Learn You Place

Karma reached one of his arms around, underneath her knees. With the other, he supported her back and carefully brought her into his lap. He sensed the sullen hosts bristle but he was beyond caring at this point. He's pointed out all he had wanted to say to them for a while now. Anything more would simply be wasted. Fluidly stepping out of the limo, he allowed the two Host Club graduates to lead him to her room while the rest of the boys followed closely. Their presence was starting to get on his nerves. He still needed to speak to the oldest members and the others were getting in the way.

Of course, getting rid of the Host Club was never an easy process. His conversations with Haruhi should have warned him that much. Instead of simply allowing their eldest members and most skilled fighters to escort him to the girl's room, they followed the group of four. His patience was wearing thin. Keeping himself calm for the sake of the peaceful girl in his arms, he took a deep breath. After Honey had opened her bedroom door and Mori had turned down the covers on her bed, he gently placed her and drew the blanket to her chin. Gazing at her fondly for just a moment before turning his eyes on the hosts, he spoke softly so as to not disturb his Haru.

"You go on ahead and eat. I'll wait up here for her to wake. I want to talk to her some more and then we will be down."

"Yeah right, you'll 'just wait'. There's no way in hell we'd leave you alone with her," Hikaru sneered.

"Fair enough," he replied smugly, "you don't know me. Anyone would be suspicious. So how about Morinozuka and Honinozuka stay up here with me. You trust them, don't you? You think they would be sufficient to take care of her? Regardless, I will stay."

"Hell no you're not stayin' up here without me!"

"Hika-chan, do you think we wouldn't be able to protect Haruhi if she needs us to?" Cute Honey was gone at the inference that his and his cousin's skills were inadequate, even if he did know Haruhi wouldn't need their help, might never need their protection again. Whether she needed them or not, Honey was none too pleased at being insulted.

"N-not at all, Honey-senpai. I was just saying that we don't know this guy. How do we trust his intentions? It would be safer for Haruhi if I stayed with her to make sure she's alright. The more people up here, the better protected she is, right?"

"So you think Takashi and I are not enough?" The black aura of Host Club Demon 2 was starting to radiate from the bunny-loving senpai.

"Come on, Hikaru," the younger twin inserted, trying to keep peace. "Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai, they've got this. The guy will be dead before he can make the first lunge for her. In the meantime, they can get to know him better and tell us if he's trustworthy with our toy or not. We trust their judgement, don't we? Besides, weren't you hungry?"

Hikaru still looked torn. Glancing around, Kyouya looked relatively bored with the situation, though his glasses were glared over so it was hard to tell. Tamaki was cowering behind him, trying to get as far away from Honey as possible while still listening to the conversation. It was clear where he stood at least. Mori seemed stoic as ever, though a slight turn down of the corners of his mouth let his mild irritation with the older twin known. Honey was continually releasing more of his inner demon as the silence went on.

"Alright, it's cool. I'll come down to dinner with you guys. No big. Let me just send her a text real quick to let her know that I'll be waiting down on the beach later tonight when she wakes up. We can talk then." Karma smirked, whipping out his phone. This bunch was easy play. A voice groaned from behind them as a messy head poked out of the covers.

"Or we can go ahead and chat now since I'm already awake thanks to you idiots." The guys turned towards the grumpy voice to see a bleary-eyed Haruhi sitting up, with hair sticking out everywhere. 'So cute' was the thought on each of the 7 minds. She yawned, her lips shaping into a perfect 'o', and stretched the sleepy stiffness from her limbs. She tilted her head at her friends, most of whom were now sporting a raging blush.

"What's up, guys? Do I have a bit of drool on my face or something?" She put her fingers to her lips and swiped them slowly across, causing a drip or two of blood to come out of some noses, but a glint in her eyes told Karma that she was just playing them up. So he decided to join her game. Sauntering over to her, he tilted her chin to his face with his thumb, and used a finger to lightly scratch at the corner of her mouth.

"A little, maybe. But I think they were blushing because of how adorable you look when you've just woken up, with your wild-looking bedhead and that cute face you made when you yawned." He was just teasing her as she teased her friends but what he didn't expect was the barest dusting of pink that flashed across her cheeks. In a blink, it was gone and he had to wonder if he'd imagined it. Suddenly he was being yanked away by a tall blonde and temperamental auburn.

"STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM MY DAUGHTER YOU CRETIN!"

"You tell 'im, Tono! Haruhi belongs to us!" Tamaki heard not a word of that as he was too lost inside his own delusions.

"Don't you worry, Haruhi, DADDY WILL PROTECT YOU! I'll save you and then we can run away to somewhere safe where no one will ever bother you again!"

"What?! You can't do that! She's OUR toy! If anyone is running away with her, it's gonna be me and Kaoru!"

"That's right, boss!" Shouted the younger twin in defense of their friend and his brother. The two still had a tight hold on Karma and he was getting pissed. But one look at the girl and he knew she would handle the situation. And handle it she did.

Without warning the third demon of the Ouran Host Club burst out and engulfed the entire room in seconds. Karma's eyes widened, as he didn't even know she held so much rage and power in her tiny body. Honey had jumped into Mori's arms and was starting to whimper. Tamaki and Hikaru dropped their charge and turned to bolt out of the room. Kyouya and Mori sweatdropped.

"You two," She seethed at the escaping fiends…er…friends, "Stop right there. Just who the hell do you think you are?! I belong to no one, damnit! Hitachiin, I am NOT your toy. Souh, I am most definitely NOT your daughter! And I would certainly never 'run away' with EITHER of you! Karma is my best friend. He has been since our 3rd year and will continue to be. You will treat him with as much respect as that title deserves or there will be consequences. I hope we have a very clear understanding of this because I will not repeat myself again." What was left of the dissipated forms of Tamaki and Hikaru nodded.

"Good. Now, Hikaru, Kaoru, Tamaki-senpai, get the hell out of my room. The rest of you, stay here. I have something to say to you." The twins and the blonde bolted like they were being shot at, grateful to escape further wrath of the deadly third demon. Karma leaned against the wall and smirked, Honey still sobbed 'scary' in Mori's patient arms. Mori looked interested, Kyouya merely looked curious, though still a little unnerved by the sweet, petite, and suddenly unpredictable woman in front of him. She slammed the door behind the three who exited, and turned with precise slowness to her audience.