Haruhi did not speak until they got back to the kitchen, and when she did her voice was a whisper.
"Otou-san is fond of Kyoya. If he asked father…"
"Your father also knows that just because he tells you to do something does not mean that you will do it. When the Morinozuka's and Haninozuka's offer their protection they mean it, and my mother is a very shrewd woman. Hotaru is no one to trifle with either. She did birth both Mitskuni and Yasichika."
"We should ice the Hunny-senpai's cake." Haruhi moved towards the supplies on the counter. White icing is what my mother always put on it. Then she would decorate it with strawberries." Haruhi poured powdered sugar into a bowl, then placed softened butter into the bowl before handing it to Mori, motioning at the handmixer.
"Mix it. This is your gift to him. Add a little bit of milk as you mix as well."
"Ah." Mori turned on the mixer and stared at the bowl in concentration. He had never made icing before. He glanced at Haruhi, noting the serious look on her face. He recognized that look, it was the look on his face a few days ago. She was upset, she was thinking, and she didn't want anyone to know what she was thinking.
"Talk with him when you get home." Mori spoke as he turned off the mixer. "If you do not mind I will speak with Mitskuni as well."
"Do what you think it best." Haruhi's voice held less life that Mori would have liked and he frowned.
"I will." Mori dipped his finger in the icing and with a quick motion of the hand deposited a lump of icing on Haruhi's nose.
"Hey—" She jumped, glaring at him and he smiled.
"How does it taste?"
"Wha?"
"How does it taste?" He looked at her expectantly and with a sigh she wiped the icing from her nose looking at it.
"The texture seems right."
"Ah."
Haruhi tasted the icing and smiled. "Perfect."
She reached out and took the bowl from Mori, picking a spatula up off the counter. "I will ice it then you can decorate with the strawberries, alright?"
"Ah." Mori stood behind Haruhi, watching her work. His frame towered over hers, one hand supporting his weight on the counter. As she worked her arm brushed against his, but as he glanced down she did not seem to notice, her face intense with concentration.
"Okaa-san and I would make this for Otou-san on weekends. I was little, so she wouldn't let me cook, but she would always let me ice the cake. It took years for me to learn to ice it well, but Otou-san still would tell me that the cake looked beautiful." Haruhi smiled.
"You still make this for him?"
"On special occasions. He is out with his friends from the tranny bar so often that he isn't home a lot. And when he is I tend to be out with the Host Club. Tamaki and the twins won't take no for an answer". Haruhi laughed. "It is part of the reason that Otou-san doesn't like Tamaki. He, and the rest of the club, whisk me away on his few days off."
"Why do you not tell Tamaki?"
"Otou-san needs rest on his days off. If I said that I couldn't go out, the Host Club would just end up at the apartment, and Tamaki and Otou-san would just fight, and it would be a disaster. It is easier this way."
"Tamaki might not—" Mori started and Haruhi paused in her work and turned her head to look up at Mori, her eyebrow cocked.
"You can't believe that?"
"Hn." Mori answered.
"I have thought about pretending to be sick, but I would end up at an Ootori hospital out of his concern. Saying no will result in Kyoya raising my debt for whatever reason. If Otou-san would just let me know in advance it wouldn't be an issue, but he doesn't always know. If I knew ahead of time I could just say no, and let Tamaki know that my father and I had plans that might help—"
"Ah." Mori ruffled Haruhi's hair and she smiled. "I will say no next time. Hunny will as well. That will cause some issues."
Haruhi laughed. "Just giving me a little warning will get Otou-san and I out of the house."
"I will do that."
"Good." Haruhi smoothed the last bit of icing at the cake before turning to look at Mori. It was then that she seemed to notice the proximity, her large brown eyes slowly blinking.
"You can place the strawberries now." Her voice was soft as she stepped to the side and Mori nodded. He noted that there was a faint blush on her face, and he knew that there was one on his. "Does it matter—"
"Just do what you think is best. It is supposed to be creative. Okaa-san and I would do hearts sometimes for Otou-san."
"Ah." Mori took the bowl of strawberries and bent over the cake, his brow furrowing in concentration. Haruhi found her gaze drawn to him, and though she didn't realize it she studied him while he worked. If it had been anyone else they might have been thrown by the attention, but Mori had competed in countless kendo competitions. He was used to being scrutinized. But even he had to admit that having Haruhi study him had him a little on edge.
"Here, eat." He didn't turn towards her but offered up a strawberry. Glancing from the corner of his eye he knew it was in the general vicinity of her mouth. Haruhi responded without a thought and bent to eat the strawberry offered by his fingers. It was only as her mouth closed around the strawberry that she realized what she had done and froze, her eyes darting in a panic towards Mori, her face flushing with color, the strawberry gently held in her teeth.
Mori was frozen in place himself. He had expected her to take the strawberry from him. When she had – her lips had brushed his fingers—and it was only through years of self-control that he did not react.
"Hmmm…." Haruhi made an incoherent noise, trying to eat the strawberry to apologize, but Mori turned to her and smiled, ruffling her hair. This time though he let his hand fall, tracing her cheek before her turned back towards the cake.
