"Why did I let you talk me into this?" Namine kept her voice down. Sitting beside Kairi, surrounded by their fellow students, the blond couldn't believe she'd agreed to audition for the school's yearly musical. Performing was Kairi's thing more than it was hers—other than playing the flute, anyway. She preferred painting, sketching, things she could do away from watchful, judging eyes and display the finished product so no one would see it when she made mistakes. But Kairi had been so excited about the musical that Namine got caught up in it and came along.

"Because you love music, you're beautiful, and you have a lovely singing voice," the redhead replied absently, her attention focused on the script in her hands.

With a sigh, Namine looked at the copy she was holding. This year they were doing The Wizard of Oz, and Kairi was going to audition for the part of Glinda, the Good Witch of the East. Initially, she'd wanted to audition for Dorothy's part, but Ariel was auditioning for it, and Kairi had gracefully accepted that she wouldn't be able to out-sing the other redhead. So, she had decided on Glinda, and Namine was sure she would be fantastic at the role, but that still didn't explain why she'd agreed to tag along.

I don't want to do this. I hate being on stage. It's terrifying. Singing in front of a crowd? Possibly by myself?

She could feel her heartbeat increasing at the mere thought. There was no way she was going to be able to do this. Even performing flute solos was nerve-wracking—how was she supposed to sing? No, no, she wouldn't. Definitely not. This was not something she wanted to do in the slightest.

But when she opened her mouth to say so to Kairi, the words wouldn't come out. It was so quiet in the music room that she didn't want to disrupt it. To save herself from drawing too much attention from the other students in the room, Namine leaned until her shoulder was pressed against Kairi's and spoke in a whisper.

"Kai, I don't want to audition."

Vivid blue eyes beneath a creased forehead turned on her. "I thought you wanted to be part of the musical this year."

"I do, but I don't want to sing."

"You could just volunteer to be a background character."

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't sound like much fun." She would still have to show up for all the practices, and the costuming, and everything. Musicals were a lot of work, and that was time and effort she wasn't necessarily sure she wanted to give, not when she already had her art and classes to worry about. Maybe Kairi was cut out for that much work, but Namine didn't think she was.

"What about crew?"

Crew? Set design? Props? Backdrops?

"I could do that." It'd probably still take up quite a bit of her time, but at least she'd be involved in the musical without having to actively perform. Besides, she knew she could create sets and props. That was easy. Nothing heart-pounding or nerve-wracking about that. "Yeah. I'll be part of the crew." She felt much better for having decided and actually smiled as she set her copy of the script aside. The speed of her heart slowed, her head felt clear, and she took a nice, slow breath to relax her lungs. It was only after she'd calmed completely that Namine realized Kairi had been watching her throughout the process, which brought a light shade of pink to her cheeks. "What?"

"You told me it was gone," the redhead spoke quietly, her eyes searching the pale blonde's face. There was concern in the blue depths that made Namine feel a little guilty; she looked away.

"It is."

"No, it isn't." Shifting, Kairi faced her quiet cousin, her script discarded. "Mi-Mi, if you knew you weren't going to be able to do it, then why did you agree to audition?"

"You were excited," Namine mumbled. "It sounded like it'd be so much fun to be in the musical together, and with Ariel and Demyx and Rose. I really wanted to try." She had. Kairi's excitement was usually contagious, and even though she knew she struggled with having the courage to perform, she'd been swept up in it.

Only to chicken out when the pressure actually processed. Like always.

"I hate not being able to do it." Namine's voice wavered as she spoke, and she could feel her throat thickening, potential tears forming behind her eyes. "I want to be brave, like you, but I just can't, and I hate it."

Without a word, Kairi pulled the other girl into a hug and rubbed her back in a comforting manner. Namine leaned into her, taking a shuddering breath as she tried to quell her emotions.

"It's okay, Mi-Mi," the redhead soothed, her voice still low so they wouldn't disturb anyone or be noticed too much—attention by others would only make things worse for Namine. "Really. You'll be in crew, and the sets and props'll be absolutely perfect thanks to you. Hey, you know what? This kind of makes us even. If you sang and acted, too, I'd have nothing left to do with myself 'cause you'd outshine me on all fronts."

That got a little bit of a laugh out of Namine, and she straightened enough to smile at her cousin. "Even if I could, you'd still be better at it. Your voice is prettier than mine."

"You have a better range than me," Kairi pointed out, smiling to see the other girl happy again.

"Only on good days."

"Namine, I'm not really sure you have bad days." Smile still in place, she kept her arm around Namine's shoulders and hugged her again. "Next time, don't let me talk you into things like this, kay? You do whatever you're comfortable with, and that'll be good enough for everyone else."

