As far as first days at a new school go, Jack's would probably be marked down as the worst in history. If he was honest with himself, he should have anticipated it; from the moment he stepped foot on the campus, the troublemaking hairs on the back of his neck tingled.
Unable to get his hands on a uniform for the first day, his blue hoodie and tan skinny jeans were frowned upon by students and faculty alike. He was late to class, by several minutes, already leaving a negative impression on his first teacher. During the lunch break, he strayed into the teacher's lounge, (cut him some slack, it was as big as the student cafeteria), and received a lengthy lecture that he only pretended to listen to. This resulted in him being tardy going back to class, and the teachers that scolded him were not considerate enough to give him a pass. On top of all of this, he was the topic of hordes of fangirls, many of whom would not stop talking about his "accent," "gorgeous blue eyes," or "unnatural hair," even during lessons. One group went so far as to chase him into the restroom during a break!
Needless to say, by the time he had to report for gym class, he was finished. He just needed a quiet nook somewhere to rest- there was no way that he would survive the day otherwise. He could already feel frost involuntarily slipping from his fingertips.
When the classes in his hall were dismissed, he slithered into the shadows, pulling his hood up over his white hair. Slinking down the halls, he searched for a quiet room, preferably nicer than a janitor's closet or restroom, to spend the rest of the day in.
Third Music Room. This was the first room he came across that projected no sound, (even the libraries were loud and heavily occupied). He peered down the North Corridor, ensuring that no one was around, before pulling the handle and opening the door.
A waft of perfume and roses slapped him in the face. He retched slightly at the unexpected assault on his senses. 'What is this, a powder room?'
Suddenly suspicious of other occupants, Jack froze, closely examining his surroundings. It was large for a music room, with a full wall of windows that gave a perfect view of the school garden. Plush maroon chairs and sofas surrounded dozens of tables draped in lace cloths. Chandeliers hung at neat intervals along the roof. And there were roses everywhere.
But there was no sound. Despite the extravagant décor, the room was apparently unoccupied.
"Hello? Is anyone in here?" Jack called, deciding to test his luck. As fate would have it, the room remained silent.
Slowly, he crept out of the shadows, pushing his hood from his snow white hair. 'I guess I really am alone…' A smirk crawled onto his face, and he cheered, leaping onto a couch.
"Finally," he sighed, nestling into a soft cushion. Before he knew it, he'd drifted into a much-needed nap.
Jack was unpleasantly awoken by a bump to the head. "Ouch," he winced, torn between rubbing the aching spot and his bleary eyes.
"Sorry," someone muttered, shifting him over their shoulder.
Wait- over their shoulder? Jack's eyes flew open, and he all but flung himself out of another teen's arms. The other didn't react, simply turning toward another boy, a raven-haired megane, with a shrug.
"Ah, you're awake," he smiled, though to Jack it seemed less friendly and more menacing. He stopped writing in his notebook and sauntered over.
"Thank you, Mori-senpai, I'll take it from here," he dismissed the taller black-haired teen. Turning back to Jack, the megane offered a bow in greeting. "Welcome to the Ouran Host Club."
Jack wondered momentarily if that was supposed to impress him. "Um, excuse me? What the heck is a host club?"
Suddenly, a blond materialized in his face, his handsome features twisted in astonishment. "Kyōya, is this the new American student?" he demanded, pointing a finger at his chest as if Jack was a mile away.
"Yes, Tamaki, he is," the megane deadpanned. He raised an eyebrow, curious of the other's response.
The blond, Tamaki, Jack assumed, held him at arms' length, cobalt eyes roaming along his body. Jack couldn't help but squirm under the unwarranted, scrutinizing gaze.
"Can I help you?" he finally asked. Steel blue eyes locked with royal blue orbs, both boys blushing and glancing away.
Kyōya sighed and pulled Tamaki off of their guest. "Apologies," he stated in a tone that said otherwise. "Tamaki hasn't learned the concept of 'personal space,' yet. I am Kyōya Ootori, second year student and vice president of this club." He nudged a still flushed Tamaki in the ribs.
The blond shook his head. "Right! I am Tamaki Suoh, second year student and president of the Ouran Host Club, though 'Host Club King' or 'Your Majesty' will do!" He struck a dramatic pose, and Jack was stunned by the sudden transition in his demeanor.
"Who calls you that?" a voice chuckled from Jack's left.
"Not even your customers call you 'King,' tono," a similar one scoffed from Jack's right.
The pale teen whirled around to face a pair of identical twins. Their amber eyes danced with mischief, and Jack felt himself smile in response.
