Author's Note: I think I might have forgotten to say this at the start of chapter 1, so here it is-I do not own Ouran High School Host Club, the hosts, Akito, or Yoshio. Although, I really wish I owned Kyoya. Also, a thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed, or marked this as a favorite. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate it! Please, read, review, and enjoy!

Haruhi and an Ootori

Chapter 2

"Excuse me," said a rather tall man with dark hair and equally dark eyes. "May I cut in?"

Hikaru bowed slightly to Haruhi before heading off to find Kaoru, leaving her alone with the dark-haired man. Haruhi studied him carefully as she accepted his hand. As they began dancing, she spoke.

"You must be Akito-san, Kyoya's older brother."

He smiled at her. Despite her years with the hosts, Haruhi would be lying if she said she wasn't a little fazed by his rather dashing smile.

"Yes, I am. And you, I happen to know for a fact, are Miss Fujioka."

Haruhi couldn't help but notice that Akito was a very skilled dancer, and that was saying something given her usual dance partners.

"Please, call me Haruhi," she said, blushing when she realized how forward it sounded.

Akito merely smiled at her again. He twirled her out and back in, pulling her snug against his chest. Oh my, Haruhi thought.

"Very well, Haruhi. You make call me Akito-kun, if you prefer," he whispered in her ear, his breath warm on her neck.

Haruhi felt as if her heart was hammering a mile a minute in her chest. She almost never had this sort of a reaction to a man. The only other time anything like this had happened had been in high school after she had first met—

"So, Haruhi, I heard you were promoted. I wish you luck. From what I have heard, being a lead public defender is not an easy task. Although, if anyone can do it, you can. My father and brother speak rather highly of you, after all."

"Well, I wouldn't believe everything they say. Kyoya has a tendency to say what suits him best, and I've never gotten the feeling your father likes me very much," Haruhi responded, reminding herself that Akito was just another rich, extremely attractive socialite. She had dealt with them before. She would not be put off-balance by his charming smile and suave voice.

"Oh, contraire, Haruhi. My father praises no one who does not deserve it, trust me on that. And Kyoya has mentioned you regularly over the years.

Haruhi could not contain her curiosity. "He has?"

"Yes, my brother seems quite fond of you. In fact, if you look over there," Akito said, gesturing with his chin, "he's watching you right now."

Kyoya, for once in his life, was at a loss for how to proceed. His older brother was dancing with Haruhi, and he was most decidedly displeased with this particular turn of events. When Haruhi looked over at him, he turned away, not wanting to meet her gaze. He started walking off in a random direction in an attempt to find something, anything, to distract him.

It would not look good for him to be charged with fratricide on the same night he was crowned heir to the Ootori Group.

As Kyoya appeared to be making his way over to the Host Club table, he was intercepted by his father.

"Kyoya," Yoshio called. "It is almost time for the announcement. Come with me."

Kyoya followed his father as he made his way to the staircase that led to the grand balcony that overlooked the ballroom. He barely registered that his father was speaking to him until—

"—don't know what your brother is thinking. I have been trying to get you to pursue that girl for eight years. I want Miss Fujioka to be part of this family, but I would prefer that she be your bride. The Kaoazaki girl is only a few months younger than Akito and has had her eyes on him for ages. Of course, I have been trying to get you to ask Miss Fujioko on a date for years, and it seems your brother has succeeded in one night!"

"What?" Kyoya choked out, grinding to a halt.

"Yes, I was walking by them, and she had just accepted his invitation to the Garden Party next weekend. I wouldn't be surprised if he's engaged to her by the end of the month! Kyoya, really, how could you have let this happen?" Yoshio admonished his son.

"I did not let anything happen. I merely have not found an appropriate time to ask Haruhi on a date," he said, adjusting his glasses as he spoke.

Yoshio looked at his son as if he were crazy. "You have known the girl for nine years, and I have spent the past eight years trying to get the two of you alone together. Are you seriously going to stand there and tell me that in eight years you haven't been able to find the time to ask Miss Fujioka on a date?"

