Disclaimer I do NOT own Ouran High School Host Club or its characters/places/etc., Bisco Hatori does.
Author's Note: I apologize in advance if there are any mistakes with wordings, spelling, grammar and punctuations or if the flow and plot are unsatisfactory! I'm very extremely new at this writing thing. :)
Please, feel free to read and review! Constructive criticism is incredibly welcomed, I'm all for comments that will help me improve! (Please refrain from being blatantly rude...I'm a sensitive soul)
Chapter 1:
Seven days had passed since the completion of the Black Magic Club's companion ritual. One whole week after the fact, that a certain furtive aristocratic blonde Japanese-Russian had lived before, once upon a different life-choice. Ceasing ghostlike memories from their haunt in his mind was an impossible task and he was unable to gain enough courage to approach the instigator of his mental turmoil. So, he did the same he always had: he watched from the shadows.
Having excused himself after performing rites, collaboration curses and quickly discussing plans for the club's next meeting, he found himself drawn to the elegant white doors and the room itself. A room that she was in, smiling and attempting to be happy, or... as happy as she could be given the information she was just handed the day before. Her father had passed and here she was, the determined girl not wanting to wallow in sadness and definitely not missing school. That was a mighty improvement to his vision.
Thanking the powers that be for the well-oiled hinges, Nekozawa Umehito pressed forward lightly with slim fingers curling round the filigree decorum of the door handle and his companion at the wood to help it's human with stability.
'You should know, I'm not too fond of having my face against a door.' The puppets raspy hiss sounded to Nekozawa only. He shook his head lightly and continued to peer through the tiny space between doors.
Today was definitely no different than any other. It was a 'normal' afternoon inside Music Room Three, roost of the infamous Host Club. A rather quaint exhibit of cosplay and squeals enough to make the cloak-beholden teen flinch from the behind the crack. It seemed that today would be an adaption of 'Little Red Riding Hood,' and all were playing up to their respective types, as to be expected.
Front and center and always the first to be spotted upon entrance; a blonde violet-eyed beacon for female attention stood spouting euphuistic nonsense to giggling skirts atop garnet couches. Obviously taking on the role of 'father', in place of 'mother,' his ensemble was particularly plain in comparison to other themes.
A simple cream colored puff long-sleeved shirt tucked into tight dark brown cropped pants led to his high white socks and matching buckled loafers. A brown leather string woven through holes to bring the top garment together at the collar, was tightened but not tied and left hanging down his chest swinging to and fro with each enthusiastic pose. It was plain but hung from his tall frame in elegant folds accentuating his build in a way savory to the eyes. Surrounding women seemed to enjoy the display, also as expected.
"Ah! Father Tamaki-kun?" One girl's fair face heated into a furious blush when her light words were noted.
"Yes, my darling?" Taking a knee, his long fingers bent to gently stroke a knuckle down her plump flushed cheek.
"If I were to get sick, would you send me soup to make sure I'd get well?" The auburn curly-haired girl seemed to grow another shade darker as she placed fingertips to the seam in her lips as if to bar any more words from escaping.
"I would slave over thousands of blistering infernos to nurture you," the host king took stand with flourish, brandishing arms both out and up to the heavens as if to punctuate each word concluded by pulling the flushed girl into a low dip, "-by personally passing the hard-forged liquid essence of my affection between your succulent pink lips, my dear princess!" The group surrounding squealed their delight, fanning and clapping their dainty hands furiously.
Closest the windows near the rear, two 'wolves' play-wrestled; looking more a choreographed sway and tamed bodily rubbing. Grey shagged ears peeked through fire-red tresses attached to black headbands that seemed perfectly placed as not to disturb the pristine styled do's. Matching acicular bodies wore frilled black peasant shirts tucked into tight grey-black slacks with black loafers on their feet and a bushy grey tail pinned to the back of their pants. Possibly the least inspired costume, though the twins growled nose-to-nose grasping at each other's opposite cheeks and running free hands up the other's back making it work for them in a way akin forbidden paranormal romance, much to the gratification of the flustered clientele surrounding the scene.
"KYAAAA! Their animal magnetism and raw feral attraction is almost too much!" Pink faces gasped and screamed gleefully. "I know! My heart can't take it but I don't want to look away!" Feminine hands gripped other's, bouncing in mutual elation. "We can't miss this!"
