My Saving Grace

WC: 1,233

G is for Graceful

Timeline: Haruhi is twenty-three and Kyoya is twenty-four.

Notes: This one didn't come out as 'suggestive' as I had wanted it to.

She had never considered herself really graceful. She wasn't clumsy. She didn't trip over her feet or blindly run into things. But her movements were blunt, her actions direct and her speech sharp.

Overall, she wasn't a klutz, but she wasn't graceful.

As she watched her husband move around the room, she decided that he was very refined. Every movement had a purpose, and every word polished to a shine. Whether that word held charming or calculating intentions or not, wasn't the point.

She believed that her husband was the embodiment of grace.

Balanced, poised and elegant.

Haruhi relaxed in an armchair that sat in the corner of the room, with her legs curled up under her. She'd always sit there whenever she wanted to be with her husband as he worked.

She held a cup of coffee in her hands, the liquid having gone lukewarm as she made her diagnosis.

Kyoya looked up from across the room, feeling her eyes on him. He had been looking for a particular book, but he was becoming more and more preoccupied by her white silk pajamas and her intense chocolate-eyed gaze.

He really did like having her here when he worked. But sometimes she was just…distracting. Even though she never said anything.

This late at night (2:34 a.m. to be exact), she would normally read a book until she fell asleep in the leather chair. Then he would carry her up to bed with him when he was finished.

But since she had forgone reading, he had a feeling that she was trying to distract him from his work.

She moved enough so that the silk spaghetti strap slipped off one shoulder.

Kyoya mumbled something to himself and looked back at the bookshelf. Staring at all the books, he couldn't remember what he had been looking for.

"Maybe you should go to bed, darling," Kyoya said, moving to his desk so he could re-look up the book he was going to grab.

"Not unless you'll come with me."

Kyoya felt a pang of annoyance in his chest, "I'm still working."

"You shouldn't be. The sun is going to rise in four hours. You've been doing this late night stuff for the last five days."

"Maybe it's because you've been trying to stay up with me, and I haven't been getting my work done because of you."

Haruhi shook her head and smiled, much to his astonishment, "You're crabby in the morning, and you're crabby when you stay up to late. Is there not a happy medium for you?"

Kyoya went back to the bookshelf. It was true that his temper was on edge, but he wasn't going to admit it.

"Go to bed," he said more roughly.

He heard the squeaking of the leather as she slipped off of the chair. He couldn't help being somewhat pleased that she was leaving. Though he'd miss her.

Dammit, he thought to himself; he wished that he would decide if he wanted her here or not.

He felt her hands slip over his shoulders, rubbing the tense muscles through his white shirt.

"Haruhi," he said, "I'm fine, please just go."

She kissed the spot between his shoulder blades, since she was too short to reach his neck, "No," she said.

Kyoya pulled the desired book from the shelf and flipped through it, trying to ignore Haruhi's caressing fingers.

Her hands paused then moved away. Kyoya was hoping that she'd given up.

Instead, she ran her hands up under his shirt, her small hands working on the stiff muscles.

Damn, he forgot what he was doing again. He stared at the book uncomprehendingly, the words not making any sense.

Her hands slipped over his ribcage, rubbing in a forward motion until they came to his stomach. Her kneading fingers massaged the area.

Haruhi scrunched her mouth into a tight line, unpleased that he wasn't responding. It really wasn't fair; she wasn't tall enough to kiss his ears and neck, like he always did. If only she could get him to sit down…

She removed her hands and grabbed his arm, earning an irritated look.

"What?" She said, "Is it going to make a difference if you're reading while you're standing or sitting?"

"No, but it's going to make a difference to you if I'm standing or sitting."

She grinned, "Exactly."

When he still didn't move, she had to use a different tactic.

"Come on, Kyoya," she said, making her eyes go all doe-eyed and pushing her lower lip out in a pout, "Please, I just want to help."

Kyoya rolled his eyes, but moved to his chair.

It was a low tactic, because she knew that he couldn't resist her sad face.

To go even lower would be to start crying, but she hadn't quite mastered crying at will yet. Besides, it was mild fun to pull the face on him.

His eyes followed her until she went around the chair.

"You're supposed to be reading. Work," she told him. Her hands took their positions back at his shoulders.

He lifted the book back up, trying to find meaning in the words.

She grazed her teeth across his earlobe.

"Haruhi," he said, closing his eyes and sighing.

"Hm?" Her lips dropped to his shoulder, sucking on a spot near his collarbone.

"How are you expecting me to work?"

"I'm not, really…" she bit a spot on his neck.

Kyoya tossed the book onto his desk, throwing it a bit harder then he'd intended to.

Haruhi paused, then sighed, "You're overtired," she told him.

"I'm fine –"

"No, I don't believe so," Haruhi came around the side of the chair, straddling his lap. She draped her arms over his shoulders, giving him a good view right down her silk tank.

"Remember," she said, "I've been married to you for a year now. And, believe me, I know you better than you obviously think."

"I didn't say that," Kyoya said, putting his hands on her arms and pulling them off. He couldn't quite remember what he had said, and he knew that he was overtired, but being this tired caused you to not think straight.

When Haruhi moved her arms, she took his glasses off when they passed his face. She deposited them onto his desk. "Come on," she said, "I'm sure you're not even processing what you're reading anymore."

"Maybe," he said, closing his eyes as she smoothed his hair back from his face.

She got off of his lap and helped him up, leading him to the bedroom.

He was asleep nearly as soon as he hit the pillow. Haruhi sighed in contentment, sure that in the morning he probably wouldn't remember the hassle he had given her just because she had wanted him to go to bed.

She lay down beside him, molding herself to his back. She pulled the comforter over them, and was asleep soon after from listening to his deep breathing.

*.*

Kyoya was disoriented when he woke up, not quite remembering what had happened.

He twisted his head enough to see Haruhi draped across his back, snoring softly.

Haruhi, the only one that ever had the skill to get him in or out of bed.

He turned around carefully, so he could hold her. He kissed her eyelids, and watched as she smiled in her sleep.

Haruhi, his love, his understanding.

His saving grace.

I guess when you try to be tuned in with characters; you have to react/respond like they do. So in the end, Kyoya was just too tired to do anything.

Even if it wasn't suggestive, I hope you enjoyed it. :-D I promise I'll make up for it in future chapters (hint, hint).