A/N: Sit tight, this chapters a bit longer than the other ones.

Still don't own Free!, despite my countless letters of pleading.

5 minutes.

5 minutes until 9:00.

5 minutes until Makoto's train arrived.

Mako had texted him to tell him that the train was on time, and he should be at Haru's house in about ten minutes. (Haru's house was five minutes from the station). The past two days had been horrible for Haru, but his mom kept him busy organizing his fathers funeral, though that wasn't enough to distract him. Makoto was going to be his for a week- a whole week! He had several things planned, which had surprised Makoto because Haru just did whatever, he never normally planned things. "You're special." Haru had said and blushed.

Makoto convinced Haru to get FaceTime, which he hadn't much need for until now. So Makoto saw the blush, and could see when Haru smiled as Makoto began to blush as well.

9:00

Makoto texted him, saying that he was heading over now. Haru waited on the coach by the door, gazing out the window restlessly.

9:01

9:03

Haru fiddled with his phone case again. He decided to stop looking at the time, and let it be a surprise. Without him knowing, it turned 9:04 and then 9:05. All Haru knew was there was a brown-haired boy walking down the sidewalk towards his house.

Haru's heart thumped. He didn't know why he was so excited- he had only been gone for a week. He put his phone into the pocket of Mako's sweater and stood by the door, waiting. He only let Makoto knock once, then opened the door excitedly.

They stared at eachother for a few seconds and then Haru fell into Mako's arms, pressing his cheek against his chest.

"Nice sweater, babe." Makoto laughed.

Haru blushed softly before tilting his head up and catching Mako's lips on his own. Makoto kicked the door closed and pulled his backpack off of his shoulders.

"Where can I put this?" Makoto asked.

Haru grabbed his wrist and led him upstairs. "Just put it in my room."

Haruka opened the door to his room, and quickly closed it. He knew he would have to reveal Makoto to his mother eventually, but he wanted a couple minutes just for them. Mako put his bag down beside the bed, sighed, and lied down on the blue duvet, lacing his fingers behind his head. Haru lied down on the bed as well, perpendicular to Makoto so that he could rest his head on his stomach.

"This is a nice place." Mako closed his eyes.

Haru looked up at him, tilting his head to the side. The taller boy looked so peaceful, and Haru was reminded of that night a week ago when he had kissed his sleeping lips goodbye. Was Makoto asleep?

Haru propped himself up in his elbow and looked at the boy, who's breathing had become shallow and deep. He fell asleep! Haru laughed softly and sat up, then moved so that he was straddling Mako's stomach. Makoto didn't move or respond in any way, so Haru gently bent down and kissed him, and wasn't surprised when Mako's hands reached up, wrapping around Haru's neck and pulling his face closer. Makoto sat up, so that Haru was sitting in his lap, and Haru wrapped his arms around Makoto's shoulders before pulling away. He placed his face very close to Mako's, teasing him.

"You fell asleep." He whispered.

Mako laughed. "That was a very creative way to wake me up."

"But you liked it, right?"

He nodded. "Wake me up like that every day that you can, ok?"

Haru blushed. "I will." He mumbled before quickly leaning in and kissing him once more.

Makoto pushed Haru off of him gently, stood up, and stretched. "Where's your mom?" He asked.

Haru stood up and sighed. "She's excited to meet you."

"Meet me?" Makoto had met Mrs. Nanase before, so he wasn't sure what Haru meant.

"I haven't really told her your name yet." Haru confessed.

"That's awful nice of her, to let me come if she doesn't know me." Makoto snorted. "Supposedly."

"I made sure she knew it was very important to me." Haru replied with a fleeting smirk, but Makoto caught it.

"Well, shall we?" He asked, extending his hand.

Haru linked their fingers together and they walked silently downstairs.

"Ah, i thought I heard the door open, but I wanted to leave you two alone for a bit." His mother winked as they walked into the kitchen. "You look awfully familiar, do I know you?"