"Hmmm, you're an interesting character," the one on his right observed.
"What're you hiding?" the other accused in an innocent tone.
"Oh, what's the point of a secret if you tell everyone? There's no fun in that," Jack winked.
The twins glanced at each other before looking beyond the American to Kyōya. "We approve," they chorused, shooting Jack a thumbs-up.
The one to his right stepped forward, extending a hand. "I'm Hikaru Hitachiin, and this is my brother Kaoru. We're both first years." Kaoru also stepped up, shaking Jack's other hand.
"It's a pleasure to meet you two," Jack answered genuinely. "I have a feeling we'll get along great."
A flash of yellow shot past his eyes before he was tackled to the ground, a small figure seated on his chest.
"Hi! I'm Mitsukuni Haninozuka, third year, and this is Usa-chan!" the petit blond held up a stuffed pink bunny triumphantly.
This kid's a third year? Jack's sister had been taller than the surprisingly heavy mass crushing his lungs.
"Honey-senpai! Don't kill him!" another voice scolded.
The tall black-haired boy from before lifted the pouting third year from his chest. Behind the two stood a short brunet with bright chocolate eyes. He stepped forward, offering a hand to the American still sprawled across the floor trying to catch his breath.
"Sorry about that," he apologized, offering a timid smile. "I'm Haruhi Fujioka, first year scholarship student."
Jack accepted the extended hand, trying to suppress a blush. There was something about this one…
He had either done a terrible job of hiding his embarrassment, or Tamaki had razor sharp vision, because there was a sudden squeal before he was, once again, tackled.
"Cuuuuuuttee!" the blond cried, swinging the other teen in his arms. "Mommy, we must adopt him!"
Mommy? Jack frowned, struggling to pry himself from the exuberant teen's chokehold.
"I agree, completely," Kyōya smirked, shooting Jack a sinister look that the target couldn't help but gulp at.
"What are you crazy people talking about?" Jack finally managed to free himself, backing away so that the seven club members were all in his line of vision.
"It's a simple concept," Hikaru shrugged.
"We want you to join the Host Club," Kaoru concluded with an encouraging smile.
Jack's steel blue irises widened. "E-Excuse me?" he gasped, subconsciously taking another step back. "You only met me today! What makes you think I'm fit for your club?"
"I heard a lot of girls in my class talk about how cute you were this morning," Honey stated absently. Mori, still carrying him, hummed in agreement.
"As did we," Haruhi added. "They kept asking us if you were a new edition to the club." The twins nodded in affirmation.
"And for those reasons," Kyōya continued, "we request that you join."
Jack blanched. He certainly hadn't anticipated this on his first day. "W-What makes you think I want to be a host?" he demanded.
Tamaki giggled at his response. "What do you mean? Of course you want to be a host! What's not to love?"
Jack furrowed his brows. He'd transferred to Ouran to get away from the situation back home. His plan was to finish his schooling inconspicuously, not swarmed by fangirls every five minutes. "Look, I appreciate the offer, but it's not for me."
He whirled around, locating the door he'd entered through. He moved to make his dramatic exit.
"What a shame," Kyōya sighed. "We would've paid you. Heaven knows your sister could use the money…"
Jack's hand froze over the handle to the door. He could see the frost building up on the metal, but his emotions were spiraling too much for him to control it. "What did you say?"
"We'll pay you for your services," Kyōya elaborated. "One thousand American dollars for every customer you entertain. Considering your sister's hospital bill is roughly one hundred times that, I'd say this is a deal you can't afford to pass up." The smirk was back, his perfect teeth glinting sinisterly.
Jack didn't turn around, focused on leveling his breaths. He could help his sister. After what he'd done, he could redeem himself…
The frost receded from the door, and Jack sighed in relief, decision made. He spun around, a resolved expression set in his features. "Fine, I'll do it."
Tamaki clapped jubilantly, the others joining in, with the exception of the Demon King, and surprisingly, Haruhi. The brunet shot him a sympathetic look.
"This is wonderful!" Tamaki cheered, oblivious to Jack's feelings. He glided up to him and fell into another dramatic bow, taking Jack's left hand in his own and bringing it to his lips. "My son, I shall mentor you in the fine ways of being a host!"
Jack reddened and retracted his hand. "Geez, why are you people so dramatic," he muttered.
"Tell me about it," Haruhi chuckled, rolling his eyes. The others smiled fondly at him, and Jack couldn't help the grin that crawled onto his own face. At least one of them seems sane.
