A/N- Hey guys, this is my first Host Club story, so I hope you like it!

Disclaimer- I do not own Ouran High School Host Club or Gilmore Girls.

Never Let Go

"What is this feeling? It feels strange, almost like a snake constricting my chest. Every time she's near, my heart beats just a little faster. Sure she's smart, but that's the only merit I can gain from this commoner. She's clumsy and she dresses like a boy for Christ's sake! Well I guess that's partially because of the debt, but she looked like a guy the first time I met her. How is it that she's not like the rest? I always found girls to be giggly and annoying, but not her. When she laughs, it's a clear, beautiful laugh that fills the room to its fullest capacity. It's rare to hear, so when I do, I cherish it and keep it locked in my memories."

All Tamaki could do was stare, and hurriedly put back Kyouya's ledger. He couldn't believe that Kyouya, 'The Shadow King', could be anything other than cold and competitive. Tamaki had a hunch that Kyouya liked her, since every member of the host club felt something towards the naïve girl, but he didn't realize how much. Maybe to the point of love? The Shadow King in love? Is that even possible?

Shudder

Tamaki was determined to find out. Now all he had to do was formulate a plan. Should he include the rest of the Host Club? "No, Hikaru will probably get jealous and try and screw it up. Which means Kaoru will go with him. He may be the more mature twin, but he won't abandon his brother. Honey-sempai might want to help, but he doesn't focus well, so I may ask for his assistance later. And if Honey-sempai agrees, than Mori-sempai will agree also." As Tamaki pondered his thoughts, he failed to notice that a figure made his way over from the darkness. Tamaki turned around and came face to face with the hooded figure.

"Ah!" Tamaki screamed and backed away furiously. "Nekozawa-sempai, w-what can I d-do for you?" he asked, trying not to stutter.

"I can help if you want."

Tamaki straightened up and looked at Nekozawa seriously, "Help me with what?"

Nekozawa smirked, "You know exactly what I'm talking about. So, do you have a plan to set up your best friend and the new girl yet?"

"H-how did you know!?" Tamaki exclaimed, not realizing all of what Nekozawa said.

"I didn't for sure, but you just confirmed all of my suspicions. Thanks, and if you need me, you know where to find me." And with that, Nekozawa disappeared back into the dark.

"Crap, now I'm going to get yelled at by the club...but what they don't know won't hurt them." Tamaki gathered the rest of his things, called his driver, and walked away happily. Tamaki couldn't wait for tomorrow's special event, 'Observation Day'.

-The Next Day-

Tamaki waited anxiously for his darling 'daughter' to arrive. The instant Haruhi opened the door; a flash of blonde went from one side of the room to the other. All you had to hear was "Sempai, GET OFF!" to realize what had happened. Not that the host club wasn't used to it already, since it happened every day, but to the random people that paid a visit to the 3rd Music Room it not only surprised them, but scared them a little too. As Haruhi was being 'attacked' by Tamaki, Kyouya glanced in their direction, but turned back to his laptop upon hearing the famous call for help from Haruhi to Mori. Seeing Mori touch her like that, sent chills up and down Kyouya's back, but he tried to ignore it the best he could. As Tamaki went to his 'corner of woe', he secretly noted on how uncomfortable Kyouya was with Mori 'saving' Haruhi. It was slight, but in Tamaki's eyes, it was like a ton of bricks hitting him in the face. He knew his friend well, though Kyouya tried to deny it, and though it hurt him, Tamaki only wanted his best friend to be happy. And that is how he decided to let his love for Haruhi go, and work towards showing Kyouya how to truly care for someone.

Throughout the rest of the afternoon, Tamaki kept taking peeks between Haruhi and Kyouya. At the moment, they were fighting over a broken tea cup. Haruhi was claiming that it wasn't her fault and how the twins were playing the "Haruhi in the middle" game, but he wouldn't back down from his decision. In the end, Haruhi pouted a bit, and than walked away. But what she didn't realize was that as she was sulking away, Kyouya sat there, watching her and…smiling? Tamaki was about to protest to what he saw, but Kyouya noticed him first, and went back to working on his laptop.

Other than the tea cup incident, Kyouya and Haruhi made little to no contact, which upset and confused the 'King'. It almost seemed like they were avoiding each other, but why? Once again, Tamaki thought that it was his civil duty to find out what was happening, and why. He turned around after figuring out his next plan of action to find the room completely empty. Shrugging his shoulders, Tamaki decided to talk to Kyouya tomorrow.

-The Next Day-

Tamaki decided to go to the Host Club a bit earlier today, since he wanted to talk to Kyouya. Walking down the hall, Tamaki heard voices, so he hid behind the nearest pillar. Luckily it was close enough for him to hear the conversation. Questioning why he suddenly had the urge to hide, he actually listened to the voices and realized that they belonged to none other than Kyouya Ootori and Haruhi Fujioka. Knowing this only made Tamaki creep closer to the next pillar and crouch down. He understood eavesdropping was wrong, but this is an 'emergency' and he needed all the information he could get.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Haruhi, but I can assure you that I have only added what was necessary."

"Ok, than how you do explain my debt being higher than it was originally?"

"Costumes, food, plus your clumsiness affects how many things you break, which also add in."

"So you're basically saying that no matter how hard I work, my debt is never going to get paid off?"

"No, I'm saying it may take a while, and you getting angry is not going to lessen it anymore."

"Fine, I'll drop the issue for now, but I want to see every cent you add to my debt from now on. And I want to see receipts also. I will NOT be conned into staying in the Host Club!"

"Ok, well my watch says it is exactly 4:01, which means you're late. I'm going to-"

"Don't say another word, Kyouya Ootori."

Tamaki heard a slam, and decided it was now safe to come out of hiding.

"So, how long were you panning on standing out here to eavesdrop on me?"

Tamaki jumped up out of his hiding spot, and nervously walked up to Kyouya. "Well, I didn't mean to eavesdrop; I was actually coming early to look for you. I need to talk to you, but I guess it can wait, seeing as how you can't keep her waiting." The last part he said under his breath, but it was still heard by the youngest Ootori son. Kyouya glared suspiciously at Tamaki. "And what exactly does that mean?" his voice never faltering and his eyes as piercing as ever. "Never mind, I still have work to do. Don't waste my time unless you have something intelligent and/or important to discuss with me." Kyouya walked back into the room and Tamaki jumped for joy. When he got his composure back, he skillfully glided into the 3rd Music Room and found the Host Club sitting around the table.

