Kaoru followed Laney into her kitchen, which was full of the scent of roast pork and apples. Suzu, the cook, was just taking off her apron. "Good evening, Madam. The pork loin should be ready to come out in about twenty minutes. I've preheated the top oven and set out the ingredients for biscuits; I assumed you would prefer to make them yourself, as usual. Is there anything else you need?"

"Suzu, you're a jewel of a woman. Thank you, I think we can handle it from here." Laney opened the fridge and pulled out a small dish of cubed butter and a bottle of buttermilk. "Go home and see your children."

"Good night, then, Ootori-sama, Hitachiin-sama."

Kaoru pulled up a kitchen stool to the island, watching as Laney started to assemble the biscuits. She processed the butter and the dry ingredients, then transferred the coarse mixture into a bowl. She added buttermilk without to bothering to measure and stirred very gently. Frowning, she added a splash more buttermilk, and then turned the whole mess out onto the marble block on top of the island. She started patting the dough out. Looking up, she studied Kaoru as her hands moved lightly over the dough. "Want to talk about it?"

"About what?"

"About whatever's making you look like you haven't had a decent night's sleep in over a week?"

Kaoru sighed. "It's just been really hectic at work lately."

Laney raised an eyebrow. "That all?"

"And I feel like I'm walking on thin ice around Hikaru. He's been so moody this past week; I can never tell what's going to set him off."

Laney folded the dough, patted it down, folded it again. Kaoru found the rhythmic, repetitive motions of her hands soothing. He'd been a not-infrequent dinner guest since Laney and Kyoya had moved back to Japan three months ago, and watching Laney make biscuits—and then eating those biscuits—had become a pleasant way to wind down after a particularly stressful day.

"Kaoru, I don't like it any more than you do," Laney said, folding the dough one last time. "But they really need to figure this out on their own."

I thought this subject was off the table, Kaoru thought. "It's been almost two years. What makes you think they're ever going to figure it out?"

"Because it's not sustainable. I think the only reason things have gone on like this for so long is because Jen is buried so deep in her residency that she can't see the forest for the trees. She's going to start looking around at oncology fellowships, and I know Jen—once she starts putting one part of her life in order, she won't stop." Laney cut the biscuits out, carefully transferring them to the baking sheet. "If you ask me, the problem is they never actually bother to talk to each other. Chemistry is all well and good, but those two just leap into bed and wind up ignoring everything else."

Kaoru gathered the dough scraps together, gently patting them down again. Laney smiled at him and handed over the round cutter. He managed to get another two biscuits cut out and put them on the baking sheet with Laney's. She transferred the sheet into the top oven and set the timer, then started cleaning up.

"I don't understand how someone who can't cook can make such amazing biscuits," Kaoru said lightly as Laney wiped down the counters.

"My grandma was not about to let any female of her own blood out into the world unable to make a decent biscuit. She would have died from the shame," Laney laughed. "We spent one whole summer when I was 14 in biscuit boot camp. Closest I ever came to hating her." She opened the fridge and got out some lettuce and peppers. "Why don't you set the table while I throw together a quick salad?"

Kaoru set three places at the round wooden table. The house had a formal dining room, but Laney and Kyoya took most of their meals in the large eat-in kitchen. Kaoru smiled to himself. Hikaru had been right; Kyoya was definitely more relaxed now that he was married.

Once they had sat down to dinner and taken the edge off their hunger, Laney asked, "So what's this about needing to borrow some of Kyoya's paintings?"

"This teacher at Ouran, Hisakawa, thinks her class is a little too materialistic, evidently, so she asked Tamaki's father about having some alumni who work in the arts visit the class to show them that there's more to life than just power and prestige. So the chairman called in a favor, and I got stuck with it," Kaoru explained.

"But your work is powerful and prestigious, so I'm a little unclear how bringing in one of the world's top fashion designers is going to show these kids that art should exist for its own sake," Laney responded.

"That's where Kyoya's paintings come in. I'm going to bring in some of Hikaru's photography work, and I wanted to show them along with the paintings to show that art can function as an outlet for self-expression. I'm also going to ask Mei for some of her recent work so I can show them that the arts allow us to cross social boundaries." Kaoru snagged another biscuit.

"Leave some for my husband, please," Laney said mildly. "Okay, I get the gist of what you're doing. But why Kyoya's paintings, specifically?"

"Hisakawa indicated that a lot of these kids are pretty cutthroat, even though they're only in sixth grade. Remind you of anyone?"

"Kyoya is not cutthroat!" Laney said indignantly. Kaoru just looked at her. "I guess I can see where he might come off that way in a few specific situations," she conceded grudgingly.

