A/N: Hi! For all of you who followed, favorited, and especially for those of you who reviewed, thank you so so much! It honestly means the world to me and I'm so happy you enjoyed part one. I was (and still am) nervous about posting this and really appreciate it. If you have any advice, comments, or concerns of any kind, I'd love to hear from you. Without further adieu, part 2. ^^

Part 2: Visions of the Voiceless One

The morning of the Autumn Festival couldn't have come at a better time, for it was the first day of the season that felt like fall. With the faintest chill on the breeze and the musky scent of rain shivering through the air, Suzu couldn't have been happier to escape the unrelenting heat for awhile. The leaves crunched beneath her feet as she followed the curve of the long driveway, swinging the bag that held everything she'd need for the day, including her change of clothes. There was no point in wearing a dress this early on a Saturday, particularly when she and Haruhi had convinced the others not to hire professionals to prepare the festival's venue. Not when they'd have more fun doing it themselves.

Normally, her family's hired driver would have been waiting to chauffeur her to the large manor they'd rented for the occasion, which was situated a few blocks from the school. But when she reached the end of the cobblestone, the hand that reached out and yanked her into the backseat told a very different story.

"Good morning, Suzu," said a smug voice that she immediately recognized as Hikaru. "Ready for some fun?"

"Yeah, but you're using that freaky voice again," she half-teased, smiling good naturedly. "Should I be worried?"

"Ah, you're not afraid of us, are you, Su?" Kaoru feigned concern, cupping her chin in his hands.

"Actually, I am," she flushed, pulling away from him just as the window rolled down and another voice could be heard, its owner peering through the window.

"Last stop, Haruhi's house!" Tamaki proclaimed emphatically. Catching sight of Suzu, he winked before remembering she couldn't see him. "How's my little princess today?"

"Fine, thank you," she grinned, taking the opportunity to scoot to another seat that wasn't smack-dab between the twins. When one of them moved to follow her, she kicked him just enough to startle him, drawing Tamaki's attention.

"These pesky twins aren't giving you any trouble, are they?" He shot the two redheads a warning glare.

"What are you talking about, boss?" Hikaru replied innocently.

"Yeah, boss, we like Su too much to try anything shady."

The devilish grins the two gave him were anything but reassuring, but before he could say something that would backfire horribly in the long run, Suzu interjected. "Where does Haruhi live, anyway?"

"You mean you don't know?" asked Hikaru.

"I'd have thought you went over to her place all the time with how close you girls are," added Kaoru.

"She usually comes to my place or we go somewhere else," Suzu shrugged, swiping a strand of hair from her face. Tamaki, on the other hand, seemed on the verge of tears.

"Daddy wants to play with his little girls sometime," he mumbled, his cheeks turning red as he descended into fantasy mode, to which the twins turned to each other and chorused: "He's doing it again."

"Uh, senpai?" Suzu coaxed, trying to keep from laughing. When he didn't respond, she turned to the group at large. "Don't you guys think we should get going now?"

"You're right, we mustn't keep the others waiting." Tamaki snapped to as if nothing had happened. The three present Host Club members rolled their eyes.

After making another dramatic scene in front of the Fujioka home, the four finally took off for the estate, radio blaring. Despite insisting she had no voice at all, they even convinced Haruhi to sing along with them as they sped down the road. When the doors finally opened, they clambered out. With one foot in the car and the other on the pavement, Suzu heard Honey's excitable greeting as he lept first to Hikaru and Kaoru, and then to Haruhi and Tamaki.

"Suzu-chan!" he exclaimed, and before she'd had a chance to get her footing, the human catapult slammed into her. Squeaking in shock, her feet sliding out from beneath her, she prepared for a hard impact that never came. Two strong arms appeared behind her, linking through hers and setting her back on her feet.

"Th-thank you," she choked out before recognizing his scent: laundry soap and cake. As quickly as he had arrived, he disappeared, but she caught Honey's whining cadence as he mumbled something she couldn't hear ending with the name "Takashi." In a low, smooth voice that she remembered hearing only once before, she could just discern the words: "Mitsukuni. You have to be more careful. You could have hurt her," before they were out of earshot.

