After a silence far more awkward than she'd ever before experienced, Haruhi found her voice.

"I didn't pack them. My dad shoved them in my bag when I wasn't looking."

Of course, this sentence sparked a whole new collection of thoughts and expressions, speculative looks and wide-eyed stares. Haruhi cursed her tendency to blush even as she held her ground. She found herself looking back down at Tamaki, not realizing that the rest of the hosts had done the same. All gazes turned to their leader who was still half-laying on the sand, his own eyes locked onto the quiet female. After what seemed like forever, he cleared his throat.

"Okay. So...breakfast?

The smell of burning food chose that precise moment to make itself known.

The lack of conversation had him wanting to chuckle but it was more than obvious that no one else was ready to laugh yet, so Honey simply piled more whipped cream on his waffle and hid his grin with a mouthful of food. After the morning's debacle, during which Kaoru had left their meal warming but had apparently forgotten to reduce the heat, it had been a unanimous decision to discard what had started off as a plethora of delicious food and ended up a scorched pile of inedible charcoal. A quick call from the ever-efficient Kyoya had servants appearing shortly with plates full of breakfast yumminess and it hadn't taken any prompting for the Club to bury the rather unsettling conversation underneath mountains of food.

Honey ate more slowly than was his habit, choosing to watch his friends and ruminate on the morning. It was obvious that Haruhi was upset and flustered on multiple levels – they all were a bit startled, really. He knew that it had likely been prudence rather than suspicion that had prompted Ranka to tuck the box into his daughter's bag. The Fujioka patriarch trusted and loved his girl, and Honey knew Ranka felt secure that Haruhi would make the choices that were right for her. However, that level of cautious foresight begged the question: which of the hosts, if any, did the redhead okama see as an acceptable suitor for his daughter's heart? And what would he say if he knew how much each and every one of them wanted to be the one to win that oh-so-coveted prize?

By the time breakfast was done the incident had been – not forgotten, not even remotely – but rather ignored for the foreseeable future. The gathered hosts, in unspoken agreement, stretched out on the sand to let their meals digest.

"So since this is the last day here, what does anyone want to do?" Tamaki's voice was content, if perhaps more thoughtful than usual. The waves were his only immediate answer as his friends considered the question he had posed.

"We could always just...talk." Haruhi's eyes were closed and she seemed slightly hesitant to speak – something not really like her. Tamaki heard the reserve in her voice and felt like a bit of a moron. After all, he had managed to turn what should have been a non-issue, really, into a spectacle of awkwardness for all of them. He had finally managed to clamp his mind down on any and all racy thoughts that had threatened to encroach on his current mental state. It wasn't fair to Haruhi to think like such a lecherous ass when it had obviously made her so uncomfortable.

"What would we talk about, Haru-chan?" The other blond host seemed to understand as well, and Tamaki turned his head far enough to shoot the older boy a thankful glance. His gesture was met with a nod and a smile.

"I don't know. Anything. Whatever." Haruhi's voice was a low murmur.

"We could always play 'Questions'," Hikaru interjected.

"What's that?" Tamaki asked, instantly curious at the thought of a new game. Kaoru answered, a smile on his lips.

"Basically, one person asks a question and everyone else has to answer honestly. There's usually a penalty for choosing not to answer, but it's nothing bad."

"Yeah, it's things like letting everyone else dump a glass of water on your head. Stuff like that." Hikaru had pulled himself to a sitting position as he spoke, Kaoru raising up as well and leaning his head on his twin's shoulder. Tamaki sat up slowly, noticing the others doing the same. His eyes found Haruhi's.

"It could be a fun way to find out more about each other," he postulated gently, suddenly hoping beyond hope that she would agree. A quick glance at the other hosts showed that they, too, were onboard if she was. He could see her considering the idea and his heart skipped a beat at her slow smile.

"Could be fun," she said with a shrug. Tamaki grinned and turned to the twins.

"So how do we do this?"

"First," Kaoru said, "we all need to sit in a circle. And then we need to decide on a penalty."

"Well, we're right beside the ocean. The water splashing would be easy." Honey sounded excited as he and Mori came over to take their places. Tamaki felt a twinge of jealousy at the way the short blond easily claimed a spot at Haruhi's side, but a glance in the other boy's golden-brown eyes made the Host King swallow his instinctive complaint.

"I believe I may have an idea that will be more...entertaining," came Kyoya's calm statement as he pulled out his phone. He spoke too softly to be overheard but the conversation was over quickly and he was striding over to drop gracefully to the sand on Haruhi's other side. Tamaki knew he wasn't the only one to blink at that, but once again he said nothing. It was enough to have his family all together and having fun – he wasn't going to squabble like a child over seating arrangements. Instead he took a seat next to his love, Hikaru sitting on his other side while Kaoru dropped easily into the space between his brother and Mori.

