Prison Break fic round-up: MixTape Universe
I cannot read another word about the State of the World right now and I haven't actually watched TV in a couple of days (I KNOW), so instead, I've done this roundup of everything written in the PB Scone (*g*) MixTape Universe for my own organizational purposes. Feel free to move along.
Thread where it all began.
sol-se: You know, Michael seems like the kind of person who couldn't tell people he liked them, so he made mix tapes. Extremely meticulously planned mix tapes. He'd spend weeks calculating each song time and the order's meaning. I feel like he really wants to make Mahone a mix tape to properly express his confusing attraction. It might actually be finished and he's been carrying it in his pocket. Oh man, I want this fic so bad now.
sdwolfpup: It was late, and the others had all dispersed to their rooms to finally get a couple hours of sleep. Michael lingered at the table, rustling random papers, while he watched Mahone out of the corner of his eye. Alex was staring at their white board, fingers pressed to his lips, taking everything in. Michael moved a seemingly useless stack of papers and grabbed the slender jewel case he'd hidden underneath. The label was plain white and had his own neat, block handwriting: ALEX MIX - 7/20/06. Michael took a deep breath and sidled up to Mahone, standing at his side.
"Michael," Alex murmured in greeting, not looking at him.
"Hey," Michael said, trying for casual. He stared at the board without seeing anything. "I, uh, made something."
Alex lowered his hands and turned to look at him. Michael stared back for a minute, until Alex prompted, "Yes?"
Michael thrust the jewel case at Alex's chest, and, unable to watch his face, stared at Mahone's hands as he took it, brought it into the light to read the label.
"I don't...what is this, Michael?"
"Uh." Michael heard the warehouse fans whirring in the background, heard a bark of laughter that had to be from Sucre and Bellick's nightly card game, thought about the eighteen different plans he'd been considering to get the next piece of Scylla - and the ten different ways each one could go wrong - but he couldn't seem to find the words to tell Alex about the mix he'd made. "It's for you," he finally settled on.
"I can see that, Michael" Alex said, but his voice was gentle. "What is it for?"
Michael had had more than enough personal time at this point. He coughed and looked at the white board. "You should listen to it some time," he said. "I better go get some rest; Linc wants to be up early tomorrow to get started. Good night, Alex." He stalked off to his room, heard Mahone's whispered, "Good night," and the sound of their CD player being opened.
sol-se: I feel like Alex would still be all "wtf" for about 3/4 of the way through it because he's looking for some secret code or hidden message about the Company or a plan. He'd be so confused and that'd frustrate the hell out of him. He'd kill himself trying to figure it out. And Michael would be awake in his room all night: SIGH.
sdwolfpup: I think Michael's tastes would be stuck in his college years. I mean, he hasn't had a lot of time to listen to music since then, honestly, and he got pretty set in his musical ways when he was in college and people kept exposing him to stuff. Nowadays he mostly listens to classical, but he doesn't include any on Alex's first mix because those are too romantic and personal. He's made a second mix for Alex, in his head, but isn't going to burn it until he gets Alex's response on the first one. Which I imagine could go something like this:
Michael could hear the last strains of "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" fading away, for the fifth time. And then, instead of Mahone re-starting the CD again, Michael heard the CD player ejecting and then Alex walking away in the direction of his own room.
Michael sighed and tried to get to sleep when he heard Alex's footsteps pause, and then start heading towards him. His heart beat faster as the sound of each footstep increased. By the time Alex halted outside of Michael's door, Michael was sitting up in bed, heart pounding. He waited for a knock, but there wasn't one. When Alex didn't walk away, either, Michael said, "Come in, Alex."
The door opened almost immediately, and Mahone stood framed by the soft light of the warehouse, the jewel case a sharp outline in one hand, his face mostly in shadow. "What is this, Michael?" he asked, not moving into the room.
Michael licked his dry lips. "It's the modern-day version of a mix-tape."
Alex cut the air with one sharp slash of his hand. "I know that. What does it mean?"
"What do you think it means?"
Alex tilted his head to the side, and the light caught his face, showing his frustration. "What are you, a psychiatrist now? I can't figure it out, Michael. I've been trying, but I can't. It feels..." his shoulders slumped. Michael could read the source of his defeat clearly. It wasn't that Mahone couldn't understand the CD, it was that he thought he couldn't understand Michael.
"You're overthinking it, Alex," Michael whispered, suddenly confident. He slowly stood up, was grateful he'd decided to wear just his sweat pants to bed when Mahone's gaze crawled over his chest, though without his tattoos he felt more exposed than ever. "It's got nothing to do with Scylla. It's more...personal than that."
