This was done for Kauz-chan's Insperation-Song Related Challenge on SHINE. I chose to use the lyrics to the Pussycat Doll's 'When I Grow Up', which is one of my new favorite songs. It's kinda odd, but I figured it would work for Tamaki's eccentric, movie worthy nature and personality. Along with the settings, however, I think I failed at the story.

InFamous

Something was bugging Tamaki. Weather something internal or mental, the entire host club could sense it as soon as the usually flamboyant blond walked into the room. That's right; walked. Not waltzed. Not skipped. Not danced. Walked…

Hikaru watched him warily as the older boy crossed the room to Kyouya's desk, holding a single piece paper clutched in his hand and a clearly dejected look on his face. The Shadow King indulged his obvious self pity for a good minute or two before reminding the other boy that they had business to attend to.

"But the customers aren't even here," Tamaki wailed as Kyouya forcefully steered him out of his work space and pointed towards Haruhi.

"Go seek you complacent sympathy from someone else."

Tamaki visibly wilted, his eyes going from Haruhi to Kyouya, then towards Hunny and Mori. And, finally, to the twins. And there his eyes lingered, even after Kaoru excused himself (for no reason) and went to bother the Shadow King.

Slowly, the blond walked towards the elder red head, shoulders slumped and head bowed in an almost comical display of depression. Hikaru found it would be easy to laugh off the sudden, fluttery feeling in his stomach and simply depress the older boy more, but he didn't laugh.

"What's that?" he asked suspiciously, pointing towards the piece of pink paper that his upperclassman was clutching as if it was his life line. "Detention or something?"

Tamaki sniffled pitifully. "I'm…I'm…I-I'm failing drama."

Silence. The Hitachiin wasn't sure if he had heard correctly. How could Tamaki—the flamboyant, eccentric, drama queen—be failing drama?! It seemed like an impossible feat (one that only the blond would be capable of) and a ridiculous one at that. But…wait…why was the blond even taking drama? He had his future set out in front of him to the nth degree, and no where in the fine print did it say 'be in a production of Wicked on Broadway'.

"Tono…why are you taking drama? I don't think you really have much of a career in that area…"

The look in Tamaki's eye made something inside Hikaru wither and he suddenly felt horrible. The older boy's eyes moist and the red head dodged out of the way before his upperclassman could throw himself, sobbing, onto his shoulders.

"It was always my dream to be famous!! Ever since I was little!! My mother always told me that my name would be recognizable!! People would point at it on billboards and say 'I know him' or 'He's so famous and good looking!'. BUT NO!!" Tamaki continued to cry. By now, he had the entire attention of the other hosts, as well as the few early comers to be hosted. Kyouya and Kaoru were observing this display lightly from a couch across the way.

"Uh…" Hikaru patted his king awkwardly on the shoulder. "There…there?"

"I said 'Mama, I want to see the world on the red carpet and then drive fancy cars everywhere!!' And I said that I didn't want to be the Suoh heir!! I really didn't."

The blond was distraught. Hikaru glanced over his shoulder for his brother, silently pleading for help. None came. Kaoru simply shrugged and pretended not to know what he was saying.

"Uh…tono…" No response. "Tamaki?" The name felt foreign against his tongue.

"Yes?" The blond looked up, brilliantly blue eyes watery and looking slightly red. His mouth was pressed together in a thin line that seemed to be suppressing tears.

Hikaru shook his head. "Uh…Even though I'm not one, I'm pretty sure that the only good thing about being a movie star is the groupies…and you've got them here."

He heard the undignified squawk of what sounded like Renge and smirked as Tamaki's attention was drawn towards the girls. He flushed at being caught in such a state, but seemed for pressed for comfort then retaining his dignity.

"Wh…what do you mean, Hikaru?"

"I mean…well, I guess you don't need drama. You can say what you want to say, but dreams do die, senpai…Most of them, at least. Haven't you ever been disappointed in life?"

"…No." It could have been a lie, but Hikaru didn't press the buttons. Instead, he opted for the matter.

"School?"

"…No."

Furrowing his brow, the Hitachiin pressed forward even more. "Love?"

"…Yes."

There. He'd struck a nerve and now the only thing to do was screw it in deeper until Tamaki's depression about the failed grade was utterly forgotten. It was a sucky way at best, but the only way he knew to comfort someone without touching them, and touching Tamaki at this point might be a bad idea. A…very bad idea.

"You do have to let most of your dreams and ideals go for the sake of what you actually have a shot at in life. Like," he lowered his voice so the customers couldn't hear, no matter how hard they strained their ears. "Like you affections for Haruhi. You had to let them go because your grandmother wouldn't let you marry her and even now you're—wait; why are you shaking your head?"

