Disclaimer: Ouran and its hosts belong to Bisco Hatori.
It had only been a minute and thirty-eight seconds since the beginning of the meeting. Of course it had been.
Tamaki actually suspected he might be in way over his head and was tempted for a second to take another sip from the tall glass of lemon water set before him on the table. A wary glance from Haruhi quelled the urge, though his thoughts immediately drifted to a rosy vision of a sunlit room filled with light chatter and the light perfume of morning tea. Almost two minutes into life post-university and he was already failing adulthood.
Surprisingly, the breakfast conference had been Haruhi's idea. His father had concurred; a splendid idea for an introduction to the world of the family business! What better way for them – scion and suitor – to put those Business and Law Degrees to use than the 'hands-on' approach? Tamaki recalled the tiny smile alight on Haruhi's face the exact moment his father had expressed his whole-hearted enthuse for the plan, only a twitch away from a giggle. Ah, but no; the giggle was the domain of lesser mortals and Hunny-senpai. Haruhi laughed when she meant it. It was adorable, really, when she tried not to. Which had been quite often since their engagement and the flood of appointments with florists, caterers, planners, and dress-makers.
"Not suited for the morning, are we then?"
The jocular tone of his father's current potential investment bait made Tamaki realize his sigh had indeed been more than a mental expression. Judging by the arch of his father's eyebrow and the quick flash of concern in Haruhi's eyes, he'd better move in for the save.
Careful not to appear at all out of sorts, Tamaki made sure the movement with which he lifted the delicate bone-china cup to his lips was anything but. "Quite the contrary, sir. Pardon my lack of forthcoming, but it is shaping to be quite a lovely day."
"Ah," murmured the elderly man sitting across from him and Haruhi. No less robust than much of the dining set at the over-priced salon his father had hoped to sway him with. "A rather surprising observation from someone your age. Today's youth spend far too much time on those little hand-phones, than in the real world."
Tamaki smiled politely over the rim of his cup. "You misjudge our generation, Todou-san. We work hard for what our parents sacrifice for. A few distractions can often be a pleasant change, whether it's on a screen or before our very own eyes."
He spied it before she could hide it. A hint of something in her brown eyes. Whatever could it be…
"Well said," Todou-san concurred over his own tea. "Though you're still a long ways from persuading me, eloquence is a rare find amongst acquaintances. Suoh-san," he turned to Yuzuru, a bland smile politely in place. "A leftover from your time abroad?"
A spot of tea splashed onto the table-cloth, despite Tamaki's best attempt at stilling the hand with which he clutched the teacup handle suddenly too tight. He soon registered the steady, firm press of Haruhi's own on the inside of his elbow. His father didn't meet his stare.
"If I may…"
It was the first time she'd spoken since they'd sat down.
"People our age do deserve the reputation we have. We aim too high and we get our feelings hurt. We try too hard and there's always someone better for the job. I know for certain that we want too much. Our desires – "
Tamaki felt the heat beneath the silk of her stocking from where her bare foot rubbed against the curve of his ankle. A layer of sock and wool suit separated them, and he could already feel the heat rise beneath his shirt-collar.
" – our desires are much more complicated. We crave, secretly, – "
How strange that this could all flow so freely from her, so naturally. The contrast between her tender grasp at his elbow and the sly, determined strokes angled between her heel and toes was certainly a cause for wonder. Or concern?
" – for something simpler."
Tamaki didn't think a debate was necessary.
"You must pardon my fiancée, Todou-san." He could have sworn he'd seen – or at least, heard, faintly through the pleasant impromptu foot-play beneath the table – the mythic giggle through the serious tone of her speech. "I'm afraid we are very much a product of our time."
Toudou, none the wiser, only nodded. Hopefully in agreement, if the brief flare of interest behind his spectacles didn't bode any offense taken.
Apparently taking this as a fortunate sign, Haruhi pressed on. To Tamaki's dismay, this meant the retreat of her sudden, much-welcomed presence beneath the table.
"Toudou-san, perhaps someone of your years and experience can bring plenty to light, as to what the current state of the country's academia is in need of. Especially in an establishment as traditionally inclined as Ouran."
"Of course, your alma mater. Though as it were, hasn't Ouran enjoyed a fine enough reputation as it is?"
To anyone else present, the gleam in Haruhi Fujioka's brown eyes, the slight, almost sly, momentary upturn curl of the corner of her lips, could have been put down to a mere trick of the light. In that moment, Tamaki felt something akin to… well, perhaps 'blessed' was too strong a word, but…
He could see what was coming a mile away, right from his vantage at her side. Knowing that the day would be saved, he placed the teacup and saucer back on the table, and leaned back to watch.
Haruhi cut right to the chase. "Toudou-san, as you and I would agree, the current generation is of an entirely different set than when Suoh-kun and I were in our school days. There are plenty of students far less privileged who pray for a chance to enter an institution as reputed as Ouran. Without the aid of scholarships, they'd languish in public high school doldrums. Think about it, all that academic potential wasted…"
"Yes," Toudou concurred. "A great pity…"
"Toudou-san, you are on the board of several of Japan's longest-running financial incentive programs. I've heard that you've been a long-time advocate for the industrial progression of the common man."
