Music Meme For Writers
1. Pick a character, fandom, pairing, friendship, whatever.
2. Put on your music program on shuffle/random and start playing songs.
3. For each song, write something inspired by the song related to the theme you chose earlier. You only have the song length. No pre-planning and no writing after the song is over. No skipping songs either.
4. Do 10 songs and post. Make sure to include the song name/artist.
Chosen characters: Ryan and Colin
1. My Hero - Foo Fighters
Look at him, strutting around the stage like some kind of king. And you know what? He really is - to me, anyway.
I first met him when he was doing the clubs and I was an improv amateur on the verge of giving up. He’d taken me under his wing, lifted me up and given me new hope. He’s my true hero. I mean, without him I’d have no wife, no son, no career…
And, most importantly, no best friend.
There goes my hero, doing what he does best - making people laugh and having enormous fun in the process. He looks at me, signalling it’s my turn to join him and my stomach flutters in anticipation. Ryan and I are like one being, and I thank him for that everyday.
2. When You’re Gone - Avril Lavinge
Ryan hated it when Colin was on tour. In fact, he generally hated it whenever Colin wasn’t around. But on tour, it was especially hard.
Without Colin, Ryan always felt like he had an arm missing. The house felt empty, days were grey and life was slow.
He opens the closet in their shared bedroom and pauses, noticing Colin’s favourite green-blue sweater hanging neatly on the rail. Through misty eyes, he reaches for the clothing and brings it to his face, inhaling the faint scent of love. Despite his sadness, he smiles.
He glances at a framed picture on the wall of himself and Colin, laughing with each other in joy, and sighs. For now, the sweater would fill the empty space in his arms, but it still isn’t enough.
3. I Don’t Care - Apocalyptica feat. Adam Gontier
I’m out of vodka, damn it. What d’you mean “last call”? Aw, hell.
But I need more, I want to forget him. Dear God, please let me forget him. He hurt me, took my love and trust and stamped it into the dirt. Alcohol can take away the pain if you just let me have another-
Oh, there’s no point. I’ll never be able to forget him and his beautiful green eyes, that curled hair, the way he held me, kissed me, made me his…
What am I doing? I won’t miss him. I’m glad it’s over, he hurt me and if he wants me back then that’s tough. ‘Cos I just don’t care.
4. Accidentally in Love - Counting Crows
It’s not like Ryan tried to fall for him, in all honesty. It just happened one time. He saw Colin sitting next to him, watching Wayne and Chip do a duet about a dishwasher, when he suddenly wondered what it might be like if Colin and he were together. Well, they were always together anyway when in the same town, but this ‘together’ had a bit more… pep.
His heart swells when he catches Colin’s doe-eyed gaze during Greatest Hits or when they get so close their arms or thighs brush together, releasing little electric-like sensations.
“I’m in love,” he thinks to himself, and settles into the new feeling, relishing in the warmth it brings.
5. Forgiven - Within Temptation
Colin lies in the bed, his back turned to the door and the covers tightly wrapped around him. Through misty eyes, he can make out the time, just gone midnight. Three hours after the argument.
It was routine: They’d disagree; Ryan would shout, as would Colin until the volume becomes louder than either man could take and Colin would stalk off in search of post-anger solitude.
Today, he’d found it in the large double bed that he and Ryan shared, sleeping or cuddling or occasionally something that required more stamina. At the moment, though, it is just him alone. The pillow is wet, stained by bitter tears along with his rosy cheeks, still flushed with anguish.
Ryan enters the bedroom, noticing the sniffling lump on the bed and opens his mouth to say something, but no words come. Carefully, he lifts the covers and slides in behind his lover, wrapping long arms around him. That was all Colin needed for a smile to cross his face. Reaching up, he envelops Ryan’s large hands in his own. “You’re forgiven,” he whispers, feeling lips touch the back of his neck in silent apology.
6. Dance With the Devil - Breaking Benjamin
Against the pristine white of the sink I can see the black, moody, blunt object lying innocently and mockingly. It hasn’t come to this, I tell myself repeatedly before the crushing feeling afterwards reminds me that it has. I’d hit rock bottom years ago and all I think about now is “What if?”
