Don't own OHSHC.
Bold italics are song lyrics
Italics are memories
Normal is present
Tamaki sat at the piano in the third music room at Ouran High school. His fingers danced across the keys, playing a melody he had learned several years before and was used to playing so much that his mind was free to wander. He stared straight ahead, his violet eyes glazed over as he was lost in memories of the past. He was alone, as he wanted to be. In fact, he'd gotten there the evening before. Students had shown up for school hours ago, and the bells told him classes were done for the day. However the young man continued playing, pouring his heart and soul into the piece as usual. More than once he'd heard someone, likely one of the other host club members trying to gain entrance. But Tamaki wanted nothing more than to be alone for the moment. The other club members wouldn't relate to what he felt at the moment.
As he heard Kyoya this time shouting at him to stop being stupid and to let them in, a tear slid down Tamaki's cheek. It was a genuine tear, not one used to make the girls swoon. It was the first and only tear Tamaki had allowed in the past few days, and though he missed a few notes in the process Tamaki quickly reached up to do away with the offensive droplet.
I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
But if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
'cause your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone
"Tamaki, the others are looking for you," Haruhi said, standing behind him.
Ignoring her, Tamaki continued to play. The soft notes drifted into the halls, haunting the ears of students accidentally hearing the disheartening notes. Five in particular stood just outside the closed doors. They wanted to go inside, but had gotten there only to find the doors locked by their king.
She's gone, Tamaki thought. She's dead and it's my fault.
"Sitting here crying isn't going to help anything," Haruhi said gently.
She quietly sat next to him on the piano bench. Tamaki stiffened noticeably at her presence. A hand slowly moved towards the keys as Haruhi grasped for his hand. Tamaki stopped playing, staring at their fingers, intertwined in a way that made the two hands appear as one.
"You shouldn't close everyone out," Haruhi whispered.
"I want to be alone," Tamaki replied. "I want to be…"
I want to be with you hung in the air.
Tamaki pulled his hand away and resumed playing.
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
"He's not going to let us in," Hikaru said.
"We should let him be for a little while longer," Kyoya replied.
"He misses her," Hunny said.
Mori nodded in agreement.
"We all do," Kaoru replied.
"There's nothing we can do, what's happened is over and we have to move on," Kyoya said.
Silence befell the five boys again. Hikaru leaned against the door.
"Someone should have followed her," he said. "If someone had followed her…"
"She might still be here," Kaoru finished.
"I should have let Tamaki go after her when the storm started," Kyoya said.
"It's not your fault, Kyo-chan," Hunny said. "You didn't know. None of us did."
"Tamaki would have protected her," Hikaru said. "He would have made sure she made it home."
"The idiot probably would've gotten himself killed making sure of it," Kyoya added.
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
I held you hand through all these years
But you still have
All of me
"I'm sorry, Haruhi," Tamaki said, continuing to play as if his life depended on it.
"Why are you apologizing? You haven't done anything wrong," Haruhi replied.
"You were annoyed with me…that's why you ran into the storm."
"If you apologized for annoying me, you'd be apologizing every day."
Tamaki cringed at her words.
"Thank you for worrying though," Haruhi said. "You worried a little too much…but it was still nice knowing someone cared."
Tamaki looked down to see her smiling sweetly up at him.
"You knew I was afraid of storms, and you didn't want me to get stuck in one on the way home. But I wanted to stop at my mother's gravestone…and I didn't want to make you go with me for that."
"But I would have-"
"I know you would have. But I wanted to go alone." Haruhi glanced at the door. "You really should let them in."
"But you'll…"
"I'll always be here, Tamaki." She leaned up, kissing his cheek.
"Haruhi, I…"
You used to captivate me
By your resonating light
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts
My once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away
All the sanity in me
Tamaki sat at the piano in his mansion. He stared out the window, unable to concentrate on the instrument long enough to do more than a single measure of music. A girl in his host club was something he hadn't considered happening when he first came up with the idea, even though her presence was merely by accident. But this girl was different.
Haruhi wasn't falling for his charms at all. She didn't even swoon when he smiled in her direction. Tamaki was used to girls falling at his feet. One that refused to do so was almost a challenge for the king of hosts. And how had he not realized in the first place that Haruhi was in fact a girl? He'd heard his father mention the scholarship student being an intelligent girl named Haruhi Fujioka so why hadn't Tamaki put the two together?
Tamaki stood and strode to the window. She wasn't swooning over him, but why was he so interested in her? She was rather plain compared to the other girls at Ouran, not to mention a commoner. There was something about her that drew Tamaki in, and he wanted nothing more than to protect her.
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
"If you let me drive you, you'd get home in half the time," Tamaki said.
"For the hundredth time, I'm walking home alone!" Haruhi snapped.