And thus utter chaos began. For the next few hours, they set to work creating what Haruhi described to her as a fiery wonderland. Red, orange, and golden banners stretched over a floor littered in soft beds of leaves, while the tables sported sweet-scented candles placed in clear glass jars and ringed by pinecones. Light, frothy music echoed lazily into the farthest corners of the room, and an albeit fake but roaring fire blazed in a fireplace large enough to stand in against one wall. It was a spacious venue, but the soft lighting and atmosphere gave it a cozier, more intimate feel.

At least, that's what she gathered.

Because it was rather difficult for her to set up decorations, particularly the banners which the boys had to climb on high ladders to secure, Suzu spent most of the morning on the phone, speaking with the caterers who would be supplying the food and the families of the guests that called in with the various concerns of those in high society. She was unfortunately bumping into people quite a lot as they wound between the tables and across the dance floor, as she searched for this or that, or for Kyoya to inquire about any hard-to-answer questions. At around one, she gathered everyone for a quick lunch graciously supplied by the Hitachiin family, and then it was back to the rat races. If she hadn't been so preoccupied with everything, she might have noticed that someone was keeping an eye on her, casually nudging her aside from time to time to steer her clear of a ladder or someone carrying a table or heavy box.

And somehow, finally, everything got done. It had been more work than they'd expected, but she didn't regret it in the least. Tiring though it was, she had to admit it had been fun: working, joking and laughing, and apologizing for nearly poking someone's eye out. Somewhere between an hour or two before the party was scheduled to begin, Tamaki rounded everyone up and shunted them off to the changing rooms to get into their costumes.

Despite what Kyoya had said when he'd given it to her, Suzu's dress had fit perfectly, so much so that she was a little disturbed wondering how the wily teen had known. The first and only other time she'd tried it on, Haruhi had told her the skirts were a deep crimson, with golden trimmings along the hems and a black bodice and sash. Although she had no idea what the color red was supposed to look like, it sounded rather flashy for her personality, but Haruhi assured her it was gorgeous. She didn't know about that, but didn't really care, either, so long as she didn't stick out like a sore thumb in the crowd.

The second she emerged from the back bedroom where they'd been instructed to change, she was immediately leapt on by the Hitachiin twins, makeup and hair products galore in hand. Considering she'd never seen herself in a mirror, she didn't bother about those sorts of things on a normal day and probably still wouldn't have if she had. But there was little point in arguing, so she just laughed as they poked her and chided her for moving her head too much; blushing lightly as they admired their work and daddy's second little princess when they were done.

"Knock it off, guys," she insisted finally when Hikaru leaned one too many times into her personal space. "Thanks for your help, but don't you have to get ready, too?"

"Nope, we're pretty much set," Hikaru shrugged. "We already fixed up Haruhi and we changed early so we wouldn't miss the chance to get you all dolled up."

"She really is so cute," sighed Kaoru. "What do you think, senpai?" He called to someone she hadn't heard come in from across the room.

"Yes, she's quite lovely," smirked Kyoya, his glasses flickering as he pushed them up the bridge of his nose, not that she could see it. It was the telltale pen click that gave him away. "Don't you think so?"

The door swung open with a squeak, covering up what short reply the person entering might have made. Turning to face the sound, the girl honed in as best she could on the light swish of the figure's suit pants as he stepped gingerly to the couch opposite her chair.

Mori-senpai. She felt like he was always there, but never in her life. Never part of the world in which she could see. But she was beginning to see him, little by little, whether he realized it or not. She didn't know why he was purposely hiding away, but although he said almost nothing, the shadow was gradually becoming real to her. Somehow, she had grown familiar with his presence without words and without a face to look to.

Staring blankly into the darkness, waiting in silence while the remainder of the hour ticked by, she thought she could feel him watching her in his own gentle, simple way. If he didn't say something tonight, she would, she decided then and there. Caught up in her musings, she jumped when Tamaki paraded in to announce the time. Standing, she took Haruhi's arm and pulled the less-than-thrilled girl after her as they filed out of the room.

XXX

Although most of the hosts would be entering through the gilded double doors, Suzu and the others parted ways at the end of the hall since she didn't take guests and preferred to stay out of the limelight. With a slight wave, she took off for the side entrance where the guests were being shepherded in upon arrival.

"What's wrong, Takashi?" whispered Honey, climbing his cousin whose smoky eyes appeared to be swirling with an even deeper inner storm that usual.

