Mou, forgive my lateness with this chapter. I've had complications health wise, involving a pulled abdominal or stomach muscle, and those are rather painful to pull, that they are. And on top of that i'm still coaching soccer so I have to play with the kids and one of the boys thought it would be funny to take advantage and knee me in the stomach, and break my nail. That's alright though. He's on my list. I've taken out bigger and better than him and if he wants to play me at my own game, then so be it. =]
In other news, I will be having chorus practices on top of soccer and school starts back soon. Unfortunately I am being forced to attend instead of just taking my classes online like any normal social outcast prefers to do.
*sigh*
You'll get your chapters with little hidden gender confusions inside of it. Hah. If you can spot them then you are grammatically efficient. Bravo.
Forgive my morbis sarcasm this time, i'm rather... upset about having to wake up early tommorow to have to deal with school bullshitttttt.
Well, enjoy my little readers, and a review might help put me out of this gloomy writers block funk.
Gracia Placenti: For the sake of pleasing
!
Spending nearly an hour on the phone with her father, she learned he was coming home tonight and had already alerted Kyoya of the good news.
She didn't delve into any intricate details as her father asked for the juicy gossip, merely staying to the idea that the Ootori are very welcoming and kind.
A knock on the side door had her jumping slightly out of her skin.
"I included a lock out of courtesy, though I don't like it being used." She heard from the other side, the undertone sporting a shade of annoyance.
"Umm, I have to go dad, have a safe trip."
"Oh, aright, Haruhi, I'll see you so-"
The rest of Ranka's goodbye was cut off as Haruhi snapped her phone shut, walking to the door with her fingers resting on the lock.
"Are you going to accuse me of stupid things again?" She asked through the door, only to be answered by silence. Curious, she turned the lock and peeked her head in, looking around the room for an annoyed Kyoya.
She saw none.
Pulling her head back, she gave a yelp as the door in her hands was shut, closing with a snap where her head had been mere seconds ago. A hand rested on the wood above her head, a pair of shining glasses further up.
Apparently Kyoya hadn't forgotten that there was another door, one she probably hadn't even thought to lock, and decided waiting for her to stop her childish little games was beneath him.
"I don't know, is trying to keep me out with an unlocked door considered stupid?"
She smiled at the sarcasm, duking under his arm and he watched as she waked and sat down on her already made bed. Judging from how the pillows weren't arranged perfectly, she'd done it herself.
"Slightly, but you can't accuse me of something stupid if I openly admit it was."
He merely jammed the lock so she could not use it against him again, before turning his attentions back to her.
"Ranka-san is coming back tonight."
He said, not really asking to confirm with her, and she nodded, looking out of the windows to the gardens outside.
"And you both will be joining us for dinner, as were my fathers' wishes."
Now, that was new.
"I wasn't told about that," she muttered under her breath. Nor was she asked if she even wanted to attend a dinner with her hyperactive father who would most likely dote on about her and what not.
"It wasn't really your choice," he pointed out to her, causing her to glare dumbly at him. "Though I'm sure you're already aware it will be formal dress code."
'Great, another dress,' she thought to herself grudgingly. The least life could offer was comfortable pair of sweat pants and some ootoro to drown her sorrows.
Disappearing behind his own door, he returned with a box in hand; she could easily guess what was in it.
He looked at her as he sat it down in front of her, waiting for her to open it. She didn't really make a move, as most girls would. Then again, Haruhi wasn't what he dubbed normal. Normal girls don't worry about their homework when they could be relaxing at a spa or what not. Normal girls would at least have tried to take advantage of him while he bathed, but she'd opted to look away. Hell, any girl would have opted for that chance, normal or not.
Thinking back on it, he did feel a small prick inside, something he hadn't felt in a long time. He was slightly offended that she didn't even seem phased by his body being right there for her to gander at. Regardless, he steeled himself as he felt his façade slacking. Now wasn't the time to go off pondering pointless things.
"Are you going to open it or am I to ask the maids to dress you?" He stated with a rather curious tone. He hadn't meant it to have the sharp edge that snapped her out of her little trance and the thoughts he wasn't quite sure he wanted to know about.
Without an answer she flipped the lid off of the box, pushing it off to the side. The oversized collar of her sleep shirt dipped slightly, revealing a creamy white collar bone that she absently covered back up. He couldn't help but try to hide the slight crimson that tried to force its way up past his calm mask. He had no idea how that woman could elicit even the slightest response out of him, let alone causing him to have to fight back a blush at seeing so little skin.
