Author's note: Sorry if my chapters aren't uniform in size. This is marked as romance/humor, it will get humorous once others are introduced (like the host club). My OC and Kyoya aren't really humorous individuals.
Maria went into her office and changed into something a bit more casual; her usual birkenstocks, a pair of black fitness shorts, and a maroon colored sweatshirt from her shop in high school. This school being a prestigious technical academy with many fields of study and naturally Maria was in manufacturing and engineering division. Kyoya had already left to the agreed coffee shop just a few miles into town away from the industrial park that he just was in.
'What a perplexing young woman no wonder father sought her out as a potential bride for me' he thought to himself as his driver pulled up to his destination. Maria was right behind pulling up behind his car in a black mustang. 'Even more interesting' he thought as he scribbled her potential favoritism of american muscle cars.
The coffee shop was quant ,specifically a certain hole in the wall charm if you will. The cafe had book shelves lining the back wall with all sorts of books on just about anything. Anything from autobiographies to philosophy and just about everything in between. But this wasn't the time to read this was suppose to be a moderately important discussion between two individuals potentially entering a courtship. They were seated at table nuzzled into the corner of shop.
"So are you actually going to talk about yourself unlike Tamaki who wouldn't stop talking about his friends for just a minute?" Maria had this pleasant warm feeling about her as she spoke almost calming it was quite refreshing instead of the airheads his father pressing onto him. "Well Tamaki loves all his friends like they are his family so it's only to be expected per his nature" he said while closing his notebook and slowly putting it on the table. Maria was jumpy by nature and was scared by sudden noises at least thats some of intel he received before meeting her.
"I think it's quite intriguing that you didn't ask around about myself i think it would have been wise of you to do so before meeting. I have a work up on you and studied it on the plane ride here" Kyoya stated smoothly and slyly.
"I would judge you before even meeting you if I had asked around about you and i don't think that would be fair to you or to myself" she stated quite plainly.
"Well that is an interesting notion i suppose and I guess that mean i have to actually tell you about myself. Well i'm a second year at Ouran Academy, i'm currently at the top of the class for my year and i'm the vice-president of the host club at Ouran Academy. My birthday is November 22nd I am the third son of the Ootori family which means I will likely not be the heir to the zaibatsu. So does that satisfy you on getting to know me?"
Maria seems a little deep in thought as she drank her coffee before speaking "Well besides some minor details that i'll probably find out at a later date I've got a pretty decent feel for you and honestly i like that you're all business and I find that attractive scorpio like you would be a great counter to a taurus such as of the suitors my father has been sending my way have all been a loaf at best all heirs to their respective families there too soft for my tastes not enough grit to them if you ask me" she spoke as if talking to an old acquaintance she was comfortable and relaxed for once.
"Well there must be something I could probably fill in the blanks for you. Your sources don't everything about me" Maria stated in a sort of whimsical tone.
"Well are some things like for example your tastes in music and maybe some other miscellaneous things about yourself because my sources have only told me of your professional aspects" Kyoya stated with intent.
"Well i'll tell quite a bit about myself then. I'm currently a 3rd year in the Garon Technical Academy's manufacturing and engineering America there are four years of high school so were in about the same year if im correct. Unlike you i'm not the top of my class i'm too busy consulting for that. As for my upbringing I may be half japanese but I have never met my mother or even heard from that side of the family. I was raised in a traditional italian american home. We tend to be loud but not really aggressive although the women are raised from a young age to domestic goddesses they are brought up to be tougher than any man they will ever meet. My music tastes vary from punk rock to jazz but i normally listen to jazz. Specifically the greats like Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, and Ella Fitzgerald. As you know of my professional life if i'm not putting out fires at other companies that willing pay top dollar for my services i'm in charge of quality control at a few of the factories that my family owns. I play tinker with stuff in my workshop and play way too many video games in my free time. I really hoped that helped with your lack of information" she said looking down at her coffee.
There was a light blush that started to erupt from her cheeks. Kyoya noticed "You shouldn't really be embarrassed about anything I asked you a question and you gave me an answer. They were some interesting answers to be frank; american customs are bizarre but then again any customs outside your own you tend to view as abnormal" Kyoya said in a moderately suave voice trying to soothe the heiress.
" Ya'know Tamaki did mention how you are not only you're the vice-president of the club but also a host yourself. I will ask you only just this once, please be genuine with me; you don't really need to use those host techniques on me we both are relatively mature compare to our peers so let's treat each other as equals ,ok?"
She said meekly and sweetly with the soft blush becoming more prominent. "So are we signing the contract or what?" Kyoya said slyly trying to evoke a deeper blush on her "You know there isn't an actual contract for us to sign at least that i'm aware of. It's mostly you stating to my father that you wish court me and potentially marry me at some point if life goes according to plan for once and please cut that out you're making me blush a lot" she said while trying to hide her face in sleeves of her sweatshirt.
"Maria there is no reason for you to hide your face from me if that's what the contract is then I will carry through with it. You are an enigma that may take eons to unravel and that may just be the beginning" he said suavely gesturing her to stand up.
