Author's Note: Hi. This story is actually for the FF contest in the FRoP forums, but you guys can enjoy it here. Oneshot. Feel free to R&R. You can also feel free to yell at my horrible writing, flame me with passion, then stomp away in disgust.
Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host Club. Period. Leave me alone while I go to Tamaki's Corner of Woe.
"No."
Fujioka Haruhi narrowed her large, brown eyes at the two menacing figures.
"I mean it," she said, backing away from them, "Go away, or else."
The two didn't retreat and heed her warning and kept advancing. Haruhi retreated slowly, glaring at them. After taking a few steps, she felt the wall against her back and realized that she was trapped.
"You can't escape." The shadowy figures chanted as they loomed over her threateningly. Haruhi gulped as beads of sweat ran down her face. She was in big trouble.
"Stop it, Hikaru and Kaoru," Hunny said.
Light flooded the room and Hunny approached them. He was carrying a pink, stuffed bunny in his arms and it bounced as Hunny skipped towards them cheerfully. His golden, brown hair swished lightly as he leapt and landed next to the twins. Behind Hunny came Mori, the stoic and so called 'Wild Type' of the Host Club followed Hunny and stepped up beside him. They stared down at Haruhi.
"C'mon you guys," Haruhi said in exasperation, "I don't have time for another one of your stupid games. I need to go home and study."
She looked up at Hikaru and Kaoru. The twin brothers were similar in looks, yet different in personality. But right now, they were wearing identical impish expressions, and their eyes held glints of mischievousness.
"I'll cut the rest of your debt by half," said Kyoya. He was leaning on a column a few feet away from them and scribbling in his ledger.
"I don't care," Haruhi replied defiantly. She drew herself up and stared at them indignantly. "You can't possibly make me do something this asinine."
"C'mon Haruhi, it's not so bad," Hikaru and Kaoru said. They leaned placed their half-bent arms on Haruhi's shoulder and looked at her beseechingly.
"Yes it is," she replied and pushed them away.
"Tamaki would be so happy," Hunny said. His large, chocolate-colored yes widened and he pouted at Haruhi. Haruhi bit her lip as she looked at Hunny. After taking one look at his puppy dog eyes, begging her to say yes, Haruhi was having an extremely hard time refusing.
"C'mon Haruhi," the twins said again.
"Please, Haruhi," Hunny said pleadingly.
Mori looked at Haruhi in an imploring way, but said nothing. Kyoya pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose and closed his ledger.
"Seventy-five percent," he said.
Haruhi sighed. There was no resisting.
"Oh, all right," she said. They all smiled. Then Hikaru and Kaoru pounced.
"Right, as you very well know, Tamaki's 18th birthday is tonight," Hikaru said. His arms were akimbo as he scrutinized Haruhi carefully. Haruhi was sitting on a chair with a puzzled look on her face. Or perhaps it was an expression of contempt and desire to go home.
"And he's hosting a birthday ball at the Suoh mansion," Kaoru added.
"As if I could forget," Haruhi said, snorting. "Tamaki has been reminding me for the past week. He's been driving me crazy."
"Right," Hikaru interjected, "You're going aren't you?"
"Do I have a choice?" Haruhi asked, scowling.
"Probably not," they answered, smirking.
"So then, I'm going," she said.
"Yay! Haru-chan's coming to Tamaki's ball!" Hunny said. He jumped up and down in delight.
"Yeah," Mori said beside him.
"So, anyway," Hikaru continued, "We decided that you had nothing to give Tamaki as a birthday present." Haruhi blanched and frowned.
"It doesn't matter, we know," Kaoru said as Haruhi opened her mouth. "Tamaki would take anything you give him and love it above any other gift."
"And, so?" Haruhi asked, wishing she could just not go to Tamaki's stupid ball. She knew it would be rude not to go, especially since Tamaki had been on his knees when he entreated her to come and offered her a beige envelope, containing an invitation to Tamaki's 18th birthday ball.
"Even though Tamaki would take anything you give him," Hikaru answered.
"We thought that while you were at it," Kaoru continued.
"You could give him something meaningful and he'll remember for the rest of his life," they said together.
"I'm dreading to know what you came up with," Haruhi said.
"Tamaki's balls always start out with a first dance," Kyoya said. He was still writing in his ledger intently. Haruhi winced as his words sank in.
"Tamaki chooses someone to dance with," Kyoya continued, ignoring her, "And then they waltz to one song. After that, the dance floor is open and other couples can dance as well."
"Let me guess," Haruhi said, glaring at them.
"We thought Tamaki would like it if your birthday present for him was the first dance," Hunny said, declaring the obvious.
"What makes you think he'd like his first dance to be with me?" she demanded.
They looked at her.
"Are you kidding?" Hikaru and Kaoru asked.
Haruhi sighed and drooped in her seat.
"Fine," she said.
"You're going to be great," Hunny reassured her as he took out a small suitcase from nowhere and opened it. The twins took out packages and random hangers with dresses as well.
"Oh, no," Haruhi groaned.
