A/N Hey! It's Ember again with a new chapter! I'm totally not sure if there are even people reading this story any more, but if you are and are liking it, please review and tell me how it is...and even if you hate it, let me know in a nice way the things I can improve on. At any rate, enjoy this chapter that is filled with Haruhi/Kyouya goodness....mmmmh *love*
Haruhi POV
I had spent a bunch of time with Nudge, Gazzy, Iggy, and the twins before we went to get some dinner. The three members of the flock seemed really cool, and I felt more relaxed around them then I did when they burst through the windows back in Music Room #3.
Upon entry into the kitchen, my eyes were met with an astonishing picture. Kyouya stood, hunched over a pot on the stove, stirring what looked to me like a stew or sauce or something of the like. "Kyouya-Sempai…are you…..cooking?" I asked, still in shock.
He turned around to address the six of us standing there, staring. "Why, yes, Haruhi, I am cooking. Dinner is almost ready, so if you could find the others and call them here, I believe Honey and Mori and Angel should be back soon. You can wait in the dining room when you've gathered everyone else."
We all nodded and turned to leave. "Oh, Haruhi," Kyouya called after me. I motioned to the others to go on ahead and doubled back to where Kyouya was standing.
"Yes?" I asked. It was astonishing seeing Kyouya cooking for all these people. It made him more human, I guess; it made him more attractive. I had always had a soft spot for the Shadow King, even if it was very well hidden. I didn't know when it started, but my affections had shifted to him…his whole 'tall, dark, and mysterious' persona was slightly (more than slightly. In fact, rather) intimidating, but when he did things, small as they were, that were kind in some way I saw how gentle he could be. If only he could be that gentle with me. I often found my mind wandering off, day-dreaming about Kyouya and me. As if that could ever happen.
"Haruhi?" Kyouya was looking at me expectantly.
"I'm sorry, Sempai. I wasn't paying attention," I bowed low and felt a blush creeping up onto my cheeks as I realized I was once again dreaming about Kyouya and, consequently, had missed what he was trying to tell me.
"I asked if you had a good day. What has you so distracted, Haruhi?" He asked, a sincere look of concern on his features.
I repressed a shudder of bliss at the way my name rolled off his tongue. "I'm sorry; I guess I'm just overloaded with everything that has been going on."
"That is understandable."
"Kyouya-Sempai?" I asked shyly.
"Yes, Haruhi."
"Why did you let Angel and the others come here? I mean to say, why were you so kind to them when we don't even know them. You aren't an especially warm and open person, so your compliance to help them threw me for a loop." I asked all of this quietly, fearing myself too forward with him. Fearing the worst, I bowed low and started to apologize for my outburst.
Kyouya cut me off with a wave of his hand. "I allowed them to come here because Angel's voice spoke to me in my mind. She sounded helpless, and I could not stand by and listen to her beg me inside my head to help her family. Also, I knew she had something to tell me, something very important. I was right, and while we were driving here from Ouran she told me of our relation."
Kyouya looked very thoughtful for a moment, and then continued with his story. "When I found out she was my sister I was filled with confusion and joy. Something about the small child struck a chord inside me, and I knew immediately she was telling the truth. All of them were so helpless, needing help for their loved one. I wanted to help."
"You aren't as harsh as I once thought, Sempai. Maybe you should show this side of you more often?" The last part was a question.
"Possibly. Well, that is all, Haruhi. If you go sit down, dinner will be served shortly." Kyouya smiled at me shortly before turning back to the pot on the stove. I nodded my head in his direction and walked to sit down at the table between Hikaru and Kaoru.
"Hello, Haruhi," the boys said in perfect unison.
"Hello." My voice wasn't especially emotional, but it wasn't totally deadpan like it is sometimes. My talk with Kyouya had brightened up my day a bit. Honey and Mori came to sit down with us, Kyouya and Angel soon following. Conversation picked up and soon everyone was talking over each other. Once Kyouya suggested everyone say over for a 'sleepover' I freaked out because of the time. But, Kyouya, being who he was, had already called my dad and gotten the go ahead from him.
"So Haruhi, are you going to be playing games with us later?" Hikaru asked in my ear, his lips right up against the skin.
"I guess. What games?" I wasn't quite sure I was going to like playing games with the two brothers, especially since they insisted I was their "toy".
"Spin the bottle, truth or dare, would you rather, seven minutes in Heaven, nervous, really any other game one plays at a co-ed sleepover," Nudge rattled off.
