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#elvis baz luhrmann
foreverdolly · 9 months
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𝐈 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄 |80's mechanic!austin x best friend!reader
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summary: it's starting to look like he might never make it out of the friend zone. austin has been in love with you for as long as he can remember, and he's terrified that you'll never see him as anything more than a best friend and protector. with the fear of you one day outgrowing him fresh on his mind, he's now hell bent on getting you to view him in a different light. madly in love and terrified to lose you, austin butler is playing for keeps.
pairings: 80s mechanic! austin x childhood best friend!reader
word count: 4.8k
notes/warnings: SMUT! in part two, virgin!austin. . . need i say more?, i love pining and this fic is testament to that, shaky/hurried hands, who doesn't love a good best friends to lovers fic, he has a deep southern accent, austin is the small town's metalhead and he's swelteringly hot without even trying. (this is going to have to be two parts because it turned out too long after editing. the smut alone is like. . . five pages on google docs.)
The incessant metallic clinging and loud mechanic whirs echoed against the cement flooring of the auto body garage. The sun was peeking just over the trees right outside the open garage doors, the spring sky slowly burning gold and pink. Most of the men were rushing to finish up with the vehicles that they were working on, eager to get home to their families after a long day of work. There was one mechanic though -who might be young, but made up for it with skill- was still elbow deep under the car’s hood, eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration. He’d only been looking at the car for five minutes and knew exactly what was wrong with it. The elderly woman had gotten her car towed all the way to Travis’ shop after the damn thing stalled out in the middle of the Winn-Dixie parking lot. The young mechanic could see her through the lobby’s windows watching him, her tiny wrinkly hands balled up into nervous fists.
“Aye- Austin?” Travis jogged right up to Austin, placing his hand down on one of the side mirrors as he waited for the diagnosis. 
“It’s not the engine. The transmission,” He pointed towards the old hunk of junk, leaning his head back under the hood to show his boss. “It’s completely shot. She said it will jerk when she accelerates and the wheel will sometimes shake when she’s goin’ fast enough. What’s happening is that it’s slippin’. The damn thing won’t stay in gear. This car is ten years out of date- I mean. . . It's a ‘74. So even if we order the parts-” 
“It’s gonna cost more to fix than it would be for her to just buy a whole new one.” The boss finished for him, sighing when he saw Austin nod his head in agreement. 
The long haired blonde blinked his eyes against the burning sunset, shooing a gnat away from his face as he leaned his hip against the car. He crossed one booted foot over the other as he waited patiently for the man to make a decision. While Travis enjoyed making money, Austin knew that the bastard was above stealing it from little old ladies. With a small huff of defeat the middle aged man began walking back in the direction of the lobby, most likely to break the bad news. He stopped just before he opened the door, pointing a quick finger-gun in Austin’s direction. 
“Are you comin’ over to Mark’s cookout tonight? You can bring your girl.” He called out over the loud noise. 
Austin shook his head before flashing the man a little face of distaste. 
“I’ve gotta go to my dad’s house to grab some of my old shit. Besides- I don’t have a girl to bring.” 
Travis shot him “a face” right back, but one of disbelief. “Yeah, right. A girl doesn’t just bring her friend a hand packed lunch every other day unless she was hopin’ for somethin’ to happen between them..” And before Austin could even defend himself the man was gone, sauntering solemnly over to the corner where the elderly woman was sitting. 
You weren’t the one that was hoping for a chance at romance, but Austin was. He’d rather die than admit it, but his co-workers' words lit a small fire in his chest; a hopeful pyre that didn’t dim. 
The wooden stairs were old and weather worn, the nails rusted with age. Austin always felt a sense of dread when he heard the familiar creaking under his feet, and the fact that he could hear the television droning on from inside of the trailer didn’t make it any better. It meant that he was home, and the blonde knew what that meant. A fight was sure to ensue, and after the shitty day that he had at work, that was the last thing that he wanted to endure. He found that the door was unlocked, per usual. The inhabitant of the rickety death trap didn’t have anything worth stealing. 
“Why are you here?” The middle aged man looked terrible for his age, though Austin blamed that on the endless supply of alcohol and drugs that ran through the man’s system. 
Austin cleared his throat, closing the door behind him with a grimace. He didn’t want to be here, but there were still a few boxes back in his old room that he needed to grab. After that he’d be gone for good, or at least that’s what he told himself anyway. His no-good father was used to relying on other people to save the day, one of those people being his own son. 
He blamed his strong sense of duties on the fact that he was raised in the deep south. “Being a man” was hammered into his skull from the moment of his very conception. Taking care of your family, especially when they are unable to do it for themselves, was considered a must. Austin had always hated his father. In fact, he couldn’t remember a single time in his life when he had felt gratitude or love in any magnitude towards his father. Still, he was a man and needed to provide for his family. . . right? He didn’t want anyone to think less of him for abandoning his father. More than anything, he didn’t want the wrong kind of gossip ending up in the wrong people’s ears.
What was important to him now was getting the hell away from his abusive father. He was old enough to start thinking about what he wanted for himself in the future. He’d always craved companionship with a certain person. . . children were on his radar too. The last thing he wanted was for his druggie father to be in his own kid’s lives. 
The lanky man didn’t fit in the small home anymore, and he hadn’t for years. Both physically and emotionally, he had outgrown his prison many moons ago. He took a few seconds to look around the living room. Now that he wasn’t there to clean up after the grotesque man, the house smelled absolutely putrid. Austin’s nose wrinkled in disgust, eyes dancing along the empty beer cans and overflowing sink. 
“Jus’ gettin’ the last of my stuff.” Austin grumbled, his bulky black boots sticking to the dirty linoleum floors as he tried his best to breeze past the older man’s old recliner. 
A hand reached out, gripping at his wrist to stop him. Austin looked down, the muscles in his sharp jaw clicking as he held back the urge to rip himself out of the man’s reach. He knew that he was too big for the man to intimidate now, but his body still remembered the pain his father had put him through as a kid. 
“Ya talkin’ bout that toolbox?” The man’s voice was gravely, all thanks to the menthols he religiously smoked. Austin could smell the Miller Light and smoke coming off of him now. It was nauseating. 
The blonde ripped his eyes off of the man’s face, peeking off down the hall to see his old bedroom door wide open. He had locked it from the inside and crawled out the window the last time that he was here, taking the spare key with him. It was still tucked away safely in his wallet. His breathing stuttered when he realized that the doorknob had been taken off completely. 
“I need it for work. What did you do with it?” Austin tried to school the deep southern accent out of his voice. He got into the habit of doing that around his father from a young age, desperately wanting to seem as different from the old man as possible. 
“If that’s what yer here for, don’ bother. I sold it.” The young adult’s heart sank to his ass, and this time he didn’t hesitate in ripping his wrist out of the man’s hand. 
“To who? Where is it?” Austin questioned heatedly, staring daggers into the old man’s face. 
The sandy haired man was staring back at the television now, watching old reruns of some shitty old Western movie that must have come out in the sixties. He didn’t answer Austin, too drunk to care and too high to listen. 
“Dad!” Austin’s deep voice boomed, echoing around the filthy trailer. “Where the fuck did you take it? The pawn shop off’a Assembly Street?” That was where his father often sold stolen shit for a few extra bucks. 
That got the other man’s attention. He didn’t take kindly to being yelled and cursed at, especially not by his son. He could always deal it out, but refused to take it. Ray Butler had stopped beating on his son during his Junior year in highschool though, realizing that the boy was now bigger than him. Out of a cowardly fear for his own safety, he stuck to the emotional abuse instead, which only got worse once he didn’t have a true outlet for his frustrations. Austin bristled as he watched the old man glare up at him, taking a long swig from his beer before answering. 
“I took it to Keith’s. If ya needed it so bad, why the hell didn’t you take it with ya in the first place? It’s in my house, so I can do whatever the fuck I want with it.” It was surprising how coherent the man was, especially since he must have been drinking all day long. 
Austin’s father hadn’t had a job in the last seven years, but still managed to scrape by somehow. He was a petty thief whose criminal record stretched all the way back into his boyhood. He had raised the blonde to be the exact same way, but the only thing Austin had truly adopted from his “teachings” was a shared hatred for cops and a scrappy sort of resourcefulness. The other kids that he was forced to interact with at school were the ones that taught him how to fight. They enjoyed taking turns trying to beat the shit out of the town’s poor kid, but once he finally hit his growth spurt in the summer after sixth grade the roles were largely reversed. Nobody messed with him by the time that he had entered high school. He was feared by his peers and just as hated. 
The negative image that he had created served him well though. Not only had he made a name for himself, he had also gained the ability to protect his best friend, which was the only thing he really cared about. Getting the dog shit knocked out of him was one thing, but seeing boys and girls teasing her was a different story. He remembered storming into the girl’s bathroom during his junior year very vividly, yanking up one of popular blonde’s by the back of her shirt. 
“I’m a Butler, so don’t think that I’m above hittin’ a girl.” 
He’d constantly ask you if the bullying persisted even after that, but you always went out of your way to tell him that they had stopped their teasing. Austin was made fun of because he lived in a trailer that should have been condemned long since they originally moved in and barely had enough money to get school supplies every year, but you were picked on because you were perfect. It didn’t make any sense to him, but girls are strange creatures. You made good grades, was the nicest person he had ever met without even trying, and your natural good looks made matters even worse for you. Getting the mean girls to steer clear of you wasn’t the hard part, but keeping the male pervert’s away was an entirely different story. 
It didn’t help that after a long day of putting up with the constant glares, rumors, and telling boys to back off, he’d be forced to come home to incessant tongue lashings. He barely had time to study after taking care of the forty year old drunkard, hence his rotten grades in school. You could only do his homework for him so many times, but hey- you tried. He graduated because of you, at the very least. 
He had landed a job as a mechanic straight out of high school, having been skilled for his age. Who knew that driving a shitty lemon of a car that he constantly had to fix up would lead to a career? He had gotten lucky, which was a rarity in his life. 
Getting his own place was one hell of an achievement, but his past always found a way to come back and haunt him. 
Austin stormed through the connected kitchen and down the hall, sucking in a deep breath before he entered the room. All of the boxes that he had stacked in the corner had been ransacked and picked clean. It was Austin’s fault for thinking that a simple locked door would keep his father out. The blonde could scream over his stolen Iron Maiden and Dio tapes later, for now he needed to focus on the important thing: his tools. 
“You sold them to your crackhead dealer? For what? A bag, right? That was over a hundred dollars worth’a tools!” He screamed from the backroom, kicking an old wooden chair that had been junking up his old room for ages. The thing went flying, hitting the opposite wall with a resounding cracking noise. 
Austin was covered in car oil, smelled like gasoline and sweat after a long day of work, and all he had wanted was to slip in the trailer undetected and grab his things. He had hoped that his father would have been passed out in his room by now so that he could have been in and out without being forced to converse. Nothing ever seemed to go his way. The blonde reached for the metal baseball bat that he still had stuffed under his childhood bed, knocking it against his boot a few times before storming out of the room, pushing past his father and heading straight for the front door. 
“Austin, wait,” The male knew what was coming. The only time his father ever referred to him by his name was when he wanted something. “Can you give me twenty dollars? I need’a pay the power.” 
The baseball bat felt heavy in his hand. He balanced the weight for a second, his jaw clicking as he imagined just how good it would feel to bring it down on top of the other man’s head. If Ray ended up dead, he was sure that he could blame it on a handful of people who he had stolen from or cheated. Austin didn’t need that on his conscience though. So instead of barking back a reply or even pulling out his wallet, he yanked his hand away with a grunt, storming out the door. 
“Jus’ use the money that you got from sellin’ all’a my shit.” He called out before slamming the door behind him, the small and dingy diamond shaped window vibrating with the force of his anger. 
“Is your mama home? If not then I’m gonna use your shower.” Austin gently pushed his way into the house, kicking off his dirty work boots before bounding up the familiar carpeted stairs. 
You blinked in the entryway, slowly closing the front door before turning around to watch him go, the chain from his wallet jingling with his movement. With a small sigh you locked it behind you, following up after him. 
