Rose of Jericho

by peterpauper

Would we laugh at gilded butterflies? Sequel to Chrysanthemum.

21. Chapter 19

-

Chapter 19

-

Halloween. A tradition performed by dressing up, often as scary or mythical beings, in order to get rid of evil spirits in the area. For the Host Club though, Halloween was a chance to play courtesan again. And they did. Tamaki got permission to use Ouran Academy's hall, the one they had used for every other event in the past, and was planning a display of extraordinary magnificence.

"Tamaki." Yuuki was sitting on the couch in the Suoh mansion. "October 31st is a week away. I don't honestly think you can get things ready in that time." It had taken at least two for any other party.

The blonde didn't seem fazed. "Where there's a will, there's a way! I have the will, Kyoya has the way!"

The Ootori glanced up, his finger on the bridge of his glasses. "I hope you are not depending on me to organise all this." He closed his clipboard; he had brought work with him to the luncheon at Tamaki's. "Your erroneous nature has already put me behind on a project for my finals."

"Erroneous? Hardly!" Tamaki fell heavily on the cushion beside his friend. "Kyoya, you love me and because you love me I know you'll help me make this the greatest Halloween ever!" He hugged his friend tight.

Yuuki drummed her fingers on the edge of her seat. Haruhi gave her an amused, long-suffering glance. Kyoya was trying to peel the blonde off himself but was failing miserably. It was like Yuuki with Hunny on a larger scale.

"Please?" Tamaki pleaded, his eyes begging; large and beseeching. He was latched onto the other man, repeating the word and making variations of it whilst hugging his friend repeatedly.

"Tamaki. Tamaki. Get off. Tamaki. Stop. No. Get off. Oh. For the love of...GET OFF!" The man gave a mighty shove but only succeeded in pushing the blonde away for a second before having him slam into his body again.

Haruhi got up and grabbed the back of her fiancés jersey and pulled back. As if by magic, Tamaki came off and latched onto the woman. "Oh, Haruhi. Isn't it a marvellous idea?"

"Yes, it is." She smiled and took him to the sofa furthest away from the dishevelled Ootori.

"You're such a darling." He kissed her passionately.

Yuuki stared at Kyoya who mouthed an explanation for the public acts of intimacy. One word. French. The girl smiled at him as he straightened his persona from the sudden attack. Kyoya would help Tamaki, everyone knew that much. Both women in the room knew the bond that their men had with each other. Complete opposites and yet so drawn to each other. Magnets that stuck but who never fit exactly so against the others surface. Tamaki was good at convincing through annoyance, Kyoya was good at giving it without implying that such act. Yuuki put her chin in her hand and continued to stare at her fiancé. He smiled quietly at her, assuring the girl that Tamaki's flamboyance was because of his obscure upbringing and peculiar social circles.

Haruhi put her now slightly calmed fiancé into the seat beside her and tried to act as if nothing had happened. She was now used to Tamaki's overtly prominent acts of affection and would need to talk to him later about them being so public. "Right. Anyway. Halloween."

Yuuki tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and sat beside Kyoya. The man closed his clipboard and leant forward, ready to start doing what he was good at. "Indeed." His tone was dull, his mannerisms serious. The Cunxin put a hand on his knee. He would enjoy the break and the reminiscence of a time where they had never needed to be healed and where meetings on the balcony were not to run away, but to enjoy the presence of a compatible other.

-

"Yuuki?" Kyoya walked through the Ootori house, book in hand. Yuuki was over to help him order things for the party. "Yuuki?"

He walked into lounge and found her with a pen in her mouth and her hair pinned off her face by a silver paperclip. She was staring at her laptop. "There are three exceptionally large bouquets of flowers in autumn colours from Tuscany that would work for the whole autumn winter theme." The girl twiddled the pen in her fingers as she spoke. "I hate this time of year. It's like winter, but it's not. I like September better. It's actually a defined season." The pen was returned to its place between her teeth.

Kyoya smiled at the swing from business to leisure and then back again. Yuuki hadn't turned from the screen to look at him and was soon absorbed in whatever website she was on. "Order two. Three won't work with the room size. We already have an old suit of armour that can be used between them at the wall at the back of the room."

"The room is huge. Three will work because suits of armour are overrated."

"Its Halloween. Suit of armour works."
"This is not a children's Halloween party. Tamaki specified that he wanted it to be a fancy dress party. Something upper-class, high toned. No games."

"It's Halloween, not a ball." He pulled the pen from her mouth and sat down.
Yuuki turned to him. "You want deep reds, blacks, browns, musty rooms, no light, spiderwebs and depressing music?"
"No, that's what everyone else wants though."

"No. That's lame. Let's just have a fancy dress party. We can to the candlelight thing and put up a few bat silhouettes. But no over the top decorations."
"Tamaki will be upset."
"Tamaki will get over it."

"Tamaki will take it out on you."

Yuuki bought all the flowers a closed her computer. "If you want my help, accept it." She crossed her arms and tried to glare at him. She couldn't help but lift the corners of her eyes in a smile though. "I like this planning thing. Behind the scenes is so much more exciting when you're actually there."

Kyoya frowned and let a silence hang as he processed his fiancé. "Are you wearing my shirt?"

The girl looked at her top. "No. I'm wearing a shirt I bought for you."
"Yes, my shirt."

"No." Yuuki laughed. "See, I buy you shirts for me."

"You buy shirts for me, for you?"

"Yes."
"So that I look good in them?"

Pause. "Well...yes. But so that I look good in them too."

"You look like your drowning."

"Yes. Because I bought this one in your size."

