Title: Unprotected Fear

Rated T

Summary: A kidnapping proceeds to turn Kyouya's worst nightmare into reality. Kyouya/Kaoru oneshot. Slash.

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran High School Host Club

A/N: Here's another one of my attempts to venture off into this fandom. These characters are just so much fun to play with (teehee!). I'm not as pleased with the way this oneshot turned out like I am my last one (Nightmarish Reality). I still was able to pace it the way it formed in my head so that's very satisfying. Still, I don't consider it my best work but I still hope whoever reads can enjoy it in some way. I may not have put as much attention to detail in the actual plot as I would have wanted and the characters are probably a bit OOC. I hope they aren't but if they are just let me know please! If I ever write another Ouran fic soon I'll definitely keep constructive criticism in mind! One more thing, this is my 100th fanfic! I'm surprised that the fandom I chose to wrote for it ended up being Ouran but I'm still pleased (Ouran's a pretty darn good series if I do say so myself). Also, special thanks to somerdaye for making me finish this haha. Everyone should really check out her Ouran fanfiction on her page, especially all Hikaru/Tamaki fans. That said, I give you Unprotected Fear. Enjoy!

The first thing Kyouya registered was darkness, and not the kind he is so familiar with. The pain associated with this unfamiliar darkness is one that is almost intolerable.

"He's coming around," a rough voice announces the darkness becomes less hazy. He can't locate the voice, but he knows it's close to him.

"How much of that stuff did you give him?"

"Just enough to keep him knocked out." He's bound, which explains why it's hard to breathe. It also explains why he can't shout in his defense.

"Hopefully that redhead will keep the police distracted for a while," That redhead...Kaoru! He feels another ache, this one of longing and frustration. He needs to know if his Kaoru is okay and if these bastards have done anything to him. What if they have him bound in another room? Kaoru isn't a fan of the dark, and he definitely isn't a fan of being alone. Kyouya tries to say something but realizes the tape is blocking his voice.

"I think we struck a nerve," a voice taunted as Kyouya thrashed to try to escape from the chair. He could hear the warm breath cut through the darkness. "If you want your boyfriend alive then you'd best cooperate with us Ootori." Rage, the kind of rage only brought on when someone threatens his Kaoru, tore at his heart. He wanted to lash out but the tape disallowed him to.

"Don't scare him like that," a female says. "If you do, he'll never tell us anything." A scent approaches him, one that wreaks of cigarettes and dead roses. "You don't have to fear us." it coos "We just want you to ourselves for awhile, that's all."

"Maybe he'll start talking for us once we break him." the first voice snickers.

And with that Kyouya is left in the darkness as though he imagined the dialogue. He tried to remember how he managed to get into this predicament and also the last time he was with Kaoru. He can only assume that he is safe with the others, which is enough to make his heart cry with relief.

"This is a waste of my time. I should be out there looking for him!" Kaoru Hitatchiin declared, determined not to break down in front of these so called "investigators".

The tall, skinny one in front of him quirked his eyebrow. "You and your boyfriend Ootori Kyouya come out to the public and not even 72 hours later the youngest Ootori is kidnapped..." (Kaoru flinched internally at the word) "...and is still unable to be located. We understand that this may not be the ideal place to ask you questions. If you'd rather come with us to headquarters..."

"He's not going anywhere." Eyes turned as Tamaki Suoh opened the door of music room 3, and stepped out to join them. "I believe you've interrogated my friend long enough. If you wish to attain more information, I request you do so at a later time." The command in the blonds' voice was unmistakable and caused the two investigators to glance at each other. The shorter of the two men nodded.

"We'll keep in touch." he informed; Kaoru was able to catch the hidden threat laced in his words. As soon as they departed, he hastily wiped away a tear.

"Thank you, milord."

Tamaki smiled at him sadly. "Hikaru's inside waiting. Do you need him to take you home?"
"No, I'll be okay." Kaoru lied. He allowed Tamaki to lead him back into the room. Though club activities were still in effect (Tamaki assured the ladies that Kyouya would have wanted activities to go on as planned.) the lack of enthusiasm in the room was palpable.

Hikaru approached his twin instantly, letting Kaoru fall into his arms.

"He'll be okay." Hikaru muttered. Kaoru wasn't enough of a fool to cry in front of the fan girls but the investigators struck a nerve. It wasn't until he was in his brother's arms did he realize that he wasn't going to be okay.

"Perhaps we should leave," A girl who had designated Honey suggested tentatively. Wordlessly, the others agreed so Mori and Tamaki bid them farewell as they left.

"Do you want something sweet to eat Kao chan? It may make you feel better..." Honey tried.

"Kyouya...doesn't like sweet things," was all Kaoru could state before his words formed into a sob.

"Hey, Kaoru? I know it doesn't seem like it...but it'll be okay. He'll be okay, just you wait." Haruhi tried. Her assuring words didn't seem to reach the redhead but Hikaru gave her a grateful look over Kaoru's head.

