Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club.
Life in the Kawari changed forever when Kyoya and Haruhi's plane landed in Tokyo. Kyoya had already packed most of his belongings, but he began moving them into the mansion by calling his staff and giving them the order.
Tamaki's shrine was kept intact, and Kyoya was given another room to act as his office. It was still near Haruhi's office, but it was less than ideal. The children's playing and various music lessons were often a distraction, but he tried not to be bothered by it too much. He adored them, and loved their laughter.
The family visited Akito and Sarah only days after their return from Bora Bora in mid-August. School was still out in America and Japan, so it was a perfect time. Kyoya was excited to finally meet his niece, Amy, who was already five months old. She had the Ootori black hair, but her eyes were hazel – not quite grey like Akito's, but not green like Sarah's either. She had chubby cheeks, and cooed when anyone smiled at her. Risa found her new favorite person, but Kazuki was less impressed. She was, after all, just a baby.
The Ootoris and Suoh children spent most of their vacation at the beach in San Francisco, but they made trips to Seaworld, the San Diego Zoo, and Disneyland. The adults engaged a babysitter so they could go on a day trip to wine country. Sarah hadn't left little Amy alone overnight, and Haruhi understood her reluctance to do so. While on their trip, Akito pulled Kyoya aside.
"You are happier than I've ever seen you, brother."
"I could say the same to you," laughed Kyoya.
"There's something I need you to do for me," Akito admitted nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.
Kyoya narrowed his eyes. "I will, if it is within my power."
"I need you to tell Father about Amy. I've made a lot of mistakes, but my life here is not one of them. I want him to know that I may never return to Japan, but I have a family now, and a fulfilling life. If you would give him my phone number and email address, too, that would be greatly appreciated. I'm making the first move here, and I won't again unless he contacts me. I'd like him to know his granddaughter, and any others we may have. Amy doesn't deserve not to know her grandparents just because I messed up their plans."
"I will tell him."
"Thank you."
When Kyoya returned to Japan, he went to his father's office. He hadn't made an appointment, so Yoshio made him wait. He was finally allowed inside, but Yoshio demanded to know what could prompt Kyoya to be so informal and just show up without notification.
"Personal matters," was all Kyoya said as he handed his father a picture of Amy.
"What is the meaning of this? Who is this child? Do you have a love child?"
"You have a wild imagination, Father. This is Amy Akira Ootori, your granddaughter. She is the daughter of Akito and Sarah Ootori."
Yoshio was silent as he held the baby's image in his hand. Kyoya made no attempt to fill the noiseless void, but after several minutes, he saw a drop of water fall onto his father's desk.
Haruhi had been right. His father regretted driving Akito to flee Japan, and now regretted he had missed his first living grandchild.
Yoshio collected himself and cleared his throat, but still didn't look at Kyoya. Instead, his eyes were fixed on the little girl he might never have met if not for Akito's approval. Kyoya relayed the message his brother gave him for their father. He gave Yoshio a business card from Akito with a phone number, email address, and home mailing address written on the back. The last item Kyoya gave his father was a picture of Akito and Sarah holding Amy between them, all of them smiling – a bright, happy family.
Then Kyoya left his father to his tears and shame, feeling the one thing Yoshio Ootori never thought any of his children could feel for him: pity. This, however, was mixed with something else – hope.
Kyoya's birthday rolled around, and was a low-key affair. He was turning thirty-five, but he didn't think it was anything to celebrate with an elaborate party. Instead, it was just a small dinner at a Suoh-owned restaurant with Haruhi and his host friends and their wives. All children had been left at home.
Hikaru ordered a bottle of champagne and poured each attendee a glass. He was in high spirits, having just returned from his honeymoon a week prior. He was about to give a toast when Haruhi stood and cleared her throat.
"I'd like to make a toast."
Hikaru sat back down and deferred to Kyoya's wife for the first toast.
"If not for Kyoya, we may not have ever been friends. If not for Kyoya, our controversial high school club may not have made it long enough for me to join. If not for Kyoya hanging a debt over my head, I may never have stuck around to see how amazing all of you were and still are. He is a motivated, ambitious, driven man who is intelligent and passionate. He has proven himself to be a wonderful husband, and a loving step-father, and a caring friend. I am sure he will prove himself even further in being an incredible father." With one hand she raised her glass, while she rested the other on her abdomen. "To Kyoya."
Everyone raised their glasses and drank, except Haruhi, who had set her untouched champagne on the table, and now stood with both hands on her abdomen. She was looking at Kyoya, who was sitting next to her.