"Hey Tono. Finally decided to show up, eh?"

"Yea, we thought you'd be standing out there all afternoon."

Tamaki looked at them stunned. "How did you guys get in here?"

"Through the door, silly Tono." Hikaru and Kaoru decided to poke fun at Tamaki and went over there to bother him. Honey went up to the frozen Tamaki. "Tama-chan, are you alright? You look a little pale. Are you sick? Did you hurt yourself? Do you want some cake? Whenever I feel sick, cake makes me feel better. I got some fresh strawberry cakes. We can split one with you, but then I have to cut it into thirds. And I kind of wanted the strawberry, but if you want, you can have it! No? Ok, well Takashi and I will be over there with the cake if you want some later!" Honey happily skipped off with Usa-chan in one hand, and dragging Mori with the other.

"Sempai?" Haruhi carefully balanced a tray with tea and cookies. This got Tamaki's attention and he got lost in her big, brown eyes. His fantasies started up again, blocking out everything around him.

-Fantasy-

"Tamaki-Sempai, I brought you some homemade cookies that I made just for you! Will you accept them?" she asked nervously.

"Oh, my darling Haruhi, of course I will accept them!"

"Sempai…"

-Fantasy Over-

'Sempai!"

Tamaki came out of his fantasy to see Haruhi waving in front of his face. "Hurry up Sempai, the customers will be arriving any minute now. Your costume is in the back, so go and get changed!"

When Tamaki came out, there were four girls waiting at his table.

"OoO, Tamaki, you make such a handsome Pilgrim!"

"I agree! And Hikaru and Kaoru make cute Indians, but who's Haruhi suppose to be? Why is he dressed like a girl?"

Tamaki looked up and followed where the girls were looking and sure enough, Haruhi was in a dress. "Ah, I believe Haruhi is dressed as Sacagawea. He pulls it of well don't you think?"

"Of course, Haruhi can look good in anything!"

Kyouya just happened to be walking by, so Tamaki wanted to see if he could get anything out of him. "What do you think Kyouya?"

"Ah, well, I must agree that the costume fits well. None of the other members could make the costume work." With that said, Kyouya resided to the other side of the room to work on the Club's finance's. Kyouya didn't move from that spot until Haruhi went over there to clean up. Of course, being the nosey person he is, Tamaki secretly set up a voice recorder, since he was caught last time. He then rejoined the rest of the group while Haruhi finished her chores. When everything was finished, Tamaki surreptitiously grabbed the recorder and ran like hell. He couldn't wait to get home and hear their conversation.

"Kyouya-sempai, are you done with your tea?"

"Yes, thank you. And you needn't use the formalities. I think we've known each other long enough to drop the 'sempai', don't you?"

Tamaki's jaw dropped. Did he hear correctly? Anyways…

"If you're sure, Kyouya-sem-"

"Ah-hem, what did I just say?"

"Gomen Kyouya. It's just hard to say when I'm used to the 'sempai' part."

"Than just use it when we're around everyone else, but when it's just us, please, no formalities."

"Ok, I guess I can do that, but one question. Why bring this up all of a sudden? You seem very persistent."

"Wow, how dense is this girl?" Tamaki thought.

"Ah, um, well, it's just that you're so much closer to the other members, and you share something different with each of them, and I, uh…"

"Oh my god, Kyouya got thrown off by a question!? Didn't he think about his request before he asked Haruhi? Wouldn't he have known that maybe she would ask him about it? He never shows his weakness, never. Maybe this will be good for him."

"Oh, I see."

"Why does her voice seem sad?" Tamaki asked himself.

"Well, if it'll help, we could set a certain time each week and hang out, you know, just the two of us. I mean, only if you want to."

"Ok, come to my house at 7 on Friday. And don't tell Tamaki; I don't want him to throw a fit."

"Deal, and Kyouya, can you not tell the twins either? I have a feeling Hikaru may get jealous and over react."

"So you know Hikaru has feelings for you. I guess you're not as dense as I thought. How about we don't tell anyone, for now at least? It'd be better this way. Now our friends won't assume anything."

"That's a good idea, and what exactly do you mean by, 'not a dense as I thought'?"

"Well, you are."

"Am not!"

"Haha, ok, whatever you say."

"Did Kyouya just laugh?"

"I better finish cleaning, so I can go home."

"Would you like a ride? It won't add on to your debt, I promise."

"No thank you. It's nice out today, so I'll just walk."

"Ok, but remember, Friday at 7. Don't be late, and don't eat beforehand."

"Ok! Bye Kyouya."

"Bye."

"Hm, pretty intense conversation, and I got it on tape!" Tamaki was very proud of his detective work, but there was still another part of the tape that he didn't listen to. After he congratulated himself on a job well done, he realized that the tape was still going. After he heard a slam in the back ground, Kyouya's voice came back through the little black box.

"Tamaki, you had better not tell anyone, and I mean anyone, about the conversation you just recorded. You honestly think that you can trick me? But seriously, this better not leak out to the rest of the club members, especially, because if I hear about it by anyone other than Haruhi, I will send my police force after you. Is that clear? And one more thing, can you come over and help me plan this thing for Friday? I expect you at my house at 7:30. That should give my cooks enough time to prepare enough food for you and your bottomless pit. See you then."

After that, the line went dead, signaling the end of the tape. "Kyouya wants my help?" thought Tamaki, and after realizing this, he looked at his clock that read 7:14. "Oh, no! I must change and make my way to Kyouya's! I can't be late!" Tamaki made it to Kyouya's at exactly 7:30 and rang the doorbell. "Good evening Master Souh, I'm guessing you're here to see Master Kyouya? I'll go and get him for you." "No need, I'm right here." Kyouya descended down the main staircase and closed the book he was reading. He motioned for the maid to take Tamaki's coat, and led him into the dining room. They both sat down across from each other, though it was a good distance apart since the table was long and had a great width. The servants brought out one dish after another, and before they knew it, a small feast was sitting in front of them, waiting to be eaten. "Don't just stare at it, go ahead and start eating. You don't think that I am going to eat all of this food by myself, now do you?" Tamaki didn't need to be told twice, he would have plenty of time to talk to Kyouya, but for now, he would merrily stuff his face full of delicious food. Kyouya only ate a couple of bites before asking the maid to take away his plate. Tamaki, still eating, noticed this and was worried about his friend. "Hey, you barely ate anything, are you ok?" Kyouya put on his Host Club smile, but Tamaki could see right through it. "Kyouya, you don't have to pretend when you're around me, you know that. And besides, I can see through your fake smile, so you're just wasting your energy with that. Now are you going to tell me what's wrong, or did I just come over here for nothing but free food?"

