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Mori liked to think that he was a simple person. He was the strong and silent type. How much more obvious could a title get? He was a lone, still island among a sea of raging waves.
Love was a big deal in the Host Club. It was a big deal in high school in general. 'So and so likes this person' was a common thing for people to say; and he also heard a handful of 'but that person likes that person'.
It seemed like everyday he tagged along with the club on some adventure to save somebody they didn't know very well's heart. Not that Mori had a problem with it or anything. It was a very interesting way to spend his time. Everyone in the Host Club was definitely his friend, after all.
But seeing all of the big productions teenagers made about love and liking people and relationships was exhausting. Long ago, Mori decided that if he did ever fall in love (which he never actually planned on doing), he wanted it to be simple.
Naturally, that's the opposite of what he got.
The idea that he was 'in love' never occurred to Mori until quite a bit after his first kiss. It wasn't some big romance movie passionate kiss scene. It was just a new interaction that felt totally...normal. It felt natural.
"Takashi, you love me, right?" Honey asked him as they waited for the Host Club customers to arrive. It was a straightforward question and Mori didn't have to think about the answer.
"Yes."
Honey grinned even wider than he had before. "Kay," he replied cheerily. Then, like it was the most normal thing to do, he leaned forward and put his hands on Mori's knees to help him balance as he stood on his tiptoes and kissed him.
The kiss wasn't very long, but it wasn't exactly a peck. His soft lips brushed gently across Mori's own and then he pulled away. After that, the Lolita skipped off to go find some cake.
Mori's first thought was literally, 'Hmm.' His second was: 'That was nice.' And the third was a bit more subconscious. 'We should do that again.'
His mind was completely calm. How could he possibly question something that Mitsukuni made seem so typical?
It wasn't until he got home and walked into his room that he realized what had happened. He shut the door and remembered how much he liked Honey's kiss. 'Kiss...Mitsukuni kissed me...' Then he freaked out.
His hand instantly flew to cover his lips and a warm blush blossomed over his cheeks. Mitsukuni kissed him and he enjoyed it.
His first instinct was to try to stay calm. 'Takashi, relax.' He took a couple of deep breaths. In his years of kendo training, he'd been taught how to stay composed if he got worked up during a match. 'Think rationally. Cousins kiss. They're family, they kiss all the time.'
But he couldn't get over Honey's eyes. Those big brown eyes glistening with innocence...
Mori sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. They were not glistening with innocence. Those damn eyes were full of Honey's secret mischievousness. It was a side of him that only some people knew about. People like Mori and those meddling twins.
'Mitsukuni did this on purpose.'
So the short eighteen year-old wanted him to realize his feelings. Well, it worked.
Despite being slightly frustrated with the small blonde boy, Mori couldn't help smiling. He really was something.
And maybe Mori never realized that his affection and sense of protectiveness over Mitsukuni was stronger than most people would think. He'd spent most of his life around him. Of course he'd gotten used to the way his heart sped up and his sudden self-consciousness, because for him, that became a daily thing.
The next day, Honey sat on Mori's shoulders and placed a kiss to his forehead as they entered the clubroom.
Now that the stoic's true emotions had been brought to light, he was much more aware of this than he would have been before. He could feel his cheeks burning.
He set the Lolita down right away, causing the shorter boy to pout.
"Takashi?" He blinked up at Mori innocently. "Is something the matter?" The corner of his mouth lifted up into the slightest, barely noticeable smirk.
Mori scratched the back of his neck and avoided his gaze.
Honey giggled. "You don't have to be embarrassed. Because I love you too, you know."
Mori felt his face grow warmer. "Yeah. I know," he replied and smiled a little sheepishly.
From across the room, the other hosts stared in amazement.
"So it finally happened," Hikaru said in awe. His brother was speechless.
"I told you guys," Tamaki remarked proudly. "The blood of a loyal servant flows like a mighty river through Mori-senpai's veins."
"Oh, the blood flows, does it?" Kaoru asked with a smirk.
His brother grinned slyly. "Wherever does it flow to, Boss?"
Tamaki's face turned redder than a tomato. "You know that's not what I meant!"
Haruhi rolled her eyes. "Perverts."
Tamaki shook his hands frantically in defense. "My dear daughter, I swear to you that I meant not—"
Honey cringed at the noise Tamaki was making. "Takashi, can we go somewhere else now?"
Without waiting for Mori's nod, he took the taller's hand and pulled him into an unused supply closet not too far down the hall.
Honey sat on a desk that was put in the closet for storage purposes. "See?" He swung his legs. "Now I can reach you better." His eyes glinted mischievously again and he grabbed behind Mori's neck, pulling him down for a passionate kiss.
Mori knew that they were cousins and that made things about as complicated as they could get.
Mitsukuni licked his bottom lip and Mori, not quite sure how he knew what to do, opened his mouth to let his tongue in.
But this...
Mitsukuni roamed his mouth, exploring every part of it with his tongue. Mori made a sound he didn't know he could make and blushed deeper than Tamaki ever had. Mitsukuni broke the kiss with a small laugh and Mori looked away shyly.
"We should continue this at my house, Takashi." The smaller one paused and brought Mori closer so he could whisper in his hear. "I'll help you make a lot more sounds like that." His hand was dangerously close to Mori's lower region.
Despite being the opposite of what people expected...
Mori couldn't help laughing a little as he was pulled in for another kiss.
Was simple to them.