“Well hello to you too.” You teased, watching him open up the linen closet so that he could grab a towel. He was caked with grease, his sun kissed cheeks speckled with black and gray. His black work shirt fit snugly on his form, having shrunk in the wash. At his hip, swinging around with every step that he took, was his black handkerchief. It was also wrecked with engine grease, having been used to clean his hands one too many times that day. He looked devilishly handsome, but he always did. Nothing new. 
“Sorry. Really bad day. Just got back from Keith’s place- he had some of the shit that I left at my dad’s.” He left the bathroom door open as he slipped off his socks, then hurriedly took his shirt off and threw that into the dirty clothes hamper. His small apartment didn’t have a washer and dryer hookup, so he had been doing his laundry at your place for the last two months. 
You didn’t mind, and your mother and father hadn’t noticed either. You sucked at your teeth, turning around to give him privacy. You heard the shower turn on, then the familiar clanking of his chain wallet hitting the side of the sink. Once you heard the shower curtain open and close you turned around, seeing the room empty, his dirty clothes piled neatly in the hamper. You closed the bathroom door behind you as you stepped inside, jumping up on the counter so that you could swing your legs back and forth as you spoke. He seemed frustrated, and you could tell that he needed to talk about it. 
Growing up in a tragically tiny town meant that everybody was always in each other’s business. From preschool to your senior year in high school, every moment was spent with the same exact children. You could count the newer families to move into the small community over the last five years on one hand. Life was slow moving in the old south, and things were horrifically monotonous. You and the blonde had been stuck together like glue ever since primary school, and you didn’t see it changing in the future. 
To say that you knew Austin like the back of your hand was an understatement. Every flaw, quirk and triumph had either been discovered by you, with you at his side, or involved you in some way. In a town filled with mostly elderly folks, kids often found a group of likeminded people and stuck with them for the entirety of their lives. It was horribly predictable of the two of you, yet here you two were, connected at the hip. The bond between you and Austin went above just being best friends. It was something tied to your soul. It wasn’t just hard to imagine a life without him in it, rather it was impossible. 
He didn’t have to tell you that he was angry for you to know that he was beyond aggravated. The restlessness was plain to see. Whether he would be upfront and tell you about the reason or not, you could tell that he needed someone to just sit and listen. Austin wasn’t the kind of person to talk in depth about the things that really upset him. He was more of the “suffer in silence until I inevitably blow up” type. You, on the other hand, weren’t afraid to whine and cry to him about even the slightest of inconveniences. The two of you were polar opposites, and yet it just worked. 
“Keith let you in the house?” You asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow as you watched the steam beginning to curl up and over the curtain. 
Austin let out a humorless laugh, and you could imagine him shaking his head back and forth. You smiled despite the situation, bringing your hand up to your mouth so that you could bite down on your thumb nail. You instantly regretted it, pulling away to see that you had already chipped your freshly painted fingers. 
“A’course he didn’t. I broke into the fucker’s place. Got my tool box back, but the damn thing had been ransacked already. The bones picked clean. I’m out over fifty dollars in tools- checked it once I got back into the car.” 
“Jesus- did he see you? That guy is absolutely insane.” Thankfully, you’d only met the man in passing a handful of times. He was the crazy townee that everybody knew and feared. Keith was the kind of person that you point out to your developing teens to scare them away from drugs and alcohol. “If you don’t want to end up like Ole’ Keith, you better not touch that stuff.” He had a bunch of handmade signs outside of his house with bible scriptures on them, meanwhile the man was dealing meth and coke to make a living. As was the deep south, filled to the brim with religious and moral hypocrisies. 
Either you were a devout Christian or just another local crackhead. Thankfully, you and Austin didn’t fall into either of those categories. You seemed to have made one of your own over the years. 
“He wasn’t home. His truck was gone. The dude left his bedroom window unlocked, so I just ripped the screen off.” 
You used to worry for Austin on a daily basis. The burns and bruises he’d come to school with broke your heart, but no matter how many times you begged your parents to let the blonde come and live with you, they always let you down. You were happy that he finally had somewhere safe to lay his head at night, though he still hadn’t broken the habit of spending most of his down time with you (and you prayed he wouldn’t ever grow out of that habit). As soon as he got off work he was making his way up to your bedroom, often dead tired down to his bones or pissed off. Your parents were gone most of the time anyway though. Your father was a hotshot business man who was away for work most of the time, and your mother insisted on following along with him after the “incident” that happened when you were twelve.
Men who spend most days without their wives and children breathing down their neck usually take advantage of the opportunity. Your father was no different. He was no saint. Then again, neither was your mother. She took most of her frustration out on you after that, and though you knew that her outbursts weren’t a direct cause of anything that you had personally done, that didn’t make it any better. 
Austin was just as much your therapist as you were his. Maybe that was the cause for your codependency. . . either way, neither of you regretted it. It only strengthened the bond, really. 
After Austin was showered and dressed in an outfit that he had left at your house some weeks ago, the two of you found yourselves sprawled out on your bed. You were busy finishing up some homework for one of your classes, and he was reading one of your magazines. He had his head hanging off the side of the mattress, ankles crossed up on one of your pillows. His wet hair was dripping onto your floor. The constant droplets hitting your outdated shag carpet lulled the two of you into a comfortable silence. The two of you didn’t need to talk 
“Where’s a newer one? This one’s a year old.” He suddenly dropped what he was reading onto the floor next to his head, sitting up so that he could face you again. 
You scrunched up your nose, dropping your psychology textbook beside you. 
“That is the newer one.” You told him, to which he scooped it up and off of the floor, turning it over and pointing at the date. 
He was right. It was old. 
It was the June twenty-first issue, the date clear to see on the front: nineteen eighty-four. Bob Dylan was posed on the front in all of his tambourine-man glory. 
“Shit. Sorry, Aus. I thought I handed you the Beatles Anniversary edition.” You started to stand up, but he waved you off. 
“I should probably get going anyway. I have to try to cook myself something. If I don’t eat now then I’ll jus’ go to bed hungry.” 
You had hoped that the two of you could order pizza tonight, but you kept your mouth shut. Lately you found yourself clinging to him a little bit harder than usual. Maybe it was the stress of your sophomore year in college, but you couldn’t be certain. You tried to school the disappointment off of your face as you nodded, standing up to walk him back to the front door. 
“Are we still driving down to see Dave’s show? His band sucks, but he’ll be disappointed if we miss it.” He asked you at the front door, shoving his sock clad feet into his work boots and tying them up haphazardly. 
You slapped your forehead with the palm of your hand, eyes wide. You’d completely forgotten about your friend’s show tomorrow. You’d planned to stay after class and study in the library, but you didn’t mind cramming for next week's test. Austin laughed, the sound causing you to smile to yourself. His laugh was deep, rich and completely contagious. He reached out, his large hand wrapping around your wrist to pull your hand away from your face. 
“You forgot, didn’t you?” He leaned down so that he was at your height, his smile practically blinding. 
You sucked in a breath, but nodded your head anyway. It was hard not to notice his beauty in moments like this. He’d always been handsome, but lately you’d been looking a little too closely at that. A sick twinge of guilt soured your stomach, a feeling of what could only be categorized as “betrayal” causing your face to flush. He was your best friend, and if he knew that you were looking at him like that he would probably be disgusted with you. Hell, you were horrified by your own thoughts recently. You tried to blame the odd feelings on your long-standing lack of romance, but you were starting to believe that was just an excuse.
“I completely forgot.” And you felt bad about it. You’d been so busy with your school work, the recent fight that you had with your mother and. . . well. . . Austin. You cleared your throat softly, kicking at an imaginary pebble on the tiled floor to try and distract yourself. 
Austin seemed to notice the change in attitude and put his hand on the top of your head, ruffling your hair in the way that he knew you despised. He chuckled when you slapped his hand away, instead moving his hand to the base of your neck so that he could pull your much smaller form against his in a tight hug. He’d always been lean and tall, but his physically demanding job had caused his muscles to fill out. He felt warm and strong, smelling of your shampoo. 
“I’ll drive us tomorrow, alright? Maybe you can get some studying done in the car.” And with that he removed his arms from around you. 
You felt the loss of his warmth like a slap in the face. You let him go though, watching as he bounded down the steps towards his van, his keys jingling in his hand with the movement. He was in higher spirits after spending a few hours in your presence. He felt lighter, like some of the crushing weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. You leaned against the doorframe, peeking your head out just to watch him. 
“I love you! Drive home safe, alright?” You called out. 
Austin couldn’t fight off the blush that raised to his ears, but he turned around and quickly returned the sentiment. You had told him that you loved him every day, but his heart still pounded like it had the very first time. Only these days he wished that you really meant it. 
That you loved him the same way that he loved you. 
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sagesolsticewrites · 2 years
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“i can’t keep kissing strangers, pretending they’re you.” | Austin!Elvis x fem!reader
12 years ago, Elvis chose his career over you. What happens when he shows up at your door asking for a second chance?
a/n: this is entirely based on a dialogue prompt I saw from @twelvegods: “I can’t keep kissing strangers, pretending they’re you.” apparently it was a really good prompt because it inspired all 8,735 words of this lol. I I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I loved writing it <3 Thank you all again so so so much for 500 followers!!
Word count: 8.7k
Warnings: a couple swear words, lots of angst in the first half, Y/N has trust issues oops, I think that's it? As always, please let me know if I missed anything!
Please like/rb if you enjoyed! 🤍
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“I’m gonna marry you someday.”
That’s what Elvis Presley had said to you when he was just 20 years old and his career was starting to take off, thanks in large part (as Elvis said) to the Colonel. And you, being the young girl in love that you were, believed him.
What a fool you were.
You managed to stay together for another year before the Colonel, his claws digging into Elvis’s heart and soul to bleed all the green he could out of him, managed to convince him that appearing single would be what was best for his career— he had to let all those screaming girls believe they had a chance with him, after all.
“Baby please,” Elvis pleaded, “this is for my career. I promise it won’t be for long. We’ll get back together, you’ll see.”
You shook your head, “No, Elvis. I’m not gonna sit around waiting for you like some damsel in distress. If you want me, keep me. But otherwise…”
You paused, waiting for him to say something. Begging, pleading, praying he would say something, that you had managed to change his mind.
When he said nothing, you exploded.
You had screamed and cried, and he had screamed and cried, and you had taken your things that had made their way into his room in Graceland and stormed out of his life for good, only pausing to give him one final sincere “I love you” before you walked out the door.
The last image you had of him (that wasn’t on a tv screen or poster) was of him standing in the foyer in Graceland, tears streaming down his face, refusing to chase after you.
You hoped that time would eventually heal your wounded heart, but apparently whoever said time heals all wounds was a fucking idiot because it was now just over a decade later and you were still as in love with Elvis Presley as you had been when you were one of the only girls in the world who knew his name.
He, evidently, didn’t feel the same.
That much was clear, at least, based on the way he was still overly flirtatious with his audience in his shows, not to mention the rumors about relationships with his movie co-stars. In his shows, before he went off to Germany, he had taken to stepping down into the audience and kissing practically every woman in the room. That alone cleared any remaining doubts from your mind that he still thought about you in any capacity, despite that little voice in the back of your head that still held out some futile, desperate hope.
You’re about to curl up on the couch with some tea and your copy of Anne of Green Gables — exactly what you need on a rainy day like today — when someone knocks on your door.
“You expecting anyone, Y/N?” your friend Annie calls from the hall. You had been living with her for about 5 years down in Louisiana, after the memories in Memphis had become too much, and you loved it.
“Nope,” You call back, wondering who on earth would be knocking on doors in this weather. “If it’s one of those door-to-door salesmen, slam it in his face again.” You suggest with a laugh.
“Will do,” comes her reply, and you can hear the smile in her voice.
You turn you attention back to your book as the door opens, and nearly spill your tea all over yourself as you hear a sultry drawl you hadn’t heard in person in over a decade.
“Hi Annie… is Y/N here?”
There’s a moment of silence where you’re sure Annie is as stunned as you are, then:
“Maybe,” she replies curtly, “What do ya want?”
Annie knew the whole story of you and Elvis, and she had sworn that she’d never let you get hurt like that ever again.
“Please, Annie, I just wanna talk to her.”
“And why should I let you? You’ve got a lotta nerve comin’ here after what you did—“
You’re not sure what prompts you to set your book and mug down and sigh “Annie, just let him in,” but you’re just as surprised as Annie is that you did.
