A/N: Underage drinking ahead. It's technically monitored, but, you've been warned :) The title of this chapter was inspired by We Own the Night by Dance Gavin Dance.

~ Chapter 10: We Own The Night ~

Sora:

Kingdom Hearts II proved to need less guidance from Riku than CoM. Two days into his playthrough, Sora's butt left a permanent dip into the cushion on the bed-end. The silveret, next to him with headphones in on the DS, had spent an equal amount of time in his single spot. They had a deal; for cutscenes, the other would pause to watch with the other. Judging by the frequency of Riku-shoulder-taps, he would finish 358/2 Days today.

They agreed that, whenever either of them finished a game, they'd go get Sonic. Sora suggested that they ask Larxene before taking her car again, but the silveret waved the thought away. The brunet suspected Riku simply didn't want to deal with her – not that he blamed him. In the end, the allure of more fast food and another stab at normalcy in the car was enough incentive for Sora to give into the temptation. He was trying, and failing, to suppress the anticipation of getting a massive chocolate shake tonight.

Riku adjusted slightly in his spot, and Sora knew, with a jolt, because the brunet had been leaning on him, accidentally. Again. In his defense, the cushion wasn't very comfortable; but nevertheless Sora felt his cheeks go pink – again – realizing what he had done. Riku's side was warm, and Sora knew he'd swear on his deathbed nothing of the sort – especially to Kairi. He kept his eyes on the TV screen, but the effort went seemingly unnoticed; Riku made no comment.

Sora was in the middle of following Iago, a very annoying parrot, when the door to their room opened. It was a high, feminine whine that got the brunet's attention. He quickly sat up straight, self-conscious.

"Ri~ku," the blonde at the door called, peeking her head in. When her eyes met Sora's, Larxene made her full entrance with a smile. She hadn't changed much since she met him last; the short shorts, a similar tank top that accentuated her curves, blonde hair pushed back save two curious antennae-like locks of hair.

He elbowed Riku who looked over to him curiously. His eyes were only half attentive, evidence that his mind was still engrossed in the game. It reminded him of how the silveret looked when he woke up, hair disheveled and mind struggling to return to reality. Sora tilted his head to the door with a smile.

Riku's recognition was immediate, headphones leaving his ears and eyebrows knitting together immediately. "It's on the counter," was all Riku said, tone inching toward hostile and warning.

The blonde hopped over to the brown bag on the kitchenette counter, peeking in with a happy grin. "Wow, you really are the best," Larxene sang, while Riku rolled his eyes. Then she turned, a bottle in each hand, and asked, "Make me margaritas? Please, please, please, please?"

"Uh, no," Riku responded without skipping a beat, glaring, "we haven't eaten since noon. You can make it yourself." It was true, and the sun had nearly completed it's journey past the horizon.

She pouted, "But you make it the best…" Then, she glanced at Sora, the wheels in her head obviously turning, "Hey, you could make one for him, too. Adult supervision and all."

Riku's stare on her was hard. Sora didn't know what to think. It was weird enough that she had him – a minor – buy it for her, but this? What created the precedent for this? But he knew Riku would say no; his entire body screamed it.

Larxene caught on and crossed her arms, thinking – and then, she sweetened the deal: "Oh, how about I give you guys some money to go get Sonic for everybody? Then you can make my margaritas and I'll leave!" She said it like it was the most genius idea she'd ever had. Sora watched as Riku's eye twitched.

Most of all, he didn't want Riku to get into trouble. The situation was ludicrous, but Riku didn't look surprised, just annoyed, and Sora had no idea the consequences of defying her. The longer they talked, the more Sora felt like he knew nothing despite Riku's explanation in the car last time.

He touched Riku's elbow, and the silveret turned to him immediately. "Uhm… well… we did want to go to Sonic," Sora said, voice unsure. The brunet prayed to the gods above that his expression told Riku the rest.

He must have understood something because Riku audibly sighed and unfurled his clenched fists on his knees. Aqua eyes turned back to the apple-green orbs across the room. "What do you mean by everyone, Larx?"

"You, me, Sora, Demyx and Zexion. They'd kill me if we got some and didn't get them any."

Sora snickered at the thought – he didn't think Demyx could hurt a fly.

Larxene directed her next comment at Sora, "Hey, don't laugh! I'm not that heartless." It took every ounce of Sora's will not to reply: "could have fooled me." But he resisted, and stood, surveying the room for his shoes.

Riku stood, too, and retrieved his jacket. The cloth jingled with Larxene's keys still in the pocket. "Still got your keys," Riku told the blonde.

She nodded happily. "No one else I'd trust them with," she purred. Despite Riku's malice toward her, Sora was starting to feel like their connection went deeper than he let on.

When Sora sat at the table to slip on his monolithic shoes, Larxene slipped into the chair next to him. Too close, he thought as she leaned in, his chin poised elegantly against her palm as she stared at him.

