Shion had to collect himself before going into the dining room. Kyoya was no doubt going to be joining in a minute or two, and he needed to not act like anything of sorts was out of place. Fangirls had keen eyes, he learned from some previous experiences with Satsuki who somehow always could tell if something happened between the two. How she knew exactly, he had no idea.

Dinner went by uneventfully, surprising with the twins and Satsuki there, but it went by just like any other hosting session. Except that they were eating dinner. That was the only difference really.

Shion was just getting up from his seat and pushing it back into its proper place when a girl approached him.

Kyoya looked to Shion to see what was holding him up when he saw a girl blushing deeply while talking to him. He saw Shion nod with a smile—a fake one, he could tell, but the girl apparently couldn't—and the girl walked away.

"So, why were you two late for dinner?"

Kyoya turned to the voice beside him, Haruhi, and took his attention away from Shion. "I was waiting for him to finish his shower," he responded. "It took longer than I thought it would have."

Haruhi's face stayed blank for a moment, partially not believing him, "Hmm, alright." It felt like something was missing. Like she didn't have the whole picture.

"I'll join you guys in the room later," Shion announced to the club members, "I just have some business to take care of." Before any of them could answer, Shion had already left the dining room.

About an hour later, Shion entered the hotel room with a fresh cup of coffee in his hand. "I'm back."

On the second level by the balcony, Shion heard music—or an attempt at it. He totally forgot that there was a piano by the balcony. He went up the stairs to see Haruhi fiddling with the keys, trying to figure out how to play some simple jingles.

"Attempting to play Korobeiniki?"

"O-oh, Shion. I didn't notice you come back." She paused for a moment, a look of confusion, "Korobeiniki?"

"The Tetris theme song." Shion clarified.

"Yeah, I was just fooling around. You want to give it a try?"

Shion sat down on the bench and mused for a moment, "The normal theme would be boring." A grin. He started with triplets of the same notes descending from the top of the scale, then a small chord progression. He did a high staccato chord and stopped for effect before going right into the Tetris theme in ragtime.

"Oh, Shion's back!" Tamaki bounded back indoors through the balcony and with him came a gust of cold air. He heard the piano just like the others that were with him and immediately knew that it was him. Haruhi just didn't have that kind of skill on the piano, so it was quite obvious who was playing.

"Close the door, you're letting the cold in," Kyoya said bitterly. He didn't like the cold, and he had already taken his jacket off, the cold was biting his arms.

"So, what did that girl want with you?" "Yeah, yeah, tell us~!"

"She asked me out. I said no." Shion kept it short and to the point, trying to focus on playing and talking at the same time was difficult. It was worse than trying to play the guitar and singing—and that was hella hard for him to learn.

"S-Shion g-got a love confession?!" Tamaki all but shrieked, the strings on the piano vibrated with the same frequency. There were multiple winces from the occupants in the room from the ear-splitting pitch and volume.

"He has been rising in popularity." "What did you say to her?"

"I just said that I wasn't interested." It wasn't completely true, but it wasn't false either. He wasn't sure why they were raising such a fuss about it. "Now, enough about me."

"Awwe, is Shion shyyy?" Shion sent his darkest glare to the twins for that comment, and they flinched at the dark look.

"Why would I hop into a relationship with some stranger that I don't know?" Shion scoffed, "Sure, she may know me, but I didn't remember her name or face."

"Ouch, that's cold."

For humours sake, he played a little well-known part of Chopin's Funeral March, "Cold as it is, it's the truth." Shion said it with such a straight face, and with the music, they just could not take it seriously anymore. They broke out into laughter.

"Eyy, Shiooon~!" There was a loud call from Satsuki—who shouldn't have had any way to get into the suite that they were in.

"Kagami-san, please, humour me. How did you two get in here?" Kyoya asked with a dangerous glint in his framed eyes.

"She," he jabbed a thumb at Satsuki, who he was now holding by her collar to stop her from tackling Shion, "found one of your room keys on the ground in the dining room."

"Uh, tee-hee?"

"Well... at least she didn't sneak in here at the dead of night."

"Haruhi! You're a genius!"

"Satsuki," Shion warned in a flat tone, a threat certainly implied. "Key. Now."

