"She's adjusted well, though rather archaic she'll do very well in the castle." Kyouya said as he and Tamaki watched Haruhi emerge from the banquet hall tugged along by Mitsukuni. "She will get better, she's a natural." Tamaki grinned at his bespectacled companion jotting notes on his notepad.
"Her father was worried about her ability to adapt, he shouldn't have been quite so afraid." Kyouya leaned against the banister, listening to the patter of shoes across the tile. It was at least a good thing she'd been savvy enough to keep her wits about her, Mitsukuni, while kind didn't often invite others too close so quickly. "Yes, he felt terrible to have to sell her to us." Tamaki rested against the banister watching her stumble for footing behind Mitsukuni, his expression was unreadable.
"She didn't disappoint, but budget a new uniform for her." Kyouya was already ahead of the blonde flipping to see if he'd properly calculated the change when he first heard of the uniform Tamaki had ordered. "We won't cast her out just yet." Kyoya snickered at Tamaki's taste looking over the railing to catch a glimpse of Mori's back as he trailed behind the two to his room. "So you do have a heart" Tamaki glanced at Kyoya who refused to indulge in that sentiment.
"She will learn to fit in with our world. Good night Father." Kyoya stated after the long still silence. "Good night mother." Tamaki smiled at the man walking deeper into the darkness of the hall. It would definitely be morning soon. He brooded for a moment before straightening himself and stalking off to his study.
"She smells good" When he entered the twins were lounging on his sofas. "Report" Tamaki demanded walking to his desk littered with papers. "Boo, at least make this fun!" One of them sighed, flopping back to pretend to sleep or really sleep. Tamaki didn't care either way.
He noted that the maids had been in by the way the windows were covered as daylight approached. He also noted that it looked like someone had sloppily been rifling through some stuff on his desk. His eyes wandered to the twins who took up space in his study like defiant statues. If he'd had his way this room would have been decorated entirely traditional with Tatami mats and floor seating, but the eurocentric design had been set before he even took over the Castle.
"I just want the report," Tamaki hissed after some time rifling through some papers left by Kyouya in need of signing. He really didn't read the contents. Kyouya was terrifyingly accurate and detailed in his work, Tamaki rarely looked through them. He glanced back up at the twins neither paying attention. "If you have nothing to give me then go to bed" As if caught, the two grinned like cats. Dammit
"What good is giving this information-" "If we can't relish in it first." "You know boss-" "we really just want to have some fun." The two spoke as if one person in 2 bodies leaning over the arms of each sofa mirror images of the other. "So?" The twin on the left lifted his chin to rest on his knuckles.
"What is your report, I'll consider your time off after that." Like children having won their conniving prize they smiled at each other before leaping to sit at the two chairs in front of Tamaki's desk. He hated when these two got their way even a little wiggle room was enough to cause havoc. Regardless it was exactly this that made them so good at getting the information he needed.
"Once upon a time there was a beautiful maiden, she had eyes that could capture a man's heart with a glance, hair that flowed soft and brown, and her skin was pale but smooth and clear. This beautiful maiden had a daughter who was enamored by her beauty and loved her dearly. Every day the maiden promised fortune for her and her family, she worked hard for it to happen.
The maiden's husband loved her for her determination and would comfort the maiden when she didn't succeed. The daughter year after year prayed her mother would triumph and give her everything she wished for, like cakes and stuffed animals." Haruhi was wildly out of her depth telling a bedtime story to someone who may look like a child but was older than her. Or at least that's what everyone kept telling her about him.
The room itself was massive, the bed larger than any she'd ever seen lush with plush toys. Thick curtains that surrounded the bed were drawn open on one side where she sat. "One day the maiden came home and said she couldn't go on, she couldn't keep doing this to her family, least of all shattering her daughters dreams. The daughter's. The maiden's daughter only grew more and more confident the maiden would succeed. She believed the maiden no matter what.
"When the maiden died in a terrible accident the father was sad, and while the daughter was scared to have lost her mother she made a choice. She wanted to be just like the maiden, strong, confident and positive she'd get it right next time. She did everything her mother had done when she was there and eventually she made what her mother dreamed come true. Her father was so proud of her. The daughter felt happy the maiden had been her mother, otherwise she would not have learned patience and determination to make her dreams come true, the end." Haruhi wasn't sure if the story was even interesting enough given it was based mostly on her life, but the small faced man was sound asleep.
