A/N: Okay so I was originally going to have Haruhi kidnapped in this chapter. However, again the manga beat me to that idea haha. I won't give anymore away, because reading the OHHC manga is so worth it and I don't want to spoil it. So because of these things this chapter is less climactic. I promise the next chapter will be though. My sister helped me come up with a different angle for a suspenseful chapter. I have really appreciated all the feedback.
The zoo was absolutely lovely. Haruhi had only demanded outing so everyone would get off Tamaki's back, but now she was quite enjoying it. The Twins were looking at the meerkats. Kyoya was talking to a supervisor about renting some of the animals for a Host Club event. Hunny was on Mori's shoulders looking at the birds. Tamaki was... Haruhi stopped for a minute in worry. Where was Tamaki? He'd been there with her a minute ago. She looked around feeling panic squeeze her heart.
"Kyoya!" She called out and he turned her way. She ran the short distance to him and was still looking around. "Have you seen Master Tamaki?"
"No," he said slowly writing something down in his ever-present notebook.
"I can't find him," Haruhi mumbled still searching the grounds. "Don't you have a tracker on him?" She asked.
"Haruhi I don't think it is quite that serious yet." He was right of course. Bumbling Tamaki had probably just ran off somewhere to see another animal. Then why did she feel all this worry? Ever since he's almost left them she felt this sense of panic whenever she couldn't find him. She selfishly wanted him right by her side.
"Besides Haruhi, my tracker only allows me to know if Tamaki is at home or not, I don't invade his privacy any further than that." Haruhi nodded solemnly.
"Well I'm going to go look for him," she told him and then ran off without an answer. She tried to think like Tamaki. Where would he go?
"He would leave you!" A harsh voice rang in her head. Woah where did that come from? Haruhi was surprised that, that had been her first thought. She trusted Tamaki fully, but was it possible that she was still very wounded by the fact that'd he almost left her? She understood why and in all practicality she knew it was his only chance to see his mother. However, in her heart she knew very well her life would be nothing without him. He'd taught her so much and she wasn't ready to lose him.
She was still searching when she heard a small voice singing a song. It was Tamaki for sure! She'd know that voice anywhere. She turned slightly to the left and saw the blonde sitting beside the fox habitat. There was a baby fox who looked a bit frightened.
"Senpai?" Haruhi questioned looking down at the boy.
"Oh hi Haruhi," he said without even looking up. He was still staring fondly at the baby animal. "She's afraid, but I don't think she wants anyone to know." Haruhi stood quietly beside Tamaki. "She's strong," he murmured as the baby fox looked up at Haruhi curiously. Finally the little rascal seemed to get over her fear and scampered away. "She reminds me of you," Tamaki whispered so low Haruhi almost missed it. She was about to yell at him. Tell him that she was strong, that she wasn't a baby, and that she could do things on her own. However, she stopped herself. She realized what she'd immediately taken offense to was actually a compliment. She was about to open her mouth to say something in return when the rest of the club came running up.
"We're bored," Hikaru whined.
"That's rude Hikaru," Kyoya chuckled.
"But it's true!" Karou snapped back. "Haruhi we basically own our own petting zoo, so this isn't really new for us."
"You guys!" Tamaki's wild scream scared off some birds. "Stop! Haruhi planned a perfectly nice day for us!"
"Sorry you guys. I didn't know," Haruhi mumbled dejectedly.
"If you guys are picking a different venue, choose fast we only have an hour," Kyoya noted. He was standing completely still. His eyes downcast onto his clipboard. Nothing but ice in his aura. Haruhi had a theory that if you stood Kyoya in a shop window no one would be able to tell between him and the mannequins.
"Till what Kyoya?" Hunny asked happily playing with Bun bun and the new stuffed animal Zebra he'd bought.
"Today is a host meeting, I marked it on all of your school calendars," Kyoya told them looking up exasperatedly.
"Wait how did you get my school cal-" Haruhi was cut off before she could finish.
"But I guess all of you have forgotten!" Kyoya snapped and the Twins rolled their eyes. The rest of the group looked petrified.
"Kyoya, what do we need to plan?" Hikaru asked.
"Yeah! After all you like planning everything alone," Karou added.
For the first time Haruhi saw Kyoya blush. He looked nervous, his fingers fiddled with his pen. She hadn't seen him act like this ever.
"Okay," Kyoya gave in. "I have no costume ideas, it's hard to plan things now with Haruhi being outed as a girl." Haruhi felt her cheeks redden. She didn't want to be a burden, she also didn't want the Host Club's funds to suffer. She knew very well that the Host Club had to keep living up to its standards to prove to Kyoya's father how incredibly capable he was.
