Dinner that night was far more pleasant than the night before. Fumiko and her cousins had returned before Izzy, scrambling to undress and redress in clothes much less suspicious. It probably wouldn't have made much of a difference because Izzy hardly paid them any mind once she eventually returned home. She was in a good mood, that much was obvious, and it lasted all the way until dinner time.

Masami was the first to speak up, clearing her throat delicately. "Busy-bee?" she prompted, looking at her daughter. She'd taken immediate notice of her daughter's chipper disposition and wondered what was the cause. Maybe after dinner and when they were alone, she could properly ask.

"Yes, mama?" Izzy offered a smile.

"I realize this visit was very sudden but we had another reason to come, besides harassing you," Masami chuckled in good nature. Alphonse, on the other hand, pouted. He apologized for his overzealousness but his wife would probably tease him relentlessly. "I took some of your advice this time around. Franky and your father also thought it would be a good idea as well."

Izzy tilted her head to the side, confused. What advice could she have possibly given her own mother? Nonetheless, she waited patiently as her mother tried to gather her thoughts. She was sure she paused for dramatic effect as well. Morimoto were the dramatic type, after all. "Is that so, mama?"

The older woman nodded, smiling though Izzy was sure there was a tint of sadness to her radiant smile. "I contacted Hiroki before making the trip here," she began explaining, watching in amusement as Fumiko and Izzy shared the same surprised look. "I thought it was time I stop being a spoiled brat and reach out to him. You were right, Bee, my time to reconcile with him is running short and I would hate it if he passed on and our last conversation was an argument."

Izzy and Fumiko glanced at one another, finding it almost ironic that they were just discussing Masami's volatile relationship with her parents. "That's great, aunt Sami!" Fumiko was the first to say, cheering as she did so. "Was Ji-chan happy to hear from you?"

Masami laughed. "He was absolutely elated! He got so worked up, Ogen scolded the both of us."

"That happened a lot when we were kids," Chihiro commented with a grin. "Ogen was always scolding papa and Mami-nee," she chuckled, remembering hearing the old woman nag after the two for their shared excitable nature.

"Sounds like how she scolds us when we get Ji-chan worked up as well," Izzy shared her mother's laughter. "Now I get why she says I'm just like you."

"Does she say that? Oh dear, she probably thinks you're a troublemaker."

"According to Takuma, she is," Chihiro muttered under her breath. Masami caught the jab nonetheless and made a face. They didn't speak about their younger brother at all. While she was on board with reconciling with her father and maybe even her mother, any relationship with her brother was unsalvageable. She loved him because he was her brother but she didn't like him one bit.

"Yes, well, I've made plans to visit with Hiroki and Shinobu sometime this week. I haven't had the pleasure of speaking with my mother yet but…" she trailed off, shrugging helplessly. She had no idea how her mother would react but she was hoping it wouldn't be too bad. It had been eighteen years, the old woman had to loosen up just a bit, Masami was her eldest daughter after all.

She stared at Izzy and for a long moment, wondered how her parents could cut ties with her. She couldn't imagine a world where she wasn't on speaking terms with the brunette. Whether she agreed with her sudden craving for independence, she couldn't stomach the thought of returning to Italy not knowing when she'd hear her daughter's voice again.

Izzy must have shared those same thoughts and it was why she took the steps she did. Instead of simply not coming home, she made sure that they knew she wanted to stay longer, even if Chihiro had been the one to tell her in the first place. Even when her daughter was rebelling, she still tried her best to be as respectful as one could be.

To be so angry, the absolute acrimony shared between Hiroki, Shinobu and herself..it was poisonous. She loved her parents, she really did but she wondered how it was so easy to spit acid at one another. She was glad her daughter was far more level-headed than she had been at that age. In fact, it was almost embarrassing that Izzy handled the entire situation so maturely.

Sure, she'd been snarky and sarcastic but the worst she'd done was call Alphonse a hypocrite. And yes, his feelings had been quite hurt, he revealed to his chuckling wife, but she definitely could have said worse. She'd much rather leave Japan with their relationship intact than dragging her back to Italy only to find her gone when she inevitably ran back to Japan.

"Mama, I'm so glad to hear that," Izzy grinned jubilantly. While she knew Hiroki loved them all, seeing Masami after so long would probably be an absolute highlight. She could tell that he missed his eldest daughter without him even having to say as much.

Once the excitement of Masami's revelation subsided enough, Alphonse was next to clear his throat. "Baby Bell?"

Izzy perked up at the familiar childhood nickname. Maybe the term of endearment was a good thing. It wasn't often he actually called her by her name, often using nicknames but he'd been saying her name and that's how she knew he was seriously offended by her sudden choices. It was jarring but she tried not to let it get to her. Her father was allowed to be hurt by her choices, she knew he wouldn't be happy to hear of it but the lack of her nickname was unnatural to her.

"Yes?"

"Your mother and I discussed some things this morning while you were out," Alphonse said carefully. "We also spoke to Chihiro about it as well and we've decided that as long as she's okay with it, you may stay," he sipped at his sake. It wasn't wine but it was acceptable. Izzy and Fumiko perked up at the same time. "However!" He cleared his throat again before they could get too excited.

