Dinner had been tense. And awkward. Overall, it was rather uncomfortable to sit through.
In the beginning, it hadn't been bad. All I'd had to endure was the Hosts shoving plates of exotic-looking food in Haruhi's face and idle chit-chat circulated by the twins. Then Tamaki appeared. I had been seated next to Haruhi at the time but quickly vacated my seat when I saw the determined look in his eyes. Honey had taken the opportunity to help me out of a tight spot as the twins fought to throw me into the chair between them. Luckily, when the twins held me out of Honey's reach, Mori swooped in and safely swept me to the free chair beside Honey.
The rest of dinner included Tamaki spitefully snatching any and all food Haruhi set her eyes on, until Haruhi broke into the crabs. She'd snapped each leg open by hand, sending waves of chills down my spine with each unnatural sound. How she was so brutally strong while also comically weak was beyond me.
When she'd offered a leg to Tamaki, we all quickly learned that it was completely sucked dry. Angrily, Tamaki had attempted to pilfer some food from Haruhi's plate but she'd chased him away with her steak knife, and that escalated into Tamaki abruptly standing from his seat and storming away.... after getting Kyouya to give him instructions on how to get to his room.
I would have laughed had I not been choked with the tension still thick in the air.
After dinner, Haruhi and I (though mostly Haruhi) received a stern (adorable) lecture from Honey, which convinced Haruhi we should apologize to Tamaki-sempai. I agreed.... almost.
Before the words were even completely out of my mouth, the remaining Hosts had smothered us in a hug. That's when Haruhi complained of being nauseas. I offered to help her to the bathroom (though I myself was indubitably lost as well) but was beat to the proverbial punch by Mori, who gathered the sick girl in his arms and sprinted for all his graceful form was worth down the nearest hall....
And then we ran into a mysterious blonde dude.
It was not Tamaki.
We all crashed around a corner, only to hear a startled shout that, to me, sounded eerily familiar: "What's wrong?! What happened?!"
A tall boy with golden blonde hair that fell gracefully around his sharp chin and startlingly crisp blue eyes stood before us in nothing but a thin purple robe that fell open slightly to show his pale chest.
I'm dreadully ashamed to admit this, but I believe I may have started drooling before I realized who it was.
"Uh... who're you?" the twins chorused. The boy stiffened in shock and looked down frantically at his appearance. Blinking in agonizing confusion, I took a slow step forward and peered curiously up into his face.
Realization dawned on me, and my cheeks colored an alarming red.
"N-Neko-kun?" I ventured shakily.
Before he could answer, a maid appeared behind him, arms bundled with a heavy-looking load. Together with a random butler that popped up and scared the shit out of me, they draped a well-known purple cloak around the blonde's shoulders and fitted a dark brown wig over his beautifully golden hair. He turned to us with that knowing, creepy smile of his, brandishing his cat puppet, Beelzenef for all to see.
"What's wrong....?" he repeated less urgently. "Even Beelzenef was surprised...."
"Ah...."
"Mori-sempai! Micah's going to faint again!" I only realized I was swaying, falling when Hikaru boredly pointed out my misfortune to Mori and his arm was inches from encircling my waist. I managed to pull myself together at the last moment and planted my feet more firmly on the ground. "Fine, I'm fine," I told Mori, though even to my own ears I sounded uncertain. Then I looked to Nekozawa's smiling, hidden face and forced the bewlidered frown off my lips. "Uh, Neko-kun, Haruhi needs a bathroom. Now, actually," I added hurriedly, hearing some very.... unsettling noises gurgling from said girl's stomach.
He cocked his head to the side and (I imagine, anyway) raised a quizzical brow. "You'll find a room just down that hall with the solution to your problem," he said, lifting the hand not shoved into a puppet's as--
You know what, let me start that sentence over.
Nekozawa lifted his free hand and pointed down the next corridor, indicating the room was closer to the end of the hall with a incessent jerk of his hand.
