A/N: This chapter may be a little hard to keep up with, but please bear with it. The chapter is somewhat of a filler while I try to figure out where the story would go.
Chapter 09
Blood-Soaked World.
Now—
He cupped her face in his hands gently, he leaned his face down to hers and—
Takashi stirred awake before his dream became erotic.
His dreams had been becoming more perverted since Haruhi did as she promised by moving into the Haninozuka estate. It surprised him that she went with it, but what was more surprising to him was that everyone in the family thought that it was a good idea. But no one knew her like he did.
No one knew that she wanted to sleep in five minutes past her alarm clock's ringing parade. No one knew that she preferred her breakfast toast to be wheat instead of white because she never complained about it. No one knew that she would occasionally wake up in the middle of the night in fear of someone sneaking into her bedroom to take advantage of her. No one knew her like he did; he knew her best.
Yet his father stated that it was for the best that she got some fresh air when they returned to the estate—that it would be nice for her to take a break from the protective family. Takashi knew that he meant him; that he was being too protective of her recently, especially now that they knew who the last monster was. They knew the last attacker via face, but not by name… making his blood boil. Mitsukuni and Yasuchika were going to have Haruhi all to their selves while he had to be patient and hope that she would return home willingly. How long was that going to take though when it has been two weeks already?
Slowly, he sat up with a low grunt, then blinked at the problem in his lap that he had been having for the past week. It was beginning to frustrate him to no end that his body had been stimulating arousal as he dreamt about his own sister. It made him feel like a predator. Doing what he could think of, he sat there in hopes of the problem settling down by itself as it had been for the past few days. Minute after minute, it was only getting bigger and harder, making him feel disgusted about himself. He did not want to touch himself—he did not want to encourage the perverse things that happened when dreaming about Haruhi.
"You're still in bed?" Steel gray glue hues stared at the sheets in horror when hearing her voice. His head shot up to look at the girl that haunted his dreams. She did not look too happy. "I came by for my gi." Then why is she standing at the doorway? He was happy to see her, but not like this. Her gaze squinted before coming over to investigate after closing the door behind herself. "Are you sick? You're face is red."
"S-Stay there." If she were to come closer, she would definitely notice. She would definitely scream.
Haruhi stopped in place to his request. "Are you ill?" His head shook. "Then why are you so flushed?"
His eyes shut tightly, "I-I'm not in a presentable state. Please let me get dressed for school now."
"Are you planning to go in the condition you're in?" He turned even redder. "What's wrong, Nii-sama?"
"I don't want you to see me in the state that I'm in!" Takashi froze; he yelled at her. He just… yelled at her.
The hurt that he expected to see did not come forth. "Fine," Instead, she bowed respectfully as if she were a servant. "I will see you at school, I apologize for my interruption." With that, she stood up, and—
"Wait!" No longer concerned with his morning crisis, he leaped to his feet and stood behind her. "I'm sorry…" Haruhi did not move; she did not even attempt to turn around to look at him. "I'm very aroused right now. To have you see me like this… is improper." He watched as she turned around to look at him.
"It wouldn't be the first time I've seen a man in such condition, Nii-sama."
"To be in this state, I don't want you to be uncomfortable around me." Haruhi stared at him for a moment before sighing softly and looking at the time. He also looked and saw that there was on an hour left to get to school on time—making her late in the process too. "I-I'll stay home from school today. Go on ahead."
"You realize that you'll only hurt yourself if you contain an erection longer than necessary." She walked closer as he tensed with concern. "I can't allow you to skip classes today when there's testing for you."
"I-I'll go to classes later." The look she gave him was something that he had never experienced before. It was like… she wanted to help him… but wanted to kill him at the same time. "It's okay, go to school."
"You're not wearing garments, are you." His face became redder. "Nii-sama, do you trust me?" His eyes widened. "If you trust me, please stand on your knees." He swallowed nervously before obeying her.
"H-Haruhi, you don't have to do this." It felt as if he was about to be executed for being aroused in front of her. At least she did not ask him what was the cause of this. "P-Please… go to school Haruhi, I don't—"
"I'm curious if you're a cat." Haruhi stated firmly. He stopped arguing—mainly because he did not understand what she meant by this. Her arms slowly draped around his next, whispering. "Takashi."