Nodding, the blonde slipped her arm around Kairi's waist and returned her hug. "Thanks, Kai."

They leaned on each other, both much happier than they'd been a minute ago and just as excited to take part in the musical.

X

They were supposed to be watching a movie. At least, that's what they'd told everyone they'd be doing. But the TV wasn't on, there were no movies out for them to be choosing from, and they weren't anywhere close to making either of those things happen.

Instead, Riku and Sora had settled on the older boy's futon and were completely focused on one another. Both of Riku's hands were on Sora's waist, sometimes rubbing, sometimes pulling to draw the brunet just a little closer. Not that Sora was very far away. He wasn't pressed up against Riku, but he was rubbing the silver-haired athlete's chest, and was all but seated in his lap. One foot on the floor and the other tucked under himself, the younger sophomore would've been hard pressed to get any closer without straddling his boyfriend

The only reason he hadn't done that already was because they'd decided not. It would've been a little too sexual (never mind that they'd showered together more than once) and they wanted to keep control of themselves, at least for now.

So there they were, wrapped up in each other and kissing cautiously, but enthusiastically.

Sora thought Riku had really nice lips. They were soft, and moved against his own with confidence. Obviously, the older boy knew what he was doing, and that would have made Sora feel self-conscious if it hadn't been so distracting. It was really, really distracting, and he was enjoying himself enough that he whined in protest when Riku pulled away from him.

"Knock it off, Brat," the older boy scolded him, smiling. "We're not done yet."

The pout didn't leave Sora's face.

Rolling his eyes, Riku rubbed his hands up over the brunet's ribcage and leaned forward as Sora moved to meet him for a kiss only to be dodged, and had already started to whine by the time Riku's lips touched his neck' the sound instantly died in the brunet's throat.

With a smirk, the older boy drew away just slightly and licked the spot he'd just kissed. It almost made him laugh that Sora was holding so still, except for the really small shiver his lick had gotten.

"Relax," he crooned, tilting his head as he placed kiss after kiss on his companion's neck and under his jaw. His hands continued to rub Sora's sides, and, eventually, he felt the younger sophomore relax.

"Riku…"

His name came out on a breath and he pulled Sora closer, trading the kisses for a gentle bite that made the blue-eyed athlete's breath hitch.

"Riku," it was firmer this time, "people'll see."

The teal-eyed sophomore almost growled. "So?" He sat there, still close, examining the skin of Sora's neck and throat. It was easy to imagine what a hickey would look like against the paleness, and he really wanted to put one there. They were boyfriends now—shouldn't he be allowed to mark what was his?

"I thought we were keeping it a secret for now."

…damn it.

"No one has to know it's from me." Riku didn't actually like that idea very much—he didn't want their classmates to see it and wonder who it'd come from.

"Who else would it be?" the younger boy scoffed. "It's not like I've ever flirted with anyone but you."

"You flirted with Kairi."

"For like a week. And everyone knows we aren't a thing, anyway. If I show up with a hickey, no one'll even doubt it's from you."

This whole idea of keeping their relationship a secret was sounding less and less fun.

Eventually, Riku sighed. "I don't care." But he still didn't let himself bite, settled for a kiss to the corner of Sora's jaw. "I won't, if you don't want me to."

The younger boy hesitated. "…just not where someone else'll see it, okay?"

Oh, well, he could work with that.

Riku tried to hold back a grin with little success. "All right." Immediately, his hands slid down to grip the bottom hem of Sora's shirt and started to pull it up; his grin widened when the brunet lifted his arms. As soon as the shirt was high enough, Riku leaned and kissed Sora again, capturing his lips with more urgency than before. The shirt was tossed onto the floor. Riku's hands went back to Sora's waist, fingers gently massaging the lean muscle beneath skin. It almost tickled, had Sora wrapping his arms around the older boy's neck to pull them closer together. Shyly, he brushed his tongue against Riku's lower lip then looked up at him with uncharacteristic meekness. Teal met blue—a crooked smile hooked up one side of Riku's mouth and he caught Sora's chin in one hand.

"Who'd have ever thought you could be so cute?" he teased, then kissed the brunet before he had a chance to pout.

It was simple for a few seconds, just lips pressed to lips, then Sora got revenge for the teasing by catching Riku's lower lip between his teeth. Meeting the silver-haired athlete's surprised gaze, he smirked and tugged. The lip slipped free, and he licked it playfully as Riku stared.

The older sophomore raised an eyebrow. "Teasing, Brat? Really?"

