but still they were fundamentally the same, and Haru smiled to himself. He was glad he didn't shun their little reunions like he would have if he had been left to his own devices all those years ago.

"Well since Haru seems to be having a great time over there in the corner by himself, I think I have something I'd like to announce!" Rin sneered. Haru gave a well-placed glare before leaning back on his hand. He had just positioned himself a little to the corner of the room, but he was still sitting parallel to Makoto. He knew that it was his body language that made Rin say that, as he had all but completely turned diagonal and away from Rin and Sousuke who were to his technical right. The pause in the air was long and Haru sighed and waved his drink in the air a little.

"Well get on with it." A pair of eyes rolling so hard they might have fallen out, and a few chuckles followed his response.

"Anyways," snapped sharp teeth as Rin straightened himself up in his place on the floor. "I think I'm going to propose to Amelia."

The first to recover was Rei and Makoto, who congratulated Rin right away. Haru saw the pain in Sousuke's eyes before he congratulated him as well, no real enthusiasm behind his voice. What Haru didn't expect was Nagisa, passed out laying across Rei's lap to lift up his head and glare at Rin.

"Booooo Rin-chan," was all he said before laying his head back into Rei's lap, a tired boo continuing from his lips.

"What'd you say you little brat!?" Rin snarled, but there was no real anger in his eyes. Rin new Nagisa was not only eccentric, but completely out of it when he was drunk. He rolled his eyes when another boo from Nagisa followed.

"But Rin, isn't this a little soon?" Makoto asked, voicing out what they were all thinking. Rin shrugged a little.

"Well we've been dating for two years, and I'm not exactly getting any younger. I'm 28 already! I don't know, it'd just be nice to know that you've got someone with you for the long haul, you know?" Rei and Makoto responded to his sentiments. Haru made no acknowledgment, instead focusing on the expressions that passed through Yamazaki's face. He was more than a little good at hiding what he was feeling.

"Anyways, you guys aren't getting any younger either! I mean god knows when's the last time I heard about someone you were dating." Rin said nudging Sousuke with his shoulder before turning to Makoto.

"And you!" he continued leaning forward over the table. "I mean, Makoto, it's already been two years since your last serious relationship ended. It's time to get over it. I mean like yeah you guys were together for what? Five years? But seriously, it's time to move on."

Makoto squirmed, uncomfortable, and made no comment. Haru felt his mouth tighten at the mention of his last girlfriend. The new self-decided love expert finally turned his gaze at Haru and let out an exasperated sigh.

"I won't even bother with you. I swear you and your 'I've never been with anyone' bullshit. You're probably just lying to us for the hell of it because you're a cynical bastard." He crossed his arms and leaned back away from the table with a pout on his lips. Nagisa finally crawled up off of the floor and slapped himself down against the table.

"Maybe Haru-chan exudes pheromones that act as deterrents that keep people from wanting to mate with him!" Rei murmured an explanation about why that wouldn't be the reason under his breath, knowing no one really cared. The rest of the group laughed at Nagisa's enthusiastic response, considering he was still falling asleep as he spoke it.

"Nah, that's impossible, people want to get with Haru, he's just too much of a prude." Rin said while the top of his cheeks turned a brighter shade of pink, and took a careful sip of his drink.

"How do you know Rin-chan? Haru probably has tons of repellent pheromones!" Nagisa rested his chin against the wood table, and shot a look at Haru before refocusing on Rin. Haru felt it coming in his bones, but felt oddly relaxed.

"Well I mean even I had a crush on him for a little, back when we were still in school. What a waste of time that was." He stressed the last part before taking another sip of his drink; make a point to avoid everyone's gaze. For Rin's part, he handled it pretty well, with a good natured laugh and no real awkwardness in his voice. Just soft nostalgia resonated in his words.

Sousuke tensed back up at this, and out of the corner of his eyes he thought he saw Makoto do the same. Everyone then turned their attention to Haru who leaned on his left hand, away from the group with a small smile, staring at the drink balancing in his loose grip. A strange thing happened then, and Haru would never be sure if it was the slight buzz or the lightheartedness of Rin's confession that did it to him. He felt a calm and warm sense of confidence in that moment and he felt himself let his mouth do the talking for once.

"I knew." A simple response, but one that shook the room as everyone became more alert, a couple of quiet "what's?" followed.

"I knew you liked me, but I didn't say anything. There was no point, you weren't going to confront me, and I couldn't like you back anyways." A quick glance at Rin and he knew everything was okay. Rin didn't look disappointed, just decidedly surprised, before his face fell into a small smirk.

