#either way it’s an amazing fic oooh ooooh you want to go read it

[womanfano-03-89-a]

I would like to highly recommend this madoka magica fic by @eternalfarnham to any madoka fans who see this post

It’s honest to god one of the best pieces of fiction I’ve ever read 👍

[uglypastels]

To the Beat - Headcanons

(a/n) right, so here are just some headcanons/vague ideas of how i imagined the band play their songs. Either at the specific concert or in general in the future once they had grown more comfortable on stage and a bigger fanbase etc.

Also, I have no idea if this makes sense but I had all these ideas in my head that i needed to get out and on to “paper”, so i thought then why not just share it :) 

Read part 1 here <---> part 2 here

If you want any other hc about the band :) just send an ask. cause this might be my new favorite au and i would love to do some further world building lmao.

The Band setlist

headcanons below cut

MR BRIGHTSIDE (The Killers)

So, Harrison starts playing on the guitar, and then the drums follow after a few beats just like in the original. Harrison sings the first verse, but Harry comes in with the harmonies in the lines like “gotta gotta be down” and “How did I end up like this?” 

Then I feel like there could be more harmonies in the pre-chorus, but the chorus itself is sung by Haz, with Tom and Harry doing like matching back up vocals (ooohs and stuff like that). 

The second verse is sung by Harry, with harmonies done by Haz. Then at the line with the pre-echo of “(it was only a kiss) It was only a kiss” Tom is the one to say it. - 

(sidenote, i feel, like if they performed it more, he would get more confidence into and would start improvising shit that would totally not match the song and harry would either go along with it or just ignore him. Either way, funny shit.) 

Harry would sing most of the second pre-chorus, but the other two would join him in the last line “and taking control”. Then Harrison sings the final chorus. And Tom would do the echoes the song ends on (the repeated “I never”s) 

THE INVISIBLE MAN (Queen)

Harrison sings most of it, but like, really close to the microphone, so he doesn’t have to sing it very loudly. 

You just know Harry is having the time of his life during this song with the bass. Especially after the intro and there is that part of just bass and drums. Tom and Harry love it. 

(also Tom does the adlibs through the verses and he shouts something randoms, but not through the mic, just into the void lol we love our adlib king) 

Then during the chorus, Tom and Harry whisper-sing “I’m the invisible man” 

So the bridge is a bit more aggressive so Harry would sing that, headbanging like crazy when given the time. 

The guitar solo… honestly, I don’t know what to say about that without becoming a puddle. K byeee. 

Basically they would go all out and be super extra, making Freddie Mercuy proud. 

YOU OUGHTA KNOW (Alanis Morissette) 

So, this is Tom’s song. It starts off with a snare drum and he sings softly, but angry just like Alanis. And the rhythm just fits considering he would also have to drum. Then the second part of the verse, he gets louder. 

Haz and Harry do the pre-chorus in harmonies, with Tom shouting out the No in “To be open wide, no” Then the last two lines are for Harry (“ ‘til you died, until you died, but you’re still alive!”) and he shouts them out to transition into the chorus which he also sings. 

Then then the second verse is also sung by Tom. It basically follows the same formula as the first part. 

After the second chorus, there is that kind of echo which Haz sings. The bridge is Tom’s part again. Harry sings the last two choruses again but then the last “you, you, you oughta know” is sung much softer for the DRAMA. 

ARE YOU GONNA BE MY GIRL (Jet)

The cough. You know that one of them would do the cough. But never at the right moment though. 

This is another song that Harry loves to perform because its super bass… based, so he grabs at at the attention and gets super extra at the intro. Tom would just be vibing at the beat really. Then the guitar riff comes in and everyone just *swoons* and Harry comes in with the WhOO!

Harrison also goes all out, playing to the audience, but then for every line he would lean into the microphone, really close and then jump off it to the back, just to come back in at the next line. I don’t know how to describe but.. That. And he would change his tone where it fits so in the second line of “say you look so fine, that I really wanna make you mine” he would end it all husky probably. And he would most definitely try to spot someone hot in the crowd and sing the next line to them with a wink (Now you don't need the money/When you look like that, do ya honey?) and his voice would go all deep and oof yeah. Just sex all around for him, really.

Harry would finish off the pre-chorus and shout his way through the chorus like the energetic weirdo that he is (how he still has a voice at the end of it all is large mystery). 

Then the drum stops for Tom to catch a moment, not that he really needs it, and he says the “Are you gonna be my girl?” and then I die basically. 

And then after the second chorus, the guitar starts and Tom stands up to clap, letting the audience to follow. And (hopefully) they continue with it through the rest of the song.  

