Warning: death of a minor character

A Sad Parade
"Tamaki mourns for her," Haruhi said quietly. "I can't quell feelings of triumph, that she is finally, well, dead. She caused Tamaki so much pain."

"You can't forgive her for that." Kyouya murmured from beside her. He glanced in his reflection, then straightened his tie in a self conscious gesture. It was dark, but a different sort of dark than what Kyouya usually wore.

"Can you?" Haruhi asked. Their eyes met, before both had to look away.

There was a silence between them. There have always been many unanswered questions between them. Kyouya knew too much about her, yet how her mind worked is still a mystery to him. Haruhi was puzzled by the enigma that he was. His choices, his beliefs.

To both of them, Tamaki was something special, something bright. He brought them together, in the best of times, but also in the worst of times.

Haruhi wasn't sure which, or what, time this was.

Two days after his grandmother's death, Tamaki was moved into the first Suoh mansion. There had been no discussion, Tamaki had not been told, only to find his chauffeur driving him to a different address and his belongings already unpacked in a new suite.

Three days after Tamaki's grandmother's death, Haruhi moved in, next to Tamaki's suite. the more traditional servants disapproved. But Haruhi was never one for etiquette when it did not suit her.

Five days after Tamaki's grandmother's death, Kyouya made plans to move in with Tamaki. His father was surprised, questioning the motives behind his son's decision. Kyouya knew Haruhi could not cope with Tamaki on her own.

Seven days after Tamaki's grandmother's death, everything started to fall apart.

It was oddly quiet, a restless quiet, at the first Suoh mansion.

Yuzuru had flown to Paris soon after his mother's funeral. Tamaki hadn't even known until his father was already in the air. Haruhi had noticed, Tamaki had swallowed once, twice, holding in feelings that just a few days ago he could expressed freely. It disturbed her to see Tamaki so depressed, so repressed into a quiet person who wasn't eating, who wasn't sleeping.

He looked ill, pale and there were dark shadows under his eyes. But still he stared blankly ahead, lost in his thoughts.

In the morning, Tamaki collapsed.

"He isn't well, I should have seen that and acted and - "

"Stop, Haruhi. Your mumblings aren't helping him," Kyouya interrupted her.

She stilled, mouth open when she was stalled in mid sentence. Haruhi sat down stiffly, looking furious. After that she refused to look at Kyouya. In the bed, Tamaki didn't stir. Against the bleached white sheets he appeared wan and washed out.

Kyouya left. When he returned Haruhi was browsing a massive textbook. Next to were numerous volumes of all sizes. Sometimes she would look above the page and stare at Tamaki for a second before returning to the text.

Other than the rustling of the pages, the beep of the machines and the breathing of three people, it was quiet.

Haruhi was sleeping on a cot, finally quelled to rest when Tamaki woke up. He sat up unsteadily, rubbing at his eyes. "Kyouya?" He murmured, choking slightly on the name. Kyouya looked up from his laptop then he got up and handed Tamaki a glass of a water that was at Tamaki's bedside. Tamaki gratefully gulped in down, some water escaping his lips and trailing down his chin. Kyouya wiped it away and Tamaki smiling shakily in thanks.

"Where am I?" Tamaki asked, voice husky still.

"In hospital," Kyouya answered, "You collapsed. I had you taken here immediately."

"Oh..." Tamaki murmured softly.

It was one of the Ohtori hospitals of course, the best in the city, the best suite, the best doctors, the best nurses and the best equipment. This was Tamaki and Kyouya would not have it any other way.

"Am I alright?" Tamaki muttered. He placed a hand against his chest, looking up at Kyouya.

"You should be. Doctor Izumi said that you were suffering from exhaustion. Tamaki." Kyouya said and Tamaki jumped at the sound of his name coming from Kyouya. "You must take care of yourself. You have duties, responsibilities."

Tamaki nodded. "I know. I understand. I will, Kyouya. Take care of myself."

"And, Tamaki, you worried Haruhi," Kyouya said quietly, but reproaching. Then, Tamaki seemed to notice Haruhi, still sleeping in the cot. Kyouya watched Tamaki stare at Haruhi before looking away. "She worried about you Tamaki."

"Yes, I'm sorry," Tamaki whispered. "But, what about you?"

Kyouya didn't say anything for a while. Tamaki refused to break their gaze. "I don't want you to be unwell. It disturbs my schedule and makes business more difficult."

"Okay, Kyouya," Tamaki smiled. He lay back onto his bed. "Goodnight."

It was just past two o'clock in the afternoon but Kyouya didn't tell Tamaki that. He nodded and returned his thoughts to his laptop.

She sipped the coffee, wrinkling her nose slightly as the taste. Tamaki was still in bed. Both Kyouya and Haruhi refused to allow him to leave. They saw how thin his wrists appear, how he took longer to smile when usually it was swift and generous.

"How was he?" Haruhi asked.

"Tired, even after his sleep. He'll get better," Kyouya replied. He fingers tapped out an irregular pattern across the keys. The laptop reflected his face, his glasses lit up with text and light.

Haruhi inclined her head, gaze then shifting away from Kyouya. She smiled, "Thank you, Kyouya, for being here for him. You really are a true friend of his. Tamaki wouldn't be who he is without you."

"Did that surprise you?" Kyouya questioned, his fingers resting from the relentless typing.

A shrug. "Your thought processes are a mystery to me Kyouya. But I do know you care." She answered.

Kyouya nodded, "Very well." His went back to his task, fingers moving quickly.

Tamaki hugged her when he woke up for the second time. The wet tears sunk into her rumpled collar swiftly, his hands dug into Haruhi's waist. "i'm sorry, Haruhi."

"Yes."

"I never thought she would die." Tamaki whispered, "I did love her, I did." His voice choked, he continued, "But, I felt relief when she died. That makes me a bad person, doesn't it?"

"No, no. You are who you are." She paused. "What you felt, is, is understandable."

He stepped away from her. "I'll get better." He said shakily, but promised it. Tamaki's blond hair was a mess and his eyes weren't animated and bright. But he was beginning to look like himself again.

"Kyouya said so," Haruhi said, "Eat your lunch. It will help." She returned to her chair. Haruhi tried to go back to the books, but she couldn't draw her eyes away from watching Tamaki.