Edited, once again by the lovely TheLingeringWolf
Sorry for the delay guys! THANK YOU to everyone who voted! The winner was… as expected… Have the bus brake down! AWSOME! All of the places will be included to some extent but in the order most wanted!
In this chapter we'll get to see Mori's subconscious come out to play!
So THANK YOU and ENJOY and REVIEW… Please…
OF ROAD TRIPS AND ROMANCE NOVELS
CHAPTER 9: Of Sleep and Coffee
"Mother… Why couldn't we bring one of those cute babies home?"
"Tamaki… why must you be such a moron?" Kyoya shook his head. The doctor, true to his word, had released a tired Morinozuka Takashi at around six o'clock, and the merry band of host had just arrived back at the hotel.
"MOTHER!" Tamaki whined.
Ignoring him, Kyoya stepped out of the car.
"Dinner is in thirty minutes."
And with that, everyone disbanded to their rooms to clean up for dinner except for Haruhi who, due to some unnamed feelings, opted to wait in the dining room. Mori had politely declined dinner, saying in his own unique brief way that due to a headache he would go on to bed. After a delicious dinner of crab and fancy tuna ordered just for Haruhi, Honey bounded up the stairs, yelling goodnight to anyone and everyone he passed. Haruhi decided to turn in shortly after and made her way up to their room.
Well… I wasn't expecting that… Now what? Sound asleep in the large king-sized bed was a lightly snoring Mori, which by himself, would not have been a problem, or maybe that was the problem… Looking around the room, she spotted Honey curled up in a ball on the day bed. That left the only free place to sleep was in the bed with Mori.
Crap…
Haruhi let out a loud yawn and decided it was too late to find a new place to sleep, so she gave up and cautiously walked over to the large bed. She sat on the side before gently, so as to not wake the sleeping giant, laid down on the very edge. Finding the edge slightly unnerving, she scooted closer to the middle. Haruhi had just snuggled down into the plush bed when a hand grazed the small of her back, causing her to jump and nearly come all the way off the bed. She glared at the prone figure before an idea struck her.
PILLOWS!
She started grabbing every pillow, including some off an unconscious blonde senior's bed that she could get her hands on and piled them in the middle of the large bed, effectively making a wall between her and her dead to the world sempai.
Perfect! That way he will stay on his side of the bed!
Do you really want him to stay on his side of the bed? Wouldn't you rather cuddle up in his big strong ar-
Nope… not even tempting.
She snuggled back down and listened to Mori's deep breathing. Finding it surprisingly soothing, she nodded off to sleep.
Mori's left arm was tingly.
Comfy… not ready to wake up…
He instinctively rolled toward the warmth that radiated from the long pillow on his left side and threw his right arm and leg over it. He snuggled deeper into the covers and pulled the pillow closer into his embrace. He then took a deep breath and inhaled the sweet smell of strawberry shampoo.
Hmmm… my arm's asleep… don't care… pillow smell's good… wait…
He opened one eye and peeked. His eyes widened as a very sleepy Haruhi turned over in his arms, using his arm as a pillow. He froze as he watched his sleeping beauty, scared she would wake.
Oh… so she's your "Sleeping Beauty" now?
No… well… yes… she's the Host Club's princess…
She belongs to the Host Club?
Well… no… she doesn't belong to anyone…
But you think she should belong to you?
No… she's too independent to belong to anyone…
But that doesn't mean you don't want to have her… to have and to hold…
Maybe…
She had woken up enough to turn over and cuddle into the large warmth lying next to her, her hand coming to rest just above Mori's heart. He relaxed into her soft touch, enjoying the feeling of being able to be close to her, even just for a little while. Of course the sweet moment had to end. His arm started hurting… badly. He carefully sat up, bringing her with him, before placing her back down on a plush pillow. He watched as she snuggled into her new cushion and longed to be able to lie back down and take her into his arms once more. However, just like his tingly arm to begin with, his stomach let out a growl that promised to wake up every person in the hotel if it didn't get fed soon. Mori leaned over and brushed some of Haruhi's chestnut hair from her eyes. Smiling down at her peaceful sleeping face, he brushed his lips against her forehead and left the room.