"Just let me know how he likes it." Haruhi was wiping down the counters while Mori did the dishes.
"You should be here for this. I will pick you up tomorrow afternoon."
"But—Chika—Hunny-senpai—"
"They will be fine. You were part of this so you should be here. "
"Mori-sen—"
"Takashi. Takashi-senpai if you must. I think we have spent enough time together that you can call me by my given name. Kyoya, Tamaki, Hikaru and Kaoru are all on a familiar basis with you. Can I not be as well?"
"But only Hunny-senpai calls you Takashi."
"The others can, but they will not. I want you to."
"I will try."
"You do not have to in club. I know the issues that it will cause you."
"Ah." Haruhi agreed then froze, looking up to Mori. It seemed she had picked up his mannerisms over the day. They both laughed, and continued the clean.
"When we are done I will give you a ride home. It is getting dark. I would feel better if I escorted you home."
"But it is a lot of trouble and—"
"Haruhi." His voice was firm and Haruhi sighed.
"Fine, Takashi."
Haruhi nervously messed with the hem of her skirt. When her father had found out that she was going to a welcome home party for Hunny, Chika and Satoshi at the Morinozuka residence he was overjoyed. He rambled on and on about his meeting with Sakura and Hotaru before, in a rare moment of serious, he told Haruhi that he wanted her to be happy, and that any decision about her future was hers. I will not let them pressure me into anything, he had promise before he raided her closet in an attempt to find the perfect outfit.
"You must look your best before Sakura and Hotaru. They are so kind to help out in this way you must show them respect!" Ranka gushed as clothing had flown around the room and Haruhi had sighed in resignation. This was party, and it did make sense that capris and a tee weren't quite appropriate for the party.
At the moment she stood in a corner of the dining room in the Morinozuka house watching Mori and Keiko fuss with the reaming decorations in the table. Sakura and Hotaru had yet to emerge from the depths of the house where they had disappeared to get ready, and Haruhi felt decidedly out of place here. She had to admit that both the cakes looked quite good, and noted that there were several more cakes that had been added to the equation. She assumed it was just in case Hunny wanted more cake when he finished with the one that Mori had made him.
"They are here!" Hotaru exclaimed as she glided into the room, Sakura following close behind. Once again both women were immaculately dressed in kimonos and Haruhi tried to shrink back into a corner. Mori as dressed casually, but the two women in the room were so elegant –
Why do I feel this way? Where did this femininity come from?
Haruhi mused to herself, a frown on her face. Why was she feeling self-conscious all the sudden? Was it because she was intruding on a family moment and felt out of place? Was it because she was trying to feel worth of the offer that the women had offered her? Or did it have something to do with a strawberry and a dark haired senior?
"Are you alright Haruhi?" Sakura moved over to the young woman who nodded slowly.
"I am fine. Its just—" Haruhi paused. "I feel undressed. And I don't usually care about things like that."
Sakura nodded. "I can imagine that being raised by ones father, no matter how feminine your father can be," Sakura paused, making sure that Haruhi did not take offense to her comment, "Would leave one lacking a sense of femininity that other young women your age have."
Haruhi nodded. "It is often said that I have no concept of being a woman. I think that is part of why the Host Club thought I was male to begin with. I am not gender conscious."
"But you think you might be…" Sakura trailed off as Haruhi nodded.
"I don't like it." Haruhi's voice was soft. "I don't want to succeed because I am pretty and feminine and can charm people. I want to get ahead because of who I am. That was why I never cared that I did not have the desire to be feminine."
Sakura looked to Haruhi as her youngest son entered the room Before she turned to look at Haruhi.
"Come over one day after school this week if you like. We can talk some more about it then. I know that you haven't had a mother for a lot of the times when you would need a mother, and I know that I am not your mother, but I want to be able to help – so if you need someone to talk to, remember where I am."
"Thank you." Haruhi smiled and Sakura moved away with a smile. She had noticed that as Haruhi talked she had been watching Takashi, her gaze drifting to him before moving away. It pleased her that Takashi was spending more time with Haruhi. Haruhi seemed like a very nice young woman, and Haruhi had worked miracles to relieve him of his mood when Mitskuni left for the weekend. If it was Takashi that was the impetus of the blossoming femininity in Haruhi she would try to encourage it, without forcing Haruhi into anything. What Ootori and Suoh forgot was that subtlety was the key with a woman's heart, and who better to know the heart of a woman than a woman?
"Satoshi, Mitskuni, Yasuchika welcome home." Sakura smiled as the three young men entered the room.
Hunny bound into the room, his eyes alight at the sight of cakes and Mori. Chika shuffled into the room, Satoshi dragging him by his sleeve.
"Takashi made a cake for your birthday, Yasuchika." Hotaru's voice was soft and Chika looked to the table with a frown.
"I don't like cake."
"Try this one." Hotaru smiled at her son. "It isn't a sweet cake. Takashi and Haruhi took a lot of time to make that for you. Takashi wanted to continue that tradition that he and Mitskuni started for you."
Chika stiffened slightly at the slight threatening tone in his mother's voice.
