Oh, my wonderful reviewers, favorite-ers, (that's a word, right?), and followers, you make my heart happy. Thank you for the continued support! I love you. I mean, I don't know you guys, but I love you anyway. XD Yuuna, you're so cool. I hope I can keep up with the fun dialogue. BeautifulScars, thank you for the comment! I hope to continue providing you with great updates. Guest Reviewer on 11, I appreciate your review, also!
I love this chapter. I crack up when imagining Honey drinking like a fool with Haruhi, and I know he can be OOC, I hope to preserve some of his innocence, too.
Edit: I already went through and fixed some errors. It's like they magically appear after I post a new chapter.
.
Chapter Twelve
Which One is Hikaru?
Ronnie shoved past Takashi, knocking him out of his jealous shock. "Aye! Perv!" She swiped at Honey's head as he rested on Haruhi's chest. The offending blond sat straight up, blinking furiously up at her as Haruhi giggled through her hiccups.
"Rona-chan?"
"Eat," the red-faced American muttered, plopping two bread rolls in front of them and cursing Honey's drunken adorableness as she settled into her original spot on the floor. She was in a tizzy by the time everyone was re-situated at the table, her hands flying around while making overstating gestures at each of the Host Club members. "Har-Haruhi. Listen…hey…listen to me. How do you fucking do it? How do…how do you not screw ev-every…last…one of these gorgeous…hot…edible…delicious stud-muffins?"
Dead silence settled over the table as Ronnie grinned and Haruhi, very happily, nibbled on her bread roll and sipped her new glass of rum and Coke. She peered over at Ronnie, quirking a small smile, seeming unfazed by her roommate's incredible informality. "No…Ronnie…you listen. These guys...man. These guys are my…they're my boys, you know?"
They all laughed quietly as Haruhi fought to control her hiccups again, failing miserably.
"And what's a stud-muffin?" Haruhi squeaked through unsteady giggles, the spasms in her diaphragm shaking her twice in succession.
Ronnie laughed as the guys snapped their heads back to her. "There's a better way…to put it, but I always say…'Walking sex advertisement'…or…yeah…that."
"Ah! Stud-muffin!" Haruhi squealed and pointed at Takashi.
All of the boys smacked their hands on the table as Haruhi almost fell over, dying in mirth, with the twins shrieking, "LET'S START THE GAME!" and Takashi and Honey looking as though they desired nothing more than to murder Ronnie. Kyoya covered his face in his hands to stifle his laughter and Tamaki chugged his glass of fine sake.
"Damn guys, if y'all are already reacting like that, we shouldn't play Truth or Dare!" Ronnie's smugness ruined how stern she sounded.
"No…no…Ron," Takashi glared defiantly. "We're playing."
"I'm gonna beat you, and when…when'd I do, we're not fighting anymore," Haruhi said cheekily, swaying as she shook a feeble fist at him.
The twins muttered that they really hadn't been fighting, though Honey shushed them. "Kaoruuu-ch... Hikaaaa-chaaaa…..nnn. They…they silent fight. Silent fight!" Honey teetered too far to his right, falling into Hikaru's lap, and the elder twin steadied him upright with an arm around the shoulders.
Kyoya made to take a sophisticated drink from his old fashioned glass, but spilled some onto his black tee and cursed sharply. Tamaki passed him a napkin with a drunken giggle, and Kyoya tried to regain some of his pride. "Best friend, truth or dare?"
"Ahhh," Ronnie sent him a sly smile. "I love you, best friend." At Kyoya's urging stare, she picked 'truth.'
Kaoru and Hikaru gasped quietly. "No, Ron! No! Bad choice! BAD CHOICE!"
With a massive grin, Kyoya asked, "Where do you get the cash to pay for your apartment?"
Ronnie stilled, though Haruhi giggled again, reaching around Tamaki to poke Kyoya in the arm. "Kyo! Kyoya! Her father pays for it!"
Kyoya waved her hand away, giving her a soft smile. "No…he doesn't, Haruhi. She lied."
Haruhi's grin faded, and she studied her sheepish roommate. "No…Ronnie…you don't…"
"You're right, it was a bad choice," Ronnie muttered to the complacent twins before answering, "I pay…with my…winnings?"
