Of Respect and Friendship Chapter 3, an ouran high school host club fanfic

AN: I just want to thank everyone who has commented and added this story to their alerts. It really cool to see that some of my favorite authors are reading my story. Also thanks to my beta Monedameow. I don't know if i mentioned this yet but this story is taking place over 7 months, and its really going to be the progression of the pair understanding that they love each other. So i hope you like this chapter, i enjoyed writing this chapter and chapter 4 will hopefully be up before the end of the week. Also i do not own Ouran High School Host Club.

Of Respect and Friendship

Chapter 3

by Buddhistbabe

A month after Haruhi became engaged she found herself standing in a white Kimono waiting to get married. She was in a large bedroom at the Morinozuka family home waiting to be lead out to the household's largest private garden where the marriage was going to be taking place. Very few people were invited in the wedding, Haruhi's father, Mori's mother, father, and brother and Huni's mother, father, and brother. The twins, who had been recently informed of the plan, were also in attendance.

Haruhi frowned when she recalled trying to explain the situation to the doppelgangers, it was one of the most difficult tasks she had encountered over the past month. As expected, they both opposed the plan, offering themselves to her as future husbands, claiming they would be more fun then the silent Mori. It took them quite some time before they realized that if one of them was married to Haruhi it would weaken their brotherly bonds. Once it was explained to them that way. Hikaru and Kaoru finally agreed that she had no other option, but then they refused to be left out of the planning.

They spent the last 3 weeks controlling Haruhi's life. They had their hands in every aspect of the wedding, from the decorations to the food, to the type of ceremony. But by far their favorite part of the planning was their gift they gave Haruhi.

Their gift to her was the white Kimono she was standing in. It was one of their mother's first designs. She refused the gift in the first place, claiming that it was too much, but they wouldn't listen and couldn't pass up the chance to dress up their friend. The traditional outfit was made from the softest of silks with tiny cherry blossoms patterns embroidered by hand onto it with tiny crystal beads. Her hair, while still short, had been washed, conditioned, styled and pined back with little silver berets decorated with pearls. Even with everything that had been done to it, it still looked the same to her. After the twins applied her makeup, which she trying to convince them not to, they left her room and gave her some rest.

Now she stood at the large open window, smelling the summer breeze and looking out at the beautiful July sky. Her childhood dream wedding was less decorated and lavish then her real one, but in her dream she was also marrying for love. She was so distracted by her thoughts that she never heard the door open and a voice calling her name; she felt a tug on her sleeve and turned to see Huni-senpei standing in the room with her, wearing a concerned expression, on his normally cheerful face.

"What is wrong Haru-chan? You should be happy you are getting married. Takashi is a really good man, and he will always care and protect you" he said taking her hand in a comforting manner, thinking that she was having second thoughts.

"I know, senpei, I am very lucky to be marrying him. It is him I am worried about though not me. Doesn't he want to marry for love? I feel like he is settling for me. I know he got many offers from girls in high school hoping for his affection, and I am sure girls are still chasing after him, but I don't think he should be sacrificing his happiness to protect me."

Haruhi said all of this in a deflated manner, but after she said it she relished in how good it felt to get that thought off her chest. She had been thinking about it ever since she agreed to get married.

The young man standing in front of her gave her a sad soft smile and shook his head.

"I don't think you understand Haruhi. Takashi was never going to get to marry for love; he came to that understanding a while ago. Love is not something that the rich get to experience, it is something that only the lucky few get to have. I think its one of the reasons he never let anyone get really close to him. He knew that his marriage would be one for the advantage of either his family or mine. His bride would have been chosen from our business associate's daughters, he might have never met her before the wedding. He accepted and understood all of this and was willing to give up any chance of happiness if it was asked of him. So you see the truth is Takashi is very happy about marrying you."

A wide eyed bride-to-be, sat listening to what her friend had to say, and she was truly shocked. She knew that marriages to the rich were business deals, but she never really considered how that would affect all of her friends. It never occurred to her that the lover boys that belonged to the Host Club might never really get a chance to experience love. The manner that Huni spoke in chilled Haruhi, for her blonde friend would end up in an arranged marriage someday also.

"Haruhi, by marrying Takashi, you are giving him something he never had before, hope. Hope for a happy future with a woman he respects, and cares for. Takashi believes that he has to follow orders and that his personal wants never come first. But for once he is getting something he wants. He wants to marry you Haru-chan. He will care for you and respect you. Personally I believe he already loves you too. I just think he hasn't realized it yet. He knows he cares for you, he cares for you more then he has for anyone outside his family. There have been times, Haruhi, when I am convinced that when he looks at you and is with you, he is happier then he has been in a very long time."

Haruhi felt her face first shift from shock, at the concept that Takashi, as she would now have to call him, already loved her. The shock then gave way to doubt. That must have shown on her face because her blonde friend then added "Fine you don't have to believe me but I think you will see it over time. So please don't be depressed, you are marrying a man who truly cares for you."

