The Rose Behind The Shadow

Chapter One

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Ouran High School Host Club franchise. I do not own any of the characters depicted apart from my own original characters, nor do I share any of the beliefs the characters in this story express. I am not profiting financially from the creation and publication of this story.

Kyoya wasn't surprised when his father called him into his office one afternoon. On the contrary, he was expecting it. At the beginning of the holidays Kyoya's father, Yoshio Ootori, had instructed Kyoya to entertain the eldest daughter of a prominent architectural and construction firm for the affluent, a company Ootori Industries worked closely with. They built all of the Ootori buildings, from the hospitals to their own homes. Even the work done over sea's that the Ootori's had their hands in, the Degre' Foundations did too.

As Kyoya stood before his father's polished ebony desk with his family's patriarch staring harshly at him from its other side, he was emotionless as his father informed him of his fate. It was what he expected. Since the beginning of the holidays miss Leara Degre' had been driven to his house on a number of planned occasions. In all honesty it wasn't a hassle her being in his private quarters. She was quite, not like other girls he had met at the Host Club who felt the need to fill every waking second with unnecessary chatter. Miss Degre' was almost a little too shy, yet she was intellectual and eloquent when their conversations had strayed to the more academically stimulating subjects before her chaperon had cleared her throat and looked at them reproachfully. He had met some heirs who wanted a meek and docile betrothed, yet he found himself curious at the intellect and insight Leara showed when they were allowed to converse naturally. As Kyoya's father listed the merits of his betrothal to the young heiress, two years younger than himself, he made a mental note to dismiss Leara's chaperon and track down the rare glimpses of personality he had seen. The governess had fulfilled her purpose overseeing the two young teenagers meetings. Now that they are to be wed, there would need to be a lot more formal and informal meetings between the pair.

All-in-all he could have found himself engaged to a twit, so he was pleased how things had worked themselves out. Leara Degre' was the first cousin of the Hostess Arisa Somariki, someone Kyoya respected, and she was also Takashi Morinozuka betrothed. The older girl hadn't been pleased at learning where her much younger cousin had been spending her holidays. But, on one afternoon Mori and Arisa had joined Leara and himself, he had learned through whispers while the governess was snoring asleep across the room that Arisa and Leara's patriarch, their grandfather on their father's side of the family, was almost a little too pleased at Kyoya's and Leara's betrothal. He had known how unpleasant the Degre' patriarch was, through rumours and subtle conversations with Arisa and Mori, but it wasn't until he had seen the white sheen on Leara's face and the motherly protectiveness Arisa had then showered on her that he began to understand the effect that man had on his family. Particularly the female ones. Always guarded, yet she was always vulnerable in his eyes. An object that needed absolute protection from no one and everyone.

His…

A couple of years ago there was some controversy when Leara's mother got pregnant by a man who wasn't Mrs Degre's husband, or Leara's father. It was all very ugly business, and the rumour was Mr Degre' and his father had both been abusing Leara and her mother long before Mrs Degre' met and fell pregnant by her now husband. Now a couple of years later, Leara had a half-brother and sister significantly younger then herself, and Kyoya watched her as a hawk would a mouse when she talked of her home life. It was expected that he learn to read her expressions early, so he had. What was unexpected was the passion and affection she held for her siblings, despite only sharing one parent. He had known many-a-sibling that would crawl over their family's corpses to get a hand-up in the business world. And he himself wasn't particularly fond of his own, despite the respect he had for them. But from what he understood, Arisa, Leara and Leara's half-siblings all had a very tight familia bond. However, their relationships with their parents were almost non-existent.

Due to Leara being the legitimate heir of Degre' Foundations, she, upon her father stepping down, would inherit everything. Because of this, however, her father, and his, had a tight hold on her life. Part of the condition Leara remain sole heir to Degre' Foundations was her mother, and particularly her new family, had nothing to do with Degre' Foundations, and only limited access to Leara herself.

Driving to Leara's apartment, where she lived by herself at the wishes of her father and his, Kyoya thought of the implications of that tight control they had over her. Yes, Arisa and Leara seemed to be bound tightly because of the circumstances, and detachedly he thought the abuse they both suffered under their patriarchs hands was a contributing factor to the almost sisterly, yet mother and child bond the two shared. Kyoya's hands on his steering wheel tightened. And with a sinking feeling in his gut he braked heavily out-front Leara's apartment, flinging the door open and not even bothering with an umbrella strode purposely to the small, drenched figure standing alone on the deserted pavement.

Her soft, grey eyes blinked softly under the heavy downpour of rain around them, and despite the faint blue colour staining her lips they lifted in a half-hearted smile when he reached her. "Congratulations Kyoya-san, due to our engagement, and of course your own excellent, hard work, I heard your father is now seriously considering you as heir…." he cut her off, his own eyes staring down at her almost harshly "what are you doing out here? You do realise how this can seriously hinder your health?".

She blinked up at him slowly, and he noticed how the water on her eyelashes looked like diamonds "I received a call from my father. I was given instruction to wait outside for your arrival, no matter the weather as your fiancée I am to always graciously welcome you home, or in this case, into mine".

Kyoya almost glared down at this small girl, her answer to his question seeming idiotic given the current downpour and circumstances. Yet he knew the fear she held towards her father and his, and her subservient attitude when concerning them. He hated it how they forced her to kneel before them all because of Leara being female, and her mother's actions. But he could not bring himself to hate their parents for bringing her to him he realized, no matter what, now he could, and would, protect this woman for the rest of his life. No doubt she was sick from being forced to wait out in the rain for him by her moronic father, and thus she needed to be somewhere he knew she'd be safe.

With his arm around her shoulders he herded her into the direction of his car, where it still sat running and the driver's door wide open. Leara Degre' would be coming home with him.

Leara looked up at him wide-eyed, her eyes red and droplets of water sliding off her cheeks in waves "why do you look so…..angry Kyoya-san?"

Kyoya tried to soften his expression, not wanting to scare the younger girl. He picked up one of her hands and threaded his fingers through hers; kissing softly the back of the cool flesh "you'll find I can be very…possessive…over what's mine, Leara. Your father's actions and orders are imposing on my own. I'm going to have to have a serious discussion with your relatives over how they treat you from now on, now that we are betrothed"

There was a pause as his words sunk in, and her own cold fingers gripped his tightly "Oh god, Kyoya-san, you're not going to assassinate him are you?"

"I can see a few merits from it…"

She was his now, and his alone, and he would never allow anyone else to harm this woman.

His.