A/N: Hi everyone! This is a fic I wrote quite some time ago after I finished reading the manga for Ouran. I'e wanted to post it but only decided to tonight so I hope you enjoy it. :) thanks!

~marauderluverz

Thunder

Tamaki Suoh stared down at his cup of soda as he stirred it distractedly with a bendy straw. He was currently sitting inside of a dark bowling alley, at one of those plastic tables with the attached swinging chairs. A dramatic sigh escaped his lips.

"C'mon, Milord! You can't be acting all depressed just because Haruhi didn't come along." Hikaru scolded his senpai.

Kaoru stepped next to his brother and draped an arm around his shoulders. "Yeah. Hikaru is right. I mean, shouldn't you be enjoying yourself more? This is our first time in an American commoners' bowling alley."

Tamaki sighed again, sinking his head down onto the table. Sure he had been excited when some of his classmates had invited him. And even more excited when they had told him to bring his friends. But why didn't Haruhi want to come?!

"Is Tama-chan okay?" Honey asked, watching the younger blond mope.

Nearby there was the sound of pins crashing. Kyoya turned around from his strike and approached his friends. "He's fine. He's just upset that Haruhi would rather study than come play."

"Rain."

Everyone looked towards where the deep voice had spoken. There, near a window, stood Mori. "It's starting to rain." He said again, nodding out the window where the rain had begun to pour.

"Aw, you guys don't have to leave just because of a little rain, do you?" One of their female classmates asked.

Most of the female students had been excited to suddenly get so many handsome guys transferred into their school at once. But sadly the most desirable one seemed to already be taken.

"It's okay, we don't have to go," Honey answered, treating the girls to one of his sweet smiles.

"Yeah, we can play a bit longer." Kaoru added.

Just then, a flash of lightning lit up the darkening sky. And before anyone could say anything, Tamaki had flown out the door. He ran down the sidewalk. Luckily, they had picked a bowling alley near their high school, and their apartments were nearby as well.

Why did I let her stay by herself? He scolded himself as he ran.

"No thanks, Tamaki. I don't really have time to waste on pointless outings," Haruhi had told him as they exited school that afternoon. "I have to focus on my studies. But you go enjoy yourself since you're one of those lucky people who don't have to study."

"And I just let her go, damn it!" Tamaki cried out as he turned the corner onto their street. We haven't even been here that long and I've already abandoned her when she needs me.

He ran up the stairs to the floor they both lived on and knocked loudly on her apartment door. "Haruhi!" he called out. Another loud clap of thunder sounded and Tamaki heard a scream. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a key with a sparkly heart keychain. He quickly unlocked the door and pushed inside.

"Haruhi!" he called out. "I'm here!" Tamaki looked around the apartment frantically. Then he ran over to her bedroom and flung open the closet door.

Inside of the closet, huddled under a blanket, sat Haruhi. She looked up at the sudden light and Tamaki could see that her eyes were filled with tears. He immediately flung himself onto the floor beside her and pulled her onto his lap, as another clap of thunder sounded.

He pulled her close and noticed that she didn't have her earplugs in. "Why aren't you wearing your earplugs?" he asked.

Haruhi looked at him feeling embarrassed. "I haven't been able to find them since we unpacked. I think I left them in Japan."

Tamaki could feel his heart breaking for the girl he loved. Another thunder and she cried out again. He pulled her ear against his chest. "Just listen to my heartbeat." He ordered. He pressed the blanket against her other ear, muffling the sounds from the storm outside.

As he held her, he felt her breathing become more even. Why didn't I check the weather? I'm sure it would've showed the thunder storms. Then I would've known to stay with her. He looked down at his girlfriend, and found that despite the thunder and rain still storming outside, she had managed to fall asleep huddled in his arms.

"That's good, Haruhi. You should sleep." He whispered. His hand gently brushed her cheek, then he leaned down and placed a kiss atop her head.

Nearly half an hour later, the thunder had mostly stopped. Tamaki struggled to his feet with Haruhi in his arms. His legs were sore from sitting in the closet and he knew they both should get somewhere more comfortable.

