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ilovephhrry · 1 month

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Sweet Nothing | Austin Butler x Reader

Pairing: austin butler x singer!f!reader

Word Count: 3.6k

Summary: noticing y/n’s struggle to come up with a final song for her new album, austin offers his help which leads to a trip down memory lane and a whole lot of sweet nothing. based off the song sweet nothing by taylor swift (requested)

Warnings: mild swearing

Masterlist/Request Form | Ask/Tell/Request

A/N: I love this song and I loved writing this fic and that’s really all I have to say. thank you so much to the person who requested this. writing fics based off of taylor’s songs is one of my all time favorite things and I appreciate when people trust me enough to write a fic based off one of their favorites. it truly means the world. enjoy and lmk what you think! love ya’ll so much :) <3

“Dammit,” you mutter, groaning as you slam your hands down on the piano keys. You’ve been at this for hours and nothing, absolutely nothing, is coming to mind when you try to think of lyrics for a new song. At least nothing you can actually use.

All you need is one final song to complete your new album set to come out later this year, but you’ve been struggling immensely to come up with anything. You feel solid with everything else you’ve written thus far for the new record, but you feel like something’s missing, you just don’t know what.

For months you’ve been revisiting your feelings on past relationships and experiences that you’ve never been able to face before. This album has honestly been the most healing and eye opening experience for you. With each finished song you’ve found yourself feeling lighter or more empowered which has been such a surreal experience. For this final song you want to continue that theme of opening up and talking about things that have affected you. But you don’t want it to be heavy like some of the other songs and also don’t want it to be a fun pop-infused track like the rest of them. You want it to be that middle ground. You just wish you knew what that middle ground is.

After a few more minutes of fiddling around with the black and white keys, you hear your boyfriend of six years come in through the front door.

“Hey, baby,” he says as he spots you sitting at the piano in the exact spot he left you in hours ago. “Still working on that song?”

Sighing, you nod your head and rub at your eyes. They’re honestly starting to burn after staring at your notes of random lyrics for so long. You could use a nap right about now.

Austin walks over and places a light hand on one of your shoulders before leaning down and planting a kiss on the top of your head. The action leaves you feeling warm inside and causes a small smile to form at the corner of your mouth. Turning, you look up at him and are met with his pale blue eyes and sweet smile.

“Why don’t I help you? We can work on it together.”

Nodding your head you say, “Yeah, I’d love that.”

Looking around, you try to find something that you can pull up to the piano so Austin can have somewhere to sit. Before you can even glance halfway across the living room though, he’s picking you up by your waist and settling in behind you and placing you on his lap, pulling you back so you’re flush against his chest, his arms wrapped loosely around you.

“Austin!” You giggle, bits of your frustration and struggles already melting away with his presence. “You do realize this stool is not only small but also not that sturdy?”

The blonde hums and you can feel him shrug his shoulders. “At least if it breaks I’ll be the one to hit the ground first. I’ll soften your landin’.”

Rolling your eyes, you chuckle before reaching out for your open notebook. You unhook the pen from the page you left it clipped in and begin to tap lightly on the paper, reading over what little you have on it.

“Do you have any idea what you want this song to be about? Or are you still tryin’ to decide?”

“I guess still trying to decide. I mean you know how special this album has been for me so far.” Unwrapping Austin’s arms from around your waist, you get up and turn yourself around, settling back on your boyfriends lap once you’re face to face. “I just want to keep that feeling going. I don’t know why I’m struggling so much with this. It’s one last song, I’ve dealt with worse pressure and deadlines before I just-I don’t know, it all feels-“

Cutting yourself off, you take a deep breath, suddenly feeling a rush of emotions beginning to bubble to the surface. Maybe it’s the fact you’ve been working for hours or that all of these songs have opened up parts of you you never thought would be open again. Whatever it is, it has you on the brink of tears.

This music has been some of your most vulnerable art yet and you know that there’s a part of you that’s worried it won’t be received well or that it’ll be picked apart. There’s a reason you’ve never closed the chapter on so many of these stories before, your stories. These songs are literally about things and people that have kept you up at night and there’s something awfully scary about releasing something like that, even if you have been doing stuff like this for years. Somehow, it feels different this time.

