Hey hey hey! We're back with another OHSHC one-shot, this time with Mori Senpai! BTW the outline for this was done at like, 2 am so this is not quality content. This is a really long one, so strap in!

FN: friend name

SFN: second friend name

Narrator / 2nd Person POV:

You were a second-year student at Ouran Academy who had just transferred from the St. Lobelia Girls' Academy. You were quick to make some friends in your new school and were enjoying your classes. 

One particular afternoon, you were with your small friend group in the hallway, discussing what you wanted to do in your free time.

You had kinda spaced out while you were looking out the window at the pretty scenery. The school grounds were so gorgeous, you just couldn't believe it. A hand on your shoulder pulled you from your trance and you turned around to see FN talking to you.

"Were you even listening, YN?" She said looking at you with slight exasperation.

You grimaced and shook your head no. "Sorry, I kinda zoned out there... What were you saying?"

It was FN's turn to shake her head. "I asked you who your favourite Host was. We were thinking about going to the Host Club today," 

"Come again?"

"You don't know about the host club??" FN exclaimed, her eyes wide. The rest of your friends also looked bewildered, as if not knowing was a crime.

"As you know, only those with excellent social standing and those from filthy rich families are lucky enough to spend their time here at the elite private school, Ouran Academy. The Ouran Host Club is where the school's handsomest boys with too much time on their hands entertain young ladies who also have way too much time on their hands. Just think of it as Ouran Academy's elegant playground for the super rich and beautiful." FN monologued, looking off into the distance for dramatic effect.

"Right... So this Host Club does what exactly?" You asked, still not quite sure you understood what your friends were getting at.

"There are seven gorgeous young boys in there who will talk and flirt with you. They serve you tea and snacks. It's ever so delightful!" SFN gushed, her cheeks tinted pink just at the thought.

You shook your head at them. "I just don't think having guys fawn over me is my scene. I don't know how comfortable I'm going to be with this..." you trailed off, looking down.

"You just have to come with us, YN!" FN said, taking your hand. "You're going to love it".

Before you could protest, you found yourself being dragged up the stairs by FN and SFN until you came to an abrupt halt before the doors of Music Room 3. 

Your friends hurriedly patted down their hair and brushed off the skirts of their dresses in a last-minute attempt to freshen up.

They then pulled the doors wide open and you were greeted by rose petals to the face. You were used to flashy, over the top stuff like this from your time at Lobelia, and the highly praised Zuka club (although you never thought they were all that great to begin with...).

"Welcome to the host club, my princesses," said a tall blond, bowing in front of your little group. "I see we have a new guest here, it's a pleasure to meet you, princess," he said taking your hand and kissing the back ever so gently. He then looked up to see your face and was taken aback.

You recognized him as Tamaki Suoh from your class.

"Ahh Miss YN, welcome to the Host Club. I was wondering when you were finally going to come for a visit,"

"Hello, Tamaki. I didn't know you were part of this Host Club," you said, pulling your hand back from his grasp.

"Most certainly," he said. "I am the king after all," Tamaki was now spinning around with roses coming from nowhere. 

"What a drama queen,"  you thought as you smirked and rolled your eyes at his antics.

"YN, I'm sure you know Kyoya, from class?" He asked gesturing to the raven-haired boy with glasses.

Kyoya looked up from his black book to give you a small smile and a respectful nod.

You nodded back and before he could say another word, two ginger twins stood on either side of you, resting their elbows on your shoulders.

"I'm Hikaru," said the one on your left

"And I'm Kaoru," said the other.

"We're the Hitachiin brothers. It's nice to meet you, YN," they said in unison.

"It's nice to meet you too," you said, looking to either side of you as you spoke.

They step back as a short blond boy comes up, his eyes wide and a huge smile on his face.

"Hi! I'm Mitsukuni Haninozuka, but you can call me Honey!" He said in a cute and chipper voice. "And this is Takashi Morinozuka, but you can call him Mori!" 

You looked up to see a very tall and handsome boy standing beside Honey.

"It's nice to meet both of you," you said looking between the pair. "My name is YN,"

"That's a really pretty name YN-chan!" Honey said enthusiastically. Mori nodded once in agreement.