"Do I really have to wear this?" Jack complained, picking at the tailored blue blazer as if it was constricting him. The twins had ambushed him in the bathroom, forcing him into a uniform that was just the right fit.
"Yep," Hikaru sang, brushing silky white locks.
"Boss's orders," Kaoru crooned, shining his new leather shoes.
"Just be glad we're not cosplaying today," they chorused, focused on their tasks.
Jack blushed at the attention, trying not to watch the two handsome teens work on him. Their movements were practiced and precise.
"Hey, how do you guys know how to do this?" he finally asked, curious and anxious of the silence.
"Our mother's a fashion designer," Kaoru explained, stepping back to admire his work.
"She taught us everything we know." Hikaru, too, moved beside his brother to examine the made-up American.
Jack fought the urge to play with his hair. "Well, how do I look?"
"Damn, we thought you looked good when you first came," Kaoru muttered.
"You are so gonna kill today!" Hikaru smirked, high-fiving his brother. "It definitely helps that the blazer brings out your eyes!"
"And the shirt brings out your hair!" Kaoru laughed.
Jack chuckled. "Thanks, guys. Do I really get to keep these? Even the shoes?"
"Of course!"
"We can't have a member of the Host Club looking unpresentable," Kyōya stated, walking in with Tamaki. The blond suddenly shot past him.
"Jack! They didn't do anything to you, did they?" The American was lifted into a surprisingly strong embrace.
The twins raised their hands in response, smiling deviously at their senpai.
"Tono, if we didn't know any better-"
"-we'd say you have a little crush on our new host."
Tamaki's face exploded into a rosy color. His widened ocean hues glanced anxiously at Jack's nonchalant face. "How dare you two say that?! I'm simply concerned about leaving my son in the clutches of you shady twins for too long, is all," he defended.
Jack shrugged, glancing at the ground. "I don't really care, either way. But hey, Tamaki, can you let me down?"
Tamaki looked reluctant, but set him down anyway. Jack straightened his collar and brushed off his blazer.
"Right, well, as amusing as Tamaki's antics are, it's almost time for us to open," Kyōya said, checking over the clipboard in his hand. "Tamaki, may I see you for a moment before we start?"
Tamaki pouted, hesitant to leave Jack's side. "Do I have to? Now?" he whined, leaning against the American.
"Don't let me get in the way of your business, sir," Jack smiled, moving to follow the twins out. He was already wary of Kyōya; the last thing he wanted was to get on the teen's bad side.
"We'll take good care of him until you return, boss, don't you worry," the twins smirked, wrapping their arms around the boy and leading him out.
Haruhi stood at a small kitchenette, pouring water into various tea cups. A pungent aroma flooded the room as the boiling liquid mingled with powdered coffee beans.
"Hey, is that coffee?" Jack asked, practically hovering over the other's shoulder.
Haruhi didn't even flinch, continuing to pour with a steady hand. "Yeah, would you like some?" he offered.
"Sure," Jack smiled. "But those are a lot of cups… Do you really get that many people here?" Suddenly, he was rethinking his decision.
"Most of the time we have to make more," Haruhi shrugged, "but some of the guests still prefer tea over 'commoner coffee,' as they call it."
Jack made a face. "'Commoner coffee?' Where did they get that from? Coffee's just coffee, right?"
Haruhi laughed. "Apparently rich people think otherwise. They 'grind their own expensive coffee beans' and pay thousands of yen for them." Despite his tone, Haruhi had a fond smile on his face.
"You really like these guys, don't you?"
Haruhi set the kettle down, turning to face the American fully. "Yeah, I do. They're a bunch of rich idiots, but they're not bad people. Well… I'm still on the fence about Kyōya, but they really do care- in their weird, twisted way of caring. We're something of a family." Pink lightly dusted his cheeks as he spoke, refusing to meet Jack's eyes.
Jack hummed contemplatively. A family… that sounds nice. He hardly noticed Haruhi grab one of the trays until he stumbled.
"Whoa, careful!" Jack lunged forward to catch him, wrapping his arms around his chest to steady him… no wait… her?
"Thanks," Haruhi sighed, inspecting the saucers carefully. "If I had broken one of these, Kyōya would've had my head!"
Jack was still frozen, face red. "Y-Y-You're a girl?!"
Haruhi furrowed her brows at him. "Am I really that convincing?" she chuckled. "Yeah, I'm a girl, but it doesn't matter."
Jack nodded, looking away. "I'm not saying that it matters, I just-" he glanced briefly at her chest again "-if I'd known I wouldn't have grabbed you there…" He was surprised that she hadn't reacted violently. Once in middle school, he accidentally touched a girl's chest and went home with a black eye.