"Alright, alright, fine," she pouted. "I thought we could have played a game or something, though."

Aaron scoffed, "Not after the last one." A game with Satsuki was not warranted without several precautions.

"Not even a card game?"

After much whining from the female blonde in the room, Shion finally gave in to playing a card game. It was worse than Tamaki when he wanted Shion to do something with him in class.

"You," he gave a pointed look to Satsuki, "have no say in what game we play." Shion descended the stairs and went into the room he occupied with Kyoya. He grabbed his bag and brought it out with him. He sat down in the chair by the table in the sitting area. "We'll play Gin Rummy One-hundred—obviously no alcohol."

"Which rules?" Aaron asked.

"Anything above ten is ten points. Aces and twos are an exception, as aces will be twenty points each, and twos are wild cards worth forty points each. When you have a run or a set, place it face up on the table. Oh, and if you use a two and someone has the card that the two's representing, then you can steal it."

"Alright, got it."

"Uh... I'll just get the hang of it while we play." Satsuki wasn't used to those rules.

Sometime later, Shion was overlooking Aaron and Satsuki leaning over the table they were playing on.

"Have mercy upon us, lord Shion." The person being addressed rose an eyebrow.

"I assume that means to stop playing?" Aaron tilted his head, making his cheek flush with the table, to look to Satsuki.

"You would be killer in Vegas." She grumbled into the table.

"Oh, would I?"

I suppose it's good that they don't know...

Shion—back in the states—had a group of friends in which they did some... sketchy things. Gambling was one of them, so he knew his way around card games. He heard a yawn from behind him and tilted his head back against the chair, looking up at Kyoya. A small smile crept up on him, "Tired, Ootori?"

Satsuki nudged Aaron and stretched, getting up from her position. She could feel the tension between the two and she had to stop herself from smiling creepily. "Well, night Shion. See you later."

"Wait." Shion narrowed his eyes, "Key."

"Damn it!"

• • • • • •

Shion chuckled as he closed the door behind his friends. He knew Satsuki was up to something. Good thing I acted upon that suspicion. He did not want a mischievous Satsuki prowling around the place at night. The twins were enough—and they have been surprisingly good on the trip.

"It's best that we all go to sleep now. We're leaving in the morning."

At Kyoya's recommendation, they all got ready for bed.

Now Shion was facing the wall in the large bed that he and Kyoya shared, staring into the shadows the moon cast into the room. It's been about an hour since they laid down, but Kyoya kept shifting in the bed.

He's uncomfortable, Shion frowned. Damn it, I knew I shouldn't have done that.

"Fuck," Shion sighed lightly and got up from the bed. He looked over to Kyoya briefly and looked away with guilt, "I messed up..." He pulled on his hair, trying to make himself get a grip. Getting up and grabbing his pillow, he left the room to sleep on the couch in the sitting area.

When the door shut, Kyoya turned onto his back to look up at the ceiling. He... didn't know what to think. Shion probably didn't realise it, but he had thought aloud. So, he's just as... flustered... as I am... He now had some insight on how Shion felt.

But... does he feel how I feel?

He was afraid to inquire about the matter.

Drowning in his thoughts, he couldn't help but remember. He felt his cheeks warm. He felt frustrated when the fiasco with Ko came to mind. He wanted to punch Shion and—Enough. He refused to go any further with that track of thought. He needed to follow his own advice and sleep.

Imprudent hormones.

• • • • • •

Honey stared at the lump on the couch. "..." he blinked and looked up to Mori in question. Takashi lifted his shoulders in a shrug, he had no clue—well, he could hazard a guess, but he didn't want to face the repercussions—as to why Shion was on the couch.

The two decided to make the wiser of two choices—play it safe and be quiet until the others woke up.

The next people who woke up were the twins and Tamaki, followed by Haruhi.

Haruhi frowned thoughtfully, "Why... is he on the couch?" The shrug from Mori returned, not helping to answer Haruhi's question.

"Why indeed." Kyoya fixed his glasses with a gleam.

"You don't know why either Kyoya?"

Shion blinked and looked around, he's been up for a few minutes now. "What... the fuck are you guys doing hovering around me like that." It was not something pleasant to wake up to. "And I was on the couch because," he looked at Kyoya for a brief moment, "Ootori's a cover hog."

