A/N: Hello, my little sugarplums! Here I am gracing you all with another delightful chapter from yours truly. I'm hoping to get another chapter done today too, while I get my hair done~ I apologize for the all the feels in the last couple of chapters.

So for now, enjoy!~

Kyoya POV

"You better have a damn good reason for waking me up," I grumbled. It was nine am on a Saturday morning and had been awoken by Tamaki a couple of hours prior asking for my help. If it weren't for his odd behaviour the day before I wouldn't have dragged myself over to the Suou estate at this ungodly hour. We sat opposite each other, arms crossed and lounging back in the stiff dining chairs.

"Don't I always?" he chuckled, leaning forward.

"That's debatable," I replied dryly. I didn't come here to play games today.

He looked down at the table between us, pulling and smoothing out the table cloth as he spoke, "As my best friend… you know I love you, right Kyoya?"

"Quit the sappy talk, Tamaki. If there's something bothering you then spit it out already. I won't have stalling," I deadpanned, staring him down in hope that he'd take this seriously.

He straightened in his seat and looked me in the eye. His poker face was in place and I couldn't tell what was going to come gurgling out of his mouth next. "Alright then. If you want to talk business then we'll talk business. What are your intentions with Haruhi?"

I blinked and felt myself relax somewhat from the stiff business mode I had been in before. I should have expected this to be the root of the problem. "This is what you wanted to talk about? I see. My intentions are pure, I assure you."

"And you're aware that you aren't the only one with eyes on her, correct?" He closed his eyes and laced his fingers together under his chin. I didn't like where this was going.

"That's right," I leant forward. My curiosity was piqued but I tried to remain looking nonchalant.

"It's always good to have some healthy competition, I suppose. But let's say the other competitors wanted to make their move, change the rules," he mused, tracing his fingers over the patterns on the table cloth. I felt myself tensing up. This wasn't what I had expected from Tamaki, he was acting as though this was all a game to him. It had a hint of the Hitachiin twins' influence in there but I didn't let my mind ponder on that for too long, I could ask Honey or Haruhi to interrogate them later on my behalf.

"Go on," I muttered.

Tamaki straightened up again and began inspecting his finger nails casually, "Long story short: I want her and I plan to fight for her. And I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who has decided to do so."

Fury built up inside me, making my blood boil and cracking the icy exterior I wore on a daily basis. I wasn't fond of having my girlfriend considered fair game, however possessive that may sound. I narrowed my eyes and tried to silently calm myself before replying to the eagerly waiting blonde, "She isn't a toy to be passed around, Tamaki, she's a person."

He laughed and a smile finally graced his lips again, but a certain amount of malice tainted his usually naïve eyes, "That's rich coming from you. You remember how we became friends."

"Yes, I remember," I sighed. "I also know how that experience has changed me, even if I don't like to openly admit it."

Tamaki relaxed again and rested his elbows on the table, smiling fondly at me. "I only told you as a courtesy, you're still my best friend."

"Then I'm grateful," I smiled back, hiding the discomfort.

"Good. Coffee?" He stood and began wandering towards the hallway. I watched as he swung around in the doorway and peered back cheerfully awaiting an answer.

I nodded, chuckling. "About time you offered."

Haruhi POV

Kaoru and I were sat in one of the libraries in their mansion of a home, browsing textbooks that now lay scattered across the dark wood floor. "So what are we studying today?"

"Math? English? German? Physics? History? I need to study them all," he admitted, tossing several books in my direction to be added to our to-read pile. We were going to be here forever at this rate.

"You know, if you kept up with studying out with exam periods then this wouldn't be as stressful, right?" I asked looking at the range of books on the shelf from over his shoulder.

He gave me a disbelieving look and tapped me on the head with another book he'd selected, "Studying's overrated."

"You can't always get by in life solely on good looks, Kaoru," I groaned, snatching away the book and adding it to the history category.

"Is that you saying I'm handsome? I'm flattered," he sniggered, joining me on the floor to overlook the sea of books before us. A sharp elbow to the side silenced his laughter. I checked my watch; it had taken us half an hour just to pick out our study resources let alone get anything productive done.

"Where's Hikaru gotten to?" I asked as we tried to settle into comfortable positions. Kaoru threw me some pillows to rest on; they were plush and embroidered with a gorgeous array of black and blue beads that formed an abstract pattern.

"He'll be back, just gone to the kitchens," he assured me whilst propping a cushion up against my crossed legs and resting his head.

"Did you figure out what happened yesterday?" I asked softly.

He looked up in surprise but masked it quickly by focussing on the book in his hands."Hm? Oh, yeah. It was nothing, all sorted I think."

I was about to question him further when I felt a vibration in my pocket. Kaoru must have felt it too because he tried to sneak the phone out of my pocket a second later. A swift pull of the hair and his slender fingers dropped the device onto floor where I scooped it up and began to read.

Kyoya Ootori (10:21) – Would you mind asking Hikaru and Kaoru what they've been saying to Tamaki? x

"Uh, Kaoru?"

He was still rubbing the sore spot on his head where I just attacked his poor delicate hair. "What's up?"

"Kyoya's asked me if you or Hikaru had said something to Tamaki. Any clue what's he referring to?"

His eyes flickered between me and the book hesitantly before he settled back against the pillows with a murmured, "Nope. No idea."

"Kaoru…" I warned, towering over him menacingly, well as menacingly as I could be as a petite girl.

He waved his hands defensively in front of his face, "I - I tried to stop him. I swear!"

"What was it?" Grasping at his hands, I held them tightly and tried to pry them away from his face. We stared at each other blankly for a minute before he looked away awkwardly.

"Something that should really have been left unsaid," he whispered.

I let go of him and allowed him to roll over and view me from the right way up. Sighing, I rubbed at the bridge of my nose, "That doesn't help me. Would you prefer Kyoya question you?"

"Not particularly," he griped, hiding his face against the cushion.

Hikaru finally made his appearance at that moment, saving his brother from further questioning for the time being. The other redhead joined us gleefully with a tray laden with pastries and doughnuts. He planted another pillow against my other leg and mirrored his brother's resting position, mouth half stuffed with cake, "What are you two talking about?"

"History," we said in unison, both of our eyes conveniently landing on the same book not far from our reach.

"Pfft, boring," Hikaru declared, examining the book halfheartedly and tossing the book over his shoulder. "Let's study something that's actually interesting."

"Such as?" I raised an eyebrow.

Hikaru sniggered and stuffed part of a croissant into my open mouth. Both brothers laughed heartily as I munched on the delicacy slowly, eyes narrowed at them dangerously. Then he held up the plate proudly and said, "Breakfast, duh!"