"Knew you were a prude." Rin muttered and Haru's grin started to grow. If he knew one thing, it was he didn't want to be like them. He didn't want to be like Rin who had to let go, and he didn't want to be Sousuke who could never tell. All the fear that had built up of the years did not leave, but it felt so small there, in the presence of his friends. Before anyone could continue on with the conversation, which showed all over Rin's face, Haru did something that made his heart quiver in anticipation.

"I couldn't love you. I never really felt like I needed to be with someone in that way. Besides, I was already in love with someone. I still am." Haru confessed. Everyone was silent at that, and instead of the outbursts Haru had expected, they just leaned in closer, waiting for an answer. Haru decided, despite the heart that was likely to just fall dead after beating so fast, that he'd give it to them. He kept his eyes trained on his drink, and his body language light, he smiled as he said it, setting it free. His lips trembled when the words left his mouth.

"I've been in love with Makoto."

The silence changed from buzzed with excitement and anticipation to something darker. A deep anxiety started to fill Haru's stomach, the silence made his ears ring. He didn't know exactly what to expect, but he did not expect Nagisa to be the one to break the silence. Soft and careful the voice came.

"Mako-chan?"

Everyone's eyes had then turned to Makoto. Makoto was sitting as he was just a few minutes prior, with his knees loosely held in his arms, but he was looking at Haru. Tears were pouring down his cheeks and Haru's face turned from light and nervous to frightened and unsure. His best friend was crying because of him.

"Makoto?" Haru ventured to whisper. It broke the trance he was in, and Makoto noticed the tears streaming down his cheeks. Trying to wipe them away with desperate strokes, he settled with just putting his face in his hands. He started to sob. Everyone was on edge; shocked, and afraid of the new development. The large man hunched over and seemed as if he was getting smaller, it frightened everyone, but not as much as what had come out his mouth.

"Haru loves me? This isn't real. Haru doesn't love me. This is a dream."

Those words shook them. This was unlike any Makoto they had seen before. This Makoto was weak and fragile, and believed in those words he repeated to himself. Haru crawled forward with great caution before sitting on his knees next to Makoto, facing him. He gently took Makoto's larger hands in his, and pulled them away from his face, with much resistance. Makoto's whole body swiveled under Haru's quiet request. His head hung low and the tears didn't stop, and neither did those discouraging words.

"Makoto, Makoto look at me." He trembled under the soft command, and with no hurry picked up his head.

Without a single plan in mind, Haru leaned forward. Makoto's head backed up in shock, and tried to suck in some air after having had such trouble breathing through his tears, but Haru anticipated it and followed right up and in. He captured any air Makoto would have had and placed a feather light kiss on his lips. He gripped those two unsteady hands tighter and didn't let go as he pulled back.

They gazed into each other's eyes, forgetting the rest of the group who were observing them. None dared to move, as if any motion made could break something. Haru kept his gaze steady, hoping to show Makoto the truth of what he was saying through his eyes, just like they had always managed to do. He prayed that Makoto would understand him.

"Haru loves me."

It was breathy, and unsure, but it wasn't a question, and Haru breathed for what felt like the first time in forever. He nodded his head in agreement and Makoto whispered it again, and Haru bent his head down to those quivering hands encased in his and kissed them. In an instant they were no longer in his but around him, shaking arms around his neck. Haru followed suit and hugged Makoto's waist, giving it a firm squeeze as he continued to cry into the crook of his shoulder. He whispered those words like they were his salvation, and Haru felt numb inside.

He had never even hoped to dream of Makoto liking him back, and so he caused his friend the greatest pain someone can endure. He felt it in the tremors that wracked his large body; he knew that it was Makoto who had been hurting the most. Everything was silent besides Makoto's quiet sobs. They remained still for what seemed like hours. Makoto pulled himself back together. The tremors subsided and he pulled out of their hug, hands still clutching Haru's shoulders. His tears were slower now, but still coming, and the quivering in his chin had disappeared.

Haru looked into those glossy, reddening eyes, and resolved to never make them appear that way again.

"I love you too, I have always loved you." The voice that came out was stronger, steadier, and warmer than they had all expected to come out of him. Makoto had finally accepted the truth, that he was not alone in this, it was not a dream.

"I love you Haruka."