"Haruhi's right, you know things'll be back to normal soon." Hikaru continued, rubbing circles against Kaoru's back. The day had been hard on all of them, and Kyouya's absence was formidable. Earlier, Kaoru had gotten a frantic phone call from not only Fuyumi but from Tamaki as well. The blond was rambling on about how "Mommy is missing! We have to assemble an elite team of ninjas to track him! It's his only chance!"

Tamaki's rambles actually continued on until his boyfriend smacked him upside his head. It wasn't until then did the blond realize just how much this was effecting Kaoru and how tactless his rambles were. So then he adopted an unfamiliar mentality in order to help his friends through this tough ordeal. This didn't exactly help Kaoru's mood any; he hated when people tried to act a different way just to make him feel better.

"What I don't get is why those investigators are harassing you," Haruhi pondered. "You'd think they'd be trying to get a better lead..."

Kaoru said nothing, and Hikaru noticed how stiff he was becoming. "I'll take you home," he declared, ignoring Haruhi completely. Kaoru didn't try to protest and the twins walked from the music room, leaving an unsure silence in their wake.

Time seemed endless as did the darkness. Kyouya was left alone with his thoughts. How long had it been since he heard those voices? An hour? Two? It was hard to tell.

Finally, a door opened; he picked up the sound on his left.

"I brought you some dinner," the female voice announced, her odor pungent. Kyouya made no movement as he felt the shadows accumulate into a towering mass beside him.

"Don't be like that, you need to eat," the woman scolded. "Although, I can see how eating with your hands bound would be a problem. Would it be better if I fed it to you?"

Kyouya glared at this woman's empty kindness. His expression remained obscured.

Somehow, she could sense it and let out a sigh. "I'd help you if I could, but I'm pushed up against the wall here myself. They want a will, and they're planning on doing everything in their power to attain it."

Will? Kyouya didn't have any idea about a will. He tried to recall his family affairs and wasn't able too. Everything was already left to his older brothers, he couldn't possibly fathom what else his father had to entrust.

"They'll try to break you in the worst way possible. I keep trying to reason with them that their efforts are fruitless and they should have at least kidnapped someone with more power in your family. Oh well, at least we have each other to entertain for the time being, right?"

Kyouya grunted a response against the duck tape that wasn't very polite.

Hikaru knew that his younger brother was distraught over recent events but never expected him to be so...broken.

"Hikaru?"

"Kaoru?" Hikaru tried to focus in on the shadowy figure beside his bed but sleep still fogged his eyes. He sat up. "S' matter?"

Kaoru mumbled something about a nightmare and instinctively Hikaru scooted over to make room. He could feel his twin trembling against the covers and snuggled closer.

"Whatever it is, it isn't real," Hikaru assured, knowing his nightmare was somehow Kyouya related.

"But it is real." Kaoru whimpered. Hikaru frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"The night before sempai went missing was the night I was going to stay over. I came home instead because we got into a trivial argument about how protective he is over me. He knows I can take care of myself but he still doesn't allow me to usually. I wasn't really mad at him, just irritable, and he asked his driver if he could take me home..."

Hikaru listened, angry at the Shadow King yet still he knew his feelings wouldn't comfort Kaoru any at the moment.

"...the maids say Kyouya sempai went on a walk after I left and never returned, not even for his schoolbags in the morning. His sister called me, worried. I wasn't able to calm her down. Then I realized, if sempai is still missing it's all my fault. Because if I had stayed..." Kaoru words broke into a sob.

"You didn't know what was going to happen, Kaoru." Hikaru said firmly. He pulled his twin closer when he felt tears on his arm. "Whatever went down with you and that boyfriend of yours has nothing to do with the fact that there are heartless people in this world." Hikaru supposed he said the wrong thing because Kaoru's trembles didn't cease.

"Your boyfriend isn't like anyone else, Kaoru. He'd know how to get out of predicaments. No one is able to break him, I mean he is part demon after all."

Kaoru snorted sleepily and nudged his brother. Even though it was a rare thing to admit, Hikaru was right.

"Thanks Hikaru..." he muttered, letting sleep control his inability to stay awake any longer. Hikaru closed his own eyes, feeling his brother slip away from reality beside him.

"Anything for you, Kaoru."

The sounds emitted from the speakers broke his heart.

"We told you it would have been ideal to cooperate with us Ootori." One of the voices stated simply.

Kyouya felt helpless as he heard his boyfriend shriek from pain in the next room.

Leave him alone. Leave him alone!

Kaoru had been in another room after all. Kyouya couldn't stand it. He had been interrogated not even an hour before, finally permitted to speak. Only, he wasn't able to clearly negotiate with his kidnappers due to the fact he had no idea what they wanted. He tried to cleverly manipulate them but they weren't dumb enough to fall for any of his schemes.

They kept saying something about a will. A deep voice informed him that it was crucial to their financial situation. An Ootori ancestor had conned the will from their grasp years and years ago.

"What makes you think that I know anything about it?" Kyouya spat.

"You're predicament is well known, Ootori. Your father is entrusting all to your brothers. You simply need something to one up them. With the will, you could attain inheritance far beyond your wildest dreams."

"You don't know anything about my dreams." Kyouya declared. Darkness shrouded his vision still, and he could only hear sound. It wasn't until earlier did Kyouya realize his kidnappers also removed his glasses.

