After the strange incident on Saturday, everything went back to normal, and before she knew it Monday had rolled around…..
"Nala get up!" I groaned, choosing rather to blatantly ignore Haruhi's words and tug the comforter over my head huddling into the delicious warmth of my covers. She let out a low growl and began to tug on the blanket. I however, only held onto it tighter, my frustration building slowly.
"Go awayyy!" I could picture Haruhi's expression of annoyance as she snapped,
"This is what happens when you're up till one in the morning on the phone!" True….I'll cut it off short with Maddy next time…. Of course i wasn't going to admit that to Haruhi and receive one of her infamous scoldings, so instead…
"That has nothing to do with it! I'm just..uh...sleepy today from uh…" I could feel her annoyance now.
"From what? Sleeping all day yesterday? Oh yes that's so incredibly exhausting." I winced. Yes so maybe i had slept in a little late yesterday….or the whole day to be precise but WORSE THINGS HAVE HAPPENED! I let out an aggravated groan and sat up abruptly.
"Fine. Whatever i'm up." She narrowed her eyes at me and my angry swirling darkening aura, before wisely choosing to back out of the room. It was one of those days where you're furious at nothing and everything.
The school hours passed in a blur of aggravation. Even Ayanokoji picked up on the 'I will not hesitate to murder you right now because i'm not calm' vibe radiating off of me and for once was smart and let me be.
After school ended, i stalked up all three flights of stairs Fuck stairs, and entered the host club room. The hosts were all gathered around the whiteboard heatedly discussing something, but at my entrance they all slowly raised their heads to face me. Upon noticing Tamaki's eyes lighting up as his dazzling smile slid across his face, along with the tension gathering in his body i held up hand.
"I'm already picturing duct-taping your mouth shut Tamaki. Don't push it." He stopped where he was, smile dropping, body losing its tenseness and sparkles fading, before he dropped down into his depressed corner. Not even that helped my mood, so turning away from them, I headed across the room and dropped onto the couch. Closing my eyes, i swung my legs over the arm of the seat and tried to get comfy. It was all going so well, i could feel the gentle lull of sleep calling to me. But even as i slipped into the wonderful darkness of sleep….
*CRASH!*
My eyes shot open.
"That will be another ten thousand yen Haruhi."
"WHAT!? It was just a cup!"
"A very expensive cup." I threw a hand over my face wishing i could shut up Kyoya and Haruhi.
"Handmade in France." Add a pair of simultaneous twins to that wish list to. Heaving myself up and off the couch i headed to one of the small side rooms. Rather than having to deal with Kyoya's office and the memories of the first day i was here, i headed to the only other side room i knew of. The twin's studio. After quietly shutting the door behind me, i went over and collapsed into the chair in front of the table with the mirror. Crossing my arms on the table, i buried my head in them. There was the soft rasp a moment later as the door opened.
"Haruhi just let me be. I need some space and quiet."
"It's not Haruhi…" I rolled my head to the side to find Kaoru there.
"Oh..hey..sorry.." He chuckled softly.
"No you're not." I winced, but he shook his head at me. ""Don't worry about it," A small shrug. "Hikaru gets like this to.." I put my head back in it's original position.
"I don't wanna deal with people today." My voice was muffled, full of stubbornness. I didn't receive a response, and after a moment of silence my curiosity won out and i raised my head to find Kaoru digging through a drawer. "What are you doing?"
"Getting a...aha!" He turned triumphantly brandishing a hairbrush. I gave him a look full of confusion. "I'm brushing your hair out so put your head back down." I rolled my eyes feigning annoyance, but in reality felt my mood pick up because i was thrilled. It's been so long since someone has played with my hair. A moment later, gentle hands delicately began their work.
I really don't want to but….UGH!
"Thanks...Kaoru…"
"Hmm?"
"I said thanks!" My face burned after i snapped, so a mumbled 'sorry' joined a moment later.
"You know," he was quiet for a moment. "You're a lot like Hikaru." He didn't wait for me to respond, instead answering my unspoken question. "You both are so full of emotions, and hot headed." I could hear the smile in his voice as he thought of his brother.
"You really care about him don't you." It wasn't a question, but he answered my comment anyway.
"Of course. He's my twin. I would do anything for him."
"I get that. So that's way you stepped back from your feelings for Haruhi isn't it?" His hands faltered and he tugged on a knot in my hair by accident. I winced, "Ow.."
"I, uh, what're you.."
"Don't play dumb Kaoru. I've seen how he looks at her, and how you look at him."
"O-oh…" I Shut my eyes slowly.
"It's hard to watch though sometimes. I want to take her and shake her till she sees common sense. She is utterly blind to both her feelings, and the feelings of the guys around her." Kaoru didn't respond at first, until he let out a short sigh.
"I told him I'd step back. I don't like her like that anymore, she's just a friend to me now."
"Do you want to see her with Hikaru?"
"Of course." There was no hesitation in his voice.
"I…." I hesitated. "I don't know dude. I think she's blind to her feelings for Tamaki. Hell she has to like him someway...she's his freaking breakfast. She's the fast food to his cravings! The drug to his addiction!"
"I know."