"Hikaru?" Kaoru pulled back from the nasal contact, mock breathy concern dousing his words, "You wouldn't leave me fending for myself to scour the forest alone, would you?"
"Never, Kaoru!" Hikaru exclaimed, pulling his brother in tight, he nuzzled the younger twin's neck with the bridge of his nose and growling for effect. Pausing mid-throat, he trailed the tip of his nose up to float past Kaoru's chin and hovered, gazing deeply into similar amber eyes. "We will forever be our own pack. With you, I have no need to be a lonesome wolf!"
Satisfied with this answer Kaoru grinned dreamily as Hikaru lowered his forehead to his brother's. Closing both their eyes, they re-opened them together with matching devious gleams and wicked smirks, slowly and simultaneously turning their focus on their crowd.
"Now to figure out who to eat!" A new wave of squealing erupted from the maidenly hormone-driven flock (including a nose-bleed or two.)
Across the room comfortably about a circular table piled with an ample mound of fudge-frosted yellow cake and floppy Usa-chan sitting near a plate, Hani sat sideways across the lap of a giggling raven-haired girl being fed a forkful of sweet sponge. His cherubic smiling face shined amidst his full-bodied fuzzy pink bunny suit, complete with a floppy-eared hood. Matronly, the throng cooed with every childlike antic ranging from word to adorable action. He was every bit the darling woodland creature, being fawned over by the cute-enraptured.
Mori stood indomitable, observing the elfin blonde with a mindful eye. Inky tousled hair, set brow and granite stare, his stalwart frame was emphasized by the open-front loose long-sleeved cream fabric tucked into tight dark leather pants and the even darker leather workman's boots encompassing him. All aggregated fantastically by the hard-plastic axe prop he had lazily slung over his shoulders. He looked every bit the inspiration for the cover of a passionate novel, stoic in pose and only nodding his straight-faced recognition to the shy amorous commentary of admirers.
"Aww Honey, you look so sweet in your costume!" A high-pitched clinker came from somewhere in the circle.
"How handsome, Mori! Just like the hero of the tale!" The cry was lost amongst the sea of sunny swishing fabric and crimson glowing faces.
"Ne, ne!" All light-brown eyes, golden hair and pink fuzz bounced from the lap he occupied to earnestly embrace the legs of the romance novel model. "He could put a stop to any trouble! Especially if any of you lovely ladies were in distress, huh Takashi?" Big innocent eyes and full-faced grin beamed upwards to the intent teen, garnering a pat to his blonde head and a curt nod.
"Yeah." The gruff word stated by reticent adolescent inspired dreamy gasps and hushed swoons.
Near the front entrance, bespectacled as ever, donning a tousled grey wig and a long-sleeved open-chested ivory nightshirt over deep auburn satin tie pants that laid at the waist, Kyoya could be seen draped elegantly atop a garnet velvet chaise. His svelte arm flung in abandon over the edge as his other hand clutched what seemed to be a thick paperback storybook to his sternum.
-cough- -cough-
Forced covered rasps drew eyes to the pseudo-peppery haired teen, holding a mysteriously appearing handkerchief to his mouth, face contorted in a play on illness misery.
"Oh!" A round-cheeked brunette hopped from her seat with hands tented in front of her mouth, eager to play along. "Are you okay, Kyoya-kun?" The inquiry was tinged with amusement and breathy concern as she inched slowly nearer. He glanced at the girl from the corner of a half-lidded eye and sighed while re-hooking his arm over the edge.
"It's just the disheartening neglect of our very own Host's Tales picture book is... incredibly draining. I couldn't bear it any longer if all our hard work were to go to waste." A small smirk curved his lips as he turned full attentions to the designators surrounding him. He dragged the book further up his chest then out toward the ladies, knowing full-well the thin cloth of his shirt slid delicately up with the book's motions and his taut lightly muscled stomach flashed, peeking modestly between both articles of fabric. He suppressed a dark chuckle in the form of another cough noticing many sets of eyes darting from below to face and dozens of scarlet blushes arising.
"Uh I-I-I'll take three!" One lively blonde with thin lips and prominent cheek bones jumped to kneel in front of him.
"I'll take one!"
"Me too!"
Peals of nurturing squawks erupted from all sides of the 'ill' teen, hiding his face behind his arm a moment he smiled secretly to himself before turning back to the crowd of pending transactions. Oh how easy it was to manipulate the flooding emotions of teenage females. Especially ones that were so eager to get attention from the most non-attentive of the hosts.