His face flushed to a new level, and just like that, he felt himself release… but still hard.
"That's Nii-sama for you, full of energy as predicted." Almost to her surprise, he looked up at her with a pained expression on his face. "You're a cat alright, Neko Nii-sama." Her hand slid into his kimono to tease one of his instantly erected nipples. "I love my Neko Nii-sama so much that it makes me all w—"
Takashi gasped loudly as he flung himself up into a sitting position from his bed.
It was all a dream… even having a dream in a dream… this was becoming more ridiculous by the day—and she was only at the Haninozuka estate for three days. He felt hot and aroused to no end as he looked to his lap to see sullied sheets. This sort of arousal only seemed to happen when he was asleep and she was not home. How embarrassing… how disgusting… how revolting… he was making himself sick to his stomach. Haruhi is his little sister! Takashi was not supposed to think of perverted things about her, ever! During the day, there is never a moment where he would think dirty thoughts about her either!
He huffed before heading to the bathroom, wondering why she called him 'Neko Nii-sama' in his dream.
Haruhi smiled in delight at the sight. "You're very cute with the cat ears, Casanova-kun." Hearing this, his face became as red as his hair. "Don't be shy," her smiling became that much more adorable. "I like it."
"B-But the significance… I-I…" At that moment, his nose began to bleed.
"Sorry, Casanova-kun, I didn't mean to harass you." She lifted his head up and placed a tissue in his nose to stop the bleeding. The girls clung together with anticipation. "Where did your mind wander to, huh?"
"N-N-Nowhere in particular!" His other nasal passage began to flow with blood.
"Who would have imagined that I would have such a strange fetish with kittens." Haruhi smiled as she cleaned his nose. "Sorry, Casanova-kun, I'm troubling you for no reason. We just became friends again."
"That's more than enough to come troubling me for no reason at all, Morinozuka."
"KYAAAA!" The girls squealed, screamed, screeched, and fainted.
Takashi could not understand the irony of this when comparing it to his dream from earlier that morning; it was just too much for him to take in. Everyone except Kyouya and Hikaru were wearing cat-eared headbands today, which made no sense to him at all. Just as Haruhi finished with her set of girls, plus the unconscious Ritsu, she came over for some tea until the twins decided to stop her for a question.
"Haruhi, am I really the cat between me and Hikaru?" Kaoru frowned innocently.
She smiled in return. "It can go both ways. But to see Hikaru play the hurtful kitten wouldn't be so bad."
Hikaru blushed profusely at this. "H-Haruhi! There's no way I would ever play the role of a cat!"
The girls gasped as the rookie host club member frowned. "Not even for me?"
His face flushed before muttering under his breath and shoving the headband on his head; earning a kiss on his forehead as his reward. He became completely flustered by this that he turned to Kaoru as they both sobbed about being Haruhi's defenseless little kittens. Defenseless, though? Takashi was finding himself more irritated by the moment—did they not realize that they could offend Haruhi! The excited customers paid him no attention as the girls all agreed that Haruhi would be some butch while everyone else in the Host Club would be cats. Then there was something like, 'if it came to Kyouya-kun or Mori-kun, Haruhi would be the cat.' Not liking the thought of being different from the others, he found a headband with black cat ears… would he dare? Feeling left out of all the praising as Haruhi knocked out Tamaki's batch of customers when she tended to him, Takashi placed out the cat ears.
Mitsukuni saw this and cheered. "Haru-chan! Takashi is a cat too!"
Everyone froze and turned to see the giant with cat ears. Everyone but the two Host Club seniors—plus the idiot Host Club President understood the meaning of this. Everyone turned to see what Haruhi's reaction would be to this, only to see that her face was flushed and unreadable. Before anyone knew it, she tried to fight off a laughter by covering her mouth, and tears started to erupt at the very thought.
"N-Nii-sama… w-what are you doing?"
He blinked at her. "Call me Neko Nii-sama."
"Pfft!" Haruhi could not help but laugh at this.
"KYAAAA! I KNEW IT!" The customers cheered.
