AUTHOR'S NOTE: I was intending to write this massively long "Ash and Gazelle become friends" thing, but had only one halfway decent idea for the plot. So I decided to just jump to the meat of the idea and the story.
As always, the world of Sing is now set in the world of Zootopia. In the universe of this fic series, this takes place after both films end.
The fic title is from "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" by Taylor Swift, and the series title is from "Roar" by Katy Perry.
I'm really gonna miss you picking fights
And me falling for it screaming that I'm right
And you would hide away and find your peace of mind
With some indie record that's much cooler than mine
As Ash Barber removes her show makeup, there's a knock on her dressing room door.
Nikolai Clawiinsky opens it and leans past the door frame. "There's a fan requesting to see you."
"I'll be at the stage door in a minute," she says, tossing the makeup wipe into the trashcan.
"He said he wanted to meet you backstage," the Siberian tiger adds.
Ash sighs. She doesn't ignore fans as a rule; they are half the reason she's now a professional musician. But the constant attention following Buster's concert and then being hired as Gazelle's opening act can be a bit much. The porcupine performs for the sake of art, not money or prestige, and the trappings of even budding fame can get to her. But it is important to acknowledge the people who pay to see her sing. "Okay, whatever."
Nikolai leaves, and Ash changes into her normal clothes. The fan might be a bit disappointed that she isn't going to come out in her performance attire, but the two outfits aren't terribly different. Gazelle had been more than willing to let Ash keep her leather jacket, combat boots, and overall rock vibe in and outside of the show. As she leaves her dressing room, Ash reminds herself that she shouldn't just brush off this animal who went out of their way to meet her, even if all she wants to do is go to her hotel and sleep-
And suddenly she can't breathe, because Lance Creston is standing before her.
She stops in her tracks, staring at her ex boyfriend as the backstage crew weaves around her. He's wearing the same black t -shirt they had custom made for their former band, two digitally printed quills meant to resemble drumsticks crossed in an x on the fabric. And really, it's the familiarity of the shirt that sends her emotions into overdrive. Even though the porcupines are in an arena stadium large enough to hold fifty Moon Theatres, it feels like the very day she had kicked him out of their apartment and her life. The same hurt pangs in her chest and the same tears build behind her eyes. She is not a crier and never has been, but he and only he draws it out of her.
"Hey, Ash," Lance says as if they were old friends chatting about the weather.
"What are you doing here?" she asks, throat closing up almost instantly.
Which is humiliating, but not a new occurrence either. He brings deep emotions out of her that she would otherwise never show so plainly. Once upon a time when they had still been dating, she had thought being more emotional around him was a good thing. She had been closed off before they met, so surely being more in touch with her feelings meant he was right for her, that they were changing each other, and that she was becoming a more well rounded animal-
But looking back, she was only more expressive about showing pain. He didn't inspire her to be happy, but to cry more. Ash had only cried once in front of others aside from him, and that was during her Call Me Maybe rehearsal. She had opened up to Lance more than anyone else, and he twisted his knife of superiority and putting her down and controlling everything deeper into her heart.
Oh, he had changed her, alright.
"I came to the concert, duh," he says as if he thinks she's an idiot, which is also not new. "I, um, liked your song."
Having lived with him as long as she did, Ash can read her former boyfriend like a book. His gaze flickers to the left before meeting hers again, and she knows he's lying about her music. She's had plenty of practice to figure out when he's not telling the truth.
"Anyway," he says quickly and almost dismissively, "I was wondering if you'd like to get back together."
"What?" she chokes out.
"Becky left me, and you're so talented," he adds, and this time he doesn't look to the left. He's not lying, but this is the first time she's ever heard him actually compliment her. "I thought that we could start our band again and-"
"No."
His gaze snaps to hers. "What do you mean, no?"
She folds her arms across her chest. "You heard me."
His jaw clenches. "Oh, so since you're so high and mighty and touring with Gazelle, you're too good for me now?"
She lifts her chin. "I was always too good for you."
His dark eyes are hard. "Oh, really?"
"You were a horrible music partner, and an even worse boyfriend," she says bluntly as always. "I'm done laying down and rolling over for you, Lance."
"Ash-"
"You demeaned me in every possible way, musically or otherwise, and then cheated on me with Betty."
"Becky."
"I don't care," Ash snaps.
"And I told you, she left me, so I don't see what the problem is-"
"Notice how you haven't apologized for cheating on me?" she retorts. "Or for being a terrible boyfriend? Or for constantly putting down my music? Or for being a control freak? You just want to ride on the coat tails of my success and get some of your own. You don't really want to get back together. You just want a piece of my fame."
"You always were difficult," he says through his teeth.
She straightens her spine. "I haven't even begun to be difficult."
Before she can even blink, he grabs her arm. "Neither have I."
Her quills going rigid, she tries to pull her arm free from his paw. He was never physically abusive before, but apparently she is now giving him cause to be. "Let go of me!"
"Hey!"
The two porcupines turn to see Gazelle Thompson and the four tigers, Vaska Snarlyev, Aleksandr Striperov, Sasha Fangeyev, and Nikolai. All five animals stalk across backstage towards the pair, fire in their eyes.
"She said to let go!" the pop singer says. The normally sweet doe looks like she'll use her horns on Lance if it comes down to it.
Ash's ex releases her arm. "This is a private conversation-"
"Not anymore," Nikolai snaps with a hint of teeth, and Lance swallows hard. "Not when you hurt someone."