"Yes. Because its mine."
Yuuki pushed the sleeve up as it slid over her fingers. "I bought it."
Kyoya rolled the sleeve up to her elbow. "Yes. For me." He did the other arm. "When you say you bought it in my size, does that mean the next shirt won't be in my size?"

Yuuki smiled. "Maybe."

"Do you want to wear men's clothes?"
"Yes." She beamed. They were comfortable and in fashion and she said so.

"Well," Kyoya finished rolling her sleeve up. "...as long as you don't do it often. Your a woman and should wear clothes for your gender."

"If you haven't noticed, clothes for my gender look like men. The other day in the store I saw an advertisement that said I look better in my boyfriends clothes and I agreed. I like your clothes. They smell like you."

"Because the clothes belong to me. You've been sucked into society."

"Well, I do live in it." Yuuki tucked her feet beneath her. She knew that since he had expressed his slight distaste for the masculine trend that she would think about why she liked to wear the boyfriend style and only wear large shirts when she wanted to, not when trend wanted her to. She would wear her style and clothes. The ones she bought because they made her feel better about herself, not because they were in VOGUE. "You don't like it?"

The shirt was a simple black knit jersey. It had a V-neck and had come from Giordano. She had it tucked into her jeans, the bright blue socks seemed to detract from the whole casual yet trendy look. Kyoya pushed his glasses up. "You always look nice. The one good thing your father gave you was genes and you're healthy." Pause. "Did you go into my closet?"
"No."

Questioning stare.

"...yes." The shirt she had arrived in had been damp because of a downpour. Yuuki had been cold.

"Thought as much." Kyoya tugged her waist gently and waited for the girl to lose her balance and tumble against him. "You don't smell like you."
"Well..." Yuuki pulled an offended sock back up. "When we're married and I have full reign over the closet, then all your good clothes will smell like me." All his clothes that she wore would smell like her. And that meant only a few shirts. The girl was good at sweeping generalisations.

And the man could play them to his advantage. "All my good clothes will also be too small."

"Yes. Because your wife misjudged your height...awww." She put on an innocent face. It disappeared as quickly as it had come. "Wife."

"No word analysing right now."

"No. Let's do this one." The last one had been gumption, which in relation to their life meant very little.

Kyoya sighed. "Alright."

"Oh. Do sound enthused to some extent. You're reading a novel..." She put it on the table. "...it means you've finished your work today to the best of your ability, checked it a bazillion times and are now free for leisure."

"A bazillion?" Sweeping generalisation.

"Yes. A WHOLE bazillion."

"Your very good at reading me."

"Yes. And you're very good at reading boring books."

Kyoya raised his eyebrows. He thought that Chaucer was good. She found him long winded. "Okay. Wife."

"Why does that word make me feel bored?"
"Because when you get married your life ends."

"No it doesn't."

"No, it doesn't, but society would like you to think so."

"Society lies." Pause. Yuuki watched as Kyoya began to speak and got in first. "No. Society doesn't lie about fashion. Leave the shirt alone."

"Its my shirt."

"Okay. Society lies. But I like this lie." She picked at a lose thread. "Maybe it's because marriage seems...boring. Or, I thought it seemed boring until I met you. George Orwell said that all the excitement ends once someone proposes."

"Are you still excited?"

Yuuki grinned. "Yes."

"Then what's wrong with the word?"

"The stereotype."

"We discussed this. We aren't stereotypes." They were different. They were them. Just as, just is, just forever. "I told you nothing would change."

"But you'll see so much more of me."
"I have to work. And you'll be at university and riding."

"I'll see less of you?" Her tone was slightly desperate.

Kyoya ran a hand over the top of her head. "No. Even if I saw you every single minute of every single day, I wouldn't get sick of you."
"Yeah. Well, you'll never test that theory. You have to sleep, eat, shower..."

"All of which I can do with you."

Yuuki ducked her head in a shy manner. "Okay. Nuff word analysing." Her voice got lost in his shoulder. She didn't like that part of the wife discussion. She liked the being with him bit, just not the being with him bit. Not yet. Still to close for comfort. Personal bubble getting sensitive.

"You're going to have to think about it sooner or later."
"I would rather later." Her face was still pressed against him in a vain attempt at hiding from him.

"Would you rather freak out later?"
Nodding.

"Would you rather freak out now and get used to the idea?"
Shaking of head.

"Get used to the idea?"

"I like theories better. Means no one has to actually put them into practice. Idea's are grown up theories."

"And you're a grownup."
"Am not."

Kyoya smiled. "A passionate celibacy is all we can look forward to."

"There's nothing wrong with this."

"No, there isn't."

"How did we reach this topic? I don't like this topic."

"You started married talk. This is married talk."

"I don't like married talk."

"Yes you do."

Pause. "Yes I do."

"Just not this married talk."

"Just not this married talk, no."

"Talk about it later?"
"No."
Soft laugh. "It's like you skipped hormone school."

"I have hormones. They're just confused." Yuuki sat up and leaned back. She looked rather small and shy. "I mean...it's not like I don't want to. I'm just scared to."

"Me too."

She stared at him. "Pfft. Yeah right. You're a guy."

"And that means?"

"You're a guy. Duh."

"Guys get worried."

"You don't worry."

Kyoya raised an eyebrow. "Of course I worry. Its human nature."

"When we met, you didn't have a human nature."

"I do now."

Yuuki pulled the paperclip out of her hair. "Do you ever think about what we would have been like if I hadn't fallen off that day? Or if I hadn't even come to Ouran?"

"No."

"You don't ever imagine life any different?"
"I don't want to."

"Why?"
"Because, it couldn't be better."

"Yeah. You just have a fiancé whose petrified of the sex talk, let alone...okay. Whatever. And who has a theory that all children under five smell like boiled peas."

