Ouran High School Host Club Fan Fiction ❯ Rubbing The Lamp ❯ Ch 7 Tamaki's Second Wish ( Chapter 10 )

Disclaimer: Ouran Host Club belongs to Bisco Hatori, not me. I make no profit off this story. If Bisco Hatori-san wishes, I will remove this from the web upon her personal request.

 

 

This chapter was written as a response to the week 49 Makin' Lemonaide challenge theme: “"I have an allergy," and other lame excuses: have a character make up a really lame excuse. Show the consequences.”

 

 

 

Chapter 7

 

Six sets of eyes fastened on to her as she stepped through the door.

 

As if she weren't nervous enough. Surprised at her own ability to force her voice into normalcy, she inquired, “What? Am I late again?”

 

Kyoya smiled his secret smile at her - the one she'd seen in the filing room, the one that featured so prominently in her dream of him the night before - and softly spoke, “Actually, you're right on time. We've just drawn straws. Would you like to know your schedule for the week?”

 

The twins had made their way over to her, one hanging onto each shoulder. Tamaki was just sitting there smiling at her. Mori's gaze burned her, and Huni was eating cake as usual, but was smiling at her around each bite.

 

She was alone with six men.

 

For the first time in her life, she felt the difference in being female.

 

Not trusting her voice, she just nodded her assent.

 

As Kyoya began reading off the names, she felt a finger - one of the twins' - lightly twirling a hair at the nape of her neck. Because they each had one hand on her arms where she could see them, she knew that the hand that was tracing circles on the back of her waist - going just far enough south to be suggestive, but not far enough to be overtly so or offensive - had to belong to the other one.

 

It wasn't like they didn't always pay her this much attention. It wasn't like it was unusual for them to be touching her. In fact, now that she thought about it, they'd done this very routine on her only a week ago.

 

But now…

 

And Tamaki pulled her hand out of Hikaru's, asking her wasn't it wonderful that he got the first of the second wishes? His thumb began tracing circles on her palm.

 

She blinked in amazement, barely aware of the chaos around her. Little details filtered through: Huni winking at her as he took the last bite from his cake - a strawberry he'd saved til last. Mori, still sitting in his place, smiling at her hopefully before nodding toward her and then standing, walking past - his eyes locked to hers. The twins peeling off of her, their fingers slowly tracing down her arms, unwilling to stop touching her until at last they were gone as were the twins. Then Kyoya giving her one last look - one that for some reason was still inscrutable, but made her shiver.

 

By the time she realized what was going on, the room was empty except for herself and Tamaki.

 

She forced herself to replay the past few minutes in her head. Kyoya had told her the order of her next wishes - one each day of the week instead of club after school. Tamaki on Monday, Huni on Tuesday, Kyoya on Wednesday, the Twins on Thursday, and Mori on Friday. On Saturday, they'd make plans for the following week - giving her Saturday night and Sunday off. Then all of them had wished her luck and left her alone.

 

Alone with Tamaki.

 

She looked at him and he smiled broadly. Hers was a bit more timid.

 

He wasn't speaking, he was just looking at her and smiling, and they were completely alone - in an otherwise empty school building. It was a Monday night close to graduation, so none of the other clubs were in session - most of the student body was home studying. Anything could happen.

 

Anything.

 

She smiled at him a bit more as he continued to hold her hand in both of his own. But why wasn't he talking? Clearing her throat quickly in the hopes it would help her control her voice, she inquired, “So what wish will I be fulfilling today?”

 

XXX

 

The white sundress and matching hat lay neglected over the back of the chair as passionate voices echoed through the room.

 

“But it's just silly!”

 

“Why is it silly? You'd look beautiful and... I just want you to wear it!”

 

“It doesn't make any sense! Why does everything have to be in costume?” She wasn't even sure why she was fighting this. She'd worn that green dress the other day. And this truly was a beautiful dress. Like the kind that her dad always tried to buy for her.

 

Maybe that was it.

 

Or maybe it was that she wanted him to find HER beautiful, not just the dress.

 

Oooh. That was a thought that was frightening. She really was losing her sanity wasn't she? Why on earth would she care… Flashback to where she's lying on top of him, sense memory of the smell of newly cut grass and the smell of earth - mud - mixing with a scent that was pure Tamaki… Okay. She just needed to stop thinking.

 

He frowned at her comment and softly replied. “It's not supposed to be a costume. I… just think you should wear clothes that are more fitting - something that's as pretty as…” He stopped himself before he said too much. He really just wanted her to feel as beautiful as she was - in every way. “Does this mean you're not going to grant my wish?” Tamaki pouted at Haruhi in his usual melodramatic way.

 

Uh-oh. That wasn't what she intended. She waved her hands in negation. If she denied the wish then it was all over. She'd barely have gained anything out of her debt.

