Hello There Dearies!
So… Talk about severe case of writers block, I know what's going to happen… IT'S A LONG ASS PROCESS GETTING THERE THOUGH! I'm so late and I do apologize enormously... And I may have replayed Dragon Age Inquisition... for the millionth time... BUT here it is; the next installment! I do hope you enjoy yourselves
AEDANS PICTURE IS LINKED ON MY PROFILE! (For those of you who wanted to see whom I based him off of)
WARNING: NO KIDDIES ALLOWED! Sorry my little dears but this is rated M for a reason! Read at your own peril!
Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran High School Host club characters or any of works done by Bisco Hatori! If I did we all know I would have made it much more of a love fest and ruined it for the public...maybe
Chapter Eleven: I'm Still Here
Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into two solid months.
Kyoya still maintained his silent distance from Haruhi.
At first she thought he would get over her blunt refusal to be fired, but that showed to be a bust. Then she thought maybe he was blaming himself for what had happened to her, but she had already made it painfully clear that she had been rescued by Aedan and no fault was his.
As she promised herself, she returned to her normal state. She smiled again and went along with the clubs, or rather Tamakis', crazy schemes, and she always remained one of the top students in her classes.
But that by no means meant she had not tried to patch things up with Kyoya. He was blatantly avoiding her. In the past two months whenever they had gone to any facilities they would be in and out in no time at all, and by the end of the night he would slip out of the car while even though she tried to ask Aedan to wait, she found her pleas fell on deaf ears.
Given the chance she would have tried to confront him, but any time she even came close she found herself whisked away by Aedan for some supposed task they were suppose to the do exact moment and not a second later.
Even during school hours she learned his class schedule but every time she would arrive before his class had ended he was nowhere to be seen or heard.
When it came time for the daily Host club activities he would always be across the room, she could stare at him for hours and he would never look her way. Had she the opportunity to speak to him during that time she would have, but their friends were too close in earshot, and one of them, most likely her, would end up yelling.
Plus lately she had seemed to have large number of groups coming in to see her, always keeping her so busy she hardly had a moments break to recompose herself.
This could not go on as it was, surely he knew that?
Yesterday had been the last night of inspections, today they would be back at square one, and once alone there was no way he could avoid her then. She was not afraid of being punished, if he so chose to enact, for trying to set things right.
But first before she could even attempt to get close to him she first had to get past the barrier around him, or maybe it was a barrier around her, named Aedan.
Her impatience just made the day seem to pass by slowly, but somehow Tamaki managed to find her and turn all that around.
"Haruhi there you are!" He cheerfully made his way over to her, as he had waited outside the buildings main entrance. He almost managed to catch her in a hug but by taking two steps back she was out of his range, causing him to fall face first onto the ground.
"Tamaki-sempai, what are you doing here? This is the medical building-did you get lost again?" she asked amusingly.
He laughed nervously, remembering one of his first days of his classes. He strode into one of the women's studies classes. Safe to say he would never enter that building again after seeing a slide show of how the reproduction system worked.
"Uh no, definitely not… I was looking for you actually, you're done with you classes for the day right?" His eager eyes beseeching her to give him the answer he was hoping for.
"Yea I only had one class today so I was going to study in the library for a while till it was time for the club-"
"Perfect! So am I, come on we'll go to the university's coffee shop" he began merrily bouncing along the sidewalk dragging her by the hand behind him.
"Hey Sempai I said I need to study!" she protested trying to win back her hand.
"Haruhi you are always studying, now be a good girl and have some daddy-daughter bonding time!" Not looking back at her when she had managed to pull her arm free, she still continued to follow him thinking that if she tried to make a run for it she would just end up hearing about it later.
The coffee shop was huge; it was three stories tall and had a balcony on each level. Haruhi found herself on the top balcony sitting at a table against the railing; waiting for Tamaki to return with their drinks as he said he would when he left her there.
Even with the money she did have she doubted it would have been enough to buy a single cup of regular coffee here. Normally she would never let anyone buy anything for her, especially Tamaki and especially if it was costly, but he had insisted and ran off before she could stop him.
After several minutes of waiting, he finally returned but she saw that he carried no drinks, she should have known better. As he moved to take his seat across from her she saw that following behind him was a waiter pushing a tea cart filled with mini sweets, munchies, and of course their drinks.
"Tamaki-sempai I think you accidentally ordered more than just our drinks…" muttering sarcastically as she stared down the sickly perfect presentation before them, a bit jealous that she had yet to make anything as close to that level of excellence for Kyoya.