BREAK MY HEART (Dua Lipa, cover version of HEY LIFE)

The song would either start with a bass actually or a guitar that is a bit higher than the one in the playlist i set. They wouldn’t play it as metal-y. Harrison sings, holding on to that mic Harry is living his life with the bass. 

Then they all sing the first half of the pre-chorus in harmonies and it sounds amazing. The other half is for Harrison. 

The first few lines of the chorus “I would've stayed at home/'Cause I was doin' better alone/But when you said, "Hello"/I know that was the end of it all” is like an acapella monotone singing… I don’t know music terms okay, deal it with <3 but then they repeat it with the instruments and harmonies. 

It all kind of repeats itself in the same formula, I think. Then there’s a bit of a solo at the end of the second??? chorus so that would go to Harrison. And the bridge they’d sing together again. And there are some like background lines?? That would probably be Harry :) why did I make him the loud chaotic one?? I have no idea but try and tell me that I’m wrong. He’d go through like 6 bottles of water cause ya boy’s gotta STAY HYDRATED

MISS YOU (The Rolling Stones) 

Right, so like in the fic, audience participation in the best way possible. They teach the crowd what to sing and how to sing it. So the ooohs and yadda yadda at the intro and through the rest of the song.  It has a fucking great beat too so everyone is just VIBING to it and it’s a party. Harrison is doing his best with his cursive™ singing lol. No one really understands what he’s saying but we’re here for it. Then Harry signs towards the crowd to sing and its loud and amazing and the connection!! 

Then later on tom and harry to the back up vocals again and it just sounds like two little angels. 

There is a part where it’s kind of slam poetry lol, about walking in central park or something (idk the song that well oops) anyway, that part is Harry’s. 

The saxophone solos are obviously changed into a guitar solo, or a bass, or drum, whichever guy is quicker each show. Then the crowd joins in again cause they can’t help it and that little ooooh/aaaah will be stuck in everyones head for the rest of the week (just like it happened to me after i went to the Rolling Stones concert, people were still singing it in the train on the way home and that is exactly the vibe we are going for here) 

WILDFLOWER (5 Seconds of Summer)

So it’s been established that these boys do nothing but exude sex through their entire performance and this song is no exception. They start of very sweet with the wild-wildflower but from their, straight into the sin bin. Harrison is singing

 (ngl i did base him a lot on Luke Hemmings in this fic so I just had to put in a 5SOS song- even though calum sings it but do not ruin this for me OKAY) 

In the meantime, Tom is clapping along, getting the crowd to do it, though he has to make sure the people actually stay in rhythm so it doesn’t fuck up the song. Then in the pre-chorus its Tom and Harry as back-up, still for Harrison to take the lead. Until the last sentence where its Harry coming in with the “I know where tonight is going!” 

But here’s the thing. The song goes “You're the only one who makes me- Every time we-” and then there’s the added “Tell you what I like” which Tom is SUPPOSED to sing, but as we have established, he’s a little shit and he loves to mess around, so he would shout out weird stuff out when he got the chance, but if he couldn’t think of it, then he’d at least take it to the stage to finish Haz’ sentence. So when he sings “You’re the only one who makes me-” Tom nicely finished is it and shouts “HARD” 

Also I think Harry would be bopping around with his bass to the drum, cause how can you not.  

SEVEN NATION ARMY (The White Stripes)

Right so here is Harrison, aka our cursive singing king, thriving. The first part of the song doesn’t even use guitar so he’s just at the microphone chilling, most definitely brushing his fingers through his hair, maybe rolling up the sleeves of his shirt. Does he need to do it? No, but who minds it? Exactly, nobody. 

But then when the guitar does finally start he is oFFFFF. Putting so much into it. 

Tom also most definitely goes far and beyond drumming to this. it’s a simple beat but he just drums with all his body. At the begining of every verse, where its just the bass drum, you can see him step on that fucking pedal. 

and then he adds on the other drum (idk terms, let me be) but he moves his head to each beat and he hits it fucking hard okay, so MUSCLE uhum uhum, yeah. 

And there’s another classic bassline in here so Harry is thriving like any time he gets to shine <3 

CALIFORNICATION (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

So this was a slower song to kind of level all the songs that had been super energetic. 

It’s simply the moment where all of them can relax a bit. maybe some of the audience will turn on their flashlights. Not that the song really needs that, but its fun, so why not. 

