Author's note: Welcome, dear Reader, to chapter 19. How did we come so far already? No one knows, but I'm glad you're here with me!
Triggers: Nope. While I wouldn't exactly call this a "fluffy" chapter, nothing bad happens. Sky talks a lot. Like, a LOT, a lot.. Things get a bit serious, and something kind of shocking happens. But nothing bad or scary, I promise! So enjoy the ride!
As always, I don't own anything or anyone from the Ouran universe. Reviews/PMs are always welcome and appreciated!
-One week later-
Sky was in her studio, putting the finishing touches on a very special project. The last items had arrived two days earlier, and she was anxious to have everything perfect. She had lost all track of time, between the blaring music and the joy of finally finishing such an important project. She carefully set the last hand-tooled box back on the table and left the studio.
She pulled her phone from her pocket to check the time as she hurried up the stairs. Damn! She had spent far longer in the studio than she had wanted to, and the lads would be here any minute. She changed out of her grungy work clothes as quickly as possible, switching to some comfortable black cargo pants and a black tank top with a grinning skull emblazoned on the front. She was halfway back down the main staircase when the doorbell rang. With a little grin, she rushed over and flung open the door.
"Hi guys, right on time."
They filed in, everyone giving her little hugs or pats as they passed her. Her smile grew broad, even though she was starting to get anxious. These would be the first real gifts she'd given her boys, and she was nervous, wondering if they would like them. She mentally shook herself as she ushered the lads into the bright, sunny kitchen. Once everyone was settled, Tamaki gave voice to the thought they'd all had.
"Are you alright, ma cherie? You sounded so different yesterday when you asked us to come over. Is something wrong?"
Sky huffed out a little sigh, running her fingers through her hair. She grinned slightly and shook her head.
"Everything's fine, chardonneret, honest. It's just... I wanted to make sure you could all be here today, because it's important. There's... I, um..."
"Pixie-chan, what is it? What's so important about today?"
"Today's date isn't important, little bunny. It's just that there's something special I wanted to give you guys, and it's finally ready."
She cleared her throat, took a deep breath, and addressed all of her boys at once.
"You guys aren't just my friends, that's such a mild word. You're all so much more than that. I spent such a long time alone, I never imagined that anyone would be so special to me. You're without a doubt the best, most wonderful people I've ever known. You're... You're not even my best friends, you're my pack, my tribe... My family. There's an Irish phrase, anamchara, that translates two ways. It literally means 'soul mate' or 'soul friend.' And you are. Most people count themselves lucky if they find one person who means so much to them that they could be called 'soul mates', and here I am with six."
There was more she wanted to say, but she couldn't speak past the lump in her throat. A few tears had managed to escape her eyes, trekking slowly down her pale cheeks. She wiped them away with one trembling hand as she cleared her throat roughly. After a moment, she smiled lightly and continued, grateful that her boys had all stayed silent for once.
"I really did have a point here, honest. It's just, I've been wanting to do something special for you guys for a while now. It's, um, it's nothing big, really. And I had to commission the actual gifts themselves, they weren't something I could make. But, um.. I did design them. And I detailed the boxes myself. Everything's out in the studio, but... Well, um... I..."
She uttered a watery laugh and ran her fingers through her hair. This was proving to be more difficult than she had imagined. She exhaled forcefully and tried again.
"So, the thing is... It's just... Well, honestly, there are specific things that I want to say to each of you, so I was hoping to give you your gifts in private. But I just... Ok, it's totally silly, but I didn't want anyone to get upset if this one or that one got theirs first, like I'm playing favorites or something."
"Aw, Pixie-chan, we know you love us all, you'd never do something to hurt any of us."
Honey bounced out of his seat and flung himself in Sky's lap, giving her a tight hug. She grinned and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close for a moment and pressing a light kiss to the top of his head.
"I wouldn't, little bunny, not ever. Never ever ever."
She cuddled her sweet friend for a minute, then turned to the rest of her boys with a little grin.
"Ok, so... You guys get to figure out the line-up. I'm going to go get everything ready in the studio. Whoever's up first, come on in whenever you're ready."
With that, she nudged Honey onto the chair next to hers and strode out the door. She hurried down the stone path, keeping a safe distance from the pool, as always. Hrm. Maybe I should ask Mother and Father to have that fenced off. She contemplated turning some music on as she walked into her studio, flipping the lights on. She decided against it after only a few seconds. She would just get distracted that way.
She spent the next few minutes gathering her thoughts as she arranged and rearranged the small boxes on her work table. She muttered to herself in both English and Japanese as her mind tried to wander. At one point, she reached up and tugged her rainbow locks in frustration, cursing herself for a coward. She was still muttering to herself when a soft knock sounded on the open door. She looked up and her full lips curved into a small smile.
"The door's open, Kaoru, come on in."
She pointed to the chair facing her own. Kaoru sat, curiosity covering his pale face. She grinned and patted his hand.
"Don't worry, precious, I don't bite."
Sky picked up one of the boxes and turned back to the redhead. She set it lightly in his hands and waited quietly as he examined the intricate Celtic knots and stylized monkey burned into the lid. An almost shy smile crossed his face as he ran his fingertips over the artwork.
"Is there anything you can't do, Pixie?"
She laughed quietly, smiling lightly at the awe in his voice.
"Oh come on, you know there are loads of things I can't do, silly monkey. Like swim, for instance."
He blushed, but the teasing note in her voice set him at ease. Instead of feeling guilty, he grinned at the tall girl, glad as always that she held no anger over the incident.
Before he had a chance to say anything, Sky reached out and took his hand in both of hers. A tiny smile curved at the corner of her lips as she traced the faint scars on the back of his hand with the tips of her fingers.