Kyouya got up and put his chair back to where it's supposed to be. "All in good time, Tamaki, all in good time. This would not be proper dinner conversation. When you are done, which I am assuming is now since you have nothing left on your plate, have the maid take it away and come to my room." Tamaki rushed over to Kyouya after getting his place cleared and they went to Kyouya's room to 'talk'."

Once inside Kyouya's room, Tamaki got comfortable on the floor, while Kyouya resided to the couch. "Why are you sitting on the floor?" Tamaki just beamed up at him. "Because we're having a sleepover!" And just when Kyouya thought his friend couldn't get any stupider. Kyouya just glared at his friend. "A what?" Tamaki gaped at him like a child fixated on a TV program. "You've never heard of a sleepover!? It's when friends stay at other friends' houses and tell secrets. They stay up 'til all hours of the night, and sometimes they don't even sleep! Doesn't that sound like FUN!?"

"No." Kyouya stated while glaring even harder at Tamaki, who didn't seem to notice. "But why!?" Tamaki whined.

"Would you like me to tell you why I've asked you here in the first place or not?" Tamaki stopped whining and scooted closer to Kyouya. But than he saw the far of look in Kyouya's eyes after asking him that, so Tamaki decided to sit next to him on the couch. Tamaki became very serious all of a sudden and looked directly at Kyouya. "So, what did you need to talk to me about?"

"Haruhi."

"Well, what about her?" he asked, trying to play dumb (not that it's hard…).

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" Kyouya tried to hide the frustration in his voice.

"No, but you have to admit to it before I can help you."

"Fine, I love her." Kyouya confessed in defeat.

"Mmhmm, go on." Tamaki gleamed inside; very proud that he got his friend, the 'Shadow King', to express his feelings out loud.

"I love her, but I don't know how she feels about me? I mean, you heard the conversation; she didn't get what I was trying to do. I've run out of ideas, and I had this brilliant idea to invite her over Friday, but I don't know if I can go through with it, what if I do something stupid, or say something dumb, or-"

"Shut up." Tamaki loved his friend dearly, and wanted to help him so badly, but there was only so much of begging Kyouya that he could handle, and it just passed its limit.

Kyouya just stared at him in disbelief. Here he is spilling out all his feelings, and this is the response he gets from the friend he is trying to confide in? He didn't understand. All he could muster up was a "Wha-?"

"I said 'shut up'. Kyouya, you are the most stable guy I've ever met. I mean you threaten people without a second thought, and you're not afraid of anything. You've never said anything dumb, nor do anything stupid. You're, like, perfect. You're punctilious with everything you do, and you don't do things on impulse, like me. You meticulously plan before you take action. You must've had some idea of what to do on Friday, and if not, well that's ok too, because that's what I'm here for. So Kyouya, how much do you care for Haruhi?"

"She is the most important thing to me."

"And how far would you go to get her?"

"I would do anything."

"Ok, good. Now that we've got that out of the way, I have a few tricks up my sleeve."
"Tricks? No Tamaki, I don't want to trick her into liking me."

"I know, I was just kidding. I've just always wanted to say that." Tamaki got off the couch and went to Kyouya's laptop. He turned it on, but it slammed closed before he could even log on. "Use that one." Kyouya pointed to the other computer that had an apple on it instead of a pineapple. Tamaki booted up the other laptop, and logged onto the weather website. "Perfect." Tamaki thought. "We just need to make sure that Haruhi's not late come Friday night." Tamaki glanced at the clock in the right hand corner. "Kyouya it's getting pretty late, I should head home." Kyouya too just noticed the time and went to see his friend off. Before Tamaki departed, he left Kyouya with one piece of advice. "Relax Kyouya, it's only Haruhi. You know her, she isn't impressed with money or looks, and it's what's inside that really matters to her. Just be yourself and you'll be fine. If she can put up with your personality now, than that means that you don't have to change a thing! Ok, well see ya tomorrow!" Tamaki flashed him a bright and encouraging smile before he got into his limo and drove away.

-Friday-

Well, it was finally the day Kyouya was looking forward to and dreading all at once. Tamaki still hadn't told him what his plan was, or what he looked up on the internet, so that made him even more nervous. Host Club was over and he was heading home. When he walked into his room, he could tell his sister had been there. There were drawers pulled out and clothes thrown everywhere, making anyone that came into his room think that either A) he was a slob, which of course he wasn't, or B) a tornado made its way through only that part of the house and left as quietly as it had come. Kyouya looked at his watch and noticed that he had an hour to clean and change before Haruhi arrived. He rushed around his room picking up clothes and putting them back into their correct places. He also called a maid in to dust and vacuum while he changed out of his uniform and into something more comfortable, but still presentable. He came out with a dark button up shirt and dark jeans on. With one look at the mirror in his bathroom, and a swift motion with the comb through his hair, he dubbed himself ready and headed over to the other side of the house. As he proceeded to wait for Haruhi to arrive, he sat on one of the leather couches in his living room, and remained patient. Unfortunately, he didn't have as much patience as he thought, and looked around the room for something to occupy his mind. He finally found what he was looking for and walked across the room. He gently picked up the case and opened it to reveal a beautiful violin. He gingerly took it out and set it on his shoulder, trying to tune it. Once tuned, he played the melody he had learned many years ago from his sister. As he played, his mind began to wander.

-Flashback-

"No, Kyouya, you hold it like this." Fuyumi correctly placed the violin onto Kyouya's shoulder, and held it there while Kyouya tried to play it.

"But sister, it's uncomfortable this way. Can't I move it over just a little bit?"

"I'm sorry, but father told me to teach you to play an instrument properly, and since the only instrument I can play is violin, you just have to deal with it."