Harrison is at it again with the cursive, tho not as much here. He also plays around at the end of the verses, lengthening the notes and stuff. idk, making it fancy

They put in more distinct harmonies at the chorus “Dream of Californication” 

then there are the back up Ooooh’s in the other verses. love those. 

they might cut the song short, stopping before the last verse, just where its the soft guitar plating and they faded out and its time for another break :)

CHELSEA DAGGER (The Fratellis)

So they don’t actually play this song. It was something that came accidentally. They probably don’t even know the name of the song. But its just one of those things that everyone kinda knows. So during a break one of the 3 is fucking around on their instrument and the other two join in, still clueless, and suddenly its the crowd that does the dudududud’s and there ya go, Chelsea Dagger. Just a little quickie to get everyone pumped up again after a slower song. 

SEX ON FIRE (Kings of Leon)

Harrison’s cursive singing strikes again, but at this point we’re all living for it. It’s also the song where he’s a bit louder and gets up there together with Harry’s voice lol.

Then Tom sings the chorus, since this is all my self indulgence and I want him to sing the words “your sex is on fire” over and over again. sue me. 

But like, he tenses up when he sings, getting it in that right emotional range, and he’s still drumming and it’s all very very hot. 

maybe the light technicians set the lights on red or orange <3 

MISS ALISSA (Eagles of Death Metal) 

Here’s my idea: they all had a veto on picking one song each for the set list and the rest had to be voted on together 

(Harrison’s would be ---- and Tom’s would be You Oughta Know, cause he angsty like that sometimes). 

Harry picked this song simply because its fucking fast and it was a struggle for the other two lol. It’s basically just drums and guitar so Harry is singing and clapping, with his bass on his back, while tom is basically dying from this repeated beat, playing it nonstop for 3 minutes straight while his fucking brother is jumping around on stage.

 And the ‘you aint dancing’ at the end is definitely directed at Tom.

To which Tom would nicely respond with flipping his brother off :) 

RUBY (Kaiser Chief) 

My sweet baby angels they start with the tadata’s together 

And Harry sings the verse and the chorus, with Tom and Haz doing the back up vocals. 

Cause he sings the most of this song, he sometimes slacks with the bass, just letting it go all together, to hold on to the mic (or taking it with him and dancing around the stage during the chorus) 

and during the bridge he could very well bend down to sing to the audience directly 

so the people *swoon* once again 

and he would be deep in eye contact with someone for that bridge, just for the chorus to start again and he’d jump up and be all bouncy again. we love variety

in short, this concert would not be good for my heart 

STAR GIRL (McFly)

The only real reason why the chose this song is cause they’re 12 year old boys and the lines of the second verse made them laugh (there’s nothing on Earth that can save us, when i fell in love with Uranus) and i mean, who can blame them. But its also just a really fun song that the crowd can easily join into as well - gotta love the whoohoo-oooo’s . 

And speaking of, after the bridge and trumpet/in this case guitar solo, there’s a few counts of silence. You can bet that the audience misses it by like half a beat which the boys enjoy immensely. Sometimes they would even go out of their way to make the pause even longer to mess with people. 

But basically, the do end up loving this song, especially Tom and Harry. they have possibly argued about who sings which part, so they end up just switching through shows (tho Harry gets to do the bridge, since he has the loudest voice<3)

COME TOGETHER (The Beatles)

They specifically chose this song to finish the show off with. 

cause it really brings everyone together. 

they might sing it a bit differently though, maybe more like Aerosmith

(they tried Gary Clark Jr.’s version but they felt like they couldn’t do it as big as he did it)  

they definitely fool the crowd to when to sing Come Together or not, very anticlamactic and all but it won’t make anyone love them any less. 

but once they do sing it, Chilssss 

and they do each a verse, so first Harrison, then Harry, and finally Tom. and they all finish their own verse very dramatic in their own little ways. 

