Princes of Rock
by Suke

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Hoi! Yes, finally it's up! The very end of the story. Gomen that it took so long! Arigato for reading! Please leave a review on your way out!

Haha, I guess the fic sort of ended already but I left so many of the pairings hanging, this last bit is just for that.

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Epilogue: Perfect Pitch

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"Where are you going Momo?"

"I'm meeting Echizen."

"Again?"

Oishi watched as his friend and agent walked off in another direction through the sifting snow, still waving happily. Despite the fact that Momo had made no headway with convincing the young fashion designer to switch jobs and sign up with him, the spiky haired one still seemed excessively cheerful each time he went to meet Echizen.

And they had been meeting rather often too. To Oishi's knowledge, since the end of the concert, they must have gone out together maybe three times, each time ostensibly for Momo to try and convince Echizen to become a singer.

Oishi's train of thought was suddenly interrupted though by a flash of red through the window of a coffee shop he had visited recently. He blinked but stopped himself from turning to look. He knew who he wanted it to be but it probably wasn't him. Lot's of people had red hair after all.

And anyway, he wasn't all Oishi had really imagined him to be. That time they had met, the redhead wasn't all that bouncy or cheerful or anything. That sweet image was just a front for the camera and only now that Oishi saw that it wasn't real, he could belatedly admit that he had really liked it.

Careful not to do anything too obvious, the dark-haired boy cast a seemingly careless glance into the shop again. His heartbeat quickened. It was Kikumaru Eiji after all.

And not only that, from all the beaming and hand actions that were going on, it was the Kikumaru Eiji of the tv screen! It was the adorable, hyperactive redhead who spoke faster than he thought and could make fifteen- episode soap opera plots out of a bad hair day.

And there were no cameras around either.

The rock star found himself intrigued. Which was the real Kikumaru Eiji? He definitely had to find out so he crept into the café, watching the redhead cautiously to ensure that he wasn't noticed. Picking a strategic position, Oishi settled himself in comfortably to perform one of his favourite occupations: watching Kikumaru Eiji.

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"Well?" Momo said expectantly after delivering the five minute long speech that he had spent the whole of last night planning out while lying in bed, listing every reason for Echizen to become his client.

The cat-eyed boy opposite him in the booth of the fast food restaurant looked thoughtful as he chewed on the bite of burger he had just taken. Between them, on the table, were two burgers, two huge cups of ponta and two servings of fries.

And piles of crumpled up little balls of paper that used to wrap burgers, empty cardboard boxes and an apple pie.

"You should have been a salesman," Ryoma murmured approvingly. "That was not a bad pitch."

"So you'll make me your agent?" Momo said hopefully.

"Still mada mada," Echizen smirked, enjoying the emotions that ran so clearly through those curiously pretty purple eyes as the agent absorbed that response. Confusion at first, quickly followed by anger and then resignation.

"You will never agree to this, will you?" The taller boy accused.

"No."

Anger flared immediately. Echizen took another bite of his burger indifferently.

"Then why are you wasting my time? Do you like toying with other people? Do you enjoy this?" Momo raved, a combination of an inexplicable feeling of extreme loss, his not getting his way when he hated to lose, and his lack of sleep from the night before driving him. "Why did you agree to meet me today then? And yesterday? And the day before?"

And then, he stopped, previously waving arms dropping to his sides. Violet eyes, when they met brown ones again, were suspicious. Brown eyes blinked and looked a little wary.

"Why, if you have no intention of ever becoming a singer, do you still agree to meet me time after time?" Momo asked slowly as his expression grew into a grin and he leaned close to peer into the slightly worried brown eyes.

"Must be how convincing you are," Echizen muttered, looking away quickly but not quite able to hide the faint pink that settled upon his cheekbones.

Momo grinned some more. Echizen was very cute when he was flustered.

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"I suppose I like birds most," Kurobane said contemplatively.

"Of all animals, I think I identify most with dogs," Davide-san intoned gravely.

"Really? Why?" Eiji asked him curiously.

The three of them were seated in a coffee shop having a serious, thought- provoking discussion between friends and sipping on their lattes and, in Eiji's case, hot chocolate surprise.

"Dogs like Bach too."

The orange haired musician choked out a laugh before a foot found its way to his head in a violent kick. Eiji sniggered while Davide pouted, rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head. It was really fun being with these two. He was so glad that Fuji introduced them to him.

