My first fic (technically second if you include the Series Of Unfortunate Events one I did years ago. Speaking of that, did I bin it or something?...), I wasn't going to post it but I'm bored and sleep deprived so what the hey, I will anyway. Sorry if it kills, the fluff has a tendency to suffocate. Hopefully it's not too bad... And all I own is the ever growing pile of junk in my bedroom. Well, most of it, at least. Last time I checked, Ouran wasn't in it.

I wasn't always this quiet. See, years ago, in maybe the first year of elementary school, Mitsukuni got sick. Even at a young age, we were as close as we are now, so his illness affected me almost as much as it did him. I was a talkative child, like Satoshi, and being 6 years old, I believed myself when I thought "If I stop talking, Mitsukuni will get better". Of course, I couldn't stop altogether so I made other promises, like not wearing the colour red and closing my eyes as I heard an aeroplane soaring high above me. Now, of course, I realize that he probably recovered because of his sheer strength. My silence was a habit by then, acknowledged by everyone, be they family, staff or friends. So even now, I keep quiet, maybe because I'm scared he'll get sick again; maybe because I might be just a little self conscious of my voice. Anyway, I'm fairly quiet, except when I'm tired, and that's the way I am.

It's not so bad, actually. I notice things other people, people caught in the middle of the drama, don't. On occasion, Mitsukuni has compared me to Kyoya with his notebook, taking note of everything, in detail, whether it is important or not. Maybe it's true, but unlike him, I step in when help is needed, before a Host Club-style tragedy occurs. Especially around Haruhi. It seems that most of the club is in love with her, whether they know it or not. Tamaki's feelings are obvious, except to Haruhi and, it has to be said, Tamaki himself. Though both twins regularly flirt with her, it seems to me that Hikaru, for the most part, means it. Kyoya... well, he's not so careless as to actally show feelings. Mitsukuni thinks of her as a younger sister, but as for me, it's a different story.

When she first walked through the door to the third music room, like the rest of the club (minus Kyoya, who would have known long before), I mistook Haruhi for a boy. She had been promoted from 'Club Dog' to a Host when I discovered otherwise. An over-zealous Tamaki was embracing her half to death as she cried out to me for help. I felt mixed emotions: happiness, confusion for my happiness as well as a sense of self-importance, of being needed. Lifting her out of the arms of Tamaki Suoh, I realized that I had lifted a girl up - not a boy, like I first thought. We looked into each other's eyes, feeling a connection. Or at least I did, anyway. That was the beginning of it all.

Sometimes, I'm lost in thought and then find myself staring in Haruhi's direction. Other times, she would be struggling with tidying the club room, or sorting the snacks in the cupboard when I'll smile at her and help. Whenever she's near, I feel happy - a warm, fuzzy kind of happy I've never felt before - but at the same time nervous, the way I feel just before the final round of a kendo tournament.

I think I'm in love with her.

"Takashi?"

"Nnn?"

"Are you thinking about Haru-chan?"

I can't think of anything better to say than the truth.

"... Yes"

He smiles. He's infiltrated my train of thought again. I must have been looking at her. Or he knows more about me than I do, which is probably possible.

"Mitsukuni... I... I love her.

He is still smiling and patting my head.

"Are you going to tell her?"

"Maybe. I'm not sure how though."

I'm not sure if I want to either. Haruhi is notorious for breaking boys' hearts without realising it. Perhaps it would be better to stay as we are now. Perhaps I should just stay as her silent protector.

" What... do you think I should do? Should I tell her?" At these words, his already large beaming smile widens. If you'd never met Mitsukuni before, you'd probably say it would be impossible for a smile to be that big.

"Look at her, Takashi."

Glancing across the room to the comfortable sofa she was sat on, I could see she was reading. Her eyes rise from the paperback's pages and into my own, which are likewise looking into hers. We stay like that for a minute, maybe more, maybe less. Her cheeks are flushed and I feel my own blushing.

Kyoya interrupts Haruhi and our gaze falters. The two are too far away to hear, but Kyoya points to a mound of files and Haruhi rises, no doubt sighing and muttering under her breath.

"Mitsukuni, I'm going to tell her."

"She's leaving the room, go now so you can talk to her alone. Good luck!"

"O... okay."

I give a nervous smile and stand up. My head pounds as I walk across the room to the door. I've never been this nervous. My hand on the cool metal door handle, a scream can be heard down the stairs. Haruhi's scream.

The next few seconds are a scramble to get to Haruhi. Wrenching the door open, I run - no - glide to where Haruhi is, the rest of the Host Club in my wake. I find Haruhi, sprawled on the stairs, a mammoth pile of files spread out further down. She's in pain, clutching her ankle and tears welling in her unusually large, beautiful, eyes. Being careful not to hurt her, I lift her up, into my arms.

Our eyes - Haruhi's large brown eyes filled with tears of pain, my own dark eyes brimming with tears of relief at holding her in my arms - meet. They grow closer and closer until both pairs are closed and our lips gently touch. We break apart after what might have only been a moment lasting pretty much a lifetime, Haruhi's arms around my neck. We take no notice of Tamaki's yells of outrage, Mitsukuni holding him back, the twins' dumbstruck silence or Kyoya's smirk as he writes frantically in his notebook. We ignore the world around us - the only world we need is each other.

"I love you."

I don't think I killed it completely . Thank you for reading this far -strange little bow thing-

Tamaki: My daughter... Corrupted...

M-Chan: It could have been worse. I could have obsessed over a Twin/Haruhi Pairing.

Tamaki: -Emo corner of woe-

M-Chan: I don't think he'll be moving anytime soon...