"Then...why?" Before he could respond, the door swung open and an unemotional voice asked,
"Is she any better?" My previous feelings of annoyance came crashing back down at the interruption and rolling my head to the side i glared at Kyoya. He of course blatantly ignored it, instead choosing to walk by us both and going to the costume rack. After some rustling was heard, something was laid down on the table next to my head and rolling said body part to face the other side, i found myself face to face with a mound of fabric.
"What's this?"
"What does it look like?" I rolled my eyes.
"It's obviously a small country Ootori." From his position behind me i heard Kaoru snort at that causing a soft smile to spread over my feelings mentally that i'd made him happy. Something must've shown on my face, because i felt Kyoya frowning down at me.
"Kaoru would you step out for a minute? I believe Hikaru needed you for something."
"Yeah sure." As he left, he placed the brush on the table, and then as he walked away, his hand lightly trailed down my shoulder before sliding off. After the door shut behind him there was a moment of silence before Kyoya spoke. His voice was far colder than normal.
"Miss Fuyumi." My own frown started forming at the words. "I'd suggest you not fall for Kaoru, or instigate him falling for you. Having one twin head over heels for someone they won't get is enough as it is. I don't need two cases of it in the club." My jaw dropped What the hell! Who does he think i am!?
"What the heck Ootori?!" i stood up, fists clenched, to face him. "I'm not a floozy Ootori. Nor am i a player. I'm especially not going to play my friends romantically! I don't know who you've had to work with in the past," He winced slightly like someone came to mind, "But i'm not them and i have bloody morals! Bloody hell Ootori you seriously know how to lighten a girl's mood." He merely shrugged as if he hadn't done anything.
"I'm merely stating the facts as i see them Miss Fuyumi." I ground my teeth and stalked forward. Poking him in the shoulder i snapped.
"Well you're seeing them wrong. You just watch Ootori. I'll prove you wrong." I turned away from him, but before i could walk away he called out from behind me.
"Oh really? You think you can prove me wrong?" I stopped where i was, and slowly, an almost maniacal grin spread across my face, echoing in the soft words i spoke next.
"Someone is going to knock you off your high horse one of these days Ootori. I'm just saying that i'm going to the the one to do it." So saying, i scooped up the clothes, and exited the room to go change a small smile sliding over my face at the thought of the challenge ahead of me, and my bad attitude melting away as i focused on how to carry through on my promise to Kyoya.
What the actual hell am i wearing? I LOVE it! It was some sort of princess costume. A soft forest green, with a flowing train and off the shoulder sleeves. It shimmered as i moved, and i couldn't help but feel my mood pick up. Costumes were one of my guilty pleasures. I LOVED to cosplay, and it's an extra bonus if you feel beautiful and catching and just a little sexy at the same time. I sailed out of the changing room into the main room, and sneaking up behind Haruhi….
"HHHAARRUHHIII!" She jumped five feet off the ground.
"Sweet mother of pearl Nala you scared me! What was that for?!" I grinned.
"That was for this morning, but I'm good now. Dressing up and having Kaoru do my hair made everything so much better. I feel able to handle life now…" I winked, "Besides i look good to! Oh! I also challenged Ootori so that might be part of it." She sweatdropped.
"Challenged him to what exactly?" I grinned widely at her, and maybe a tad bit wickedly.
"That i'd prove him wrong!"
"Good luck with that." It was my turn to jump at the voices speaking in unison behind me.
"Kyo-chan doesn't ever lose Nal-chan."
"Mn." At some point, the other hosts had appeared around me, all except Tamaki who was carrying on a conversation of some sort with Kyoya. I playfully scowled at them and poked Haruhi in the arm.
"I can do this! Y'all are just doubters!" The twins looked at each other, shrugged, and said,
"It's your funeral."
"Why you!"
"OY NALA WE WE'RE KIDDING PUT DOWN THE CHAIR!"
"NO NOT TILL I WHACK YOU BOTH OVER THE HEAD WITH IT!"
"NO!"
"JERKS!"
"NALA STOP CHASING THE TWINS! FOR THE LOVE OF MONKEYS!"
"NO I REFUSE HARU! THEY'RE MEAN AND DOUBTFUL!"
"WHAT DID YOU TWO DO TO MY PRECIOUS DAUGHTER!?"
"TAMAKI PUT DOWN THE DAMN BAT!"
And that, is when i discovered that side rooms weren't the only rooms in the host club. I turned my head to the side to see Tamaki bearing down on all of us with a bat. The twins and i freaked out and scattered, them through one door, me through another.
It's kinda dark in here….. I began to shiver. I hated the dark. It was an endless blackness that played tricks on your mind and pulled on your emotions. The worst is when i would find myself staring into the darkness and think i saw something from an old memory, but no. It was just the empty blackness screwing with my head.
"Hello?" I let out a yelp and spun to find a spectral figure in a long black cloak with a hood standing there. "Are you here to join the black magic club by any chance?" The voice was low, hypnotic. Somehow matching the figure he was. "You get a free beelzenef curse doll as well." I began edging away Where the hell is the door outta here!? Black magic club!? Since when do we have one of those!?
***Authors note***
Just wanted to say thank you to everyone who gave me chapter ideas:) Special thanks to Wildflower84 and Pocket Rocket22 you guys are the best!