"You know, you remind me so much of Riku's old friend – what was his name – Mickey? Mike–"

"Larxene," Riku warned, cutting her off. When Sora looked back at the silveret, he had a warning fire in his eyes, but Larxene waved a hand at him. Who is she talking about? Sora wondered.

"Whaaaat? I'm just saying. I haven't even seen that kid in years." To Sora, she added with a chastising tone, still light and teasing, "He's so pissy, I don't know how you stand it."

Riku bristled and didn't retort, jaw clenched. Sora felt the rising tension like the air was thin, but his chest felt like it shared the same fire that was in Riku's eyes.

Vehemently, the brunet replied, "He's not." It came out like a growl, and Sora immediately blanched at his own tone. She raised her eyebrows at him, but he continued before she could start, "Wh-what do you want from Sonic, Larxene?" He didn't trust the lightening witch but he sent her a begging stare: please drop it. His heart beat like a drum in his chest.

Miraculously she took the bait. "Oh! Yeah let me text it to you, and then I'll send Demyx and Zexion's when you go."

The brunet dumbly nodded, handing her the phone in relief. The silveret looked displeased at the exchange, but Sora couldn't shake the feeling he dodged a bullet despite it. She returned his phone when her pocket buzzed. "Perfect," she said in satisfaction, and finally leaned away.

Shoes on and anxious to get farther away, Sora stood just as Riku was walking by the table, too. The silveret jerked his head toward the door to indicate Sora to follow, lips still pursed and face carefully blank. Sora jogged through the door to keep up with his friend who seemed intent on using his long legs to their full potential. They didn't even bother announcing their departure.

When the car doors slammed shut, Riku and Sora exhaled in unison. Despite the mood, Sora glanced to Riku and smiled, giggling at themselves. "God, she's always like that?" Sora asked.

Riku nodded, a ghost of a smile, "Yeah. Always. Hey, thanks for, uh, defending me back there."

Sora beamed. "Oh, of course, what are friends for?" The brunet relished the way Riku's shoulders dipped as the tension drained from them, and how Larxene's keys spun around Riku's index finger like the merry-go-round of thoughts reverberating between them. The silveret started the car, and Sora slipped his phone from his pocket, reading a new text from Larxene.

The brunet snorted at her name: it had the lightening bolt emoji's around it. Then he read the text and scoffed in shock. "Just how much can Demyx eat?"

"I don't even want to know. Let's go." With a pair of grins, they did.

Sora:

When the two returned with armfuls of Sonic shakes, slushes, and bags of food, Demyx and Zexion had already invaded Sora and Riku's room.

"Hey guys, you're back!" Demyx cried with glee, "Awesome – I'm so hungry."

Sora dumped his armful on the table, peeking into the bags. "Err… I think these two bags are yours," Sora said, trying to stop his face from twisting into disgust at the two hamburgers, two large fries, and mozzarella sticks that Demyx got purely for himself.

The sandy-blond groaned in approval, "Yeeeeeessss." Zexion shook his head at him, next to Larxene sitting at the table who just laughed at him. Her laugh was like a high bark, robust and full. "You are welcome," she sang, pulling a bag to herself to check its contents.

Riku put the drinks down on the table, then handed Sora his shake. Larxene's smile brightened into a mischievous 'v' when she peered at him, her anticipation clear. He didn't have to look at her to sense the stare; he sighed roughly, a hand on the back of a chair.

As if anticipating his protests, Larxene begged, "We had a deal, Ri!"

He nodded, turning silently to peer into cupboards. Sora watched and sipped his shake, his world so expanded and new from the characters around him. He'd only hung out with Kairi and her friends before; they were all the same age, living in the same neighborhoods and attending the same schools. Even spending time with Axel and the others, Sora felt like he understood the territory. But with Larxene, Demyx, and Zexion – even Riku? Sora may as well had been transported to another plane of existence.

The cupboards were empty. Simply, Riku said, "We need a blender and ice, Larx."

The blonde wasted no time with a casual point, legs crossing in her authority, "Demyx, go get it from the lounge, k?"

The lazy male was mid-burger-bite, which, astonishingly, was about to take a third of his burger with it. He groaned as he bit down, leaning so far back in his chair Sora feared he'd fall over. "Mhy me?" he said, and Larxene's grin was wicked. "Because I got food, dummy. And free alcohol, so, make yourself useful."

His puppy eyes went to Zexion. "Cohme wit me?"

The blue-black haired male shrunk back in disgust, perhaps from the full mouth Demyx used to ask, but still conceded. "If we must," he said, and they both stood.

"Be right back!" Demyx sang once he swallowed.

Larxene seemed content to scroll social media on her phone while they waited, daintily lifting fries one at a time to her pink, glossed lips. Finally, Riku sat down next to Sora and the brunet turned to him. Sliding over a bag of food, Sora said, "This one's yours…" Riku nodded his thanks and took it absently. The brunet tried not to feel concerned.

