saysthemagpie:

for some reason I’m really indulging the side of myself that loves crackfic lately (before wading back into angst). here’s one of a ridiculous series of flash drabbles based on results from @sashayed’s Random 2015 1D Events Generator.

*

Harry will write a solo album about a collection of baubles.

Harry waits two whole days after sending the file to ring Niall.

“Well?” he asks anxiously when Niall picks up. “Did you listen to it?”

Niall clears his throat. “Uh, yeah, I did.”

“And?” says Harry, impatient.

“Well,” says Niall. “It’s – um, just out of curiosity, does Jeff know what you’ve been working on?”

“I asked him to let me lay down some tracks before he listened,” Harry says. “So I could have, like, total artistic freedom and all that. It was so liberating, Niall. Felt like I could finally just write about the stuff that matters to me, you know?”

“Huh,” Niall says. “Right. And – just want to make sure I listened to the right file, it’s called – ”

“Stuff From My Flat,” Harry says proudly. “I mean, all the songs are just demos right now, but I think it’s going to sound sick once I get a proper backing track.”

There’s a long silence on the other end. Harry shakes his phone a little, in case it’s bad service or something, then puts it back up to his ear.

“I wonder if it’ll be hard to break into the American market,” Niall says finally. “‘Cos they don’t really say flat there.”

“I did think that,” says Harry, “but it’s like, what would I call it instead? Stuff From My LA Mansion? It wouldn’t be true, is the thing. All the songs are about things I have in London, ‘cos that’s where I wrote it. That’s like, where my inspiration comes from.”

“Right,” says Niall. There’s another long silence.

“Do you not like it?” Harry feels a creeping sense of doubt. “Is it the tempo? I can change that, that’s easy.”

“No, the tempo’s fine,” Niall says. “It’s just, ah. Pretty different from our old stuff. You know, content-wise.”

“Oh,” Harry says.

“Like, there’s not much on here about love,” says Niall. “Or kissing someone, or wanting to chat up a girl but not being able to ‘cos her boyfriend’s got twenty-seven tattoos, that kind of thing.”

“I guess that’s true,” Harry says slowly.

“Actually,” Niall says, “all the songs are just songs about things.”

“That’s why it’s called Stuff From My Flat.” Harry doesn’t get why they’re having so much trouble communicating right now. “But you liked them, right? Which was your favorite?”

“Maybe you should call Jeff first,” says Niall. “And then let me know what he says.”

“Tell me your favorite first,” Harry says. “Just, were there any that really stood out to you?”

“Um,” Niall says. “I guess – ‘Hair Tie,’ maybe?”

“That’s my favorite too!” Harry exclaims. “It’s the chorus, right? Oh, and the first verse, where I talk about how I wish they wouldn’t snap so often? I keep getting that bit stuck in my head.”

“Yeah.” Niall’s voice sounds a little odd, sort of strangled. Must be the connection again. “How much are they paying you for this?”

“Eighty million, I think,” Harry says. “And I have to do two more albums. I think it’ll be okay, though. I’ve still got loads of ideas for songs.”

After they hang up Harry pulls up the folder on his laptop again and looks at it. He feels that warm, contented glow of satisfaction all over, the kind of feeling he gets after he’s done a really good show or made someone faint from how much they love him.

STUFF FROM MY FLAT (DEMO VERSION)

1. Pencil Eraser
2. Ring I Found On the Tube
3. Russian Nesting Doll
4. Mum’s Cheese Platter
5. Hair Tie
6. Old Timey Fountain Pen
7. Paintbrush
8. Antique Vegetable Peeler with Engraved Handle, Discovered in a Shop in Covent Garden, on the 2nd of August in the Year 2016
9. Soap (Lemon)
10. A Rock from My Garden

He clicks over to his email and opens a new message to jeff@fullstopmgmt.com, subject line IT’S FINISHED!!!!! After he’s sent the zip file he settles back into his chair and picks up the guitar he’s still not quite managed to learn how to play, even though Niall’s been giving him weekly lessons over Skype. Jeff and Glenne are coming by for dinner in a couple hours, but he’s got time to work on something.

Smiling to himself, he strums the opening chords of a new song he’s been working on – just a little something called ‘Paperweight.’ He thinks Niall’s really going to love this one.