'He doesn't talk all that much does he? '  You thought to yourself as you looked the group of 7 over again.

Then the last of them stepped forward; he was fairly small for a boy, with short brown hair and a kind smile.

"I'm Haruhi Fujioka, it's really nice to meet you, YN," he said as he extended his hand for you to shake.

You took it and gave him a warm smile back. "It's nice to meet you too, Haruhi,"

'A girl pretending to be a guy? Weirder things have happened, I guess. Not like his gender is really any of my business anyway. Lobelia always had girls dressing as guys. Benio was one that really came to mind...'

As more girls filled the room, your friends disappeared and you soon saw them sitting with the Hitachiin boys.

As nice as these people were, you weren't sure this Host Club was for you. You didn't see the point in being fawned over by guys you've barely even met. It wasn't exactly your definition of 'fun'. 

You turned to leave, your hand on the cool surface of the door handle when you felt a tug at the hem of your dress.

You looked down to see a doe-eyed Honey staring up at you, holding a pink stuffed rabbit in his other hand. 

"Where are you going, YN-chan? Why are you leaving so soon?" Honey asked, a sweet sadness laced in his voice.

"Well, I was kind of dragged here by my friends who insisted I should come, but they've gone off and left me. I don't really think this place is for me, Honey. As much as I like you guys, I just don't think I'm cut out for the Host Club," you explained looking down at the older boy.

His eyes were watering ever so slightly and his lip was quivering. "Won't you please stay and have some cake with me and Usa-Chan? Pretty please, YN-chan?" He looked up at you.

'Aww look at that face. How can I say no to him?' 

"Oh alright, Honey, you've convinced me. I'd be honoured to have some cake with you and Usa-chan," You agreed. How bad could it be?

"Yay!! Did you hear that Usa-chan? YN-chan is coming to have cake with us!" He said spinning his bunny around with a smile on his face.

Taking your hand, Honey guides you to a table and you sit across from him.

"What kind of cake do you like, YN-chan?" Honey asks, looking over the sweet tray in the center of the table.

"I like all kinds of cake, Honey. You pick first," you replied, and gestured to the tray.

"Strawberry is my favourite!" He said as he placed the cake on his plate.

"Strawberry is really good isn't it?" You said as you looked over your options. "I think I'll try the red velvet though," 

The two of you sat and chatted for a little while, eating your cake. This Host Club thing really wasn't so bad with Honey.

Not too long after you had sat down with Honey and Usa-chan, Mori came wandering over to sit with you and Honey.

You greet him with a quiet hello as he sits next to Honey and he nods his greeting back.

There was a comfortable silence as Honey was chomping down on his cake with a smile on his face, and Mori seated next to him, content to just watch.

"So YN-chan," Honey starts, swallowing his cake. "How are you liking the Host Club so far?"

You wash your cake down with a sip of tea, setting in down gently, pinkie finger cushioning the cup as it touches the saucer.

"I have to be honest, I didn't know if I was going to enjoy myself, but just sitting here with the two of you is actually really nice. And as skeptical as I was about this Hosting business, it seems to me that everyone else is enjoying themselves so I guess there's not much to worry about," you reply.

Honey nods and continues asking questions about how your classes are, how you're liking Ouran compared to Lobelia, and somehow you landed on personal interests.

"What do you like to do outside of school, YN-chan?" Honey asks.

"Well, I play the cello, so practice takes up a lot of my time, and I'm also a competitive swimmer. But I also practice Kendo twice a week. I'm not competitive or anything, it's just fun and I just enjoy the physical activity" you say, taking another sip of your tea.

"You do Kendo too?? Takashi is really good at Kendo. Didn't you have a tournament last weekend Taka-chan?" Honey says, turning to the taller boy.

Mori nods and it seems like all of his questions are asked by Honey as the blond interrogates you on where you practice, how long have you been a student, have you ever done tournaments before, etc.

Before you know it, the Host Club is closing.

You stand and give the boys a slight bow.

"Thank you for spending time with me Honey, Mori," you say.

"Will you come back to sit with us again, YN-chan?" Honey asks as he looks up at you with big eyes.

