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Chapter 17

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One week after the bombings, life was not getting back to normal. The Olympic committee met; there would be no closing ceremony for the first time in history. It was too dangerous. All in all, five bombs had gone off, four of them busses, one of them in the athletics stadium. Hundreds died that day. The Host Club watched on the news as the story unfolded. The story they had been a part of. The cab driver had known. The man walking away had known. How many others had an idea of what was about to happen? Surely someone had a warning. Kyoya and Yuuki stared at the television in a detached sort of manner. They had been on the corners of the thick of it. On the edges of what had occurred. If they had been closer in, deeper in; they may not have made it out. If they had all got on that bus, they never would have.

Zero was put in the paddock at the Ootori Estate. The girl stayed with Suki who lived a suburb away. The woman had not been able to make it to London because she was now in her third trimester and about to explode herself.

"Gosh, I know what that bus felt like..." She would say. Yuuki would nod and know that, no, she didn't. The bus hadn't waited seven months to grow and explode. It had just done the latter almost spontaneously. Jokes about terror just weren't funny anymore. Not when you had felt it yourself.

Because her horse was at Kyoya's, Yuuki went over every morning and did fitness work with him. Just keeping Zero and herself in shape. By the time she was done, the Ootori household was still asleep and she would leave the horse in his day paddock and slip away. Zero seemed rather pleased with his new life of speed and then relaxation. He loved seeing Yuuki in the morning, spending the day on his own and then seeing her in the evening when she came to put him away.

"You taking a break from training?" It was sunset and Yuuki was in the stable, not expecting Kyoya because he had been in meetings all day about the attacks.

"Yeah." Pause. "It seems...peculiar."

"In a positive or negative way"

"Let's go the positive but leave it open to interpretation." The girl took Zero's halter off and let him eagerly attack the feed. "Your day alright?"

The man sighed and pushed his glasses up. "My father refuses to send more aid over. It's already cost all our profits from the games and he sees no need to spend anything at a loss."

Yuuki slipped out of the stall. "And you?"

"I would send a whole hospital over. But, if I had not been there, I would have done the same thing my father is doing."

"I don't believe that." The girl walked outside. "I think you would have done less, yes, but more than is." She turned to him. "You're not what you worked to become, Kyoya. You've lived a life other than school, university, business and profits." She leant on the railing of the training yard and stared at the hills in the distance. "I mean, you know humanity as a human, not as a statistic."

The man paused and thought about that statement. "You should study psychology."

Yuuki glanced at him as he stood beside her. "Why?"
"You'd be good at it."

"And then..." Her voice was amused, mocking almost. "...I could totally work for you and we could like...totally open our own medical business and like...have lots of money and make lots of people happy and it would all be great!"

Kyoya raised an eyebrow. "What's your problem with becoming something other than a rider?"

The girl turned. "Because, the Mary-Sue life seems very...strange. I wasn't raised with options like you were. I was brought up in a one toned environment."

"But you're not there anymore."

"You should be the psychologist."

The Ootori stared at her. "No, seriously. Yuuki, you can't just sit around and aim for the bottom line all the time." He would know. "We've talked about this before, you shouldn't be wasting your life on one talent that you don't even enjoy anymore."

"I enjoy riding."

"Yes, as a hobby. Not as an occupation."

Yuuki paused. "No, that's..."

"No, it is. It reminds you of things you don't want to be reminded of."

"But it helps me stay close to the things that don't exist anymore." She filled in silently.

Kyoya leant on the railing. "Would your mother have pushed you like your father did?"

"No, but..."

"Would she have done what I'm doing now, only throughout your whole life so far?"

"Probably, but..."

"No buts. Think about it." The man pushed off the railing and started to head back to the house.

Yuuki stared at him. After a few minutes, Kyoya felt a cool hand in his own. "Can we just, get through this phase before deciding anything?" She seemed shy. "I, um, I know what you're saying, like, I understand, but I need to process things. You know processing. You're good at processing. I need some more time."