He smiled up at her through his blonde bangs. "Now come on everyone is waiting for you." He said tugging on her hand, leading her from the room with a bounce in his step.

'Could he be right? Does Takashi really love me?' That concept whirled through her mind. Nerves began to twist inside Haruhi's stomach as they reached the garden doors, which stood open letting the sun light filter in. She swallowed, as she met her father, who was waiting for her, at the door. While Huni hurried off to stand with his family.

Haruhi entered with her father, who dressed as a man for the occasion, slowly walking forward to where Takashi stood with his family. His tall form was draped in a black kimono, making him look taller then ever. She took her place standing next to her husband-to-be. She looked over at him to see how he was reacting to the wedding. He was staring ahead listening to the words spoken for the couple, with the same impassive face as normal. 'How can Huni say he is happy to be marrying me?'

As if he felt her eyes on him, he glanced down, and found her watching him. His first thought was that maybe she wanted to stop the ceremony, but he then realized she was looking for his reassurance. He smiled a soft, yet joyous smile at the small woman next to him. He looked truly happy to be standing there

'Maybe Huni was right after all. Maybe really does want to be married to me.' Haruhi thought as she returned his smile with a warm and happy smile of her own.

After the ceremony was done, the party went into one of the small banquet halls in the Morinozuka household and had the reception. There were tons of different foods, including fatty tuna, and a huge lovely white wedding cake as a gift from Huni-senpei. After a few hours later when dusk started to settle in, the newly wedded couple boarded the Morinozuka private jet and was whisked off to their Honeymoon suite in Hawaii.

By the time they reached their final destination both bride and groom were exhausted from the day's activities. Mori offered Haruhi the bathroom first while he went out into the living room to do some night time meditation before getting ready for sleep himself. After half an hour of sitting in silence he decided it was time to rest, he expected Haruhi to already be asleep when he walked into the bedroom. But instead he found her sitting on the edge of their massive bed looking out the big windows at the night sky. She was wearing the same white cotton nightdress that she had worn the morning the engagement was decided.

She looked up startled when she heard the click of the shutting door, as the noise pulled her from her thoughts.

"I am sorry" he said softly sitting next to her on the bed, "I thought you were already asleep"

She shook her head, and Takashi noticed she was shaking.

"Haruhi, what is wrong?" he asked worriedly. He was wondering if it was something he had done or maybe she was just upset up at having to get married so young, or maybe she was already regretting getting married. What he didn't expect was what she said.

"I am scared Takashi. I don't know what you expect from me. I don't know anything about this kind of thing" she admitted sheepishly.

He sat, looking at her slightly confused for a moment, until it dawned on him that she meant what was expected of her on her wedding night.

"Haruhi" he started "I am scared too. I've never done this before either."

She looked up at with huge eyes, she never thought that the ever claim Mori would be scared and nervous like her. It was comforting to think that behind that impassive exterior that maybe he was shaking as bed as she was.

"We don't have to do anything tonight, if you don't want to. Haruhi, no one said we had to do anything we aren't ready for. This is new for the both of us, so we can take every thing as slowly as we want."

"Thank you" She said the relief evident in her voice as she leaning into Mori shoulder.

"But we still need to sleep; tomorrow is going to be a busy day. We should get up early and enjoy the sunrise and take a tour of the island, don't you think?"

She nodded, as he stood up to go into the bathroom to get ready for bed, fifteen minutes later when he came out he was once again surprised to see Haruhi waiting for him. Once he crawled into the enormous bed, she shyly slid closer to him, he lifted his arm so she could set her head on his chest and he wrapped his arm around her exposed shoulder.

"Is this okay?" she asked softly.

"Yes it is fine" he said to reassure her.

He heard her giggle, and looked down at her as if asking what was so funny.

"Your voice sounds so deep when it echoes through your chest. I didn't think your voice could get any deeper." She said with a little smile on her lips.

He grunted one of his typical agreements to only receive more giggles from the small woman against his chest. He was happy to have her smiling. He was also very thankful that this was nothing like what he envisioned their first night together to be like. His fear was that it would have been a lot more hectic. Older members of his family told him that brides in arranged marriages normally spend most of the first night crying. This worried him; he didn't want Haruhi to cry herself to sleep because of having to marry him.

He looked down at the young woman laying against him, now sleeping. Personally he felt that this was a good first step into marriage, his bride wasn't crying, actually on closer inspection she was smiling. Taking this moment where he knew he wouldn't be caught he observed her sleep form. She fit well against him, hands curled against his chest. He could feel her warm breath against his bare chest, and remembered when he carried her through the Ohtori's tropical garden. Her hair tickled his collar bone, and he drifted off to sleep with a slight smile on his face, to match the one his new wife had on.