'Pull yourself together. You're an Ootori,' he reminded himself as he saw her pull the dress out of the box and cock her head slightly. After Ranka had called him earlier, he had ordered a dress online to be delivered immediately to him. Kyoya might not have been the son of fashionistas, but he had his own flair. He preferred sleek, professional styles that had a sexy flair, and that is exactly what he had chosen when he purchased this dress in the morning.
Though, it had been a good choice, knowing it would annoy Haruhi to no end.
"Is this a dress people wear in public?" She asked him, holding up the piece of silky fabric from the box. Dyed a deep crimson color, the dress screamed "look at me" a bit too loudly for her tastes.
With a smirk, he pulled out the matching shoes, which he had at least been thoughtful in purchasing; a pair of black flats with red bows. The belt that cinched around her waist lay in the box as well. Guiding her in the bathroom, he handed her the shoes and belt with a placid smile and closed the door, going to his own room to dress himself quickly.
As she pulled on the dress, well, what Kyoya claimed was a dress, she knew she did not want to look in the mirror, her last shred of pride lingered in hoping this dress would at least go past mid-thigh and cover up the things she'd spent years hiding under baggy sweaters. Her prayer was answered, the dress reached a little above her knees with black ruffles underneath. The red satin draped to the sides from the middle to show the black material, and the black belt was secured around her slender waist, a bow in the back. She was insecure about not having any straps to secure the material to her body, and prayed the anti-slip strips on the inside would keep it up. With a little bit of eye liner, mascara, and a shade of lip gloss only a little darker than her natural shade, she felt that was the best she was willing to do.
In all, it could have been worse. Instead of looking like a salsa or tango dancer, she could look like a cheap French harlot. She'd opt for the first in a heartbeat, if it came to those two extremes. With one last look in the mirror, she opened the door to see Kyoya sitting where she'd left him, only dressed extremely differently. A sleek black tuxedo emphasized his trim figure, and the red satin shirt and black tie was definitely matched to her own dress. It was hard to imagine Kyoya any other way, as he sat elegantly with his nose buried in the laptop she was sure was his lifeline.
"Umm, Kyoya?" she called, scolding herself for the slight waiver in her voice. It wasn't that she was worried she wouldn't look presentable, seeing as he himself had presented her with the dress, she told herself, it was merely just the belt being a little too tight on her abdomen. With her head tilted to the side, she watched him through her bangs as he slowly looked up from the computer screen and gave her a quick look over before meeting her eyes briefly.
"You look… different," he offered her, closing his laptop and placing it on her bed. He surmised it would be safe enough to leave it here until he returned; the maids knew well enough to leave it alone, not that anyone would be able to guess what his password was.
"Thanks, I guess?" She wasn't exactly sure if him saying she looked different was to be regarded as a compliment or it was the most polite way-and only way- of him admitting he had made a mistake when choosing the dress.
'Oh well, too late now,' she told herself, inwardly rolling her eyes. It was best to just get the evening over with and see her father again since her accident the day at the café.
'That day…' she thought distantly, before snapping herself out of what she knew was going to be a recall of all of the misfortune that had befallen her since the morning her father had handed her that letter.
"Haruhi," he said sharply, calling her to attention. She snapped her eyes to him, alert from his tone. His eyes relaxed as he felt his resolve shrinking from the gaze in her emotional caramel orbs. What she was feeling right now was a mystery to him, she just looked… vulnerable, if he had to name it.
"Are you ready to leave?" Kyoya asked, more softly than he had spoken previously. She smiled and told him she was, but the smile didn't really reach her eyes, he noticed, as they walked out from her room and to the awaiting limo. He explained shortly that his father had taken a different car, having to deal with something important on the way. As she looked at her cell phone in the red bow shaped purse he had provided her with, she noticed it was only 3 in the afternoon, and her father wasn't due till at least 6.
"Kyoya?" She asked as she felt the limo departing from the manor and they settled themselves across from one another. He met her eyes in recognition of the question issued in his name.
"Why're we leaving so early, it's only three."
He turned his attention out of the window, and she watched as his shoulders tensed slightly. "We have to make a quick detour, as well," he told her tersely, and she knew it would be best not to ask any questions. She could only hope it didn't have to do with a rendezvous with the paparazzi or the news press, and her hands fidgeted in her lap at the thought.