"I have a fiancé who has had a life where intimacy was not discussed or even relevant and who makes me laugh. There wasn't much laughter before you."

Yuuki gasped in a dramatically excited manner, she'd seen an episode of Gilmore Girls on cable TV once and loved their conversation. She tried to mimic it. "Oh, was there lots of scowling and hate and tofu?" She failed.

"Tofu?"

"I was trying to use the three parts rule but only had two options that popped into my head quick enough."

"Two that were relevant."

"Yes."

"Tofu came from where?"
"The vast chasm that is my mind." She made a huge arm movement above her head and near decapitated him.

Kyoya liked her mind, it never ceased to amaze and confuse him. There were not many things that amazed or confused him. Yuuki was a mystery. The greatest game ever. The one that lasted to infinity without getting boring. She sat and stared at him, wondering why he had picked her. Her above every other girl that he could have had. He picked the one who would have happily lived in a convent just to avoid the one part of marriage she was scared of. Anyone being that close scared her. Giving something that she couldn't ever get back scared her. Not being good enough scared her. And he seemed to understand in the strange manner he possessed. The one that somehow was compatible with hers. Kyoya was her perfect fit. It just worked and didn't need words. Sometimes a perfect fit isn't perfect, sometimes the colour is wrong or you put it on backwards; but the knowledge that it's just right is always there. They were just right. They just were. Accepting, honouring, respecting. In all areas of life, not just the ones they had set boundaries for. Whether he liked it or not, Kyoya would have to acknowledge the fact that Yuuki was going to buy him clothes and then wear them.

-

When Hikaru and Kaoru found out that the host club was holding a Halloween party, they took it upon themselves to designate costumes. The whole group was in the Hitachiin studio, where the main business and design occurred for the fashion moguls. The room was lined with red dress and suit bags, all containing outfits that people would one day marvel at. Near the huge wall window was a neat row of desks holding laptops and a couple displaying sewing machines. In the middle of the room, a few steps away from a convenient, yet stylish, kitchenette was a set of couches. This is where the group had congregated. Some were sitting, most were standing. Hunny was eating cake.

"Mori." Twin one threw a suit bag at the man. "You're going as a 'brother bear' with Hunny..." Another bag went flying. "...will be the 'baby bear' that sits on your shoulders."

Tamaki loved it. "It's exactly how we described them at the host club! Only this time the guests won't have to use their imagination!"

"Tamaki." Twin two pegged a costume at him. "You're going as the Pied Piper."

"And I can make all the girls follow me with my beautiful music!" Haruhi hit him over the head. The blonde stared at her, stunned. Then something clicked and he hugged her. "No, dear Haruhi. I won't fawn over them. They will fawn over me! I have my woman now! A perfect, beautiful, smart, delicate...."

His fiancé put on a tolerant look and let him affectionately mug her.

"Kyoya. Vampire." Twin two handed him his outfit.

The Ootori stared at the bag. "I'll pick my own costume."

"No. As part of the Hitachiin Fashion Empire, it is our duty to choose outfits for you! And if we do, you don't have to pay for them. They just need to be back in time for the winter display photo shoot." They tugged his sensitive string.

It wasn't so sensitive. "I should hope not. I'm already paying for most of the party, seeing as the host club's funds only extend into the school itself. The new club offered to pay, as they will be attending, but cannot seeing as they would host the event themselves if they could afford such an expense. They will be paying for the 'learning experience' instead." Once a Shadow King, always a Shadow King. The new Ouran High School Host Club did not have a type like Kyoya's, but did have another Tamaki. Thus their funds disappeared swiftly.

"Just wear the costume." Twin one threatened.

"Please?" Twin two.

Kyoya pushed up his glasses, leaned on one leg and put his hand on his hip. A silent gesture of consideration leaning towards approval.

"Sweet." The twins grinned in victory.

"And you?" Yuuki asked from her place in the vast Hitachiin studio. "What are you wearing?"

"We..." Twin one said triumphantly.

"Are going as..." Twin two seemed very pleased.

They held aloft their outfits and spoke in unison. "As Mario and Luigi from the Super Mario Brothers!" They then proceeded to make Nintendo noises.

Haruhi looked somewhat confused. "Your line includes ancient game characters?"

"No." Hikaru scoffed. "These we made ourselves."

Kaoru pressed his head to his brothers. "So that we could look the same."

"Well. Mission accomplished." The girl said flatly.

There was a silence before the pair exploded again. "AH! But our outfits are not the best."

"Surprisingly." Hikaru spoke out. They went in unison again. "Yours are!" They held their hands out to the women in the room.

Yuuki scratched her head and looked somewhat uneasy. Haruhi just stared. She knew it had been coming. It was inevitable.

There was a long silence before the twins spoke again. "Don't you want to know what they are?" Obviously they were going as a pair.

The Cunxin sighed in acceptance. "You want to tell us and we have no objection to hearing it."

No extra encouragement was needed. The Hitachiin's were grinning mischievously. "Fortunately for you, our mother has very close ties with Victoria's Secret..."

Yuuki did an about turn and went for the door. Hikaru grabbed her shirt. She kept walking but the exit didn't get any closer. Kaoru had to catch Haruhi as she tried to do the same thing.

"No. We won't get you to wear their outfits." The laughed. "But the wings we got on a loan. You'll wear the new set of Angel Wings before they hit the runway."

The wings were notoriously large and extravagant. Yuuki turned around and smoothed the now crumpled lowed part of her shirt. "You can't even get those wings through a doorway."

