Hey guys, just wanted to try my hand at an Ouran fic, so of course I go for a not so much used pairing. Which is a shame, cos Kaoru is awesome. Anyway, its kinda fluffy and its in the style of snapshots over several years. Hope y'all enjoy and tell me what you think!

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Jeez, if I did, I'd be in heaven...

ENJOY!

Artistic

Junior Year. December. The Second Art Room.

It started out like anything else. Just another late afternoon. Just another school project.

"Would you just—"

"What? Focus? Too much effort."

"Really now!" Haruhi deadpanned, reaching over Kaoru's arm for the graphite pencil. "This is your fault, you know." She informed the Hitachiin matter-of-factly.

"How's that, Haruhi?" Kaoru grinned, pulling on the cross-dresser's hair playfully. She ignored him, too used to his antics. Leaning back, she gazed incomprehensively at the blank sheet of paper before her.

"I'm not artistic in any way. Why did you make me take Art? It's stupid."

"It's not stupid," Kaoru defended his favourite subject, "Just takes a certain type of person to do it. Anyway, it's good for you. You need to be well balanced."

Haruhi didn't reply, setting the tip of the pencil against the white paper and dragging it along carefully, creating grey lines.

Kaoru smiled, dipped his paintbrush in the golden brown pot—the exact shade of Haruhi's eyes—and began to paint. The sun had long since set and Haruhi was sighing at the squiggles of lines on her paper that just made no sense whatsoever and Kaoru was making some final strokes.

Steeling herself to be horrifyingly ashamed of her work, Haruhi glanced at Kaoru's painting, and blinked at what she found.

"It's me."

"Yeah." He said, like it was no big deal.

"Why?"

"Because you're…Haruhi."

----

Junior Year. April. The Cafeteria.

It used to be the two of them. The twins. Can't have one without the other. Now it was normal to see one with his paintbrush and the-boy-that-acts-like-a-girl and the other with his fabrics and his fashion-obsessed-girlfriend. People started telling them apart by what was in their hands and who was standing next to them.

"Tamaki, don't be silly—"

"That's far too expensive!"

"Oh my darling daughter, you're still naïve after all these years!"

They're having a sale on strawberries, maybe I should pick some up on the way home…Haruhi thought listlessly as Tamaki tried to cuddle the life out of her. It was times like these that she missed Mori-senpai the most; right about now, his strong hands would wrap around her waist, lift her up and set her far far away from the overwhelming blond.

Even as she thought this, Tamaki suddenly disappeared and warm arms wrapped around her from behind, pulling her into a broad, muscular chest.

"Thanks, Kaoru." Haruhi said automatically, ignoring the fan-girlish squeals that had erupted around them.

"You took away Haruhi!" Tamaki wailed dramatically.

Kaoru propped his head on her shoulder, sticking his tongue out childishly at the senior. Tamaki sulked.

"Haruhi?"

Knowing that Kaoru wasn't likely to let go of her any time soon, she twisted around in his arms and stood on tip toes to peer over Kaoru's shoulder. Hikaru was offering her a tray with an amused grin.

"Want my lunch? I'm sharing with Ami-chan."

She didn't bother arguing. "Okay. Um…" sensing Haruhi's predicament, Kaoru slowly let her go, letting her accept the tray and watch Hikaru bounce off to join his girlfriend at the other end of the table.

Eventually, she looked at the tray and blinked. Soup. Tomato soup.

"Oh!" Kaoru suddenly said as they sat down side-by-side, "You don't like tomato soup, do you?"

Haruhi didn't say anything, lifting the spoon of rich red liquid and sipping it. She tried desperately not to pull a face at the taste, but failed miserably. Kaoru snickered and pushed the tray away, replacing it with his own.

"Here. We'll share."

----

Senior Year. October. The Third Music Room.

Once there was seven. Then there was five. Now there were three. It was like that most afternoons, just three left from the original Host Club. They had others, of course, newbies. But it wasn't the same. So it was nice when they visited.

"Haruhiiiiii!"

"Tamaki-senpai!" Haruhi gasped as every last molecule of breath was knocked out of her. Fortunately, he let go quickly enough to be able to jump around her like an energetic puppy and babble about his latest accomplishment at university.

Honey collided with her waist with a cry of "Haru-chan!" and Mori ruffled her hair. Kyouya nodded once with the smallest hint of a smile in acknowledgement.

"What are we, the neighbours?" Hikaru and Kaoru chorused, seeing that Haruhi was getting all the attention. Eventually, Honey, Mori and Tamaki wandered over to the twins, but Kyouya walked towards Haruhi.

"Haruhi—"

"I've paid my debt." Haruhi said instantly, before she could stop herself.

Kyouya smiled. "How are things?"

"Fine. The Club's not losing profits."

"What about you and Kaoru?"

Haruhi blinked. "You mean, me and the twins? Because they do seem to listen to me…most of the time…"

"No, Haruhi, you and Kaoru."

His smile was the all-knowing sinister one that made most people cringe. Haruhi just blinked again.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Kyouya-senpai."

"Never mind."

----

Senior Year. February. The Rose Garden.

Sometimes he holds her hand. Sometimes it's an arm around her shoulder, or her waist. Other times their arms are looped together as they walk. Often he carries her stuff, no matter how she protests. He picks her up in the morning and drops her off in the evening, or just sleeps on her sofa because he stayed late painting while she studied. Either way, Haruhi is confused when she reaches out and he's not there.

"It's bloody freezing out here!" Hikaru moaned to his girlfriend, Ami, who simply shook her head and reached into her bag for her scarf, winding it around his neck. They sat together, sinking into the blindingly white snow as they watched his twin and Haruhi make a snowman.