You were hesitant. As nice as today was, you weren't totally sold on the Host Club.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to come back again, I did have a wonderful time with you boys," You smiled at the boy lolita.

"Yay! Did you hear that Taka-chan? YN-chan said she'll come back to sit with us!" Honey exclaimed as the older boy hoisted him up and placed him on his shoulder.

Mori nodded and you swore you could see a hint of a smile on his lips.

TIME SKIP: Next Day

It was beautiful outside. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and there wasn't a cloud to be spotted in the bright blue sky.

You were passing through the courtyard in between classes, just enjoying the nice flowers and fountains. That's when you heard giggling and the sound of girls not too far away. You looked over to your right and saw a swarm of female students surrounding none other than Tamaki and the Hitachiins. They were fawning over how "princely" Tamaki was and freaking out over the twins' brotherly love routine.

Honestly, you found they're reactions were a bit excessive, as you saw the Host Club as your peers and your equals as people and not as objects. They're students, just the same as you, after all.

As you were walking by, you hear a sweet voice call out to you.

"YN-chan! Yn-chan! Over here!"

You turn and look over your shoulder to see Honey perched on Mori's shoulders, waving you over.

You approached the older boys and gave them a smile and a wave. You didn't fangirl, squeal or freak out. No mad blushing or giggling. Just a friendly smile.

"Hey, boys," You say as you come to stand in front of them. "What's up?"

"Just wanted to say hi!" Honey says as Mori sets him down gently on the ground.

"Well hello there," you say with a grin and a small chuckle. 

"How was class, YN-chan?" Honey asked as he sat down on a nearby bench.

"It was good. It was home economics, and we made cupcakes," You replied taking a seat next to him. "I actually have two left. Do you want one, Honey?"

"Yes, please! Thank you YN-chan!!" Honey exclaimed.

You smiled and laughed a little at his excitement as you pulled a small white box with a blue ribbon tied around it.

You tugged on the ribbon and gave Honey the vanilla-strawberry cupcake. It was in a white and red polka-dotted paper. The frosting was perfectly swirled and soft pink. There was a sliced strawberry right on top.

As Honey dug into his cupcake, you looked up at Mori, who was still standing.

"Would you like the other cupcake, Mori? It's blueberry and blackberry. Not too sweet, not too sour." You held out the box.

He looks inside to see the dark chocolate cupcake in its deep blue wrapper with blue frosting topped with a blackberry.

He hesitated a moment before reaching out to take the dessert.

"Thank you," he said lowly, bowing his head slightly.

You smiled at him. You hadn't expected him to take you up on your offer. You were glad that he did though, you wanted to be better friends with Mori.

You felt hands on the end of your braid on your shoulder. You looked down to see Honey tying the royal blue ribbon from the cake box around the hair tie in your hair.

When he finished, he looked at your hair and then his face light up.

"Hold still YN-chan, I'll be right back!" He said as he lept of the bench and disappeared into the garden.

You gave a sort of bewildered laugh and wondered what he was up to.

It wasn't long before he returned with his hand behind his back.

"What are you up to, Honey?" You asked, tilting your head to the side.

Honey pulled a small bouquet of lily of the valley from behind his back.

"For your hair!" He explained as he came back to the bench.

The boy lolita then proceed to gently thread the flowers into your plait and placed an extra stalk on the bench beside you.

"All done! Now you look even cuter than before. Don't you agree, Takashi?" Honey said with a slight sideways glance and grin directed at the stoic Host.

Mori nodded slightly, and you saw what resembled a small blush. You blinked, thinking it was just your imagination.

"Aww thank you, Honey." You smiled.

The two of you just chatted for a while; simple small talk between new friends. It was nice, calm. You were surprised at how easy it was for you to sit and talk with Honey, despite not having all that much in common.

As the two of you chattered away, you thought you could see Mori's occasional glances, but when you looked, he was conveniently facing away or looking elsewhere entirely. You suspected it was simply a trick of the light or your imagination.

What wasn't your imagination was when you caught Mori looking back over his shoulder directly into your eyes as you walked down the corridor away from the two boys when the warning bell for classes had rung. The blush on his cheeks was apparent as he quickly looked away.

