Kyouya awoke relatively early the next day. He told himself he really should move to his own bedroom before anyone else woke up. Yesterday had been confusing enough. Just five more minutes, he thought.
She'd been dreaming pleasantly when she felt the slightest movement. She probably would have been a heavy sleeper if it weren't for Arai; as it was, she opened her eyes a slit. She moaned quietly, moving on her makeshift pillow.
"Haruhi." Kyouya mumbled. "I've got to get out of bed."
She groaned. "Why?" It was early, the sun wasn't even awake yet.
"Because if the twins find us together, there will be hell to pay," he replied. He said these things, but made no serious attempts to move himself.
"Screw the twins," she said, burying her face in his leg again, kicking her leg annoyedly on the bed.
As valid as that point may have sounded, he knew better. "You know very well that we can't do that." They were just the sort of friends who would send this straight to the gossip rags.
It hurt how much sense he made. She rolled off him unwillingly, feeling instantly colder. "Fine. I wouldn't want to screw them, anyway," she grumbled, eyes closing again.
"I don't think I would allow it, either way." He was only half joking. He rolled out of bed, pulling up the blankets to make up for his absence. "I'll see you in a few hours." He said, considering just crawling back into his own bed until a more reasonable hour.
She groped for his hand blindly as it replaced her blankets, pulling on it insistently. Squinting, she tugged at him until she could reach up the last few inches to press an impromptu kiss on his cheek. Dropping back to the pillows, she mumbled, "Okay. See you."
"You will," he replied. He rubbed at his cheek on the way out of the room. They really had to stop doing that. He was getting much to emotionally involved... again.
No one else in the house stirred for a while, even early-riser Tamaki waking later than he normally did. He'd sat up in bed with an itching to play the piano, so twenty minutes later he was wandering around, looking for the music room.
Kyouya had heard him out there. He supposed that was his cue to finally drag himself out of bed and entertain his guests. Why was he up so early on a weekend, anyways?
Tamaki had finally found his way and sat down at the piano, almost reverently. He ran his fingertips over the keys before beginning with a simple tune.
Ah. Kyouya should have suspected. It was perfectly natural for someone to be up this early for the sole purpose of playing the piano. He made his way to the study. "Good morning," he said, quietly enough that he wouldn't interrupt the flow of that beautiful music.
Tamaki paused, only for a second, smiling up at his friend. "Good morning, Kyouya," he said, his fingers descending into a slow crescendo. "Did you sleep well?" His voice was relaxed with the music.
"Well enough," he replied. When he actually got around to sleep. "You're up rather early."
Tamaki chuckled, scooting over slightly in case Kyouya wanted to join him on the bench. "I think I should be the one saying that," he turned to look at his friend, "Considering the nicknames the twins gave you,"
Kyouya grinned a bit, taking a seat instead at the desk across the room. "Low blood pressure is no excuse for being a poor host."
Tamaki laughed outright, his fingers mimicking his laugh. "You are an excellent one, Kyouya."
"I do try," he replied, reclining lazily in his office chair. It wasn't like he really needed to be up right now. Tamaki was fully capable of entertaining himself... But he was an excellent pianist.
The music was extremely relaxing, both hearing himself play and actually playing. Though he was usually content to be around his friends or the girls from the club, he felt most relaxed creating at the piano. He played without words for a few minutes, forgetting there was anyone else in the room.
He noticed an extra visitor out of the corner of his eye though, as he played through the chorus again. He smiled, inclining his head slightly to invite her in.
Kyouya tossed a greeting smile in her direction. He nodded to the lounge across from the desk. This was nice. A quiet moment, early in the day before all of the ridiculous shenanigans could begin...
She'd been awoken by the music, gently drifting into her sleep and prodding her awake to find out it's origin. From the door, she'd peered in to see Senpai and Tamaki bathed in the early morning sunlight. When Senpai smiled, she pushed into the room, padding softly to the piano, drawn to the music like a fly to honey. She paused, then slid down next to him, watching his fingers intently. It was like magic.
Kyouya watched the two of them. Honestly, it made him a little nervous when those two were together. What would he do if they ever realized how compatible they were? Should he be happy for them? Of course. Would he be? Maybe not.
Tamaki finished the set, turning to her. "Have you ever played, Haruhi?"
She shook her head. "No. It looks hard."
He laughed, covering her hands with his and playing a few chords, showing her each key in turn. She drank it in, turning a delighted look behind her. "I'm playing the piano, Senpai!" she exclaimed.
He couldn't help but smile. It seemed to give her such joy. Perhaps he would get her piano lessons one day. "You seem quite talented with it," he remarked.
Tamaki nodded, releasing her hands. "Try it yourself," he prodded, fingers hovering just in case.
She concentrated, doing exactly what he'd done before, at least, she thought. When the string of cords was finished, she looked up for his reaction.
Tamaki gave a wide smile. "That was wonderful!" He put a hand on her head, rubbing gently and praising, "Maybe you should take lessons some time. You seem to have a knack for music."
Kyouya sat, quietly watching them. She was happy. Good. "Perhaps I should add that to the list."
Tamaki glanced back at him. "List?"
Pressing the keys into a chord lightly, Haruhi said, "Yeah. Senpai and I have a running list of things I need to learn how to do." She chuckled quietly. "But I think swimming is at the top, after yesterday."
"She's becoming a very fine dancer," he added.
He'd never considered how many things she probably didn't know how to do. If what Kyouya said was right (which it always was), then she was probably getting used to a lot of things that were completely normal to everyone else. "Haruhi-" he said, "You can dance?" He smiled widely, wiggling in his seat at the sheer adorableness she exuded. "I would love to see you dance!"
Haruhi wasn't paying attention too closely. She was squinting at the music sheets, (as if that would help her understand them suddenly), and responded, "Uh, yeah. Sure. Sometime, I guess."
Kyouya stood. Now seemed as good a time as any to enter the conversation. "Would you play us a waltz?" he asked, offering a hand for Haruhi.
They both looked up, surprised. Haruhi's hand darted out to tuck her hair behind her ear without thinking. She stood, taking the offered hand lightly. Tamaki, watching her, completely enthralled, but snapped out of his mini reverie to nod and begin a bittersweet waltz. She stared up at Senpai, her face almost emotionless, and waited for him to lead.
Kyouya counted a few beats, before beginning the waltz. "Smile, Haruhi," he instructed. "You don't want your partner to think he's boring you, after all."
She started, missing the first step and attempting to smile. "You're anything but that, Senpai." She hurried to catch up with him, finally falling into rhythm after a horrible first box.
"I do hope so," he replied. "Getting rusty, already? I suppose we've been slacking off." He spoke without missing a single step.