“Hey, look at me,” Austin cups your face between his hands and tilts his head to try and catch your eyes. He can see the gleam of tears in them and his heart constricts at the sight. He hates the pressure you put on yourself and the pressure other people put on you as well. It’s something the two of you have worked on together over the years, but he knows you still struggle with it deeply, especially with things like this. “I know how important this album is to you and I have no doubt in my mind that you’re gonna figure this out. Forget what anyone else might think, this music is yours and yours alone. Hell, you know you could just throw on a five minute track of you just breathin’ and your fans would think it’s the best damn thing in the world.”

A loud laugh erupts from the back of your throat and you throw your head back, the sound carrying throughout the living room. “How is it you always know the right thing to say?” Wrapping your arms around Austin’s neck, you lean in and rub your nose lightly against his.

“It’s a natural talent, or so I’m told.” The two of you let out breathy laughs before going silent. A beat passes before Austin pulls away slightly. “I just know my girl and I know she’s gonna figure out this song and that it’s gonna be incredible. Just take a breath, sweetheart, it’s just me and you here. You don’t need to worry about all that outside pressure when you’re with me, you know that. I’ve got you.”

It’s impossible to hold back the smile that spreads across your face. Reaching up, you cup the blonde’s jaw in one of your hands and lean in, connecting your lips and quickly falling into a smooth rhythm.

Austin’s lips are soft and warm against your own. Your body practically melts into his, a content feeling coursing through your veins. These moments with your boyfriend, where it’s just the two of you, are some of your most favorite. When you’re with Austin it’s like nothing else matters besides the two of you. The outside world and all the pressure, gossip, and expectations that come with it float away. With Austin, you’re no longer Y/N Y/L/N, you’re just Y/N. In the best way possible he expects nothing from you, unlike previous boyfriends and a large part of the public, all Austin wants is to love and care for you. Honestly that’s all you could ever ask for in a partner.

Trailing your hands down the actor’s chest, you grab onto the pockets of his jacket he has yet to take off, using them to bring him impossibly closer to you. As your fingers settle into the pockets, you pull one hand out as something brushes across it.

Holding the item between two fingers, you break apart from Austin and look down at it, a joyous laugh instantly passing between your lips as you realize what it is. “Aus, no way! I can’t believe you still have this in your pocket!”

“What is it?” Shifting his head down, Austin peers at the small item pinched between your fingers. Recognition flashes across his face and he smirks while shaking his head. “I almost forgot about that! That’s crazy it’s stayed in there all this time, it’s so small, like a firefly.”

Holding it up in the sunlight, your eyes gleam at the small token. The way the sun shines across the smooth surface, it practically does resemble a firefly. To others it may seem like nothing, but to you and Austin it’s a fond memory of one of the few getaways you were able to have without being constantly followed by paparazzi. It’s nothing but a pebble, but the story that goes along with it will always warm your heart.

“Do you remember when we got this?” You ask barely above a whisper, the feelings of the memory already seeping into your mind, a sense of calm and peace settling within you.

“Of course I do. We picked it up last July when we were in Ireland. I remember we found it while playin’ I Spy and walkin’ around the coast one afternoon.” A small smile curves Austin’s lips upwards, the sound of the waves and the feeling of the sun on his skin coming back to him full force.

“It was your turn to guess what I spotted and you picked it up and were so sure that was the thing I was talking about. The smallest pebble in the world amongst a thousand other things and yet you were dead set on making me believe that’s what I saw and that you won.”

Austin’s deep chuckle fills the air as he takes the pebble from your hand. “And I did win. Fair and square and you know it, baby.” The man winks at you before reaching over and placing the pebble on the built in shelf on the wall next to the piano. Dozens of your and Austin’s accomplishments and shared memories line the shelves. It’s one of your favorite parts of the house.

As you stare at the new addition to the collection, an idea comes to mind, a little joke if you will. “I spy with my little tired eye, tiny as a firefly, a pebble that we picked up last July.”

Austin smiles and nudges his head into your neck. “Real specific,” he quips. “Do you think it misses Wicklow sometimes?”

Giggling, you nod your head. “Probably. I know I do. I’d give anything to be back in that town with you again.”

“Me too. We’ll have to go back sometime.” You hum in agreement, the thought seeming really nice.

As you look at your boyfriend and reflect back on that vacation and the thoughts you’ve had since he arrived home, words, no lyrics, start to form in your mind.

Quickly, you untangle yourself from Austin before getting up and turning back around towards the piano. You carefully sit back down on his lap, not wanting to hurt him, and pick up your notebook.

Before your pen even gets a chance to touch the paper, your phone buzzes across the piano’s music shelf.