"Those games sound awfully inappropriate," I mumbled under my breath.
"How do you play those games?" Kaoru asked.
"Well-" Nudge began. She explained all the rules to us of each 'game' and with the conclusion I had buried my head in my arms.
"Oh, come on, Haruhi, you have to play," Kaoru said in my ear, nipping at the cartilage.
I gasped in shock and lifted my head up to glare at the twin.
"Yeah, Haruhi, I want to play games with you," Hikaru purred into my other ear, licking it.
"Looks like these two are already ahead of the games," Nudge stage-whispered to Angel (who was sitting on the opposite end of the table so the whole table heard).
"I knew sitting between you two was a bad idea," I grumbled. Everyone else laughed as they finished up eating.
------------
We all sat in a circle in Kyouya's room with most of the lights off, so that it was fairly dark in his room. A glass pop bottle sat on its side in the middle, the mouth end pointing ominously at me, the other at Kyouya.
Somehow we decided to play spin the bottle first. Tamaki found a glass bottle of pop, which Iggy quickly drained, and we used that as the spinner. Going around the circle had seemed like a good idea and I had made it through Hikaru, Kaoru and Honey without having to kiss anyone. But lo and behold, Kyouya was the one to spin the bottle and have it land on me. He stood up slowly and carefully and walked over to where I sat, kneeling down on one knee.
I blushed furiously and felt his finger under my chin, tilting my face up. His dark eyes shone with mischief as he brought his head down. I thought he was going to kiss me square on the lips, but his lips skimmed across my cheek, stopping and pressing into the skin just before my ear. I closed my eyes and felt my mouth open slightly as I tilted my head closer to his lips.
Kyouya pulled back and smiled at me before getting up slowly and walking back to his seat. My mouth was still opened slightly in shock and I closed it quickly. The game continued and went on for a little while until the boys started to get tired.
"I want to play another game," Hikaru whined.
Just as I was about to tell him to relax, the door burst open and in stormed a very pissed-looking Max.
Angel stumbled to the bed after being thrust in that direction by her. As Max started yelling I pieced two and two together. From what I gathered, Mori and Angel had been making-out in the hallway, which was a surprise to me. What I didn't understand was why Max was freaking out like she was.
I knew Mori's age in relation to Angel's, but she seemed mature enough to be able to handle to responsibilities of dating. Actually, it was about time Mori found a girl he really liked. I didn't really care for the fact that they hadn't known each other for very long. It was, honestly, none of my business, and if they wanted to rush into things then far be it from me to stop them. Not that they would ask my permission or anything.
Angel, exasperated, left; she gracefully flew out of the window without a second thought. I looked at where Max stood, shocked and pissed at the same time. Her boyfriend, Fang, walked over to her and put his arms around her, whispering to her quietly. Whatever he said must have held some merit because she immediately looked at him, surprise written all over her face.
"She's too young!" I heard her exclaim, her voice slightly louder than a whisper so that I could hear her. Fang whispered something else to her and she nodded her head. "We won't be far. If you need anything just holler and I'm sure we'll be able to find you, we have very good hearing," Max said before she and Fang walked out the door.
I stood and walked over to where Mori sat on the bed. "Good for you," was all I said. Mori looked down at me with grateful eyes.
"You don't think-?" he started to ask.
I shook my head. "I think if you care about her, then far be it for me to stop you. You had just better treat her right." I scolded him half-heartedly, smiling and nearly laughing. He smiled down at me and pulled me into a hug.
"Takashi, you'd better be good to her," Honey said with a smile on his face, but I knew he meant what he said, not even having to finish the threat. Mori nodded his head after letting go of me.
"I am tired. Kyouya, do you have a place where I can sleep?" Mori asked.
"Just take this room. We will relocate for the remainder of the night," Kyouya said to him.
"Someone should go look for Angel," Nudge said quietly.
"I'll go," Mori said immediately.
"No. You rest, I will go off and look for her," Kyouya said. He then herded the rest of us out into the hallway and closed the door behind him. "I will be back soon. If any of you get tired, I've asked for rooms in the guest wing to be prepared. Just find one of the maids who work here and they can show you to a room."
He did not wait for a response as he quickly headed off into the hallway to my right. "I hope Angel is ok," I said.
"I'm sure she'll be fine, Haruhi," Hikaru said in my ear, slinging an arm around my shoulders.