It was a morbid thought, but Kyoya couldn't help but wonder if Mori were to break something if they could make a profit. He had no inclination to always be the center of such contrivance.
Across the Shadow King, in a slightly more peaceful setting, Haruhi sat with a tame group silently fawning over the object of their respective affections. The discrete female was wrapped in a fine satin cloth, the hood drawn to help hide her puffed eyes as she forced a smile and polite conversation. The brown and cream peasant dress the twins forced on her did nothing to truly hide the fact that she was indeed female, but her designations did not seem to mind, for in their minds, she was the only truly willing of the hosts to 'cross dress,' aside from the lolita.
"Haruhi-kun, you look absolutely adorable!" One lovely red-head tried to lighten conversation, noticing her favorite host had been unusually quiet, though far from unkind. "But, you seem distracted. Do you not like 'Red Riding Hood'?" She reached for the petite ivory hand of her beloved host, draping hers over it delicately.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I actually quite enjoy this story. It was one my mother and father used to act out with hand puppets when I was little." Haruhi minutely sniffled, raising her chin a bit. "It just brings back so many memories." Her small smile was all the group could see of the female host, along with one stray tear sliding it's way to the slope of her chin.
Within moments, the soggy-eyed brunette was piled in the middle of arms and bodies trying to console their Haruhi-kun. It was nice, until attempting to breathe failed and she was left gasping in tear-damp, perfume toxic, hair-filled mouthfuls of not-air.
This was his chance, the only good one he had for so long now. Slinking in with the agility and reticence of a predator, Nekozawa took to the shadows on a path to the suffocating Haruhi.
"Mmm, would any of you like to take advantage of a tea-leaf reading, or perhaps, your very own Bereznoff barrette. Highly fashionable and guaranteed to curse its victim for hours. Purchase now and you'll receive a set. Double the black magic fun! Hmmm?" He drawled it out as gravelly and heavy as he could, catching the attentions of all the women, yielding the drawback he predicted.
With a sinister curl to his lip, he forced out the prototype barrette his fledgling had been working on in a clamped fist, slowly unfurling his long elegant fingers one by one to show the product he was using as his alibi. He lowered his face a bit more as he snuck a peek at the girl regaining her color with newfound oxygen.
The shadows consumed most of his face as he allowed his smirk to grow into a testy smile advancing on the group with the barrette in his outstretched hand. The yellow dresses retreated further with every step he took, finally turning to break for the doors. He repressed the urge to snort at their reaction to him. Amusing as it was, it was also annoying, though... conducive in such situations.
"Alright, my fair maidens, I regret to inform you all that club hours have drawn to an end. Good bye my sweet princesses, until we meet again!" Saturated with what seemed like legitimate regret, the blonde host king ushered out the moaning girls with unnecessary 'charming' flourish. Planting kisses on the backs of so many hands only Kyoya would know the true number.
The doors sounded with a click of finality followed nearly immediately by an unmanly screech of horror.
"You!" Violet eyes wide, his outstretched arm wielding an accusatory finger, trembling with his movements. "What are you doing here?!"
"Calm down, Tamaki. He's here doing the same as he always does." Kyoya retreated from the dressing room walking over to begin packing away his things after jotting a few quick scribbles into his black notebook. "Hmm..." Maybe not, but he doesn't need to know that quite yet.
"Actually, boss-" Hikaru came to stand on his right, gripping the host king's left shoulder, as Kaoru took up opposite stance.
"He's rather close-"
"To your beloved little girl." The twins finished in a mischievous growl pushing the flustered blonde forward.
"You should go save her from the curses he's going to put on her." The eldest brother finished with an air of nonchalance, shooting a subtle glare toward the shrouded teen that only his brother seemed to notice and act on. Giving his duplicate a soft nudge in the side, he nodded and winked.
"You will... not get away with... your evil deeds, spawn of Merlin and Lucifer!" Tamaki whimpered both defiantly and unsure, tucking his head down and charging blindly forward.
"Senpai! SENPAI! Stop!" Haruhi pleaded for the overzealous prince-type to come to his senses, not paying any mind to the velvety chuckle and a soft snap of fingers coming from the hooded boy beside her. Before she could say anything further, Tamaki faltered on flimsy legs, propelling himself face first into the floor.
"Ow..." Faint and full of pain, the murmur came from crushed lips and a defeated host.