"You still have family in Italy, a family who love you and they miss you dearly," he was sure to remind her. "So, this is the deal. You'll stay in Japan to continue your studies but you'll be expected to return for holidays to celebrate with us. We also expect you to keep your grades up. I don't want to see one failing grade, you understand me?"

"Yes, I understand."

"Also," Alphonse eyed her with a squint. "Your mother and I would like to meet this young man that you're so interested in."

Izzy sputtered, nearly choking as she did. "Y-You want to meet Mori?"

"Yes, we'd like to meet him before we leave for Italy. He's partially the reason why you want to stay. I need to make sure that this young man only has the best intentions for you, Bell. Chihiro says he's a very nice and respectable young man but we'd still like to meet him."

"Papa, of course he has the best intentions—"

"If that's true, you have nothing to worry about."

Izzy pouted for seconds before smiling brilliantly. "Okay, that's reasonable. I'm going to make you guys proud, you know."

Masami smiled fondly, if only she knew she'd done that already.

"This is great!" Fumiko was practically vibrating after dinner was said and done. She joined Izzy in her bedroom, like she was known to do, throwing herself down on her cousin's bed. "They're actually letting you stay! I'm so glad, I wasn't sure how I was going to deal with you leaving."

"You'd be sad?" Izzy asked, gently drying her hair. She was freshly showered and dressed for bed, sitting next to Fumiko.

"Of course! You're my best friend, what would I possibly do without you?"

Izzy chuckled but didn't answer, thinking that she was being her usual dramatic self. Even if her parents dragged her back to Italy, they would have to go on living their lives. They couldn't stop just because they were separated once more. Though not seeing Fumiko day to day would put a damper on her, she really loved her cousin despite her frivolous nature.

"I can't believe they want to meet Mori-senpai though, that was an absolute curve-ball. What are you even going to tell him?"

Izzy threw herself back on the bed next to Fumiko, groaning. "I don't know. Doesn't it seem presumptuous to have him meet them so early? What if he gets the wrong idea and gets weirded out by it?" She scrubbed her eyes in annoyance. She hadn't expected that condition and cursed her father for it. He had to get his revenge for her rebellion somehow, the sneaky bastard.

"Wrong idea? He'd have to meet them eventually, if he's serious about you. Didn't you say you met his parents before?"

"Yes but that was at a kendo tournament and we were still just friends. Hell, who even knows if his parents would approve?"

"Why wouldn't they?"

"Because I'm biracial and everyone knows the controversy surrounding my birth, Fu. Mama and Chi say they're traditional, do I look like the traditional type to you? I think you fit that more than I do. I could at least have mama's hair type and color but I'm stuck with this absolute mane. I'm way too tall and curvy and my skin color, don't even get me started.."

Fumiko gaped at her cousin. She couldn't believe she was picking her appearance apart. "You stop that right now," she swatted at Izzy's arm. "You are one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen in my life. It's unreal sometimes. You should hear what the girls say about you at school. I don't think I've heard a bad thing about you since you came."

Izzy smiled but it lacked it's usual excitement, clearly she didn't believe Fumiko's words. "I mean it, Iz! How could you even think that? Besides, I'm sure Mori-senpai's parents would rather have someone who made him happy, regardless if she were traditional or not!"

She wished she could call Izzy's brothers in here just so they could tell her that even they could tell Mori was completely enamored by Izzy. But that meant she'd have to admit that they followed them around on their date and she was sure the brunette wouldn't like that.

"I've never felt so insecure in my life," Izzy admitted with a soft laugh. "I can't believe how I'm acting...I feel so..juvenile."

"It's not a bad thing, having someone you like," Fumiko pointed out. "That's the fun part, feeling all the new emotions you've never felt before. It's almost enough to make you feel lightheaded."

"Exactly," Izzy agreed. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Come on, Fu, you expect me to believe you don't want to date? Don't you like Kyoya?"

It was Fumiko's turn to laugh. "Not everyone's as lucky as you are, Iz. Kyoya-kun would never take me seriously enough and I'm pretty sure it's an unspoken rule for any of them not to be interested in the girls who come to be hosted. Conflict of interest or something." She explained plainly. It's not like she hadn't thought about it but Fumiko was no fool. Dating one of the Host Club members was like finding the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Impossible.

Izzy snorted and shrugged. "You never know. Maybe he might be singing a different tune. It might help if you treat him like a person and not some unobtainable object. The attention goes to their heads, you know? Might be a breath of fresh air to be treated normally."

"I hadn't thought of it that way."

"Because you're so enamored with them all. They're a bunch of menances, if I'm being honest."

That got Fumiko to laugh, which is what Izzy had been hoping for. Personally, she felt as if her cousin could make a pretty good match with Kyoya. He was the King of Shadows and Fumiko was actually pretty manipulative herself, something she hid behind a frivolous and cheerful facade. She was sure that if Kyoya knew that, it might just interest him.

