Day 47: Sun Room [4th Shift]

[forgot_it_all]

[For Yuna!Fish and chips weren't his favorite thing ever, but he did make sure to eat it all. He just liked to think of the fish as the Filet'o Fish without the bun and it made it easier to eat. The french fries had been pretty well cleaned off and he'd even managed a bit of fruit, although he avoided the oranges and other sour things his nurse

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[mukuchi]

Fish and chips, huh? Mori'd eaten it here at the Institute before, but he was always surprised at the strangely international menu they managed to provide during the day here. Of course, it was always commoner type food, never French courses or Italian delicacies or anything like that, but still, for commoners, it must've been pretty good. He liked it just fine at any rate.

But now that the meal was over, Mori was tempted to go into the Greenhouse like his nurse suggested. Some time outdoors would be good for him. Get his hands a little dirty, maybe find a good corner to sit in where the sun would hit his back and just have a quiet time to himself.

That all changed the moment he sensed Mitsukuni moving into the Sun Room. If Mitsukuni was going there, so would he. Suddenly changing course, he veered off into the Sun Room before his nurse could grab him. He quickly zeroed in on Mitsukuni's location, but was surprised to find him already talking with someone new. More than that, he seemed to be helping her out. Mori wasn't sure if he should go over or not, so he hovered on the edge of Mitsukuni's radar, knowing he'd avoid detection if he just stayed a certain distance away. If he went over, he'd distract his cousin from his new friend and that wouldn't do. Scratching his head for a moment, he sighed slightly and decided to leave them alone. He was about to head in the other direction when he noticed another familiar face, his eyes flicking toward Mitsukuni and the other girl before settling on his notes or something.

Mori remembered Lelouch from Doyleton when he'd stood guard for a bit while he slept. It'd backfired in the end, but he'd made sure no one bothered him for a little while. Now Mori was curious as to why Lelouch was so interested in his cousin's conversation, so he moved over and came to a stop at Lelouch's side, tilting his head slightly at the other teen.

[mukuchi]

What Lelouch said was true, and Mori remembered that Lelouch wasn't one to read his body language like others were. No one could really interpret him like Mitsukuni could, but that was a given. Anise was getting pretty good at it though, and Chekov was learning, so he supposed it wasn't an impossible skill. His friends back at Ouran all figured it out - or looked to Mitsukuni for a translation. Mostly it was the latter now that he thought about it.

Raising his head, he looked over to where Mitsukuni was now sitting with the other girl and he realized that they were settling in for a chat. It was definitely better to leave them alone then. Let them have their space to become friends and eventually Mori would meet her. Dropping his gaze back down to Lelouch, he noticed the bow focusing rather intensely on his notes and he nodded slightly. Right. Talking. "How are you?"

[mukuchi]

Tired was a normal answer. Mori slept enough here (not that he knew how what with being awake almost all night) that he didn't get too tired, but he could see how others might get exhausted. Many people here were dealing with very serious things, or just with a lot of things. Mori's life was relatively simple in comparison. As long as he kept Mitsukuni and his friends safe and happy, he was satisfied. He wanted to get home, of course, but that meant surviving until such a time as when help arrived. Other people, like Lelouch, were quite ambitious, putting together major clubs and running organizations and Mori really wondered if exhausting themselves that way was really wise. But he also understood that such people were important and--

Wow, he'd stopped talking again.

He nodded and sat next to Lelouch where he could keep an eye on the girl and Mitsukuni. From the looks of things and the way the two of them seemed to be conversing, they were having fun. Mori turned back to Lelouch and caught him sending another glance in their direction. Curious. Did he know Mitsukuni? Or was it the unknown girl who was piquing his interest so? In response to how he was doing, he gave Lelouch a thumbs up and then sank back into his seat. "Know her?"

[mukuchi]

Well, that would certainly explain it. Both Lelouch's guarded glances in her direction and the girl's own somewhat curious glances toward them. And as he'd hoped wouldn't happen, Mitsukuni had noticed them as well. But it seemed he wasn't going to come over, meaning he'd get to play a little while longer. Mori let out a small sigh of relief and then turned his attention back to Lelouch. He hadn't thought the guy would be the protective big brother type, but then everyone was full of a few surprises, right?

If it was her first day, too, Mori could more than understand Lelouch's desire to keep her in his sights. Mori felt that way even now, after almost a week in this place, and he fretted endlessly the moment he didn't have direct line of sight on Mitsukuni. He wondered if Lelouch was the same, but he didn't want to ask. It would make him sound like he stalked his cousin rather than protected him, right? Instead, he nodded and looked back to the other pair, smiling faintly. The two of them seemed to be getting along rather well actually, all smiles and happy chatting. "You're a good brother."

[mukuchi]

Not the best response. Mori paused as he watched Lelouch shrug and look away, too many conflicted emotions running through him to say anything. What was it that kept him from replying? Was it worry for the girl now that she was here or something else? Mori was betting it was on that something else, but he couldn't be certain. Sure, he was one of the more intuitive members of the Host Club, but that didn't mean he was a mind reader unless it came to Mitsukuni. And even then he was a bit off sometimes.

But seeing Lelouch go silent like that was a fairly easy read. And when he started speaking, Mori confirmed at least part of his suspicions. He was worried as he always was about his sister, wanting to protect her from the dangers of this place and likely from other people. A young girl like that alone in the Institute would easily fall prey to monsters or any of the other opportunistic people here.

And in life in general, yes, it was hard to protect people. So much was uncertain in the future, so much that they couldn't stop from happening as guardians. Mori's eyes shifted from the pair to his cousin only and he nodded in understanding. He wasn't going to pry into Lelouch's thoughts, but he understood where he was coming from. After all, he was still hiding Tamaki's disappearance from Mitsukuni, hoping that the boy never thought to ask his nurse what had happened to him. "Gotta try though," he said, halfway to himself. "To keep them happy." Which was why the Cake Club was so important. "You going with her tonight?"

[mukuchi]

[omfg sickness kicked me in the ass and kept me from posting DX]

Lelouch's gaze moved from the pair across the way and Mori did the same, redirecting it to the other teen. There was so much about Lelouch that Mori didn't know yet, but there was one thing he was certain about - Lelouch wasn't what he appeared to be. As often as Mori spent silently observing the world around him, the people that populated that world, and the things that motivated those people, he'd come to be quite adept at picking up on little secrets. He and Mitsukuni had been the first to realize Haruhi's secret and to figure out the way the relationships would play out. Being the eldest in the club helped in a way, but really, it was just their natures. They watched people. It was what they did.

So now that he was able to see Lelouch up close like this, rather than just as a name on the bulletin or a sleeping man in the park, he was beginning to understand him a little better. He was determined to protect his sister and to escape this place, and he had a hidden sadness, like a guilt that sat at the back of his mind, veiled in his eyes when he looked at her.

"Cake Club," Mori said, pushing his thoughts away for now. The purpose of this talk wasn't to analyze Lelouch, but to share with him their desires to protect their most important people. "Wherever Mitsukuni goes." His eyes drifted back to his cousin and then lowered slightly before he closed them. Tonight would distract him for one more evening. One more night of keeping the pain of losing all of their friends away. "Good luck. To you."