The Scare

Chapter 2: A Breather to Assess

•••

Point of View: Music Room Group

Nobody had noticed how tired they were until they looked at the time displayed on the old clock Tamaki always tried to ignore—though he once tried to sell it to increase the club's budget.

Hell no were they pulling an all nighter, as tempted as they were to do it. They needed their sleep if they wanted to function through this. Luckily, they already had the materials to make an alarm system if something broke through the door. Costumes and couches were used to sleep on, and props as weapons to keep beside them at all times.

Haruhi picked out a sword used for one of the club's themed sessions. The most surprising part of it was when Kyoya admitted to her that it was real. They were doing a fantasy type theme that week. She didn't know any techniques, at all, but she figured that if she could aim and swing it, she would be fine.

Most of the other options were blunt objects, one was a bow and arrow set that nobody wanted to touch because nobody could use them. Or, at least hit the target.

Sleep arrived easily, but several people found themselves waking up at random points due to the smallest sounds, or because of nightmares.

Haruhi woke up a bit sooner, everyone having gone to sleep as far away from the door as possible. She noticed that the tie on the door wasn't secured properly. And went over to fix it. Hikari woke up after this, going to help her.

She made a small sound to alert Haruhi that she was there, and then whispered when she was close enough. "Should we get something else to make it extra secure?"

Haruhi nodded. Wrapping her own tie around the handles. "I can use the rope prop. Who knew we'd get so much use out of these random club items?"

Hika smiled shortly, but it fell when she spoke again. "Hey, I was meaning to ask this yesterday, but, how have you been feeling lately?"

Haruhi finished the double knot, glanced at the doors, and then at Hikari. Deciding to be blunt. "Fine. Why?"

Hikari frowned, not bothering to conceal her skepticism.

Sure, Haruhi was often short with words.

That was too short.

If such a notion made any sense.

"Okay," She decided to play along for now. "Kyoya was saying some stuff earlier this week, implying you two slept together. I don't think you did anything wrong! I was just nervous that people have been giving you shit?"

Haruhi gripped her tie a little tighter. "Why does it matter? We know how this works. I made a mockery of the club's values, I'm being justly punished."

Hikari's chest chilled with worry, and she spat out her largest concern. "Haruhi, did Kyoya break your leg?"

Haruhi snapped her head around and stared at Hikari in bewilderment. "No! Of course not. You would know if I injured my leg..."

"I do." She calmed enough to maintain a soft and understanding tone. "You've had a limp for the last month. My question is why it was never brought up with a doctor?"

Haruhi didn't answer.

"You didn't tell anyone, did you?"

"No." Haruhi finally snapped. "Why would I? I've messed up so much by now they'd assume I did it for sympathy! It's why I never brought up that I've had to run everywhere! I'm fine with how I'm currently being punished. But I don't want to suffer consequences for an accident."

Hikari blinked. She knew this had gotten bad, but not necessarily that bad.

"Running everywhere...? I mean," She paused to think through her wording. "I don't think I'm the only one who noticed how thin you've gotten. But are you starving yourself on purpose?"

Haruhi nodded. "I know it's childish considering what I did, but dad will get suspicious if I try to eat more. I know it's unreasonable, but I don't want this to get extreme—"

"It's already extreme, Haruhi!" Hikari was careful to keep her voice down, but she was too horrified and disgusted to watch her tone. "This is not a punishment, Haru. Do you not feel safe talking to them?"

Haruhi didn't realize that the question was adjacent to the main topic, and raised her eyebrow before speaking. "I mean, yes. They—They're more irritable, and they get set off easier when I do something wrong. But it's normal, they just—".

"It's not normal! They're abusing you."

Haruhi was shocked that the word had even come into the conversation, and got defensive. ""Abusive"? When was the last time you asked them for their side, huh? It only sounds bad because for some reason you don't think I did anything wrong—"

"Because you didn't. You only think you did because they convinced you that you did! News flash, those "core values" are messed up. They're disgusting. There's a reason we wanted to get rid of them before Tamaki ruined it. Nobody who actually cares about someone would do even a fraction of what they're doing to you."