"Mm," Mori grunted. He shook himself as he was met with Honey's own wide pair and furrowed eyebrows. "...What?"

"You look like you're not feeling so good, Taka-chan. Are you okay? You shouldn't be entertaining guests if you're sick."

"I'm fine, Mitsukuni," he said for what felt like the hundredth time that week. Honey's frown deepened, but the blonde said nothing. Mori knew he'd been acting strange lately and mentally smacked himself for making his cousin worry. Why was he having such a hard time keeping it together recently?

As they approached the entrance, the loli jumped down and they took their places, Honey towards the middle and Mori to one side due to his height. The moment the doors swung open, a wall of sound washed over him like a crashing wave, accompanied by a bobbing sea of warm, flickering lights.

People were everywhere, and most particularly fawning girls, gushing and giggling as they tried to draw the attention of their favorite host. But despite having a fair number of fangirls with eyes only for him, his gaze was drawn to the one peaceful thing in the room: a girl near the back with candlelight glowing in her sightless orbs, a genuine smile on her lips.

Without thinking, he clipped down the steps and into the throng, and was immediately blocked by a flirtatious, makeup-caked blonde. A sidestep lead to a brunette coquette, and another to a tittering maiden with so many layers to her skirts that he was surprised she could walk at all. Before he knew how it had happened, he was swept into a dance, the music playing frantically in his ears as he escorted a million faceless princesses around the floor. Everywhere he turned, another host was doing the same: smiling, bowing, and whispering sweet words to the concourses of adoring females. An hour later, tired of all the pleasantries but only pretending to be winded, Mori finally excused himself under the pretense of getting a drink and made his escape.

At some point, he remembered seeing Suzu twirling on the arm of none other than Haruhi, who he assumed needed a break from the fangirls even more than he did. It was strange, if he thought about it, that he found the fangirls' foolish antics so obnoxious when he'd never thought much of the excessive attention before. Despite himself, he'd had to smile when he'd seen Suzu and Haruhi together, chattering animatedly as they put on a production sure to make every Haruhi-fanatic on the premises green with jealousy. Somehow, he felt that they were different from the other girls, although he couldn't quite explain why.

Instead of heading back once he'd procured a glass of sparkling cider from the refreshment table, Mori took his drink and his thoughts and headed outdoors. On the wall opposite the main entrance, an opening partially obscured by a heavy velvet curtain lead onto a veranda that ran the length of the manor. Ducking through the hole, he stepped into the chilly evening air and inhaled a breath of relief. Ruffling his hair with his free hand, he leaned back against the house's brick siding.

"Hello?" a voice called, causing his eyes to snap open as he looked quickly to his right. Standing at the railing with her back turned to him, a familiar figure came into focus as he adjusted to the darkness.

"Hello?" she said again, louder this time as she spun around to face him, tentatively reaching out her hand. "Is anyone there?"

He wanted to say something, as he always did. But as always, the shock of running into her unexpectedly left him tongue-tied. Maybe if he waited long enough, she'd return to what she was doing and he'd find somewhere else to enjoy his peace and quiet. But she didn't buy his silence, instead saying the last thing he expected.

"I-is that you, Mori-senpai?"

How does she know my name? Why does she think it's me? How could she possibly know-?

"Mori-senpai? You don't have to say anything if you don't want to, but I know it's you."

Slowly, willing his words to disregard his screaming heartbeat, the silent host spoke.

"...How?..."

"... So it really is you," she whispered, surprising him with the small upturn of her mouth. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you smell like cake and soap."

What was the right way to take that, exactly?

"...Thank you?"

"Uh, that was weird. Sorry. You don't have to leave, though; I'll try to keep the awkward level to a minimum… And I've already failed, haven't I?" She bit her lip, sighing. Even in the dim lighting, he couldn't help but notice the adorable pucker the gesture created, her cheeks flushing.

"No, I'm sorry," he said after a long moment, wondering where he'd found his voice in the dry desert of his throat. "I should have said something. It was wrong of me. I wasn't expecting you to be out here. Forgive me for interrupting."

"Interrupting what?" she blinked at him, tilting her head quizzically. "Oh, you're not interrupting anything. I just needed a break and it feels nice outside. Don't you think? This has always been my favorite time of year."