"Is that a question or an answer, best friend?" Kyoya carefully swirled the liquid in his glass, seeming very pleased with himself.
"Answer," Ronnie mumbled like a petulant child.
Haruhi gaped at her roommate, not believing what she had heard. Paying a monthly rent of two-hundred thousand yen left little room to imagining what the American meant by 'winnings,' and Haruhi's disgruntled, accusing tone made her roommate flinch. "Not with the Challenger…right, Ronalyn?"
Kyoya immediately held up a hand, stopping Ronnie from replying and sending Haruhi a reprimanding glare. "She only has to answer one question, and she did. Pick someone, best friend."
The rest of them let their curiosity slide for the night, and it turned into chaos after that. Ronnie dared Tamaki to lick someone's ear, and the blond started to lean toward Haruhi, but it was a ploy, suddenly darting the other way and lapping at Kyoya's earlobe. The room filled with shrill cackling and loud gasps as the enraged Shadow King smacked Tamaki over the back of his head. Honey's dare was to play music since the hosting president didn't have it in him to make the older, yet still seemingly innocent boy do anything dirty. Honey pouted while searching for a pop song and dared Kaoru to French-kiss Ronnie, trying to prove his worth.
Haruhi squealed in delight, clapping while Kaoru grabbed Ronnie before she could get away and kissed her roughly, slipping his tongue into her mouth. He pulled at her bottom lip as he leaned back, then straightened his posture as though nothing had just happened. Ronnie was in shock, holding her hand over her mouth. The rest of them cheered, more for the rare sight of the speechless American, some for the obvious release of sexual tension between the two.
Kaoru eyed Haruhi with a devilish smile, but she was unaffected. She copied his answer of 'dare' before her eyes widened, realizing what she said, and noticed Takashi narrowing his as Kaoru's smile grew even more evil. "Body shot off Mori."
Haruhi wanted to die as the twins howled with laughter and Takashi sighed, seeming relieved, as though the dare wasn't as horrifying as he imagined. At Kaoru's direction, he stripped off his shirt, then, with a wobbling effort, made to lay back. Haruhi struggled to stand, staggering as she approached her boyfriend, who rested comfortably, hands behind his head, and gave her a pompous smirk.
Saying a silent prayer of thanks as Takashi flexed, his defined six-pack becoming even more pronounced, Haruhi watched, most intrigued, as Kaoru poured a small shot of tequila into Takashi's naval, then another in the dip between his pectoral and abdominal muscles.
"Go for it," Kaoru said slyly.
Haruhi started with the puddle of tequila just below her boyfriend's chest, and, once she slurped that up, she moved to his belly button. She covered it so no one else would see how she used her tongue to clumsily scoop out the liquor. Slightly disappointed with his initial lack of response to what she thought was a perfect teasing moment, she didn't cheer up until she looked into Takashi's eyes and saw completely black orbs staring back at her.
"Whew! Hot damn!" Ronnie fanned herself, gaining several chuckles in response. Takashi slipped his shirt on as Haruhi returned to her place on the other side of the table. Hikaru drank straight from his bottle of tequila and Honey and Kaoru clapped and cheered him on.
Haruhi grinned as Hikaru lowered his bottle, and he quirked an eyebrow questioningly at her impressed stare, though she only waved him off and turned to Kyoya. Attempting an innocent smile, though she mused it probably came out more as an excessively ambitious smirk, she put the two choices on him in a sweet voice. "Kyoyaaa, truth…or dare?"
"Dare," the Ootori said, his gaze wary.
Put-out by his response, as she had hoped to ask for a detailed explanation of how he gathered information, Haruhi took a moment to come up with something to lash back at the Shadow King for starting her and Takashi's first fight. When the winner came to mind, she knew she had struck gold. "Seduce Ronnie with a single facial expression."
His ardent disdain for the dare appeared instantly and Ronnie choked as she tried to gulp down the rest of her drink. Takashi patted her soothingly on the back and Kaoru shot – the very sloshed – Haruhi a nasty glare, to which she childishly stuck her tongue out.