Sharp eyes caught the movement, and for a moment he thought he felt slightly guilty, but it was quickly brushed aside as he looked out at the familiar route they were passing by outside. He could have gone earlier, without Haruhi, but Kyoya felt that her presence would be very much appreciated by him.
Tamaki hadn't seen his daughter in ages, and by the way he ran out of the doors of the Suoh Third House, it showed.
"My dearest daughter! Oh, my beautiful little pumpkin seed, how it does my heart well to see you in good health, come to visit your darling, handsome father!" Tamaki ranted as he hugged the girl in front of him, who kindly patted his back.
Tamaki was right, it had been a while. She'd meant to contact him more often, but just didn't act on the thought, and it made her feel a little bad as she saw his eyes sparkling.
"Has mama treated you well, Haruhi? Surely mama would only give the best to his dearest daughter, the fruit of his loin-"
And then she remembered why she'd lodged the thought out of her mind.
He could be downright annoying sometimes.
"Tamaki, can we please not talk about something vulgar and unnecessary?" Kyoya requested (commanded) with the clearing of his throat. Being ushered in and out of the chill, which Haruhi hadn't brought a jacket for, Tamaki led them up to a grand lounge, where he sat on a love seat and dragged Haruhi onto the cushion next to himself.
"Ah, my daughter, daddy is so glad to see you in his hour of woe!" he cried, latching onto her shoulders and sniffling in dramatics. She sent a glance towards Kyoya who sat in an over stuffed chair, questioning what Tamaki meant.
"I haven't told her what happened yet," he stated to Tamaki, turning to pour himself a cup of tea and sipping it slightly.
"WHATTTTT? MOMMY DIDN'T TELL DAUGHTER OF DADDY'S HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE! How cruel…" chewing on the corner of his handkerchief, Tamaki huddled closer to Haruhi who had run out of room to continue scooting away from the sobbing boy.
With a look of slight annoyance, Tamaki instantly sobered from a glance of Kyoya's and straightened himself up, dabbing his eyes with the hand embroidered piece of cloth.
"What experience are you referring to, Tamaki-senpai?" Haruhi asked him curiously. He looked well enough, and wasn't acting out of the norm. Perhaps he had been denied by a girl other than her and couldn't hold it all in?
"Well, daddy was out on a morning excursion with Antoinette,"
She yipped from another room as if hearing her name,
"And after breakfast Naoki found a bomb in the back seat! If he hadn't tossed it out of the door, your daddy might not be here right now holding you and seeing you so beautiful and womanly…." Tamaki quiented, rubbing his cheek on Haruhi's bare shoulder as she patted his head lightly.
"Tamaki-sempai, you really should have called me and told me yourself, a bomb is really serious. Does everyone else know?" She wasn't one to dote on Tamaki, but with this issue, it was a rare sight to behold Haruhi letting Tamaki cling to her and nuzzle into her flesh as he wiped his teary eyes.
A nerve in Kyoya's forehead tensed slightly at the sight before him, and his fist clenched for a reason he couldn't exactly name.
He reasoned it was the fact that he was reminded of the attack on his closest friends. He wasn't completely convinced.
Her eyes grew sad, they both noticed, as she looked down into Tamaki's watery violet ones, his head now in her lap for comfort.
"It's most likely my fault," she pointed out bluntly, causing both to tense up. This was exactly the reason he hadn't mentioned it to her, because with all of the events happening, she was apt to believe that the person behind her accident was also behind the bomb placed in his car. If anything ever happened to her friends because of her, she wouldn't be able to forgive herself, and they both knew it.
"Nononononono, Haruhi, nothing like that could ever be your fault! I've chalked it up to a jealous beau of one of my lovely ladies, merely trying to get a rise out of me! Not some crazy killer after me because of you and… your… oh my."
A fiery glare from Kyoya alerted him that he was indeed saying something that would most likely get his ears chewed off later and make Haruhi feel even worse.
"Haruhi," Kyoya said from the chair he sat in, rising and kneeling in front of the couch Tamaki and Haruhi were situated on. He twisted his head to look into her down cast eyes, allowing himself a moment of tenderness, if only to ensure both people cheered up and his evening would not be spoiled.
Reluctantly, her caramel orbs met Kyoya's onyx gray ones, her sadness conflicting with his own restricted look.
