Warning:

Spoilers for anime and perhaps the manga.

Disclaimer:

I don't own Ouran or the characters, or anything, really. Disclaimer for whole story.

|| Reminisce ||

Author's Note:

I am in love with the twins, can't stop writing about em. So this is my little fic post-anime.

I was moved at how much that maid influenced their lives, especially since they were children, and how far they had come.

Can't seem to find the same idea on the archive, so sorry if it seems like I'm taking someone else's.

Hikaru/Kaoru brotherly friendship, some bits could be taken as romance, but it's not intended that way.

Don't wanna see flames, reviews are nice and I can deal with constructive criticism :)

01 - Then and Now

One long sigh escaped Hikaru's lips as he leant against the wall of Music Room#3.

"Why are we here?" He drawled, turning to face his brother and companion, who were also resting against the wall.

Haruhi gave him a bored expression and ignored his question, while Kaoru shrugged.

"Well, the boss didn't know if he could make it tonight after his mock-exam. So we're waiting." He explained, mostly for the benefit of his brother.

"Honey-sempai and Mori-sempai aren't coming to this meeting, so if they do turn up, it'll only be Kyoya-sempai and the boss. Hardly worth our time." Hikaru replied, closing his eyes briefly.

Kaoru and Haruhi exchanged glances.

She wanted to point out that they shouldn't learn to become bored so easily, but already knew how both of them would reply.

"Look, we've only got to wait fifteen more minutes and then we can leave." The younger Hitachiin told his brother.

"An empty room and fifteen minutes to kill. What to do?" Hikaru mused, letting his eyes roam around the room.

"Well I have a question, actually." Haruhi sat up as she spoke so she could take in both the twins.

The elder raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Question?"

Kaoru sighed and subtly elbowed his brother and made a motion for Haruhi to continue.

"Yeah well, I've never gotten to ask you this, but I've been meaning to." She told them. "On the day we first met the members of the Zuka Club-," both twins couldn't hide their smirks, "Some girls in our class were talking to me about you guys."

"You mean when you were supposed to buy us the coffee?" Kaoru questioned.

Glaring, Haruhi's expression told him to not go any further with his point. "Yes, that day." She snapped. Despite being her closest friends, the twins still irritated her often. "Anyway, they said that before the Host Club, both of you weren't like you are now. Even the other Hosts have agreed at some point on this."

The brothers exchanged glances and then let their gazes fall to her. "So what is it you want to know?" They asked in unison.

Haruhi shifted so her legs weren't going numb beneath her and settled cross-legged before them.

"Well, for starters, why don't you tell me how you used to be, seeing as it's such a big deal. I mean, I know you're both arrogant and mischievous, but the way everyone else tells it, you were much different." She sounded hesitant, wondering if she was stepping on dangerous ground. After all, the twins were noisy and loud and loved sharing their thoughts with her. She found it unusual that she knew barely anything on the issue, and wondered why.

Hikaru's eyes slid to his brother, silently willing him to speak for them both, or at least start it. He knew he wasn't the best at describing things the way they had been, Kaoru was more likely to recount it properly.

Kaoru let out a short breath and nodded. "Okay Haruhi, we'll tell you. We're not sure if this will make you feel any different about us, or even if it helps your question."

"You were that bad?" She asked, frowning at both of them.

Hikaru rolled his eyes. "Believe me, we were worse than that."

Kaoru bowed his head so he could focus on his outstretched feet and avoid her gaze.

"We were terrible." He admitted. "For the most part, we liked to keep ourselves a part from everyone. I guess in a way, this meant when someone did approach us, we were much colder and cruel."

"We wouldn't have minded what people thought, as long as they kept their distance. When they invaded, it was hard to stay reasonable. We weren't very good with dealing at emotions." Hikaru added.

"Well, you aren't good at dealing with emotions Hikaru. I'm a bit better." Kaoru spoke up, his eyes dancing with mischief.

The elder brother snorted but couldn't help smiling. "Well we weren't two separate people, so your point doesn't count."

They laughed until they realised Haruhi was giving them a weird expression.

"What do you mean 'separate'?" She asked them.

"Eh, well it's probably easier for you if you don't know about that yet." Kaoru told her, a bit reluctantly. "Just, drop it for the moment." Hikaru encouraged.

Haruhi sat back and crossed her arms. "As long as you promise to tell me at some point."

Both twins nodded without so much as a glance between them.

"Right well, like we said, we preferred being alone. It was easy just to be on our own and not have to bother with others and feelings and emotions. You can guess why." The younger Hitachiin explained.

"Because you were always together." She stated.

"Right." They answered.

"Well at the end of our second year of middle school, we were invited to join the Host Club. I guess it was from there that we changed from who we were, to who we are now." Hikaru told her.

"Of course it was gradual, we didn't change overnight. Mostly we were bored and that's how we ended up here." Kaoru added.

Both twins looked at her expectantly.

"Wait, that's it?" Haruhi asked sceptically.

The brothers let slight smiles touch their faces. "No, we've barely touched the surface." Hikaru said quietly. "It's just easier to summarise that question." Kaoru finished.

Haruhi let a hand run through her hair and sighed. "Fair enough, you answered what I asked. But there was more to it. There must have been a reason for how you acted, and being alone isn't a bad thing, so I'm sure you're leaving out stuff there as well."

Both twins grinned, knowing she was much better at reading them then they originally thought.

"Yeah, well we can tell you, if you want." Kaoru announced.

Just as she was about to agree and ask them to keep going, the sound of a door being opened alerted them all of other students.

Two tall figures strode into the room.

"Hey boss, Kyoya-sempai."The twins chorused and Haruhi added her own greeting as the two older boys walked in.

Tamaki looked a bit uncertain of himself, while Kyoya was paying close attention to his notebook, as usual.

"How'd the mock exam go?" Haruhi asked them.

"Fine." Kyoya answered, while the Prince collapsed to the floor and wailed his frustration. As Tamaki complained about the various questions he had no idea about, Kyoya adding in scoldings about how he should have studied more, the trio of second years couldn't help but smile.

Once he had recovered himself, Tamaki looked up as if to realise that he might have been interrupting something, despite their sketchy planned meeting.

"What have you guys been up to?" He asked curiously.

"Waiting for you, obviously." The twins replied automatically.

"Not much." Haruhi said; when the two older boys cast their gazes in her direction.

"Well then, let's discuss the coming party and the theme we should do." Tamaki announced, seemingly over his trouble in his exam, and turned away so they could centre themselves in the room, instead of the small corner they were in.

Hikaru and Kaoru hauled her up without warning and she would've protested, except for the fact that she made sure they heard her when she said, "We'll talk about this later."

Shaking their arms off her, she followed the Prince and the Shadow King obediently, while the twins cast each other doubtful expressions.

It seemed she was adamant about learning more about them.

They didn't know whether to be intrigued or wary.

A/N:

I know it's brief, but it's just the introduction.

- Mae.