However, it wasn't enough to distract him from his problem at hand. Right now, Eiji had to make a decision and he didn't know what to choose. The thing was that when he found out that his best friend, Fuji, knew Tezuka who turned out to be the best friend of Oishi, the VJ realised that he now had some kind of channel to his favourite rock star, specifically a channel through which a Christmas present could pass.

Hence, Eiji reacted in the most natural way and set to getting Oishi the most perfect Christmas present in the world. Now, though, he wasn't so sure that the present was so great and he didn't know if he should give it anymore.

"Eiji," Kurobane said and received the attention of a wide blue gaze. "Do you have a stalker?"

"Nyani? Bane-chan, what are you talking about?"

"There's this weird guy over there that keeps looking at you," Bane leaned over and whispered before hurriedly grabbing the redhead by the chin. "No, don't look over! He'll know we're talking about him!"

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"Ne, Tezuka, I've never known anyone who found rock soothing."

"Hn," the conductor replied, unsure whether or not Fuji was making yet another of his deranged jokes.

"It is kind of pretty though," Fuji continued prattling merrily to his conductor's motionless face. "You must have worked very hard on it."

"Hn."

Fuji reached out to pat the rounded top of a high rock with a mittened hand as though it was a kitten. He might be a music prodigy but Fuji was far from appreciating this art form. It did look nice but they also all looked exactly the same to him.

They were at Tezuka's house, walking side by side and admiring the rockery outside. Fuji had been surprised when the conductor had invited him, even if it was only because Tezuka wanted to pass some scores to him. Fuji had never been to Tezuka's house

"I think it's my favourite rock garden from now on!" The tensai declared generously. "Apart from Yuuta's record label, that is. I like the rock they cultivate there too."

"Hn."

Tezuka wasn't sure why he had invited Fuji over. Of course, he could also be wondering why he had never invited Fuji over before. It was something friends were supposed to do except that Tezuka never understood the motivation behind it.

He liked solitude. He liked the quiet. Why would he want someone else in his house? Guests meant that he couldn't just sit there and read or do his work. Having a guest meant showing them around the house, offering them drinks and entertaining them, which was what Tezuka was doing now. But right now, none of those things seemed so terrible. Well, not with Fuji.

"Ne, Tezuka, you're just like Eiji," Fuji beamed and watched Tezuka crack just a little.

"Hn."

"Don't you think so?" The pretty boy asked but didn't wait for an answer. Tezuka didn't look capable of giving him one at the moment. "Eiji always says 'Nya' and it can mean anything like 'yes' or 'no' or 'pass me that'. And you always say 'Hn' and it means everything too."

"Hn," Tezuka said again but he sounded more choked than usual and Fuji looked pleased with himself.

"I don't feel so well," the tensai said conversationally, still sweetly smiling.

Tezuka looked up just to see the smile falter and the blue-eyed boy pitch forward towards him. The eyes closed and the slight body went limp as he reached Tezuka's arms.

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"Uhn, Tezu?" Fuji mumbled from his position on the futon.

He blinked, not very sure what was going on around him. When he woke up, he wasn't in his own bed, or Yuuta's, and his head was hurting and strangely, he was shivering. Why was he shivering? That's when he realised how very cold it was. And then, the door slid open and Tezuka came in.

"Why did you come over when you were running a fever?" Tezuka demanded angrily when he saw that Fuji was awake. "And you let me take you outside for so long too! You don't even like rock gardens!"

The tensai blinked again. Tezuka was angry. And frazzled. And shouting and worried and fidgety. And he had just said the more words in one sentence than he said in some rehearsals. Fuji liked getting a reaction out of the cold untouchable Tezuka. He wished he knew what caused this one.

Suddenly the anger fell and was replaced by concern. The brown eyes behind the lenses were anxious as Tezuka sat down on the futon beside his friend.

"Fuji, you're shivering. Are you still cold? I turned up the heater as high as it will go. The doctor's on his way."

"T-Thank you," his teeth chattered when he tried to talk. He felt so cold that he was surprised that he was still alive. Tezuka somehow seemed so warm right now. He shifted closer.

"You're sick. Why did you still come?"

"I couldn't miss the chance to see Tezuka's house," Fuji whispered.

"You could always have come another time."

"I will," the tensai murmured and snuggled into the other boy's side. Ah, warm.

Tezuka stiffened and looked down to meet bright blue eyes watching him. He felt his face grow hot. Fuji smiled.

"You should take better care of yourself," Tezuka said sternly, directing his gaze elsewhere. "This might affect your singing voice."

