So I realized after such a long time that my links to my blog weren't showing correctly on my profile. As such, my directions to go to my AO3 account for the entirety of this fic were made all the harder. I have fixed that, though since FFnet doesn't let you post actual links, they have all those (slash) things to bypass that. I'll try to keep updates and such on my blog, so please follow it if you want to see what I'm up to concerning my stories and updates.
Anyway, as an apology to my FFnet readers, I've decided to post chapter 2 on FFnet as well, despite not having intended to initially. It's mostly safe, though I edited out a sex scene because of FFnet rules and such. Full version is on AO3 though.
THIS WILL BE THE LAST CHAPTER ON FFNET. It will not be updated here, so no need to bother putting it on follow. If you want to continue reading it, it IS GETTING CONTINUED, but it's ONLY getting posted to AO3. Sorry about all the caps and italics, but based on some comments and PMs I've gotten, some people think that I'm not continuing the story at all and obviously didn't read carefully.
On a side note, I got tired of capitalizing the roles. I won't be going back to fix it in chapter 1, but just know that it doesn't mean anything different, I just got tired of doing it.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The Problem With Alphas
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kaoru watched over Haruhi, sitting on a chair by the side of her bed as she writhed and clutched at the sheets in discomfort. The nurse had already given her suppressants and some hormonal balance medicines to lessen the effects of her heat, so there was nothing to do but wait for the drugs to kick in. He watched her with an empathetic gaze, running his long fingers through her hair comfortingly. Her head pressed into the pressure a bit, but otherwise she seemed unaffected.
Honey had left once he was sure the nurse had things under control. Now that they were in the nurse's office, there was no threat to protect the two omegas from. Haruhi was dressed in a spare uniform and given the proper medication. Besides, he might make her feel uneasy if she noticed his presence for much longer.
Kaoru sighed with relief when the drugs finally started to take affect, Haruhi's tossing and turning lessening. She was still flushed and shaking, but she seemed to be able to control herself better. He helped her to lay on her back and brushed some hair from her forehead, which had stuck there with the layer of sweat that seemed to cling to her, "Haruhi, is this your first heat?"
She seemed to have a hard time focusing on what he said, but eventually shook her head, "No... second." She knew it wasn't much better and so did he. He'd at least had a few more than her and even he had a hard time dealing with them. That was the problem with a school like this. Just about everyone was either freshly Presented, or were young enough that they had a hard time controlling themselves. It was a wonder that parents didn't home school their kids more during their high school years. It was dangerous, really.
"I don't even remember much from my first one..." she muttered weakly.
Kaoru nodded in agreement, his eyes staring a bit past her, "It's hard to even think, huh?" He'd remembered his first heat, in a manner of speaking, if only because of how much he didn't remember and how terrified he'd been. It was like there had been a fog in his brain, making it hard to hear or see much of anything. Everything was muffled sounds, blurred shapes, and smells that made his nose burn. And an unbearable warmth in his body, like a terrible fever that made you achy and dizzy. But what was worse was that was, no matter how much he tried to force his brain to focus on something, one thing kept dominating his mind. Mate. It was like his ability to think logically was overpowered by a single, overriding desire to find the scent of a strong mate and offer himself. He was thankful his parents had locked him in his room for the bulk of his heat, because he had no clue what he might have done if he'd come to his senses and found himself with some random alpha's child.
It may not have been like that today for Haruhi, as he was sure he'd have been able to tell if it had gone that far, but he felt like a fool for not realizing the signs earlier. She'd looked so warm and dizzy. Half the time it was like she couldn't hear them unless they addressed her directly. Her gaze was often unfocused. She'd also been so skittish around them.
"Why didn't you take suppressants and stuff earlier?"
Haruhi looked away in embarrassment, "I had a lot on my mind and forgot them at home."
He shook his head and sighed, though didn't press it further. It was obvious she was already embarrassed enough as it was. He jolted when his phone let out a short chime in his pocket, pulling out his phone to check the text he just got. It was from Kyouya. Make sure that Haruhi gets home. Hikaru is going home with Honey-senpai. He felt relief at the fact that he could keep Haruhi and Hikaru separate, though being apart from his brother was starting to make him feel anxious. At least once he got Haruhi home he could see him again soon.
Haruhi was looking at him curiously, seeming under the weather, but at least well enough that maybe he could move her now. He helped her to sit up while his other hand dialed their driver. Haruhi heard the conversation and gathered that he was going to take her home. Once he was off the phone, she opened her mouth to protest, but he put a finger to her lips to silence her, looking at her with a raised eyebrow, "You can't walk. Even with those meds in your system, an omega in heat walking around in the streets is just asking for it. It will just be the two of us, so please."
