Hello, hello. It's been forever since I posted anything hasn't it? Yes, it has. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten the wonders of fanfiction or the rush I get when writing something. What did happen, was real life. I'm a freshman in college this year – well since August. (Yay!)

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story (Oneshot). Thank you for reading. Let me know what you think. I Promise to try my best to respond to any and all reviews. So with that in mind, enjoy the story and thanks again for reading.

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Contracts and Regrets (Seven Years Later)

Tamaki closed his eyes.

He closed his eyes tightly, shut them against the harshness of reality. Tamaki closed himself off from the cruel reality that was his life now. A life where he had accepted Éclair's offer and gone back to France and seen his mother for the first time in years. Tamaki was living in a reality where he was married to the slightly older Éclair Tonnerre and was the new head of the Suoh family. It had been seven years since he had left Japan. Seven years since he had last seen any of his friends; seven years since he had heard their voices; seven years since he had last hugged his best friend.

Tamaki couldn't help but wonder what Kyoya looked like now. How had Kyoya changed in the seven years since they had seen each other? Tamaki closed his eyes, this time as he tried to envision his now twenty-four year old best friend. He imagined Kyoya looked very similar to what he had looked like at seventeen – same raven hair, same intense grey eyes, same cool exterior, same teasing smirk and warm smile – only taller and a bit broader, less like a boy and more like a man.

But what use was imagining what Kyoya Ohtori looked like at the age of twenty-four? Tamaki could never know what Kyoya looked like in reality. In this harsh reality where they were no longer best friends, no longer Mommy and Daddy, Tamaki could not approach Kyoya, could not contact Kyoya at all. Contacting Kyoya or any of his old friends was against the contact Tamaki had signed seven years ago.

How stupid had he been?

How much of an idiot did he need to be not to have thoroughly read the contract his now dead grandmother had presented to him that day? He should have read the entire contract word by ridiculously complex word. But thinking before acting had always been more of Kyoya's forte. Kyoya had always measured every possible pro against every possible con and no matter how unlikely a situation was, Kyoya already had a plan set in motion and several back up options to adapt to the situation as he saw fit. Tamaki had never been like that. He had always been the one to rush in blindly, be controlled by his wills and emotions. Perhaps that was why they had always worked so well together.

But what use was that now?

What use was imagining Kyoya is he could not see him in person? What use was regretting signing a contract that bound him for life? What point was there in regretting leaving Japan seven years ago? He had been the one who chose to leave. He had been the idealistic fool who had left France to ensure medical attention for his sick mother and then - years later - had been the one to sign a contract, marry Éclair, and leave Japan to be allowed to see his mother again. And oh, how wonderful that time with his mother had been. Tamaki had reveled in every moment he spent with his mother and had been at her side until her dying breath three years ago.

The day his mother had died, Tamaki had broken down. He had shed tears both for the death of his mother and the absence of his best friend. Éclair had merely shrugged after being informed of Anne-Sophie's death and had stated that she wasn't surprised that the older woman had died. Her eyes had been hard, her voice cold and Tamaki found no comfort in his wife. That day, he could not help but compare his wife to his best friend. Tamaki knew that if Kyoya would have been with him, things would have been different. Tamaki would not have cried himself to sleep all those nights nor would he have fallen into a two year depression. Kyoya would have held Tamaki as he cried after being given the news of his mother's death. Comforting words would have been privately whispered into Tamaki's ear as long, slender fingers ran through his hair and gentle hands rubbed comforting circles in his back. Kyoya would have let Tamaki mourn but would have also been the one to knock sense into him at the first signs of danger.

And there were so many other differences.

Éclair had brown eyes. Kyoya's eyes were hidden behind glasses but were an intense shade of grey that pulled you into their depths regardless. Éclair was blonde. Kyoya had soft raven hair that smelled vaguely of shampoo and occasionally fell into his eyes. Éclair was cold, she cared only for herself. Kyoya was an enigma, a puzzle that Tamaki had always been so desperate to solve. Kyoya was…he was passionate, caring, cold, distant, loving, controlling, kind, cruel; he loved and hated in equal amounts. Kyoya was so unlike anyone else Tamaki had ever met and perhaps that was what had originally drawn him to Kyoya.

They had become friends.

Tamaki Suoh and Kyoya Ohtori had become close friends in a short span of time. Tamaki had done his best to learn everything that was Kyoya Ohtori and Kyoya had quickly learned all that was Tamaki Suoh. They started a club together. They had once been referred to as Mommy and Daddy. But that had been years ago. Now, Tamaki was as influential as his grandmother had once been. He was the head of his family. He was married to Éclair Tonnerre who was, according to several magazines, the most beautiful woman in the world.

Once, Tamaki had imagined himself married to Haruhi Fujioka. She would have been a lawyer and he struggling to earn a place in his family's business. Kyoya would have been his best man and not some forgettable relative of Éclair's. The twins would have designed Haruhi's dress and decorated the ballroom for the party. Mori would have been in charge of security. Hunni would have been the one to recommend flavors and designs for their cake. But instead, Tamaki had married Éclair and his wedding had been a formal event, so different from wat he had once fantasized about having with Haruhi.

Tamaki reread the invitation in his hand for the hundredth time. He had received it in the mail that morning along with a handwritten letter from Kyoya. But it didn't matter did it? It didn't matter that Kyoya had written, had poured all of his carefully contained emotions out in the span of two pages. It didn't matter that Kyoya had invited Tamaki to his wedding. Nothing mattered because Tamaki would never again see Kyoya Ohtori and would not attend his best friend's wedding.

He let the tears fall freely as he reread the invitation once more. The elegant print mocking his impotence. The very words laughing at him.

You are Cordially Invited to the Wedding of

Kyoya Ohtori and Renge Houshakuji

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Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed the story. Feel free to review and or comment. Constructive criticism and questions are welcome as well.