Haru's eyes had never been so wide and tears welled up, obscuring his vision. Everyone else in the room went frigged and red with embarrassment after hearing Makoto's intimate confession. Haru brought their forwards together, and he smiled bigger than he had ever smiled in the past, the action hurting his face. They brought their lips back together and pulled each other into a bone crushing hug. Neither felt more whole than in that moment. Silence filled the room again, awkward for the rest of the group, as the two best friends held onto each other like lifelines.

"Well that was quiet a dramatic confession." The much more awake Nagisa stated with bright, wide eyes. Everyone sighed at his interruption of the moment, but none of them cursed him for it, all secretly glad that their friend had so easily dispelled all the room's tension.

Sousuke started with a small chuckle, before it turned into a full out deep belly laugh at the situation. No one said anything, but infectious giggles from the other members of the group were heard, and Rin broke out into a smile, and asked what on earth he could be laughing so hard about. Sousuke wiped a tear that had formed in his eye as he came back down from his sudden outburst.

"Well since we're in the confessing mood, I mine as well get something off my chest as well, considering Nanase could do it." Rin's eyebrows shot up, and the rest of the group also quieted down wondering what on earth he could want to say. Haru just gave Sousuke a nod, which he had scoffed at. He turned towards Rin, and scooted himself a little further away, looking into his eyes.

"I've loved you since we were little brats. I still do."

The outburst Haru had expected earlier finally came, a great shout of "WHAT!?" came out of the majority of the groups' members.

"I'm in love with you, Rin." Sousuke repeated and that made Rin snap. His face contorted into a growl as he picked up the cushion he had been sitting on and continued to beat Sousuke with it, to everyone's surprise.

"YOU FUCKING PRICK! YOU BIG FUCKING ASSHOLE!" Sousuke had put his arms up to protect himself from Rin's harsh beatings and Rin had sat up onto his knees, putting in as much power as he could behind his swings.

"You fucking left! You-You were the first guy I ever," Rin's yells puttered out a bit, turning red in the face before his volume started to rise again. "And you fucking left all by yourself! Do you know how much that fucked me up!?" he yelled, not relenting in his beatings.

"Rin, I'm sorry! You were just curious! You loved Nanase, and I couldn't handle that! We were just kids and I couldn't handle it!"

"COULDN'T FUCKING HANDLE BEING MY BEST FRIEND!?" Rin yelled with a deep seeded anger and resentment in his heart.

"I COULDN'T HANDLE JUST BEING YOUR BEST FRIEND AND FUCKBUDDY. Sorry." Rin's beatings came to an abrupt stop, his facing turning a furious red. The soft protests of their friends stopped at that, any attempt to stop what they had thought was going to be an all-out brawl gone. Even Nagisa was quiet as they stared at the two.

"I'm sorry okay, I knew you were curious and I took advantage of that. I loved you so much, I thought I could handle it, but I couldn't. That's why I left." Sousuke's face was full of pain and remorse. Rin looked frustrated and tired and exasperated. The grip on the pillow he had had was loose and he stared at Sousuke like he was an idiot.

"You were my best friend and you just up and left for years and I didn't know if it was my fault or not! Fuck. Why didn't you just tell me," Rin sniffled, tearing up before full out bawling. Sousuke felt at a loss at the onslaught of tears, he had always been weak to them.

"You were still in love with Nanase, and I had no right doing that in the first place. I should have told you instead of leaving, but I was so afraid. I was afraid I'd lose you, you were my best friend. You still are." Sousuke's voice was desperate and tired, and he smiled a sad smile. "Besides, it doesn't matter anymore."

Rin's head had snapped up so fast at that, he swore he had gotten whiplash.

"Why?"

"What?" was all Sousuke could say in response to the question. Rin repeated himself, and stared into his best friend's eyes with nothing but pure confusion.

"Why? Why doesn't it matter anymore?" It was then Sousuke who was confused.

"You're in love with someone else and you're engaged?" Sousuke had said it like it was a question, like Rin didn't just tell them earlier that he was getting engaged to his girlfriend of two years. More than just a little confused, he and the rest of the group were nothing but shocked when Rin's fist connected with Sousuke's jaw. His head snapped back into place and he looked at Rin who was in front of him with his fist still in the air, with angry tears in his eyes. The fist fell and Rin glared at him.

"I'll break up with her then! I'm not engaged with her yet! And it's not like I really love her! Fuck, I mean, yeah I like her a lot but I just thought since we were getting older that I should settle down. Like, fuck I fucking just said all of this earlier! And of fucking course I'd rather be with you than marry someone else! You're my best fucking friend, and we both fucking know that there's no physical problems with us! You just fucking up and left me before I could even let anything grow, I just thought there was no fucking chance for us you dickwad."