By the look he was getting, Kyoya did not approve of that excuse. Maybe it wasn't Shion's best choice of words, but it was the first thing—second actually—that came to mind. The first being too close to the actual issue—being too uncomfortable to sleep because he acted on his own suspicions and sexually harassed Ootori Kyoya—so, wisely, he didn't use that one.

"We are leaving in an hour," Kyoya clipped with some unrestrained irritation. "Get ready."

It took a little longer for everyone to get ready, but they made it to the train station in time. Shion felt his eye twitch.

"No—it goes like this!"

The argument between the rowdier members of the group—Aaron, Satsuki, the twins, and Tamaki—was escalating. Shion's headache, accompanied by his sour mood, made him unable to tolerate it as he would normally be able to. He didn't even get to have his morning coffee.

"Enough!" He shouted and slammed his arm into the armrest of the seat, the loud noise getting the others to stop, "If you're going to be so goddamn fucking loud, move somewhere else." His arm was tingling and stung in pain from the force of his hit. "Fucking hell."

The group moved to the other side of the aisle and continued talking in hushed tones to avoid Shion's wrath.

"Finally." "At long last."

Shion looked up to the voice that matched his. He was getting a feel of deja vu since Kyoya was sitting in front of him again. I would have thought that he would sit away from me, not closer. Hmm... He pulled the hood from his sweater up and rested his chin on his palm, looking at the passing scenery out the window. They had a few hours to travel.

"Ootori?"

The one in question looked up from their book, "Hmm? Yes, Hakuba?"

"How long is this trip?"

"Just about four hours."

Shion blinked and frowned, that's longer than I thought. That also meant that he wouldn't be able to escape the awkward tension between the two of them without making it more awkward. He reclined the seat as far as it could go—which was just as good as an airplane's, meaning not very good at all—and took out his book. It would be around two o'clock before they got back.

Kyoya repositioned his bookmark so he wouldn't lose his place, and set his book down on his lap. There wasn't much to do, so he stared out the window for a while.

"Pfft—hahaha!"

Kyoya had to smile at the sound of Shion's laughter. He wondered what he was laughing at and looked to the book he was reading. He blinked, recognizing that cover. It was that racoon book, the one he looked at before... things transpired. His cheeks warmed and he looked away, biting at his lip.

And he was back at square one.

From the sound of laughter, Satsuki looked to the source in wonderment. Everyone else seated by her was asleep, even Aaron, whose head was against her shoulder, and she saw that it was Shion who laughed. She looked over saw the expression on Kyoya's face. She smirked, something's gonna happen. I just know it.

Kyoya stood up, getting a glance from Shion, and reached up overhead to get his bag. Abruptly, he lost his balance and flung forwards when the train screeched to a halt. His eyes closed to brace for impact and arms automatically moved to support himself on the seat in front of him, but he didn't avoid impact with Shion. He felt something soft on his lips and it took a moment for him to realise what position he was in—leaning down over Shion. His face flushed.

To say it was unexpected would be an understatement. He grunted when he was pressed into the seat with the inertia of the train. His eyes widened when he saw Kyoya fly towards him, and their lips locked. The train came to a stop a few seconds later. It took all—all of Shion's self-control to not make a move on him at that moment. Instead, he smirked against his lips and reached up to grab his assaulters chin, moving him away slightly. He looked up at Kyoya through his hooded eyes.

"Woah! What happened?" Honey asked. He was being held up from his collar by Mori, so he didn't get sent flying across the train into the seat in front of him—unlike someone.

"Attention all passengers," the conductor of the train spoke through an intercom. "We apologise for the sudden stop. There has been a minor landslide. Officials should clear it in about an hour's time. Sorry for the inconvenience."

"Oh." Honey blinked. He looked over and saw Kyoya holding his head. "Kyoya!" Honey called in worry, and Kyoya flinched, turning away from Shion's gaze and looking to Honey, "What happened?"

"I—"

"He hit his head," Shion cut him off, grabbing his wrist. He pulled him along to the private room the others occupied earlier.

Mori's and Satsuki's eyes followed Shion as he pulled Kyoya away and saw the determined expression on his face. Note to self. Keep everyone away from that area.