"Ah, here we go," Kyoya said with a satisfied air. They all looked up to see one of the servants walking forward carrying a large leather bag. Once it had been placed before the Shadow King the servant returned to wherever it was he had come from.

"What's in there, Mommy?" Tamaki asked, in his curiosity slipping back into his accustomed speech patterns. The dark gaze shot at him made him blush but then the brunette was reaching into the bag.

"Penalty sentencing," Kyoya replied smoothly. And then he pulled out one thing none of them would have ever expe4cted. Smiling wickedly, he sighted down the barrel of the water gun.

"Much more entertaining than simply splashing, wouldn't you all agree?" The group just gaped at him. Mister Cool, and he was the one to bring the water guns? "Come on, everyone. Arm yourselves."

There was a mad dash for the bag and before long everyone was gleefully holding their own already-loaded water artillery. Tamaki, turning his gun over in his hands, chuckled and grinned.

"Who would have thought that our Shadow King would be the one to bring the toys?" the blond asked teasingly. He missed the smirks that bloomed over the twins' countenances. Kyoya just smiled enigmatically and looked around the circle.

"Well, we have our weapons. So who's going to ask the first question?"

"We think Haruhi should go first," the Hitachiins said in their typical unified speech. The agreement was unanimous and almost as one all six hosts turned to look at her, awaiting her words.

Such a surreal morning, Haruhi mused, looking around at her boys before glancing down at her water gun. Then again, when was the last time I had a normal morning? Not on this trip. They were all waiting for her to start the game. Clearing her throat, she spoke.

"Um...okay. What is one skill you don't have that you would like to learn?"

The circle was quiet as they thought about her question. She just sat patiently, looking from one to another.

"I've always wanted to be able to sing." Heads snapped towards Hikaru who shrugged, seemingly content to ignore the slight swatch of pink that appeared on his own cheeks. As if they had all been waiting for someone else to go first, the others began to speak in turn.

"I wish I could cook like my mother does," Tamaki said quietly, a soft smile of good memories curving his lips.

"I've kind of always wanted to learn how to paint," Honey piped up next.

"Origami," was Mori's simple answer.

"I really wish I knew how to play the piano," Kaoru admitted softly, eyes on the sand. Haruhi saw Tamaki blink and smile, and then she and the rest of the hosts turned to the only one who had not spoken yet. Kyoya regarded them all with a calm expression, and then he sighed.

"I suppose it's my turn," he said needlessly, then shrugged. "Since I was small, buildings have fascinated me. I've always wondered what it would be like to be an architect."

There was another bout of silence while everyone digested these new revelations. Haruhi was beginning to wonder if she was supposed to say or do anything else when Kaoru spoke.

"Good first question. Your turn, Kyoya."

"Why me?"

"Because we go around the circle to the left, and you're next," Hikaru explained.

"Very well," replied Kyoya, pushing his glasses up with one finger. His smile was perfectly neutral, his voice calm.

"What is your favorite scent?"

Haruhi blinked. Apparently Kyoya was full of surprises today. She never would have imagined that question to come from the cool host. This time, though, it was Mori that answered first.

"Strawberries," he said solemnly. Beside him, Honey smiled.

"Rain," Kaoru said with a smile of his own for her. She found herself smiling back even as she answered the question herself.

"Burning wood, like campfires or fireplaces."

"I love warm vanilla," Tamaki said with a sigh.

Hikaru looked a bit sheepish, but his voice was firm nonetheless.

"I love the smell of green apple." Haruhi looked over at him, slightly shocked. He wouldn't meet her gaze. And now she finally understood why she could occasionally swear he was sniffing her hair, though he'd always denied it – her favorite shampoo was green apple scented. It was enough to make her have to choke back a laugh.

"Mitsukuni?" she asked instead, as he was the only one who hadn't answered. He was looking thoughtful.

"I can't decide between New Dawn roses and honeysuckle," he said, seeming almost saddened that he couldn't choose. Tamaki's eyes lit up.

"I have New Dawn bushes in my rose garden," the tall blond said happily. Honey's eyes widened.

"You do? They're so beautiful."

"And they do smell amazing. In fact, they've just started to bloom. Kyoya got to see them when he came over the other day." Tamaki turned to Kyoya, whose expression was as collected as it always was.

"Shall we continue the game, Tamaki? I believe it is your turn now." The cool host's reminder snapped the King's attention back to the present.