The long rant ended with Rin's breath gone and his chest rising and falling exaggeratedly. Rin's cheeks were bright red from the anger and embarrassment and everything in between. His tears were drying up, and he wiped away the rest so hard it aggregated the skin. He leaned in closer to Sousuke, and Sousuke followed suit.

"I love you, and I think I could be in love with you if you'd just give me a fucking chance instead of fucking deciding everything for me." Rin finally said, voice calm and low, a whisper floating in the silence.

Sousuke just grinned at Rin like he was the most amazing thing on the entire planet, and didn't say a word. Rin's red face only grew and he leaned in to kiss Sousuke, and Sousuke leaned in too before Rin stopped him with a light slap, and backed himself up. His eyes were wide with surprise and confusion before Rin sat back down.

"You have to wait for me to break up with my girlfriend. She's not going to be happy, and she's going to want an explanation, too. She knows when I'm lying so there's no point in me trying to hide it. So you're going to have to be there when I do it, no way I'm suffering the consequences alone. Amelia's got a mean right hook, and it's not my fault you were too chicken to say anything all this time, so you better fucking own up. "

The smile on Rin's face gave him away first and Sousuke couldn't do anything but smile and agree to his terms in return. Everything felt light, like there was never a problem between them before. Sousuke could not remember ever having been as happy as he was then. He dragged Rin into a hug and told him he'd wait forever if he had too. Rin's entire body was red by the end of everything.

It was Haru who broke the tension this time, with a quiet chuckle that broke the silence like it was the loudest laugh of the night.

"I don't know Nagisa, that was pretty dramatic."

Nagisa agreed, cheering for Rin and Sousuke. Makoto tossed an affectionate smile at Haru. He leaned into him, both having had chosen to sit as close as they physically could after their own little scene had ended.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever Haru. You guys were way more dramatic."

"You're the one who just said he'd break off an engagement." Haru responded with one eyebrow raised, and the corner of his lips up in a small and subtle smirk. Rin's face turned beet red, a pout settling on his features.

"S'not like I already proposed to her." He grumbled.

"Ah, actually I did something like that too, Haru-chan." Makoto's voice came out light, and everyone's eyes jumped to him. The automatic "drop the –chan" dying on Haru's lips as the words sunk in.

"What?"

"Well," Makoto laughed awkwardly "The reason why Mayumi-san and I broke up was because she figured out I was still in love with Haru. When she figured it out, I was so nervous she'd tell you, but instead she just said 'Marry me and break it off with Haru, or we're breaking up.' We had already decided together that it might be time to marry, so I was really shocked at first. But I told her right away I couldn't break it off with Haru so she just said 'fine' and we broke up."

Makoto finished off his story with a shrug and a smile, like it was some lighthearted joke, and everyone in the room just gaped at him. Haru spoke first, leaning against him more.

"Well I'm glad you chose me, if not for Makoto, I would be alone for my whole life." He admitted with a soft smile. Makoto's cheeks were a dark red and he just laughed.

"Haru, you're rarely this talkative when you drink." Haru just shrugged at his response, completely content with the world then.

"THIS IS THE BEST REUNION EVER!" Nagisa proclaimed. He had become more awake and aware the further their deep conversations and confessions had continued, and was almost back to his usual hyperactive self. Everyone laughed at his antics and Nagisa shot up, shaking his fingers at the two new couples.

"You guys are ridiculous! How dramatic can you be! I thought Rei-chan was out of tune with his feelings, but you guys take the cake! This just proves that Rei-chan and I are entirely more mature than you guys!" Nagisa exclaimed, with a smug smile and both hands on his hips in a proud stance. Rin tossed his cushion at Nagisa and made a satisfied snort when it hit him smack in the face.

"Pipe down shorty, just because you and lover-boy over there got together in college don't mean shit." Rei squeaked at the nickname and Nagisa challenged Rin to a duel, which he had accepted, each grabbing floor cushions and beating each other with them. The night continued on.

Haru tuned out the conversations and playfulness of his friends. He instead focused all his time and energy on holding that large hand. He watched his thumb caress the back, tracing veins and little circles into the warm skin.

Before long Sousuke and Rin were heading out, and Makoto was pulling him up to follow. Fleetingly he heard everyone's promises to meet up again tomorrow night for dinner. Haru was far more focused on the shade of the tips of Makoto's ears when he told him to come back to the hotel with him that night.

Oh yes, Haru thought, this was the best reunion ever.