He squeezed her hand. "I know. Don't forget though." Pause. Kyoya found her openness around him enjoyable, even if the topic wasn't. If they could discuss the hard things, then living them would be a little easier. "On a lighter note. I have something to show you."

"Where?"

"Out."

"Out where?"

"Just...out." He smiled smugly.

Yuuki scowled. "I hate surprises."

"No you don't."

"Yes I do."

"No you don't."

"I hate the build up to surprises."

Kyoya pushed his glasses up. Yuuki felt her insides flutter nervously. Waiting for the unknown. Over the next half hour she tried to get it out of him, to no avail. Not surprisingly, Kyoya could keep a secret and silently mask any hints behind his demeanour.

The girl sat on her feet on the end of the sofa and watched as the Ootori tapped away at his laptop. "Would Marvin tell me?"

"Marvin?" Kyoya's fingers didn't falter.

"You know Marvin. The other man in this relationship, and I'm not the one involved with him."

Kyoya paused at her odd humour. "That...was not the statement I would have used to describe my work."

"No, that's why I used it."

He didn't reply.

Yuuki fidgeted. "Can you please tell me?"

"No."

"I'm leaving then."

"Okay."

Her bluff faltered and the girl ended up not moving from her position. "Kyoya..."

"Don't whine."

She did it again.

"Yuuki."

"Tell me, please, please, please, please, please..." The girl put her face right next to his. "...please, please, please, please, pretty, pretty, pretty please, with wasabi and coffee and a cherry on top?"

"I don't like cherries." He promptly ignored her behaviour.

Yuuki crossed her arms and thought of another tactic. She pushed the 'sleep' button on the laptop. Kyoya faltered for a moment, the button she had pressed was the one besides the power button and he almost had a stroke. "Yuuki. I swear upon all that is good in this world that if you ask again I'll..."

"You'll what?" She shot back smugly.

"I'll...not take you at all."

The girl sat back on her feet. Somewhat subdued. She stopped pestering him.

"Good girl. Now. Let me work in silence." He woke Marvin back up.

This only lasted a minute. The nerves in Yuuki's stomach hadn't died down. "Ple..."

"No."

"Kyo.."

"Yuuki, seriously. Shut. Up."

"Don't tell me to shut up."

The man sighed and pinched his nose. "I love you, but right now your name is on the black list."

"Like Death Note?"

"You watch Death Note?"

"Maybe."

Kyoya laughed quietly. "Alright." He handed her a pocket book of his. "Pretend this is the Death Note and write down all the people you don't want at the wedding."

Yuuki took it. There was silence as she thought for a moment, trying to think of people. Death seemed like such a harsh thing to do to a wedding guest. She decided to change the task up a bit. "Hey, Kyoya?"

"Hmmm?" He was a little frustrated that his tactic hadn't worked to the extent he had hoped it would.

"How to you spell Stephanie?"

"S-T-E-P-H-A-N-I-E." The Ootori sorted through all the Stephanie's he knew and found he didn't know one at all. Yuuki was writing the name down nonetheless.

Short pause, her pen poised. "And, uh, on a totally unrelated basis...Meyer."

"M-E-Y-E-R." Silence. "Why do you want to know how to spell the author of Twilight's name?"

Yuuki paused and stared at him accusingly. "Stop judging me."

Kyoya decided to take the book back. "Alright. That failed. Go have a shower."

"Why?"

"To relax. Your bouncing off the wall."

"No I'm not."

"Metaphorically speaking."

"Whatever." The girl unpacked herself and headed to the spare bathroom, prepared to make as much mess as possible and blame her significant other for the to-be disaster zone.

Kyoya watched her disappear; knowing that life with her would be anything but boring. He was looking forward to it. It wouldn't always be annoying exciting, but it would always be Yuuki and himself. And that was anything but ordinary but the most natural thing on the planet.

-

An hour after Kyoya and Yuuki had an argument over how much shampoo she used and thus, caused copious amounts of foam to come from the drain, they were in the Ootori's new car. It was a sleek, 2012 Mercedes E-Class with a five star safety rating.

