Fic 1: RL/AU Song Ficlet The Time of Our Lives

[labyrinth2015]

I know I did say I was only planning on lurking and cheerleading, so the fic is taking me as much by surprise as everyone else! Inspired by the upcoming Concert of Epic, occurring mere hours from now, my muse envisaged the first time the boys took the stage together after the Idol 2008 winner was announced.

 

Title: The Time of Our Lives, or On the Edge of Forever

Rating: G

Pairing: David/David

Summary: Single shot vignette of the Idol 2008 finale song, from the perspectives of the David who won in the real world, and the David who won in the alternate universe.

Note: This is for the gorgeousclionona, whose amazingly hot fic drew me into this fandom, and warrior womanmotherendurance, who so awesomely offered betaing services and inspired me to start writing fic again after a ten year hiatus. Errors remain my sole responsibility. Love you guys!

 

Disclaimer: Not-for-profit absolute work of fiction, will remove without prejudice if cease and desist notice issued.

  

 

The Time of Our Lives, or On the Edge of Forever

 

Confetti falling ceaselessly, like shimmering, endless starlight. The audience, roaring, a solid wall of sound around him.  

 

Tears in his eyes.

 

He can't stop crying, he's mostly deaf to everything and everyone, and still somehow he’s singing, singing, because that's apparently what he needs to do at this moment, and it seems the words are in fact emanating from him because the shrieking around him is getting louder. And he's not sure where the words are coming from, but he's glad he stayed up till fucking 3 am last night to memorize those lyrics, because it would not do to screw this up, not this song whose words had sounded mostly trite and contrived and packaged, until this moment:

 

“I’ve been waiting for my dreams

 To turn into something I could believe in

And looking for that magic rainbow

On the horizon

I couldn’t see it…”

 

Make that mostly deaf to almost everyone.

 

It seems there's a small body, in his arms, somehow. Someone (David) in his arms, warm and steady and anchoring, and there's a huge crashing wave of something in his heart, and he keeps on singing, the sound pulled from deep in his gut and his pipes, and:

 

“Until I let go

Gave into love

And watched all the bitterness burn

Now I’m coming alive body and soul

And feeling my world start to turn -”

 

And he can’t believe the journey he’s taken, from tending bar in Tulsa, to making his dreams come true, and his world is turning faster, and he’s reaching out, and his heart is beating like a caged bird’s, and someone’s there, David’s there, holding him up:

 

“Holding onto things that vanished

Into the air

Left me in pieces

But now I’m rising from the ashes

Finding my wings

And all that I needed

Was there all along

Within my reach

As close as the beat of my heart”

He can hear his voice, a little, as if it doesn't belong to him. It sounds a little raw in his ears, raspy around the edges, and he doesn’t think he much cares for it, actually. And then it's soaring, in that cheesy song that has somehow become the song of his soul.

 

“And I’m out on the edge of forever

Ready to run

I’m keeping my feet on the ground

Arms open wide

Face to the sun…”

 

And then the world tilts on its improbable wheels and suddenly comes loose of its moorings, because another voice joins him, pure and true and like nothing and everything he's ever known, and without transition suddenly he’s free falling, unmoored, into the void beyond.

 

“I’ll taste every moment…”

 

* * *

 

“…And live it out loud

I know this is the time…”

...And the lights are so bright! And everything is kind of moving in slow motion, and he sees his dad and mom in the front row and their mouths are open and he thinks his dad is crying. He can't believe this is actually happening, that he's on this stage, at the end of this journey. David is standing beside him, smiling like his face might break, and, and he’s crying too. And suddenly, he feels all light inside, like a huge white balloon that's filled with nothing but this fantastic moment.

 

So, somehow, he's singing, like he's always wanted, like it’s all he’s ever wanted, and the lyrics are so beautiful and amazing. He makes his voice go very small and hushed, because that's the part of the song right after the bridge, and then the song wants to really fly, so he puts his head back and opens his throat and lets his voice just take off:

 

“…This is the time, to be

More than a name

Or a face in the crowd

I know this is the time

This is the time of my life…”

David’s holding his hand, and for some reason it looks like he isn’t going to stop crying, and at first he's afraid that somehow it's because David's upset that it's him who’d, you know, and when Ryan called his name, he remembered David hugging him gently and then pulling away all half-smiling and, gosh, so proud of him, and could David have said I love you? Oh, because -

 

- And then he remembers he made this slightly desperate flapping movement with his hands that said, Come on, you! And all you guys! And his best friends had surged forward to join him in the spotlight, and, gosh, he loved them so much and always would, and then David took his hand, lean, calloused fingers twining around his, and the song burst out of his body like it had wings -

 

“…More than a name

Or a face in the crowd

This is the time, this is the time

Of my life…”

And he hits the high note at the end, holding it, white and pure and perfect, and the confetti is falling over him in slow motion, covering them both. He’s holding David by the hand, and David’s singing too but of course without the mic, singing into his ear, just to him, and it's so perfect, and their voices do this together, this:

 

“…This is the time of our lives;

The time of our lives...”

 

* * *

“The time of our lives…”

 

... And he catches himself, against the warm body under his arm, and against the warm brown eyes that anchor him, that stop him from falling and flying out of control into the wideness of their turning world, the brown eyes that hold him finally, here, whole, on this stage, in David’s embrace.