Hikaru and Kaoru began bursting out in laughter, Hikaru spoke first. "I-I can't believe it! Hahaha! M-Mori-senpai being the cat! Hahaha! He has no idea what it means! Hahaha!" Everyone laughed even harder.
The younger twins lightly smacked him on the arm. "D-Don be mean Hikaru! Pfft!" His head turned and began laughing harder. "B-But no matter what—I can't picture this in my head at all!" He even cried now.
Haruhi tried to contain her laughter, but with everyone's laughing and surprise, she came over to her big brother and guided him to the changing room. "Nii-sama, you don't have to punish yourself anymore."
Takashi looked at her without emotion; obviously confused.
"When I guy claims to be a cat, it means that he's bottom in a homosexual relationship." Takashi blinked. The wheels were not turning. Haruhi sighed. "You just made the entire room think that we have—or will sex, and when it comes to sex, the ladies in the room think that you play the woman's role between us."
His face flushed ridiculously.
She could not help but feel a little guilty. "Lean down Nii-sama." Obediently, he leaned forth and she removed his ears. "To be honest, if I had to look at you in that manner. You seem to be the opposite of a cat majority of the time. But when it comes to me, you often become very submissive since you don't want to upset me or get me mad normally." Haruhi smiled weakly. "Although Neko Nii-sama is cute, it doesn't really suit you. Where did you come up with such a ridiculous nickname for yourself anyway?"
He did not know what was more surprising to him; how he should answer the question, or her laidback attitude that he had not seen in years. It made him smile to see her act so naturally, but what created this new attitude for her? It was true that he had not been able to see her since Sunday when she was giving him Hell for his behavior. In that second, Haruhi sighed heavily before placing the ears back on his head.
"Never mind, the cat ears are a good punishment for you because you aren't letting go of the past." He flickered guiltily when being caught for thinking about it. "Are you going to stop your obsessive behavior on finding the last man?" Takashi nodded slowly. "You know I won't forgive you if you're lying to me."
"I only want you safe."
"There's enough death on my conscious."
"What happened to them was not your fault, Haruhi. I promise."
"That doesn't make me any less guiltier. They were my parents. Imagine if Sato—"
"I do." Takashi frowned painfully. "I imagine if I were in your shoes… if I lost our family members…"
"But you haven't lost them. Even I have found myself believing that you're truly my family when you're—"
"I am your brother. We are a family. That's why I want to keep my little sister safe from the bastard."
"If you wanted me safe, you would have kept me locked up at the estate. You would never left me out."
"Because we didn't want to take away your freedom. We want you to experience the good in life."
"And yet that very same day I ventured out into the world again, I was raped. Wasn't I?" She watched how is eyes shot wide. "Just now, you thought, 'if we had kept her home that one day—or kept her at the estate, she would not have become pregnant." This caused him to look away, hurt for being so obvious. "I don't blame you or anyone else for my misfortunes. But I blame you for not letting go of this hatred you have for him and the others. I can't be happy when my family is not happy." Haruhi frowned at him.
"It's my job to protect you." His hand came up and caressed her face with the back of his hand. "It's my job to keep you safe." He wanted to be her knight in shining armor. "I failed you, time and time again."
"Then grow up and be the man that I need you to be. Grow up and be the big brother that I need." Her hand came up to lower his hand from her face. "Erase the past from your mind. Erase my scars and your failures to start anew." She smiled weakly at him, trying to assure him. "Start anew with me at this very moment. Then when I'm able to trust you, I'll gladly tell you the name of the last man that was involved."
This was the first time that he ever felt threatened.
Due to the lack of his answer, she shrugged. "Fine, do what you want then." Haruhi turned away and left the changing room to tend to the customers—particularly, an embarrassed redheaded male from 1-D. "I didn't mean to take that long. But I guess I'll have to go with Plan C soon because I'm being neglected."
Takashi's ear perked at this. What was 'Plan C—' what was the other two before that?
"Ah? You're going to go and do that already? I'm not complaining or anything, but I'll miss you." Ritsu said in a soft whisper. "Do you know which country you plan to hide in?" She nodded. "Then I'll help you do it."