 

And more importantly - she was now almost able to freely admit this to herself - if it was all over, she would not be able to see where this was all leading. And it wasn't like she didn't think the dress was lovely. It was. But wearing clothes like that felt somehow like she was trying to be something she wasn't. She didn't want someone to want her because of something stupid - like what she was wearing. When someone kissed her, she wanted it to be because…

 

Damn. *When* someone kissed her? What the hell was happening to her? Why was she thinking he even wanted that? And why was she even fighting him? It was just a stupid wish to get out of her debt.

 

“No, Tamaki-senpai. It's not that.” She sighed deeply. Thinking fast, she struggled to come up with some sort of excuse for her previous arguments. “It's just if I wear that and someone sees me…”

 

He gave her his most winning smile, “No worries! I'll just tell them that we're trying out costumes for the next event.”

 

“But I'll look like a GIRL in that outfit - it'll be obvious to anyone who sees me!”

 

Uh. Duh! So the point! “So you'll wear my jacket until we get there.”

 

“But if they figure out I'm a girl, I won't be able to…” she cut herself off before completing the thought. She wouldn't be able to be in the club the next year like Kyoya had offered. “Besides, what if someone sees us together once we're there?”

 

He laughed - from joy at the thought that she truly wanted to stay in the club and from the humor in the concept that anyone from Ouran would be where they were going. “Can you honestly picture anyone besides you and me going to a common festival like this?”

 

She sighed. “But…”

 

“Haruhi, please? This is my wish. Grant me my wish?” His voice was deep in timbre and it resonated somewhere deep within her.

 

Inside, he was thinking, “Please go on a date with me. I want you to go on a date with me wearing the type of sundress that does justice to who you are - the most beautiful woman I know - so I can have you on my arm and feel like the proudest, luckiest man alive. And this traveling festival is the perfect place to go. I'll be able to win you prizes, and we'll eat cotton candy and ride rides and we'll end up on the top of the ferris wheel as the sun is going down, and then I'll take you in my arms and finally - FINALLY - tell you how much I love you.”

 

She sighed and picked up the dress, turning to go into the practice room that was attached to the music room that they had previously designated as Haruhi's private changing room.

 

He almost wanted to dance a jig while he waited for her. She'd agreed! She was going to wear the dress and hat he'd pictured her in for so long. She was going to go on a date with him - a commoner's date.

 

And then…

 

He felt all the air leave his lungs as she stepped out of the changing room. My god she was beautiful! There simply weren't words - he stood slack-jawed as she walked up to him.

 

“Yeah. It's a pretty dress,” she said with hostility as she slammed the hat onto her head.

 

“It is NOW,” he breathed softly, his eyes glowing as he stared at her face, her eyes.

 

For once, the acoustics of the room worked in their favor - she heard the soft utterance and all of a sudden it came clear: he was staring at her because he thought SHE looked good. The dress was just something less concealing - allowing him to see more of HER. And he thought she looked good!

 

She blushed and he thought he might swoon.

 

“If you don't stop staring at me, I'm going to go change back into my uniform.” Her tone was classic, annoyed Haruhi. Still, she couldn't help but smile as he shook his head clear, bowed, then offered her his arm. And she couldn't manage to suppress a gasp at the electricity as she took it and they walked out of the school on their date.

 

Xxx

 

The festival was actually the perfect environment for Tamaki. He wasn't acting like a moron. He wasn't talking about “commoner” this or that. But his childlike enthusiasm for every new thing they tried was contagious.

 

To sum it up, he was happy and she was actually enjoying herself.

 

In fact, she was even starting to enjoy the way her heartbeat sped up as he grasped her hand and tugged her excitedly along to the next booth. So far, he'd won a giant stuffed dog that looked like Antoinette, and a flowerpot that had some sort of contraption in it that danced when it heard music or clapping hands. She'd managed to convince him that she didn't have room at her apartment for the humongous stuffed animal - and that it might make a nice toy for Antoinette. He grudgingly agreed, but only if she promised to come visit and play with Antoinette someday.

 

The birth date / weight guesser had been spectacularly off for her while being dead on the money for Tamaki. He'd been fascinated and had them stay for a whole ten minutes to watch as the man continued guessing for other people - even stopping random strangers in the crowd to direct them to the man's booth.

 

Needless to say, the guy gave them BOTH a prize (little Frisbees, one in the shape of a flower and one in the shape of a star) for all the extra business that was generated. Usually, an overexcited Tamaki was embarrassing, but here… Here it was like he was in his element.

 

Maybe he was a descendant of a noble line of circus folk?

 

She found that this line of thinking regarding him was a bit mean spirited. Oh, sure, he'd been a pain at times, but right now… She was struggling hard to not find him charming and sweet.

 

He was just so happy.