"Things could change, don't write yourself off so quickly," Izzy advised her just as her bedroom door opened. Masami and Chihiro peeked in, grinning at the sight of their daughters sitting up before bed. Just like they used to do as teenagers.

"Okay, it's time for you girls to get to bed," Chihiro decided, stepping into the room to kiss both her daughter and niece goodnight. Masami followed to do just the same, only to pause as she looked down at her daughter.

"What happened to your ankle, dear?"

Izzy eyes were wide as she blinked, having forgotten about her mottled ankle. She was actually surprised her brothers hadn't noticed her ankle earlier today before leaving. The bruises weren't as vibrant but they did a good job discoloring her skin still. They were an absolute eyesore but the excitement of her family's sudden visit took the attention away.

She sat up quickly and tried to feign innocence. "Oh, I turned wrong and sprained it. It's nothing to worry about," she said.

"You turned wrong? That's a little hard to believe, you've been dancing for years. You're far more graceful than to turn wrong," Masami worried, tilting her head to the side. She knew her child a little better than that and instantly knew that Izzy was lying.

"Mistakes happen," Izzy tried to shrug it off.

Masami eyed the brunette for a long time, her expression unreadable. "You're sure?"

"Of course, mama."

Masami nodded slowly and sat down on the bed next to Izzy. Chihiro knowingly herded her own daughter out. "Chi tells me that you don't necessarily get along with your cousin Katsu or his father." She said after a brief pause, folding her hands neatly in her lap. She eyed her reaction, watching for any chinks in Izzy's armor.

"I don't think anyone gets along with Takuma," Izzy replied briskly.

"That's fair. Are you comfortable with having to deal with them while you extend your stay? He wasn't happy to hear you were coming in the first place so I doubt he'll be happy now," Masami spoke almost idly, as if they were discussing the weather and not her volatile brother. There was a trap that she was setting but Izzy wasn't sure if she could avoid falling into it.

Izzy remained cool. "Of course I'm comfortable," she waved the notion off casually. "Takuma and Katsu throwing their temper tantrums won't be enough to scare me off."

"So, they've thrown tantrums before? What kind?"

Izzy paused and cursed, having walked into one of her mother's traps. "We've argued a bit, here and there. Nothing to worry about. They're convinced I want to take Morimoto from them but that's not the case."

"I see." Masami tapped her thighs. "Have any of these arguments become..violent?"

"What exactly are you looking for, mama?"

Masami didn't immediately answer. That was the thing about Izzy, she wasn't manipulative and sneaky like a Morimoto. Her daughter was upfront, blunt and bold just like a Giovanni. She didn't like to play word games, she always insisted on dealing with something head on. Still, despite that, she could lie like a Morimoto.

"Chi says Takuma has slapped you before. Is that true?"

"Mama—"

"I said, is that true?"

"...It is."

"And it left a scar?"

Izzy silently turned and pointed to just under her eye where the scar nearly blended into her skin. Masami grabbed her by the chin and closely studied the scar, green eyes ablaze with emotion Izzy had never seen in her eye. "And no one said anything to Takuma about this?"

"Well, I did. I threatened to oust the family for abuse."

Masami nodded slowly and Izzy was somewhat sure that she was pleased to hear that. "Right and if I ask you if Takuma has anything to do with your ankle..?"

"He honestly didn't."

"Despite this treatment, you still want to stay in Japan?"

"...Well..ara...yes."

Masami sat back with a soft hum, hands dropping to her lap once more. "Very well," she nodded with a strange look. "It goes without saying that your father and brothers would flip out if they knew," she said after a long pause. "Against my better judgement, I won't mention it to them unless they ask me. But this will be addressed when I meet with my parents and brother later on this week."

She was aware that there was more to Izzy's ankle than she was letting on but if she wanted to keep it to herself, that was fine. She would get to the bottom on the less than stellar treatment either way.

"I understand, mama."

"Good, now it's time for bed. Goodnight, my love."

"...and the clubs participate in some way or another?"

Hisa nodded along to Izzy's question. "I think in America, it's called Spirit Week? All the clubs come up with some activity that the student body gets to participate in. The Host Club will probably throw a party."

Izzy blinked, a little caught off guard by the revelation. The point was to keep everyone's spirits high right before they had to take their finals. She wasn't really sure what the point of finals were since most of them could buy their way into higher education. She, for one, would take it seriously nonetheless. Her friends hadn't mentioned this but maybe they would when classes ended.

"Oh," Izzy smiled brightly. "Morning, Reiko-chan!" she waved to the younger girl, chuckling when she shyly waved back.

Hisa watched the interaction with a frown, arms crossed. "What's with you and Kanazuki?" she asked, eyeing the other dark haired girl. She wasn't even sure how Izzy managed to start a friendship with Reiko.

"What do you mean? We're friends, she's a nice girl."

"She's creepy."

"She's not, she's just quiet."

The honey-blonde scowled, her jealousy rearing its ugly head. "You're just friends with her?" She was being ridiculous, she knew but still. Izzy was her genuine friend, her only friend besides Yuna, Ayame and Fumiko. They were only her friends because of Yuna. The other girls she could consider her friends were just shallow at best.