Kyoya sighed. "It is not that simple, father—"

"Yes, it is! If a lobster can sing a song about it, then certainly you can manage it!"

Now it was Kyoya's turn to look at his father as if he had lost his mind. "What on earth are you talking about, father?"

"That movie! The one Fuyumi used to watch, about the mermaid who wanted to be human!"

A pause, and then, "The Little Mermaid?"

"Yes!" Yoshio exclaimed. "She used to watch that scene where the lobster was singing, telling the prince character to just tell the mermaid girl how he felt and kiss the girl!"

Kyoya stared at his father in disbelief. "You are not seriously suggesting I take romantic advice from an animated, singing crustacean, are you?"

Yoshio huffed, and then stepped out onto the grand balcony.

The hosts were gathered around a table near the edge of the dance floor, watching a smiling Haruhi as she was spun around by none other than Akito Ootori.

Tamaki was the first to broach the subject.

"So, do you think Kyoya has seen them dancing?"

Hikaru was the first to answer. "No way! He'd have them apart faster than Honey could eat a cake, if he'd seen them."

Kaoru chuckled. "I don't know, Hikaru. It's possible the Shadow King's gone into shock. That or he's already plotting his revenge on Akito-san."

"I think we need to help Kyo-chan, ne? We should make sure him and Haru-chan fall in love with each other!" Honey piped in. "And then I can make the wedding cake!"

Mori just shook his head. "He has been in love with her for a while now. Perhaps his brother's action will get him to act on his feelings."

"But what if he doesn't act soon enough?" Tamaki wondered, as the hosts watched Haruhi step closer to Akito while the two danced.

"Let me guess, boss," Kaoru started.

"You've got a plan?" Hikaru continued, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

Tamaki smiled back at them. "Operation Get Haruhi and Kyoya to Fall in Love with Each Other is a go!"

"Yes, sir!" the twins said with a salute.

Haruhi was surprised to find herself enjoying dancing with Akito. She had been so exhausted, but he was so easy to be with. He had even suggested that she stand on top of his feet like little girls do when they dance with their fathers.

While it had taken her a while to warm up to the hosts way back when, Akito was very easy-going, and he was not completely riveted by the fact that she was a commoner. She had found out that he had double-majored in business and medicine, and had spent a year in China helping to establish a few Ootori family hospitals.

When he had asked her to go with him to the Garden Party that weekend, she had agreed. None of the other hosts had asked her yet, and she hadn't received an invitation personally. She loved the Garden Party; her mother, who was invited annually after winning a case for a CEO who everyone thought was guilty but turned out to be innocent, used to take her to it.

She and Akito were talking amicably as Yoshio and Kyoya stepped out onto the grand balcony. Haruhi was trying to shush Akito so she could hear the announcement when she felt him pull her closer to his body.

Yoshio tested the microphone briefly before beginning.

"Hello, and thank you all for coming. Tonight, I officially announce my successor. And so, without further ado, I hereby declare my youngest son, Kyoya Ootori, to be the heir to the Ootori Group. He will become president in one month's time, after I have finished grooming him for the job. He will be in charge of all the family's business ventures, and I have no doubts that he will do me proud. Congratulations, my son."

Kyoya stepped forward, fighting to keep the smile off his face. He had worked towards this for years, and, though he would never admit it, it pleased him that the hosts were sitting down below, applauding louder than anyone else.

Except, one of the hosts was missing.

Kyoya quickly scanned the room in search of the only female host. When he found her, it took everything he had not to let his mask slip, not to jump off the balcony and punch the one person he hated most in the world right then.

Because there, on the edge of the dance floor, was Haruhi.

And she was kissing Akito.

Author's Note: So, what did you think? Let me know! I know Yoshio's a bit OC, but I've always figured he could either be completely evil or a decent guy. The Little Mermaid bit came to me when I was discussing Disney with a friend, and I couldn't help but include it! Feel free to send in suggestions or criticism, and I'll do my best to shape the story in my head to what you guys want to happen. I promise Haruhi and Kyoya will be together in the end! Thank you for reading!