(a/n) – sorry for the late update. my muse has taken a few hits as school kicks into it's second half. busy busy. etc etc. in other news, the EC thread on the forums has hit over 5000 posts and had to be expanded to a second thread, the 2nd thread that has done so as if this posting. yay?

Emiya Clan – Ouran 12

Haruhi was eating lunch at her usual table when a shadow across her. Expecting one of the twins, she was startled to find Takeshi standing beside her with his own lunch in hand.

"Mind if I join you?" the third-year asked her. He slid into the chair next to her when she nodded and began unwrapping his bento.

She finished chewing to cover her surprise. "Takeshi-sempai, it's rare to see you in here. How was your test?" she asked. She'd noticed him studying more and more often during club hours as the winter break approached. Her own classes' series of tests had finished yesterday, and she assumed the rest of the school followed a similar schedule.

"All done, at last." Takeshi snorted as he looked around the noisy dining hall. "Eating in my usual spot is too quiet for me right now, so I thought I'd try something different." He had a slightly sour expression on his face, though it most definitely was not from the food he had brought to the table. Haruhi almost missed his reply as the contents of his lunch made itself known to her. "I think I did alright," he continued, "I don't think I made any major mistakes this time, so I think I should be in the top ten. Though I wish I could have taken it as easily as Hani-kun seemed to, he finished with almost half an hour to spare." His voice shifted, sounding amused. "Did you want to try some? You could have just asked."

Haruhi blinked as she suddenly realized the position she had ended up in. She was leaning almost on top of Takeshi, bringing her head in to follow that heavenly scent back to the small dish in front of him. She quickly raised herself back into a normal position. "Ah, sorry, it's just that I've never seen your lunches before." She tried but couldn't quite keep her gaze from straying towards his bento. "Did you make that yourself?"

Takeshi had an odd expression on his face as he stared at her. After a few moments he coughed and looked down, "Ah, actually I let my parents do all the food prep. They actually fight over who gets to cook on any given day." He used his chopsticks to grab a portion of his meal and drop it onto a clean section of her plate. "Here, today you get to sample Sakura-kaasan's cooking."

Haruhi didn't waste any time, scooping up the food and tossing it into her mouth. As the taste dissolved over her tongue, she knew her face had taken on a slightly dazed look. "It's good~" she moaned.

Takeshi chuckled as he unscrewed the cap to his thermos and set it on the table. "That's the Emiya family, we never ever want to eat out."

"I can see why not," she replied. She held her fork against her mouth, eyeing the rest of his meal speculatively.

Takeshi's grin grew wider at her focused stare, but then he yelped as another student bumped into him, a careless elbow knocking over his thermos and spilling tea across the table. "What the–!"

"Ah, my bad," a familiar redhead drawled. Haruhi looked up to see Hikaru dropping into the seat next to Takeshi. There was a whisper of movement from her other side as Kaoru did the same. "Sorry about that, Emiya-sempai."

"No harm done," Takeshi said as he peered into the container to check the remaining liquid. He sighed as he tossed a napkin over the spilled drink and rose to his feet. "I'm going to go refill, I'll be right back."

"Take your time," Kaoru said, spreading his own napkin over his lap. "We're not going anywhere."

With a brief nod towards his fellow hosts, Takeshi grabbed his thermos and stalked over towards the dining hall's bar. As soon as he was several tables away, Hikaru quickly shifted positions, hopping into Takeshi's seat as he and Kaoru leaned in to sandwich Haruhi between them.

"So," the elder Hitachiin said. "What's going on between you and Emiya-sempai?"

Haruhi blinked, reluctantly delving back into her own meal; it would be rude to steal her sempai's lunch without his permission, after all. "Nothing special, why do you ask?"

"Do normal students with 'nothing special' between them share each other's meals?" Kaoru asked.

"You two do," Haruhi pointed out.

The twins blinked at each other over her shoulders. "She's right about that," Kaoru admitted.

"Speaking of which, did you want some of my salad?"

"Sure, did you want my meat?"

"You know I do," Hikaru grinned at his brother.

Haruhi blinked and waved her hand towards the bento box now in front of Hikaru. "It's just this is the first time I've seen Takeshi-sempai actually eating in the cafeteria, and I can't help but feel like I've been missing out."

Hikaru eyeballed the home-cooked meal speculatively for a few moments, then speared one of the pieces with his fork before Haruhi could even react.

"Ah, I don't think you should—"

"Wow, this is good," Hikaru eye's widened as he chewed. He picked up another piece and held it out, "Try one, Kaoru."

