"Yes - -surfing!" Taming the waves! Hanging ten!"
Sound carried very well to Haruhi's campsite, she noticed, especially when the sounds in question came from the mouth of a very excited host king. Her eyes went wide as she listened to Tamaki extoll the virtues of standing on a plank of wood in the middle of the water. After a few moments of internal debate, she decided she couldn't stand the curiosity. Putting her book in the tent she then crept quietly through the foliage until she was hiding behind a large leafy plant looking out at the collection of shirtless boys at the water's edge. She stifled a chuckle as she watched Tamaki, fully in his flow now, began spouting off about the wonders of surfing, the feel of the wind in one's hair and the thrill of conquering such a fluid and unpredictable force of nature – or so he'd heard, as it was obvious he'd never done it himself.
She couldn't hear anyone's replies – none of their voices seemed to carry as well as the blond's did – but she could see that they weren't all as thrilled with the prospect as he thought they should be. The twins wore their skepticism openly, leaning against one another with expressions that said clearly how insane they thought their Boss was being. Standing behind Tamaki, Kyoya looked as collected as always – though it seemed he was paying extra attention to the vivacious princely one. She figured she was just imagining things. She was several hundred yards away, after all. The only one the looked even remotely enthused was Honey, and that was likely because that was just his normal attitude. At his side stood Mori, stoic and calm. Haruhi wondered if – rather, when – Tamaki would manage to convince them all to go along with his idea. She gave it about three minutes until they all caved, if only to shut him up.
About two minutes later, Mori chose a surfboard from a line of them Tamaki had arranged on the beach and without a backwards glance walked calmly into the water. Haruhi rubbed her eyes, sure she was imagining things. She looked again.
Nope. Not imagining anything. Mori was laying on the board and paddling it competently towards the incoming swell.
Wow. Who knew? Apparently she wasn't the only one surprised. Hikaru and Kaoru were gaping openly, pointing and saying things she couldn't hear. Honey was grinning proudly; Tamaki looked like Christmas had come early. Only Kyoya's expression hadn't changed, but she would have been more surprised if it had. She turned her attention from the other hosts to the tall brunette that was now fairly far out in the ocean.
Mori was sitting on the board facing the beach, but his gaze was focused on the sea behind him. She watched him as he watched the water, gasping involuntarily as she saw it building. Rationally she knew that the waves on this beach were likely nowhere near as high or dangerous as elsewhere in the world, but she couldn't help but worry as the wall of water got closer to the lone figure who dared to ride it. As it advanced she saw Mori lean forward and begin to paddle. She didn't know she was holding her breath and wouldn't have cared if she did. With a slightly wobbly motion the tall host stopped paddling and began to drop in, climbing to his feet on the board. He looked a bit shaky and she was sure he wasn't going to make it, but then he seemed to find his center of balance and the board straightened out. He didn't do any tricks or moves – he didn't have to. Just standing on the board, his expression serious and his body leaning as the water commanded, Haruhi thought he looked plenty amazing. As he finished his ride and approached the beach he was greeted by applause and excited exclamations. As though Mori's successful return to land was the signal they'd all been waiting for, four more boys grabbed boards and darted for the sea.
Thus followed some of the most amusing antics Haruhi had ever seen. It became obvious within minutes that the only one of the hosts that had any sort of ability whatsoever was Mori. Kyoya didn't even try; it took about a minute and a half for the Shadow King to walk to a chair underneath a nearby large umbrella and take a seat. From her vantage point she could see that though he had his ever-present notebook open, pen at the ready, he wasn't actually writing anything. Rather, he was simply sitting and watching the five in the water. Hikaru and Kaoru seemed to be having too much fun simply floating around on their boards and splashing each other to bother with actual wave riding. Tamaki was trying – he had the paddling part down pat, but he couldn't seem to get the hang of standing up. Haruhi snickered as she watched the blond for a few moments. She had to give him credit. He didn't give up. It became a sort of routine – paddle out, wait for a swell, push over the edge, attempt to stand up, fall off his board, struggle to the surface. Wash, rinse, repeat. Honey, on the other hand, was happy to work himself to the top of each wave, stand up on his board, and fling himself into the air to land in the water with an impressive splash. She loved watching her boys, and she was glad she was hidden far enough away that they couldn't hear the laughter she muffled against her arm. They continued playing in the sea for several hours.
