Before you begin reading, I'd like to interject a small author's note. This fanfiction that you are about to read- or at least the first chapter of it- is a work that has been in progress for over 8 months now. It is my first multi-chapter fanfiction, and the only reason I have waited this long to share it with you is I wanted to share it with you in its completion. I have a tendency to go back and change things and adjust pieces of my story as the plot progresses, so I didn't want to post it until the whole thing was done. On another note, that ensures that I will be able to upload new chapters on time, and that the story will not be cancelled before it is finished. This project means a great deal to me, not just because I'm such a big fan of the show, but because it is a story that I have worked hard on and put much thought into. This 'small' author's note has grown more than I intended, so allow me to end it with this: this multi-chapter journey that we are about to embark on together as writer and reader is one I can only hope you'll enjoy. And, as always, it is my great pleasure to introduce to you:

The Dance

The Host Club had just ended for the day and everyone was straightening up the room; cleaning tea cups and saucers, clearing dishes, discarding half-eaten cakes and sandwiches. People were trickling out slowly as there became less and less to do.

Mori and Honey, now graduated, came back every afternoon to be a part of the club. In the last months before graduation, the pair had only planned on coming back for occasional visits. It felt odd, and even after Mori's younger brother- first year Satoshi- joined the club on graduation night, the club dreaded losing them. Although, it had been delightfully easy to transition Satoshi into the club, as he already knew (courtesy of Mori) that Haruhi was a girl.

But just a few days after the start of the new term, Mori and Honey decided that they would like to return to the school after hours to participate in club activities. After talking it over with the headmaster (who was still very fond of all the original club members), they agreed that so long as Satoshi was attending Ouran, he saw no reason that Mori and Honey could not visit after school. And much to the delight of Tamaki, now that they were college students, it increased their appeal dramatically.

First Tamaki left, then the twins, followed by Mori, Honey, and Satoshi until the only ones left were Kyoya and Haruhi. This was how an afternoon typically went. Kyoya always had some last-minute thing to do on his laptop or write in his book. Haruhi tended to shoo everyone else out because she knew she could finish whatever was left of the chores on her own more efficiently rather than trying to give everyone mini-jobs to do. Neither minded being there together. There was no speech, no awkward tension. Just two unlikely friends who'd developed a silent acceptance of the other's presence.

In those moments after all the others had left, Haruhi dared to feel some form of closeness to Kyoya. They'd been slowly building a mutual understanding of each other every day since the exposition, and especially now that Haruhi's debt had been cleared for almost a month. For the longest time, she'd been expecting Kyoya to create a new one for her every time she so much as blinked the wrong way, but he never did. It was a very pleasant surprise – not to mention a huge shock – when one of her customers had accidently knocked a teacup off of a table and Kyoya had merely looked up and sighed slightly before recording it in his black book. It was as if the customer had been one of Tamaki's or Hikaru's. Since then, she'd been able to breathe a little easier, though if she was honest with herself, she still half-expected Kyoya to have a change of heart one day and started racking up expenses for her again.

But today, that was not her concern. She wasn't concerned about much of anything, really, other than the one thing that seemed to be constantly in the back of her mind these days. Or, maybe that was the one person that was constantly in the back of her mind these days. The one person who was her silent late afternoon companion. The person whose sharp words and offhand remarks hid the most wonderful person with mostly wonderful intent, although sometimes even he didn't even realize it. He was this ridiculously incredible person that she knew so little about but found herself quickly wanting to know more.

She finished drying and putting away the dishes and gave the room one final inspection. When she'd wiped down the last spot and everything was cleaned to her satisfaction, she picked up her book bag.

"Haruhi, before you leave, I have a favor I need to ask of you," Kyoya spoke as he turned around in his chair to face her. This stopped Haruhi dead in her tracks. She put her bag back down on the table it had been resting on.

"What is it, senpai?"

"In a few weeks, my family will be attending the annual National Business Exposition Dinner and my father insists that I have a date for the evening."

