AN
This is my first time writing fanfic and I'm not really much of a writer so please be kind. I entrusted the help of Grammarly so fingers crossed there aren't many mistakes. Apologies in advance if there are. Hope you like it, Les x
CHAPTER ONE:
The roar of the crowd was deafening and yet as Beca Mitchell stepped off the stage with her trusty laptop in hand she couldn't hear anything but the blood pumping through her veins. The brunette pushed through the heavy door of the green room and came face to face with a concerned-looking Theo.
"Bec, you feeling alright?'
"It's Titanium and I'm fine" she snapped as she tripped over her own foot.
Her manager raises his eyebrow but the glare the petite woman sends his way stops him from commenting.
The last year has been draining, both physically and emotionally, for the brunette. Before starting this tour Beca was excited to be able to finally take steps in becoming what she had always dreamed. You see, the brunette had wanted to be a producer ever since she saw her first mixing board at 12 years old. Her Uncle Jesse had his own home music studio. He was a talented producer and songwriter but was never able to make it out of Barden. Growing up Beca had a hard time establishing emotional connections with most people. She liked to thank her father for that. But her father's younger brother Jesse was always there for her. He restored her faith that not everyone in her life was an asshole but much like every other relationship in Beca's life, theirs eventually came to an end too. Although, being a DJ was not the same as being a producer it was her stepping stones to getting there so she was happy for the time being.
But today the brunette wasn't feeling it. She was tired, crabby, and just wanted to slip under the warm flannelette sheets of her own bed.
"Titanium please, you can't keep going like this" Theo pleaded.
"Drop it".
"Beca, c'mon. Your eyes are so red people are starting to whisper about what sort of activities you get up to in your spare time"
"Fucking let them whisper, you know how I feel about that shit" the DJ shot back.
Tonight was not the night for her manager to be on her back and Beca was angry at him for not already realizing this. Theo physically took a step back and apologized as he excused himself from the room.
The DJ slumped into the nearest chair, threw her laptop on the bench, and pulled off her scruffy, dark brown wig. She winced when the sticky side of her fake beard stubbornly came off her chin.
"Fucking sexist assholes" she huffed.
"The hottest DJ in town, Titanium, last night confirmed on The Late Late Show with James Cordon, that he is in fact single. However, the excitement is short-lived when he proceeded to say that he is not ready to mingle. The soon to be 21 years old said he is just focusing on his career at the moment and literally doesn't have time to see anyone with his busy schedule. Can you hear that John? That's the sound of girl's hearts breaking all over America" the ditsy blonde laughed to her co-host.
"Like the typical woman you are Gail, you're wrong. That was the sound of your own heartbreaking" the older man laughed back.
"Right you are John, I wouldn't mind letting those hands play with me like I'm one of his mixing boards"
"Keep it in your pants woman, he's young enough to be your son"
"I wouldn't mind him calling me Mommy, that's for sure"
"Pretty sure you've let everyone in town call you Mommy at some stage, Gail"
"Not you John, not you" Gail smirked.
Chuckling, Beca reached for the remote and turned off the 90-inch television screen.
3 YEARS EARLIER
"Bec, this is going to work trust me!" The taller brunette pleaded as he all but dragged his eighteen-year-old niece into the crowded coffee shop.
"Jesse you're insane! This whole thing is insane! As if this is going to be believable" the petite woman huffed while playing with her wig.
Slapping her hand away Jesse grabs ahold of it and heads towards the clean-cut man sitting in the corner booth.
"You can do this, I know you can!" The taller brunette squeezes the small hand before letting it go.
The suited man looked up from the menu when he hears footsteps approaching.
"Bumper Allen's the name, you must be my 12 o'clock?" The stranger stands and extends his hand towards the pair.
"I'm Jesse Swanson and this is Titanium" the thirty-year-old steps forward and captures the hand in front of him.
"I've got places to go and people to see so let's get this over with" Bumper rushes as he takes his seat again. The brunette pair take the cushions opposite him.
"I had a chance to listen to the demo you sent, it was ok. Needs improvement but it was fine for a beginner" the chubbier man explains as he frowns at the menu once again.
Beca's scoff is met with an elbow to her ribs. She glares at the man sitting next to her as his eyes plead with her.
"But, I'm willing to take a chance on you. According to the headshot you sent along with the demo you're also a DJ? My expert opinion thinks that this is the path we need to explore" looking up from the menu brown eyes finally reach stormy blue.
In an almost too masculine voice, Beca begins, "I want to write and produce, not…"
"What Titanium means is that he is open to hearing about other ideas but the main goal is to write and produce songs for other artists" Jesse interjects.
"But Titanium here is a nobody" Bumper dismisses. "Do you wanna know who wants to work with a nobody? Nobody!".
"That's a lot of 'nobody'" Beca mumbles under her breath which is received with another elbow to the ribs.
"We understand. What did you have in mind, Mr. Allen?" The brunette Uncle pushes.
Bumper reaches into the satchel sitting on the cushion next to him. After a little digging, he pulls out a thick, crumpled document and hands it over to Jesse.
