I REALLY wanted to write a scene with Riku doing karaoke to Lying is the Most Fun...for Living Proof, but it just doesn't fit in anywhere. Solution? This is a canonical, Living Proof Universe story, that takes place before Roxas' starts telling it. Specifically about a month before the story proper starts. But, of course, you don't need to be reading LP to read this.


Title: But It's Better if You Do
Characters: Sora, Kairi, Riku, Axel
Song: "Lying is the Most Fun a Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off" by Panic! At the Disco

also, the song Axel sings is by Blink-182, and if you tell me it's not a real song I will happily send you the audio file.


Sora was in that delicious phase of being not quite yet drunk, but pleasantly buzzed off a few beers and intoxicated by the sizzle in the air. He loved this vibe, loved the way the atmosphere burned with chaos and noise, the party pushing past the point of caring. People were tacky with sweat, sticky from spilled punch, shamelessly shoving aside things social niceties like personal space and reservation. Sometimes he stayed on this line of sober, on nights like this, just to be able to sit back and watch, soak it all in and still remember it in the morning.

He wasn't meant to be here, not even a little bit; maybe Roxas thought he ran the world, but Sora wasn't really popular enough to get invited to college parties while he was still in high school. Kairi wasn't either, but being best friends with a freshman at Twilight Tech had its perks, and invitations to parties was one of them. Especially parties like this one, a birthday party on the beach for Riku's roommate, Axel. Riku had rounded up a bunch of the students who had stayed for the summer term and hauled them out to Axel's mansion out at Twilit Point, and somehow Sora and Kairi had found themselves on the inside of that lasso.

"Sora!" Kairi stumbled towards him, two parts alcohol one part trying to walk on soft sand. He glanced up just in time to catch her tossing back the last of her drink, empty solo cup hanging limp from her fingers.

There was something about this side of Kairi that Sora could never quite get enough of. Kairi during the day was perfect and poised, smart and sweet, and always put together. Kairi by night, on the other hand, had black eyeliner smeared across her temple and a glassy look in her wide blue eyes, and didn't give a damn about the way the humidity had left her hair stringy and her tank top damp. She was a whole different creature, here and now, and Sora took a long moment to just sit there and admire it.

"Sora," she huffed, reaching down to grab his arm. She overbalanced slightly, bracing her empty-cup-hand against the sand. "So, you gotta come see this."

"See what?" He raised a skeptical eyebrow. The party was crawling with people at varying levels of fucked up; Kairi's excitement could stem from anything from an impressively long wizard's staff to a puddle of beer in the shape of a heart.

"They found Axel's old karaoke machine and dragged it out onto the deck," she giggled, pushing with her now sandy hand until she was mostly upright. The redhead still had a surprisingly solid grip on Sora's arm, tugging it lightly as she straightened herself up.

"And?" Sora was already gathering his legs underneath him, allowing Kairi the delusion that she was pulling him to his feet, but he couldn't help the way the exasperation on the drunk girl's face made him laugh.

"And Riku's singing and it's going to be hysterical and a once in a lifetime opportunity because Sora Riku never and I mean never sings in public because he thinks he's awful at it but he's actually pretty good but the point Sora is that we need to go watch Riku sing so we can make fun of him for the rest of ever."

"Alright, alright," he laughed, letting her drag him along like the puppy on a leash they both knew he secretly was. "Lets go make sure Riku never lives it down."

"Goody." Kairi dropped her Solo cup, patting her back pockets with her newly free hand. "I even have my camera," she announced triumphantly, pulling out the sleek pink device.

"He's going to be thrilled," the brunet said dryly, picking his way through groups of people sitting on the beach.

"Probably not," Kairi agreed, "but I will be. You have no idea, So, how drunk he must be to be willing to sing."

They traipsed up the wide, sweeping stone staircase separating Axel's backyard from the beach proper just in time to catch the tail end of a truly, truly awful rendition of "Teenage Dream." Sora very, very pointedly didn't look at the makeshift stage that had appeared on the deck, hoping to god he wouldn't see Riku croaking into the mic like that. He chose instead to swing by one of the strategically planted coolers of beer, fishing out two new Natty Lights for the pair of them.

"Yayyy we didn't miss him," Kairi cheered. "He's on next of next, I think."

She was right. The birthday boy himself was all but shoving some blonde chick away from the karaoke machine, laughing as he pulled the microphone away from her.

"I bet I can sing better than Larx," Axel taunted, holding the microphone to his lips and dancing backwards away from the scowling blonde.

"I bet Xiggy could sing better than Larx," someone called back, "and he's passed out in the upstairs bathtub."

"Cheers," Axel laughed, toasting his beer towards the dark haired kid perched on the deck railing. Sora and Kairi settled in among the half-assed crowd, dropping down into an empty Adirondack chair, Kairi perched on Sora's lap. "So where's my Riku?"

"Hiding!" Scattered laughter followed the (admittedly probably accurate) guess and earned a leering grin from Axel.