She seemed to relax when he mentioned it would just be the two of them. She didn't have anything against Hikaru, but she was wary of being around him during this time. Kaoru was right anyway. Running around in the streets like this would be irresponsible and dangerous.
The school was empty by this point, but the nurse still made a point to walk down with them to keep anyone from messing with them. Luckily, they didn't run into anyone on the way down and Haruhi was ushered into the Hitachiin's limo without a fuss.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kyouya was used to having control in his life. When that control was taken from him, it made him uneasy and frustrated. Control, thankfully, was something he didn't have to give up often. One such loss of control was when his father essentially told him that there was no way that he, as the third son, could inherit the company, despite being raised in such a way as to prepare him for that very thing. Did he want the company? He wasn't sure, to be honest. However, the fact that it was being denied him, when he felt he could be every bit as good as his brothers, if not better, only served to fuel his rage at the decision. Even now, every move he made in life was calculated, a simple moving of a piece on the chessboard until the ultimate checkmate of him acquiring the company as his own.
The other time in his life he ever lost control had to do with his best friend. Tamaki was a source of frustration for him most days, but early on in their life, he had found him completely unbearable. It was a wonder their friendship progressed as it did. It probably helped that both their family lives were a bit fucked up, though Tamaki definitely won the award for that one.
He wasn't really sure when their relationship had moved on to a sexual component. He was initially opposed. Not because of Tamaki's gender, nor because of any particular dislike for Tamaki as a partner. It didn't even have to do with the fact that they were both alphas and such a thing would be more difficult and dangerous. It was simply that carnal pleasures weren't ever a priority on his list. Sure, he had his alpha urges on occasion, especially during that first year after he Presented, but he was an Ootori and damn if he didn't keep his composure in all things.
That promptly flew out the window when Kyouya hit his first Rut.
He knew it happened annually to an alpha, but it didn't stop him from feeling that, with his amount of self-control, he was above such a thing. It didn't help that he didn't even know when his first one would come. He expected spring, like most. His was in autumn. It had taken so long that he thought that he'd been correct in assuming he was above his own Ruts. That arrogance had proved to be his undoing, as it just made it that much harder to deal with when it took him completely by surprise.
Tamaki had been with him at the time. When he recognized the signs, he whisked Kyouya away to another part of the mansion, one that was a lot more secluded. Not only did he spare Kyouya the shame of being seen in such a state, but Kyouya realized he was also making sure that Kyouya didn't jump someone in his state. Kyouya shuddered to think of what might have happened if one of their servants had stumbled upon him when his Rut had hit.
He wasn't sure what excuse Tamaki used in order to stay at the house, but he was the one that brought Kyouya his meals and made sure he didn't leave the room. Sometimes Tamaki's proximity to the others in his home would lead to him bringing in scents with him, scents that made Kyouya's pupils blow out and nearly had him running from the room to follow his instincts.
Tamaki stopped him.
The boy was usually gentle, but it was times like this that Kyouya was reminded that his best friend was an alpha, too. He was potent, he was physically strong, and his instincts were strong, even if he showed a large level of control most of the time. When the strain of controlling his Rut had become too much for Kyouya, Tamaki made a decision.
He helped him ease the pressure.
Their first time was not only messy, but in retrospect, Kyouya realized it could have gotten one of them killed. It wasn't that alphas never engaged in coitus with one another, but it was a dangerous thing to do so. Both parties were so overcome with the need for control that such a coupling, outside of a pair with a large amount of trust or self-control, could lead to excessive violence or death.
Kyouya being in his Rut made that threat twice as likely. Tamaki had also seemed to resent Kyouya taking top on instinct. He had snarled at him and lashed out at him physically a few times, but otherwise he fought his instincts and let his best friend ride out his Rut, so to speak. He'd willingly given himself over so that Kyouya could regain his control. Kyouya wouldn't admit to the guilt in a hundred years... even though the guilt still struck him occasionally when he thought back to the event.
After that, Tamaki had an easier time talking Kyouya into casual sex. The youngest Ootori had to admit that while he hadn't craved such a thing for the bulk of his life, doing it often led to a good amount of stress release. Occasional moments of losing control in exchange for better control everywhere else in his life. It was a pretty fair trade.
On the subject of fair trade, he wasn't sure if Tamaki was trying to punish him, or had just been exceptionally nice during Kyouya's first Rut, but after that night, Kyouya found to his annoyance that he was never on top again. Granted, it still felt ridiculously good, but it seemed that Tamaki had a much harder time giving up his control of the situation than he thought. With how aggressive Tamaki was in keeping his top position, Kyouya couldn't even begin to imagine how much it had taken his best friend to willingly give himself over to the Ootori that first time. It wasn't like they had feelings for each other, but he couldn't help that such a gesture made his chest clench in a way he wasn't sure was good or bad.
Every time they had sex, Tamaki insisted on being on top. So then, why did he insist on being on bottom this time?
