Not For Lack of Mistletoe (Ouran, Christmasy)
Title: Not For Lack of Mistletoe
Author: Ellie Biel
Fandom: Ouran High School Host Club
Warnings/notes: Semi-AU in that there may be a bit more American holiday influence than anything in Japan, written at one o'clock in the morning, Christmas
Haruhi tried not to cringe as the door burst open, changing the atmosphere in the music room from peaceful and serene to boisterous and merry. It wasn't that she had anything against the holiday or in open appreciation of it, it was just that she knew what would come next.
In five, four, three...
She'd started counting late, because Honey was already tackling her with a flying hug, and she could feel the ears of his bunny tickling the back of her neck. The twins she knew would be next, and they were, each of them with an arm around her and spinning her away from Honey, talking as they did in tandem, sometimes together and sometimes with one starting and the other finishing the same thought.
She was quite dizzy by the time Mori stood in front of her, taking a small bow and handing her a small gift wrapped in silver. She realized then that her arms were already full, with a large white teddy bear over one arm and a large box with too many ribbons tucked under the other. Kyouya was adjusting his glasses and marking down something in his notebook, and she almost missed the small gift card protruding from her front pocket. She would know later that the gold lettering informed her that her debt had been reduced, not in the spirit of the holidays but for all that she'd helped the Host Club earn, but then she could tell when the last one had arrived, because he was dancing around like his pants were on fire, waving his arms and protesting all the attention being showered upon his Haruhi.
She shook her head but the motion made her bangs fall into her eyes, and her attempt to brush them away were thwarted from the gifts she was now holding. Tamaki was in front of her now, and the others were still there, talking and teasing and paying complete attention to her, but there was a small respectful distance between them and their king, one that she knew wouldn't remain for long. All it would take was for Hikaru to get impatient with Tamaki's overblown romantic gestures, or for Honey to realize that no one was enjoying the table laden with sweets, or a stray banana peel to materialize as if from thin air - and she was almost sure that she saw a small set of cat ears peek out from behind the curtain, although it could have been a trick of the lighting or of her own overtired eyes.
Tamaki was smiling in that pleased way of his, and Haruhi looked up to see a hairband over his crown, with a sprig of holly dangling from it.
"Mistletoe," he announced, and he held his hand up for complete silence, which surprisingly he got. "You know what they say about mistletoe?"
His eyes were flashing with excitement, and Haruhi reached up to poke at the bit of green and to point out that his botanical studies needed work. He misinterpreted her response and he reached out to lace their fingers together, then leaned forward.
"Haruhi," he said, and she could feel Tamaki's breath against her face as he brushed her hair out of her eyes and tucked a rose behind her ear. His lips were close to hers and she prepared to push him hard, but she was still a prisoner of the Host Club's generosity and only succeeded in shifting the bear closer to her chest.
"Beautiful," Tamaki murmured, caressing a rose petal, and his nose was now so close to hers that her eyes were crossing. His breath smelled of mint and lemon, and she licked her lips, wondering how bad her breath smelled and why she should worry about this now when she'd just barely finished her own lunch in the one place she thought they'd never look. Usually they just showed up at her doorstep at home, but not today.
Tamaki's hair was brushing against her cheek, and Kaoru and Hikaru were practically hanging off each other as they tried to peer around Mori to reach their leader, but Haruhi was too busy trying to find a place to let her gaze come to rest.
Then she felt the brush of Tamaki's lips - a light touch, a simple breath - across her knuckles, and he squeezed her fingers lightly before releasing her hand and stepping back. He spread his arms wide and grinned at her.
"Today we celebrate Christmas," he announced, and someone relieved her of her gifts and pushed down on her shoulders so she'd take a seat at the chair that had appeared behind her.
Haruhi bit her knuckle lightly and watched the scene unfold before her just before the music started, and she laughed at Honey's antics as he ran around a table, shaking his head no at Mori who was trying to look stern and failing.
She looked over toward the doors, which were to be thrown open at any moment, and at the sign that fell from the ceiling to greet everyone in rich silk and brocade.
Merry Christmas.
Tamaki was already cooing over a couple of students, the twins were laying it on thickly as they toyed with each other's hair, and Honey's eyes appeared twice their size as he gazed up at their guests in full host mode.
Mori's hand squeezed her shoulder lightly and when she met his eyes, he gave her a small nod of understanding and a smile before his taciturn expression was back.
She bowed her head back at him, knowing he saw her even if it didn't appear that way, and her gaze found Tamaki again for just a moment.
Even with his lips hovering over a guest's hand, they didn't make contact, but his eyes did, and then Renge was spiriting her away for a wardrobe change.
