* Edited and re-uploaded 04-28-10 * I apologize for any mistakes that remain.

Ouran High School Host Club belongs to Hatori Bisco

Support the mangaka and purchase the manga as it becomes available.

These events occur after chapter 76 of the manga. If you have not read chapter 77 or the prior chapters contains spoilers.

-Dancing-

Haruhi felt the faint shiver of anticipation flow across her skin when Kyouya entered, his movements regal as he crossed the room, his eyes focused upon her. She inhaled sharply in response to his presence. Her father had taken her to the zoo for her seventh birthday while there; she had seen a tiger for the first time and had been fascinated. She remembered pressing her hands and forehead to the glass separating them her heart beating so rapidly she had wondered if she would die. It had not been fear she had felt but a longing too intense for her mind to contain. The creature had ceased its pacing to stare at her and in that moment she had not cared that it would likely devour her if she tried she wanted to touch the thing that was beyond any of her experiences. Kyouya was no beast bound by its nature but if she were not careful, he could devour her all the same. She did not want to be eaten by him anymore than she had wanted to be consumed by the tiger. No, she wanted to become part of the power, the intensity of purpose, the passion that spilled from their forms. She drew herself up her resolve firming as the pinprick of light hidden in her mind became a glow.

Honey appeared behind Kyouya practically dancing a fey creature from myth escorted by his silent protector. Mori, Haruhi reflected, was perhaps a person born out of time. He would likely been better suited as a warrior whose life was bound to his feudal lord. She gave a mental shake of her head, focus; she told herself sternly idle fantasies would serve no purpose.

Fuyumi hid an amused smile behind her glass as the remainder of the group converged around her and Haruhi. Her brother was in for a challenge if he thought he could run roughshod over the small girl seated next to her.

Haruhi saw Fuyumi's smile from the corner of her eye but she could spare little thought for what had amused the older woman.

"Kyouya could you take me home later?" Haruhi asked.

He blinked in surprise, "That shouldn't be a problem. Was there something you needed?"

She smiled sweetly, "I wondered if you would take me on a tour of the garden once more."

His eyes narrowed her smile appeared sweet but he knew it tended to foreshadow something unpleasant for him. However he was not one to avoid a challenge, "Of course," he told her his voice full of an equal amount of syrupy sweetness.

Honey looked back and forth between the two sensing underlying meanings in their words but unable to decipher them, "Ah, well we should be going. We'll stop by your house later this week, Haruhi," Honey turned his large eyes upon her giving her the full force of the childlike charm that had made him such a popular host, "will you cook for us?"

Haruhi smiled at Honey acknowledging his efforts, "I always enjoy cooking for you and Mori. Kyouya will be helping make dinner so it will be good experience for him to cook a meal for more than two people."

"You'll be cooking too, Kyou-chan?" Honey questioned innocently.

Kyouya adjusted his glasses before giving the shorter man a bland expression, "It appears that way."

Fuyumi clapped her hands delightedly, "May I come as well? I never thought I would have an opportunity to eat a meal cooked by my dear little brother."

Haruhi saw the pleading look Kyouya gave her at his sister's words, which she chose to ignore, "It won't be anything like you are used to," she warned.

Fuyumi rewarded her with a dimpled smile, "I have a fondness for commoner meals. Tamaki-kun and I have been comparing restaurants for a while. Besides anything made by the two of you I am sure will be delicious"

Haruhi resisted the urge to roll her eyes and make a rude remark at Fuyumi's use of the word commoner. She knew there was no maliciousness involved, "If everyone is available Thursday evening we can get together then."

Mori and Honey gave enthusiastic nods.

"I am sure I can be there," Fuyumi told her.

Haruhi looked at Kyouya waiting for his agreement, which he gave with obvious reluctance.

"If we are finished then Haruhi and I will escort you to your vehicles," Kyouya said in an effort to curb Fuyumi and Haruhi's scheming.

-XXXXXXX-

Haruhi watched as Fuyumi's car disappeared into the night before looking to Kyouya the night making his hair darker, his eyes lost behind his glasses, he held his arm out to her. Amused she slipped her arm around his, her hand lightly resting in the crook of his arm.

She found the soft sound of the gravel being shifted beneath their feet as they walked, comforting, it was the sound of a solid reality after the surreal events of the day. The path they followed seemed to drift through the garden. It curved through the plants like a stream gliding through woods never moving in a fully straight line slipping around the plants rather than cutting ridged lines in the landscape.

