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Chapter 15

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Yuuki tried to skip the opening ceremony. She hated it. The cameras, the crowd, the yelling. It was like being in a pit of preschoolers who all thought that their team was the best and would shout it until everyone believed it.
Somewhere in the crowd sat the host club. Somewhere in the mass of writing bodies. Yuuki didn't hold a flag but she did plaster a smile on her face and wave her hand around a bit in a pleasant manner. The uniform was alright though. Black pants, red shirt with white detailing. Every athlete was expected to be there, and everyone was. All took photos, grinned, waved and laughed their way through while Yuuki shrank, got a headache and a sore arm. Dully she felt her mobile vibrating. Many others were on their phones, talking to loved ones overseas or something of the like.

She pulled it out. "Hello?"

"..."

"I can't hear you." Yuuki put one finger in her ear.

"Yuuki! You're on T.V! SMILE!"

"Tamaki...Go play in traffic."

"I can't hear you, what?"
"I said say hi to everyone."

"She says hello." Pause. "Everyone says hello."

"Where are you?"
"Private box, right near the front. Near the Prime Minister and Queen! Kya. It's so awesome, you have no idea."

Yuuki had no idea where the Prime Minister and the Queen were, she didn't even know the Queen was still alive and unretired. "That's nice Tamaki."

"You'll come join us after the ceremony for a party?"

"Why?"
"TO CELEBRATE!"

"What?"
"The Olympics." His voice fell to promote her idiocy. "Duh."

"What are we doing now then? It'll be very late anyway."

"All the clubs will be open."

"We'll see. Depends if you want to deal with the wrath of Hunny when he gets tired."

Pause. "Oh yeah."

"Okay, well I have some important thing to do right now revolving around one of mankind's oldest traditions to bring peace, unity, love and all that. Talk to you later, bubi." She hung up. The music, the cheering, Tamaki. Bad, bad combination. Her head began to throb.

Yuuki never thought it would happen, but for the first time ever, she felt herself wishing that the competition was just over and life could go on as it had. So that she could just be the normal person she was. She loved to ride, it was her income, but she hated this. She hated the attention, the loud noises, people yelling at her for reasons she couldn't comprehend.

After the ceremony, Yuuki met the Host Club in a private booth at the top of the stadium. She went straight for her bag and got paracetamol, water and a different jacket. After downing the two former, she unzipped her tracksuit to reveal a normal white t-shirt before pulling her red bomber jacket over the top. The hideous other was discarded.

Tamaki was exclaiming in excitement the whole time this was going on. Yuuki ignored him coolly. A method taught to her by Kyoya. It wasn't very effective at shutting the blonde up, but it helped slightly.

"That was so awesome Yuu-chan! All the colours!" Hunny was sitting on a sofa, obviously a little tired, as could be seen by the lack of bouncing. "Did you have fun?"

The girl sat next to him, forgetting she would promptly get attached to. "Yes, Hunny. There were lots of colours...and noises...and more noises."

"And we were under the impression you had selective hearing." The twins said in unison before taking her Japanese team jacket. "This is hideous." Presumably Hikaru. "Not as bad as Peru's though." Kouru. Presumably. "Good thinking brining that jacket. You can't go out wearing this one."

Yuuki leaned back. "I don't plan on going out right now."

"What? Why?"

"It's past midnight."

"So?"
"I wake up at four."

Stunned silence. Even Tamaki, the morning person, was shocked. "Why dear princess? It's not morning until the sun has come up!"

"The sun comes up, eventually." Yuuki didn't have anything on the next day and she planned to sleep. She had not been born a morning or night person but had been made to live a life of both.

"The sunrise..." The blonde took on a different tangent. "It's so romantic! So fresh!"

Haruhi touched her fiancés arm and he quietened some before wrapping her in his arms and spinning her, talking excitedly about the morning. Haruhi smiled gently, to used to his behaviour to be annoyed. She told him that yes, she liked the morning too.

"It was meant to be!" Tamaki held the woman to his chest and grinned like the proud, optimistic, lovable maniac he was.

Kyoya was leaning against a wall at the back, writing something in his ever present clipboard. Work. Detailing the events of the evening in accordance to his relationship with the 2012 games. The Ootori group was about the happiness and wellbeing of people, supposedly, and it was their job to take note on what made people happy and what made them healthy. The opening ceremony defiantly made people joyous, but healthy was another issue. The man raised an eyebrow with Mori at Tamaki's antics. He was still pissed that his phone contacts had been deleted; it had taken two hours to put them all back in again. Fortunately he carried a contact book as backup.
Yuuki smiled softly at the sight of him, just being the evil, demon Shadow King, straddling the background with a cold and stony silence. Very calculating persona. The girl peeled Hunny off her, afraid he would stay long enough to attach and become a living, breathing organism that was part of her being. His body could handle copious amounts of sugar, hers could barely tolerate sweet tea.

