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DIsclaimer: Don't own.

Ouran Academy

Exact Location: Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan

Ouran Academy Greenhouse

1600 Hours

Right, herein marks Day 3 of normal life with the Host Club. And these past three days have been, by far, the calmest days I've ever experienced while on a mission. Even with the knowledge that I'm gonna catch so much shit for blowing my cover when I get back home, without the entire club constantly watching my every move, I finally feel like I can breathe. From class time to hosting hours, everything feels so much easier to deal with all of the sudden.

And… I guess there's no harm in admitting that I prefer it when the hosts are nice to me. It certainly makes hanging around during their active hours more pleasant. Now that the boys are behaving normally around me, it's making the girls act nicer too.

Just so it's on record to keep some of you die-hard traditionalists back home off my back, the hosts don't know about the ballistics memo I received this morning, and it's going to stay that way. I know I already told them there was a high risk of not getting a match, so there's no need for me to confirm it. Despite what they might know about me and their situation, they're still civilians. They don't need to be worrying about this, too.

*\/*

Livia gave herself a definitive nod before she stopped actively recording. Snapping the recorder onto its clip mount in her hair, she quietly snuck back out from her hiding place behind the hanging ivy. Across the small open space the greenhouse provided, Livia could easily spot each and every host at their designated position, even with the many girls that crowded around them. Trying to act as inconspicuous as possible, Livia drifted back to her designated spot for the afternoon and sat back down.

Pouring herself a fresh cup of tea, Livia tried not to think about why she had risked making a recording in the middle of hosting hours. Because if she did that, then she'd be thinking about why she hadn't made one that morning. And then she might have to admit… that she hadn't made a recording this morning because she had been too excited about spending hosting hours at the greenhouse to even think about it.

Setting the teapot down with a heavy thunk, Livia immediately took a healthy gulp of tea. It didn't burn her tongue, but it was warm enough to distract her mind temporarily. As she lowered her cup away from her face, the herbal scent was quickly washed away by the smells of the greenhouse. Livia took in a deep breath. She had always loved the smell of the outdoors, ever since she was little. Especially after a rainstorm. It reminded her of the camping trips she used to take with her family when she was little. Shutting her eyes, she took another deep whiff, letting it wash over her completely.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Livia's eyes fluttered open slowly. From the footsteps approaching her and the twittering of girls growing louder, she'd immediately known which host was walking towards her before he even opened his mouth. Deciding to offer a small smile, she turned to Tamaki and nodded. "Yes. It smells lovely in here. Thank you for inviting me along."

"Inviting is hardly the word for it Livia-san. It wouldn't have been right to leave you out in the cold."

As his regular guests squeaked and announced their good-natured jealousy over Tamaki's words, Livia gave her friend a sly smile. They both knew that even if Livia hadn't been properly invited along, she would've followed anyways. It was an understood thing.

Tamaki straightened up, reaching over Livia's table to stroke at the leaves dangling above her. "You have found a truly peaceful corner of the world today, Livia. Is that why you're sitting alone?"

"Yes, Tamaki. I promise I'm not avoiding everyone on purpose." Immediately, Livia sees Tamaki's eyes widen and she holds up a hand. "I'm joking. There is no offence on anyone's part here."

As she lowered her hand, she saw the tension in Tamaki's shoulders do the same. It left a slight bitter taste in the back of her throat to see that Tamaki was still a bit frightened of her. Or perhaps that was the tea? Nevertheless, at the very least, Tamaki seemed to be frightened by her skills rather than her personality. A small step in the right direction, but a step nonetheless.

"Livia-san? Oh, Tamaki, I didn't realize you were over here as well." Kyoya came strolling over, lifting his head from his journal to see the small crowd that had gathered near Livia's table. Sitting up in her chair, Livia watched carefully as the girls that had followed Tamaki over drifted towards Kyoya, asking him about future events regarding the host club.

Livia couldn't help but roll her eyes as her charge was swarmed. To the untrained eye, it was almost impossible to notice how uncomfortable Kyoya was with so many people in his personal bubble. Despite his discomfort, however, Kyoya remained calm and smiling, acting totally at ease despite the close attention. Livia didn't know how he could stand it. Glancing to her left, she noticed how Tamaki was watching the interaction just as closely as she was. Perhaps he and Kyoya had some sort of signal for when Kyoya had had enough?

Deciding to ask, Livia cleared her throat for some attention. "Tamak, I need one minute of your time."

"I'll give you two because you scare me."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Tamaki went red with embarrassment. From the looks of it, those words weren't supposed to have come out of his mouth. Said words, paired with his expression, gave Livia only one option for a response.

With a heavy breath, she started laughing. Eyes shut tight, Livia put an elbow on her table and pressed her mouth to her hand, trying to stay upright and muffle herself at the same time. Not because she didn't like her laugh, but because she was used to staying in the background. Can't be invisible if you make everyone look at you.

As if proving her point, when Livia regrouped herself and opened her eyes she found everyone in the nearby vicinity staring at her, their faces dusted pink or bright red.

"What?"

Tamaki swooped around her chair to stand in front of Livia, a wide smile adorning his face. "You have such beautiful laughter! It's such a shame we've never seen such happiness from you before; you were lit up with joy!"

"I was?" Livia looked around, feeling her face grow warm as the guests standing around nodded in response. She didn't bother looking in Kyoya's direction. Instead, she glanced back to Tamaki. The blond nodded again and leaning forward a little until they were eye to eye.