She flushed a bit, frowning. Then, remembering her manners, smiled. "You didn't want a boring dance partner, did you?"
Tamaki caught a glance of them, spinning elegantly with the notes now. She was stunning. Even now, even in her nightgown with her hair askew. Is that what fathers thought when they saw their daughters? It must be, because she looked marvelous.
"Certainly not," he replied, leading her into a spin. He could almost forget that Tamaki was here. He was no longer a rival, simply part of the scene, the music provided. No, when he and Haruhi danced, it was no one but the two of them.
She tried to stay away from her usual trains of thought that descended on her any time she got to just bask in Senpai. He was gentle, thoughtful, logical, extremely intelligent, and an excellent caretaker, but that was beside the point. It felt good to let herself drink in the simple pleasure of being able to do something as classy as waltzing, no matter whom she was with. Not even all normal people could waltz, right? This was something reputable that she could do that not everyone could claim. It was kind of a proud accomplishment, right?
She spun into him, enjoying the closeness. Of course, it was infinitely better being taught by Senpai.
She would be the talk of the party, he knew. If ever she were allowed to attend such a gathering. She was witty and intelligent, graceful and beautiful and all of the perfect traits of a high society lady. He would present her. One day. Somehow.
The song ended gracefully, Tamaki finishing it out with his usual flair. He turned to the two, "Kyouya, you weren't joking about my baby girl!" He stood, clasping his hands proudly at his chest. "She really is an excellent dancer!"
Haruhi let go of Senpai, sad the song was over already. She thought about interjecting that all she did was follow Senpai's lead, but didn't feel like it. Let him compliment her; Senpai would correct it if he felt the need.
"I don't make idle compliments," he replied, adjusting his glasses after the spirited little dance. "She's a quick study."
Haruhi raised an eyebrow at the blonde. "Did you want to dance, Tamaki-Senpai? I can't imagine that Senpai wouldn't be able to play us something, right?"
Tamaki froze, still smiling, before descending into red-faced embarrassment. DANCE? With Haruhi? "Oh, nonononono, that's okay!" He waved his hands defensively.
Haruhi blinked, glancing away. "Oh. Alright."
Heh. Kyouya wasn't sure he would have been able to admit to being terrible at the piano. Tamaki's awkwardness might just have been his saving grace. "Hm. Perhaps we should see about having breakfast prepared before everyone else wakes up."
Haruhi reached out for Senpai's hand unconsciously, nodding her approval at the idea. Her fingers brushed his, until she realized he might not want to incriminate himself with the club like this. She pulled away, throwing a, "Come on, Tamaki-Senpai. We should eat," over her shoulder. He had been frozen to his spot until they left the room, which immediately woke him up enough to run after them.
What an interesting morning this was turning out to be...
The storm from last night now clear, he'd managed to pull a few house servants out here to get some work done for them, such as cooking. He ensured that the kitchen was in order before seating his guests.
Hikaru yawned, legs curled under him at the breakfast table. He'd groggily been pulled out of bed by Kaoru, claiming everyone was at breakfast already, but 'everyone' hadn't been here for a few minutes. That was a few minutes he could have been sleeping.
Kyouya-Senpai, Tamaki-Senpai, and Haruhi had all come in at the same time, the Boss looking particularly flustered. He prodded Kaoru. "Whatd'ya think they've been doing so early?" He snorted softly. "Haruhi looks a little out of breath."
It was always sex with that brother of his, wasn't it? "How long have you guys been up?" he asked. It was especially odd to be awake before Kyouya.
"Not terribly long," he replied.
After an initial struggle that lasted about ten minutes, Mori managed to get Huni tot he table, as well, most of his violent impulses quelled before leaving the room. "Good morning!" he greeted brightly.
Haruhi smiled at him. The only two that had never given her any problems. "Morning, Huni-Senpai. Mori-Senpai." She grinned at both seniors before sitting down. Her stomach growled loudly.
"Woah-ho, Haruhi!" Hikaru laughed, the sleep being shaken off like a wet dog, "Kill the bear sound effects, will ya?"
Kaoru's stomach seemed to growl in reply. He chuckled sheepishly. "Anyway, did you sleep okay. Haruhi? I don't think I coulda slept well with this pervert across the hall from me." He hooked a thumb in Tamaki's direction.
Even just having sat, Tamaki sprang from his seat to defend himself. "HEY! I'm no pervert!" His eyes welled up with the giant tears he favored the most. "Nothing happened, right Haruhi? I was a perfect gentleman!"
Haruhi took a sip of her tea. "Well, you blindfolded me after bursting into my place of hiding."
Place of hiding? Kaoru wondered what that meant. "Just remember to keep your door locked next time."
Breakfast played out as their days always seemed to. The twins teasing Tamaki over Haruhi, Kyouya being annoyed by it, Haruhi not caring. It was all so very normal.
Tamaki almost wore himself out trying to reconcile himself. The club members all had lives to start again today, so they disbanded to pack before leaving. He moped in the foyer, drawing circles on the floor with his toes.
Haruhi packed her little bag quickly, comparing the packing list to the repacking list a few times to make sure she wouldn't forget anything. (Though really, it probably didn't matter, as this was Senpai's other house.)
Kyouya liked to keep all of his things together, rather than gathering them all at the end of the trip, and as such was ready to leave in a flash. He carried his bag at his side as he joined Tamaki in the foyer. "According to the feedback on the forums, it seems the weekend was a success, despite certain circumstances.
Tamaki sighed, mumbling about not being a pervert. Kyouya believed him, right?
Haruhi abandoned the house for the car, looking from Senpai to the pointing King and rolled her eyes. Tamaki-Senpai better straighten up; Senpai was going to get angry with him soon.
Kyouya offered half-hearted placations on his way out to the car, 'Of course I believe you,' 'Yes, yes, you're a wonderful person,' 'No, Haruhi doesn't hate you, would you please stop that?' He was going to enjoy being home.
Haruhi was beginning to wonder if this is what she sounded like to Senpai. Having to reassure someone like this was definitely more annoying than she realized. When he'd finally placated Tamaki-Senpai enough, they waved goodbye and slid into the car. She put a hand on his back. "Sorry you had to deal with that, Senpai. I think you did a good job, though."
"You did well, yourself," he replied. He let his head fall back against his seat. "All weekend."
She rolled her eyes. "Thanks," I guess. "We'll have to postpone swimming then, eh?"
"Hm, give yourself some time to recover," he replied. "That aside, we've yet to explore that musical talent of yours."
She didn't know if 'talent' was the right word, but nodded anyway. "You know piano, Senpai?"
"Unfortunately, no," he replied. Ah, his weakness. Like a stab in the chest. "But I'm certain I could find you a suitable teacher, if you're interested."