Kyouya guided her from the path pushing aside plants to reveal the hidden pond. She let go of his arm to walk to the water's edge the dark water a still mirror reflecting the night sky. Silently she honored the soul who had created a place of such peace. The flickering light of fireflies danced in and out of the plants surrounding the clearing. She closed her eyes allowing the scent of the early blooming summer flowers to fill her lungs, the trill of the evening birds sounding invisibly from the trees bringing a smile.

She opened her eyes and looked at the ground, searching she bent down and picked up a smooth stone from the shore. Giving an expert flick of her wrist she sent the stone skipping across the water before it sank from sight. The ripples created across the water's surface serving to highlight the perfection around them rather than disturbing it.

"Kyouya, you gave me your word that you wouldn't treat me like some pampered flower unable to thrive in the open," she did not turn but she could feel him watching her from the bench, "you broke your promise."

"What are you talking about," he demanded not attempting to cover the anger in his voice.

"Today you didn't treat me like an equal. You made decisions involving me without even giving me the courtesy of discussing or explaining them first," her words held no more emotion than if she were discussing the weather, but they struck him like a slap.

He crossed the space between them stepping so he stood in front of her ignoring the water disturbed by his shoes coming to rest on its outmost edge, "Please forgive me. It wasn't my intention to disregard your wishes. I do respect you but you can not ask me not to protect you if it is in my power to do so."

Haruhi glared at him taking a step forward forcing him to step back his foot slipping on the slick rocks, water splashing over the edge of his shoes, "I do not need your protection at the cost of my freedom or self worth. You need to trust me enough to let me take risks. I may make mistakes but it is my choice to make those mistakes."

He reached out to encircle her hand with his own, "I don't want to see you hurt by us or anyone else."

She tightened her fingers around his hand, "I understand wanting to protect those you care about but if you keep this up you will suffocate me and I will walk away before I will allow that to happen."

"What do you want from me," he both demanded and pleaded.

"Treat me like an equal. I will listen to you but you have to listen to me as well and you have to respect my choices even when you disagree," she attempted to explain.

He shook his head, "I have already told you I respect you. Your opinion matters more to me than almost anyone else's. I did tell you why I made the choices I did today. Do you disagree with any of them?"

She gave a small sigh, "No, after hearing your reasoning I don't disagree, but, my point isn't that they were poor decisions but that you did not discuss them with me until after the fact."

"You want me to leave you to make your own choices but you will listen to my advice," he questioned.

She nodded.

"You want me to step back from your life," he stated sadly.

"No," she snapped, "stop going to extremes."

"Damn it, Haruhi, I am trying to understand, but you are asking me to stand aside even should you fall or be hurt. I don't think I can do that," he snapped back.

Haruhi closed her eyes collecting her thoughts. She met his eyes she couldn't see their grey color but they had become such a familiar part of her daily scenery that she did not need light to know the warmth they contained, "I want us to become business partners."

"What do you mean," he questioned his brows creasing.

"I don't mean literally. I what mean is if we succeed, we do so together. If we fail," she took another step toward him causing him to loose his balance. Falling backwards, he attempted to release her hand but she refused to let go and was pulled down with him. Her knee struck a rock painfully and the still chilly water drenched the front of her clothes. She grinned at him pushing dripping locks of hair from her face, "If we fail we do so together." She leaned back on her heels holding out a hand to pull him from where he lay awkwardly sprawled in the water, "This way we are always next to one another to support each other when we need help."

"You know most business partners aren't that close," he told her sitting up, his arms resting on his knees.

"True but we have the added benefit of being friends. So Ootori-san will you be my business partner," she asked formally.

He swung an arm back causing a large splash of water to cover Haruhi, "You are the most exasperating person I know. I would be honored to be your partner, Fujioka-san."

"Good," she told him, "I'm freezing."

He stood offering her his hand, "What do you expect the water is still to cold for swimming. You can never accuse Tamaki and me of theatrics after this."

"Of course I can," she told him impishly "I never claimed I was above being a hypocrite."

He gave a small chuckle, "Come on we better get inside before you get a cold. If your father or the others find out I allowed you to get sick I'll have no peace."

