Section 82: The Champions

"Ladies and Gentleman, ninjas and catgirls… The judges have made their final decisions!"

While the crowd out front screamed in excitement, the contestants of Kana-Kon's cosplay contest waited backstage with baited breath. Freya was no longer afraid of the crowd, and she watched the big screen with all the others. The MC was pacing the stage, drawing out the suspense and milking the audience for every cheer they were worth. He wasn't alone. The panel of judges had joined him, holding some prize or other for the various awards to be won. They represented special guests of the convention – voice actors and industry big-wigs that Freya had never heard of before.

She glanced to her left where Thomas stood. He had been unusually silent since the last performers had left the stage and the judges broke for deliberation. Now he seemed transfixed by the MC's pacing on the screen. Only his eyes moved as he watched the figure march back and forth. Freya pinched his arm to get his attention and smiled.

"Now's who's nervous? Don't worry. Whatever happens, you did a great job."

Thomas smiled at her, but as the MC accepted a sheet of paper from one of the judges and started to speak again, his eyes snapped back to the screen.

"Alright everyone! The winners…" Thomas inhaled sharply through clinched teeth. "… The winners of the best craftsmanship award…!"

Thomas released the breath he had been holding in and gently laughed at his own nervousness. "Of course," he said to himself, "They'll announce the other prizes before they get to the best costumed group."

He and the others watched as a group of XXXholic cosplayers took the prize for Best Craftsmanship. Various other awards followed, ranging from Best Use of Prop to Most Unexpected Pairing. Michael cheered louder than anyone when a group of Pokemon cosplayers took the prize for Best Skit – their Pikachu had rolled onto stage in a giant pokeball. Finally, the awards for Best First-Time Cosplay and Most Moe had been handed out, and a pair of Gundam cosplayers had taken the title of Best Use of Cardboard Boxes.

By the time a Yami cosplayer from Yu-Gi-Oh! accepted the prize for Best Individual Costume, the atmosphere backstage was getting pretty tense. The prize for the best individual costume was itself a considerable honor, but it was still nothing compared to the cash prize of Best Costumed Group. It couldn't be much longer now. The other awards were all taken care of. Surely the next award would be…

"AND NOW, THE TIME HAS COME! THE WINNERS OF THE BEST COSTUMED GROUP AND A GRAND PRIZE OF TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS!"

The audience was screaming and stamping their feet, as impatient to know the result as the anxious contestants backstage. As the MC allowed to the anticipation to build, Thomas exchanged a look with each member of his group. They were all looking to him, their leader, smiling with excitement. He couldn't help but smile back in spite of the unpleasant knots in his stomach.

"AND THE WINNER IS… BLACK BUTLER!"

Lydia screamed and hugged Riko fiercely, forcing her friend to jump up and down with her. Riko was wide-eyed with surprise, but she was clearly pleased. She reached out with one hand to Michael, and he gripped it in both of his own. Shaking her hand up and down, he grinned at her. There wasn't a trace of bitterness or disappointment in his voice as he said, "I knew it! I knew you would win!"

Chris didn't even move at first. He simply watched his sister jump around excitedly, disbelief written all over his face. "I don't f***ing believe it," he finally managed to say. Keith beamed at him and punched him in the shoulder. "Not such a stupid pastime now, huh? Congratulations!"

Thomas was the only one not shouting and clapping with the rest of them. He watched the other cosplayers approach Riko's group with their praise and congratulations, but he seemed unable to join in the fun.

Freya lightly tugged on his sleeve. "Tom," she said and waited until he'd turned his face to her, "Are you okay?"

Thomas studied her face as if he didn't recognize her at first. Then he closed his eyes and bowed his head, shaking it slowly. When he straightened up again, he was able to face Riko's group with a smile and say happily, "Hey you guys! What are you waiting for? Go collect your prize!"

He and the rest of the contestants watched from the wings as Lydia and the others accepted a comically large check with their prize money. Chris promptly tried to take it from her, to which she immediately stomped on one of his feet and stuck her tongue out at him.

Thomas clapped and laughed along with the others as they bickered on stage and Riko sought to control them both. He was so distracted he hadn't even noticed Kyle approaching him until his best friend's arm was around his shoulders.

"How are you holding up, Tom?"

"Fine. I'm really fine, Kyle. I think the right people won."

"Hm. Well, I suppose so long as the Zuka Club didn't win anything, I'm happy too."

Onstage, one of the judges approached the MC and muttered something into his ear. As the judge stepped back in place, the MC smiled and lifted the microphone to his lips once again.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! That's the last of the judges' choices! Let's have another round of applause for all our contestants!"

He stopped to allow a suitable amount of clapping to ensue before lifting the microphone again.