"I wasn't hurting her," Lance retorts. "I was just trying to make her listen-"
"You were hurting me," Ash cuts in.
"You have ten seconds to leave," Gazelle says, "or I'm calling security."
"We'll take care of him," Nikolai adds, a hint of a growl in his voice, and Ash sees Vaska, Aleksandr, and Sasha extending their claws.
"Okay, okay," Lance says. "I'm going." He glances at his ex girlfriend. "Just remember what I said, babe."
"Don't call me babe," she snaps, quills rigid. "And don't come near me ever again. Don't call or text or find me. I never want to see you again."
He blinks. "That's a bit much-"
"Get out!"
The door leading to the street slams behind him.
Gazelle is instantly at her side. "Are you okay?"
Not too long ago, Ash would have put up all her walls, pushed Gazelle aside, and never turned to anyone. But the competition at the Moon Theatre taught her that there are good animals in the world, and her current coworkers are proving to be just as loyal.
"Well, I'm not happy," the porcupine says, "but I'm okay."
"We'll stay with you the entire evening," Gazelle promises, "and we'll all go to the hotel together to make sure he doesn't follow you there."
A year ago Ash would have never accepted. "Thanks. I appreciate it."
"We'll get our things," Nikolai says. As the four tigers depart, she notices them scanning backstage for any sign of Lance, and the porcupine feels a rush of gratitude well within her. This is what it means to have animals care about her. They might not have known each other as long as she's known the singing competition contestants, but this feels right too.
"I'll go with you to your dressing room," Gazelle says, tone kind but brooking no argument, and Ash doesn't even try to protest.
As promised, Gazelle stays with her as the porcupine gathers her belongings, and is right at her side as Ash and the tigers leave the stadium. The cool night air rustles Ash's quills as all six animals scan the street for Lance, but there's no sign of him. They get into the limo, and Ash has never felt safer than now with two muscular tigers on either side of her.
The drive to the hotel is uneventful, and nobody says much as they ride the elevator to their floor. But when Nikolai goes to the door of his room that's right by Ash's, he locks gazes with her. "I'm just a few feet away if you need anything."
"Thanks."
"We won't let him get anywhere near you," the tiger adds before opening his door with the keycard and going inside.
But even though Gazelle's room is directly across the hall from Ash's, the older singer stays at the porcupine's door. "Do you want any more company tonight, or do you want space?"
A year ago, Ash would have told her to leave. "I'd appreciate the company."
As Sasha, Aleksandr, and Vaska go to their rooms with similar promises to protect her, Gazelle joins Ash in the porcupine's room. The pop singer orders room service for them both as the porcupine tries to collect her thoughts, and they watch Den Hunters International from the bed, dinner trays on their laps. Ash never thought in a hundred years she'd be friends with someone like Gazelle, but here they are. And it's been a while since Ash even had a female friend; Meena counts, of course, but Rosita is more like a surrogate mother and Ms. Crawly a surrogate grandmother. Gazelle is like the cheerleader in senior year you'd never think of even talking to, but who turns out to actually have a heart.
But in the middle of the episode, words appear in Ash's head. There's phrases like we called it off again last night and we are never ever getting back together, and she grabs a notepad to write the words down before she forgets them.
Gazelle reaches for the remote and mutes the tv. "I know that look. Want some space to compose?"
"Maybe," Ash admits, and Gazelle grabs her Preyda purse. When the porcupine's employer goes to the door, Ash speaks up. "Thank you. Truly."
Gazelle turns, a hoof on the door handle. "If you need anything, and I mean anything, call me. I don't care what time or day or night it is, I'll pick up."
"Thanks," Ash repeats, and Gazelle smiles as she goes out the door.
A month later, Ash's new song is finally ready to perform.
Normally her coworkers are getting ready for their own performance while the porcupine does her opening act. But she's not doing Set It All Free tonight, and the tigers gather with her in the stadium wings as Gazelle goes alone on stage. The crowd roars as usual for the pop star, but she doesn't start singing as she normally would. As the Thompson's gazelle talks about Ash and her new song, the porcupine herself is surrounded by the four tigers.
"You can do this," Nikolai says as Gazelle officially introduces Ash.
The crowd cheers when the porcupine goes on stage, and Gazelle gives Ash as encouraging smile as the taller animal passes her on the doe's way to the wings. The massive stadium quiets as Ash picks up the acoustic guitar she rarely uses, and it seems like everyone is holding their breath.
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together is far more country than she normally writes. But she wants the lyrics to be the focal point, not electric guitar riffs, and she's allowed to change, isn't she? The crowd doesn't make a sound as she sings, but she imagines Lance in front of her, not them. He's not at the concert, of course; Gazelle had blacklisted him from ever buying tickets. But the porcupine pictures him anyway. The song isn't really for the audience. It's for him, and it's for her.
The crowd erupts when the song ends, probably more than they had ever done for Ash in the entire tour. She's just the opening act, not the main attraction. But after Gazelle's speech and hearing the song, the audience embraces her like never before. But then Ash glances at the wings, and Gazelle and the tigers are cheering like she won the Grammys.
The porcupine bows again and heads backstage, only to be nearly crushed by her fellow musicians' group hug. This is better than Lance. This friendship and a new music family – different from the dynamics of the Moon Theatre, but still good in its own way – is everything she didn't know she needed a year ago.
And she doesn't need a boyfriend to validate her any longer.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: There's a number of pro Lash fics in the Sing fandom and just… I'm sorry, but I will not ship it. Ever. Lance was emotionally abusive, folks.