"Fine, but can you at least teach me to play something other than scales?" Kyouya made a disgusted face while saying the word 'scales', and Fuyumi couldn't do anything but laugh.

"Sure, I'll teach your one of my favorite songs." About 50 minutes later, Kyouya nailed the song. It still needed practice though. When Kyouya heard it the whole way through, he finally realized what song he was playing. "Hey, sister, isn't this the theme to Princess Mononoke?"

Fuyumi giggled at this, "Good ears, Kyouya."

"I have a question. Why this song? You know that if I play this for father, you're going to get into trouble. He hates it when we do anything that doesn't gain merits, and I know watching Princess Mononoke won't do anything for his company."

"Very true, so I was hoping that maybe this could be our song? You know a song that you can play for me when I come and visit once I'm married."

"Our song…"

-Flashback Over-

"Wow that was beautiful, Kyouya."

Hearing his name, Kyouya turned around instantly to find Haruhi standing against the doorframe. She was wearing a brown skirt with pink beaded embroidery and a pink frilly top that accentuated her curves, or lack of. She had just given a maid her brown corduroy jacket and slipped off her brown Birkenstocks upon entering the mansion. Haruhi also had small butterfly clips in her hair to keep the bangs out of her eyes. Kyouya was too stunned for words. Had it not been for the maid asking him if they should start dinner, he could've stared and admired her all night. Putting his composure back on, Kyouya skillfully put away his violin and glided over to Haruhi in a matter of seconds. He took her hand in his and gently placed his other hand on the small of her back, expecting for her to reject him. She accepted the touch and he led her to the foyer. "Shall we go for a tour while the cooks prepare dinner? I've asked them to make ootoro as well."

"Princess Mononoke!" Kyouya looked at Haruhi, surprised by her sudden outburst. "That song is from Princess Mononoke. Am I right? It's my favorite movie. I used to watch it all the time with my mother and than with my father, once mother passed away. I still watch it from time to time. Though don't tell Tamaki-Sempai. I don't want to be forced to watch it with him and have 'father/daughter bonding time'." She crinkled her nose just picturing it. Kyouya laughed at the expression she made while thinking about getting kidnapped by Tamaki. "It'll be our little secret, as long as you don't mention to anyone that I play violin." Haruhi looked up at him with confusion in her eyes. "Why doesn't anyone else know? You play it so beautifully. I would think that you would somehow use that to your advantage and gain something from it. Even if that's not the case, you should still share your talent. It's truly a wonderful gift." Kyouya was surprised at the last comment. No one has ever called it a gift before. How was it that a commoner, with no formal back ground, could understand him this way? All his life, he just wanted someone to care, and not just because they had to, but because they wanted to. Someone who accepted him for who he was, and not just because he's the third son of the Ootori family.

"Maybe one day, but not now. Anyways, shall we start the tour, or would you like to just sit and wait for the food?"

Kyouya started to release the grip on her hand, but Haruhi was quicker and tightened the hold. She smiled up to him, "A tour would be great." Kyouya led her down the hallway, relieved that maybe this would end up positive after all. As they neared his room, they heard a shuffling inside. They quickly walked over to see someone crouched down on his floor. Kyouya was more surprised to, once again, find clothes strewn over the carpeted surface. "Fuyumi, what are you doing? I already cleaned up your mess today. I don't need to do it again. Why are you here? I thought you were going out tonight."

Fuyumi stopped shuffling around, got up, and walked over towards the door. She beamed at Kyouya, and she held her hand out to Haruhi. "You must be Haruhi! My brother's told me a lot about you! It's so nice to meet you! Oh, Kyouya, she's so cute! She's cuter tha-" Kyouya slapped a hand across her mouth, to make her shut up. You could see the fire in his eyes, after hearing what his sister was spilling to Haruhi. "Fuyumi shut up and leave." Fuyumi looked at him with a sad expression, but than stared deep into his eyes, and saw 'it'. A bright smile flew across her flawless face. She touched the hand Kyouya had over her mouth, and he slowly let it fall from her face. "Well, I guess it's time to take my leave. It was nice meeting you, Haruhi. I hope we can chat again soon! Maybe next time I'll be able to stay longer. Goodbye Kyouya, I shall see you soon! Give mother and father my love!" And with that, she was gone. The slam of the door was heard, and Kyouya and Haruhi were alone once again. Kyouya looked down and saw Haruhi fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. "She's nervous?" he thought as he tried to figure out what to do next. "Hey, ready for the surprise?" Haruhi's head shot up, and a look of intrigue came into her eyes. "You never said anything about a surprise."

"Yes, well the definition of a surprise is to come upon or discover unexpectedly. Just come on." He said with a smirk. Kyouya went behind Haruhi and brought up his hands to cover her eyes. "Kyouya, wha-"

"Just close your eyes, and listen. I'll make sure you don't get hurt. Now follow what I say. Go five steps and than turn to the right. Ok, there's a door in front of you. Open it and take ten steps inside. There are five steps up and than go another five steps forward. Now, open your eyes."

Haruhi felt Kyouya's hands loosen and saw before her the most gorgeous library she's ever stepped foot in. She did a 360 and saw rows upon rows of books. There was a giant desk in the middle with open books and other study materials placed upon it. Ladders connected to the columns, so that even the highest book could be accessed easily. All the books were categorized and dusted everyday, as to keep them clean and organized. Haruhi eyes filled with awe and amazement. This made Kyouya smile. He loved seeing her like this; sweet and vulnerable. She never let her guard down around the other club members, so seeing her like this was truly a gift to be treasured. "Kyouya, this is amazing. I've never seen so many books. I love it. Thank you."

Kyouya hadn't expected to receive such gratitude over a library, but was grateful for it anyways. "Of course, but this isn't the surprise. Well, at least it isn't all of it."

"This isn't the surprise? But I thought-"

"I'm lending you this library. You're always complaining that there's no place to study, or that the Host Club is too loud, so I'm letting you use this place anytime you wish. I am also letting you use one of my chauffeurs, so that you can transport easily from your house to mine." Haruhi couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was so ecstatic that she ran full speed and latched onto Kyouya. Of course, Kyouya wasn't expecting this reaction out of her, but he graciously returned the hug. "Thank you." She mumbled into his shirt, as she buried her face further into him. Kyouya rested his chin on the top of her head. "You're welcome." After five minutes, they let go, but not without a blush attacking both of their faces. They got their composure back, and heard the maids calling for them to come and eat. Kyouya lifted out his hand. "Shall we?" Haruhi responded by clasping her own hand into his. "Lets."

