Ouran High School Host Club Fan Fiction ❯ Stolen ❯ When the Sorrows Began ( Chapter 3 )

 

A/n: So I'm going to start off with an ENORMOUS apology to aihime1. I had promised aihime1 that I would have the next chapter out within 2-3 days (of me replying to their comment). But, like usual, college was all “oh no you don't!” so, oh no, I didn't. Anyway, here's the next little installment.

 

He felt dirty. There was no other word for it. Tamaki felt dirty. Dirty and cold. That little peek of Haruhi's tight, creamy thighs had done exactly the wrong thing to his body. So now, here he was, standing in a spray of freezing cold water, shivering, and trying to stop those little videos that his mind played for him.

 

“Tamaki? Tamaki, are you alright?”

 

“Yes, H-Haruhi, I'm f-f-fine.” Tamaki heard Haruhi sigh and pad away towards the kitchen. He'd been in the shower for quite a long time, Haruhi must think he'd drowned by now. He reached down and turned the little knob with a blue sticker. He didn't see what Haruhi said was so confusing about the shower , it seemed simple enough. She had insisted, though, that it got a little confusing and she should just turn it on for him. `hmm…' Tamaki had turned the knob but the water pressure hadn't lessened…

 

“HOOOOT!” Tamaki jumped back against the tile at the back of the tub. It wasn't far enough! He flailed and accidentally toppled into the shower curtain ripping it off its hook and becoming a tangled mess on the floor. In the mild daze he was in, Tamaki heard hurried footsteps outside the door.

 

“Tamaki, what happened!?” Tamaki didn't answer, he'd hit his head on the way down and the world was beginning to spin around him. “Tamaki? Tamaki, I'm coming in.” Tamaki saw the door fly open and a worried looking Haruhi knelt next to him just before everything went black.

 

Stolen

 

“I can't leave him here….what do you mean, `serves him right'….I didn't want him driving alone….yes, you've already told me how you feel about—DAD! Stop, he's my best friend and I can't leave him in a hospital just because you want me home. I'm sorry but I'll be home when I can get home. I have to go, the doctor's here.” Tamaki heard a phone click shut somewhere close.

 

“Ms. Fujioka?”

“Yes?”

 

“Tamaki is going to be just fine now. He received a serious concussion from the fall. The short laceration that occurred required eleven stitches. Whatever he hit his head on, he hit it hard. Also, is there hot water in your apartment?”

“Uh, yes. Why?”

“When Tamaki arrived he was shivering heavily and his internal body temperature was unnaturally low.”

“He'd been in the shower for close to half an hour. I would assume he had the hot water on…”

“Hmm…alright then. Do you have any more questions Ms. Fujioka?”

“No. Thank you for all your help.”

“You're Welcome. Although, we would like to keep Tamaki overnight for observation. Nothing serious, we just want to run a few more tests and make sure he didn't he didn't sustain any lasting damage. Tamaki will be able to leave sometime in the early evening tomorrow. You may go in and see him now if you wish.”

“Thank-you, again.” Tamaki heard a door creak. Though he probably could if he tried, Tamaki had still not opened his eyes. Haruhi sighed somewhere close to him and Tamaki suddenly realized what was going on.

“I told you to let me work the shower. Tamaki, why didn't you listen to me?” From somewhere in the room Haruhi sighed then laughed a shaky laugh. “Do you know how many people I've had to explain to the reason why you were showering in my apartment? My dad is furi-well let's just say he's not happy.” Tamaki registered that last comment and mentally cringed. “You know…I was pretty mad too. No. I guess I was scared. I ran into the bathroom and you-your head was bleeding…a lot. I was afraid that you, that you…” Tamaki heard a sniffle somewhere in the room. “Well,” her laugh was dry and quick, “you can't even hear me.”

Tamaki's world went black again.

 

A slow, rhythmic beeping grew slowly louder in Tamaki's ears. He knew right away what it was, where he was. It seemed that Tamaki's mind had cleared while he slept. Although, as clear as his mind was, his body was still not ready to respond much. The simple act of opening his eyes proved challenging. His sticky lids pulled open as his eyes took in what was around him. Tamaki's first though upon opening his eyes was almost cynical.

 

“Figures.” Tamaki was laid out in a rather spacious hospital room with only one bed. Someone must have had him transferred. Haruhi would have only wanted him safe as soon as possible. His grandmother on the other hand, upon hearing the news, would have found such disgrace in her grandson sharing a room with commoners. No doubt, he was in an Ootori hospital private room. A soft rustling turned Tamaki's head to the window.

 

Stolen

 

“Love? Love!? Love has absolutely no point in this conversation!”

“With respect, love was the original reason for marriage.”

“That is where you are wrong. Marriage is a contract. Legal and binding that has mutual benefits for both parties. Love is not a benefit. Love would be a deterrent and a distraction if it ever even existed at all.”

“Legality and contracts! Is that all this world is to you?! Money and power are the only reasons for marriage, is that what I'm hearing from you?” Tamaki's grandmother gave him a hard look and a simple answer.

“Yes.”

“And love!? You're saying that love doesn't exist?” A highly manicured eyebrow raised pushing up her wrinkles.

 

“I never said that. Simply, I do not believe it exists in the form you do. `Love' is all around. The lust for power and money are often described as love. Those who are not capable of attaining such delude themselves into thinking they can have something just as valuable. Do not fall to the common belief that there is anything more powerful than what can be gained through contracts and signatures.” With one final hard look, Tamaki's grandmother turned, started to walk away, and stopped. Not facing him, she spoke one last piece.