Something Senpai couldn't do? That was fascinating, in it's own way. "Really? Uh, if you think I should, Senpai. Would the lessons be demanding? I'm still trying not to fall behind in school."
"Anyway," she reasoned, "I'd like to have swimming lessons soon. If you don't mind. I'd hate to make you have to jump in after me again."
"Well, I certainly hope you don't intend to put yourself in a similar situation any time soon," he replied as he adjusted his glasses. The thought of it made him somewhat uncomfortable. "Then we'll start after school tomorrow."
She snorted. "I don't intend to take up residence on a cliff, if that's what you mean." She settled back against the seat. "Alright. Swimming or piano?" In the discussion, she'd missed what he meant now.
"Swimming is certainly a more practical skill," he replied. It might have had a little bit to do with his pride. It might be somewhat embarrassing if she grew so skilled with an instrument he simply couldn't master. "The exercise might be good for you, as well."
Instinctively pulling in on herself, she glanced over her body. Maybe he held back from her because she didn't look good enough. She wondered what she was supposed to look like. "Exercise," she said distantly, lost in thought, "alright."
Kyouya fell quiet again. With such an eventful weekend, he felt he should at least say something about... He was, unfortunately, unsure of how to order his thoughts.
She, lost in thought, fell quiet. The ride wasn't horribly long, but long enough to doze off for a while, which she eventually did.
"We're home," he said softly. Even though she did seem to be sleeping better as of late, he was still hesitant to wake her at times. Perhaps it had something to do with how beautiful she looked in her sleep...
She opened her eyes begrudgingly, lifting her head up lazily. When she noticed Senpai, she smiled, yawning. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be tired." She reached out, stretching her arms. "Did you sleep?"
"A bit," he replied. It was simply to easy to fall asleep back here when the weather was warm. He opened the door for her. "It might be a bit more comfortable inside."
She scooted out, still a bit drowsy, scooping her bag at the last minute. "Good. We did have a long day yesterday. "Do you have a lot of business to attend to today?" It was still pretty early in the day.
"I still have some expenses to take care of from this weekend," he replied. "Nothing urgent."
She nodded, quietly slipping her hand through his. They entered the house, only to be stopped by a maid. She bowed. "Good day, Ootori-San, Fujioka. Ootori-Sama would like to see you, Ootori-San."
"I'm sure he would," Kyouya muttered. "Make yourself comfortable, Haruhi. I'll be back." He straightened out his buttons, running a hand through his hair. He marched to his father's office once more.
Haruhi watched him leave, wondering what Ootori-Sama could want. Nothing good, she could imagine. She took a deep breath, sitting down to wait.
Yoshio heard the footfalls before the knock sounded. "Come in, Kyouya." He didn't pause his work.
Kyouya pushed the door open. "You requested my presence?" he asked as he strode into the room.
He stood in front of the man's desk. He still didn't know what to expect from the man, but he was not longer afraid.
"There's a charity event coming up. I'd like you to attend," he said, signing with a flourish.
Oh, was that it? "Of course, Father. I am expected to attend every year, am I not?"
"This is a different one, Kyouya." He looked up at his son with a taste of disdain, "Obviously, this isn't the correct time of year for our customary function. You'll need a date."
"I see," he replied. "Am I to choose my own, or have you already selected one for me?"
He smirked. "I would choose a suitable match, but I can't imagine your girl contented with that." He folded his hands. "However, I do have a few stipulations."
Kyouya's eyebrow rose. "And what might those be?"
"You are entirely too intimate with that girl for it to not be noticed at the function; therefore, if you are to bring her, you would either present her as your girlfriend, or fiance, or you would present her as a woman you hired to be your date." He raised an eyebrow curiously. It would be socially demeaning to engage in the latter, but he was undecided on if Kyouya would be so bold to do the former.
'Fiance' was far to extreme. However, if she had to pose as his girlfriend to get a taste of the culture she was one day going to be a part of, then so be it. "Is that my only restriction?"
He leaned forward slightly. "Suoh's son will be there. Make sure he is entertained. Dance with his date, let him dance with yours. Make him happy." His glasses caught the sunlight. "Your brothers will be attending, also."
Suddenly, he wasn't so certain this would be wise. "And if I should choose to bring someone other than Haruhi?"
He leaned back. Interesting. "Then I'm sure you would be able to avoid suspicion with someone else. What I said about Tamaki Suoh would be the same, however."
"Very well," he replied. "Is that all you had to say to me today?"
He considered the question. He was half-tempted to give more directions about the girl, but he held off. Even though the relationship was much too much for his son to handle, it was an interesting dynamic. "No, go. The function is in two nights."
"Very well. Good day, Father." He gave him a bow, before exiting the room. He supposed he would have to talk to Haruhi about this.
He set down his work. The dance would be a very telling night, indeed.
Haruhi was playing with her shirt when she heard him coming. Her eyes snapped up, apprehensive. "Senpai?"
"I'm back," he answered. "Is there a problem?"
She stood. "Depending on what your father said. Is everything alright?"
"Nothing is wrong, yet," he replied. "We have some things we need to discuss, however."
She held her bag in both hands. "Okay. Should we talk now? We could go to your room." It was almost lunchtime, anyway, and Akito-Sama might be home. She didn't like being out in the halls for longer than necessary.
"I think that would be best." The sooner they got this figured out, the better he would feel. He led her back to the bedroom, closing the door behind him and twisting the lock. The last thing he needed right now was for Akito to barge in.
She stowed her bag under the couch, perching on it and looking up at him. She didn't say anything, but her face clearly read, So?
"I am expected to attend a charity ball soon," he began. "My intention was to take you. However. My brothers will be there. You may be expected to dance with them, as well."
Her face had moved into expressionless. Did this have to do with the exercise thing? "Who will you take, then?"
"I haven't decided," he replied. "My point is, would you be comfortable in that situation?"
She didn't like Akito, obviously. And she'd never met Yuuichi, so she didn't know if she would be comfortable with him. She fiddled with her hands. "If you think it's okay, Senpai." She didn't know anything about these events other than what Senpai told her, so it only made sense to leave the decision to him. Plus, he could negate her attendance if she really was that disgusting without exercise.
He sighed. He only wished he could get a straight answer out of her from time to time. "This is your decision, Haruhi. I'm not going to put you into a situation with him if you don't feel you could handle it."
She kicked at the carpet softly. "I think I could. But if there's a reason you don't want me to come," Like if you don't want to be seen together... "then that's fine. I'm sure your father would be more comfortable seeing you with a lady of high standing, anyway." Or maybe he was ultra-protective? To the point where any other man seeing her just wasn't going to happen? She shrugged.