She found herself entranced each time Mori headed back into the water. In contrast to the rambunctious behavior of the others he seemed focused, almost determined. After a few rides he'd lost the wobbly uncertain movements and she was utterly impressed with the figure he cut, balanced perfectly on a glorified plank of wood, seeming thoroughly at home amongst the waves. She wondered if his kendo training was a contributor to his balance and grace, figuring it had to be. Haruhi had the sudden impulse to attend one of his tournaments when they got back. All of that elegance and power wrapped up in a rather appealing package...that had to be something to see. Not even a legal adult, yet the tall boy was the kendo champion of the nation. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't impressed. She found herself watching him almost exclusively, crouched in her hiding place, ignoring the cramps in her legs from holding still so long. The slowly setting sun began to turn the sky bronze, making the waves sparkle like they were coated in glitter. It also highlighted Mori's rather drool-worthy physique, all those toned muscles on display as they flexed and shifted with every movement. Haruhi could recall how those muscles felt under her hands, how his arms felt around her, the smoothness of his skin, the concern in his eyes. The shocked comprehension that filled those dark orbs when she'd moaned as he held her. She shivered pleasantly with the memory.
As the golden-red sun touched the watery horizon, she was surprised to realize she'd been watching the brunette host so avidly that she'd missed the others leaving the water. The twins were now sitting on the sand, Hikaru leaning back on his elbows while Kaoru sprawled over his lap. Tamaki and Kyoya were both in chairs under the umbrella – and to her shock Haruhi watched as, assuming themselves to be unobserved, the blond prince reached up to stroke the side of Kyoya's neck with one long finger. What the heck was that about? she wondered. Honey was working on a sand castle. Apparently he'd been at it for a while as it was a fairly good size already. And then her eyes were drawn like magnets to Mori as he walked back to shore. He carried his board under one arm, his other hand wiping the water from his face before his fingers raked through his hair, sending droplets scattering and catching the last of the sun's light like diamonds in the air. He strode up the beach to place his surfboard neatly in the sand before moving to drop down beside his cousin. Honey gestured proudly, saying something pertaining to the sand structure. Haruhi didn't need to hear them to know what Mori's answering grunt sounded like. She smiled. About that time her stomach chose to remind her that it was fairly empty. Taking one more look at her friends, she decided it was past time for her to get started on her dinner. She stretched out her sleeping muscles before turning and heading back to her campsite, her mind still playing over the memories of the sun, the fresh air, the waves...and the tall, solemn young man that rode them with such surprising skill.
"So, Mori-senpai, where did you learn to surf?" Kaoru took another bite of his too-crunchy chicken. Tamaki had insisted on cooking over an open flame ('like commoners do when they have beach parties!' he exclaimed, and there was no stopping him), and though the food tasted kind of okay, it was a bit overdone. Still, he'd been so proud of it, and really it wasn't horridly inedible, so after some grumbling and a few minutes of the Host King sitting by himself in his standard crouch of degradation, they'd all agreed to just shut up and eat.
"Yeah – we didn't know you could surf," Hikaru chimed in.
"Oh, Takashi picked it up when our families spent those ten days in Hawai'i a few years back." Honey smiled proudly at his cousin.
"I remember!" Tamaki crowed. "Weren't you all invited on vacation by that American general or something?"
"General Wilson," Mori said quietly, munching on his dinner with his usual stoic expression. Beside him Honey nodded.
"Yeah, General Wilson was a nice man, and O'ahu was beautiful. We didn't feel like going along with our parents to all of the events so Takashi and I spent a lot of time at the beach. This one pretty surfer girl wanted to teach us both how to surf but I was happiest watching. Takashi eventually let her drag him along. What was her name, Takashi, do you remember?"