"Oh – yes. Yes, of course. Um..." He seemed to be thinking for a while, and then a spark of triumph shone in his expression.

"So, everyone, if you could have any superpower, what would it be?" Chuckles and smiles met his question as they all gave it some serious thought.

"I'd love to be able to fly," Honey said cheerfully. "It would be awesome to see the world passing below, to feel the wind rushing by...to touch the clouds."

"I believe I would have to choose invisibility," Kyoya admitted, a gleam in his eyes. "I can see many uses for such a power," he continued. Hikaru barked a laugh.

"Yeah. Like sneaking into the girls' showers?" he asked cheekily. The brunette simply blinked slowly.

"I suppose that could be one use. I was, however, thinking more along the lines of business applications. Financial deals and mergers are much easier to execute when one has as much information as possible."

"Leave it to Kyoya to use his superpower for business rather than pleasure," the redhead countered playfully.

"Ah, but Hikaru – to me, business is pleasure." Kyoya's smile was condescendingly amused.

"Then the Boss hasn't done his job right yet," Hikaru said offhandedly. About a second later he gulped as he realized what he had said...and the fact that he wasn't certain if Haruhi was aware of the change in the relationship between the two Host Kings. He backpedaled quickly. "I mean, if you're running the Club and putting up with all of Tono's wacky bullcrap and you can still consider business fun..." He trailed off briefly before clearing his throat. "Um, yeah, I think I'd like to have x-ray vision."

Haruhi couldn't stifle the sound of apprehension she made, but watching the already flustered Hitachiin turn even redder made her snort back a laugh. He looked right at her, expression indignant.

"Not because of that!" he cried out. The others had already given into snickering. Haruhi just arched an eyebrow skeptically but hid her smile. Hikaru, meanwhile, had recovered his composure and his eyes once more held the shimmer of mischief she was so used to seeing.

"Come on, Haru – why would I want to use x-ray vision to see under your clothes?" Stunned by the perceived insult, she was about to snap back when she saw his slow grin, a Cheshire Cat smile if she'd ever seen one.

"It would be a lot more fun to just get rid of your clothes entirely."

"Hikaru!" Tamaki yelped, outraged on her behalf. Haruhi was a bit thrown – he'd never been so blatant before. So she reacted the only way she could. Before long she was clutching her stomach and rocking backwards with the force of her own laughter. A moment later she'd managed to regain control of herself only to find her friends looking at her, their quizzical and worried expressions threatening to set her off again.

"Are you okay, Haruhi?" Tamaki asked, his voice gentle and concerned. Taking a deep breath, she just smiled and nodded.

"Sorry. Don't know what brought that on. I'm fine, guys, really."

"If you're sure..." the blond replied hesitantly. She nodded again. He blinked his own acceptance and spoke to the group as a whole.

"So, since Honey-senpai wants to fly, Kyoya would like to be invisible, and Hikaru wants x-ray vision, what about everyone else?"

"I'd like to be able to breathe underwater," Haruhi said, as much to answer the question as to assure the others that she was indeed mentally okay.

"Oooh, good one Haru-chan!" Honey said excitedly. "That would be a lot of fun!" He shifted to his knees, bouncing slightly. "You'd be able to explore so many places that way!"

"I know. It would be so incredible to be able to see what the ocean really looks like beneath the surface."

Beside her, a thoughtful look came over Kyoya's face, but as she was turned towards Honey she never saw it. By the time she had glanced back around at everyone, the Shadow King was composed once more, no hint of his thoughts showing.

"I think I'd like to be able to control the elements." Kaoru's voice was soft, but it carried easily. "To be able to have the wind at my command, the rain, the lightning...to feel the earth beneath my feet and know it would listen to my will...to control the beating heart of fire..." He shrugged, seeing everyone else regarding him with surprise. Everyone but Mori. Mori, who recalled easily how focused Kaoru could be, how definitively and precisely he could channel his emotions.

"Wow," Haruhi murmured. "That's a pretty awesome idea." Nods from the others indicated their agreement. Under the weight of their considering gazes the younger twin shifted a bit, mildly embarrassed.

"Yeah...well...elemental magic is pretty incredible." He looked at Mori. "So what about you, Mori-senpai? What power would you want?"

"Super speed," the quiet one replied in his low voice. Haruhi contemplated this – as did everyone else, judging by the silence that blanketed them all – and she thought she could understand his line of reasoning. He wasn't outgoing like the others. He wouldn't want supreme power, because he would understand the responsibility that came with it. And super strength...well, Mori was strong to begin with. She remembered how solid he felt against her and struggled to hide a blush. But she knew how much of a protector he was, how deeply it was ingrained into his very self. It was one of the things she found so intriguing about him. Being able to run and move faster would be a benefit in his eyes. It would make him that much better at doing what he wanted, what he needed to do. She met his charcoal gaze and nodded her understanding. He didn't need to explain himself. Not to her. And it seemed the others had come to their own understanding because no one prompted for more of an explanation.

