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It has to be a ballad.

[ ... cutter doesn't look like the kind of guy who would know ballads. ]

The Titanic song.

[ that one is well known enough so he figures cutter would know it? or at least know the chorus. ]

[That earns him a sputter and Cutter visibly drawing back.]

What the hell?! NO! You can sing that if you want, but I'm not gonna sing something that mushy- I don't even know the lyrics for that!!

[Taking a deep breath, he tries to calm down. Okay. Ballad. Ballad. What the heck even counts as a ballad?!]

Oh, goddamnit, don't you dare laughing!

[Giving him a glare he clears his throat and starts intoning "Hero". The lyrics come shaky at first, but Cutter gets quickly into it and even manages to show off a pretty strong soulful singing voice.]

I can be your hero
I can kiss away the pain
I will stand by you forever
You can take my breath away

[ he is deeply offended that cutter doesn't know the lyrics to that iconic hit song? he's like, five seconds from ranting about how could anyone not know the lyrics to it (despite the fact that he didn't think cutter knew the lyrics for it before he even suggested it), but then the guy starts singing.

this... this is deeply embarrassing, holy shit. he knows that this is just for bingo, but getting serenaded is still a very "oh my GOD" moment regardless. ]

[He takes pleasure in seeing Karkat fluttered like that. Flashing him a roguish grin Cutter increases his volume a bit and starts acting out the lyrics, putting even more emotion into it until he hits the first passage where he has to improvise because he doesn't know all of the lyrics for Hero either.]

Am I in too deep? Have I lost my mind?
[Uh...]
You and me together can make wrong right!

[ yeah those are the wrong lyrics. karkat is a sap to romantic, iconic songs so he Knows, but he's also too embarrassed to be a know-it-all at this exact moment.

for now, he'll focus on other things. like... ]

Okay! Okay okay oh my god that's enough! I have been serenaded with a ballad, your mission is completely, jesus christ.

...and I will always! Always love yOOouuuuuU!

[He finishes of with an over the top howl, clutching his sides when laughter starts to spill out of him hard instead.]

Haha, your face. Your face! Do you really like love songs or was my performance that good?

[ i can't believe karkat has to murder cutter now for making him suffer through that?? ]

There is absolutely nothing fucking wrong with my face. My facial expression is the same as it always is, which is normal, shut the fuck up.

[ he huffs, stuffing his hands into his pockets. he's definitely still flustered. ]

It's not as funny when you're on the receiving end.

[He's welcome to try but that might bear the considerable risk of Cutter taking it like a big puppy and attempting to play wrestle with him in return.]

Haha, really? 'Cause you're looking pretty constipated right now! You wanted me to sing to you, remember? So it's your own fault~

[He likes his reaction, its funny! This is almost as if they've been friends for a while already!]

You think so? Wanna try?

If I look constipated it's just because I had to suffer through your lackluster performance.

[ no he doesn't want to try. this is awful. wrestling actually seems like the best option out of all of this, since somehow wrestling on the pavement with someone you just met twelve seconds ago is less embarrassing than singing to them. ]

Of course I'm going to try. I just said I was, didn't I? And I won't fuck up the lyrics either.

[ @god strike him down with lightning right now

there's a pause, before he starts singing. he isn't a good singer, and he mostly sounds like he wants to die. but he does, in fact, know the lyrics. ]

Every night in my dreams... I see you, I feeeeel you
That is how I know you go ooonnn...

Wh- Lackluster?! [That hits a nerve.] I'll give you lackluster!

[But it's rude to try and punch or shove somebody who's preparing to sing, so he is going to pout at him about for being that way as well.]

Heh. You sound like a frog.

[and to prove his point he is going to provide a second voice for contrast even though he has no clue what song it is they are singing]

On and on and onnnnn
Without youuuouou~

Those aren't even the right words! And fuck you, my tones are nothing but dulcet. You're just jealous that you sound inferior to me.

[ nah, cutter sings better. but karkat will just raise his voice, singing a little louder than he was before because he's taking this as a challenge. the louder singing does nothing to make him sound any better, but it does help him drown cutter out a little. ]

Far across the distance
And spaces betweeeeen us
You have come to show you go oonnnn...

[Oh, you're on! Cutter smirks at the challenge, absentmindedly wondering if Karkat is still singing the same song or not. All he remembers about Titanic is that he hadn't particularly liked the movie and that the sight of all those people dying had moved him to tears. Especially the old couple who had gone back to their cabins.]

