Author's note: Chapter 6, and you're still reading! I'm so thrilled! Hang on tight, dear Reader, there is much turbulence cropping up.

Trigger warning: Sky's past is discovered. The death of her parents, vague mention of foster care hell, mental anguish. But there are happy fluffy moments too! There are cuddles and cute nicknames and warm fuzzies! And not to worry, this one ends on a positive note.

As always, I don't own the Hosts, how sad. Reviews/PMs are always welcome!


Kyoya's voice was soft, but firm. It held no room for discussion or argument. Sky's head shot up in confusion, and she stared at him through the tears that filled her bright blue eyes. He gave Honey a pointed look, and sat beside Sky when Honey immediately vacated the seat. He held the ever-present notebook in his hands, and opened it before holding it out to her. She took it in trembling hands and stared, her breath hitching in a sharp gasp.

"It's been my habit to do a background check on all possible clients of the Host Club. You're not a client, obviously, but the same applies for anyone who spends such a great deal of time in our company."

Between his words, and the papers in her hands, Kyoya's meaning slowly started to become clear. Sky whimpered quietly and said nothing. Kyoya nodded slightly and continued.

"Granted, I didn't feel it necessary to share every little detail. But everyone here knows that your birth parents were both teachers in a small American public school, and you grew up with little. We know how you lost them, and when. We know you almost died in that crash as well, and spent a great deal of time in hospital before moving to foster care. Of course, the details of your time there are, hmm…a bit scarce... We know that Kenji and Suzette Hoshimura formally adopted you just shy of your fourteenth birthday. We know that you were home-schooled for a while, then attended an all-girls academy before moving to Japan."

Sky's mouth dropped open and she stared at Kyoya. He just lied, the horrific details of her nightmare in foster care were in clear black and white in his notebook. He raised an eyebrow and gave her the subtlest head shake. He knew, but hadn't divulged the hellish truth to the rest of the group. She didn't know what to say. A few tears spilled over, and her breathing was shallow. Before she could make her brain catch up, Kyoya gave her a little smile and continued.

"Oh yes, and one more little thing. All this lovely brown hair? It isn't real."

It was such a change from the seriousness of a moment ago that it shocked a choked laugh from her sore throat. She coughed and choked for a minute, giggling uncontrollably. Tears streamed down her face, but they were no longer the tears of desperate hopelessness. After a moment, she finally got herself under control and wiped her eyes, sniffling.

"God… Oh man… Well hell, what am I supposed to say now? You're right, that covers just about everything, I guess."

"Wait, wait, wait. What do you mean, Pixie's hair isn't real?"

Tamaki looked so confused and so comical that she almost dissolved into another fit of giggles. Kyoya let out a small laugh.

"Alright, maybe I forgot to share that bit of information."

That was too much. Sky burst into high-pitched giggles, struggling to muffle the sound by placing both hands over her mouth. When they finally tapered off, she turned back to Tamaki.

"Well, shit. I guess I can't really make things worse at this point, can I? It's true, this is a wig. I, uh… It's sort of a compromise, I guess. Since I refuse to wear that ugly yellow monstrosity, I figured it was only fair. I try not to draw too much attention to myself here, because that causes my anxiety to go sky-high. And you've seen what happens then. Poor Takashi's had to witness two panic attacks already."

She flashed a grateful, apologetic smile his way, and was pleased to see a small but genuine smile in response as he nodded. She cleared her throat, but Tamaki spoke up before she could say anything else.

"I don't understand. Why are you wearing a wig? Did you get a bad haircut or something?"

She laughed and shook her head. So naïve.

"Nope. Um, ok, that actually depends on personal opinion and stuff. But no, my real hair is cut the way I want it. It's just… Um… Well, damn."

She shrugged and just went for it. She tugged the wig off, pulled the hair tie out, and flipped her rainbow locks over the right side of her face. She gave her head a tiny shake to settle the jaw-length strands as she smoothed the shorter black pieces down. There was silence as she laid the long brown wig and Kyoya's notebook on the table nearby. She tucked her lip between her teeth and kept her eyes downcast. Just as she started to get really nervous, Tamaki spoke up, his voice quiet but earnest.

"You were right, you're not a princess. You're a majestic unicorn!"

Sky's head shot up in shock, then she burst into surprised laughter. She got another shock just a moment later, as Honey suddenly flung himself onto her lap. She let out a little squeal as he put his hands on her cheeks, but she resisted the urge the pull away. Honey's eyes were wide and bright. Sky swallowed thickly and grew silent, wondering why the little blonde was suddenly so very serious. She tucked her lip between her teeth again, biting nervously as she waited for him to speak.

"I still think you're a princess, Pixie-chan. But not the kind most people think of. You're like a princess and a knight at the same time. You're strong and brave, and you don't need a prince to come rescue you, 'cause you rescue yourself. A regular princess would just stay locked up in the tower and cry all the time and wither away if they went through all the bad things you have. But not our princess. You didn't just escape the tower, you knocked it down and used the bricks to build a beautiful flower garden."