You couldn't help but smile to yourself. Not only had he accepted your cupcake, but he agreed with Honey when the blond boy had called you cute. Now he was blushing.

You were also excited about that Friday. Honey had invited you back to the Host Club that afternoon for an outdoors event. Not only did you not want to disappoint Honey by turning down his offer, but you were genuinely beginning to warm up to the Host Club,  little by little. Plus, it would mean another afternoon around Mori, whose presence was comforting to you among all the ecstatic girls and, shall we say, exciting hosts, who were never anything short of flashy and boisterous.

TIME SKIP: Friday Afternoon

Your afternoon classes had just finished, which meant that it was almost time for the outdoor event that the Host Club was hosting. You took your time walking to your locker and stowing your books and book bag away before casually making your way to the garden courtyard where you could already see tables and chairs set up with tea and snacks. And there in the midst of it all was the Host Club. The other guests were starting to arrive as well, taking in the pretty scenery and decorations that adorned the garden.

It was just like the Host club to go all out with a simple tea party in the garden. This was your first official time as a guest of the Host Club, seeing as you had finally made a proper request to sit with Honey and Mori.

You wandered casually to the center of the garden, just enjoying the atmosphere and the beautiful preparation of the set-up. 

"Hey, YN-chan! Over here!" Honey called out from his seat at one of the tables. He was waving and smiling brightly at you.

You smiled and waved back as you approached the table. There was one empty chair with a lovely cup and saucer placed on the table in front. There was also a beautiful 3-tier tray full of tiny sandwiches and sweets. An arrangement of deep blue and soft pink roses sat in the center of the table inside a little basket, tied with a white ribbon.

"Hello Honey, Mori," you greeted the boys as you sat down in the soft antique chair. 

Mori nodded his hello with a soft smile, barely noticeable to anyone except those who were looking closely.

Honey reached over the table to grab the teapot in an attempt to pour you a cup, but he was just a touch too far to properly take hold of the pot.

"Mitsukuni," Mori said gently. "Allow me".

With that, Honey leaned back, letting Mori take the pot instead to pour your tea.

"Thank you, Mori," you said with a slight bow of your head and a gentle smile on your lips. 

His cheeks flushed ever so slightly and he nodded, placing the teapot back on the table.

"What would you like to eat, YN-chan?" Honey asked, determined to serve you dessert if not tea.

"I'll have one of those lemon tarts if you don't mind, please," you asked.

Honey nodded eagerly and used the tiny tongs on the tray to place the miniature pastry on your plate.

"Thank you," you said before biting into the sweet and sour dessert.

Honey took a small slice of cake for himself and Mori poured another cup of tea, this time for him.

The sun was warm on your skin as you sat at the table in the garden. There was soft music coming from an antique phonograph on a small table in the middle of the set-up. A soft breeze wafted the sweet scent of flowers to your nose and you took a deep breath. Your exhale came as a sweet sigh before you lifted your teacup to your lips.

"Aren't you glad you came to the Host Club, YN-chan?" Honey asked, looking up at you with big eyes. "Cause Takashi and I sure are glad we get to spend time with you!"

You let out a little laugh, cheeks reddening as you smiled at the boy lolita. 

"Yes, I am glad you convinced me to visit the Host Club. I like spending time with the two of you as well," you replied as you looked to both of the boys on either side of the table.

Honey's mouth opened as if he wanted to say something, but he was interrupted by a group of girls who were calling out for him.

"Excuse me, YN-chan, I'll be right back!" He said with a smile before hopping down from his chair and meeting the girls who were calling his attention.

You reached out to grab the teapot to pour yourself another cup, but the pot was empty.

Upon noticing, Mori stood from his seat and took the pot from you. "I will go get some more".

And with that, he was gone.

Left alone, you turned in your seat to have a look around you. You saw all of the other hosts with their guests, as well as some girls just talking amongst themselves and enjoying the tea party.

It was then that something in the air caught your eye. It was distant, but coming ever closer at a high speed. It was a ball, and it was headed straight for Honey! With that kind of speed, it could do some serious damage!

Without a second thought, you lept from your chair and dashed towards Honey. The ball is nearly at his head and things move in slow motion.

