It was no surprise to anyone that Halloween was Haninozuka Mitsukuni's favorite holiday (much to the annoyance of his brother Chika). It was Halloween night and time for the annual Hunny's Halloween Extravaganza. Mori was helping Hunny jointly host the party, and it was at Hunny's house. Haruhi had never been to Hunny-senpai's house, and she didn't particularly want to go to this party, but who could resist a wide eyes teary Hunny with Usa-chan, asking Haru-chan ever so sweetly to come to his Halloween party. Kyoya had smiled wickedly at Haruhi as he overheard the invitation, and from the glint of his glasses, she knew that it would be in her best interest for her to attend, lest her debt to the club significantly increase. It was to be for members of the host club, and their family, so Haruhi was expected to dress up as a girl. Her father had somehow found out about this party (she was sure that a comment from Kyoya was to blame) and so her father made sure that she was dressed properly as a female. Miraculously she had managed to avoid the twins providing her with her costume, so she was left to her own devices.
Haruhi, dreading Halloween, had done her shopping late, in hopes that nothing would be left but very generic ghost costumes. It seemed that fate was against her, or that Kyoya had a very far reaching influence, but she doubted even he would go to such lengths to force her femininity to light. She knew that he could not sell the pictures from this evening; it would be too obvious that she was a girl, but he would definitely use them as leverage against the other members, Tamaki and the twins especially.
Haruhi drew in a breath, as well as she could manage, and knocked softly on the door. She was not surprised to hear footsteps scurrying to the door, and see Hunny-senpai's smiling face beaming up at her. He was dressed as Usa-chan, and she couldn't help but smile at the cuteness of the costume as he beamed up at her. Usa-chan, she noted, was cradled in his arms, dressed in a Hunny costume.
"Haru-chan!" Hunny grabbed onto her arm and pulled her inside. "Haru-chan looks pretty." He smiled up at her, and led her through the house, towards the room the party was in. As they entered the room all conversation stopped.
Tamaki flushed red and stumbled back several steps, his hands clasped over his mouth. The twins gaped, their mouths hanging open, stuttering, while Kyoya blinked and hmmed, blinking again, the careful schooling of his features slipping into one of surprise. Mori was the only one with enough sense to retain his composure and smiled at Haruhi.
"Welcome." He motioned towards the food table and Haruhi slowly made her way over there, allowing Hunny to pull her over to the table.
She knew this was a bad idea. The only costume that she could find was that of Marie Antoinette. The corset was restricting, and endowed her with a figure that she did not possess. The long skirts were very inconvenient and she was thankful that Hunny had thought to send a car for her, so she didn't have to walk. She had forgone the wig that came with the costume, though her father had forcer her to wear the elbow high gloves and the ribbon for her neck.
Slowly the club members began to recover, and as Mori handed her a plate for snacks and sweets she thought she saw his hand tremble slightly.
She shook her head to clear it from such foolish thoughts. Mori would not react to her being in a dress, though Tamaki and the twins were reacting much as she expected them to.
Kyoya slid over to her, and smiled, a camera in hand.
"These pictures will come in quite useful. I should thank you."
Haruhi cocked her head to the side, trying to assess what other meaning Kyoya might have in his words.
"I think Tamaki is broken." Haruhi looked to the senior, who still stood, face flushed, hands clasped over his mouth.
"Halloween is a magical time." Kyoya shrugged. "I think this exceeds even his fondest dreams of such a happening. Haruhi, his precious daughter, is very much a woman tonight."
Haruhi shrugged. "It was the only costume that they had left. I had no choice." She didn't look to Kyoya so she didn't see the smirk that covered his lips at her words.
"Though I think you might have something to do with that, senpai." Haruhi looked at Kyoya whose face was neutral.
"That is an interesting theory." He moved away, over to Tamaki, and began to talk to him in a low voice. Likewise Kaoru stood in front of Hikaru trying to get his brother's attention. Neither seemed to be having much luck at all.
"You broke them, Haru-chan." Hunny smiled and Haruhi laughed.
"That wasn't my intention."
"Come." Mori motioned towards one of the doors and Hunny nodded.
"Takashi will show you around while we fix Tama-chan and Hika-chan."
Mori put a hand on Haruhi's back and gently lead her towards the door. She noticed then that he was dresses as a European Lord, and frowned. They had matching costumes. It was odd that they would both be European nobility, but Haruhi did not dwell on that though. Once they were away from the others Mori stopped, and with a bow offered her his arm.
Pausing for a moment Haruhi then placed her hand on the proffered arm, surprised at the gesture. She allowed Mori to lead her through the twists and turns of the house, then out to a garden. There was a koi pond, and at the site Haruhi sighed a happy sigh and moved closer to the pond, watching the fish.
She didn't think anything of it when Mori moved to stand next to her, but she did think it was odd when he placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and he shook his head, so she turned back to the fish.
"Hunny-senpai must like this place." Haruhi smiled and Mori hmmed his agreement. Haruhi jumped slightly at Mori began to run his fingers lightly along the nape of her neck, his fingers playing with the ends of her hair.
She blushed, and glanced to Mori, trying to assess what was going on. "Mori-senpai, are you sleepy."
"Hmm."
Haruhi could not tell if that grunt was an agreement or a disagreement but she didn't push the matter. She liked the tired Mori-senpai, when he was a little more mellow and relaxed, and a little less samurai incarnate. The 'wild' image went away and he was just Mori.
"Mori-senpai?" Haruhi turned to look at Mori, and glanced down at her, his eyes half closed, his hand still playing with her hair.
"Why are you always so guarded? Are you so scared of stepping outside of your role of Hunny-senpai's protector?" His hand froze on her neck and she could feel his eyes burning into her.
"People will like you for being Takashi, you don't always have to be Takashi, protector of Mitskuni." Haruhi turned to she could face Mori, and his hand lay on her shoulder, forgotten. "Mori-senpai and Hunny senpai are not the same person."
Haruhi looked up at Mori and was surprised to see Mori smiling at her.
"Hmm." Mori seemed to agree with her statement in that answer, so Haruhi smiled back, the glanced at the house.
"We should probably return, Mori-senpai." Haruhi moved to step away from him, but his hand tightened on her shoulder.
"Why are you the only one to see?" His voice was soft and his hand gently traced down her jaw line, his fingers running lightly across her lips.
Haruhi felt the blush that covered her face at the tender actions, and she cursed her inability to control herself. She liked Mori, she had for some time now. His reaction to her costume, the trembling still in his limbs, the tenderness with which he treated her – if she were any other girl she would have fainted by now. But she was not any other girl.
"May I kiss you?" Mori whispered the words and Haruhi nodded, her cheek cupped in his hand.
As he leaned forward and as his lips touched hers the rest of the world faded. So much so that Haruhi did not her the squawk of outrage at Tamaki and all the others witnessed the kiss beneath the moonlight.
"Okaa-san, our daughter is being defiled by—" Tamaki couldn't continue as he saw the kiss deepen, and Haruhi slip her arms around Mori's tall frame. Hikaru stalked off at Mori had leaned forward to kiss Haruhi, but Kaoru lingered.
"Look's like Mori got a Halloween treat." The red-head smirked
"How dare you—" Tamaki started to protest but Hunny-senpai interrupted.
"Takashi doesn't always like what I like. But he seems to like Haru-chan."
Kaoru smirked. "She must be a tasty treat."
"You, you… you….!!" Tamaki stuttered lunged at Kaoru who laughed and scampered out the way of the irate 'father' while his 'daughter' enjoyed the company of Mori beneath the moonlight.