She didn't know what to say. Her eyes filled once more, and she tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. She was moved past shock, completely speechless as Honey pressed a soft kiss on her cheek and gave her a gentle hug. She sniffled and wrapped her arms around his thin frame, actually glad for the contact, surprising herself. After a moment, Honey let go and curled up on the arm of the sofa, sticking close to Sky.

"Very well-said, Honey-senpai."

Kyoya's voice was soft and surprisingly gentle. Sky turned to look at him, and he offered a little smile and patted her hand lightly. Her lips curved into a soft smile in return, and she turned her hand over to hold his for just a moment. Before anything else could be said, however, the twins bounced over and pulled Sky to her feet. She let out a rusty squeak and wobbled unsteadily, but righted herself quickly.

"No fair, we want Pixie cuddles too!"

Before she could even process their statement, the twins had wrapped their arms around her waist from either side, nuzzling against the tall girl's shoulders. She blinked and stuttered for a few seconds, then smiled lightly and curled an arm around each boy, giving them a gentle squeeze. They were shocked, but both pulled back long enough to grin at each other before leaning up to place a quick kiss on her cheeks. Sky blushed a little and gave them both a playful shove.

"Jeez… What's with you guys today?"

She rubbed her eyes roughly, wiping away what she sincerely hoped would be the last tears of the day. She tucked her rainbow locks behind her ear and stared at her feet, hoping that she wasn't blushing as badly as she thought. She was going to sit back down, but didn't get the chance.

Tamaki had approached cautiously. He took Sky's hand gently in both of his, slowly taking a step closer. His eyes were bright as he tilted his head slightly, giving her a questioning look. She offered a tiny smile and held her other arm out, nodding. He smiled broadly and pulled her close, letting go of her hand only to slip his arms around her in a tight hug. She hugged back gently for a moment, then gave him a little nudge.

"Too tight, chardonneret, can't breathe."

Tamaki gasped and jumped back. Before he had a chance to apologize, Sky patted him on the head, giving him a sweet smile. His own radiant grin returned, and he too, swooped in to give the shocked girl a swift peck on the cheek. She laughed softly and waved her hands in mock-frustration.

"God, you guys. I've gotten more kisses today than in the last six years combined! What's going on?"

There were a few soft chuckles, and she glanced around, grinning at everyone. Everyone seemed relieved that the crisis appeared to be over, and there were smiles all around. Tamaki answered her question in a light tone, but his sincerity was obvious.

"You're obviously a unicorn. Or possibly a sorceress. You've worked your magic on us all, Pixie, my dear. Nous t'aimons, princesse."

Sky's jaw dropped. He couldn't possibly have said what she thought she heard. She started to shake her head in denial, but one of the twins piped up.

"My French is pretty terrible, but I know enough to know what that means."

The other twin nodded and continued the thought.

"The Boss is right, you know."

A quick look passed between the twins and Tamaki before the twins spoke together, grinning cheekily at Sky.

"We love you, princess Pixie!"

Honey loudly voiced his agreement, while Kyoya and Takashi both nodded silently. Sky's throat threatened to close, and her eyes filled with tears once again. She refused to allow it, blinking rapidly. She cleared her throat roughly, twice.

"Damnit, you guys. Stop making me cry, my eyes hurt enough already."

She uttered a watery laugh and pressed a knuckle to one eye, her lips curving up in the brightest smile they had seen from her yet.

"I love you guys too. And oh my God, that feels weird to say. Really, really good, but so damned weird."

"Why is it weird, Pixie-chan?"

She turned to look at Honey, who was all sunshine and smiles again. She shrugged a little.

"Because, except for my parents, I haven't loved anyone in almost seven years. And I couldn't let anyone get close, so no one loved me, either."

She sat back down, tucking her feet under her. Patting Honey's hand, she continued in a quiet, but steady voice.

"You see, after Mommy and Daddy died, I didn't have any family left. So after I was well enough physically to leave the hospital, I got put in foster care. I… Well, I can't talk about that just yet, but it was hell. Anyway, just a few days before I turned thirteen, the Hoshimuras took me in. God, I hated them at first. But I was just projecting all the trauma and stuff onto them, they're actually really amazing people. I know I'm blessed to get to have a second set of wonderful parents. So many people don't even get one. Um, anyway, where was I? Oh, right. Mother and Father refused to give up, they were going to love me whether I liked it or not. Before I even knew it, I loved them back. But I had built up these walls around my heart, I wasn't about to let anyone else get close to me. But then, oh then…"

She smiled and gave Honey a little tug, pulling the happy blonde onto her lap and giving him a quick hug. He giggled and hugged back tightly before leaning against her and laying his head on her shoulder as she continued.