"We didn't take the big ones..." Hikaru floated to the other side of the room and picked up a large box. Upon opening it, he held aloft a pair of white, feathered wings that were splayed outwards as if in flight. The other pair was bent down slightly, but were larger and had the same effect. The girls stared blankly as two white dresses were put up in front of them.

"I'll choose my own outfit." Yuuki decided to steal Kyoya's idea.

"You'll look so cute!" Tamaki was holding Haruhi by her shoulders. "Are there halo's?"
Kaoru held one up. Haruhi stared. The twins put their heads together and set their eyes to compassionate. "Please?"

The girl looked at them, then at her fiancé, then at the wings, then at her fiancé. "Whatever." She growled.

Everyone turned to Yuuki. The Cunxin raised her hands. "No."

"Why?"
"To ostentatious."

"Oh come on. Kyoya's going as a vampire. One of the undead." Tamaki let Haruhi go and turned to the other girl. "You can save his soul and take him to heaven with you."

"Tamaki. That was a very lame line. Go work for Hallmark."

Hunny took one of the halo's from twin two and climbed the girl, setting it on her head. "You look so cute Yuu-chan!" She took it off. Hunny grabbed it and put it back on. She took it off. He put it back on. "Please Yuu-chan?"

Yuuki stared. The twins played their final card. "If you don't, then we'll announce your engagement at the party." Everyone knew they would.

The girl snatched the outfit and growled. Kyoya pushed his glasses up. Her stubborn nature never lasted. Very quickly people were learning to push further than she could go. She didn't like to disappoint. The man wrapped an arm around her, showing those in the room that they would have to deal with him if they ever pushed too hard. Yuuki stood still in his grip; she didn't need his help. But she would accept it.

The girl breathed. "You're opening the doors." She gauged how wide the wings were.

Kyoya laughed softly. "Alright." She'd already saved him before. He would do the same; in the few ways he knew how.

-

I will never let you fall

I'll stand up with you forever

I'll be there for you through it all

Even if saving you sends me to heaven.

(Guardian Angel, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus)

-

"She ain't got no money in the bank!" Someone sang from across the preparation room. The old host club was using the Third Music room with the new host club in order to prepare for the evening. The room downstairs was being finished under the competent eye of a Vampire.

"He's American." A junior leaned on the couch Yuuki was sitting on. "The girls love him. He's the Trendy Type. Sweetest guy you'll ever meet."

The girl looked at the young man dressed in Samurai cosplay. "The Tamaki."

The blonde was sitting beside her. "I'm not like that. He's not a prince."

"No." Yuuki started to put mascara on, her compact held aloft. "He's a king."

Tamaki retreated to his corner. The girl glanced at him over her mirror. He'd recover in time. She promptly poked herself in the eye with the mascara brush and blinked violently. Make-up was one of those things she could do, but didn't do often. Fortunately Hikaru and Kaoru vacated the change room and told the girls that their outfits were ready for them. Yuuki and Haruhi steered for the privacy and quiet of the room, the former needing some help as her distance perception had been impaired through the temporary loss of an eye.

"Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow." Yuuki looked up and blinked. Her eyes were watering and the mascara was not waterproof. "I hate mascara. I hate mascara. I hate mascara."

Haruhi grabbed the flailing girls hands and looked into her eye. It was not mascara that was causing pain, it was a dislodged eyelash covered in the black goo. She got it out for her friend who stood, disoriented in the middle of the room.

"I hate mascara."

"Learn to put it on better." Haruhi laughed.

"Yeah. Shut up." Yuuki smiled. "Alright. Which is mine, which is yours?"
"Dibs the smaller wings."

"I'm shorter."

"Never thought I'd ever hear someone say that to me."
"Yes. Well. I am shorter. I get the smaller wings."

"Means you wear the shorter dress." It wasn't short, but it was shorter. An inch above the knee more than the other.

Pause. Silence. "I'm going to kill them."

"I'll help."

"Alright."

The pair unhooked their costumes and put them on. Haruhi looked rather angelic, Yuuki looked rather pissed. She'd almost ripped her hair out putting the wings on and she gave up completely on the halo.

"I don't do this dress up thing. I never did. I never wanted to."

Haruhi looked up and helped the girl zip herself up. "Neither did I. But if you don't do it and if you don't stop complaining then I'll tell the twins and they'll tell the room..."

"Oh. No. Don't. Please. I'll be good."

Haruhi laughed. "What's so bad about it?"
"The attention."

"You're in magazines."

"No. But that's different. You don't see how people react."

"Alright. Well, you can't escape this." Pause. "Your hair is so wavy."

Yuuki ran her fingers through the dark mass. "Yeah, and yours is so cute."

"I like my hair short. It's easy. But your hair is great long. But it's not too long. I like it." The girl turned Yuuki around and unstuck the stray strands from where they had caught the wings. "Except when it's trying to fly away. Pun intended."

"That was lame. Tamaki's rubbing off on you."
Haruhi smiled. "Yeah. I guess. Only I do it in a more academic manner." Pause. "Oh yes. I need the maid of honour and the best man at the next fitting. Trying to colour coordinate."

"Isn't he just wearing a tie the colour of my dress?" Yuuki put her shoes on.

"Yes. But you need to have the dress cut to match him. Not just the colour to match you."

The girl waved a hand.

Haruhi put her shoes on too. "You have to do all this too. Really soon. If you plan for September...we got engaged a few months after you left and it took until now to plan it."

Yuuki looked honestly shocked. "What?"

"Yes. There's a lot to do."

"Oh my gosh. Shoot."

"You're scared to do it?"
"Yes. When Kyoya wanted to talk sooner rather than later I thought later because I didn't have to think about it." She ran a hand through her hair and groaned.