"Yeah, let's go have some more fun," Kaoru said with a smile as he threw his arm around Nudge's waist. I saw a blush creep up her face before she was steered away in the direction of the living room we were hanging out in before dinner.
We all sat around on the floor in a circle. I was, once again, sandwiched in between Hikaru and Kaoru, and they felt the need every once in a while to pinch my side or blow in my ear or do something else both provocative and annoying.
"This game is getting annoying," Gazzy said after about thirty minutes of playing truth or dare. I hadn't had the courage to pick dare, so I kept answering questions.
"I'm going to go get a drink of water," I told the collective group. I stood up to leave and felt a wave of dizziness wash over me. I lost my balance and ended up falling into Hikaru's lap. His hand had rushed out to catch my head before it hit the ground and I became disoriented.
"Haruhi," Hikaru said my name with an edge of worry in his voice.
"Mm ok," I said, slightly confused.
"She needs to lie down. Carry her to the couch here," I heard a male voice say. My eyes were closed because I was feeling nauseous due to the fact that the room was spinning. Hikaru picked me up and laid me down on the soft cushions.
Someone picked up my hand and grasped it tightly. "It's ok, my daughter, daddy's here."
"Am not your daughter, Sempai," I said with a small smirk and an edge of annoyance in my tone.
Tamaki dropped my hand and I heard him walking away. "She's fine," Kaoru (I think) said.
"Keep playing," I told them. "I just need to lie here for a little while. I got up too fast is what happened."
Eventually they went back to play. I felt myself drifting off but stayed in the present, focusing on their voices to keep me awake. After a while I opened my eyes and sat up slowly, the room still swimming, but not as bad. Kaoru saw me sitting up and looked worriedly in my direction. "I have to go to the bathroom," I said.
He nodded and went back to his conversation with Nudge and Hikaru. I could swear the three were getting closer and some slight flirting may have been going on. With Angel hooking up with Mori, I didn't think anything could surprise me.
I walked out the door and headed down the hallway, passing doors, both opened and closed, but none led to a bathroom. Just as I passed one of the huge glass-paned windows that were windows to the outside world I caught a glimpse of lightning, soon followed by a loud crack of thunder. I felt my heart beating against my chest and my pulse racing. I threw open the closest door—a coat closet behind it—and threw myself inside, slamming the door and cowering in on myself.
It's ok. You'll be ok. Keep breathing. There is no way the lightning can touch you in here, I repeated over and over again in more or less the same way. I lost track of time, sitting there chanting. I heard the door being opened and saw Kyouya standing in the doorway, illuminated by a fresh crack of lightning.
I whimpered and threw myself into his arms, propelling my body off of the floor completely. Kyouya caught me as I reached him, burying my head in his chest. He kept his arms wrapped tightly around me, holding me up off of the ground as he walked away from the closet.
Another crack of thunder sounded and I gripped him tighter, making small noises of fear and helplessness. He stopped moving and sat down, shifting over on a bed and moving me to rest beside him. I kept my face pressed to his chest, my eyes closed tightly. I was on my side, as was he, and he kept stroking my hair, whispering words of comfort into my ear.
We stayed like that until I couldn't hear the storm any longer. My grip on Kyouya's chest slowly loosened and I looked up into his eyes, moisture clouding my vision slightly. "Sempai," I began, but he quickly cut me off.
"It's ok, Haruhi," his hand reached up to brush away a tear that had escaped from my eye. I looked up into his eyes and saw in them worry. "Are you ok now?"
I nodded my head and yawned. "I'm a little tired," I admitted.
Kyouya shifted on the bed so that his back was flush with the mattress; his hand moved my head so it rested on his chest once again. "Rest then, Haruhi. I will watch over you tonight." His hand began stroking my head again and I soon relaxed, my breathing slowing down.
I wasn't quite asleep, though my eyes were closed, when Kyouya started speaking again. "How worried I was, Haruhi! When I heard the first crack of lightning, I ran to you as fast I could. Do you know how terrible it is to know the one you love is in danger and not being able to get to her fast enough?" He was speaking quietly, and I was sure the words weren't meant to be heard by me.
"If only I could tell you how I felt. But how could I, when there is not possible way you could harbor feelings for me?" I balked at the thought, but still made no movements, waiting to hear what else he had to say. I loved Kyouya with all my heart, and I wanted nothing more than for him to feel the same way for me. "If you could only love me, I would give you the world. I would always be there for you, would hold you and love you and care for you forever."