My friends nodded and took off swiftly for the room, but I remained rooted to my spot in front of Nekozawa. After a minute or so of us staring one another down, he waved off his handlers, leaving us alone.
"Alright," I began seriously, crossing my arms beneath my chest, tapping my foot impatiently against the hardwood flooring. "What the hell is up with your unnaturally attractive appearance? Don't you know I have enough problems with the Hosts?"
He smirked slightly at this. "Oh? Is it that you aren't sure which one you should allow to capture your heart?" he inquired.
I cocked a brow. "Yes," I replied, my words dripping heavily with sarcasm, "I'm so dreadfully unsure who to give my undying love to that I just can't sleep at night! Neko-kun, the pain, the pain! Do you know how long I've lived for the day where I can meet my Prince Charming and ride off into the sunset?" This rather disturbing declaration was accompanied by me crashing to the ground on my knees, hands clasped to my chest, black hair falling artfully into my face.
Neko-kun clapped approvingly. "Wonderful acting, Micah," he complimented, giving me a genuine smile.
"Thank you." I stood and deliberately dusted off my skirt, picking out any stray tufts of lint and the like. I then raised my slitted gaze to Nekozawa. "Explain."
He sighed dramatically and waved Beelzenef around while he spoke. "I'm cursed with photophobia," he explained with another sigh. "The light is far more wicked than I would like it to be."
"So you dress like this because it's the only way you can get through a normal day with average sunlight?"
"And because it sets the mood for my black magic!'
"Let's stick with the first reason, Neko-kun."
"Hehe, of course, Micah, whatever you wish!"
I opened my mouth to respond, shut it, opened it again, then just turned and walked down the hall, following in my fellow Host Club members' footsteps. I could hear Nekozawa's chuckling behind me, then his footsteps as he returned to his own room in this maze of a mansion.
Speaking of, I was lost. I was walking a straight line, and I became lost.
Dear God, I proclaim thee worse than Roronoa Zoro!
....... My inner otaku is fighting for dominance again, forgive me.
Ahem.
Searching for Haruhi became my only priority. Below that was finding that moronic, narcissistic, self-proclaimed Host Club King so I could properly apologize to him. And below that was shoving the image of Nekozawa's real face to the farthest corner of my mind. I'm fortunate he was such an oddity, otherwise I would never have been able to speak to him again for fear my heart would burst from pure teenage attraction.
I would never tell them, but Nekozawa was clearly superior in terms of looks when the Host Club was concerned.
But, ah, I'm getting off track here. You don't want to hear about my petty teenage woes. Back to the insanity of the Host Club.
I knocked softly on every door I passed, listening intently for either a reply or the disturbing sounds of one emptying their stomachs. Still, I heard nothing. Well, until I reached the second to last door at the end of the hall, where Kyouya's voice drifted out from under the door.
He probably knows where Haruhi went, I mused, tapping my chin indecisively. I mean, he knows everything else. But I reall don't want to be alone in a room with him. I'll probably freeze to death under that stupid "smile" of his. Ugh, but I need to find Haruhi! Tch. This is so damn troublesome.
In the end, I gathered my courage, rapped softly at the door and pushed my way inside.
I immediately wished I hadn't.
Kyouya had Haruhi trapped beneath him, lying on his bed, her arms pinned at her sides. His narrowed eyes slid over to the door, where I stood stock-still, heartbeat dwindling to a state of cardiac arrest. He made a subtle jerk of his head, telling me to go, before looking back at Haruhu, who hadn't yet noticed me.
I'm slightly ashamed to admit I went without objection, closing the door behind me as quietly as I could.
Heart suddenly racing, I pressed my back to the door and slid down until my butt made contact with the icy floor. My fingers curled into my skirt, trembling uncontrollably. My vision swam with dark spots and I took deep, deep breaths to steady myself.
I had never once thought the Host Club capable of such an atrocity. Never.
So you can imagine how grateful I was when caught the words that next slipped under the door.
"You're really interesting, you know that?" That was Kyouya. "So do you understand now?"
"Yes. That Kyouya-sempai is surprisingly kind."
