Title: A Gift of a Fish

Rating: PG

Pairing: Oishi X Eiji

Summary: Eiji went to look at a fish in a pet store in episode 103. What do you suppose he plans to do with it?^^

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"Yahhoi!"

"Ah, Kikumaru-kun!", the pet shop owner greeted the redhead, "Here to look at the fish and turtles again?"

"Not this time!", Eiji slapped a plastic bag full of money down on the counter, "Today I'm gonna buy Megu!" (A/N: I'm pretty sure this was the name of the fish)

"You sure? She's a whole 8,700 yen, you know."

"I know, I know! There's enough in that bag, count it if you'd like!", Eiji pointed to the bag. Shrugging, the store owner opened the bag, pulled out the money, and counted it. Indeed, there was enough, even when taking sales tax into account. Well, he thought, if the kid wants the fish, give the kid the fish.

"Should I deliver her to your house, or do you want to take her home now?"

"I'll take her home now."

"I'll get the tank equipment, then. I'll just be a moment.", the store owner entered a back room where the fish tank equipment was kept.

*But wait* he thought *Doesn't Kikumaru…walk here?*

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Eiji wished everyone would stop staring at him. Sure, it's not everyday you see a fourteen-year-old boy staggering down the sidewalk carrying a giant fish in a giant tank, his backpack stuffed with tank equipment, but couldn't they see how it distracted him? He needed to focus on not dropping the fish, not on the little kids pointing at him while their parents smiled and shook their heads.

*Almost there, almost there!* he told himself *God, this is heavy! Why does water weigh so much? Why can't fish swim in something lighter, like feathers? Well, I guess because the feathers would come from the birds, and then the birds would be naked, and freeze in the winter and then--oh! Oh! The tank! The fish!* Eiji just managed to prevent himself from dropping the tank.

"Sorry, Megu.", he said to the fish, "It won't happen again.", Megu "blubbed" in response.

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Oishi was in his bedroom, reading, when the doorbell rang. He decided to let his mom answer it. A moent later, it rang again, and he remembered that his mom hadn't returned from shopping yet.

"Oh, sorry! I'm coming!", he yelled, throwing his book onto his bed and running down the stairs. He checked through the front door peephole, and saw Eiji standing there, holding a fish tank. Oishi quickly opened the door.

"Finally!", Eiji rushed inside.

"How'd you ring the bell?", Oishi asked, looking more at the ridiculously large fish than Eiji.

"With my nose. Help me with this, will you?"

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Half an hour later, the tank was set up in Oishi's room, and both boys were sitting on Oishi's bed.

"I think she needs a bigger tank.", Eiji said.

"Yeah, she looks kinda cramped.", Oishi agreed. A pause, then, "How much…was she?"

"Her name's Megu, and she was 8,700 yen."

"8,700 yen?!", Oishi's eyes widened, "You spent that much on something for me? Why?"

"Because…", Eiji looked down at the floor, blushing slightly, "Because it's for you. It's a present for you, so it's okay if it's expensive, because…because I like you."

"You like…me?", now it was Oishi's turn to blush.

"Yeah, I really, really do.", Eiji moved closer to Oishi, "So, even if you don't feel the same way, please…let me kiss you?", he closed his eyes and waited.

*Oh, my God!* Oishi thought. He liked Eiji, too, but…this was so sudden! *Well…* he gulped nervously, then closed his eyes and kissed Eiji. It was a soft kiss, nothing to complex or intimate, it was the first kiss for both of them ,after all. Oishi was the one to break it, just as softly as he had started it.

"Well", he said, smiling, "should I walk you home now?", he took Eiji's hand in his, lacing their fingers together.

"Ah…", Eiji looked at Oishi, then at their joined hands, then back at Oishi, "…Mm.", he smiled, "Amd can we get a bigger tank for Megu tomorrow?"

"sure, and after that, how about going out for some ice cream?"

"Oh…", Eiji blushed a deep red, "You're asking me out on a date, aren't you?"

"Do you mind?"

"No…not at all."

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8,700 yen is 75 dollars! I dunno how much a big fish like Megu costs, so bear with me, okay? Anyway, I hope that wasn't too bad. I just love the fluffy sweetness of the Golden Pair, so this is my little tribute to it.^^ Comments appreciated!