She reluctantly steps aside to let him in, eyeing him warily the entire time.
Your eyes drink him in; this is the first time you’re seeing him in person in over 12 years, and your mind automatically catalogs the differences since you last saw him. He’s tanned, with a few more freckles, a result of the California sun, no doubt, and tinted glasses hide his eyes. His burgundy suit is soaked, and his hair, which was no doubt carefully styled before, now flops onto his forehead, dripping into his eyes.
He takes off his sunglasses, revealing tired blue eyes. From the way his eyes track along your body, he was drinking you in the same way you had done him.
There’s a beat of silence, then his eyes finally meet yours.
“Hi,” he says softly.
You maintain a straight face, unwilling to be taken in so easily.
“What do you want?” you ask, your voice cold. You want nothing more than to rush into his arms, but you remind yourself: he chose his career over you, and never looked back.
“I fired the Colonel,” he blurts, after several moments of trying to figure out what to say.
“About time,” you snort, dropping your serious demeanor for a split second, “but what does that have to do with me?”
“I made a mistake, Y/N. A lotta mistakes, really, but letting you go was the biggest one I ever made in my life. I missed you so, so much, and I—“
You cut him off, “Elvis, cut the shit. You made it very clear you moved on from me.”
“Y/N, I never stopped thinkin’ about you, I promise.”
“Sure, and was that before or after you kissed every girl in the audience at the end of every damn show?”
“Y/N, I—“ he starts, frustrated, then takes a deep breath. He starts again, calmer, softer, “I know how that looks. But I… I can’t keep kissing strangers, pretending they’re you.” He looks earnestly into your eyes.
You feel your cracked heart melt just a little at his words, and yet…
“I don’t…” you sigh, “I don’t believe you. You put your career before me over a decade ago, and I tried to move on, but I couldn’t when I was seeing your face and hearing your voice everywhere, and it hurt like hell. And now you walk back in here, tell me you just made a mistake, and… what? Expect me to take you back just like that?”
“Please, Y/N,” he says, an echo of his plea back when he broke your heart for the first time, “I know I messed up bad, but… it’s you. It’s always been you, with those girls in the audience, even with Ann-Margret… I was always thinkin’ about you. And I’m willin’ to do whatever I have to to fix this. Anything. I mean it.”
And you can see the conviction in his eyes, like he’s that little boy again who believed he was Captain Marvel Jr. and could fly his family out of poverty to the Rock of Eternity. You know in your bones that he’d buy you the moon if it meant he could love you again.
But you’d made the mistake of believing his promises before.
“Elvis, I don’t know if I can trust you. How do I know you won’t drop me when your next manager thinks that’d be ‘what’s best for your career’?”
He winces as you throw the Colonel’s words from all those years ago back in his face. “I know I ruined any kind of trust you had in me that day, and I can’t tell you enough how goddamn sorry I am, Y/N. But I’m not askin’ for you to forgive me right now, I just want a chance to try and fix this. That’s all, I swear.”
He waits as you process his words, practically holding his breath as you think of how to reply.
“I’ll think about it,” you say softly.
He nods. “That’s all I’m askin’ for, sw— Y/N,” he fumbles to avoid using the old pet name for you.
“I think you should go now,” you say, your voice cold again to hide how the almost-pet name brought a storm of feelings rushing back..
“Right, um..” he fumbles around in his pocket, producing a scrap of paper with a phone number scrawled on it, “Gimme a call, if you want? I’ve gotta head back to Memphis in a couple days, that’ll probably be the easiest way to reach me if you, uh, decide anything.”
“Okay,” you nod, glancing at it quickly before stuffing it in your pocket. The number was for Graceland’s house phone; a number you’d never forgotten for a second, not that you’d be telling Elvis that.
“Well, um… bye Y/N, Annie,” he nods as he moves past your roommate towards the door. He pauses, hesitating for a moment before turning back to you. “You look good, Y/N,” he says softly before heading back out into the downpour.
The “you, too” you whisper in reply is lost in the sound of rain hitting the pavement outside.
The enormity of everything that had just transpired suddenly hits you and you fall back onto the couch, tears welling up in your eyes.
Annie rushes over, concerned. You look up as she fusses over you.
“Was that… did that actually just happen?”
Annie nods, “Yeah, it did, honey. I can scarcely believe it myself.”
“Did I do the right thing?” You wring your hands, suddenly second-guessing every decision you made during the interaction with Elvis.
“I know I’ve always said that I’d punch him in his smug face if he ever showed up here after what he did to you,” Annie says, “But I see the way you look at him when he shows up on the TV, and that ain’t the look of someone who’s just angry at an ex. You’re still in love with him, honey, I know it, and I feel like a fresh start is what both of you need. I don’t mean to overstep,” she drawls, “But if I can give you some advice: just start over as friends. Don’t jump back into a relationship right away. Try to make it organic. A clean slate.”
“A clean slate,” you echo, processing her words.
You mull over what to do for a few days, worst and best-case scenarios swirling around your brain, and eventually dial Graceland. Your foot taps anxiously as you lean against the wall by the phone, listening to it ring.
“Hullo?” A raspy voice comes over the receiver.
“Hi, Elvis,” you say, trying your best to sound casual, “It’s, uh, it’s Y/N.”
“Oh, hey,” he stammers, sounding less like the confident King of Rock and Roll superstar and more like the shy little kid you’d grown up with, “Uh, how are you?”
“I’m alright.” You reply, “Look, I did some thinking about what you said and, well… I’ve got a couple questions before I decide anything.”
“Sure, yeah, what is it?”
“Well, first of all… why now?”
“Huh?”
You sigh, “It’s been over 10 years, Elvis. What made you come back now? What made you fire the Colonel after all this time?”
“Well, to be perfectly honest, I wasn’t very happy with the movies the Colonel was signing me up for. And then he planned this whole silly special for NBC…” he sighs, “I’ve been lost ever since I lost Mama— before that, even, when I lost—“ he cuts himself off with an awkward cough, “uh, anyway; he wasn’t helping. And I finally realized that he didn’t really care what I wanted to do. It was all about profit for him,” he says quietly. He goes on to explain hiring Binder and Bones to help with the special, to “find himself” again, and the realization he’d had that he hadn’t truly felt like himself since he’d left you.
“Hm,” is your only response at first, trying to shove down the warmth growing in your chest. “Well, um… thank you for telling me.”
“You’re welcome. I want you to know, Y/N… you can trust me. I know I ruined that back then, but I’d really like a chance to try and rebuild it with you if I can.”
“I think I’d like that, too.” You say after a moment of silence. “Look, Elvis, I… I don’t think it would be a good idea, if we’re gonna do this, to pick up right where we left off. We need a… a clean slate. So what if we started over as friends?” You fidget with the phone cord as you await his reply.
There are several moments of silence, and you're wondering if something happened with the call before his raspy drawl comes over the phone once more.
“I’d love to be your friend again, Y/N.”
A wave of relief floods your body, and you smile. You think for a moment before speaking again, saying hesitantly, “I’m coming up to visit for Mama’s birthday next weekend, and… maybe we could see each other then? That would be a ‘friend’ thing to do, right?”
“Yeah, I’d… I’d really like that.”
“Great, well,” you worry your bottom lip between your teeth, “I’ll just give you a call when I’m back home and we can figure everything out then?”
“Whatever works for you is fine with me,” he assures you, “I’m lookin’ forward to it.”
“Me, too,” you say softly, allowing a tiny bit of the warmth you felt earlier to creep back. “I’ll see you next weekend, then.”
“See you then,” he says and with a click, the phone is back to humming a dial tone.
You’re buzzing with anticipation for the next week, not only excited to see your family but also to see Elvis.
“Y/N!” Your mother rushes out as you pull into the driveway of your family’s Memphis home, “My baby’s home!”
“Happy birthday, Mama,” you smile as she rushes up to give you a hug, squeezing you tight.
“Thank you, darlin’. Come inside, honey, come in!” she insists, grabbing your suitcase from you despite your protests.
“Honey!” she calls to your father as she leads you into your childhood home, “Look who’s finally decided to come for a visit!”
“Mama, I was just here for Easter,” you remind her as you head to the living room to greet your father. “Hi Daddy,” you smile as he pulls you in for a hug.
“Good to see you, sweetheart,” he says, “Louisiana treatin’ you well?”
You nod, “Mhm. Everyone’s real nice, and Annie’s always lookin’ out for me.”
You fill your parents in on life in Louisiana, and in return they (your mother, mostly) regale you with all the Memphis gossip you’ve missed. Apparently the young couple next door had a baby recently, another young couple in town just got married, and oh yes, Elvis came back fr—
“Mary Ann, you know I don’t like talkin’ about that boy!” your father exclaims, cutting your mother off.
“Well, I don’t know what you want me to do, Walter,” your mother retorts, “It’s not as if we can pretend he doesn’t exist, not when he’s such a big part of this town…”
As you listen to your parents bicker, you decide that now might as well be as good a time as any to bring up your new friendship.
“Actually, Mama,” you interrupt their bickering, “I’m gonna try and meet up with Elvis while I’m in town this weekend…”
Your father’s expression flickers between confusion and anger at your words, while your mother’s morphs into one of delight.
“Oh honey, that’s wonderful!” She exclaims, “Though I admit, I thought you’d’ve at least called to tell us you got back together—“
“Mama!” You cut her off, heat flooding your face, “We’re not back together, I promise,” you add with a glance over to your father. “He showed up at our place last week, we had a talk, and we’re gonna try to be friends again.”
“Well I’m glad to see the two of you are startin’ over, honey,” your mother says with a smile
“I still don’t trust that boy,” your father grumbles. “Just… be careful, alright?”
You nod, “Of course, you know I always am, Daddy.”
”When were you two planning on meeting up?” your mother asks.
You shrug, “We haven’t figured out the details yet. I was gonna call him today to sort everything out.”
”Well you should invite him over for dinner while you’re in town.” your mother suggests, with just a hint of a mischievous sparkle in her eye, ignoring your father’s clear alarm at the suggestion.
You groan. “Mama, no, he really doesn’t need to come for dinner—“
”Y/N L/N, inviting a friend over for dinner is a polite thing to do,” your mother scolds, “and in this house we are always…?”
“Polite and respectful,” you mumble, repeating the words that had been drilled into you in childhood.
She nods, satisfied. ”It’s settled then. You two will have your little meetup and then he can come over for dinner that night, or the next if it suits him.”
”Yes, Mama,” you say, resigned. “I’ll go call him now.”
You make your way over to the kitchen, dialing the number you’ve had memorized for over 12 years.
“Hello?” The same raspy voice comes over the receiver.
”Hey, it’s um, it’s me. Y/N.”
”Oh, hey. Um, how are ya?”
”I’m alright. I’m back in town now, and Mama’s bein’… well, Mama, so you can imagine.” you say with a soft laugh.
”Oh, I can imagine,” he agrees, and you can hear the smile in his voice. “How was the drive up?”
The two of you make small talk for a bit, slowly easing back into being a part of each other’s lives, and eventually you remember the reason you called. “Oh, yeah, by the way; I was calling to see if there was a day or time that worked for you as far as meeting up this weekend?”
”Oh, yeah.” You can hear some rustling on his end, and you assume he’s checking his schedule. “I’m actually free this afternoon around 1 if that works? Or tomorrow?”
You weren’t prepared to see him quite so soon, but you suppose now is better than putting it off until tomorrow. “This afternoon is perfect. You still like that diner on Beale Street, right?”
He hums an affirmative, and you smile, “Great, I’ll meet you there at 1, then.”
”I’ll see you then,” and the line clicks back to a dial tone.
You head back to the living room, entering to see your parents doing a wonderfully poor job of pretending as though they weren’t listening to your conversation. You roll your eyes.
”I assume you already heard, but Elvis and I are meeting for lunch at 1, just as friends, Mama,” you say pointedly, noting the beam on your mother’s face. “I’ll ask him about dinner then.”
Your father harrumphs, but mainly keeps silent, a firm frown on his face.
”That’s wonderful, honey,” your mother beams, “You’ve gotta get goin’ pretty soon then, huh?”
