Title: If You Listen Closely
Description: Since Kyouya can remember, he has always chosen business over pleasure and listened to his father without thinking twice. But when he's forced into a mission that challenges what few morals he has in order to obtain what he's wanted his entire life, what will he do?
Pairing(s): I'm going off the manga so there will definitely be TamakixHaruhi, ReikoxHani, and a bit of KasanodaxMei. The rest of the Host Club will be paired with original characters.
Rating: T for now but the rating will probably go up to M in the future.
Side Notes:
- If there is a series of italicized words, then it's a flashback.
- The setting is in the future, therefore, Kyouya is not a high school student and is in adulthood.
- This may contain a few manga spoilers!
Love is silly. Useless. What does anyone need love for? Technically, all a person needs to survive is food, water, and oxygen. Love has nothing to do with any of the three. Yet, why do we strive for it? The concept of love is not only befuddling but completely idiotic. Love does crazy things to a person. Sometimes, it drives people to the point of physical pain. The twisting of one's chest, the tight throat, and let's not forget the disgustingly sweaty palms. Love was nothing but a burden and was only for those of whom were not determined enough to reach his or her goals. Or so Kyouya Ootori thought.
"Kyouya," the low voice of Yoshio Ootori split through the silence of the dark, tense office. "Tonight is the night."
Those words. There was no need for further explanation.
"Yes, Father," was his simple reply as his gray hues gazed out the window to the darkening sky.
As he stared at his reflection from his bedroom mirror, memories of the past swirled about Kyouya's head. Disturbingly enough, the memory of the beach trip with the Host Club and the night where he had pinned Haruhi Fujioka to a mattress was the most prominent.
"You won't do it, Kyouya-Senpai. I know because it wouldn't do you any good. You wouldn't gain anything from it."
Her words beat through his head violently like a drum line.
Merit. Business. Wealth.
Was that all Kyouya did things for?
No, of course not. He shook his head slightly as he tightened his tie. That notion was completely absurd. Although more often than not, Kyouya found himself choosing business over pleasure, it wasn't always the case. There were certain gestures he made that showed that even the coldest of men have a heart.
As if on cue, the black bundle of fur yawned with a muffled meow and stretched its legs across the Ootori's bed.
Noel.
A ghost of a smile tilted his lips upward just slightly as his eyes averted to the reflection of his sleek cat napping at the edge of his mattress. Never in his life had Kyouya been an animal person. As a child, he wasn't allowed and as he aged, Kyouya learned from Tamaki's dog, Antoinette, that animals were nothing but a handful and required constant attention. Attention that Kyouya would never be able to provide. However, this animal was different.
When Hotta, Kyouya's bodyguard, found Noel, it seemed that the poor cat was at his deathbed. With scratches across his body, little patches of fur missing, and a thin figure, Kyouya was sure that the feline would not last within the hour. But something within him drew him to the animal.
Before he knew it, Kyouya had requested that Hota carefully pick the cat up from the steps leading to his mansion and bring him inside.
Of course, not much effort from Kyouya had to be put towards healing the tattered cat. As soon as he had taken a step onto the door mat, a group of maids were there to greet him.
Immediately, the Ootori staff took action and Noel was treated in a royal fashion. Food, water, rest, and a couple of bandages was all the cat needed. But even so, Kyouya couldn't help himself from keeping an eye on him.
The next morning, although Noel's injuries hadn't dramatically improved, when Kyouya checked up on the cat, he noticed that it looked different. Replenished almost. With the proper care, he was sure it would survive.
That day, Kyouya had softened a bit internally and it was decided that the cat would be a permanent resident in his household.
He sighed inwardly as his long legs swiftly carried him over to his bed and his fingertips reached out to gently stroke Noel's slick fur. Even his former act of kindness could never over-shadow what he would soon be doing.
Of everything Kyouya had ever done for merit and business, this had to be the icing on the cake.
An arranged marriage.
It was as if he were a sell-out.
A/N: I'm still just a little bit rusty with writing so I hope this was interesting. This first little snippet is only the introduction and I'll definitely be posting the next chapter shortly. My goal is for this fanfiction to actually be finished, not rushed, and as in character as possible.
*Noel is actually not made by me. I should have explained this the first time around, since I'm actually updating the Introduction a little bit. There's a bonus chapter in the manga that explains the Ouran characters' futures which inspired this story. I'm sorry if there was any confusion! I encourage everyone to read the bonus chapter if they're confused. Things will probably be more thoroughly explained in the third chapter if you don't want to read the manga.
Even though this is only the introduction, I'm sure that this is going to become my baby. With all the work I've put into this and notes that I've taken down, I'm already attached to it, haha!
Please review!
I'm eager to know what everyone thinks about this.
- Kisai-Chan