"I thought you were going to buy the Guardian?" Yuuki tapped the windows, they weren't bullet proof.

"I don't need a car that is really only used by men in Dubai with too many enemies."

"Yes. But. If you're in another accident and something happens..."

"I won't be in another accident."

"How do you know that?"

"I'm not letting you drive this car." He said smugly. "And if I don't let you drive this car, then you won't be able to wear the gear box down."

"How can you stop me from driving this car?"

Kyoya glanced at her. "It's a manual."

Stubborn silence. "That's not fair."

"It's my car."

"Not for long."

"Even when you marry me, you'll have your own bank account and life. We don't pool our resources."

"Why? My resources would be infinitely larger than they are now."

Kyoya laughed. "Because, its better financially if you stay the owner of your things and I stay the owner of mine. We'll have a joint bank account though. The house will be in your name because...I earn more money and if anything happens to the market they can't do as much to our finances if it's in your name and not mine."

"You have this all planned don't you?"

"Yes."Obviously. "It's not like we'll get a prenup for any other reason other than individual freedom."

"As in, you're not worried I'm going to clean you out?" Pause. "Damn, and that was the plan all along." She said mockingly. Divorce was not an option and never would be, they knew that. Not for them. That sort of conclusion seemed unrealistic to the world, but not to their world. If you live in the world you become of the world and the high separation rate applies, if you create your own whilst still living in reality- you apply your own statistics. Of course they would fight, violently at times, disagree, not like the other person for extended periods of time; but they had already survived so much together and found life in the other, that being a part would destroy their existence. They were whole in the other.

"My lawyers are better than yours."

"I don't have a lawyer."

"Exactly."

Yuuki twisted in her seat. There was a long silence. "Please?"

Kyoya pulled up at a stop sign and scowled at her. "For the last time, I'm not telling you. Stop asking."

"Please?"

"No."

She stared at him empathetically, trying to win his favour.

Kyoya frowned. "No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

Silence.

"Please?"
The man tightened his grip on the wheel. "Alright." He hissed. Annoyed.

"Really?"

Amused silence. "No." Two could play at that game.

Yuuki crossed her arms and sat properly. "Thi.."

"Yuuki."

"No bu..."

"Yuuki."

"K..."

"Stop talking." His words were stern but his tone was light.

"Stop being annoying."

"Stop being a child."
"Stop...actually no, start driving, the light is green."

Kyoya smiled quietly and accelerated. She was the only person in the world able to distract him that much. Her annoying habits just made her Yuuki. However, he needed to learn not to tell her about surprises before they happened. She would just keep being a pest. That's what love is. A learning game.

-

There's a strangest excitement today
If you're awake then you're welcome to hear
I've got a gift and it blew me a way
From the far eastern sea straight to here
Oh God I feel like I'm in for it now
Its like the rush has gone straight to my brain
But my voice is as lonely as loud
As I whisper a joy of this pain

And suddenly
You've done it all
You won me over
In no time at all

And now I'll stop the storm if it rains
I'll light a path far from here
I'll make your fear melt away
And the world we know disappear

If you ask I will do what you say
All we have is this night to get through
With the cheeks to the smile you're only
You left me all up in arms and confused
Oh God I feel like I'm in for it now
And how this kiss will be one roughly vague
I swear I'll melt if you touch me at all
But then I'll ask you to do it again, and again

And suddenly
You've done it all
You won me over
In no time at all

And now I'll stop the storm if it rains
I'll light a path far from here
I'll make your fear melt away
And the world we know disappear
I'll stop the storm if it rains
I'll light a path far from here
I'll make your fear melt away
And the world we know disappear

I'll light a path far from here
I'll make your fear melt away
And the world we know disappear.
Make the world we know disappear.
Make the world we know disappear.

(The Gift, Angels and Airwaves)

-

The car pulled up in a small alleyway, just behind an upmarket end of town.

Yuuki waited for the engine to die. "This is where you murder me, right?"

"How did you know?" Kyoya rolled his eyes and got out of the car.