While at dinner, there was an awkward silence, until they both heard the doorbell ring. "Master Kyouya, something has arrived for you. I will leave it in your room." "Ok, thank you." He responded and turned back to his food. "Is it always like this?" Haruhi asked cautiously, almost scared that he might get angry.

"Like what?"

"Empty."

"Oh, do you mean the absence of my family. Yes, they tend to work through dinner, and sometimes they don't come home until the next day. But today, they are all on business trips. I'm sorry if you wanted to meet them, maybe next time."

"It's not that, I mean sure, it would be nice to meet your family, but that's not why I came here. I asked because I was worried about you. I know what it's like to be alone, and I wouldn't want anyone to have to go through that. It's not fun."

"But I'm not alone. You're here, right?" Kyouya looked up through his spectacles, but they hit the light, so Haruhi couldn't see his true expression.

"Right." Haruhi happily placed another piece of ootoro in her mouth, and continued with the, now, comfortable silence that fell between them. After dinner, as the maids cleaned up, they headed over to the living room and sat, side by side, on the black leather couch. "So, what's next?" Haruhi asked, getting comfortable in the squishy sofa. "Would you like to watch a movie? There's a case over there, if you want to see what I have. Pick whatever you want." Haruhi got up, silently cursing Kyouya for making her get up once she made herself comfortable, and went over to the movie case. Though it was small and only went up to her shoulders, she noticed that it constantly spun, holding at least five movies in each row. "Rich bastards." She thought as she searched the revolving case. She spotted a movie out of the corner of her eye, and instantly picked it up in awe and mischief. She rushed over to the DVD player and slipped in the disc before Kyouya could take back his comment and make her pick a different movie. She shuffled back over to the couch and plopped down into the comfy position she was previously in. Kyouya saw the mischief in her eyes and new she was up to something. "So, what movie did you pick?"

"You have to wait and find out! It's a secret!" Haruhi put a finger up to her lips and smiled playfully before turning back to the TV. Kyouya loved Haruhi's playful side. It made her more feminine and cute. He watched her try to figure out the DVD remote, and when she finally gave up, she handed it to Kyouya without looking at him. "What would you like me to do with this?" he asked, trying to make her ask for help. He liked that she was independent and proud, but everyone needs help, he learned, and it was time for her to find this out also. "It won't work." She responded stubbornly. "And?" He could tell Haruhi was getting frustrated, but he wouldn't back down. "Can you?" She gritted her teeth together, knowing exactly what he was doing. "Can I what?" he smirked. "Can you…help me?" She had finally done it, and he was proud of her. "Of course, all you had to do was ask." "Thanks." She mumbled in defeat.

The movie started and Kyouya looked over and saw Haruhi shiver. He got up, grabbed a blanket, and went back to cover her with it. It was then that he noticed that Haruhi found Princess Mononoke. "I thought Fuyumi took that with her when she got married."

"Thank you, Kyouya." Haruhi snuggled deeper into the blanket. Seeing this made Kyouya wish that he was the blanket, or at least the one who replaced the blanket. While pondering his latest predicament, Kyouya failed to notice the clouds rolling over the mansion, and covering the clear night sky. Back in the distance, flashing lights could be seen as well. Trying to forget about the unbelievably amazing girl beside him, Kyouya decided to watch the movie. He had forgotten why he liked it so much, maybe it was because the animals talked and everything he was taught didn't include animation, but he was glad that he got another chance to watch it, and with Haruhi no less.

Halfway through the movie Haruhi had formed into a comfortable position and rested her head on the arm of the couch, which meant the bottom half of her body, was facing Kyouya. It took all of Kyouya's control to not reach out and touch her. He kept convincing himself that by doing that he was taking over Tamaki's job as the 'pervert', but in all reality, he just wanted to keep her safe. Right as the Forrest Spirit's head was cut off, Haruhi shot up and screamed. Kyouya thought it was the movie that scared her and was surprised that that's what it took to scare Haruhi, but than he remembered her other phobia. He looked outside and noticed the sky was especially eerie, but found nothing out of the ordinary. He looked closer and saw lighting flash every few seconds, which meant thunder was on its way as well. Kyouya changed his direction to Haruhi and saw her in a bundle on the floor. Soon the storm was right over them, and it sounded like an earthquake was proceeding outside.

Kyouya quickly got on the floor and sat next to Haruhi. He was never good at comforting people, since it never gained him any merits according to his father, but he tried the best he could. Kyouya hesitantly put an arm around the bundle, known as Haruhi, and was suddenly crushed by said bundle. He could feel her shivering and whimpering inside the blanket, so he securely wrapped both arms around her. He remembered something Fuyumi did when he wasn't feeling so hot, and started to gently rub small circles in her back with his thumb. It seemed to calm her down a bit, but she was still shaking. Then an idea struck him. He picked her up, blankets and all, and carried her to his room. He sat her down on the bed and slipped in between her and the mattress. When he got into a satisfied position, he separated Haruhi and the blanket. Haruhi tried to protest, but Kyouya had already placed the blanket back over her. He brushed a few strands of hair off of her flawless face while he moved her head comfortably on his chest. He then placed his arms back around her petite form under the blankets which made Haruhi feel safe. They stayed like that for a few minutes until Kyouya felt a pair of arms connect around his waist. He heard a soft, but strong "Thank you." And he responded by sweetly kissing the top of her head. Kyouya started to get worried when he didn't get a response from her, and thought that she rejected him. He hesitantly looked down, and found Haruhi asleep. There was one thing that she couldn't hide from him though, and that was the small smile that adorned her lips while she slept. Kyouya's autopilot brain told him that it was time to sleep, so he closed his eyes and joined Haruhi in the dream world.

