Disclaimer I do NOT own Ouran High School Host Club or its characters/places/etc., Bisco Hatori does.

Author's Note: I apologize in advance if there are any mistakes with wordings, spelling, grammar and punctuations or if the flow and plot are unsatisfactory! I'm very extremely new at this writing thing. :)
Please, feel free to read and review! Constructive criticism is incredibly welcomed, I'm all for comments that will help me improve! (Please refrain from being blatantly rude...I'm a sensitive soul)

Chapter 10:

Crystal blue orbs fell to the empty platter and the vacant seat across from him. His mind wondered what short of facial expressions she was making as she dug into the food he sent, to being glad he would see her the next day at school. Full lips twisted into a broad grin. She kissed me. It's been such a torturous stint, trying to just talk to her!

'Should I remind you that you are, in fact, supposed to be the masculine one.' A feline growl interrupted his beautiful replay. 'I am resting. Keep it down, boy.'

"Tch." Swiveling out of the chair and narrowing his gaze on the pedestal across the vast room, Nekozawa padded along, running a free hand over the dark wood and the etchings that marred the surface with an old-world beauty, tilting his chin to the high ceiling, blowing out a contented sigh. Lips curling in grand amusement, he spread his arms and twirled along the path to stop in front of the cursed felt. "But, my dearest friend, what is life without a bit of sensitive whimsy." He puckered his full lips and batted ashen lashes, chuckling at his own childishness.

'Umehito... Put on some clothes.' Groaned the tired feline. With a wave of his hand, he reached his closet pulling on his most comfortable black and white striped silken shorts, running to across the room as soon as they had been place, he launched himself to the mattress. Cocooning himself in the cool, smooth fabric, his last thoughts were of the smiling face and kind amber eyes of Fujioka Haruhi.

~O~O~

The girl never woke. He sent her to the afterlife with flame, created with his body and secured with her ultimate sacrifice.

The young head of clan woke the next morning and with few words broke the charm he had placed on his beloved. Her eyes welled with the knowledge he didn't need to speak. Deciding that he would collect their breakfast before the meeting, he walked into the light burning with every ray. He wasn't cured, but it was drastically better. Still, disappointment led him to don his own sheets.

Young shaman Nekozawa was challenged by all the surrounding clans. Men trying to lay claim to the young woman of the waterfall village that no man owned. Murdering and pillaging for authority to her body over the rights to their land. Her word had no effect, as the shaman had predicted.

Scared for the safety of his people, the head of clan Nekozawa called upon their ancestors strength to place his own wards over the village and sent rains of acid to head his foes. Later venturing to find once dense brush and grassy fields, filled with dead earth and layers of cracked bones, attacked and eaten at by unfortunate primitive beasts, surely to pass from the toxins of the acid in the meat.

He closed his eyes to the outside world, raising his hands to the sky in vain efforts to erase the dead from his land. To cleanse it of the savagery. Gasping in a welcome breath, opening his silver gaze to the sky covered by his protective shroud, the shimmering inky mist did not surprise him, he welcomed it. His foes turned into fuel for his own power, swirling as high as the clouds, as dark as night itself. Nearing his vulnerable body, consuming him, becoming a part of him as the fog encircled his extremities, whipping around him the ebon souls of oblivion seeping inside from the pores in his flesh.

~O~O~

Going to school for exams and dealing with those she didn't really want to seemed a daunting task, until she walked into the pristine academy. Her echoing footsteps were like a trigger to the headmaster tracking device, sweeping her into his office in a sequences of power walking, stairs, twists, turns, more stairs and more walking. By the time she was at a sit on the cushy couch, she still hadn't seen a single face aside from the effectively distracting headmaster, Suoh Yuzuru.

"...so you see, it would please me to see you comfortable..." Yuzuru's eyebrows waggled about his face as much as his slinging arms and pointing fingers, sliding around the expansive office space and circling the couch like a vulture around a slowly dying mammal. A vertiginous spectacle, being in the center, Haruhi attempted focusing on one point on the wall to still her rolling eyes, unable to comprehend anything. Why am I here? I should be preparing for exams...

"...have to do is say the word and we'll pause..." Her eyes finally began absorbing the sights of the room once the boisterous headmaster took a questionable knee in front of her upon the swirled argyle rug and marble floors. He grasped her still palm between his hands, a deep sorrow gleaming in his over-expressive eyes.

