Aaron and Marcus were treated like soldiers returning from a war they won single-handedly. Marcus handled the praise and adoration in step, but Aaron had to bite back laughter. He was beginning to think these boys would be better off in a drama club than a host club. It was as amusing as everything else they had done, until Roman started sorting through the bags.
"What is this?" he asked, confusion on his bag as he held up a packet of cookies.
Aaron matched his confusion. "What do you think it is?" he asked, eyebrows high.
"Er... dog biscuits?" he offered.
The color that tinted Aaron's face so often around those boys was from anger that time. "They're Oreos, you-" spoiled brat. Luckily, Aaron was able to keep the insult in his head, but it was a close call. And the way the twins looked at each other, lips pressed together to keep their laughter inside, clearly showed Aaron he was an open book. Aaron forced himself to take deep, steadying breaths, to help his fists unclench and his posture relax from furious rigidity.
He should have known they wouldn't be happy with what he bought. They probably ate fresh-baked cookies straight from their private chef's ovens. Shame began to eat away at him as the exclaimed over nearly everything he had bought.
"Soda in a can? Isn't that what glasses are for?" Benji frowned at the can. Aaron looked down; cans meant less dishes to clean, less soap and water to pay for. And pop cans could be recycled for ten cents apiece.
"Is this cheese... processed?" Harry asked incredulously, "Look, the meat is too!"
Pardon me for not wanting to spend enough to buy dinner for two days on deli meat, Aaron thought bitterly. He wrapped his arms around himself, trying to protect himself from the unwitting damage they were doing. Earlier in the day he'd gotten a taste of being prince, but the boys were making it painfully obvious Aaron would always be a peasant at Sherwood; the thought made his shoulders and head droop.
"Well I think what Aaron bought is perfect."
Aaron's head snapped up, his eyes searching out the unreadable expression of the boy who'd spoken up in his favor. Kris gave Aaron a subtle twitch of his lips that might have been a smile.
"Right. There's nothing wrong with trying something new," Marcus chimed in.
"But..." Roman looked up, and his words froze in his mouth when he saw how Aaron had curled into himself. Guilty horror crushed his breath out of him when he realized he'd been insulting the boy; this was the way Aaron had to eat every day, and he'd called it dog food.
He started to get to his feet, but Harry was quicker. The rest of the host club boys watched with wide eyes as one of the cold, untouchable twins enfolded their puppy in his arms, murmuring into the hair he had styled so carefully. "I'm sorry, Aaron. I was being inconsiderate, speaking without thinking about your feelings. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"
Aaron, who had rested his cheek against the other boy's shoulder out of reflex and was enjoying the moment, drew back with a snort of disbelief. Who does this kid think he is, freaking Prince Charming?
Harry, of course, took it the wrong way. He released Aaron from his arms- both of them pretending they weren't disappointed by that- and got to one knee in front of Aaron. He took up the other boy's hand in both of his and looked up with wide, sincere emerald green eyes. "I can only give you my deepest apologies, dearest Aaron, for harming you in such a way. I will apologize a hundred- no, a thousand- times if that is what it takes to win back your affections. If there's anything in your heart that retains the smallest fondness for me, I beg of you to forgive me."
They all hung in a delicate balance. The host boys' full attention was on Aaron, and they waited with bated breath to see if they were forgiven. Harry especially was nervous, wondering what he'd do if he never got to see Aaron smiling at him again. Aaron, for his part, was ready to burst. He tried to hold it in, lips pressed firmly together and his eyes fixed on the opposite wall as he fought for control. It was a losing battle; Aaron was soon bent over, tears streaming down his face as he clutched at his stomach.
"I think we're forgiven," Kris said with dry amusement.
Aaron struggled to retain control of himself, swallowing his laughter and trying to hide the resultant hiccups. "You're all ridiculous," he informed them, clapping a hand over his mouth to hide the high-pitched hiccup that came next.
Benji pressed his lips together and looked away, stymieing his laughter. None of the other boys bothered, laughing together. "Maybe just a little," Roman measured out a tiny space between his thumb and forefinger. He looked at it, reconsidered, and widened it with a shameless grin, "Or a lot."