About 3 AM

Haruhi felt something warm around her and figured that it was her comforter. But than she had the question in her mind, "Do comforters have arms?" Sure, it was a silly question, but when it's 3 in the morning and you are physically unable to get up, than the question sounds sane. Afraid to discover what, or who, was holding her back, she looked up and saw black everywhere. No, it wasn't just the darkness, she was sure of that. And than the scenes from last night flooded through her mind. She remembered going to Kyouya's, touring, eating, watching a movie, but than what? Oh, yea, she forgot the storm. Kyouya must have carried me. Well if that was real, than was the kiss real too?" Ah, yes, she recalled the kiss Kyouya gave her. It was small, but it was still there, that much she was sure of. Was it out of pity? Or does he really care about her? Right now, she couldn't think, and she still needed to find a way out. It wasn't that she didn't like Kyouya, or loathe him for making her sleep in the same bed together; she just really had to go to the bathroom. "Why did I drink so much tea? I new I'd regret it later…" She felt Kyouya shift and found this the perfect moment. If she failed, she'd have to stay there until he wakes up, and who knew how long that would be since it was a Saturday. Unlike the rest of the Host Club, Haruhi wasn't afraid to wake the Low Blood Pressure Demon; she just didn't want to take away the sleep he lost staying up and watching over her. She stealthily slinked her way out of Kyouya's arms and ran like hell. She got to the bathroom just in time. When she was done, she looked in the mirror. "Man, do I look like crap. Maybe I should fix my hair at least, so when Kyouya does see me, I'll look somewhat decent." She combed through the tangled knots until silky strands fell through her fingers. Deciding that that's as good as its going to get, she went back to Kyouya's bed.

She hovered over the bed, deciding if she should climb back in or not. She went into a dazed mode and the next thing she knew, her face got smothered by pillows. She started to struggle for air, and felt Kyouya flip her onto her side so that she was looking at him. "What were you doing up at this ungodly hour?" Kyouya mumbled, annoyed that he had woken up. "I had to use the bathroom. What, did you think I'd just up and left? Especially before I got an apology from you." Haruhi snuggled closer to Kyouya. "An apology for what?" Haruhi smirked playfully. "For ending up in your bed last night…" Kyouya was speechless. "Wait, but I-" He was cut off by soft lips kissing his own rough ones. "And liking it." Haruhi was cut off by Kyouya, and had thought that she did something wrong. She turned around and faced the window. Kyouya straddled himself behind her and started to massage her shoulders. "Hey, what's wrong? You were fine a second ago." Kyouya said soothingly, leaning forward and giving her butterfly kisses along her neckline. "Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry if I took this the wrong way. I just thought maybe you liked me." Haruhi quietly sobbed. "You did nothing wrong, but you're right when you said that you took this the wrong way. There is not even the slightest chance that I like you in anyway." This broke Haruhi's heart. She tried to get up and leave, but for some reason Kyouya was holding her back. He then whispered in her ear, "And that is because I have fallen in love with you. You stole my heart, Haruhi Fujioka, and I'm never letting you go." He enveloped her into a hug and kissed her fiercely. She responded the instant his lithe tongue ran across her lips. But it wasn't until Kyouya heard Haruhi softly moan, that he finally realized what he was doing. They unwillingly broke the kiss and Haruhi responded, "I love you, too." Kyouya wasn't sure he heard right, "What did you say?" Haruhi lifted up a bit and pecked him on the lips, "I said, 'I love you, too'. What, has your kissing affected your hearing?" she asked sarcastically. Kyouya got the 'no one messes with an Ootori and gets away with it' glint in his eyes and the moment Haruhi had her guard down, Kyouya jumped on top of her and tickled her. "Ah! Kyouya, p-please, stop it! Ah!" Kyouya wouldn't give up; he was having too much fun! "I'm sorry, Haru-chan, I can't hear you. According to you, my hearing was affected by my kissing. I mean if you want me to stop kissing you to better my hearing again, than I guess that's a sacrifice I'm going to have to make." He smirked and looked down at the worn out Haruhi. It wasn't even 8:00 yet, and she already wanted to go back to sleep.

Soon after the 'war' was over, Kyouya leaned against the head of his bed and felt his phone vibrate on the table. Haruhi finished the glass of water that she magically got and plopped down next to her new boyfriend. "Who's that? Don't they know not to call or text before 11 at the earliest?" She knew him well. Though they never really hung out, until last night, or talked much by themselves, Haruhi still knew a lot about Kyouya. Kyouya was slightly puzzled and got up from the bed. This intrigued Haruhi, seeing as she has never seen a confused Kyouya before, so she followed him with her eyes. They landed on a box on Kyouya's desk. It was unopened and the only clue as to who it was from was the messy handwriting that said 'Kyouya' on the top. Kyouya carefully opened it and was surprised by what he found inside. He pulled out the contents one by one, examining them separately. A black cocktail dress, a bag of makeup, black heels, and other toiletry items? He double checked to make sure that it wasn't for Fuyumi and not him, but no matter how many times he looked, it still said his name on the outside of the box. After pulling everything out, he glanced at the bottom and saw a white envelope. He opened it and it read:

Kyouya,

Inside are all of the necessary items needed for Haruhi tonight. I assumed that you told her your feelings already, but if not, well these might fit your sister also. Anyways, if Haruhi is in fact still there, and has returned your feelings, than I want both of you ready and outside of your house at 7:00 sharp. There will be a limo waiting to take you to the surprise location. There you can do everything 'right'. I know you will make her happier than I ever can, so good luck, and leave the black velvet box somewhere well hidden.

Your best friend,

Tamaki

Kyouya was touched. No one has ever done something like that for him. He honestly didn't know how to respond. He felt arms wrap around his waist and pressure added to his back. He turned so that Haruhi now faced him, arms still around his lean torso, and kissed the top of her head. She snuggled her face into his toned chest and started to cry. "Hey, what's wrong?" Kyouya asked gently, smoothing her hair as a means of comfort. "Don't cry. You don't have to wear the dress if you don't want to. I can call my stylist over and make you something else." Haruhi sniffled and let go of Kyouya to wipe away her tears, but Kyouya got to her first, using his thumb to gently caress the tears away. "No, it's not that. I was just so happy that this is real and not a dream. Honestly, I've been disappointed like that before. I'd have this perfect scenario, and all of a sudden I'd wake up and it would disappear. I don't want that to happen again. Wait, what dress?" Haruhi looked up at Kyouya innocently, and he tried to suppress his laughter, but it didn't work out so well. "For our date tonight, silly Haruhi, or did you forget so quickly?" Haruhi let go and put her hands on her hips. "What date? You never asked me out on a date. I hope you don't just assume that I'll go without asking me. And also, what if I had other plans, I mean I can't just abandon them. Plus, I have to go home to make dinner for my dad. I can't let him starve, now can I? Kyouya Ootori, this is not how things are going to be from now on. I want an equal share in this relationship, or I'm leaving."

