Disclaimer; I do not own Ouran High School Host Club in any way. However, I do own a hairdryer. ; P
Summary; Halloween at Ouran, Commoner's Trick or Treating? Thunderstorms? HunnyXHaruhi? Yes, yes, and YES!
Bittersweet Puzzle
Chapter 1
Mitsukuni's POV
I woke up in a blur, grumpy as usual, but immediately snapped out of my foul mood when I realized I was in my couch at the back of Music Room 3. Wait, I'm thinking, How did I get here? Suddenly I remember.
"Oh god…" barely a whisper," Haru-chan! Haru-chan where are you?" I'm talking at a loud whisper. Oh god oh god oh god, constantly rolling around in my head. I now remember that Tono wanted to go Commoner's Trick or Treating, and we walked out of Haru-chan's place. We walked for hours stopping to get FREE CANDYat stranger's houses. When it started raining, I called my driver to take us to the school, which was the closest building and we (mostly Haru-chan) wanted out of the rain as soon as possible. We had already arranged to be at Haru-chan's so no one would worry. We just had to call Ranka and tell where we'd be.
Snapping out of my little rerun of last night, I hear a small whimper from one of the rooms farthest corners. Is that? No. It couldn't be. She only does that when- . But sure enough, as my eyes adjusted to the dark, I saw Haruhi under a table and suddenly lightning flashed outside, truly lighting the fear in her eyes as she trembled. How had I slept through this? It's shaking the walls!
I get up and walk towards her, that's when I realize that, somehow, everyone was still sleeping. All sleeping comfortably on roll out mattresses from the infirmary. Tamaki was mumbling in his sleep with a smile on his face, "Why, of course Daddy will protect you against those evil doppelgangers, my precious daughter."
While he is over here having sweet dreams of protecting his "daughter", she is in a corner sobbing her eyes out and cowering in fear. A look of aggravation crosses my face as I glance at the rest of them. The twins fondling each other in their sleep, Kyoya, sleep talking about profits and monthly quotas etc. but I couldn't find Takashi, he was probably searching the school for my midnight cake cravings. Wow, she was right, we really are rich bastards. I may just be saying this 'cause I'm cranky but, wow.
Haruhi's POV
"Haru-chan! Haru-chan where are you?" Is that… Hunny? This late at night? Oh god, I hope I'm not the reason he woke up! Maybe if I just stay quit, he'll go back to sleep. *whimper* Shut up! It's not that hard! I look around to see if I should go back to my bed yet, and all of a sudden, the storm is going crazy. Oh great, he is awake, with the last bolt of lightning, I had found myself locking eyes with the tiny senpai. I hear feet shuffling and it stops halfway across the large room, so I figure he is just going to lie on a bed when I hear what sounds like a growl. Oh no, you really got him peeved this time Haruhi.
When he starts moving again, and stops in front of the table I'm under, I wince, and try to brace for impact. A tired Hunny is never a nice Hunny, it doesn't matter who you are he'll get you. So, on instinct, I pull away from him as much as I can. Bad move, but instead of the usual grab of the wrist, he pulls away to, and looks at his hands in horror. He falls to his knees and just sits there for a minute, staring, from me, to his hands, and back again.
Mitsukuni's POV
Did she just- I step back and stare at my hands in shock. She j-just. Pulled away. L-like I was the lightning. Or a- a monster. Somehow I've found my way to sitting on the floor, I look up at her but not for long, as I can't stand the terror in her eyes as she stares at me. Am I? A monster? I knew I was cranky and bratty but I don't remember ever hurting anyone. I've never seen her this scared. Those are the 2 things she fears? Thunderstorms a-and … me?
I look back up at her and this time I catch something in her eye, something different from fear but familiar to her or Kyoya. She was, analyzing me? So she hadn't been staring with fear of me, she had been watching me with fear of being caught or proved wrong. She pulled away because she thought I was still sleeping, when I get really mad.
"H-Hunny-senpai? A-are you o-okay? I'm sor- EEP!" She was cut short by rolling thunder that made her reach out and pull me close.
"It's okay. I know. It's all gonna be fine." I was out of my comfort zone but, I couldn't just leave her. Even though I was trying to cheer her up, I was also trying to soothe her to sleep so I could carry her to her bed and we could both sleep, so I couldn't use my usual over-exited little kid voice, but it was difficult to use my serious voice when I kept wanting to squirm around and fall asleep myself.
Haruhi's POV
"It's okay. I know. It's all gonna be fine," came a very serious voice from the small and very sleepy looking Hunny-senpai, which, by now, I had grabbed hold of the front of his undershirt and had gotten as close to him as I could. He seemed to be uncomfortable but when I tried to release him from my arms. He just pulled me closer and whispered non-sense into my ear until I fell asleep.
Mitsukuni's POV
Finally! She fell asleep! Now I just have to get her to a bed that isn't near Tono or the twins, they'll suffocate her in her sleep. As I walk to the bed between Kyoya's and where Takashi would be if he wasn't out cake hunting, Takashi walks through the door of the room with cake. He smiles at me as I set Haruhi down on the bed and run quickly over to my couch and back to the bed to give her Usa-chan, which she greedily hugs close to herself. Exhausted, I walk over to the table where Takashi and the cake await me, and plop down in the nearest chair.