The little blonde attached himself to Mori and, rather promptly, declared he was tired and fell asleep in his stand in brothers arms. The twins scowled. They wanted to party and get up to something naughty.

"I'm sorry twins. But I don't actually know the 'party' scene here. I've never wanted to know it either. I love my liver too much."

"Your liver?" They said in unison.

"You can only party in London with one hand." The other was most often holding a drink.

"You don't have to drink."

Yuuki raised her eyebrow at them before letting her head rest against the couch. She had tucked her legs under herself and had been leaning on a slant; the seat was one of those monsters that children got lost in. "Sleep. Sleep is better."

"You're boring."

The girl smiled coyly and didn't open her eyes.

The twins continued to talk to her as if the happenings of the evening were up to her. "What if we take your 'significant other'?"

The subtle scratching in the back of the room stopped. Kyoya stared blankly, the face behind his mask praying that it wouldn't come to abduction.

Yuuki opened her eyes and met the Ootori's. With a smug smile she replied. "Take him."

Hikaru's face fell. Or, probably Hikaru's. She couldn't tell. He looked rather evil and called her bluff. "So...we can get him drunk?"

The Cunxin knew her 'significant' other would be mortified at their discussion."No."

"Why?"

"What happened to free will?" Yuuki sat back up.

Kyoya crossed the room, knowing she sucked severely at handling more than one person at a time. "We have this booth booked until tomorrow, it was originally intended to be a meeting room for the executives of the games, but it's doubtful anyone will turn up at this hour to supervise pack-up."

Tamaki stopped mugging Haruhi. "So...we can just stay here?" He didn't want to be apart yet, but he didn't want to go out.

The Ootori pushed his glasses up and sank into the couch beside the Cunxin. "I said that."

"Hikaru! Kouru!" The Prince pointed at the pair. "Go get supplies!"

The twins stood, understood that it was their opportunity to get out and amongst it whilst still being able to return to the group. They saluted and disappeared.

"The better get Pringles." Yuuki crossed her arms, slightly annoyed that she would have to stay awake.

"When do you start competition?" Kyoya was buried in his work again.

"A week."

"Not training that week?"

"No." It was part of their regime to lessen the load slowly before a competition so that they and the horses would be at their peak and relaxed for the events.

Kyoya's tone was flat but slightly pleased. "Good."

Yuuki leaned softly against him, not enough to disturb his work, but enough to let him know she was there. Her headache was slowly lifting and the situation began to look more like fun and less like an enjoyable pain. The Host Club. The girl smiled. Where would she be without the host club? After ten minutes she craned her neck to see what Kyoya was writing. It didn't make any sense. "What are you doing?"

"Calculating the profit of the sponsorship."
Pause. The girls eyebrows knitted together."Doesn't sponsoring mean your...giving away money?"

"Yes. But it also means that your public approval rating goes up. Already we have grossed more than this cost of the deal and the games only just started." He looked very pleased. Hotels were full, theme parks bustling, more people enrolling for private health cover with the Ootori group and patients beginning to trust the system and overcoming their fear of hospitals. It was also a bonus that at every venue owned by the Ootori group was equipped with screens displaying twenty four hour coverage of the Olympics.

"You're about as deep as a puddle."

"What country is this puddle in?"

"One without potholes."

Kyoya laughed quietly and continued his business. When the twins arrived back bearing supplies from an open petrol station. Also known as; a variety of confectionary and chips that smelt slightly like meth. Hunny woke up and went straight for the marshmallows before becoming contented again. Tamaki scrutinised everything until he was satisfied that this 'commoner' tradition wouldn't kill them all. Daddy's duty to protect. Hikaru had brought iPod speakers and decided to rummage through Yuuki's bag until he found her phone. The event was almost as tragic as Tamaki's delve in the hospital. Half the songs on the device were neglected and only there as freebies from other downloads. However, these neglected sounds were often the favourites of another and, rather annoyingly, became the theme songs of the evening. Everyone was together, and contented with the matter.

---

Day 1: Show Jumping.

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Yuuki rode into the ring, tipped her helmet and cantered to the start mark. In the crowd somewhere was the Host Club and Tachi; watching with baited silence. The quietness. She hated it. It meant people were watching, praying she either knock, or clear every jump.

