"If you think about it, flying squirrels are just fluffy birds." Aki said, fiddling with her fingers as she leaned against a tree at lunch, picking at her nails. Petra poked her shoulder.
"We have to focus!" It was a week after the day 'Mikasa' performed for the Host club, and Petra was as uptight as all hell! "Aki needs to host after school, but MIKASA KLEIN has a performance right after hosting hours!" Petra always seemed to have something to be worked up about.
"Take the stick out of your ass and calm down." Aki said, straightening her posture. "I'll get sick halfway through and leave or something." She grinned. "Now can we talk about something other than Misaka Klein?" She groaned loudly, Petra nodding frantically.
"Of course! So, are you going to be hosting with Honey-Sempai and Mori-Sempai again today?" She asked, causing Aki to shrug.
"Probably. The girls haven't warmed up to me fully yet. But I'm ONE step away from being an official host, hosting my own clients. It'll be awesome." She grinned, picking at the bark on the tree.
"So I'm guessing you've given up being 'uninterested' in the club, then?" Petra wanted to sit on the grass, but was afraid to get grass stains on her clothes.
"I guess. I still don't like some of them, like Kyoya. He still scares the pants off me. And if I'm supposed to be a boy, my cover will be blown if my pants are scared off." Aki rambled, making crazy gestures with her hands.
"Too much information..." Petra grimaced, crossing her arms over her stomach.
"Yeah but think about it, I don't have a di-"
"DON'T SAY THAT OUT LOUD!" Petra yelled, lightly swatting Aki's shoulder.
"What? I was just gonna say di-"
"I said don't say it out loud!"
"Fine.. But seriously, Kyoya's creepy! One minute he's in a corner, and the next he's right next to your face!"
"Like this?" Kyoya and Tamaki seemed to just appear out of thin air beside them, causing Aki to screech an hide behind Petra, who just blushed as Tamaki sent a smile her way.
"Ah, Tamaki! Kyoya! What brings you two here?" She asked, Aki composing herself and standing next to Petra.
"Oh we're just checking up on you two," Kyoya replied, pushing up his glasses with his middle finger.
"You guys left so abruptly yesterday, we were sort of worried!" Tamaki laughed, brushing his hair out of his face.
"That..? Aki just really wanted to get home earlier," Petra said, nudging Aki in the ribs with her elbow. "Right, Aki?" She forced a laughed.
"Yeah, right," Aki shrugged, scratching the back of her head. "Is that it?"
"Well, no, we also wanted to tell you two that we'll be cosplaying!" Tamaki grinned. "This time we'll be dressing up as character from that anime Renge, our manager, told us about. Shingeki no Kyojin!"
"Shingeki no Kyojin?" Petra looked a bit confused, she had never heard of such an anime. "What's that...?
"Oh you don't know?" Tamaki almost squealed, taking Petra's arm and leading her off, animatedly explaining about the anime, leaving Aki and Kyoya alone.
"So... Attack on Titan huh?" Aki pursed her lips a bit, nodding to herself. "Sounds interesting."
"Oh it will be," Kyoya sighed. The costumes had an awful lot of straps, and it would probably take forever for the Hosts to get into them. Ahh, the struggles of cosplay.
"Boss, this is really bad," Petra said to Aki just as they had exited the classroom to head to the Host Club after classes. "Tamaki told me all about the costumes. He says that the straps will take a while to get into and out of."
"Hey, relax Petra, I'm sure we'll have plenty of time," Aki reassured her. They had 20 minutes, 20 minutes to get from Ouran Academy and to the Yamato Mansion for a birthday performance that would last well into the night.
"Alright, but I warn you, the Host Club might be showing up at the party as well!" Petra whispered, just as they were about to enter the Music Room. "You know how rich people are.."
"Well, we're going to have to find a way to make sure that they stay away from us," Aki exhaled, opening the doors, the two of them being greeted by bright lights.
"Woah, too bright!" Petra covered her eyes, peeking through her fingers as the light subsided. They looked.. Just.. Wow! The 3D Maneuver Gear Tamaki had told her about looked so real, the blades as well.
"What do you two think?" Honey asked, bouncing up to them. He actually looked a bit comical, with the 3D Maneuver Gear looking a bit too large on him. "Cool right?"
"Yeah, very cool," The two nodded, Aki being escorted to the dressing room where she would change, and Petra to a couch where Tamaki was waiting.
"Petra! I'm glad you could make it," Tamaki smiled, taking her hand and kissing it, the girl turning pink.
"Me too," she managed to squeak out, before clearing her throat. "So, um, when did you guys have time to do all of this?"
"Oh we've been planning this for quite a while, the Host Club is always prepared!" Tamaki declared, earning a impressed clap from Petra. "Though," he leaned down and whispered in her ear, "the straps are a bit uncomfortable," he admitted. This earned a quiet giggle from the girl.
Aki smirked as she heard the giggle coming from Petra as she spoke with Tamaki. She felt pretty bad ass though, with the replica 3D Maneuver Gear and its blades. She walked over to Honey and Mori, cracking her knuckles. "Guess us three are hosting all together again huh?"
"Yeah!" Honey cheered, almost lugging the Gear around. "Hey, Aki-chan, are you and Petra-chan gonna attend Hana Yamato's birthday party? It's like she invited the whole school!"
"I'm not going, I'm really busy," Aki lied. Well technically it was a half-lie. She'd be going, not as herself, but as Mikasa Klein.
"Awww," Honey pouted, climbing onto Mori's back despite the heavy Gear. "We could've all danced together if you came! Right Takashi?"
