Another one-shot, this time with Mori-senpai and Haruhi! This is just a little blurb that came to me when I was supposed to be writing my research paper.

They say things come in opposites.

Who exactly they are was a mystery to Haruhi, but she tended to agree none-the-less. Like Tamaki and Kyouya, for example. Tamaki was a possessed lunatic who didn't know a thing about personal space or modesty, and Kyouya was the cool, collected contrast of the crazed blonde. Or Kaoru and Hikaru. Hikaru was crass and (albeit lovingly) tactless while Kaoru was outwardly sweet and pensive.

Light/dark, up/down, night/day, black/white, heaven/hell, and all the while Haruhi felt like she was…missing something. Well, she searched for years for that mysterious something (that was so incredibly frustrating she just wanted to scream) all the while trying to ignore the fact that she felt incomplete, empty, lacking.

Until she met him.

At first, the silent, impassive young host had seemed just that: silent and impassive. Seemingly wrapped around the finger of little Hani-senpai and content with the master-servant roles they embodied. Yet somehow Haruhi sensed that there was more to the towering senior. It didn't take long for the two to develop a more-than-platonic relationship. Yet it was the little things that made Haruhi fall in love with Mori-senpai. He would leave little chocolates in her bag for her to find later, he would walk her home from school even though it was in the opposite direction of his house. He never pressured her, never demanded anything of her, never sought to manipulate her.

To the untrained eye, Mori-senpai was the exact antithesis of Hani-senpai. Hani was unnaturally short, blonde, adored everything sweet and cuddly, had a high-pitched voice, and talked so much and so quickly that one would mistake him for an energetic seven year old. Mori, on the other hand, was ridiculously tall, dark-haired, and barely said a word. Perfect opposites, no? Except for one major, life-altering thing: Hani-senpai was the last person who needed to be protected. Hani was a martial arts prodigy, revered by most and frightened by more. Mori-senpai was a guardian by nature; it was in his blood. Not only was he the perfect protector but he needed it like Hani needed his cakes or Kyouya needed his pineapple computer.

And that was the inevitable deciding point, wasn't it? Hani didn't need Mori, not in that way. He needed a friend, a brother, a companion, and Mori was more than happy to oblige. But the one true thing that Mori needed was someone he could protect, someone he could cherish. And that's where Haruhi fits in.

Poor, innocent, naïve Haruhi (who couldn't fight her way out of a tin can) was exactly what Mori had been looking for. The small brunette was strong-willed and intelligent beyond measure, but her one flaw (besides stubbornness, that is) was her weakness. Well, to be honest, her one flaw was her refusal to admit her weakness, but that isn't the point. The point is that she was short and he was tall. She was small and he was big. She was stubborn and he was relaxed. She was weak and he was strong.

To avoid being cliché (as only Haruhi could worry about that), the two did not lock eyes from across the crowded Third Music Room and suddenly declare their undying love for one another. No, their affair developed slowly, naturally; so naturally, in fact, that not a single member of the host club protested when the two presented their relationship to the other five members. Even fanatical Tamaki (who had yet to realize his 'undying love' for his 'daughter') seemed happy for the pair of opposites.

That isn't to say that the pair didn't have their disagreements. Haruhi was frequently frustrated at her boyfriend's lack of responses and Mori would get fed up of her stubbornness from time to time, but for the most part they were happy. There was one problem, though. Mori knew something; he's known it for months now. He just didn't know how to say it.

"Haruhi."

"Mm?" Haruhi looked up in alarm as her pencil was snatched out of her hand by Mori, who was looking more anxious than she had ever seen him. She smiled at him and cocked her head to one side as she studied his uneasy frame. "What is it, Takashi?" The young man smiled at her use of his given name and extended a large hand towards her, helping her up from her desk and guided her into the living room where he dutifully held out her jacket and waited for her to slip it on. "Where are we going?"

"Out." He said simply, lacing his long fingers with hers and leading her out of the small apartment, down the winding street, and to their favorite small park. Though it was usually filled to the brim with excited children and their exhausted parents, tonight it was peaceful and quiet, just as he had planned. The two walked silently side by side for several minutes before Mori pulled her lightly to the side where a large tree shaded the side of a placate pond littered with quacking ducks.

"Why are we here?" Haruhi asked, quietly observing her uncharacteristically impatient beau. "What's up?"

"Haruhi…" he began uneasily. They were facing one another, his back to the ragged tree trunk, and both were sitting cross legged, as close to one another as physics would permit. Haruhi had to look almost directly up to meet his eyes, her neck tilted upwards, squinting in the bright sunlight. Unable to find the words to convey his thoughts he instead buried his nose in her fragrant hair, the locks tickling his face with the breeze.

"Is something the matter?" Haruhi asked worriedly. What was he so reluctant to say? Is he breaking up with me? What would make him so anxious?

"No," he said slowly, his deep voice rumbling through his chest and making her shiver. "No, nothing is the matter. I just wanted to talk with you in our favorite place." Haruhi smiled in relief.

"Oh, well, is there anything in particular you wanted to talk about?" Haruhi was pleased that he was expressing himself more verbally—she was awful at guessing people's thoughts.

"Yes…" he trailed off. She looked up to see his eyes furrowed in concentration.

"Well, Takashi—"

"Did you know that we're opposites?" Mori interrupted, snaking his hands around her tiny waist and holding fast.

"Well, they say that opposites attract," Haruhi teased after a short shocked pause. "But, yes, I agree with you."

Mori smiled at her assent and, for the first time in his life, just started blurting out whatever he was thinking. "I'm tall."

Haruhi nodded. "And I'm short."

"I'm a third year."

"I'm a first year."

"I don't like to speak my mind."

"I can't help but express all of my opinions."

"I'm strong."

"I'm…not."

"I'm a protector."

"I need to be protected."

"I love you."

"And I—wait what?!" Haruhi exclaimed, whipping her head up to gape at her boyfriend who was staring at her with a straight face, unblinking. "What did you just say?" She couldn't believe her ears. Did he really just say that he loved me?!

"I said that I love you." He was unnervingly calm but behind his dark eyes shone anticipation and apprehension.

"I--"

"You don't have to say anything." He told her quietly. "I'm not going to pressure you."

"I know you aren't but—"

"I don't want you to reply until you're sure of your feelings."

"Takashi, I—"

"But I couldn't have you not know."

"I LOVE YOU, TOO!!" Haruhi burst out and Mori's eyes widened in shock. They locked eyes for only a moment before his lips came crashing down on hers. She gave a soft squeak of alarm and enthusiastically responded, her hands coming up to wind around his neck. Several minutes, hours, days, years later, they pulled apart, gasping for breath and flushed in delight. Mori leaned his forehead against Haruhi's and closed his eyes, trying hard to catch his breath and slow his frantic heart.

And the two halves became a whole.

A/N: What'd you think? Drop me a review!