Katsuo watched his assistant who dozed quietly with her head resting on a pile of papers. Yes, she was sleeping at work; yes, he should wake her up, or send her home, or something. He listened to her soft breathing. Wouldn't it be nice to hear that sound before you went to sleep… or when you woke up every morning? He shook the thought from his head. He could not afford to let himself think that way. Mariko was his office assistant, nothing more. No matter how much he wanted her to be. The phone rang. He quickly turned back to his reports so she would not realize he had been watching her, or have realized she had even fallen asleep.
"Linn's Law-firm, Mariko speaking," her voice sounded like preverbal honey to his ears.
"Yes… Yes, Mr. Eatman…"
Not that stupid man again…
Wallace Eatman was from the States, and was always a pain to work with. Katsuo shook his head 'no' when she looked over at him. With some disappointment (after all, she hardly ever heard her boss speak), she proceeded to tell the half crazed man on the phone that Katsuo was out of town and would not be back till the following week. Katsuo nodded thanks to her as she got up from her desk to pour them both a much needed cup of coffee. For four months now he had been meaning to ask her what she put into his coffee. It was not like it was bad, much the contrary, it was amazing. Never had a cup of coffee tasted so good on his lips.
"Your coffee, what's in it?"
She stopped stacking some law journals and glanced at him before turning back to her task.
"Cinnamon."
Mori's head was pounding. After leaving a sleeping angel upstairs he had wandered to the kitchen to find a snack that would ease his hunger till morning. Finding nothing he settled for a cup of coffee and Haruhi's book to help him tire. However, all that resulted in was a very large headache. Slipping the book back into his laptop case, he laid his head on the table. A few minutes later he heard someone coming down the stairs. He winced.
Please don't be the twins… or worse… Tamaki… my head hurts…
"Mori-sempai?" Haruhi quietly stepped into the room, careful to not make noise. She saw the pain written all over his face and saw his bag at his feet. She walked over to him and kneeled down in front of him so he would not have to lift his head too much. Resting a hand on his knee she looked up at him.
"Have you taken your pain medicine?"
He shook his head 'no'. She quickly went through his bag and extracted the bottle. After quietly shaking two pills out and handing them to him, she stood and refilled his coffee. He heard her shuffling around for a minute before producing the large cup back in front of him.
"You know that coffee will keep you awake."
He shrugged. Haruhi suppressed a smile as she watched his eyes light up.
"Good."
"Thank you. It's an old family secret for the cure of headaches." Haruhi gave him one of her smiles that left him warmer than any coffee would make him. When she held her hand out to him he graciously took it. She lead him back upstairs and tucked him into the large bed, before walking to her side and began rebuilding her wall. Mori just shook his head and pulled her down next to him. As he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer, he rested his head a top hers.
"Sleep."
It was such a simple command that all Haruhi could do was nod. She thanked God it was dark in their room because she was sure she was blushing like mad. Warm in his arms however, sleep was easy to find and soon she was in dreamland.
Moring came too early for Haruhi as she hid under the covers to escape the bright morning sun.
"Haruhi."
Kyoya stood in the doorway and smirked at the large pile of pillows that hid Haruhi from the light of day.
She's almost as bad as me in the mornings…
"Haruhi, we're leaving in five minutes."
That got her up; at least until the sheet tangled around her legs and sent her flying.
"Ah, Haruhi… nice of you to join the living."
He's one to talk…
"We're on the bus when you're ready."
At that, Kyoya turned to go back downstairs.
Damn rich bastards…
Haruhi arrived out of breath to the bus. As she stumbled onto the bus, a hand reached out and steadied her. She looked at the hand and whom it was attached to and blushed. Mori guided her to the seat next to the bus pulled out, Tamaki at the wheel, Mori handed her a doughnut and a travel mug of just looked from the cup to Mori in a reached out and guided her hand around the cup and pushed the doughnut to her lips.
"Breakfast."
After swallowing the doughy bread, Haruhi gave him one of her natural smiles.
"Thank you."
Screech!
"TAMAKI!"
"I DIDN'T DO IT!"
All that could be seen out of the windshield of the bus was puffy grey smoke.
Sorry for being lazy and not typing a breakfast scene… This chapter just kept going on… and on… and on…
Awww… Haruhi kissed Mori on the forehead… now he's returned the favor…
Is it just me… Or does Mori not argue with his subconscious half as much as Haruhi does with hers? Oh and what's up with Mori's subconscious saying that he wants her "To have and to hold"?… O.o…