"You want to marry him though?"
"Yes. More than anything."

"Could you wait two years to plan it?"
Silence. No. She couldn't. She just wanted to be with him as his, not just as a companion but as part of him. "No."

"Then...I'll help you." She'd been the same, only with more time.

"Oh, would you?"

"Yes."

Yuuki hugged her friend. "Thank you."

Haruhi tried to hug back but almost impaled her hand on the costume.

-

The party started. Old students came to see the old Host Club. New Students came to see the old and the new. The new boys played their parts very well, dancing with as many girls as possible and saying sweet things that made them squeal. The old boys played a more sophisticated game with their older partners. They discussed travel, money, the future. They danced closer and stared deeper. Only, it still meant nothing romantic to them. It was just a way of making people smile.

Kyoya and Tamaki were a little lax in the game, they were not as enthused as they would have been had they both been single. They already had the girl they wanted and no other would ever suffice.

"Haruhi's such an angel." Tamaki crossed his arms and leaned against the wall he and his friend were standing by. The feather in his hat bobbed slightly. "Pun intended."

Kyoya pushed his glasses up. "You have four months. Scared?"

"Are you?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I've never done anything without making sure it's perfect. Nothing could be more perfect."

"Yuuki brings your family no merit. Your business no profit. Your stress levels no lowering." Tamaki said smugly.

Kyoya glanced at his friend and smiled. "And that's why she's perfect. She's human. She brings me profit, not the business. She's mine and the first person I've ever belonged to." Not even his family could do that.

"And she makes you smile for real." The man placed his elbow in his friend's ribs.

The Ootori scowled. "And to think, we were both supposed to marry Haruhi."

"Well. I won there."
"Did you?"

"I won for me."

Kyoya put a hand on his hip. "Do any of the girls in the room have any idea that we're both taken now?"

"Nope." Tamaki smiled mischievously. "Though, I'm sure the twins will enlighten them in due time."

"The girls won't like that." Kyoya's tone was flat.

"Hm..." The blonde knew there would be a lot of comforting near heart attacks tonight. Especially when his fiancé was attacked by jealous girls dressed as mythical beings. Speaking of which. The pair took the opportunity to spot their lovers across the room and swiftly escaped to their sides. "Hello darling." Tamaki cooed as he welcomed Haruhi to his side. "We were just talking about you."

"I hope you were saying good things." The girl smiled sweetly.

"Hey." Yuuki said as she tried to fight her dress. It flowed a little too much for something its length.

Kyoya took her hand. "Stop it."

"No. It's annoying."

"You're being annoying."

"You're being annoying."

"You're being a child."

"You didn't say hello."
Kyoya smiled. "Hello."

"Better." She kissed him lightly. "Are we drinking cosmos? Marie Antoinette is in the room somewhere."

"You're not drinking anything of the like."

"And you?"

"Driving."

"You did a great job on the room by the way." The high windows looked over a valley of naked trees that looked spooky under the stars. There were candles down the stairs and hanging from the ceiling. Soft lights shone down on the three bouquets at the base of the stairs and on a suit of armour near the door. "Classily spooky."
"We have that effect on most people."
"Yeah."

"Yes." He corrected.

"Whatever."

Kyoya raised an eyebrow. Yuuki scowled. "Okay. Yes." She lengthened the 's' to annoy him.

"You're a pretty little wall flower tonight." He said back.

"Dancing isn't my thing."

"What about dancing with me?"
"That's different."

"Dance with me then."

"You're a vampire."

"I am." He grinned.

Yuuki peered at the points in his mouth. "Scary." She said mockingly. "You are an Ootori though. You didn't need to dress up in order to freak people out."

Kyoya took her hand. "Shhh." He tucked her close to him and entered the throng of dancers. "Just relax. I haven't seen you today."

"Aw. Did you miss me?"
"Yes." Admitting things to her wasn't difficult. He enjoyed it. It allowed him to be a part of her.

"I missed you too." Yuuki said quietly and let her face sit close beside his. "When we get married, you're going to have to take lots of sick days."
"I have to work, Yuuki." He said back, just as quietly.

"And I'll have to go to university."

"You were serious about that?"
"I was."

"I'm glad."

"Mmm." She would ride Zero at Grand Prix Events, but she would not ride to win. She would do it because she loved riding, not because she loved eventing.

Kyoya slid his hand up to the base of the wings. "These uncomfortable?"

"Are your teeth things?"

"Yes."

"Yeah. Mine too."

"Just warning you. The plan the twins had to make you wear this, is going to fail." Kyoya whispered coyly.

"What?" Yuuki pulled her face to look at his full. "They...what?"

The man nodded.

The girl looked worried, all the Kyoya-fans. All the girls who planned to marry him. Renge was even there somewhere. Marrying Kyoya had been her dream for so long. "I'm going to die."

"You're well equipped for it."

"That's not funny."

The Ootori squeezed her hand. "Well, its not like you would have told anyone."

"Yes. But..."

"This way people will know without effort. News will spread...."
"People will like you more and your income will increase incredibly."
Kyoya laughed quietly. She was getting good at this. "Yes. I'll let you use the profits for the wedding."

"It can't be a big wedding."

He pulled a face.

"What?"
"Well..." He ran his thumb over the top of her hand. "...At an Ootori wedding, every business partner is invited. And their wives. And children. As well as this, high ranking families from across the world attend in order to maintain a good relationship for future developments."

Yuuki stared. "You're joking, right?"

"I don't joke."
"No. You don't."

He smiled.

"Stop enjoying this."

"Hmm."

"Stop it."
"Oh. Think of the outcome."
"Yeah. All that money..."

He pinched her hand. "Don't be droll."