"So…" Sora started hesitantly, "Wh-what are you making?"

Riku popped a tater tot in his mouth. "Margaritas. It's like cherry-limeade with tequila, I guess?"

"To-kill-a-what?"

Larxene giggled. "Good luck, Riku." Aqua eyes glared, but Larxene didn't see; her jade gaze never left her phone.

Sighing, Riku explained, "It's alcohol. "

"I got that," Sora retorted. "What makes it different from like… beer? Wine?"

Larxene interceded the conversation again with a wink, "You'll find out."

Sora replied, voice shakier than he'd ever admit, "Th-that would be illegal, so n-no."

She wagged her finger at him, finally looking up from her phone with a cheshire grin that reminded Sora distinctly of Axel. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Sora. It's not illegal with adult supervision. Aka me. You. Are. Welcome."

"Don't listen to her, Sora, she's an infant in an adult body," Riku retorted, a small smirk threatening to break his stoic features at his tease.

The blonde pouted, "But I'm not wrong, Ri, I thought you'd appreciate the help."

The silveret snorted, but Sora interjected with a bewildered question: "Help with what?" After all, what was helpful about intoxicating minors? Sora didn't understand Larxene at all.

The blonde glanced pointedly at him, and when Sora just tilted his head in response, unable to translate her silence like Riku's, she sighed apologetically to Riku. "You have the worst taste."

"I hate you, so much," was all Riku replied, facially unresponsive to Sora's beseeching glances.

"And then Marly doubled the length of the exam, like, what kind of professor–" Demyx burst through the door, blender and a bag of ice in either hand, Zexion following close behind, his interest in Demyx's story hardly masked.

"We're back!" he said, completely disregarding his own conversation as the room's inhabitants turned to him.

"I see that," Riku said, eyes narrowed in annoyance.

Sora went back to sipping his shake, still caught in the riptide of people and happenings around him. Demyx put the blender right in front of Riku, beaming, "You're making them? Wow, if I were that cool in high school I would have hooked up with all the cute boys–" Zexion swat the back of his head with a book he somehow procured.

"Keep your fantasies to yourself, Dem," Zexion said, scowling. He peeked over his shoulder at Riku, "I'm sorry, and thank you." The silveret shrugged, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly.

"Let's just get this over with," Riku muttered, grabbing the blender, ice, and relocated to the counter where the tequila and mix waited. Demyx and Zexion took the two chairs freed from Riku's departure, and Larxene put her phone on the table in disinterest. The brunet felt surrounded, and ultimately out of his element, if he even had one. Sora kept bouncing glances between the silveret silent at work, and the conversation that quickly bubbled around him.

"Zexion here is getting a psychology degree," Demyx beamed, and Zexion hid his face in his book.

"Ew, college," Larxene commented, wrinkling her nose in disgust, "too much effort."

Zexion added, muttering from the side of the novel, "If Demyx can do it, you could too, trust me."

Larxene grinned widely, "Maybe. The problem is, paying for it."

"That's why me and Zexy are here, gotta save up for the fall semester," Demyx said.

Larxene was about to reply, but Riku interjected, "Blender on." And the loud whirring sound rendered conversation impossible. Just as well, for Sora. Demyx and Zexion still talked into each other's ears, and Larxene picked up her phone again with conviction.

Sora was surprised when his phone buzzed in his pocket.

Checking the notification, Larxene had texted him again. It read:

"Riku's birthday is December 19th. He likes chocolate cakes, cupcakes, all that. His favorite color used 2 b purple but idk anymore. Don't talk about Pride and Prejudice he hates that movie. U figure out the rest. Hurt him and I will break ur face."

He stared at the blonde in shock. She actively glanced to Riku to make sure he wasn't watching, green eyes lit in their usual mischief, but Sora suddenly realized there was something else too. He typed and sent a reply: "Y r u telling me this?"

She rolled her eyes when she read the message. "Because he won't tell u himself, dummy." She even added five rolling-eyes emojis. He replied with a Confused Travolta gif. What was she getting at?

There was no time to decide, because the blender shut off. "Pour it yourself, Responsible Adult," the silveret quipped to the blonde extortionist. Surprisingly, she didn't have a biting reply and instead stood, sauntering over in bliss. Meanwhile, Riku took her chair, snatching his food that Sora had quarantined away from Demyx.

The blonde poured the alcoholic slush into six red plastic cups, and sipped one. "Oh, my god, it's so good." The smile she sent Riku over her shoulder was the first genuine expression Sora had seen from her. Even more bewildering, Riku wasn't scowling, or frowning; instead his arms crossed with a prideful smirk.

"Well, of course," he said, and Sora was dying to taste if he was that proud of it.