He tried to push the thoughts from his mind, watching Tamaki through half-lidded eyes as the blond gripped the sheets by his head, his hair covering most of his expression from the Ootori's gaze. It was just such an odd turn of events that, despite the pleasure, he couldn't help but wonder what caused this change.
Whatever pleasure Kyouya was getting out of their act quickly became something he wasn't sure was worth the effort, as despite his submissive position, Tamaki seemed content to goad and taunt Kyouya to get rough with him, until his alpha instincts won and the objective seemed to shift from pleasure to punishment. If Tamaki was going to ask for it, he was going to get more than he bargained for.
When it was over, Kyouya let the boy slump to the bed, nudging him aside so he wouldn't land in the puddle of his own mess that was currently staining the bed. He took care of the condom and sat with his back to the headboard, catching his breath before aiming an accusing glare at the blond's back, his voice curt, "Either you want to be in charge or you don't. Don't ask me to be on top and then bark demands at me."
The blond shrugged and turned his head so that he was facing away from Kyouya's direction, muttering, "Sorry."
The dark-haired alpha reached over to the side table and put his glasses back on, sighing as his anger from earlier ebbed, "You're going to be sore after that."
Tamaki let out a weary chuckle, turning his head to face the Ootori with an expression that was partially tired and partially smug, "That was the point."
It clicked in Kyouya's head and he let out a low curse under his breath, "You wanted to be punished." It was more of a statement than a question, but Tamaki answered it with a nod anyway. Kyouya groaned and leaned his head back against the wall behind him, pinching the bridge of his nose in aggravation. What should he say to the blond? It wasn't his fault, but the pack had already told him that in spades and still their leader wouldn't listen. He was taking it really hard, the fact that he had nearly forced himself on Haruhi. He considered himself a gentleman, so forcing himself on a girl in any capacity hurt him in a deep way. Still, it was no excuse for him to taunt Kyouya into pounding the daylights out of his backside. It could have gotten much further out of hand.
Kyouya muttered darkly, "Don't think I'll be lenient on you concerning club duties just because you can't walk. I expect you to perform as usual." His statement earned a soft laugh from the blond, which only served to further Kyouya's ire. He was entirely unrepentant!
Kyouya considered just kicking him out and sending him home now. It would serve him right. Then again, it might cause a scene and he didn't need the mansion talking.
It wasn't at all because he was concerned about his best friend. Not one little bit.
He sighed and slipped out of bed, putting on a pair of pants, "Come. At the very least, take a bath. It should help with the pain." He growled when the blond shook his head in the negative, then stalked over and nearly dragged the blond from the bed, ignoring his indignant yelp, "That's not a request, Tamaki. You smell like sweat and sex." He wrinkled his nose in disgust for emphasis, "Now move."
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hikaru stood at the sink for a moment after washing his hands, slumping forward with his body supported by his hands gripping the edge of the sink. What a day! He felt guilty and frustrated, as well as anxious for his brother to get back. He knew Honey and Mori meant well by staying until his twin came back, but he wasn't entirely comfortable talking about the subject of Haruhi just yet and he knew that's where the conversation would go.
This was infuriating, that his usual demeanor was broken apart by what happened. He was Hitachiin Hikaru, for crying out loud! He was a prankster and one half of the renowned devil twins. He wasn't meant to be doubting himself and feeling this guilty over what happened. It wasn't like she was a pack member. She was just an omega who was stupid about her meds and let herself get too close to alphas during her heat. It wasn't his fault at all!
He bit his lip, knowing deep down that it didn't stop him from feeling bad. That he couldn't entirely blame her. A childish part of him just wanted to.
He dried his hands and left the bathroom, heading back to where Mori was sitting on the edge of his bed, watching Honey as he ate a piece of cake at a nearby table. Hikaru almost envied his senpai, who seemed to be completely without worry about the situation.
Hikaru sat beside Mori at the edge of the bed then flopped backward to lay across it, staring up at the ceiling and once again wishing his brother would get home soon.
It was unsure if he was just unaware of the tension, or was trying to break it, but Honey piped up between bites of cake, "Kyou-chan says we're going to be doing a jungle theme later in the week. We're dressing as Balinese royalty!"
Hikaru let on a bit of a grin, glad that this was the direction the conversation took instead of more awkward ones, "Being half-naked always brings in the ladies."
Mori let out a grunt that Hikaru assumed was agreement based on the very, very slight quirk of the corner of his mouth that looked suspiciously like a grin. Hikaru continued on, "But during spring of all times? When there are still cherry blossoms to take advantage of?"
Honey shrugged and smiled so wide it was a wonder he didn't have little sparkles and flowers floating about his head, "I don't mind, as long as I get cake!"
Hikaru and Mori shared a glance and shrugged. Honey was definitely predictable.