"The label is willing to sign Titanium as a DJ and put in a clause to state that if he gains enough momentum and followers that he can choose to become a producer. The next Calvin Harris if you will. But only if you gain enough attraction and other artists seek you out first, not the other way around".
Jesse glances at Beca and almost laughs but catches himself. It's going to take some time getting used to seeing his niece dressed as a man; with a beard to boot. She seems to know exactly what he's thinking and meets his grin with a smirk and eye roll.
"We'll have to look over the contract and get back to you" Jesse stands and extends his hand one last time.
"Sign it, don't sign it. I get paid no matter what you do so I couldn't care less. If you do you'll be Theo's problem. He's in the market for a new artist to represent" Bumper states not even taking a second glance at the hand offered as he closes his satchel.
"So we won't be working together? That's a shame" the brunette snarks.
"Unfortunately not but good luck. You are awesome…ly horrible, I hate you. Theo's number should be attached to the contract so call him from now on. Bumper out" the suited man stood and walked away pushing past all the people in line to get out the door.
"He seemed lovely!" Beca comments sarcastically.
"Yeah what a dick. But on the plus side, he totally bought you being a guy. And! He offered you a contract! Bec, this is huge!" Jesse picks the brunette up and spins her around, the both of them laughing. He sets her back on her two feet and as she regains her balance she slaps his shoulder.
"Dude, you said you'd stop doing that in public"
PRESENT DAY
*Knock* *Knock*
"Titanium? There are some people here that would like to talk to you" Theo calls from outside but doesn't open the door. Well aware that the chances of her being Beca and not Titanium are extremely high.
With a sigh, Beca reapplies her beard and shaggy wig and rises from her chair.
"Come in," she says in a more believable masculine voice than that first day in the coffee shop.
A curious Theo, or more so Theo's head, pops around the door frame and looks Beca over. He smiles then pushes the door fully open revealing two men in Gucci suits behind him.
"Mr. Titanium, is there another name I can call you? My name is Justin and this is my sidekick Tommy" the bigger man of the two walks into the room and extends his hand.
Beca meets them in the middle of the room and accepts both their tight handshakes.
"Titanium is the only name I go by, my real name is off-limits to everyone, not even Theo here knows it"
Like the ever-loyal manager and friend he is, Theo didn't miss a beat.
"I've worked with him for the past 3 years, even made him famous and I still don't have the honor of anything but Titanium"
"I see. Great show tonight Titanium! I love music. If I could sing a lick in any way possible I would. But I can't and I hate myself every day because of it"
"Sorry, Justin here, is a bit of a fangirl when it comes to music. But we're not here for that. We're here for business" the tall, scrawny looking man interrupts.
"It's okay, it happens. What can I do for you gentlemen?" Beca gestures to the couches located by the crafts service.
"Well, if we heard correctly as of 12 o'clock tonight you will be 21?"
The curious brunette nods affirmatively.
"And because of such, we were instructed by our boss to come here and hand-deliver you an invitation to the hottest, most exclusive, secret club back home in Barden" a bony hand places an invitation onto the wooden coffee table between the two leather couches. Beca sighs.
"Gentlemen I won't be returning home anytime soon. I'm afraid I couldn't even if I wanted to. I still have more touring to do"
"Actually Titanium" Theo interjects. Beca shoots a glare his way daring him to say something.
"I was just on the phone to Bumper and may have accidentally brought up the fact that you're burnt out" Theo continues hesitantly. "He might've, in return, accidentally agreed to give you some time off and postponed the next few weeks before your fatigue gets too serious" the small man winces as he waits for the DJ's reply.
"You did what?" Beca snarled.
"Well, with all this free time what do you say Titanium? Care to join us?" Tommy, wasting no time getting back to business, points at the invitation still sitting untouched on the table.
Steam is practically bursting from the brunette's ears. The words of both Theo and Tommy on a loop in her head.
'Time off'
'Back home'
'Barden'
"Nope" is the only word the shocked DJ can seem to find. She quickly stands and exits the room not looking back until Theo comes running after her.
"Titanium please!"
"How could you Theo?! You know how much I need to keep touring. Did you purposely organize those idiots to come here and invite me home?"
"Can you hear yourself Beca?" Theo whispers as he looks around. "You don't even like touring. You want to be a producer remember? You never wanted to be a touring DJ. This was just supposed to be the steps to get you there!" He cautiously approaches the angry brunette.
"Bumper has finally agreed to let you stop touring. Yeah, the dumb jerk isn't exactly aware that we're potentially canceling rather than postponing the rest of the tour but for now, this is a win Bec"
"I can't go home, Theo. Not now and especially not today" tears blur the fragile woman's vision but she refuses to let them fall.
"Bec, he'd want you to go home. He'd want you to try and live out your dream. It was his dream too, remember?" the manager tentatively reaches for the brunette's hands but she pulls them away like their skin contact burnt her.
"You can't keep running. Jesse would be so mad at you if he knew he was the reason stopping you from realizing your dreams"
With that, the tears Beca had been holding in all day finally began to fall. Deep down she knew Theo was right and she had no strength left to fight him.