And we have Yuuki Cunxin on Zero Tolerance representing Japan. The pair took gold at Beijing, let's see if they can do it again.

The announcer said carefully before taking his muted place in the audience. It was puissance, the highest course a rider could do. Because Yuuki was light, it wasn't too much of a problem for Zero, but being that far off the ground and totally reliant on half a tonne of animal was always slightly unnerving when people were expecting you to perform perfectly. The girl could feel her necklace thunking slightly against her collarbone under her shirt, perfectly in time with the lead leg. Zero took the first jump. He loved it. He loved jumping. It was the reason they were good at it. Yuuki herself enjoyed it, but it wasn't her passion. She didn't know what her passion was anymore. It had always been told to her, but she had never had a chance to decided it. She was annoyed at Kyoya for pointing that out. Her world was comfortable until he mentioned it. In the week leading to eventing, the pair had visited the tourist hot-spots with the Host Club and explored the local favourites as a couple. Yuuki showing him the places she loved about the city. Kyoya was amused when she took him to a cafe on the Thames. The river stunk in summer, it was terrible and wondered why she had chosen such an ill placed coffee shop. But then she told him about the bridge. About how she would sit in his seat and watch it lift for the boats and drop for the cars. She said it made her think of him, changing for different circumstances but always offering a well known course, despite its seeming unpredictable propriety.

The horse took off at the fourth, Yuuki didn't flinch as his hooves clipped the top rail, she just prayed it wouldn't fall. It didn't, but only just, they were going a bit too fast. The last few jumps leading to the triple were cleared easily. The final three themselves were the most difficult, but the pairs favourite. Predictable, although hard, continuous momentum required and a steady mind. Zero cleared them. The crowd finally broke its silence.

Yuuki ducked her head shyly and petted her horse.

A personal best for the young rider. A clear round. Let's see if anyone can beat that.

And they did. The Germans had brushed up since 2008. The eventing wasn't over yet. There were still two days and silver was still in Japanese hands.

---

Day 2: Cross Country

---

The buzzer went. Zero shot off. He knew exactly what that meant. The course was slippery because of the recent rain and soft underfoot which made landing difficult.

Yuuki wasn't concerned. The horse knew what he was doing. The only time she got nervous was when the drop off approached. She remembered the time she fell off. Riders fell off, all the time. She had fallen off to many times to count; but that time had been the start of something that could not be erased. A transition of life from one point to the other, unconsciously. And it had been scary.

Zero saw the jump, flattened his ears and began to turn his neck to refuse. The girl pulled him back and urged him on. The horse threw his head and reared. His experience with the jump had not been pleasant and did not signal anything other than a horrifying fall. After hours of training, they could not get him to go over first try.

Yuuki turned Zero tight and aimed him at the jump again. He refused. Three refusals and you're out. The girl rode him back twenty meters, turned and went at it again. This time he prepared under her. He bunched to take off and his rider rose. And then, Zero stopped dead with his teeth bared and ears flat as if the drop was an enemy. The slippy ground was out to repeat the past. In his mind, the jump was one big fat to-don't. For Yuuki, apparently staying in the saddle was one big fat to-don't as well and she ended up going over his shoulder as the horse skidded to a slippy halt in front of the fence. Instant disqualification. The Cunxin hit the jump with the back of her shoulders as she flipped out of the saddle and slid off the wet wood onto her back. The grass was very wet, and cushiony. Riders are trained to not let go of the reigns so when she ended up on the other side of the jump, Zero was the one preventing her from slipping down the hill. The drag on his mouth made her let go, she needed him soft-lipped for dressage. Yuuki dug her heels into the ground to stop her sliding.

She stared at the sky, blue for the first time in days, and took her helmet off. Soon someone would be at her side, asking her if she was alright. Yes, she would reply, she was fine. Just a bruise. Fancy your grass, nice and soft. They would then ask if she had concussion and she would shake her head and come out of the shock of a fall. Her team would have to get great times if they wanted to get gold now.

Tachi was the first at her side as Yuuki sat up. He asked all the relevant questions and told her to follow his finger.

"I'm fine. Get your hand out of my face." She hissed, not pleased that she had come off. Failure was up there with her biggest fears.

"It's not your fault Yuuki. Some horses just don't react the same after an experience. You did everything you were supposed to."

The girl stood, much to the disapproval of the medic at her side. "Yeah. I think ... my back hurts. Can we get some ice?"

