Priceless

Disclaimer: Tash does not own Ouran, Hatori Bisco does. Now go worship her. XD

Huzzah! I'm still alive! XD Yup, it's been quite a while since I posted a TamaHaru, don't you think? Anyway, a very late Christmas fic for you all! Hopefully it doesn't suck too much…

…

She peered into the glass window, shivering as snow fell gently on her while her eyes kept their gaze onto the object inside the small toy shop.

In an attempt to warm herself, she blew steadily on her hands, her breath relaxing her already frozen nerves, but only for a few moments. "Ahh… Looks like my mittens aren't doing their job very well…" She sighed to herself as she turned her hand around. She was right, because her mittens were harshly worn-out, strands of thread coiling in various directions and very visible was a tiny hole just beneath her wrists.

But then she remembered the reason she was here and so she returned her glance to the object inside the shop. The center of her attention was a regular-sized teddy bear, chocolate brown in color with a bright, red ribbon tied around its neck.

The brunette quickly slipped her hand inside her pocket and managed to take hold of a few scrunched up bills. She looked back at the tag and sighed unhappily. "It's not enough."

So she turned her back against the glass window and decided to go back home. She would never be able to afford that teddy bear no matter how much money she raised. They were barely able to make ends meet—exactly eating three full meals a day—how much more making unnecessary expenses and doing impulse purchases?

Weird enough, despite how poor she might be, she was able to attend Ouran, a prestigious school exclusive to the rich. That was where all the magic happened. Dreams came true. And the impossible became possible.

Sometimes, she almost couldn't believe how simply opening a door changed her life. Because by just opening the door to the Third Music Room, she met them.

She met the Host Club.

At first she thought it was all a dream. But as time slowly passed, she gradually grasped onto the fact that they were real.

Before, she had to pretend to be someone she wasn't—she tried to fit in. But they made her realize that she didn't need to. That all she had to be was herself. And that was enough.

She had to admit, they were all a bunch of idiots. Then comes along Tamaki Suoh, the Host King, and the king of everything weird and stupid. Ah, the perfect male—tall, blonde, rich and handsome—he was everything every girl wished for.

But in spite of his stupidity and lack of common sense—commoner sense, she'd like to point out—he was the deepest member of the Host Club though his shallow appearance seemed to disagree otherwise. Her first verdict of him being the typical male—arrogant, narcissistic and conceited—all of them meant the same—was blemished.

He confused her. He was… practically unreadable. There were times where he acted so idiotic whenever his stupidity took its toll—but then, there were also those seldom moments when he could read profoundly into a person's emotions that she sometimes felt he was a totally different person.

Tamaki Suoh was unpredictable.

"Haruhi! Daddy's here! Are you alright?" Tamaki suddenly popped up, holding a pair of newly-bought mittens, still wrapped in clear plastic.

"Senpai… What are you doing here? How did you—" Haruhi stuttered, dumbfounded. "And how did you know I needed a new pair of those?" She pointed at the package he held.

Sometimes, she felt like he was stalking her. Not that it was bad thing, though.

"Oh, dearest daughter, stop asking questions and just put them on! You'll catch a cold out here!" The blonde piped up as he shoved her inside a coffee shop.

Both of them sat at a small table, Victorian details beautifully carved on it.

"… Ah, yes. Coffee for two. Would that be alright with you, Haruhi?" Tamaki asked the natural rookie who simply looked outside the window.

"Yes, Tamaki-senpai."

Tamaki waved the waiter away and turned to her.

"Senpai, aren't you telling me something I ought to know?" Haruhi asked doubtfully.

"Ahh… Ehh… What are you talking about, my beloved daughter!?" Tamaki panicked at the question.

Haruhi arched an eyebrow. "You're following me, aren't you Senpai?" She pointed at him accusingly in such a dramatic manner that Tamaki would've been proud of if only he wasn't at the receiving end of her accusation.

The Host King hung his head low in defeat. "Yeah." Then he looked up and explained frantically. "But then, I'm just doing this for your own good! You can't walk alone in the cold by yourself! That's why I'm here!"

Haruhi glanced at him. "I know." She smiled.

"Anyway," Tamaki began, a grin on his face. "I know you've been peering into that toy shop awhile ago, so I bought you this…" And he lifted something out from a paper bag he was holding.

Haruhi's eyes widened.

"H-How did you know—" Haruhi stuttered clumsily as she stared at the teddy bear.

Tamaki flicked his hair and grinned his toothy Host King smile. "Father knows best, my dearest daughter."

The brunette was about to point out the obvious flaw in his quote but decided not to.

Sure, Tamaki was stupid—everyone knew that. But then the entire reason why she wanted to buy that stuffed toy badly because it reminded her so much of him. She wanted to have something that would always make her remember him.

But then why settle for a teddy bear when you have the real thing?

…

Heehee…I luff this, so fluffy…XD Anyhoo, I hope it didn't kill you so much…Reviews are loved!