Michael loved watching Alex's mind work, loved seeing him make connections and leap to conclusions in the flashing of his eyes. He'd long wished he could have watched Alex figuring him out, back when they were still only enemies. Michael thought it would look a lot like this, the way his mouth dropped open, lips curled into a pleased smile. The way his eyes lit up, and then burned as they stared at Michael's face.
But this was better, because Alex threw the jewel case on Michael's bed and moved towards him, shutting the door behind him.
**********
Bit 1
sdwolfpup: The real question is - what kind of music would Alex put on his mixtape for Michael? Because I am totally at a loss there.
transtempts: I think some Depeche Mode, and yes, I have an idea of which songs, as well as some Garbage 'Hammering in My Head,' and 'You Look So Fine' and maybe even 'Bad Boyfriend' and Nick Cave. (And that was me, off the top of my head *facepalms* OMG, I am actually seriously contemplating this).
I want them in the car, trying to decide on a radio station, and finding something they both like, and Lincoln doing the whole 'what is going on with you guys, or do I not want to know?!'
sdwolfpup: I guess I'm just having trouble seeing Alex as someone who listens to popular music. I think he's got a classic rock background, assuming he was born early 1960s. He would've grown up with, well, disco and the 80s...heh...so depeche mode is a possibility! But if he's going the emo rock route, I'd actually peg him way more as a Cure guy, maybe some Morrissey. Except I also feel like you have to take yourself too seriously to use Morrissey on a mixtape, and I don't think Alex does that. But with the special forces background, that brings me back to harder rock, ooh, maybe some Black Sabbath and AC/DC with a side of Queen. oh, god, he'd TOTALLY put Queen on his mixtape. "Body Language," of course.
(Alex doesn't quite have a grasp on the intricacies of a mixtape, and so he tends to bludgeon more than Michael does, but Michael finds it kind of adorable that Alex is actually not good at something. That's how he knows it's love. ♥)
sol-se: I agree on the classic rock. Or something like John Coltrane or Miles Davis. Or jazz. He seems like he'd be one of those people who try to convince you about the complexities of jazz. Oh man, jazz would make Michael's head hurt so bad. He'd keep trying to find the pattern in it. And then Alex would expound on the beauty of chaos and having no pattern.
And then Michael would put on more Sarah McLachlan.
transtempts: OMG, that is perfect. And yes, I can see Michael sort of boggling at HOW MUCH JAZZ Alex has put on the tape, and it makes him want to go and lie down, because it just keeps twisting in on itself, and then it goes on and DOESN'T MAKE SENSE and as you say, Alex goes on about CHAOS and how appropriate it is, considering their relationship, etc...
sol-se: And now, Michael trying to explain how to make a mix tape:
Michael: No, no, Alex. You don't put all your favorite jazz songs on; you pick the one that is most symbolic of the emotion or thought you're trying to convey.
Alex: That's not how jazz works, Michael.
Bit 2
sdwolfpup: Do you think Alex includes "Behind Blue Eyes" on his mixtape for Michael? Or is that his own personal mixtape for himself? Or Michael's mixtape for Alex? Because one of the two of them is convinced it is Alex's Theme Song.
sol-se: Oh, Michael totally put that on his Alex Mix Tape. It makes Alex kinda uncomfortable how much Michael has thought about this. Alex is still trying to figure out how to make a mix tape properly embody the spirit of jazz.
sdwolfpup: He would really want to try. He'd ultimately have to end up sitting Michael down for an afternoon. Or possibly taking him out late one night to a low-lit jazz bar. They'd sit in the back, where it's darkest, to keep their cover, and Alex would try to explain what was going on, gesturing a lot, as he does, and Michael would try to appreciate it, for Alex, but mostly he'd just appreciate Alex.
sol-se: And then after the jazz club, there is the sex. Possibly with jazz metaphors.
Bit 3
aurora-84: For some reason, I think that Michael might put 'Never Gonna Give You Up' on one of those mix-tapes. Because he thinks it's funny, and Alex will have it stuck in his head all day.
He would put it after a sortakinda romantic song, because he's evil like that. Alex would be humming it at the most inappropriate times.
sdwolfpup: He'd be trying to FOCUS on the PLAN and find himself humming, "never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down," under his breath! He'd get frustrated and look up at Michael, who would be standing across from him at the table, staring down at his own papers but smirking so hard. And then Michael would be all, "Is there a problem, Alex?" And Alex would just kind of sigh and think about ways to get him back later.
Bit 4
Other items of note: He made a Fox River Break Out mixtape, a Sona mix tape with "Eye of the Tiger" for his first fight; and he loves old school Bon Jovi.
isagel adds an intimate moment
Um, I just realized those last two were done via e-mail. Let me know if you guys want me to lock this down, but we've all posted much more ridiculous Scone-related things so I figured it was ok. Hee.