"What are you saying?"
"You were just defending Tamaki-sempai right now. You made me realize it by intentionally playing the villain, didn't you?"
I breathed out a silent sigh of relief. So Kyouya wasn't a rapist after all. He only wanted Haruhi to understand, I believe anyway, how vulnerable a girl is to a man, even a girl as strong-willed and stubborn as Haruhi. I assumed I wasn't apart of this little demonstration because he had already figured out that I would go along with Haruhi's decision.
I know we'd already decided to apologize, but I don't think Haruhi quite understood what she was apologizing for. Not to say I understood it any better, but....
"Micah?"
I very nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard Tamaki's voice just beside me.
He was crouched next to me, his violet eyes brimming with concern. I tried not to notice the fact that his shirt was unbuttoned.
"T-Tamaki..." I stuttered, cursing myself a moment later for my stupidity.
"Is something wrong?!" he demanded, grabbing me by the shoulders. "Is Daddy's little girl hurt anywhere?! Did bad men come for you?!"
I slowly shook my head and brushed off his warm hands. "I'm fine, Tamaki," I assured him, smiling as brightly as I could. This seemed to snap him from his daze and he sat back on his heels, head turned to the side, his eyes hidden by his golden hair.
"That's good," he muttered. "Don't do anything else stupid when you're alone, ok?"
As he stood to leave, I reached out and grabbed a fistful of his pants, drawing him back. "Wait, Tamaki!" I pleaded, staring up at him with wide, troubled eyes. "I.... I've got something to tell you...."
He blinked.
"You... you were right," I said softly, fingers cinching tighter around his pant leg. "I was wrong to try and take on those boys by myself. And I shouldn't have gotten angry with you. I just.... I hate bullies. I can't stand the sight of them. I wasn't thinking clearly when I attacked that boy. I'm sorry for worrying you all." I closed my eyes briefly and swallowed back the fear I felt creeping up on me. I was afraid he'd reject my apology. "Can you forgive me, Tamaki?" I reopened my eyes to see that Tamaki's own were shiny with tears, and that his bottom lip trembled like a toddler's.
There was also a rather obvious blush across his cheeks. I stared uncomprehendingly at it for a moment or two. Wasn't I the one who was always blushing?
"O-Of course I'll forgive you!' Tamaki spluttered, suddenly wrapping me in a soul-crushing hug. "How could I not forgive such a cute face?! That was adorable, Micah!"
"Tamaki.... killing.... me...."
He released me instantly. As I caught the breath he'd knocked from my lungs, he patted my head and stood. I looked up at him curiously.
"Make sure not to worry us like that again!" he said sternly, but the radiant smile on his face told me he was ecstatic. "Now, I came here to ask Mommy for something...." He rubbed his shoulder as though in pain as I contemplated just what he meant by Mommy.
Kyouya? I wondered silently. This further reinforced my idea that Tamaki was gay.
Tamaki winced and deftly tore his hand away from his shoulder. Oh. Looked like a nasty case of sunburn. I was proven correct when Tamaki swiftly yanked open Kyouya's door (before I could stop him) and crashed inside, saying, "Kyouya, you have any lotion? My sunburn is hurting like..."
He must have spotted Kyouya with Haruhi.
I was given little chance to react when I saw Kyouya walk past Tamaki, shove a bottle of lotion in his face with some not-so-friendly words attached and leave his room, making sure to shut the door firmly behind him.
I was still seated on the floor, so I blew the hair from my eyes and looked up to him. "That was a pretty extreme lesson, don't you think?"
He smirked. "Some people require a rougher way of teaching," he replied. "Haruhi can be quite oblivious at times. I figured this was a nicer way of reaching her, then say, hiring a complete stranger to do the same task."
"You could have just raised her debt until she properly apologized," I mumbled half-heartedly. Truthfully, I perfectly understood the reasons behind Kyouya's actions. I just didn't happen to agree with them.
"Now that's a devious little idea," Kyouya remarked approvingly. I shot straight up to my feet and pointed an accusatory finger in his face as he slipped on a shirt uncaringly.