It was then that the young men noticed Haruhi, standing back in the corner.
"Haru-chan!" Hunny bound over to Haruhi and captured her in a hug while Satoshi and Chika looked on in confusion.
"Haruhi is a female?" Satoshi's voice was quiet.
"If course she is. Don't you ever listen to our conversations at dinner?" Sakura scolded her soon, who looked sheepishly away.
"We made a carrot cake for you, Chika." Haruhi smiled. "I knew that you didn't like sweet things, and so when Takashi suggested making a cake for you, so you would have something when you got back, I thought that carrot would be a good choice."
Haruhi didn't notice the glance that Hunny shot Mori when she used his given name, but Mori did, and he was relieved at the happiness in the gaze of his cousin.
"Hunny-senpai, I believe that Takashi has something for you as well." Haruhi urged Hunny over to where Mori stood and smiled as Mori showed Hunny the cake, explaining that it was a recipe that Haruhi had learned from her mother.
Hunny was overjoyed, and soon the entire cake was demolished, though he did offer a small piece to Mori and Haruhi in thanks. Even Chika had to admit that the carrot cake was passable. Though he still did not like cake. That earned him a 'scolding' from Satoshi and he was chided for disrespecting a woman and all the efforts she had put into the cake to make him happy on his birthday.
The celebrating and cake eating, at least on Hunny's part, went into the evening, and soon Mori was escorting a tired Haruhi home. She had allowed him to take her home in the limo, agreeing that it was a little late to be on the trains, and that the limo would be more comfortable. Mori was surprised that Haruhi did not argue more, but he imagined that she had gotten up early that morning to do all the weekend cleaning and her studying for the weekend. It was been generous of her to give her time this weekend to help him prepare this cake for Mitskuni and Yasuchika. He knew that Haruhi had a long list of other things that needed to be done, but at the same time he was grateful that she had chosen to help him.
As the limo slowed before Haruhi's apartment complex Mori shifted across the limo to sit beside Haruhi. She had fallen asleep on the ride home and while he thought that Ranka was alright with his presence, he did not want Ranka to think that Haruhi had been driven to the point of exhaustion by spending the weekend with him and his family.
"Haruhi." His voice was soft but Haruhi shifted nonetheless, slowly opening her eyes and blinking sleepily.
"Yes, Mori—Takashi." Haruhi straightened as she acclimated herself to her surroundings, and when she realized that she wasn't at school. "I didn't mean to fall asleep." Haruhi stated but Mori shook his head.
"It is fine. We are at your apartment."
"Thank you for the ride." She smiled at him and moved to leave the limo, but stopped when she felt a hand around her wrist.
"Wait a moment."
She shifted so she sat beside him, he face concerned.
"The cake meant a lot to Mitskuni, and to Yasuchika, though he will not tell you." Mori handed her a box, wrapped in simple blue paper. "This is thanks for helping make that possible for them."
Mori looked away. It seemed like he wanted to say more and Haruhi cocked her head to the side.
"If you ever just need someone to hang out with, if Hunny-senpai is not available, you know that you can come to me, right Takashi?"
He met her gaze and nodded slowly.
"This weekend was a lot of fun. I would hope that this is not a one weekend occurrence." She smiled at Mori. "You are a very nice young man, it was good to get to know you this weekend." Haruhi looked down to the present.
"Should I open this now?"
"If you wish." Mori looked away again as Haruhi began to open the present. He was beginning to think that the thank you gift was not the best idea. He had not ever given a present to a girl. His mother had received present from him, but he had never given a gift to a female – friend or otherwise – that he was not related to.
Haruhi stared down at the box in her lap. Inside was a photo album.
"When did—"
Mori glanced at what Haruhi held in her hands and shrugged. "Okaa-san told Keiko to take pictures of us while we baked. Okaa-san thought that your father might like to see those pictures, but she also thought that you would want copies. Okaa-san and Hotaru had that made for you."
"I see…" Haruhi's voice was soft and Mori noticed that the page had fallen open to the picture he had hoped she would notice later – and the one that she hoped her father would not see – the strawberry incident. He could feel a slight blush come to his cheeks.
"I will show these to Otou-san later…" Haruhi's voice was soft, and as her gaze met Mori's he nodded in agreement at the rest of her unspoken sentence. She would show them to Ranka after she took a few pictures out. It was not that there was anything inappropriate – just that Ranka would go into protective father mode, and Haruhi really had enjoyed spending time with Mori that weekend.
Haruhi pulled another present out of the box. She looked up at Mori, puzzled.
"How did you know that I wanted this?"
"You have talked about it with your clients." Mori did not elaborate but Haruhi's face bloomed into a smile.
"Thank you." Haruhi leaned over and hugged Mori quickly before scrambling out of the limo, the box in her hands. She quickly ran up the stairs, pausing before her door to look back down at the limo before she slipped inside.
Both teens paused for a moment, the same thought in their head.
Why had she hugged him? Haruhi did not normally give hugs – so why?
Author's Note:
I realize that you do not yet find out what the present was that Mori gave Haruhi. You will find out in later chapters when the gift comes into play. :-)But thank you all for reading and the kind reviews.