Note - Hello one and all! Here is my first Ouran fic that I have published. Hope you like! This is written in first person present tense from Kyoya's pov. Please let me know if there are any inconsistencies.
Disclaimer - I do not own Ouran or the characters. They belong to the lovely Bisco Hatori.
I sit there at my laptop as usual. The Host Club continues around me as if I wasn't even there. Not that I mind of course. Two girls come over to my table. They must be my next 'date'. I wonder what I can sell them today. I glance up and smile at them. Just behind them I notice Tamaki chasing Haruhi around the room. Doesn't that guy know when to give up? The girls have sat down now and started talking between themselves. I should want to talk to them but I can't get my mind to focus. I get up and excuse myself. Luckily my customers never expect me to be very engaging so they don't mind that I start to wander around the club.
I pass by the various hosts taking notes on their performance today. I pass the twins last of all. I am surprised that the others haven't clicked that their brotherly love act is anything but. They have been going steady for a couple of years now. I walk back round to my laptop to input today's figures. I'm sure the others think that I am doing something more exciting. I glance up to see Tamaki standing across the table from me. I stand up and announce that Host Club has ended for the day. The girls start to file out the room having said their goodbyes to us. Once the door closes we all breathe a sigh of relief. Today was busier than usual. We take our seats as we do everyday and discuss random matters. I am surprised the other hosts can still talk after today. Eventually they start to leave and go home. The twins leave first quickly followed by Haruhi who has to go to the supermarket. Honey and Mori follow next as Honey has nearly fallen asleep. Tamaki is still sat on the end of the sofa. I had expected him to leave with Haruhi leaving me as the last host to leave again. I notice that he is deep in thought.
'Tamaki?' I question.
'Yes Kyoya?'
'Is something troubling you?'
'Yes'
'Do you want to talk about it?'
'No'
'Well, I'll be off now. See you tomorrow'
As I stand up to leave I feel his hand reach out and grab my sleeve. I halt and turn to face him. He hasn't let go but he won't look me at me either. I gently release his fingers from my jacket and crouch down in front of him. I lift his chin so that he is looking at me and see tears in his eyes.
'Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?' I ask.
'Yes'
'Well, I can't help you if you don't tell me what the problem is'
'It's … complicated'
'Complicated how?'
I watch Tamaki stand and walk over to the window. I stand up and follow him. I stop just behind him but he doesn't turn around to look at me. I reach out and place my hand on his shoulder. He leans into my hand. I spin him round so that he is facing me. I want to understand what is going through my best friend's mind.
'Tamaki please talk to me' I plead.
'I have been thinking…'
'Thinking about what?'
'About us'
'Us? You mean the Host Club?'
'No. I mean you and me'
'What about us?'
'Well, we're best friends, always have been'
'Yes'
'What would you do if I decided I didn't want to be friends anymore?'
I can't understand what he means. Does he not understand how much his friendship means to me?
'Why would you not want to be friends anymore?' I try to keep my voice calm.
'Because…'
'Because what?'
'Because I want to be more than friends'
I stare into his eyes to see if he is telling the truth. I can't even see the hint of a lie. I thought he was pretty serious about Haruhi and here he is telling me that he wants to be more than friends. How could I not have noticed this. I always notice things that are happening. Did I miss a really obvious sign or is Tamaki a better actor than I give him credit for?
'Kyoya? Say something' he sounds panicked.
'Why now?'
'I couldn't keep pretending any longer'
'How long have you been pretending?'
'A few months now'
'What changed?'
'I don't know'
'How can you not know?'
'It just sort of crept up on me'
'Crept up on you! That doesn't answer the question'
'I don't know exactly what changed. I just saw you differently one day'
I walk away from him and sit back down on a nearby chair. He turns back towards the window. I sit staring at his back. I don't know what to say to him at the moment. Can I possibly return his feelings? Would he want me to continue being just his friend if he has all these unrequited feelings?
'Tamaki, come and sit with me' I find myself saying.
'Okay'
He takes the seat opposite mine at the table. He can't bring himself to look me in the eye.
'What about Haruhi?' I enquire.
'She's just my daughter'
'But I thought you liked her?'
'I do like her as a friend'
'So you have been pretending to go after her'
'I had to keep up the façade'
'Why?'
'You have very keen eyes'
'So you didn't want me to notice any change in your behaviour?'
'No. I wanted to keep these feelings hidden'
'Why?'
'You don't like not knowing do you?'
'Stop smirking at me like at!'
'Who's smirking?'
'I just like to understand so I can make the best decision'
'Best but not always best for you'
'What do you mean by that?'
Tamaki leans back into his chair. He seems to be more like himself now. I, on the other hand, feel completely out of sorts. How does he always manage to get my thoughts all muddled up? Always with the cryptic lines, challenging me to show some sort of reaction. How does he always get under my skin? Then I understand. He gets to me because I let him. I enjoy his attempts to get me passionate about things. I can see him now watching my face to see how much he is getting to me. I also see a hint of adoration in those blue eyes.
'I think I understand now' I whisper
'I think.. What?'
'I would like to give this 'more than friends' thing a go'
'Really!'
'Yes. I, too, have been pretending'
'What do you mean?'
'I have been pretending to dislike your attempts to make me feel more'
'Huh?'
'My feelings for you have been growing too'
'Since when?'
'Since you came crashing into my life'
'That long?'
'Yes. You were the first person to get me angry in years and I respected you for that. My feelings have slowly grown from respect to love'
'You love me?'
'Yes'
'Wow'
Tamaki looks like he has stopped breathing. I didn't realise he would have that reaction. Time to lighten the mood.
'I got completely distracted by you today and neglected my customers' I smirked.
'We can't have that! Host first and foremost'
'It's difficult when you're prancing around the room'
'I don't prance! I move in a manner befitting a prince'
'Prince of the fairies'
'Hey! Play nice'
'Why? What are you going to do?'
Next thing I know Tamaki is sat in my lap. I didn't even know he could move that fast.
'What do you want me to do?' he purrs in my ear.
