It felt like mere moments after crawling into bed that my alarm went off, signaling the start of a new day. Having been out all night keeping the peace at Ouran for three days in a row, I figured I deserved a little sleep at some point, so I punched the snooze button and buried myself under the covers. Next thing I knew, it was 8 a.m. and Dad was shaking me violently, yelling something about being late for school if I didn't get my butt in gear.
Jolted awake, I leapt out of bed, hastily throwing on my uniform and running outside. Hopping on my bike, I booked it to school and slipped inside just before the final bell. On my way to homeroom, I glanced into one of the numerous mirrors along the walls and did a double take. My face was flushed and sweaty, I had huge bags under my eyes, and my hair was a strawberry blond mess. To top it all off, my stomach rumbled loudly, reminding me I hadn't eaten since last night and had forgotten my lunch.
Groaning, I ducked into the classroom, running my fingers through my hair as I took my seat, trying not to bring attention to myself. As it turned out, bad luck found me anyway, and my day slowly went from bad to worse. Both my head and stomach began to ache the more time passed, and I fell asleep during our pop quiz in social studies and got a zero. By the time lunch rolled around and Kaoru bought me something to eat, I was already so frazzled that it didn't help my mood or my performance the rest of the day.
When the final bell rang, pounding in my head like a chisel, it was all I could do to drag myself to Music Room 3 without punching something.
"Boushi, what's wrong? You look horrible," Hikaru noted as I walked in to help get things set up.
"Gee, thanks for pointing that out. It's no wonder you're so popular with the ladies," I growled.
Tamaki tsk-ed. "Hikaru, she's right, that's no way to talk to a woman."
"I don't need your help, Sempai," I shot at him.
Hikaru and Kaoru were suddenly consumed with mad fits of coughing that happened to sound a lot like "PMS!"
"Would you all just shut up?" I shouted, plopping myself down in a chair and crossing my arms and legs. If anyone was going to push the matter any further, they didn't get a chance, because at that moment, the first few girls started filing into the room. My usual guests joined me at the table I was sitting at and I said, "Hey, girls."
"Hi, Boushi!" Aiko greeted me cheerily. "How's your day been?"
"Eh," was all I said. The girls stared blankly at me for a few moments, and I stared off into space.
"Um, so, have you sewed anything interesting recently?" Miyako asked.
"Not particularly."
Shizuka sighed. "Not very talkative today, are ya, Bou?"
"Look, my head is killing me, so do me a favor and bring it down a notch, okay?" I snapped.
Aiko's face fell, Shizuka scowled at me, and silence stretched out at my table. A few moments later, I felt a hand clasp my shoulder. Looking behind me, I saw Tamaki standing there, gesturing with his free hand towards the doors.
"Boushi, can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked lightly.
"Sure," I said, rolling my eyes and following him out of Music Room 3. When we were in the hallway, Tamaki closed the doors behind us, leaned back against them, and folded his arms.
"If something's bothering you, you can talk to us, you know. Don't take it out on your guests," he said.
"Mm-hmm," I replied, feeling stubborn. Evidently Tamaki could either be equally stubborn, or just really patient, because he simply raised his eyebrow questioningly, not moving an inch. I sighed, cocking my hips to the side like the girl I wasn't supposed to be.
"Okay, you wanna know what's wrong? Where should I start? I got about 12 minutes of sleep last night, missed breakfast, and feel like the twins have been rummaging through my brain. I look like a piece of crap, whereas the rest of you morons at this school always look like supermodels. But apparently it doesn't matter as long as my guests are happy," I ranted, breathing heavily.
Tamaki considered me carefully before replying. "I'm sorry about all that," he said calmly. "It's not that your feelings don't matter, you just have to keep them in check during Host Club hours. We've all had to work through bad days before."
"This may be the first time you've actually acted like the president of this stupid club," I grumbled. "Thanks so much, that pep talk really helped."
Sudden realization flickered on Tamaki's face, and for some reason that escaped me, he had to fight back a grin. "Okay, look. I want you to go find somewhere in the club room to sit, cool off, and await further orders. Got it?"
"Yeah, whatever," I said, and he opened the door. I tried to head back into Music Room 3, but at the last second, Tamaki grabbed my arm. Turning, I raised an eyebrow at him.
"If it helps, I think you look amazing as usual," he said gently. I opened my mouth, blushed, and closed it. Tamaki laughed, mussed my hair, and let go of me before heading over to my table and telling my guests I wouldn't be returning today. Looking disappointed, a few of them left and a few went to be entertained by other hosts. Sighing in agitation at both my day and the fact that one comment from Tamaki could make me feel so much better, I went and plopped myself in the corner.
About fifteen minutes before the club's usual finishing time, Tamaki stood up and cleared his throat. "If I may have your attention, I'd like to announce that we'll be closing early today. A very special princess has booked us for the rest of the evening." This proclamation was met with general sighs and moans of disappointment and jealousy, and slowly, the girls got up and filed out. When the last one had left, Tamaki closed the doors and snapped his fingers. "Hikaru! Kaoru!"
The Hitachiins zoomed in, seemingly from nowhere, saluting their boss. "Yes, Milord!"
Tamaki beckoned them into a huddle and whispered something. Hikaru and Kaoru grinned and nodded.
"So, what exactly is going on?" I called from across the room. Ignoring my question, the twins rushed at me, each grabbed an arm, and dragged me out of the room to the salon that obviously every high school should have. "Seriously, what?" I repeated, but they just shoved me into a chair and blindfolded me. Before I knew what was happening, my hair was being washed, dried, and groomed by one twin, while the other started messing with my face. I waved my arms around wildly, and they waved theirs back.
"Hold still!" they yelled simultaneously.