Larx handed each of them a glass, keeping the one she sipped and another. There was left-over in the blender, which mathematically made no sense to Sora, and so when she slid a drink to Sora he was distracted. With a sweet wink, Larx sang, "There. Larxene-sanctioned." She booped Riku's nose, "Thanks, bartender."

He wiped his nose in disgust, but the brunet oddly felt his chest burn watching the exchange. "Drink your vodka next time, Larx." His voice held no malice, but instead the finger-wagging tone of a parent reprimanding their child.

"Sure, sure," she waved his comment away.

Demyx joined in, "Yeah, thanks, Riku! Kick-ass drink, dude." Zexion raised his glass, which Sora assumed that was a compliment in-and-of-itself.

Sora's mouth was dry and his swallow, empty. Maybe Riku picked up on the fact Sora had not spoken in quite some time – which even Sora could admit was strange for him – because his eyes fell on him as soon as the attention ebbed away from Riku and his apparently delicious drink.

Quiet enough that the others would hopefully not register the conversation, Riku said, "Don't worry about it if you don't want it. I'll put it in the fridge and I'm sure this alcoholic," he glanced at Larxene and Sora giggled despite his nervous, shaking hands, "will finish it for you."

Sora hesitated to respond, and Larxene did overhear. "Just try it, kid, there's no harm in it."

He could list about ten ways it could cause harm, but they all felt like cotton-balls in his throat. Fate had Sora tied on a string and was tugging him along before he could register what was happening. He thought: I should be freaking out about now. He wanted to snap Kairi, as if she could give him permission. But she wasn't here, and even if she was he knew what she'd say. His parents weren't here either – just Larxene going against every adult pre-set Sora knew, Demyx loudly rambling about some college party he'd been to, Zexion sipping quietly with a small smile at the story, and Riku. Riku, arms crossed and staring at Sora with so much concern. It… It pissed him off.

Sora maintained a glare as he picked up the green slush-drink, tilted it to his lips, and took a mouthful before he could really debate the logistics of what he was doing. The sweet, lime-sherbet-like taste washed over his tastebuds, and the faintest aftertaste of something bitter settled after. Sora could hardly differentiate it from the bitterness of lime versus anything else. His glare melted and, eyes widening, he gulped and exclaimed, "Wow, that's so good!"

The silveret's expression twisted into the inscrutable one again, but his quirked smile was unmistakable. "I aim to please," he muttered.

Sora gushed, "It's like– like– liquified sour punch straws, or like, I don't know, those ice cream pops?"

Larxene laughed. "Add margarita to your vocab, loser." She lifted her glass, "Cheers!" Instinctually, Sora clinked his cup with hers, a dull sound of colliding plastic, and she nodded approvingly. The brunet clinked his glass with Riku's that still rested untouched on the table.

"What about you?"

His head tilted, smile still soft and half-mast, "What about me?"

Sora tried to bulldoze past his waning confidence. "A-are you drinking yours?"

"Would it make you feel better if I did?"

Sora wouldn't dare admit it. "C-c'mon you have to enjoy your own work."

Copying Larxene, Riku retorted, "Sure, sure." The grin grew to full strength, and he drank from his cup. "Hey, I didn't fuck it up," he said, mostly to himself. Sora shook his head, relaxing at Riku's intent inspection of his own cup, concluding with a shrug.

"It's really good, Riku," Sora reassured him, now certain he'd have to brag about this to Kairi – later. Riku's smile was grateful.

Just then, Zexion caught their attention. "We're gonna go. Thanks for the food, and the drinks," he said simply. Demyx bounced in place.

"We should do this more!" the sandy-blond said, "This was fun. You guys are cool."

Larxene scoffed in disbelief. "You just want free food and booze." The helpless roll of his shoulder in reply was a perfect confession and she flicked the ends of her hair. "I'm off too, guys. See you," she sang. The three left in a rowdy whirlwind of Sonic bags, party cups, and finally, a soft click of their room door behind them. Sora swore he saw Larxene wink at him right before she left.

It was so quiet without them, but Sora was too excited to care. He turned back to Riku in his seat. "Okay, okay, so like, when do we start feeling drunk?"

The silveret's laugh was strangled, and Sora tilted his head when Riku's rubbed his face with his palms. "Wow," Riku teased breathily, "You don't know anything."

"That's right," Sora agreed, displeased, "so tell me!"

Sora's chest felt breezy at the return of Riku's calm, cocky, and lax stretch across his chair; foot resting on his knee, arms draped casually with one hand curled around his cup like he forgot it was there. "For you? Forty-five minutes tops. In fact, eat your tots first unless you want it to hit you like a truck."

The brunet narrowed his eyes, ignoring the liquid lightening helping his blood along his veins. "Oh goody," he said, tone inching toward sarcasm.