"Wait, what-" Haruhi began, but Kyoya cut off the question.

"It's going to be a rather dry party, I'm afraid, but I'd like you to accompany me. I'm asking you because if I don't pick a lady to escort, my father is sure to pick one for me."

"So you chose me?"

Kyoya paused a moment before speaking and pushed up his glasses.

"Believe it or not, Haruhi, there's actually a reason you're a natural at hosting. You are intelligent and rather attractive, commoner or otherwise. You show ambition simply by attending Ouran as an honor student. So, yes, I chose to ask you. Honestly, you're my only logical option in a sea of girls in yellow dresses," he said everything so matter-of-factly that his request almost came off as indifferent. It didn't help that he'd done that insufferable thing where he adjusted his glasses to glint off the light so she couldn't tell how he was really feeling. His whole face was a mask of passiveness, something he'd mastered long ago. Haruhi narrowed her eyes. If he really didn't care, then he would have to live with taking a girl in a yellow dress. She may have found herself liking him a lot, but he had to like her, too, before she would agree to endure some dull, socialite event for him.

So, in a single fluid motion, she reached up and took his glasses off of their perch on his nose. Just before shock overwhelmed his features, Haruhi found exactly what she'd been looking for in his eyes: not just hope, but trepidation as well. If he was nervous, it meant he wanted her to say yes. Not just because he wanted any girl, but because he wanted her. That was reason enough to go to any party, no matter how boring. Gently, she folded up the glasses and handed them back to him with an air of complete nonchalance.

"I'd love to, senpai."

Kyoya placed the glasses back on his head, slight surprise still evident on his face. There was something else there, too. Could it have been... amusement? In any case, if he was happy she'd accepted, he hid it well. If he was even mildly irritated at her boldness, there was no sign of it.

"Wonderful. This will tell you everything you need to know," he said as he handed her a slip of paper. Haruhi took the paper and nodded.

"Now," Kyoya continued, "will you be needing a ride home?"

Haruhi fought the blush she felt rising to her cheeks. She hated being offered things by the Host Club- it made her feel like she was some sort of charity project.

"I don't want to impose. I'll just take the subway like I usually do," she replied with an offhand shrug. In truth, she hated taking the subway, especially now that it was later in the day. Later meant more tired and irritable people just getting off of work. Plus, it was often crowded and hot, but she knew it was still better than walking. Kyoya frowned slightly.

"While the subway may be free, it's not usually a pleasant ride. Please, let me take you home."

"Kyoya senpai-" Once again, he cut her off before she could continue.

"I insist."

Haruhi sighed.

"All right."

"Excellent. By the way, you should get used to addressing me without the honorific. It'll seem much more natural at the dinner if we go as friends."

Again, his words seemed to hold no weight to him, nor did they betray the implied intimacy of such a gesture, so she just nodded. He held the door open for her, and they stepped out of Music Room #3 together. Their ride was already waiting out in front of the school: a simple but sleek-looking black car. Haruhi noted this at the back of her head; it seemed the rich didn't always travel in a limo. The exterior of the car was beautiful, and when she got inside the rest of it was so luxurious she was sure it cost as much as a limo, at least.

Kyoya sat in the back seat with her, gave Tachibana Haruhi's address, and the car took off without another word. Haruhi busied herself by opening up the paper Kyoya had given her.

**Concerning the National Business Exposition Dinner**

Haruhi,

Dress will be formal, and there will be socializing before and after the meal. Dinner will be laden with business conversation, as is to be expected. The most important people attending this event are as follows:

Otori Yoshio, head of the Otori group

Hayashi Takahiro, head of Hayashi Enterprises

Yukimura Arisu, matriarch of the Yukimura family

Yukimura Katsu, heir to Yukimura Research Facilities

The dinner will be taking place on Saturday evening, April 18th. I'll pick you up at 6 p.m.

