Ode to Tamaki
Summary: Haruhi reflects on what it is about Tamaki that is so special.
A/N: I'm feeling morbid, so let's give this a go. In this piece, just assume that Tamaki was in a car accident.
Disclaimer: All mistakes are my own, and I don't own OHSHC
~O~o~O~
Tamaki was always so full of life. So full of energy. He basically sparkled and radiated positivity everywhere he went. You couldn't have found someone more energetic, enthusiastic, and passionate about helping others.
He cared about other people more than any other person I have ever known. He wanted everyone to like him so that anyone who he met could have a friend. He was just like that, always wanting people to be happy. He was always willing to see the good in people and give them second chances. He didn't care who it was, if someone was asking him for his help, he would help.
He had friends who loved him dearly. I don't know how he did it, but he managed to put the Ouran Host Club together, and we stayed a family. His personality was magnetic, in a way, and he was like a father to us, or at least, that's what he liked to think. As crazy as his schemes could get, they were always based on compassion and good moral reasons. He put a lot of thought into the club and cared for it deeply, which helped others care about it just as much.
To him, it wasn't just about being popular or getting girls to like him, it was about making sure that everyone around him felt special. He could light up a room with his smile alone, and he knew that. He didn't always need to be center stage, but he certainly appreciated it when he was.
He helped to strengthen the bond between Honey and his brother, he helped bring the Hitachiin twins out of their shell, he helped Kyoya find value in things like friendship instead of money, and he let me see that sometimes it is okay to depend on others.
Tamaki, while great at starting things, was never very good at seeing them through. Luckily, with the help of his friends, he managed to accomplish many of the goals he had with a great amount of stamina and ebullience involved. He helped a little girl and her brother, complete opposites, find common ground and love for each other. He helped a little boy learn to play the piano to win over a girl he loved. He did such great, wonderful things.
But it was all just in his nature. He didn't think much of what he did, he just went out and did it.
I hope that everyone grieving for him can be happy again, because I want to see his dreams fulfilled. His dreams of making everyone happy, even against all odds. He wouldn't want it this way, with everyone crying, but I'm sure he would love all of the attention.
As he once said, it is our responsibility as members of the elite Ouran Host Club to make every girl happy.
~O~o~O~
"I'm sorry, I just can't," Haruhi spoke softly, tears pooling in her eyes. She crumpled the paper in her hand, knowing that she would never be able to say the words she wrote aloud.
Kyoya moved to grab her, but she dodged him and fled.
Kyoya's father, upon seeing Haruhi run out of the church, suddenly realized that Yuzuru Suoh had lost the bet they made of who would marry the young girl. Emotions bubbled inside of him and he was torn between laughing and crying. Such a young, innocent life to lose so suddenly, and here he was thinking about a petty disagreement.
Meanwhile, Kyoya had skipped to his eulogy and apologized to everyone, explaining that Haruhi wasn't sure if she could give her speech initially and that she had been having doubts. His usually cool charm was especially lackluster, but he pulled through and delivered his own speech.
The rest of the Host Club sat and waited until they could go find Haruhi, and Ryoji Fujioka took it upon himself to search for her while they waited. He slipped out a back door and found her running away, so he took off and chased after her.
"Haruhi! Haruhi, wait!" he called out to her.
She slowed and came to a stop, only to fall on her knees in the grass. Her father sat on the ground beside her.
"Haruhi, it was nice of you to try. No one was expecting you to give your speech," he said, his voice quiet.
"I- I just- couldn't," she said.
He rubbed her back softly and whispered words of encouragement to her. He knew what it was like to lose someone he loved, but his words didn't have much of an effect. Though he didn't know this, it was because Haruhi was reminded of Tamaki everytime her father spoke. They were so much alike that it was nearly unbearable.
"Haru-chan?" Honey asked, appearing with the rest of the club behind the pair.
"I'll leave you with your friends for a while," Ryoji said with a sad smile.
Kyoya spoke first. "We all read your speech, Haruhi, and it was very beautiful. It wasn't necessary to share it with everyone else."
Haruhi was still crying lightly, but having her friends there was making it easier to stop.
"Yeah, the boss wouldn't have wanted to share your speech with anyone else," Kaoru offered.
Hikaru added, "And he would have been flattered to hear all of those things you said about him. He knew you liked him, but not to that extent."
"Haruhi, are you alright?" Mori asked, breaking his usual silence.
She nodded and did her best to give them all a smile. "Yeah, thanks, you guys."
She stood and they all moved in for a group hug. They stayed that way long enough that even Renge was able to find them after the funeral and join in. They all had a personal connection to Tamaki Suoh, and that was what kept them joined. Even in death, he kept the family together.
Haruhi didn't feel so bad about not speaking. At least, she didn't regret her decision. What she wrote was intimate and only deserved to be seen by Tamaki and her friends. And somewhere deep down, Haruhi knew that Tamaki had seen what she wrote. And that was all that mattered to her.
Because as a member of the elite Ouran Host Club, it was her responsibility to make him happy.
A/N: If I get a good enough response I may do a eulogy from Kyoya's perspective, but this might work better as just a one-shot. And sorry Haruhi's eulogy is so OOC, I just figured she would be different if Tamaki were gone.