"I did recommend that you calm down." Lenses on the raven-haired teen flashed as he straightened himself to leave for the day. He would only stand for so much of his friend's self-embarrassment before it was no longer amusing and was near his limit. Pausing at the door with his fingers gingerly laced around the handle he called over his shoulder to the huddle of host-king, rubbing the pain out of his features.
"We couldn't afford it if you were to continue like this. Please, use some restraint." Out the door he strode leaving the rest of the hosts in order to try and continue the rest of his day without headache.
"Thank you, Nekozawa-senpai." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but clearly audible and almost painfully familiar to his ears. It was like a lovely chime tinkling with a soft breeze on a cool day, beautiful and the melody unique. A voice he had grown accustom to, one that he had to do without: he couldn't relate the situation to her, she'd never believe it or understand. He couldn't tell anyone if he was to be honest with himself. It just wouldn't work that way.
"Ah, for what are you thanking me, Haruhi...kun?" Forcing out a sentence of false ignorance was more of a challenge than he cared to admit. He knew she would catch on, eventually. She was incredibly intelligent. No matter how oblivious she played towards the others, it wasn't the actual case.
"I know that you came to help me. No one else noticed what was happening and when it was just too much, you came over here to promote your wares. You usually head for Tamaki-senpai." She flipped off the fabric of the hood and folded it neatly before turning her glassy gaze upon him.
"I also noticed that you have been following me for a while. Though I appreciate what you've done today, I need to ask you to stop or at the very least... tone it down. You are starting to make me uncomfortable." Her lips pressed in a tight-lipped smile and with a nod she excused herself to the dressing room, leaving him to stand with hidden features taking in her retreating form. His chest felt heavy and his stomach knotted almost painfully. Of course she would be like this. SHE didn't live the vision. He had. Every bit of it. The pain of losing her when not really having had her was like a dagger being twisted ruthlessly in his chest.
She was having to go through the loss of her father without him now, too. He remembered the way she broke down at the door and wondering how she got through the day without him was like a harsh strike to his back, taking the oxygen from his lungs and leaving him empty.
You don't always have to walk the shadows alone. Words from both her and he flitted through his mind, knotting into a raw emptiness and spreading quickly through his arteries. He stood there blank, unseeing. An unfortunate situation when two syncronized bodies came to perch on either side of his slumped form.
"AH!" His pupils closed to pinpricks as twin beams of bright blasted him in the face. He could feel the heat of the tiny bulbs singeing his skin even from the generous distance. The room started spinning, and his mind began to cloud over. His limbs fell heavy to his sides, like anchors trying to root him to the spot, but he fought through, running as fast as muscle memory would allow, escaping the slow death that was light. Laughter rang out from the crack of the door as he made his way through the empty hall steadying himself against the wall. Bereznoff peeked furiously over the shoulder of it's human companion shaking a stumpy paw in the air.
His breathing came in shallow shuddering pants as his nerves tortuously rejuvenated within the cool dark behind the pillar, soothing aching flesh, uncomfortably taut and stinging from the sudden blast. Profanity came in strings under his breath as Nekozawa allowed his body to slide down the smooth wall. The time was nearing ever closer, in result the curse was worsening. He would need the blessings of the family coven to alleviate the worst of it if he were to have any chance at life how he had been accustomed. That would rely on his task, something in which he was not yet privy to.
"Senpai...?" Ah, that airy concern-laced melody he missed so; hearing even outside of his dreams now. He must be truly loosing grip.
"Senpai?" A feather-light pressure pegging his shoulder next to Bereznoff's nodding feltiness snapped him to attention. Ever-so-slightly he raised his focus to the small brunette kneeling in front of him.
"Can I help you?" He more growled than he meant to, the pain was still affecting him. It was all he could do to force anything out without sobbing it.
"Listen, I just want to apologize for that." Haruhi gestured with a tilt of her head to the club-room door. Her sigh and movements to stand caused panic to arise and the pain to ebb. Before he realized, his hand was wrapped around her tiny wrist and she was staring down at him with a brow raised and lips pursed, teetering on the very edge of her horrible balance.
"Eh, Senpai?" On unsteady legs, she shakily sunk back down. "What is it?"
"I'm sorry." A sentiment that rumbled low in his throat fought it's way past his lips as he drew deeper into the confines of his hood. This startled the girl, tilting her head in a miniscule display of confusion.