"So..." Yuuki stood beside a puddle in the dark. "Great surprise. I really love...cardboard..." She indicated the boxes nearby.

"Did you take an immaturity pill or something this morning?"

"I didn't have lunch." If she didn't eat, Yuuki became a slight mental case.

"Why?"

"It was seafood."

"Right, and you didn't make yourself something else because?"

"It was a seafood restaurant."

"What did you eat after then?"

"Pocky." Yes. Things made a lot of sense now. Sugar, empty stomach, lack of sleep, stress.

Kyoya sighed. "Right." He put a hand on the small of her back and guided her to a door. "Through there."

The girl looked at the handle and then at him and then at the handle again. Kyoya was watching her expectantly. Yuuki frowned and used her cardigan as a make-shift glove between her hand and the metal. Once inside, the door closed and all light was shut off. The girl blinked. "Is this the surprise?"

"You really shouldn't skip meals." Kyoya pressed her forward.

Yuuki put a sarcastic tone on. "Oh, but it's all the rage right now." It's not like she meant to.

"Yuuki?"

"Yes?"

"Stop talking."

"Sorry."

"That's alright. Keep walking."

She nodded. Kyoya felt her ponytail brush against his neck. It was damp from her shower. Yuuki was one of the few girls who would go out to something that could be publically embarrassing barefaced and damp. It was probably because she had been blessed with good skin and hair that she could tame with an elastic band. Nonetheless though.

Suddenly there was a light at the end of the corridor and a man wearing a suit waiting in it. He had a pleasant smile and grey hair.

Yuuki slowed her steps but Kyoya pushed her along. The girl turned to look at him in the light. His face had that I-know-something-you-don't-know look on it that meant he was about to do something devious. His deviation was always different to the normal, mischievous deviation. It was a quiet, looming sort. Like a really, really bad thriller with really good actors.

"Relax."

"Why?"

"Why do you always ask why?" Kyoya teased.

"Why do you never explain anything?"

"Because." He gripped her shoulders. "It's a surprise."

Yuuki turned around sharply and stared at him. She was obviously tired and still a little shaken from the previous weeks. "Kyoya..."

"You like surprises themselves." He turned her around again. "So, keep walking."

"Okay." She breathed.

The man at the door bowed slightly and smiled. "Welcome." He motioned into the room he was guarding.

Yuuki stared at him and then at the poorly lit room. She went blank for ideas. That was until the room flickered on. There were rows of glass cabinets, all watched over by attendants in uniform, full of diamonds and gold. The girl turned around to escape but was caught by a set of firm hands.

"No." Kyoya said. "Your comfort zone is much too comfortable. You'll remain stagnant until you do something about it."

"Kyoya..."

"Do you want to marry me?"
"Yes, but..."

"No. If we're going to do this, then we're doing it."

"Do you want to do it?"

"Duh."

Yuuki smiled. "Can I correct that?"

"Don't ask, do."

She swallowed. "Are you sure? I mean...we can always do this another time."

"What are you afraid of?"

Yuuki stared up at his face. "Disappointing you."

"How?"

"I don't know. You're the powerful rich guy and I'm just me and..."

"It worked out. Like physics."

"But I'm a humanities student."

"Like Freud."

Pause. Yuuki locked her thumbnails together. It wasn't that she didn't want to spend the rest of her life with him, it was just that she needed to know if he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

"Yuuki." Kyoya tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "I said forever."

"Yes, I know. But...so did my mom."

The man ran his fingers along her cheekbone. "Do you think that your to blame for that?"
"Yes. And for leaving you that time."

"You're not." His tone was firm. "You're not Yuuki. I've told you countless times that your blameless, why won't you listen?"

She stared at her hands. "Selective hearing."

Kyoya smiled. "Alright. You know what's true deep down. I will love you forever and a day. Eternity. You know I'm a man of my word. So go diving and get a ring." He knew her better than anyone else. He wouldn't have brought her if he had known she wouldn't go through with it. He was there to make sure she got what was best for her. He would be there for her. Always. Even if she believed everyone else had walked out on her and she didn't deserve those that remained. Which wasn't the case, but that's how Yuuki saw it.

