𝙵𝙾𝚁𝙶𝙴𝚃 𝙷𝙴𝚁࿐ ྂ ᴊᴇꜰꜰ ʙᴜᴄᴋʟᴇʏ

ᴛʜɪʀᴛʏ-ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ

JEFF HAD GOTTEN WHAT HE WANTED.

Pure, unbridled musical freedom with his record. He had time, he had money, and he had people spilling out of Sin-e every Monday night to see him play. Though he still struggled with knowing what he wanted to do, and maybe that was due to the freedom he'd been given. Maybe Columbia should've given him a genre, a box to work in so he wouldn't be so lost finding his voice.

No one knew what he would make, especially himself. The label folk wouldn't be surprised if he wanted to play big band, or punk, maybe even Qawwali. He covered so many different songs and checked off too many different boxes.

He also was in a constant battle with his mind. He wanted people to hear his music, he needed them to hear it. But he didn't want to be famous, he didn't want to be asked for autographs and stopped on the street. Though he accepted that if his music was heard, fame would go hand in hand.

But none of that mattered if he never even went in a studio. So, Steve suggested they'd go record, whatever Jeff wanted, just as a kind of trial.

Polly sat behind the glass window by the controls, watching Jeff, smiling though she didn't realize it. Though there was still a bit of awkward tension between the two from the pregnancy scare, but Polly being there still eased Jeff's nervousness. It was still nerve-wracking for him though, being it was his first time recording for the company.

He could barely hit the high notes he so often did, his guitar playing not as impressive as normal. Both Polly and Steve had tried to help this, Polly playing piano and Steve singing with Jeff as best he could.

"I'm done," Jeff told them, taking off the guitar he played and setting it down.

"You're joking. Jeff, you know every song out there." Steve reasoned.

He shook his head, "nah, I sound like shit."

"You sound great." Polly looked at him apologetically, even at his worst he sounded better than any singer she'd seen for Columbia. "Nina?" She suggested.

He shook his head.

"Isley brothers?" Steve chimed in.

"No."

Polly thought, "Something from Physical Graffiti?"

"I don't think so." He responded, softening his voice when he spoke to her.

"Sly?" Steve asked. They'd booked three days at Shelter Island Studio, and Jeff was saying he was done after five songs.

"Sly." Jeff repeated. "Sly." He said quietly, picking up the guitar and trying to remember the familiar Everyday People.

As he sang, trying to recall the right lyrics, he began to hit the high notes, or as Steve called them, 'flying Buckleys.'

A slow smile spread on the faces of the engineer, Steve, and Polly. He was breaking out of whatever uneasiness he was stuck in.

༻✦༺

LATER THAT NIGHT,
Polly had fallen asleep in the studio, slumped over in a desk chair. It wasn't because she was bored of the music, she never would be. She was just exhausted. Jeff took that as a sign to wrap up and return the next day.

He awoke Polly carefully, calling them a cab, even though they could've walked. She rested her head on his shoulder as he watched the lights blur past through the taxi window.

He was content with the session, but what made him happier was looking down at Polly, so comfortable resting on him. They held hands as they climbed up the four floors to their apartment, Jeff basically pulling Polly along.

As she changed into a borrowed shirt of Jeff's, he remembered what he'd gotten her earlier in the day. It was supposed to be one of her birthday gifts, but he didn't want to wait another month and a half.

It was a ring he'd found in a thrift store, simple yet beautiful with its gold band and oval rose quartz stone. He grabbed the scuffed box out of his pocket, waiting for Polly to join him in bed.

She did, and he held out the box to her.

"What's this?" She smiled, taking the old leather box and turning it over in her hands.

"Something I thought you'd like." He told her softly, looking at her with the purest adoration, dark brown eyes expressing so much emotion. "An early birthday gift." He continued.

"I thought you were about to propose." She laughed slightly as she opened it carefully, knowing the old box was fragile. "I love it." She told him, putting it on and admiring it on her hand. "Thank you."

He thought about her first comment before replying. "Would that be so crazy?"

"What?" She asked, her attention taken by her gift and tiredness.

"If I was gonna propose?" Jeff answered, his tone slightly sarcastic so as to not freak Polly out.

She thought for what seemed too long before she replied. "Nothing is crazy when you love somebody, I guess." She looked up at him through tired eyes accompanied by her small, sweet smile. Her answer was far different than what she'd thought about marriage in the past years- that it was stupid and bound to fail. Her opinions had changed so much since meeting Jeff, since falling in love.

"So, Polly Eve, would you marry me?" He said jokingly, Polly laughing as he clasped his hands together in a plea. She shook her head yet still laughed as she grabbed a pillow and threw it at him, running down the hall when he threw it back at her, still in a fit of laughter.

As she stood in her bathroom preparing for bed, she was out of breath from her laughter and running, but she felt something that wasn't unfamiliar, just a feeling she hadn't truly felt since being a little kid. Sure, she'd felt the same way before, but never like this.

She was happy. Only happy.

༻✦༺

a/n

what are ur guys' thoughts on the story ⁉️