"Excuse me for being adverse to being blindfolded and stuck in a chair, we all know how well that turned out last time, right?"
"Trust us, this is for your own good," Hikaru assured me. "So, what do you think, Kaoru?"
"Perfect, Hikaru," the younger Hitachiin replied.
"All right, take this, go in there, and get changed!" they told me, yanking me out of the chair and shoving me past a curtain with what felt like a huge pile of satin. Taking off my blindfold, I discovered I was in a small, mirror-less changing room holding a big, poofy ballgown that resembled Ouran's girls' uniform. Deciding I may as well go along with whatever scheme the hosts were planning, I put on the dress and peered out of the changing room.
"Hello?" I called, but the twins had left. Stepping past the makeshift door, I caught a glimpse of myself in a mirror in the salon and my jaw dropped. I had never been huge about make-up even before becoming a crossdresser, partly due to lack of interest and partly because I had never had anyone to teach me how to do it right. So I was astonished to see how different I looked with even this tasteful amount on, as either Hikaru or Kaoru had evidently been working on it while I'd been blindfolded. Not only that, but my hair was a far cry from the dirty mop I'd been sporting earlier. It was done in a stylish pixie cut, and it pained me to know I'd probably have to mess up it later to pass as a boy again.
I realized that the guys were probably expecting me back in Music Room 3, so I headed back, resisting the temptation to stare at my reflection every time I passed a mirror. When I reached the double doors, they opened as if by magic, and I was bathed in an unearthly light, sparkles, and flying roses.
"Welcome to the Ouran Host Club, princess!" six voices greeted me, and I flashed back to that fateful day so many months ago when I'd first encountered this scene. The hosts were gathered around a couch, each holding a rose, smiling brilliantly at me.
"What in the…?"
"So many girls have come and gone in Music Room 3, but we seem to have neglected the needs of the most important one," Tamaki started. "You may be a host, Boushi, but you're also a lady, and the reason the Host Club was formed was to make ladies happy. It appears, however, that we've fallen down on the job. So this is our gift to you, princess, if only for today."
I felt a sudden rush of affection for Tamaki and the rest of the hosts. "I really can't believe you guys sometimes," I laughed. "You'll have to help me out, though, I've never been on this side of hosting before. What do I do now?"
"First, you eat cake with me and Takashi!" Hunny cried gleefully, dragging me over to a table with Mori. Sitting down and taking the slice of cake Hunny was kind enough to leave behind, I listened in amusement as he chatted on about his Bun-Bun, karate, and sweets.
After a short while, I was hustled to the next table, where Hikaru and Kaoru tried their brotherly love act on me for about ten seconds before I broke down laughing and the conversation turned to fashion. Kyoya, hovering nearby taking notes, occasionally put in his two cents on the business side of things, and eventually glanced at the clock and said, "I believe it's time to switch."
The Hitachiins escorted me to the couch Tamaki was waiting at, winked, and sat me down next to him. Then they disappeared, along with the rest of the Host Club, leaving the two of us alone.
"Good evening, my dear," Tamaki said, and I couldn't help but giggle. "It must be hard for you, being a part of the Host Club on top of everything else. I know that due to your circumstances we can't tell you often enough, but I wanted to do something special to show you that despite the way the world sees you, to me, you are nothing less than a beautiful princess." Kneeling on the ground, he offered me a rose. My heart melted as I took it and I sank into the couch, smiling.
"How do you do it? Just an hour ago, I looked and felt horrible and now I feel…well, like a princess," I sighed happily.
Tamaki reclaimed his spot next to me on the couch. "It's what I'm here for. And speaking of which, we have all the time in the world, and how we spend it is entirely up to you. It's your turn to be hosted."
"Let's just talk," I said. "Tell me about your family."
Tamaki's smile wavered. "Not today. I'll tell you another time, I promise, but not right now. Tell me about yours. What was your mother like?"
"Amazing," I answered without hesitation. "She was an amazing seamstress, an amazing person, an amazing mom. She taught me how to sew and read patterns, and…" I sighed, closing my eyes and leaning on Tamaki. "I miss her sometimes."
"I know," Tamaki murmured, and I could hear in his voice that he really did understand. After a few moments of respectful silence, he asked, "So what have you been sewing lately?"
We passed what felt like a short time but must have been hours chatting away about everything and nothing, joking and laughing like we'd known each other forever. I'd never felt so comfortable talking to anyone before. Finally, between the soft velvet couch and feeling so at home with Tamaki, I couldn't help but drift off into sleep. The next thing I knew, I was leaning against the door of a limo, face pressed to the cold glass.
Sitting up straight, I looked around in confusion and saw Tamaki next to me. "After you fell asleep, I decided it was probably time for you to go home and get some rest," he explained. "We're almost to your house now."
"Thank you," I said quietly. "For today. For everything. I…" Again, I couldn't bring myself to say what I really meant. "Thank you," I repeated.
Tamaki smiled softly at me. "Here we are," was all he said, gesturing out the window at my apartment complex. "Your bike's in the trunk, I'll help you."
We climbed out of the car and Tamaki popped the trunk and pulled my bike out. I walked it to the bike rack and didn't protest as he walked me upstairs to my apartment door. "Thank you," I said again, feeling stupid for not having anything better to say.
"The pleasure was mine," he assured me, bowing deeply, taking my hand, and kissing it before smiling genially and heading on his way. Fumbling with my keys, I managed to unlock the door and stumble to my room before collapsing onto my bed, sweet dreams already consuming my mind before my head even hit the pillow.
A/N: The idea for this chapter actually came to me on a whim a few days ago, and I loved it, so I started writing as soon as possible to finish in time for my Saturday update. I hope you liked this last little light fluff fling before the big finale. Thanks for reading, please review and let me know what's on your mind~ ^.^