“Huh?” You glance over at the clock on the mantle and sure enough, it’s already 15 past noon and you still haven’t changed out of the outfit you wore for the 6-hour drive up to Memphis. You grab your suitcase and race to make yourself presentable, managing to change into a dress that seems nice enough for a lunch outing (but not too fancy), fix your windswept hair, and reapply your makeup in a cool 30 minutes before racing out the door.
Before you can make it out to the porch, though, your father stops you, calling your name as you’re about to step out the door. You turn, “Yes, Daddy?”
He has a solemn look on his face. “Just… be careful, darlin’. You know me, I hold grudges like no one else, and I admit I still haven’t forgiven him for what he did to you all those years ago. If you let him in, and he hurts you again somehow I… I don’t know what I’d do.”
You step back into the room and envelop him in a hug. “Thank you for looking out for me, Daddy. I’ll be careful, I promise. I’m not the same girl I was when I met him.” You add with a sad smile.
He squeezes your hand comfortingly, “I know you’ll be smart. If he does anything, you come right to me and I’ll sort him out, alright?” You nod and, satisfied, he kindly shoos you out the door with a soft “Go on, have fun.”
You pull up to the diner to find that Elvis is already there, if the deep purple Cadillac parked nearby is any indication.
He waves from a booth near the back as you enter, his bodyguards seated at a table nearby. You slide into the seat across from him, pushing down the butterflies that threaten to stir. It might’ve been a bad idea to choose the place you went on your first date, you realize belatedly, but too late now.
“How are you?” he asks with a casual smile.
“Pretty good,” you reply, “My parents have been updating me on all the Memphis gossip I’ve missed since I was away, very exciting stuff,” you say sarcastically. “Mama says hi, by the way.”
“Tell her I say hi back,” he grins.
“Will do. Uh, how are you?” You say, trying to fall back into the rhythm of talking to him.
“I’m alright. There’s this big thing I’m gonna be workin’ on soon, I’m pretty excited for it.”
“Oh, big thing?” You ask, your interest piqued.
“It’s a…” he pauses, looking around, “no one really knows about it yet, so you gotta promise not to tell anyone, alright?”
You nod, and he continues, leaning in to whisper, “You remember that special I told you about, the one that Steve and Bones are helpin’ me with? It’s gonna be a TV special for NBC. A Christmas show, kinda.”
“Kinda?”
“Well, it’ll have a couple of Christmas songs, but I really want it to be about finding myself again. Gettin’ back to the real Elvis.”
“Sounds exciting,” you reply, a genuine smile coming across your face at how excited he seems.
A starstruck waitress comes to take your order, and the conversation continues.
“So,” Elvis says, “how are you doin’ in Louisiana?”
“I actually really like it there,” you reply, smiling. “Annie’s great, obviously, and I found a job at a bookstore that I really love, things are goin’ pretty well. I do have the occasional grumpy customer, but that’s just how it is.” You finish with a shrug.
“Grumpy customer? Sounds like you’ve got some stories to tell,” he says, sounding genuinely interested, and you can’t help but launch into the story of a man who was sure that Stranger in a Strange Land was in the nonfiction section no matter how many times you tried to lead him over to science fiction.
You finally fall back into a rhythm of friendly conversation, trading stories for over an hour before you finally bring up what your mother had asked.
“Oh by the way,” you say, sipping your milkshake, “Mama wanted me to invite you to dinner tomorrow night.”
Elvis nearly chokes on the fry he’s just taken a bite of. “Sorry, what?”
“I told my parents that we were meeting up and she was adamant that I at the very least invite you to come over for dinner tomorrow— you know how she is about politeness—“ you explain, “but I promise, you don’t have to come if you don’t want to. I completely understand, I’d be more than happy to make up an excuse for you.”
“And refuse an invitation from Mrs. L/N? It’s like you want her to kill me,” he jokes. “I’d be more than happy to come,” he says, in a more sincere tone. “Besides, friends come over for dinner right?”
“Of course,” you say, trying to reassure yourself as much as him, “and Mama’s very excited to see you, so be prepared for that.”
“I always am,” he replies with a smile.
You arrange for him to come over at 7 the next night, and the rest of lunch goes smoothly until the check arrives, which starts off a round of bickering between the two of you about who should pay.
“Please let me get this, I want this to be a start to making it up to you,” Elvis argues.
“I appreciate it but I’m perfectly capable of paying for lunch, thank you very much,” you retort, and this goes on for several minutes before the two of you eventually agree to split the check.
“It was good to see you, Y/N,” Elvis says as you exit the diner, his bodyguards dutifully on alert as they follow you out.
“You, too.” You say. “I…” I didn’t realize just how much I missed you, is what you want to say, but instead, you go with “I had a good time.”
His face lights up as if those 5 little words were all he needed to brighten his day. He steps towards the Cadillac, throwing a friendly wave to you as he calls “See you tomorrow!”
You wave back, and you don’t realize how happy you are until your cheeks start to ache from smiling on the drive home.
The next day, your mother is practically frantic, bustling around the house making sure everything is perfect for when Elvis gets here.
“Mama, it’s not like it’s the first time he’s ever been here! And we’re just friends, please try to remember that.”
“Alright, alright, I know, honey. I just think it’s nice that you two are spending time together again, that’s—“
The doorbell rings, and your mother jumps into action, plucking microscopic bits of lint from your dress before hurrying to the door and opening it with a polite smile.
Elvis stands on your porch, bearing a polite smile and a bouquet of lilacs. “Hello, Mrs. L/N.”
“Hello, Elvis!” Your mother beams, “It’s wonderful to see you again. And you brought Y/N flowers, how sweet!” She looks pointedly at you.
Elvis lets out a nervous laugh as he steps into the house, “Actually, Mrs. L/N, these are for you. A birthday gift.” He holds out the bouquet to her with a shy smile, looking remarkably like the shy boy he had been back in ‘51 when you first became friends.
“That’s very kind of you, thank you dear. Wasn’t that kind of him, Walter?”
“Very kind,” your father grumbles in a tone that makes it seem as though Elvis had brought a pile of mud as a gift. He nods a greeting, “Hello, Elvis. California’s treatin’ you well, I hear.”
“Uh, yes, sir, it is. Thank you.” he replies.
When your father doesn’t respond, Elvis turns his attention to you. “Hi, Y/N.”
“Hi,” you reply, resisting the urge to fuss with your dress.
The awkward silence that follows is broken as your mother ushers everyone to the dining room, arranged so she and your father are at the heads of the table while you and Elvis are sitting across from one another.
The meal begins, and the conversation that follows is strained but polite, with your mother eagerly asking questions about life in California and Hollywood and Elvis answering modestly then turning the conversation back to your family, remaining the picture of a Southern gentleman. The conversation remains polite apart from your father’s not-so-subtle grumbling about Elvis running off the California, and just when you think it can’t get any worse, he decides to bring up the rumors of Elvis’s womanizing.
“So, Elvis,” your father says casually, though his eyes remain calculating, “what’s all this I hear about you and… what’s that actress’s name, Ann-Margret? Or have you moved on to someone new by now?”
You feel your face flush, and you’re sure the mortification shows on your face as you hiss for your father to stop, please.
“Oh well sir, that’s really all just the tabloids tryin’ to get their stuff to sell, there’s no truth to that at all, I promise. Ann-Margret is a good friend of mine now, though.” Elvis answers politely, unfazed as your mother quietly scolds your father.
“Walter, quit it, you’re scarin’ the boy!”
“Well good, he should be scared after what he did to my little girl!”
“Dad!” you exclaim, mortified, “We talked about this! We’re friends now, you promised you’d be polite!”
“No, it’s alright, Y/N,” Elvis assures you, briefly breaking eye contact with your father to glance over at you, “He’s just lookin’ out for you like any father would, and I respect you for that, sir.”
Your father grunts a reply, and the conversation picks up again, still polite but even more strained than before.
Elvis remains as polite as ever, even offering to take care of the dishes — “Oh I can get those plates for ya, don’t you worry Mrs. L/N” — and despite your determination for a clean slate, your mind betrays you, reminding you of how shy and overly polite he was the first few times he was over for dinner, especially after the two of you first got together. Sure, he’s gotten a little more confident, which you’ll admit is kind of attractive, but— NO.
You firmly cut off that train of thought, no matter how badly that little voice in the back of your head (the one that practically melted at the sight of him at your door with a bouquet, reminiscent of your first date) wants to keep on track. Just friends, clean slate, you remind yourself.
After the dishes are done, your mother prepares coffee for everyone and the four of you head to the living room. At one point, Elvis gets up to get a refill, and your father follows him.
Your father approaches Elvis once it’s clear that neither you nor your mother will be getting up, and corners him.
“Now Elvis, I’m gonna try to be polite, because my daughter’s told me you two are tryin’ to be friends and I respect her wishes, but I don’t trust you after what you did to her. And if I get even a hint that you’re playin’ with her feelings, well… I’m afraid that won’t end well for ya, son.”
Elvis nods quickly, “Sir I promise you, I have no intentions of playing with your daughter’s feelings. She’s very dear to me, and I swear I’d do anything to make sure she’s happy.” He says, conviction clear in his eyes.
Your father eyes Elvis for several long moments and, apparently satisfied, returns to the living room with more coffee for you and your mother.
Elvis takes a breath to compose himself — he’s forgotten how scary your father could be when he wanted to — and exits the kitchen, re-entering as you’re laughing at some comment your mother made.
You turn as he enters with a wide smile on your face, and he’s suddenly slammed back to a time where you looked at him like that every time he entered a room— when you looked at him as though he’d hung the moon and stars just for you.
Fighting the urge to rush over and kiss you senseless — that’s not something a friend would do, he reminds himself — he moves to sit in the armchair across from you, turning his attention to whatever neighbor your mother is gossiping about tonight.
The night eventually winds to a close and Elvis thanks your parents profusely for “a wonderful meal and even better company.”
Your mother waves off the compliment modestly, “Oh it was nothin’ darling. We’ll be glad to have you back anytime. Y/N, why don’t you walk our guest out while we take care of these last few things?” she says, gesturing to the coffee mugs still sitting out.
Elvis gives one last wave to your parents, wishing them well, before stepping out to the porch with you.
“Well, my parents loved you,” you tease as the two of you make your way to the pink Cadillac looking more than slightly out of place in your modest gravel driveway.
He lets out a shy laugh, “They haven’t changed a bit, that’s for sure. Your daddy’s still as protective as ever.” His tone softens as he continues, “It was nice seein’ them again. ‘Specially your mama. She’s always been better to me than I deserve.”
Acting on impulse, you lean over and squeeze his hand as you remember his own mama isn’t waiting for him at home anymore. “You’re welcome over anytime. I mean it.”
“Thank you,” he replies in a near whisper. Your hand stays clasped with his, the warmth of him tempting you closer, and his gaze drifts slowly down to your lips before the two of you snap back to yourselves and create a respectable two feet of distance between you.
“Uh, anyway,” you attempt to continue the conversation, refusing to acknowledge that moment of… whatever that was, “Are you gonna be here for a while longer?”
He shakes his head, “I’m actually gonna be leaving for California again tomorrow.” he says almost apologetically, adding with a nod to the house, “But I’ll still be able to call ya for a bit, right?”
A frown crosses your face as you remember: “I’m actually headin’ back to Louisiana tomorrow. But,” you brighten, “I can give you my number for down there if you want?”
“I’d love that,” Elvis smiles.
You rummage around in your pockets for anything you can scribble on, producing some long-forgotten shopping list and a small pen. You scrawl your phone number down and hand it to him, determinedly not noticing the sparks you feel as your fingers brush.
“I’ll call ya every night,” he says as he stuffs it in his pocket, “I’ll need ya to keep me updated on all the Louisiana gossip, hm?”
A sad smile crosses your face at the memory of the last time he’d made a promise like that. Despite all your talk of a clean slate, you can’t help but remind him, “Let’s not make promises you can’t keep, Elvis.”
You give him one last wave, wish him goodnight, and walk back inside, his pleas of “What? No, Y/N, this ain’t gonna be like that!” falling on deaf ears.
You put on a brave face for your parents the next day, joking about what a coincidence it was that both you and Elvis happened to be leaving town on the same day, but behind closed doors, you’re unable to block the memories of the last time he had promised he’d call you every night: when he went along with the Colonel on Hank Snow’s tour.
