Chapter 7: To be Father or Not to be Father, that is the Tamaki

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Tamaki was as giddy as a schoolgirl. No, strike that. Tamaki was giddier than he had ever been in his life. He was on an absolute sugar high of love and affection.
He smiled at everyone. (That scared a few people namely Haruhi who thought Tamaki was feeling ill.) He hugged everyone that walked past him. (Kyoya had to shove Tamaki off him with a cattle prod which he had conveniently hidden behind his desk. Unfortunately, the possibility of being shocked only encouraged Tamaki to hug more people.)

He made really bad jokes. (The twins had locked him in one of the dressing rooms and wouldn't let him out until he would shut up. Of course after a few joke free hours he started again.) He started doing baby talk. (That really annoyed Hunny because Tamaki had pinched his cheek and patted him on the head. Smack down was in order.) He had even taking to jumping into rooms screaming. (He had startled Mori leading the normally gentle giant to whack him upside the head before realizing who it was.)

"Father is going to take Haruhi on an awesome date. You'll see Haru-heeeeee, we'll have lots of fun," Tamaki sing-songed.

"Tamaki-sempai, if you don't stop I'll break this agreement," Haruhi replied not even looking at him.

"Haruh-chan is soooooooo mean," Tamaki said but he grew quiet.

-

"Would you have canceled the dates?"

Haruhi almost jumped out her skin at the sound of another voice. She had been sleeping peacefully slumped over the side of a chair. Her eyes widened to meet familiar golden orbs.

"Would you have canceled the dates?" he repeated trying to reign in his temper.

"Yes," she answered slowly. "I would have broken the deal but I would've given the dates to you and Mori. It would be unfair for me to punish you to for Tamaki."

"So would've given us the dates to be fair? There's no other reason?"

"Should there be?" she asked.

-

The silence was bothering Haruhi. Hikaru hadn't spoken to her since the other day when they had argued. She had tried to ignore it but there was a nagging feeling at the back of her mind.

She missed him. Kaoru was less mischievous when Hikaru was moody. Though the younger twin still talked her, Haruhi missed the balance the two twins brought. She had never realized how much of her life they had taken over. Without Hikaru she felt strange.

Still she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing that he had bothered her. Heaven forbid, he find out that she needed him. She tried to act like nothing was bothering her but her façade was slowly cracking away.

-

"Haruhi, what do you think of our commoner picnic?" Tamaki asked proudly.

"Sempai, picnics are for everyone and only rich people would have champagne," Haruhi said.

She was dressed in a blue sailor suit sundress. Her hair done up in pigtails. She had protested but Tamaki had shoved into the dress without hesitation. The hair-do was a gift from this famous hairdresser that Tamaki had hired.

"Haruhi doesn't know how to keep herself up. She needs lots of help," Tamaki had told the hairdresser and make-up artist.

The two women had just giggled and muttered something about turning a sow's ear into a silk purse.

When he first arrived in Japan, Tamaki had been very homesick. The Suoh family had several beautiful gardens. Some were traditional but there was one, most likely built to his father's specifications, which reminded him of France and his mother. It was a sacred place to him that he had never shared with anyone until now.

Haruhi found the garden beautiful but it was nothing special to her. Tamaki, however, ran around radiantly proclaiming how beautiful it was.

"Aren't the water lilies and the roses and the pond beautiful Haruhi?"

"Look Haruhi, hummingbirds and butterflies!"

"See how the water dances on the pond!"

Haruhi could admit that it was beautiful but it was Tamaki's excitement that made her smile. He was so like a child excited by everything. He was a true innocent.

The picnic was beautiful. Haruhi longed to sit in silence but Tamaki chattered happily and watched as she ate. He made it a point to grab her hand and attempted to feed her.

"Sempai, what are you doing?"

"It's romantic if I feed you."

"I'm capable of doing it myself."

"Romance is lost on you."

A few minutes went by without interruption and then—

"Sempai, stop that!"

"But Haruhi's so tense a massage is a good way to relax."

"I don't want a massage."

"Fine," Tamaki pouted.

That didn't stop him playing footsie with her or teasing her excessively. Haruhi worked hard not to loose her temper. She was always in control. Never did she let her face slip but she couldn't take it this time.

"STOP IT!" she screamed when Tamaki gave her a friendly hug.

Tamaki was slightly shocked for a moment. Hurt flashed across his face.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm not angry with you. Gomenasi sempai," she said crying slightly.

Confusion stopped and Tamaki hugged her as she cried. Inside he was panicking. Haruhi never freaked out except for thunderstorms and there wasn't even a cloud in the sky.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly.

"He won't talk to me. Sempai, no matter what I do he won't talk to me. I try talking to him and he won't say anything. He just walks away. I don't know what I did. Why won't he talk to me? Why?" she cried harder.

Tamaki frowned slightly. He noticed the odd behavior between Haruhi and Hikaru for the past few days. He had almost said anything but Haruhi had acted normally.

"It's okay," he whispered as he patted her shoulders.

At least he would always be her father.

-

Behind the rose bushes Kaoru was glaring openly at his twin. "Grow up."

Hikaru just stared at the ground.

To be continued….