"Don't worry, Tezuka," Fuji said, beaming. "My pitch is always perfect."

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They walked in silence now, snow crunching beneath their shoes, hands in pockets to stave off the cold.

"Nya, gomen," Eiji finally said unhappily. "I'm such a baka."

"No!"

Eiji nearly jumped at the resolute response.

He did feel really silly. If he was smarter or cooler or something, he wouldn't have jumped up from his chair in the coffee shop when he realised that the 'stalker' Bane was referring to was in fact Oishi. And he most definitely would not have shouted Oishi's name loud enough for the whole block to hear.

Then, the whole fangirl mobbing thing would never have happened.

Instead, Eiji had been his baka self and so Oishi had ended up being recognized. In a blink of an eye, Oishi had grabbed his hand and they were halfway down the street. Apparently, the rock star was very well-practiced in these things.

Now, they were about ten blocks away, walking sedately along the road in no particular direction but just allowing their hearts to stop thrashing away and their breaths to return.

"I mean, it's not your fault," Oishi amended quickly. "You're not a baka. I -- like the way you are."

The dark haired boy blushed and stared at his hands. He liked this Eiji. He liked the noisy, silly Eiji. He wanted to say something to make Eiji stay this way. Suddenly, something was thrust into his hands. A small oddly shaped package wrapped in shiny red and green paper.

"Merry Christmas," the redhead said. "I know it's not much and it's kind of silly but -- "

"I love it," Oishi simply said when he had unwrapped it. "It's perfect."

He pulled out his ring of keys and attached them to the keychain with the little stone cat on its end. The cat was a rusty brown and had two tiny blue stones as its eyes.

"And I have something for you too," Oishi added and pulled a box from his bag, handing it over to the redhead. "It's not very nice because I made it myself. I meant to pass it to Tezuka to give it to you."

Eiji stared. It was a little boat suspended in a wire cage. On the boat were two tiny people, too small to have any features but while one had dark hair, the other had distinctly bright red locks. Eiji held it gingerly with both hands, eyes shining. It was the most wonderful gift in the world! And with this thought, he inadvertently bumped the cage with his fingers only to stare in fascination as the boat began to sway.

"Oishi! Look, it rocks!" Eiji said excitedly, pointing to the boat as it pitched back and forth.

"Yes, it does," Oishi agreed but he was looking at Eiji.

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"What a pitch!" Someone crowed at the white round projectile whizzing through the air.

"Where did it come from?"

"From over there. I think I saw something glinting there from the corner of my eye just before it flew."

They watched admiring as the snowball arced gracefully over their heads, and squarely onto the head of a bandana-ed boy standing on a porch, having just exited his house.

"Perfect," a low voice said and glasses glinted in the brilliant white sunlight. And then he hurried over the prone form. "Kaidoh-san, are you feeling alright?"

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The end.

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Well, I hope this wasn't too obscure >_< especially what Fuji said about his perfect pitch. I know there are many stupid jokes. Fortunately, I love Davide-san. Well, gomen if it was extremely pun-ishing. And I hope you liked it.

It's the end of the journey. Thank you everyone who joined me along the way. I'm sure I would never have made it to the end without all you reviewers. Arigato. Suke-san has a terrible habit of not finishing things started.

Cheeseburger of Doom! Nall-san! MorphailEffect! Hellen-san! Rumiko-san! Regatto-san! Babyfluffy! Ju-san! Arigato for reviewing!

Cheeseburger of Doom: Thank you! Thank you! You're always so nice to me!

MorphailEffect: Nya, I know! I love Oishi! He's so hot! I'm so glad you love him too.

Hellen: Hoi? You erased a lvl88 acolyte? Oh, that's so sad! I'm still a lowly mage Davide-san ^_^ I'm playing on the Malaysian server that's free now! Don't know if I'll continue when I have to pay but I can't imagine erasing Davide-san and my Ranmaru and Hajime T_T

Rumiko Nadajima: Ta da! Happy ending!!! Arigato for putting me on your fave list. I'm so honoured! Mmm, cherry ponta ^_^

Regatto: Haha, I'm so glad you liked it *evil glint in eye* I enjoyed making Tachibana a reindeer very much. I can always count on Regatto-san to like out my favourite parts!

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To end off, I'd just like to say: "It's no wonder Tezuka is always so stoned. He's on PoT after all."

Suke-san laughs head off. Suke-san gets whacked in the head numerous times.

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