"If you're going to tell me I'm not at fault, don't bother," Haruhi drawled bluntly, not wanting to hear him try to convince her it wasn't her fault his best friend and hers as well was nearly obliterated. Kyoya let a small sigh slip past his lips.
"You have no proof to pin the accident on yourself, so quit dwelling on it until we have concrete evidence." It was a reasonable enough statement, enough to cheer Tamaki up as he smoothed Haruhi's hair from his resting position on her lap.
"Yah, Haruhi! Mommy is always right about these things! And even if it was, I'm alright! Nothing could separate me from my loving daughter, not even Hades himself!"
Kyoya's eyes were still locked onto her own, and at the stern look he was giving her, she felt something move through her and the back of her neck bristled. She gave him a small nod, not trusting her own voice, in hopes it would convince Kyoya to return to his seat and stop staring at her like that.
Rising gracefully to his feet, he did indeed look away from her eyes and repressed the fuzzy feeling in the back of his head from spreading any further, lest he say or do something out of place.
"With that settled, we do have to get going."
A dismayed look plastered itself onto Tamaki's face as he sat up, slinging to Haruhi defensively.
"Whaaaat? But you just got here and I haven't seen my lovely kitten in so long," he whined, rubbing his cheek against her own.
"We're having dinner with my father, he's coming back from a trip," she forced out, taking a chance and breaking out of Tamaki's hold to stand beside Kyoya who looked down at her passively.
Tamaki's eyes brightened considerably at the thought of being able to have dinner with Ranka-san and having a romantic dinner with his lovely daughter under the setting of pale moonlight and smooth violins.
"I want to go too! Father and father should rejoice their daughter and be merry together!"
Holding her hands up uncomfortably, she tried to pick out the right words to explain to him, again, that her father hated the very air Tamaki spouted his nonsense in.
"I'm sorry, Tamaki, perhaps next time," Kyoya stated, beating her to it.
It was hard making it to the door, Tamaki's incessant begging and kneeling on the ground being a definite factor in the reason they were still on the second floor.
On the ride to the restaurant where she would see her father again, she wasn't sure exactly what she was expected to say to Kyoya. Of course she understood why he wouldn't tell her about the bomb; he didn't want to have to deal with her reaction alone. Truth be told, she didn't blame him. It was just another thing to add to the list of apologies she would have to write after all of this finally blew over and she hoped her mother in Heaven would see her through this to the end.
As the tires seemed to slow, Kyoya took his chance to speak with her privately before they would have to put on their smiling facades for their fathers.
"I know you're upset with me, but now is not the time to dwell on it."
Right now, that would have to suffice as his form of apology to her, and somehow she understood that was what he was trying to express through his fronted speech.
As they stepped out, Tachibana smiled and nodded to both of them as he closed the door and took his orders to return when called. Servers held open the doors and greeted them warmly, telling him his father was seated in the private section. Haruhi tried not to be too taken in by the lush interior and the elegant dining, but it was hard to not feel out of place in the world of those who were used to their riches while she was learning to grow into it. She liked where she was before, middle class and free. The arm she had hers tucked into tightened to retain her attention, and she looked up into Kyoya's face, noting how his smile once again didn't reach into his eyes that read "look-happy-or-ill-put-your-tab-onto-your-debt-with-the-host-club."
Soon, she didn't have to fake her smile as she saw her father, dressed in a fine suit and shorter hair combed back casually laughing with Toshio Ootori, spotting Haruhi and Kyoya approaching from the corner of his bespectacled eyes.
"Ah, Haruhi-san, Kyoya, you're earlier than expected." Toshio stood to greet them and shook his son's hand who looked at him with a morbidly curious expression, and turned to greet Haruhi in the same fashion. Her own father jumped from his seat, embracing his glamorized daughter before realizing in a ritzy restaurant such as this, it was rather improper to be hugging your daughter to your bosom and talking like a woman when you're clearly a man.
"Oh Haruhi, I've missed you so much! And you look so gorgeous! Ootori-san and Kyoya took such good care of you."
Ranka pulled out a seat beside himself, Kyoya taking the seat opposite her, aside his now seated father. Kyoya inquired about Ranka's trip, to which a slew of alcoholic induced side stories filled most of the evening. Yoshio seemed generally enthused as Ranka rambled on, and Haruhi could tell from the slight twitch of Kyoya's lips that he was giving his all to pretend to focus. This wasn't exactly information he would need to store in his file.