If he loved me as much as he was saying he did, I couldn't even comprehend how great that would be. His soothing hand trailing through my hair relaxed me, and I found myself melting into his touch. I sighed and curled closer into him, my hand coming up to rest against chest.
I heard his breath hitch and his hand froze in my hair at my movement, but when I settled back down he relaxed and continued stroking my hair. A smile crossed my lips and I let it stay there, knowing he'd think I was having a sweet dream. As I lay there I contemplated shifting and looking into his eyes and showing him I felt the same way about him as he felt about me, but once again the fear of rejection filled me to my core, even knowing what I did.
"Just tell him already" an exasperated voice said in my head.
"I can't, Angel....I don't want to be rejected by him." I said to her in my mind.
"Either tell him or I'll tell him you are awake and heard everything he said just now."
"You are a very malicious little girl."
"Flattery won't get you anywhere."
"And you are sure he loves me too."
"Duh."
"Positive."
"Why does everyone question the freaking mind reader?"
"Go back to sleep."
"Not until you tell him."
"Don't you have a boyfriend to be making out with?"
"He's asleep."
"Like you should be too."
"Haruhi—?"
"I'm going, I'm going,"
"I'll be waiting."
I sighed and opened my eyes, lifting my head off of Kyouya's chest and looking up into his shocked eyes. His hand had frozen in my hair and I could feel every muscle in his body tense.
"Haruhi, I-" he seemed at a loss for words. His eyes were wide and guilty.
"Sempai…do you mean it?" I asked quietly, though I knew he heard me.
"Mean what?" he asked.
"What you just said, about your feelings for me," I answered.
"Every single word." he said just as quietly as I had asked the question, looking away from me.
I lifted my body off of his and turned my whole body to face him, grabbing his face in my hands and turning it so he was looking at me. I leaned in and hesitated millimeters from his lips, sure I was overstepping boundaries, worried about what would happen if he rejected me. He surprised me by closing the gap and meshing our lips together.
My heart stopped for a beat or two before it restarted and I was able to breathe again. Kyouya pulled back and took my hands from his face, kissing the backs of each before gently placing them in his lap, his thumbs rubbing circles into the palms of mine. My eyes closed in joy and I felt him press his lips to mine again, his tongue tracing the outline of my lips.
I smiled and pressed my lips to his harder, taking one of my hands out of his to twine it in his hair. His free hand moved to the small of my back and his other moved to the sheets as he gently shifted me to rest on the mattress beneath him.
Kyouya pulled back so he hovered above me, his hands on either side of my head holding him up. It reminded me of the time we went to the beach and I almost got myself killed protecting two girls. Everyone had freaked out, but I couldn't just sit there while those jerks harassed the two girls! Afterwards, Kyouya had pretended to be the bad guy, pinning me down as if he would rape me to teach me a lesson.
I chuckled cynically. "You wouldn't do it, Sempai," I said.
Kyouya quirked an eyebrow. "Are you sure, Harihu?" he asked, breathing out my name and sending shivers down my spine. The sudden shift in our situation, replaying what happened at the beach, confused my brain.
"Yes…?" I meant to answer him forcefully, but as he brought his face closer and closer to mine, I lost all sense of firmness and allowed my voice to come out breathless and questionable.
Without saying anything, Kyouya leaned down further and pressed his lips to my neck, parting them and letting his tongue work the skin there. I gasped loudly and closed my eyes, my head tilting back instinctively. My hands twined in his hair and I felt his breath hot on my neck.
Kyouya chuckled maliciously and bit down on a piece of my skin, his teeth pulling up on it. I felt my back arching into his body, reacting to the bite. "Ok…so maybe….you….would….Kyouya," I gasped out. He pulled back and looked into my eyes.
"You dropped the formalities?" he asked me with a quirked eyebrow.
"If I did it is because you were distracting me. I am sorry, Kyouya-Sempai," I said, looking into his eyes.
"No more formalities. I like it when you say my name and only my name," he said, pressing his lips to my own once again.
When he pulled back I looked up at him and smiled. "Kyouya," I whispered. He visibly shook at the sound of my voice.
Kyouya leaned down to my ear. "I love you, Haruhi," he whispered.
I gripped his shirt tightly in both hands and rolled us over so I ended up straddling his hips. "I love you too, Kyouya," I whispered into his ear as I kissed his cheek.