She smiled at him. "Try me."

"You're awfully nervous tonight." His job had been to make ladies happy, he could tell when they were fidgety without them picking their outfit to pieces.

"Yes. I talked to Haruhi about getting married."

"Ah."
"Ah indeed." Pause. "So help me."

"You want this. I want this. What's wrong?"
"People. Attention. Planning things."

"The second former is really what's worrying you."

"Yes." She pressed her head into the curve of his neck. "I hope the twins don't tell."

As if on cue, the pair appeared on the stairs and called everyone to attention. Yuuki groaned and tried to disappear. She knew something like that would happen. Kyoya pushed his glasses up and turned her so that she became part of the crowd. Everyone was turned for the announcement.

"As you all know, the old host club is here with the new one." The twins spoke in unison. "And as you all know, we have all spent a great amount of time delighting young ladies." There was cheerful clapping. "However. In the course of life, one lady is often chosen." There was dead silence and then vague chatter. Yuuki heard some girls declaring that their hosts could never be taken, they were theirs. She wanted to run away. "This has happened. Two of the old hosts are now engaged." Dramatic pause. "Haruhi, the girl version, is marrying Tamaki Suoh." There was a sharp inhalation as girls across the room turned their glares on the blonde and the brunette. The girl was staring viciously at the twins who continued their speech. "And the other is our very own Shadow King with Yuuki Cunxin." The pair extended their arms to where the couple stood. Grinning as if they had played the best game in the world.

Yuuki gripped her fiancé's arm. The whole room had turned to look at them. To glare at her for taking him. Kyoya smiled in a friendly manner and wrapped an arm around her waist. There was dead silence. And then a cry of anguish.

"It can't be!" Girls wailed. "Kyoya professed his love to me! Tamaki told me I was his only one!"

The other couple quickly joined the Ootori and co. "Ah. Well." The blonde said, somewhat flushed from being grabbed by girls who begged him to reconsider. "That's..."

"I'm going to kill them." Kyoya's smile vanished. Several woman had approached him and told him to not go through with such a 'stupid endeavour', their families were better suited to an alliance with his. All the merit of having been a host had disappeared through such a blunt telling of his status.

Yuuki had gone pale. Like a sheet. "I...um. Need...air."

"I need to leave." Haruhi said and began to drag Tamaki to the door. She promptly caught one of the blondes biggest fans in the face with one of her wings. Soon they were gone and the other pair were vanished.

The Cunxin leant on the balcony and stared down at the garden below. She inhaled. "Stage fright. Stage fright. Stage fright. Hold me."

Kyoya did the best he could with the wings. "They were to blunt."

"Go figure." The twins had done the whole build of tension thing.

"Oh my gosh. People hate me."

The man laughed, she was so worried it was slightly cute. "They don't hate you."

"They still love you. They really hate me." Not listening.

"Yuuki. How could anyone hate you?"
She turned around to face him. In frustration she pulled the wings off and dropped them. Her revenge against the twins. Victoria's Secret could go without a set of angels for one season. "You were smiling. How could you have been smiling. Why were you smiling?"

"Just maintaining an impression."

"You're not a host anymore!"
"You're overreacting. Your engagement was just announced. Be happy you don't have to do it."

"I would have done it better. In a subtler manner."

"Maybe. If at all."

"I'm not that bad."

"Yes you are."
"Well, you don't help."

"Because you need to do it yourself."
"Why? I'm not marrying you. We're getting married. This is a two person, equality deal."

"This isn't a deal, it's a choice. Stop freaking out." He put his hand behind her head and pulled it gently to rest on his shoulder. "A lot of things happened on this balcony."

Yuuki put a hand where her head had been and peeked at the setting. "I liked it better in the snow." She didn't feel the bitter chill of almost winter. She felt a bitter chill to the twins.

"Me too." Kyoya distracted her by pressed his mouth to her neck.

The girl felt the fake teeth press against her skin and she shivered. "That's really creepy."

"Mmm..." He did it again.
Yuuki turned her head and met his mouth with her own. "Okay. That's really weird."

"You're distracted though." He said softly, his breath warm on her skin. "You're feeling better."

"Yeah."

"Yes." Kyoya corrected gently.

"Whatever." Yuuki kissed the hollow behind the corner of his jaw. "I don't like the fake teeth. Like gilded butterflies. Why try to make it different? It was already wonderful."

Kyoya smiled and unattached the fake canines and held them in his palm. "something that small rubs you backwards."

"Yes."

"I wasn't referring to the teeth."

"The announcement was no small matter."

"It can be if you want it to be."

She said against his neck. "I don't want starburst or diamond halls, I just want you." Anne of Green Gables, a personal favourite.

"Then settle for that. Accept the other things that happen."

"How can you go with the flow?"
"I don't, not unless it profits me."
"No. I know that."

"It's better. The girls will tell their fathers who have no problem in my marrying someone else and they will wish us well."

Yuuki sighed. "Whatever."

Kyoya laughed and ran a hand over her head, through her hair and came to rest on the skin behind her neck. "Just let it happen. I love you. I wouldn't do it unless it profited you too."

"Really?"

"Last time I did something that involved you and didn't consider your merit, you ended up in London."

"Oh."

"Yes."

"Sorry."

"I should be the one apologising."

She shook her head. "Don't. I don't like that part of life. Let's just leave it. Let's just be. Please."

"Okay."

"I love how you agree with me."

"Not always."

"I'm not expecting a trend." Yuuki smiled. "Just don't let go." She was still nervous from her sudden attack by angry, jealous eyes.

