Missy groaned in annoyance. She knew exactly what had happened to her suitcases and her clothes.

Clutching her towel tighter around her small frame, she grinned. It was a slow grin, not the simpering or sultry smiles she used for her shoots. No, this expression was tinged with bloodlust and a dash of a challenge.

If the twins wanted to declare war, that was fine with her.

But they would know that Missy Preston never lost, and there was going to be hell to pay.

"She's kind of a snob."

Kaoru slid his brother an amused look. "You're one to talk, Hikaru," he teased.

Hikaru crossed his arms over his chest. "I'm just saying, she may be cute and all, but that doesn't mean she can just waltz in here and change everything."

Kaoru took a seat on his bed, the mattress dipping slightly under his weight. "You've got a point, but I don't think this was all her idea."

"I don't care, she's still doing it."

"Alright, so what do you want? To get rid of her? Mom would have a field day." Kaoru stated, a laugh in his voice. Whenever Hikaru seemed out of sorts, Kaoru always found it funny to watch his brother flounder all over the place. And this commoner certainly had his brother out of his comfort zone.

Hikaru grinned widely. "I'm thinking that we should do something to make her feel welcome here." There was a mischievous glint in his eyes, and Kaoru couldn't help the adrenaline that coursed through him. Any time Hikaru hatched a devious plan, it was bound to result in something entertaining.

"Didn't Kenchi say that a maid would help her unpack soon?" Kaoru offered, moving forward to sit on the edge of the bed in anticipation. He could practically see the wheels turning in his brother's mind as he understood the implications of his brother's statement.

He nodded in response, rubbing his hands together with glee. "And what does everybody do as soon as they finish traveling?" Hikaru asked his brother.

"Take a bath!" they both cheered, racing towards the door of their bedroom.

A few minutes later, the twins found themselves entering the guest wing of their estate.

"I bet mom put her in the first room, since it has a view of the gardens," Hikaru muttered before knocking gently on the mahogany door. They could hear music being played faintly on the other side, but they didn't hear any verbal response.

Silently, the two snuck into the room, suppressing snickers as they shut the door behind them. Casting a glance around the room, the quickly noticed two suitcases by the door and an overnight bag on the bed.

Kaoru looked around for any other article of clothing. "Do you think she took clothes into the bathroom with her?" he whispered to his brother.

"Damn it," Hikaru whispered back. "Go check!"

"I'm not going in there!"

"Keep your voice down!"

"Sorry," Kaoru muttered, a blush on his face. "But she's in the bath!"

Hikaru shrugged. "Mom probably put a divider in front of it. You know how much she loves that kind of crap. Just be quick about it," he said, grabbing the overnight bag from the bed and one of the suitcases.

The younger twin sighed. Sure they joked about immature things and general depravity to mess with Haruhi and Tamaki-senpai, but neither of them had ever actually seen a girl naked, and the thought made them both a little squirmy.

Biting the inside of his cheek to help fight back the blush on his cheeks, he turned the door handle and tried to open it as quietly as possible. He really really hoped that there was a divider in the bathroom. Upon opening the door, Kaoru was greeted by steam and an aroma of mildly bitter vanilla, which was not unpleasant, as well as the steady beat of Western Music. Directly in front of him was a large divider, which he was immediately grateful for. Looking to his right, he was glad to see a stack of clothes resting on the vanity, as well as several fluffy towels. With a gulp, the younger Hitachiin reached out and quickly swiped the objects off the marble vanity and darted back through the open doorway and shut it behind him. He ignored the cheerful 'thank you' that Missy called from the other side of the door.

"Come on, Kaoru, let's get out of here. Did you get the stuff? Did she see you?" Hikaru pestered his brother, sending a harried glance towards the, now closed, bathroom door.

Kaoru held the clothes and towels tightly to his chest, a mild blush creeping along his ears as he noticed the black lace underwear in his hands. "Uuuh . . . yeah, I think I got everything . . ."

"Okay, then let's go!" Hikaru whispered, throwing open the door to the suite. "We've gotta stash this stuff somewhere."

The younger Hitachiin groaned, following his brother out of the room, darting against the wall as though he were in some dramatic spy movie, all traces of embarrassment leaving the boy's face. "We should stash it with that photographer guy. If we put it in our room then they'll know it was us!"

"That's not a bad idea, Kaoru. But do you think he'll be in his suite?"