"Hear that, Reeks, Demyx is impugning your manhood," he challenged. "Come on now, you promised me that you'd sing something sexy for my birthday, bitch."

The makeshift audience laughed, looking around for the telltale silver hair. Sora was surprised by the stage presence Axel managed to have, holding court at a rager while almost too drunk to function himself.

"He's in a band, remember?" Kairi whispered, leaning in close enough to rest her head against Sora's. "With Riku and Demyx and that hot british guy, what's his face."

"Lead singer?" Sora mumbled back. He was distracted by the news that Riku was in a band. He wondered if Roxas listened to them…

"You can tell," Kairi nodded. She leaned back further, curling into Sora's chest. "He's hot, but he doesn't like me very much."

"No?" the brunet laughed. "Why not?"

"Fine, Reeks, you won't come out here, I'll just have to sing your favorite song until you do."

Kairi, distracted by the sound of Axel clearing his throat loudly into the microphone, turned her attention back towards the karaoke machine. Axel was fiddling with a few buttons on the screen, and Sora could see his wicked smirk from here. The redhead straightened up just as the guitar started picking up, tossing a wink in Demyx' direction as the blond suddenly started cackling.

"It'd be nice to have a blow job.
It would be nice to have a blow job.
It would be nice to have a blow job.
It would be nice to have a blow job.

It'd be nice to have a blow job.
It would be nice to have a blow job.
It would be nice to have a blow job.
It would be nice to have a blow job from your mom."

The whole audience was laughing by the time Axel took a deep breath, cocksure grin on his face as he ate up their amusement. He seemed dead serious about his threat, too; the song was already cueing up to start again.

"Oh god oh god okay I'm here just stop."

Axel let out a loud whoop, throwing an arm around Riku's shoulder as the silver haired teen came all but running towards the makeshift stage. He tugged the mic away from the redhead, hip-checking his best friend away from the karaoke machine.

"You're the worst," Riku grumbled.

Sora shifted his weight on the chair, settling back against the smooth wood at a better angle to study the older teen head on. He looked distinctly uncomfortable under his alcohol façade, none of the stage presence Axel had had.

"Yeah well you better make it good, Princess, or you'll have to do another one."

Riku let out such a long-suffering sigh that Sora couldn't help but laugh, jostling Kairi slightly on his lap. Aquamarine eyes narrowed as Riku turned his stare on Sora, raising an eyebrow at the blatant amusement on the younger boy's face.

Axel pressed a button on the karaoke machine and sat back with a grin as Riku grudgingly raised the mic to his lips.

"Is it still me that makes you sweat?
Am I who you think about in bed?
When the lights are dim and your hands are shaking
as you're sliding off your dress?
"

Sora held very still. Riku was still staring right at him, unblinkingly, glassy eyes narrowed under his silver bangs, and the brunet couldn't quite tear himself away.

"Ooo," Kairi cooed under her breath. "Look at him, that little liar, I knew he was good."

"Yeah," Sora muttered. "He is."

Everyone else seemed to think so, too. Axel's friends were cheering loudly by the time that Riku reached the first chorus, egging the singer on until he had no choice but to commit to it.

"I've got more wit, a better kiss,
hotter touch, a better fuck,
than any boy you'll ever meet,
Sweetie you had me."

He stalked forward, winding through the gathering crowd (Riku was singing. Apparently this was a Big Deal) with his wireless mic. Axel was the first to elbow in, flinging an arm over his best friend's shoulder just in time to share the mic.

"No no no, you know it will always just be me.
Let's get these teen hearts beating faster, faster.
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls,
will you dance to this beat and hold a lover close?"

Kairi laughed at the way Axel dropped his arm from Riku's shoulders down to his hips, pulling his roommate flush up against him as they danced for barely a flash before Riku twisted away, trailing across the deck to wedge himself in between Demyx and a kid with charcoal hair.

"Oh now I do recall
we were just getting to the part,
where the shock sets in and the stomach acid
finds a new way to make you feel sick
."

Demyx grabbed the mic from Riku's grip, turning away from the silver haired teen to steal the chorus.

"Let's get these teen hearts beating faster, faster.
So testosterone boys and harlequin girls,
will you dance to this beat and hold a lover close?
"

Riku lunged forward and yanked back the microphone, smacking a loud, wet sounding kiss on Demyx' cheek before dodging away with his prize. Sora stared, frowning at the blond as he gasped melodramatically and touched his cheek, even as everyone else laughed.

"Mmm I have the two best best friends ever," Kairi sighed, taking a swig of her beer and reclining back against the arm rest, blue eyes following Riku across the wooden deck. "You two should be better friends."

"I'll work on it," Sora promised. Yeah. He'd do that. Just for Kairi.

In the moment he'd looked away he lost track of Riku, twisting his head side to side in search of silver hair. He could still hear him, Riku was still singing, but Sora couldn't find him.