He grinned triumphantly "If I had ordered here you would have told him to bring you nothing, so I had to personally oversee our order myself."
The waiter had fixed two small plates filled with and set down their beverages in front of them.
"Taste it before you add sugar or cream." Tamaki insisted as he sipped from his porcelain cup.
As instructed she took a small sip from her cup and… it was so amazing!
"This is so good, what is it?" Asking between sips.
His smile widened at her approval of it. "It's an apple chai latte, no foam, and instead of cream they use water so the flavor is stronger"
"It's like Christmas in a cup!" In a state of pure bliss she finished off her one cup only to be refilled by the waiter who instead of leaving had remained next to the tea cart as if waiting for further instruction.
"Really!?" he looked at her with his big cheerful puppy eyes, as if she was saying 'good boy' and giving him a belly rub.
"I'm so glad you like it! I personally sampled many before I would have given you one try one, I'm so happy you love it!" as she continued to sip her second refill, Tamaki watched her with a gentle smile. They sat in peace and quiet for some time just enjoy the cool fall breeze. As much as she hating these first class, overly priced, posh districts, she had to admit the she felt quite tranquil.
"How are your studies going Haruhi?" He questioned her, breaking their much enjoyed reserve.
"Good I guess, it's just the basics since it's only my first year, it'll become more in depth in a couple of years."
"Your dad, he's doing well too?" he questioned her again.
"Um, well he has a new lover so I imagine he is"
"Then what is wrong with you"
"What?" she looked over at him.
"Are you doing ok Haruhi, be honest with daddy?" Sitting his latte down, his demeanor suddenly switched from happy-go-lucky to serious. Although hearing him refer to himself as daddy in that tone broke down some of its effects.
"What do you mean Sempai? I'm fine."
"You haven't been yourself lately and I wanted to know how you're doing" a concerned expression crossed his face as he sipped his drink before sitting it back down.
"Sempai I think you're losing your touch, don't create issues when there is none" giggling with a touch of nervousness.
"See there that's what I'm talking about!" he almost jumped over the table at her, startling her so much she almost spilled the cups contents all over her.
"What are you hiding from us Haruhi!? You've been acting odd!" he outright accused her by pointing a finger at her.
"You would too if someone almost leaped over a table at you!" she stood up slamming her porcelain cup down causing the waiter to become edgy of the treatment of the china.
"Do you really think I don't know you that well Haruhi?"
"Do you really think you know me that well Tamaki-sempai?"
"When you are distressed your eyes turn a darker shade of brown, you tend to be less talkative with the group even if you do smile and laugh-"
No she was fine, she had to keep telling herself that.
"-and when someone tries to hug you or even touch you, you always seem to pull away, as if in your own little bubble of depression!"
When had she been observed so closely?
"The saddest part of it all is that you don't even notice when you do it, it's just so natural to you!"
She was taken aback by Tamakis' declaration of his observations. She tried; she tried so hard to hide her feelings from everyone… was she still so pathetically easy to read? No matter how much she told herself she was fine and tried to believe she felt no heartache or misery, but it was clear to her friends that they knew herself better than she did.
Heartache? Why did she think of it as such? Surely there was a better word to describe her distress, but none came to mind, she felt her stomach drop.
Tamaki dragged his chair around the table, causing the waiter who was now on safeguard mode to pull the cart back rapidly before the chair could be knocked into it, and placed it beside hers. He tugged at her hand, wishing for her to sit down with him, she gave in seeing no harm in it.
"Haruhi please talk to me, I know I'm not the most serious or responsible individual in this school, but I am a friend whom you can trust if you just give me a chance."
Cautiously he wrapped his arm around her shoulder, feeling her tense up, but she did not move out of his reach.
"It's… complicated" she strained.
"I'm willing to listen" he insisted.
It was Tamaki after all, she had trusted him so much in the past. Unfortunately this was a little different. She wouldn't tell him everything, but maybe it wouldn't hurt to open up to him.
"I… I have feelings for someone" even as she said it the words mixed together in that sentence still felt odd.
"I knew it! Are you finally admitting you long harbored love for me? Secretly yearning for my affection everyday hoping one day we would be together."
"We're done, your dead to me, and I quit the host club, goodbye Suoh-san" She stood to leave
"Wait, wait Haruhi! I'm kidding don't leave I'm sorry I'm not making fun of you please tell me what's on your mind." He yanked her back down into her seat.