 

And when he'd turn to her and take her hands and exclaim, “Oh, Haruhi! Look at this! Isn't it wonderful?” she would find herself unable to disagree. Looking into his eyes, seeing his big smile, she had to conclude that yes, it was indeed wonderful. And wouldn't it be even better if - perhaps - he were to put his arm around her instead of just holding her hand?

 

And then they were on the top of the ferris wheel, she held the flower pot and the stuffed dog in her lap, and he continued to eat his cone of spun sugar, exclaiming over the beauty of the sunset. He was warm, pressed up against her. And when he took a bite of cotton candy, she found herself watching as he licked his lips. They were very full and very soft.

 

Her stupid dreams! Why did they keep coming back to her? She hadn't even remembered this one until now. She was lying in the mud, but this time, Tamaki was on top of her - his breath warm in her ear as he whispered, “Princess Haruhi,” with longing. Then his soft lips were sucking on her earlobe, making her shiver.

 

That's all she remembered from that dream. But watching him happily nibble on his cotton candy, she found herself licking her own lips in response.

 

It was ridiculous! What was happening to her? She must be going slowly crazy. This was Tamaki. She groaned in her frustration.

 

Hearing her sound of dissatisfaction, his eyes grew wide. She'd said she didn't want any cotton candy - but maybe she wasn't being honest? Maybe she wanted him to share his?

 

Tentatively, he held the cone out to her. “Want some?”

 

Her eyes popped open to see him looking at her with concern. She smiled just a bit and shook her head.

 

The smile was a good start, but she needed to be having as much fun as he was. “It's really good,” he said, and took another bite. As he tore it off the cone, a tuft of the spun sugar hung from his lips.

 

Her smile grew wider as she leaned in toward him. His eyes widened as her tongue darted forth and she licked the confection off his chin, the sugar melting in her mouth. His eyes grew wide, he stuttered, “Ha- Haruhi?” and then he smiled just before he closed the gap to her…

 

She shook her head clear, forcing herself out of the sudden fantasy as she watched his own tongue land upon the tuft and draw it up into his own mouth. “N- No. Thank you,” she mumbled. Dear god! She was obviously crazy and she needed help. What were these random images flooding her brain? Why on earth would she imagine licking his chin?

 

His hand on her chin made her jump as she looked up at him. His eyes were sad as he asked, “You're not having a good time, are you?”

 

The heat from his hand, she wanted to lean into it. She could feel his strength flowing into her. “That's… That's not true.”

 

He smiled at her softly. “Really?”

 

She raised her hand to grasp his, entwining her fingers with his and squeezing it gently. Looking deeply into his eyes, she swallowed hard and said, “Really.”

 

Why was it that looking into his eyes the only word that her brain kept thinking was, “Please”? What exactly was it she wanted?

 

The sun was setting and she was holding his hand. This could be the happiest moment of his life so far. All he had to do now was tell her how he felt. Pull her into his arms and kiss her.

 

“Isn't the sunset beautiful, Haruhi?”

 

She looked out of the car to the distant horizon. From the top of the ferris wheel, everything looked so beautiful - like a painting. She smiled softly.

 

God, her smile was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

 

This was it. This was the moment.

 

He leaned in toward her.

 

And his mind was flooded with memories. Memories of Haruhi pushing him away whenever he tried to get close. Memories of her calling him annoying. And forefront in the memories that surfaced was the memory of a drunken Huni stating that she liked Kyoya and Mori better than any of them.

 

What if she didn't like him like that? What if when he tried to kiss her, she pushed him off? What if it made it all awkward because he went too fast? What if she decided not to go through with all three wishes?

 

Or worse, what if she hated it? She could hate him. Then he'd never get to spend time with her. Would a kiss now be worth that?

 

He'd rather never get a chance to be with her than have that happen.

 

If he just waited, he could make the third wish really count for something.

 

She looked up at him just as he was nearing kissing distance. He had to think fast. He puckered up his lips and blew across her forehead.

 

“Uh… There was a wasp. I blew it away.” He sat up fast and pulled away from her, so he didn't get to see the look of disappointment on her face.

 

Nor did he see her steeling herself for the rest of the date.

 

Obviously, he was just looking at her as a friend. She sighed.

 

That was why it didn't pay to get interested in boys.

 

 

 

Secondary Disclaimer: All characters in this story are at least 18 years of age. While that might seem unlikely - as three of the characters are only sophomores in high school, I figure it this way: if Bisco Hatori-san can ignore the students graduating for two years in a row and keep everyone in the same grade, I can then apply that logic to their ages. Therefore, Haruhi, Kaoru and Hikaru are just 18. Kyoya and Tamaki are about to turn 19. Mori is about to turn 20, and Huni already is 20. (Therefore, according to Japanese figuring, Huni is the only adult. :P )