The medic realised her head was alright, finally, and led her away. Tachi followed and told the members of the team who had already ridden that she was fine and then went to go get Zero.

Yuuki sat in the first aid tent and took her jacket off. Her whole back throbbed. It was regulation to have female doctors for female patients and the Cunxin was very thankful because she had to remove her shirt in order for the damage to be assessed.

The elderly woman clucked her tongue. "You'll be stiff tonight." She pressed the red mark that stretched across the middle of her shoulder blades. "At least you'll have a reason to keep your back straight and still for dressage."

Yuuki turned her head slightly to glance at the doctor. "Yeah. I guess so."

"Oh. Don't be hard on yourself." She tapped the examination table, indicating the girl lie on it, before reaching to the table she had left the ice pack on. "People fall off, your horse can't be trained to forget things."

"You saw that one, huh?" Yuuki flinched at the ice. It was freezing. In an attempt to be comfortable, she crossed her arms under her face and rested her chin on her wrist.

"Everyone saw it. You don't get gold medallists falling off and not making the sports news. Especially when the next games are in your city."

"Huh."

"Brave of you though. That little girl looked rather shaken."

Had been rather stupid. "She picked the horse." Yuuki smiled. She would have done the same at that age.

"Alright, love." The doctor turned to leave. "You stay there for twenty minutes and I'll return with a hot pack to help with the stiffness. You just got to prevent it bruising first."

Yuuki doubted it wouldn't bruise. Her back had its own personal migraine going on. A figure appeared at the cloth divider that separated all the examination rooms. It was Tachi. She could tell. He was the only one who would try smoke inside a medical unit and was promptly told to get rid of the 'caner stick'. He then returned to stand outside. "Yuuki?"

"Yes. Tachi, it's me."

"Are you decent?"

"Um..." She had a singlet on but would rather no one saw her in it. "I'd rather you stayed outside."

"Alright."

"How mad is everyone?"
"Not very."

"As in, some are?"

"As in Germany's not doing so well and we're going to sit on bronze after this." Possibly less depending on how the other teams rode.

"So...be really good tomorrow?"
Gold was, in all probability, not going to happen, not without Yuuki's time. "Yeah." Tachi sighed. "You better be exceptional tomorrow or Ima have to give you some advice on time management."

"Ima?"

"Isn't that how you kids talk?"

"No, we say 'I'm going to.' Like the rest of society."

"Really? What's with the films?"

"Since when have films been an accurate depiction of reality?"

"When haven't they?"

"Since Disney opened up for production."

Tachi laughed. "Well, obviously you didn't hit your head."

Yuuki smiled and tried to ignore the sting of the ice on her back. "How long has it been?"
"What do you mean?"

"I can take the ice off in twenty minutes."

Smug laugh. "It's not been five, I can assure you that. Uncomfortable?"

"Very."

There was a silence. "You have visitors."

"Tell them to go away."

"Ha." The girl watched as his position shifted and became defensive.

"YUU-chan!" A bright voice called and burst past the instructor before he could stop him. "Are you alright?"

Yuuki sighed and buried her head in the crook of her arm. "I'm fine."

"What's wrong? Does it hurt." Hunny stood by her head and grinned compassionately.

"No. But I will hurt the twins if they come in here." She said loud enough for whoever was still outside could hear.

"Why?" Came a crisp voice.
"Because..."

"Because what?" Twin one stuck his head in, grinned devilishly and was joined by twin two, their faces seemed somewhat disappointed. "Oh, you're wearing a singlet. It's not that exciting." It was as if they were expecting more, or less. "You wouldn't let us in because you're wearing a singlet? That's stupid."

"That's not the point. It's the principle of the matter." Yuuki replied flatly.

"We saw you in your swimmers at the beach that time."

"Swimmers are different."

"How?"

The girl paused. How was walking around in your underwear any different other than that it wasn't waterproof? "I wore a full piece."

"You're wearing more than that now."

Yuuki glared at them over her shoulder and noticed Mori in the 'room' for the first time. "Okay, Deedle de and Deedle dum, please, vacate." She saw the silhouette of Tachi wrestling outside with another, most likely Tamaki, while another figure stood patiently to the side.

Haruhi appeared and pushed the boys out and told them to stay there.

"Thank you." Yuuki rested her head back on her wrist; the ice had slipped down some and was offending the unoffended parts of her back.

"You alright?"
"Yes. I'm fine."

"Did it hurt?"
"Not really." It hurt now though. The stiff, achy sort of pain often associated with the day after a heavy lactic acid work out.