"No way, you are not using my idea to further trouble Haruhi!"
He chuckled. "Would you rather I add it on to your own debt then?"
"My debt isn't in money though..."
"We agreed on a year of service to the club, did we not? I could always extend it to two years, or even all three of your high school years."
"Tch. What do those girls see in you, anyway?" I mumbled irritably as I brushed past him. Over my shoulder, I said, "You're going to make the schedule for tomorrow with the others right? I'll go look for them. I'll meet you in the living room in ten minutes."
I saw him nod before I turned back around and headed down the hall, alert for any signs of the Hosts. I had no idea where they'd gone, though I suspected after leaving Haruhi they'd gone on some adventure involving Nekozawa and his "true" identity. Really, if they'd only just asked him...
As I walked, I couldn't help but wonder over how Tamaki and Haruhi were doing. I prayed they could work things out, because I knew Tamaki genuinely cared for Haruhi even when he seemed to be just overbearing and moronic.
He was really sweet, if you just looked past that egotistic outer layer of his...
Lost in thought, I opened a random door and poked my head inside, looking for any familiar faces. I found none. But I did find, as the room was lit up by a flash of lightning and a crack of damning thunder, one of Nekozawa's ritualistic rooms. Curious, I took the chance the look around the room, unhindered by either Neko-kun's constant Black Magic chatter or the Hosts' hovering presences.
It was dark, as I'd expected, but the near-constant flashing caused by the sudden storm outside provided enough light for me to see by. It was a pretty sparse room in terms of furniture. No bed, only a dresser, a wardobe and several tables filled with all sorts of magic trinkets. There were curse dolls, herbs, lockets and charms like the one he'd given me for my ankle, and many more items I didn't quite recognize.
There were even a few skulls here and there, though they didn't appear human. I made sure to keep away from them anyway.
The air was tinged with some dank scent I couldn't place. It reminded me almost of a basement, but gave me the feel of a dungeon instead.
I would never really understand Nekozawa, would I?
As the room once more filled with lightning, I cracked open the wardrobed. I'd seen a similar one in my own room, and that had been fairly empty apart from some stray coat hangers. So I wasn't expecting much and got very little, as the flash faded away before I could see anything. I peered into the darkness, waiting for more lightning so I could make out what was hidden in the wardrobe.
A few minutes passed, and I sighed. I could still hear the rain pounding against the crisp glass windows, but perhaps the lightning had faded. I was just about to pulled closed the doors when an overwhelmingly loud crack sounded through the room, and I jumped, banging my elbow into something unseen within the wardrobe. I heard the thump of something falling over.
For some inexplicable reason, I shivered in the relative warmth of the room.
Guilty over possibly having broken something, I plunged my hands into the scattered darkness, searching for whatever I had tipped over so that I could right it. My hand brushed against something that bristled at my touch. My eyes widened, and I moved my hand to again capture the strange object but it skittered out of my reach.
I frowned and naively struck out with my hand, managing to close my fingers around whatever I had encountered before. It bristled again, and its legs skittered against the flat of my palm.
Oh shit. Legs?
My mouth parted in a silent scream and I fell back, landing hard on the solid floor. I clutched my hand to my chest, wide eyes watching the dark as more lightning split the sky apart. Black, beady eyes reflected the glow, and engulfed in the light was the grotesque body of a tarantula.
I didn't do well with spiders, hairy ones especially. I had severe arachnophobia. Way beyond a normal person's fear. So as the light died and I caught a glimpse of the hairy beast making a move towards me, I yelped and scrambled to find a hiding place, completely without common sense or reason as the fear blanketed me.
I knocked into a table leg and my fear-addled brain made the decision to duck beneath the table and press myself against the wall beyond it. My heartbeat had since skittered out of control, and my breathing was erratic and haggard. My lungs felt brittle and suffocated. I brought my knees to my chest and buring my face in them, desperately trying to block out the soft pattering I heard going around the room, coming closer, and closer, and closer....