"But the clouds-"
"It's just rain," Haruhi told him. "There were no storm warnings, I'll be fine."
"At least let me walk with you?"
"No! Stop asking!"
The other hosts watched in amusement as Haruhi moved past Tamaki as she cleaned up after club hours.
"But…but…" Tamaki looked to Kyoya for help. "Mommy! Isn't there a storm coming? Didn't you see that flash of lightning?"
Haruhi rolled her eyes as the twins laughed. Kyoya simply pushed Tamaki away.
"There is a chance," Kyoya said.
"See?" Tamaki said, engulfing Haruhi in one of his so-called hugs for the millionth time. "We'll be worried if you go all alone through a terrifying storm!"
"For the last time, I don't need anyone to walk me home, especially you!" Haruhi shouted. "It's just a little rain, nothing I haven't walked through before!"
"I just want to make sure you're safe! Any loving father would-"
"You're not my father, so stop saying you are!"
Not even Kyoya made a move to stop her as she picked up her book bag and left them. Tamaki instantly ran to his corner.
"Geez boss, you annoyed more than we did today," Hikaru said.
"And I think he saw her more than us to," Kaoru added.
"No wonder Haruhi was so annoyed with you," both said.
"Shut up! I am only looking out for her!" Tamaki growled.
A clash of thunder prevented the twins from replying.
"Haruhi!" Tamaki shouted.
Before he could reach the door, Kyoya grabbed his arm. "I have already requested Ranka to let us know when she gets home. If anything she'll run in the storm. It won't be long before she gets home, and even if you go running after her you will only annoy her and likely find a way to injure yourself in the process."
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
I held you hand through all these years
But you still have
All of me
"Thank you for letting me know." Kyoya slowly placed his phone back in his pocket before turning to the other hosts.
They waited impatiently for his update ,Tamaki practically inches from his friend's face.
"Someone found Haru-chan?" Hunny asked, worry still clouding his voice as he hugged Usa-chan to his chest.
"Haruhi…" Kyoya faltered slightly.
The others waited for him to continue, none doing as much as breathing in still silence. There was nothing that Kyoya would have trouble telling them. The shadow king quickly struggled to recollect himself, knowing the importance of the information he possessed.
Kyoya reached up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "There was an accident. Roads were wet…a car swerved…the driver lost control and ran onto the sidewalk…Haruhi was apparently sitting under the shelter of the bus stop…"
"Haruhi's hurt? Where is she?" Hikaru demanded.
"She's not hurt." Kyoya swallowed, not wanting to say anymore. "Haruhi is dead. She was declared dead at the scene."
"This must be a mistake," Tamaki said.
"Haru-chan can't be dead!" Hunny wailed.
"People get hit by cars all the time," Hikaru said.
"She's just injured. You're joking, right?" Kaoru asked.
"I should make sure Ranka knows," Kyoya said quietly.
He left the room without another word, leaving the others to process the knowledge.
"No," Tamaki said. "She's fine. Any moment now…Haruhi will come waltzing through the door and apologize for being so stubborn earlier…"
"This is your fault!" Hikaru suddenly shouted. "She wouldn't have gone if you hadn't fought with her!"
"Hikaru," Kaoru whispered, holding back his twin.
The damage had been done. Tamaki's eyes slowly met Hikaru's.
"You're right," he softly acknowledged. "If I hadn't demanded she let one of us walk her home…if I hadn't annoyed her…she wouldn't have left early…and when the storm hit she would have still been here."
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me
I've been alone all along
Tamaki fled the funeral, unable to look any longer at the shining white casket. Classmates and old friends of Haruhi's were gathered around, wiping away at tears for their fallen friend. The melancholy mood was made even worse by the light rain that poured down on them. The host club stood together, having attempted to close their president in and keep him there. As Tamaki broke through, shoving his way between the twins the two tried to grab him. They were about to follow when Kyoya held up a hand.
Tamaki heard voices calling for him to return, someone following for a while even. However when he made it to his destination he was alone. Pausing only long enough to lock the door, Tamaki went into the closet where the costumes were stored.
He tore into Haruhi's costumes, throwing the pieces around the room. Fabric and accessories hit the walls and clattered to the floor. With the room in disarray Tamaki collapsed to his knees,
"Haruhi…Haruhi!"
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
I held you hand through all these years
But you still have
All of me
The spot beside him on the piano bench was empty. Tamaki stared at it for what felt like forever before slowly bringing his song to a close.
"Haruhi…" he whispered. "I never told you…I love you. You stole my heart on the very first day…and you never gave it back."
All of me…
Sorta similar to my "Back to December" fic, but I tried to make some differences besides the song choice. I figured since I already killed Tamaki off why not kill Haruhi as well? This song makes me think of Tamaki for some reason…maybe because there's a lot of piano. Anyway, reviews are much appreciated.