Kaoru leaned forward as he accepted the sample. "Mmm..." His eyes flicked over to Haruhi's as he resettled himself in his chair. "But I still think your stuff is better, Haruhi."

"Hmm, I don't know," she said. "This is the sort of stuff you might find in a high-class restaurant."

"Hah," Hikaru scoffed, grabbing another piece. "Trust me when I say those chefs don't hold a candle to this stuff." He noticed Kaoru narrowing his eyes at him and nodded. "But, Kaoru's right, I think your cooking is way better."

Haruhi arched an eyebrow at him. "False flattery gets you nowhere," she said. She resisted the temptation to join in as the two poked at the Takeshi's lunch while he was still away from the table, although the scents floating up from the box chipped away at her resolve. "I wonder if I can get the recipe from his mother. . ."

Kaoru cleared his throat.

"Anyhow," Hikaru said. "We were just wondering what you think about Emiya-sempai."

"What about me?"

Hikaru tilted his head back casually, staring up at Takeshi as the purple-haired student loomed over him. "Yo, Emiya-sempai. We were—"

"—just about to ask Haruhi if she thought you knew how to dance," Kaoru finished smoothly. "The Club is going to be hosting their annual Christmas Ball."

Hikaru grinned and spun around in his seat. "I hope you're in practice with your ballroom dancing, Emiya-sempai."

"Not really," Takeshi admitted. "But it's when, a week from now? I'm sure I could manage something presentable by that time." He gave the Hitachiin a pointed glare, and Hikaru dutifully moved back into his own seat as Takeshi placed his newly refilled thermos back onto the table.

"What about you, Haruhi?" Kaoru was asking. "Have you ever had the chance to experience a formal dance before?"

"Those sorts of things don't interest me," Haruhi replied, digging into her own food. "I'd rather just skip the whole thing, if we have enough people already."

Kaoru grinned. "We thought you might say that," he said. "Tono said he'd cut your debt in half if you were able to master at least one dance by the end of the week and impress the customers with it."

Haruhi suddenly bit down onto her fork with enough force to chip at the silverware. "H-half?" she gasped, pounding at her chest. She fell silent as she ran the calculations through her head. This was a huge chance to help relieve her burden. "Um, I suppose I could," she said slowly. "But who would be teaching me?"

"Oh, you know our King," Kaoru assured her. "When he realized you might not know how to dance, he sort of blurted it out in the middle of class. Trust me, you've got plenty of volunteers lining up to teach you now."

Haruhi muttered something low under her breath.

Meanwhile, Takeshi was staring down at the remains of his lunch. "... Where did all of my food go?"

ooo

"What are you up to, Takeshi-nii?"

"Hello to you too, Riko," Takeshi said, not looking up from his computer. He continued to ignore his sister as she navigated the furniture carelessly piled to one side of the room. She looked over at him curiously, then at the empty space in the middle of the floor where the couches and tables used to be, then back at him as he stabbed at the keyboard, replaying the video he was currently reviewing.

Riko stopped behind his chair and leaned over his shoulder. "Waltz?" she asked after a few seconds.

Takeshi absently nodded, "The Host Club is apparently putting on a Christmas Ball this weekend."

The skater perked up, "Ooh, a party? That sounds fun."

"It's not for you," Takeshi said. "Formal dancing... fine-dining... " He grimaced, "... tuxedos. I was thinking of asking Uzume-kaasan if she could tailor some formal clothing for me."

Riko shuddered, the motion sending small waves through her hair. "Ah, well, you're right; I prefer a good rave and some faster-paced beats myself." She took a closer look at the screen as Takeshi rewound the video and replayed a specific section. She lifted her head and stared at the open space on the floor. "Are you trying to learn from an online video?" she asked incredulously.

"Unless you have a better idea," Takeshi said. "I don't seem to recall any of us learning ballroom dancing when we were younger."

Riko tapped a finger against her chin, "Hm... true. I know, have you thought about asking Saber-kaasan?"

Takeshi frowned, "I don't really see her as a dancer."

"Ah, but you forget, dear brother. She was a King." Riko leaned against the back of his chair. "More to the point, she was King of the Britons. Didn't England have a huge influence on the modern Waltz?"

"Yes, in the eighteen-hundreds," Takeshi said. "I'm pretty sure Arthurian Legend takes place just a bit further back in the timeline."

Riko took the correction in stride. "Well, if nothing else, I'm sure she has plenty of anecdotes about courtly behavior and experiences of the dances of the time. It's better than nothing."

