She was rigid as a statue as she took in the scene. The setting sun bathed her in warm hues for only a moment before she came to life, running down the hill.
This was the moment I'd dreaded. In bringing home Tamaki, I'd given up my chance to have Haruhi.
I didn't want to watch their reunion. I leaned forward again, looking down at my muddy hose. Her thudding footsteps hurried toward us but when I expected them to pass me by I was met instead by a small form barreling between my knees and crashing into my chest. Haruhi's arms wrapped around my neck and she hugged me fiercely.
Her muffled voice came in a near whisper by my ear. "Oh, Kyoya, thank goodness you're alright."
Wait. What? She was supposed to run straight to Tamaki. She'd been moping about for the last twenty-four hours because she couldn't stand to lose him. Right?
But… she was here, with me. It was my name on her lips.
A glorious new day broke over my heart. She chose me. She wanted… me!
Even as I came to this realization, she pulled back, leaving her hands on my shoulders. In my half-sitting position we were –for once—eye to eye. I started to smile but her face grew stern. "Don't you ever do that again, do you hear me?! I was fine, just fine, you didn't have to..." Her eyes turned pleading "I was so… I was so…"
And then somehow our lips were crushed together, and I kissed her desperately. Her hands slid up to tangle in my wet hair and I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her tight against me. Oh, this moment was better than I had ever dared imagine. I tasted her lips, and she kissed me over and over again.
Through my delirium I heard the voices of the twins.
"OH."
"MY."
"Goodness-gracious, Haru-chan!" Honey interrupted. "What are you doing kissing Kyo-chan?!"
I released Haruhi's lips for a moment, pulling back to allow our foreheads to rest against each other as we caught our breath. Her hands slid down to rest on my upper arms.
A confused tenor voice to my left said, "That's what I'd like to know."
Oh crap. I'd forgotten completely about Tamaki. So had Haruhi, if her shocked expression was any indication.
I released my hold so she could move away if she wished. She took one step back and allowed her hand to trail down and clasp mine. Still protected by my knees, she took a deep breath and turned to meet Tamaki's bewildered gaze. I tore my eyes from the still-unbelievable sight of our joined hands and looked at him stoically.
Haruhi shrugged as if to say 'What can you do?'
Tamaki's eyes flitted to mine and I held his gaze. After half a minute of manly stare-down, his features settled into acceptance and he gave me a slight nod. I exhaled the breath I'd been holding.
He pointed his nose in the air dramatically and said, "Well, Haruhi, it seems you cannot be trusted on your own. Daddy leaves you alone for just one day and you end up the victim of a sexual predator. I see I'm going to have to keep a closer eye on you."
"A sex… " she stammered, her color rising. "Sempai!" she growled.
He just laughed and pulled his lanky form from the ground. As he walked past us, Haruhi looked back at me. Her lips curled into a self-conscious smile and my heart exploded all over again. I pulled her close and kissed her slowly this time, savoring the sweetness.
'That's just…" one twin began. "Weird," the other finished.
"And gross."
"Ugh."
Mori's voice rumbled. "Don't look, Mitsukuni."
This made me chuckle and I eased back, a smile settling on my face. Haruhi's eyes sparkled and her self-conscious grin was back.
Honey's voice seemed to come from further away. "I think Haru-chan and Kyo-chan together are really cute."
'Hey, you guys," Tamaki's voice called up the hill. "Do you still have my costume?"
We watched them crest the rise. I held Haruhi's tiny hand in mine, caressing her skin with my thumb. It was still such a miracle to be able to touch her like this.
Finally, the hosts were out of sight and it was just us. We regarded one another awkwardly, not sure what to say.
"Well, Haruhi," I said slowly. "The tables are turned." Her brows pinched in confusion. "This time I am completely defenseless against you," I admitted with a sheepish smile. She smiled back, recognizing my reference to our encounter at the beach villa. She reached one hand up tentatively to stroke my cheek and smooth back my wet hair.
The last rays of the sun brought out auburn highlights in her wind-blown tresses and suffused her skin with a golden glow. The affection in her eyes and the wonder in her smile were intoxicating. "You're beautiful," I told her.
A cool breeze blew across my damp shirt and I shivered. She noticed. "If you get changed, we might still have time for a waltz," she said, a question in her voice.
I nodded. "Good idea." I took her hand in mine and we ascended the hill. I'd been too full of Haruhi to consider where we would find transportation (my cell had taken the plunge with me), but Haruhi explained that my driver had brought Honey and Mori. He waited for me in a dirt parking area at the end of the bridge. I thought I saw a quick smile flit across his face at the sight of us together, but he quickly hid it and jumped from his seat to open a door for me.
"I'm very glad to see you are well, sir. I'm sorry about that business earlier," he said.
"Thank you. You can take me home," I said as I helped Haruhi and all her skirts into the seat.
He glanced at her. I answered his unspoken query. "We'll just stop by so I can change clothes and then we'll return to Ouran." I walked around the trunk to take the seat beside Haruhi.
As the car pulled away, the strangeness returned and I sought to fill the silence by relaying what I'd told the driver. "Alright," she answered. She seemed content, so I took her hand again, marveling at how the simple gesture made my heart leap. She smiled up at me and leaned her head against my arm with a barely audible sigh.