Work Text:
"Can you write?"
A question from Olivia directed to Cole, causing him to scrunch his brows as the two sat in the restaurant with very greasy foods.
“..What?” He replied confused, wondering if Olivia was trying to make fun of him. “I'm not four, of course I can write.."
"I know that, dummy. " Olivia rolled her eyes. "I mean, can you write lyrics?" She questioned again, while swiping some of his fries from across the table. He watched her, scoffing before giving her an answer. “And you already know the guitar right? That’s like..a thing for cowboys.”
“One, I’m not a cowboy, and two...yes, I do.” He huffed. “Like..song lyrics?? Maybe I could. but why? You ‘tryin to start a band?” Cole asked jokingly, chuckling as he took a sip from his drink. Though when he heard nothing from her, he looked at her grinning expression. “..You' serious?”
Later that day, Genji and Cole were walking to Olivia’s house after a multitude of texts and calls.
“You can play the drums, right?” Cole suddenly asked his green-haired friend, looking at his puzzled expression.
“I tried to learn when I was younger, though I hardly remember since I had to stop. Why do you ask?”
“Well, Olivia wants to start a band.” Cole shrugged, Genji raising her eyebrows. “So that’s why she was being so annoying.. and she’s serious?” He nodded, Genji letting out a small chuckle.
“Can she even sing?”
“Surprisingly, yeah. I’ve heard her ‘singin before. It’s pretty nice.”
“I think we should go along with it, could be fun.” Genji shrugged.
“Yeah, it’s not like she’ll stick to this for long anyway.” Cole laughed.
Contrary to their belief, Cole and Genji were now looking at a drum set, an electric guitar, and a microphone a few hours later. Cole simply shook his head in disbelief, getting up as he pulled out a cigarette and a lighter.
“How did you– where did you get the money for this?!” Genji questioned, it being apparent that he was greatly worried.
“Calm down, I knew a guy, and that’s how I got all this.” She smiled, not reassuring Genji at all. He put a hand on his face, sighing. He was unsure if he could trust Olivia, considering the fact she didn’t have a set job right now. She always seemed to just get the things she needed somehow–
“Alright, putting the shady instruments aside– If we are going to a band, what are we even going to call ourselves?” He questioned, Olivia starting to go into deep thought. Genji still found the idea to be silly, and something Olivia would forget about in a couple of days, but him and Cole had agreed to go with the flow for this.
“Eh, we’ll figure it out later.” She shrugged, the both of them turning to look at Cole. He looked up from his phone, blowing out smoke with a shrug as well.
“I hope you know what you’re doing..”Genji shook his head, sighing heavily.
“Why’re you ‘tryin to start a band anyway?”
“Just cause,” Olivia shrugged. “Could be fun. Who knows? We might even get rich.”
“So, are you actually going to write lyrics like she asked?” Genji said, his focus on the drum set as Cass fiddled with a pen in his mouth, having a hard time to come up with something decent.
“She didn’t even tell me what she wanted! Just shoved the damn paper in my face and told me to get to work..” He grumbled, tossing the paper and pen down as he threw his head back.
“I’m sure you have something down, let me see.” Genji asked, Cole tossing the book to his friend.
“Okay, so you wrote..”
Perhaps his good southerner buddy was holding back on Genji! Was he embarrassed about how poetic and deep his lyrics could be? Was Genji about to see a side of Cole he never saw? Would he–
Genji’s face contorted into confusion. “...The. You wrote “The”?”
“I told you! This is difficult, Genji. You got any better ideas?” He scoffed, getting up to look at his riveting piece of work.
“Yes, actually. Write something about Elizabeth!”
“Ashe,” He corrected. “And that’s easy for you to say.. your relationship is just sooo great.” Cole grumbled. “But why would I do that? You think I wanna relive any of that?”
“No, which is exactly why you should do it. There are tons of songs about exes out there.”
“And what if she hears it?”
“Guess she’ll be pissed.” He shrugged.
“She’ll shoot me is what.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
Cole scoffed, punching Genji in the arm roughly.
“Ow! I need this to play, you hillbilly..”
“So, did you guys come up with anything?”
