Awkward Silence is an Ouran High School Host Club fanfiction by Clockwork's Apprentice.
The story follows Riko Shibata, another crossdressing student at Ouran Academy. Riko prefers to spend her time writing her novels than socializing with others, but when her mother makes her a deal to leave her be for a week if she joins a club, she takes her up on the offer. You can guess which club she decides to join.
The story can be read here
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This fanfic contains examples of:
- Abusive Parents
- Akane Shibata, lovingly referred to as "Ursula" by Riko. She degrades and insults Riko on a daily basis, insulting her about everything from her appearance to her voice to her interests. We later find out that, when she discovered her brother-in-law had raped Riko, she did nothing because she was having an affair with said brother-in-law and just became furious at Riko. In the final chapters, she assaults Riko in a fit of rage, which ultimately leads to her downfall.
- Not that Riko's father is much better. He immediately left Riko behind with her mother (whom he KNEW was abusing her) simply out of disgust and anger - and didn't bother to come back afterwards.
- Big Sister Instinct: Riko eventually forms this kind of bond with Haruhi, and eventually begins referring to her as imouto. ("Little sister")
- Brilliant, but Lazy: Riko is a bestselling author known for her acclaimed Adventures of Ami series. To say that her house is untidy, however, is a massive understatement.
- Break-Up/Make-Up Scenario: Of the friendship variety. Masami, Riko's best friend, is at first livid when she finds out that Riko was dating Takashi and lied to her about it. She gets over it when Umi and Chiko come to talk to her about it.
- Character Development
- Riko, by the end of the series, is much more willing to stand up for herself rather than keep her head ducked down. She also becomes considerably more open.
- Masami eventually gets over her It's All About Me attitude and reforms her relationship with Riko after their Break-Up/Make-Up Scenario.
- Crush Blush: Takashi to Riko. A lot.
- Dark and Troubled Past: Riko, God bless. We find out around halfway through the story that she was raped by her uncle (several times) when she was younger. Her mother, who was having an affair with said uncle, did nothing other than slap her for telling her. Her father left soon after out of disgust. Needless to say, Riko was...fazed.
- Darker and Edgier: Compared to the anime/manga. The story includes themes such as emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and the effects that they have.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: At the end of the story, Riko is living independent and free from her mother's abuse, she and Takashi are still happily dating, and her book has become a bestseller.
- Fluffy the Terrible: Riko has a pet snake and a pet tarantula named Cuddles and Bubbles respectively.
- Hates Being Touched: Riko, as a result of her above Dark and Troubled Past. Tamaki ends up learning this the hard way when he becomes overly touchy with her and sends her into a panic.
- My God, What Have I Done?: Riko has a reaction similar to this when Masami gives her a "Reason You Suck" Speech regarding her secret relationship with Takashi. She eventually learns that she doesn't have anything to feel guilty about.
- Official Couple: Riko and Takashi begin dating about a third through the story. They're still dating by the end of the story.