Still, Hikaru felt more unease. Not just because of his brother's absence, but also because of the elephant in the room that was still stomping around. All three of them knew the conversation to come, yet none of them wanted to be the one to start it.
Hikaru let out a sigh of relief when the front door opened, likely his brother based on the sounds he could hear. He got up from the bed and nearly bowled his brother over with a hug the moment he entered the bedroom, only letting go when the two of them decided to go sit down.
Finishing his cake, Honey gave Kaoru a cheery smile, though there was concern in his eyes, "So how is Haru-chan?"
And there it was.
Kaoru shrugged, "She's doing better. She forgot her meds at home and was so busy she forgot her heat was coming." A strange grin appeared on his face, like he couldn't decide whether to be amused or slightly disturbed, "Her father is taking care of her now."
The other three weren't sure what to make of his reaction but were somehow too scared to ask.
Hikaru let out a sigh and laid back to look at the ceiling again, "So... what now?"
Surprisingly, it was Mori that spoke next, "She can't stay."
The twins let out overlapping statements of protest that were hard to make out, but the older teen held up a hand to silence them, "She's an omega-"
"I'm an omega, too!" Kaoru cut in.
"-and a female. Things will be both complicated and dangerous for her."
Hikaru frowned, "We can protect her."
Mori raised an eyebrow, but it was Honey who piped up, his voice trying to be calming, "We can protect her from others, but who is going to protect her from us, Hika-chan? Today, both you and Tama-chan almost lost control."
Kaoru looked down at the bed, his fingers drawing patterns in the blankets, "It was our first day. Maybe once everyone gets used to her scent..." He knew he was grasping for straws. He knew more than most how dangerous this situation was for an omega, but he couldn't help the little selfish part of him that wanted another omega there. A comrade of sorts outside of the usual hosts.
Hikaru closed his eyes and crossed his arms behind his head. As much as he wanted Haruhi around, he couldn't help but admit, "...I'm not sure I can get used to that." He couldn't deny that her scent was quite strong. He didn't know if it was her or his inexperience, but he wasn't sure he would soon be forgetting that smell, much less getting used to it.
"Me neither," Mori nodded in agreement.
Honey nodded as well, "Yeah... it's a pretty strong scent."
Kaoru had to agree as well, biting his lip, "Okay, yeah, even I was a bit allured and I'm an omega, too. Still, the school is full of alphas. It's dangerous for her here. At least we know her secret and can help her when things go wrong."
Hikaru sat up, in agreement with his twin, "Yeah, if we add her to the pack, we don't have to worry about anyone else going after her and hurting her."
Honey and Mori stared at this and Hikaru realized maybe he'd been a little too excited. That wasn't really a thing to blurt out.
Honey spoke slowly, "Hika-chan... you want her in the pack? I'm not sure... I mean, it's just..."
Mori shook his head, "Too soon."
The elder Hitachiin frowned, "I don't think so."
Kaoru sighed, wanting to side with his brother, but wanting to think about this logically as well, "Well... let's not bring it up yet. She's probably overwhelmed."
Honey nodded in agreement to this, "Yeah, it's up to Kyou-chan and Tama-chan anyway. We'll figure it out when we talk with them."
Hikaru had a distinct feeling the two heads of the club would vote in favor of making Haruhi quit, but he knew they couldn't make a decision without them regardless. They'd just have to wait and see.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Thanks again for understanding. I'll be in to work tomorrow night. Yup, bye."
Ryouji hung up the phone and sighed, putting it aside as he moved to go check on Haruhi again. She was still squirming in bed, but had thankfully seemed to go to sleep. This was a situation she needed to sleep off anyway. Being awake through it just made her suffer.
He walked over to his daughter's bedside, running a hand gently over her head. He was glad to see, at least, that she'd met another omega in her school and they seemed to be bonding somewhat. The boy had made him uneasy at first, his protectiveness for his daughter wanting to claw to the surface, but the boy seemed genuinely invested in her well-being and didn't seem to have any untoward intentions.
To be honest, Ryouji had been surprised to see her allow anyone to help her. The boy had a strange way of being able to talk her into obeying his directions. In contrast, ever since he'd left, Haruhi had been refusing her father's help, just like always. He respected his daughter's independence, but he couldn't help but be saddened by it as well.
Later that evening, he'd gotten a call from one Ootori Kyouya concerning Haruhi's situation at the school. They'd talked at length and he couldn't help but like the boy. They made an agreement that Ryouji would leave Haruhi in their care and in exchange, Kyouya would keep Ryouji up to date with how Haruhi was doing in school. As far as Ryouji was concerned, it was a win-win situation. He had already been concerned for her when she'd mentioned joining a school that was notorious for it's alpha population. Knowing that she was involved with a group that could protect her through that was a vast relief. Haruhi was also not very fourthcoming with how her days went or how she did at school, so it would be nice to have someone reporting these things to him. Kyouya assured him they could all meet sometime soon for Ryouji to meet the club members and decide for himself if they were acceptable for taking care of his daughter.