Picking up your phone, you check to see if it’s anything important. Unfortunately it’s not, it’s merely a news notification that you could’ve sworn you turned off ages ago. Even more unfortunately, the article happens to be about you. Scoffing at the title and the clear absurdity of it all, you hold the device up for Austin to see.

“They said ‘the end is coming’,” you mumble, feeling tired of the constant speculation on not only your career but your relationship with your actor boyfriend as well.

The blonde looks at your phone and rolls his eyes at the bold print he comes across.

EXCLUSIVE! Y/N Y/L/N and the Evident End of Both Her Career and Relationship With Actor Beau Austin Butler!

“Not a chance. Everyone’s up to somethin’, you just gotta stick with what you know and trust that everythin’ will turn out okay. You’re doin’ incredible in your career right now and no matter what anyone says, I’m not goin’ anywhere. You’re it for me, Y/N, no one’s ever gonna be able to compare.”

Austin leans forward and presses a kiss to the back of your shoulder, the feeling making your heart flutter. You scrunch your shoulder up and press your cheek to it, basking in the warmth there as Austin tilts his head down towards you.

“And you wonder why I find myself running home to you every day. How could a girl ever give up a guy that treats her as good as you treat me?”

Nuzzling his nose in the crook of your neck, Austin responds, “I could say the same about you, sweetheart.”

Austin kisses your shoulder again quickly before you toss your phone to the side and pick up where you left off. For a while the only sounds audible in the house are the soft breathing of the man behind you and the rapid scribbles of your pen on paper. Despite the pressure you’re dealing with and the sudden unwarranted gossip article interruption, you feel at ease. Just like Austin said you would, you find yourself rapidly coming up with a final song, the man of the hour ironically becoming your inspiration. You should’ve known you’d end up here, there will never be enough songs to describe the love you and the actor share.

“You know what this reminds me of?” Austin mumbles softly as he leans his head on your shoulder, the vibration of his voice sending chills down your back. You hum in response, not trusting your voice. “Remember that one time we were driving home from…somewhere, I don’t know, but suddenly you just got this random idea out of nowhere and started writin’ this poem on a napkin we had in the glove box.”

“I do!” You grin. “It was called Mirrorball and when I finished writing it and showed you, you turned to me and said ‘what a mind!’. You do realize you say that to me all the time? Pretty much anytime I show you something new I write.” You giggle and sneak a glance over your shoulder, melting at the sight of Austin’s sparkling eyes and coy smile.

“Okay but I was right because you ended up turnin’ it into a genius song that’s still one of my favorites of yours to this day. Everyone loves it and yet has no idea it started as a little poem written on a random car napkin. It never fails to blow my mind how you’re able to come up with this stuff. I hope you realize how talented you are. You’re amazing, Y/N, seriously.”

“Austin!” You squeak, heat rising to your cheeks as you become shy over his words. It’s not that you don’t know you’re talented, it’s just the fact there’s someone else who constantly supports you and understands your art as much as you do. Someone who believes in you wholeheartedly and is genuinely in awe over your life’s work. To have someone be honest with you about it all and be unashamed to admit their astonishment over it is really special to you and you appreciate it a lot. “Thank you, truly.”

Your boyfriend smiles kindly at you, understanding completely how you’re feeling. Somehow he’s always able to do that; read your mind in a way, understand all the things you’re trying to say without actually saying them. You’re not sure when this started happening but whenever it was it was natural and just more of a sign to you that you’ve never had anyone quite like Austin in your life before and you know that you never will again.

“I don’t think I say it enough so I just want you to know how much I appreciate everything you do for me. I know being in this relationship hasn’t always been the easiest and who knows what the future will hold, but yet you’ve always stood by me. You don’t let the noise in and are only ever concerned with what’s happening between you and I alone, never what anyone else thinks of us. You know better than anyone that there are times I fear our relationship will crumble or that something will change and you’ll turn out like every other guy I’ve been with. And I know it won’t and I know you aren’t, I know it with my whole heart, and yet sometimes it still happens but you take it in stride.

“You never pressure me about it all or expect me to be someone I’m not. You accept me for who I am and who I’m trying to be without any questions. We’re not perfect and we have our moments, I know that, but there’s truly no one else in this world I’d rather be with. Outside, there’s an endless amount of people pushing and shoving, both metaphorically and physically sometimes, and yet as soon as I step through that front door it stops. I walk in and half the time I find you humming Elvis songs in the kitchen and it’s like nothing else matters. When I’m with you I’m just Y/N. No pressure, no expectations, nothing, and it’s…sweet. I just want you to know how much I appreciate you seeing me for me and that I love you more than you could ever imagine, Austin.”