The girls noticed and let out high shrieks, throwing their hands above their heads, curling away. The other hosts only gawked with no time to react. Mori stood shocked and in mute terror.

Your arms wrapped around Honey's frame and you swept him off his feet, pulling him to safety only mere inches from where the ball struck the ground - right where Honey had been standing.

When time returns to its regular pace, the no-apparent soccer ball had left a patch of flattened grass in its wake. The girls stood around in silence. No one moved a muscle. The moment passed and they began to clap and cheer for you. The hosts gathered around you and thanked you for keeping Honey safe.

"Are you alright, Honey?" You asked the boy who was still in your arms.

"Mmhmm. I'm okay. Thank you, YN-chan! You saved me!" Honey replied with a smile.

You let out a sigh of relief you hadn't noticed you were holding.

A hand gently touched your shoulder and you turned around only to come face to face with Mori who was bowing his head in gratitude for saving his cousin.

"Thank you, for saving Mitsukuni when I could not," He said lowly, meeting your EC eyes with his own dark grey ones.

"Of course, I wouldn't let anything happen to him," You said softly as you gently set Honey down.

Once his feet touched the ground, Mori was on his knees, head bent low, apologizing to Honey for not being there to protect them as he should have.

Honey just giggles and waved it off. "It's okay, Takashi. I'm okay, YN-chan saved me. It wasn't your fault. Besides, everything worked out!"

Mori only shook his head.

Honey placed his hand on his cousin's shoulder, making Mori look up to meet his eyes.

"I promise I'm fine, Taka-chan. Really".

It was then that Mori stood and scooped Honey up onto his shoulders. 