"Thank you." Haruhi flinched after trying to noiselessly get up from the bed. She'd forgotten that he was even in the room sitting on the cushioned bench of the windowsill. "N-no…I'm…sorry" Haruhi bowed quickly. Silence ensued. "Um…well…you know…how long have you known each other?" what seemed like a smile passed his features before vanishing. She caught herself wondering what he was thinking every time she glanced at him.
"I have served his family for centuries." Takashi stated evenly, the most words she'd heard from him in consecutive order since meeting him. "Wow a family legacy kind of?" Haruhi marveled at how soft he looked despite not expressing himself much. "Hm" She took that to mean yes. "Well…goodnight" She felt a little flustered when he met her eyes so calmly. Bowing her leave she glanced back to see him draw the curtains closed returning to his perch on the sill. She watched him settle a moment before completely leaving the room.
"Suoh-sama has requested your presence." Haruhi nearly flew out of her own skin when the butler appeared next to her. Her heart pounded a mile a minute as the man stood poised unbothered by her behavior. When she collected herself he turned to lead the way. She finally got to see the floor above that encased the main entrance like a balcony. 4 hallways led off into more darkness and the butler led her down one of them.
Checking behind her she couldn't actually see how long the halls were but they went on forever. Despite the probable age of the building nothing seemed to have aged. The wood of the doors looked fresh and new, same with the white stone that made up the walls and floors. There were more paintings, but instead of people it was scenery in the heavy looking decorated frames. It was almost as if it was frozen in time.
The Butler finally stopped at a beautifully carved set of double doors. Haruhi paused for a moment as he knocked, opening it looking at her with expectation. He meant she was to enter alone. So as not to delay further she pushed the door further surprised at its weight.
"Good evening Milord you wished to speak with me?" Haruhi took tentative steps inside the room. His study was huge, filled ceiling to floor with books; many looked so old she imagined they'd been on the book shelf for centuries. "Yes, I did." He looked up from his work, or at least what she could only guess was work. "May I ask what about?" Haruhi felt a bit of fear but swallowed it down. Tamaki filled her with unease.
"Yes, a uniform change will make me feel better…" Tamaki said seemingly at random, "Are you happy here?" That one threw her off given it had been merely a few hours she couldn't fathom why he'd asked. "I am very happy." Not sure if this was some form of test she mustered a smile. She wasn't sure if he believed her, it was her very first day and she had no choice.
"Miss Fujioka, I am pleased you have been hired as our personal maid. So many have fallen at our feet, but that is a given we have undeniable looks plus money in which they wish to get. The backwards hours don't bother you?" Tamaki gave off the air of ignorance, rich ignorance. This particular trait grated on her nerves. "Money is no concern to me as long as my father is well I don't care where I am. I will get used to sleeping through the day." Though why I should is a mystery.
"I don't think Kyoya only hired you for profit, he felt the need to help a desperate father." Tamaki smiled again, his words puzzled her and she felt a chill from them. "I am eternally grateful for all of you accepting me here, my mother dreamed of one day working in the castle." He didn't seem to be surprised by this. "Well off to bed with you tomorrow we will have more work to do." Tamaki said, pulling his tie off casually running a hand through his hair. She hated to admit it but despite his odd behavior he was in fact a beautiful man. She bowed to hide her blush, leaving promptly.
"Oh Haruhi," she turned back. "Please remember that you are to stay in your room during the day." She nodded remembering a clause in the lengthy contract she had to sign. One condition of her stay was that it was customary for night staff to remain in their rooms during the day. She bowed again and left, the butler nowhere to be found. She was glad to be able to relax a little on her way back to her room.
Initially when I wrote this chapter I had a friend read it over, she was a huge fan of Tama/Haru and I eventually wrote an entirely different storyline from here on out. I can see how rushed the second plot was, there's multiple grammatical errors and the characters lose their initial feel as I wasn't able to go in too deep while writing it again.
I was so convinced I wasn't cool enough to make up my own storylines and plot. While the story plot I originally posted has its merits I want to post what I had intended to post before anxiety took over teenage me. I started to rewatch Ouran to get a feel for what I was seeing and wanting to write about back then, what a trip down memory lane.