He made his way to the bed and laid her down. He carefully arranged the blanket over her, before turning to walk away. But as he took a step, he felt a tug on his sleeve and looked back to see that even as she slept, she still held a tight grip on his arm.

He sighed, "C'mon, Haruhi. I'm still a man. Don't do this to me," he muttered. Then he sat down on the bed beside her and began to gently stroke her hair. She's really beautiful. He thought lovingly as he stared down at her.

"Wow! So he really is that big of a pervert."

"Who'd have thought the boss would use her weakness to get to third base?"

"Tama-chan and Haru-chan look so cute! Don't they Takashi!"

Tamaki's eyes fluttered open at the sounds of voices. Where am I? In bed? It's very comfy. But why did they mention Haruhi?

He looked around and spotted the twins, Honey and Mori, and Kyoya all standing around watching him. He looked down and spotted the reason they were looking.

Currently, there was a very adorable looking Haruhi Fujiioka lying nearly on top of him, her arms wrapped tightly around his torso.

He could feel his face warm as it undoubtedly turned bright red. "This is not what it looks like," he hissed at the other host club members.

Haruhi let out a small groan as she began to wake. She opened her eyes, her head still resting on Tamaki's chest, and looked up at him.

"I fell asleep?" she asked. Then her face turned more confused. "Tamaki, why are you blushing?"

Tamaki opened and closed his mouth in silence.

"Is Tama-chan trying to be a fish?" Honey asked.

Haruhi sat up at the sound of someone else's voice. "Oh, hey guys. When did you get here?"

The twins moved, in synch, to stand near where Haruhi sat. "Wait until you hear what the boss tried to do." They teased.

"Don't listen to them, Haruhi!" Tamaki cried, finally finding his voice. "I would never try anything like what they're implying. I just wanted to protect you."

"Protect is a very interesting word considering what we walked in on." Kyoya said coolly, unable to resist teasing his best friend.

Haruhi saw that Tamaki had turned an even darker shade of red as he tried to stutter out a response to the false accusations. She got up from the bed and began to push the twins along with the other three guys, out the door.

"Why don't you all go home already?" she told them, "I still have to finish my homework. Unlike you, my grades actually matter and I work hard for them."

The twins made faces at her but eventually, she succeeded in kicking the remainder of the host club out of her apartment. Then she returned to her room, where Tamaki was sitting huddled in the corner muttering to himself.

"Tamaki, what are you doing?" she asked, startling him.

He glanced over at her through tearful eyes. "I swear, Haruhi, I didn't do anything bad. I was just trying to keep you safe and then I wanted you to be comfy so I put you in bed but then you didn't let go so I sat down…. And I guess I fell asleep." His voice faded to silence. Then he rose and began to head for the door. "But, I guess I should go. You said you had to finish your homework."

Just as he reached the bedroom door, he felt a familiar tug on his sleeve.

"Wait," came a quiet voice.

He glanced back and saw Haruhi standing near him, staring at the ground, her face slightly flushed. "I- I," she sighed, feeling frustrated at how nervous she was. "I want you to stay with me. In case the storm starts again."

Tamaki's eyes lit up. "You want me to stay?" he asked. "For how long? Dinner?"

Haruhi shuffled her feet, still refusing to meet his eyes. "Can you stay the night?"

Even though, Tamaki knew one hundred percent that Haruhi meant nothing more by this. That all she was asking was for him to be there to keep her safe. He couldn't help his excitement.

He quickly grabbed her and pulled her into his arms, where he held her tightly. "Of course, my darling Haruhi! I'll stay with you forever if you want!"

Honestly, he had expected her to push him away. To change her mind and throw him out. But whether it was because she was too tired to get irritated or felt too grateful to throw him out. She suddenly leaned up and kissed his lips.

"Thank you, Senpai," she said softly. Then before he could react, she hurried out into the living area.

Tamaki stood frozen, his hand covering his lips which now felt like they were on fire. He would never get used to her kisses. And a part of him hoped that she would never get used to the thunder.

Because from now on, he planned to always be there to protect her from it.