He was just trying to get her to smile again, next time he would know to choose a more befitting time; her icy stare would remind him of that.
"Your feelings… ?" He nudged her trying to get back to the subject at hand.
"I don't know what kind of feelings I have for him…one moment he really pisses me off with all his ridiculous files, and the clothes, and high expectation, and the tea grading ugh! Don't get me started on the tea!"
She became so infuriated just looking at the almost perfect tea try that the server now unfortunately stood in front of when he saw the dangerous look in her eyes.
"But then… He set his expectations so high because he knew I would get angry and try to prove him wrong… he knew I would succeed-" He always made her try so hard.
"-and when he…" she remembered their first kiss at the masquerade; he had been so vigilant in staying with her that night and had been so gentle with her.
"When he what?" Tamaki interrupted her thoughts, his face full of worry; no way she would tell him that.
"Whe-when that bastard decided to try and send me away because he's so obnoxiously self-righteous, he didn't want to admit that I was right! Nothing happened and he should have accepted that instead of acting like a brat and giving me the silent treatment because he didn't get his way!" she slammed her first onto the table smashing some scones on her plate, her sudden outburst cause the two men to become skittish.
"Har-Haruhi?" an uneasy Tamaki stared at the smashed treat in slight fear that he might end up like the scone.
"I just want to know what I did wrong…" Her voice softened in despair as well as her posture became more slouched down with her head lowered.
"Haruhi, what do you mean by 'nothing happened'?"
"It's complicated…"
Her reply did not satisfy his curiosity or his calm his concern for her well-being.
"Well if I was this guy" he started "If something terrible almost happened to you and it was my fault to start with, I would want you as far away from me as possible"
"What do you mean? It wasn't his fault though." She persistently tried to make it clear it wasn't his fault.
"It doesn't matter, the thought of you getting hurt because of me or just by being near me… Haruhi I couldn't bear that. Not knowing if something even worse could happen to you in the future I couldn't tolerate, so for you own protection I would try anything to keep you away from me." He asserted.
Was Kyoya really blaming himself that harshly for what happened? How could she make him understand when he so avidly avoiding her?
She felt herself being pulled against Tamakis' chest as she continued to battle her mind, he wrapped his arms around her; trying to comfort her. Even though he didn't fully understand her predicament he would be there for her through every hardship she faced and every tear that spilled from her eyes, till the very end.
"Who is this someone that is causing you so much conflict Haruhi?" she wanted to tell him, she wanted to tell him so badly believing that she would feel better if she told him it was Kyoya, but she also knew that it was cause more damage than good.
"I'm sorry Tamaki-sempai…"
Resting his head atop of hers, she felt him nod his head. He did not want to push her any further then she was actually willing to venture.
"Haruhi if you ever need… you know I will always be here for you."
Those words brought a great comfort to her but at the same time she knew it wouldn't last. Eventually he would graduate, move on his life, work, travel, start a family, at some point he would no longer have time for her and then where would she be? Would they all forget her when their attentions would be beckoned back to reality?
"I know Tamaki-sempai… thank you." She lied, she squeezed her eyes shut denying any tears from falling.
She felt him place a reassuring kiss on her forehead, why is it that no matter how hard she had tried she couldn't stay away from Tamaki and yet she never felt that pull towards him? The feeling to cry subsided in due time, as they just remained like that for a while, the warmth of his embrace was a great solace to her.
She could have fallen asleep in his arms had he not shifted in his seat and lifted his head from hers; disturbing her nicely nestled cocoon.
"Kyoya I didn't see you there, come and join us for some refreshments! I was just introducing Haruhi to a latte I knew she'd just love!"
She stiffed at sound of his name.
He was there.
He was there and saw her in Tamakis' arms.
He was there and saw her in Tamakis' arms while he kissed her forehead in a mutual tender shared moment!
Her eyes shot open and looked to see that he was truly there, standing silently across the table from them a few feet back, observing them. How much had he heard?
"No worries Tamaki, I will be out of your way in a moment. I'm afraid I don't have time to join you I'm finishing up some paperwork for the club and I need you to sign some documents of authorization."
The dryness of his tone indicated that he had seen enough to get the wrong impression, or so she imagined. Or maybe he just wanted to get away from her as soon as possible.
"Ah yes that's right these are for the new years festival?" he got up from his chair and went to Kyoyas side where he was handed the papers to sign.