Harrison barely understandable, but very dramatic 

Harry basically screams it out 

and Tom is just SEX™ 

and then they finish the show off with extended solo’s and I cry again 

idk if i should tag people, since no one asked for this, but i’m doing it 

@definitely-not-black-cat​ @artemisiaarm​ @nerdyhockeygirl​ @miraclesoflove​ @justasmisunderstoodasloki​ @thefridgeismybestie​ @m19friend @creative-happenings​ @parker-holland-osterfield​ @fanficparker​ @fanficscuziranout​ @peterparkoure​ @xxtomxo​ @happywolves81​ @spiderrrling​ @captainbuckyy​ @tra-gicx​ @qxeen-of-hearts @varshavisuu​ @kangaroobunny​ @petersunderoos96​  @the-lost-fairy-tale​ @nerd-domland​ @sleepybesson​ @rissa067​ @the-queen-procrastinator​ @scarletteclipze​ @screeching-student-unknown​ @duskholland​ @tomhollanders2013​ @miraclesoflove​ @playinonaloop​ @captainpeggy40​ @queenoflostspirits​ @roses-hxlland​ @hereiamhereigo​ @sunnydays0803​ @averyfosterthoughts​ @moorehollandplz​ @beiroviski​ @you-bleed-just-toknowyouarealive @peterparkerbabyyy @multifandomlover21​ @lmaotshollandd​ @badbitchydecisions​ @tikapollak​ @starkeybabie​ @awesomehritz​ @madzleigh01​ @oh-what a beautiful-parker @taciturnspidey​ @quaksonhehe​ @mountainsforwords​ @harryfobter @peepeeparkerr @viagracex​ @ethereal-beauty-p​ @perspectiveparker​ @slytherin-chaser​ @worldoftom​ @moonysoftt​ @peeterparkr​ @wazzupmrstark​ @saintlavrents​ @peachybloomss​ @blissfulparker​ @spidey-reids-2003​ @fallinfortom​ @chloecreatesfictions​ @londonspidey​ @hollandcreep​ @inlovewithmobtom​​ @hypnotized-so-mesmerized​ 

[villa-kulla]

DVD Commentary: Could you do the first scene from Ch.3 of Desert Sands? The fight up to "Oh Billy, what are you trying to do?" ?

Oooh thank you and good choice! I’d be glad to

(copy-paste disclaimer that this isn’t under a readmore because my blog’s black background makes reading long things a chore, so SCROLL FAST IF YOU’RE NOT INTERESTED!) 

                                                          *

“You goddamn son of a bitch, that’s not what I’m saying at all!” Goodnight shouted.

Billy’s fists clenched. “Then what the hell are you trying to say?”

I like what a complete change of atmosphere this is from the ending of chapter 2! That ending was so ridiculously sweet (”I’d rather follow your soldier heart than someone with no heart at all” omg boysss), and I felt people might have been expecting an upbeat opening for this chapter, but instead we have a COMPLETE change of pace. I didn’t want to be TOO predictable:P But for real, I like what a total 180 this is from the last chapter, and I felt it was a good structure

Goodnight could see the effort the man was putting into not raising his voice, could see the telltale tick in Billy’s jaw.

“I’m saying if you just showed some goddamn professional decorum once in a while –“

“Professional?” Billy spat out. “What so this is really about being professional?”

Goodnight’s mouth opened and he waved his hand uselessly. “…yes!” he finally got out.

I also wanted to not explicitly say WHAT they were fighting about until later, so that the reader is just dumped immediately into this fight without knowing what’s going on yet. I’d hoped it would be an attention grabber, so hopefully it did indeed work as a hook haha

“Yeah okay,” Billy hissed. “So that’s why we were in a bar drinking in the first place, because you were interested in being professional, is that it?”

“There’s a difference and you know it!” Goodnight hollered at him, his face turning red.

“Then what’s the difference, Goodnight?” Billy shouted, finally having snapped. “Tell me what the hell the difference is!”

They were shouting at each other like they’d shouted at each other in any number of the shooting competitions they scammed. It was a familiar ritual to them: Billy would pretend to miss, Goodnight would stride in yelling, Billy would yell right back, they’d start throwing punches that the crowd wouldn’t be able to tell were being pulled, bets would be exchanged, and odds would be lengthened. And then when all the pretending was over, Billy and Goodnight would scamper out of the ring, pockets full, holding back laughter the entire time.

(eventually they would certainly choose other means of subverting people’s expectations for quickdraws, because this probably makes them too memorable after a while, and they wouldn’t want to risk running the same con too long. But for this fic at least they are total scammers lol)

But this time was different because Goodnight and Billy weren’t in a shooting ring. Instead they were in the middle of the room they were sharing on the top floor of a dusty Texas saloon. Their shoulders were tensed and their faces were red as they stood opposite each other shouting. Because they were in the middle of their first fight, their first real fight, and this time no one was pretending and they sure as shit weren’t laughing either.

I’d be curious to know if anyone actually thought it was one of their fake fights at the beginning! I was hoping it might have acted as a double-confuser like “oh no why are they fighting? Oh wait is it a fake fight? Oh wait maybe it is real” and to have people wonder until it was clear. I didn’t feel it was necessary to the ~drama~ and it’s fine if people assumed it was real right away - which it was - but I thought it could have been an interesting layer

“Well if you can’t see the difference then I’m not about to spell it out for you,” Goodnight said, throwing his hands up.