After such an eventful afternoon, it was time to pack up. The girls said their goodbyes and made more requests for the Host Club. Before you took your leave, you made your own request and waved goodbye to the cousins who returned the gesture.

~~~~~

The next week was spent normally without any exceptional events. You often passed Mori and Honey in the halls, as well as the twins and Haruhi. Your classes were going well and you were becoming rather close friends with Tamaki and Kyoya, seeing as the three of you shared a class.

It seemed as though your friendships with the hosts were really starting to bloom after the crazy ball incident from last week. You spent more time with the hosts between classes and even began to sit with them during some lunches at their request. You were more than just a guest to the host club, you had become a genuine friend to all of them.

The hosts each had their own reactions to the past incident as well. 

Tamaki, of course, inflated the story, making it seem much more heroic and intense than it was. Kyoya had been impressed by your fast thinking and quick actions and had actually told you as much. The twins, like Tamaki, made a huge story out of the ordeal and Haruhi was intrigued as to how you reacted so quickly. Honey was, of course, thankful and tried to find some way to repay you. You denied it, however, telling him that friends didn't need to repay each other like that. That's just how friends are.

And Mori? Well, he gained a new respect for you. Before he appreciated how you never fangirled and freaked out over him, or any of the other hosts for that matter. He liked that you treated each one of them as peers rather than idols and objects. He became much more fond of you after you rescued Honey from being squashed by that ball.

You visited the Host Club often, spending time with Honey and Mori on your visits, but never forgetting to talk with the other hosts as well. While you were there, however, you began to notice little things about Mori. 

Sometimes you would catch him staring at you when he thought you weren't looking. You noticed that when he greeted you, his eyes would linger on your face a touch longer than most. He became ever so slightly bolder when you were with him and Honey at the Host Club, like when we would pull out your seat for you, his hand would linger on the back of your chair for an extra moment. He even began to talk more around you, something that came as a bit of a shock to all of the Hosts.

Mori began to see you in a new light. As the two of you talked, he realized how much he truly enjoyed your company. While he was unaware of it, the other hosts certainly saw how he began to smile more when you were around. Mori also noticed how you would choose to sit with him even when Honey was busy with other guests. He wasn't sure why you made that decision, seeing as you weren't fangirling over him and he still didn't talk much. It was as if he couldn't fathom that you simply enjoyed his presence the way he did with you. Sitting with him in silence wasn't awkward, it was peaceful and comfortable.

Soon, Mori found himself paying more attention to the way you smiled, how it was always full and real. He noticed that for some reason, your smiles were brighter for him than they were for anyone else. He then caught himself thinking about the way your hair bounced with every graceful step you took. He became captivated by your eyes and the way they captured the sun. 

Mori could honestly say that he liked being around you. You didn't exhaust him, you didn't freak out around him. You were casual and kind and your honest self. He felt at home when he was with you. He didn't need to put on an act around you, he was comfortable being himself. He realized that he had feelings for you, and he couldn't think of a time when they had started, they had just built up slowly.

On the other hand, he found himself feeling guilty for having these feelings. He was supposed to be loyal to Mitsukuni. He was supposed to protect and serve him. He couldn't have time for both. He was conflicted. He had a sense of duty to Mitsukuni. He wouldn't betray that. Mori refused to accept his feelings for you, and he certainly wouldn't act upon them.

Even though he tried to deny how he felt, it was clear to the other hosts that he was falling for you. They saw the smiles, the blushing, the staring. They saw how he became more brazen around you.

One day, the Host Club was sitting around before they opened. Honey was, of course, sitting with Mori, business as usual.

Out of nowhere, Honey spoke up.

"So Taka-chan," the blond said. "Do you like YN-chan?"

The ravenette's head quickly looked to Honey's face, and then down to the floor.

His cheeks were red and he shook his head quickly, denying that he had an obvious crush on you, no matter how hard he tried to suppress those feelings.

"You suuuure Takashi? Cause it seems like you're into her," Honey teased, giggling.

Again, Mori denied it, saying that he was loyal to Honey and him alone.

"You don't have to ignore those feelings for me, Taka-chan. Why can't you have room for both of us? Besides, she sure does like you..."

Before he could say another word, it was time for the Host Club to open for business.

The other hosts, who had all taken notice of Mori's feelings began to point out to each other how you acted around Mori, stating out loud for the third year to hear how you always sat with him, how you smiled so much around him, how you got more flustered and blushy when you were near him. They encouraged Mori to ask you out; it's not as if you'd reject him.

Resigning himself to his feelings, Mori waited for the doors to open, hoping you'll be visiting him today. But with no such luck. As the guests rolled in, he became painfully aware of your absence. 

It is the same the next day as Mori is beside himself with anticipation at your arrival. But again, you were nowhere to be seen.

The third day you failed to show up at the host club, Mori and the rest of the hosts became worried. Mori and Honey hadn't seen you in the halls for the last few days, Tamaki and Kyoya reported that you had been absent from class aswell. Mori's thoughts became plagued with concern. Perhaps you found out he liked you and you were avoiding him. 