"Ah," he replied, narrowing his eyes discreetly. There was something... Off about Aki definitely, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it. He put that worry into the back of his mind, it was probably nothing anyways.
"I'm sorry Tamaki, Aki and I have to leave!" Petra apologized as she and Aki got up, just an hour or so before the Host Club closed.
"Oh? Why princess?" Tamaki frowned, slightly disappointed. "Are you sure you cannot stay any longer?"
"Yes, I'm sure," Petra sighed, only smiling when Tamaki kissed her hand and said goodbye. "C'mon Aki, hurry!" She called to the other girl, who was frantically pulling her cosplay off in the changing room.
"I know, I know!" Aki called back, finally getting into her uniform before rushing out with Petra. This of course, raised a couple of questions. Why the sudden departure?
"Phew, now all you have to do is get into your wig and dress, your violin is already in the limo, then we're set to go," Petra checked off a couple things on her clipboard as they walked through the halls quickly, as they had done several times before. "Remember to not put on a fake disguise this time? At the theatre, they became suspicious you know."
"Yeah, yeah," Aki waved it off, fixing her messy hair. "I got it Petra. But we do have to stay there the whole night, are you sure you're up for that?"
"Of course I am!" Petra said, a determined look on her face. "Look, we just have to make sure no one recognizes you am I right? If we just keep low profiles, no one will notice right?" Though, Petra wasn't sure herself, and was beginning to doubt herself greatly. What if someone did find out? What would they do then? She bit her lower lip as they made their way to the limo waiting at the front of the school, running all the possibilities through her head.
Aki adjusted her brunette wig, pulling her her strapless scarlet red dress, her violin and bow resting on a table nearby. "Hey, you know, we can still have fun," she grinned, nudging Petra softly. "Once I get a break, hell, even while I'm still playing, you go dance alright?"
"B-but-" Petra tried to protest, but was stopped when Aki covered her mouth with her hand.
"No buts Petra Haley, I'm your boss remember?" Aki smirked, patting the girl's face before wiggling her fingers, grabbing her violin, and climbing the steps leading up to the platform in the middle of the grand ballroom. She sent a reassuring look to Petra, who was down in the front row.
"Mikasa, thank you so much for playing at my daughter's birthday ball," Mrs. Natsumi Yamato smiled, she and her husband introducing Aki by her alias before getting off the platform and letting the girl play.
As Hana, the birthday girl, requested, Aki played violin versions of her favorite songs, ranging from slow love ballads, to fast paced pop songs. Petra, meanwhile, was down on the dance floor being twirled around by very gorgeous, and very charming men. She smiled as the music slowly came to a stop, and everyone resorted to just mingling around, some of the party-goers stuffing their faces at the buffet. "You did amazing, as always," Petra congratulated Aki as the girl was able to sit down after standing so long.
"Thank you Petra," Aki exhaled, gratefully accepting a glass of water from a passing waiter, also handing one to Petra and gesturing for her assistant to sit next to her. "Any sign of the Hosts?" she whispered quietly, taking a sip of her water, making sure not to smudge her lipstick.
"No, not yet," Petra whispered back, shaking her head. "But I did see some blond heads, I'm not sure if any belonged to Tamaki or Honey but-"
They were interrupted by the King himself, all the others in a group behind him. "Ah! Petra! How nice to run into you here!" He smiled, kissing her hand. "And Miss Mikasa Klein! It's nice to bump into you again as well." He kissed her hand also, but Aki merely fake-smiled and discreetly wiped her hand on her dress.
"Oh, h-hello!" Petra giggled, trying to cover up her sudden nervousness. "I didn't expect to see you guys here either! But oh! Ak- I mean, Mikasa has to perform again!" She shot a look to Aki, who nodded and excused herself.
But, was Mori the only one who was getting suspicious? He glanced at Kyoya. He didn't seem any different, but that was Kyoya for you. He adjusted his tie, eyes following Mikasa's moves. She seemed awfully familar, yet he couldn't figure out where he had seen her before. Maybe at school? No, there definitely wasn't a Mikasa Klein at Ouran. He once again put it in the back of his mind as Mitsukuni dragged him near the platform, where Petra, Tamaki, and the others were already waiting.
Aki put her violin up in playing position, inwardly grimacing when she spotted Petra frantically looking up at her from her position next to Tamaki, who seemed quite eager to hear her play again. Kyoya looked uninterested, Hikaru and Kaoru were messing around with Haruhi, who looked quite annoyed. Honey still had that familiar atmosphere of pink, flowers, and bunnies surrounding him, while Mori had a poker face, though Aki could swear they had locked eyes for a second.
Oh god, oh god, please don't recognize her! Petra thought, fiddling nervously with her sky blue, one strap dress. She was quite tired at the same time though, how did the Host Club manage to be at every single performance Aki had since transferring to Ouran? She sighed quietly and clapped as Aki finally finished her last song, bowed, and went off stage.
"Ah, that was wonderful wasn't it?" Tamaki smiled, taking Petra's hand in his. "Oh, Petra, could you spare one more dance? There is still an orchestra..."
"A d-dance?" Petra stuttered. "Well, okay- I mean- I don't have anything else to do so-"
Tamaki cut her off with a small laugh, pulling her close as they began to dance. Nothing to extravagant, just a little two-step sort of thing. Luckily, neither person stepped on each other's feet, so it was very pleasant. The smile on both their faces though, couldn't be put into words.
A/N: Woo! Guess What I'm Not A Robot here, longest chapter so far! xD mishmodia owns Petra Haley, I own Aki Hayashi, and Hatori Bisco owns Ouran High School Host Club! Now remember to review, favorite, and follow!