"It's not Haruhi."

Hikaru suspiciously raised an eyebrow. If the blond wanted to taunt him and toy with the conflicting emotions behind the red head's eyes, than fine. Hikaru's tone hardened.

"Either way, you had to give whoever it was up, the same way you will have to about being a super star."

"But…but you said you had to give up things to, and you're still infamous." The older boy was pushing buttons in a very dangerous location now. On that ranged between the older red headed twin's 'annoyance' button and one that was far less innocent. The simpering look made Hikaru want to jump Tamaki in five seconds flat, if he could.

"Well, you see, I'm a fashion designer; people will always have their eye on what me and Kaoru turn out. You're going to be a school chairman…"

There was a silence. He heard several sniffles and coos about 'wonderful boy love' from the girls but generally ignored them. It was what people said and it didn't always have to be right…even if this time it was.

Tamaki hung his head, this time more in contemplation than depression. Noting this, Hikaru attempted to move away, moving to lift himself off of the couch and eyes trained on Kaoru, but the feeling of someone grasping the sleeve of his school uniform caused him to fall back on sofa.

"Tamaki, what the hell—"

"When you said that I had to give the other person up—the one that disappointed me in love—I didn't." The words rushed over the blonde's lip, cascading down with a speed and ferocity that seemed so unlike the simpering, sad tone he'd been using just moments before. Hikaru was taken aback.

"Oh. Then I'd say just be careful what you wish for. Maybe that person will chose to return your feelings, and that'll be worse than not giving them up." He glared at his sleeve, which was still stuck between the blonde's fingers. "Senpai, let go."

"No. He wouldn't do that."

"Either way. Be careful what you wish for. Who knows; maybe that person will kill you—I kinda want to right now—and then you will be famous."

His well calculated put downs did nothing to dissuade the other boy. In turn, Tamaki's eyes hardened in a kind of stupid determination that seemed befitting and revolting in his stance at the same time. Hikaru suddenly realized that this was the passionate side of Tamaki; the side that had slammed Haruhi's would-be attacker into a wall, the side that fought hard to gain the trust of his brother, himself, Kyouya and Hunny. The side that would jump off a bridge to save a friend."

"No. He wouldn't do that."

An exaggerated rolling of the eyes accompanied the following statement. "How the hell do you know? If you know this person so very well, then why didn't you either make a move or simply give up, which you claim you didn't."

"Would you?"

Shock and suspicion clouded over the amber irises of the younger boy as he stared into intensely blue ones. Off to the side, Kaoru shifted uncomfortably against Kyouya's desk, almost as if to move towards the pair seeking the attention. Did Tamaki just lay out everything in front of his oblivious brother like that? Had he really just asked Hikaru if 'he would?', whatever he meant by that? Shrugging, Kaoru figured the words had some meaning.

"W-…would I what?" The look had gravitated out of his eyes and into his voice. What was Tamaki playing at?

"Would you kill me?" The blond scrunched up his eyebrows and hand loosening on the cuff of his fellow host. Tamaki withdrew and leaned back, breath heavily as if he'd just run a mile and looking more nervous than determined.

"…No, senpai." Hikaru scoffed, then hurriedly added, "I don't think Kyouya-senpai would let me."

A small, pained smiled made it's way onto Tamaki's mouth and the other boy watched it. He had to mentally slap himself to get his eyes to redirect to the blonde's entire face again.

"That's how I know…"

Tamaki had always wanted attention. His sadness at failing drama and not getting cast in a school play were true, evident and raw emotion. However, he found himself rather largely compensated when news spread around school that he was in love with the older Hitachiin twin. What could he say? Nothing. He didn't complain; not when the rumors were published in the school news paper, news cast nor written on the bathroom walls. Nor did he complain when the object of his so called 'desire' asked him if it was true, he admitted it and the two had…well, let's just say the relationship that would form from the word 'yeah' would prove to be quite obscene, well publicized and romantic.

No. Hikaru had warned him before to be careful what he wished for and he had been. But sometimes being careful was a little too hard. Especially when you're scared of losing all your dreams (when in reality you're really just failing a class).

-hides- Okay…I don't see how this is related to the song anymore, besides a couple of super, sneaky ninja bits of lyrics slipped into the dialogue and the thing about Tamaki wanting to be famous. This idea was originally a lot grander in my mind's eye, but it kinda failed in the making process.

Anyways, ya'll know what I'm asking for –points to the box labeled 'review' and 'go'- PRESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS…please.