The epilogue has arrived and I can official chalk this one up as finished. Thank you to everyone for reading and for sticking with this story (even after my mysterious disappearance halfway through – top secret government work, I assure you). I hope you have enjoyed the journey and that it was as fun to read as it was to write. With any luck I'll put out more for K-On! in the future.

EPILOGUE

Ritsu sighed loudly and fell face forward onto Mio's bed. "I'm exhausted. Mio, take care of me."

Mio trudged into the room, shoulders rock solid, her fringe covering her eyes like a pall. Her face had been a dangerously dark scarlet ever since the concert and that was a full two hours ago; it was a wonder she was even conscious. "You, you, you, you—"

"What?" Ritsu blinked innocently.

"In front of the whole school you… you kissed me."

Ritsu had indeed kissed Mio. It was when the cover had ended and the crowd had started to applaud. Ritsu had looked over at Mio, cradling Elizabeth, glowing beneath the spotlights with a shy, ecstatic smile on her face, and stood from her drum kit feeling like she wasn't in control of her own body. She walked to the front of the stage, grabbed Mio's arm and planted one on her before Mio could compute what was happening. Swoons and cheers erupted from the majority, though there was a mixed reaction from Mio's extremely possessive fan club, most of whom looked horrified to have had their idol claimed by another.

Mio had been almost catatonic with embarrassment ever since.

"Only on the cheek," Ritsu pointed out. "You were the one who said we should do what we felt like."

"But, the whole school—"

"Didn't we owe them a kiss anyway?" Ritsu said with a shy grin. "I owed you one, too. You said so yourself."

"Not on the cheek," Mio blurted. Shocked at herself, she slapped a hand over her mouth. Ritsu scrambled to sit up.

"What?"

"N-nothing!"

"So that's it," Ritsu teased. "Mio-chuan isn't upset I kissed her in front of hundreds of people—"

"Don't remind me so suddenly," Mio wailed.

"—she's upset because I didn't do more."

"I never said that!" Mio shouted. Mortified, she slumped into her desk chair and fixed her gaze on the carpet. Ritsu closed the gap between them. Hands in her pockets, she stood behind Mio and lowered her head until her chin nearly touched Mio's shoulder.

"What's happening to me? I used to be such a pure, sweet girl, but Ritsu's so cute I… I can't control myself. When she's around, all I can think is lewd thoughts—"

"That's not what I'm thinking," Mio deadpanned and karate chopped Ritsu on the head.

"Nope," Ritsu continued, "you're thinking, should I let her kiss me now or store up the interest and cash in later? What's your late fee, Mio? A touch? A… strip?" Ritsu shook her head girlishly and cupped her face, faking a blush. "Stop, Mio-sama, it's so embarrassing! Not there, it's too much—"

Mio socked her. "Knock it off."

Ritsu crawled out of range of Mio's fists and settled back down on the bed. "Just a kiss then? Hmm. A classic choice."

"…That's not the problem," Mio murmured. She licked her lips nervously. "She's supposed to stay still."

"Huh? Who?"

"In the script," Mio clarified, awkwardly. "Juliet… she's supposed to stay still and Romeo is supposed to kiss her. Because of that… maybe you don't owe me a kiss after all."

Mio reached a decision. Ever so slowly she stood from her chair. Steeling herself, she walked towards the bed, growing redder with every step, and sat beside Ritsu, taking her hand before she could frighten herself out of doing it. She was shaking badly but it was something she wanted, something from which she refused to hold back even if she died from embarrassment straight afterwards.

"Mio," Ritsu said. She looked wary, blushing genuinely this time as she tried to wrap her mind around Mio's words. "W-what are you doing?"

Mio felt so self-conscious she was in grave danger of passing out. "D-don't move whilst I act out my prayer, Ritsu."

Ritsu stayed still, more out of shock than obedience, and Mio leant forward, kissing her gently. Her lips were soft, Ritsu thought, but the feeling lasted only a few seconds. Then Mio pulled away, unable to look at anything but her own feet. There were hearts on her socks.

She couldn't speak. Surprisingly enough, neither could Ritsu.