Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran High School Host Club.

Author's Note: Yay for my first OHSHC fic! It won't be my last, I'm sure, but bare with me as I try something new!

Two Heartbeats In Her Ears

It was no secret that Haruhi hated thunderstorms. She was extremely fearful of them, to the point of hiding and freezing up until the storm had passed by. It was a pathetic fear, she knew that, but she couldn't help it – and she tried her hardest to hide it from the members of the Host Club.

However, on the night the Club stayed at the Ootori villa on the beach and the storm rolled in loud and clear, there was no hiding her fear from Tamaki, nor later on at Pension Misuzu when Hikaru, and in turn the rest of the guys, learned her secret fear. They told her that she shouldn't worry about their judgment of her fear, that they will protect her from the storms if she needed them, but still, to high school student Haruhi, the fear was just ridiculous.

And yet, here she was again, at the seaside vacation mansion belonging to the Hitachiins, whimpering and hiding as a storm began to echo through her room. She hated it, and hated herself for not getting over her childish fear, and as much as she tried to tune out the storm, she couldn't stop wincing at the low rumbles in the distance.

"I-I can't take it..." her voice came out in a whisper, getting up from her bed and placing on her slippers. Shakily, she walked out of the room and down the hall, her footsteps quietly going towards the next, occupied room.

"K-kaoru...Hi-hikaru..." she whispered against the door, turning the knob to notice the door was unlocked, "I'm sorry if I-I'm waking you, but I-"

A louder clap of thunder made her jump with a small "eep" and she made a run for the bed, almost breathless afterward in her shaky fear. She looked over the sleeping figures, both close together like brothers should be and totally ignorant to the storm outside.

"Kaoru...Kaoru..." Haruhi whispered, her voice shaking as her hands gently moved the redhead's shoulder, trying to calmly wake him. Kaoru groaned, turning away from the brunette with a mumble, "Go away Tono..."

"Kaoru..."

The storm became louder and Haruhi let out a small scream, falling to her knees and gripping to the bedsheets, trying her best to hide her face from the lightning outside. Kaoru felt the sheets move and groaned, opening his eyes and looking over his shoulder, "Tono, I said—Haruhi?"

"A-about ti-time you woke up," Haruhi stammered, looking up at him with fearing, tearful eyes, "C-can I...st-stay with you two...un-until the s-storm is o-over?" The younger twin nodded instantly, now getting what was going on as he helped pull the frightened girl into the bed, helping her get comfortable between himself and Hikaru.

"Ugh...Kaoru, what's going on?"

"Haruhi's going to be staying with us. Move over a bit, okay?"

"I-I'm sorry..."

Hikaru's eyes were soft as he smiled, brushing a hand through her hair, "Don't be. It's a storm, right? Don't be worried; we promised we will protect you." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders as Kaoru wrapped his around her waist, "Just listen to our heartbeats and go to sleep, Haruhi. You'll be safe and sound, we promise."

"We promise to protect you always, Haruhi," Kaoru reassured his brother's words, closing his eyes as he rested his chin on the brunette's head while Hikaru's head nuzzled into his pillow near her. Haruhi laid there, wincing whenever there was a flash of lightning until she could finally close her eyes, lulled by the warmth of the twins surrounding her. "Thank you...Kaoru, Hikaru..." she whispered as she finally drifted off to sleep.

She didn't hear the thunder again; all she heard was the sound of two heartbeats in her ears.