"Patty cake patty cake baker's man, bake me a cake as fast as you can. Pat it, and roll it, and mark it with a - Kyoya!"
"'With a Kyoya'?" I asked Tamaki confused. "Why would you…?" With my hands still pressed against Tamaki's, I slowly turned my head and spotted said teen leaning lazily against the wall by his door with a raised eyebrow as he watched us. Beside him stood Margaret with one hand over her mouth as she tried not to laugh. In her other she held a flashlight which she gave to Kyoya. Kyoya smirked and turned the flashlight on, directing the light it made onto me. My eyes narrowed at the brightness as he tried to blind me. "Oh…well this is awkward."
"Hello, Margaret!" Tamaki exclaimed jumping to his feet. He ran over to the older woman and grasped her now free hand. With the source of light in the room, not including any from outside, I noticed that Margaret instantly blushed when Tamaki brought her hand up to his mouth and lightly kissed it. "You look as lovely as ever."
"T-thank you, Mr. S-Suoh," she stuttered glancing away from him and staring at the floor.
With the flashlight still upon me, Kyoya walked forward until he was standing right beside me in front of the window. He looked over at me, his eyebrow still slightly raised. "May I ask what the two of you were exactly doing just now?"
I sighed. "Tamaki-senpai wanted me to show him a commoner game to pass the time while you went and found Margaret."
"That's not a commoner game, that's a children's game."
He turned his body a little bit as he talked, causing the flashlight's beam to get into my eyes again. I groaned and covered my eyes with one of my hands. With my other I blindly reached out and grabbed the flashlight from his grasp. I reopened my eyes and shined it straight into his eyes. "Hurts, doesn't it?" Unfortunately I couldn't see his reaction since the beams reflected off of his lenses and caused a glare to form on his glasses.
"I now understand why you taught Tamaki that game."
"Why haven't you died already? Soul sucking demons like you shouldn't be able to stand the almighty flashlight!"
Kyoya sighed. "I rest my case."
I lowered the flashlight and pointed at the floor. "I'm sorry, senpai. I'm just annoyed that I may be stuck here with the two of you instead of with my sister."
Kyoya looked at me. "Why should it matter if you aren't with your sister?"
I glanced away. "No reason, senpai."
"Is there anything else needed, Master Ootori?" came Margaret's voice, saving me from having to answer any more personal questions Kyoya was about to ask me. I hurriedly turned the flashlight back on and pointed it in her and Tamaki's direction. Margaret had both of her hands clasped in front of her while Tamaki seemed to be trying to get her to play a round of Patty Cake with him. I sighed at his failed attempts.
I moved the beam of light on Kyoya when he spoke. "No. That will be all for now, Margaret."
"I will then go and prepare supper as best I can with the other servants. Please excuse me, but do not hesitate to call for me if any assistance is needed." The older woman bowed low and left the room.
"Now what?" I asked. I went over to the couches and took a seat.
"Well for one, Rikku, you can turn off that flashlight before you waste all of the battery power," Kyoya told me. He came over and took a seat beside me on the couch. Just before I turned off the flashlight I noticed him remove his glasses and pinch the bridge of his nose. I couldn't help but grin a tad bit.
As soon as the room was pitch black I heard Tamaki ask, "Why? Shouldn't we have light to see? My beauty unfortunately is not bright enough to lighten this room."
I ignored his last sentence. "It's so the flashlight lasts longer, senpai," I explained to him. I felt like I was talking with a child. "It's best to preserve the battery's energy in case of an emergency."
THUMP!
"OW!" Tamaki exclaimed.
"Well," I added. "There went his beauty." I quickly turned the flashlight in my hands back on and shined it in the direction of where I had heard the noise. Tamaki sat on the floor clutching at his head, making groaning sounds of pain. "What the hell did you do?" I asked when he moved his hands away from his head for a moment to move onto the couch. He flopped backwards so he was in a lying position and I gave a low whistle at the small mark on his head. Luckily though his bangs covered the bruise once they set back down upon his head.
Tamaki looked at me and whimpered. "I went to sit on this couch but missed instead and hit my precious head against that dangerous table. It hurts!" he whined.
"That's what some people call karma, Tamaki-senpai," I snickered.
"Moron," Kyoya muttered standing to his feet. I heard him sigh as he adjusted his glasses. "I'll be back…once again."
"Where are you going, senpai?"
"To go and get some ice for this idiot."
"I really doubt he needs some ice. He'll live."
"Whatever gets me away from him then," Kyoya grumbled, starting towards the door.
"But –," I was interrupted by Tamaki groaning and blindly reaching out with one of his hands saying, "Help, Rikku. I can see the light! It's coming closer! Save Daddy!" With the flashlight still in hand, I ran after Kyoya's retreating form. "Wait for me, senpai!"
"So how long do you think it'll take Tamaki-sempai to realize that we've ditched him?"
Kyoya took my wrist and glanced at the silver watch that rested there. "Ten more minutes at the most."
"We've already been hiding here for half an hour though," I pointed out. "And during that time the lights have already come back on."
Kyoya released my wrist and shrugged his shoulders. "He's probably been sulking in my room."