"Ayah, but enough about me and my trip, what has been happening here, with… well, Haruhi's recovery?" Ranka looked down to his daughter uncomfortably and rested his hand on her shoulder. He'd fretted every day, praying she didn't resent him for the rest of her life for taking the business trip when she needed him most, but Kyoya had given him such a convincing argument as to why Haruhi would be safe in his care and it would be unwise to throw away a good work related opportunity. He'd called Haruhi as often as he could, but she was unreliable when it came to keeping a cell phone near her person.
"Haruhi-san has been doing very well, and she certainly is a very bright young lady. My business partners think her to be very amiable. I believe she had an offer for an arranged marriage, ne, Haruhi-san?" Yoshio teased her with a wink, choosing to ignore the slight shift from Kyoya as he opted to stare down at his food.
"Umm, I believe he was just joking with me, I don't think he was actually being serious."
"Ah, the one thing about business is no matter how humorous something appears, a businessman is always serious."
Perhaps the next time Yoshio was hammered in her presence, she'd remind him of what he just said. With a smile and a nod, she told him she would keep that in mind, and returned to her meal.
"I wonder if I can speak with you privately, Yoshio-san?"
Ranka asked with a smile. As they left the table to walk through the open French doors to the small garden outside, Haruhi gave Kyoya a questioning glance, to which Kyoya merely shrugged and adjusted his glasses. So he had no idea what they were talking about, either.
In the background, a woman sang while a man played the piano, and it struck her that she was still musically inept. Her mother had been the same way when she was young, but one day, when her and her father were listening to the radio, she opened her mouth and correct notes flowed out, pleasant to the ears and not as ear piercing. Listening to this woman sing what she recognized as an English piece called 'someday', she felt her shoulders and mind relax. The food that had been ordered for her was exquisite, it being a seafood platter like Kyoya's, and she couldn't help but smile to herself.
"Are you that happy to see your father again?" Kyoya asked as he saw the grin spread over her recently placid face.
"Ayah, yes I am but I was thinking about how tranquil this place is. Even though it's too rich for my tastes, it's still rather pleasant."
She wished she couldn't sense the underlying sarcasm as Kyoya adjusted his glasses and set down his fork to speak.
"As of your eighteenth birthday, nothing will be too rich for you."
She sent him a small glare, muttering
"Rub it in, why don't you?"
Behind his wine glass, he tried to hide a smirk when his delicate ears picked up her breathy remark over the piano keys and light melody.
"Like salt in the wound." Haruhi wasn't sure, but she was guessing that was supposted to be humorous. She wasn't laughing.
Glancing out the door, she saw her father reproaching with Yoshio, both still smiling and laughing like they were school boys. She knew better than to outright ask what they had left the tables to discuss, but knew she could easily grill it from her father later, and if she was feeling generous, tell Kyoya the news.
As dinner came to a close, her father was reluctant to let her out of a hug as their separate cars pulled up; Yoshio had offered to escort Ranka home and Kyoya could escort Haruhi back to the Ootori mansion. She was free to return home in the morning or anytime tomorrow, Yoshio had told her, and was free to stay whenever she desired. A chilling breeze blew by, nipping her bare arms and she shivered as she crossed her arms over her chest. As she felt a warm piece of fabric being draped over her shoulders, she looked up to see Kyoya and his red satin shirt bathed in the dim glow from the building behind them, and glanced down at the tuxedo jacket he'd put over her.
"Thanks." She said with a smile, to which he nodded and Ranka squealed.
"Aah, Kyoya-kun, you are the perfect gentleman to care for my sweet little daughter! What a wonderful son you have, Yoshio-san."
The business head clapped Ranka on the back, nodding to the driver to open the door to their car.
"Yes, that I do, and you have a wonderful daughter, I must say. She keeps Kyoya on his toes that's for sure." Saying a quick goodbye to the two mentioned, he seated himself in the car and waited for Ranka to join him.
A quick embrace later and an "I'll see you tomorrow!" and her father and Yoshio were speeding off into the night. She hoped her father wouldn't have the urge to invite Yoshio in for more drinks. Tachibana held the door open as Kyoya and Haruhi entered, Haruhi scolding herself when she managed to trip on the curb and nearly tumble into the car, to which Kyoya couldn't bite back a chuckle.