There was still the matter of Tamaki to consider. Would he understand? If he showed up with her, that is? Knowing him, his ridiculous 'daddy' complex would kick into overdrive at the mere thought. Or maybe it was time to just let himself admit to his feelings...
"If Akito tries anything, Tamaki and I will both be there."
She swung her legs onto the couch, folding them underneath her. "If that's what you want," she said, clasping her hands. "I'll need a dress, though." She frowned, the money a bit daunting. "If you don't mind lending me the money."
"Of course not," he replied. He rather liked the idea of dressing her up in a fine, overpriced dress. He could see it now, the finest silks, a cut specifically designed to flatter her features, waltzing about the room with her natural grace. He pictured this quite often, he realized.
She finally cracked a smile, happy to hear how relaxed he sounded. "I guess it's a good thing we practiced my dancing today, eh? Hopefully I won't make you look bad when I dance with anyone else, Senpai." She leaned back against the cushions.
"No, I think you'll do just fine," he replied. And it was true. He would never have guessed that she'd had no formal training before his instruction. As long as she wasn't stuck with anyone completely tone deaf, he was sure she would do very well.
"I guess I should try to find a dress, then. Can I borrow your car, Senpai?" She grinned; her life was so different now than before. Borrowing a car. She was so spoiled.
Oh, so she wanted to do this alone, did she? Interesting. "Very well," he replied. He pulled his wallet out of his pocket, pulling out a few large notes. "You'll want some shoes that you can dance in, as well."
She clutched the money possessively. "I'll remember. Do I need to check with you before I buy anything?"
He was tempted to say yes. After all, with her experience, how would she know what was fashionable and appropriate for such an event? However, she did seem rather pleased with the idea of doing this herself.
"Only if you're unsure of your choice," he replied.
She nodded, standing again. "You'll be home when I get back?" She knew this was a bit stupid, as she'd have his car, but the thought of Akito and no Senpai was daunting.
"Of course," he replied. "I'll be in my study."
She nodded, pulling on her jacket. "Thank you, Senpai. I promise I won't look too horrible." She mimicked his trademark smirk for an instant.
He had to admit, she as quite charming with that smirk. He returned the gesture. "I don't think you could if you tried," he replied.
She flushed a bit, touching his arm a bit before leaving the room. After calling the driver, she dialed the Hitachiin's number.
The sound of Haruhi's ringtone brought Kaoru to his feet in a instant. Tactlessly, he reached into his brother's pocket to retrieve the phone. "Hey. Haruhi!" He greeted cheerfully. "What's up?"
Hikaru reacted, pulling at the phone. "Let me hear, too!"
She rolled her eyes. "I was kind of wondering," she paused, "Um, if you could help me pick out a new dress, Kaoru."
Hikaru guffawed. "Kaoru? My taste in color is way more suited for your coloring, Haruhi."
Kaoru snorted. "We have the same taste in color." He gave his brother a bop on the head. He was, admittedly, a little flattered that she asked him, specifically. He wondered what that meant, exactly. "I'd love to help you, Haruhi! Come on over! I bet my mom's got a ton of hot prototypes you could try out!"
She started a bit, then rolled her eyes at herself. She'd been thinking shopping somewhere, but if he thought there was something she'd like... "Alright. Now's alright?"
Hikaru was a bit offended. "I could help too, you know."
"Sure!" he replied. "You know how to get here, right? Or should I send someone to pick you up?"
"No, I'm good. I'll be over soon." She flipped the phone closed, avoiding a long goodbye, and leaned up to tell the driver where to take her. She was a bit nervous, all things considered, but she was determined. And Senpai needed to love it.
Kaoru hung up the phone with a grin. "A dress, huh? What do you think Haruhi wants with a fancy dress?" He prodded at his brother with his elbow.
Hikaru rolled his eyes, pissed. "Who cares?" He was secretly curious, but much too annoyed. "Besides, only you get to help her."
"Oh, come on." Kaoru rolled his eyes. "She doesn't care if you help. She only asked me 'cause I picked up the phone first." He wasn't completely sure whether that was true or not, but... Well, he didn't want his brother getting jealous.
Hikaru stood, "Well, I'll just have to leave you two LOVEBIRDS alone then, huh? I'm going to get something to eat." He stalked away.
What's his problem? Whatever. He'd probably goad it out of him before bed tonight. He scurried off to his mother's studio to get things set up for Haruhi.
The car pulled up to the house within a few minutes, making Haruhi wonder if all rich people lived this close together. She looked out at the house, thinking how it matched the twins perfectly; fashionable and a bit high-and-mighty looking. She got out, going to knock on the door.
Kaoru didn't think much of pushing the butler aside to get the door himself. He greeted her with a trademark Cheshire grin, somewhat less unnerving without it's exact duplicate at his side. "Hey! Come on in!" He reached out for her wrist.
"Ah! I, uh, hi, Kaoru." She let herself be pulled along. "Sorry to spring this on you."
"What? Nah! I love this kinda stuff!" He stopped suddenly. "Oh, hey, this is the first time you've been to our house, isn't it? Welcome!"
She looked around. "Thanks. Did you help design it?" It would explain a lot. She couldn't imagine anyone else thinking the same way as these two would.
"Heh, yeah, but that was a long time ago," he replied. He still loved the place, though. "We also helped design a lot of the dresses I picked for you!" He pushed open the door to the studio, which was lined wall-to-wall with elegantly dressed mannequins.
Her eyes widened. "Um, wow." She stepped up to look around at all the choices. She'd had an idea before, but it had been vague. (She'd wanted something pretty) "Where do we start?"
"Well, that depends," Kaoru began, a hint of devious curiosity slipping into his voice. "What's the dress for?"
She fingered the material of one of them. "Uh, oh. Just a dance. Would this color even look good on me?"
Kaoru looked between her and the dress. "Naw, you're more of an autumn." He took her by the shoulders, steering her in the direction of some warmer, deeper colors. "What sort of party? Formal? Business casual? Will it be during the day, or the evening? Indoors or out?"
This was a bit overwhelming. "Uhhh, formal, evening, indoors? Does that all really matter?"
"You'd be surprised," Kaoru answered, taking a bit of fabric between his fingers to give it a feel. "You can't wear a sundress to an indoor formal, Haruhi!" He said it as though it were painfully obvious. He began pulling a few dresses from the mannequins. "Here, try these on!" He handed her an armful, indicating the changing screen across the room.
She stumbled over to the room, the dresses heavier than she'd expected, and set them all down. Pulling on the first dress, she zipped it and raised an eyebrow. Was it supposed to dip down so far in the front? "Kaoru, can you look at this?" She had no idea of what looked good.
"Ch, yeah, that's the whole point!" He peered around the changing screen to check things out. "Hm. I like the shape, I just don't know if the neckline suits you." He stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Try the red one, next!" He took a few steps back.
