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Makoto can, in fact, cook. Really! He’s not an expert, and sometimes he burns things, but for the most part he manages. Haruka begs to differ, however. According to him Makoto can’t even use a knife properly on his own, and should not be trusted in the kitchen unsupervised. Even though Makoto’s been practicing a lot, Haruka still refuses to trust him to cook his own meals.
They can all distinctively remember the time Makoto had wanted to surprise Haruka and Nagisa with dinner half a year ago. He had had a long, exhausting week, but was determined to carry through with his plan and show them how well he had improved. Instead of the italian-style pasta dish he’d been hoping to make, he ended up with a shattered pot, the stink of burnt metal in the air and a fire alarm going off. Haruka and Nagisa returned from the walk he’d insisted they take while he cooked to a frantic Makoto frantically fanning the smoke away from the smoke detector so that the alarm would stop, a half-prepped meat sauce, the kitchen in a state of absolute disarray.
Nagisa would be halfway decent in the kitchen if he wasn’t so excitable. His dangerous kitchen habits such as gesticulating while holding a knife, not following cooking directions for raw foods, and jumping around near hot surfaces are great cause for concern. The only thing he’s really good at making is sweets, and sugary foods don’t exactly constitute a healthy diet. So out of concern for the well-being of his friends and a passion about not wasting food, whenever he has free time Haruka will come over to Nagisa and Makoto’s apartment to cook for the three of them.
While he’s out of town for swimming meets, Makoto will do his best to fill Haruka’s shoes, but both he and Nagisa know that it’s not as good as the meals Haruka makes. Haruka always manages to make things taste good, even when he makes a mistake. Nagisa swears it’s because he’s favoured by Iwatobi-chan for his dedication to mackeral and his swimming prowess.
So yes, Haruka cooks for them, and in return Nagisa and Makoto do his laundry and provide him with the companionship he needs. After all, someone as determined to stay Free as Haruka finds romantic relationships difficult, and sometimes he just needs to spend an evening with people who don’t expect anything from him. Nagisa and Makoto like taking care of their friends, so this works out perfectly.
Sometimes the three of them will lounge on the couch in Makoto and Nagisa’s living room and marathon children’s cartoons. When they do this, Nagisa is usually sitting on Makoto or entangled with him somehow. Haruka will lean against Makoto’s side and let Nagisa play absently with his hands as they watch. Makoto will wrap his arms around both of them when Haruka is feeling particularly cuddly and hold them both as they all laze the day away together.
Other days, it’s just Makoto and Nagisa, and it feels no more or less complete with the two of them than it does with the inclusion of Haruka. They’ll do chores together, moving around each other with practiced ease, or sit together in the same room doing homework for their respective majors. Sometimes they’ll chat for hours, and others they’ll enjoy quiet companionship.
Ultimately, it is their simple, everyday life together that makes them happiest, and they wouldn’t have it any other way.