"We tried to come straight, but they don't let large groups in at once, so Hikaru a slit in the tent and almost got us all thrown out."

Yuuki laughed. "You know, all Kyoya had to do was say his name and you'd all get five star treatment in here."

The girl paused and tapped her chin. "I didn't think of that. His influence reaches this far?"
"Who's sponsoring the medical supplies?"

Pause. "Oh. Right."

"Speaking of which, can you tell Tachi to stop trying to murder your fiancé?"

Haruhi smiled. "He just wanted to see if you were okay."

"Good guy one you got there." Yuuki slipped into 'girl talk'.

"Well, yours is alright too."

"I'd say more than alright. But then again, I'd say that Tamaki was less than perfect."

The other girl laughed. "Everyone's got different tastes."

Tachi had restrained the blonde and had held a slightly decent discussion with him about respecting girls. "Yuuki?"

"Yes?" She called back.

"Haruhi's insignificant other wants to see you."

"So I gathered." Yuuki watched as Haruhi scowled at the 'insignificant other' phrase.

"Your Mclovin' wants to come in."

"Stop saying weird phrases. They make you seem poorly educated." The Cunxin said flatly.
"Yeah, when was the last time I said a weird phrase?" The men were forgotten.

"Beside just then? At dinner in the mess. You said... 'That meal's guna stick to your ribs'." The girl paused. "I'm not so sure I want to eat that then."

Tachi laughed. "I have a child of my own. Much younger than you. Must be rubbing off. The other day I called a cow a 'moo'."

"I remember that." Yuuki replied. "You're such an old man."

"Respect your elders." Pause. "Blondie looks very serious."

"Alright." Yuuki sighed. "Whatever." The Cunxin took the ice off and sat up; she hated ice for health purposes. It didn't feel healthy at all and was just making her even more stiff. The girl grabbed her shirt a pulled it on over the singlet, buttoning it in the middle.

"Meaning we can come in!?" Tamaki's voice rang from the other side of the curtain.

"Yeah."

The blonde exploded into the suit and grabbed Yuuki's hands. His eyes desperately compassionate. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Tamaki."

"Are you?" He queried.

"Yes. Tamaki."

"I mean...you can't tell us if you're not fine. You fell about eight feet!"

"Is that what they told you on the speakers?"

"Yes."

"Well. Technically I fell eight feet. From the tip of my head to the ground. But I didn't come off from the height of the top of my head, did I?" She fell. Nothing significant. It hurt, yes, but gravity tends to do that.

Tamaki paused and thought. "No. But you hit the jump!"

"Yeah, well, it didn't move out of the way."

Suoh laughed, finally believing she was alright. Kyoya was standing at the entrance beside Tachi. "How bad is it?"

"Just a bruise." Yuuki smiled reassuringly at him.

"Pfft." Haruhi slipped out.

"What does that mean?" Tachi's face was scrutinising.

The girl said a silent sorry to Yuuki. "The whole top of her back is turning purple."

"Purple?" The Cunxin looked inside the collar of her shirt and tried to see, but that's the difficulty with backs. They tend to be, well, at the back.

Kyoya was rather suddenly a dominating presence behind her. "Off."

"What?" Yuuki looked at him.
"Off." He motioned the shirt.

"No."

"Why?"

"Because."

"You're wearing a shirt under that one and you only have to slip this one..." He tugged the collar of her riding shirt. "...down a bit."

"No." Yuuki said stubbornly.

"Yuuki." Kyoya was firm. She knew he wanted to assess the damage, judge it for himself. It was just how he worked. How he displayed care.

"Kyoya." Yuuki shot back mockingly, not quite as firmly.

There was an expectant silence from the man. Tense, firm and overpowering.

The girl scowled. "You're a pain, you know that?" She undid the button holding the shirt together but didn't pull her arms out of it. Letting the material slide to just below her shoulder blades.

"And you're in pain." Kyoya brought his forefinger and thumb to his chin. There was a thick, reddish-purple line forming across the girls back on a slight diagonal. It started below her left shoulder blade and finished mid-way up the right. There was a short white scar just below her shoulder and he remembered the last time he'd had to fix her up. "You need..."

"Ice. I know." She finished.

"Why aren't you using it?"

"Because, it's cold."

"It tends to be." Kyoya picked the discarded bag off the examination table.

Tachi went to stand beside the Ootori and clucked his tongue upon seeing the forming bruise. "I'm guessing it hurts."