1955
“I’ll be back in time for prom, darlin’, I promise,” Elvis reassures you over the phone. “I’ll bring you a corsage, we’ll have a great time.”
“Okay,” you reply, “I’m sorry, I know I must sound silly, but I’m just really lookin’ forward to going with you.”
“That’s not silly,” he assures you with a soft laugh, “I’m lookin’ forward to it, t—“ he cuts off, and you can barely make out what sounds like a knock on the door on his end of the line. “That’ll be Scotty again, no doubt.” he groans good-naturedly. There’s some shuffling as he makes his way over, yanking the door open with a “Scotty, how many times do I have to tell ya—“
“Elvis?” you say, concerned at how he cuts off mid-sentence, “Is everything alright?”
There’s a moment of silence, after which he stammers out a response.
“I, uh… I gotta go, I’ll call ya back, darlin’, alright?”
He doesn’t bother to wait for an answer before hanging up, but in the split second before it goes to a dial tone you can just make out a woman’s sultry voice over the receiver.
1968 - Present Day
He had still called after that, but not as frequently; certainly not every day like he promised. And while you forgave what happened on tour, you had never quite forgotten what him being away for a stretch of time could mean.
Still. Clean slate. Maybe this time could be different, you reasoned, though you were barely convincing yourself at this point.
You head back to Louisiana, promising your parents you’ll visit again soon and that you’ll give them a call as soon as you get home. You stumble through the door of your little house, exhausted after the 6-hour drive. Annie rushes over to hug you.
“Hey honey! Good to have ya home,” she grins, taking your suitcase from you, “I’ve got lunch for ya, you go sit down. I’ll put this in your room. And then I wanna hear all about how that li’l meetup went,” she adds with a wink, gently shoving you towards the kitchen while she heads down the hall.
You smile as you enter the kitchen to see a little card with the words “Welcome Home” in Annie’s signature scrawl next to a plate on the counter. You take a bite of the sandwich waiting for you — grilled cheese, Annie’s specialty — and finally allow yourself to relax. At that moment, Annie slides in with a mischievous grin, plopping herself down on the stool next to you.
“So…” she leads, a sparkle in her eye. “How was it?”
“It was good,” you reply, purposefully misinterpreting her question, “We took Mama out for dinner and I made her a cake—”
Annie cuts you off with a playful swat to your arm, “Not that! Elvis,” she says, dragging out the ‘s’ longer than necessary.
You roll your eyes, “Fine! It was… fine. We met up for lunch at this old diner we used to go to, we talked… Mama had me invite him over for dinner, and he brought flowers for her” you say pointedly, noticing the gleam in her eyes. “It went well, all things considered. Daddy did have some things to say, he still hasn’t quite forgiven him for what he did, but Elvis was a real gentleman the whole time. He actually went back to California today, filming somethin’ for TV, but he said he wants to keep in touch.”
“That’s great, honey!” Annie squeals, “I’m glad y’all are doin’ well.”
You give a weak smile in return. “Yeah, he said he’s gonna call every day, but…”
“Oh…” Annie’s eyes soften in understanding, recalling what you had told her about your relationship before. “Y/N, I know it might be scary, but what if it’s different this time? What if he actually keeps his promise? He’s said he wants to work on trust with you again, right? This is the perfect opportunity for him to prove to you that he’s worth trusting. And if he doesn’t,” she adds in a lighter tone, “I’ll fly out to California and sock him right in his pretty face myself.”
“I know you will,” you laugh, “but you’re right, I’ll—“
You’re cut off as the phone rings, and you lock eyes with Annie. It can’t be him already, can it? No, it’s probably your parents calling to make sure you made it home safely, you reason as you move to answer it.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Y/N,” the heavy drawl surprises you, and you nearly miss what Elvis says next, “I’m glad I caught you, I was callin’ a bit ago and got quite a tellin’ off from Annie sayin’ that you weren’t there yet.”
At that you turn to glare at Annie, who only gives you a smug, mischievous smirk in return.
“Yeah, I just got in maybe twenty minutes ago,” you reply, the shock slowly fading into a kind of warmth as his voice washes over you.
“How was the drive?”
“Long,” you say with a laugh, “I’m glad to be home now. How’s California?”
“‘S alright,” he replies, “I just got back from finalizing some stuff with Steve for filming tomorrow.”
“Oh yeah,” you recall your conversation from a few days ago, “The Christmas special, right? Or,” you correct yourself, “the not-entirely-Christmas special.”
“Exactly,” he laughs, “I’m actually pretty excited about it.”
“That’s good,” you smile, “I hope everything goes well.”
“Thank you, Y/N,” he says sincerely. “But anyway, enough about me. How are you?”
“Well, Annie had one of her famous grilled cheeses waiting for me when I got here so I’d say we’re off to a pretty good start. Tomorrow’s an inventory day at work, though, not nearly as exciting as filming a special for NBC.”
He sucks in a breath in sympathy, “I remember you never liked those days. Good luck with that,” he says, “and I’ll tell ya what: I’ll make sure to tell you all about the boring parts of filming so ya don’t get too jealous, how ‘bout that?” he teases
“Sounds perfect,” you laugh.
You don’t even notice the time flying by as the conversation continues, the two of you talking about everything and nothing, and you fall into a rhythm of talking for hours every night. Slowly, the nagging fear you feel that today’s the day he won’t call starts to fade, and you look forward to your nightly chats where you fill him in on any interesting customers and he tells you about the goofs he made that day during filming.
“I’m not kiddin’, I legitimately forgot the words!” he laughs.
Your only reply is to laugh even harder at the image of him surrounded by cameras forgetting the words to Heartbreak Hotel.
“Alright, come on, it ain’t that funny,” he says in a mock-hurt tone.
“Oh, I promise it is,” you say, wiping a tear from the corner of your eye, “I might need you to send me a copy or whatever of these goofs, I haven’t laughed this hard in ages.”
“I’ll see if I can arrange that for ya…” he replies, his voice trailing off as he seemingly turns away from the receiver for some reason.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, just someone at the door,” he assures you, “Gimme one second.”
There’s some shuffling as he makes his way to the door, and your surprise at the thought of him carrying the phone with him across the room turns into a sinking feeling in your stomach as you hear the squeak of a door open and the muffled sounds of a woman’s voice. Your heart sinks as the memory of that day on his tour starts to play again in your mind, a cacophony of not again, I knew this would happen, I shouldn’t have trusted him filling your ears.
“-N? Y/N, you there?” You slowly blink back to reality as Elvis calls your name over the receiver, “Everything alright?”
“Y-yeah,” you reply hesitantly as he dives into an explanation about some crazy fan sneaking past security to his room. He pauses, picking up on the uncertainty in your voice.
“Y/N… you can talk to me, you know that, right? What’s wrong?” he says softly, and he sounds so genuine you want to cry.
“It’s… it’s silly…” you reply, embarrassed at the thought of telling him that that memory from all this years ago still haunts you.
“You don’t have to tell me, but I’d really like to know if I can help,” he replies patiently.
You sigh, and launch into an explanation of that night back in ‘55. “You just hung up on me, and the last thing I heard was some woman’s voice, and I didn’t realize how much that hurt me until I started worrying about who you were with whenever you were gone for a long time.” You explain softly, nervously fiddling with the phone cord.
“So just now, when you heard that girl at my door…” he sighs, realization dawning on him, “that brought all that back, didn’t it? I’m sorry, Y/N.” He says, and the sincerity of his words does bring tears to your eyes this time.
“I’m alright, I promise,” you reassure him, “surprised you turned her down,” you tease, wanting to move on.
“I don’t do that kinda thing anymore,” he laughs, picking up on your attempt to move to another topic, “besides, why would I stop to talk to some stranger who thinks they know everything about me when I could talk to you?”
Your heart flutters at the compliment, and you hope he can’t tell how much you’re blushing over the phone, “Aw, you’re sweet.”
There’s a moment of silence; not an awkward one, but comfortable, like the two of you don’t need to talk to enjoy each other’s company, even if it’s just on the phone. The moment is cut short, however, as Elvis speaks up again.
“I was thinkin’— and you’re free to say no, of course— well, Steve’s organizing this screening of the special before it airs. Right now it’s just Steve, Bones, Dad, Jerry, and me, but I’d like you to be there, too. Maybe get an opinion from someone who’s not family or paid to be nice to me.” He jokes.
“I’d love to,” you reply, “I’ll have to see if I can get off work, but if I can I’ll absolutely be there. And don’t worry, I’ll be brutally honest about the whole thing,” you add teasingly.
“I’m countin’ on it.” He laughs, “I’ll call once Steve has the day arranged and hopefully you can make it.”
The date Steve apparently figures out is November 19, two weeks before the special is actually set to air. Elvis relays to you that he’s arranged to do the screening at Graceland, and luckily you manage to convince your boss to give you both that day and the following day off for the long drive. Your parents are delighted to see you, of course, and you just barely miss the knowing smile on your mother’s face as you gush about how well your friendship with Elvis is going. Your father has warmed up to him the slightest bit, it seems, since your visit back in June, if the fact that he doesn’t scowl at every mention of Elvis’s name is any indication.
You take a deep breath as you pull up to Graceland. You force down the surfacing memories from the last time you were here, when Elvis officially put his career before you. Clean. Slate. you forcefully remind yourself as you step up to the front door.
The door swings open barely half a second after you ring the doorbell, and you find Elvis standing there, a nervous smile on his face.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
There’s a moment where the two of you simply stare at each other before he blinks, as if coming back to his senses, and steps aside to let you in. “Come on in, lemme introduce you to everybody,” he says, leading you to a room with not one, not two, but three TVs mounted into the wall, as one of his household staff comes to take your coat. 4 spaces on the immense couch taking up most of the space in the room are taken, one by his father and three others by people you don’t recognize. “This is Jerry, my manager,” Elvis says, gesturing to a man in a brown suit who looked to be in his late-20s with shaggy blondish hair, “and Steve and Bones, the masterminds behind this whole thing,” he introduces the two men sitting beside Jerry with a smile, one with neat brown hair and an ascot tied around his neck, the other with dark curly hair and round glasses. The three men give you various waves and smiles.
“And of course you know my dad,” Elvis finishes, gesturing to where he’s sitting next to Bones.
“Of course, hi Mr. Presley,” you say with a smile, coming over to shake his hand.
“Good to see you again, Y/N, how’ve ya been?” he asks as you take a seat next to him.
You’re hyperaware of Elvis sitting next to you as you make small talk with everyone, carefully leaning so that there’s a bit of distance between the two of you. As the screening begins, your attention is torn between the performance onscreen and real-life Elvis making jokes in your ear about “this is actually the take right after that goof I told you about—“ Your senses are full of him: the scent of his cologne, his arm brushing against yours, the feeling of his breath on your neck as he whispers to you, and it takes more and more of your energy to actually focus on the TVs in front of you.
About half an hour into the special, you excuse yourself and wander out to the hall, needing a break from the proximity. You don’t realize Elvis followed you out until his hand gently wraps around your wrist, making you jump.
“Sorry, I just wanted to make sure you were alright” he explains, releasing you.
“I’m fine,” you assure him, “just… needed a break.”
“It was that bad?” he jokes, “Damn, I’ll have to let Steve know.”
You shake your head, “No, no, it’s not that, it’s…” You hesitate, unsure if you should say what the real reason is. Your friendship is going so well, you’re not sure how he’ll react if you admit that your feelings for him were back in full force, that in truth they never really left.
“What is it?” he asks, concern in his eyes.
You take a deep breath, deciding it’s now or never.
“I’m in love with you. I never really stopped being in love with you, if I’m being honest. But being with you these past few months, being your friend again… I’ve loved it. I’ve loved talking with you on the phone for hours about everything and nothing, seeing you talk with my parents like nothing’s changed, and I… I wanna try again. For real this time.” You bite your lip, nervously gauging his reaction.
“You— you mean that?” Elvis asks softly, eyes wide.
“Yes,” you reply, “I mean it.”
“Y/N, I’d… I’d love that. I promise,” he says sincerely, “I’ll do it right this time. I’ll be the man you deserve.” He steps closer, his lips now just a breath away from yours. “Can I—“ his eyes flick from looking into yours down to your lips, “I really wanna kiss you right now.” he breathes.