Even Benji couldn't help laughing at that. Aaron looked around at the boys he'd originally disliked, and he found his smile growing fond as warmth filled his chest. They may have their faults, but so did everybody else in the world. As far as Aaron was concerned, the good he saw as smiles split their faces and joy danced in their eyes far outweighed the way they often irritated him. Aaron was surprised to find they weren't just spoiled brats- they were spoiled brats who might become his friends. And he was beginning to think he might really enjoy serving the host club boys.
***
"I'm not an invalid!" Aaron snapped. The warm fuzzies the boys had given him had been stolen away just as quickly.
In order to make up for their tactless comments, the boys had decided to give their puppy the day off. They sat him down at one of the many couches that clustered around tables along the walls- a cozier version of the tables that filled the room. Kris put a pillow under Aaron's feet after inquiring about his ankle and not believing Aaron's protests that it was fine. Harry had cracked open a soda and poured it into a glass of ice while Benji filled a plate with cookies, and all three of them doted over him like he was the cutest toddler in the world.
"We know," Roman said as he slathered mayo on bread, making another sandwich to add to the countless he had already finished. He didn't look up as he layered on meat and cheese, "But we need some way to apologize for being jerks."
Marcus, who was setting out the quartered sandwiches and cookies on platters before distributing them between tables, put in his two cents as well. "Just let us do this for you, or we'll end up making your life miserable."
"You thought we were dramatic before?" Benji started, to have his brother finish, "You haven't seen anything yet."
Aaron pushed his breath out in an aggravated sigh. It wasn't that he disliked the spoiling- that was the best part. Unfortunately for him, Aaron was born with a sense of dignity and pride; he knew he should be working to pay off his debt, and being unable to do that irked him. "Can't you just buy me chocolates or something like everybody else?" he grumbled.
When he shifted to stand up, all three of Aaron's caretakers shot him nasty looks. He ignored them, getting to his feet and walking to where Roman was dubiously eyeing a chocolate cake while wielding the knife he'd used for the mayo. "Budge over," Aaron commanded.
"What?" Roman said incredulously- it wasn't often somebody ordered him around.
Aaron rolled his eyes and plucked the knife from the other boy's fingers. "You're going to cut it wrong, and I can't let you ruin one of 'Melia's chocolate cakes."
Roman couldn't decide if he should be offended, but the inclination grew as Aaron meticulously cleaned the knife with a linen napkin. Then Aaron looked up and gave Roman the same look that had taken Harry's breath away, and smiled in a way that made everything better. In a way that had smooth, eloquent Roman stumbling over his words. "Fine, but you better teach me how to cut a cake. We won't have you forever."
"You'll have me until we all graduate," Aaron pointed out. Roman didn't look too happy about the reminder, but his frown disappeared when Aaron took his hand. He put the knife back in Roman's hand, and then carefully wrapped his fingers around the other boy's hand. Roman swallowed hard, struck by the contrast of Aaron's soft, warm fingers and the controlling grip he used as he guided Roman in the fine art of cutting a cake with a butter knife.
"There, see? If you'd done that on your own, you would have mangled it," Aaron declared.
Roman refused to admit the boy was right, giving him a haughty look instead. He also refused to ask for Aaron's guidance with the next cake, though he sorely missed the warmth of Aaron's slender fingers the second the boy let go. "I'll cut the rest of the cake by myself. You're too slow," he sniffed, to cover up his moment of weakness.
"I only went slowly because I was teaching you!" Aaron protested, "I could cut circles around you blindfolded!"
The argument went on and Kris, seeing the trouble brewing as Aaron unintentionally prodded at each of Roman's most sensitive spots, quickly intervened. "Why don't we hold a little contest, then?" he suggested, retrieving another knife, "There's still plenty of cake left, and little time before the club opens its doors. So lets solve your little tiff this way; whoever can neatly cut the most cakes will the named the club's best cake cutter. Deal?"