It took her three more tries until she found one that stopped her. "Kaoru, I like this one." It was a royal green, the front was embellished with ruffles, which didn't look as childish as she'd expected, and the back dipped down dramatically.
He peeked around the screen once more. He let out a two-note whistle. "Wow, Haruhi. It looks so natural on you!" He came around, tugging at the fabric around her hips a bit. "We might need to take it in a little, though." He pondered aloud.
She frowned at her reflection. Maybe the exercise would help fill her out? "I don't know how to do that," she admitted, a bit peeved that this dress wouldn't work for such a stupid reason. "Are there any others like it smaller?"
"Of course not." Kaoru replied. "All of these dresses are one of a kind. Wait one minute! I'll take it in for you!" He scampered off to gather the altering kit.
She brightened, turning back to her reflection. The color brought out her coloring, didn't it? After seeing all these dresses, she was a bit more understanding of what he'd meant by matching to specific people's colors. "Thanks," she smiled to him when he came back, "This means a lot to me."
He soon returned, with a pin cushion full of needles and a sharp pair of scissors. "Sure." He said with a grin. "You're gonna have to put it on inside out, okay?"
He stood on the opposite side of the screen while she changed. "So, Haruhi. Why are you going to a fancy party, anyways? There's nothing scheduled for the club or anything."
She zipped up the dress awkwardly. "Senpai has a party. I think Tamaki-Senpai has to go too. Some charity thing."
"Oh, right." So, Kyouya-senpai was taking Haruhi to a party? "Are you and Kyouya-senpai..." He trailed off, not quite sure how he wanted to finish this sentence.
She stretched her neck, the ruffles tickling her. "Yes. He had to take a date anyway though, it's perfectly natural."
"Ah, right. I gotcha," Kaoru replied with a nod. The more he thought he understood about the situation, the more odd facts came up. "So, it's officially a date, then?"
Frowning, she looked down at him. "Why would he take me on a date?" He was her master, of all things. It didn't matter how nice he was. Though, come to think of it, hadn't he asked her to some other party a while ago? "I mean, it's not like I'm anything special to him..."
"Really?" Kaoru cocked his head as he began pinning up the sides of the dress for her. "I mean, you live at his house, he buys all your lunches. And he almost broke his glasses going in after you yesterday..." Granted, Kaoru would have done the same, but... Well, he wished there was something special for him, anyways.
She flushed quickly, trying not to stammer. "Well..." Huh. He slept with her most nights, too. And there were the handful of times she'd been undressed in the same room with him, completely comfortable. He'd even given her a massage. And a bath. "I guess he cares for me. But I'm not like, his girlfriend or anything." It was almost funny. Senpai would never want something so mundane, even superfluous.
"So, you guys are just... What?" He carefully clipped away the excess fabric. "Friends?"
"What else?" Friends. Hadn't she used the same word before for him? "Anyway, does it matter?"
"Huh? Oh, it doesn't!" Kaoru waved a dismissive hand, giving her an innocent smile. "I was just chatting, I guess. All I need to do now is sew up the sides, and the dress is yours."
"I can pay, you know." She had the money in her bag, ready to go.
"Nah, don't worry about it." He waved her off again. "It looks so good on you, like you were meant to wear it!"
She looked back to the mirror. Good? Whatever. "Well, thank you. Not to bug you, but would you want to come shoe shopping after this? I can't dance in my school shoes."
"Oh, of course," Kaoru replied. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty, though. Spending so much time with Haruhi while Hikaru was out pouting. His loss, he guessed. "I'll get the car ready."
She grinned, thanking him and going to change back into her own clothes. Her other clothes. Whatever.
Hikaru wandered in the halls, trying not to look jealous. Haruhi came out a minute later, seeing him. "Hikaru, we're going shopping. Do you wanna come?"
He rolled his eyes. "No."
"Alright," she said, turning towards the door.
"But I will anyway, because you guys wouldn't be able to pick anything good without me." He caught up with her, swaggering to show his disdain.
"Yeah, it was a nightmare picking the dress," Kaoru replied, sticking his tongue out at his brother. "Come one. Maybe we can stop for ice cream on the way!"
If Kyouya got to have a date without being her boyfriend, so could Kaoru.
She perked up. "Is ice cream good?" Hikaru led them to the car, opening the door for them despite his annoyance.
Kaoru furrowed his eyebrows. "I know commoners miss out on a lot, but you have to have had ice cream before!"
She realized her slip. They didn't know of her giant chunk of missing experiences. "I, uh, was a picky eater? We can stop only if you guys want to, though."
Hikaru rolled his eyes. "All kids try ice cream, Haruhi. That's dumb."
And she didn't know how to count money. She must have had a really weird childhood. "Yeah, that's fine! You gotta try at least a bite." He leaned forward to give some extra instructions tot he driver.
Haruhi sat back into the seat. "Okay. How will I know to match the shoes, Kaoru? I don't know if I should bring it in..."
Hikaru huffed. "Well you have a phone, right? Jeez, just take a picture."
"I saved some of the fabric scraps, too, so we can look at them under the same lighting." Kaoru pulled the clippings from the fitting out of his pocket. "You know, I think you could use some contrasting accessories, too."
She hadn't spent any money yet, so she shrugged. "If you say so. Like necklaces and stuff?" She reached up to touch her ear. "But my ears aren't pierced, so I can't do earrings."
Kaoru resisted the urge to be outraged that she hadn't had her ears pierced yet. There was something so alluring about a girl with classy, dangling earrings...
"Yeah, we'll get some jewelry. And maybe a nice belt."
She shrugged, fiddling with her phone. It had been a while since she'd left the house, and half wondered what Senpai was up to. "If we can find some nice stuff to match, sure." She opened a blank text, quickly typing to Senpai. How's your work going?
"But the first stop is the ice cream shop!" Kaoru made sure to point out. As usual, they were just pulling into the parking lot of the place. "Come on! You can get whatever flavor you want."
She sent it, looking around at their destination. Hikaru had even brightened up. "Come on, Haruhi. You've gotta try the chocolate!"
Kyouya had just finished his finance reports when his phone buzzed, indicating a new message. He picked it up, glancing over the message. I've just finished up, he replied. Have you found anything you like yet?
Kaoru offer Haruhi a menu. "Here! You can get anything you want!"
She considered the menu carefully. "I... don't know. Hikaru, what are you getting?"
He flushed, still frowning. "Whatever I want! I'll just order us two, okay?"
Kaoru shook his head at the two lovebirds. "I'm getting strawberry. If we all get something different, you can try all of them."
