I've had this idea sitting around for a while, and have managed a first Chapter at last. I figured I'd post it now rather than wait till I'd done a few more as it could be a while given work at the minute. Also future warning for those who aren't fans of yuri (and yaoi possibly) - that's where this will be heading so this may not be to your tastes ;)

The Awakening of Haruhi Suzumiya

February 18th: 3.30pm:

It's late in the day and final class. Haruhi has been very quiet today, in fact for most of the week. It's starting to bother me. A lot. A quiet Haruhi is often a bored Haruhi or a thoughtful Haruhi and either is something of a cataclysmic hazard to humanity, and in particular those lucky few grouped about her. Of course it's also rather exciting and enthralling as well, such that the dull life I used to have wouldn't suit me at all now, but I'd never admit that to her.

A tapping of my shoulder is the first sign of danger. We're waiting for our sensei so our class is chatting amongst themselves. I glance round at Haruhi and meet her intensive stare. She really has a striking face; piercing eyes and pert red lips framed by cascading chestnut hair and buttercup yellow bows. I'm feeling rather nauseous all the same, that stare is ringing alarm bells in my head and throwing butterflies about my stomach.

"Kyon...how do you know if you're in love with someone?"

Crap! I thought we'd survived anything Valentimes Day related. And how the hell do I explain this to her without something weird happening?

"Well...it's normally someone you find attractive, share things in common with, enjoy being with and have their best interests at heart."

God help me if you find the latter Haruhi, or the second one for that matter. And unless they're wearing antennae and have 3 eyes you probably won't find them attractive.

Haruhi doesn't reply immediately. Now I'm really worrying.

"And how do people work out who they love?"

Hah! So many ways. I guess pick a relatively harmless one though.

"Well often by asking a person they like out on a date and seeing how it goes."

Haruhi's silence is slightly longer this time.

Say something Haruhi. The tension is killing me!

"Okay."

Oddly enough that answer far from satisfies my worries. It was said a little too brightly. Almost as if Hauhi has an idea. She's wearing a thoughtful half smile as well, her gaze shifting to the window; oblivious of her surroundings. I'm certain she's scheming something but as ever I'm clueless. Ah God what did I do to deserve this? I consider asking her what she's thinking but our sensei chooses that moment to arrive and so I have to sit and stew for the whole of the lesson over what twisted torture the Goddess behind me is cooking up.

When the bell goes and our sensei leaves I barely have time to pack and breathe before I'm hauled out of the room and up the corridor at breakneck speed. Consideration for others is not Haruhi's strong suit. She's not deliberately unkind, just naive and oblivious.

We're first into the clubroom where I dump myself into a seat and let Haruhi pace up and down by the window thinking and planning whatever weird idea she's having. I suppose I should be glad she didn't try and stuff Ashasina-san into some compromising outfit for Valentines Day. Shoot! Now that I've thought it what are the odds this involves that. Sigh. Advance apologies Asahina-san. Although Asahina-san in such an outfit would be...

A timid knock announces her arrival; a Goddess in a more physical sense.

"Hi Haruhi, Kyon."

"Mikuru!" Haruhi exclaims in excitement a second before I add.

"Hi Asahina-san."

She skips lightly over to the kettle in the corner, still in uniform with her school skirt rustling temptingly and switches it on to boil; Haruhi only forces her into the maid outfit on special occasions sadly.

We're soon joined by the silent entry and presence of Nagato and the ever smiling and apologetic Izumi. Again I would rather die than admit it but my early opinion of him as slimy, creepy jerk have all but melted; sometimes I even find myself liking the guy! Again though that's something wild horses won't drag from me.

Thwack

Haruhi snaps our attention towards her with a sharp rap on the whiteboard with a pointer.

"Right, I have an announcement to make..." She declares boldly and inside I know that we're in for another madcap rollercoaster ride. Maybe we're all going to have to go out and search for an alien for Haruhi to date. I nod a thank you to Asahina as she hands me a cup of tea and raise the cup to my lips, my eyes still watching Haruhi who's pausing for dramatic effect and glancing intently at each of us.

"I want to try dating again. Therefore I want to go on a date with each of you this week!"

Well I was close eno...

PFFFT!

Wait! What?