Instantly you feel the man’s arms tighten around you, his chin settling on the top part of your shoulder as he holds you close. “I did not expect to get emotional today,” he jokes, his voice quavering, a tell tale sign he’s trying to fight back tears. “I don’t know what else to say besides I love you, Y/N, so so much. You don’t ever have to thank me for all of that but I appreciate it just as much as I appreciate you.”

Reaching a hand up, you thread your fingers in Austin’s hair, turning your head so you can lean it against his as the two of you take in this loving moment. You and Austin express your love to each other practically every day, but you can’t remember the last time it was as intense and deep as this. Your heart feels so incredibly full right now and a small part of you is grateful you were struggling with this song because without that frustration, you would’ve never had this moment with the man you love today, and that thought alone seems unbearable.

After some time passes, Austin begins to shift behind you. You watch as he reaches a hand out and grabs your notebook from the piano. He hums as he reads over what you have so far, majority of it based off things you were discussing earlier. His lips twitch happily as he gets further down the page and it’s not long before he asks, “Can you hand me that pen?”

You happily oblige him, intrigued in whatever it is he plans on doing. Austin’s quick with it, he brings the pen up to the top of the page and in an instant he’s finished. After he places the journal back on the piano you take a moment to look over what he wrote. A satisfied sigh escapes you and a smile forms on your lips as you’re met with the most perfect title and the missing words you couldn’t quite place for the refrain.

“Well, I think you just earned yourself some writing credits, Mr. Butler,” you tease, squeezing the hand still wrapped around your waist.

“I guess you’re not the only lyrical genius in this house then, are you?” Austin begins to pepper kisses all around the side of your face which causes you to erupt in a fit of giggles. You squirm against him and a thought flashes in your mind that if this keeps up, the piano bench may actually collapse. But hey, at least you’ll have someone to catch you, to soften the landing, and a part of you feels content in knowing that. Sometimes things happen and you end up getting knocked down, but it’s not so bad when you’ve got someone there to help you get back up.

Luckily, the two of you settle down and get situated. Just as you were earlier, you begin to play around with the piano keys. Based off the lyrics you have so far you feel a soft ballad would be best for this song, not too deep or intense and not too pop-infused; that perfect middle ground.

The notes you begin to play are alright, but you can tell there’s something missing. The beat isn’t quite hitting right as you think about the lyrics in your head, but before you can begin to fuss over it, Austin places one of his hands over yours.

“What if you add this in…”

The blonde’s slender fingers begin to push down on the keys along with yours and soon the space is filled with a tune you immediately fall in love with. Austin continues playing as you slip your hand out from under his and you watch adoringly as he tries to piece together the lyrics with the melody, genuine interest and enjoyment evident in his actions.

You revel in the sight before you, a visual you’ll never quite get over. This has happened before, you and Austin making music together, but each and every time it’s so special to you and you just have a feeling this one’s going to be even more-so.

Glancing at the open journal infront of you, you yet again smile at the title Austin’s written out. He captured the song, the feeling, perfectly.

There’s no other phrase you’d rather use. It all truly is a whole lot of Sweet Nothing.

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ilovephhrry · 3 months

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🫠🫠

can we prioritize jb controversially young gf pleaseeeee i vote yes

to ease y'all into it, get ya warmed up, here's a little appetizer (courtesy of my friends @boywithpinkcarnation and @ever-siince-new-york aka the loves of my life)

julien w a controversially!young gf

okay i have an (unpopular) opinion that i don't think julien would date someone controversially young not because there's something wrong with it but because she will get so existential and I feel like she would feel bad if your brain wasn't fully developed lol

however!!!! this aside, lets continue

I don't think it would be a best friends little siblings scenario or like the kid of someone on her team or the bg team

young!gf is probably a writer or an artist of some kind and julien is either a fan or is at a charity event or something similar and she meets boygenius and they all instantly love her sm

and jules and young!gf really hit it off and so julien leaves with her number but doesn't find out shes young until like 3 days later

has an absolute crisis about it, especially because she doesn't want to hurt you or change you

thinking young!gf is 20 about to be 21, like just old enough that some people will be like um??? but also you're a whole-ass adult so you can do what ya want

but julien and young!gf have a very serious convo bc they are both feeling the vibe and julien just wants a healthy, mutually beneficial, safe, and loving relationship

but anyways

lets get right to it, phoebe and lucy and MUNA love you

like the love u sm but they also love teasing julien

julien could be getting up from a chair or like be laying on the floor and phoebe is yelling "life alert" to you, a glare pushing its way onto jules's face

phoebe is the biggest instigator, always snapping photos of you both candidly and adding them to her photo dumps