As Tachibana started the car, they both fell into silence and Haruhi adverted her gaze to anywhere but on him, and instead opted to glance out of the window.
"I'm not completely positive yet," Kyoya said suddenly, startling Haruhi out of her peaceful silence.
"But I believe my father is planning something." They sat in darkness and quiet again for what seemed like the short half of forever, the street lamps and brightened houses filtering in and out on the floor. The light shone on his glasses, allowing her to see the strained expression one moment before it dissolved behind a flash of white.
The light danced off of her skin as well, and played with her caramel colored irises as they shone in confusion. Eventually, she heaved a sigh.
"I'm tired of this." It was a general statement, and neither was exactly sure of what she was thinking about when it slipped past her lips. One could only guess, though.
"It only gets worse," he murmured, stating only the cold truth.
He knew it, she knew it, and the looks on their faces only proved how strongly they both believed it to be true.
It was one of the few things she was sure of these days.
He watched her tense in discomfort, be it the shoes or hard reality bearing down uncomfortably on shoulders that already had to restrain so much.
'What can I say, it'll all get better?' he thought to himself. It annoyed him that for the first time in a very, very long time, he was tongue tied. Smooth talking came naturally to him, and it only amplified when he became a host, but as Haruhi sat across from him and was bathed in the afterglow of a paused street lamp, he knew words wouldn't pass through the girls ears.
He stood hunched in the limo, making the few steps to cross to the other side where Haruhi had silently designated as her own, and was thankful they were waiting at a stoplight. The light showed the surprise and confusion, which, he thought was endearing and mildly amusing. His hand rested over her own, lay out on the black leather seat.
The flush of her cheeks nearly had his head whirling. He'd had too much wine again, and chances were that flush on her cheeks wasn't stained there from just embarrassment. She could feel his sudden rush of body heat flowing through her hand, and she shivered under Kyoya's tuxedo jacket which did not end unnoticed from Kyoya. Silently he adjusted the jacket with his free hand, letting his fingers brush over the chilled skin on her neck and collar bone.
Kyoya was unsure as to what he was doing, alcohol raging through his system or not. Right now Haruhi sat there, vulnerable and in desperate need of comfort. Even Hunni-senpai or the Hitachiin brothers would be better suited to returning this sulking, strange woman back into the smiling and optimistic Haruhi he was used to. This pensive melancholy was unnatural coming from her.
As the light flashed away from the now moving vehicle, the last thing Haruhi saw in the clear lighting was Kyoya's head moving closer to hers, she felt the heart inside her chest beating foreign and off beat.
The warmth that suddenly met her forehead tingled, and she felt static ebb its way into her vision as everything dizzied slightly. What sounded like a small, wet smack came from above and the slight rush of cold accompanied the light tingle in that slight area.
Uncertainly, she glanced up, checking again to make sure it was Kyoya seated with her, so closely and breathing lightly, the darkness prevented her from confirming the identity, but she quickly concluded it could not be Kyoya.
A hand wound its way up a satin dress shirt that she assured herself was not red in color, and fingertips brushed lightly against soft locks she assured herself weren't raven colored. They passed smooth wet lips and silky smooth skin that were attached to this stranger whose name was not Kyoya. The glasses, however, threw her for a loop.
As did the consistent scent of expensive cologne, newspaper, and the tale tell warm smell of velvet tuberose. The other hand not clasped atop her other touched the hand fingering the glasses, and those curious finger tips were placed upon the smooth lips shed brushed moments ago, the tingling and warmth spread there as well.
"Haruhi," she felt the voice rumble lowly through her tingling hand, and suddenly she couldn't deny the identity of the speaker any longer. No one had abducted Kyoya and replaced him with a foreign body after all.
When her fingers drew a path up his neck, Kyoya had easily suppressed the shiver it nearly elicited from his torso. As they made their way upward, however, her name brushed past his iron clad lips and his hand instinctively reached for her own, drawing it to his lips to do what he had done to her temple.
Unsure if the alcohol was giving him strength or giving him stupidity, he decided to act on his impulses, and smirked at the slight intake of breath from the girl beside him. He could have anyone he wanted, but they didn't really matter if he had no use for them. Kyoya thought most people boring and only useful for a short period of time, but this girl made him think otherwise.
