The hosts were incredibly wary for the next three days, Honey, Mori, Haruhi, and Nala were waking at any little noise in the house at night, and come Wednesday were bone deep tired having gotten no more than 5 hours of sleep within the past few nights. They were all but dragging themselves into the school. Well, not Mori so much as the others because he would never let anyone see him in such a weakened state, but Honey whose normal disposition was bright and sunny and sweet, was starting to get surly and quiet.
Even the guests of the club were noticing his subdued attitude, and Nala was remembering the time at the waterpark when she had woken him and he had been ready to attack her. It was like he was not himself when he was tired, and another mindset came over him. As for Nala and Haruhi, well, skillfully applied makeup to cover up the dark circles that were growing darker each day had saved them so far, but that day in class Nala had fallen asleep no less than three times, and Ayanokoji had taken wicked glee in chucking spit balls at her to "wake her up".
So, now at the end of the school day, As Honey, Nala, and Haruhi all but staggered through the doors to the host club.
"MOMMY THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE HAS COME! WE MUST RUN!"
"Boss! We got your bat!"
General chaos ensued as the bloodshot eyes of Honey, Mori, Nala, And Haruhi watched Tamaki run around in a panic while the twins, in some strange reversed scenario, were chasing him with his bat and trying to get him to take it.
"Tamaki sit down and be rational, you're a vampire prince you should be able to recognize your friends without going into a panic."
Tamaki slid to a halt at Kyoya's words, and the twins barely managed to avoid crashing into him when he spun to face the people slowly making their way across the room.
"H-Haruhi!?"
He gaped at her in shock, and all she did was making a grunting noise in response before flopping down onto the closest couch and falling asleep within seconds.
Nala, Honey and Mori weren't far behind her either. Each finding their own respective spot and dropping down into it.
"What happened to you guys?"
The twins synced voices didn't even startle Nala when they appeared leaning over her and looking down at her in surprise. She shut her eyes and rolled onto her side, cradling a pillow under her head. They poked her and she moaned in annoyance.
"Cut it out. I've had barely ten hours of sleep if even in the past three days and I'm so fricking tired."
Another voice cut in before the twins could say anything else, or tease her about her sleep deprived state.
"Nala, would you come with me? I have things I need to discuss with you."
Groaning dramatically, Nala forced herself to sit up and opened her eyes to look at Kyoya.
"Ugh, sure." Standing, she followed him when he beckoned her into a room she hadn't been in since her first day running into the club; his office. He stopped when he got to the picture window, and Nala stopped next to him, glancing up at him curiously. "What is it?"
Stepping away from her, he went to the desk and opened a drawer, lifting out a small box before closing the drawer and coming back over to her.
Nala, despite her exhaustion, felt her heart begin to thud. That was definitely a jewelry box, and it was too small to be a bracelet or a necklaces..
"Er. Ootori if you're about to propose to me or something, by all means feel free to tell me it's April first?"
He shook his head and handed her the box.
"No Nala, it is not April fools, just open it."
She took it, ran her fingers over the silky smooth velvet exterior, and then opened it.
Inside it lay a ring. A delicate looking thing of gold in a beautiful interlocking design, however, it was the stone at the top that the design, which Nala's sleep deprived brain finally realized was the Ootori family symbol, was engraved in gold in the large amber like stone.
"What is this?"
Kyoya made a sound of annoyance and taking the ring from her slid it over her ring finger on her right hand.
"It's a cat's eye stone. Cat's eye acts to stimulate intuition and to enhance awareness. It is a grounding stone that provides a very effective protective energy. With everything that's been going on, I decided you could use any extra protection you could get. Traditionally, Cat's Eye is believed to protect the wearer from evil spirits, which I know is something you definitely need right now. I had Honey add some magical protection spells on it, so as long as you wear this ring nothing of the magic variety should be able to attack you."
Nala blinked at him in surprise.