"Hikaru, your turn!" Tamaki was gleeful until he saw the look in the amber eyes next to him.

"Okay. What is your most embarrassing thought or memory?" The redhead's gaze was smug, glancing from person to person with wickedness glimmering in his expression. Haruhi shook her head emphatically, images of all of her mental fantasies flitting through her mind in rapid succession.

"Oh, no. Not a chance. No way in hell, Hika."

"Aww, Haruhi," he crooned, his voice drawing a shiver down her spine. "Are you really refusing to answer? When the game has been going so well up until now?"

"Um, yeah. Yeah, I am." She kept her gaze steady on his face, though it had no effect but to make him grin wider.

"Very well. Men, you heard the lady." She was confused until she saw him cheerfully pick up his water gun and aim it at her. Around her she heard chuckles and saw her friends level their own weapons at her one by one. She turned wide eyes back to Hikaru. He was simply sitting there smiling at her.

"To be more sporting, we will give you a five second head start."

"What?" she asked, though instinct already had her reflexively scrambling to her feet.

"Five..." he said.

She stumbled in the sand.

"Four..."

Having regained her balance she took off running. Behind her she could still hear his voice.

"Three..."

Haruhi couldn't help but giggle. So much about this seemed so...silly, so childish. So free. Am I really doing this? Am I really playing along like this?

"Two..."

Apparently the rest of them decided to help with the countdown as she heard other voices raised with the redhead's.

"ONE!"

The jubilant cry made her turn and glance behind her, knowing she wasn't far enough away but having to look anyway. She watched for a helpless moment as her boys all leapt to their feet, an explosion of movement unintentionally synchronized, guns at the ready. Would it really be so bad to be caught? her inner voice asked with a purr. She didn't realize she was laughing as she tossed her own gun to the ground, speeding along the shoreline. She heard footsteps. She knew they were gaining.

The first streams of water on her legs and back were no surprise. But the arms that clamped around her waist, the body that clutched her close as they spun, that protected her, cradled her as they hit the sand, was a huge shock – and one not entirely unwelcome, she had to admit to herself.

"Hold her, Kao!" the elder twin yelled out, coming to an abrupt stop with a shower of sand and leveling his gun. Wrapped in Kaoru's arms, legs tangled together and his breath soft in her ear, Haruhi gave herself over to laughter once more. They were circled by the hosts, and the punishment was on. The barrage of water soaked her as well as her captor and she could feel him laughing along with her, breathless and happy.

"Well, is the prisoner suitably punished?" Tamaki asked through his own giggles.

"Haru-chan, you look like a drowned kitten!" Honey chortled merrily.

In front of her, Hikaru knelt to offer his hand first to her and then to his brother. Once he'd helped them back to their feet, he looked around the gathering.

"So, does anyone else not want to answer my question?"

Not surprisingly, he had no takers. Instead, as one giggling, chuckling group, they all turned to walk back to where they'd been sitting. As they walked it took a moment for Haruhi to realize that Kaoru was still holding her hand. She looked at him, a quizzical look. He just smiled and gave her hand a squeeze. They walked along the sand, joking and smiling with the rest of their friends – no, their family.

Neither one let go of the other's hand.

Author's note: I know it has been a while. Phoenix Con was amazing in so many ways, not the least of which because of a few events that acted like a catalyst for my brain, for my very psyche. It's taken me a bit of time to sort my thoughts and regain some semblance of order. I feel much better for it, but it was necessary to put my stories on hold because I was really not in any state to work on them. My muses were taking a slight vacation while I sorted a few things out. It was such an amazing experience - in so many ways, this was our best con yet. I was reeling for almost a week. So much incredibleness (yes, I have made that a word now). But I'm back, and I'm me - though a slightly different me than I was before. I think it's a good start. At any rate, I just wanted to apologize for my absence and reassure you all that I'm not going to leave you hanging. :-D

Also, I got to meet and hang out with Vic Mignogna not once, but twice.

I'm still all a-squee. That man is amazing. Thoroughly, absolutely awesome. I can't even begin to stress it enough. Such a wonderful person - talented and warm and genuinely an all-around good guy. And he gives incredible hugs. I feel blessed that I got the chance to chill and talk with him. We're working on getting him invited to Tucson Con. Here's hoping. :)