He gave her a kiss on her forehead before leaving the room to let her rest in peace. Based on his interactions with Kyouya earlier, he had no doubt she'd at least be in good hands. He hoped it would be more and they could all be friends as well. She'd kept herself mostly isolated and focused on her studies for so long that she needed some human companionship.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On the surface, the next day of club went as it always did. Haruhi's father had called her out sick, though the hosts knew the real reason she was absent. It meant that, come club time, it was just the usual hosts. A few guests expressed concerns for the sick host, but otherwise everything went as normal. Tamaki was wooing the ladies, the twins were nearly molesting each other for the guests' amusement, Mori was quiet, Honey was adorable, and Kyouya was behind his clipboard.
You could see the little cracks here and there, though. The slightly flinch from Hikaru as hitting on his omega brother made him think of a certain other omega. The way Tamaki's smile was brittle and had a hard time reaching his eyes half the time, while the rest of the time he was so into his role that Kyouya had the feeling he was overcompensating. Mori's quiet demeanor seemed less like he was the silent guardian of Honey and more like his mind was a mile away, thinking of something else. Honey was the only host besides Kyouya that seemed completely like normal on the outside, though he'd already confided his concerns to Mori earlier.
Kyouya wasn't exactly intact, either. In retrospect, his promise to Ryouji was a bit irresponsible. He was almost certain he could figure this out. A way to have Haruhi pay off her debt in safety, as well as a way to convince the other hosts that it was okay to keep her around. The operative term, though, was almost. He knew more than anyone just how unpredictable the other hosts could be at times. The last thing he needed was a rebellion from the boys insisting to protect the girl from their lesser urges.
He knew it was a danger to keep her there. Some of the hosts were more composed than others, but more importantly, her scent was quite alluring. If he hadn't kept his distance during the dressing room debacle...
No, he needed to keep his mind focused. He sighed and made a few notes, his eyes seeming focused on the activities in the club room, even as his mind ran off on other thoughts.
She had a debt. That much was certain. Having Haruhi work as a guest would increase their maximum workload and in turn, increase revenue. It was the only conceivable way that someone of her income grade could possibly hope to cover what she'd broken.
A smaller part of him admitted there was a very, very slight amount of concern for her status as an omega in their school. You know, for profit purposes. She couldn't make them a profit if the alphas in school were using her as a chew toy. He was most definitely not concerned out of the goodness of his heart. Nope.
While certain members of their group were volatile and recently-Presented, they had an overall decent control of themselves. They were also well-known and respected within the school. Even if her status as an omega somehow got out, it was unlikely that someone would mess with her while she was under their protection.
He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. There was also the downside of having to keep a constant eye on Hikaru and Tamaki. There was also the difficulty of keeping her status as both female and an omega from the school at large, especially the guests. Nearly all of the guests were betas and had lesser senses of smell than alphas or omegas, but it wouldn't mean anything if Haruhi got too close anyway or slipped up on her medication again. She was a liability. A huge one.
Let it never be said, however, that Kyouya didn't appreciate the concept of high risk, high return. Sure, she was a liability. However, if they could keep things under wraps and make sure nothing went wrong, they stood to profit immensely from this endeavor. Haruhi would also be safer for it, he supposed.
Still, he couldn't force the decision on them, as much as he wanted to. He would give them time, let them weigh their options, and then talk the dissenters into it anyway. At least they'd all be in agreement when the decision went through.
As the day came to a close, the hosts seemed jumpy. He supposed they expected he was going to call a meeting regarding Haruhi's place. He called them all into a group and sighed, adjusting his glasses, "You all aren't too careful about concealing your feelings. You're lucky the guests didn't seem to notice anything." He held up a hand when Hikaru opened his mouth, sure by his face that the twin had some outrage to vent at his comment, "I know everyone is likely thinking about Haruhi. I'm not making her quit." This brought a few of them up short, as they were almost sure the logical, cold host would immediately want to kick the liability. He had to hold back a smirk at their shock and silence, continuing on, "This isn't a decision to be made lightly. Or without Haruhi. Regardless of what decisions we make, they don't mean much if she makes the decision to quit herself. Take some time to think on this carefully. When Haruhi's... condition... is done and she's back in school, we will have a meeting to discuss her place here." He dismissed them with a wave, retreating to his desk to finish off some paperwork.