Both boys glanced down the hall in anticipation. There were so many servants everywhere. If they didn't stash the stuff quickly, they would surely be caught.

"You're right," Kaoru admitted. "What if I distract him by recommending he visits the gardens before dinner? And then, you can go in and stash everything."

"That just might work . . ."

Kaoru felt a twist in his stomach. Sure, he loved pulling pranks on others, and that desire had certainly never diminished. Especially because it seemed to make Hikaru so happy. And yet, something felt off about this. He simply didn't have his heart in this set of mischievousness, even though Hikaru seemed to be walking on air with the use of his devious mind. Was he- was he no longer enjoying the same things as his brother?

The thought scared the hell out of him.

And so, he swallowed down his fears, and turned his attention back to the task at him. Shoving the clothes into his brother's arms, he strode across the hall, knocking on the heavy wooden door with his knuckles as Hikaru disappeared silently down the hall.

Just as the older twin slipped into an alcove down the hall, the door opened and Kaoru was met with the cheerful face of the Russian man who was in desperate need of a shave.

"Yes? What can I do for you, -?" he asked in heavily accented English.

"Kaoru Hitachiin," the boy answered, a sincere smile on his face. He was immediately glad that he had chosen to distract the man as he was much more comfortable with the english language than his brother. "Mr. Tanner, I was wondering if you would like to take a brief walk through our gardens before dinner. The property is quite large, and I thought you might like to see it before we break for lunch. Many guests have told us that they are quite inspiring and relaxing."

Kaoru could see the older man eyeing him curiously. "And you're Kaoru?" he asked.

Kaoru chuckled and scratched his neck sheepishly. "Yes, I'm Kaoru. I understand if you would rather rest, Mr. Tanner, but I thought I would offer you a bit of a tour since we do have some time, and the gardens are adjacent to the dining room."

Myles Tanner continued to eye the red headed boy in front of him with curiosity, but a smile eventually won out. "I would be delighted to have a tour. Let me ask Missy if she would like to join us, just a momen-"

"No!" Kaoru immediately objected. "Ha ha, I mean- uh, I think she mentioned that she would be busy until lunch, and we don't have a lot of time so we can't wait for her . . . " he trailed off pathetically. Oh great. After that embarrassing display he didn't deserve to be considered the mischievous type.

The older man quirked an eyebrow questioningly. Obviously the younger Hitachiin didn't want him to involve the pretty model, but he was curious as to why. Unfortunately, the only way to find out was to play along with the ruse. "Well, if that's the case, then I suppose we should get going. Please, lead the way," he gestured down the hallway.

"Of course," Kaoru said, holding back a sigh of relief. "If you would follow me." With that, he turned on his heel, heading down the hallway in the opposite direction from the alcove his brother was hiding in.

Hikaru let out the breath he had been holding as he watched his brother disappear with the older photographer in tow. Darting out from the alcove, Hikaru pushed open the door quickly, dragging the suitcases behind him.

"Where to hide these . . ." He muttered to himself as he searched around the furnished suite in mild agitation. Time was of the essence here!

Spotting a large wardrobe in the corner, Hikaru quickly shoved the objects in the empty (thankfully!) piece of furniture before turning back towards the door. He did a quick sweep around the room the make sure that nothing was out of place before exiting the room, grinning as he heard the familiar click of the door knob.

"Now, to catch up with Kaoru," he said, rubbing his hands together with glee. This would certainly show the arrogant commoner that the Hitachiin brothers were not meant to be messed with, or there would be problems.

With those thoughts drifting around in his devious mind, Hikaru darted down the hallway to find his brother.

0000000

"So, Kaoru, your mother tells me you have an eye for fashion," Myles said as he entered the garden.

After walking through the patio area, the Russian was pleased to find himself in a green area. He could see rows of flowers and hedges ahead of him, lining a stone path that lead to a fountain in one area. The path then splintered off in several directions, leading to various benches, trees, and even an ivory covered pavilion in one clearing. Beyond the foliage, Myles could see what looked to be a rather large orchard in the distance. To be sure, it was an impressive sight to see.

Kaoru eyes softened ever so slightly at the photographer's comment. So his mother spoke about them, did she? Interesting. Maybe she wasn't as ignorant of their abilities as he perceived her to be.