The words hit me with such a strong wave of emotion I rolled off of him, resuming my place curled up against his side. I looked up at him and smiled. "You cannot imagine how long I've longed to hear you say that, Haruhi," Kyouya said.
"For how long have you felt for me in this way?" I asked him.
"Since you first came to Ouran, actually, and I saw what you looked like all cleaned up," he smiled at me and leaned down to place a kiss on my forehead. "It is late. You should probably get some sleep."
I yawned widely as he spoke and snuggled up to him closer. His arms came around me as a type of blanket and I smiled, content. "Since the beach," I whispered.
"What?" he asked me quietly.
"How long I've harbored feelings for you: since the beach when you played the bad guy," I said before starting to drift off.
"Goodnight, my sweat Haruhi," Kyouya whispered warmly as he continued stroking a hand down my hair. I smiled as I drifted off into slumber, dreaming of the boy in my arms.
------------
Nudge POV
After Haruhi left, Tamaki and Honey proclaimed their tired states and left to find a bed, Gazzy and Iggy following close behind them. Hikaru and Kaoru and I stayed where we were, talking and chatting it up. We talked about meaningless things, like boyfriends and actual friends, and we also talked about serious things.
"What is it like, having wings?" Hikaru asked shyly.
"It's weird. They have always been a part of me, and I adore being able to fly, but at the same time the worry and strife they cause almost isn't worth it. Then I go out into the air and fly around and realize I'm meant to have wings, that I'm meant to be able to fly, and to be different.
"It sets me apart and I love it, but that's not always a good thing. Often times I'm not able to have friends or talk to people because if they found out about my wings they might want me for an experiment or something. To most, I could just be another specimen to dissect. The School that made me is always after me and the Flock, and we have to watch our backs all the time." I told them about our adventures and the School's attacks.
Sometime in the hours we talked, I grew tired. I started yawning and Hikaru and Kaoru saw me. Kaoru brushed hair away from my face and neck, tickling the skin slightly. "You're tired, Nudge," he whispered.
"Maybe you should go to bed," Hikaru whispered in my ear.
I nodded sleepily, although their tones screamed mischief. I was too tired to care. I lay down on the blanket we had set out and put my arm out, using it as a pillow for my head. I closed my eyes and breathed out a sigh as my muscles relaxed for the first time that day.
I felt Hikaru lay down behind me and his fingers started to trail up and down my back, massaging the muscles. Kaoru lay down in front of me and massaged my neck and shoulders, his fingers cool on my skin.
I sighed in content and found myself nodding off to the cool caresses of the twins.
------------
Angel POV
I woke up hours later, groggy but refreshed. I smiled as I felt Mori's arms pull me closer to his body, and I turned slowly in his arms, trying not to disturb him. I started when I saw his eyes were open, but his lazy smile relaxed me instantly.
"Good morning," I whispered.
Mori kissed me sweetly. "Good morning to you, too. How did you sleep?" he asked.
"Well," I said as I wrapped my arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. "I need to take a shower."
Mori looked taken aback by my bluntness, then grinned hugely and rolled me onto my back, pushing his lips against mine. I gasped slightly as I felt his hands reaching up my shirt, pulling it up my body. I was suddenly glad I let Nudge buy me the black-lace bra I was wearing as Mori yanked the t-shirt over my head.
Smiling against my lips, Mori trailed his hands across my stomach, reaching the button to my jeans. His warm fingers felt wonderful against my skin. He pulled my jeans down slowly, dragging his teeth across the skin of my throat.
When I was finally free of my pants, Mori brought his lips back to my mouth, kissing me hungrily. He pulled back with a devil-ish grin and scanned my nearly bare body; his eyes made me flush deeply.
He pulled back and helped me off of the bed, taking his hand in mine. "What was that about?" I asked slightly breathless as we walked to the bathroom attached to Kyouya's bedroom.
"Just thought I'd help you get ready for your shower," Mori said with a smile. I shook my head in wonder and shock but allowed him to lead me to the bathroom.
Mori quickly pointed out where all the shower supplies and towels were before kissing me one last time. His hands gripped my barely-clad hips tightly to his own and I felt myself kissing him harder. I had never felt this way for a boy before, and these feelings both scared and surprised me. Alone at last, I stepped out of my underwear and jumped into the shower, letting the warm water massage all my worries and senses of foreboding away.
Well...? How was it? Please review!
Ember :)