Thread where it all began.
sol-se: You know, Michael seems like the kind of person who couldn't tell people he liked them, so he made mix tapes. Extremely meticulously planned mix tapes. He'd spend weeks calculating each song time and the order's meaning. I feel like he really wants to make Mahone a mix tape to properly express his confusing attraction. It might actually be finished and he's been carrying it in his pocket. Oh man, I want this fic so bad now.
sdwolfpup: It was late, and the others had all dispersed to their rooms to finally get a couple hours of sleep. Michael lingered at the table, rustling random papers, while he watched Mahone out of the corner of his eye. Alex was staring at their white board, fingers pressed to his lips, taking everything in. Michael moved a seemingly useless stack of papers and grabbed the slender jewel case he'd hidden underneath. The label was plain white and had his own neat, block handwriting: ALEX MIX - 7/20/06. Michael took a deep breath and sidled up to Mahone, standing at his side.
"Michael," Alex murmured in greeting, not looking at him.
"Hey," Michael said, trying for casual. He stared at the board without seeing anything. "I, uh, made something."
Alex lowered his hands and turned to look at him. Michael stared back for a minute, until Alex prompted, "Yes?"
Michael thrust the jewel case at Alex's chest, and, unable to watch his face, stared at Mahone's hands as he took it, brought it into the light to read the label.
"I don't...what is this, Michael?"
"Uh." Michael heard the warehouse fans whirring in the background, heard a bark of laughter that had to be from Sucre and Bellick's nightly card game, thought about the eighteen different plans he'd been considering to get the next piece of Scylla - and the ten different ways each one could go wrong - but he couldn't seem to find the words to tell Alex about the mix he'd made. "It's for you," he finally settled on.
"I can see that, Michael" Alex said, but his voice was gentle. "What is it for?"
Michael had had more than enough personal time at this point. He coughed and looked at the white board. "You should listen to it some time," he said. "I better go get some rest; Linc wants to be up early tomorrow to get started. Good night, Alex." He stalked off to his room, heard Mahone's whispered, "Good night," and the sound of their CD player being opened.
sol-se: I feel like Alex would still be all "wtf" for about 3/4 of the way through it because he's looking for some secret code or hidden message about the Company or a plan. He'd be so confused and that'd frustrate the hell out of him. He'd kill himself trying to figure it out. And Michael would be awake in his room all night: SIGH.
sdwolfpup: I think Michael's tastes would be stuck in his college years. I mean, he hasn't had a lot of time to listen to music since then, honestly, and he got pretty set in his musical ways when he was in college and people kept exposing him to stuff. Nowadays he mostly listens to classical, but he doesn't include any on Alex's first mix because those are too romantic and personal. He's made a second mix for Alex, in his head, but isn't going to burn it until he gets Alex's response on the first one. Which I imagine could go something like this:
Michael could hear the last strains of "Fumbling Towards Ecstasy" fading away, for the fifth time. And then, instead of Mahone re-starting the CD again, Michael heard the CD player ejecting and then Alex walking away in the direction of his own room.
Michael sighed and tried to get to sleep when he heard Alex's footsteps pause, and then start heading towards him. His heart beat faster as the sound of each footstep increased. By the time Alex halted outside of Michael's door, Michael was sitting up in bed, heart pounding. He waited for a knock, but there wasn't one. When Alex didn't walk away, either, Michael said, "Come in, Alex."
The door opened almost immediately, and Mahone stood framed by the soft light of the warehouse, the jewel case a sharp outline in one hand, his face mostly in shadow. "What is this, Michael?" he asked, not moving into the room.
Michael licked his dry lips. "It's the modern-day version of a mix-tape."
Alex cut the air with one sharp slash of his hand. "I know that. What does it mean?"
"What do you think it means?"
Alex tilted his head to the side, and the light caught his face, showing his frustration. "What are you, a psychiatrist now? I can't figure it out, Michael. I've been trying, but I can't. It feels..." his shoulders slumped. Michael could read the source of his defeat clearly. It wasn't that Mahone couldn't understand the CD, it was that he thought he couldn't understand Michael.
"You're overthinking it, Alex," Michael whispered, suddenly confident. He slowly stood up, was grateful he'd decided to wear just his sweat pants to bed when Mahone's gaze crawled over his chest, though without his tattoos he felt more exposed than ever. "It's got nothing to do with Scylla. It's more...personal than that."