Izzy continued to smile at Reiko before giving Hisa a strange look. "Of course, what else would we be?"

"I don't know, you just seem way too interested in her."

The brunette shrugged. "Well, maybe," she admitted casually. "She's pretty shy and I think she needs more friends but everyone is so quick to judge her. She's really a nice girl and Honey-chan likes her enough." She wasn't bothered at all, seemingly oblivious to Hisa's annoyance. Which, honestly, wasn't a surprise to Hisa.

"She's weird."

"I think we're all a little weird."

Hisa huffed in annoyance and snatched Izzy's wrist up. "Come on, it's almost time for class anyway. You can talk to your weird friend later," she sniffed while hurrying off. Izzy tried her best to keep up but she did lag a little with her ankle.

She was confused with Hisa's uppity behavior towards Reiko and her mood just seemed to sour as the day progressed. She decided not to pay much attention to Hisa's snide attitude, having grown used to it. Instead, she focused on how she was supposed to broach the subject of Mori meeting her parents before they left for Italy. It worried her because she really didn't want to scare him off.

She was notably distracted during club but with one glare from Kyoya, she gathered herself to carry out her hostly duties. Maybe it wouldn't bother Mori like she worried. Club ended without a hitch and before she, Honey and Mori could separate, they gathered to talk about the so-called Spirit Week.

"Are we throwing a party?" Izzy asked as she gathered the chinaware from Honey and Mori's table. "Hisa mentioned it this morning and said that's what we most likely would do." She carefully stacked the china on Haruhi's cart.

"No, we're going to organize a game."

Somehow Izzy missed Kyoya's devious expression. She felt it though but by the time she glanced over at him, it was gone. Hikaru and Kaoru were grinning but they tried to hide it, innocently staking their chinaware for the two brunettes. She squinted down at them for that, hand on her hip. "What kind of game?" she asked slowly. She had the strange feeling she would regret asking.

"Catch the bunny!" Tamaki exclaimed with an excited grin.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Haruhi muttered.

It was essentially a game of keep-away and hide and seek at the same time. Three Host Club members, the rabbits, would have to avoid being caught by the student body while the remaining Host Club members had to keep the designated rabbits away. It sounded innocent but it was a little odd. She turned to look at Mori but he seemed innocent of her silent question.

"I'm going to regret asking this…." Izzy sighed. "Who gets to be the rabbits?"

Kyoya's grin was devious as the lights glinted ominously off of his glasses. "I'm glad you asked, Senpai," he chuckled. "Haruhi, Honey-senpai and you will be the rabbits. It'll be up to the rest of us to keep the three of you away."

"Told you I had a bad feeling," Haruhi muttered.

"Why the hell do I have to be a rabbit?" Izzy asked immediately, hands on her hips. She found it strange that Mori dubbed her and Honey as being similar to rabbits and now they were playing this ridiculous game.

"How else will we get the male student body to participate? I doubt they'd be interested in catching Haruhi and Honey-senpai."

Izzy stared at him, blinking for a long moment. "And the rest of you are supposed to help keep us away. Am I really supposed to believe these three—" she pointed a finger at Tamaki, Kaoru and Hikaru. "Will be serious enough to keep me away from a bunch of hormonal boys?"

"Of course not," Kyoya scoffed, ignoring their shouts of protest. "Hikaru and Kaoru are in charge of Honey-senpai, Tamaki and I will look after Haruhi and that leaves you and Mori-senpai."

Jesus Christ, he knows.

Did Kyoya figure out the romantic link between the two of them? She wouldn't be all that surprised if he did, he seemed to know everything. But what would pairing them up even prove? How did he even find out in the first place? She glanced at Mori but he was stoic as usual, revealing nothing.

"It's obvious most of the boys will be after you so we thought it made sense if Mori-senpai would be in charge of you, given his skills," Kyoya continued to explain. Izzy continued to eye him suspiciously, trying her best to figure out if he knew or not. If he didn't know and this was just a coincidence, it was creepy as hell.

"What's the prize?" Haruhi pressed.

"If all three bunnies are found, whoever finds the bunny gets a kiss from said bunny," Tamaki explained.

Mori finally reacted, making a strange noise in his throat. "Takashi, are you okay?" Honey asked with big eyes. Izzy also glanced at him, a little surprised.

"M'fine," he grunted.

"I knew I would regret asking," Izzy sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of her nose. "So, what, we get rabbit ears and all we have to do is avoid being caught?"

"Aren't you a smart bunny?" Kyoya asked.

"Shut up, Kyoya."

She was definitely going to regret this.

"Absolutely not."

Hikaru and Kaoru grinned at the sound of her voice, their deviousness obvious. It was their club's turn for their activity and she, Honey and Haruhi had been shown their costumes. Izzy was under the impression that they would each wear a headband with rabbit ears but that was just foolish. Of course, she was wrong.