She checked her phone, "Okay, get me... that one," she said, jabbing down on a random one. Yes. Kaoru had something really nice he's letting me have. We're about to get ice cream then go shopping. Is it okay if I stay out for a while longer?
Hikaru watched her text heatedly. She never texted him like that!
So long as the twins are with you, he replied. He didn't like them very much, but it was better having her wander around on her own for a few hours. He was still a bit gun-shy about that.
A few minutes later, the peppy lady behind the counter offered them their ice cream cones. Haruhi ended up with what seemed like a very elaborate version of Rocky Road.
She stared at it, holding it awkwardly, like you would dirty underwear, "How do you eat this?" she asked finally, looking up at the twins.
"Seriously?" Kaoru asked. He wasn't completely buying it. He demonstrated, giving the pile of ice cream a good lick. "Like that!" He licked a bit of the excess off his lips.
Hikaru leaned forward a tad, staring with a fierce intensity. Her tongue darted out to try it hesitantly, and he almost went into shock from all the blood that had vacated his body and fled to his face.
"It's... pretty good," she decided, going back to lick again, harder this time for maximum ice cream consumption.
"See? I told you!" Kaoru reclined in his chair, taking a few more healthy mouthfuls over his ice cream. Hikaru's face was priceless.
About three licks in, she paused, whipping out her phone. She switched it to camera mode, hovering it next to the ice cream to snap a picture.
Hikaru tried to get his mouth into motion again. "Wh-what are you doing, Haruhi?" Most people don't document their consumption, at least.
"Just wanted to show this to someone," she responded vaguely, pressing send and returning to her treat. "Because it's so good."
"You mean Kyouya-Senpai?" Kaoru asked. He'd bet Kyouya-Senpai would buy her a whole tub of the stuff if she asked. But they weren't involved or anything.
She grinned, shrugging. "Does it matter? I could be showing Huni-Senpai; you know how into his sweets he gets."
"Or you could be getting defensive over nothing," he replied. "I don't really care. I was just asking."
Hikaru elbowed his brother. "Anyway, we're glad you like it, Haruhi." So glad. Completely glad. This was the best purchase he'd ever made, just getting to watch her eat it. Enjoy it! He meant enjoy it!
She went back to her ice cream, concentrating on the chunks hidden inside, glancing at her phone every few seconds to see if Senpai had responded. He was doing business though, she knew she should understand.
Kyouya looked at his phone. They certainly seemed to be treating her well. It was always a pleasure to see her acting like a normal, teenaged girl. First time trying ice cream, isn't it? He wasn't much a fan of sweets, but if he got to watch Haruhi eat ice cream, he might just convert.
She warmed at her phone lighting up, greedily sucking in the words. "Hey," she said, looking up at the two, "Wanna take a picture, all together?"
Hikaru paused, his tongue halfway to the ice cream. "All of us?"
They really didn't have enough pictures with just the three of them, did they? "Sure, Haruhi." He waved over one of the ladies wiping the tables to ask her to take the picture.
Haruhi set up the camera, looking up the Hikaru. "Well? Aren't you coming?"
He blushed grudgingly, and mumbled, "Yeah, yeah." He moved to her side of the table, crouching down next to her.
Kaoru mirrored his brother on the other side, offering the camera a big grin.
The girl snapped it, handing it back for them to look. Haruhi grinned widely; "It looks good. Thank you!" She smiled at each of the twins before going to work making it a picture message. It's pretty yummy, even with these goofs, too.
She seemed to be getting along with other members of the club. He'd never thought too hard on that until recently. He wanted her to have some friends, aside from himself. If his father ever did decide to split them up, she would need a strong network to support her. This was a good thing.
She finished her cone, sighing happily. "That was delicious. Thank you," she dipped her head slightly. "Are you guys ready to go?"
Hikaru had long ago given up on the dessert in favor of watching Haruhi eat hers. "Yup." He said, snapping himself out of his daze.
"Yeah, sure." Kaoru replied. He rose from his chair, finishing up the last few, crunchy bits of ice cream cone. "You've at least been to the mall before, right?"
She brightened a bit. "Yes! I was there once shopping." Her face turned a bit serious. "It's big. You'll know where to go, right?"
"Oh, yeah." Kaoru opened the door for her. "We'll show you all the best places to hit!"
Not to be outdone, Hikaru hurriedly offered a hand out. "And all the best things to get for your dress! You're going to a party?"
She accepted the hand, almost not remembering this wasn't Senpai, and had to retract from sliding her hand into his. "Yeah. Some charity thing."
"She's going with Kyouya," Kaoru explained. Maybe his brother could make more sense of this situation. "You know, the one the boss was talking about a few days ago?" He led her into that great big mall, which seemed even busier than last time.
She froze a bit, the volume of people overwhelming for a moment. She gathered herself quickly, reminding her mind that she'd gone shopping (briefly) without Senpai before.
Hikaru raised an eyebrow. "With Kyouya-senpai? What, are you two finally official?"
She caught up the step she'd lost, frowning. "Official whats?"
"Nah, there's nothing 'special' going on between them," Kaoru echoed her earlier words. Nope, they still didn't make any sense. "Anyways, this shop over here has the highest quality jewelry!"
They led her into the shop, which was a whole new sensory experience for Haruhi. She stopped a few steps in, just looking around, like the first time a four-year-old steps into Toys-R-Us.
Hikaru looked back, noticing her overwhelmed expression. "Haruhi, are you okay? Come look at some of this stuff over here!"
She wandered over, still very distracted. "Guys, isn't this a bit... expensive?"
Kaoru shrugged. "Nah, it's usually priced pretty good for the quality." He replied. "Kyouya probably gave you a lot to spend anyways, right?" Where else would she have come up with, well, any money at all?
Hikaru glowered. Kyouya-Senpai was giving her lots of money, now? It was getting so obvious it was painful.
She shrugged noncommittally. "I didn't want to spend all of it, if I don't have to. Isn't there something simple? Like, a simple necklace or something?"
Kaoru sighed. "Come on, you want to look good, right?" He motioned to a display case full of necklaces.
She stared down at them, pointing at one with a single jewel on it. "I like this one." She turned to Kaoru. "Don't you? I think it would look pretty with my dress."
He tilted his head, visualizing it. "Yeah, I think that one would be perfect." He called for the salesmen. He gave them a number that might have sounded ridiculous to any commoner who better understood the value of money. "Excellent! We'll take it!"
She frowned, the price much too high for her taste, (which was to save all the money and pay Senpai back), and cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, you wouldn't be able to give me that for any lower?"
Hikaru rolled his eyes. She was trying to barter? He was about to interject that none of these high-end shops did crap like that, when the shop keeper raised an eyebrow and began bartering. Even if he didn't budge much, she knocked enough off to buy lunch or something. When they walked out, Haruhi holding a bag tightly in her hand, he elbowed her lightly. "Way to go, commoner shopping!"