"Maya," the tall one said simply. The twins grinned at each other. Stories always got more interesting when pretty girls were involved.
"Maya, hmm?" they asked in unison, leaning forward with matching expressions of mischief. "How pretty was she?" True to form Mori said nothing.
"So, Tamaki, I'm assuming you have something planned for us all tomorrow?" Kyoya said blandly, changing the subject without any pretense toward subtlety. As a diversion, though, it was effective.
"Yes, I do, but I'm not saying what until then." He waggled a finger playfully in front of the Shadow King's nose. "So no trying to coax it out of me."
"I wouldn't dream of it," Kyoua said deadpan. The blond looked almost disappointed but recovered quickly.
"But we'll all need to get our rest – it's going to be a big day. So if everyone's done eating -" A quick look showed only empty plates and he smiled radiantly. "- then we should all call it a night and get some sleep." To his obvious surprise everyone seemed to think it an excellent idea. In short time everything had been straightened and the three sets of young men were heading to their separate cabins. Honey and Mori reached theirs first, the vivacious host chirping a cheery good-night to everyone and disappearing inside followed by his silent cousin. Kyoya and Tamaki's cabin was next, and once the two Kings had retreated indoors for the night the redhead duo grinned. Walking on to their own cabin they ducked inside in case anyone was watching. No words needed to be spoken as they locked the door and climbed swiftly out of a rear-facing window. Honey had told them exactly where to find Haruhi and a short jog had them reaching their destination quickly.
"Haruhi!" they exclaimed quietly as they approached. Coming over the small ridge they got their first look at their friend's campsite. The tent and such were as expected. What wasn't, however, was the sight of the girl lounging on her stomach in the soft sand, clad in a white tank top and a pair of snug mid-thigh jean cutoffs, her bare feet waving slowly in the air as she turned the pages in the book she was reading. At their greeting she looked up and the welcoming smile on her face made them stop and stare.
"Hika, Kao – Mitsukuni said you guys claimed first visit rights." In contrast to her vocal greeting the two boys seemed to have lost their ability to speak. "Guys?" she asked curiously, climbing to her feet and walking towards her friends, a concerned look on her face. Hikaru unfroze first.
"I never thought I'd see you in shorts like that," he blurted. She regarded him with confusion.
"Why not? It's warm here – they're comfortable. And if you don't like them feel free to leave. That was the deal, remember?"
"Oh, we like them," murmured Kaoru, seemingly unaware that he was staring at her legs. Her eyes widened at the sultry tone in the younger twin's voice and she cleared her throat.
"Um...thanks?" As if by magic her shy words snapped the Hitachiins back to the present. To her utter surprise she wasn't the only one blushing...and it seemed even the pink that bloomed on their cheeks was identical. The three stood there regarding each other for a moment, and then Hikaru snickered. Amusement replaced embarrassment and everything went back to normal. Haruhi invited them into her camp, closing her book and tossing it inside the tent before dropping down to sit on the ground. True to form she ended up with one twin on either side of her, their arms draped casually over her shoulders.
"So how are you liking this so far?" Kaoru asked, very deliberately keeping his eyes on her face and ignoring the fact that her legs – and how had he never noticed how smooth and shapely they were? - were inches from his own. He didn't recall ever having had such a strong reaction to her before but then again it was rare that any of them ever saw her so relaxed.
"It's wonderful. So quiet, so calm." He realized then how much tension and strain she'd been carrying lately only because he was now seeing its absence. On her other side his twin was coming to the same conclusion.
"Do you want us to leave?" Hikaru asked grudgingly. Both boys were thrilled when she shook her head rapidly.
"No, not at all. To be honest I've gotten so used to you rich bastards bothering me that I was getting...well..."
"You were getting what?" the younger asked. She sighed and leaned her head back against their arms, looking up at the sky.
"Honestly? I was getting a bit lonely." She laughed at that. "Never thought I'd ever say that." Happy smiles bloomed on the faces of her two companions and they rested their heads against hers.
"You're not lonely now, are you?" Hikaru asked quietly.
