Chapter Five

It was still dark when Kyoya woke to find Haruhi staring at him.

"What time is it?" he asked, dragging a hand over his face. He was stiff from their cramped position and thirsty.

She glanced up at the wall clock. "About 1:30. Sorry I let us sleep so long."

"I should let you go," Kyoya acknowledged, easing himself off the sofa so as not to dump himself on the floor. Haruhi sat up as well, tugging her shirt down and rolling her head each direction to get the kinks out.

"Let me just grab some water, then I'll call Tachibana to drive you to your dorm."

"Wait, Kyoya-senpai. Would you mind if I made some tea first?" When he nodded, she added, "Just don't feel like you need to stay up with me if you'd rather go back to sleep." She scratched at the back of her neck, which he recognized as something she did when she felt uncertain or awkward.

"It's no problem. I think I'll have a cup as well." She occupied herself putting the kettle on and choosing a decaffeinated tea that wouldn't disturb their sleep anymore than it already was. Then there was nothing to be done until the kettle boiled, and she had no idea what to say to him. He gazed at her steadily from where he leaned, half-perching on the counter next to the refrigerator with no apparent urge to fill the silence. She fidgeted with the teacups, noting with dismay one had damage to the glaze.

"Oh no," she bemoaned, holding the cup out to him. "One of the roses got cracked." She knew it was a valuable tea set, but even if it hadn't been, it was a shame to see something so beautiful damaged.

He shrugged as if it didn't bother him in the slightest. "My own fault. I was careless with it."

"Really? That seems unlike you."

Searching her gaze, he wondered if that was actually true. He certainly hadn't been terribly successful at being careful with her. The silence fell again and strained until the kettle whistled.

Turning to it and away from him, Haruhi admitted, "I'm worried I've made things strange between us. Maybe friends shouldn't experience these things with each other. Now that I think about it, I've never really heard of people being 'friends with benefits' and also being really good friends like we always have been. Have I been foolish?"

"Do you regret what's happened between us?"

She thought for a moment, pouring tea into their cups and turning to him to hand him one. She'd kept the cracked one for herself, he noticed, always trying to ensure his exacting standards were met, even at her own expense.

"No," she said finally. "I don't. I'm probably being silly, worrying about our friendship. After all, we've always been honest with each other, and long as that doesn't change, I'm sure our friendship will just grow along with our knowledge of each other." She beamed at him, and Kyoya hurriedly sipped at his still too hot tea.

"Honest in our way," he corrected, lying through his teeth, because he had definitely not always been honest with her. Even now, he hadn't corrected her when she'd suggested keeping their relationship practical as it became physical. He had spent years finessing her toward the conversation that he'd thought was going to be her confession to him.

She rolled her eyes at him. "Whatever you say, 'Shadow King.'" If only she knew. She did look very cute making those air quotes, though. The corners of his mouth lifted almost imperceptibly. Setting his tea down, he fetched his phone from the coffee table. He flipped it open, but before he could begin to dial, Haruhi spoke again.

"Ah, about Tachibana—you really don't have to call him."

"And let you walk home at this hour? You're deluding yourself."

"No, it's not that. No, I, uh…" Her cheeks pinked. "I brought some things. I mean, I thought it might get late again, but I didn't want to risk being late to class a second time, so…"

Kyoya thought his eyebrows might fly away with how high they had risen.

"Would it be okay if I stayed? On the futon, I mean."

"You never fail to surprise me, Haruhi. But yes, by all means, make yourself comfortable any time you'd like." She flushed darker. "Even if it's just a late night of studying," he added with amusement, knowing exactly where her mind had gone. Obviously embarrassed, she scurried away to pull out the futon.

This time, she was prepared for a morning Kyoya-senpai. When she brought him his coffee, she stayed until he drank some and set the cup aside. And when he moved to go back to sleep instead of getting up, she had her strategy ready to go.

"Kyoya-senpai, I think you're going to want to check the news. The stocks…" She trailed away, as if uncertain. Well, they were surely doing something. Probably. Kyoya already had his glasses on and his nose buried in his phone, presumably flicking from one news site to another to discover what she was implying. It didn't take long for him to discover her trick, but by then his sharp mind was already engaged with the day. He arched an eyebrow at her and growled, half-amused, half-feral.

"Clever, Haruhi. But don't think you won't pay for this later." Later would have to wait though, because he required the bathroom first. She noticed that he spent nearly as much time in the shower as Ranka and was glad she'd showered first. She'd likely not had time nor hot water if she'd waited.

Still, as the minutes ticked by, she decided to pivot her plans to accommodate his lazy bones. Instead of getting an omelet like the one she had lingered over, he would have to settle for a fried egg sandwich he could eat quickly. Making sure the pot of coffee-made with the fancy whole beans she had ground loudly while he still snored-was still hot, she hurried to get her own things together so she could catch the bus. Much as she appreciated the rides Kyoya-senpai always offered, she didn't want to take advantage of Tachibana too much.

When Kyoya finally emerged from the bathroom, towel wrapped snug around his waist, mind wrapped up in plots of revenge for her treacherous wake-up call, Haruhi had gone. Her ingrained habit of tidiness had left no trace of her beyond a still-warm breakfast sandwich, a half-full pot of steaming coffee (which he poured into his now-empty cup almost desperately), and a sheet of paper carelessly torn from a notebook.

Kyoya-senpai-I've got to catch the bus, and you're taking forever. I made you breakfast, so please put something in your stomach besides coffee.

Short, practical, and to the point. Not unlike the girl herself, who'd been too efficient to sign her name when the writer of the note would be obvious, but too polite to skip addressing him by name to start. Thoughtful enough to make him a breakfast that wouldn't make him late, but unwilling to "burden" him with needing a ride in exchange for staying long enough to wish him good morning or goodbye. He smiled a bland smile that would have stopped Haruhi's heart cold.

Later, he promised himself again.