Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran High School Host Club
AN: I was inspired to write this drabble after seeing a live performance of the Japanese Taiko group KODO. This drabble was also written for the Live Journal community "ourancontest", challenge #10, "Trouble". Hope you enjoy!
-Maho-chan :)
Spellbound
An Ouran High School Host Club Drabble
By Maho-chan
As the curtains went up in the dark auditorium, the lights focused upon the Taiko drummers who were assembled. There was a round of applause from the crowd.
The beating of the drums began slowly and the observing crowd including Haruhi and Tamaki craned their heads in anticipation.
Tamaki turned to Haruhi and said excitedly "Haruhi! This is so interesting!" He inclined his head towards hers and asked loudly "Are they going to play that huge drum in the background yet?"
Haruhi turned towards him and said hastily "Senpai, you are talking too loud!"
"Sorry! Sorry!" Tamaki whispered quickly. He glanced around him and then up at the stage with boyish excitement. "There are so many people here. And the drums are so big!"
Haruhi smiled in recognition of his joy. She leaned closer so that she could say in a softer voice "I'm glad you like the drums Senpai. I also wanted to say thank you for coming with me. No one else seemed to want to go and I didn't want to go alone."
Tamaki blushed, which went unnoticed by Haruhi in the darkness of the auditorium. "I have always wanted to see Taiko drums performed, ever since I heard about them while I was living in France. My mother always said that they were a sight to see." Tamaki said quietly, trying to ignore how Haruhi's arm brushed up against his as she drew closer to him. Haruhi replied softly "I still can't believe my dad was able to get tickets to this show. Too bad he had to work tonight; I'm sure he would have liked to come too."
As the drums grew louder, each beat resounded throughout the auditorium. "The drums…are so…I really like…" Tamaki registered that Haruhi was talking but couldn't fully hear her words.
He could only hear snippets of what she was saying. Wanting to hear her comments and answer her, Tamaki bent down so that his ear was close to her mouth. Tilting his head towards her, he said "Could you repeat that Haruhi? I didn't hear it."
Finding her lips close to Tamaki's ear, Haruhi paused as she felt the heat from his body so close to her skin. What had she been talking about again? Oh yes, the drums and how she liked listening to them…
Haruhi was about to repeat what she had said when Tamaki looked into her eyes, his features barely visible in the dim light.
The drums beat faster, the smaller ones sounding in turn with the larger ones. The Taiko players' arms moved quickly as they pounded out the rhythm in perfect harmony with each other.
Tamaki and Haruhi stared at each other, both suddenly caught up in their proximity to each other.
Haruhi felt the closeness of their bodies keenly. Somehow as Tamaki had drawn closer to her he had managed to be slightly behind her with his chest pressed against her shoulder. His face was so close to hers and in the darkness illuminated only by the stage lights in front of them Haruhi could barely make out his features, save for the curve of his cheek and his lips...
Senpai…
Haruhi's eyes widened as she tried to ignore this unexpected preoccupation that had arisen. She took a deep breath and registered the faint scent of Tamaki's cologne wafting through the air in the space between them. She blinked and attempted to reason out the ardor she was now feeling.
Haruhi realized that the trouble with the darkened auditorium and the thundering sound of drums was that you felt your heart beating in time with the rhythm and became all too aware of your senses. The combined effect of those traditional sounds, the darkness and warmth and the excitement of the crowd were spellbinding. Such an environment, coupled with the strangeness of being alone with Tamaki, was certainly the cause of her blossoming interest in kissing. There was no reason to be concerned, really.
Because there was no way that she could be attracted to Tamaki, her goofy senpai.
But as the tempo changed from fast to slow and the smaller drums were replaced by the deep sounds of even bigger ones, Haruhi felt her pulse quicken once more.
Tamaki still hadn't stopped looking at her, in fact he was even closer now.
Haruhi swallowed nervously and licked her lips. Tamaki noticed and swallowed as well.
For Tamaki, becoming caught up in the experience of watching and listening to the drums in the dark with Haruhi had the interesting effect of lowering his inhibitions and boosting his desire. All his normal methods of holding his feelings for Haruhi at bay were being overridden by the smell of her shampoo that still lingered about her, the warmth of her body so close to his and the sound of those drums pulsing through the air.
As those heady beats continued to resound around them, Tamaki leaned closer to Haruhi. Instinctively she inclined her head towards his. And as a traditional flute began to play along with the drums, the harmony swelled dramatically and their heads inched closer together.
They approached ever so slowly, their movements spurred on by rhythmic beats. The flute's rousing melody seemed to reflect the unexpected craving that arose within them both.
Tamaki put his arm around Haruhi's waist and she closed her eyes.
And as the drumming grew to a crescendo and the crowd burst into applause, Tamaki pressed his lips to Haruhi's.
They kissed softly, both of them tentatively exploring this new experience. Haruhi let out a little agitated sound as the percussion changed to a softer but no less dramatic composition. Tamaki moved to cup Haruhi's face with one hand as the other clutched her waist.
To Haruhi, the kiss seemed to be endless. Tamaki experienced pure bliss.
As the music intensified once more so did their kiss. It became heated, ardent and welcome. Caught up in a sultry spell of flute notes and drum beats they searched each other and themselves through that one physical connection. Without thinking, without reasoning, Haruhi turned towards Tamaki's embrace and he wrapped his arms around her fully, drawing her even closer.
But as the song ended the crowd burst into another round of happy applause. The lights came on, the darkness resided and the heady spell was broken.
Haruhi broke away from Tamaki's mouth and they both started at each other in blushing shock.
"Haruhi?" Tamaki said tentatively, his arms still around her waist.
"Senpai?" Haruhi replied as she looked at him with very wide eyes.
They stared at each other in bewilderment, their bodies still caught up in an embrace. The drummers bowed and the crowd shouted "Encore." And as the lights went down once more and the drumming began anew, Tamaki and Haruhi continued to gape at each other; both knowing that their kiss meant a major change in their relationship was upon them.