Billy scoffed. “Why the hell not? You explain every other damn thing to me.”

“You’re saying I think you’re stupid?” Goodnight asked incredulously.

“Well you’re sure as hell treating me like an idiot right now!” Billy shouted.

“If I’m treating you like an idiot it’s because you’re fucking acting like –“

“Don’t you fucking dare,” Billy said, his eyes gleaming warningly as he pointed a finger at Goodnight as sharply as he wielded any of his knives. “Don’t you dare, Goody.”

Goodnight’s stomach clenched unpleasantly at hearing Billy’s usual nickname for him said so viciously. But he squared his shoulders and looked back at him angrily.

“Well then don’t fucking test me.”

Okay disclaimer, I often find it so annoying in fics when characters drop the F-bomb every five seconds. It ends up reading like a ninth grader asking their English teacher “CAN WE HAVE SWEARING IN OUR STORY?” and then just going to town on it and overdoing it to the point where it’s embarrassing. I mean of course some characters are ripe for profanity opportunities, and I believe firmly in the comedic value of a well-placed ‘fuck’, but I don’t like to do it to the point where it just distracts from the dialogue. But anyways, this little segment probably has the most swears in the whole fic haha, and I was conscious of that, but I figured since they were fighting I could get away with it haha

Billy laughed unpleasantly. “Test you? Me test you? That’s a good one, Goody, really, you’ve outdone yourself.”

“Shut the hell up, Billy, I’m warning you,” Goodnight growled, turning away to walk over to where the bottle of whiskey stood, the one they’d shared so comfortably in this same room only the night before.

“I will if you tell me what this is really about,” Billy said, and then saw Goodnight reach for the bottle. “Oh there he is,” he snorted sarcastically. “The professional at work.”

Billy definitely knows how to twist the knife in every sense. But in a way it’s sort of a sign of the measure of companionship he feels with Goody that he’s NOT holding back at all. Billy’s probably very used to sliding under the radar and not drawing attention to himself, and I imagine it’s been a very long while since he’s been this cutting with anyone

“I said I’m fucking warning you, Billy,” Goodnight said in a low voice, his hands shaking with rage as poured a glass of whiskey, some of the amber liquid sloshing out.

I liked that little detail of the hands shaking, like it’s not a big thing but I feel like it adds the necessary sense of steam building and rattling the lid before the top blows off

“Then tell me what you want,” Billy hissed, stalking over to where Goodnight was standing.

“Shut the hell up if you know what’s good for you,” Goodnight gritted out, picking up his glass.

“Tell me, Goody,” Billy said in a raised voice.

“I mean it, Billy.”

“Tell me!” Billy shouted behind him.

“I SAID SHUT YOUR GODDAMN MOUTH,” Goodnight finally burst out, whirling around and hurling his glass past Billy’s stunned face where it exploded into a million fragments on the wall behind them.

ooooh caps, so we know it’s serious. This may be one of the few times I’ve ever used caps in writing anything actually

Billy turned to look at where the liquor was dripping down the wall, and then back at Goodnight, his lips parted in surprise.

Goodnight stood there breathing heavily, his hands tucked into fists, chest heaving, looking at Billy with his jaw clenched.

Billy’s mouth closed, his eyes took on a sharp look, and he took a step into Goodnight’s space. Goodnight’s breath quickened almost imperceptibly.

I like this bit because I feel like the expectation is that he’d step away, so ayyy, yay for heightened tension

“Goodnight,” Billy said, and Goodnight turned his jaw to face him dead on.

Billy’s face was a challenge as he looked right back at Goody, his eyes like pieces of flint. Goodnight stared at him transfixed.

Billy has amazing eyes and I feel like I can never do them justice in writing, but ‘pieces of flint’ might be fave thing I’ve ever come up with for them

“Just tell me what you want,” Billy whispered suddenly, the drop in volume so dramatic he might as well have been shouting again.

Billy knowsss what Goody wants and it’s the same thing Billy wants. But I feel like Billy is determined to have Goody say it first, because Billy can’t risk it. Billy knows how he feels about Goody (head over heels infatuated) and he’s sure Goody feels the same way too, but he feels like if things went wrong, Goody could equivocate about it more easily than he could, and he just wants it to be clear

Goodnight’s heart was hammering in anger, adrenaline, and something else as he stared at Billy’s unflinching face right in front of his. The firm line of his mouth, the glint in his eyes, the stubborn and steadfast set of his chin…

Goodnight’s lips parted and the glint of Billy’s eyes sparked.