Aaron narrowed his eyes at Kris; the speech had come off like he was talking to a couple of toddlers. But Kris had years of experience manipulating Roman, who was nodding eagerly- any chance to show he was worthy of attention would please Roman, and Kris knew it. He also knew that once Aaron saw that eager expression, he'd cave, and might even throw the contest.
Kris was right. Less than ten minutes later, all of the cakes were cut and neatly arranged on plates, and Roman was crowing over his 'victory'. Aaron took his 'loss' with good graces. "Guess you're better than me after all," he said with a grin, though even Roman knew it wasn't true. Despite that, Roman appreciated what the boy had done, and they all worked in harmony to finish their work.
***
The chime of the school's bell filled the halls, the classrooms, and the East Lounge. Students swarmed out of their classrooms, holding their rumbling stomachs. Some of them wondered what magic the school's private chefs had cooked up for them. Others looked forward to the lunch that bad been prepared the night before and sent with them to school. A majority of them were wondering what delicacy the host club had acquired for their first official open day of the school year.
Girls in their best white dresses gathered in the hall outside the East Lounge. Hands fluttered to hair and lipstick, to pull down bodices and adjust cleavage for the most allure. Gossip filled the hallway along with claims that each girl would be the one to tame her chosen host club boy. Aaron's name came up even more often than Roman's, a great feat considering Roman's mass appeal.
The hall went silent- conversation halted and breath held as the door began to open. It swung outwards, forcing a few girls to take hasty steps back. Aaron stood in the doorway, the warm light filtering through the room's windows catching in his hair as he gave the girls his best smile, which tugged at heartstrings.
"Welcome to the host club, ladies."
***
Kris penciled in each girl as they requested their host. He was soon surprised when a very pretty brunette asked for Aaron.
Aaron paused at the sound of his name, listening to Kris while pretending to focus on the plates in his hands. "He's not actually a-"
"I just think he's so dreamy," gushed the brunette, "I want him!"
A dozen or more girls echoed her sentiments. Kris's shock began to fade, a smile slowly taking over his face as he sought out Aaron. He had known the boy would eventually be popular, but hadn't expected it to happen so quickly. He hadn't had time to teach him the basics, much less what he needed to get by.
"Well, Aaron, it seems like you have a following," Kris said, loud enough to attract the attention of the other boys, "What do you think- are you ready to be a host?"
Aaron took in the other boys' wide, encouraging smiles before turning his gaze to the bright, eager smiles of the girls who were waiting for his answer. After a moment's thought, he shrugged. "Can't be too difficult," he said with a smirk, "Guess I'll give it a shot."
***
"You're a natural!" Roman declared when the host club was empty once more.
Aaron's amused look hadn't faded from the first girl; all he did was be himself, and the girls swooned over him like he was some famous rock star. "Too bad it was only a one day thing," Aaron said, tracing his finger along the top of his soda can, "After all, I'm only a puppy."
Kris stopped his tallying of the day's earning, surveying Aaron. "Well," he said, mock thoughtfully, "If you were willing, we could always promote you. You could pay off your debt by winter break."
The boys gave Kris an alarmed look, but his calm smile told them to trust him. They settled down, but only reluctantly, and their sullen silence said everything they didn't.
"I might take the deal. It all depends," Aaron paused, a tiny smile on his lips as the boys fidgeted nervously, "Do I have to option to stay on after I've paid my debt?"
Relieved sighs mingled with Kris's laughter- unlike the other boys, he had known Aaron would enjoy the work enough to stay, and his secretive smile made it crystal clear. "That will be your choice."
Aaron held out his hand, an echo of the day before. "Then it's a deal."
Kris reached out and shook Aaron's hand firmly, his fingers dragging against Aaron's when he pulled away. "Welcome to the host club, Aaron."
Harry swept Aaron to his feet, his grin taking over his face. "You're a host, congratulations," he said warmly.
Aaron ignored the heat in his face. "Thanks," was all he managed to say before the rest of the boys swarmed him, all ecstatic knowing Aaron wanted to stay with him.
And, despite his certainty they'd fled the country- and perhaps even the planet- Aaron's warm fuzzies returned to make his smile that much brighter.
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