"Yes, normally he's a real pussycat," Kaoru rolled his eyes. "I want to drive the point home that they can allow themselves some freedom of expression without compromising their ambition. I mean, these are Class-A Ouran students we're talking about; they're not going to suddenly throw over the family business and adopt a Bohemian lifestyle because I talked to them about art for half an hour."

Laney started to clear the plates. "These seems very personal to you, Kaoru."

He shrugged, rising to help Laney load the dishwasher. "Hikaru and I had a lot of freedom growing up. We wound up working with my mother because that's what we wanted to do, but we were absolutely never pressured into it. That wasn't the case for everyone. I feel bad for those kids, that's all."

"Mmm. If you put it like that to Kyoya, he'll probably be more likely to agree," Laney said thoughtfully. "God knows he's not exactly a huge fan of kids warping themselves to meet their parents' expectations."

"That's ironic, don't you think?"

"Not really," Laney shrugged. "I know people think Kyoya does whatever his father wants, but I think you'd be a little surprised at just how much were his ideas in the first place. Particularly in the last few years." She smiled. "Considering the type of pressures he grew up with, I think he's stayed rather remarkably true to himself."

"So you'll ask him for me?" Kaoru said hopefully.

Laney cocked her head. "Ask him yourself."

"Ask me what?" Kyoya said, entering the kitchen. He dropped his briefcase on the counter and turned to give his wife a deep kiss. Kaoru politely looked away. Seeing Kyoya so openly affectionate was still a bit unnerving; and if he was being completely honest, he was a little envious of his friend's obvious happiness. Not that he begrudged it in the slightest. But it would be nice to have something like that that in his own life, rather than just deadlines, more deadlines, and an increasingly moody brother.

"Bad day, baby?" Laney asked as she put together a plate for her husband.

"Nothing I can't handle." Kyoya started eating right at the counter, not bothering to sit down. "Hello, Kaoru. Mooching dinner again?"

"It was this or instant ramen in my office," Kaoru defended himself.

"Oh, certainly. A man of your means no doubt has very limited options," Kyoya said sardonically. "Clearly you had no choice but to impose on my wife's hospitable nature."

"Kyoya, sit down. You'll get indigestion if you eat standing up," Laney said. "I'll make some tea and we'll join you at the table."

Kyoya brought his plate over the table. Kaoru followed him. "I'm glad you were able to keep Laney company tonight, Kaoru. I've been working too much lately, and she doesn't have many friends yet. Sometimes I worry if she's lonely here," Kyoya said in a low voice.

Kaoru blinked, a little surprised. "She never complains about it."

Kyoya looked over at his wife. "She wouldn't. But that doesn't mean I don't still worry."

Kaoru shrugged. "It's only been three months. I wouldn't worry too much, if I were you."

Laney brought over a tray with three cups and a steaming teapot. "Worry about what?"

"About whether your biscuits are going to make me fat," Kyoya said smoothly, smiling up at her.

Laney cast a critical eye over her husband. "You could stand to gain a couple pounds, baby. Do you even eat during the day?"

"How about if I take a long lunch on Friday? I'll pick you up and we can grab something at the Roi Grande Hotel."

"If you knock off early and we get a room, that's a deal."

"I'll have my assistant book a reservation first thing tomorrow," Kyoya grinned.

"I am sitting right here," Kaoru complained. "Can you please wait to talk about your perverted sex appointments until you're alone?"

"You come to my house for dinner, you take your lumps," Laney laughed. "Besides, you should be thanking me; now that he's in a better mood, he's much more likely to help you out with that favor."

"That remains to be seen. What favor?" Kyoya asked, grabbing the last biscuit off the plate just as Kaoru was thinking about snagging it for himself. He sighed, and explained the situation to Kyoya.

"I don't really see what advantage there is in helping you," Kyoya said when Kaoru had finished. "What did you say this teacher's name was, again?"

"Hisakawa Megumi."

"Of Hisakawa Janitorial? Well, their contract with us is coming up for renewal. They're probably going to want to raise rates, so helping out a member of the family might give me some sway in negotiations." Kyoya closed his eyes, thinking for a minute. "Wasn't she in your year at Ouran, Kaoru? She was a somewhat regular visitor to the Host Club, if I remember correctly."

Kaoru swallowed. Kyoya's memory had been a lot less unsettling when he was still using a notebook as a prop. "Yes. She was in Class C. But she never used to sit with Hikaru and me. I think she found our act to be a little disconcerting."

"What on earth could be disconcerting about incest?" Laney inquired sweetly.

Kyoya gave a small huff of laughter. "Come on up to my studio. I'll see if I can't find a couple of appropriate pieces for what you have in mind."

Author's Note: Thanks so much to No-Time Lord for the review!