"Not that much." Yuuki was not pleased that everyone had developed a sudden interest in her health. Her instructor, out to prove the point Kyoya had started, pressed his finger to the middle of the mark, right on her spine where the bone had been bruised as well as the skin. Yuuki hissed and spun to glare at him. "Ow! What was that for?"

"For not listening to him." Tachi pointed at Kyoya, putting the blame on the Ootori.

Kyoya pushed his glasses up. "I can't force you to put this on, but if you don't it's going to make the Ootori group look like they did a less than mediocre job on an athlete."

Yuuki turned around stubbornly, pulled her shirt up and crossed her arms. "You're less than mediocre."

"Stop being childish."

"Stop being ..." Trying to think of comeback. "...annoying."

"I have no objection to telling..." Kyoya said threateningly. No one knew what he meant except Yuuki. Everyone guessed he meant he had no objection to her being iced, but the girl knew he had absolutely no objection to telling them about their engagement.

"Well I do. You promised." Yuuki didn't look at him.

"I did. But so did you." Oh. Snap.

"Oh! But you made sure I kept my promise, and that sort of...uh...thing, isn't going to happen again so don't get your hopes up." She spun around to face him fully, ending up crossed legged on the table. "I'm going to make sure you keep your promise too."

Now Tachi was lost. "I'm confused."

"Yeah. Me too." Tamaki said from the corner Haruhi had confined him to.

The pair were staring at each other, not blinking. This went on for about a minute. The silence was deafening. Both of them were being stubborn, thick headed and opposing. Kyoya closed his eyes, unconsciously breaking the hold he had on her. Yuuki pointed, grinning. "I win!"

"I wasn't playing." He said, pushing his glasses up, smiling invisibly. "It's your loss if you don't ice it." He gave up on her. Her freedom gave him boundaries and vice versa.

"Yes, but you blinked first."

"I wasn't playing."

Yuuki crossed her arms and spun around again. Kyoya wrapped his fingers around the top of her shoulders, above the bruising, and turned her back. The girl cursed the slipperiness of the bench and almost fell off. The Ootori leant heavily on his arms, his hands on either side of her, and brought his face close. Threateningly close. "If you're going to play, play nice."

Yuuki frowned at him. Her arms still crossed stubbornly, her legs crossed. "No."

Tachi sighed where he stood behind Kyoya. "You are worse than a toddler. Just..." He waved his hand in the air. "Bah." Yuuki's instructor, tired of her objections, left the room and went to join the rest of the Japanese team.

Tamaki got dragged out by Haruhi, exclaiming. "Why!? Their so interesting. I mean...you're interesting too, but Kyoya with actual emotions beyond the basics? Seriously. I want to watch!"

"Would you want someone there watching us?" Haruhi tugged him outside.

The blonde paused. "Oh. No. I wouldn't. Doesn't mean I don't want to watch them though."

"You're perverted."

"You brought it up."

Meanwhile, back inside Yuuki was maintaining the belief that ice was cold and uncomfortable and graciously accepted the heat pack the doctor brought her. The doctor was surprised to see another person in the room and then flustered when she realised who it was. She left as soon as she had come; muttering something about newspapers.

"What about newspapers?" Yuuki maintained her childish position whist attempting to put the warmth on her back. It kept slipping.

"Well, news in Japan reaches here a little while later." Kyoya was still leaning on the table, very much in her face.

The girl was leaning away slightly, he was being menacing, manipulating and she couldn't help but want to bend to his needs. His Ootori mannerisms were dominating. "And that means..."

"Apparently we're secret lovers."

"Well...that's not really a secret."

"No, it's not." Pause. "But it creates a stir."

"About us?"

"Yes."

"What about us?"

"Remember...Olympian and Gentleman..."

"Oh. That photo?"

"That photo."

Yuuki's cheeks flashed scarlet. "International?"

"International."

"Do you not feel anything about that?"

"No, not really."

"Yeah..." Pause. "Yes. Sorry. But you're...um...together? You know what to do with that. I have no idea."

Kyoya laughed. His breath was warm against her throat. Yuuki stopped trying to argue with the heat pack and stared at him. Questioningly.
"Well..." The Ootori's voice was smooth. Steady. "The publicity is good. There hasn't been anything negative yet."

"Oh good." Yuuki said sarcastically. "There's just a photo of us...doing that thing, at a party." She couldn't say kissing. Too embarrassed to.

"Makes us human."

"Well...I don't know what I was before that..." The girl threw the heat pack down beside her, giving up completely.

Kyoya leaned back. Yuuki swallowed and remembered to breathe again. "Lie down."