Hadn't she heard him? Or did she just not care that he'd been watching her without her knowledge? Although his every muscle begged him to retreat into the ballroom, he found himself instead stepping forward to stand beside her, resting his arms against the railing.

Suzu sighed again, contentedly this time. "It sure is beautiful out here."

Despite the fact that she was unable to see the full truth of her statement, Mori had to agree with her there, his gray orbs fixed on a lawn bathed in moonlight. Dark, spindly flowers sprinkled the grass, stretching their petaled fingers to the stars as the frost crept slowly over them, and crisp leaves twirled one by one from the trees, sailing the breeze like boats on the ocean. But he had to wonder what she found beautiful about it, considering the most lovely sight from his vantage was the young lady herself, her soft outline shimmering blissfully in the blackness.

"Yes, it is," he said quietly, blushing slightly, and admittedly grateful for once that she couldn't see him. He stared out into the night, letting the cool air wash soothingly over his skin.

"What do you see?" Suzu inquired after a comfortable lull, peering up at him curiously. He'd heard her aim that question at the other hosts a thousand times, but Mori had always wondered why it piqued her interest. She'd been blind since birth and wouldn't be able to picture it even if he told her. Though he was more than happy to fulfill such a simple request.

"The moon. A lawn with a driveway running through it. The stars."

"But what do they look like?" she asked, furrowing her brow thoughtfully. "I remember Chiyo used to say the moon looked like glass feels, and the stars glisten like that tingly sensation you sometimes get down your spine."

"Chiyo?"

"Yeah, my older sister. She always tried to relate sight to the other senses when we were growing up so I'd understand. Sometimes it felt so real I could pretend I really did know what the world looked like. Sometimes I still do."

Glancing at the girl in his periphery, Mori didn't know what to say. Experiencing just such a tickling down his spine at that moment, he imagined that what her sister had said was true.

"Can I ask you a question?" he said finally, studying her carefully. "You said it was beautiful tonight. What is it you see?"

"Well," she licked her lips, smiling softly. "I see a crowd of laughing people. A crisp autumn breeze. The scent of forget-me-nots. And I see you."

You see me.

How could she see him when he'd been virtually invisible for the entire time he'd known her? She couldn't possibly mean it the way her gentle tone made it seem. But how could a person envision any of those things? How could anyone put shape to a smell and color to a sound? Keenly aware of the two heartbeats thumping side by side in the dark, the two souls that drew breath simultaneously, he couldn't help but think that the mere existence of such a girl was an impossibility. And yet, somehow, here she was.

As long as he had watched her, he thought that he knew her. But this was a side to her personality that he hadn't expected. Yes, he'd always gravitated to her for her shy, sweet demeanor. But it was more than that. She wasn't two dimensional like so many of the other girls he knew. Her blindness may seem like a weakness to some, but when it came down to it, she had made it her strength: her portal to the world hidden beneath all things superficial and skin-deep.

In truth, he felt shallow next to her, loved for his face, his athletic physique, and his stoicism. Sure, he possessed those qualities and there was nothing wrong with that. But that wasn't what he valued most, although it was the only thing most people cared about. All except Suzu, who was blind to them.

'I see you,' she had said. He fought the urge to take her face in his hands to read what was written behind those fathomless blue eyes. But how could you possibly?

"Takashi!"

With one word, the trance was shattered. Awakening from his thoughts, Mori shifted his weight just in time to keep his balance as he was assailed by hurricane Honey. The boy's appearance was so sudden that Suzu leapt in surprise, letting out a small "eep!" Without thinking, she, too, latched onto Mori, sending the three of them into a sprawling heap.

"I-I-I'm so s-s-sorry, s-senpai!" Suzu began stuttering, trying to sit up but unable to distinguish who was where. His body was warm beneath the thin fabric of his shirt but she tried not to be distracted by it as she tried to crawl off of him, her skirts hopelessly tangled around her legs. Though he could have easily escaped the two smaller forms that pinned him, the dark-haired teen had forgotten how to breathe, much less move or speak.

"Are you okay, Suzu-chan? Takashi?" The lolita boy giggled, the first to rise. "You weren't supposed to be scared, guys; it's just me."