You nod your consent, and he swoops down to capture your lips with his, one hand cupping your cheek while the other grips your waist, pulling you close. Your arms wind around his neck up into his hair, mussing the carefully styled locks as you savor the feeling of his lips velvet-soft against yours. He walks you backward until you’re pressed against the wall, his lips never leaving yours as his body presses against you. Eventually the need for air gets the better of you, and he reluctantly pulls away, keeping his forehead and nose pressed to yours as if he can’t bear to be any farther away. His blue eyes lock with yours as you catch your breath.
“I missed you so much,” he breathes, lips brushing against yours, and the amount of love clear in those 5 little words brings tears to your eyes.
“I missed you, too,” you reply softly, a smile spreading across your face.
The two of you stay like that for a while, pressed against the wall of the hallway, before Elvis mumbles “As much as I’d love to just stay here with you forever, we should probably get back before they notice we’re gone.”
“Oh, right,” you laugh sheepishly as you remember the reason you were there in the first place.
The two of you slip back into the TV room, your absence seemingly having gone unnoticed, and assume the spaces you had occupied before you left, with one small difference: your hand is intertwined with his throughout the rest of the screening.
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Taglist: @queenslandlover-93 @anangelwhodidntfall @austin-butlers-gf @butlersluvbot @killerqueenfan @kittenlittle24 @beauvibaby @kingelviscreole @justjacesstuff @sweetheartlizzie07 @coldonexx @londonalozzy @kaycinema @annamarie16 @adoreyouusugar @djconde58 @mirandastuckinthe80s @luke-my-skywalker @tubble-wubble @apparently-sunshine @kisseskae @whotfatemywaffles @gyomei-tiddies @friedwangsss @shynovelist @sassy-ahsoka-tano @she-is-juniper
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burninlovebutler · 1 year
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the fact that austin has previously talked about how some of elvis’ mannerisms were inherently sexual makes me believe that this motion was no accident and that he was in fact ….. thinking about it sexually
(gif cred: my resident tormentor @karamelcoveredolicity )
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yourforeverokay · 1 year
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What happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas (Elvis Presley x Reader) pt.3
word count: 1,1k
warnings: light cursing, mentions of abuse
summary: What happens when Elvis hears about the abuse that Y/N went through after arriving back to her own room?
a/n: Hey my loves! It has been a while once again, especially with this series. I promise to be more active from now on and focus on writing more in here! I've been so focused on writing my poetry that I haven't been on this app for a while but I'm so happy with all the love you guys have shown me and my writing! I love you all <3 Hope you enjoy this part, and more is coming. Sorry for the short length of this. Thank you <3
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"Please, open the door sweetheart." Elvis was pleading you behind the door. You got off the floor, taking slow steps towards the door. Not because you were scared or worried of the consequences, but because you felt weak. You opened the door, slowly revealing yourself. After Elvis saw the state that you were in, his first instinct was to embrace you. He felt the need to hug you and protect you from any harm that was aimed at your way. This meant that he took a step towards you, but it was too quick for your liking, which made you jump. You knew Elvis wasn't going to hurt you like John did, not after last night you spent getting to know each other. Elvis was different. He...cared.
"I'm so sorry sweetheart." He took a step back. "I didn't mean to be that fast with you. I know the image that I carry but I promise that-" His speech was interrupted by you jumping in his arms. You held him tight and let your tears fall once again. Elvis was startled but quickly hugged you back, even tighter. "Oh Elvis, why would he do something like this to me?" You cried to him, holding him and grabbing the back of his shirt with your hands. "Who? Your husband? What did he do?" Elvis' voice sounded concerned. He took a hold of your face but his touch was gentle, unlike your husband's. He stroked your cheek and looked deep in your eyes. "He- he h-hit me." You tried to hold back your tears so that you wouldn't stutter, but it didn't work. Your emotions got the best of you. Elvis' eyes went dark. He looked angry, sad, disappointed and worried. "Sweetheart, I'm going to have to ask you to wait for me? Will you do that for me?" His eyes scanning yours. You nodded and let go of the man in front of you. The beautiful man, who seemed to understand you better than the rest. Elvis kissed your temple and left the hallway with quick but powerful steps. "Wait for me Y/N!" He quickly shouted before disappearing behind the staircase.
-
It didn't even take 10 minutes, before none other than Jerry Schilling was behind your door knocking frantically. "Hello again Y/N, Elvis sent me here. I need you to pack your bags and follow me, is that okay?" Jerry said to you after you opened the door for him. "Where is he?" You asked confused, but nonetheless, started packing your bags. Afraid of the fact that your husband might return any minute. "Oh, you don't have to worry about that. Elvis has everything under control. I will just take you to another, better, room." He sounded very professional saying that. His posture was straight and his sunglasses hid his eyes from you.
"Right this way." Jerry guided you to an elevator which was huge compared to the regular elevators in the hotel. Jerry lead you to a room number 333 and left you to unpack your bags. The room was a suite filled with beautiful furniture and a view that you had never experienced before. You took everything in as you looked out of the window. While you were taking everything in, you also remembered your state. Clothes from last night, smudged makeup and messy hair. You quickly went to the bathroom to freshen yourself up. You took a hot shower, and took off the makeup that was left on your face.
You stepped out of the shower and before you were about to blow-dry your hair, you heard people coming in your room. You put your ear close to the door and listened what the people had to say. "Did you get rid of him like Mr. Presley ordered?" You heard Jerry say. An unknown voice replied: "He has been taken cared of. This is the letter for the girl." "Thank you, I'll meet you downstairs after Elvis arrives, Red." A door opened and closed.
You didn't know how to feel nor what to think. You didn't even have a clue of what had happened. You blow-dried your hair and stepped out of the bathroom. "Y/N!" Jerry had been sitting on a couch, smoking a cigarette. He stood up fast as you walked over to him. "I don't know what's going on." You said to Jerry, unsure of your situation. "Don't worry miss, Mr. Presley will explain everything. He should be here soon."
You sat down on the couch, took the cigarette off the tray and looked at Jerry. He nodded and you placed it in your mouth. Smooth smoke covering your lungs. You hadn't smoked in 3 years and you had decided to quit after getting married. John himself had always smoked in the house but he forbidded you from doing it. He always said it wasn't "lady-like".
You let your head hang low as you wondered: 'What on earth has happened in these past 24-hours?'
-
The door opened and you quickly hid the cigarette, it was an old habit. Elvis stepped inside the room and he was wearing a dark suit with sunglasses. Once he noticed you on the couch, he quickly took off his glasses and his gaze softened. "Y/N, are you okay?" He got on one knee infront of the couch to get to your level. You took a hold of his hand, which had expensive looking rings on it. "I am, but what happened? I heard some men talking that you have done something?" You asked concerned. Elvis gave Jerry a side-eye and looked down for a moment. "Honey, you don't have to be scared of that abusive son of a bitch anymore. I'll protect you. The mafia and I talked to him about his...behavior..and he now deeply regrets it." He rubbed your hand with his thumb. A sense of relief came over you. For a while John has been abusing you and using you for whatever reason. John was the boy from the neighborhood and you parents loved him...or at least the side that he showed to them. Your parents got you and John together, so that your future would be secured. Little did they know, that John could be so evil, mean and violent.
"They also said something about a letter?" You asked with a small voice. Elvis didn't say anything, he just handed the envelope to you and looked at you with an expression that you couldn't analyze. "There you go honey."
You opened the letter with mixed feelings. What could the letter contain? You opened it slowly, while Jerry left the room quietly, letting the two of you have some peace and privacy.
"Oh my god..." Your hand flew over your mouth.
taglist: @mirandastuckinthe80s @moonchild-daniella @dramaticpandabear @xbunny-k @elvispresleyblog @csmt-m @vintagelizziesblog
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emmymaehereeeeee · 2 years
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Not smutty but casual dominance with Elvis?
P.s ur hot too 😘
-Val
i took this as non-sexual dominance
always opens the door for you. “Uh-uh, I’ll get it!” Elvis would say running to grab the door handle for you.
Constantly telling you how much of a good job you did. “Alright, now you’re going to ease onto the gas, atta girl!” He would smile at you, “You’ve got it!”
Telling you to put a coat on whenever it’s literally freezing and you are being stubborn. “Mama.” He would open the hall closet, “Put your jacket on.” You would spread your arms out allowing him to slip it on you.
Reminding you to take your medication/ setting it out for you. “ ‘s on the counter.” He gestured to a small paper cup with your medication in it.
Tying your shoes for you. Elvis stopped in front of you, “Elvis, what-“ he kneeled down in front of you on vended knee, he tapped his knee signaling you to place your foot up on it.
Warming up your towel for you while you were in the shower.
Making dinner for you after a long day. You stumbled in the door and kicked off your shoes. “Hey mama.” He smiled, pressing a gentle kiss to your cheek. “I’m sorry I’m late E. Work was hell-“ “Dinners on the table baby doll.”
Helping you with your skincare/ taking off your makeup for you. “Sleepy girl, now aren’t you?” He chuckled softly. You leaned into his touch as he wiped away the days makeup.
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dragonanddirewolf · 2 years
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You may have a pink Cadillac
But don't you be nobody's fool
My absolute favourite scene from the whole movie. I’m so obsessed- I can’t stop drawing him 😭 I’m gonna go to the cinema for the 7th time next week as I think it may be my last chance to see it on the big screen 🙈
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pxnsneverland · 11 months
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Beauty and the Boss | austin!elvis x oc (part 9)
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plot summary: Laura Jean Walker is the daughter to Louisiana’s most powerful mafia boss, but to her, he’s just her jail warden. When she sneaks out to the Louisiana Hayride with her friend she sees Elvis Presley perform and instantly knows something is special about this boy. Especially when he saves her from being assaulted by a townie. She thinks she’s on cloud 9 until she gets kidnapped in the middle of the night by the Memphis Mafia led by Elvis himself. Will Laura Jean try to free herself or will something hold her back from finding her way home?
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8
pairings: austin!elvis x oc
word count: 1845
warnings/notes: Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long since I posted a part, but I finally got some time today :)
Chapter 9
               The funeral of Gladys passed in a blur, and before we knew it, the wake was upon us. A steady stream of visitors flowed in and out of the house, all eager to pay their respects to the departed soul lying in the casket. It was a somber sight, made all the more poignant by the fact that it now occupied the very spot where Elvis's grand piano once stood. Beyond the threshold, amidst the ebb and flow of visitors, a throng of journalists and the flicker of camera bulbs stood poised, anticipating Elvis' emergence and any utterance he might offer. The dogs were ravenous, and they seemed intent on exploiting his grief. In the interim, Elvis had not crossed my path since our return from the church. He vanished up the stairs, never to return. I empathized with the agony he was experiencing and yearned to offer solace with my words. However, I was aware that words would be futile in this situation. The death of my mother continued to linger in my mind even after all these years, and it was not an unexpected heart attack like Ms. Gladys.
              Perched upon the plush velvet carpeting of the steps, I observed the bustling crowd from a safe vantage point. I was disinclined to respond to inquiries or receive expressions of sympathy that were rightfully intended for Elvis. The memory of Mama's funeral flooded back to me, overwhelming my senses. Hollow utterances emanating from individuals who lacked sincerity in their speech. It was precisely the phrase one utters to console those who have suffered the loss of a cherished person. Their assistance fell short of your expectations. With a firm grasp on the hem of my black dress, I attempted to free myself from the labyrinth of my own thoughts. I found myself being pulled into a recollection that I had no desire to revisit. I felt a sense of gratitude as Colonel descended the stairs, his expression conveying more than just dissatisfaction.
              The Colonel grumbled, “He won’t come out of that closet.” Though he averted his gaze, I sensed that his words were directed towards me. He leaned against the wall adjacent to my position. “There are some fine folks from the press waiting outside. A few questions, pictures, and they will leave us alone.”
              With a cool gaze, I observed him closely, and his subtle response indicated that he was aware of my piercing stare. “You want him to go talk to the reporters? After his Mama just died? The person he was closest to in the world?”
              “I know, I know.” The insincere tone of his voice sent shivers down my spine. “He trusted her like nobody else, and now she’s gone and who does he have now?” He finally looked at me.