"No."

"Yuuki."

"Meh."

"Real vocabulary please."

"I just want to put Zero away and go home."

Kyoya paused and stared at her. A horse before her well being. "Alright."

Stunned silence. "Alright?"

"That's what I said."

Yuuki blinked. "Alright."

Kyoya spun her around again and pushed her off the table. "Go."

Two hours later the girl was curled up on a big red sofa watching Annie Get your Gun while Kyoya pretended to be interested but ended up watching her. He liked the way the way the corners of her eyes lifted when something amusing happened. The way her breathing slowed when something was about to happen. The way her fingers twitched slightly when she got a small fright and didn't want to admit it. To him, she was the greatest mystery and the most interesting subject he had tried to learn. Kyoya Ootori had maintained the bottom line while everyone else had tried to maintain his. Until he met Tamaki. Then his top line was the only thing good enough. But now...even that level of expertise couldn't answer the inner workings of the girl beside him. She was stiff, her back obviously sore, but ignoring it. Just as she had her whole life. Just as he had covered up all of his.

-------

Day 3: Dressage

-------

Traditionally, dressage is a day one event. Traditionally, the world wasn't. Yuuki was glad it was day three; her back was so stiff it was hard to have anything but perfect posture. The bruise had turned dark purple overnight and become most uncomfortable. Zero bouncing under her didn't help. Neither did the scathing remarks from the team captain. She had cost them gold. All they could get this time was bronze.

Yuuki finished her routine and touched her fingers to her hat to honour the judges before riding Zero out. The horse snorted, he hated dressage. He hated his ego being confined to such a small stage. The girl petted him as they exited the arena and rode him to the holding stables. Her team was standing, waiting for the results of her round to come through. As Yuuki dismounted, she was embraced by Jenny.

"Best time of the day. You're forgiven for falling off."

The younger girl flinched. "Back. Back.. Ow. Jenny. Let go."

"Oh." The woman let go. "Sorry." Pause. "Still, you better hope the rest of us go alright. It looks like we're going bronze or nothing this year."

Yuuki smiled in encouragement. She didn't care if she got a medal. Making it to that level was achievement enough. For the first time, first didn't matter. She didn't want it. Gold just put an expectation on you to achieve better the next time, and there was no better. Yuuki didn't want to be gilded with a metal, defined by her wins. She just wanted to be her.

At the end of the day, the Japanese totalled fourth. Everyone on the team was a little upset, after working so hard to go home with nothing. Yuuki was the only one content. There was one week of the games to go yet, and they could spend that relaxing. Enjoying themselves. Having some time off after so many hours on. Sleeping in. Zero could go to paddock for a week and reward himself for being a champion to his owner.

-

Tell me Quando, Quando, Quando

-

The girl joined the host club that evening, after packing everything away, for a celebratory dinner.

"To fourth!" Tamaki exclaimed. "Because you already have gold!"

Everyone laughed. Hunny tried to, but he settled for a giant smile as his mouth was already preoccupied with dessert. The twins tried to swap Yuuki's drink for a Bacardi Breezer but Kyoya got there first and swapped it with theirs instead. Of course, they noticed this and decided to do their 'get the girls in the host club drunk' game when Kyoya wasn't around. It was their sick and slightly illegal new sport because Haruhi kept telling which one was Hikaru.

The restaurant was sophisticated but designed for the middle class and thus had a slightly uptight feel about it. The group was the only set of people that were relaxed and who didn't hesitate to order anything, despite a couple exorbitant prices. They had moved from the table they had eaten at and taken up residence in a lounge that looked over the Thames. Its huge window allowed a beautiful, nightlife view. Haruhi was comfortably wrapped against Tamaki, Hunny was enthralled with the supposedly endless dessert menu, Mori was happy watching, the twins were plotting and Kyoya...Kyoya had an arm around Yuuki, his hand firmly resting on her ribcage. The girl was leaning into him, not minding being trapped between his side and arm. She had her own arm wrapped around his waist, moulding herself against him.

Big Ben tolled eleven. Yuuki stirred and turned her head to the window. It started to rain. Smatterings of heaven exploded against the glass. There were light voices from above in the restaurant and the chinking of cutlery. The Host Club sat. One hour until a new day. One hour closer to the end of the evening. The end of the day.

Tamaki was chatting with Haruhi, Hunny had fallen asleep against Mori who was content to sit and watch the world from his place in life. The twins were both reading a book they had found on the coffee table, one of those motivational ones with amazing photography.