In hindsight this reminds me a lot of the scene in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice where they were shouting at each other, and then there’s a pause, and they almost KISS. It wasn’t what was in my head at the time, but looking back it does seem reminiscent of that haha

Suddenly Goodnight couldn’t look anymore.

“I want you to go,” Goodnight said stiffly to the floor. There was silence and he chanced a look back up at Billy.

It was like a door had been shut on Billy’s face, any fight that had been in it resolutely shut down, and Goodnight was pierced by a sudden regret that he’d been the one to douse all that fiery tenacity.

‘fiery tenacity’ aka right around when I sold myself on the ‘Billy Rocks does stubborn like no one else’ philosophy

Billy turned as if to go. But when he looked back at Goodnight, something about his eyes looked almost…sad?

“All your fancy talk,” Billy said in a low voice. “And you can’t even talk to me now.”

He stepped back out of Goodnight’s space, and Goodnight felt the loss as keenly as if Billy had carved it out. He watched Billy walk silently across the room, reach tersely for his hat that was on his bed, and walk right out, closing the door behind him with a click.

shoutout to that ‘carved it out’ detail, because yay for knife imagery

The silence was deafening.

Goodnight stood there taking in shallow breaths as he stared at the door. The seconds ticked by. It was like he was expecting Billy to burst back in, the line of his shoulders back to their usual controlled but comfortable slope, and wearing that wry inscrutable half-smile that Goody had become as accustomed to on their rides as the desert horizon itself.

I think I was getting more used to writing Billy at this point. He has less obvious character traits than some of the others, but by now I felt okay playing around with how he comes off to others, and I like this image of him. P.S. drinking game where every time I describe Billy as ‘wry’ or ‘dry’ you have to take a shot

But Billy wasn’t coming back in and he knew it. And when it was clear that Goodnight was still alone he raised the heels of his hands to his eyes and rubbed them, working away any sting as he let out a huge breath.

Jesus…

He really wanted a drink but remembered his glass was currently in smithereens on the floor. And somehow he couldn’t bring himself to use Billy’s glass, the only other one in the room. The intimacy of it would have been fine any other time, but not now. He knew he could have just used the bottle, but it was like he could still feel Billy’s eyes on him.

this just makes me think of any other times they might have shared the same glass before, possibly when they were still dancing around each other, but taking whatever contact they could get

He sighed and walked across the room, and slowly started to pick up shards of glass, looking around for a broom that could take care of any splinters that were left.

Well. They were probably bound to have a fight someday, Goodnight thought despondently. He just hadn’t thought it would be over something so stupid.

I’m generally of the opinion that they don’t fight all that often, and maybe when they first started riding together they expected that they’d probably have a fight sooner, but they never did, and it became a bit of a joke in both their heads how easily and immediately they seemed to get along

Okay, so maybe Goodnight had overreacted. But when that girl had come over and had sat so proprietorially on Billy’s lap, clearly taken in by his exoticism only, Goodnight had felt his tongue turn so sour that he’d immediately raised his glass to douse it in whiskey, absolutely refusing to look at them.

He had felt Billy’s eyes on him, uncertain at first. But when he’d realized Goodnight was ignoring him he’d turned a charming smile back to the girl, murmuring things in the low voice that he normally used when making his droll, acerbic comments to Goodnight only, whenever they were laughing silently at the various characters around them.

Billy can stand a lot of things, but being ignored is probably not one of them

Which was maybe when Goodnight had finally looked over at him and snapped that he had a shooting competition tomorrow and to keep his fucking head in the game because Goodnight was sick of doing it for the both of them.

Billy’s eyes had glittered black and he’d stood up abruptly. But rather than throwing a punch at Goodnight - which Goody had honestly thought for a second he might - Billy had just turned on his heel and stalked upstairs to their room.

okay honestly plot hole here haha, because what happened to the girl on his lap?? Did she just fall off when he stood up?? There are Goody and Billy glaring at each other, both oblivious to the girl who presumably just landed with a thud on the floor. I tried to write something happening to her but the image was just making me laugh too much so I chose to leave her fate unsaid haha, but seriously, “Billy stood up abruptly” *thunk*. I can’t reread this paragraph anymore without immediately picturing what happens to the girl and laughing, h’oh boy

Which is where Goodnight had found him later, silently cleaning his knives and polishing the blades with oil, a common ritual of his when he got tense.