"Um." Yuuki turned around. It was an engagement ring shop, a very large, very expensive shop. "Just...one?" Her tone was hesitant.

"Just one."

"Which one?" There were ten attendants, all standing behind different counters; smiling at the couple.

"Whichever one you like."

Yuuki stood at the first counter and looked. All of them were the size of skating rinks. The next weren't much smaller, but they were less ostentatious. After the first five counters, the girl almost died. "Why did you pick such a big store?"

"So you could have a choice."

"Too much choice."

"You'll find the one you like. Eventually."

Yuuki wrapped her fingers around his. It felt odd to be engagement ring shopping. For her engagement ring. For her. Someone wanted her enough to stay for the rest of their lives. He wanted her enough to promise all eternity.

Finally, after an hour, they reached the last table. The girl peered through the glass at the rings on offer. One stood out above the rest. It was gold and had shattered diamonds like a miniature, delicate version of an Algerian Love Knot. The shattered diamonds circled tight near the middle where a smooth leader diamond sat. It was so fragile looking. Very beautiful. Yuuki pointed at it and the man woman behind the counter pulled it out.

"It's an eternity ring." She said, handing it over. "Read the inscription."

The girl looked inside the gold band and read the words inside. Yuuki stared at Kyoya, expecting him to have set the whole thing up. He just stared at her. "What does it say?"

"Forever and a day."

He pushed his glasses up. "Well, it's very fitting then."

"Did you set that up?"

"No."

"Okay." Yuuki tried it on for size. It fit perfectly. Magically. No rings ever fit her without resizing. Her fingers were neither too long or to short. She looked at Kyoya. "Can I have it?"
He nodded. "If you wear it."

She smiled. Finally understanding what he already knew. Their lives were oddities. Lifestyles of the rich and the famous even though they were hardly the latter. Strange upbringing, different social climates; and yet, everything worked. Everything had led up to the point where it fit perfectly. Where it stood for always and not just the brief promises that they had both experienced. When you finally realise that you want to spend your life with someone and you know they want it too, you begin to understand that life does not end when you say 'I do' but it does begin again. When you finally, truly, wholly realise that you want to spend the rest of your life with someone, you can't wait for the rest of your life to begin. Yuuki now felt that she couldn't wait. She wanted to start something amazing now. Something that would last more than a million lifetimes that instant. She saw how well things just clicked. How it had all built up and would keep building up until the sky ran out of room. Then they would tackle the universe.

"One step at a time." Kyoya kissed the top of her head.

Yuuki closed her eyes. "You'll be there, right?"

"Every step." Pause. "I wouldn't miss it for anything." He had tried to miss some of it for his own gain, and he had lost it all. It was not worth it. They were worth more than that. The Ootori looked at the store owner and nodded once. "Do you need it sized?"

Yuuki shook her head. Embarrassed at the attention she was getting, every time she got a gift she felt the need to give one back. "I want to get you something."

Kyoya was paying. "Why?"
"Because, you got me something."

"No, I gave you something, there's a difference. You don't have to give me something in return."

"But I want too."

The man sighed as they left, not wanting any more public scrutiny from gossiping shop assistants. He stopped in the corridor, just within the light and waited. "Why?"

"Because, you're worth it." Yuuki caught up and wrapped her arms around him from behind. "Because I want too." She pressed her face between his shoulder blades.

"Every time I get you something, doesn't mean you have to get me something." He twisted to face her and slid his hands behind her waist. "It's an engagement ring, meaning your mine. You belong to me, and I to you. Isn't that enough?"

"Why don't you want me to get you something?"
"Because its guilt money."

"How?"

"You keep trying to owe me something when you don't. In truth, Yuuki, I owe you much more than I give."

