fic: Speaking Through Song
Title:Speaking Through Song
Author: Fandom:Drake and Josh RPS
Pairings/Characters:Drake Bell/Josh Peck
Rating:Somewhere between PG13 and light R (there's no actual sex in it)
Wordcount: ~1900
Disclaimers: I don't know Drake, I don't own Josh. I don't own the Beatles either. Dream never do come true, do they? Summary:Drake and Josh haven't seen each other for a while after things grew between them and Josh left. Hurt!Drake turned to music, and Josh feels lost without Drake's music and pretty much stalks him to just get by with his voice. Drake realises enough is enough and the passive-aggressiveness creeps its way out. Drake screws Josh's mind with the Beatles' Come Together, and Josh, is visibly screwed.
Author's Note: Well I decided I need a place to archive whatever little fic I have so far, and joined this place! Um, I'm not a prolific writer or anything, just writing when the plot!bunnies grow too large. I have always wanted to read this fic, but never found it. Thought I'd attempt my own shot. Hopefully it isn't painful to read:P This is pretty much the first fic I've written in this fandom, so I hope you like it! (Also note! Um, I have posted this in one other place, but that didn't seem to really do much good, so I'd like to archive it here, and if that means I have to take it down from that other place I'd be glad to do so, mods!)
I can't survive another day in the life
without a day in the sun
before you touch me here's a word of advice
if I were you I would
come get it
come get it
come and get it
Josh's eyes widen as Drake sings- his voice low, husky;raw. Drake's playing at a more mellow venue for a change, after his tours and big concerts. Josh knows how much more he likes these gigs-smaller, more personal, more acoustic, more freedom. This is where Drake started from many years ago and it's still where he enjoys playing the most. Today he's playing alone with just his one acoustic guitar. Josh had found out about a week ago that Drake was playing a solo gig and didn't even think about missing it. After all their years spent together filming tv shows together, all that free time spent fiddling around on the guitar and singing and laughing, Josh missed it terribly. Maybe he wouldn't have to face Drake- maybe he could just listen, return to the past for a while and then leave before he did more damage.
*
Drake likes these small venues. He likes being all alone on the stage, even though it is a tiny stage only big enough for one. He likes the feel of the spotlight on him, its comfortable warmth igniting a warm fuzzy feeling through him. He has heard the crowd talk as he set up everything for himself, and he feels like it's going to be a good night. Drake looks at his watch and then up, and seeing the bartender give him a thumbs up and a half-nod, half-tilt of his head, Drake smiles and begins. Six songs in and he notices Josh walk in.
*
Josh hadn't meant to be late, but shit happens as it always does, and he can't help but feel guilty that he's probably missed the first few songs. He tries to remain unnoticeable, walking past tables as quickly as possible without attracting much attention. It's not that difficult with the dim lights and the main spotlight on Drake- who is looking ridiculously good in a blazer thrown over a polo t-shirt and jeans. Josh grabs his drink and takes a seat at the bar and before he can take his first sip, Drake's singing Fool The World. * Drake smiles to himself, knowing that nobody would probably know the actual reason for his smile, and breaks out into an even bigger smile at that thought. His eyes follow Josh's dark silhouette across the room and things seem to change in his mind. He makes an instantaneous decision to change his line-up for the night. He begins Fool The World instead of Circles. And it's still only him who knows. And that keeps the smile on his face.
*
I can't survive another day in the life
without a day in the sun
before you touch me here's a word of advice i
f I were you I would
come get it
come get it
come and get it
Josh's eyes widen at Drake's husky, husky voice. Josh remembers the time before Drake could ever go that low, and he remembers the time both their voices were breaking and the times they've both dissolved into laughter as their voices broke midspeech unexpectedly. Josh remembers the first time he heard Drake's new low rasp, and remembers feeling goosebumps on his arms and back of his neck. He's heard Fool The World a million times now, probably, but every single time he still gets goosebumps. It's only worse live, and Josh can feel his stomach plummeting as Drake looks straight at him with mischieveous eyes, and that shit-eating grin on his face.
everyone would love me if I could fool the world
*
Drake secretly seeks out some sort of response from Josh. He isn't sure what he's expecting himself, but wants to see something- some movement or speech, anything to prove to him that Josh remembers. It's been a while, but it hasn't been that long even though it feels like it at times. He feels like he's said hello to Josh,acknowledging his presence, so he expects some sort of a reply. Drake's going to push his luck, even if it means probably sounding a little desperate on his side. It's a relatively unpublicised gig,his mind echoes,and he feels at this moment that he's got nothing to lose. Drake takes a stab at his luck, speaks into the microphone, "Anyone up for some Beatles?" and after a tense moment of silence, a girl admit, "Hell yeah!" raising a beer bottle at him and laughing. Drake closes his eyes for a brief moment, calming his nerves down, going through things in his head before he continues. "This song..." he begins, fiddling with the microphone on its stand, adjusting the wire and height a little, to distract his mind from the wrong things. "This song, I can't explain it. I just really love this one. It's called Come Together?"