It was a perfect Christmas.
Author: Ellie Biel
Fandom: Ouran High School Host Club
Warnings/notes: Semi-AU in that there may be a bit more American holiday influence than anything in Japan, written at one o'clock in the morning, Christmas
Haruhi tried not to cringe as the door burst open, changing the atmosphere in the music room from peaceful and serene to boisterous and merry. It wasn't that she had anything against the holiday or in open appreciation of it, it was just that she knew what would come next.
In five, four, three...
She'd started counting late, because Honey was already tackling her with a flying hug, and she could feel the ears of his bunny tickling the back of her neck. The twins she knew would be next, and they were, each of them with an arm around her and spinning her away from Honey, talking as they did in tandem, sometimes together and sometimes with one starting and the other finishing the same thought.
She was quite dizzy by the time Mori stood in front of her, taking a small bow and handing her a small gift wrapped in silver. She realized then that her arms were already full, with a large white teddy bear over one arm and a large box with too many ribbons tucked under the other. Kyouya was adjusting his glasses and marking down something in his notebook, and she almost missed the small gift card protruding from her front pocket. She would know later that the gold lettering informed her that her debt had been reduced, not in the spirit of the holidays but for all that she'd helped the Host Club earn, but then she could tell when the last one had arrived, because he was dancing around like his pants were on fire, waving his arms and protesting all the attention being showered upon his Haruhi.
She shook her head but the motion made her bangs fall into her eyes, and her attempt to brush them away were thwarted from the gifts she was now holding. Tamaki was in front of her now, and the others were still there, talking and teasing and paying complete attention to her, but there was a small respectful distance between them and their king, one that she knew wouldn't remain for long. All it would take was for Hikaru to get impatient with Tamaki's overblown romantic gestures, or for Honey to realize that no one was enjoying the table laden with sweets, or a stray banana peel to materialize as if from thin air - and she was almost sure that she saw a small set of cat ears peek out from behind the curtain, although it could have been a trick of the lighting or of her own overtired eyes.
Tamaki was smiling in that pleased way of his, and Haruhi looked up to see a hairband over his crown, with a sprig of holly dangling from it.
"Mistletoe," he announced, and he held his hand up for complete silence, which surprisingly he got. "You know what they say about mistletoe?"
His eyes were flashing with excitement, and Haruhi reached up to poke at the bit of green and to point out that his botanical studies needed work. He misinterpreted her response and he reached out to lace their fingers together, then leaned forward.
"Haruhi," he said, and she could feel Tamaki's breath against her face as he brushed her hair out of her eyes and tucked a rose behind her ear. His lips were close to hers and she prepared to push him hard, but she was still a prisoner of the Host Club's generosity and only succeeded in shifting the bear closer to her chest.
"Beautiful," Tamaki murmured, caressing a rose petal, and his nose was now so close to hers that her eyes were crossing. His breath smelled of mint and lemon, and she licked her lips, wondering how bad her breath smelled and why she should worry about this now when she'd just barely finished her own lunch in the one place she thought they'd never look. Usually they just showed up at her doorstep at home, but not today.
Tamaki's hair was brushing against her cheek, and Kaoru and Hikaru were practically hanging off each other as they tried to peer around Mori to reach their leader, but Haruhi was too busy trying to find a place to let her gaze come to rest.
Then she felt the brush of Tamaki's lips - a light touch, a simple breath - across her knuckles, and he squeezed her fingers lightly before releasing her hand and stepping back. He spread his arms wide and grinned at her.
"Today we celebrate Christmas," he announced, and someone relieved her of her gifts and pushed down on her shoulders so she'd take a seat at the chair that had appeared behind her.
Haruhi bit her knuckle lightly and watched the scene unfold before her just before the music started, and she laughed at Honey's antics as he ran around a table, shaking his head no at Mori who was trying to look stern and failing.
She looked over toward the doors, which were to be thrown open at any moment, and at the sign that fell from the ceiling to greet everyone in rich silk and brocade.
Merry Christmas.
Tamaki was already cooing over a couple of students, the twins were laying it on thickly as they toyed with each other's hair, and Honey's eyes appeared twice their size as he gazed up at their guests in full host mode.
Mori's hand squeezed her shoulder lightly and when she met his eyes, he gave her a small nod of understanding and a smile before his taciturn expression was back.
She bowed her head back at him, knowing he saw her even if it didn't appear that way, and her gaze found Tamaki again for just a moment.
Even with his lips hovering over a guest's hand, they didn't make contact, but his eyes did, and then Renge was spiriting her away for a wardrobe change.
It was a perfect Christmas.