A voice had been telling Goodnight to let it go. But watching the rigid line of Billy’s arms as he’d run a cloth up the length of a blade and back down the other side had caused something inside of Goody to shift. And so he’d opened his stupid mouth to needle Billy, to poke and to prod, looking for a reaction until he’d gotten one, and then their voices were raising, their tempers were flaring, and finally they were shouting at each other about everything under the sun except for the one thing they really wanted to shout about, which was that…which was that…

such a small thing but I deliberated for ages over whether to say “looking for a reaction until he’d gotten one” or “looking for a reaction until boy had he gotten one”. I wasn’t sure if it was too conversational for a narrative bit, and it probs makes no difference at all haha but that was one place I got stuck. I do like the ‘except for the one thing they really wanted to shout about’ though, for the idea that their love/tension is has just become so all-consuming it bears shouting about

Goodnight wasn’t an idiot. He knew things had changed ever since they’d left Austin. Ever since they’d shared things that might have been half-declarations if they’d looked at them a little closer.

I loooove ‘half-declarations’ here, I’m very proud of that sentence haha.

That was two months ago, and in the time between then and now, Goodnight could practically feel the space between them shrinking. Every interaction of theirs seemed loaded with words and gestures that by themselves might have been meaningless, but all piled up together with the driving forces of their personalities behind them? It was like the space between them lately had been burning, and Goody felt blinded by it every time he even tried to examine things more closely.

in a way I did myself a favour by jumping two months to chapter 3, and not having to deal with writing the growing unresolved sexual tension, which can sometimes be tricky haha. I like the quiet suggestions of romantic tension in chapter 2. And I felt in the story structure it would have been redundant to explore the growing sexual tension immediately after. So doing a time jump had two benefits in that it kept things fresh, and that it also let me write about sexual tension in HINDSIGHT, which I felt was kind of a neat perspective that’s not often done

Goodnight carried the pieces of glass across the room to dump them in the dustbin, looking at the chairs that had been set up in the middle. One had all of Billy’s knife-cleaning equipment still laid out on it, and the other was where Billy had been sitting.

Goodnight stared at the empty chair with a pang in his chest. Because he just didn’t know, couldn’t be sure if Billy had been doing the same kind of navel-gazing over their current dynamic that Goodnight was. Every time they lay out on their blankets in a camp before bed, Goodnight’s heart would be hammering so hard he wondered how Billy couldn’t hear it. Or maybe he could and he was intentionally not acknowledging it. But then why had Billy…

one thing I wish I had explored more in this section was Goody not being sure if Billy feels the same way, for the reason that Goody KNOWS he’s imaginative and romanticizes a lot. I wish I had included a bit of Goody knowing this about himself, and wondering if he’s been romanticizing things with Billy. I think that would have been a realistic angle for Goody’s doubts but oh welllll.

Goodnight’s heart sped up now, the same way it did every time he remembered it. Barely even two weeks ago. It had started out so innocently, so normally…just the two of them in some anonymous town, out around the back of a saloon, smoking shoulder to shoulder, and gazing out at the blackened desert sky.

And so begins what I humbly believe is one of the most intense things I’ve written. Btw, would you believe that I hadn’t included any smoking up until this point because I had just……forgotten that they do that lmao. Seriously yall, I’d seen the movie all of once before writing this fic and was too tired to retain everything haha. I feel like they don’t smoke at all in chapters 1 or 2, and by the time I got to chapter 3 I had remembered the cigarettes and the world of potential there haha

Goodnight had finished his cigarette first and had reached in his case to take another, remembering too late that it was empty.

what verb tense is this? past perfect? I feel like I’ve done an unlikely amount of writing in the past perfect form, just for the sake of flashbacks haha. I worry that it can read as distracting, but maybe it also helps make things more vivid. OR BOTH, WHO KNOWS. But idk, I feel like this tense has served me well on more than one occasion.

He’d snapped it shut. “You got another one?” he’d asked, leaning towards Billy, their shoulders nearly touching.

Billy had blown out a puff of smoke. “No,” he’d said simply.

Goodnight had sighed dramatically, leaning back against the outside wall of the saloon, and Billy had glanced at him amused, from where he was leaning himself.

my god they adore each other

Billy had looked thoughtfully at his own cigarette. It was almost a stub by now, probably just one more puff left.

And with a flick of his fingers he was raising it to his own lips to deliberately suck in the last drag of smoke, his lips curled smugly around the paper tip. Goodnight had scoffed and looked back out at the desert.