She grinned, very pleased with herself. "Thanks. It just seemed like something Sen- It seemed the smartest thing to do."
Kaoru was kind of impressed. "I didn't even know you could do stuff like that here. You're pretty cool, Haruhi." Oh, he'd almost forgotten about the shoes. "But we're not done yet!"
She nodded, turning with them towards the next stop. Hikaru was babbling about something, and she was trying to make sense of all the faces at once when she spotted someone across the way. "Uh, guys, I'll be right back," she said, taking off quickly to catch him.
Hikaru looked up to see her hurrying away. "Rude," he spouted, stopping to wait.
"Arai-San!"
He turned, not recognizing the pretty brunette waving him down. He stopped, expression expectant. "Hello," he offered, unsure why this person knew him.
Wow. He didn't even seem to recognize her. "It's me, Arai-San." She motioned to herself. "It's been a while."
He stared for a second. Suddenly, it clicked. "Haruhi?" He ventured, squinting a bit. "Haruhi!" His face lit up, "It's so good to see you! You look wonderful."
She gave him a smile wider than he'd ever seen on her. "Thank you. It's really good to see you, too." She almost wanted to hug him, but she still wasn't quite sure what the protocol was for other people. "What are you doing here?"
He shrugged apologetically. "Eh, my brother was complaining about the food in the house." He couldn't quite call it 'home', exactly. "Hey, I'm really sorry about... well, about what he did." Well, this sure brought back memories!
She broke eye contact, staring at her feet. "It wasn't your fault, Arai-San," she replied. She rubbed at her arms, prickling with gooseflesh at the thought.
He stepped a bit closer. "Hey, it's over now, right?" His tone was still trying to be light, but it was laden with guilt. He could have stopped so much of her trauma before... That couldn't be changed now, though. "And Ootori-San seems like a pretty good guy."
She tried to focus on something else. "You've met Senpai?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows perplexedly.
He nodded, grinning again. "Yeah, we're pretty much old pals by now. He treats you right, then?"
She nodded emphatically. "Yeah. He's... he's really great." She only wished she could make up for all the trouble she caused him.
Arai smiled, putting his hand on her head. She'd been gaining weight, he could tell. Plus, her skin was healthy-looking, her eyes awake for once. This Ootori guy was obviously good for her, she even seemed to be in good spirits. "I'm glad. You deserve it, Haruhi," he said, seriously. "You know you can call me if you need anything, right?" It was mostly an empty promise; he wouldn't want to alert his brother of her existence again in any sense, but he really did want her to be happy and cared for.
"Thank you." She said, with a bit of a nostalgic smile. "You know, we should hang out more often. I mean, if you can..."
He pulled out his cell phone. "We can exchange numbers, at the least. I'd love to hang out sometime, if that's alright with Ootori. Here, put your number in here, I'll text you."
She beamed, whipping out her own cell phone to offer him. The thought briefly passed through her mind that Senpai might not want her giving her number out... But then he seemed to be giving her a lot of freedom lately, right? She punched in her number.
It really did feel good to talk with him again.
He texted her a smiley face, handing her back the phone. "It's been great to see you," he said seriously. "I have to get shopping, but you be careful, alright?"
She nodded. "I will. Thank you, Arai-San." She watched him leave.
Well, that was a nice little surprise.
Hikaru sighed dramatically. "What is TAKING her so long?" he asked, huffing, chin in hands.
Haruhi had found them again easily. "Hey guys. Sorry about that."
"What's up?" Kaoru asked. He wasn't aware she had friends outside of school, to be honest. But he'd never seen that guy before, and hadn't really heard any of the conversation from where he was.
She shrugged noncommittally. "Eh, nothing. Just wanted to say hi to an old friend. Are you ready to finish this shopping?"
"Yeah, sure," Kaoru replied, already forgetting about the mystery kid. "Hey, you wanna just go back to our house for dinner?"
She paused, considering for a second. "Eh, no. Thanks, though. I'm kinda tired still from the beach and want to turn in early tomorrow." Hikaru strung his arm through hers.
"What a baby," he teased.
"Be nice, Hikaru," Kaoru repeated the gesture. "You could always sleep over, you know."
Nonononono, not happening. "Uh, no thanks. I miss my own bed." The one with Senpai. Oh yeah, she'd asked for her own room, hadn't she? Screw that. Well, maybe at least for tonight.
Kaoru chuckled. "I was kidding." Mostly. "Don't worry, we'll get you home before curfew or whatever."
She really was kind of tired (despite the nap earlier). She picked shoes quickly, just wanting to go home. "Can you guys drop me off? Would you mind?" she asked, sliding into the car.
"That should be fine." Kaoru replied, relaying the instructions to the driver. He chattered merrily at her for the duration of the car trip.
She'd texted Senpai a few minutes before they arrived, letting him know she was on her way. Gathering up the bags from the mall, her bag, and the bagged dress, she turned to the twins contentedly. "Thanks for everything today. I had fun."
Hikaru waved it off. "Eh, whatever. See you tomorrow morning, Haruhi."
"Bye, Haruhi." Kaoru waved with a grin. "Let's do this again sometime!"
She waved, trudging into the mansion heavily. Senpai hadn't texted back, so she began trekking to his room to find him.
He had recently moved from his study back into his room. He'd finished up his expense reports, and of course moved on to some other productive use of his time, like reading those complicated books of his. He looked up from his book. "Ah, welcome home."
She grinned, setting down her things on the couch before running over to him for a hug. "Hello!" she greeted, her face in his shoulder. She began to say she missed him, but settled for squeezing her arms tightly around his waist. "How was your afternoon?"
"Quite uneventful, I'm afraid," he replied as he wrapped his arms around her in return. "I take it you had a good time?"
She pulled her face away to look up for his eyes. "Yes. I tried ice cream. Do you like ice cream, Senpai?"
It was kind of a silly question, seeing as how she'd never seen him eat a sweet, but she liked feeling his breath on her skin. Silly, yes. Clingy, probably. Satisfying? To the Nth degree.
"I do enjoy it in small amounts from time to time," he replied, once halfway unintentionally breathing on her neck.
She watched his expression shift slightly, his breath tickling her a little. "Senpai, wait until you see my new dress. I think you're going to love it."
He grinned at her. "I must admit, I'm very eager. I don't suppose you would be willing too try it on for me?"
She danced her fingers along his back playfully. "I could. Or we could wait and make it a surprise." She smiled innocently up at him, inclined to try it on now herself. "How about now?" She decided, pulling away.
"You can't mean to keep me in suspense that long, can you?" He reached up to catch her fingers.