The hosts filed out of the room, some of them in a thought-filled daze. Others, like the twins, were bouncing and cheering the fact that she hadn't been outright kicked out yet. Kyouya hoped that the knowledge would at least get them to act a bit less rigid for the following club days.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Haruhi hadn't been able to return to school until Friday. She'd made sure to be dosed up with the proper meds this time before leaving for school, much to her father's chagrin. Any other student would have figured that it was worthless to go the one day and stayed home for the weekend. Then again, any other student didn't have their scholarship hanging over their head like a ticking time bomb.
The twins were relieved to see her walk in that morning, Hikaru nearly bouncing in his seat to hear from her. He'd been a little jealous of the fact that Kaoru had been regularly visiting her during her heat. He knew it was unreasonable to expect he could see her, all things considered, but he couldn't help but feel jealous all the same.
Haruhi rolled her eyes at the twins' antics, shooing them off during class so they didn't get in trouble. She's talk to them between classes. She had to ignore three different attempts by them to pass her notes, rolling her eyes at their impatience, though she couldn't help but smile. At least they were concerned. As much as she hated to have anyone worrying about her, it was kind of nice to know they cared.
After their classes ended, the twins nearly knocked her desk over as they lunged toward her. Kaoru held his twin's shoulder just in case, but his worries were mostly unwarranted. She had taken her suppressants recently and her scent was mostly masked to him. What little he could smell wasn't actually so bad. Kaoru had come home the last few days smelling like Haruhi after his visits and while Hikaru couldn't say he was used to her scent just from that, it helped his control when combined with her meds.
"So are you okay now? How was it?"
Haruhi and Kaoru gave him a bemused look before Haruhi stated flatly, "Uncomfortable."
"Oh." Hikaru scratched the back of his head sheepishly when he realized how stupid the question sounded, but then grinned impishly, once again unphased, "So are you coming to the host club today?"
Haruhi's smile faltered somewhat, "Umm... am I even still part of it?"
Kaoru patted her on the back lightly, "Of course you are. I think. Well, at the very least-" "-Kyouya-senpai hasn't kicked you out yet," Hikaru finished for his twin seamlessly, "He wants us all to have a meeting today."
Haruhi's stomach did a flip and she could only nod. She'd been conscious enough yesterday to understand Kaoru's ramblings, including the fact that Kyouya hadn't decided her fate yet. That didn't mean much to her, though, only that they were still deciding. She still owed them money, that was for certain. If she couldn't pay them back as a host, she wasn't entirely sure how she could. What would happen then?
The twins seemed to notice that they had tactlessly trampled on a nerve, but didn't get much of a chance to mend the broken fence before their next teacher came strolling in and shooed them back to their seats. Haruhi gave them what she hoped was a reassuring smile, not wanting them to worry about her, even if they did all the same. They were starting to gather that an "I'm alright" in any form from Haruhi wasn't always 100% sincere.
Hikaru in particular kept giving her glances during class. He hoped that her seeming comfort around him wasn't forced as well. She hadn't flinched too bad away from him. What wariness she showed was probably due to his stance as an alpha and his proximity. Kaoru had told him that she didn't seem to realize how close he'd been to jumping her in the changing room initially, when he'd grabbed her and they fell into the wall. That explained why she wasn't more jumpy around him, he supposed, though a small part of his alpha pride felt a bit wounded that she wasn't at least a little more wary of him. Like he wasn't a threat. It was strange to be thankful and frustrated by it at the same time.
The day rolled by a bit faster than Haruhi would have liked. She stayed in their classroom for lunch, largely to avoid the other members of the host club for the time being. Luckily the twins still liked having her all to themselves, so they didn't bother telling Tamaki or the others where Haruhi was holing herself up, no matter how much Tamaki demanded and whined about it.
The end of the day finally came, though, and Haruhi resigned herself to the fact that she'd have to finally face them. She trudged to the club room with the twins on either side of her like mischievous, hyperactive bodyguards who didn't seem to understand personal space. She was surprised to find the club room empty, save the hosts themselves, who were sitting on couches around one of the coffee tables. She sat across the table from Tamaki and Kyouya, the twins perched at her sides.
Kyouya put his laptop down as she entered the room, speaking when he saw her confused glance about the room, "We canceled club activities for today. It was easier than trying to run activities with your place in them unverified."
She nodded in understanding, having a feeling that she'd somehow be paying for the loss of profit from closing shop today. Kyouya wasn't a charity case.
She waited on pins and needles for someone to say something, anything, about how this was going to play out. The other hosts, barring Kyouya, seemed to be feeling the same, their gazes nervously flicking between the shadow king and the small omega girl who had turned their club into chaos Monday.
Kyouya sighed, seeing that he was going to have to get the ball rolling, and while his gaze was on her, his words were obviously not meant for her, "Shall I assume that you each gave this thought like I asked?"
There were general murmurs of the affirmative to his question, the hosts nodding, though from their expressions, he had a feeling they may not have completely come to any conclusions on what to do. Fantastic.