Makoto smiled and extended his hand. "I'm Makoto Tachibana. It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Nanase."

Haru's mom seemed quite surprised as she shook Mako's hand and slowly pulled him into a hug. "That's quite unexpected. It's nice to see you too, though."

She finally released him and Makoto returned to standing beside Haru again. "I'm terribly sorry for your loss, Mrs. Nanase."

"I am too." She said softly, then gestured to the couch. "Please, make yourself at home."

Makoto sat down on the couch, and Haru reluctantly sat beside him, and grabbed his hand. Mako was between Haru and his mother. They had some typical conversation, how've you beens and how's your familys, but Haru didn't really pay attention, concentrating only the feel of Makoto's hand in his.

Eventually the topic of the funeral was approached. The funeral was going to be at 11:00, with lunch afterwards in the church hall. He hadn't picked out his outfit yet, he had wanted Makoto to help with that. Haru didn't like dressing up, but Mako did and he was very helpful in that sense.

"Oh my!" His mother gasped. "It's already 10:00, and we need to be at the church by 10:30. We'd better go get ready."

Haru wordlessly stood up and pulled Makoto upstairs, Makoto waving to his mother.

"I don't know what to wear." Haru stated, opening his closet.

"Seriously?" Makoto shook his head good-naturedly while pulling his own outfit out of his bag.

Haru rifled through his few shirts, looking for something 'dressy' enough. "I wanted to wait so you could help me."

He turned back towards Makoto, who was now changing his shirt. His back was facing Haru, and he couldn't help but stare when Mako's back muscles flexed as he pulled on his shirt. It was a black button up shirt, with light grey dots. Mako stayed in his blue jeans. He pulled on a dark grey blazer, straightened the collar, and turned around.

"That looks nice." Haru said. "Can you help me now?"

Mako nodded and walked over to the closet. He looked through the few shirts, and decided on a navy blue button up shirt with thin dark grey stripes. He handed that to Haru and continued to look for a jacket as he put it on. The only jacket was a black blazer, but Makoto decided it was acceptable. He also decided that the jeans Haru was wearing would be acceptable as well, partly because he didn't own dress pants.

Haru was reluctant to remove the green sweater, but he did. He wasn't wearing a shirt underneath it. Haru pulled his arms into the sleeves of the shirt Makoto picked up, and was about to button it up, when Mako grabbed both of his hands. He let go of Haru's hands and began to button the shirt up himself, pulling a blush from Haru's cheeks. He also helped Haru into his jacket, which was all unnecessary but it was one of the little things that Makoto did just because he knew Haru would like it.

"Come on, handsome." Makoto began to head downstairs, Haru following close behind, still blushing.

As they were putting their shoes on, Haru's mother also walked down the stairs. She was wearing a sleeveless lacy black dress with a blue cardigan.

"You look lovely, Mrs. Nanase." Makoto smiled.

"Thank you." She smiled back. "And please, call me Miyuki."

"That's a lovely name." Makoto was always charming. "Doesn't it mean beautiful happiness or something like that?"

Haru raised an eyebrow at him, but he didn't notice.

"Yes it does, as a matter of fact." Miyuki Nanase slipped her feet into a pair of black beaded sandals.

Haru envied how Makoto could maintain a conversation with such ease.

They walked out of the house, and Haru and Mako both sat in the back, so they could be next to eachother, holding hands. Haru was worried about how his family would react to seeing him- and to seeing Makoto. How would he introduce him? Haru decided to leave that up to Mako. He was a lot more social, and he seemed to always know what to say. Within a few minutes they were at the church, right on time.

"This is such a beautiful church, Miyuki." Makoto gazed in awe at the paintings and the stain glass windows.

Mrs. Nanase smiled. "It is, isn't it. Akio would've loved it."

They turned away from the church and walked downstairs to the hall. There were bristolblarzs with pictures and other stuff of the same nature on them, and some other decorations. Easels were lying beside them.