Haruhi and Honey were dressed far more innocently with Haruhi dressed in white similarly to the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland while Honey's costume was pink and red, which was supposed to resemble Usa-chan's colors. She, on the other hand…

She stared at the costume with a frown. She peeked out from behind the dressing room, scowling at the twins. "I don't know what the hell you two are trying to prove but I am not wearing that around a bunch of hormonal boys! You guys criticized me for being oblivious to them and yet you do this, what the hell?"

"It's almost time to get started, Izabera-senpai," Kyoya said before either twin could try to defend the costume. "I'm sure it can't be that bad."

"That bad?" she hissed before ducking back into the dressing room. They could hear her cursing as she undressed, hissing and spitting like a disturbed cat. They were positive that she was probably cursing them all to Hell but they weren't exactly sure since she was speaking in Italian. Whatever she was saying, it was foul.

She appeared seconds later, face drawn in irritation. "I look like a Playboy bunny!" she snapped almost immediately. It was true, she was dressed in a black corset one-piece that fit her like second skin and dark stockings with bunny ears, a white collar with a bowtie, matching cuffs and of course, a white cotton tail.

"Wow," Haruhi was the first to say something. "They'll definitely chase after you dressed like that. Good luck, Mori-senpai," she reached over and patted Mori on the arm, oblivious to his odd expression.

"What the hell are you trying to prove here, Kyoya?" Izzy continued to snap, leaning forward with her hands on her hips. She realized that it was unwise to lean forward, the threat of spilling out of the top of her corset was immediate and quickly straightened up.

"I don't know what you mean but perhaps you should curve your foul language, Senpai," Kyoya advised her, looking quite smug. Oh, he had to know. Why else would he let the twins put her in a ridiculous costume after they beat it into her head about her agreeable nature. "Bunnies aren't known for foul language."

"Oh, I'll show you foul—" Mori snatched her up before she could make good on her threat, pinning her to his side. She didn't even bother trying to fight out of his hold, knowing he was much stronger than her. His arm also felt nice wrapped around her waist but that was just a minor detail.

Tamaki laughed nervously. He wasn't quite expecting a costume like that but what did he expect, leaving the twins in charge of their costuming? He glanced at Mori. "You'll keep her safe, won't you Mori-senpai?"

Mori only grunted, his fingers digging into her hip. "Try to be gentle in keeping her away from the girls. I suspect it'll mostly be boys chasing her but some girls have more...delicate tastes," Kyoya advised him, watching in amusement as Izzy's face gradually heated.

"What the hell is my life…" Izzy muttered to herself.

"Remember, Senpai, to have fun."

Well, the student body were certainly into the Host Club's game.

Izzy tried not to groan, hidden behind a shelf of books in Ouran's library. Luckily, most of the girls were after Haruhi and Honey but that just left her to be chased after by the boys. She managed to lose some of the pursuing boys and ended up in the library. She wasn't sure where Mori was but she'd probably see him at some point.

There were some boys in the library, searching for her but she remained well hidden. She shuffled quietly on her knees, inching closer and closer to the closest exit. Since she couldn't exactly run for long due to her ankle, she moved in quick sprints or simply snuck around. Her chase was more of a game of stealth but she was having some luck with staying hidden.

"Are you sure you saw her go in here?"

"I never said that."

"Dude!"

"What? It's not like I'm trying to help you! I want to kiss her, not help you kiss her!"

She nearly sighed at the bickering group of boys. She was still sitting on her knees by the time she'd gotten to the exit, ducking down low and cursing her bunny ears. Vaguely she wondered if Haruhi and Honey had been caught yet. Maybe Haruhi but she was sure Honey would actively participate in this game.

Izzy eased her way out of the library, sighing in victory as she did so. No one was kissing her, she wanted to remind them. She was the one who had to kiss a winner and they were only getting a kiss on the cheek. She didn't say as much, as that would give her away but she thought it nonetheless.

The brunette snuck down several grand halls, managing to dodge several members of the student body. She ducked, dodged and tumbled out of the way, using Ouran's gaudy pillars and oversized decor to hide behind. She was doing a pretty good job. However, as she snuck down one lonesome corridor, she heard someone fastly approaching. She blanched and began to look around, searching for a hiding spot.

Mori came screeching around the corner at that moment, eliciting a surprised squawk out of her. He didn't stop his rabid gait, scooping her up as if she were a mere sack of potatoes to throw over his shoulder. "M-Mori? What the hell?" she squealed, clutching at his back.

He ignored her, dashing down the corridors, somehow managing to avoid running into anyone else. It was impressive, really and Izzy hoped he wouldn't drop her by accident. At the speed he was going, if she dropped to the carpeted floors below, she was more than likely to receive rug-burns for her trouble.

Mori came to a screeching halt, dropping her to her feet abruptly. She blinked up at him, eyes wide and face alluringly flushed. He reached past her hip and opened the door she'd been deposited in front of, unceremoniously shoving her into what she assumed was a broom closet.

She went back with another undignified squawk, falling against the wall of the closet. She wasn't even aware which part of Ouran they were even in, brain short-circuiting as Mori stepped into the closet after her, shutting the door behind him. She scrambled back against the wall, giving him space he didn't ask for. "Mori?" she whispered, eyes readjusting to the darkness that settled over the two of them.