Yuuki looked at Kyoya. He was watching the rain. "Each to their own." She said quietly.

He turned to look at her. "In theory."

She gave him a questioning look.

"You belong to me no more than I belong to you." He pushed her hair back characteristically.

Yuuki softened. "Maybe we don't belong to each other. But I know we defiantly belong together." She paused. "Each to their own. Not ownership. Compatibility."

Kyoya paused and thought a moment. His fingers lingered on her temple. "Interesting view."

The girl knew he thought it was the right view; he was just too stubborn to admit he hadn't come up with it himself. She caught his hand with her own and kissed it softly before returning it.

The man pulled her closer and let her rest her head on his shoulder. Her devotion. His loyalty. Their respect. "Just tell me when." He said quietly so no one would hear.

Yuuki nodded. When would she let him buy her a ring and make it official to the world and not just to them. "It's not that I don't want to...I just..."

"You're scared." He said straight out, softly into her hair.

"Mm...yes."

"Of what?"

"Of fragility."

Kyoya stared out the window. "Which is why we value respect and trust."

"I didn't know you were a relationship expert." Their words were slow, quiet.

"I'm still learning."
"Yeah, me too." Yuuki felt him breathing under her hand.

She didn't want to break again. But, deep down she knew that the safest place in the whole world, the place she was supposed to be, was with him. They might drop each other from time to time, but they had the first aid kit, the perfect one, unique to their needs. Still learning the lesson they would never get tired of. The girl swallowed and closed her eyes. The reality of her situation hit home, warm, frightening, adoring. Kyoya was watching the rain, watching the city. Life abundant. He heard a quiet voice call his name lightly. A shy but truthful and resolute voice. He had thought Yuuki had fallen asleep on him, but when he looked at her he stared straight into her eyes. There was no trace of duty, but only free will. Her will. Softly she showed him that it was nothing of him that had made her decide. Her gaze was endless and he wondered why. To what depth it truly reached, for surely it had an end. Big Ben chimed again. Midnight. A new day. New chances. New beginnings. An opportunity to leave the past behind and go on with life. To leave everything that had every tied an individual down behind, to decide one's own fate.

Kyoya felt her heartbeat increase through her ribcage. Like butterflies.

Yuuki opened her mouth to speak. Shy, truthful, resolute.

"When."

-

We were both young when I first saw you.
I close my eyes and the flashback starts:
I'm standing there on a balcony in summer air.(Love Story, Taylor Swift)

See the lights; see the party, the ball gowns.
See you make your way through the crowd
and say hello;

Little did I know
That you were Romeo; you were throwing pebbles,
And my daddy said, "Stay away from Juliet."
And I was crying on the staircase,
begging you, 'Please, don't go.'

And I said,
"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.
I'll be waiting; all there's left to do is run.
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story - baby just say 'Yes.'

So I sneak out to the garden to see you.
We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew.
So close your eyes; escape this town for a little while.
'Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter,
And my daddy said "Stay away from Juliet,"
But you were everything to me; I was begging you, 'Please, don't go,'

And I said,
"Romeo, take me somewhere we can be alone.
I'll be waiting; all there's left to do is run.
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story - baby just say 'Yes.'

Romeo save me; they're tryin' to tell me how to feel.
This love is difficult, but it's real.
Don't be afraid; we'll make it out of this mess.
It's a love story - baby just say 'Yes.'

I got tired of waiting,
Wondering if you were ever comin' around.
My faith in you was fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town.

And I said,
"Romeo save me - I've been feeling so alone.
I keep waiting for you but you never come.
Is this in my head? I don't know what to think-"

He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said,
"Marry me, Juliet. You'll never have to be alone.
I love you and that's all I really know.
I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress;
It's a love story - baby just say 'Yes.'

-----------

The 'when' really ties through with the song Quando, Quando from a previous chapter.

So yeah. I hope you liked it.

Please review it, I value your thoughts.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to PM/review; anything about the story, muses, whatever. If it interests you, then I'd be delighted to answer.

Blessings,

-pp

P.S: Just letting everyone know in advance, I will be away from this coming Tuesday till Friday. So...if you live in front of the Greenwich Meridian then those are the days. It's Monday to Thursday if you live in America. So keep a lookout for a post on Monday (Sunday), I'll try making it extra long, and then a gap before I post one on Saturday (Friday). Also, I should be posting every day again soon as I'm finally getting on top of things. Hope that my absence won't be too much of a problem or lose your interest. All my readers and reviewers are valuable and I can't thank you enough for your continued support.