"Okay." Kyoya used moved the hand that was around her waist and cradled her face with it. He kissed her slowly. He liked the way she breathed against him when he did. He liked how she returned the favour and rested her hand at the base of his neck and the other against his chest. It was comfortable. Compatible. They just worked, even coming out of an awkward situation.

Yuuki felt her breath catch as the hand Kyoya had behind her neck slid to her back. He brushed his fingers over the skin on her shoulder blades before pulling away from her. She had tensed up, but not for his getting a little to roguish or pressing in to close, she knew he wouldn't do anything she was uncomfortable with or not ready for. It was because someone had cried out from the window onto the balcony.

The pair looked at the lit up dance room. In the glass door that lead to the balcony stood a colony of angry girls. They were all placed behind a naughty looking Hikaru and Kaoru. Yuuki went scarlet and swore in German. Kyoya kept his arm around his fiancé and moved toward the door, making sure to 'accidentally' stand on the wings as he did so. Yuuki was telling him she didn't want to go inside. He was telling her to calm down, he was right beside her.

When the door opened a whole bunch of the girls began to speak at once. The Cunxin finally gathered her courage. "Alright. Alright. Stop...SHUT UP." The girls stared at her, stunned. "Kyoya was a host when you knew him. His professions of love were to please you. Ever think about how he told all of you how beautiful you are? I mean, come on. Surely you knew it was a game. A game for the rich and bored. Can't you just be happy that he's happy?"

"How can he be happy with you?" A girl dressed as a cat said uppishly.

"How can I be happy with you?" Kyoya's voice was cool. "Ladies. You are all beautiful..." He played host. "...wonderful, talented. All in your own way. What I told you was not a lie. But what I told you I did not mean from a relationship point of view. I understand you are upset. But I'm not."

Yuuki pressed against his side as another girl, one dressed as a mermaid, spoke up. "But she's not even upper class by birth."

The Cunxin stood tall. "He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman's daughter. So far we are equal."

"Not a gentleman by birth though." Came the snarky reply.
Yuuki sighed. "Can't you all just grow backbones and be happy? Congratulate the couple. We are happy. We are in love. That won't ever change."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because I put him in the worst circumstance ever. I put myself through hell because of him, and at the end, we hadn't stopped loving him. Not even a bit. Because, in all the world, there has never been a person I would ruin my life for or go to for help even though I was furious and upset at him." Silence. "This is how it's happened. Can't you just...get over it? This isn't High School anymore." Yuuki suddenly felt very tired. "Hikaru and Kaoru didn't tell you in a manner that we would have liked, and thus are not in our good books."

There was soft laughter and a few girls dispersed. The few that remained disappeared as Kyoya put his mouth to Yuuki's ear and told her that she had done well, a true speech from a frustrated woman. She turned and smiled at him, still annoyed. The Ootori turned to the twins. "You're going to pay."

"No." Hikaru stared at the broken wings. "You're going to pay for those."

"I think not my friends." Came the reply.

"Aw, don't be mad. It was fun, ne?"

"No, it was not. It was not how we would have done it and it is our wedding."

Sighs in unison. "It was still fun." Pause. "Can we say sorry?"

"How?"

"We'd like to take you out. Now."

"Now?" Kyoya glanced at his watch. "I have to speak to my father before he goes away tomorrow morning."

"Then we'll take Yuuki out."

The girl clutched Kyoya. "No. Please, no. I'm still mad at them."

The man looked down at her. "I think it will be good if you see things from their perspective."

"I will not go out with Mario and Luigi."

The twins laughed and took their hats and moustaches off. "There. Happy? We're just men in overalls now."

Yuuki stared at Kyoya. "No."

"Yes." He said quietly. "They wont hurt you. It will do you good to get in touch with the side you'll have to retaliate against in the future."

Yuuki turned to the twins, they were grinning sweetly, apologetically. "Um..."

"Go." There was an encouraging hand on her back. "I'll see you tomorrow after you've done Zero."

"Okay." The girl nodded and took Hikaru's outstretched hand. "Okay. But I'm still mad at them."

"We know." The twins said as they headed for the door. "We'll make you forget." The games were not over yet.

-

Kyoya had arrived home just before eleven and had spoken to his father about business for an hour. He was the only one up at one when there was a knocking at the door. When he opened it a figure fell heavily against him. They had obviously been leaning against the door and when it had been taken away, their weight had tried to transfer onto air and promptly headed south. Whoever it was, was wearing a pair of broken angel wings, picked up from their place on a dejected balcony. The twins stood in the doorway and grinned as if they had just taken first prize.

Yuuki groaned and gripped the front of Kyoya's shirt. The Ootori stared at her and then at the twins. "She's drunk!" He roared.

The girl's grip lessened and she slid into a slurred heap on the floor. "Its sooooooooo bloody awful."

Twin one shrugged. "She thought that we'd given her Maison." Twin two joined the gesture. "But it was really Champaign."

"You didn't tell her?!" Kyoya stepped towards the pair who raised their hands in defence.

"We didn't want too." Their new game had finally been played and won.

"How many did she have?"

"Surprisingly, just one." They said, cocking their heads at the disoriented girl. "She's not very tolerant to alcohol."

"Probably because she's never had it before!" Kyoya went to reach for them but was distracted by a shuffling behind him. Yuuki had disappeared down the hall and flung open the door to the nearest room. She shut it and tried the next one. And the next. The Ootori went to the first door, opened it and called her. "Through the back." It was a study, there was a bathroom at the back.

Yuuki flung herself into the room. Kyoya stared at the front door and almost exploded as the twins smiled and shut the door. In his rage he stormed into the bathroom and stood accusingly at the door as his fiancé lost her lunch and dinner to her state. She was obviously miserable.