He stepped closer, crowding her against the wall. She couldn't exactly make out his expression in the dark but his silver eyes were like absolute beacons. It was hard to look away. Izzy raised her hands, intent on pushing him back to give her a little breathing room but Mori snatched her wrists up, raising her arms above her head and pinning her hands to the wall. "What do I get?" he asked in a quiet voice.

"…Ara?"

"I caught a rabbit, what do I get?"

That caught her off guard. "Oh. Well, Tamaki said a kiss…so…" she trailed off in a soft whisper. She bit her bottom lip, wriggling her hands in his grip. "I'm not sure if Tamaki meant you though." She struggled to hold his gaze, laughing nervously as she did. Not that she minded but with a lot of people looking for her, someone was bound to stumble upon them in the closet, weren't they?

His free hand curled around her chin, tilting her head back against the wall before surging forward, lips crashing roughly against hers. It caught her completely off-guard, having no experience with a kiss so heated but she sank into it, shuddering against him. Her fingers twitched but Mori's grip wouldn't falter, body completely eclipsing hers.

Izzy whimpered, knees going weak as she gave more and more into the kiss. Her arms trembled above them, blood rushing to her head and causing the cramped closet to spin around her. "Mori…Mori…" she leaned back, gasping breathlessly against his mouth.

Mori finally released his grip on her wrists, letting her arms drop back to her sides. She scrambled against him, arms settling around his neck while simultaneously pressing into him. She used his shoulders to shimmy up his body, selfishly laying her weight against him.

This was completely unlike her. She was not the girl who stole away into dark closets with boys who have storms trapped within their eyes. What would her parents think, her brothers? What would the Morimotos think? If they could see her now—

Oh but why did it even matter?

If she did things their way, behaved the way they wanted her to behave—as Isabella or even Izabera, she wouldn't really be herself, would she?

Izzy pulled away first, head knocking back against the wall behind her. Her mouth fell open, lips alluringly bruised, and let out a breathless laugh. Mori continued his onslaught, mapping a trail from her mouth, up her jawline, behind her ear and down the column of her neck.

"Um—ah—oh!" Izzy squeaked at the scrape of teeth at her neck. "Mori, not so hard, you can't leave a mark!" she whispered-shouted. He hummed against the heat of her skin, hardly acknowledging her words. "I mean it, not now!" How was she going to explain her mottled neck if he kept that up?

Mori briefly pulled away from her neck, peering up at her with mischievous eyes. "So later?" He teased, practically feeling the heat of her blush radiating from her skin. She stuttered before stubbornly turning away with a petulant frown. He pressed forward again, licking a long stripe up her bared neck and eliciting another whimper from her.

That warm feeling was back, filling up her gut like a broken spout. The warmth made its way upwards, cloying around her ribcage, creating a wispy path up her throat. "Say, Mori…? We should probably be getting back.." she suggested. It wasn't what she really wanted to say at that moment, mouth feeling heavy.

She was supposed to bring up the matter of introducing him to her parents, like she'd promised. Alphonse and Masami hadn't told her when they would be leaving Japan but they wouldn't be here forever. She nearly forgot all about it honestly, what with this ridiculous catch the rabbit game going on. But now, hidden away in some cramped closet with Mori, the situation smacked her straight in the face.

Mori carefully pulled away, eyeing her carefully. Despite her suggestion, her arms remained around him. Truthfully, he couldn't care less about returning to the silly game but ignoring it would be unwise of them. He exhaled deeply, hands resting low on her hips, thumbs pressing into the dip of her hips. Thanks to the high cut of her ridiculous corset and the thin material of her stockings, he could feel the heat radiating from her skin.

Izzy's eyes flickered upwards, intoxicating umber catching his silver gaze. Silence filled the cramped space, a heady spark shooting between them. He was abruptly thankful for his normally quiet disposition because Izzy's heavy gaze was enough to render him speechless. Mori was used to the female attention, he was used to being watched and ogled and cooed over. It didn't bother him nor did he necessarily crave attention either because it just wasn't important enough, their affection and attention were shallow at best.

But now, all he could possibly think about in that moment were the different shades of brown and specks of green and gold that made up her eyes. They were open and trusting, speckled with adoration and sincerity. It was almost too much. Izzy smiled, unaware of the ardent thooswirling around in Mori's head. Maybe that was a good thing, he mused, because Izzy was still so easy to fluster. She pulled her arms from his neck slowly, eyes still bright and swirling in emotion as her arms returned to her sides.

Mori finally managed to pull his gaze from her tricky eyes only for him to focus on her puffy lips. He dug his thumbs a little deeper into the dips of her hips and hauled her closer, pulling her away from the wall until she was forced to rest her full weight against him again. She blinked those tantalizing eyes at him, lifting her arms to rest her hands against his chest. "Mori," she huffed almost sternly but her smile remained in place. "The game?"