"You teased first."

"Well, yeah, but not like that."

Sora rolled his eyes. "I'm sorry, I didn't know there were rules." His tone was heavy with sarcasm.

"That," Riku began, gesturing at the younger student, "is exactly why I call you Brat." Sora stuck his tongue out at him. "You're only making it worse."

Blue eyes rolled towards the ceiling. "Just shut up and kiss me, Jerk."

"You're really annoying sometimes."

The smirk on Riku's face made Sora narrow his eyes. They were supposed to be using now to make out, so why the hell wasn't he being made out with? They hadn't even gotten that far with kissing yet, and here Riku was being difficult.

Asshole.

Still glaring, Sora grabbed the front of his companion's shirt and pulled until Riku nearly fell on top of him.

"I told you to shut up," the brunet growled, "and kiss me." He didn't give Riku a chance to respond, turning his attention to the older boy's mouth. With a little more force than was necessary but not enough to hurt, he bit that bottom lip again, and this time he held on long enough to suck and lick it; Riku's hands caught his waist and held him tightly, and Sora smirked.

If Riku thought he was the only one who'd be in charge when it came to things like this, he was very, very wrong.

Slowly, Sora let go, and immediately found his own lips captured in a rougher kiss than they'd shared before. Riku's mouth molded Sora's to fit, his tongue dancing against the younger boy's lips as his spine rolled to continually lean close just to pull away again. It was a maddening way to kiss, just as much of a torment as what Sora had done, if not worse.

No, no, it was definitely worse.

It only took about a minute for Sora, now breathless and frustrated, to push at Riku's chest as he let out a sound somewhere between a whine and a growl. "Riku! Stop it!"

"Stop what?" the older boy was innocent only in tone, his expression more than a little suggestive as he drew Sora closer again. "You mean you didn't like it?"

"That's not the point!" the blue-eyed boy flustered, his face reddening.

"Yeah, it is. The whole point of this is making each other feel good. So, did you like it?"

Reluctant and a little embarrassed, Sora refused to answer or even look at the older student.

The teasing light went out of Riku's eyes and he ducked his head to kiss the brunet's throat. "Sora," he murmured, but was interrupted by the sound of his phone chirping at him with the voice of some exotic bird. A borderline-annoyed sigh left him as he straightened and reached for the device. "Hello?"

Still embarrassed but curious, Sora watched him until the older boy glanced over and clicked his phone's screen to turn on the speaker.

"What are you guys doing?" Kairi's voice, slightly robotic and fuzzy, asked.

"Uh," they looked at each other, "watching a movie."

"You sound like you were running." Her tone was just slightly suspicious, and Riku and Sora shared a guilty-but-amused glance; Sora mouthed "oops" at the older boy, who grinned.

"Maybe we were dancing to the soundtrack," Riku lied smoothly. They both knew Kairi wouldn't believe that in a million years, but what else could they say? Admit that they'd been kissing for the last quarter hour and didn't really plan on stopping any time soon? She might not believe that, either, but no way were they going to give up their game just yet. Not when they'd been having so much fun with it so far.

"Sure you were. But since I'm confident you two aren't actually watching a movie, do you want to come watch one in my and Namine's room?"

"When?" Sora asked, his gaze on Riku.

"In an hour. I assume that enough time for you to finish whatever nonsense you're up to."

The two boys stifled chuckles at that. "Uh, yeah, that should be long enough to finish our movie."

"It doesn't feel like we're that far in," Sora commented, "but yeah, an hour should be fine." He didn't miss the raised eyebrow Riku was aiming at him, though he kept his attention on the phone for the moment.

"All right, we'll see you then."

"Kay." Riku hit the End Call option then set his phone down. "So," he grinned at the younger boy sitting beside him, "doesn't feel like we're that far in, huh?"

"Well, it doesn't."

"Hm." Thoughtfully, he nodded, then snaked an arm around Sora's waist and forced him so close that their chests pressed together. "Guess I'll have to fix that."

"I guess." As innocent as the words were, Sora's tone was far from, and he moved first to kiss his companion, head tilting just slightly. Riku pressed back immediately, his free hand settling on the brunet's thigh so he could squeeze playfully. The pressure sent a small thrill into Sora's gut, making him shift on the futon, and Riku slowly pulled away.

"Good thing we've got an entire hour," he said with a grin, then licked his lip as blue eyes tracked the movement, "cause I wasn't done kissing you yet."

The eyes lifted to his face. "Me neither."

Another grin. Riku lifted his hand from Sora's thigh to cup his chin, and kissed him again.