She shook her head. "No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"How?"
"Well..." He was good at playing doctor, but he wasn't good at playing patient. "If you hadn't been standing at the window that night, I wouldn't be here. If you hadn't fallen off that horse I wouldn't have a life beyond calculations. If you hadn't walked into the classroom that day and been the only girl who was embarrassed so much by Tamaki that you actually wanted to run away, I would never have fallen in love with you." He breathed in. "And if you hadn't left that night, I would have never become so lost that upon your return I realised I'd been lost all along and that when I was with you, I didn't feel like I was in stagnant water, waiting for a storm so that I could prove I was good enough. You're the only person I've ever had to work out and you're the only person I've ever wanted to work out."

Yuuki stared up at Kyoya. "Why didn't you give me the generic speech before?"

"Because I can't do more than arrange and heal other people." His walls were high enough that no one with a bandaid could get in. "Because I was scared."

The girl realised that he was admitting more than he had ever admitted in his life. More than people admitted on Dr Phil. And it was a feat. It was how he let her fix the pieces that hurt from the past. From the busses. From the planes. From a life of being third and the stress of being expected to be first. "Kyoya?"

"Yes."
"I love you."

The man let her reach up on tiptoe to kiss him before moving his hands to behind her neck and beside her face. Yuuki didn't kiss him passionately, deeply or romantically. But she showed him that they could move mountains if they worked together. She kissed him sweetly, with meaning and understanding. Something few people in the world shared as deeply as they did. They were mystical. A rarity. They had not been whole without the other and never would be. Which is why they knew down to the core that forever and a day was a feat they could achieve. It would be hard and they would have to work at it, but they would make it. There would be no end to what they would do for each other. In their own way, they were to the other lost loves, keys, boxes, heartbeats, angels.

-

Kyoya drove Yuuki to Suki's. When he said goodbye to the girl on the doorstep, the heavily pregnant woman demanded, in a polite manner, that he come inside. Riki was there and she wanted to meet the mystery man that her aunt had told her about so many times before.

The little girl had grown, but she still had a slight lisp. "Yuuki!" She threw herself away from the movie about humanised penguins and at the girl. "I asthed my parents where babies come from. They said to ask you because you brought it up."

Children had a manner of being abrupt and missing social cues. Yuuki stared at the girl. "Um. The stork."

Kyoya laughed beside her. Riki's head shot to him. "Whosthe he?"
Yuuki put a hand on the man's shoulder. "This is Kyoya."

"Does he know where babies come from?"

"No. He doesn't." Yuuki shot a warning glance at him.

The young child looked downcast. Suki laughed from the doorway. "Well, Riki." She began. "When you're old enough, I'll tell you."

"Really?" The girls eyes brightened up.

"Yes."

"When will I be old enough?"
"In thirty years." The woman laughed.

Yuuki stared around the room. Kyoya brought his mouth close to her ear and whispered. "Does she smell like peas?"

"I never risked getting close enough to find out."

He chuckled. "You'll get maternal one day."

"Yeah, when you start using the term 'clucky'."

Kyoya smiled. Suki crossed the room and took her boarder by the hands and walked her over to the couch. "So...let's meet this man of y..." She paused and gripped the girl's left hand.

Yuuki looked up at her face and then tried to pry her hand away.

"Darling." Suki said. "Why is there a skating rink on a very important finger?"

"Um..." The girl looked at Kyoya for help. He looked smug, waiting for her answer himself. "We really don't want it to be public yet."

The older woman stared at Yuuki a coy grin spreading across her face. "You're engaged?"

"Um. Yes."

"How long?"

"How long?" She looked at Kyoya, knowing he could calculate it faster than she could.

"Just over a month." He said in a firm, smooth tone.

"You didn't tell me?" Suki turned to her husband. "Did you know?" He raised his hands in defence.

"You're the first." Yuuki said. "So please, don't tell anyone. We're going to keep this quiet until after Haruhi and Tamaki's wedding."

"When are you planning on getting married?"

Kyoya looked at Yuuki. It was coming up Christmas again, meaning the Suoh wedding was just a few months away. "How's September next sound?"

The girl blushed and looked at the carpet.