Michael loved watching Alex's mind work, loved seeing him make connections and leap to conclusions in the flashing of his eyes. He'd long wished he could have watched Alex figuring him out, back when they were still only enemies. Michael thought it would look a lot like this, the way his mouth dropped open, lips curled into a pleased smile. The way his eyes lit up, and then burned as they stared at Michael's face.
But this was better, because Alex threw the jewel case on Michael's bed and moved towards him, shutting the door behind him.
**********
Bit 1
sdwolfpup: The real question is - what kind of music would Alex put on his mixtape for Michael? Because I am totally at a loss there.
transtempts: I think some Depeche Mode, and yes, I have an idea of which songs, as well as some Garbage 'Hammering in My Head,' and 'You Look So Fine' and maybe even 'Bad Boyfriend' and Nick Cave. (And that was me, off the top of my head *facepalms* OMG, I am actually seriously contemplating this).
I want them in the car, trying to decide on a radio station, and finding something they both like, and Lincoln doing the whole 'what is going on with you guys, or do I not want to know?!'
sdwolfpup: I guess I'm just having trouble seeing Alex as someone who listens to popular music. I think he's got a classic rock background, assuming he was born early 1960s. He would've grown up with, well, disco and the 80s...heh...so depeche mode is a possibility! But if he's going the emo rock route, I'd actually peg him way more as a Cure guy, maybe some Morrissey. Except I also feel like you have to take yourself too seriously to use Morrissey on a mixtape, and I don't think Alex does that. But with the special forces background, that brings me back to harder rock, ooh, maybe some Black Sabbath and AC/DC with a side of Queen. oh, god, he'd TOTALLY put Queen on his mixtape. "Body Language," of course.
(Alex doesn't quite have a grasp on the intricacies of a mixtape, and so he tends to bludgeon more than Michael does, but Michael finds it kind of adorable that Alex is actually not good at something. That's how he knows it's love. ♥)
sol-se: I agree on the classic rock. Or something like John Coltrane or Miles Davis. Or jazz. He seems like he'd be one of those people who try to convince you about the complexities of jazz. Oh man, jazz would make Michael's head hurt so bad. He'd keep trying to find the pattern in it. And then Alex would expound on the beauty of chaos and having no pattern.
And then Michael would put on more Sarah McLachlan.
transtempts: OMG, that is perfect. And yes, I can see Michael sort of boggling at HOW MUCH JAZZ Alex has put on the tape, and it makes him want to go and lie down, because it just keeps twisting in on itself, and then it goes on and DOESN'T MAKE SENSE and as you say, Alex goes on about CHAOS and how appropriate it is, considering their relationship, etc...
sol-se: And now, Michael trying to explain how to make a mix tape:
Michael: No, no, Alex. You don't put all your favorite jazz songs on; you pick the one that is most symbolic of the emotion or thought you're trying to convey.
Alex: That's not how jazz works, Michael.
Bit 2
sdwolfpup: Do you think Alex includes "Behind Blue Eyes" on his mixtape for Michael? Or is that his own personal mixtape for himself? Or Michael's mixtape for Alex? Because one of the two of them is convinced it is Alex's Theme Song.
sol-se: Oh, Michael totally put that on his Alex Mix Tape. It makes Alex kinda uncomfortable how much Michael has thought about this. Alex is still trying to figure out how to make a mix tape properly embody the spirit of jazz.
sdwolfpup: He would really want to try. He'd ultimately have to end up sitting Michael down for an afternoon. Or possibly taking him out late one night to a low-lit jazz bar. They'd sit in the back, where it's darkest, to keep their cover, and Alex would try to explain what was going on, gesturing a lot, as he does, and Michael would try to appreciate it, for Alex, but mostly he'd just appreciate Alex.
sol-se: And then after the jazz club, there is the sex. Possibly with jazz metaphors.
Bit 3
aurora-84: For some reason, I think that Michael might put 'Never Gonna Give You Up' on one of those mix-tapes. Because he thinks it's funny, and Alex will have it stuck in his head all day.
He would put it after a sortakinda romantic song, because he's evil like that. Alex would be humming it at the most inappropriate times.
sdwolfpup: He'd be trying to FOCUS on the PLAN and find himself humming, "never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down," under his breath! He'd get frustrated and look up at Michael, who would be standing across from him at the table, staring down at his own papers but smirking so hard. And then Michael would be all, "Is there a problem, Alex?" And Alex would just kind of sigh and think about ways to get him back later.
Bit 4
Other items of note: He made a Fox River Break Out mixtape, a Sona mix tape with "Eye of the Tiger" for his first fight; and he loves old school Bon Jovi.
isagel adds an intimate moment
Um, I just realized those last two were done via e-mail. Let me know if you guys want me to lock this down, but we've all posted much more ridiculous Scone-related things so I figured it was ok. Hee.