Hello, everyone! This is my first (published) bit of fanfiction. Woohoo!! Usually I write like 4ish chapters and then am like "Screw it, I'm done", but I'm endeavoring to put an end to that now.

Before you begin, I'd just like you to know, I've never been a huge fan of Host Club (or any anime, for that matter) fanfictions where a character is paired with someone who is not in that anime/manga, and the author just made up, because usually that person is just a reflection on the author themselves. I've striven to not do that. So, I hope you'll overlook my slight hypocrisy and give Ame Reizei a chance! (Ame means rain... yeah. I'm pretty damn creative!!)

Disclaimer: I do not own Host Club, as much as I'd love to own Mori. It all belongs to Bisco Hatori, lucky her...

CHAPTER ONE: Introduction to Solitude

It was her life. She rose in the mornings and sank in the night, like the sun, and life happened in between. As a woman she was foreign to herself. As a girl she was lonely. But this was her life, and that was how she lived. Alone.

She grew to love the rain. It's cold touch on her warm skin, its musky smell on a summer's day, and the sound. She loved the sound. It soothed her nerves and made her house not feel as if there was always someone knocking on the door. Or talking. Some days it sounded like laughter. On other days it sounded like crying. The rain almost always seemed to echo her mood. And it should do just that, as rain was a part of her.

Her name was Ame Reizei.

Seventeen winters, but this was the coldest. She was late because her winter coat was in storage, which essentially meant it could be anywhere. When she finally managed to dig it out of the heaps of rubbish she scarcely used anymore, she made another realization.

The car's at the garage.

With seventeen blocks to run, she took off without any breakfast. Not that she would have cooked some anyway.

Seventeen blocks, and she was there. Ouran High School. Academy of the great and those who aspire to greatness. She passed through the gateway and up the steps, and then heaved her weight against the doors to the academy. She looked at the clock.

First block is nearly over…!

Her heart sunk. She bolted up the grand staircase and down the hall to her classroom, turned the corner—

SMACK!!

Her head collided with something hard and she fell to the ground. In shock she dropped her bag, and the contents now lay scattered on the floor. She endeavored to recollect her belongings, when a hand appeared in front of her face.

"Here."

Her eyes rose to find the object she had run into. He was a boy, tall, and he loomed over her with an expressionless face. Ame knew he was Takashi Morinozuka, and she recognized the small boy beside him as Mitsukuni Haninozuka. She suddenly felt like she shouldn't look straight at them; they were both members of the Host Club, and just being in their presence was overwhelming.

"I'm fine," she said, staring at the floor while she stood up. Morinozuka retracted his hand. In hopes that she had effectively stopped all further conversation and that they would now leave, she bent over to pick up her scattered books. She felt a shadow on her back and watched as the hand reached for a book next to her.

"I'll help."

It wasn't like she had never really been so close to a boy before; that's not why she was so flustered. In fact, maybe she didn't even know why, but she was still startled by his deep voice ringing so close to her ear. She took the book he handed to her with gratitude.

"Let me help too, Takashi!"

Little Haninozuka jumped up like a sprite, grabbing every little piece of paper that had flown from her bag with a face so determined and concentrated that it was silly. He returned them with a look of sheer glee. His smile made her smile a little, too.

"Thank you," she said, and she walked away, certain that she would never see either of them again.

"Takashi! Takashi!"

"What is it, Mitsukuni?"

"That girl—she was pretty, wasn't she?"

"…"

They were walking to class now; Mori was carrying Hunny's bag.

"I know that girl—she's in Tama-chan's class, isn't she? She doesn't talk a lot. I think she's really pretty!"

"…"

If someone were to merely observe one of Hunny and Mori's conversations in passing, they might think there was little depth to it, since Hunny was usually the only one talking, and his cuteness basically negated anything that made the conversations seem important. It didn't match his personality. But these conversations; they definitely meant something. In the small, limited world of Mori and Hunny, everything made perfect sense.

"I wonder what her name is. We could ask Tama-chan, right? I bet she's really nice! Maybe we could have her over to the host club sometime and eat lots of cake! Usa-chan would like it a lot if we had more friends…" Hunny held his stuffed rabbit close to his chest.

"Mitsukuni…"

He wouldn't pat his head like a child; despite his un-aging appearance Hunny was only a little younger than Mori. He may look like a child, but Mori knew better than to treat him as such. He cared for him, genuinely, like a dog cares for his master, but he would not comfort him with displays of physical affection like hugs or pats on the head. Their relationship was beyond that; it was one of deep understanding. Mori could dispel all Hunny's anxieties just by saying his name.

Hunny smiled warmly. He understood what Mori meant without him saying it. "Okay, Takashi. I'll take my bag now," and then, in his cheery way, "You can hold Usa-chan!"

"Nn."

And so they continued down the hall, this unlikely pair, bags and rabbit both in tow.

"Takashi!"

Mori never really felt like he suited the life of a host, though if you did not know this you would think he was managing it exceptionally well.

Most people took his silence as a token that he was a great deal internally focused. Part of his charm was in his mystery. Sometimes (though admittedly not very often), even Hunny found his expressions indecipherable.

"Look! Look!"

As for why he joined the Host Club, there was almost no mystery there. His undying loyalty and companionship for Mitsukuni Haninozuka, his cousin, who he had an inborn tendency to protect was the reason. When Hunny wanted to join the club, Mori was right there with him.

"Oh, Hunny-senpai, that's wonderful!"

"Good job! It's adorable!"

"Takashi, Takashi look!"

Mori embraced the fact that without Hunny, he was almost nothing; just another pretty face with only monosyllabic expressions to give. Hunny gave him depth, character, emotion; he essentially defined what Mori was. And Mori did not view this as a negative thing, necessarily. He had long since dedicated his life to being with Hunny, bringing him joy, making him smile. It brought him nothing but delight, being able to spend his time with Hunny, day after day.

He smiled.

"Good, Mitsukuni."

As far as Mori was concerned, this was bliss.