He was nearly positive she felt drawn to him, regardless of what attracted her to him, but the spark was there. Maybe right now he wasn't looking to feed the flame to attract her more, but knowing that it was an option gave him astute confidence. Knowing that she was intelligent, witty, optimistic, and unimpressed with the things he had been taught to value, the feeling of attraction had made itself quite clear to a woman he once thought to be worthless. Granted, he was sore at her for being able to give him second thought, make him feel as though something was going terribly wrong inside him and he could do nothing to alter it.
Right now made him waver in his soreness, as well.
He brought his face tentatively down, hardly aware that she couldn't even see the movements he was making, and grateful her eyes couldn't decipher the look of unsurity, the obvious insecurity drawing his face into a foreign expression. Deep down, he knew she didn't need the gift of vision to tell there were twisting foreign entities where his stomach should be and that his body was unusually warmer than it should be in an air conditioned limo.
Thankful for his ability to see in the dark, the look of curiosity drew him in, wanting to see the way her eyes would widen as his lips brushed against her slightly parted ones. Instead his eyes widened as hers softened, dimming down and becoming hidden under eyelids as he savored the taste lingering on Haruhi's own lips.
She was allowing him to act so brashly?
With a squeeze Haruhi released her hand pressed against the leather seat and brought it slowly to his shoulders and her fingers tensed, the other hand that was held interlaced in loose fingers. He broke the kiss to see if she would suddenly snap back to reality, realizing what exactly was happening, her eyelids fluttered open slowly as they peered through into the darkness. Half lidded eyes met his own briefly before departing again to look at where she assumed her hand was, and he felt it lace around his neck, drawing his own body closer to hers.
Not needing to be told twice, he met her lips again, this time pressing them intensely on her own as she struggled to do the same. Her back leaned against the window as he twisted her torso to completely face his, one knee drawn under him and the other on the ground. Their entwined hands reached upward as he placed the back of her hand on the cool glass above where their lips met, free hand hooking around her slender waist to bring her torso against his own.
The glow from a passing street lamp illuminated the entangled bodies, letting his eyes quickly roam over the situation at hand, seeing how close her body really was to him, and his expression reflected in the glass.
He looked aroused, content, forlorn, and confused. Right now, he was in the process of relations with someone who had stolen the hearts of most of the host club members without most of them realizing it. He had a girl who smiled at the thought of something he found so simple and mundane, and found that money wasn't as important as invisible possessions like friendship and hard work, and love.
And she was not pushing him away, this cold man who lived for numbers and power, who was the epitome of what Haruhi stood against in the world. Perhaps she was slightly correct in her values, and for tonight, he wouldn't question that. He found himself rendered helpless as he felt the arch in her back cause her to press more fully against his own torso, and could only struggle to keep an arousal at bay.
A cold shower was definitely in order.
With another glance to her smooth face, he moved his hand up to the back of her neck, letting his fingers lace into the strawberry scented locks and eased the pressure he was applying on her lips as she arched her neck forwards to keep their lips from parting.
Biting back a smirk at her small reaction, he trailed his lips down slowly, placing soft and languid kisses down her neck as he nipped at the flesh pulled tightly over her collar bone and shoulders. He found the yips she let out amusing and adorable. If this was happening, she wouldn't be able to hide it from him when he woke up and passed this all off as a dream.
"K… Kyoya…" Haruhi rambled off, unsure of what exactly was happening; only that she felt extremely warm and it was hard to focus. The feeling of teeth clashing against her collar bone sent shivers down the small of her back, from where hands were gently playing with the back of her neck. The flashes of light illuminated the interior and showed her what she had thought; it was indeed The Shadow King atop her, placing chaste kisses on her neck and looking to meet her gaze with his own.
Breathing in slowly, Haruhi didn't smell like she drowned herself in the expensive bath oils and perfumes, she smelt light and fresh, like fresh laundry and the faint scent of flowers and her own special scent. Kyoya felt the scent calming his fired up nerves and relaxed his tense muscles, resting himself over top her own body with the hand he'd had wrapped around her torso and ensnared in her hair.
As they felt the limo gliding gently to a stop, he sat up with their hands still entwined and looked down to see the oversized jacket on Haruhi overlapped their hands. He didn't wait for Tachibana to come and open the door, opting to open it and step out, Haruhi coming after and following him up the stairs through the open door. She saw the maids looking curiously at the Ootori third son staring straight ahead and latching hands with the worried looking Haruhi, ascending the stairs at a pace that made it hard for her to keep up.