"...Mitsukuni," Mori deadpanned before apparently running out of things to say. Suzu paused in her floundering as it occurred to her just how much he'd been talking over the last few, short minutes now that he was back to saying almost nothing.

"What's the matter, Suzu-chan? I didn't hurt you, did I?" said Honey, his grin melting to worry as tears bubbled beneath his toffee-brown orbs.

"N-no," said Suzu, blushing a rosy pink, her face inches away from Mori's stunned expression.

"That's not true, Su-chan." Honey's lip quivered as she turned her attention to him. "You're bleeding."

"Just a scratch," she replied quietly, wincing as Mori saw it, too, and subconsciously lifted his one free hand to the thin cut on her forehead.

The sight of her blood was enough to jar him from his shell-shock. Gently taking her by the waist, he shifted her to the side and got to his feet. Offering her his arm, he helped her up beside him and made a quick examination of Honey.

"You seem to be unharmed," he determined after a moment. "If you need me, I'll be tending to Miss Akamine in the nurse's quarters."

Honey nodded, taking Suzu's hand as she furrowed her brow, and said, "Don't worry, Takashi's taken care of far worse injuries. You'll be back to the party soon. I'll even save you some cake! Oh, and Takashi? I came to find you because Princess Yumi-chan was looking for you. But don't you worry, too. I'll tell her you're busy."

With a knowing smile that somehow still passed as innocent to the untrained eye, Honey skipped off through the entrance and into the crowd. Holding her arm close to his side, Mori followed suit, guiding Suzu through the swarm that seemed even rowdier after the quiet outdoors.

More than a few times, Suzu heard someone call out to the tall teen. But he paid little attention unless they directly blocked his path, and gave only one word or grunted responses even then. At the far end of the room, a side door lead to a short hall. Three doors down stood the nurse's quarters.

Realizing there wouldn't be anyone inside at the moment, Mori turned the handle and strode in, lightly pushing down on her shoulder to indicate where she should sit. Rifling briefly through the cabinets, he emerged with what she assumed by the click of the clasp was a first aid kit.

"This might sting," he apologized, gingerly pressing a disinfectant cloth against her forehead to wipe away the blood. Once it was cleaned, he covered it with a clear bandage. Before he could stand from where he was kneeling, Suzu impulsively caught his wrist.

"How many times is this that you've saved me?" she laughed sheepishly, taking his hand in her own. "You know, those people who just think you're this silent guy don't know what they're missing."

"..."

"So… thank you."

He was difficult to read, and it seemed he was once again out of things to say, but the warm hand in hers shook slightly before tightening its hold. After a long moment, he reluctantly loosened his grip.

"Please," she whispered, reddening. "Don't let go."

What could he possibly say to that? What on earth was shivering in the air to cause this erratic heartbeat in his chest? An hour ago, she hadn't known he existed, and now here she was asking him not to go. ...Or had she known?

I see you. The words kept ringing. She may have been the one who waited in darkness, but it dawned on him then that he had been the blind one all along.

"We should be getting back," he said, but he didn't relinquish his hold. She could feel him move before he touched her, gently tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

She wrinkled her nose. "Do we have to?" Despite himself, Mori chuckled.

X

Kyoya had been so busy playing the dutiful host that it was some time before he noticed that two of his clubmates were nowhere to be found. Excusing himself from a particularly clingy but well-renowned heiress, he scanned the heads around him. He was just about to go looking when he spotted both of them coming through a side entrance, arm in arm. It was amusing to see them together, since they'd been dancing circles around each other for weeks now, though not so surprising for the dark-haired teen as he re-adjusted his glasses for a better view. He'd instinctively known Mori would be drawn to the seclusion of the veranda, and it had been rather easy to convince Suzu to step out for a bit when the inundating atmosphere overwhelmed her.

As the music played on, melting into a slow, eighteenth century ballad whose composer was- interestingly enough- unknown, Kyoya watched as the two began a different kind of dance, smiling and gracefully swaying in a candlelit world all their own.

This one's on you, Morinozuka-senpai, he thought, extricating his pen and black book from his pocket and making a note. He doubted whether the debt would ever really be repaid, but a guy could always hope.

A/N: I'm not quite finished with part three, but I'll do my best to hopefully (cross my fingers) post in a timely manner. Thanks again and hope you have a wonderful week! :)