His eyes flicked between the twins. He could tell by their behavior today that they were already taking the role of guardians for her before a decision was already made. Even if she didn't stay in the club, they would likely continue this roll as her classmates. This was a good thing, he supposed, and he could gather their stance on her staying in the club based on that.
His gaze moved to Honey and Mori. Considering he could still see their king nearly losing his composure out of the corner of his eye, he supposed they were the best place to start. They were also the eldest and probably the most mature.
"Honey-senpai, what is your take on this?"
Honey, who was sitting on the side couch in Mori's lap, hugged Usa-chan closer to himself as he looked like he was thinking of how to say what he wanted to say, "Well..." He gave one of his beaming smiles, one that made Haruhi feel a little less tense, "Takashi and I like Haruhi, right Takashi?" Mori gave a grunt and a nod. Honey's smile slipped into a more natural one, "We want her to stay, but... Well, it's dangerous. I don't think we should throw Haruhi out," his eyes moved to the twins, "But I don't think we should blindly insist she join either without acknowledging the danger this would present to her."
Haruhi was too stunned to really respond to this. Honey seemed so young, both in appearance and his behavior during club activities. Hearing him talk like this proved to her that she didn't really give him enough credit as far as his age and maturity went. She was also happy that unlike the twins, who really seemed to want her to stay no matter what, Honey and Mori seemed genuinely concerned about how this might affect her.
She tuned back in to realize the twins were giving a laundry list of reasons why they wanted her to stay, with Kyouya pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance at the noise volume and Honey shaking his head in exasperation as the twins basically did exactly what he didn't want them to do.
"-can protect her from-"
"-a natural rookie, after all-"
"-say no to such a cute face?"
"-guests loved her and profits would-"
"No."
Everyone froze as Tamaki, who had been sitting with his gaze fixed on the table, finally spoke up in a tone that had Haruhi's blood freezing like ice in her veins. It was that same alpha tone he'd used when he had told off Ayanokouji. He was trying to assert himself to the group, something they seemed equal parts wary and surprised at.
Kyouya had been afraid of Tamaki's stance on this, but he didn't think Tamaki would try to assert his stance so early into the meeting. This was going to throw his plans off if he let it continue. He adjusted his glasses and tried a diplomatic tone, "Tamaki, I think-"
Tamaki cut him off with a wave of his hand, violet eyes snapping to cold black ones, "No, Kyouya." The air between the two alphas became at once tense and the other hosts grew apprehensive, particularly Haruhi, who sank back into her seat a little. "As much as I know you'd prefer control over this situation, we're not dancing to your script you've cooked up in your head. This is entirely too dangerous for Haruhi. You know it as well as I do. This is about more than your profits. If you need more income, I'll take enough clients to make up for her absence."
Kyouya glared daggers at Tamaki. Even if he had sort of had a script rehearsed in his head for this ordeal, he didn't much like Tamaki's tone on it or the fact that he'd interfered with it, "You're being absurd. You can't take that many clients. Haruhi owes a debt and given her status as a commoner, there are few other ways she can pay it back."
Tamaki nearly growled at him, standing up and leering down at the Ootori, "If it's that important, I'll pay the eight million yen. I can afford it. You can, too. Anyone here could, for that matter."
The darker-haired second year stood up, too, teeth bared, "It's not a matter of the money, it's the princip-"
Tamaki stepped forward, looking ready to hit Kyouya, "It's always the money, though, isn't it Kyouya?"
"ENOUGH!"
As much as Tamaki's outburst had frightened and confused the group, Honey's outburst had twice the effect. Other than Mori and Haruhi, everyone was staring in surprise at Honey, who was now standing on the couch beside his cousin. The shine in his eyes was practically gone, his pupils nothing but pinpricks. His lips quivered with the effort it took not to bare his teeth. As much as Tamaki and Kyouya were trying to subtly assert their dominance day-to-day, neither of them would ever have the nerve to challenge Honey in a contest of authority if he really meant it. The martial arts prodigy would make them regret it. And right then, he looked supremely angry.
His eyes drifted shut and after a moment, the anger had passed. He was solemn, but he was no longer angry. The tension in the room ebbed somewhat as he sat down again, "Maybe you should ask Haru-chan how she feels. You guys are in charge, but she has a say in this, too. Isn't that why we waited until she was here to have a meeting?"
All eyes turned to Haruhi. Over the course of the argument between Kyouya and Tamaki, she'd grown apprehensive at the escalating argument between the alphas, but that feeling was nothing compared to the frustration that was welling up. She could understand that Tamaki's words were coming out of concern for her, she really did. She also understood that she was probably nothing more than a number to Kyouya. Still, the fact that they were nearly at each other's throats about a decision they hadn't even run by her yet was making her see red. How dare they?