"Er, thank you that's really nice! Sorry, I'm too sleep deprived to really be able to concentrate right now…" She looked back down at the ring, a small smile growing over her face as she looked at the beautiful, definitely expensive, and most definitely hand crafted ring. "This is so gorgeous Ootori, but I have a question."
"Yes?"
"Why is your family's symbol stamped into the stone? Won't my classmates notice that? What if rumors spread?"
He raised an eyebrow at her.
"And? It doesn't matter as long as you're safe?" Nala's heart beat even harder at that, and she felt a blush working its way up her face, but it was killed a little at his next words. "That way, the more rumors spread the more Tokiya will hear about you and if you were to just go missing it would be more suspicious."
"Oh...yeah that makes sense!"
She smiled at him, but it turned into a jaw cracking yawn. Kyoya stepped away from her, and cleared his throat as he headed for the door.
"You can lie down on the couch and take a nap, your first customer isn't for an hour so you have time. I'll send one of the twins in to wake you up when it's time."
Even as she spoke, she flopped onto the couch and snuggled into the cushions. With another yawn, she shut her eyes.
"Thanks Kyoya."
He paused for a moment, before nodding, even though she couldn't see it and stepping out of the room.
"You're welcome Nala."
*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*V*
Nala slept well, the couch was soft and smelled like Kyoya, and as she drifted off she wondered if he ever did this; stayed a night to study and work so he wouldn't lose the time having to go home.
Probably. That would be just like him to stay here rather than go home because he wants to get work done.
Her cheeks grew hot at the thought, and shaking her head resolutely as if she could shake the thoughts of him sleeping in the same spot she had just been from her head, she sat up, and swung her legs off the couch to stand up. As she stretched her arms over her head, she let out another jaw cracking yawn, before dropping her arms and shoving her hair out of her face.
"Yosh! Let's go!"
Feeling ten times better after the short nap, she left the room with a grin on her face.
"Ah! Nal-chan!" Nala looked up with a grin as HOney came bounding over. "You took a nap too neh?"
She grinned at the boy and nodded.
"Yep! I feel a lot better, but you took one too?" At his nod she let out a relieved laugh. "Ok good, you needed it more than I did."
He merely beamed up at her, before bouncing back over to greet the guests who were just sitting down at his table.
"Ah, Nala you're awake early perfect. Your customers have just arrived so I'll send you over now,"
She cocked an eye as Kyoya appeared at her side from seemingly nowhere.
"Always business
"Not always"
With that cryptic remark her smirked at her, before turning and heading back to his own table to work on budgeting. Shaking her head at his back, Nala turned and made a beeline for her table, where her regular guests were now sitting. With a grin, she stepped over to them, and plopped into her own seat.
"Hey guys! How's it going?"
The three girls smiled up at her and began chattering away about their days and whatnot before Kana asked Nala how her's had been.
"Uneventful for the most part. Aside from not sleeping well nothing has happened."
Of course, the girls wouldn't get the double meaning behind her words of nothing happening, but that was ok with Nala, she didn't need her problems advertised to the school, and with how much Ayanokoji hated her, it would probably just paint a bigger target on her back. Besides, her problems were her own, and she wouldn't involve anyone she didn't have to. She was so caught up in her thoughts, that she barely heard Kana's startled gasp.
"Nala what is that!?"
Blinking hastily and refocusing her eyes on the brunnette girl, she gave her a look of confusion.
"What's what?" By now the other girls were looking at Kana in curious surprise as well, but Kana didn't pay them any attention, instead pointing with a gleeful grin at Nala's hand. Looking down in confusion, Nala found herself staring at the ring that Kyoya had given her. It winked in the light from the ceiling, the rich golden brown stone reflecting like a cat's own eye would do. "Oh the ring?" Nala smiled at the girls. "It's a gift from Ootori for working so much in the club!"
Even as she spoke though, the two other regulars let out gasps, one of them swooning into her companion's arms while the girl who caught her looked devastated and began muttering about losing 'the bet'. Kana of course, being the sweet sensible girl she was, corrected Nala.