He shrugged in response, trying to hide the slight amount of pride in his voice. "I certainly have an interest in design, but whether I have an eye for it or not, I can't really judge that fairly," he chuckled.

They continued walking and Kaoru found himself on the right side of the path. He could brush his hands across the tops of the hedges as he passed them, and had he not been scolded for doing that exact thing in his childhood, he would have.

"There's no need to be modest," Myles answered with a laugh. "Take pride in your work. You don't think I became a world-renowned photographer by not recognizing my own skill, do you?

"I suppose there is a balance, though," he continued. "You must be hyper aware of your weaknesses as much as your strengths. Otherwise, you will fail to deliver the art you so desire to create," he said thoughtfully.

"Did you always know that you wanted to be a photographer?" Kaoru asked. He had to keep the conversation going, to make sure that Hikaru had adequate time to get away, or that's what he convinced himself of. There was no way he was actually interested in the older man's life.

Myles shook his head. "No. And yes, I suppose. I always knew that I loved art, and I loved being able to capture it, but growing up in Russia, I didn't have a lot of time to devote to my interests," he said quietly. "Things were not so easy in Russia as they are in America."

The red headed twin startled. He was not expecting the conversation to turn so serious so quickly.

"But that is a story for another day, mylienki," the older man conceded, shaking off the rather serious tone of the conversation. "So what do you design? Clothes? Shoes?"

Breathing a sigh of relief, Kaoru answered. "Clothes, mostly. I'm better at determining shapes and lines, but Hikaru is great with color and texture," he admitted.

And it was true. The reason the two often designed together was because they needed both of their strengths to create an article of clothing.

"Missy will appreciate that. It makes her job easier when the designer understands what things flatter her the best," Myles answered as they approached the large stone fountain.

Kaoru was about to ask the photographer about the model when he was interrupted by a shout from his brother.

"Kaoru! Kaoru!"

"We're over here, Hikaru!" the younger twin shouted back, turning to look towards the house as Myles did the same. Catching sight of the older twin, the Russian couldn't help but grin. These boys never seemed to be far apart.

Running down the path to catch up with them, Hikaru skidded to a stop only a few feet away. "Kaoru! I was looking all over for you!"

"Sorry, Hikaru," Kaoru said sheepishly. "I thought I would host Tanner-san for a bit and show him around. Would you like to join us?"

Hikaru looked between the two questioningly, noticing that his brother had chosen to continue using English to accommodate Mr. Tanner's needs. He almost groaned at the thought of having to use that awful language.

A biting retort on the tip of his tongue, he was immediately quieted by a commotion coming from the edge of the gardens, where the path met the patio of the house.

"Preston-san! You can't go out there like that! Preston-san!"

The trio looked towards the house, surprised to see two maids rushing out of the house, trying to keep up with a girl.

A girl who was headed towards them at alarming speed.

A girl who was dressed only in a white towel.

She wasn't wearing any shoes as she walked along the stone path, her feet making gentle sounds along the way. The girl completely ignored the maids rushing after her, not sparing them a single glance. Her gaze was focused directly on Hikaru and Kaoru.

The twins exchanged a nervous glance before nodding. Though this certainly wasn't what they had in mind, they could play it off. Of course, their plan had backfired so it was time to play hosts again. This would make it impossible for it to be traced back to them.

As Missy strode towards them purposefully, one twin called out to her. "Hime, what are you doing out here like that? You'll catch a cold!" he said worriedly.

"While the towel certainly looks lovely on you, we wouldn't want the exposure to leave you ill," the other responded with a similar glance.

The first one spoke again. "Hikaru, why are you staring at her? Am I not enough for you anymore?" he whimpered, his face turned away in insecurity.

Hikaru then rushed to his brother's side, gathering him in his arms. "How could you ever think that? I would never look at anyone more than I look at you," he whispered.

Both boys paused, anticipating a squeal from Missy.

Unfortunately, they were met with an entirely different force.

Myles, seeing this exact response arising from his young friend, wisely took a step back to be out of the splash zone.

Grabbing one collar of each boy's shirts in each hand, Missy yanked them apart, abruptly ending their brotherly love fest.

Evidently, she was not a fan of their act.

"If you thought you could intimidate me, you're wrong," she hissed in Hikaru's face, her blue eyes filled with venom. She then turned to Kaoru, an equal level of viciousness in her eyes. "And if you thought I was going to sit in my room because I don't have any clothes because you stashed them somewhere, need I remind you that I'm a model and I show off my body for my damn career.