The twins' taunting wasn't helping either. 

"Maybe YN has found someone else to hang out with, or maybe she's got a boyfriend," Hikaru said nonchalantly.

"Or maybe she's switched schools and we'll never see her again," Kaoru piped up.

"Don't talk like that!" Tamaki cried. "YN would never leave us, especially not without saying goodbye..." 

"Tamaki-Senpai has a point. YN wouldn't give up her friends here. And she would have said something if she was leaving," Haruhi said. "There's probably a logical explanation for this."

For the rest of the week, you were a no-show. The tension and worry were evident on Mori's face. The rest of the club was also concerned for you.

TIME SKIP: The Next Week

It was Monday morning and Mori and Honey were on their way to their classroom. The halls were unusually full for the time of day, making it hard to see individual faces. Because of the crowd, Honey was perched on Mori's shoulders, giving him the advantage to make out faces in the corridor.

Last week, Mori was full of anticipation and nerves, hoping that you would show up in school that day. But after last week, his hopes weren't up. At this rate, he almost never expected to see you again.

This melancholy feeling put Mori in a bit of a trance as he walked. He wasn't really paying attention to the world around him; he was too busy worrying about where you had gone and when you'd be back if you ever came back. He was also too busy to notice that the crowd had dissipated, leaving only a few students.

He came back to his senses only after hearing Honey call out to someone.

"YN-chan, you're back!" Honey exclaimed, waving one hand in the air.

Mori looked up to see you smiling and waving back at the boy on his shoulders.

Setting Honey down, Mori met you in the middle of the hallway. Without a second thought, his hands were gently, yet firmly on your shoulders and he looked down at you, a mixture of worry and relief on his face.

"YN," He said. "Where were you, you haven't been in school all week. I was worried about you. We were all worried about you. I thought you had transferred schools again, or you were avoiding me, or you had decided that I wasn't worth your time or -"

Your gentle laugh interrupted Mori's worried rant.

"Woah, slow down there, Mori. I was just really sick. The flu is pretty nasty this year and I was unlucky enough to catch it, even after getting the flu shot. If I were going to transfer schools, I would have said something. I also would have come to say goodbye. Why on earth would I want to avoid you though?" You explained gently.

Mori's cheeks flushed a rosy pink when he realized that he'd just voiced his insecurities about you not wanting to be around him and not being interested in his company. His attention was brought back to your face when you let out a little laugh at his pink cheeks. His eyes meet yours before they mapped out the rest of your face.

You were looking up at him expectantly, a gentle smile playing on your lips. Mori realized just how much he'd missed you over the past week. He found himself resisting the urge to pull you into a tight embrace. 

As he stood there silently, you waited for his answer. But you also found yourself thinking about how much you missed being around Mori. You had been so sick you could barely get out of bed the past week, and you were constantly being waited on by staff. They would come to sit and talk with you, but you always found it exhausting. You missed just being able to sit in silence with Mori without things being awkward.

It was this train of thought that brought you to wish that Mori's hands on your shoulders would move to your waist and hold you closer. The thought surprised you because you hadn't really realized that you'd developed a crush on the older boy. It had just grown on you, starting as friends and building up to now.

You were first to come out of that momentary trance, tilting your head and asking your question again.

"Mori?" You asked gently. "Why would I want to avoid you?"

It was then that Mori noticed that his hands were still on your shoulders and he moved them back to his side.

Nervously, he cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck as he cast his gaze to the floor. He began to speak but you only caught the first two words before you heard multiple voices calling out your name in excitement.

You leaned in closer to try and hear Mori's words, but a wall of girls surrounded you and made it impossible for you to understand what he was trying to say.

Many voices talking over each other asked where you had been and if you were okay and what had happened to you last week. You weren't paying them much mind as you looked at Mori apologetically, trying to fight your way back towards him.

It was no use as the swarm of girls began to herd you down the hall to your class. You made eye contact with Mori as you were literally carried away and you called out to him that you would catch up with him after classes.

Mori watched as you were swept away, disappointed that he had missed his chance to tell you how he was feeling. He turned to continue his way down the hall when Tamaki and the Hitachiin twins suddenly appeared from nowhere.

The trio in all of their dramatic tendencies began to consol the older boy on what they thought was your rejection to Mori. Mori just stared at them, shaking his head before he left them in the hallway.

TIME SKIP: Host Club Hours After Classes

Mori found himself yet again nervous with anticipation at your arrival to the Host Club. He wasn't sure he would find the confidence to tell you how he feels again, seeing as the last time was a sheer accident, and you can't force a moment like that one.

The rest of the Host Club watched with concern as Mori was pacing along the side and corner wall.

"Mori-Senpai must really be worried if he's actually pacing," Haruhi commented, hand on her mouth as she watched.

"Mmhmm. Taka-chan's worried 'cause he doesn't know if he'll be able to tell YN-chan how he feels," Honey piped up, holding Usa-chan close to his chest as he worried for his cousin.