 

“I can see my words have not changed you. You have fallen too far to see reason. Therefore, I will make you see it. Should you disobey me, should you choose make to this girl, this Haruhi, your wife, you will be cut off. All affiliations with those of this family who can still see reason will be severed. Any funds you would have received as an inheritance will be pulled. You rights as heir of this family will be null and void. You may feel I am being harsh, but one day you will thank me.” Tamaki's head lowered. His hair fell in front of his eyes as he asked one final question.

 

“Don't you love me?”

 

“I would say `this is how I show my love'. I would, if one could possibly love one so rebellious and ungrateful as you have shown yourself to be.”

 

Stolen

 

Tamaki had no idea why the memory hit him so hard or why a tear had just fallen down his face. It wasn't because he was afraid of losing the money. He was smart and was getting enough education so that he could start his own business easily if needs be. It wasn't because his grandmother had pretty much said she didn't love him. Sure that was sad, but not enough to make him cry, she'd said similar things before. It wasn't even that he would be letting his father down by disobeying. Maybe though, just maybe it was the fact that for the smallest piece of a second, Tamaki had thought about choosing power over Haruhi. It had been the human in Tamaki. He had never wanted anything more than he wanted Haruhi but his humanity had gotten the better of him in that small moment when his grandmother's threat had first hit him.

 

There was the rustling again. Tamaki's eyes had focused on the small figure curled under the window in a small chair. Immediately Tamaki felt horrible. Normally visitors would be ushered out promptly at the end of visiting hours. Here, though, the staff must know not to unnecessarily bother any of the friends of Kyouya Ootori. To do so would mean immediate dismissal and bad recommendations for any new job they may try to get.

 

“Morning clumsy.” Haruhi's voice was a little raspy with sleep. Morning indeed. The blinds were shut but Tamaki could see that the sun had barely yet to peek up enough to lighten the sky. That wasn't what had his attention though. No, his attention was focused one hundred percent on Haruhi. Her sleep rumpled hair had slight reflections of the early morning light peeking through the blinds. The smile on her still sleepy face was almost angelic in the way it made her half-lidded eyes dance. She was beautiful and he could wait no longer to tell her what he'd come early to tell her.

 

“Uhm…Haruhi? Can I…uh…can I talk to you about something?” Haruhi's head tilted to the side and she slowly stretched up out of her chair. She just stood there looking at him until Tamaki motioned her over and patted a spot next to him on the bed. “I-uh I planned on doing this somewhere, uh, different. This is probably the last place I wanted to have this conversation.” Haruhi just looked at Tamaki curiously. “Uh, well do you remember when I decided to stop calling you my daughter?” Haruhi nodded. “My reason for stopping was different from what I'd told you. For a while now I have…I have…well let me explain in a different way.” Tamaki took a deep breath and look Haruhi in the eyes. “Haruhi, when you're with me I feel different. When I was with the customers I felt only a duty to please them. When I'm around the guys I feel like I want to protect them from sorrow because they are important to me. When I was around my mother I felt love. Love that made me feel I never wanted to leave the safety of her side. But you Haruhi, you make me feel differently. Unlike the customers I do not feel a duty to please you but a desire, a need. When I'm around you I want to protect you not because you are important to me but because you are the world to me. When I'm by your side I feel…l…lo…I feel that I don't want you to leave the safety of my side.” Haruhi's heart was pumping faster and faster, nearly matching Tamaki's erratic heartbeat. She may not be the first to pick up on emotional cues but she was pretty sure she knew what Tamaki was saying. This was it! He would say it and she could finally show him that she wasn't emotionless like she'd been in high school. She could show him she felt she would burst without him, show him she wanted only him to want only her, show him she loved him. “I have discussed this with my grandmother. She disapproves whole-heartedly but I do not care in the least. Haruhi, I want this more than anything before. I feel this stronger than anything before. What I'm trying to say is that I cannot see a future without you. Haruhi, I lo—“

 

“Tama-chan!” Hunny burst through the door and flew at Tamaki, stopping dead when he saw the scene laid before him.

 

“Hunny? What's wro-” Kaoru stopped too. All the previous hosts followed in a similar manner. Kyouya was the last to enter. He looked cool and calm with s hint of some kind of arrogance.

 

“Hm. I see we have interrupted something.” Normally an excuse would be said and the rest of the hosts would be ushered out. Kyouya offered no such escape. It seemed he did not want to let this scene continue.

 

Stolen

 

“Please. I fear you are the only one who can make him see reason.” Kyouya had been woken unnaturally late at night to a phone call from a nearly hysterical Suoh.

 

“You're going to have to be more clear about the situation.”

 

“It's Tamaki! He left school early to see that Haruhi girl. He intends to confess a love for her and wishes to make her his wife!” Kyouya was immediately fully awake. “I tried to talk him out of it, threatened him, but he would not listen. Now he's had an accident. By the sounds of it, he has not yet had the chance to talk to the girl about it. Please, do what you must to get to him before he can ruin his life like his father tried to ruin his own!”

 

“I will see what can be done.” Kyouya slammed the phone down and grabbed his cell. The other host club members had already packed and were ready to leave later that evening. He would need them as an excuse. He could not show up alone. It would be quite obvious he was there for a reason other than visiting. Normally, the plea of another would not bother him in the least. His head would have hit the pillow and he would have forgotten all about what the crazy old woman had said. This though, the situation involved him much more than anyone could know.

 

Stolen

 

Kyouya sighed inwardly. He had caught the scene in time. Obviously Tamaki had not gotten the chance to fully admit himself to Haruhi. This was good news. This was good news indeed.