"Well, then we moved here. And this adorable little bunny just didn't care in the slightest about my walls. He scaled right over the damned things and knocked them down. So for the first time in years, my heart was open. It's all so new to me, and I admit that I'm still kind of terrified. I mean, not terrified. It's not… Hell. I'm not afraid of any of you guys, that's not what I meant. It's just the idea of getting close to people again. Especially guys. You lot have been amazing, really. But it's been such a short time, and my issues have been around for years. I'm probably going to have more breakdowns, and I'm sure there are going to be times you guys hate me."

"That's not true, Pixie-chan, we could never hate you!"

She smiled and patted the little blonde head, tousling his hair.

"Oh, you just wait, little bunny. You've just seen some tears and a fainting spell. Just wait 'til I really get going."

He giggled and shook his head.

"Nuh uh. You're too sweet and cute, nobody could hate you!"

There were nods and murmurs of agreement from all sides, and Sky blushed a little. Her heart was full, and she was happier than she could have hoped to be. She was so shocked that these lads knew so much of the trauma of her past, and still wanted to be friends. And not just that, but they actually truly cared for her! If she wasn't careful, they were going to make her cry again. She shook her head slightly.

"You're all just too sweet. I'm really grateful, and really lucky to have such good friends. Thank you all so, so much."

She grinned, then flapped her hands, literally waving away the seriousness.

"So, changing the subject before you guys make me cry again! Tamaki, chardonneret, which of my cosplay pieces did you like best?"

It worked. Tamaki's eyes lit up and he bounced in his seat, so excited to talk about one of his favorite subjects. They spent a very enjoyable time discussing cosplay, costumes, and Sky's creative process. Honey laid his head on her shoulder as Tamaki gestured wildly a few feet away, and actually fell asleep a few minutes later as Sky stroked his hair gently. When she noticed, she couldn't help the bright smile that lit up her face.

A little while later, it was time to go home. Tamaki and the twins left after a series of dramatic farewells. Sky almost didn't want to move, she was so content to sit there and cuddle the little ball of sunshine. Takashi lifted him from her arms with ease and settled him on his own broad shoulder, the little blonde never stirring for a moment. Sky stood and stretched her stiff muscles. She noticed Takashi watching with the slightest hint of concern, and shook her head lightly.

"I'm just a little stiff, nothing to worry about."

He nodded, and the concern left his eyes. She smiled and leaned up to place a swift kiss on his cheek, shocking them both.

"Thank you for everything, Takashi. I couldn't have managed today without you."

The faintest blush stained his cheeks at her quiet, emphatic words. He lifted his hand to pat her head, the corner of his mouth turning up in a small smile. Sky wondered at the blush, but said nothing. He stroked her hair once, then turned to leave, offering a small wave to Kyoya.

Sky turned to the so-called Shadow King. He had removed his glasses, and was polishing them with a small cloth. She sat back down next to him, turning to face him fully. She was nervous, but determined to have her say. She took a deep breath to steel herself.

"Kyoya… I'm glad you stayed behind. There's… There's something I have to say."

Kyoya slipped his glasses back on and tucked the cloth away, then angled toward Sky, clasping his hands over his knee. He stayed silent, but gave her his full attention. After a moment of stammering, she finally managed to put her thoughts together in a relatively coherent manner.

"I… I don't know why you didn't say anything to the others about…about, um, the foster home… But I… I'm… I'm really grateful."

She stammered for another moment, trying to continue, but failing. Kyoya simply took one of her trembling hands in his and patted it gently.

"It's alright, Pixie, you don't need to be afraid. That information isn't something that anyone needs to know. I may be the Shadow King, but I'm not actually evil. You're my friend, and I would never purposely hurt a friend."

Sky's lips curved in a small smile, and she breathed a shaky sigh of relief. She looked down at their hands, blinking away the tears that threatened to fall, and then did something that shocked Kyoya greatly. She laid her hands on his cheeks and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead. When she spoke, her words were quiet and simple, but full of emotion.

"Thank you, Kyoya."

A slight blush colored Kyoya's cheeks, and he offered Sky a genuine smile.

"Of course, my dear. You can trust me with anything. I won't ask any hard questions, and I won't bring up subjects that will hurt you, but you should know something."

He reached up and cradled her face in one hand, lightly running his thumb over her heated cheek. He continued in a soft voice.

"I am always right here if you need to talk. About anything at all. I won't judge, I won't offer useless platitudes or cliché advice. I'll just listen, alright?"

Sky sniffled and nodded. Before she could think about it, she had pulled the lad into a tight hug. Kyoya made a shocked noise, but wrapped his arms around his friend and embraced her gently. She pulled away after a moment with a little grin.

"You're too sweet, little owl."

Kyoya let out a startled laugh at the nickname, but smiled back before plastering the emotionless mask back on his pretty face.

"Don't tell anyone. I do have a reputation to uphold, you know."

Sky snickered a little and nodded. She mimed zipping her lips, though she couldn't stop them from curving in a happy grin.