"That was awfully nice yet unusual of you," Takashi whispered as he placed a smaller-than-usual piece in front of me.
"Hey! That's small!" I whined rather loudly. I covered my mouth with both hands and looked around. Satisfied that I had not awakened anyone, I continued "What do you mean by 'unusual', Takashi?"
"You've never given anyone Usa-chan before, to sleep with, that is. Not even me" A smirk crossing his ever-stoic face.
"W-well, I, um, I, it's just that, you know. Ugh, you didn't see her Takashi. It was terrible! Even when it comes to storms, I've never seen her so scared before… You just-"
"Don't understand?" He interrupted. "I understand, you are the one who doesn't understand. I understand… that you have feelings for Haruhi."
"I understand that I 'have feelings for her'" I spoke seriously but giggled slightly at the strange phrase that meant love. I understand that I do, but I do not understand why. Why her, she isn't the prettiest girl I've ever met, she's a puzzle, one I might never understand. But a puzzle I love anyways."Takashi, do you love Haru-chan also?" a question that clearly caught him off guard.
"Of course, but not like you do Mitsukuni. I love her like a little sister." Takashi smiled at me and walked to his bed in between Tamaki and Haruhi.
All of a sudden I realized just how tired I really was but used the last of my energy to silently drag the nearest couch in between Haruhi and the Shadow King who was, even now, in his sleep, reaching over as if Haruhi was his own personal Usa-chan. I smiled as I looked at my handy work of preventing Kyoya from cuddling with Haru-chan and dropped on the couch as drifted into sleep.
Chapter 2
Mitsukuni's POV
"Mitsukuni!" What now? I thought as the figure next to me bolted upright and screamed. I look around and spot an already dissipating cloud of malevolence over the Shadow King, Seriously? How's come I'm the only one that wakes up? Grabbing her arms, I sigh to myself and look into her eyes, preparing for a sleepless night for the both of us, but instead see a mixture of terror and concern, glazed over like glass. She's sleeping? I think I heard of this once in health class, sleeping disorders, a… a night-terror? Yeah, that's it! But what happened that was so terrible? And why did she scream my name?
"Shush, Haruhi… um… chan. Everything is okay, why don't we go to sleep? Here, take Usa-chan, Goodnight." I whispered, still looking her in the eye, she seemed to relax the most when I bent down to pick up the bunny on the floor. As I laid her down, her eyes fell from wide to half-lidded, she was peaceful within minutes, no longer racking with sobs or breathing heavily. I looked to the large Grandfather clock on the wall, which read 1:45-ish, only half an hour from when I fell asleep earlier. This means I can still sleep well if those idiots let me sleep in a little.
Chapter 3
Haruhi's POV
I woke up cheerier than usual and was about to go on with my usual morning business, when I realized I wasn't at home. I also noticed that I was being held at the side and was resting my head and one arm on torn fabric and a soft yet nicely toned chest, and that in my other arm, I was clutching onto a familiar pink stuffed bunny, Usa-chan? Why do I have Usa-chan? If I remember right the last thing that happened was that I fell asleep during the storm next to… Hunny! He must have carried me over here when I fell asleep! So he's probably… I lift my face up slowly, careful not to disturb him, only to be pulled in closer, but not forcefully like he would Usa-chan, gentle but firm. After I let my eyes leave his face, and wander, I saw that everyone but Tamaki was awake, even Kyoya, and were now sitting on a strangely close couch, watching wide-eyed with astonishment. Well, Takashi, unlike the others, had his usual stoic face on but hinted at the smallest smirk ever seen.
"Good Morning World! Good morning to a-" beginning in a loud flamboyant chatter and ending in a near inaudible whisper, Tamaki stared in disgust at Hunny-senpai as he held me, and me Usa-chan, and turned to 'Momma' to whine and complain about my 'virtue being stolen by a saccharine demon' but was cut short and sent to his corner of woe by a low growl from Hunny-senpai and a warning glare from Mori-senpai.
Mitsukuni's POV
That's it. The idiot woke me up. I could already feel the heat of the glares from Hikaru and Kyoya; it was time to deal with the lovers in denial. They still got pissed when anyone else touched her though. Sitting up and resting on one elbow, I let go of Haru-chan, who then, reluctantly, handed me Usa-chan and sat up, I chilled the heat of their glares with morning fury behind an icy cold stare, slightly hidden behind my bangs. Once we seem to be at a medium, I take this opportunity to change subject.
"Good Morning Kyo-chan, Hika-chan! You too, Kauru-chan, Taka-chan!" turning around I just about knock Haru-chan off the bed in a 'Good Morning Hug', but catch her only to have her 5 cm. from my face.
Snap out of it! They must have noticed you being this close for so long, and you just keep staring! I mentally scolded myself. Still, she doesn't seem to mind, in fact, it looks like she wa-. Never mind, I need food. Brain, you can think of Haru-chan when I have food in front of me! Until then-
"Hey, Romeo? Can you put the moves on her later? I'm hungry!" Kauru states boldly, and I pull away from Haru-chan, all through my thinking I had slowly shifted back onto the bed but was still whisper distance away from her face.