Riku chuckled, "Don't worry, I won't let you get sick." Then as an afterthought, he added, "I don't know how I'd hold back all your spikes anyway."

"I take offense to that," Sora said, tater-tot in hand, "If I didn't know better I'd say you had something against my hair, bruh."

Riku ruffled the spikes in question, and Sora giggled. His eyes were soft when he replied. "Definitely not. Eat already, before it gets cold."

"Okay, mom," the brunet exaggerated, but unwrapped his burger.

Somehow, the margarita was even sweeter to Sora after that.

Riku:

"Hey, Riku, hey, is it true chocolate cake's your favorite?" Sora asked, all subtlety drowned out of him with half of his margarita to go. Maybe Riku had made them a little strong; he couldn't tell anymore, having sipped his plenty of times already.

"That bitch," Riku thought aloud, scowling immediately. "What did Larxene tell you?"

"Jus' tell me," Sora said, his smile a lazy, sunny day. The brunet was forgetting to be shy about leaning on him on the bed-end, controller in his lap intermittently forgotten. He hadn't gotten past loading his save yet. Riku would tease him for it if it weren't so cute.

The silveret's DS was placed behind him on the bed and promptly removed from his priorities. Riku's left side was warm, Sora's eyes were the ocean, and he'd be damned if he admitted to feeling his own drink even if he were three-fourths through.

"Mm, no, how about you give me your phone," Riku countered, arm darting out to grab the device. Sora leaned away quickly, but clumsily, grabbing Riku's arm for balance. It only barely saved him from falling out of his seat.

With a quick eep sound, Sora threw his free arm back with his phone in-hand. "No, no, you can't look, you'll be mad!"

Riku stretched over the lithe brunet in one swift movement, taking Sora's arm still gripping his forearm down toward the bed-end as he used it for support. It inadvertently made Sora appear like he was curled shyly under him. The brunet giggled, turning his face when Riku's long silver strands brushed across it.

"No fair," Sora continued, "You're taller than me!"

"That sounds like a 'you' problem, an egregious oversight, on your end," Riku rambled, his voice liquid pride. He snatched the phone without much further struggle, but didn't bother moving back as he scrolled past several screens of games and social media apps to get to the messages.

Sora was still relying on Riku's forearm to prevent him from falling, but with one free-hand he tried to retrieve the device back, and swat at Riku's hair. It loved Sora's face just as much as the rest of Riku did. "This is the worst," he complained, "Now I'm going to die a horrible Larxene-death, like, it's all your fault."

Riku snorted, threatening, "Stop playing with my hair, or I'm going to send a snap of you to Kairi."

"You are evil incarnate." The swishing of his hair stopped, and Sora giggled and sputtered again.

"I'm so glad we agree," Riku snickered. Sora's hip was jutting into him just above his own; being so easily distracted in this state, it was hard to ignore. It took honest effort to keep his eyes on Sora's phone, and not down, at the ridiculous, giggly, clumsy brunet below him.

He found the text and skimmed it, and promptly rolled his eyes. He plopped the device down into Sora's hand, and lifted himself away before he could debate the benefits of staying put.

Sora sat up too, kicking his feet childishly. "You don't look mad."

"I don't know why you thought I'd be mad," he replied truthfully, forgetting to act nonchalant.

"Not mad…" Sora conceded, twisting a lock of his hair in thought. Riku's hands twitched, and he cursed Larxene with every fiber of his being. For the text, and for enabling this. The brunet continued, unaware, "More like, 'no one may know my dark past! I am the darkness!'" He tossed an arm over his eyes dramatically, gesturing like he were in some Shakespearean play.

"Wow, that's what you think of me?" Riku asked, a little offended but still smiling at Sora's theatrics.

"Every time I ask you something you dodge the question, edge-lord!" Sora cried, "You only kind of started answering me recently. God forbid I ask what your middle name is or, like, your favorite color."

If anyone asked, Riku had no retort because of the alcohol, and not because the brunet had a point.

"I-it's purple," he admitted dumbly, hoping that the heat on his face was just the room.

Sora stared at him doe-eyed and mouth slack in shock. Riku was about to say something, anything that would make him stop but in one fell swoop he was in Riku's space again. This time Riku leaned slightly away as Sora dipped in, a familiar mischievous 'v' shaping his lips and eyes full of wonder and drive. It was… dangerous.

"What else was Larxene right about?"

He was so preoccupied with Sora's proximity he forgot to lie. "All of it? I guess?"

"Woah, seriously?" Riku dully nodded. "Oh, shit, okay, so then what's wrong with Pride and Prejudice?"

"Literally every time my mom gets dumped she makes me watch that with her. I've memorized it. It's the worst." Okay, scratch that: he was going to kill Larxene later. Kill her for getting him drunk, shoving him into a room with this amazing, adorable, wonderful brunet named after the sky–

Sora's snickering that was transforming into a song more every second made the confession a little bit more worth it. The brunet whirled his upper torso around to look at the window. "What?" Riku asked, still reeling.