As if the singers never improvise during a concert.

...You did what you did to me
Now it's history, I see
Here's my comeback on the road again~!

[ okay now karkat knows for sure that is a completely different song, although not one he recognizes. but fine. if cutter can "improvise," then so can he. ]

Oh baby, take me to the feeling
I'll be your sinner in secret
When the lights go out
Run away with me!

[ at this point he's forgetting that this is stupid and embarrassing because he wants to beat cutter. beat cutter at what, exactly? who even knows. ]

[The neighbors are so going to hate them! He grins to himself, feeling immediately closer to the other with how they keep meeting each other's challenge. It might be absolutely nonsense, but the way there is so manly! It's bonding, first-class!

So his prompt is 'run away with me'? That's a pretty often used line.]

I know that I'm rich enough for pride
I see a billion dollars in your eyes
Even if we're strangers till we die
I wanna run away
Just you and I...

[He is raising his volume as well, wanting to not let Karkat outdo him and feeling empowered by the other getting so into it as well.]

[ they've lucked out so far that no one has overheard and told them to shut up. once that happens, karkat will probably die, but so far it's fine. ]

You and I, we don't have to be like them
We can make it til the end
Nothing can come between...
You and I!

[ he even points dramatically between the two of them at that last "you and i" part. ]

[Who knows, maybe they'll get some fans or at least internet famous for a hot minute...!

Kirishima grins at the cue and delivers his deathblow.]

But you don't know me, you don't know me
you don't know me
at all

But... can... you
go... back...
once
you know~?

You don't know me at all!

[The tones to the lyrics are playful, turning it into friendly teasing paired with a gentle challenge. I'm not who or what you think I am, care to find out how it's for real? I'll return the favor!]

[ he just wanted to fill out a bingo square. and instead ended up with this odd sort of showdown. the more cutter gets into it, including the grinning, the more worked up karkat gets. he's still flushed but he's more determined than anything to beat him. ]

You can paint me any color
And I can be your clown
But you ain't got my number
Yeah you can't pin me down!

Inside my heart is breaking
My make-up may be flaking
But my smile still stays on
yeah, the show must go on~

[Okay, he is doing this very freely now, but there's no way he's intoning Clowns or Black Parade.]

[ at that, he makes a face. at least sing it right, you asshole?? if anything though, it also makes karkat pause long enough and stop singing as he wonders in disbelief how the fuck is this happening right now.

he snaps out of it, and hastily goes to do a different verse from a song. ]

It's just what I need, I'm not that easy as a matter of fact
There's no room for lovin' stop that push and shovin' yeah
Don't wanna know about that love thing
Give me what I'm needing you know what I'm dreaming of
Don't wanna know about that love thing...

[..and that's the point where Cutter bursts out laughing, shaking his head because he can't get enough air between his giggles to continue with their match.]

One moooment, dude, you're asking for just sex now?! That's way off the beginning mark!

What? No, you're looking way into the lyrics! It has nothing to do with that, you--

[ ah, wait.

he quickly goes over the song in his head, frowning as he mumbles along to the lyrics of this spice girls classic. ]

FUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK shit no shut the hell up!

[ now he does, in fact, look embarrassed. sometimes you go from love ballads to pop songs about propositioning for one night stands, it happens, leave him alone. ]

That one didn't count.

[He waits for Karkat to come to his conclusion with a patient grin although it's obvious he is just waiting to burst out laughing again. When he does he pats Karkat's back energetically.]

Foiled by the melody hiding the topic, huh? But don't worry, you really put up a good fight! I'm in your debt, I didn't have such a good time in a while!

[Sometimes you just need some mindless, shameless fun to chase away your spectors!]

You are acting as if we didn't just hit the top tier level of stupidity. We actually went over the top tier, we've not even on the scale anymore of ridiculousness.

[ now that they're done singing, it's really hitting him how embarrassing that whole show was. he rubs his face, his face red again.

god. they're both stupid. ]

Well, we could still try and see if we can nail Promiscious as well? I'm pretty sure you could do the male part really well!

[He grins at him happily, because it seems that Karkat understands. Things like these are about testing out your own limits and it seems like they both went far over what they thought theirs were! The next time they balk at something they can remember this night and use it as ammunition to keep themselves going!]

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