"I suppose... " Takeshi rose from his chair, stretching out briefly before he made his way for the door. He suddenly paused as he was passing the pile of furniture. "Wait a second, Arturia-kaasan was a King. That means even if she did know how to dance, she only knows the male parts. Which means... "

"You'd be learning the female part from her? Probably." Riko has a wide grin on her face as she shrugged. "You can't win at everything, Takeshi-nii." She chuckled merrily, then she had to duck her head to avoid a thrown seat cushion.

ooo

A few days later, Takeshi watched as Haruhi moved across the clubroom's floor with a female second-year student. His Ashikabi had improved greatly in the past week, the first few days she had been tripping over her feet and sending her dance partner and herself tumbling to the floor. Now, though it was not quite graceful, it was more than he thought she would have been able to do.

""So, Emiya-sempai, what do you think?""

And it was more than he was currently able to do, though he would certainly not admit that to the two grinning boys standing behind him. Takeshi reset his glasses over the bridge of his nose. "Haruhi-san is a quick study," he said. "She's improved greatly." He turned towards the Hitachiins but looked past them at the figure sitting by the windowsill. "Is that why Tamaki-kun is looking down? Because she might actually win his bet?"

Hikaru grinned, "I doubt that's even occurred to Tono. He's just upset because he wanted to be Haruhi's practice partner."

"Which doesn't really make sense, when you think about it," Kaoru added. "I mean, their height difference is huge. There's no way anybody could dance like that."

All three of them studiously ignored Honey and Reiko Kanazuki spinning around to the side, their pace far too fast for a Slow Waltz. Despite being female and several years younger than her partner, Kanazuki still towered over the blonde, yet it seemed she was nearly being pulled off her feet by their speed. It was more in line with a Viennese Waltz, though Honey seemed to have forgotten there were any other dance motions besides spinning in place.

"So how is your practice going?" Kaoru asked.

Takeshi simply shrugged. "It goes," he said evasively. It just so happened Rin had been in the same room with Arturia when he'd asked for advise. Rin had confessed some basic knowledge of the modern dance forms, the Clock Tower was a very formal society in itself, so Takeshi didn't find it terribly hard to believe. Unfortunately, it seemed Luvia had been passing through the room at that time, and she had claimed her own experiences clearly overshadowed the brunette's. Takeshi and Arturia had watched in horrified fascination as the two women began another series of one-upmanship. The resulting catfight had taken out nearly the entire wing and sent almost one-fifth of the entire Clan into the infirmary.

Needless to say, Takeshi found himself practicing using his video aid, although Riko was willing to help him out a few times. Takeshi shrugged again, returning his focus on the redhead. "I've been able to put my time to good use, never fear."

Very efficient use, in his mind. In between practices, he'd gone to Uzume to have her take his measurements and cut out some formal wear for him to use. The Veiled Sekirei teased him about his dancing almost as much as his sister did, but he endured her good-natured teasing. He did notice Uzume seemed unusually weary, though he put that down to the fact she was making his outfit on relatively short notice.

Mother had been slightly miffed he was reducing his practice sessions with her to allow enough time for this extra practice, but she let it slide for the most part. He did have to put up with her own form of teasing in addition to the bruises he normally received from her, and once again he cursed whatever power or deity it was that caused the women of his family to express their affection in the form of relentless teasing and pranks.

ooo

Ouran Academy's Central Salon was the largest single-room building in the campus. To possess the right to use it – even for a single night – suggested a level of power and influence only the best of students could manage. In a school that boasted the attendance of the country's most prestigious families and social elite, it was the most sought after symbol in the academy. Fortunately, most of the battles for the locale took place only twice a year, during the school's spring and fall festivals, so there was not quite the difficulty in gaining the rights to the building that there might have otherwise been.

"Thank you for coming, all of you who have gathered here tonight; it is our great fortune to be able to bear witness to your combined loveliness. " Tamaki, a dashing figure in pure-white suit, stood on the grand staircase's second-story landing as he crossed an arm over his chest and bowed at the waist. "The Ouran Highschool Host Club bids you a warm welcome to our Christmas Party!"

Lining the stairs flanking the raised platform, Takeshi and the other six hosts mirrored Tamaki's pose. ""Irasshaimase~""

Kyouya straightened to his full height and stretched out his arms to encompass the whole room. "We hope you enjoy yourselves to your heart's content as you dance with our Host Club members. We have various other entertainments available as well, games of chance and risk. Each win will earn you points for tonight, as well as each dance you are able to claim from our members."