Despite her warnings, she gave in when he kissed her again. He released her hips only to settle his arms around her slight waist, his grip tight to help as she tilted forward on the tips of her toes. Izzy's hands curled into fists, fingers twisting the fine material of his school blazer to better anchor herself. Her fingers tightened, creating wrinkles, when she felt his tongue slide along her bottom lip. His hand crept up her back and settled against her neck. Grip tight on the back of her neck, he tilted her head back for better access, kissing her fervently once more.

She probably should have known better to give into him once more, knowing full well that their missing presence would be noticed eventually. If someone opened the door at that very moment, she'd have a difficult time explaining their actions. It went without saying how important it was that their sudden romantic link stayed under wraps for the time being. She didn't even want to think about what Kyoya would do.

Izzy boldly wrapped her lips around Mori's tongue, sucking it into her mouth and nibbled on his tongue. He grunted almost in surprise, tapering into a harsh groan against her mouth. She grew more confident, boldly working her lips and tongue against his in sensual caresses.

Eventually she pulled back with a gasp, face flushed as she panted. She managed to gather herself with a huff, still blushing terribly. "Sei un ragazzo cattivo," she tutted under breath.

He skimmed his nails against the back of her neck, grip lessening. "I don't speak Italian, Bera," he pointed out in amusement. She could see the slight red dusting across the bridge of his nose, causing her to smile once more.

"You should learn," Izzy flipped her hair over her shoulder. Mori stepped away and instantly, she missed the warmth he once provided. She nearly pouted and reached for his hands but stopped herself. They wasted enough time hidden away in that little closet anyway. It would probably be a good idea for them to return to the ongoing game.

Mori stepped out of the closet first, giving her the chance to fix her mussed locks and readjust her crooked corset. She flushed even darker and reached behind her to fluff at her bunny tail, realizing that it had become crushed when Mori pressed her against the wall. When she felt like she was presentable, she peeked out of the closet and into the hallway. It was empty except for Mori, who patiently stood guard.

"Do I look okay?" Izzy asked, stepping out the closet fully. She'd done a good job fixing her rumpled appearance though her mouth was swollen and her bunny-ears headband was slightly skewed on her head. He raised a hand towards her, beckoning her closer and she did so, obediently stepping closer to him. Mori reached for the headband, carefully readjusting the band on her head until it was back into place. She watched him, staring up at him from under thick eyelashes with a look of yearning. "Thank you," she uttered sweetly once he deemed her presentable.

Mori grunted and quickly looked away from her powerful gaze, feeling a ball of fire ignited deep within his gut. She didn't seem offended, chuckling in amusement instead. "Mori? Could you…" she motioned for him to come closer, smiling even wider when he did so without question.

Unexpectedly, she grabbed him by his blazer once more to lean up against him. She laid several kisses against his throat, especially his Adam's apple before nipping gently at his skin. Satisfied she quickly let him go and set off down the hallway, shouting over her shoulder. "Let's get back to the game, yeah?"

Mori watched her for several seconds, visibly blushing and wishing they could just abandon the damn game in the first place. He had better ideas on how they could spend their time.

"Well, wasn't that fun?"

Mercifully the game had ended and Izzy managed to evade being captured by the girls and boys. Haruhi lost despite the efforts of Kyoya and Tamaki, though she was sure Kyoya and Haruhi hadn't tried all that hard in the first place. To her amusement, Fumiko was the one who managed to catch Haruhi, though apparently it was more of an accident as Fumiko turned a corner too sharply and slammed right into the brunette. Honey also lost but he may or may not have thrown the game when Hisa, the one who caught him, offered him readily-prepared treats.

"I doubt you thought it was actually fun, Senpai," Haruhi snorted while taking off her tophat. "You probably had to do a lot of running given the excitement from our classmates. Is your ankle okay?"

"Takashi probably carried her," Honey grinned. "Since no one caught Berry-chan, does that mean he gets a kiss from her?"

Izzy paused in the middle of removing her headband, smile becoming stiff as she regarded the pint-sized shota. She was seriously beginning to think that his cutesy act was all just a front in order to hide his more conniving side. "Well, um, ara—" she laughed nervously. "I'm sure that's not necessary, yeah?"

Hikaru and Kaoru eyed her suspiciously. "But he won the game, Senpai," they chorused together, grinning deviously as her face heated up. "And the rules said that whoever wins gets a kiss from a bunny. You're the bunny, aren't you?" They slithered closer, pulling playfully at her bunny ears and bunny tail. She shooed them away, still blushing.

"Those are the rules, Senpai," Kyoya piped up, shocking her. She turned to look at him, feeling somewhat betrayed and suspicious at the same time. Today's event was too much of a coincidence for her. Suspiciously, she eyed both Kyoya and Honey and wondered if they were up to something. Or hell, if they were trying to smoke her out and see how long it would take for her to crack. Mori, she was sure, would be able to hold out. He had a much better disposition than she did, far less panicky than she was.

"Your face is really red, Senpai. Are you okay?"

"Shut up, Tamaki."

Kyoya and Honey were both watching but she couldn't decide if they were guilty of something or not. It was hard to tell and she realized just then how good of a poker face the two had. Kyoya, of course, didn't really surprise her but Honey was someone she clearly had to keep a better eye on.