"Nala, that's not a gift for hard work. In our society, a ring like that is on par with a promise ring. By wearing that, you're showing who has claimed ou. It's like a warning sign to others who would pursue you that you're already spoken for."
Nala's face went white as all the blood drained from it, and the world spun dizzyingly.
"A-a promise ring…? I don't understand…He didn't mention that to me at all when he gave it to me..."
Kana shook her head sympathetically.
"Of course he wouldn't as handsome as he is, he does tend to overlook those details." At Nala's look of confusion, Kana explained briefly how she knew that. "I'm good friends with his sister, and I know her pretty well. But, him giving that to you without explaining was a dirty move, you should go talk to him because that ring is a serious symbol in the world of the elite. You can't just go into it wearing that ring blindly otherwise the people at this school will eat you alive. However," Now Kana gave a blinding smile. "You did just win me, as well as several others, a million yen for the bet we had going that we just one."
All of that went right over Nala's head. All she could focus on was the dull pounding in her ears, and the sudden heavy weight that the ring on her finger had become. A promise ring and she hadn't know, nor had he thought to tell her? Her stomach swam again.
How could he do that to me? Is he just playing with me because he figured out I really like him? Is this a joke? Why? Why would he do this without telling me? He must've known I would find out from the other girls here… so why?
Now Nala's head was swimming, fuzzy with thoughts and confusion, heart torn between a joyful lightness and a heavy sensation akin to fear.
"I, uh, I…"
She trailed off, but Kana and the other girls grinned at her wickedly.
"Go talk to him!"
"Yeah Nala-chan!"
Kana winked.
"We can entertain ourselves, and this is serious so go get 'im."
Smiling broadly to cover the tumult of emotions rolling around in her chest, Nala stood and bowed before hurrying over to Kyoya's empty table, where he sat still doing budgeting.
Grabbing him by the arm, her eyes a shade darker green because of her anxiety over the ring, and tugged him to his feet.
"We need to talk come back with me to the office."
Kyoya raised an eyebrow, glasses flashing.
"What's happening? Are you ok?"
Nala's eyes flashed darker.
"No. We need to talk about how me joking about you proposing to me isn't that far off the mark, and how you in a royal jerk move, didn;t mention it to me."
His glasses flashed again, and with a nod, he collected his little black book and laptop, and followed her back to the office.
**Author's Note**
Hi all! DUN DUN DUN PLOT TWIST! Bet you all didn't see that coming huh? This is my end of april vacation present to you all hehe I hope you guys had a wonderful vacation! But, I'm sorry for the delayed reply everyone, this month has been hectic, I was in a car accident, my 23 year old cousin died of cancer, and I broke my foot all within two weeks so I haven't been on top of things, but I really liked how this chapter came out, but my apologies for the late update. Nala ain't a happy camper with what Kyoya just pulled I can tell you that guys. Anyway, please review as always it is much appreciated and I love getting all comments they make my day :) much love to you all!
Shout out to…
Barracuda57 + .129 + RimaRiko + charlielou1241 + SunsiFire + jammylee + Hostyamada + jantara02 + Dark Jacky + Asryanne + Looney Farah + crazyreaderduh +
RastaPasta + Ivy's Siren (Thanks for the follows and favorites everyone!)
Let'sDotheTimeLordpAgain (right? Destroying everyone only gets a person so far these baddies need to realize that)
Barracuda57 ( thank you :) it is a long fanfic but I'm glad you're enjoying it so far! Thanks for all the sweet reviews you've left! As well as the constructive criticism it has been super appreciated so enjoy this new chapter!)
ktmyldy28 (yeah I agree I am stuck in a situation that kind of demands the stage be set and there's no way around it because of the plot so I'm just gonna have to work on smoothing some things over from here on out before everything is revealed.)
RimaRiko (Thank you! My update schedule can be a little haphazard but I update every 2-3 weeks)
Guest (thank you! I'm glad you like it and thank you for the review!)