"Making sure you aren't getting any moonlight, y'know, since the moon makes you weird."

His hands acted on their own, flicking the back of Sora's ear that peeked out from his crazy locks of rich, chocolate-colored hair, once. "Dork, I'm just tipsy," he corrected him, relishing the way his ear dipped down to rub against his shoulder to protest the random gesture. "Why do you care so much, anyway?"

Sora turned back to him, rubbing his ear and blushing, but from the alcohol or something else, Riku couldn't tell. Either way the flush across his cheeks was drifting droves of falling cherry blossoms, torturously fleeting and beautiful and–

"We're friends," Sora pouted, properly indicting him, "as much as you seem to hate the idea." He took another sip of his margarita, clearly imitating Kermit's "but that's none of my business" meme.

Sora would definitely be the death of him. "Ask then," Riku challenged him, knowing he'd regret it by morning, but was so lost in the sky in Sora's eyes he'd exchange just about anything to stay in the clouds.

Despite the halo Riku saw, Sora's smile was impish. He even put his fingers together and tried to cackle, a cheesy villain imitation that made Riku conclude, for his own sanity, he'd never let Sora drink again.

"Perfect," Sora gloated, "So, how old are you, really?"

Riku laughed; he must have been wondering since the other day. "Seventeen," he said with a grin, "and you?"

"Hey, I'm asking the questions!"

"No, no, this is a trade, it's only fair."

"You changed the rules," Sora retorted with a poke. Riku poked back, but Sora continued, giggling, "I'm… sixteen. But I turn seventeen in June, okay?"

"Pfft, that's months away. You're an infant." That earned him a soft punch in the shoulder. Sora would have to come up with different tactics lest Riku develop weird habits to trick Sora into touching him.

"I don't need the commentary! Okay, next question. So, uhm, why did Larxene make you make margaritas? And how do you have a fake I.D.?"

Shit, Riku thought. Sora's one-track mind took a nose-dive to the tough questions. Riku had been expecting a favorite-food inquiry. The silveret sighed, "That was two questions."

"They're related! I'm unraveling the mystery here," Sora said. His whole body was facing Riku now, legs crossed on the bed-end like a child waiting for a bedtime story.

He couldn't deny him. "I– okay, well, Larxene gave me the fake. And, I bartend most nights, and she's always at the bar, so she likes how I make them I guess…" He cursed his lips, loose from the drink and the brunet's natural calming energy. It made his guard slip, and the effort of bringing it back up was losing its appeal.

Unsurprisingly, Sora's eyebrows scrunched together, frowning in disbelief. "Woah, wait, I thought Larxene was making a joke earlier. Why are you bartending?"

A familiar adrenaline rush hit his limbs like it was practical to run, and Riku retorted, "No, it's my turn." It was easy to think of a question of equal caliber to Sora's, "okay, why didn't you fight back in the bathroom? I know you can. I saw you dodge his first hit on the field."

Sora reeled back like how Riku inwardly felt, face rapidly twisting from shock into resignation. "You saw that? I–" Sora released a noise between a scoff and a helpless sigh, "L-look, that was… Promise you won't make fun of me?"

"Have I ever actually made fun of you before?" Riku countered, mouth set in a frown. Sora, sheepish, shook his head.

Taking a deep breath, he said, "Okay, okay, well it's stupid. I just. If I fight back, people won't… see me the same? Like… they'll think I'm some violent hoodlum and I– hey, you're laughing!"

Not laughing, but Riku released a guffaw of disbelief. "No, no," Riku explained, "It's just– you're talking about me. I'm the violent hoodlum, Sora."

Sora sighed again. "You're not a violent hoodlum, that's not what I meant…" he mumbled, looking at his hands with undue intensity. Almost berating them. He hid them in his lap. "I just think… my parents will… be disappointed," Sora concluded, struggling to articulate.

The silveret nodded, but for once, didn't really understand. The very way he said it made it layered, like the human vocabulary didn't have a word for Sora to express the true why. Riku was curious, but he could wait for future questions.

Sora shook his head as if that could physically rid himself of the gloom. "O-okay, my turn, so, tell me why on God's green earth you are bartending?" He even had the same tone as before; concerned, exasperated, but amused from the liquid luck bouncing around his veins.

It was Riku's turn to sigh, eyes drifting to the side. He was used to hiding and lying. But he didn't want to lie to Sora. "It's… my mom's bar. And if I work there, that's one less employee that she loses money to, and I get tips, so…"

Sora's nose twisted with one side of his mouth, like he was adding all the pieces in his head – and of course, he had to do it in the most charming way possible. Riku was remembering why he so often kept his eyes away from the sun incarnate next to him.