"Ummm... I'm sorry, what did you say?" Mocha orbs wide with bewildered embarrassment, she gracefully attempted to remove her hand, to no avail.

"Oh, my dear! I simply stated," Dropping her hand to pace with the arm positions of a frantic ballerina, His white suit stood out immaculately against the dark wood paneling, pink wall and gold filigree plaque of the school's crest. "That you have the option to take your exams void of others and can take as many of them as you want either, or both, today and tomorrow. My the comfort of my office is at your disposal, as a show of my deepest condolences for your loss. I only just heard this morning upon my return."

He was kneeling again, one hand draped over his heart as the other was flung back in abandon. A queer aspect, though intriguing. She really was not ready to sit between two of an entire group that she wanted to avoid, it would null the whole 'avoid' point, and she could get her exams over with in one go without having to wrack her nerves over the next testing phase through the night.

"You know, that sounds really nice!" A genuine smile bloomed across her face and the headmaster nearly crushed her in a hug, had his receptionist not come in.

"Sir, will Fujioka-san's examinations be observed by you, today?" The long brown whip of the secretary's pony tail slung with her smallest movements as she asked the question in a less than enthused tone, no expressions to read on her face beyond her frames.

"I do believe so!" He stood with a flourish, clapping his hands together with a wide sight-inhibiting smile and turning to his receptionist with over-joyed enthusiasm that caused both females to jump. "Cancel all of my appointments until further notice!"

Somehow I get the feeling I'm being used as a vacation excuse. A thin chestnut eyebrow quirked and twitched at the thought.

"Uh um...Would it be possible for me complete all of my exams today and be exempt from school tomorrow?" Haruhi piped in, hoping to not draw out her testing. Being determined now and saving bus-fare spurring her audacity.

"Yes, of course Fujioka-san." The cinnamon tail dipped forward as Yuzuru's secretary tented her fingers in front of her cherry red lipped smile and bowed. "So, Sir... Should I reschedule your meetings for tomorrow?" Her bored tone morphed with a chipper inflect and Yuzuru's mousy brown hair fell forward, brown eyes cast in shadow with a somber air washing over the headmaster.

"Just. Cancel. Until. Further. Notice." Pivoting in place to face Haruhi, he grinned and cocked his head to the side. "We don't want Fujioka-san to get overwhelmed if he gets tired, do we?"

~O~O~

Over the desk-top crater, pale lips moved soundless discussing the whereabouts of their estranged toy on such an important day. Golden-brown orbs darted from the empty seat the classroom door nervously anticipating the arrival of the petite brunette, slowly changing into a worried dread.

In light of the delirious call both received while tucked close, under brilliant blue linens and shrouded in the dark of night, from their host king they started to feel the lump of anxiety growing heavy in their stomachs, spreading as each minute ticked on with out the presence of their own secret princess.

In their exhausted state of mind, they really hadn't listened to what Tamaki had been screaming about except for the random snippets including Haruhi, Nekozawa, and a curse, or potion, or poison, or ... something. Neither paid much mind, rolling over after the call disconnect to sleep.

Now, they were freaking out. Haruhi would never miss exams. She hardly missed school. There were just too many weird things happening to try and discredit everything the violet-eyed Frenchman had tried to explain. Haruhi didn't just make-out with anyone, she didn't miss school... Or did she? Internal conflict warred on with their own misdeeds; if they didn't know that she was suffering alone, if they couldn't tell when she was happy or miserable... Did they really know her?

In any case, the introduction of the cloaked odd-ball Nekozawa into their lives was nothing but an unwelcome intrusion. And, a very good reason to point blame at him. A scapegoat, whether they were intending him to be so, or not.

Synchronous hands and similar boys drifted through their exams with minds anywhere but the questions in front of them. Squinting to re-read the same questions for fourth and fifth times, writing down the first things that popped in their heads, regarding. With twitches irritating their eyes, frigid apprehension and the infernal heat of anger spreading in their respective cores, they resolved to get to the bottom of the absence of Haruhi. If they could get help with their task, even better.

~O~O~

"Dai Saishi," Hazel eyes too their place to the floor as the man bowed low before his high priest. "You wished to speak with me, sir?" His smooth face stayed downcast as he rose to perfect posture.