"Why, yes, if I must say so…"
"Then you most certainly have what it takes to be a board member of Ouran Academy. Imagine that, someone of your standing behind an innovative academic proposal as that of the Kotoko Fujioka scholarship."
The silence that fell as Toudou placed his cup back on the table was telling, as far as Tamaki was concerned.
"Fujioka-san, are you proposing a deal?"
Haruhi's smile could have penetrated steel. "Oh, just a partnership, in fact."
After taking a few minutes to consider, Toudou turned to Yuzuru Suoh, nodding in approval.
"Waahh, my sweet Haruhi was nothing short of magnificent today…"
"Tamaki, people are watching – "
"You know, people at this stage in our courtship ought to have grown accustomed to these little displays of affection."
"It can't fit through the door, Tamaki."
Tamaki paused long enough to contemplate the glass sky-scraper of red and white roses he had purchased from a nearby florist, on their way back from that stuffy business affair. That Haruhi had been an uproarious success wasn't surprising in itself, but he'd thought to make the best of whatever good cheer ensued. Even if it meant ¥60,500 and a dual set of withering glares from the beleaguered delivery men at the entrance of the chic townhouse he and Haruhi called home. Well, at least after the wedding…
"Tamaki," Haruhi's voice was leveling out into the grim tone she reserved for court sessions and her father's surprise 'trial dress rehearsals'. "Do you have a plan for getting that monolith into the house?"
"Ah, so you do like it!"
"… What?"
"Exhibit A: a question, however rhetorical, as opposed to a downright refusal, which is after all the favored tactic of a certain world-class attorney-at-law – "
"Now you're just assuming – "
"Exhibit B: the accompanying blush as evidenced by the defendant's cheeks."
The red hue, mere pin pricks earlier at the first sight of the floral monstrosity, deepened to a light maroon. Bingo.
Unless…
"Well, you've certainly retained your knack for the ostentatious after all these years," came the dry baritone only Kyoya could muster on such an occasion.
"I'd say he's crossed a certain threshold – " Kaoru chimed in.
" – into 'tacky'." Hikaru finished.
"Ne, Tama-chan, don't listen to them! I think it's romantic! I wish I was marrying you…" Honey piped up with a chocolate-smeared grin.
At least Mori had the decency to remain silent on the matter. Tamaki knew he would be forever indebted to him. Maybe he should get him flowers next.
"We invited everyone over for lunch." Haruhi reminded him.
With as much composure as one could muster beneath a towering floral behemoth, Tamaki snuck a glance at his watch. "… It's eleven forty-five."
"So?"
"You… knaves!"
"Ooh, can't say we've heard that one before." Hikaru murmured to his twin in a tone caught between somewhat impressed and drily amused. "Kaoru and I were just in the neighborhood at this time, that's all."
"Me too! And Takashi! Kyo-chan needed some persuading…"
"At the risk of sounding contrived." The tell-tale flash of a spectacle lens caught in daylight already spoke of an ill omen only just diverted. "I needed to check on your future bride."
"Eh?"
Ignoring Tamaki's tilted head and almost puppyish sense of befuddlement, Kyoya turned to Haruhi. "So I take it Toudou was an easy catch?"
"Almost, Kyoya-senpa – " She managed to catch herself in time. "… Kyoya."
Rude interruptions notwithstanding, not to mention the almost-too-close-to-literal ribbing from the twins, Tamaki found that he could let it slide. Letting it slide, in fact, he corrected himself. The sky was a pretty shade of eggshell blue, dotted with creamy puffs of backlit clouds, and there was Mori dabbing delicately at a swab of chocolate staining Honey's white t-shirt, in spite of the latter's shrill protests proclaiming his independence. And to Kaoru's credit, he appeared to making some semblance of an effort at keeping Hikaru at bay from the roses – which, now that Tamaki really noticed, might not put as good a defense against the summer heat and six pairs of limbs shifting around in various states of languidness on the front-steps.
Drawing himself to his full height, he decided it was his time to take the stand.
"Well, now that you've all taken such pains to ruin our private pre-lunch celebrations," As with the brief flare of annoyance, Tamaki let the marked cough from Haruhi flutter past his incoming missive. "I shall have to take your punishment into my own hands…"
He snapped his fingers at the long-suffering men in the florists' delivery van. "Thank you, gentlemen. Your services are no longer needed."
Judging by the dawning expressions ranging from slight bewilderment – Honey, just short of the brink of a sugar crash – to a possible hint at sourness – cue the twins hanging on either side of Haruhi – to the crowning glory of Kyoya's purely pissed scowl, those last five words had done the trick.
(He could have sworn that was indeed a giggle from his fiancé.)
And with that, Tamaki swung an arm around her shoulders and waltzed her through the doorway, leaving the remaining Host quintet with an irritatingly dazzling grin before swinging the door shut.
"I have to admit, I'm a bit worried about them…"
"Oh, Haruhi, don't worry. Between Kyoya and the twins, they'll figure out some way to completely shatter our sense of privacy. Speaking of which, I think it's time we got that skylight boarded up…"