And then there was a weight on his shoulder, heavy and warm and just a little sweaty, and hair brushing against his arm, and Kairi was shaking with giggles as Riku leaned his head against hers. They tossed the line back and forth like they planned it, Riku then Kairi then both together.

"Dance to this beat,
Dance to this beat,
Dance to this beat…"

And then there was the wire mesh of a microphone against the side of his jaw, fingers tangled in his hair, mouth so close to his ear that he could hear each little huff of exhaled breath.

"Let's get these teen hearts beating faster, faster.
Let's get these teen hearts beating faster
."

He was gone as quickly as he came, but Sora could have sworn that, just for a second, Riku had pressed in close enough that his lips brushed his neck.

The general applause and guffaws lasted until Riku and Axel strutted back up to the stage, the redhead taking the mic back before passing it off to some sloppy-looking brunette girl. Sora didn't know her, but Kairi apparently did, as she jumped up and ran towards the karaoke machine when the girl asked for help.

Sora shifted around in his newly free chair, twisting the beer between his fingers as he glanced half-heartedly around the groups of people on the deck. The birthday boy was still around, back with Demyx and the kid whose name Sora didn't know, but Riku was –

Sneaking around the side of the house. Sora saw the flash of silver under the patio flood lights just as he rounded the corner into the dark.

Sora got up slowly, planting his feet carefully on the ground and making a great show of stretching lazily, cautious of his beer as he raised his arms up over his head. He was going to the bathroom, if anyone asked, but no one did. He didn't expect them to, really, not with Kairi and the brunette girl picking up a rousing rendition of "Pour Some Sugar on Me." Still, he ambled off slowly, without any apparent direction in mind, casually sliding into the shadows on the far side of the house.

WHAM.

Sora's back hit the vinyl siding with a thud, two hands fisted in the front of his t-shirt. He tossed his drink aside without a second thought, spilled beer soaking the ground under their bare feet as he fumbled to thread his fingers through empty belt loops.

"Well?"

Riku's breath was hot against his skin, ticking the brown hair curling down around Sora's ear, but it still made Sora shiver as a chill danced down his spine.

"Is it still me that makes you sweat?"

The brunet muffled a groan against Riku's bare shoulder as the older teen licked a slow path up the side of Sora's neck. It was a typically hot, humid August night, but damned if Riku wasn't making him hot in an entirely different way.

"Dunno," Sora mumbled back, lifting his head to look up into dark cerulean eyes. "Am I who you think about in bed?"

"Damn right," Riku growled. He barely got it out in time; Sora tightened his grip on Riku's shorts and Riku moved his hand to the back of Sora's neck, and neither of them had the patience to wait for things like talkingas Sora yanked Riku forward and Riku sealed their lips together.

"So what about tonight, then," Sora teased, twisting his mouth away from Riku's. The college student went for his jaw instead, nipping lightly at the curve of his bone. "Gonna think about me tonight?"

"Why," Riku murmured back, moving down to the fleshy hollow under Sora's jaw, pressing the words into his skin. "Why bother thinking about you when I could have you?"

They were seamless, had so much practice it was easy, the way Sora moved his hips in anticipation of Riku's response, punctuating the implication with an equally implying action. Riku lifted his head again and Sora ducked in before he was ready for it, sucking Riku's lower lip between his own teeth.

"Hmm, so that's a yes?"

"YO REEKS, WE'RE UP ON THE TABLE."

Sora's head fell back against the house will a thump, Riku drooping forward to drop his forehead against Sora's shoulder. They stood there, pressed together in the important places, the pulse points and the heart lines, catching their respective breath as they waited for Axel to get impatient.

"DUDE, WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?"

"I should go," Riku whispered.

Sora nodded, head moving against the cool vinyl siding.

"You did say we were invited to spend the night, if we didn't want to make the trek back to town, yeah?"

Riku turned his face into the side of Sora's neck, pressing his grin into the tan skin.

"I'll give you twenty minutes to find Kairi someone else to snuggle with?"

"RIKU"

"COMING" Riku shouted back, lifting his head and glaring in the general direction of Axel's backyard.

"Not yet you're not," Sora muttered. He reluctantly released his grip on Riku's belt loops, letting the taller boy step back slightly.

"Tease," Riku smirked. He darted forward again just long enough to press another searing kiss to Sora's lips, dancing back out of reach again before the brunet could even react. "Later, brat."

Sora let him go, listening from the shadows as Riku reappeared in the midst of the party, yelling at Axel something about how the redhead better not hold them back this time. He would wait a few minutes, just in case anyone was watching. It gave him a second, too, to press himself back in the quiet darkness, closing his eyes and willing his breathing to slow, his heart to stop racing. Later.

Let's get these teen hearts beating faster, faster.
Let's get these teen hearts beating faster.


Between this week's Glee, Dalton, Go Your Own Way, and Firecrotch updates, I'm literally an emotional trainwreck right now. Enjoy some fluff, happy Friday.