Hikaru and Kaoru grinned and held out their arms. One fanned out a deck of cards, while the other juggled several pairs of dice in the air.

Kyouya lifted a finger. "The eight lucky women with the greatest points will have earned the right to have the final dance of the night with a club member. Furthermore," he waved his arm towards Tamaki. "The young lady who earns the highest number of points total, or the one voted as the best dancer will be crowned as tonight's Queen. And her reward... will be to receive an impassioned kiss on the cheek from our very own King!"

Tamaki graced the room with a dazzling smile. "Good luck to all of you, I hope you all do your very best... " He held out his hand and winked to the crowd, "... my lovelies."

The crowd erupted into shrieks and more than a few girls fainted dead on their feet. Hikaru and Kaoru grinned as they descended the stairs and headed for their gaming tables. Hikaru slapped Haruhi across the back as he passed her, "Good luck, Haruhi. Try not to trip over your feet tonight, I hear it's considered bad form."

"I'll try," she grumbled. She schooled her expression back into one of polite interest as Takeshi walked up to her.

"You look tense," he commented. "Not used to things like this?"

Haruhi really did look somewhat queasy. "Not really. Normally my Christmas just involves a small cake my father brings home from work. On the occasions that we did go out, it was mostly to the town festival. Nothing quite like," she waved helplessly at the gathering. "Like this."

"Hm." Takeshi watched Honey being hauled off towards the dance floor by a girl dressed in a modest black dress while Mori followed at a careful distance. "I think I can see why you'd find this unsettling then."

"What were your holidays like?" she asked him.

"Nothing like this either," he admitted. "But I think I'm actually liking it better this way. Back at home it would be... chaotic to say the least."

Haruhi recalled the various colorful personalities his family displayed. "Yeah, I think I see why you'd consider this to be a quiet affair."

"It's wasn't all bad, though," Takeshi mused. "If nothing else, with an excuse to go all out, Father and the others would really put together a feast worthy of kings."

"It may not be fit for a king, but I daresay our buffet selection is not something to scoff at." Kyouya walked up to them, clipboard in hand. "If you'd like to try, Haruhi, we have quite the selection available."

"Hmm, really?" Haruhi tilted her head. "Do you think they have something like—"

"Haruhi!" Tamaki walked up to them at a brisk pace. "Remember your wager, not only did you have to learn to dance but you must also impress our customers! In fact, I have the perfect opportunity for you."

The other three lifted their heads as Tamaki turned back towards the crowd and held his hand out. A young woman dressed in a white dress with silver highlights stepped towards them. She was very slender and petite, roughly the same height as Haruhi herself. Like Tamaki, she had blonde hair, though hers was a shade paler than his, and it was tied back with a silky black ribbon, leaving the rest to fall behind her in a high ponytail.

Tamaki addressed her in impeccable, slightly accented English, and the young woman responded in kind. Tamaki turned back towards Haruhi and bowed slightly. "Haruhi, this is a foreign visitor from Wales who chanced upon this gathering. You apparently caught her eye tonight so she requested to have her first dance with you specifically."

"Oh, um," Haruhi looked back and forth between the visitor and Takeshi, who had suddenly gone rigid. "I guess I should. What did you say her name was?"

Tamaki smiled, "This is Lily Pendragon, she says she's from one of the oldest Houses in the British Isles."

"That sounds correct," Kyouya said. "Although I don't think I've heard the name 'Pendragon' in recent times... "

Takeshi was silent, staring at the young woman who seemed to be avoiding his eyes.

Haruhi schooled her face into a polite expression and bowed. "Well then, ah, Pendragon-san, I would be honored to have this dance with you."

Tamaki translated her message and the girl curtsied gracefully, holding out her arm expectantly. Haruhi held out her elbow and the two disappeared onto the dance floor together.

"Such a lovely lady," Tamaki mused as he turned back towards the other two. "I could definitely see her English ancestry, but some of her features looked somewhat Asian as well."

"It's most likely a pseudonym," Kyouya agreed. "Still, I believe the invitation she presented at the door was in order, so I don't see any harm in letting her enjoy herself. She must have her reasons for hiding her identity."

"Yes, it is Christmas after all!" Tamaki exclaimed. "Don't you think, Emiya-sempai?"

Takeshi struggled to find his voice. "Sure... " He continued staring off in the direction where Haruhi and 'Lily' had disappeared to. "I'm certain she has her reasons... "