"Oh Kyoya that's awful," Tamaki wailed. "And you didn't tell us! Oh Kyoya we will help you," Tamaki was babbling heartfeltly.
"I'm not dying Tamaki," Kyoya said harshly but everyone noticed the relief in his eyes. Haruhi smiled she was so glad the Host Club was becoming even closer since Tamaki almost left. Months ago Kyoya would've never dreamed of admitting a trouble to the group.
...later at the Ohotori mansion...
"So ideally we need things with a female role," Kyoya explained. "I know you are comfortable in boys clothes Haruhi, but attendance has been rocketing upwards since everyone found out your true gender. I'd really like if you could maybe exploit that a bit."
"I'm not wearing anything revealing," Haruhi automatically snapped.
"Why not Haruhi," Hikaru was using his evil voice.
"Yeah the boss would love it," Karou cooed.
"What! I would not!" Tamaki screeched hysterically.
"But Tama-chan you were just saying yesterday how much you would love for Haru-chan to wear a sexy school girl outfit," Hunny said absentmindedly. Haruhi was bright pink and Tamaki was a cold grey, his face drained of all color.
"Careful Mitsukuni," Mori mumbled.
"No I didn't!" Tamaki spluttered. The Twins eyes were bright with mischief. "I said she looked nice in the school outfit she had!" Tamaki screamed.
Haruhi's thoughts were whirling. Tamaki wanted her to wear a sexy school girl outfit? Of course seeing as his job was in the Host Club he would be into role playing, but that wasn't the point. She didn't know how she felt.
"I swear I didn't say that! I'd never want you to wear that!" Tamaki was shouting at Haruhi from behind the Twins who were taunting him. Haruhi felt those words as a bit of a blow to her self esteem.
Of course she didn't want to just be a sexual object to boys. However, the way Tamaki said it made her realize he probably didn't think about her the way she did about him. Of course it wasn't that she was so sex crazed that she needed him to think like that. However she was a teen girl and Tamaki was very attractive. Would she even be willing to do that? Well maybe for Tamaki. Haruhi was suddenly thrown into her first sexual fantasy day dream about Tamaki Suoh.
"Haruhi what's wrong with you?" Hunny asked. He was watching Haruhi sway back and forth with red cheeks and an odd expression.
"What nothing!" Haruhi jumped almost a foot in the air.
"Alright everyone stop," Kyoya must've sensed something more than jokes was going on. He was very firm sounding. Haruhi sent him a look of gratitude. "Let's focus on the meeting here," Kyoya demanded. The Twins reluctantly backed away from Tamaki. "Now does anyone have any actual ideas?"
"Wait I do" Every head turned towards Haruhi. Haruhi could hardly explain it herself, but she'd just had an idea.
"You don't care about club activities," Kyoya was the first to speak.
"Yeah, forgive our French Haruhi," the Twins started together. "But you've never really given a shit before."
"I know but I really have an idea," Haruhi grinned. Everyone blinked. "We could be the characters from Peter Pan!" Still no one said a word. Haruhi's confidence was failing her. "I could be Wendy and the Twins could be lost boys, and-" Haruhi's voice was fading slowly.
"Haruhi that's brilliant!" A voice squealed . Haruhi turned to the one person she'd dreaded looking at for fear of his reaction. Tamaki was grinning from ear to ear, his eyes soft and bright. Haruhi looked at him and felt love swell in her heart.
"Really?" Haruhi breathed.
"Of course!" Tamaki spun around happily. "Haruhi it's a splendid idea!" Haruhi felt her smile might break her face. Tamaki was looking directly at her telling her how amazing her idea was and she couldn't be happier. "Kyoya will be Captain Hook of course with his dark hair and steely eyes!" Tamaki ranted.
"Naturally," Kyoya smirked.
"Oh and I thought Mori and Hunny could be Michael and John, Wendy's siblings. Especially since throughout the story Michael carries around his bear, and Hunny caries around Bun Bun all day so," Haruhi mumbled the end but noticed everyone was smiling now. She felt pride rise inside her.
"Oh and of course I will be the boyishly charming Peter Pan," Tamaki sang spinning Haruhi around in a circle and then catching her. Haruhi giggled, actually giggled. Haruhi felt a bit embarrassed, she wasn't the type of girl who giggled at boys; but Tamaki was looking at her so fondly she hardly cared.
"Hey aren't Peter and Wendy kind of a thing?" Karou asked with a broad grin.
"No they're like twelve!" Tamaki screamed at the same time Haruhi said "It depends how you interpret it." They both looked at one another with a startled glance.
"Sure," the Twins chorused with knowing eyes.