-XXXXXXX-

The walk back to the mansion was less than pleasant. A cold drizzle had begun to fall before they had made it halfway and Haruhi's injured knee forced them to move slowly. They were both shivering and aching by the time they reached the relative warmth of Kyouya's rooms. She collapsed onto the couch relieved to be off her feet. Kyouya had disappeared into his bedroom as soon as they entered. He returned carrying neatly folded clothes.

"The bathroom is through my bedroom. Go bathe and change. I'll have your clothes washed while we eat. I am assuming you don't want to go home looking like a drowned kitten," he told her almost defensively.

Haruhi gave him a reassuring smile and reached for the clothes he held out, "Thanks."

She glanced around Kyouya's bedroom quickly spotting the open door to the bathroom across the room. A warm light beckoning her forward she hurried into the room gaping at the tub filling with water, steam raising temptingly from its depths. The size of the tub was decadent, it hinted at things her mind skittered away from unready to contemplate the possibilities it whispered.

She firmly shut the door behind her leaning against its solid surface all too aware of herself and eyed the room suspiciously. She closed her eyes her lips pursed firmly together.

"Get a hold of yourself," she mumbled with disgust, "it's a freaking bathroom."

She stepped forward the look of determination on her face the same she had worn while facing the ferocity of the storm. She would not allow her mind to puddle into the overly dramatic whining a stereotypical girl.

Her face grim and her grip on her thoughts firm she completed her bathing ritual with a robotic efficiency. Ignoring the tension in her body, she stepped from the water reaching for a towel and for the first time taking note of the clothes she had been given. Her stoic façade crumbled as she shook out the shirt, they were pajamas more specifically they were Kyouya's pajamas.

"That bastard, there is no way in hell he doesn't know what all this implies," she growled from between clenched teeth.

She'd be damned before she backed down from this. She thrust her arms into the shirt pretending not to notice how her fingers fumbled with the buttons. Yanking on the pants, she reviewed her appearance in the mirror. She looked like a child playing dress up. The sleeves of the shirt hung past her hands and the legs of the pants pooled around her feet. She rolled her eyes briefly and rolled up the sleeves and pant legs, she then hitched up the shirt pulling the drawstring of the pants tight about her waist. The fabric bunched ridiculously about her slim frame and with a final glance at her reflection she swept her clothes up from the floor and marched out of the room.

-XXXXXXX-

Kyouya looked up from the book he had been absentmindedly flipping through. He had showered and changed in one of the guest bathrooms while Haruhi used his own. Unlike her, he had donned a black sweater and jeans reasoning it would be less troublesome to wear the clothes he would to take her home in. The book tipped out of his hand to land silently next to him on the couch. He had miscalculated once more. He had picked the clothes for her in an attempt to torment her in payback for the dunking he had received. However, this was no self-conscious girl walking down the stairs from his room. Her head was held high, arrogantly challenging him to comment. One hand trailing along the railing she held her sodden clothes loosely in the other. He swallowed hard for the first time doubting his ability to dominate any situation involving her for long.

Haruhi's eyes never left Kyouya's face as she proceeded down the steps and across the room. She stopped on at the far end of the couch from him, "What should I do with these?" she asked lifting the ball of cloth held in her hand a few inches.

"Umm, I'll give them to a maid," he said his eyes shying from hers. He rose from the couch taking the few steps to close the distance between them fighting against the conflicting emotions that were coursing through his mind.

As he approached her, she felt a moment's puzzlement at his demeanor, was he uncomfortable? Slowly a smile twitched her lips into a smirk, she may not understand how or fully why but she had most definitely won this contest. Feeling gracious with the knowledge of her victory, she handed the clothes to him with no further comment. He took them and crossed the room speaking quietly into the phone placed next to his door. Before he had replaced the receiver in its cradle there was a respectful knock. Opening the door to reveal one of the many faceless servants who seemed to multiply within the walls of the mansion he handed over the clothes and stepped aside as another servant entered pushing a cart of covered dishes.

Haruhi was annoyed to feel a faint blush stain her checks when the maid entered. Hiding her discomfort, she sat on the couch crossing her legs beneath her.

He waited for the dishes to be set out then courteously dismissed the servant using the time to salvage his composure.

"I ordered soup," he told her needlessly breaking the silence.

"It looks delicious," she said slipping from the couch to kneel at the table.