Haruhi's demeanor dropped, Hika taking a step forward and wrapping her arms around her. "I'm—I'm sorry for snapping. It's not because I'm upset at you. I'm upset for you."

Haruhi tensed a bit at the close contact and eventually calmed with the knowledge that this was Hikari, not Kyoya.

"I care about you, Haruhi. I know you're an amazing person. I know that you don't deserve to be treated this way. And you definitely shouldn't be led to believe that you deserve it. Because you don't."

Haruhi spent a moment staring at her hands, laid flat against Hikari's chest as she hugged her. But then she leaned into it, resting the side of her head under Hika's chin.

"But, if I did nothing wrong... Then why...?"

"Because they're sick. And they only care about controlling you." Hikari grimaced when Haruhi flinched, calming her tone again, closing her eyes tight, and wishing that she'd never have to let go.

Haruhi wished for the same thing, unbeknownst to her.

"Haruhi, I won't ask you to do anything drastic yet. But I want you to make sure you're okay. Kaoru, Mori, Renge, they want the same for you. We all care about you."

Haruhi glanced again at Hikari's chest. It wasn't big, but it was bigger.

For some reason, there was an odd feeling in her chest that followed.

One that she hadn't felt since the previous year before it happened.

Hikari understood quickly. "Didn't you say you weren't sure if you were a girl?"

Haruhi's eyes went a little wide, but she nodded. "Right... I did."

Hikari smirked a bit at the chance. "Okay, so if you're not a girl... You're a guy, both, neither... Was any of the stuff before bad?"

"No, but," Haruhi's eyes finally narrowed in a way they hadn't since they went through that horrible period of their life. "That's not fair! If—If it's okay for guys to, then...?"

They looked at Hikari, who only smirked brighter.

"You're, you're right! This is bullshit!"

Hikari beamed.

There was the Haruhi she knew and loved!

Man, I missed that confidence...

Hikari instinctively leaned over and planted a kiss on their hairline.

Both of them blinked after it happened. It was one of the ways Hika used to comfort them, well, until it was to dangerous to be even the slightest bit affectionate.

Haruhi swallowed, flashes of previous moments of comfort between them coming to mind.

"Are you okay?"

Haruhi nodded. "I missed that."

Hikari's face heated a little. Leaning back and allowing the pair to look at one another.

"Did you miss anything else? I do."

Haruhi found themselves leaning up, getting at eye level with her with ease. "There are plenty of things I miss."

Hika leaned a little closer, cautiously, weighing whether she should or shouldn't finish the motion. Instead opting to ask.

"Like, this?"

Haruhi only nodded, finishing the movement for her and placing their lips on Hika's. After a moment, Haruhi wrapped their arms around Hikari, taking the lead as it ran long and passionate.

When they pulled away, they were able to see each other, but they didn't seem to want to move any further than still holding each other.

"Hey," Haruhi paused, glancing briefly at the floor. "Do you wanna try this—?"

"Please."

Haruhi blushed hard at how quickly she answered. Wanting to talk more, but feeling tired again. "We should try to get more sleep, yeah?"

Haruhi nodded, going to a couch Hikari was sleeping on and laying down. Haruhi's body limp on Hika's as her arm was curled around them.

The Next Day

They woke up later than everyone this time, Haruhi stirring first and trying to stay still so Hikari didn't wake up.

It wasn't effective.

Hika smiled as soon as she and Haruhi's eyes met, leaning up and planting a playful kiss on their nose. Letting out a giggle at how they scrunched their face up in surprise.

"Hey~"

Haruhi only replied after they tucked their hands under her chin, maintaining slightly awkward eye contact. "Hey."

Hikari wrapped her other arm around Haruhi.

"You," Hikari wasn't sure if she should finish, but Haruhi pressed with their eyes.

Another gesture that had been lost.

"That, you still know it wasn't your fault, right...? You're not going to go back to that, often, are you...?" She was utterly clueless as to how she should ask.