"No," she whispered. Nothing more was said for a few moments until she broke the silence again.
"Those clouds are moving really fast," she murmured. The redheads looked upwards as well.
"We're gonna get some rain soon, I'll bet," Kaoru said softly. They both felt her tense up.
"Kyo-Kyoya-senpai said there might be rain but no storms." Understanding instantly, the twins pulled her between them into a hug.
"No, no storms. Not on this island." Hikaru's voice was calm, sure, and Kaoru thought it was likely his tone alone that caused their friend to relax a little. Just then the first drops began to fall. They could feel her muscles quivering, her phobia not wanting to cede to reason. On an impulse he couldn't explain Kaoru kissed her neck, snapping her to attention and causing her to stare at him wide-eyed. Taking a page from the Honey-senpai book of cuteness he gave her the most innocent smile he could.
"Lay down," he commanded gently.
"What?" she squawked. On her other side Hikaru nodded.
"Just do it," the elder said, reaching down to hold her hand.
"Why?" she said suspiciously.
"Trust us?" they asked. It wasn't the request that usually accompanied their mischief. Rather, it was the same words but this time it wasn't a plea but a question. They were asking if she would be willing to trust them, and they saw she understood the difference. With a sigh and a mutter of 'the things I do,' she leaned back, disentangling herself from their embrace until she was stretched out on the sand between them.
"Now what?" she questioned, her normal grumpy tone surfacing briefly. Without a word they laid down on either side of her, facing the sky as they each grasped one of her hands.
"Now close your eyes," Hikaru purred. They heard her huff but she obeyed, lashed fluttering down. Without even needing to look they both mimicked the girl between them. The three lay on the comfortable ground, eyes shut, with the lukewarm rain spattering slowly on them and all around.
"Okay, my eyes are closed. Now what?"
"Lay still," Kaoru murmured without opening his own eyes.
"It's raining," she said bluntly.
"Yup," Hikaru agreed.
"So we're, what, going to just lay here and get soaked?"
"That's kinda the plan," they answered.
"You two are nuts," she said, making as if to rise, but her hands were held captive by their own and they weren't about to let go. They opened their eyes, gazing up at her with such pure emotion that it made her pause.
"Please, Haru," Kaoru whispered.
"Just stay with us," his brother finished. They saw her internal debate, felt her sigh, and then they closed their eyes again as she shifted around to lay back down. After a moment the only sounds were the faint echoes of the ocean and the gradually increasing dance steps of the rain that fell.
Slowly – ever so slowly – it began to rain harder, building and splashing. Still the trio lay there, hands entwined, in a silence that was so much more full than any conversation they could have had. Kaoru loved this moment. When he and his brother were much younger they would lay like this, side by side, holding hands while the rain washed over them. To be able to share this with the young woman they both wanted so desperately to build a life with – it was beyond anything he could have hoped for.
He could feel it when she began to truly relax. He knew nothing any of them could ever do could erase her fear of storms but he hoped that by being here with her, that with the two of them anchoring her through their twined fingers, she might learn that not every raindrop meant a storm. That sometimes rain was just rain, and it could be calming and comforting. And that they would always be here for her, to help and to protect her.
Her hands shifted until she was clasping theirs in return. Elated beyond measure nonetheless the twins stayed silent and still, not wanting to break the moment. A short time later, though, they were nearly shocked to speech when she pulled on their hands, obviously inviting them to move closer to her. Swallowing hard Kaoru did just that, hearing Hikaru do the same on her other side. She tugged again and before long they were pressed against her, shoulders to hips to ankles, with their clasped hands now resting on her stomach. Her contented sigh was inaudible but they could feel it. It wasn't doing Kaoru's libido any good to feel her skin against his, and he didn't dare open his eyes because the way his mind was imagining her clad in a soaked white top was enough of a challenge, but laying in the rain with the two people he loved most was a gift he'd never expected and a memory which he would treasure forever.
Author's note: Updating might be a little spotty over the next week or so...lots of stuff going on at work and at home, but I promise I'll keep the updates as frequent as I can. :)