Kyouya's steepled hands radiated superiority as he looked each of the occupants of the table squarely in the eye, curling his lip as his gaze rested upon Mori.

"The events that have unfolded have taken us all much by surprise and have provoked uncivilized actions from each of us. The time to settle it is now." He slammed his fist upon the table for emphasis.

The twins whined and tried not to steal glances to the hallway where Haruhi was sent to read. They weren't about to miss their turns.

"Why should I give her up?" Mori scowled at them, his voice rumbling deep from within his chest.

All of the boys turned to him in varying degrees of outraged disbelief.

"She wasn't yours to begin with!" Tamaki shouted and Kyouya nodded somberly, his face displating pity, but doing nothing to hide the sneer beneath.

"She kissed me." He threw out there with the idea that it would settle it all.

"Who didn't she kiss…" Tamaki sighed, shaking his head.

"Objection!" The twins piped up at once.

"Okay, okay. That's enough. We should simply ask her opinion, let her choose." Kyouya offered, avoiding the darkening glares the twins had glued on their faces.

"We want our turn first." Hikaru barked.

"Absolutely not! Mommy, they're trying to kiss my daughter too!" Tamaki wailed into Kyouya's shoulder.

Kyouya shocked them all by full out slapping him. "Cut it out."

Tamaki stood, his chair squealing against the marble. "I think we need to talk. In private."

"Very well." Kyouya stood and sent a stern look to Mori. "Keep an eye on the twins."

Mori nodded and they left the room. As soon as the door closed, he turned to face them. "Heres your chance. Be respectful."

The twins broke into grins.

"I'm first." Hikaru said.

"Hell NO!" Kaoru shouted, hands outstretched for Hikaru's eyes.

Mori stood. "Give me a moment first."

0o0

"You really surprised me. I thought I could trust you." Tamaki's voice smoldered, his shoulders tight.

They stood a few feet apart, Kyouya's face impenetrable. He simply stood there, full well knowing after Tamaki ranted, he forgot, forgave.

This time was different.

"I was so close to getting everything I ever wanted, and YOU of all people STOLE her from me!" Tamaki's voice could have shattered glass.

"Tamaki, I simply fell in love."

"You may have, it's easy to do with her, but that was not your original intention and you know it." Tamaki sounded tired, his hands were shaking as he brushed his hair back into place. "What's the real problem here?"

"You know damn well."

0o0

Haruhi lay curled up in a bag leather chair next to a fire with a textbook in her lap. She heard all of the boys shouting, and she wished she could help, but what they were doing to her wasn't fair. They should have known she didn't want anything to do with this.

A slight knock sounded at the door, much calmer compared to the shouting coming from another room. "Come in." she said, peering around to see who it was.

The door clicked open and a very tired looking Mori walked in with his shoulders slumped and thumbs looped through his pockets. He sat in the chair opposite hers and stared into the fire for a second. She studied his face, looked into his tired, unseeing eyes and slouching posture.

"Are you okay?" she asked quietly, closing her book and setting it on the round table next to her.

"Hmm. Yeah, I'm okay." He rubbed a hand across his face and looked her dead in the eye. "We all want you." he mumbled, looking back into the flames.

Haruhi flinched. "I feel so stupid. I should have caught on sooner." She sighed, staring at the ceiling.

Mori surprised her again by laughing. "You really didn't see it? We've all liked you from the start, some of us just hid it better." He took her hand, his deep laugh cynical. "It is pretty messed up of us, but we felt we had the right."

She wanted to be mad, they should have asked her instead of this, done anything else. But she couldn't be mad at him. He was at least being honest. She could always count on him for that. "I just wish I understood."

He kept looking into her eyes and she felt as if she couldn't look away. "Haruhi, you're perfect. We can't be blamed for falling in love, can we?" He smiled, so uncharacteristically, showing her perfect white teeth. She couldn't help to smile back, but it had trouble reaching her eyes. There was really nothing she could do.

He understood the look on her face and nodded. "We have to settle this for ourselves. Which, even though it may hurt, I have come to ask your permission, if you would be so willing, to give the twins their turn. They really haven't been able to shut up."

He was the first to ask permission. "Can I have a day to rest first?" she sighed. They wouldn't give up, she knew that much.

"If I can have a kiss." He pulled her into his lap so abruptly she hardly had time to blink, and when she did, she was slanted in his arms, his hand cupping the back of her neck and his sweet breath tickling her face.

She couldn't breathe, his dark eyes glimmered, their intensity enough to make her heart falter. "Haruhi, I'm in love with you. Pick. Me." His lips pressed against her with savage urgency, she could taste his panic sweet against her lips. He was so nervous, but his dark desperation burned away all other need.

"Pick me…"