Day 12 - Twelve drummers drumming

It's the last chapter! Merry Christmas and happy holidays, whatever you're celebrating. Also, Fuji's birthday is on Leap Day. -Rin

Happy holidays! I hope you all enjoy the final chapter of this! It was a bit tough, but we did it~ For this one and the previous one, Rin and I took turns writing paragraphs-lucky thing our writing styles mesh so well, huh? ALSO Happy New Year (in like a week shut up Len)~~! ~Len

Fuji Shusuke liked to celebrate birthdays. Maybe it was because he didn't get one every year. Or maybe it was just that his friends' birthdays were an excellent opportunity to cause trouble. Like today, for example. It was Echizen Ryoma's birthday, and Shusuke was sure his kouhai needed some help celebrating.

Since music was obviously the language that transcended all linguistic difference, Shusuke figured that it would be as good a way of celebrating as any. But it had to be something almost anyone could do...so that left singing and drumming.

He decided on drumming, since he wasn't so sure about everyone's ability to sing. But the birthday festivity needed to stand out from all the Christmas activity going on, so the plan would need more people. Shusuke called Yukimura from Rikkai, since they were friends, and Yukimura agreed to lend him Niou, Marui, and Akaya.

Being the loving brother he was, he also blackmailed...that is, persuaded Yuuta to come along. After ensuring that each person had a drum, the little group made their way to Ryoma's house and Shusuke cheerfully rang the father answered the door, took one look at the group assembled on his doorstep, and grinned. "This is gonna be good, let me get the video camera."

Shusuke grinned widely, glad Ryoma's father was so willing to allow them to torture...or, rather, help Ryoma celebrate his birthday. They waited patiently while he got the video camera.

"Come in, come in." Nanjirou waved them through the door and closed it softly, holding a finger to his lips and snickering. "Seishounen's in his room."

Shusuke beamed at the man and gestured for him to lead the way. Perhaps it would be more amusing for him to let Ryoma know vaguely what was coming for him... Nanjirou made his way upstairs with childish glee.

Ryoma didn't look up from his tennis magazine when the door opened. Nanjirou ran in and snatched it from him. "It's your birthday and you're just sitting here in your room?"

Shusuke decided to let the conversation play out for a while. There would certainly be a bit of clashing heads, and it was, as usual, sure to have some choice dialogue. He would get everyone inside when the time was right. That was what a good friend did, wasn't it? Made sure he was always there at the right time?

Nanjirou tried to hurry the argument, eventually asking why his son wasn't spending the day with his friends. That was their cue. They paraded in, banging on the drums without any sort of rhythm or synchronization.

Ryoma rolled his eyes and sat there looking bored as they happily drummed. For the first minute or so, anyway. Then, there was a slow progression that Shusuke was the first to notice as Ryoma became annoyed and probably gained a headache.

He stopped drumming and held up a hand to indicate to the others that they should stop. There was a chorus of birthday wishes for Ryoma, and one "merry Christmas" somewhere in the back.

Baka oyaji... Ryoma hadn't noticed the camera until it was already too late to do anything about it. He wasn't really surprised, though. Not that his father had allowed this or that he'd taped the entire thing. Luckily, he'd controlled his facial expression perfectly. It was likely that no one besides Momo and maybe Shusuke could tell that he appreciated the gesture, loud and obnoxious though it was.

"Thanks. Bye." Ryoma took his magazine back and went back to reading. His sempai erupted in protest, and he hid a small smile behind the magazine.