She knew that this wouldn't be a straight line for Haruhi. The complete opposite, actually.

But, the Haruhi she fell in love with, the real Haruhi, had come back and allowed themselves to be angry on their own behalf.

How long would it take...?

How permanent would that damage be...?

How could Hikari help them through it?

Haruhi became weirdly fascinated with their nails, then. "I mean, I know it's bullshit, now. I—I don't even know what happened to make me so oblivious..."

"Haruhi," she kept her voice soft for them. "Everyone was ganging up on you with those "values" since you became a host. Then—Then you endured, that, and... Of course they're reactions would stick with you! They isolated you from anyone who thought otherwise! That was the only mindset you could follow so that you could avoid being yelled at!"

Haruhi could see what Hikari was dancing around.

A single word that would have encapsulated the whole problem.

But, for one thing, Hika couldn't get too extreme too fast. She couldn't risk overwhelming Haruhi, who already seemed to be in shock from the realization that they had been abused.

For another, Haruhi was the type of person who, regardless of the topic, needed evidence. Hikari knew that, and thus explained the one word by pointing out specific things that Haruhi couldn't dispute about their experiences.

Brainwashing...

Haruhi would still need more encouragement to not beat themselves up over "letting it happen". As they would for everything else they'd been put through for the past year.

But, Hikari was glad to help her every step of the way.

As was Renge, wherever she was.

And Kaoru and Mori...

But...

Are they alright? I brought my phone with me... I'll try and reach out when everyone else is awake.

Everyone needed whatever outside knowledge came from that call, after all.

Hika frowned.

"Haruhi, breaking up for coping reasons was a bad idea, I think we both agree, yeah?" Haruhi nodded. "So, last night, are we back together? Or...?"

Haruhi chuckled, playfully flicking Hika's sunset orange hair. "I think we already agreed on that. Right before we went to sleep. Otherwise we wouldn't have made out."

Hikari blushed. "Ah, right. I just woke up, so I might still be in stupid-mode."

Haruhi laughed.

"That's fair."

A thud at the door startled everyone. Anyone who wasn't awake and alert was now, grabbing their weapons and readying themselves for a fight. Until a voice was heard. Evidently, slamming against the door wasn't intentional, but they were clearly trying to flee something.

Then they recognized the voice.

Haruhi worked fast to move the fabric blocking sound from the room. Speaking up.

"Are they near you?"

"No! But I don't wanna wait until they come here!"

Touché.

Haruhi stood up, undoing the two ties holding the door together and pulling Renge into the room just as an infected rounded the corner.

While Renge was being checked for bites or scratches, Haruhi was busily tying the knots again while everyone else held the doors shut with their body weight.

When it was secure, they called it safe enough to turn their backs and go about their business.

Eventually, the banging stopped. Evidently, something—or someone—else had gotten the infected's attention.

"All clear."

Renge herself braced her hands on her knees as she took deep breaths of relief.

Haruhi went over first to hug her.

"I thought you left the school?"

Renge shook her head, hugging Haruhi back despite the tremors in her knees, which were there thanks to the exhaustion of her adrenaline rush.

Ayanokoji went over to help her stand.

"I decided to try and wait the storm out, but then the lockdown happened. And I've been running around the school and hiding all night!"

Haruhi let out a small laugh of amusement as Renge's eyelids drooped. "I can tell. Here, get some rest. You earned it."

Renge smiled at Haruhi gratefully as she was led to a couch to sleep on. Immediately falling unconscious.

Meanwhile, everyone stood looking between one another, finally, one spoke up.

Everyone looked twice as uneasy now.

Potentially because they had finished processing their situation.

Perhaps they realized how ambiguous the duration of the situation would be.

Or, the more naïve option.

Maybe they had fallen asleep, expecting that day's events to have been little more than a nightmare. Only to find the exact opposite.

What was there to do other than to accept the dread and hopelessness that had incessantly attempted to gain their attention?

Those seven hours of sleep had been their break.

Now, the real difficulty began.

"So, what now?"