"Fine, fine. It's not like we haven't kissed before." She paused and realized her error. "Since Christmas and everything, it shouldn't be such a big deal since you've all gotten a kiss from me before anyway!" She tried to cover her slip-up though she noticed Honey tilted his head up at her, a strange look flitting in his butterscotch eyes. Instead she turned to Mori, who'd been quietly sitting with his arms folded across his chest, unaffected as usual.

She made a face and sat down on the arm of the couch, leaning over to wrap her arm around his neck. He shifted closer, easily bracing her weight against his side. She eyed him carefully but his stony expression remained the same. "Nessun affare divertente," she warned though she knew he had no idea what she said. Hopefully, her pointed look was enough for him to understand.

Izzy leaned even further over and very carefully placed a chaste kiss against his cheek. She didn't immediately pull away, allowing her thick hair to fall over her shoulder and create a curtain, slyly hiding when she nipped at his cheek. Mori grunted quietly but Izzy was already pulling away with an innocent smile.

"What kind of kiss was that?" Hikaru threw his hands up.

"What do you mean? It was a kiss," Izzy shrugged innocently.

"We meant on the mouth, Senpai!" Kaoru whined from next to Hikaru.

Izzy's innocent smile turned into a mischievous grin. "No one said what kind of kiss it had to be," she sang innocently. "Ragazzi cattivi," she tutted with a laugh before jumping up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, this outfit is ridiculous." She hurried off before they could continue fussing at her, still chuckling.

"Sorry, Mori-Senpai, we tried!" Kaoru and Hikaru chorused together. Mori only glanced up at them, seemingly amused with their teasing but ultimately said nothing. He was too busy still reeling over the feeling of her teeth against his skin.

"Stop harassing Mori-senpai," Tamaki shooed them away. Everything settled back to normal as Haruhi and Honey also undressed out of the bunny-costumes. Izzy was thankful that something else had the twins' attention by the time she returned and they thankfully moved on from the talk of bunnies and kisses.

Izzy realized at the last second just as they were all leaving that she still needed to talk to Mori. "Hey, can I ask you something? In…ara…private?" she asked quietly, hand coiling around his arm to stop him as they all left the Host clubroom.

Mori only glanced at Honey and she was honestly surprised when he went bounding off ahead of them, nearly tackling Tamaki in a bid to ride his shoulders instead. She snorted in amusement as the taller blond struggled to regain his footing. "What is it?" Mori asked after watching Tamaki nearly go down.

"Well…uh….my parents are visiting Japan right now. They wanted me to come back to Italy with them—"

"I thought you were staying."

"I am, I am, don't worry," she grinned up at him. "They agreed, I had to promise to do well in school, which is a fair trade-off. But..um…well…"

"Well..?" Mori gently coaxed her.

"They want to…meet you. I had to tell them about you, I mean, I wasn't really given a choice but they want to meet you before they leave, well, they actually demanded it," she was rambling, she realized, overcome with worry that he would think poorly of the notion. Maybe their relationship was still too fresh to even meet her parents, maybe she was being presumptuous. "If you're not comfortable with it, I understand! I'll just tell them—"

"Okay."

Izzy paused, blinking her big eyes up at him. "Sorry?"

"Okay," Mori nodded simply. "I'll meet your parents. You've met mine already."

"That's when we were still just friends."

"So you want to meet them again?"

"Well, it would be rude of me not to, don't you think?"

"Same for me then."

Izzy immediately began to smile, feeling very giddy at his easy agreement. She'd been agonizing over asking him to meet Masami and Alphonse all day. "Okay. I'll figure out the details and let you know." She reached for his hand, pulling him towards her chest. "I think they'll like you but my brothers might try to intimidate you. Don't pay them any mind, okay? They're harmless."

Really, she wasn't that worried but she knew her brothers might go overboard in trying to intimidate him. They knew better and ran the risk of not only upsetting their sister but Masami as well. It went without saying that no one liked when Masami was upset.

Mori nodded once more, causing her to nod as well. She glanced around his large form, making sure that their friends were gone before leaning on the tips of her toes once more. "It's a date," she declared right before kissing him.

She was so focused on her friends being out of sight, she completely missed the pair of eyes watching them.

Tee: I was determined to get Izzy into a bunny costume. I regret nothing though I had to keep reminding myself that this a rated T fanfic lol. Pretty sure there's no such thing as spirit week in Japan but we'll just ignore that for the sake of Izzy being put into a bunny costume. Sometimes I worry that Mori is a little too OOC but given the fact that they damn there gave my boy the personality of a wet paper bag, I think we can let it slide. And yes, I totally want to write a lemon for them, maybe a side-fic when they're in college or something.

And thank you all so much for the continued well wishes!! I really felt the love and made great progress in recovering from surgery. Hopefully this will be the last time, fingers crossed.

Sei un ragazzo cattivo - You're a naughty boy

Nessun affare divertente - No funny business

Ragazzi cattivi - Naughty boys