(no subject)
Yeah, this is one of those things that came to me on a whim and decided to stick around and grow on me. Undecided yet on how many chapters there will be.
Title: Through the looking glass (Prologue)
Genre: twins gen
Rating: PG13
Summary: Tom falls asleep one night and wakes up in a place he never thought he'd see again. Five years ago, Tom falls asleep one night and wakes up in a place he couldn't wait to see. Will they get back where they belong?
A/N: For the wonderful strssna, who is an enabler extraordinaire :)
It was late, but Tom couldn’t sleep, no matter what their mother said about school and making an effort before the end of term came and with it their final grades. David had called earlier to chat and inquire about their practice sessions and oh, would August 15th be convenient for their single release? Bill had started jumping up and down before the call was even finished, clapping his hands and squealing loud enough to burst David’s eardrums on the other end of the line, and while Tom was more cautiously enthusiastic, a bit of Bill’s excitement must’ve rubbed off on him.
He just couldn’t sleep, no matter how many sheep he counted. August 15th. Two weeks before their birthday, so maybe, David had half-joked, they’d get nice record sales for their sixteenth. Tom’s mind wandered, soared towards a bright future that seemed almost, almost within his reach now, like a shining star he could see twinkling at him through the window above his feet. Thinking about it made him feel giddy and lightheaded, as if he was drifting, flying, flying high, away from Loitsche and all its boredom, its limitations.
“What d’you think will happen now?” he’d asked Bill while they were brushing their teeth in the tiny bathroom they shared.
Bill had spit out the toothpaste and turned to him with a wide grin. “We’ll get rich and famous, of course.”
Tom snorted. Bill was so convinced of this, and his cheer was contagious, but Tom still wished he could know. See just a little glimpse of what was going to happen, to assure him that things would be all right now. When Sony had dropped them, Bill hadn’t stopped crying for a week. Tom didn’t think they could go through that again and come out on the other side still wanting to make music.
This was it.
“I wish I could see us,” he’d said, staring at their faces in the mirror. Bill’s black hair fell into his face, but he wasn’t wearing make-up and so they looked nearly identical. Tom wondered what they’d look like in a few years…if they’d still resemble each other so much. If Bill’s hair would still be as stupid at twenty. “I wish I could know what it’ll be like, five years from now. I wish I could talk to myself, ask a few questions.”
“You already do talk to yourself. All the time,” Bill had laughed and elbowed him out of the way. “Night!” And with that, he’d disappeared, probably to write more songs now that, in his mind at least, their first record would be a smashing success.
Tom stared up into the dusky sky. It was the beginning of summer; the night still wasn’t quite dark. Birds were chirping near his window. In the next room, he could hear Bill singing quietly to himself. Tom closed his eyes and listened to his twin’s off-key humming.
He wished he could walk that path in his dreams - Durch den Monsun. Push aside the grey, figurative curtain, open the figurative door and step right into their future of riches and fame that Bill had painted for him in rainbow colors, countless times.
Just once, just for a moment, he wished he could see.
***
“God, we were stupid back then.” Chuckling, Tom wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes. Bill fluttering excitedly over Nena back at their first Comet awards was comedy gold, even after more than four years and countless other, much less exciting award shows. Watching footage of their early band days never got old.
“Young and naïve,” Bill corrected, smiling. He tilted his head back against the couch and studied their awards, which all stood lined up neatly on the shelf that covered one wall of their living room. “Remember how excited we were?”
“Yeah.” That time, when they first started out, had been magical. So long ago now, it felt like an eternity, but if Tom thought back, he remembered the day when they’d found out their single would be released with surprising clarity. Bill’s shrieking must’ve left a permanent mark on his brain.
“Yeah,” Bill sighed happily, and somehow Tom knew Bill was thinking of that exact same day. “I knew we’d make it then. I knew it.”