-Kyoya

Haruhi's eyes widened. This letter was addressed to her. She was almost angry at his smug confidence, but her surprise quickly melted into affection. Of course he would do something like that. Even if she hadn't said yes, Kyoya was always prepared for every outcome.

Formal dress. She had a few nice dresses, but they weren't meant for a wealthy party that called for an evening gown. They were more appropriate for a dance at her old school. She had to bite back a sigh. It would seem she'd have to ask the Hitachiins for a little assistance. Her only consolation in making this decision was that she knew the twins would take great pleasure in dressing her up. They'd probably think she went off the deep end, asking them to put her in a dress. The upside was that she knew for a fact she wouldn't disappoint in a Hitachiin gown.

She had no doubt that Kyoya's face when he saw her would make the whole ordeal of putting on a custom-made, designer dress worthwhile. It was high time she saw some real emotion on his face without having to forcibly remove his glasses.

April 18th. That was two weeks from tomorrow. By that time she would need to have a dress, brush up on her meal etiquette, and memorize the four people on the list he'd given her.

She thought about all of this and she almost forgot where she was and who she was with. When she came back from the far-off reaches of her own mind, she found Kyoya staring at (studying?) her. She stared right back, tilting her head slightly to the side in questioning.

"Arai was right," he said simply when he realized she'd noticed. "That far-away look you get when you're in thought is rather alluring, even if you're probably only thinking about the dinner."

Haruhi wasn't sure whether to be irritated that he was able to read her so easily or flattered that he paid her so much attention. At the moment, she was feeling some sort of bizarre mixture of the two, so she just raised an eyebrow.

"That was a complement, Haruhi. You should learn how to respond to them as you are bound to get quite a few of them at the party." This time, Haruhi couldn't stop the color from coming to her cheeks. Just a moment later, the car was pulling into Haruhi's apartment complex.

"It would seem that we've arrived," Kyoya stated. Haruhi nodded.

"Thank you for the ride, Kyoya se-" she stopped short haltingly before she could attach the honorific.

"Thank you, Kyoya." There was the slightest of smiles on his face as he replied,

"My pleasure."

Tachibana stepped out to open Haruhi's door, and Haruhi picked up her bag. Kyoya stepped out of the car and walked her to her apartment door.

"I don't suppose you'd like to come in for a moment for some tea?" she asked him when they were there, not really expecting a yes but asking out of courtesy. The polite 'no, thank you' was halfway out of his mouth, but something stopped him. He wasn't sure what it was. Everything logical inside of him was screaming at his hesitation. Of course the correct answer was no. By the look of shy embarrassment on Haruhi's face, that was the answer she was expecting.

Then, it suddenly hit him. That was what was stopping him. That look, that adorable, somehow

utterly irresistible look on her face was what was stopping the 'no' that should have come so easily to him.

As Kyoya Otori, he knew he had endless amounts of work to do. He knew family dinners were becoming increasingly important. He knew all of this with absolute certainty, but, in the back of his mind he heard Fuyumi telling him to relax a little. The echo of the words of his sister was barely enough to quiet his controlled nature.

He usually never gave into his whims, but lately, he was finding more and more reasons to. He'd bought the company, he'd outdone himself. He surpassed every expectation just as he'd always known he could. Everything he'd done for 'his' merit had always been to further himself in the eyes of his father.

Why continue to seek out so-called merit when there was really none to be had for him? All the merits he could see were in the girl staring shyly at him, just inside the doorway to her apartment. So, he smiled at her and said,

"Thank you, that would be lovely."

"Oh, alright then." He chuckled at her slightly bewildered expression as she stepped aside to let him in.

"Um, well, what would you like to drink? We have green and oolong," she said as she rummaged through the cabinets.

"Oolong, please," Kyoya replied offhandedly, unwittingly destroying the second of Haruhi's two expectations for that day.

Huh, I always figured he'd be a green tea sort of person, she thought, pulling out the oolong tea and preparing it. Truthfully, green tea was the tea typically served at home at almost every family dinner, and Kyoya grew tired of it.

