I do not own the movie Sing. I only own my OC, Jason.
Keep in mind, any users or anonymous cowards who change their names whenever they can. Nobody in this fandom is passing off any lyrics they use as their own. They DO try to acknowledge which singer/songwriter they belong to.
And if Fanfiction is gonna create a movie category for the movie Sing, a movie about animals SINGING REAL LIFE SONGS, expect the fics to have SONG LYRICS in them. If songfics are soooo abhorred on this site, why did Fanfiction create this category for a movie about singing animals in the first place? Or why are the other 60,000 songfic stories still up on this site?
We Sing fans are writing stories as mere fans of the movie, not authors getting paid or receiving any credit for our writing.
So kindly try to understand we're NOT trying to steal anything and let us do what we love.
...Okay, now that that's out of the way, enjoy! :D And don't forget to leave a review!
Jason was ready for some sleep.
The luminescent rays from the gradually setting sun peeked over the skyscrapers of Jen Erik City, bathing everything in warm orange colours. While many citizens unfortunately had to remain at their jobs until nightfall, others breathed sighs of relief as their time to go home finally arrived. One in particular was leaning his elbow on the rubber seal of the bus window, an absent-minded stare peering lazily through the glass as cars roared past. His quills brushed against the soft material of the seat with each jolt from the vehicle stopping or rolling over a small bump in the asphalt. It wasn't until the song resonating through his earphones finally faded out that he snapped out of his drowsy trance. Gazing down at the phone held in his paw, he wearily lifted his thumb and scrolled through the various playlists before finally stopping to select one. A content smile crossed his face as the twanging first few notes of Behind The Clouds started to play. That is, until a shuddering jolt from the bus rudely interrupted his relaxation.
"Hey, Jason! This is your stop, buddy!"
Barely containing his irritated groan, the porcupine nonetheless put on a grateful smile and hopped down from his seat. Leaning down to straighten out the black fabric of his trousers, he clutched his phone in his paw as he made his way to the open doors.
"Thanks for the ride, Matt!" Jason called to the buffalo behind the wheel, stepping onto the sidewalk.
"Eight-thirty next Monday?"
"You know it!" At those final words, the combined noise of the doors screeching shut and the bus' roaring engine faded away down the road. The porcupine began walking in the direction of his house, but not before giving his stiff joints a quick stretch. He looked down at his phone and tapped his thumb on the Skip Back button. Once the song started over, Jason stuffed it into the pocket of his grey work jacket and directed his eyes downward so as not to be blinded by the sunlight. As soon as the guitar intro ceased and the vocals began, he began singing along under his breath.
Jason knew most animals in Jen Erik City weren't that into the country genre, particularly his friends, but he couldn't help but find some charm in its music. Well, that and he was a sucker for Brad Paisley. As the swaying guitar chords of the instrumental bridge arose, Jason inhaled deeply before releasing it in a relaxed sigh. Now that he'd walked around the corner, he gratefully opened his eyes now that the rays from the sun weren't glaring at him. He directed his gaze at all the pleasantly-painted houses, each neatly lined up along either sides of the street. The western neighbourhood near the edge of the city weren't exactly a utopia but to Jason, it was cosy and calm regardless. As he neared his stocky white house on the left, the second verse resounding through his earphones finally began. Thus his soft singing continued as he began fishing his house keys out of his pocket.
Flicking through the decorations on the metal ring, he finally found the main key and jammed it into the lock, giving it a turn and pushing open the door. The porcupine was greeted to the familiar sight of a light oak hallway, a staircase on the left, various picture frames and ornaments hanging on the right wall and two lone lights dangling from the ceiling. The comforting melody of his song finally ceased as Jason plucked his earbuds out, shutting the front door behind him before bending down to undo his shoes.
"Hey, mom, I'm back!" He called, releasing a mental sigh of relief as he kicked off each shoe, finally giving his tormented toes a wiggle.
"Hi, Jason!" A tender voice called back from the kitchen at the end of the hallway, "How was work?"
"Eh, pretty standard, just sending out company adverts online, stuff like that." Jason called back, hanging his jacket up and smoothing out his navy blue shirt before making his way to the kitchen.
"Well then, I hope I can do something to make your day less standard then." A familiar geriatric voice joined the conversation, making Jason's smile grow slightly. As he rounded the corner into the brightly-lit kitchen, the source of the voice came into view. Donning a teal button shirt with baggy brown trousers, a much older porcupine leant comfortably in one of the chairs around the table with a warm smile.
"Hi, Grandpa." Jason walked over and clambered up onto the chair next to him, giving him a gentle hug. As much as work bored him out of his skull, a visit from good old Grandpa George every Friday evening always brought a smile to his face.
"How's my favourite grandchild?" the elderly porcupine asked, giving the quills on Jason's back a ruffle with his slightly trembling hand.