Kyoya noticed the full glass first, after he set his own down, and then his wife still standing. The lightbulb in his head finally went off. He quickly stood, pushing his chair behind him, knocking it over. He embraced Haruhi as she squealed with delight.
"Congratulations Haru-chan, Kyo-chan! Your little one won't be much younger than Sora, and he'll have someone to play with!" said Hunny with a grin.
"Wait! You hijacked my toast with a pregnancy announcement?" Hikaru crossed his arms, trying to look mad. He didn't quite pull it off though. Between the high of being newly married and finding out this news, how could he possibly make an angry face?
Kyoya and Haruhi welcomed identical twin boys at the end of July of the following year. They named them Hibiki and Naoki. They had black hair and grey eyes like Kyoya.
Kyoya was named his father's heir shortly thereafter, and the young Ootori family replaced the older family in the Ootori mansion. He resigned his position at the University Hospital to take on some of his father's responsibilities. He still employed his brother, Yuuichi, and treated him well.
Only two months after the Ootori twins were born, Hikaru and Gemma welcomed their own addition, a little red-haired baby girl they called Amaya.
Haruhi was nothing but overjoyed when she found out she was pregnant again only seven months after the birth of the twins, though Kyoya was a little overwhelmed at the thought. On Kyoya's 37th birthday, Haruhi gave birth to a brown-haired, grey-eyed little girl they named Chiaki.
Life was more than Kyoya or Haruhi had ever thought possible. Their family meant the world to them. Kyoya excelled in every task he took over from his father.
Haruhi finished the project that was closest to Tamaki's heart, the whole reason she had been helping Yuzuru at Suoh Corp. Tamaki's dream was to protect the workers of Suoh Corp because he had once witnessed a restaurant patron a waiter be fired on the spot. Tamaki hated the injustice, but his interference in the matter was forbidden by his father. He wanted to have protections in place that would keep those employed on the lowest levels from being overworked and unjustly fired. He didn't want anyone to take advantage of those beneath them. His dream was for his father's company to be a family where everyone respected each other and did their best to help.
After completing the project, Haruhi demoted herself to her previous profession. She still worked for Yuzuru, but in a strictly legal capacity. Her lawyer skills were rusty, but it didn't take her long to get back into the swing of it. Yuzuru made her the head of the legal department, which she wasn't happy about until he pointed out she could delegate as much as she wanted, leaving her more time to spend with her family, provided she had enough people under her to not overwork the staff.
She had left Tamaki's shrine in Kawari, so she visited him once in awhile. She still had a key, but the staff let her in without it. Haruhi would ask his advice on various matters, or just sit in silence with tears trailing down her face. She would give him updates about their children and her younger ones, about Kyoya and his family, and about their friends. Maybe he already knew, but she liked to think she was offering new information or insight. It was cathartic for her to tell him, just as she had once confided to her mother's shrine.
Tamaki had forever changed her world when he entered it, then altered it again when he left. The cavernous hole he had left had been hard to fill, but five years and two weeks after she laid him to rest, she'd married Kyoya. Less than three years after her marriage, the hole filled more with the birth of the twin boys and her daughter. Occasionally, she still felt the pain of how deep that hole had once been, but more often than not, she felt the joy of being almost whole once again.
A/N: All that's left is the epilogue, which I will post later this week.
When I was figuring out a title for this story, I wanted to make some kind of reference to the manga/anime relationship between Haruhi and Kyoya wherein he is always calculating how much Haruhi owes the club for various infractions. But this story is obviously not so much about monetary costs. When I was explaining to my beta/editor this title, I explained what nuances I could see. Like the description of the story states, the cost of love for Haruhi is grief. She loved Tamaki and lost him. Her love for him cost her so much happiness for a long time, though the gains were significant while he lived. Falling for and marrying another after such a profound loss was a risk for her, but it did pay off.
Beyond Haruhi, though, Kyoya had to put aside his pride to allow Haruhi back into his life. He also made sacrifices and allowances knowing he would never possess all of Haruhi's heart. Hikaru had to give up Haruhi. His love for her could have cost them their friendship if he hadn't been willing to let her go when she wanted out. In the end, he found his a new love with its own rewards.
I've said it before. I wanted this fanfic to be real. I wanted you to FEEL the sadness, the joy, the tension. I wanted you to SEE what was happening. I hope I did not disappoint you because I don't feel as if I've disappointed myself with my finished product.
Thank you for sticking with me!
6/17/18 Edit - I mistyped Kyoya's age when his daughter was born. Someone informed me of this error, so it is fixed. Previously, it stated her pregnancy with their twins was announced on his 35th birthday, she gave birth in July, then gave birth to their daughter on his 36th birthday. Logistically not possible. I corrected it to be his 37th birthday.