The silence fell into the comfortable pattern the two of them knew so well. If she'd been alone with any other host member in her apartment, she would have felt it a little awkward. But with Kyoya, she was alone with him so often that it simply felt natural. She pulled out her teapot and fell into a rhythm amongst the tapping of Kyoya's laptop behind her.

When she'd finished, she came and sat by Kyoya, handing him his cup of tea wordlessly as she drank her own.

Have we been together so often that she knows how I take my tea now? He thought as he took a sip. Sure enough, she did. He glanced over at her without breaking the flow of words that were coming off of his fingertips. She was curled up reading a book she must've picked up when he wasn't looking. Even though she was sitting against the far corner and Kyoya was on the opposite end, there was still only a half of a foot separating them.

Stupid commoner's couches, he thought as he continued typing. Designed with no concept of personal space. It's just plain distracting. How am I supposed to get work done when she's sitting right there? His eyes flicked over to her once more. Her right hand was wrapped loosely around the cup, which she'd take a sip from every so often. Her legs were tucked under her, and her left hand was perched at the top of the book she was reading, acting both as a support and a page turner.

I didn't know she could look so relaxed. His thoughts started flowing faster than he could dispel them, something that happened often when he really got to thinking about something. It was usually useful during work but now was just bothersome. She's actually very pretty when she's not yelling at someone... but I already knew that. To be honest, she's rather pretty even when she is yelling at someone. But I like her this way. I like the quiet. I like-

That's when he noticed he'd stopped typing. Evidently Haruhi had noticed it as well, because she looked up from her book.

"Everything alright, Kyoya?" she asked him. I like the way my name sounds when she says it without the honorific.

"Just curious as to what you're reading," he replied without batting an eye.

"You know, I'm glad you asked," she said in that voice he'd only ever heard when she was greeting a customer on an exceptionally good day, but was now directed towards him. Her eyes sparkled as she told him everything about the fiction book she was reading for her American Literature class. Though he'd already read it for the same class last year, he listened as she told him.

"I take it you're enjoying it, then?" he asked her with a smirk when she finished. She blushed.

"It's just a good book, that's all."

"I liked it when I read it, as well," he said as he returned to typing. There was that bewildered expression again. Kyoya was pleased he'd managed to get it out of her twice. Before she could say a thing, though, the door opened.

"Haruhi, darling, I'm home!" Ranka's singsong voice drifted into the room. Haruhi watched as Kyoya closed his laptop and set it aside.

"I see you have a guest!" Ranka continued as he came in, "Kyoya, how lovely it is to see you again!" Kyoya flashed his host smile.

"Ranka, you're looking wonderful as always."

"Such manners! Since you're already here, you must stay for dinner." At this, Haruhi looked up. She had to admit, with as well as those two got along, she wouldn't mind having Kyoya stay. But she knew him well enough to know he probably had ridiculous amounts of work to do without worrying about staying any longer than he already had.

"Dad, I'm sure Kyoya had things he has to do." Before she could continue, Kyoya stepped in.

"Not at all. Haruhi was polite enough to invite me in, I'd love to stay. I'll just have to let my father know I won't be joining the family for dinner." At this point, Haruhi was surprised, but not that surprised. Chalking it up to the list of everything else odd that had happened that day (and that list was getting unusually long), she shrugged and went back to her book.

"I'll get started on dinner in a bit, Dad."

"No rush, dear. So Kyoya," Ranka said as he turned back to him, "what brings you here?"

"Actually, it's funny you ask..."

Well, there we go! The first chapter is now officially up, and goodness am I glad for that. I will continue to post every week on Thursday (or whatever day it is in your time zone) at hopefully around the same time. Happy New Year from me to you, readers. I hope you enjoyed this first installment of The Dance.

Thanks for staying at the Fluff Factory, and I'll see ya next time!

Much love,

The Fluff Machine