"Before you intend to flee the country over a small sibling spat, how about you give us one night to throw you a goodbye party." Kyouya smiled politely. "It would be my honor to arrange things for you."
Haruhi smiled happily at him. "Over my dead body, Senpai. I don't need a goodbye party, thanks." She looked to Ritsu, patting his chest. "Kay, I have to go pack my belongings so I can go on my little journey."
Takashi hurried over and stood in front of her, stunned. "What do you mean by this?"
"Since you don't want to listen to me, then the only way for me to be safe, is to be in another country." She walked around him casually. "So I have to pick the country and location, and no one will get to know where I am so that I won't be found." Haruhi sighed softly. "It's a safety precaution since you won't stop."
"I'll stop." He ran in front of her again. "I will stop looking. Please don't leave."
Her hands rested on her hips. "Why should I believe anything you say? You'll either go behind my b—"
"Seeing you hurt will break the heart, but not seeing you every day will kill me." He admitted honestly.
Haruhi could not believe his words; it was too surprising. "…Taka—" She cringed. "N-Nii-sama… I—"
"Call me Takashi… if that's what you want to call me, then call me Takashi. Just don't leave my side."
The embarrassment from his words caused her face to turn red. "N-No… I like calling you N-Nii-sama."
"I'm sorry," Takashi cautiously took her hands in his. "I promise I'll stop." He swallowed nervously as he was on a roll—not realizing that everything he was saying was in front of a large audience. "I know that I don't understand what you went through—what you're going through… but I truly care about you and what happens to you." Ladies were moved by his charismatic charm that was affected everyone in the music room. "If you want to talk to me, I'll listen. If you want to cry, use my shoulder. If you want to hit something or someone, hit me. I want to be someone you can trust to be helpful to you, whenever you're ready." Takashi thought about it, and added. "I want to be the big brother that my little sister needs."
The room went dead quiet.
Haruhi sighed softly with a humble smile. "I've always been willing to talk about my problems, but you were never there for me." She gently removed her hands away from him. "You were always there for everyone else. Mitsukuni, Sato-nii, …everyone in the family, even these ladies and the Host Club. You are always fully there to hear what they needed and what their problems were. But you were never there for me." Her smile saddened as she watched him look confused. "You're too scared to see me as me. You attention to me is never full, you always wonder, 'where is the bastard,' and look away from me."
"I'm not looking away." Not right now, at least…
She smirked. "Are you sure? Where's your mind right now?"
"…when will you allow me to be trusted with everything, Haruhi…"
"You were there, what more is there to know?" Her head shook softly.
Mitsukuni tried to help the giant. "I think he means—"
"I know what he means, but it only means that he's using my trust again, to go against something I've asked him to stop." Haruhi then gave a heavy sigh. "But now that all the girls know that I'm a girl, I guess I should go ahead and go back to home schooling to be on the safe side." She groaned at the thought.
"NO! PLEASE DON'T LEAVE US HARUHI-KUN!" The ladies cried out, startling her. "PLEASE STAY!"
Haruhi laughed weakly at everyone jumping into the private conversation. "I'll think on it a bit more." She was feeling sleepy for some reason. "I think I'll rest in the infirmary until you finish hosting, Nii-sama."
"I'll take you." Takashi and Ritsu called in unison; both glaring at each other for offering the same thing to her. She took the offer from Ritsu since he was not a part of the Host Club, and he was there for her only.
"Casanova-kun will drop me off, after hosting hours, you can come wake me up. The giant nodded reluctantly at this. "I'll see you in a few hours then." With that, the two freshman left together in hand.
When the two were gone and clearly out of sight, Kyouya approached the giant. "I have the name of the man that impersonated a nurse that one time—and it happens to be the same man from the beach."
Takashi whirled around to look at him after hearing such news. But… the question was, would he be willing to hurt her trust in him—was it worth risking everything that he had just said to her right now? "Ah."
This took the Shadow King by surprised. "Do you want the name?"
He wanted it. He wanted it so bad that he could go crazy! "…no."
"Very well, then I will be the one to pursue this character in your place."
After her speech—their talk, he could not betray her. "Do what you want."