"Hey, I thought I was your favourite grandchild!" a voice perked up. Smiling some more, Jason turned to see his a porcupine a few years younger than him leaning against the door frame. A playful smile adorning her face, she was dressed in some casual jeans with a slightly-stretchy orange shirt with diagonal pink zig-zagging lines.
"Well this week, it's Jason's turn." came Grandpa's equally playful reply, earning a chuckle from Jason and a jokey pout from his sister. It was a comfort to know that in spite of his recently announced illness, his sense of humour was still in tact.
"Stephanie, can't you wear something nice for Grandpa George's visit?" Rolling her eyes, Stephanie glanced across as her mother vigorously working by the stove, stirring some boiling pasta while simultaneously glancing agitatedly at her daughter's attire.
"Mom, I appreciate that you work in the fashion industry but this is what I consider nice."
"Yeah, sorry we can't all conform to your interpretation of nice." I added in with a teasing smirk before putting on a faux-female voice, "'No, no, you must only wear what I like, mindless drone!'" Before the female porcupine could respond while Stephanie doubled over in laughter, Grandpa spoke up.
"Honestly, Gina, stop worrying so much and leave her be." He scolded lightly while never losing his smile, "Even your mother wasn't this fussy about clothes when she was your age."
"Dad, I'm just saying…"
"Would a whack upside the head mean anything to you?" Gina instantly shut up at that and went back to her cooking, earning not-so-subtle snickers from both Jason and Stephanie.
"So, Stephanie. School good?" Jason managed to ask after his laughter had died down.
"Yeah, pretty fine." came her response, "Me and Lucinda are going out to the movies this Sunday. Work?"
"Hey, it was good. I mean, as long as it pays good, that's all that matters." Just then, the sound of the front door unlocking resonated over the noise of the stove, followed by the jingling of car keys and a relieved sigh.
"I'm back!"
"Hey, dad!" Jason and Stephanie called back.
"Hi, Kenneth, you're just in time for dinner!" Gina added, shifting the pan off the stove before moving to the mixing bowl on the counter, "It's pasta caprese salad tonight!"
"Ah, excellent! I'll call the rest of the boys!" The two porcupine siblings nonchalantly covered their ears as their father's voice boomed throughout the house.
"ALEX! CRAIG! DINNER'S READY!"
"We're right here in the living room, dad."
"Oh. NEVER MIND!"
"I give it two more shouts before he brings the roof down on us all." Grandpa murmured across to Jason and his sister, once more earning a barely-stifled laugh.
At that moment, Kenneth trudged into the kitchen in his Jen Erik City College teacher suit, giving his wife a quick peck on the cheek before sitting at the head of the long table. Jason's two eldest brothers, Alex and Craig, followed suite, slumping down in their chairs. Both were fairly casual in their attire, settling for scruffy jeans with darkly-coloured t-shirts which Gina could only cringe at.
Stephanie helped to carry the fully-prepared meal over to the table, dishing out equal amounts into each bowl. When it came to Grandpa's bowl, however, she spooned slightly less pasta and more of the tomatoes on top into his own bowl. Jason tore his glance away from that; ever since Grandpa's illness had been announced, the doctors had suggested that he try to eat more healthily and consume less salty and sugary products. For the most part, it seemed to be working fine. He was still as good-humoured and upbeat as he always was.
"So, Jason?"
The porcupine snapped out of his thoughts for a moment, stuffing one of the tomatoes into his mouth before looking up at his oldest brother.
"Yes, Craig?"
"You found any girls yet with that 'incredible' voice of yours?" Jason responded to that question with a roll of his eyes before getting back to his dinner.
For some reason, he had the pleasure of being one of those guys nearing 20 and having to put up with questions of "when are you gonna get a girlfriend" or "why aren't you looking for anyone". He had had plenty of friends in college who were female and not once did any of them bring up relationships. Not that Jason was against romance, he did like the idea of finding someone. But it wasn't exactly at the top of his priorities list; he wasn't scouring the globe until he found one. As far as he was concerned, it would happen when it happened.
"Oh, would you leave him alone?" came Gina's reprimanding voice.
"What? I'm just asking."
"You're not, you're aggravating him."
"Mom, you can clearly see I'm not annoyed in any way." Jason interrupted in a completely calm tone, giving a smile at Craig for good measure, "It's a brotherly joke. Get it?"
"If there's one thing your mother can't get, boys, it's guy humour." Grandpa chuckled, giving a wiggle of his eyebrows as he gently chewed on a forkful of pasta.
"Dad!" the mother porcupine cried embarrassingly as the whole table erupted with laughter.
"Well he's got a point, Gina." Kenneth replied, trying hard to stifle his chuckle. The moment his wife gave him a sharp glare that burrowed into his soul, however, he quickly shut up and went back to eating.
"So have you, Jason?" Craig asked again, maintaining a smug smile. Luckily, Jason was prepared.