Shinsetsuna acknowledged his personal assistant and chair of coven-council with a small grunt. Taking his time with the message he needed to send, he stared at 'the chosen's photograph, reading of her family, her own short biography. The first thing he noticed was the sad glint in the girl's otherwise happy face. A tortured soul, so early dawning in life for such heartbreak to befall. Hours had passed that he ran his wrinkled fingers over the face in the photograph. A possible victim of sacrifice, should Umehito accept. The very face that would haunt his grandson until the day he would take his last breath. How so many of the coven and council could take such a decision so lightly... It pained him to know that he had helped to rear those children into such an adulthood.

Placing his trembling palms flat upon the swirled marble surface of greys, blacks and whites fighting for dominance, in an effort of stability, he looked to his assistant with heavy lidded silver eyes, ringed with the evidence of his sleeplessness.

"She has been chosen. We will inform the council soon... I," He dropped his own gaze and let it drift to the dark photograph, set in an elegant frame depicting a happier time. "I want to speak to my grandson before anyone else knows."

~O~O~

The first testing recess bell sounded and all of classroom 3-A was relieved. Nekozawa had finished his work moments before the break, confident in his upcoming results for the vast amount of studying he had done and a lesser divining that was performed for himself and other club mates during a previous meeting, though he knew his perfect scores would do nothing for his ranking. Such was the bother of taking classes outside of school and replacing them for club periods. He didn't mind, his transcripts would speak volumes themselves. So, he busied himself with his trusty composition book, trying to compile a list of new products and services the club could offer. Reiko would be most appreciative... in her own way, once she took over as club president.

Feeling as if he were being watched, the pencil paused in his grip and he lifted his head upward from its bow to scan the floor surrounding his desk, landing on two pairs of glossy shoes. A muscle below his eye twitched as he lifted his head a little further to greet his odd company.

"Can I help you with something?" Taking on his deep, throaty ominous tone he placed his pencil to lay slanted across the paper, hand and Bereznoff flat against the desktop in preparation of easy getaway if the martial arts masters were to want trouble. He could only do so much to keep himself from harming Haruhi's friends, these two were different. If they were to attack, he wouldn't have a chance without the protection of his inner talents.

Lifting his chin and gaze further produced a strange scene, one that looked as if had been there the whole time. Bruises and cuts tainted plump ivory skin with mauve and crimson, full lips were quivering, black and red-rimmed eyes were pooling tears that looked as if they had just stopped falling. Forlorn surrender furrowed the brows of the injured lolita standing in front of him in the unflattering fluorescent lights of the stuffed classroom. Students milled about chattering on with their own friends and scurrying to leave their captive classroom, unaware of the scene near the back of the room, behind the windows and decorative pillar. Nekozawa cocked his head to the side, examining the child-like teen from beneath the secretive folds of his hood.

"Neko-chan?" The youthful nickname made him flinch on the inside as the croaking whine from an obviously forced pitchy inflect implored him. "Don't hurt her." Gritty and low, breaking before the short sentence was even finished, it held threats, promises and a begrudging acceptance. Nekozawa dared not to lift his head any further, but knew that the tall cousin would have nodded. All he could do was grin at the heartfelt gesture.

"I assure you, I will do nothing of the sort."

~O~O~

"Milord!" An auburn flash streaked through the 2nd year halls as if to follow the path of his voice. Hikaru grabbed the shoulders of a very startled host king, head bent to steady his labored breathing. "Haruhi's not here."

Male and female students alike pushed past the scene with minor glances, too preoccupied with the freedom of their seats and their needs to converse or locate the restrooms. Kaoru's face peaked through the crowd, slowly taking his place beside his brother.

"It's true. She hasn't showed to class yet." The younger twin enforced his brother's words pensively, looking intently toward the grip of hands on Tamaki's shoulders instead of the amethyst gaze that regarded him widely.

"What?" Incredulously the tall blonde whispered, mind fully impacted by the intrinsic information related to the dutiful honor student.

"Easy, boys." Passing through the door frame among the thinning veil of over-excited students, the bespectacled teen strode. "Being that she just lost her father, she has liberties that are afforded to her." He shot a pointed look toward the grabby red-head and readjusted his glasses with grace, allowing his hand to stay in the position as he continued on with cool irritation. "I'm certain she must have taken them in order to avoid an uncomfortable situation."

It was no lie, the rash actions of the eldest twin had granted Kyoya with less access to Haruhi and it irked him that her anger trickled to all of them. Especially him, notably more so after bearing witness to the intimate moment between the girl and Nekozawa. Territorial agitation bubbled over a female that had only a day ago adamantly proclaimed she was no man's property. She had a point, but seeing her touch the other man with a look in her eyes she'd never offered to him, or any of the rest of the hosts, had been a breaking point. He'd entertained the thought many times before of making her his, of breaking his form to go after something with entirely different merits, but the opportunity never seemed to surface and now with recent events, an unattainable goal. It didn't sit well with the youngest Ohtori.