"For... Following me...?" The attempt was feeble at best, it didn't seem like that was what he was hinting at. It looked like something deeper. More... painful.
"Not at all, Haruhi." His light chuckle and the way her name rolled off his lips caught her attention further piquing her inquiring mind and brought a heat to her cheeks with recognition of what he just said.
He's not sorry in the least for tailing me. What's it been?..At least a couple of days, for sure. I just noticed not too long ago, could have been longer maybe... That's just weird. What could he want? Why hasn't he said anything? Just... Weird. I'll stick with that. It is a little flattering though, in a twisted way. Haruhi thought to herself as she studied the shaded male. Something about interacting with him felt comfortable and yet completely foreign in the same breath. Everything about him called to her and for that very reason her mind wanted to keep him away.
"You've been alone this whole time, haven't you?" It was low, but held no malice and she understood every word. She paled and straightened immediately, her muscles tensing as if taking and invisible cue. How..?
"I-I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about." Verbalizing such evasion left her nearly breathless, bringing back visions of notes bearing excuses in piles. She knew exactly what he was talking about. How did he know? Not even her own friends paid much mind to her home life aside from dragging her out and along for their enjoyment. They were blinded by her act on normalcy, how had he realized?
Maybe, he doesn't really know anything. He's just trying to get a rise out of me. Maybe an elaborate plan to bring me into his club. Yeah. Calm down, Haruhi. Be rational.
"No?" His teeth began to burrow into his lower lip, fighting for something else to say. Something a little less insensitive to her situation. "I merely want to apologize for making you uncomfortable. The lonely aura of a beguiling woman such as yourself-"
"Wait!" She shoved a her palm out, halting the escape of more words. "You know about that?" Her gaping mouth made the most precious picture of a pink 'O' as she inched a little closer, lowering her palm to the floor.
"Unfortunately for your fellow hosts, it's rather easy to puzzle out." He fibbed. Before, he had only thought her a very effeminate male. Albeit attractive, but male none-the-less. At least this could give him a bit of an upper hand.
"Don't worry, I am well aware of the reasons of your secrecy. You need not worry, my lips are sealed. As for you, I've been wanting to offer my company to you with no way to truly go about it. You are a bit difficult to approach, you see. I didn't mean to cause you any alarm." His words died off into a nearly incomprehensible mumble. He didn't mean to go so far for their first chat, he feared the impact such forward words would have.
Lips tugging downward as her silence stretched on, he made to move out of their unsavory position nescient to her need to change the subject; not to leave.
"You're not just afraid of the light, are you?" He stiffened at her question, not for the content, rather that she wanted to continue the conversation. So sure she was done, he'd resigned himself to continue on. What a sweet surprise!
"No, Haruhi. It physically harms me and drains me of any energy I possess." A straightforward answer should suffice, no additions and no personalization, he wasn't looking to spook the girl even if that was near impossible. He couldn't throw on the act for her. He didn't need to build up those walls, she had already demolished them. Well, she would have. Did? A confusing concept that made his head pound.
"Then why did you come to us to help you get over it if you knew you couldn't?" Haruhi squinted her eyes as if trying to see his reasoning.
"It wasn't as bad then. In fact it's been getting increasingly worse." Lungs expelling a hefty load of air, he continued. "My own flesh and blood, more precious to me than my very life was afraid of me. Had I not at least attempted, we'd still be 'monster' and 'awaiting victim' in her eyes." He relayed with disgust not directed toward the brunette before him.
"I understand. So, you wanted to show her that you'd sacrifice yourself to be accepted into her life... without knowing whether she would or not." A dainty finger laid to rest on her chin as she mulled this over and smiled thoughtfully.
"She must mean the world to you." Her smile faded a bit and her voice was almost wistful. Snapping back into the present, she cleared her throat and straightened out.
"Well, I've got to get back. I still have cleaning to do." Turning on her heel, stepping quickly back toward Music Room Three and away from the rapidly growing tension.
'It's a start, Umehito. Though, I fear she has much more ahead of her.' Bereznoff's eyes flashed at it's master as a felted paw rubbed at it's ear. 'Scrying and fate are tricky things.'"My friend, my only current concern is that I have an opening to carry out my promise." Heady from his prior proximity to Haruhi he let his eyes flutter closed relishing the moment quickly before navigating the elegant halls and staircases. ..and I can protect her.
'What ever you say.'