              “You’ve picked the wrong person for an ally, Colonel. I ain’t forcin’ him to go talk to nobody.”
              “No, no. That’s not…that’s not what I meant. I care about my boy whether you believe that or not, Ms. Walker. I tried talking to him but it’s really not my place. You, however, have his heart perhaps just as much as his dear Mama did. He trusts you. Despite our differences, you and I, we have one thing in common. We want what is best for that boy. And today, you are what is best.”
              The art of deception is often employed by conmen, who skillfully blend elements of truth with their own ulterior motives. The art of perception was a skill passed on by my father, and it allowed me to easily discern the true intentions of the Colonel. Perhaps his interest in Elvis was genuine, but it was overshadowed by his preoccupation with his own celebrity and public persona. As the reporters continued to exploit Elvis's sorrow, the Colonel's pockets grew increasingly lined with cash. Despite the presence of the man standing next to me, my adoration for Elvis remained paramount. I rose to my feet, delicately smoothing out the fabric of my skirt.
              “I’m not makin’ him come down if he don’t want to,” I declared, preceding my ascent up the stairs towards the room that was once occupied by Gladys.
              Not a single thing had been disturbed since her passing. The room appeared to be suspended in time, a poignant tribute to a person who would never again occupy its space. The faint sound of Elvis's subdued weeping emanated from the depths of her closet. I advanced cautiously, mindful of the potential for startling him. My trepidation stemmed from a fear that he might bolt from my presence, much like a skittish cat. The door of the closet was slightly ajar, allowing a breath of fresh air to seep through. With a hesitant hand, I gradually pushed the closet door ajar. Inside, I was met with a heart-wrenching sight - Elvis was seated on the floor, his thin frame huddled amidst his Mama's dresses. Tears streamed down his face, his sobs wracking his entire body with each passing moment. He stole a quick glance in my direction before turning away, pressing his cheek against the soft fabric of a dress.
              I lowered myself onto the ground, maintaining a safe distance from him, as I positioned myself directly in front of him. “Hi, baby.”
              “She’s gone…”
              “I know. But all your friends and family…they’re wonderin’ where you are.”
              A deep sob escaped his lips. “I can’t go out there, Laura Jean. I can’t. I just want to stay in here forever.” Tears streamed down his face as he buried it into the soft fabric of the dress's skirt.
              My heart shattered into even smaller pieces for him than it had for myself when I experienced the same misfortune. With a deep breath, I closed the distance between us and enveloped him in a warm embrace, my arms encircling his broad shoulders. He maintained his grip on the garments, yet refrained from deterring me. “I know how you feel. When my Mama died, all I wanted to do was crawl into the ground with her. I felt like my whole world was in pieces and the person who usually picked them up wasn’t there anymore.” I gently massaged his back. “No one could ever replace her. Why, Ms. Gladys was a one-of-a-kind woman who raised a one-of-a-kind son. I wish I could be half as strong as she was some day.”
              Elvis buried his head in my shoulder and embraced me with such force that it became difficult to catch my breath. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do without her. She was everythin’. All this…all this was for her.”
              My fingers glided through his hair. “You cry now. You cry your little heart out for as long as you need to. And day by day, you just keep on movin’, keep on livin’. Cause that’s what your Mama would have wanted. For you to live your life as fully and as happily as you can.” I gently pressed my lips against his forehead. “And I’ll be here for you, too. Whenever you need me. I’ll work and I’ll worry in your Mama’s place. Okay?” With a nod, he buried his face deeper into my shoulder. To hold him felt like I was holding a baby who was twice my size. Gradually, I rose to my feet, pulling him up alongside me until we were both standing upright. With a gentle touch, I wiped away the tears that had gathered on his face, my fingers softly caressing his cheek. “Now we’re gonna go downstairs and you’re gonna go say goodbye to your Mama.”
              With a sniffle, Elvis enfolded me in a warm embrace, pressing my head against his chest. He clasped my head firmly, as if he feared that I might vanish into thin air. All the while, I listened intently to the rhythmic thumping of his heart. “I ain’t never gonna let anyone take you away from me, you hear? Not your Daddy, not the Colonel, no one. I don’t care about money or stupid mafia business. I just care about you.”
              “I’m not goin’ anywhere,” I vowed.
              With tears streaming down his face, he whispered, “I love you, Laura Jean.”
              “I love you too.” I grasped his hand firmly and led him out of the bedroom, descending the stairs in unison. Silence fell over the room as Elvis made his way towards the open casket of Gladys. No expense had been spared for her funeral, from the casket to the flower arrangements and every detail in between. As I gazed upon her, she appeared serene and undisturbed, nestled within the soft and luxurious velvet that lined the interior of the casket. Elvis gazed intently at her, his grip on my hand unyielding. He parted his lips, as if to utter words to her, but they were abruptly stifled by a wrenching sob. I rested my head upon his shoulder.
              The Colonel shuffled up behind us and placed a hand on Elvis's shoulder. “I can’t even begin to understand what you are going through, my boy. But you have comforted your friend and your family. You need to go comfort your fans too, hmm? They are worried about you. And if you don’t go do that all that your mama sacrificed for you will be for nothing.”
              The desire to expel acid from my mouth consumed me. Using Elvis at this time? How could he? He was in no position to have a conversation with anyone. He needed the freedom to simply exist as a young man who had suffered the loss of his mother, rather than being burdened with the weighty expectations of embodying the iconic figure of Elvis Presley. In spite of my innermost insults directed towards Colonel Parker, Elvis gravitated towards him and sought solace in his embrace, shedding tears upon his shoulder. I yearned to persuade him that the presence of the elderly gentleman was superfluous. The Colonel hesitantly rubbed Elvis's back.
              “You stay with my through thick and thin, okay?” he asked, his eyes searching for reassurance. Elvis expressed, “You’re like a father to me.”
              My eyes locked onto the Colonel's, and he met my gaze with a smug expression that made me itch to wipe it off his face. Despite my constant challenges, he relished the sense of power he wielded over Elvis. I persisted in my efforts to liberate Elvis from the clutches of the snowman, refusing to give up until my mission was accomplished. As Elvis withdrew, the Colonel offered a reassuring pat on his shoulder. “Just a few questions and some photos and we will be done.”
              “C-Can Laura Jean come with me?” Elvis sniffled.
              The Colonel's gaze met mine, but I refused to back down, my expression daring him to confront me. I was determined not to leave Elvis, even if he forbade my presence. He let out a deep sigh and replied, “Of course. You need her now.”
              With a nod, I followed Elvis as he led me through the throng of microphones and cameras outside.
Stay tuned for part 10!! Click HERE to view!
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cheesy-cryptid · 2 years
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“What are they hollerin’ at ?!”
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katnissmellarkkk · 1 year
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austinstyles · 1 year
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Form Ruby Bell insta.
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i just LOVE this edit. forever grateful to AB for how he showed EP 
 from: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChXs1ERPYQo/
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foreverdolly · 1 month
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elvis at nancy’s opening show party, 1969. photos have been enhanced and edited.
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sagesolsticewrites · 2 years
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Can you do a blurb where austin uses the Elvis voice against you and just the back forth of him practicing doing the voice?!!! You are doing gods work!! Ily!
Hi!! Thank you so much for requesting! Here it is, darling, I hope you enjoy!
Baby | Austin Butler x reader
Warnings: none, I think? Let me know if there’s anything I missed!
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You knew your boyfriend was completely dedicated to his latest role, feeling the pressure of portraying the King of Rock and Roll. What you didn’t anticipate was exactly how good Austin would sound putting in the work to sound like Elvis.
He had been watching interviews and performances religiously and, with the help of his dialect coach, was determined to perfect that iconic Southern drawl. So, he had started using it in conversations with you. But when he noticed how it made you weak in the knees, well… he learned how to use that to his advantage.
“Babyyyy,” he whined from his spot next to you on the couch, “would you mind grabbing me a soda from the fridge real quick?”
It was one of the rare lazy days the two of you had. You were curled up on the couch together, you with your copy of Emma and Austin with his copy of What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, lounging in the living room of his place in Australia where he was currently filming. Elvis was playing softly in the background, as usual.
“You’ve got legs of your own that work perfectly fine, you can get it yourself,” you teased, nudging him with your foot.
He turned to you with those big blue puppy dog eyes he did way too well. You opened your mouth, ready to shut down whatever plea he had, when he said oh-so-slowly, “Aw c’mon, baby, please?” in that damn husky drawl he’d been working on for weeks.
You felt your face flush, and a victorious smirk crossed his face.
You immediately tried to school your face into a neutral expression. “You’re gonna have to try harder than that, Butler,” you said, returning your attention to your book.
He moved closer to you, close enough you could feel his breath on your neck. “Baby,” he crooned, his lips brushing your cheek,
“Darlin’…” his mouth moved to that sensitive spot just under your ear.
“Sweetheart…” he drawled as his lips worked a trail down your neck.
Just as you had begun to melt under his attention, he returned to the topic that had started this whole situation. “Please,” he breathed against your neck, husky Southern twang warming his voice, “grab me a soda from the fridge.”
Your half-lidded eyes flew open and you pushed yourself off the couch, face flushed. He smirked, knowing exactly what the warm Southern drawl, among other things, had done to you.
“This is just because I want to get myself a snack and I might get you a soda if I feel like it,” you insisted, rushing off to the kitchen before he could see how affected you were.
“Whatever you say, baby,” Austin called after you, still in that same drawl, “whatever you say.”
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burninlovebutler · 1 year
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the hand thing
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yourforeverokay · 1 year
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The Meaning Behind the Song (Elvis Presley x Reader) pt. 1
word count: 1,4k
summary: A new life is waiting for you in Memphis, Tennessee as you take off with your car. You face some troubles on the way there, but luckily you meet a handsome boy insisting to help you.
a/n: Hey my loves! I've decided to start a new series and I'm very excited! This doesn't mean that I won't continue What happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas, this only means that I will post more for you guys. I hope you like the start of this series and accept it with open arms. And as always, you can imagine Elvis, Austin or Austin!Elvis as the character, it's all up to you! I hope you enjoy the start of a new beginning and a new story. Thank you &lt;3
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A new life - that's what you were going towards to. Chasing dreams were either going to get you on stage in front of shining lights and adoration from people who loved your art. It could also crush you and leave you for dead. You knew the risks of this field and you knew that you would have to deal with any kinds of consequences that you would face during your journey, but you were ready. Ready to take the next step, ready to take the leap and ready to do what you actually love. That's why you were currently on your way to Memphis, Tennessee. 'Let the story begin' You thought to yourself as you started the engine in your car and left your old life behind.
-
You couldn't believe it. You were on your way to a new city and to your new apartment which was located in a small and isolated town called Memphis. You had met Sam Phillips, the producer of Sun Records, in your home town when he was looking for new talents for his up-and-coming recording studio. It was the only chance for you to try to show your talents to the world, and you couldn't miss it. It was just you and your guitar, head filled with big dreams. Luckily Sam Phillips loved your song and performance so you immediately got signed in. He gave you one requirement though. "You need to move to Memphis or else the business won't work. You have two weeks." He said after shaking your hand.
So here you were, in your father's old car driving yourself to Memphis with only two bags, a guitar and a lot of hope. The car ride was going to be long but with the excitement bubbling in your stomach, you could not care less about it. The radio was blasting country songs and the volume was on the highest level. As you were arriving closer to Memphis, the radio started to play local songs from none other than the Sun Records. "And now let us hear the new single released by the Sun Records 'That's All Right'" Suddenly an old song you loved played through the radio but it wasn't what you were expecting it to be. It was different, but in a good way. A young boy sang the song with such passion and talent that you were immediately interested. You started tapping your finger against the steering wheel and sang the lyrics with the boy.
"That's all right now mama, anyway you do"
You put your sunglasses on and put your foot on the gas petal as the wind blew your hair back. You had your 2nd best clothes on (1st were reserved for the first official meeting with Sam Phillips) because you wanted to give a good first impression to your neighbors. You were wearing a white dress, red sunglasses that had thick frames and some red heels. You had your nails painted cherry red and you had also bought a new lipstick that you had on. The name of the lipstick was "The Kiss of Lust" which your mother did not approve but she let you buy it anyways. As the radio was playing, the wind blowing and the sun shining, suddenly a bump on the road took you off your thoughts. The car started to slow down and confusion took over your mind. 'What on earth was that' You thought to yourself. Your father's car completely stopped and as you tried to restart it, it wouldn't bug. You stepped out of the car and saw a flat tire. "Oh, no no no. This can't be happening to me!" You cried as you tried to look for housing close to by. You needed help from anybody but you didn't see no houses or anything close by. You sat back in your car and the tears started falling. 'Not today'
-
"Excuse me miss!"