Finally, Sora commented, "That's uh, definitely illegal." It was equally borne of tease and concern, but Riku frowned.

When Riku got his driver's permit, Larxene made him the first fake ID he used. The first person he showed was Mikey, and he said the same thing – but with a lot more laughter. Mikey loved the danger, the thrill of breaking the rules. It was infectious, and the only way Riku knew how to keep his sanity, to laugh along and indulge in the thrill. After all, it was his entire life. The difference now was that he knew it was a poison.

"Yeah, well, welcome to my existence."

Sora giggled, waving his hands like a rainbow. "Riku's Final Form, Ultimate Emo, emerges. But really, you have to work there?"

Riku rolled his eyes, forgetting their trade. "Someone has to pay the bills," he said, crossing his arms. His expression hardened a little, waiting for the pity he didn't need.

"Okay, but you could pay the bills by working at, like, Chik-Fil-A," Sora pouted, crossing his arms too.

"I… guess you're right," Riku acquiesced, thrown off that the needless sympathy never came. "It just… happened."

Sora nodded. "Your mom asked and you did it. I get it. But really, you should worry more about you."

That was Riku's line. "Sure, mom, thanks." He needed the spotlight away from him before he burned. "Okay, so, now that you got my life story, fess up."

"Fess up? To what?" the brunet asked, taking another sip of his drink.

"You are aware that I know zero about you? Except maybe that you have car-phobia." And that he loves Sonic shakes, Kingdom Hearts, hogging his side of the beg, and sending Riku smiles that pierce his soul–

"Oh, h-heh, uhm–" Sora flushed, drink frozen in-hand, "But you know–"

"Why don't you start there?" Riku interjected, raising his eyebrows as Sora's fidgeting distracted him. "With the car-phobia, what's that about?"

Sora raked a hand through his hair. He laughed nervously, eyes shifted to the side. "D-do you want the full version or the too-long-don't-read?"

"Full," Riku instantly replied, his smile a triumphant smirk as Sora groaned.

"Damn," Sora cursed sheepishly. "L-look, you have to promise not to tell anyone–"

"Who would I tell?" Riku retorted rhetorically, "I just bared my soul, dude."

"Yeah, you're right," Sora said, biting his lip as he thought about where to start. Riku waited by finishing off his own drink. After a moment of silence, the brunet began, "I'm not afraid of cars, i-it's basically the same as the fighting thing. I- When I said my mom was a hairdresser, that was kind of a lie. She's actually my adoptive mother."

Riku tilted his head to mask his surprise, listening. Sora continued, voice gaining momentum, "I was adopted when I was ten, after my real mom was sentenced to, I think… two years in prison, or something like that. Drug possession. Anyway, I decided from then on that I couldn't… ruin the second chance I was getting."

It was starting to make sense. "Sora, you thought leaving camp would make your adoptive parents hate you? That's–"

"I can't disappoint them, Riku," Sora said, desperate and mournful and tragically sincere, "They've done nothing but love me even though I'm me. And fighting Xehanort – I couldn't –" His eyes were watering, like finally the ocean wasn't content with residing only in Sora's orbs.

He noticed Sora's hands again that had relocated to his knees during his explanation. Riku realized with horror they were shaking. Twitching. It wasn't the shaking like tapping a thumb, or too many cups of coffee. No, it was him– And then, the silveret understood what Sora meant.

How had Riku never noticed before?

Sora's hands relaxed a little on his knees, and Riku refocused to Sora's voice. "A-at least, until recently… you've, uh, been pushing me out of my comfort zone, so to speak, so I'm starting to think… I don't know, haha." He concluded with a nervous laugh, quickly and clumsily wiping his eyes on his forearm.

Sora hid a hand back into this lap and took a drink, not so subtly waiting for the silveret's response. "Sora…" Riku started, posture straightening in his vehemence, "your parents – or I mean, your adoptive parents – if they love you, they'd wouldn't want you to get hurt, especially not from assholes like Xehanort." He knew – he'd been a protector for a long time.

"Kairi told me the same thing," Sora said, rubbing the back of his head with a forced smile. "So, you're probably right. I just can't help myself." Riku sighed. He knew that, too, because Mikey was the same way.

Their trade of questions was forgotten again. Riku asked, almost hesitant to probe, "Do you… still see your real mom?"

Sora sniffed, his emotions retreated like the tide, and answered, "Uhm, sometimes, when she's… not in jail." Another nervous laugh, and a guilty confession, "I don't like visiting much."

And who could blame him? Ever since their rendezvous with the treacherous microwave, Riku thought that they lived in entirely separate worlds that were momentarily colliding, but he was wrong. Maybe they were the same in all the worst ways.

"I'm sorry, I killed the mood," Sora apologized, his red cup tapping his chin. His frown bordered on a pout, but even that couldn't shake the twisting of Riku's stomach. Sora's eyes were rimmed in a soft red. God, what kind of friend was Riku for putting him in this state? He'd led to Sora drinking – underage – which was undoubtedly one of his nightmares. No, Riku was the epitome of all Sora's nightmares.