She laughed, letting her hands be captured and moved them together in circles. "Well, you'll still have to wait for me to change. Can you hold off that long? It might be as long as four or five minutes, Senpai!" She feigned shocked and horror at the thought.
"I shall suffer in silence," he replied, with just a pinch of false melodrama.
Her hands wiggling out of the embrace, she shot him one last smile over her shoulder before scooping up the dress and locking herself into the bathroom. Her clothes piled up neatly on the counter, she slid into the dress carefully, wiggling her hips to get it to sit like Kaoru had wanted. As she slid the zipper up slowly, she watched it pull in to draw quite a bit more focus to her lower half than she'd realized. In this dress, she thought, turning to look behind her in the mirror, her hips looked normal. The back scooped down, hugging her curves perfectly, to her mid-back. She spun around in it, looking at it this way and that before calling out, "Senpai! Are you ready?"
"More than ready," he replied.
He really needed to stop that.
She pushed open the door slowly, suddenly nervous. He thought she needed exercise, after all; maybe he wouldn't like it. She twiddled her thumbs, remembering only a second after to twirl around to show off the whole creation. "It looks okay, I think, you know, for a dress."
Kyouya's eye slide over her form, drinking in the sight. He had to hand it to those twins. They knew who to dress a lady. Unusual as it was to see her like this, it suited her so very well. It accentuated her femininity, adding such grace to her whole tone. He let out a quiet, wistful sigh.
"I'll be the luckiest man in the room."
She flushed madly. "Oh! So, you like it? I wasn't sure because it was... well, thank you." She ducked her head, embarrassed, "I'm glad you're happy."
"How do you like it?" he asked, circling her to take in the look from all angles once more. "I know it's a bit different from what you prefer."
Her head down, thumbs twirling quickly, she stuttered, "I like it. I mean, I'm only going because you asked me, so it doesn't really matter, right?" Her eyes darted up shyly. "Just that you like it." Her cheeks were burning with nerves. This dress made her feel like a proper lady. One you could introduce to parents without showing your deed of sale, though none of that really mattered. The only thing she cared about was that Senpai practically fell in love with the dress, because not only would that make him happy, but his father, too.
There she went speaking in code again. Oh well. He was going to assume that meant that yes, she liked the dress. "I do," he replied.
She smiled, hand reaching up to touch his lightly. "Good. Senpai, do you mind..." It was a bit embarrassing to ask, especially because he wasn't dressed up like she was, and the way he'd looked at... "Do you mind if we practice dancing? I don't want to trip and fall at the party." Minus the hell she'd pay if the twins found out she'd ripped the dress.
Would he mind? He would love that. "Of course not," he replied. He crossed the room to his stereo, picking through his neatly organized CDs. "A waltz to start?"
She nodded jerkily, as it was the only dance she knew. She waited for him to return, hands shaking slightly. Why was this any different than normal? It was Senpai, the person she'd lived with for a while now. She kept her eyes down, patiently.
He took her hand, confident that she could remember the position by now. "Can you count beats?" He asked, tapping a foot with the rhythm to help her out. "Three, two, one."
They began to dance.
She used the counts to keep her distracted enough to not concentrate on Senpai's warm, firm, grip. She let her eyes wander to his face, simply enjoying seeing his eyes crinkle the least bit as she turned successfully. And she definitely wasn't thinking about his hand on her back. Back, side, together, front, side, together...
Kyouya's eyes never left her as they danced the night away, even moving into a little foxtrot from time to time, when the music allowed. He did hope she was enjoying herself as much as he was.
He really needed to stop doing this to himself. To her, as well. If they couldn't be together, why did he insist on acting like they could? Like they were?
She'd relaxed gradually, realizing that, like the piano music earlier, music was calming. It wasn't fair that Senpai wouldn't utilize her, it wasn't fair that she was much too low to compete for any long-lasting spot in his life, but she'd dealt with stupid facts of life (for her) before. This evening was what was happening now, and she was determined to avoid thinking of anything else, (past or future). The music lulled, and she slipped her hands away. "I think I've got it," she said, softly, not holding his hand anymore, but still playing with his fingers lightly. "Was that too much for one night?"
"Hardly," he replied. "Some formal balls can run long into the night. Endurance is a necessary trait." He allowed her soft fingers to trace his only a short moment, before pulling away. They had to stop. They really did.
She nodded a bit, mumbled something about changing and ducked into the bathroom. Emerging ready for bed a few minutes later, she crawled up onto the couch, perching there. Maybe she could start here. Not in the guest room. The guest room was daunting.
Kyouya stretched out, considering getting his pajamas on, as well. He couldn't help but notice she was still in his room. He didn't have the heart to correct her just yet. He left for the bathroom, quickly changing.
"Where will you be sleeping tonight?" he asked on his way out of the room.
She shifted, nuzzling under the blankets already there. "Is the couch alright?" She would add to her debt to not have to go any farther from Senpai. Changing rooms had been a horrible idea, hadn't it?
"That's fine," he replied. He understood. Perhaps a slow transition would make things easier for both of them. No need to sever every tie right away, after all. "Make yourself comfortable."
She fluffed the pillow, laying down, then restlessly pulling out her phone. "Thank you," she said distantly. The truth was that she didn't like how much she enjoyed sharing the bed with Senpai, so she kept quiet and went through her messages.
It still felt wrong, every time he curled up in bed without her. Just a little too cold, just a little too empty. He shook all of those foolish thoughts from his head. They were, after all, just friends. "Good night, Haruhi." He reached over to turn out his table lamp.
"Good night," she said, feeling as if they'd regressed back to that first night she'd spent here. "Wait, Senpai?"
He paused. "Yes, Haruhi?"
"Thank you for the dance. I-" She'd enjoyed it, she'd love another, she lov-
Wait, what?
"I mean, thank you."
"Of course," he replied. He'd had... a very good time. Yes. "Let's do it again some day." He shut off his light.
Night after next. She pulled the blankets tighter around her body, feeling oddly cold despite the adequate pile on top of her. "Alright," she agreed, sighing into her make-shift bed.
He felt like he should offer her something... What? A space beside him? No. They'd both agreed that it was better this way. She wasn't going to live with him forever, after all. The two of them needed to learn to stand alone again. "Goodnight," he whispered again.
She returned it, soft and mellow, and settled under the covers. It was hard getting comfortable though, especially once the flashbacks of Akito-San began coming hard and fast. Eventually, through hard turmoil and a good deal of time, she had fallen asleep counting down from a hundred.
Unfortunately, her dreams weren't any better, plaguing her through the night and awaking her in cold sweats a few times. She'd finally fallen into a deep, dreamless sleep around 4:30, only an hour before the alarm was set for.