"Kauru! I can't believe-" Hikaru scolds while Kyoya's equally uncomfortable sounding reply came
"Kauru, please don't use such terms." It sounded oddly sweet to hear the edge of embarrassment in Kyoya's otherwise emotionless façade.
Haruhi's POV
There was something about him that I couldn't quite place. Something, but it didn't feel bad, actually, it felt kinda good. Sitting there, in his arms, staring into his chocolate brown eyes, staring back into my own, even if I had been falling, it didn't feel wrong or bad. He seemed deep into thought, and not about what cake he would be having, but something much more serious, something that had me transfixed on every millimeter of those colossal eyes of his.
"Hey, Romeo? Can you put the moves on her later? I'm hungry!" Kauru, note to self: Lock Kauru in a room with Tamaki for hours WITHOUT Hikaru, true torture. While I went on about how to get Kauru back, I heard slight murmurs in the room around me.
"HARUHI! My poor daughter! She's gone deaf because of you two doppelgangers and that mini-beast!" I really should pay more attention, now Tamaki had me in a death-hug and was swinging me back and forth going on about how he would get his revenge on them.
As soon as I had managed to pry myself away from him, I ran and hid behind Mori-senpai. That always seemed to be a reliable place to go. "Gosh Senpai! I can hear, okay! I just don't pay attention all that well in the morning! Leave me alone, PLEASE!" Mori-senpai stopped Tamaki as he tried to get around him to hug 'his precious daughter who had been heeled by a miracle'. All of a sudden Tamaki fell to the ground and behind him was a smiling Hunny-senpai.
"There, that should keep him relaxed for about ten minutes. Hey, Takashi, that pressure point thingy really works!" he cheered, but something in his tone hinted that it was a warning or display of power, I'm just gonna shake it off, probably to the guys and Tamaki for waking him up earlier. I don't know, Hunny's a puzzle to me.
"Yeah" comes the usual stoic response.
"Come on everybody! Let's go get some breakfast." Hunny-senpai gleefully skipped out the door grabbing my hand as he passed me. But as soon as we were around the corner, thankfully, he slowed to a walk.
Mitsukuni's POV
Tamaki's death-hug and constant pursuing of Haru-chan was the perfect opportunity to show those Haru-chan hogging meanies that I could easily brush them away like I had Tamaki. Besides, he called me a mean name. He deserved it.
"Come on everybody! Let's go get some breakfast." I said; rather chipper for this time in the morning, grabbing Haru-chan's hand as I passed. I wanted out of there, so I skipped at my top speed, but when we got around the corner she looked kinda tired already, so I walked instead. I guess it was too much activity for this early in the morning. Then I started to let my mind wander.
What is up with Haru-chan lately? She seems so out of it, and spacey. If she wasn't so cute when she did that, I would have told her already. Ahh! What am I thinking? She'll never love me the way I love her. But, why my name last night. I could have sworn she was secretly in love with Kyo-chan, by the way she looked, no, stared at him. I wish she was mine and mine only. I guess I'll just have to deal with it, because, even though I'm the oldest, I still only look nine years old. We could never even be public about us, she'd be ridiculed. I think too much, I wish she was as easy as the other girls to figure out. No I don't! How could I say that? I glance over towards her, Oh man! Why is she looking at me like that, is something wrong?
Haruhi's POV
I hope I didn't say anything to humiliating last night, or kept him from sleeping. I have to learn how to control my outbursts. My true thoughts and feelings just out in the open like that. It's embarrassing! Calm down, Haruhi. Stop yelling at yourself. Focus on something else. Focus on… HUNNY! Perfect, just don't let him catch you.
Wait, he has that look again, but this time it has more of an open look, as if he isn't trying to shake it off, now he's blushing. Oh no, he must be thinking of something I did last night. Wait, he just looked at me, now he looks embarrassed, I must have been staring for too long.
"Uh, Hunny-senpai? I'm sorry for being so out of it today I just-" I sputtered out like a crazy person.
"No problem Haru-chan, it's okay! Hey, did you know that you have night-terrors, but when you stopped I got to sleep fast!" I twitched at the thought of freaking out in my sleep and Hunny having to deal with it, but was surprised when he said I stopped. Usually on the nights it happened, it went on until I woke up. All of a sudden I noticed that the guys weren't with us, Probably waiting for Tamaki-senpai to wake up.
Mitsukuni's POV
"Hunny-senpai? Where are we going? I don't really have anything in particular in mind so… wait, what about the rest of the guys? Shouldn't we go back?" Oh yeah, Tama-chan's probably awake by now. So by the time we get there, he should be less upset.
"Okay Haru-chan, Tono should be awake now. Let's Gooo!" turning around in spin I start to march back to the room. Sometimes I creep myself out with all the cuteness that I am. I'm still 17 though, and on the inside, I cringe every time girls don't take me seriously because I look 9 years old. I've changed my mind, Haru-chan's not like that, she knows me good enough to treat me like the teenager I am.