Kyouya looked at him briefly before smiling, "as you wish." He started on it.
The giant could not believe that he was going to start the search there and now, but had to refuse the temptation of joining in. He needed to be the person that Haruhi needed, not someone that's Hell-bent on the past where someone tormented her. Even though that one person was obviously the father of Haruhi's baby that she had given birth to not that long. Suddenly, Kyouya slapped his laptop shut with his eyes widened—as if he had found something that he wish that he had not. This caused everyone to look at him; wondering what caught his attention so soon in the beginning of the search.
"What's wrong?" Tamaki asked a bit worriedly.
The Shadow King was frozen. "…it can't be…"
"Kyou-chan?" Mitsukuni worried. "What's wrong?"
He looked up at Takashi, "if I remember right, you—"
"Aniki!" Ritsu panted while holding his stomach in pain while sporting a black-eye. "Morinozuka…" He gritted and leaned against the doorframe. "A guy…" His face scrunched to harbor the pain. "A guy came toward us… Morinozuka… knocked me out… I don't…" He coughed; a sheer sign to Takashi and Mitsukuni that she had kicked him swiftly in the ribs after punching him in the face. "Can't… find them…"
Instantly, Takashi's adrenaline was fueled and began running out of the music room to find them, only to slow down to a stop. Looking at Ritsu… he could see the familiar hurt of failure to protect Haruhi; he knew what if felt like to let her down when she needed someone the most. His attention turned to Kyouya and asked him to take Ritsu to the infirmary to be checked on before running off again. Mitsukuni joined the chase, as did everyone else in the entire room, minus Kyouya and Ritsu. All ran as fast as possible to find her, only to see a car driving off at an erratically fast pace, just as Takashi's phone beeped in his pocket.
He fished it out in hopes it was her, and it was: "He is taking me to see my child. I'll be fine."
His hand clenched the phone angrily as he tried to debate on his decision. Who knows what would happen if he decided to pursue them; he might kill her or the baby that she admitted that she wanted to keep. What could he do to protect her from that monster? How could he protect her if she was so busy trying to protect those that she cares about—what was the point of lecturing him if she goes the same!
Another text appeared: "Will be home by dinner. Don't worry, go home. Sorry."
Really? He is supposed to go home and sit on his thumbs while waiting for her to come home? How was he was supposed to do that—how would he be able to be so patient? Takashi wanted to go find her and protect her… to tell her that this would never happen again. Dare he object… she might flee the country. His eyes shut tightly at the ultimatum tugging him back and forth before looking towards everyone else.
"Haruhi is safe…" He tried to convince them, and himself. "…go home."
"Will Haru-chan go home soon?" Mitsukuni watched him nod. "I'll go with you and wait."
"We want to come too." Hikaru looked away, removing the cat ears from his head. "I'm worried."
Kaoru turned to look at the twin in surprise. "Hikaru…" He turned to Takashi. "Can we come with you?"
"I want to come too!" Tamaki sobbed. "Our precious Princess… I want to make sure she's okay!"
Haruhi quietly entered the estate just shy of sunset. She was tired and exhausted; her eyes red and her body language showed weakness. As she walked into the family room, she stopped dead in her tracks at the sight in front of her. Takashi and Satoshi… Mitsukuni and Yasuchika… Ritsu… the Host Club… the customers… all of them were sitting or standing… starting at her with worry. The eyes on her made her uncomfortable for the most part, but Takashi stood up and walked in front of her to take all her attention. Her chocolate brown hues looked up at him with confusion as to why everyone was there.
"We were all here, waiting for you to come home instead of running after you." Takashi brushed her bangs out of her face. "You're okay, right?" He tried to search for answers through her eyes. "Did… something bad happen—did he hurt you? Did he—" His eyes shot wide open at the next thing she did.
She walked to him, wrapped her arms around him, and softly cried into his chest.
A/N: Lol, what the Hell, right? What's going on... what freaked Kyouya out so much that he was pretty much speechless for the most part?
I TRY not to ask this anymore, but... please leave a review on what you think would/should happen throughout the story. I have a very dangerous plot which Takashi might not recover from. So, anything you guys can add to it will be helpful.