"But, what if this has something to do with-!" Stammering, his blonde head whipped to the reflective shadow king, cut off by a halting palm.

"Are you really that desperate to blame magic like an imbecile and risk her scorn?" A dangerous warning in the form of an obvious question slipped past the thin lipped, scowling face of Kyoya without a thought. Kaoru's unfocused eyes settled on the demon lord, with the dawning realization that maybe he was not alone in his own thoughts.

~O~O~

"AH HA!" The pronounce call of triumph, clamor of heavy seat and commencing champion stance Yuzuru struck made the girl leap dumbfounded in the cushions of the plush couch, scratching a long line across her third exam with her rigid pencil.

"Oh, my apologies, Fujioka-san!" His sticky skyward finger fell to a flat coaxing palm that was shaking lightly to loosen a rogue sheet that stowed away for the obnoxious journey, as the headmaster deflated, stepping one leg down from his chair. "Can I get you something to drink?" He added, scratching the back of his neck in his embarrassment of forgetting the student was present.

Haruhi busied her eraser with the stray mark, breathing deeply to steady the shock to her heart.

"Um, a little water would be great." Finishing her task, she rotated to her principle, smiling with gratitude. "Thank you!" Her gaze fell from his chocolate gaze, so youthful alike his son, to the surface of the man's desk.

Sitting there was a completed miniature model Eiffel Tower, glue and the empty box it came from. She had to fight a snort at the conduct of accomplishment the man showed at such a feat that startled her half to heart-attack. Really?!

Raising her arms and stretching her body, she yawned returning to the questions she found to be exceptionally easy. English didn't seem to be that much of a hassle when she related the words with a silky accent and elegant sweeping gestures. Her pink lips curled in a contented smile as she fervently inscribed her remarks to the paper.

~O~O~

The end of a short, though entirely too long, exam day was punctuated with a crudely scrawled sign depicting closure of Host Club until the end of break, created and hung by the host king himself. No one was feeling up to the entertainment of their female clientele, especially since failing the one female that didn't pay for their services. Reluctant, but in agreement, Kyoya nodded once at the sign and headed back in the other direction for the comforts of his home and the responsibilities of the company, Tamaki to his side claiming unbearable loneliness and the need to stop by Haruhi's home. Yearning to curb the backlash, the youngest Ohtori begrudgingly allowed the blonde to follow.

Longing glances between the school and the direction of the cross-dresser's apartment left them all in a hazy conflicted state. Each wanted to go running to the one they hurt, to make it right, but they also didn't want to exacerbate. It took a hefty amount of will for the boys of the host club to leave the school without shouting directions for the common side of town. Even Kyoya had to bite his tongue a bit, much to his own surprise.

In another part of the massive school, Nekozawa wandered the halls in soft steps as his azure orbs ran over his list of ideas, making mental notes to order specific herbs as Bereznoff complained huffily about being too divine to be stuffed in it's human's pocket.

With lithe grace he navigated the halls blindly, expertly avoiding any obstacles that could falter his movements, as he heard the familiar resounding clacks of his shoes hitting the cool stone floor bouncing with the acoustics of the high vaulted ceiling of the North Wing basement area. A small musing smile bent the edges of his full lips, both bitter and grateful the memories ambushed him.

Their laughs and tears, solace in each other's arms, her declaration of love and need for him, being Haruhi's light amongst the inky black of death and tragedy, losing her to the world of magic and protecting her from what could have been. Returning to her life and becoming an object of her affections, those thoughts brought a speed to the beat of his heart and a satisfied heat through his chest. Tucking the composition book in the confines of his ebony robes, he secured it under his arm, pulling the door to open and entered on a heavy exhale.

He still had many things to do before Reiko and the club fledglings were to arrive, one of the most pressing tasks: researching a recurring dream that had been plaguing his unconscious mind when he was so sure he'd be envisioning the presence and sweet lips of a certain brunette. Increasingly questionable as he had never dreamt the same thing more than once, it was becoming more dominant in his own mind, taking to loop when he closed his eyes no matter how often he'd try to brush it aside and ignore. If he couldn't find anything in the pages of his extensive library in the main club room, he'd have to consult with the coven.