"Maybe he got lost somewhere trying to find us."
"As much as I wish for that to be true, Rikku, I highly doubt that is the case. Tamaki's been to my house quite a lot the past few years I've known him."
"His head is probably giving him a headache though and he can't think straight, or at least more than usual." Before Kyoya could respond, Tamaki's loud cry of joy echoed behind us. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear."
Kyoya and I turned around in unison and inwardly groaned at the sight of the hyperactive blonde who was jumping up and down in enthusiasm. "I should've guessed you'd be in this room Mon Amis! Pianos make great company for lost companions!"
Margaret and another woman, much younger than Margaret and yet older than me, stood behind Tamaki. Margaret held a plate of food while the other held two. Tamaki glanced back at them and grinned. "They saved my life, Kyoya, and helped me find the two of you. Without their help I'd still be as good as lost."
Kyoya mumbled something incoherent under his breath as he fixed the glasses that rested upon his face, though I had a slight guess as to what he had said.
The younger servant behind Tamaki shrugged her shoulders. "It's more like he followed us here like a lost little puppy," she said with a southern accent.
I snickered. "Tamaki-senpai always did remind me of a Golden Retriever. His hair is practically as golden as one and he has such a playful personality. Not to mention those puppy dog eyes of his."
"You do know that Golden Retrievers are used as hunting dogs, correct?" Kyoya pointed out to me.
I nodded. "And doesn't senpai here hunt his victim down once he sets his sight on another? Think about it for a moment, Kyoya-senpai. As soon as Tamaki-senpai here grabs ahold of his prey, let's say my sister for example, he just can't seem to let her go. The only huge difference between him and the breed of dog is that a dog will use its teeth to grab their prey while Tamaki-senpai squeezes his victims to death in a tight embrace." By this time, Tamaki was in the corner rocking back and forth while Kyoya chuckled beside me at the analogy. Margaret on the other hand seemed speechless and the other woman next to her wore a small smile. "What's your name anyway?" I asked the newer servant.
"Jillian, ma'am. Jillian Good."
"My name's Rikku Fujioka. Are you by chance from America as well as Margaret here, Jillian? You sound southern."
"I'm originally from Texas, Miss Fujioka, but I am actually three-fourths America and one-fourth Japanese."
"Really? That's cool."
Jillian had dark brown eyes, about the same shade as Honey's, and rich black hair, about as dark as Kyoya's, that went to the nape of her neck. She was maybe an inch or two shorter than me and had extremely tan skin, though that was probably from living in Texas most of her life. She looked like she was at least in her mid-twenties.
"Will there be anything else, Master Ootori?" Margaret asked as she and Jillian placed two of the plates before Kyoya and me, and one across from us for Tamaki. Said blonde idiot glanced over his shoulder at the food, Kyoya and me, and then back at the food. Silently he rose to his feet and took a seat across from us, immediately digging into his meal.
"That will be all for now, Margaret," Kyoya told her. He picked up his plate of food and the fork that came with it and began to slowly eat.
I looked back at the two servants with a wide smile on my face. "Thank you, Margaret, Jillian!" I told them in English. Both women seemed shocked for a moment before bowing low towards our direction with smiles on their faces. Once the two of them left though, I glanced over at Kyoya, still with my smile, and asked, "May I use your phone, senpai?" He just nodded his head in answer without looking back at me. "Thank you," I said. I grabbed the phone on the table and dialed my house number, praying that someone would answer and the conversation would be somewhat quick. The quicker the conversation was the better chance of me and whoever picks up of not being electrocuted.
"Fujioka Residence," my sister quietly said through the phone.
I jumped to my feet getting startled looks from Kyoya and Tamaki as I exclaimed, "Haruhi!" Both boys hurriedly put their food down upon the table and watched me with their eyes. "Where's Dad? Shouldn't he be with you?"
"He's at work," she explained. I could practically imagine her shaking under a table with a blanket wrapped around her. I knew that the storm tonight was going to make her fear come out but I figured that Dad was going to be there with her to try and help soothe her somewhat. It seems as if I was terribly wrong. "Where are you?"
I swallowed. "At Kyoya-senpai's house. Some things happened after you left for the supermarket earlier today and I had to come over. I'll be home as soon as possible though, Haruhi. I love you."
"No, no. It's al-," she started to say, but a loud crash of thunder and a flash of lightning made her shriek. The phone on her end must've crashed to the floor because the next thing I knew the line went dead.
"Haruhi…Haruhi!" I dropped Kyoya's phone onto the couch and started towards the doors. I didn't get very far before my wrist was being gripped tightly. I struggled to pull my arm from whomever's grasp but was unsuccessful. My body was shaking as I whispered, "Let me go," and was finally able to pull away.
I turned back towards the door and found Kyoya blocking my path. His arms were crossed and he looked down at me with an emotionless face. "I'm not sure what exactly is going through your head at the moment, Rikku, but I do know for a fact that there is no possible way for you to return home in this weather."
"You wanna bet?" I growled. "Just watch me."