"No, I'm sorry," the silveret said, snatching the cup away. "We'll pretend like this never happened." Maybe then he could pretend that his chest didn't feel like each rib was a wall collapsing inside him.

"Hey!" Sora protested, instantly leaning forward, "Give that back! And, what do you mean?"

"You never got drunk," Riku said, lips in a hard line. He felt like it was the least he could do. It was easy to hold the cup just out of Sora's reach, and the brunet was making a lot of clumsy effort for retrieving it. It made it easy to forget Sora was afraid of anything at all, but Riku still held on.

"Ugh, no, that's not what I wanted you to say," Sora frowned again, "I still have questions to ask you."

"Like what?" Riku practically groaned in disbelief. Already Sora was back to his normal self; he wasn't sure if he could keep up.

"Like, cats or dogs? Or, what's your favorite song? Or, ooh, where do you wanna go to college–"

"That's a lot of questions," the silveret replied. His arm got tired keeping the cup both level and away from Sora, so he relented. The brunet swiped it back, and made a perplexing show of taking another sip.

"Yeah, so, I have a deal," Sora concluded after an exaggerated 'ah' from his drink, tapping his fingers together in a 'v' like evil businessmen do in Hollywood. Riku narrowed his eyes and rolled his wrist in a silent, hesitating: "go on".

Sora sobered a little, meeting Riku's gaze in earnest. The silveret blinked back at him, swallowing his apprehension. "Y-you make me brave, and I can make you talk. That's the deal. I can't be afraid all the time anymore because it's stupid, and you can't keep holding everything in."

"Says who? It's like, the one thing I'm good at," Riku replied, exasperated. Sometimes, Riku wasn't sure if Sora was a ditz, or a genius. The word brave was spending an inordinate amount of time replaying in Sora's voice inside Riku's mind.

The brunet merely giggled at his rebuttal. "Not to me. C'mon, us emos have to stick together."

Aqua eyes rolled briefly to the ceiling, a quick reprise from the way Sora looked so hopeful, cheeks flushed from his drink and eyes a kaleidoscope of blue –

"So you want me… to help you get over your random phobias?" He indulged in the idea that he could. A sober Riku wouldn't dare.

He finally admitted to himself that he was tipsy when his throat tightened at Sora's overly-enthusiastic nod, a brunet bobble-head. Sora added, "And I'll get you to talk to me whether your tipsy or the moon is out."

"Fair trade," Riku replied sarcastically. And yet, if it was Sora, maybe he didn't mind it.

"Great!" Zealous, Sora stuck out his pinky with a wide, triumphant grin. It still shook, but less – Riku only noticed because he was looking for it. "Pinky-square it!"

Chuckling incredulously, Riku briefly face-palmed. "You mean pinky-swear."

"Uh, no, when you link pinkies they make a square!" the brunet pouted stubbornly. He wiggled his pinky to make the point.

Riku could argue, but why when Sora did that? God, were they having the same conversation? But the brunet was insistent, pinky still held up expectantly, and Riku was smiling. Sora smiled back, and just like that, it seemed like a self-fulfilling prophecy.

"Fine, fine – pinky-square." He linked a pinky with Sora's, desperately ignoring how hot his ears felt.

It was goofy, and the silveret was convinced this promise would lead nowhere. Even so, his heart skipped a beat when Sora giggled out, "That's a binding contract; you're trapped now!"

The doom and gloom was gone. Riku found himself laughing along, and then challenging, "Oh yeah? So are you, dork." His grin was plotting, though there was no substance behind it.

"Oh shit, you're serious. Now I'm scared," Sora sang. Somehow they had let their pinkies stay connected even as they rested their arms on their knees, forgetting to be embarrassed about the contact.

"Yep, I'm the worst." He meant it, but his grin was soft.

"Ugh, you're not. Hey, you never finished 358/2 Days," the brunet said, eyes spotting the closed DS resting on the bed. Riku had forgotten he'd put it there – and Sora must have forgotten his many questions he threatened to ask. Riku retrieved the console one-handedly, flipping it open with a satisfying click.

"Give me an hour, and I'll probably finish it," Riku proposed. Sora nodded, scooting closer to see the screen. Their hands finally lost contact, but their shoulders quickly made up for it. He thought about teasing Sora about it, but decided he preferred his clueless, childishly excited stare at the DS, viewable with just a quick glance to Riku's right.

"Says the tipsy man. Bet it takes you two."

"Challenge accepted."

A/N: For this entire fic, from what I've re-written so far, this is my second-favorite chapter. I hope you liked it, too! Leave a comment if you did?

Thanks for reading! Sorry this chapter was so long nervous sweat.