"They look like they're having fun," Ami noted as she sank into Hikaru's arms. Haruhi suddenly slipped on a patch of ice, and Ami felt Hikaru shift slightly, obviously suppressing the urge to check if the brunette was all right.

Kaoru picked her up, laughing, and held her hand as he asked if she was okay.

"Hikaru?" Ami suddenly said.

"Hmm?"

"Is your brother gay?"

There was a pause, before Hikaru suddenly burst out into hysterical peals of laughter. Ami wondered what was so funny and waited a few long minutes before Hikaru had calmed down enough to answer.

"No, not really," He snickered, "Thing is, Ami, and you can't tell anyone…Haruhi's a girl."

Haruhi was saying something with that cute smile on her face, and suddenly Kaoru wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her up, twirling her around before losing his footing and sending them both tumbling into the snow, sprawled all over each other. They were laughing.

"Well, that explains everything." Ami smiled.

----

Senior Year. Graduation Day. Their favourite café.

They don't quite believe it. How fast it went, how things were going to be so different. And yet there they were, having the same latte and mocha at that same little table with comfy armchairs in the corner next to the window, sitting opposite each other. Her dainty feet resting on top of his larger ones, their hands clasped together next to the sugar.

"Careful, that's still hot," Haruhi warned as Kaoru drank his latte. He cringed as the scolding liquid burned his tongue. "Baby sips, Kaoru, baby sips!"

Kaoru poked his still hurting tongue out at her.

"Did you see my new painting?"

"No, but I can guess what colours are involved."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Orange, scarlet, dark green—"

"How the hell did you—"

"Don't swear," Haruhi said automatically, but smiled all the same as she reached over the table and patted the streaks of paint on his blazer with her free hand. "I hope you aren't planning to go through Graduation like that?"

"Would you care?" he grinned.

"Not really."

"I think I will," Kaoru announced, "Just to look different."

Haruhi smiled and shook her head. "You'll always be different."

"From everyone?"

"From Hikaru."

Kaoru leaned over the table and pressed a kiss to the corner of her lips. Haruhi blinked, surprised, and then smiled softly at the redhead.

Kaoru grinned.

----

Freshmen Year. November. The High Street.

She doesn't have to pretend anymore. She's just another girl. He's just another boy. It started two years ago in a prodigious high school in an Art room. Probably even before that. All they know is that their heads have finally caught up with their hearts.

He's just another boy holding the hand of just another girl.

Haruhi was examining an elegant blue dress discreetly out of the corner of her eye. Kaoru had noticed and was smiling amusedly. He remembered a time where she would dismiss the thought of buying such a dress within a split second.

"My professor was telling me that I could get some of my paintings into an art show."

"That sounds nice." Haruhi mumbled.

"Do you want that dress?"

"Ye—no."

Kaoru chuckled. "C'mon, lets get that dress then. You have hips and breasts now…it'll suit you…"

Haruhi ignored the slur and followed him into the store, hoping the dress wasn't too expensive. She had learnt a long time ago that if he wanted to buy something for her, it was best just to let him.

She tried it on. He pronounced it Haruhi-worthy and bought it. The cashier commented that they made a cute couple and neither bothered to correct her. It happened too often anyway.

"My Law professor was saying that she could take me to a hearing next week." Haruhi said as they wandered down the street, wind blowing hair into her face.

"That'll be interesting. Murder? Con artist? Mafia Boss?"

"Probably just tax evasion."

"Boring." Kaoru grimaced.

Haruhi decided that now was as good as a time as ever to bring up what had been bothering her for the last week.

"Kaoru?"

"Hmm?"

"Are we dating?" she asked curiously.

Kaoru looked at her, "I don't know. Are we?"

That wasn't what she wanted. She stared at him with huge golden brown eyes, and didn't notice they had come to a stand still.

"Do you want to?" Kaoru added.

"Do you?" Haruhi rebutted.

Kaoru grinned, "We're dating." He announced decisively.

"Oh," Haruhi blinked, "Okay."

Kaoru decided this was a good moment to kiss her again. He did, pressing his lips gently against hers.

This time, she kissed him back.

----

Senior Year. The Final Exhibition Day. The Hitachiin Showroom.

Haruhi found herself in a large marble room, wearing that elegant blue dress that Kaoru had bought for her years ago and staring at amazing, colourful paintings that adjourned the wall. People moved around her, supplied with champagne and truffles, taking in the artwork. Final Exhibitions were the things that made or broke student artists but Kaoru's name and talent had ensured he was made a long time ago.

"Haruhi!" A familiar redhead swooped down on her, but it wasn't the one she wanted. Still, it was nice to see him after two weeks of nothing.

"Hi, Hikaru."

"Sorry I didn't come by earlier, Kaoru was freaking out over a misplaced brush stroke. He painted that thing a year ago for Kami's sakes…" Hikaru sighed, brushing down his blazer, "Anyway, Kaoru wants to show you something."

Haruhi's interest piqued, and she followed the redhead through the crowds. He ducked through a red velvet curtain into a large side room where her boyfriend was sitting, already exhausted, on a latte coloured sofa.

"Here you go," Hikaru grinned, "Don't mind me." He ducked out of the room again.

"Hey, Haruhi." Kaoru got up and walked towards the brunette, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek. Only then did she notice the piece of paper in his hand.

"What's that?" she asked curiously.

Kaoru grinned, and it was like nothing had changed. He was still just a redheaded prankster who liked art and Hikaru and Haruhi.

He gave her the paper, and she flipped it over to find herself staring at a painting of herself, with her hair cropped short and the blue of the Ouran uniform settled on her shoulders. It was the first painting she had ever seen him do, all those years ago in the Art Room.

Haruhi smiled.