"Oh, how are the mighty fallen." He said smugly. Not pleased.

The girl groaned and flushed the toilet before pulling her wings off again. She couldn't even remember how they got back on. Kyoya knelt in front of her. "You didn't know?"

She shook her head.

"Promise?"

She nodded.

"Not happy?"

More nodding. Turning slightly green. Needing the toilet again. The twins were obviously good at their new game. Kyoya pulled her hair back and sat on the tiled floor. After a few minutes Yuuki was sitting in a crumpled heap. "They said shorry. And they said they would take me to dinner. And I was very hungry. I didn't want to drink it, but they told me no alco...alcohol. So I drinked it cause I was thirsshty. And..."

"You only had one?"

Nodding.
"You're never drinking again. You got sloshed on one." Kyoya laughed.

Yuuki scowled. "Why you laughing?"
"Because, you're ridiculous."

"Am not."
"You're so fragile and you don't even realise it."

The girl collapsed against him. "You smell sooo good. Like peppermint."

"And you smell like vomit."

"Thatsh not very nice."

Short silence. "I wish I could have stopped it."

"Well. Me too. But you couldn't because I'm already drunk." Her sentences didn't make much sense.

"Okay." Kyoya scooped her off the floor. "Let's get you into bed."

"Don't take advantage of me." Yuuki let her head fall heavily against him as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I will." Flat, serious reply.

"Okay." Pause. "Wait..."

Kyoya kissed her head. He needed to teach her a lesson. He was still furious inside. The twins got her drunk for fun. It wasn't fun. Not for her, not for him. "Don't worry. I'll be gentle."

"Nooo." Yuuki shook her head. "No. No. I want to go home." She began to wriggle.

"No."

"No. No. Uhuh."

"You said okay."

"I didn't."

"You did. You put yourself in this situation."

"I didn't mean to." She tried to struggle free of his grip. The spare bedroom was awful close. "Kyoya...no..." Her voice was slurred.

The man didn't say anything for a minute and let her try to fight him. He was a lot stronger than she was, and a lot larger. He was the one in control. "Learnt your lesson?"

Yuuki stopped trying to take her shoe off to hit him with. "Huh?"
"Don't ever get into this situation again." Kyoya's tone was hard.

"Oh. You was just playin'." She smiled. Suddenly her face was stern. "Don't do that."

"I wasn't playing. I was being serious." He opened the door to the spare room, balancing her in his arms as he did so.

"You wouldn't..." She pulled her shoes off and held them up as weapons.

"No. I wouldn't. But you're lucky I'm not that sort of boyfriend. Others wouldn't be so fortunate." He balanced her again; thankful that she was light, and pulled the covers back before sliding her in and pulling them back up. He took her shoes and put them on the floor. "Go to sleep, Yuuki." His tone was hard. He was obviously fuming inside, as if he had lost a game.

"'Kay." The girl smiled drunkenly. "Will I have a headache?"
"Probably."

"Will you wake me up?"

"Yes."

"Will you rub it in?"

"Defiantly." Lessons needed to be finished.

"No...don't...."

"Stop talking. Go to sleep."

Silence. "I'm shorry. I had NO idea."

"It's okay."

"You won't rub it in then?"
"No. I will."

"Nooooo...."

"Yuuki. Go to sleep." He had some revenge planning to do.

What she had said earlier about them being mad and not loving each other less was really true. He was mad at her for getting drunk, even unintentionally. It was stupid and irresponsible. But he didn't love her any less. Kyoya found himself wanting to protect her more. He wanted to marry her sooner, to be there for her when she didn't know she was in trouble. He wanted to love her. He did love her, but he wanted to love her more. He wanted to give her more. It was a constant need. The more she gave him, the more the Ootori wanted to give in return. She was gifting him. Giving him strength when he didn't know he needed it. Yet, when Yuuki had needed him, he had been busy with work. He hadn't been able to help her, prevent the worst from happening. Kyoya sat on the end of the bed and watched her sleep herself into a hangover. Even in an intoxicated state, she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. Not because she was physically lovely, but because she just was lovely. She just was. Just as they just were, Yuuki was beautiful because she was perfect. Flawed to shine. Enough to make him want her more. To be closer to her than he had ever been before and continue to progress even deeper as eternity stretched out before them.

-

I knew that we belonged together
Long before I knew your name
And the only thing I longed for
Was a sign to prove you felt the same

Somehow I knew your every secret
Just by looking in your eyes
From the very moment I met you
I was thinking of the rest of our lives

Just say to me

I'm gonna love you 'til the end of the time
Somehow two hearts have made a friend of time
Eternity, eternity is on our side

I'm not afraid to say forever
You have made me feel so sure
'Cause I know it's everlasting
And I've never had this feeling before

Keep telling me

I'm gonna love you 'til the end of time
Somehow two hearts have made a friend of time
Eternity, I'll love you for eternity

Caught in the tide
And it brought me to you
And now I know that dreams come true

I'm gonna love you 'til the end of time
Somehow two hearts have made a friend of time
Eternity, eternity, is on our side

I'm gonna love 'til the end of time
Somehow two hearts have made a friend of time
Eternity, eternity, is on our side
Eternity, I'll love you for eternity

(Eternity, Dreams Come True)

-

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

Yay! I'm back! Miss me?

Hope no one has lost interest.

The shirt thing was one of my many experiences from my trip. As was Mario and Luigi. And 'she ain't got no money in the bank.' And the poking of one's self in the eye with mascara. ^-^

I have so many muses I can twist for this story; what better inspiration for a story about life than life itself?

Anyway, please review. I really value your input. If you have any questions about me or the story or anything, please don't hesitate to ask.

Blessings,

-pp