Chapter Text
Babe honestly felt like this was so much better than therapy in so many ways. All of the feelings he's never had a chance to properly process and or talk about were slowly trickling out as he put them to paper.
These feelings he's been bottling up for years and years were kind of exploding out of him and it was all thanks to Way. His ex two times over. You know how they say dating your best friend will only end in two ways; happily ever after or total devastation. Well in his case it's the latter. Think catastrophic implosion that ended up ruining his career and life in general. And now Way's career was taking off and he's selling out venues all at Babe's expense. On allegations that were only half true at that.
"Babe?" North's voice filtered through the recording headphones and Babe snapped out of the depressing thoughts.
"Sorry, I kind of spaced out a little. What did you say?" He asked while shuffling the papers for the new song on the stand in front of him.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm all good." Babe could see through the glass that North raised a brow clearly not believing him but he only nodded and didn't inquire further.
After a pause North spoke up. "Okay, well I just wanted to say that for this specific part, when you say 'vicious' the second time, can you do it a bit softer but also with more force? If you get what I mean."
Babe immediately got it. North wanted the delivery to sound and feel more more cutting. Like a shot straight to the heart.
He signaled that he was ready and adjusted the headset.
oh, you're so vicious
love me then pretend you didn't
crush my heart and wreck my image
why you gotta be so Vicious!
"Yes! Perfect!" North exclaimed and the sound engineer also gave indication that it was better than before making Babe smile in satisfaction.
This song more than anything put into words his feelings a bit about his thoughts towards Way. A person that was so very close to you, that you would've trusted with your life switching up and treating you like gum they scraped off their shoes. Disregarding your feelings so much an extent when they previously professed their never-ending love and affection for you.
He just didn't get it and probably never would but that was okay. He was working through it. Because life as always goes on, it doesn't want or stop for anyone.
The rest of the recording session for the day passed uneventfully. There were a couple of songs he was sure would need tweaking a bit here and there but overall he had had a productive day at the studio.
As he packed up his stuff North casually slung an arm around his shoulder.
"Are you still joining us for Sonic's Album listening party this evening?" Babe slowly looked at the hand on his shoulder and glanced at North. Getting the message North lifted both arms and backed off. "Sorry, forgot." Another pause and then North asked again. "So are you?"
Babe sighed but nodded. It would be good publicity for him especially with his reputation in the gutter as it was. Not to mention that Sonic was one of his closest friends both in the industry and personally. Actually one of the few people that stuck by him throughout all the media circus that was only dying down.
Babe didn't know what he would've done without North, Sonic, his manager/agent Alan and his older brother Kenta. His only friends circle currently because apparently the people he thought were his friends dropped him like a hot potato at the first sign of public backlash after Way had released his debut Album nearly seven months ago now. His supposed tell all about his then relationship with a man and how and why it ended. A sort of coming out debut story that the public and his fans ate right up. The result from that was a manhunt for the man that broke their idol's heart and true to form they found him.
Fucking wannabe detectives that they are. Stalkers more like.
♡☆♡
There were a lot more people than Babe was expecting when he arrived at the venue Sonic had chosen to have his Album Listening Party at. Some acquaintances that he didn't care to make conversation with after they had all snubbed him in some way during his crisis whether through their silence or being outright vocal about his supposed bad character.
Not that they were lying about his bad temper but still.
Luckily, there was an open bar provided and so he could manage and get himself through the soul crushing interactions.
"P'Babe.." A mellow but deep voice called, drawing Babe from his thoughts about some particularly trying individuals he could see gathered around Sonic at the other side of the room that he was vehemently trying to avoid being noticed by.
Babe straightened up from his slouched disposition against the wall and turned to face the stranger. The man, more of a boy really, he couldn't be more than 20 years old. Maybe 23 if he was being generous. He was very striking though, handsome in an unstated way. The glasses he wore were definitely a bonus. Babe still couldn't place him though.
"Can I help you?"
Stranger boy smiled and Babe could swear his eyes sparkled or some shit. He tilted his his head just slightly and gazed at him contemplatively for a beat. Then he opened his mouth to speak.
"You're a very hard man to pin down P'Babe." The voice was lower and deeper. "It's nice to finally meet you."
Babe rocked back on his heels and felt the back of his neck open up with goosebumps. He blinked as a shiver worked its way down his whole back.
What. The. Fuck.