Disclaimer: Not Mine.
A Light, A Life
Chapter 1
He wasn't sure just what he'd been thinking when he kissed her. He'd been watching her, and his brother, and how Hikaru seemed to pay her a special kind of attention, look at her a certain way.
Kaoru knew what that look was. He wasn't stupid. His brother was in love with Haruhi. Although, maybe he thought it was just a crush, or maybe he didn't know it yet. There was even a slim chance he wasn't truly in love, but just thought he was.
It didn't really make a difference. From his knowledge of his twin, Kaoru knew Hikaru hadn't said anything. Knew he wouldn't say anything until the issue was forced on him.
Still. That look was one that neither twin had ever graced another being with before. The well hidden adoration in that gaze, that only Kaoru could read, was like a red flag. That was what told Kaoru that this was serious.
That was what had Kaoru studying Haruhi, trying to determine if she was good enough for Hikaru.
Kaoru liked Haruhi. She had good grades, good looks, a good personality. She was a good person, and she could handle their King with an ease only matched by Kyouya, although even Kyouya didn't stand a chance against Tamaki's steam engine enthusiasm. She could always tell the twins apart, as well, no matter what lengths they went to to confuse her.
It was strange how she'd learned things about them, their differences, that even they didn't know.
But that didn't help him determine if she was good enough. Objective tests and strength of character only told him qualities that nearly all of the students at Ouran possessed.
Kaoru decided to give it a different test. He decided to pretend to be Hikaru for a moment, and try looking at Haruhi like Hikaru had been. As if everything about her was special, and no one else could compare.
And it all just clicked into place. He thought he got it. She was special. There was a light, a life, in her eyes that outshone all the other girls the host club had ever seen. She had a way of enjoying life so much that it made everyone around her happy as well. And even more than that, she was just so unique. No one else was quite like her. No one at all.
Quietly, Kaoru excused himself from his gaggle of fans, claiming he needed to use the bathroom, and walked out of the room. She really was... Something special. She was good enough for his brother. He leaned against the wall outside the Host Club, and tried to rid himself of the feelings he'd invoked for his little test. The thought that maybe she was good enough for him, too, just kept circling.
He was still there, eyes closed, five minutes later, when he heard his name called softly. Kaoru opened his eyes to see Haruhi standing in front of him, and his heart leapt into his throat.
"Haruhi..."
"Is something wrong, Kaoru?"
He didn't say anything, just cocked his head to the side, mind deep in curious contemplation. He wasn't even fully aware of the subjects circling just under his concious thought.
"Kaoru?"
The thoughts resolved themselves into a crystalline decision, and he found himself moving he before he even realized what had been decided.
His lips met hers, just before he regained control of himself.
He threw himself back, hitting the wall he'd just stepped away from, and bit his thumb in a nervous gesture.
"I- I'm sorry, Haruhi, I don't know what came over me. E-excuse me. I need to get back before Kyouya realizes I've been gone. I'm sorry." He turned and began to walk off.
"Wait, Kaoru."
He glanced back long enough to see her looking puzzled, her hand at her lips, then forced himself to keep walking. Bad enough that he had forced himself upon her, bad enough that he'd kissed the girl his brother was in love with.
He didn't need to make anything worse.
He walked back into the Host Club, where no one would confront him, and he could lose himself in his club duties.