"But the show isn't over yet! WE HAVE ONE FINAL AWARD TO HAND OUT!"

Thomas and Kyle looked at each other, then out toward the stage.

""What?""

"THAT'S RIGHT FOLKS! We asked YOU ALL for your votes during the show, and those results have just been tallied! IT'S TIME TO ANNOUNCE THE FAN FAVORITE!"

Thomas and Kyle stared stupidly at the MC, then they turned to look at one another. Slowly, smiles spread across their faces.

"Fan…?"

"… Favorite?"

Michael pushed his way between them, staring out on stage where Riko's group was still standing. Riko had turned to look toward him, her eyes wide and hopeful.

"No… way…." Michael said, peeking around the edge of the stage to view the restless audience. "You don't think…?"

"And the winner of this year's Fan Favorite Award and free VIP admission to next year's Kana-Kon goes to… THE OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB!"

The crowd jumped to its feet, roaring their approval and calling out the hosts' names. Riko's group was clapping enthusiastically along with the judges, and the contestants backstage hurried to swarm the winners, offering congratulatory slaps on the back and handshakes.

Thomas was elated. He turned to look for the rest of his group and saw Henry and Keith not far away. They seemed to be in a state of shock, until Henry broke into a smile and threw his hands into the air. "FAN FAVORITE!? HELL YEAH!"

The twins and Tyler all fell on Thomas, lifting him into the air without warning and carrying him out on stage. Freya, Kyle, and Michael all followed, stupid grins semi-permanently attached to their faces. Freya's stage fright seemed completely cured. She joined the others for a final strut down the runway, reaching out to the fans who had given them this honor.

And not one of them really cared that they hadn't won any prize money.


Section 83: After Party

"So how's it feel to be ten thousand dollars richer?"

Chris shook his head, "If you think I'm going to see even a penny of that money, you're dumber than you look. My parents'll throw it all into a savings account for Lydia's college and tell me to get a job."

Keith chuckled. He was feeling unusually comfortable around Chris, despite the fact that they were alone and seated on the bed he and Henry had shared the past couple nights. Maybe he was just feeling tired. It was well after midnight, but the Host Club had invited Riko's group to their room for a late-night celebration, and it didn't seem like their energy was going to go down any time soon. That could also explain why he felt so at ease. He could hear the noise his friends were making through the door connecting their two rooms. Knowing other people were close comforted him, since he still wasn't sure about Chris.

"Both your sister and Riko say you're dangerous," Keith said sleepily, speaking aloud the direction his thoughts had turned.

Chris didn't seem surprised. "What did they tell you?"

"Nothing really. They seemed to think you would hurt me or something. So are you dangerous?"

"… No."

"Should I stay away from you?"

"If you want to."

He sounded completely unconcerned. Keith sighed and allowed himself to fall back onto the comforter. "I don't," he said. "I don't want to stay away."

Chris looked over his shoulder at him, the same inscrutable smile as always on his face. Keith peered back at him through half-closed eyes and smiled back.

Their peace was disrupted when the door leading to the room next door burst open with a loud BANG! Keith shot up to his feet in an instant, heart hammering from the shock but somehow unsurprised to see Henry glowering at him.

"We were just talking!" Keith blurted before Henry had a chance to speak. He was telling the complete truth, of course, but he couldn't help the guilty tone in his voice. So what if he had been hoping for more? That was none of Henry's business.

"In the dark? In a hotel room by yourselves?!" Henry asked, his points also valid. Anyone would make the same assumptions that were running through his head. He directed his glare toward Chris. "How long have you been in here by yourselves?"

Chris seemed unable to stop himself from baiting Henry. "Oho, so you don't even know that much," he said. "Sounds like someone needs to keep a better eye on his brother."

"Henry, you're overreacting. I can take care of myself."

"Are you sure?" Henry asked. Both his tone and expression were openly hostile. He continued to stare down Chris, as if reluctant to let him out of his sight for even a second.

When Chris spoke again, it was in a quiet voice. All traces of teasing had disappeared. "Henry, I wouldn't hurt your brother. I won't."

Keith glanced back and forth between his brother and his crush, not sure if he should break the silence forming between them. Feeling slightly stupid, he realized that they had never been properly introduced. It was a little late for that now. Maybe Henry would always hate Chris.

"Henry…" Keith said hesitantly, but the rest of his words froze in this throat. There was just so much he wanted to say, but he couldn't have this conversation in front of Chris with all their friends in the next room.