Olivia chirped, entering the home back with a few things from her errand run. She dropped the bags, staring at the notebook atop Cole’s face, and Genji still messing with the drums with an intrigued expression. Olivia’s face shifted into an angry one, throwing a large bag of chips at Cole’s face.
“You decided to just sit here?!”
“Yes! Because you didn’t tell me what you wanted!” He groaned, pushing the chips off of his face as he sat up.
“Just make something up!”
Cole looked at her with an annoyed expression, then shook his head. “It’s not that easy, Olivia. Also, I’m not a liar ‘neither.”
Genji looked up from the drums, looking at Cole who seemed as if he was getting genuinely frustrated.
“You seemed stressed.” He commented, going back to his beloved instrument..
“I’m goin’ out to smoke.Don’t wanna hear someone’s excessive whining..” Cole muttered, which caused Olivia to stick up a finger.
Cole sat outside, pen and paper in hand as he sighed. Why couldn’t they just..hire someone? Costly for sure, but it was obvious he didn’t have the skill to write so poetically.
To be fair.. He never tried it anyway. He didn’t care much for writing, though. He was only decent thanks to a certain girl’s help.
“There are tons of songs about exes out there.”
Genji had a point. As rehashed as it was, it was only for one song. Plus, he didn’t trust that Olivia really wanted to do this. He sighed, opening up his phone to look at the last message he sent to Ashe. Their relationship had ended sourly, and the two agreed that splitting up would be for the best in the end. Besides, as long as he didn’t include too many details.. it could be fine, right?
Cole took out another cigarette, standing up to lean against the doorway. He blew out the smoke, hearing coughing below him.
“You blew that right in my face! I don’t want my lungs to shrivel up, I need them to sing.” Olivia shook her head, causing a small chuckle out of Cole.
“My bad, didn’t see you right there. You are shor--”
Olivia punched Cole,causing him to erupt in a cough.
“ACK– Damn!– You ‘tryin to kill your only bassist?”
Olivia laughed, folding her arms.
“Whatever, Genji told me to see if you thought of anything yet.”
“..You still rushin me?”
“No…I just wish you could hurry up.”
Cole sighed, putting out the cigarette as he turned to her.
“I..came up with something. You’re gonna have to wait though.” Olivia sighed, but accepted his answer regardless. “Won't we need someone to write the music?”
“Isn’t that what you’re doing?”
Cole stared at Olivia’s face for a few seconds, then put his fingers on the bridge of his nose.
“How about this, you can do your research on how music and bands actually work, while I work on the song. Deal?”
“Huh..I guess you got a point. It’s a deal!” She grinned, reaching out to shake his hand. She opened her eyes, looking up at him with furrowed brows.
“That’s it? Well I guess you’re gonna have to find someone else for this group project.” Cole shrugged, grinning as he turned to walk back inside.
“Wait– I’m sorry for trying to rush you. And flipping you off.”
“...”
“..And punching you in the chest.”
Cole’s grin widened, as Olivia only bit the inside of her cheek.
“And I’m sorry for almost ruining your lungs.”
Olivia started to think for a second, then snickered.
“What’s so funny?”
“I think I know what we should call ourselves. You’ll love it.”
Back inside, Genji began to stifle a laughter when Olivia gave them their band name, Cole folding his arms to hide an embarrassed look.
“Since Cole’s always smoking around us, I say it’s perfect. Since we’ll probably die of lung failure ‘cause of you.” Genji looked at Cole with a grin, which prompted a shove from the southerner.
“As rude and embarrassing as it is..I guess it’s a decent name. Has a meaning and all, even though it’s..” Cole grumbled
“Come on! It’s perfect” Olivia grinned, Cole sinking in his seat on the couch.
“But seriously, I think it sounds nice.” Genji began. “If we become famous and all, it’ll be a nice story to have if we get famous.”
“If?”
“..Yeah?”
“You mean when!”
“No, I don’t”
Olivia rolled her eyes, sitting in between the two.
“Have some hope..we should at least believe we’ll be famous here.”
Genji and Cole thought about it, grinning at the thought.
“Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. Could have some fun.”
“I’ve always wanted to learn the drums..and you might enjoy writing lyrics.”
“Huh..I might. Who knows?”