Tom laughed. “I wasn’t so sure. I hoped, but… I remember wishing so hard that I could see us, future us, just for a moment, just so I could sleep easy.” He huffed softly. “I don’t think I’ve slept easy since.” Good nights’ sleep was truly the one luxury they didn’t have. Tom missed it. At night he lay awake, turning chords and schedules and sales figures over and over in his mind. It had only gotten worse since they’d co-produced the album; Bill had told him getting more involved would mean more influence, a big step towards securing their independent future, but Tom only felt the weight of responsibility, not the heady relief that should come with being all-powerful.
Sometimes, he really wished he could have one more quiet, undisturbed night in his old bed at home, before any of the madness had started.
“Aw.” As if he could read Tom’s thoughts, Bill leaned in and peered closely at Tom’s face, their noses almost touching. “Go to bed, you do look tired.”
Tom shrugged. “Vacation soon. I’ll sleep then.” He stretched tiredly and yawned. “I’ll get up, have breakfast, and go back to sleep. On the beach. In the sun. Hmm.”
Bill smiled. “Okay. But off to bed now, you need your energy for Christmas. I demand to be spoiled. Just so you know.”
“Mom can spoil you, that’s not my job,” Tom protested feebly. He snuggled back into the couch, aligning his shoulder with his twin’s, and looked at their trophy shelf with him. “We got lucky, didn’t we.”
“Yeah,” Bill agreed. “I think so.” He turned his head and smiled wryly at his twin, poking Tom in the nose with his fingertip.
“Yeah,” Tom murmured. “I wish I could go back and tell myself that so I could worry less.” His eyes were falling shut. “Aren’t you tired?”
“Nah, I think I’ll watch some more videos,” Bill said. Tom felt him rummage around and then a pillow was shoved under Tom’s cheek. “There.”
Sleepily, Tom turned his face into the pillow and leaned in to the solid support of Bill by his side. Bill started playing another video of theirs, and as Tom heard his sixteen-year-old self brag on and on about his latest conquest, he felt pleasantly lulled. They had been pretty stupid back then. He wished he could go back and tell younger Tom to loosen up, and that he didn’t have to lay it on so thick. Just once, he wished…
He was asleep.
On to chapter 1
Title: Through the looking glass (Prologue)
Genre: twins gen
Rating: PG13
Summary: Tom falls asleep one night and wakes up in a place he never thought he'd see again. Five years ago, Tom falls asleep one night and wakes up in a place he couldn't wait to see. Will they get back where they belong?
A/N: For the wonderful strssna, who is an enabler extraordinaire :)
It was late, but Tom couldn’t sleep, no matter what their mother said about school and making an effort before the end of term came and with it their final grades. David had called earlier to chat and inquire about their practice sessions and oh, would August 15th be convenient for their single release? Bill had started jumping up and down before the call was even finished, clapping his hands and squealing loud enough to burst David’s eardrums on the other end of the line, and while Tom was more cautiously enthusiastic, a bit of Bill’s excitement must’ve rubbed off on him.
He just couldn’t sleep, no matter how many sheep he counted. August 15th. Two weeks before their birthday, so maybe, David had half-joked, they’d get nice record sales for their sixteenth. Tom’s mind wandered, soared towards a bright future that seemed almost, almost within his reach now, like a shining star he could see twinkling at him through the window above his feet. Thinking about it made him feel giddy and lightheaded, as if he was drifting, flying, flying high, away from Loitsche and all its boredom, its limitations.
“What d’you think will happen now?” he’d asked Bill while they were brushing their teeth in the tiny bathroom they shared.
Bill had spit out the toothpaste and turned to him with a wide grin. “We’ll get rich and famous, of course.”
Tom snorted. Bill was so convinced of this, and his cheer was contagious, but Tom still wished he could know. See just a little glimpse of what was going to happen, to assure him that things would be all right now. When Sony had dropped them, Bill hadn’t stopped crying for a week. Tom didn’t think they could go through that again and come out on the other side still wanting to make music.
This was it.