What if it had all gone right? What if I hadn’t screwed up what I had with Ryan? We had fun, we were good together and there was a future…
What if’s. I’m sick of the ‘what if’s’. So I pick up the object and look at it thoughtfully, knowing that pulling the fascinating trigger beneath my flexing forefinger will finally finish me off.
7. Heartbeats - Jose Gonzalez
We’re entwined together, feeling each other breathe soundly in the calming, languid atmosphere. Colin’s in my arms, his back against my chest and under my hand I feel his heartbeat, a steady thump against his ribcage. I smell the scent of love, sweat and pheromones against his neck. I smile as my senses are filled and surrounded by him.
My smile grows as I realise, with fervour, that my heartbeat is in sync with his. The familiar feel of the ring on his right hand only serves to please me more; the band is a perfect fit. A bit like us.
8. Espionage - Green Day
Ryan sidles around the corner into the corridor, keeping his back against the wall. With an imaginary gun to his hand, he signals Colin to follow him. Colin is equally into the game, jumping around the bend and pointing his pretend firearm in all directions. Ryan stifles a laugh before looking down the long hall for anyone who might just ask what the hell they’re doing.
Sneaking silently, the pair gets halfway down the hall before footsteps are heard approaching from behind. With a last minute epiphany, they slip unnoticed into a closet of sorts and wait for the footsteps to disappear.
“What if they come in?” Colin whispers, to which Ryan has only one answer. Grabbing Colin by the collar, he pulls the shorter man into a fierce kiss.
Dully, they hear the door open, and an embarrassed, “Oh! Sorry…” before the door is swiftly shut again. Even after the near miss, Ryan is reluctant to part with his friend. Although he does in the end, Colin quickly gasps and holds Ryan’s chest, whispering, “I think I hear someone else coming.”
Lips are promptly re-attached, and Colin knows that no one else is actually coming.
9. Mr. Wonderful - Smile
I know he’ll be here soon, his flight was due in about an hour ago, and LA traffic isn’t that bad. I fiddle with the bottle of water in my hand whilst the make-up lady finishes up her task of making me look presentable.
Drew suddenly clasps me on the shoulder, grinning that million-dollar smile. “Hey, Ryan. We have to see Dan before the show. A meeting or something, ‘kay?”
“Yeah, all right. Thanks.”
“Oh, and I hear Colin has arrived.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “Now, why would I care about that?”
He simply laughs and leaves, with me following suit. I catch Colin not long after in the Green Room, and I put on that sincere happy-face.
“Hey, here’s Mr. Wonderful!” I charm, giving him a hug whilst feeling him kiss my cheek. As he leaves to get his make-up done, Drew turns and looks at me quizzically. “What? He is!”
Drew just laughs at me, and I feel like an incredibly obvious idiot in love.
10. All Good Things (Come to an End) - Nelly Furtado
I put down the phone slowly, putting off the bad news as if the click of phone in cradle would make it real.
“To put things simply: We’ve been cancelled.” The words still ring in my ears, about as dry and serious as Dan had made them. Cancelled? I thought we were good. We had good viewer ratings, didn’t we? Well, obviously we didn’t, otherwise we’d still be on air, right?
I sigh, thinking about what this means, what I should do next. Being an adorable comedian on TV is all I know, being paid to have fun with my friends. Man, will I even see the guys again? I’d gotten so close to them over the years…
And Ryan. My God, how can I not work with him again? I stare at the phone, wondering if I should call, wondering if he got the news.
I hardly get the chance to pick up the receiver before the phone blares its tone and I pick up immediately in reflex. “Hello?”
“Hey, Col, it’s Ryan.”
Synchronised as always, I think to myself and I suddenly start to laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
“Oh, I was just about to call you.”
“Oh. I assume you got the news, huh?”
I sigh, laughter gone from me for the moment. “Yeah, I did.”
“You wanna meet up? Just for, you know, reconciliation.”
I’m not quite sure what he means by that, but I find myself grin none the less. “Yeah, Ry. I’d like that.”