 

He puts his hand over his face, to stop himself from crying again, damn it, but he can't block out that steady brown gaze, those eyes that hold the whole world still.

 

And he knows his world has righted itself somehow, that nothing could be more right, to be here, with David in his arms, and it didn’t matter if they lived or loved each other in the world where he’d won, or in the world where he hadn’t, because they would both always have this one small moment of forever.

 

Fin

 

Comments

[clionona.livejournal.com]

Oh my gosh!!!
Thank you soooooooooooo much, bb!!!
*flyingtacklehugs*
I don't even know what to say!!!

...and then David took his hand, lean, calloused fingers twining around his, and the song burst out of his body like it had wings...

It's beautiful and wonderful and you have the boys' voices down so well!!!

♥!

I loved it!!!

And I really hope you'll continue to write!!!

*bounces*

Seriously, can't wait for what's next!

[motherendurance.livejournal.com]

Isn't Jehane great!

Jehane, you are great.

Just wanted to say that again:-)

Jehane, I see Clio, the Muse, and I are in perfect agreement on the hand description! You do that 'bringing small moment or detail into painfully sharp focus' thing really really well. In fact, as far as I can see, that seems to be a marker for your style.

Jehane, can I just say again how honoured I am to have your FIRST STORY IN A DECADE dedicated to the incredible Clionona and ME at the same time! It's got to be Clio, right? I mean she is a Muse after all, and here we are, writing after more then a decade, both of us...

Blessed Clio, I realize you are masquerading as a simple florida-girl, and I vow not to break your cover, but from now on, when propitiating the Muses, you are first on my list, bb!

Holy shit, I am keeping high company these days!

(walks away vowing to emulate Jehane... And pray to Clio...)

Love you both,
Renata

Kisses all around!
mwah, mwah, mwah!

[jehane-writes.livejournal.com]

Renata, you are too funny. Wait, I think we can purchase some fatted calf from a local wholesaler; think we need some libations too, so as to sacrifice them to Clio the Muse! Clio, you want the blood of attractive male virgins, we'll try to get it from somewhere ;)

Thanks for your feedback, betaing and inspiration, bb. Love you too!

[jehane-writes.livejournal.com]

Babe, srsly, you and Renata must have this freakish link, because, the part about Cook's hand that you liked? She totally picked out as well, out of all the lines in that thing! (Okay, or maybe that line's good, ahaha.)

I am so glad you liked it, bb, because I was nervous you wouldn't ("Oh, sweetie, thank you for this gift of a...lovely...toaster? Huh."). It means so much to me that you did! ♥!

And, it seems I can't stop writing, so I am sending RENT!Cookleta over to you on David squared - thought I wouldn't inflict it on poor Renata, who isn't a RENT fan ;)

[storylandqueen.livejournal.com]

Oh my god. I think my heart might have actually skipped a beat. It's so odd, I know the song, of course I know it, but it's almost like it was more profound like this. I'm actually shaking and there's this funny feeling in my chest. I feel light, and there is more to this story, more meaning than I could ever comprehend or even dare comment on. Darn.

[jehane-writes.livejournal.com]

Baby, thanks for this. I am so touched that you're actually reading and commenting on my fic! I actually thought the song became profound when Cook sang it; and then, of course, applying that weird "both sides now" lens which my writing muse seems to be insisting on, I saw it from Archie's AU winner's perspective, from which sprung this fic.

[storylandqueen.livejournal.com]

Of course I'm reading and commenting! It's just taking me a while to get around to it. And I like the dual perspective, it's a rather unique aspect, I think.

[jehane-writes.livejournal.com]

Glad you like the dual perspective, because (possibly unfortunately) it has featured in all my fic so far. Also, isn't it late where you are? Off to bed with you!

[storylandqueen.livejournal.com]

Oh, so it's almost like a trait of your writing. That should be interesting.

... not to sound rude, but where you channeling my Mother last night? And while I don't remember telling where I am, you're right, it actually was a bit late - bedtime, actually. *lol* Mama is sort of strict about bedtime, so even though I cut it close sometimes, I do go to bed. I wouldn't dare try staying up later because it really wouldn't surprise me if someone saw me up later than I"m supposed to be and report me to her. Besides, she was on last night a little bit before bedtime, so... I made sure to tell her I was going to bed.

[jehane-writes.livejournal.com]

Um, I hope it's interesting. Waiting for folks to tell me to knock it off, if not.

Yeah, I guess I was sort of channelling your mom, sorry! I just figured, North American time generally, this is going to either be kind of late or VERY late, missy, whichever timezone you are. No worries, I'm not going to rat on you *snicker*; anyway, it sounds like you're actually a sensible and reliable daughter, which is so adorable and lovely ;)

[storylandqueen.livejournal.com]

*lol* I'm pretty sure no one's going to tell you that.

Oh, don't worry about it, I didn't mind, I just thought it funny since she told me the same thing shortly before you did. And yes, it was late - two a.m., if I haven't already said. and I really don't think it matters if someone rats me out since I'd probably confess the next day. *lol*

Wow, I'm called lovely for that? You're easy to please, I think.