Kyouya considered his seating options and with an amused chuckle at his foolishness, he settled onto the floor next to her resting his back against the couch.

The occasional clink of silverware against the dishes the only sound they consumed their meal. Finished Haruhi leaned back the soup filling her with a comfortable warmth, "Now what?"

Kyouya looked over to her; her hair having dried during the meal framed her face in wavy disarray. She had tucked one leg under her the other drawn up so she could wrap her hands around her knee in an unconsciously innocent pose, "Let's dance."

She sharply turned her head, "What?"

"We only have a few weeks until you present yourself. You should become used to being led before that time," he explained, "after all you will be expected to dance at the upcoming parties."

"Now," she questioned bewildered.

He gave a nod moving across the room he pulled a thin plastic case from a shelf, the light sound of a piano filled the room, the pure notes of additional instruments wrapping themselves through the melody. He advanced to her side and held out his hand. Her fingertips tentatively brushed against his and he curled his fingers embracing her fingers with his own as he gently pulled her to her feet. Not releasing her hand, he placed his other on the small of her back guiding her to an open space before the window that monopolized one wall. Pausing briefly, he turned Haruhi to face him holding the hand on her back still so her body glided across his palm and his hand came to rest on her waist. Matching the music, he slid his fingers around her hand. He gave her a pleased smile when she rested her free hand on his arm. They stood unmoving as he waited for her to relax beneath his touch. Then they stepped. They stepped again. Again, they stepped.

As she had been taught she faced her partner with open eyes giving her full attention to his presence. His head tilted fractionally toward her, he held her eyes with his own, as he guided them across the room the steps ingrained in his mind.

One song blended seamlessly into the next. They moved with no words, no thoughts beyond the response of their bodies to the music and the movements Kyouya lead them through.

Entranced by their dance they did not notice the knock or opening of the door. They were unaware of the presence of the young maid who watched them move, the young woman gazing at the figures. The scene should have been comical. The small girl wearing clothes that swallowed her form, her bare feet delicately lifted so she moved balanced on her toes, the young master in contrast dressed in a plain black sweater and jeans, however as she described the sight later she felt no desire to laugh but a yearning to experience the intimacy they unconsciously displayed.

The final notes of music fading away they slowed, stepping apart they allowed their hands to drop to their sides. Haruhi felt dizzy and breathless an overwhelming rush of emotions leaving her confused.

"Excuse me, Ootori-sama, but the young lady's clothes are ready," a young maid said quickly bowing her head as the sound of her own voice seemed to break the enchantment that had held the two.

Haruhi gave the young woman a small smile, which the maid didn't see as she took the clothes she held folded in her arms. Without a glance for Kyouya who had not moved, she rushed from the room.

Kyouya remained standing where Haruhi had left him barely registering the presence then absence of the maid. His body ached with emotions. Shaking, he ran his hand through his hair this was not in his expectations.

-XXXXXXX-

An expectant silence settled about them. They said nothing to one another during the ride to her home nor when they parted. The air Kyouya noted absently felt charged, still, and heavy like before a storm. His mind echoing the words he had uttered after Tamaki's departure though the two words had become three, "Not yet…soon."

Author's Note:

Damn.

Two weeks and I had only a few pages then tonight in a rush of emotion this. I can't explain why this chapter turned out the way it has but I am pleased. I hope all of you are as well. I have to laugh a bit because this was not how this chapter had been planned. It appears I may have been focusing to much on the wider story and not enough on the one between these two. Well that is really all I have to say. Please review the feedback I get in encouraging but more importantly if I didn't want to know people's thoughts on the story I wouldn't post it here for anyone interested to see.

For those who are interested the music playing on my end while I wrote the dancing scene was From Small Beginnings by Paul Reeves. At least I think that is the name and musician. If you are really curious do a search on youtube for a vid titled: The Lovely Bones (From small beginnings) posted by magentamagica13. That being said if you do then also watch: KuroFai – I'll Not Take My Love Away by miverel, it was one of the main amv's I watched while contemplating this chapter.

Unknown male voice, "I see you have stopped hitting your head on the desk. Does this mean you are ready to return to being human?"

"I stopped?"

"Ya, you even scared me a bit."

"You are making that up."

"Maybe."

"I have a headache."

"That is because you are an idiot."

Good night.