Haruhi bit her lip and shrugged. "I don't really care. It's not something that I spend time thinking about."
"I can respect that," Jack smiled, meeting her large brown eyes. A moment passed between them before Haruhi became aware of the tray still in her clutches.
"Oh, I should take this to my table!"
"Please, allow me to help you," Jack offered, picking up another tray. "Where should I take this?"
Haruhi nodded in the direction of another table. "Unless Tamaki has you sitting with one of us that will probably be your table."
Jack paled, the reality of his predicament setting in. He would have to entertain the boy-crazy girls of this school.
Haruhi sensed his hesitation and smiled encouragingly. "Hey, it's not as bad as you think. If you want, I can ask Tamaki to let you sit with me today."
He didn't want to seem weak, but he couldn't deny that Haruhi's suggestion was ideal. "That would be nice," he finally answered.
"Great," Haruhi beamed. "In that case, we should probably move to the couches. I have a feeling you're going to attract a lot of customers."
Jack blushed, allowing the girl to lead him to their section.
They certainly didn't call her "the natural" for nothing. Jack watched in amazement as Haruhi comfortably mingled with the oblivious girls around them. The conversation mainly consisted of simple questions, "how was your day?" being the most prominent. Haruhi would slip in a few subtle compliments as she spoke, "are those new earrings? They really bring out your eyes, princess," or "did you do something new with your makeup? You're even more radiant than usual today, dear." Even if the comment wasn't directed at them, every girl around them swooned whenever she opened her mouth.
Of course, the first topic of discussion was the new host. Jack immediately tensed when the first girl asked, "Who's your friend, Haruhi? A new host?" and all of the other girls flocked to their table to size him up.
Thankfully, Haruhi recovered for him with a dazzling smile that made even Jack blush, and a simple, "this is second year Jack Frost, and yes, my lady, as of today, he is a host."
The brunette had placed a warm hand on his back, rubbing small circles soothingly until Jack's breathing settled. "Relax," Haruhi whispered in his ear, somehow eliciting a few squeals, "they'll eat up pretty much anything you say. Just remember to compliment them every now and then."
After the initial jitters, he'd managed to keep up a steady conversation with the curious newcomers, monitored by Haruhi. He could feel other eyes on his back, probably from the other hosts.
"Jack, would you like to serve the coffee?" Haruhi asked, nudging his hand with the pot.
Jack chuckled as the full pot was all but shoved into his hand. "Are you giving me a choice?"
He didn't mean it as a joke, but the girls around them burst into a fit of giggles. "Oh, Jack, you're so funny!" a few commented.
He glanced at Haruhi, perplexed, and she shot him a knowing look. Jack shrugged in response and began to pour the bitter drink into the nearby saucers.
"Jack, have you ever had commoner's coffee before?" one girl asked.
He masked the grimace on his face with a laugh. "Well, I drink it every morning, if that's what you're asking."
The girl blushed and giggled along with the others.
"Oh, that's right! You're a scholarship student, too, right Jack?" another girl piped up.
It took all of his willpower to keep the thin smile on his face. Cool air slipped past his fingertips, and he inhaled sharply to keep from releasing it.
Thankfully, Haruhi sensed his disdain for the topic and quickly changed the subject. "So, are you princesses excited for the upcoming dance?"
The small crowd around them erupted into a fit of fangirling. Jack fought the urge to cover his ears with his hands to preserve his hearing. Then again, he might as well have; it was as if the girls had momentarily forgotten his existence.
"A dance?" he asked, eyebrow raised. "That sounds fun."
Suddenly, they were on him again. Pleas for him to save a dance for each girl rained down on him.
"You will be there, right Jack?" one girl asked seriously.
Dozens of bright eyes were trained on him. Jack gulped and tugged at his collar gently.
"Well, I – um… you see –"
"He'll be there," Kyōya suddenly answered, towering behind him.
Jack's heart leaped into his throat when the Demon King spoke. His pale blue eyes stared up into cold onyx that practically laughed at his silent suffering. He could hear the deep voice croon in his ear, 'You'll be there if you know what's good for you.'
Defeated, he looked back to the girls, eagerly awaiting his final say. "Yeah, I guess I will."
A/N: Yay! Another story! This one's also coming to you from Tumblr, having been a request from multifandom-random.
There's a lot more to this story, so I do hope you'll stick around if you enjoyed it! I can't guarantee regular updates, but I'll do my best. ;)
Please drop a review, favorite, or follow to let me know whether you liked it, loved it, couldn't stand it, want to shoot me, etc.
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