Kyoya sighed as Ronnie regained her composure. He slowly leaned toward her, over the table, taking off his glasses. He stopped within inches of her face, bringing in his bottom lip to softly chew on it, locking narrowed, dark eyes with hers, as though he really was debating all of the terrible things he wanted to do to the American.
Ronnie swallowed loudly, then threw her phone at Haruhi, the corner smacking her in the chest. "Bitch!" Haruhi squeaked, folding her hand over her pained and suddenly tender boob, glaring as her roommate pursed her lips to hide her smile.
"Sorry. Reflex."
Haruhi sent her a loathing glance and kept her hand on her breast as Kyoya questioned Takashi, who move his gaze to hers. His eyes lingered on where she had been struck, then answered, "Dare."
Kyoya huffed quietly, then pulled out his phone. After a moment, he said, reading from the screen, "Put on a blindfold and you're going to guess the identity of one of us by touching the person's face."
They all laughed at Kyoya's still disappointed expression as Ronnie retrieved a silver sash from her computer room. She ignored the twins' thrilled and probing questions as to where that came from, and handed it over to a less-than-enthused Takashi. Haruhi drank feverishly as he tied the sash over his eyes and placed his hands on his legs. The stimulating sight before her was more than sexy, but the liquid courage successfully kept the threatening blush at bay.
Hikaru was silently chosen as the person to be identified, and he kneeled by Takashi, guiding his hands to his face. Haruhi watched with wide eyes, her boyfriend slowly measuring the eldest twin's cheek and moving his fingers to the right side of Hikaru's forehead, where the dark ash brown hair was parted.
"Ah, Hikaru." Takashi smiled, lifting the sash off his eyes.
"Yeah…" Hikaru flicked his eyes to Haruhi, who still observed them intently, but didn't move from his position next to Takashi. The Morinozuka heir followed his gaze.
"Go sit down, Hikaru."
"But, Mori…" Hikaru grinned, keeping his eyes on Haruhi, moving closer.
"I'm going to put you through a wall."
Covering her red face, Haruhi sighed deeply and Tamaki rubbed her shoulder, offering amused comfort with his wide smile. Hikaru made a speedy return to his spot after the warning glare from Takashi, and hung onto Kaoru as the kendo champion calmly questioned him.
"Are you brave enough to say 'Dare?'" Kaoru grinned at his twin, though Hikaru's answer was cut off.
"He is. You are, too. Come with me." Takashi stood, grabbing his overnight bag and making his way for the computer room. "Do you have any hats, Ron?"
"Yeah, on top of my desk. Why?" She didn't receive an answer, though, Takashi disappearing into the room with disquieted twins cautiously following.
While the rest of them waited, Haruhi and Honey chugged their drinks, glaring playfully at each other. Tamaki shook his head woefully at the sight and Ronnie drummed her fingers against the table in an uneven rhythm, muttering about stupid drunk people, then giggled when she hiccupped.
The dueling drinkers coughed into their glasses when Takashi came out of the room and smiled broadly at Ronnie. The twins were hot on his heels, their faces alight with identical Cheshire cat grins. Black hats turned backward covered the parts in their hair, scarves hiding the color difference. They concealed their jeans and shoes from Ronnie's view with a blanket, and wore matching, over-sized black tees that obviously belonged to Takashi.
"Let's play 'Which one is Hikaru!'" they spoke together, holding their delighted, mischievous grins.
"Oh no," Haruhi breathed, only loud enough for Honey and Tamaki to hear, as Ronnie's face fell. Kyoya gave Takashi an approving nod, but Haruhi was not as thrilled, since she knew that Ronnie was the only one in the apartment who wouldn't be able to tell them apart without seeing their hair. Although, she was still baffled by the sight of their now perfectly matched features, something she had not seen since Hikaru dyed his hair two years previously. The older they got, even as impossible as it seemed, the more alike they grew to look.
But Ronnie surprised all of them, laughing as she wobbled over to the twins. She peered into each of their faces, eyes narrowed thoughtfully, not speaking as she, unknowingly, slid from standing in front of Kaoru to Hikaru. Then grabbed his face and kissed him.
Haruhi opened her mouth to let out a panicked shriek, but Honey clamped a firm hand over her mouth as he tried to not scream either.