"Alright Ranka, I'll have her home by twelve. Thank you again, and I can assure you, she will be well taken care of. I'll send over my chef, so that he can make you dinner, since I am taking away Haruhi's cooking time. Bye." Haruhi just stood there, astonished. Not only did she rant on and on, but Kyouya didn't hear a word of it. And to top it all off, he just did the opposite of what she told him not to do. Haruhi huffed and stormed out of the room. She almost made it to the door to freedom, but was held back by something, or more specifically, someone. "And just where do you think you are going?" Haruhi turned around and glared at Kyouya. "Well, you would know if you were listening, but I guess that's too much to ask from you. Maybe it's because you're an Ootori. Now, if you don't mind, can you let go? I have to go home." Kyouya pulled Haruhi to his chest and hugged her around her waist. He breathed in the strawberry scent of her shampoo and let her silky hair brush gently across his face. "I'm sorry." He murmured into her hair. Haruhi, her back to him, stood there stunned. "Wow, I never knew Kyouya could be this affectionate, or apologize." "It's ok, I forgive you, but can you please listen to what I have to say next time? I hate not getting a say in anything, you know that." Kyouya let go and twirled her around, so she faced him. "Ok." He responded and gave her a peck on the lips before he fully let her go. "Be ready by 7:00 PM, that's when the limo will be here. Your dress is upstairs, along with anything else that you will need. I will be in the library getting some work done, so you are free to do what you like until then. If you wish to go out, the limo is outside, just tell Frank where you want to go. I've already told everyone that you may have whatever you want, so if someone does not comply, send them to me. If you need anything else, you know where to find me." Kyouya grabbed his ledger and laptop off of the table and silently walked out of the room.

Haruhi looked around and was scared of getting lost, so she went to the living room and stretched out across the leather sofa. She flipped on Gilmore Girls and went to the kitchen to get some food. When she walked in, she was overwhelmed with the overly stocked shelves of ingredients, rows of drinks, and a gigantic closet full of food. "How does one consume ALL this food?" she thought to her self as she rummaged through the piles and piles of cookies. She found her favorite, white chocolate macadamia nut, and went back to the TV. On her way back, she ran into a maid. As she passed her, the maid, Ingrid, nervously went up to her and asked, "Miss Fujioka, do you need anything?" Haruhi looked over and smiled at her, "No, thanks, not right now. And you can just call me Haruhi. Please, I insist." This brightened up Ingrid. "Ok, if you insist, Haruhi. By the way, I'm Ingrid, Kyouya's personal maid. And if it's not to bold, I just want to thank you." "Thank me?" "Yes, I've never seen Master Kyouya so happy. I've known him since he was a little boy, and he's never let down his shield. But after meeting you, I know that Masker Kyouya is in good hands and won't end up alone in the world. I mean, sure he had Master Tamaki to depend on, but never a girl such as yourself. Please don't hurt him. He needs you." Ingrid was almost pleading and begging, but Haruhi stopped her before she got all sentimental. "I'm glad you see it that way. I was afraid that I would be a distraction to Kyouya, since he wants to be named the heir. I would hate it if I messed that up for him." After Haruhi said that, she started to really think about her last comment. Was she a distraction to Kyouya? She contemplated on whether to ask him or not, but than she remembered that he was working, so she let the idea slip to the back of her head. Ingrid went back to work, and Haruhi made her way back over to the couch. As she was watching Gilmore Girls, she realized that she and Dean were quite alike. It was the episode where Dean breaks up with Rory for a final time at her Grandparents house. He had just said that he doesn't belong, after seeing Rory dressed up and fitting in with the other rich Yale students. Did Haruhi really belong with Kyouya? Sure, she loved him, but she didn't want people to disapprove of Kyouya because of who he was with. Sleep soon overcame all thoughts and that too, went into the back of her mind.

Haruhi woke a few hours later. She got up, still a little dazed, and wandered around the house trying to find the library again. Once she found it, she carefully opened it and stepped inside with utmost care. She saw a figure sitting at one of the desks and snuck over to check on him. When she got there, she noticed that he was sleeping soundly. She also noticed that he was sleeping at a ninety degree angle, and wondered how he could sleep like that. She lifted his head slightly, so that it was propped up a bit, and started massaging his shoulders and neck. She heard a moan emanating from his throat and giggled, going over that spot again. Kyouya's eyes fluttered open and for the first time in his life, he wasn't totally pissed that someone had woken him up. It actually made the wake up process more enjoyable and relaxing. He let Haruhi massage his neck a little longer before he made his consciousness known. He grunted a bit before he lifted his head all the way and felt Haruhi's hands drop. Kyouya felt a voice behind him whisper into his ear. "Kyouya, are you really awake, or is this the Low Blood Pressure Demon I've heard so much about?" She got her answer when she felt herself get lifted and placed onto Kyouya. She had to straddle him in order to get comfy, but he didn't mind. He gave her one of his famous smirks and wrapped his arms around her back so she wouldn't fall or leave. "Which would you like me to be, Haru-chan?" He nuzzled his face into her hair again and made a sexy growling noise. The vibrations from his growl tickled Haruhi, and she chuckled, "Whichever one is willing to get up and get ready because we have to leave soon."