"There aren't many people coming. Can you boys set up five tables, eight chairs each? Then we can arrange the place settings. I'll work on the boards."

Haru and Mako nodded, and walked over to where some tables where leaning against the wall, chairs stacked neatly beside them.

"I'll do tables, you do chairs?" Makoto asked.

Haru nodded again. Makoto began to roll the circular tables towards various places in the hall. Haru took a stack of eight chairs and pushed them towards the table Mako was currently setting up, and placed the chairs one by one. They continued this wordlessly until all chairs and tables were set up. Miyuki had set up the easels around the room, and put the various Bristol boards on them. The boards just had collages of pictures from various moments in Akio Nanase's life, there were even pictures from when he was a baby.

"We also need to set the places."

Haru and Makoto got to work setting the tables. When they were all finished, it was 10:50. All of them then headed upstairs so they could receive family members and friends.

Soon everybody was sat in pews and the funeral was about to start. Mako got several questioning stares, but the guests decided to wait until after the service to ask. Soon the casket was being processed down the aisle, and the service began.

A/N: I haven't been to many funerals, so I can't describe what happens during the service itself. Sorry if I get any information wrong, including the reception afterwards, I am very Canadian and don't know much about Japanese traditions. Maybe somebody can tell me about it via review?

Everybody was solemn as they walked downstairs to the hall. When they were in the hall, many tears were shed and many hugs were given. Haru just stood beside Makoto, who was standing beside Miyuki, who was standing near the door. Haru had held Mako's hand for the entire service, and still was. Many people had come to console Haru's mother, but she had been strong through the entire service. Miyuki did not shed a single tear.

Several people said hi to Haru as well, marvelling at how much he's grown, asked him how he'd been. He answered simply with "Good" to most questions, blaming his anti-social attitude on sadness. He was a little sad, of course. His father had died, after all. But he wasn't as sad as some people would expect him to be.

Nobody had asked who Makoto was yet, but he had gotten many stares and glances. Some people whispered as they walked away. Mako didn't seem to mind. He just smiled kindly at them, occasionally waving. Haru wondered if anybody recognized him. They had spent Christmas together often, and Makoto had been to all of his birthday parties.

Eventually everybody sat down for lunch. Haru's table consisted of himself, Makoto, Miyuki, his Uncle Souta, his Aunt Toki, and his twin cousins Ume and Umi. His cousins were 10, and had been staring at Makoto the entire time.

Lunch was served, an eggplant dish with a ginger-type glaze. Haru picked at it, but Makoto seemed to enjoy it.

"I know it isn't mackerel," Mako whispered to Haru "But it's not that bad. You should try it."

Haru reluctantly held a piece to his mouth and ate it. Chewing thoughtfully, he nodded.

Makoto grinned. "See?"

Ume looked up. "Why are you smiling?"

Makoto shrugged "Because Haru is eating something other than mackerel for once."

"Oh." Ume continued to eat her food.

"Haru?" Umi asked.

Haru looked at her. He knew what was coming.

"Who is he, anyways?"

Haru glanced at Makoto, and somehow he got the message without needing to hear Haru's words.

"I'm Makoto Tachibana, Haru's boyfriend. Sorry for not introducing myself earlier, Umi." Mako smiled softly once again.

Makoto could sense the tension in Haru's muscles, and held his hand under the table. Haru relaxed the smallest bit. His Aunt's, Uncle's, and cousin's eyes all widened.

"Oh I remember you!" Aunt Toki said. "It's very nice to see you, Makoto."

Uncle Souta nodded. After a while, they had all returned to normal conversation.

"Mako?" Haru whispered, squeezing his hand.

"Hm?" Makoto squeezed his hand back.

"Thank you."

A/N: Yeah it's long. Once again, I'm sorry for being so uneducated in the ways of Japanese culture. I still don't have a description, so I would be very grateful if somebody could write me one. Review for free invisible cookies! xx