Ronnie quickly jerked away from the stone-faced twin, proudly saying, "Nope, that's definitely not Kaoru-kun. I win!" She, not so gracefully, settled down onto the floor by Takashi again, letting a self-satisfied smile light up her face.
Still shell-shocked, Hikaru let his end of the blanket fall to the floor and shuffled back to the computer room to change back into his shirt. Kaoru stumbled behind him, sending Ronnie a traumatized look as he, too, went to change.
"I can't even." Takashi muttered, hand over his eyes.
"None of us can, Mori," Tamaki said soothingly.
They waited quietly for the twins to return, all staring at Ronnie as she made a delayed, grossed out face and gulped down the rest of her drink. "You know guys, I like Hikaru-kun just fine, but he's too gentle for my taste."
"I think 'Hikaru' is just fine, now, Ron." The elder twin dragged his feet drunkenly to his spot, free of the hat and scarf, and wearing his fitted blue tee again. Kaoru sat close to Ronnie, switching his gaze between her and his brother in a very sulking way.
Honey and Haruhi giggled at Kaoru, and Hikaru quickly rounded on Honey to pick truth or dare. This time no mercy was taken on the martial arts genius, and with his answer of "Truth," was forced to spill the beans on his love interest.
All eyes were on Honey as he replied, "Kanazuki Reiko," and held up a hand like Kyoya had earlier. "That's all I have to say, though I will add that Tsuki-chan and I are just friends."
The twins cowered at his dark gaze and Haruhi twitched away from him, though he smiled innocently, no trace left of the terrifying demeanor directed at Hikaru and Kaoru. He started to slowly rock back and forth, the alcohol from the guzzling contest with Haruhi hitting him full force. He muttered incoherently, then flopped backward, passing out before he even hit the carpet. Takashi practically leaped over the table in his effort to get to his cousin, but only shook his head when Honey started snoring.
"He's fine," Takashi murmured, gently picking up the smaller boy and laying him on the couch.
"I think it is a fine time to call it a night." Tamaki slowly pulled himself onto the other sofa, sitting up and resting his head back, mumbling gratuitous blessings to his friend, the couch. Kyoya crawled onto it also, shoving a pillow against Tamaki's lap for support and plopping down on it with the greatest of relieved sighs. Ronnie pointed to the computer room, telling the twins there was an air mattress made up and waiting for them.
"Thank the Heavens," Hikaru mumbled, not even attempting to stand, crawling toward the room. Takashi and Kaoru picked him up, and they disappeared into the hall.
"Poor guys, I got another bed for them..." Ronnie sighed, observing Tamaki and Kyoya's already sleeping forms. Haruhi took her roommate's offer of a helping hand to stand up on drunk, tired legs. "Come on, sweet thang," Ronnie looped an arm around the shorter girl and led her to the hall.
Takashi came out of the computer room, smirking at the sight of the girls using the wall for support. He leaned Haruhi against the door frame to Ronnie's room and guided the tipsy American inside. Silently, Takashi returned and picked Haruhi up, carrying her to her bed and laying her down with the utmost care.
"I won, so we're not fighting anymore," Haruhi chided him quietly as he shut the door and he turned to face her. She wasn't sure how she had won 'Truth or Dare,' but the alcohol made her confident. Although, she was glad that the night was over and she could snuggle into her pillow, and the spinning room slowed down as she relaxed.
Takashi approached her bed again, and he kneeled beside it, bringing his forehead to hers. She hummed sleepily at the contact, and stroked his cheek with her fingers. "I have to stay with Mitsukuni tonight." His tone filled with regret as he spoke, then he gently kissed her and pulled back to gaze at her tenderly.
Her mind hazy, she barely managed a nod, burying further into her pillow and closing her eyes. "Go…save…him...Taka…shii." She warmed at the light touches he used to brush back her hair.
"He will be fine. Rest, Haruhi." He kissed her forehead, slowly backing away as his girl fell into a deep, alcohol influenced slumber. He returned to the living room and sat on the floor, leaning his head against the arm of the couch his cousin snored quietly on. Takashi closed his eyes, but stayed awake, listening to all of his family as they soundly slept.