“I wish I could see us,” he’d said, staring at their faces in the mirror. Bill’s black hair fell into his face, but he wasn’t wearing make-up and so they looked nearly identical. Tom wondered what they’d look like in a few years…if they’d still resemble each other so much. If Bill’s hair would still be as stupid at twenty. “I wish I could know what it’ll be like, five years from now. I wish I could talk to myself, ask a few questions.”
“You already do talk to yourself. All the time,” Bill had laughed and elbowed him out of the way. “Night!” And with that, he’d disappeared, probably to write more songs now that, in his mind at least, their first record would be a smashing success.
Tom stared up into the dusky sky. It was the beginning of summer; the night still wasn’t quite dark. Birds were chirping near his window. In the next room, he could hear Bill singing quietly to himself. Tom closed his eyes and listened to his twin’s off-key humming.
He wished he could walk that path in his dreams - Durch den Monsun. Push aside the grey, figurative curtain, open the figurative door and step right into their future of riches and fame that Bill had painted for him in rainbow colors, countless times.
Just once, just for a moment, he wished he could see.
***
“God, we were stupid back then.” Chuckling, Tom wiped the tears of laughter from his eyes. Bill fluttering excitedly over Nena back at their first Comet awards was comedy gold, even after more than four years and countless other, much less exciting award shows. Watching footage of their early band days never got old.
“Young and naïve,” Bill corrected, smiling. He tilted his head back against the couch and studied their awards, which all stood lined up neatly on the shelf that covered one wall of their living room. “Remember how excited we were?”
“Yeah.” That time, when they first started out, had been magical. So long ago now, it felt like an eternity, but if Tom thought back, he remembered the day when they’d found out their single would be released with surprising clarity. Bill’s shrieking must’ve left a permanent mark on his brain.
“Yeah,” Bill sighed happily, and somehow Tom knew Bill was thinking of that exact same day. “I knew we’d make it then. I knew it.”
Tom laughed. “I wasn’t so sure. I hoped, but… I remember wishing so hard that I could see us, future us, just for a moment, just so I could sleep easy.” He huffed softly. “I don’t think I’ve slept easy since.” Good nights’ sleep was truly the one luxury they didn’t have. Tom missed it. At night he lay awake, turning chords and schedules and sales figures over and over in his mind. It had only gotten worse since they’d co-produced the album; Bill had told him getting more involved would mean more influence, a big step towards securing their independent future, but Tom only felt the weight of responsibility, not the heady relief that should come with being all-powerful.
Sometimes, he really wished he could have one more quiet, undisturbed night in his old bed at home, before any of the madness had started.
“Aw.” As if he could read Tom’s thoughts, Bill leaned in and peered closely at Tom’s face, their noses almost touching. “Go to bed, you do look tired.”
Tom shrugged. “Vacation soon. I’ll sleep then.” He stretched tiredly and yawned. “I’ll get up, have breakfast, and go back to sleep. On the beach. In the sun. Hmm.”
Bill smiled. “Okay. But off to bed now, you need your energy for Christmas. I demand to be spoiled. Just so you know.”
“Mom can spoil you, that’s not my job,” Tom protested feebly. He snuggled back into the couch, aligning his shoulder with his twin’s, and looked at their trophy shelf with him. “We got lucky, didn’t we.”
“Yeah,” Bill agreed. “I think so.” He turned his head and smiled wryly at his twin, poking Tom in the nose with his fingertip.
“Yeah,” Tom murmured. “I wish I could go back and tell myself that so I could worry less.” His eyes were falling shut. “Aren’t you tired?”
“Nah, I think I’ll watch some more videos,” Bill said. Tom felt him rummage around and then a pillow was shoved under Tom’s cheek. “There.”
Sleepily, Tom turned his face into the pillow and leaned in to the solid support of Bill by his side. Bill started playing another video of theirs, and as Tom heard his sixteen-year-old self brag on and on about his latest conquest, he felt pleasantly lulled. They had been pretty stupid back then. He wished he could go back and tell younger Tom to loosen up, and that he didn’t have to lay it on so thick. Just once, he wished…
He was asleep.
On to chapter 1