"It's really unlike Mori-senpai to show any emotion..." Hikaru began.

"... Let alone get so worked up that he begins pacing," Kaoru finished.

"You're right! Mori-senpai must be really troubled if he's this expressive. Men, we have to do something! We have to help Mori-senpai win over YN's heart. She clearly likes him, we just have to make sure they're in the perfect position to express their feelings," Tamaki explained, hitting his fist into his open palm.

"I'm not sure that's wise," Kyoya advised as he looked up from his book. "We know Mori-senpai and YN share their feelings for each other. Both aren't the kind of person who would need help, much less accept it. I think it would be wise to wait and let this play out on its own".

It was then that the double doors to Music Room 3 were cast open, revealing none other than you.

Mori stopped dead in his tracks as he looked up at you.

You met his gaze and smiled widely.

"Hey there, stranger. Sorry about earlier, I'm not quite able to fight my way through a mob just yet," you laughed as you sat down with Mori at the nearest table.

Other guests were beginning to stream in through the doors and the Host Club was filling up. Not even Honey approaches the table as the Hosts leave the two of you alone (although they can never really leave well enough alone so they made sure to watch the events unfold from a safe distance).

But fate was not in your favour, for many guests came in and approached your table just as Mori was about to speak. The fangirls, excited and giddy, surrounded the table in an attempt to get as close to Mori as possible. 

In the process, one of them accidentally knocked over a cup of hot tea, spilling it directly into your lap.

You lept up from the table and began to hurridly dab the tea off of your skirt, but to no avail. The tea had stained the soft yellow fabric of the dress and made a sizeable mess on the floor as well.

The guests backed away and apologized profusely as you sighed and met Mori's gaze, sharing a rather exasperated look as if to say "You've got to be kidding me...".

You excused yourself from the group and soon found your arms linked to the Hitachiins, one on either side of you as they escorted you to the change rooms to offer uniform backup support. 

There weren't any extra uniform dresses in your size left, but the boys did find a men's uniform shirt and jacket that would fit. The only problem was the lack of pants that would fit your waist. Their solution: a pleated black skirt that reached your mid-thigh.

You thanked the boys and stepped behind the curtain to change.

The final look was the men's top and the black skirt, paired with the white stockings and black shoes you were already wearing.

You exited the change room and re-entered the main room, only to be met with the awestruck looks of the hosts, minus Mori, who was tidying up the tea spill.

The boys admired your new look and commented on how it suited you much better than the yellow dress. 

Tamaki pleaded with Haruhi to wear at least the same thing as you were. His argument was that "my little girl would look so adorable in a skirt like that". She only deadpanned him and flatly told him no, sending Tamaki to sulk in his emo corner and grow mushrooms.

After he had finished cleaning up the spill, Mori had joined the group, only to stop halfway there when he caught sight of your new outfit. 

His jaw went slack as he admired how gorgeous you looked. The jacket fit your casual and natural personality much more than the dress ever did (although he still thought you looked very cute in that dress). 

Noticing him staring, you approached him and gave a little twirl, which sent your skirt flaring out around you.

"Judging by the way you're staring, I assume I look pretty good in this, yeah?" You teased, putting a blush on Mori's face.

He only nodded before taking hold of your wrist gently and guiding you out the doors.

He was so frustrated with all of the interruptions that he needed to get you alone so he could talk to you. None of the other hosts or guests even argued or said a word about it.

Mori brought you to the gardens which were completely empty. Once he was sure the two of you alone at last, he stopped in the center of the garden and took both of your hands in his.

Tired of waiting and being interrupted, Mori wasted no time in building up to anything.

"I seem to have fallen for you, Miss LN," he said softly as he looked you right in the eyes. "I've been trying to tell you for some time now, but you were ill and then all of these interruptions and I... Well, I needed to tell you."

"Mori..." You began, smiling up at him.

"Please," he murmured, just above a whisper. "Call me Takashi,"

"Takashi," you began again, meeting his grey eyes and giving his hands a gentle squeeze. "I like you too. I wanted to tell you when I came back to school, but I figured, you're a host and you hear it all the time and what if everything I thought was genuine was really just an act and -"

You stopped mid-sentence as you felt his hands wrap around your waist, pulling you closer to him.

"I could never act around you, YN," Takashi said. 

His eyes met yours before trailing down to your lips and then back up. Your smile was all the approval he needed before he slid one hand to the back of your head, the other still firmly holding your waist.

Eyes fluttered shut as lips met and neither hesitated as you shared a kiss, sweet and soft.

All too soon the kiss came to an end, but his hold on you was still firm and protective.

You leaned into his chest, your arms around him as he held you close.

He pulled back from the hug first and slowly joined his lips to yours a second time.

"Takashi?" You mumbled against his lips. 

"Hmm?" He hummed lowly in response.

"You do know the other hosts are watching from the window, right?" You questioned gently, for you could see them crammed in the window from the corner of your eye.

"I don't care about them. What I care about is you," he stated matter-factly and that was that.

****

Holy shit, that took ages to write! We hit almost 8000 words with this one. 

I hope you enjoyed this!