I had that phoebe buys young!gf a t-shirt that says I love milfs but @boywithpinkcarnation said a shirt with I <3 cougars and its iconic honestly

phoebe will 1000% caption a photo of you sitting on jb's lap and be like "sugar daddy vibes🤑" or "jb is taking babysitting wayyy too seriously" (@boywithpinkcarnation)

they all call you baby and they mean it

katie is the second biggest instigator and right after that is lucy, then nomi, then jo

katie always teases about "respect your elders"

lucy will post a very wholesome photo of the two of you but caption it "spend time and cherish your elders, they aren't around forever❤️" (straight from social queen @boywithpinkcarnation)

eventually young!gf gets into it and starts making jokes like kelli tiktok vibes (@ever-siince-new-york)

she gets asked in a day in the life vid or a live a question about jules and shes like "I'm not sure really...i just with her for the money," and julien is in the back like that interview when lucy says they're breaking up like "baby! don't say that! it's not funny!" and she's groaning coming into frame, her hand on young!gf's head, "they're gonna start to believe you, ya know?" like all sassy how jb gets🤓☝🏼

PRIVATE BUT NOT SECRET VIBEZZZZ @ever-siince-new-york, carlena said and i quote, "like they're not lovesurging on tiktok but if the paps get jb giving hickies on film... oh well😁"

they are also STOKED for you to turn 21, since most of them are sober the idea of getting you drunk is so appealing

and jb is SO protective, like already jb has her hands on young!gf all. the. time. like in the dip of her back or on her hips or hand on the back of her neck, jb is always making some type of physical contact

BUT especially in the club or at a bar

they do get freaky on her 21st bday hehe

maybe the day after bc young!gf just lets joi keep giving her shots and julien is just standing there jaw dropped because who knew their sweet baby girl was a mf tank

but lit katie, molly, kelli, jo, nomi, lucy, and phoebe LOVE you sm, like yes you're young and everyone is pushing or already 30 but young!gf is so profound and mature but not in a way that's not acting her age, she just has a very old soul and enjoys rest and knows what she likes and what she wants

and julien loooooves this, like jules doesn't want to groom you and mold you into something you're not, she wants you to act your age and like she doesn't isolate you or make you act 28 because everyone is around that age. like she fully supports if you wanna go out and party or like do something kinda childish or if you wanted to stress about school or be homesick, julien lets you just vibe and doesn't pressure you to grow up faster, she truly just wants you to grow up without the age gap looming over you

back to the daddy!jb antics, without infantalizing you, jb handles ALL of the "adult stuff" like y'all def split bills if you live together but she manages all of the subscriptions and pays all of the utilities and makes sure your car has gas and is always maintained like takes it to get inspected and stuff

if young!gf is in school than that's your biggest priority in jb's eyes, like yes focus on school or your work and then when you graduate we'll start to divvy up the household stuff

jb just loves to care for you, like she always has an extra hair tie on her wrist and its your scrunchie like the one you love

before you live together, jb is stocking her house w your stuff to make you comfy

your fave snacks are in the kitchen, your fave drinks in the fridge

jb buys a full size of your fave perfume and body wash, she has you pick out pajamas for her dresser and puts a jewelry holder on her dresser just for you (@ever-siince-new-york 🥹)

if you're in school, jb def has a desk set up in her office or music room and its one she built and it has cute pens and stationary and a pretty keyboard and a comfy chair where you can cross your legs and then under it is built in storage for some of your books and crocheting/knitting/crafting stuff

when you move in, jb designs (w the help of lucy and Katie) your own office where you can write and paint and it has the best sunlight in the whole house

julien also gets really anxious leaving you at home, not because you're not capable but she grows so attached and is like "you'll be a different person when i come back:("

always sending flowers and dinner and gifts while on the road (@ever-siince-new-york)

not smut but smut adjacent

julien is sooooo nervous to have sex w young!gf

maybe she hasn't done it before or julien just feels a lot of pressure to take care of her

and she has to be like "do you not like me?" kinda insecurely because julien is treating her like shes glass

and jb is like "oh my god sweet girl, no no no, i- of course i- i love you!"

and she's like "you WHAT??"

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