"Furthermore," she added. "If you think I'm going to swoon at this incest bullshit you're trying to pull, you have a lot to learn about Western culture," she concluded.

Hikaru and Kaoru exchanged another look, managing to keep their calm despite the fact that this slender girl had a hand on each of their throats.

Kaoru glanced over and noticed his brother barely containing his temper. He needed to act fast to diffuse the situation.

"So Kaoru-san, Hikaru-san, I recommend you tell me now where you hid my clothes before I start showing you the moves my special forces brother taught me," she snarled, her grip only barely loosening.

Kaoru looked up into her eyes, a glimmer of something flashing across the amber irises. Had he heard her right? Had she really said that?

He shook himself slightly. Either way, he needed to resolve the situation immediately, but he didn't know how to match the fire in her eyes with his naturally cool disposition.

Fortunately, they were saved by another source.

"Doushenka, I was wondering when I would see you!" Myles called to Missy, deciding to save the twins before the sweet model decided to finally lay into them. "I meant to tell you, I think some of the maids switched the rooms. They thought they had put your things in my room first, so they moved everything to my rooms, thinking they were your rooms. We should get that sorted out in a minute. Why don't you go inside and I'll meet you in there?" He offered.

The Photographer could see the wheels turning in her mind as her grip slowly loosened on the twins' collars, a sigh of relief escaping both of them.

He knew that she knew he was lying through his teeth. Obviously, the maids hadn't made a mistake and the two Hitachiins were trying to mess with her. But ultimately, she trusted Myles' judgement more than her own, and if he wanted her to let it go, than she would do that.

Even if it pissed her off.

With an indignant huff, she shoved them both back slightly. "Fine. I'll see you later Myles." With those words, she turned on her heels and strode back into the house, making the strip of terry cloth have more elegance than a towel should ever possess.

The trio watched her walk back in silence for a moment, their lives flashing before their eyes as they imagined just how quickly the brunette could ruin them. For being several inches shorter than the twins, they were surprised to find that the girl could be incredibly intimidating.

Finally, Myles spoke. "I really hope you hid those cases in my rooms, or she will come back and kill you."

"How'd you know?"

"Why else would you two try to get me out of my rooms to 'look at the gardens'?" Myles answered with a chuckle.

"They're in the wardrobe," Hikaru said with a shrug. "You should probably go take care of the princess."

Myles didn't say anything, he simply offered both boys a knowing smile and a shake of his head as he strode towards the house.

Both boys remained stand there for another moment, their minds engaged in a rapt contemplation of the turn of events.

"Well that was unexpected."

"I'll say. She didn't cry at all," Kaoru said plainly.

Hikaru looked at his brother thoughtfully for a moment before a slow grin spread to his cheeks. "No, it seems our new toy is made of stronger stuff than that."

The two lapsed back into silence. Could she be a new toy for them? They were certainly short on interesting things ever since Haruhi managed to infiltrate their inner circle. Thoughts of the petite brunette brought Kaoru's mind back to what Missy had said just moments before.

"Hikaru?" Kaoru asked quietly, shattering the contemplative silence.

"Yeah?" Hikaru answered absentmindedly.

"Did you hear what she said?"

"What, that she would kick our asses?"

"No. How she said our names."

"You didn't like the honorific?"

Kaoru shook his head in exasperation. His brother was so dense sometimes. "No," he admitted quietly, more to himself than his brother. "She said my name first."

Hikaru inhaled sharply, surprised to realize that his brother was right. She had altered the traditional order.

"I guess she did."

A/N: Wow, sorry for disappearing for two weeks. This chapter was pretty long, (for me, fight me) but I'm really happy with how it ended!

I always thought it would be a big deal for someone to say Kaoru's name first because everybody seems to lump their names together in that order.

Anyway, how TF does this story have 95 followers? Y'all are too good.

P.S. The next chapter will be dedicated to whoever correctly guesses the change I made to this story (besides the name, that's too obvious). They will also receive a one shot about the Ouran pairing of their choice.

About the title change: this story has undergone so many changes in my mind since I first outlined it. This should be the last time I change it, and I'm really happy with where it's headed now. Anyway, thanks for reading!

-Wri