I like this fakeout where we think Billy might give the cigarette to him, but nope, he’s smoking it himself, but for an EVEN BETTER REASON

Which is when Billy had rolled into Goodnight’s space, Goodnight jolting when he realized their faces were barely an inch apart. And when Goodnight’s lips had parted in surprise, Billy had just leaned in and gently breathed the rest of the smoke into Goodnight’s mouth.

this is the one and only time I’ve ever had to walk off my own writing. The image was too much for me haha. This scene felt very special while I was writing it, so I’m thrilled that so many people brought it up afterwards

There wasn’t even enough space between their lips for the edge of one of Billy’s knives.

more knife imagery

And then Billy had flicked the finished cigarette away, leaving Goodnight standing there with his lungs and heart burning in his chest, and was walking back into the saloon just as cool as you please.

love that “just as cool as you please.” But for real, this was ballsy as hell of Billy

Goodnight had wanted to go after him. He’d wanted to go after him so badly.

you and me both, boyo, but then the fic would be over too soon!!

Instead he’d stared at the discarded cigarette butt for what felt like an hour as he waited for his heart to stop pounding, convincing himself that Billy had just been teasing him because that was what Billy did. He’d caught onto Goodnight’s preoccupation and was somehow making fun of him and…

No. For all his apparent sharpness, Billy was not a cruel man and that was the truth. The truth was that Goodnight was a goddamn coward. He hadn’t gone after Billy then, just like he wasn’t going after Billy now.

felt like this paragraph needed to be a jump from the flashback right back into reality and Goody’s inner thoughts, so I like that it’s a moment of insight that does it

Goodnight suddenly felt irritated. It wasn’t like Billy had said anything either.

But then again…Goodnight softened as he looked at the empty chair, and wondered which of them thought they had more to lose.

Goodnight walked over to his bed, the one against the wall like he always claimed whenever he and Billy ended up sharing rooms. He flopped down on the mattress and stared up at the ceiling. This thing they were dancing around was going to have to come out sometime. But until then he would just wait here for Billy to cool off and come back, Goodnight would apologize for being a prick, and they’d share a drink and laugh about the fact that they’d finally actually had a fight.

Give him an hour, Goodnight thought, laying back. One more hour and it would all be okay.

One hour later Goodnight was cleaning the room to distract himself. Okay so maybe Billy needed two hours, fair enough.

Two hours later had Goodnight sitting back on his bed, twiddling his thumbs, counting to a thousand in French just to pass the time.

Three hours later and Goodnight was goddamn irritated.

You’ve made your point, Billy, he thought in frustration, getting up to grab his hat, and stalking out of the room. If the mountain wouldn’t come to Mohammed…

love this little bit. This is definitely not the first time Goodnight has thought of his stubborn companion as the mountain to his mohammed

He made his way downstairs to the saloon’s bar where there were still some people milling around. Goodnight didn’t see Billy among them. He walked up to the bartender who was cleaning out a glass with a rag that was old but clean.

details details. the dingy bar is supposed to stand out from this one, hence the attention to the ‘clean’ rag, and then the pretty cordial bartender a couple sentences down

“You seen my friend?” Goodnight asked, not bothering to elaborate. He knew he and Billy stood out.

“Hmm?” the bartender asked, looking up and recognizing Goodnight. “Oh, yeah. He was here for a while. Had to cut him off though.”

Goodnight was alarmed. Billy could drink with the best of them, but he wasn’t actually what Goodnight would have considered a ‘drinker’, and he sure as hell never drank alone. And if he’d been sitting here trying to drink the whole bar because of Goodnight…

I’m convinced that the ‘Billy turns down a drink’ tiny moment was an acting choice of LBH’s, to make the scene where Billy drinks his sorrows stand out. Not sure if that ‘looks like he’s started to drink’ line of Horne’s was meant to be significant to Billy having been noticeably not a big drinker, but either way I’ve seen some interesting takes in fic on Billy’s relationship with alcohol. In this series he will gladly enjoy a drink or five in the right company, but if all the liquor in the world suddenly dried up, he wouldn’t feel too put out about it

Goodnight couldn’t have felt guiltier if he’d tried.

“You know where he went?” he asked the bartender.

“No but there’s only one other bar around here,” the man said. “And if he were wanting to continue he’d have gone over to Jim’s place. He’s a little less particular about drunks.”

okay let’s be real, I doubt any saloon in the wild wild west was ‘particular about drunks’ haha but HEIGHTENED TENSION NEEDS MUST

He pointed in the general direction of ‘Jim’s place’ and Goodnight nodded his thanks, heading out.

Oh Billy, what are you trying to do? Goodnight thought, quickening his pace.

annnnnnnd the tension turns up another notch. Go, Goody, go.

                                                            *

thanks for choosing this scene!