"You need to stop being too suave all the time it's quite embarrassing for me" she said very bluntly while standing up from the table after paying for their coffees. "Its getting late you should head back to whatever hotel you're staying at with your father we can deal with my father tomorrow morning" she coughed, she was not used to speaking this much.
"Well that's one detail i did neglect to mention your father insisted on us heavily on staying at the family home so that's where we are staying" he stated frankly while they were walking out to the car.
"Oh cool, so your dad and my dad are probably having a few glasses of wine and getting all chummy while my grandmother is probably harassing your father about not eating more of her food and that he should eat more in general because he's too skinny" she stated while rubbing the area where her glasses were just were seated on her nose pretending to not be annoyed and tired.
"So I guess that means i'm sleeping at home and not in my workshop like usual. Oh well i guess you get to see my workshop tomorrow that's if you guys are staying for a little tomorrow before heading out" she said with a mildly upset look.
She didn't hate her family but she enjoyed her solitude and her machines. "I'll see what I can do about moving our flight i suppose" he said trying to cheer her up it wasn't everyday that someone was this upset about him leaving tamaki maybe was a close second 'Well I guess she likes me maybe this won't be something of convenience after all' he thought to himself calmed yet surprised emotions are normally not his thing.
"Well let's go home then" she says while her mustang roars to life. The ride home was quiet and short ;she didn't live that far away. As they arrived to her home it was a moderate sized home a 4 bedroom home with a workshop on the property as well. "Well this is it I'm assuming its a lot smaller than you are accustomed to" she said as they entered into the home. "
Maria are you hungry, dinner is ready" her nona asked with glee.
"I could eat I suppose" she said while wondering what delicious meal was made this time. "Chicken Parmigiana, hopefully it will be to your liking Mr Ootori" Nona said in earnest.
"Nona please relax and go sit ; i'll take care of the plates for us now please go sit and i'll get you some tea ok Nona" she said while trying to get the older woman to sit down and relax.
Her grandmother always gets high strung around guests especially important ones. "Ok dear let me know if you need anything" her nona said going into the other room. "So is her name nona or is that a title" Kyoya asked wondering if this was part of that Italian upbringing.
"Yea she's my grandmother from what my dad has told me nona means grandmother in Italian. I could be wrong though" she tapping a finger against her head after grabbing plates of food for both of them.
Kyoya has eaten Italian before, the cooks at home were top notch after all, but this was different it tasted warm but not in sense of heat but in the way it was prepared with special care.
"That was quite delicious is there any chance I could get the recipe for our chefs at home" he asked assuming it wouldn't be problem.
"Dude, I can't even get the recipe from my grandmother. At best I might be able to once I'm married but that won't be for awhile and there is a certain thing about preparing food for someone you care about changes the composition I've never been able to put my finger on it" she said a little defensively.
"I'm sorry for intruding on a family secret recipe I don't mean any harm" he said trying to cover himself from upsetting her anymore;she was starting to get annoyed with him he could feel the searing heat from her.
"It's ok you didn't know I don't expect you to know anything past what I've told and whatever your sources have told you about me" Maria said while regaining her composure she was always short tempered but its was executives that weren't fond of her methods that she would butt heads with; it was a little unlike her. Kyoya challenged her in ways she wasn't quite sure of yet.
"I'm going to make Nona some tea and then i'm heading off to bed ok i'll show you to where you will be staying" she said while walking to the stove to start heating the kettle for tea. A few moments later the kettle started to whistle, she started to smile while making the tea, she seemed the most content and happy with a mug in her hand whether it was hers or someone else or coffee or tea, it didn't matter. She handed the cup to her nona "here you go Nona now please relax i'll bring our guest to his room."
Her grandmother nodded and sipped her tea. Maria brought Kyoya to one of the guest rooms "here it is everything should be prepared i'll see you in the morning ok, sunshine.
She smiled really big but not the evil smile she gave his father it was genuine and excited like a little kid but her eyes felt like a first love behind her dirty glasses. They both said their good nights and went into their respective rooms.
Kyoya was in deep thought as usual 'she is kind beautiful, caring, intelligent by far, and brings emotions out me not bad ones like how Tamaki does occasionally. For once this appears how it is suppose to be. A relationship born out of a marriage of convenience. I wonder how Tamaki will take this when I get back' . He was drunk in thoughts of her of how she acted and thought she was cast from a different metal than the other young girls he catered to. They were cast in platinum and gold ,soft but valuable metal, while she was cast in steel hardy versatile and useful; she is world renowned after all. He changed into comfy clothes and proceeded to lie in bed trying to sleep. It wasn't really to any avail so tomorrow would be a gruesome day at best. He just couldn't stop thinking about what he had gotten himself into.
Maria wasn't having much luck either with sleeping. She was enticed by his grey eyes and his almost rehearsed gentlemen like manner. It was something rare that she wasn't used too. All her male classmates were course and rude. He was so her type she couldn't stand it but she needed to hide her excitement til she was sure that he was willing to deal with her. She was aware that this was most likely a marriage of convenience for him to become to his family's company heir. It would never be for love she thought as she slowly drifted off to sleep.