Some people chuckle, others whistle, and as Drake's eyes seek out Josh again, he notices his back stiffening as his head snaps up to look at Drake. Drake doesn't want to process the look on his face. For now,atleast.
*
Here come old flattop, he come grooving up slowly
He got joo-joo eyeball he one holy roller
He got hair down to his knee
Got to be a joker he just do what he please
Josh breaks out into a nervous smile, his heart beating faster than it should. He can't stop this feeling- it's how he even realised it in the first place; the fact he couldn't control it. He begs in his mind for Drake not to start adding...gestures to his performance, though a part of him wants to revel in them anyway. He gulps his drink down, feels it burning his throat. He doesn't even turn around to put his glass down. His eyes don't want to break contact with Drake.
He wear no shoeshine, he got toe-jam football
He got monkey finger, he shoot coca-cola
He say "I know you, you know me"
One thing I can tell you is you got to be free
Come together right now over me
Drake clears his voice between stanzas, trying to keep up with the whole mood of the song. The atmosphere in the place is perfect, not quite smoky, but kind of dark and moody even though there's a hint of something more positive- edginess of some sort,letting loose. Drake can't put his finger on it- but it's the perfect atmosphere for this song and he's liking it. His eyes fall on a couple seated at a booth, happily making out enthusiastically and he can't help but notice that their little movements within their booth coincide with the rhythm of the song and the strumming of his guitar. He pulls his eyes off the couple and stands up, pushing his stool behind with one foot. Let's heat things up here, he thinks to himself.
*
He bag production, he got walrus gumboot
He got feet down below his knee
Hold you in his armchair you can feel his disease
Come together right now over me
Josh's left hand is curled in a fist, his mind trying to resist the urge to bite a lip and ruin everything he's tried to build up inside of him all these months. He's sure Drake's doing this on purpose- as payback, and Josh knows it's always in Drake to push people in the ways it hits them the worst. It's Drake being Drake. He's perfected this as well, over the years, and he knows how to use it. Josh is now not feeling guilty for leaving Drake, but guilty for possibly having caused that hint of sadness in his voice that's hidden beneath the smile on his face. It's also in his eyes, his eyes that are now trying their best not to look at Josh. It's always been like this. Drake gets you with his sadness, not anger. Love and peace and everything Drake believes in, Josh thinks and realises what a pathetic way this is to try getting his mind off things. Instead, that thought makes him think of Drake's tattoo that is staring him right in his face. Josh knows what that tattoo looks like close up- hell, he knows what it tastes like, and the just the plain sight of it makes him turn away because it's beginning to feel like too much.
*
Right!
Come, oh, come, come, come.
Drake closes his eyes, pouring out everything he feels into his singing, because that's usually a good thing. He's glad that as a singer nobody would probably judge him for closing his eyes- it's just another thing singers tend to do-because he doesn't want them to know the real reason. They don't need to know- they just want to hear the good stuff. And the good stuff sounds good raw and emotional. When Drake opens his eyes, he doesn't expect to see Josh's back facing him.
*
He roller-coaster, he got early warning
He got muddy water, he one mojo filter
He say "One and one and one is three"
Got to be good-looking cos he's so hard to see
Come together right now over me
Come together, right now,over me
The words just seem to attacking him now. Josh has his face buried in a hand and the other pulls at his already-loose tie. Everything's getting too uncomfortable. And then Drake sings "Got to be good looking cos he's so hard to see" and Josh stands up, stares straight at Drake who seems to actually be more interested in him than finishing the song. But Drake's paused for a moment that seems longer, their eyes linger on each other, but nobody seems to really notice. Drake's fingers run along the neck of his guitar, he strums a chord. "Come together, right now, over me."
As Drake repeats the line one last time, Josh can't help but mouth the words along with him.
*
Drake takes his guitar off his shoulder and puts it on the ground. The applause is polite, it's getting late and people are beginning to feel the effects of what they've been drinking. Drake's mouth is dry- he's been singing for almost an hour and a half already, admittably, but his mind reminds me that he's done three hour concerts before and this is nothing in comparison. But it is different, isn't it? Seeing Josh walk out through the back door had to mean something. By the time Drake is outside, Josh is gone and Drake's left feeling lost and let down.
The worst part is that Josh can actually see Drake trying to look for him,from his car that Drake doesn't recognise because it's new. The worst part is that it's him who's driving away again.
And really, the worst part? Josh catches Drake's eye as he drives past him ridiculously fast and disappears round the bend. That's the look he'll remember till they meet again.
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