Satsuki almost squealed, "Oh, he is totally the seme." She had no doubt about it. The expression on Shion's face solidified her previously alleged thought.

Shion slid the door open and pushed Kyoya in, locking the door behind himself.

"What is the meaning of this Hakub—" Kyoya's eyes widened in surprise and he stopped talking, Shion's vehement stare freezing him in place. He took a step back when Shion loomed over him. "H-Hakuba?" Kyoya was backed against a wall—literally—and the window felt cold on his back. He felt... intimidated by Shion's mismatched gaze.

"Do you have any idea? What you do to me?"

Kyoya's eyebrows furrowed in disbelief, "What... I do to you?" If what he was saying meant what he thought it did, then—

"Yes," Shion got closer and put a hand on the window above Kyoya's head, his voice deepened, "What you do to me." His other hand held his chin, tilting it upwards to make him maintain eye contact. Shion bit his lip, the look Kyoya was giving him did not help. His could feel it, his self-control was breaking.

Kyoya's blush deepened as he tried to turn away, but Shion's firm hold on him didn't allow that. He felt Shion's thumb press lightly on his lower lip, purposely dragging it across gradually. He lowered his head, lips ghosting over the nape of his neck.

"I'll show you," he brought his knee in-between Kyoya's legs to pin him in place, so he wouldn't be able to escape, "how I feel." He whispered it so lowly that Kyoya wasn't sure he heard it right.

Shion's hand caressed the back of Kyoya's head and gripped his hair lightly. Next thing he knew, Shion's lips were on his. It was a light, tender kiss—something that Kyoya did not expect, and had a much larger impact on him than he would have thought.

"Why?"

Shion did not look away from Kyoya's unwavering onyx eyes, "I've fallen for you, Ootori," and he was still falling, falling into a deep abyss with an unknown depth. He leaned in—and Kyoya felt himself move just a sliver closer—but stopped himself and stepped away, his expression wistful. He didn't want to go any further despite what his body was telling him. He wanted a response, a response of Kyoya's emotions, not his body, but he knew he wasn't going to get one anytime soon.

"Please," Shion ran a hand through his hair, a quiet sigh coming out, "think about it." Kyoya saw Shion's expression when he turned to leave. He looked... hurt. Like he regretted what he did—or because he thought it was unlikely that Kyoya would return his feelings.

When the door closed, Kyoya nearly hit the floor. His hand reached to touch his lip where there was a trace of Shion's lip balm left on them. Everything caught up with him and he truly processed what Shion had said.

"I've fallen for you, Ootori."

"He..." Kyoya's eyes widened and he felt... pleased.

• • • • • •

Shion sat down into his seat with a thump. He felt irritated now and did not want to talk with anyone.

"H-hey, Shion? What's wrong?" Aaron asked from the seat behind him. He flinched when Shion's dark look was directed up to him.

"I'm not in the mood Aaron."

"O-oh-kay then..." He sat back down and sweatdropped, "What crawled up his ass and died?"

"Kyoya! What happened to you?" Tamaki voiced in concern when the raven walked down the aisle with a bandage around his head.

"I hit my head when the train stopped abruptly. I went to find a first aid kit, and a passenger aided me." He sat back down at the seat across from Shion, "My injury is exaggerated."

Shion chuckled with a smile, a smile that Kyoya knew as fake, "You look ridiculous." He leaned over and unwrapped the bandages, gently putting his hand through straight black hair as if he was actually injured.

Kyoya was starting to understand how Shion's mind worked. Shion was going along with the act that he originally made up as an excuse to touch him without making it obvious that he wanted to.

"There, all fixed." He smiled again, this one a little more real, but still hiding something… melancholic. A hint of sadness was just breaching the surface.

It was going to be a long trip. Shion wished he was knocked out for most of the trip—like how he was for the trip there when he was kidnapped.

• • • • • •

He was glad that he was back at his apartment, it was his first time being alone since the start of the trip. Four days without personal space was too much, and now he had some well needed alone time.

"Now I have to start recording things again…"

He focused on his work. Working would keep his mind busy until he cleared his mind. There was a week left until school started up again and he would use that time wisely. He would finish all his projects for his performances even if it killed him. He just didn't want to be stressed over them anymore, then he could focus more on his school work.