Honey's outburst had frightened her a bit, but she was supremely glad for someone actually giving a damn what she wanted. She took the opportunity he gave her and spoke up, "Look, I'm not usually as irresponsible as I was Monday. I had a lot of things on my mind. New home, new school and so forth. It won't happen again." She took a deep breath and continued, looking to Kyouya, as she knew Tamaki wouldn't agree with her, "I would like to stay and pay my debt. You're right, it's the principle of the thing. Even if you could pay for it, the fact is that I broke it. It's my fault. I have no other way than this to pay you back. If you decide to kick me out, I'll comply." She held up a hand and waved down the protests that started to spill from the twins at her mentioning leaving, "However, if you'll have me, I'll work hard to pay you back and I'll be careful from now on to keep my identity in check and my meds on hand."
Kyouya saw the frustration building in Tamaki in his stance, but was relieved to hear Haruhi's stance on it. This is what he'd been hoping for. He only hoped that the wants of the club and Haruhi herself would be enough to make Tamaki at least accept the decision. He was, after all, the head of the club. The final word did actually sit with him, as much as Kyouya was loath to admit it.
Haruhi saw that Tamaki still looked ready for a fight, trying to keep her voice soothing, "Look, I know there are dangers. I'm not naive, Tamaki-senpai."
"Aren't you?" Tamaki interrupted sharply.
She ignored his outburst and continued, "I'm in no more danger here than I am in this school in general. In some ways I'm in more danger here, in some ways less. But it evens out. Just let me stay and pay off my debt."
Tamaki let out a growl, but having no better argument he hadn't already stated against her words, he could only pace angrily.
Hikaru spoke up, more subdued than his early outbursts given the tense situation, "Kaoru and I can protect her during class, but we can't do a thing if someone decides to 'pick on the commoner' on her way home from school. She'd be safer with us. At least we know her secret and we can help cover for her."
Kaoru nodded in agreement with his twin. There were things he could add, but he figured they went without stating. He was surprised at himself for not thinking of that angle sooner, but as he thought about it, his expression darkened with possibilities. If someone did pick on her as she was walking home, then what? Worse if they found out she was an omega. At best, she would be picked on and bullied. But Kaoru knew how some of the kids here thought. There were a lot of alphas, which meant you also got the kind who believed 100% in alpha dominance. The horrible kinds of alphas who believed omegas were breeding fodder or worse. He clenched his teeth to keep his anger in check. The last thing she needed was to be passed around a bunch of savage alphas and possibly killed.
Honey spoke up, his voice taking the same pacifying tone everyone seemed to be taking with Tamaki, "We can come up with protective measures to make sure no one hurts her. It won't be hard. I think the club is more fun with Haru-chan here." He gave a smile at Haruhi and made Usa-chan wave at her, "Usa-chan likes her, too." He looked up at Mori, "Takashi, too." He nodded in agreement with his small cousin, giving Haruhi a look that almost counted as a smile.
Tamaki could see that he was outnumbered and it frustrated him to no end. Did they not care about the dangers he presented to her? He almost... in the dressing room, he... He clenched his teeth and stopped his pacing. Damn... he was making this decision based on one incident that had happened with him. As far as Tamaki knew, no one else had almost assaulted her. Maybe he was the only danger? No, that wasn't true, he knew Hikaru had a hard time of it as well. Most of them had admitted to having a hard time with her smell, actually. Yet she smelled okay today, he supposed. He didn't feel the need to leap on her the moment she walked in the room, which was progress. Progress and medicine, but still.
He sighed. They really did seem to want her to stay. He had to admit that, until the issue arose, he was having fun with her, too. She'd been like the family member he'd never realized they needed. The fact that she was female and an omega didn't change that aspect of it. Wasn't that the entire reason he created this club? Weren't they a family?
He kept his back to them as he composed himself and sifted through his thoughts, his voice even, "Are you sure that's what you really want, Haruhi?"
She looked wary, unsure of how he would react, but spoke determinedly, "Yes, I'm sure. To be honest, it sounds fun. Being a host." She wondered if she'd said the wrong thing as she saw his shoulders shake, then let out a very unladylike squawk as he suddenly picked her up and spun her around, "Daddy is so happy you feel that way!"
Everyone stared at him with one overriding thought.
Idiot.
Everyone but Haruhi, who was squirming to get out of her senpai's grasp, "Ack, senpai, put me down! Tamaki-senpaaaai!"
Kyouya shook his head at the simpleton they called their king, letting out a drawn-out sigh, "So I guess this makes it official. Haruhi, welcome to the host club."
"I don't need two fathers! Now put me down!"
"Ouch! Mommy, Haruhi hit me!"
"Yay! Haruhi is-" "-a host forever!"
"This calls for cake! Right, Takashi?"
"Yeah."
Kyouya pinched the bridge of his nose. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.