"You were gorgeous. Please laugh more often."

For a moment, Livia was stunned. She had overheard Tamaki's usual means of flirting and hosting over the past few months, but she couldn't help but admit…

With a much drier laugh than before, Livia gave Tamaki a sly smile and said, "You know what, Tamaki? You can be quite charming at times."

Tamaki pressed a hand to his chest, broadly sweeping the other to the side as he bowed. "I try. Now, I'm afraid I must go announce the ending of our hosting hours today. Excuse me."

He flounced away, quickly followed by his guests who whined about club hours ending already. As they moved away, Livia relaxed into her chair with a sigh. She didn't know when, but at some point during their conversation she had tensed up. How odd.

"Livia?" Kyoya finally spoke up again, walking closer until he was standing by the chair just opposite of Livia's place. "Are you ready to leave? My driver is out front."

"Choshi-san?"

Kyoya blinked, looking rather taken aback. "I… yes."

Livia gave her charge a small smile and nodded. "Sure. Give me a minute to grab my stuff."

*\/*

Before long, Kyoya and Livia were sitting side by side on Livia's couch, both of them leaning forward to better see the chicken egg in its incubator on the coffee table. After a few moments of silence, Kyoya leaned back and let out a sigh.

"I understand if you have a hard time trusting me for a second time, but I do believe it would be best if I do the written portion of our project."

"Hm? Oh, yeah I was just thinking that." Livia stood up, giving Kyoya a small nod of approval. "Considering we can't exactly talk about business, that might be for the best. Besides, it's your grade, not mine. Now, how about I make some tea and give you some room to work?"

Kyoya gave a nod and Livia immediately walked out into the kitchen. She knew she had surprised Kyoya with trusting him with the paper, but she hoped the boy wouldn't look too deeply into it. Just because she knew he was the type of guy to not half-ass a project, especially if he had been the one to mess it up in the first place… well, he didn't need to know that she knew that.

Still, even as Livia placed the kettle on the stove, there was a tugging sensation at the back of her skull and down her spine constantly reminding her that Kyoya was in her sitting room. It wasn't the same sensation that came from being hunted or watched, and Livia couldn't quite place it either. For the time being, she decided to put on some music, make the goddamn tea, and ignore it.

Setting her phone on the counter, she pressed play on one of her music playlists and went back to tea making, bringing down the cups and spooning out the tea leaves in time to the current song. Mouthing along to the lyrics, Livia started swaying her hips and moving her feet as she worked. She felt herself smiling against her will. It had just been a really good day.

Needless to say, the distraction worked. In fact, it worked so well that Livia made an impromptu spin only to stop dead halfway around at the sight of Kyoya in the doorway. For a moment, the two stare at each other in silence until at music gives a sudden upswing and Livia snatches her phone off the countertop, stopping the music and shoving the device in her pocket. Keeping her back to Kyoya, she hastily went back to pouring the hot water.

"Is there something you need, Kyoya?"

"Ah…"

Livia straightened her back as she turned back around, keeping her face as neutral as possible as she handed the boy his cup of tea. The motion seemed to snap him out of it, because Kyoya quickly raised the notebook he had been holding in his other hand.

"I, well, I wanted your opinion on something. If you wouldn't mind-"

"I wouldn't." Livia snatched her own cup off the counter, brushing past Kyoya on her way back into the sitting room. "What is it?"

To his credit, Kyoya didn't mention the music the rest of the afternoon. Or the dancing. Livia was grateful, because she knew if he had caught her off guard just a few weeks ago he would have been digging hard into her discomfort. But now… Livia assumed he respected her enough to leave well enough alone. He had seen her dancing to Disney. So what?

Right?

With that in mind, Livia walked Kyoya down to his limo as soon as they were done for the day. It wasn't all that late, but it was late enough that the sun was almost set and the long shadows were enough to convince Livia to don her coat and boots for a few seconds.

Luckily, Choshi was right on time, already pulled up in front of the apartment complex and waiting for them. Livia gave the man a polite smile as they waited for Kyoya to get in the backseat. Once his door was shut, Choshi began walking around to the driver's side while Livia turned back to her apartment complex. She promptly had her breath stolen away by the absolute breathtaking sunset peeking out from behind the building.

She took a moment to appreciate the beauty, given how little time she had for such things, when Kyoya's voice called out from behind her.

"You like sunsets?"

Livia spun around, finding Kyoya watching her yet again, his car window rolled down and his face revealing nothing. Deciding that she can't let Kyoya realize he had caught her off guard for a second time that evening, Livia shrugged and gave a simple, "Yes, I do."

"Any other shocking revelations you want to share?"

The question… wasn't what she had been expecting. But Kyoya had asked, and she couldn't say the question had put her off or anything. Still...

"Roll your window up, Ootori." Livia let the corner of her mouth curl up in what must've been an extremely lopsided smile. "I can't reveal all my secrets in one day."

Kyoya's response was a quirked eyebrow and a small smirk before he did as she ordered, rolling up his window as the limo drove off. Livia watched him go until the limo turned the corner and out of sight.

Bit of a filler chapter here. Just getting back into the swing of things. I can't even begin to tell you how much it means to me that people are still reading my stuff. I hope I can finish these stories we've come to love so much as time goes on. I still have a ton of story ideas to give to you all! Thank you for your patience!