"You can come out now," Kaoru called out. The twins' twin maids stepped out of the shadows and looked at Haruhi with delight.
"Urk," she said, waving them away half-heartedly. There wasn't any point in resisting as the identical maids ignored her attempts and took her arms and rushed off to dress Haruhi up.
"Beautiful," the maids' said simultaneously as Haruhi examined herself on a tall, glass mirror.
They had eventually chosen a white dress that went a little past her knees. It had short, puffy sleeves and there was a small, red rose on the center of the V-shaped collar. A cloth belt was around Haruhi's waist and a bow was tied at the back. The dress was simple, yet graceful and it was just right on her petite figure.
Her short hair was covered by long tresses that cascaded down her back. A small amount of light pink lipstick covered her curvy lips and her face was covered in thin blush, bringing out the color of her eyes.
"How does she look?" the twins asked, popping their heads in. They started when she turned towards them.
"Haru-chan?" Hunny asked as he wandered in the small room. He gazed happily at Haruhi and gushed, "Haru-chan is so cute! Tama-chan would love to dance with you!"
"She's a masterpiece," Hikaru and Kaoru said. They turned to the maids, smiling. "You two did an excellent job."
"We know," the maids replied.
"Doesn't she look beautiful, Takashi?" Hunny asked Mori who had followed him in.
"Yeah," Mori agreed.
"And now, let's get you to Tamaki's ball!" The twins declared and hauled her off to the Suoh mansion.
Haruhi stood in the shadow of a large pillar as she watched people of significant positions mingle and ignore her. Music drifted through the room as an orchestra played in one side of the room. Haruhi watched Tamaki wander around the room, talking to various people and looking around carefully. Tamaki wore a white tuxedo jacket over a white, collared shirt and his pants were also white.
Suddenly, the lights dimmed and a spotlight on the middle of the dance floor appeared. Silence surrounded the room as people parted and made a pathway for Tamaki who went to stand in the spotlight.
"Thank you all for coming to my birthday ball," he announced, waving his arms in his usual exaggerated fashion. "To begin, I would like to choose a young lady for the first dance, and then the dance floor would be open for others to follow."
Whispers and giggles could be heard as Tamaki smiled and his eyes drifted across the room looking for his partner. Haruhi sighed and stepped out into the light. Tamaki spotted her and was in front of her in an instant.
"Haruhi, you came!" he said enthusiastically, taking the sight of her in. Tamaki's eyes widened and he blushed as she smiled up at him.
"Would you like to dance with me?" he asked her eagerly.
Haruhi nodded. "Sure."
Tamaki eyes turned into hearts as he bowed and took Haruhi's hand. There were some sighs of disappointment from others who had wanted to dance with Tamaki. There were also some noises of delight as some remarked on how cute of a couple Tamaki and Haruhi made.
Tamaki heard and saw nothing but Haruhi as he wrapped his arm around her small waist, took her hand in his, and they began to dance.
Tamaki led Haruhi into graceful steps and twirled her gently to the music. The song was Sonatina by Daniel Kuhlau and it was lively and melancholy at the same time. Tamaki looked into Haruhi's eyes, happiness welling up in him as he beamed at her.
"This isn't so bad," Haruhi thought as she tried to keep up with Tamaki's elegant steps and found that she was enjoying herself.
His arm felt right around her and her hand felt right in his.
Haruhi looked into Tamaki's dark violet eyes and relaxed as the music washed over her.
"I was afraid you weren't going to come," Tamaki said.
Haruhi turned from the balcony to see Tamaki walking towards her, smiling.
"I followed you when you left," he explained, taking his place next to her.
Haruhi had thanked Tamaki for the dance then sidestepped everyone and escaped into the veranda in the next room to get some fresh air and time away from the wealthy and the powerful.
"I didn't want to come," Haruhi said truthfully.
Stab. An arrow suddenly appeared, piercing Tamaki through the chest. He was about to go into depressed mode, but he stopped when he caught hold of Haruhi's eyes. They were looking at the black sky, enlightened by the glowing moon and millions of stars. Tamaki sighed as he watched the cool breeze tease a few strands of hair across her eyes.
"So, why did you?" he asked, looking up at the sky as well.
"The others told me that my birthday present was going to be the first dance," she answered.
"Oh, I see." Tamaki frowned. So it hadn't been her choice.
Haruhi heard the slight bitterness in her voice and she looked at him in surprise.
"I liked dancing with you," she said without thinking.
"Really?" Tamaki looked at her in surprise.
"Yes," Haruhi replied, startled to know that she did. Tamaki smiled at her and she found herself smiling back. They held each others' gazes for a moment.
"Happy birthday," Haruhi whispered.
"Thank you," Tamaki replied, "It was the best gift I've ever received."
There was another pause as brown eyes met indigo ones. Tamaki leaned forward and kissed Haruhi lightly on the forehead.
"Thank you," he said again, eyes shining like the moon.
Haruhi looked away and smiled.
Author's Farewells: I hoped you like it. Please feel free to let me know what you think!Ja ne!