Disclaimer: I do not own "Ouran High School Host Club" or any of the characters in this wonderful manga/anime in any way.

Shelter in the Storm

Previously in chapter twenty three: "No, senpai, you don't have to stay, there wont be trouble. Kyoya-senpai isn't that kind of person. And if you think that you can get Takeshi to go with you right now, then be my guest. I get the impression, because things are not going as planned, that he has no intention of letting me be alone with Kyoya-senpai right now."

"Ok, if you're sure. Kimiko, call me if there is trouble, ok?" He stood up, gave one last look at his friend who was seething at the table, and walked out the door, "Takeshi, I will send the car back for you later." Then he left.

Chapter Twenty Four

"Senpai, I didn't want you to find out like this. I wanted to have you come over on Saturday so that I could speak to you alone."

"I see. So you intended to keep me in the dark for a little while longer?"

"No, that's not it. I… I care about you senpai. And I know you care about me. I wanted to try to find a way to tell you that wouldn't hurt both of us. I don't want to hurt anyone, but especially not you. You have been one of my dearest and best friends, despite what everyone else believes about you."

"So then, you wanted to keep me on the side until you knew if Mori-senpai was serious, or what? Why would you keep me in the dark? And how long has this been going on?"

"Senpai, please, calm down and listen. I will tell you everything that you want to know, if you will listen. But senpai, please believe me, hurting you was the absolute last thing I ever wanted to do."

"Yeah, sure. Ok, so tell me."

"You know that I love all my host club friends. But I have always felt something special for two of them. I didn't realize it at first, what with Tamaki's confused feelings for me, and the twins always crawling all over me like they owned me. Slowly over time, I started to have different feelings for both you and Takeshi. I wasn't sure what they were or how to express them. I guess in a way, I was as clueless as Tamaki had been. After the attack, when I heard your voice as I woke up, I could feel the love that you had for me. I knew that no matter what, I was safe with you. The same thing happened when I had the dream, and Takeshi comforted me. I knew I was equally safe with him." She sighed heavily, as Kimiko set a glass of water in front of her and she took a sip. Takeshi moved from standing behind her to sitting to her side. "I also finally figured out that the reason I felt so safe with the two of you, was because I was in love with both of you. Both of you. But I didn't know how to express it. And I didn't know how you both felt. I mean, I knew that you both cared enough to call me your friend, but was it as much as I cared for you?

"Then both of you started asking me questions about relationships and such. It only confused me more, because neither of you were talking about getting involved, you were just asking me if I considered it and such. It was like you were trying to set me up with someone else, like a blind date, but you wanted to know how I felt first. That kind of feeling. When you asked me if there was anyone who made my heart skip a beat, I didn't know how to tell you that there were two, and one of them was you. When Huni-senpai told me that your father had someone in mind for an arranged marriage that you actually liked, and was so special that even Takeshi thought that she was amazing, my heart stood still for a moment. I realized that I wouldn't have a chance to stand by your side. I felt let down, to be honest. I wasn't able to put a finger on it at that time, but I knew that if I let myself get too down, it would hinder my recovery. Then, a few days later, when Takeshi confessed… He was the other one who I had grown to love. Don't think that it was some kind of rebound thing." She looked at Takeshi to make sure that he understood. "It wasn't because I had loved both of you equally. And to be honest, when I realized that Kyoya-senpai was not an option, I kind of lumped you into that same category." She turned back towards Kyoya, "But I still cared for you anyways."

"It was you. My father wanted me to marry you. After the festival last year, my father told Tamaki's father that he wanted you to be my wife."

"I… me?"

"Yes, Haruhi, you. You are the girl that is so special that even Mori-senpai thinks that she is amazing. You are the one that I love. You are the one that I wanted as my wife even if my father didn't agree. You. Haruhi, only you. You are the one that had me falling to pieces as you lay in a coma. You are the one that had me hating myself because I had not been able to protect you. You are the one that I confessed to over and over and over again while you lay in come or sleeping. I couldn't do it when you were awake, because I didn't know how you felt. I was afraid of losing you. Yet, what happened? Because I was so afraid of losing you, I end up losing you anyways. Why? Why Haruhi?" Tears were rolling down his face, but he didn't care. He was tired of being the perfect Otori. He had lost out on the only thing… the only person he ever wanted that didn't care what his name was or how much money he had.

"Senpai, I'm sorry. I didn't know. You're the last person I wanted to hurt. You have to know that."

"Kyoya, I know it doesn't mean much, but I understand. I thought that you had already confessed to her, so I felt I had already lost. But I wanted her to know how I felt anyways." Takeshi put a hand on his friend's shoulder. He didn't want his friend to hurt either.

They sat in silence for a while. Kyoya took the time to collect himself. It was something new to him. Otori's never lose, yet he had lost the one girl that couldn't be bought and sold, or won over with flattery and gifts. Finally, the tears had dried… for now. He would probably cry more, once he was in the protected confines of his bathroom, as he had cried for the girl many nights as he soaked in the bath. But that was something no one knew about. It was his personal time, when he wasn't an Otori, he was just a teenager named Kyoya. So for now, he put back on his façade and faced the wining rival. He put his hand on his friends that was still resting on his shoulder. "If I ever hear that you have done anything to upset her, I will be back. I wont lose a second time. Know this and know it well."

Takeshi, knowing when to back down, replied "If I upset her to the point that you show up, I will have done something so as to not deserve her. I would be honored if you took her and treated her like the princess that she is… but I don't foresee me making such a huge mistake. Kyoya, you have to know that I do love her. I would have stepped down if it wasn't true. And I don't want this to destroy the friendship that we have built."

"It will take me some time. It is something new to learn. Otori's do not lose, ever. So, I guess I didn't lose the girl, I gained the couple as my friends, right?"

"Of course. Now, how do we tell everyone else. They wont be happy, but they can get over it. The most important person has been told. And I didn't lose his friendship. That is what really matters." She smiled at her friend and although it was a halfhearted smile, at least he smiled back.