It's Free if it Takes Over Thirty Minutes

Chapter 14

Finals were over. Christmas was upon them.

"Onii-chan! Please help me with these!" Gou called from the kitchen of the Matsuoka home that smelled like freshly baked cookies and peppermint. This was Rin's first day back in his old home since the previous summer.

Rin got off his lazy ass and wandered into the kitchen where Gou was dolled up, her long maroon hair in a bun and an apron fastened around her waist, making cookies.

"Can you get that batch out of the oven? The timer's about to ring," she rolled another ball of cookie dough and placed it on the cookie sheet.

Rin walked over to the oven and removed the hot tray of cookies, "Where do you want them?"

"On the top of the stove is fine. I can take care of them," Gou frantically pressed her thumb into the dough balls. Rin snuck up from behind and tickled Gou's side.

"Stop!" she complained while giggling, "Make yourself useful and help me make these thumbprints!" She pried her brother's arms away and hit him upside the shoulder.

"Why are you even making this many cookies?" Rin questioned, snatching a cookie from the cooling rack and eating it.

"We're going to the Christmas Party at the Tachibana's," Gou stated as she slapped Rin's hand away from the rest of the cookies.

"What?! Really? Why can't you just go? I'll just stay home with mom."

"You're coming. He's your friend, and he's worried about you."

"Gouuuu," Rin pleaded, "I've got to do stuff with mom."

"I already talked to mom, she has plans already. That being said, you're my ride," Gou put in the last batch of cookies. Removing her apron, she added, "No backing out. We're also brining Nitori and Hana-chan."

"Fine," Rin moaned, fixing the hairtie in his long straggly red hair.

"Makoto, sweetie, would you check downstairs to make sure everything is set up? I know you kids will be down there," Makoto's mother had a warm and caring voice.

"You promise the twins won't come down there when everyone is here?"

"Don't worry. All the little ones will be up here, playing games and watching movies."

Makoto and his mother were preparing for their annual Christmas party. They were hanging lights and making food to serve a million. It was the same every year. The adults mingled throughout the house, mostly the kitchen, and the little children always played in the living room. Makoto always hosted his friends in their basement. It felt different now that Makoto was older though.

"Makoto, honey, please just promise me that no minors will be drinking, and that you won't get into too much trouble. Please remember that us adults are still up here."

That's right. Makoto was of legal drinking age now. The thought made him feel uneasy. He, Haru, Rin and Sousuke could drink, or do anything adults could for that matter. He didn't feel like an adult; in fact, he still felt like a child.

All that aside, he nodded and trotted down the stairs to his basement. It was dark; the lights always took a while to heat up before anything was visible. There were two large rooms and a bathroom down there. The farthest room had a tan couch and a TV, a grey carpet and blue walls. The closer room had a ton of chairs and a coffee table, some strange artwork hung on the walls. He got a text then, his phone vibrating from the table he had set it on.

can i come over early?

Makoto read the text from Haru and sighed.

I'll ask my mom. I bet she'll say yes.

Makoto hurried back up the tedious stairs and called for his mother.

"Sure!" She replied, "Haruka is practically family."

"Thanks mom, I'll let him know. Everything seems alright downstairs except for the food. When do you want me to start getting the food ready?"

"I'll get the food, you just enjoy your time home and entertain your friend," she smiled warmly as she returned to her preparations.

"Okay, let me know if you need help," Makoto offered. He texted Haru who arrived within the next fifteen minutes. Their houses were not far from each other at all, which Makoto missed. He wished he could see his best friend everyday like he could when he was in high school.

Haru stood in the Tachibana doorway with his winter coat on and his always blank stare. Makoto greeted him with a hug, exclaiming how much he missed him.

"Haru-chan, how have you been? Have your parents gotten home yet?" Makoto asked, ushering Haru inside.

Haru shook his head and helped himself downstairs. He was so accustomed to Makoto's house, that he knew it almost better than his own. He didn't like to admit it, but Haru didn't like being home alone. Any chance he could get, he'd go to Makoto or any other one of his friend's houses. Makoto had a feeling that's why he decided to come early, but didn't want to ask.

"Nagisa! We have to keep going or we'll be late," Rei moaned, tired of his boyfriend's shenanigans.

"But Rei-chaaan, we just got back to Japan! I want to go to the market," the blonde whined.

"We can't fill up now, there will be tons of food at the party," Rei stroked Nagisa's hair.

Nagisa frowned but nodded and hugged Rei. He always calmed down when Rei ran his fingers through his hair.

The two sat in the back of a taxi cab on their way home to Iwatobi. Nagisa was so tired from their long flight he was falling asleep on Rei. Rei was also tired, but was so hyped up on coffee, he thought he could stay awake for days.

"We're almost there," Rei whispered, softly kissing Nagisa's hair.

Makoto opened the door to find a redhead and a smaller ginger with a wide grin.

"Welcome, everyone's down stairs," Makoto smiled the Mikoshiba brothers. It was his mother's idea to invite them. Makoto got to know Seijuro fairly well through the meeting where they scheduled joint practice.

Rin and Gou showed up next, bringing Nitori and Chigusa qalong with them. Makoto was a little surprised to see Rin, but gave him a smile and welcomed him. Rei and Nagisa showed up after that, obviously tired, but put on their best faces and were glad to be home in Japan. The last to show up, was Sousuke.

"Hello?" Makoto quizzically opened the door, wondering who it could be. He was pleasantly surprised by his new, tall, college friend. "Yamazaki? What brings you here?"

"You, uh, invited me,' Sousuke rubbed the back of his neck, "Should I not have come?"

"No, no, no," Makoto said frantically, "I'm so glad you came! Come in!"

Sousuke took a step inside the warm house, filled with Christmas aromas. "You have a beautiful home," he started as he looked around, "Who else is here?"

Makoto frowned as he remembered Sousuke's fight with Rin. "Yamazaki, I don't want to put you in an awkward situation, but . . . Rin is here." Before Sousuke could say anything, he added, "But, in my defense, I didn't think you would come. I'm sorry."

Sousuke sighed, "It's not your fault. He's more of a friend to you than me. It's going to take more than him to scare me away. If that's okay, of course."

Makoto's face lit up, and he dragged Sousuke downstairs where the rest of their friends were. When the two got down there, they were met with a familiar game. One that reeked of high school idiocy.

Spin the bottle.