A repetitive cry. Kyouya balled his fists against the chair arms.

"Stop. He's done nothing. Just let him go, stop hurting him," He begged through clenched teeth.

"Give us the information we desire and we'll cooperate with your wishes. That's how it works Ootori."

"I don't have any information for you." He snarled.

Another scream.

Please...just don't hurt him anymore.

Kaoru couldn't bring himself to visit with Kyouya's sister or father. It was his fault Kyouya went missing and he was sure they knew that. He didn't think he could take it if they voiced the blame out loud, something his friends had been careful to avoid.

48 hours had passed and Kyouya's disappearance made headlines. The sympathetic stares he got at school angered him. At least Hikaru had convinced Tamaki to discontinue club activities until Kyouya was safe.

Hours merged into each other and Kaoru lost track of time. This was why he was startled when Hikaru gently nudged his shoulder, saying it was time for lunch.

Food was the last thing on his mind, but he bought lunch anyway because of his brother's pestering. ("Kyouya wouldn't want you to starve yourself! Even he isn't that heartless!").

"I don't want to eat in here." Kaoru muttered, as he and his brother took a seat next to Haruhi.

He could feel the intense curiosity that lingered in the room, he could hear the whispers and the gossip.

"We could always just go back to the classroom," Haruhi suggested, smiling.

"Kaoru kun!"

The three turned as a girl from class 1-A approached. She seemed breathless, and took a moment before she spoke.

"It's Kyouya sempai. He's been found!"

Kaoru stood up in a heartbeat, his lunch forgotten.

"He's in the hospital. The Ootori's private army managed to track down the kidnapper's location quicker than the FBI. He isn't hurt, but he's very disoriented," Tamaki informed him as a car took him to their destination. Kaoru absorbed all this information, every ounce of fear escaping him at once. It almost made him light headed.

"Kaoru?"

He looked over at Tamaki. The driver stopped in front of one of the hospitals the Ootori family owned and ushered them both out. A nurse volunteered to lead them to Kyouya's room.

"Something happened to him in there. He wasn't hurt, but his army told me that he seemed to have been broken. The kidnappers aren't saying they used physical violence but torture seems obvious. Apparently, they manipulated your voice to make it seem as though you were the victim they were breaking."

At this Kaoru's heart sank. His boyfriend was the strongest and most rational individual he knew.

Hikaru and the others offered to hang back until Kyouya was ready for visitors. Tamaki escorted him off campus in order to relay all the information he had learned from Kyouya's sister. This made Kaoru's heart sink a bit; Fuyumi treated him like he was family. He couldn't say he was surprised she called Tamaki first. Tamaki had known the Ootori family longer than any of the host club. The two approached Kyouya's private room, and Kaoru paled when he saw his boyfriend's sister by his bedside.

She looked up when the two entered, her eyes bloodshot. Then, she looked at Kaoru.

After what seemed like forever, which was perhaps only a few moments, Fuyumi raised from her seat and approached Kaoru with her arms open.

"He's going to be okay..." She said happily as they hugged.

"I...I thought you'd be mad at me." Kaoru finally confessed. She pulled away at arm's length, surprised.

"Why would you think such a thing? You're as much apart of this family as I am, Kaoru. Kyouya loves you with all his heart. I wanted to make sure to see how you were coping but father suggested that we let you cope in your own way. It would have probably been painful for you to visit us anyway..."

Kaoru blinked. He hadn't considered that possibility, as he was so used to letting his fear consume his every emotion these past few days. He felt a tear prick his eyes and he gave her a warm smile.

"Thank you. That means a lot to me."

"Father's speaking to some doctors at the moment. I'll leave you two alone, Kyouya's resting now but he should be up within the hour."

Kaoru nodded and took her chair beside his boyfriend. Tamaki mumbled something about never getting to call in ninjas and excused himself from the room for a cup of coffee.

Kaoru looked at Kyouya's peaceful features, placing a hand upon his. He couldn't fathom the extent of torture his boyfriend was forced to endure. The thought made him feel uneasy.

Still, he couldn't help but feel alleviated and at peace. No matter what type of delusions those monsters fed him, Kaoru was now there to make sure Kyouya was safe. Kyouya always seemed to be doing the protecting in the relationship and now it was time for a taste of his own medicine.

He chuckled bitterly at the irony and let another tear escape. Kaoru knew better than anyone that Kyouya wouldn't stop being the kind, protective man he was. He also found he didn't mind, just as long as his boyfriend was safe again.

Impulsively, Kaoru bent over to kiss his forehead, Kyouya's hand still in his own.

"It really is going to be okay after all." He promised quietly as he sat back in his seat.

A warm squeeze. Kaoru smiled.

Everything will be okay.

-Fin-

A/N: Now that I've reread it multiple times, the reassuring thought it isn't as bad as I keep making it out to be is comforting. I'm not horrified by it, I just know I probably could have done a lot more with it. Oh well, it's just a story after all. (I always put a ton of thought into anything I write). Thanks for sticking with it until the end! Remember, I really appreciate reviews so I'd have some idea of how decent this turned out. Thanks again for reading, until next time!