"Should we tell Yoshio-sama?" A younger maid asked one of the older women under her breath and was given a knowing smile in return.
"Ootori-sama is gifted when it comes to figuring these things out for himself. It's best not to spoil his fun," and left the curious younger maid to continue her nightly chores.
Kyoya led Haruhi to her own room, opening the door and closing it for her as she walked in, before returning to his own room, plopping down rather ungracefully on his own bed. Nimble fingers loosened the suddenly choking tie and undid the top buttons of his dress shirt to feel the breeze from the fan. Faintly he knew Haruhi had never committed such an intimate act with another person, and felt a small grin twitch the corners of his lips upward. Crossing his arms under his head and folding his legs still touching the floor beneath him, Kyoya mentally smacked himself for not removing his shoes as well. A faint knock came at the side door, and without thinking he called for them to enter. When the brunette haired girl he'd just been thinking about popped in through the slight gap in the door, he struggled to keep his face calm and placid.
As her eyes kept focus on the ground beneath her feet, it seemed impossible for her to look up and meet his gaze.
"Good evening," he greeted calmly, propping himself up on one arm. She glanced up slightly from the ground and nodded faintly, hands twisted behind her back in the girliest action he'd ever seen her commit. However out of place it was extremely cute. She'd quickly changed the dress and swapped into a yellow sleeping gown that looked similar to the pink one she'd worn at the beach house. Tilting her head to the side she finally met his cool gaze with her own and smiled.
"Evening, Kyoya." When he patted the spot beside him, her shoulders twitched lightly before she forced them down and sat a bit farther away than she had intended, though he didn't seem to notice.
Her feet barely grazed the floor beneath him, while his knees bent slightly so he could sit on the edge of the bed as she opted to. It seemed every day he was discovering simple things he scolded himself for not realizing before, like how small and frail Haruhi really was. He knew all of her measurements, her strengths and weakness, the things that mattered in his world. Only now, in the turmoil Sudao's death and Haruhi's inheritance had brought did he begin learning the things that had shaped her into someone intriguing and formidable to himself.
"I-"
"You-"
They both paused and looked at one another, Kyoya tilting his head down and Haruhi having to look up to meet his gaze.
"Proceed," he told her to let her continue.
"O, right. I was just going to say that I'm sorry I acted so thoughtlessly in the car," she finished, rubbing her arm awkwardly. From tranquil to cold his eyes snapped onto her own and she looked slightly shocked as they faded away quickly.
"So then you regret it?" He inquired, watching her tense up and those eyes become worried as they blinked quickly.
"Well, n-no, I don't think I mea-" Cut off as Kyoya stood and roughly placed his hands on either side of her hips, she slowly fell backwards as he moved forwards.
"Then don't say things that are offensive if you don't mean them."
Haruhi and Kyoya sat there, eyes locked for what seemed llike hours.
"What were you going to say?" She asked him suddenly.
"Nothing of importance," he dismissed, but the curious look in her eyes stopped him from removing his arms and returning to reality. With a small sigh he quickly kissed her lips and drew back with a small 'smack'.
"You learn quickly, for a commoner." For a moment, she looked curious and her lips pouted in thought, but a hand brushing against her own as it had in the limo snapped the answer into place. A blush erupted onto her cheeks suddenly as she realized he had meant the intimate act they had committed. She wasn't prepared to face another round of what happened only mere minutes ago, in such a personal setting, and quickly struggled to change the subject.
"I found the second letter on my dresser," she told him bluntly. Haruhi saw the coy look on his face drop as a look of teasing realization brighten the eyes that had just bore into her with a steely gaze.
"I know, I left it there before we left."
!
Wow.
Did I see that one coming? Of course not. Did I want to keep going with this chapter? Kind of. Am I? I think that one is obvious.
=D
Who wants to know what that letter contains?
Review and stick around for the next chapter and maybe you'll find out, ya?
And yes, I did enjoy the Kyoya and Haruhi kissy face scene. If you think it's too soon, you should see alcoholics go at it. I see Kyoya as an alcoholic, and everyone knows alcohol turns you into someone you're not. Therefore, your little cold Kyoya becomes a pervert. There.
And Haruhi, well, she's kind of normal, only a little more... expressive.
So, enjoy my story, please? AND REVIEW PLEASE.