Kyouya lifted his head out from the crook of her neck and glanced at the giant clock on the wall. It was 5:00 and he figured that she meant, "Go take a shower, or I will". He loved that she organized everything around both of them, and not just herself. Then a plan formulated into his head. He suddenly picked Haruhi up, and carried her towards his room. "Hey, Kyouya, what are you doing? Where are you taking me!? Put me down!" But of course, Kyouya didn't hear a word of it, or chose not to, until they reached his room. He opened the door and headed towards the bathroom. He almost made it, but Haruhi had to spoil it, shouting, "What exactly are you doing!?" "Damn, she knows me too well. Why do I have to like someone smart? Why didn't I pick some dumb, flighty girl instead?" "Because, I want to be able to have intelligent conversations, and not have to explain the simplest things. I want someone who understands me and knows what I want. I want, Haruhi." Somewhere between his thoughts, Haruhi had managed to find a way out and slipped though his arms. Now, she was waving a hand in front of his face, which he caught diligently, and wondered what he was thinking about. He lost his train of thought, and stared back at the semi-confused girl whose wrist he held captive. "Uh, Kyouya, you going to let go anytime soon? I need to get ready as well, so can you shower so that there's enough time for me too?" Brought back to earth, Kyouya let go of Haruhi's wrist and headed to take a shower.

Finally, it was almost 7:00 and Kyouya was waiting downstairs for Haruhi. "Haruhi, are you done yet? I swear, for a low-maintenance person, you sure do take a long time to get ready. Why is it that it takes you 5 minutes to change during Club hours, but tonight you decided to use up almost 1 ½ hours of your life making yourself presentable?" At that moment, Haruhi was at the top of the stairs and glided down to meet up with Kyouya. The only thing Kyouya could do was stare, and drool (not really). He was almost positive that this person, no, angel in front of him was Haruhi, or at least an amazing replica of her. He, too, walked over and held out his hand. "Wow, you look…" Haruhi made it to the bottom of the stair case and nervously took Kyouya's hand. She was in a white fitted gown with clear beads embroidered into the fabric. There was a faint design and she accessorized the dress with white heels, a simple diamond necklace, and simple diamond earrings. She added a white cashmere coat since it was chilly outside. He could feel that something was off with her. "What's wrong?" Kyouya asked sincerely. Haruhi's face flushed instantly. "Um, nothings wrong, I swear. It's just that I'm not used to being dressed up and having an escort and everything. It's like I'm a Disney princess, or something. Anyways, shall we get going?" Haruhi asked, her voice faltering a bit, but she fought back most of it to keep her voice as normal as possible.

Kyouya stopped her and surveyed the emotion deep within. He thought he knew what the problem was, but for once, he didn't want to be totally blunt about it. Since he actually cared for Haruhi, he wanted to bring up the subject in a gentler manner, than he would've one of his colleagues or fan girls. He clasped his hands over both of her smaller ones and turned his concentrated face into a more loving one. "Haruhi, you don't have to worry about anything. You look beautiful, with or without all the make-up and jewelry. I don't care what you wear or how you look, I love you for you. Also, for future references, don't let the business men get you down. If they say something about me being with you, well than let them. I don't care. And for anyone that hurts you in any way, physically or emotionally, tell me, and I'll send my police force on their ass. I'm not kidding, so tonight, just relax and forget about everything except having a good time. Ok?" That was the most sincere thing he's ever said in his entire life and he never expected to say it. It just kind of came out. It was weird, for once he felt relieved that he let his emotions fall freely. Though it was refreshing, he didn't plan on doing it all, or most of the time. He had an image to maintain after all.

After his little, ahem, speech, he led Haruhi outside and helped her into the limo before sliding in himself. It was spacious, yet constricting at the same time. There was tension in the air and a loss for what to say next, so Haruhi gazed out the window while Kyouya took out his laptop and finished up some more work. They finally arrived and were helped out by chauffeurs. After their coats were taken, they were led through the restaurant and outside to a secret hideaway. It had a circular floor design and in the center was a table fabulously adorned with white candles over a red tablecloth. There was an exquisite wooden railing protecting the floor and everything inside of it from the beautiful, yet wild garden surrounding them. There were also strategically placed outdoor heaters for weather such as tonight. Not only were they far from the hustle and bustle of the restaurant, but they had the full moon as their backdrop and additional light.

Haruhi stood in awe as she took in the sight around her. Never in her whole life, has she seen anything this spectacular before. If this was the scenery, she couldn't wait for the food! When the waiter seated the couple, he took their drink orders and left them to decide what to eat. Haruhi was in the mood for a steak, but saw the price and freaked out. "Oh, my gosh! A steak is how much!?" Kyouya merely chuckled at his commoner girlfriend. "I guess she's never gone out with a rich guy before. She can be so naïve sometimes." "Haruhi, order whatever you want. Remember, I'm paying." Haruhi was a tad skeptical about taking his word and ordering anything, but like Kyouya said, relax and enjoy tonight, and that's exactly what she was planning on doing. When the waiter came back, Haruhi ordered a steak with mashed potatoes, corn, and rice, and for dessert she ordered French silk pie, her favorite (and mine too!). Kyouya ordered lobster for dinner and tiramisu for dessert. Once they got their food, Haruhi shoveled it in and within 20 minutes, she had finished everything, except a bite of pie that was saved for Kyouya. Kyouya was in disbelief. He had never seen a girl eat so, ferociously. It was like Haruhi was famished and hadn't eaten in a week. It amused him how unladylike her etiquette was, but it was another quirk he had to get used to.

After they both finished eating and the table was cleared, Kyouya reached down to feel the lump in his pants. He started to get really anxious, and contemplated on whether or not to follow through with his plan. Suddenly, Kyouya got the courage he needed and stood abruptly. Haruhi, stricken with confusing, waited patiently for Kyouya to explain whatever it was that was on his mind. Kyouya went around the table towards Haruhi and kneeled. He took out the black velvet box, and opened it to reveal the most gorgeous ring. It had a silver band with mini emeralds embedded around the circumference of the ring. Kyouya took the ring out and placed it in front of Haruhi. "Haruhi I'm not one for romantic speeches, and you know that, so will you be my girlfriend?" Haruhi felt a tear slide down her face as she furiously nodded and smiled. Kyouya was ecstatic and slid the ring onto Haruhi's right ring finger, but not before Haruhi read the inscription neatly written inside.

Never Let Go

A/N- DONE!!! Finally. I know this is ubberly long and I commend you on your accomplishment. I appreciate those who sat here and read the whole thing, but I will appreciate you more if you decide to review because I am always looking for ways to improve my writing and hearing other peoples' opinions is the only way! So, once again, thank you and I know Kyouya and Haruhi both were a little OOC, but that's what makes writing fanfics funn!

XOiHeaRTMiLoOX