Instead, Keith tried to convey with a look everything he was thinking. Using that silent connection that had always existed between himself and his brother, Keith tried to make Henry understand that slipping into the empty room had been his idea, that Chris hadn't tried to make the slightest move, hadn't even indicated that he might be interested in Keith like that. And he felt unbearably sad suddenly that maybe Henry was hostile not because he disapproved of Chris, but because he disapproved of Keith.

Henry sighed heavily. His shoulders drooped and he dropped his head. Some portion of Keith's wordless pleading seemed to have got through to him. "Okay, okay… I overreacted. You're right."

He reached for his twin and pulled him into a one-armed hug. "Jeez, could you try not to scare me, though? Seriously, surprise me with something like this again and I might just kill the guy."

Keith laughed with relief and patted his brother on the back. "Okay. No more surprises. I promise."

Henry released him and rounded on Chris. "I still don't trust you!" he declared. "But… Maybe I can get used to you… Just watch your step, buddy."

"Sure thing, chief." Chris said with an ironic salute.

Henry continued to watch him sullenly, but when he grabbed Keith by the shoulder to pull him back to the party, he nodded toward Chris as well.

"Come on, then. Alone time is over. Come be sociable."

Chris groaned, "Always being sociable. You sound like my parents."

But he stood and followed them through the door.

Keith hadn't been the only one desirous of a little alone time. Kyle kept trying to steal kisses from Regina, but she wasn't having any of it.

"NO PDA!" she shouted after the fifth attempt.

"You mean you're finally my girlfriend and I can't even kiss you?"

"Not in public, stupid! And certainly not where my cousin and little brother can see us!"

"They're not looking…"

Regina shoved a pillow into his face, "Stop it, idiot!"

"Alright! I give up!" Kyle cried, his voice muffled by the pillow. Once Regina had removed the obstruction, he brazenly wrapped his arms around her and said, "You know, for a girl who had no problem kissing me in front of a crowd earlier, you're surprisingly shy."

Tyler interrupted them suddenly by springing onto the bed they shared, "HEY KYLE!"

"Ah! What? What is it?"

"This all-inclusive admission thing for next year. Is that for everybody?"

"Everyone in our cosplay group, yes."

Tyler gave this considerable thought, and then he said, "Well, there's no hope for it, I guess. There'll be no excuses for Tom next year. I'll just have to come again.

Kyle extended one of his legs to where Tyler lay at the end of the bed, kicking him lightly in the side. "Why, Tyler! Are you actually volunteering for next year's group?"

"Hey now! If you're mean to me, I can always join someone else's group. No one said I needed to be a part of yours."

"Oh please," Regina chimed in, "Who else would you go with? I know you can't make your own costume."

"Zuka Club?" Hilary suggested, overhearing their conversation.

Henry laughed, "Oh yeah that's brilliant. Speaking of, anyone see their faces when we were made fan favorite? It was so… excellent. I wish I'd gotten a picture.

"I got it for you!" Hilary sang triumphantly, "I cornered them after the contest and asked what they thought of your victory. I snapped a picture right after I asked. Their expressions were like nothing I've ever seen."

Henry smiled at her adoringly, "You're amazing."

Hilary blushed and said nothing.

Thomas and Freya had little to add to the conversation. Mostly because Freya had seized the opportunity to talk to Thomas alone. She had led him into the room recently vacated by Keith and Chris.

Freya switched on the light and immediately moved toward her suitcase. As she began rifling through her things, Thomas took a seat on the bed nearest her and asked with a tired yawn, "So what did you want to talk about?"

Freya turned and handed Thomas a ridiculously large heart-shaped box of chocolate. Thomas took it without thinking, then stared at it stupidly as if he wasn't sure how such an object got there in the first place. It was a miracle it had even fit into Freya's luggage, the thing was so enormous.

"I bought it when they went on sale after Valentine's Day." Freya said, as if this explained everything, "They should still be good."

"I'm… I'm sure they're fine," Thomas said, certain he had fallen asleep and was simply dreaming up such a bizarre scenario. "But… why are you giving me Valentine's chocolate?"

"For White Day."

When Thomas continued to stare at her blankly, Freya elaborated, "Remember when you gave me flowers on Valentine's Day? You told me about the White Day thing and I thought I should get you something. I'm sorry it's a little late, but there was no time to give it to you all day. And then we were so busy even after the cosplay contest… Well, I just hope you like them."

"… Yes. It's great, Freya. Thank you for remembering."

Freya beamed at him – one of her rarely seen wide smiles. "No problem! I'm glad you like it!"

She stood, patted Thomas on the shoulder, and returned to the party with no more ado. Thomas, however, remained where he'd sat, staring at the red, heart-shaped package. He had a slight twisting feeling in his stomach that wasn't entirely unpleasant, and for the first time, he thought he had a name for this feeling.