"Depends. Have you? Or are you still sitting on your butt, binge-watching shows on your tablet?" Stephanie resisted the urge to scream 'ooooooh' at her brother as he buttoned his lip and quietly went back to eating. Gina giggled slightly before turning her attention to her son.
"But Jason, I really do think you should join a music club or something."
"Oh, not this again." The porcupine couldn't help but mutter, unfortunately loud enough for his mother to hear him.
"I'm just saying, you're an extremely talented young man…"
"Oh, yeah, real talented." Alex interrupted snidely.
"Shut up, Alex." snapped Stephanie, giving him a smack on the arm. She leant across to Jason as Alex rubbed his now-sore arm. "It's alright, Jason, I know your singing is amazing."
"Thanks, Steph." Jason replied, a grateful smile turned the corners of his mouth up. But it faded instantly when he turned to look at Gina, "But mom, we've been over this. Singing's just a hobby I like, nothing else."
"Young man, I don't think you realise how gifted you truly are." Grandpa set his fork down on the table and gave Jason a pat on the shoulder for emphasis.
"Exactly!" Gina continued, "You're way too talented to let that voice go to waste and never be heard. I mean, if you just gave it a chance, you could be a professional singer!"
"Mom, I've got a job that pays good enough."
"A part-time job."
"But it pays and I enjoy it just fine. And if I work hard enough, maybe my boss will take me on as a full-time permanent employee."
"Yes, but…"
"Oh, leave him alone, Gina." Kenneth interrupted at last, "We shouldn't force him into the music business if he doesn't want to. He's perfectly capable of deciding what future he wants."
"But, Dad, he's got a great voice!" cried Stephanie, "He can't just not use it for the rest of his life!"
"Pfft, what great voice?"
"Shut it, Alex!" the porcupine girl cast a menacing glare at her brother, "You're just jealous because Jason can actually sing and you can't."
"He'd have to have something for me to be jealous of it." When Jason was younger, this kind of demeaning comment would've caused Jason to pounce on his brother like a maniac. Now that he was older and more used to these kind of things, nothing mean his siblings said phased him anymore.
"I'm good at cooking breakfast foods, Stephanie, but that doesn't mean I want to do that the rest of my life." Jason replied, drawing her attention towards him, "I mean, sure, it may be a skill I have but it's not my dream to become a world-famous breakfast chef."
"Jason, I may not be your age anymore but I know for a fact that singing is in your blood." Grandpa responded gently but firmly, "If I was part of a choir when I was younger, you can join a local band or a music club or something."
'Just say yes to get him off your back, Jason.' A tiny haranguing voice echoed in the back of Jason's mind, pounding his brain like a hammer on a nail.
"Alright, Grandpa, consider it considered." With that, Jason put his fork down on his plate with a clatter and pushed it away slightly.
"Right. Craig and Alex, you're both on washing up duty." Gina instructed as everyone finished up their own food.
"What?" asked the two porcupines in an extremely whiny manner, "Why?"
"Because you wouldn't stop bugging Jason and because I said so." Came the stern reply. "Now get to it." Gina grinned to herself smugly as the pair of them miserably went around the table, collecting all the dirty plates and silverware before carrying them over to the sink. With that, everyone else stood up and tucked their chairs back in as Grandpa reached into his pocket and pulled out a plastic packet. Flipping open the top, he tipped two capsules into his hand and popped them into his mouth before washing them down with his glass of water. Jason glanced at him for a moment before snapping out of it.
'He's fine, the medication's working great. He's still in good spirits, what do you have to worry about?'
That night, Grandpa had left to go home while everyone else in the household had gone to bed. Except for Jason, who was indeed in bed but was listening to one last tune on his phone. One of his personal favourites. One Grandpa had introduced him to when he was a kid yet he'd never been able to sing quite right. So he just resorted to humming it under his breath.
The moment it had ended and Jason had finished quietly murmuring the fading tune to himself, he set the alarm to 7.00am and leaned over to place the phone on his bedside table. Reflecting the light from its screen was a short square portrait of his entire family. From Stephanie to his parents to his irritating brothers… to Grandpa.
'If I was part of a choir when I was younger, you can join a local band or a music club or something.'
Those words endlessly buzzed in Jason's mind as he tossed and turned under the covers before finally settling in a comfortable position and starting to doze off. He loved his family dearly, not matter how annoying they got at times because, hey, they were family. That was to be expected. But why did everyone bug him so much? He knew what he wanted. He had a perfectly fine job that earned him some cash. He only sang as a pastime and he was fine with that.
Wasn't he?
*I do not own the rights of the movie 'Sing'. All rights go to Illumination Entertainment.
Here's the YouTube link to the song Jason was singing in this chapter: /watch?v=GEnkfgjf-q4
BTW, I know that silly pun is most likely not the city's name, but let's face it, people. It really is just a generic city with animal citizens. XD And don't ask me how porcupine clothes work either, I stopped trying to figure it out ages ago.