"You took a special piece of my heart that day, you know. You were so angry, but it was such a righteous fury. I had never thought anyone could be so upset in my honor. I think, honestly, if I hadn't been so busy picking glass out of your hand, I might have kissed you right then."
His startled gasp was nearly silent, but she heard it easily. She grinned just a little and gave his hand a light squeeze.
"Oh, don't be so shocked. You were so valiant. I felt so bad that you'd gotten hurt, but I was also beyond flattered that you cared so much. My poor little heart just melted."
"Don't tease me, Pixie. Please."
His voice was soft, without the slightest hint of the joking tone he usually employed. Sky looked up, and was stunned. He looked nervous, almost...frightened. A light bulb came on in her head. Oh. Oh... She offered the smallest smile and spoke gently.
"I wouldn't tease you about this. You're very precious to me, and I can't imagine my life without you. You bring so much joy and happiness to my life. The feelings I have for you may not be romantic, but I do love you, Kaoru. So much."
She gave his hand another gentle squeeze, relieved when a little smile crossed his thin, pretty face. He set the ornate box back on the table and stood, pulling her into a firm embrace. He rested the side of his head against hers, his mouth close to her ear. When he spoke, his voice was quiet and full of emotion.
"I love you, Pixie. Sometimes I think I might love you even more than Hikaru, and I never thought that was possible. You...you're my best friend in the whole world."
Sky's heart softened at his words, and she made a sudden decision. She hugged her friend tightly for a moment, then pulled back just a little. She cradled his cheeks in her hands, lightly brushing away the single tear that had escaped. Without taking her eyes off his, she spoke softly.
"Ok, so the gift in that box is still pretty special, but there's something else I want to give you that's more important. Something that should be given to someone very special. It's... It's not an object you can hold in your hand, but... Hopefully it's something you can hold in your heart. I know I'll keep it in mine."
She waited the tiniest part of a moment, watching the confusion in his eyes turn to knowledge. Before he could do more than gasp in shock, she pressed her lips to his in a sweet, gentle kiss. He hesitated the slightest bit, then slid his hand up to tangle his fingers in her bright locks, prolonging the tender contact.
When Sky pulled away a moment later, she couldn't help the tiny grin that popped up. Kaoru was blushing deeply, a shell-shocked look covering his face. He reached up and pressed trembling fingers to his lips as an almost reverent look came into his eyes.
"Pixie...I, um... I..."
She made a shushing noise and stroked one hand over his hair, her smile growing slightly.
"Why Kaoru, I believe this just might be the first time you've ever been at a loss for words."
Her playful words broke the last bit of tension, and Kaoru let out a quiet laugh. He ran his fingers through his hair with a wry little grin, then cleared his throat roughly before speaking.
"I guess I probably shouldn't run around shouting like a lunatic, huh?"
"Well, you could try... But then I'd be forced to do something drastic."
"I think you already did that."
Sky burst into giggles and beamed radiantly at her silly friend. She was thrilled to hear the joking tone back in his voice.
"True enough. But I was thinking more along the lines of throwing you into the pool."
She grinned when he stuck his tongue out at her. After a moment, she plucked the box off the table and thrust it back into his hands. He opened it, curious now, then just stared for several seconds. Once the shock wore off, he lifted the small item from the soft velvet lining.
It was fashioned almost like a military medal, a small metal bar covered with a wide ribbon that hung down and ended in a point, a pendant hanging from it. The resemblance ended there, however. The ribbon was black, with the slightest touch of rainbow thread worked through. The pendant was shaped like a traditional shield, and had the same Celtic scrollwork around the edge that Sky had burned into the box. Kaoru looked closer, and that was indeed the same stylized monkey turned into a crest in the center of the shield.
"Pixie, this is...amazing."
"I uh... I thought it would be fitting. Every knight needs a shield, right?
"You really do see us as knights, don't you?"
"Of course I do, because you are. You guys have saved me in more ways than I can count. When we met, I was like Snow White after that damned poisoned apple. I wasn't technically dead, but I definitely wasn't living, either. I'm only truly living now, because of the love and acceptance of all of you. You know all of my deepest, darkest secrets, the absolute worst, most hellish moments of my life, the complete and utter chaos of my anxiety and paranoia. And yet, here you sit, calling me your best friend."
"Because you are, Pixie. You're not like any other girl I've ever met. You're the most genuinely kind, sweetest, craziest, gentlest, strongest, most amazing woman in the whole world. You see all of us for who we really are, not who people expect us to be. You see all the flaws and insecurities that other people refuse to see, and you love us anyway."
"Well, yeah. But it's not like I'm unnaturally observant or anything. I see the real you only because you let me. Those yellow harpies may have spent more time with you guys, but they don't really know any of you. I'm sure some of them are very nice, but they're just clients. You accepted me, made me part of your tribe before I could even think about it. It's not like I even had a choice in the matter."
The last sentence was said with a cheeky grin, and Sky was glad to see the redhead return it with one of his own. He set the treasured medal back in the velvet-lined box and pulled her in for another hug. She wrapped her arms around his slender frame and held him tightly. He pulled away after a moment, and when he spoke, his voice was soft, the words simple, but full of emotion.
"Thank you for...being my friend. I love you, Pixie."
"I love you too, Kaoru."
She gave her precious friend a small smile. She was shocked when he brushed his lips over hers in a chaste little kiss, just the briefest contact. A faint blush tinted his cheeks, but he grinned radiantly at her, and she breathed a tiny sigh of relief.
A/N again: Well, that was...something, huh? Don't worry, poppets, Kaoru's poor little heart is ok! I was going to put Sky's interactions with each of the lads in one chapter, but, uh.. As you can see, Kaoru kind of took over, so the rest of the lads have to wait until next chapter. Stayed tune, dear Reader!