You had cried so loudly for tens of minutes that you hadn't heard a car pull up next to you. You looked to your left and saw a truck that said Crown Electric CO. on the side of it. You then turned your head to look at the driver and my god, was he dreamy. A young man with dark hair and ocean blue eyes, was sitting on the driver's seat and his hand was resting on the opened window. "Miss, ya look like you're in some big trouble ther' ." His voice was deep, but smooth. His voice mesmerized you but also you couldn't help but to wonder why it sounded so familiar. You pushed the thought out of your mind since you were in a hurry. "Oh, yes! I seem to have a flat tire but I don't know how to fix it since I don't have a spare tire." You answered. You were lucky you had your sunglasses on since the crying probably made your eyes puffy. The man got out of his car and he was taller than you had expected. "Mind if I look at it, miss?" He asked very politely. He called you miss even though you both looked the same age, about 18. He looked and observed the tire for a minute, went back to his truck and took a brand new tire out of the trunk. He then rolled his sleeves and got to work. You were amazed. A handsome boy was changing your tire, with sweat dripping from his forehead. You couldn't help but bite your lower lip as you watched him fix your car. In minutes, the tire was changed and you were ready to continue your trip.
Before you did that, you had to get this boy's name, even though you were probably never going to meet again. "Thank you so much for helping me! But I'm sorry, I didn't quite catch your name?" You informed him as you stood up from the seat of your car. "My name is Elvis Presley and it was my pleasure to help you miss.." "Y/L/N, but just call me Y/N." You smiled at him sweetly and he returned the smile. He offered his hand for you to shake, but for your surprise, he kissed the top hand like a true gentleman. You cheeks turned as red as your sunglasses while he gave you a cheeky smile. You stood there for a second, lost in his eyes, while he was still holding your hand. "Could you wait for a second?" You asked Elvis as your hand left his and you turned to walk towards your car. "Oh I could wait all day for ya, sugar." He said with a smug look on his face as your head turned to look at him while your legs kept moving. You shook your head, dumbfounded, not knowing how to reply to that comment. You bent over the door of your car and grabbed some paper you could find and a pen from your purse. You then wrote your number and your name, with a heart, on a tiny piece of bubblegum wrapper and then you walked back over to him. "This is for you." You handed him the wrapper as he looked what was written on it. "As way of showing my gratitude, Elvis." You smiled at him and walked back over to your car, now to sit in it.
"I'm sorry, but I need to continue my trip now. " You said to him, with a hint of sadness in your voice. The uncertainty of not knowing if he would ever call you washed your thoughts but you did not let the boy see it. You wanted to seem confident...and sexy. As you started your engine, Elvis stopped you for a brief second by taking a hold of the car door. "I'll call ya, I promise. Until next time, honey." He then winked his eye at you and walked back to his truck. You were shocked, but incredibly pleased, with his flirting since the guys back home didn't do it as much (or as well). The red on your face couldn't get any worse so you left the scene, hoping to meet that boy again.
"Bye Elvis!" You yelled while waving your hand, not looking back, from your speeding car as you disappeared far into the distance.
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emmymaehereeeeee · 2 years
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The "Best" Wedding Guests
Y/E/N - Your Ex's name
Y/E/P/N- Your ex's partner's name
"Hey beautiful", you lifted your eyes to watch as Elvis sauntered through the front door with a bundle of mail in his hand. Tossing the mail haphazardly onto the table, he held on to one envelope.
"What is it?" You asked, your eyes scanning the white envelope for any type of significance as to hint at its purpose. Passing it over to you he peered over your shoulder as you tore open the envelope.
You are formally invited to attend the wedding of Y/E/N and Y/E/P
You rolled your eyes and laid the invitation face down on the counter, "I fucking swear," You huffed out.
Elvis picked it up and read the letter, "Oh a wedding! I love weddings." Elvis smiled as his eyes scanned the words.
"It's for Y/E/N, I swear the piece of shit had the guts to cheat on me and NOW the audacity to send me an invitation to their fucking wedding!" You ran a hand through your hair, a frustrated sigh leaving your lips.
"We should go, it will be fun-" You cut Elvis off by turning around to face him.
"Oh, we're going to the wedding, we'll make it a night that the lovely couple will never forget." Elvis could sense that you were planning something but paid no attention to it, he loved parties and any reason to get dressed up.
The days passed by quickly and you soon found yourself putting on what you could only describe as your revenge dress. It fits you well and made you feel sexy, confident, and bold. Yet at the same time, you felt elegant and graceful. Elvis was dressed in a crisp dark blue dress shirt and tan pants. He walked over to the dresser and began to slip his rings on his fingers, "You look gorgeous." You offered your hand out for him which he took quickly. Spinning you around so that your back was flush to his chest, he leaned his head close to your neck. "Beautiful dress."  His breath left a trail of goosebumps along your skin.
"Mm, why thank you, Mr. Presley." You responded, a coy smile playing on your lips. Elvis smiled in response to your comment, he pressed a gentle kiss to your neck before pulling you away from him. His eyes scanned down your body, drinking in every ounce of your figure. "Alright, Mr. Presley, we have a wedding to attend." Elvis looked at himself in the mirror, you moved over to join him. "God we are such a hot couple." Elvis's eyes shifted to your gaze which was fixated on his figure.
"Darling, that is all you." He replied, his accent laying the line thick. He smiled and wrapped his arms around his waist, "Hottest woman I've ever met." You rolled your eyes.
"Mm, as much as I love hearing you compliment me I do not like being late." You flashed him a smile and handed him the keys, "Are you ready, my handsome man?" Elvis nodded his head and opened the bedroom door for you. The two of you made your way out of the bedroom and out the front door, Elvis paused to lock the door.
"Now hold on let me get the door for you, baby." He trumpeted as he shoved the keys into his pocket. He briskly made his way towards the car door. A smile played on his lips as he pulled open the door and helped you into the car.  As he closed the door he quickly made his way to the driver's side of the car. Settling into the seat he flashed you one last smile before shoving the keys into the ignition.
The ride to the ceremony was quiet, the silence was only broken by Elvis asking you when to turn. Your mind was preoccupied with the multitude of thoughts about the whole ordeal.  Elvis pulled into the parking lot of the reception, "Are you ready?" Elvis asked as he offered out his hand.
Nodding your head and letting out a sigh you took his hand a squeezed it, "Let's go congratulate the happy couple."
Elvis opened his door and brushed himself off then he opened your door. Holding your hand above your head, signaling for you to twirl he whistled. "God damn it, woman." He smirked.
Placing your hand on his half-opened shirt you ran your nails across his chest lightly, "Mm, later Mr. Presley." Elvis opened his mouth to protest but was interrupted by a shrill scream.
"Elvis Presley ?!" The two of you turned and your attention was directed towards the young woman. Her eyes were wider than the expensive dinner plates you saw the workers setting out. "Wha-how?"
Elvis placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, "Friends of the groom. Now doll, you mind telling us where we can find our seats?" He flashed her a small smile.
"O-Of course, um right this way!" She weaved her way through the crowd of people. Heads turned and Elvis being Elvis of course stopped at every single one of them. "Hello, how are ya'll? No, I ain't performing tonight, just friends."
When the two of you finally reached your seats Elvis leaned over to you, "They better have an open bar." You turned to face him with a quizzical look on your face.
"Elvis, we aren't here for the alcohol."
"Well, we sure aren't here because we like this asshole."
You brought your hand up to your mouth and tried to stifle your laugh, someone's grandma flashed you a sharp glare and you composed yourself.
The ceremony was gruelingly long and filled with Elvis's commentary on everything from the groom's suit to the petals that the flower girl used.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife." The officiant closed the binder and the couple kissed. Whoops, and hollers were cascading throughout the buildings. You locked eyes with the groom as he made his way down the aisle. 
You flashed him a smile and waved, turning to Elvis you gestured for him to leave the row and head towards the reception. "Alright, alright, I am going," Elvis mumbled.
"Excuse me, are you?" A woman who looked to be about your mother's age asked Elvis. Elvis smiled, "It's nice to meet you." The woman's eyes lit up as she called the rest of her group over to the two of you. Which only brought more people, "Oh Elvis you just have to sing for us please?" A young man pleaded.
Elvis shook his head and chuckled, "I don't know." You smiled up at him, but your attention was ripped away from your lover by the squeak of a microphone. 
"Alright folks, I would- hey- people! The bride and groom are about to walk in, let's be respectful." The group slowly dispersed, allowing you the opportunity to slip away to the bar.
"Um, ma'am we a-" Elvis walked up behind you and the bartender's attitude soon changed. "What can I get you?"
You leaned on your hand as your eyes scanned down the drink list. "Hm, what are you thinking, baby?" You handed Elvis the list, "I'll have a 'Rusty Nail'. "You quipped.
"Gin and tonic," Elvis replied, handing the man back the menu. "Since when do you drink scotch?" He asked running his hand along your leg." 
"Since I got invited to my ex's wedding." You retorted. Elvis nodded his head in agreement. What happened next consisted of you cheering on Elvis while he tried tequila shots, you downing just about any drink you could get your hands on, and Elvis leaning his head on the counter while you are challenging the bartender to a staring contest. You lost so you asked for 'Whiskey Sour', and the bartender handed you your drink.
"Baby, Babe baby '," Elvis slurred as he placed his hand on your shoulder, his other hand supporting him on the counter.
"What?" You asked turning around which caused your drink to slosh out of your cup. You watched as it spilled onto the ground next to you, "Aw".
Elvis laughed, "Music, they are playing my music!" He grabbed your hand and pulled you towards the dance floor. "TIP Y/N WE GOTTA GIVE A TIP!" Elvis spun around on his heel and slapped his wallet onto the counter, "Take out your tip." He slurred to the bartender.
The poor bartender pulled out a five-dollar bill and held it up to him, "No get some more out of there come on!" Elvis soon got frustrated and grabbed the wallet, he pulled out the remaining cash and handed it to the man. "Music time!" Elvis stumbled onto the dance floor, and much to the crowd's desire he sang along loudly. 
"Elvis oh my GOD" ELVIS PRESLEY!" Comments like this followed by screams of joy were soon filling the dance floor, at one point someone handed Elvis a microphone.
The alcohol made your body feel warm and your head floaty. Rocking your hips to the rhythm of the music, Elvis's voice soon filled your ears.
"The people- the people have giv- they've given me a mic, Y/E/N!" Your ex's head snapped up to look at Elvis, his eyes filled with rage as Elvis started to sing.
"We're cauuught in a trap, oh YEAH. I can't walk out- because I LOVEEEEEEEEEE you too much baby!" Elvis made his way towards you, slurring over the lyrics as he sang. The crowd did not seem to care nor did you, you were to intoxicated to even care. After Elvis kicked the air, punched the air the whole nine yards along with his drunken giggles, he leaned down and put the entire top of the mic into his mic, "HWOMP" "Jesus" he mumbled, "We have to go home, gotta go bye bye." He turned to the groom and pulled you close, "We are going homeee, bedtime. Thank you- thank you, Y/N's mine now. We're going homeeee."
You grabbed the mic, "Y/E/P/N, he isn't that good, fuck, I hope you have a good wrist, gonna be using that hand a wholeeee lot." You giggled as Elvis grabbed the mic away.
The crowd laughed right along with you, "SHE'S SAYING HE IS BAD AT SEX!"  You fell on the floor in a fit of giggles and Elvis chuckled as he pulled you to your feet. "We got to go home!"
How Jerry knew about the wedding neither of you were able to find out, but poor Jerry had to deal with the two of yall's drunken rambles.
Elvis gave him a bit of a pay raise, partially because he had to deal with the two of you while you were drunk out of your ever-loving minds, but also to keep it all hush-hush. As if Jerry not telling anyone would stop the multiple wedding guests from sharing their experiences for years to come?
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