Kyoya narrowed his eyes. "I know that your sister is home alone and you wish to return to her, but there's no reason to be stupid and not think this through. If I allowed you to try and run home you'll only end up lost and possibly become ill. You are staying right here in this room. You'll see Haruhi tomorrow in school."
"You can't force me to stay here!"
"My house, my rules."
My fists clenched down by my sides as I glared up at him. "Don't you understand? My sister needs me for reasons that I will not discuss with you!"
He smirked at me. "I already know perfectly well why you wish to return home."
My eyes widened slightly in surprise. "N-no you don't."
"You wanna bet?" he mocked me, slightly raising a slender eyebrow.
"You can't keep me under house arrest!"
"All the servants in this household listen to me. If I tell them not to allow you to leave they will do as I ask and keep you here. We can do this the easy way, Rikku, or the hard way. I'll allow you to choose," he told me. I swore at him and collapsed to the floor, my eyes squeezed tight. I heard Kyoya sigh before saying, "Tamaki, would you leave the room for a bit? It seems that Miss Fujioka and I need to have a chat."
There was the slightest hesitation before Tamaki replied, "Um, sure. Okay." Footsteps walked by where I was and I felt a hand ruffle my hair. "Try not to go too hard on her, Kyoya," he told his friend. A second later he removed his hand from my head and walked forward once more. I opened my eyes and caught a glimpse of him just before he opened one of the doors and exited the room.
I didn't speak until the door was finally shut. "There's nothing to talk about, Ootori-sama," I growled at him through clenched teeth. "If you already know of Haruhi's fear of thunder and lightning then you must surely know of my own fear."
Kyoya nodded. "Yes, I know. You are very protective of Haruhi and are willing to run to the ends of the Earth to save her from any type of danger. If anything, or anyone, hinders your access to her, you throw temper tantrums until you get what you want."
A few minutes went by in an awkward silence until I finally broke it. "I wouldn't call them temper tantrums," I muttered to myself, wrapping my arms around my legs. "I just grow very angry and think illogically. I'm the older sister which means I'm the one who should always be there for Haruhi, especially in her times of need. It pains me so much when I can't fulfill that simple task. I always thought of what I go through as panic attacks because of how I react to the situation, though others believe that what I go through may be something entirely different. Unfortunately no one's been able to tell me what it is exactly."
"Why didn't you act like this earlier?" Kyoya asked me. He moved forward and bent down to my eye level.
"I thought my father was home since he usually tries to take care of my sister when I'm not there." I then paused for a moment before adding, "Thank you by the way."
"For what?"
"For forcing me to stay here in your house. You're correct in saying that if I were to try and get home I would only become sick or get loss, and if that were to happen I still wouldn't be any help to my sister. Usually others give in to what I demand when it comes to keeping Haruhi safe. You though denied me of what I wanted, making sure even that I had no escape, and forced my more logical side to come back out and take over my body. Not many people are able to do that for me."
"What are some methods that other people tend to do?" he asked, adjusting his glasses.
"Pain is a big one since it tends to bring some of my senses back, comfort by another, being denied what I want, being locked in a room, throwing me into the shower with my clothes on and turning on the cold water, knocking me out, etc. The list goes on and on."
"I'll have to write these methods of yours down. Are you alright now though?"
I slowly nodded and pressed the palms of my hands against my eyes. "Yeah. I kinda just want to go to bed now though. Will that be alright?"
Hands pulled my palms from my eyes and I was forced to glance up into Kyoya's grey orbs. With his hand still around my wrists, he pulled me up to my feet and lightly tugged me with him towards the door. As soon as Kyoya opened the door, Tamaki stood before us with wide, concerned eyes.
"What happened? Rikku, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, senpai. I just had a small panic attack. Kyoya-senpai was able to help me get through it though since he knows what's wrong?" I explained tiredly to him. When Kyoya realized that I wasn't going to say anymore to Tamaki, he began to walk with me again in the direction of his room.
Once we finally reached his bedroom, Kyoya took me to the same couch that I had slept on last time and watched as I got into a lying position on the piece of furniture. He watched me through his two walls of glass until I was finally settled in a good position. I glanced back at Kyoya as he began to make his way back towards his bedroom door.
"Um, senpai?"
Kyoya turned back around and raised an eyebrow. "Yes, Rikku?"
"Would you mind not telling Tamaki-senpai what just happened? Actually, could you not tell any of the other Hosts about my fear or Haruhi's? I'm slightly afraid of how they'll react if they find out about either of our fears.
Kyoya chuckled and took a step back so he was out of the room. "I won't tell those idiots. Sleep well, Rikku," and he shut the door.
I smiled to myself. "Yeah. Night, senpai," I murmured.
Sorry it's so short. I had a slight idea for this chapter, since as you can tell it's a filler but not a filler at the same time since Rikku's fear is going to be showing up a lot, but as I started typing it, I couldn't figure out how to explain things but I really didn't want to scrap what I already had written since I liked most of it...just not all of it. Unfortunately in my eyes I dislike this chapter very much. Maybe I just had a slight case of writer's block or something, I don't know. All I do know is that I should be fine by next chapter since I have that planned out plus if I become stuck I can go and just watch the episode to help me.