"Yes I thought a couple months early preparatory work would be in order to get a jump start if we are to go through with your 'master plan'" he paid no attention to her, not even chancing a glimpse at her.
"Of course this year will be the most spectacular we've had yet!"
She kept her eyes glued on Kyoya hoping that he would look at her, just once and she would feel a morsel or relief.
"There all done!" Tamaki gleefully handed the documents back to Kyoya.
"Hey Kyoya-sempai do yo-"
"I'm sorry Haruhi but I really need to turn these signatures in before my next class, we can speak later."
He didn't look at her, he probably would have ignore her if Tamaki hadn't been there, knowing he would have suspect something amiss. From the conversation they just shared he wouldn't need a second guess to realize just who she had been talking about.
She watched him walk away throw the balconies doors till he was out of sight.
"Kyoya's really throwing himself into his work lately, good for him always being such a dedicated student." He smiled back at her.
'Yeah, good for him…'
For the next half hour they continued to talk, but less about serious matters and more about Tamakis' excitement for the coming holidays. Well, more like he goofing around again, that poor server probably would never wait on them again for as long as he worked there. Especially with buttered biscuits flying into his face, had he not been a Suoh they probably would have been thrown out immediately.
That afternoon the Honey decided he wanted to group up with Haruhi after he saw a special cake on her table that had not been served in his lounge, Mori followed behind of course with all their adoring fangirls, but only after he had devoured his own cakes. Her parlor was full to the brim even with Honey sitting on the table eating away at the sweets.
She had little homework that day so she managed to finish it between the time she got home and on the drive to the Ootori when Aedan had picked her up. Today they would be alone for the first time in two months; she would get her chance to talk to him.
Aedan had been occupying her funny stories about his childhood, everyone would avoid him or treated him unkindly, so he would bide his time and set up little tricks and pranks that would catch the unsuspecting victims off guard.
He was punished and grounded for what felt like a lifetime when he sprinkled wasabi into his brothers' mouth while he slept, he woke up to the burning sensation in his mouth and especially his nasal, he reached over to the unsuspicious bottle of water to douse some of the scorching.
But Aedan had gotten there first and replaced the water with vodka… His brother would have killed him had his grandfather not gotten to him first. She had laughed so hard she started to tear up and her ribcage began to hurt.
"Aedan are we almost there? It's taking longer than usual" she asked him trying not to sound impatient.
"Uh, we're not going to the compound today Miss Haruhi." He called her 'miss' she had learned by now that when he addressed her as 'Miss Haruhi' he was gently trying to ease her into some excuse that he concocted when he knew she would not take it easily.
"What are you talking about Aedan?" She was not going to take this easily, not at all.
"Master Kyoya would have you out for the evening, running errands and such. He has made a list of-"
"STOP!" She demanded, he had said all she needed to know in that one sentence, Kyoya was trying to keep her away from him, again.
"Aedan I'm tired of this, it's bad enough he is trying to avoid me, but it's even worse that you're in on it too!"
Aedan didn't say anything right away, only the noises from the busy streets outside filled the troublesome silence between them. It was too evident that he was conspiring with Kyoya to keep her busy and absent from his side.
"Aedan ever since the night you saved me from those thugs he has been avoiding me like I'm the plague… I just need to speak to him even if it's only once, please help me, and just take me to the house that's all I'm asking." She allowed herself to sound desperate, because that's what she was, a desperately childish girl that was getting frustrated because someone was ignoring her. It probably sounded beyond pathetic, but she didn't care.
"He was there." He finally said.
"Was? Did he leave the house for the night? I can wait for him in the study I don't mind." She insisted.
"No Haruhi I mean he was there that night…"
"What are you talking about?"
"He was the one who save you from the thugs, I just carried you out to the car, he got there a moment before I did…" he confessed.
She couldn't see his face, and he was glad she couldn't, she would see the shame that consumed him.
"Kyoya…" she started
"Kyoya was the one to save me?"
His silence was her yes, Kyoya saved her.
"Aedan, take me to the compound." She decided before she could change her mind.
For the first time that night he looked at her in his review mirror, the ridicule he felt for himself obvious in his eye.
"Take me to Master Kyoya."
ONCE AGAIN AEDANS PICTURE IS LINKED ONTO MY PROFILE! (For those who want to know whom I've based him off of)
Oh no, oh no, oh my.
What will happen next!? ….I won't be late on this one I promise… I love you dearies thank you so much for reading my story!
Tatty Bye for now my Lovelies!