The Ootori put a hand on his hip characteristically. "That's a nice long engagement with enough time to organise things properly and go anywhere in the world on Honeymoon without worrying about the weather. You can hit the snow at that time in certain places or the beach in others..." He wanted his notebook.

Yuuki fidgeted; her hand still captive. Suki scrutinised the ring. "Algerian love knot?"

Riki bounced off the couch and pulled the bonded hands down. "Ooo. Pretty."

"Yes. Can you say expensive?" The older woman smiled at the little girl.

"Ethpensive."

"Good girl. Now, go watch Disney."

"Otay."

Suki shook her head. "My gosh girl. Have you told Tachi?"

"No."

"When will you?"

"Um...sometime."

"Meaning never." She looked up at Kyoya. "Call him now."

Yuuki stopped him with a cry of protest. "No. Why?"

"Because." Suki's tone meant what she was going to say was the most obvious thing in the world. "He's the one who's going to walk you down the aisle."

The girl paused. It was true. She didn't want anyone else to do it. Her instructor had become her father. Her relative. The one she could be close to without actually being close to, it was that sort of relationship. Kyoya already had his phone out, realising the fact as his fiancé did. He should do the right thing and ask permission.

The man retreated to a quiet corner, the eyes of everyone followed him. Yuuki peeled herself from Suki and led him to the bathroom, knowing it was the only place no one could eavesdrop without being obvious about it.

She sat on the sink as he dialled.

"Hello?" Tachi picked up but never said anything when he did.

"Kyoya?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why are you calling me 'sir'?"

Silence.

"Are you in some sort of trouble?"

"No, sir. I was just calling to ask you something."

"Then ask away."

"You're more of a father to Yuuki than anyone was, and it makes sense to ask you if I could marry her."

Silence. "As in 'marry' marry? As in the bells, the dress, the cake?"

"Yes."

Another silence. "Is she pregnant?"

Pause, unexpectedly blunt reply. Kyoya gathered his bearings. "No, sir. She isn't."

"How can you be sure?"

Yuuki mouthed what they were talking about. Kyoya mouthed said the dreaded 'S' word back and the Cunxin promptly stole the phone. "Tachi, It's quite the impossibility."

"Yuuki?"

"Yes?"

"You're not pregnant?"

"No."

Relieved silence. "If you were I'd..."

Kyoya had taken back the phone. "Yes, sir. I'm sure I'd do the same."

"Sorry. I didn't realise you were back on."

"That's...alright. Is it alright?"
"Do I have a choice besides saying yes?"
"No. But we figured we'd ask anyway."

"In that case, because of your politeness, I couldn't be happier."

"Also." Kyoya met Yuuki's eyes. "As father figure, you'd be walking her down the aisle."

"Thought you'd never ask."

"Thank you, sir."

"So, can I come ring shopping?"

"We've already been." Kyoya leant against the wall, now that he had permission he could let himself slide back into his normal, never-have-to-ask state.

"What?"

"We've been engaged a month. It's just official now. We would like it if you kept it a secret though. Thank you. Have a great week. Bye."

"You..."

Click.

The Ootori turned to Yuuki. "You have a father."

She was staring at him. "You know, this is weird."
"What?"

"Getting married."

"Is it?"

"Yes. Things aren't going to change, but people are going to expect them to."

"Then, let them expect and be disappointed."
"You'll take me on dates, right?"
"Yes."
"And you'll be just as good to me as you are now?"
"If not better."

"And I can still do annoying things and you'll think that their awesome?"

Silence.

"Oh come on. You think their awesome."

"Awesome is not the right word." He pulled her close. "Annoying isn't either. I would have said that I adore how you know how to press the right buttons to get the reaction I want to give."

Yuuki pinched his ribcage. "Suki. You can come in."

The door opened. The woman had no shame. "Well. That settles it then."

"Secret, Suki."

"Okay." Pause. "Okay." She held her huge belly. "Right. Well. For a while anyway." The woman walked away.

"She's odd." Kyoya pushed his glasses up.

"She's very heavily pregnant and craves olives and whipped cream."

"Ah."

"And you wonder why I have no maternal feelings."