I completely blamed that horrid card I'd picked up from Nekozawa's game earlier. I hadn't realized it would really come to pass. If only I hadn't gotten one that involved me being trapped in a room with spiders...
I heard the door open, but I made no move call out to whoever had appeared. This drowned in my fear, I couldn't think straight, much formulate words. I heard it start to drift closed again, just as more pattering sounded just in front of me, and a soft, strangled gasp left my lips.
I wrapped my arms over my head, weakly trying to protect myself from something that was so irrational to fear. I understood it wasn't going to hurt me, that it couldn't really, and that it was most likely as afraid of me as I was of it. But memories of my childhood forced me to cower in fear, trembling like a leaf caught in a hurricane, on the verge of sobbing.
"Micah."
I knew that voice. I knew it, but I couldn't lift my head to greet them, nor could I make a sound. All I could hear was the sound of that damned tarantula skittering around the room.
"Micah."
They were insistent, but I didn't have the strength to move. Didn't have the strength nor the motivation to speak.
"Come here."
I didn't heed that simple command, so they took matters into their own hands and pulled me out from under the table themselves. Their warm arms encircled me and pulled me against a hard chest, where I broke down and allowed my terrified tears to fall down my cheeks. I was lifted off the cold floor with ease and held against them like a child at their wit's end. And yet, some of the fear started to recede.
"S-Sorry," I murmured, clutching for dear life at the front of Mori's shirt to calm myself down.
"What are you afraid of?" he asked in that deep rumble of a voice he had.
"S-Spiders...." I choked on the word, barely able to get it out, but I felt I owed Mori an explanation and forced myself to say it for his benefit. I felt him look around, searching for the critter that had broken me so terribly, so easily. "F-Fell out o-of the wardrobed," I stammered, burying my face deeper into Mori's chest. "D-Don't know w-where it w-went...."
He placed a hand on my head and pulled me closer, though it seemed physically impossible at the time. "You're alright," he said quietly.
"Takashi~! Did you find Mi-chan~?!"
"Mitsukuni." Mori turned towards the door, and Honey let out a gasp at the sight of me. My guilt instantly doubled.
"Is Mi-chan alright?" Honey asked worriedly, his echoing footsteps telling me he'd come closer. I tried to tell him I fine, that there was no real need to worry, but my lips felt sown shut, and I couldn't utter a word.
"She's scared," Mori stated as he walked into the hallway. He waited until Honey scampered out after him to shut the door. Then he loosened his hold on me enough so that I could look into both his and Honey's faces.
I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands, struggling to hide the tears I cursed for existing. "T-Thanks, Mori," I mumbled, still rubbing at my eyes. Even so, I knew he was looking at me intently. Before Honey could launch into his frantic questions, I asked him, "Um, were you guys looking for me?"
It took him a moment to respond. "Kyo-chan told us to find you," he said, his voice said and delfated. "He said you'd told him you would meet ten minutes ago, but you never showed up. We thought you'd gotten lost, Mi-chan! Hika-chan and Kao-chan are looking for you too!"
I mustered a weak and fragile laugh. "S-Sorry, I didn't realize I was taking so long."
"What made you so scared, Mi-chan?"
I bit my lip and turned to Honey. He was looking at me with big, shining eyes I just couldn't deny, clutching at Usa-chan like a lifeline. I swallowed hard. "I, uh, have arachnophobia. N-Neko-kun had a sp-spider in the room and i-it got l-loose. S-Scared me...."
"It's ok, Mi-chan!" Honey said unexpectedly. I blinked at him in confusion. "Everyone has something they're afraid of! I'm afraid of running out of sweets!" His eyes went wide with fear and his lips quavered even though it wasn't a reality he had to face. But with a pat on the head from Mori, Honey returned to smiling at me brightly. "You're ok as long as you have friends to help you, right?"
I looked from Honey to Mori, who was still watching me quietly, and felt a very soft smile tug at my lips.
"Yeah," I said, my voice just above a whisper, "I guess I am."