"I thought it as destiny." He picked her hand up and pretended to read her palm, knowing it would amuse her to see him out of his cold character for once and playing host in a twisted way. "This line means you'll end up with twelve children. And this one shows that you'll age badly. And this one..."

Yuuki didn't like his out of character game. She didn't like his host game either. She grabbed his palm. "Okay, this line is happiness, because it's the shortest. And this one is love, because it's the second shortest."

"Wrong."

"You were wrong first."

"Yes. I was. Just pleasing the woman."

"An insult is not pleasing."

"No. But it made you laugh."

"Yes. And I doomed you for the rest of your life."

"As long as it wasn't eternity."

Pause. Yuuki stood. "Alright Tamaki's apprentice. Enough generic stuff for one night."

Kyoya followed her to the front door. "Sleep sweet, Yuuki."
She smiled. "You too."

He leaned down and kissed her, gently, deeply. The girl wrapped her arms behind his neck and kissed him back. The man rested his forehead on hers. "September?" He breathed into her.
"September." She breathed into him.

They lingered for a moment. Not willing to say goodbye just yet. The porch light flew on. Riki was standing at the window. "EW! Coodies!"

Yuuki laughed softly. "Ew. Coodies." She mimicked back to Kyoya in a quiet voice, her cheeks already turning scarlet.

"You're such a child." He ran his nose down hers.

"AUNT SUKI!" The little girl cried. "YUUKI'S GETTING ATTACKED BY THE STRANGE MAN!"

Suddenly the woman appeared beside the girl, she had been there all along. "Really? How?"
"He's giving her Coodies."

Yuuki pulled away from Kyoya and crosser her arms at the pair. "Light. Off. Now."

Suki raised her hands defensively. "Oo, touchy."

They plunged back into the dull light of evening. The Cunxin turned back to Kyoya. "There's the immature influence on my life."

"All one and a half of them." He wrapped her back up in his arms.

Yuuki touched his face, letting her finger trace a line from where his glasses stopped on his nose, down over his lips and to his chin.

Kyoya smiled coyly. "Let's hope it's not contagious." He kissed her finger and then her lips.

The porch light flew on again. "YUUKI! I have cold medicine! You can take that to get rid of the boy germs!" Riki was holding aloft a glass bottle and a spoon. "Aunt Sthuki says it will help with your love sick eyes and irregular heartbeat too! She says that all boys except uncle have the disease and that you'll die if you stay to close to them. You look flushed, it musthed me spreading!"

The Ootori laughed, let his fiancé go and squeezed her hand goodbye. "Good night, Yuuki."

The girl smiled. "Good night, Kyoya."

"YUUKI! QUICK! BEFORE IT BECOMES AN EPIDEDIMIDIC!"

Too late, she thought pleasantly, opening the door. It wasn't even a disease. It was a cure.

-

A blue, black shade of love.
Sent from above.
My hands are tied, two worlds alone,
And this I know.
My hands shake clasped with fear,
As you come near
To say goodnight, just like a dove.
A peaceful sign.
To help us by.
Stars fall like dust, our lips will touch.
We speak too much.

And honestly, I love you.
You make me feel alive.
And I'll love you,
Until the end of time.

I've got a lot to say, if you will let me
It's always hard, when you're around me
But here right now, there's interest in your eyes
So hear me out, and hear this the first time
That I... love you...
That I... love you...and honestly...
And I... love you...you make me feel alive...
That I...love you...till the end of time.

(Breathe, Angels and Airwaves) (Altered)

-

-------------------------

Fighting Dreamers Pro were the inspiration to the Death Note/Twilight thing. They're amazing cosplayers. Again, a reminder that I'm off on Tuesday until Friday. I'm sorry about how my posts haven't been as frequent as we'd both like; I'm just exceptionally busy. Hope you don't lose interest. Keep reading, things will be normal again soon. This chapter was a little character development, plot bunnies put down, time lines assured. That whole thing. And Fluff :)

Hope you enjoyed. Please review and let me know what you think.

Blessings,

-pp