Freefall | Eren x OC

Chapter 06: Museum for Dead People

It's the day before your 30th birthday and you're working in the recording studio with your training mentor Onyankapon. The place is completely empty save for the two of you. The both of you are going over notes on the past few recording sessions you worked on.

"Ahh, I see you supervised Dutch's last session. He only recorded two songs and left at 11?" he asks inquisitively.

"Yeah, he and his friends were really rowdy that night, I would've pushed for a longer session, but I was having a rough day," you explain, not wanting to go into details.

Onyankapon nods and gives you a reassuring smile. "Yeah, some entourages can get really rowdy, maybe we can come up with something to light a fire under his ass, so he commits to recording more and partying less during his sessions." You smile at that before turning back towards your notes.

"Oh, before I forget, Lord Tengen wants me to shadow Porco while he scouts at next week's Battle of the Bands competition."

"Oh?" Onyankapon raises his eyebrow, gazing through notes before looking up at you with a look of concern. He's well aware of how toxic you two can be when you're together. "Why did he ask for that?"

You shrug in bewilderment. "I don't know, he said I'm good eye candy to incentivize bands to join but I don't think he believes that. I don't know, I want to say it's because it'll make me a better music producer but I'm more of the opinion that Tengen just really likes stirring the pot."

Onyankapon chuckles, "Yeah, especially when it comes to you and Porco."

You shake your head; you really can't read your boss sometimes. One minute, he was shamelessly flirting with you, kissing you on the cheek when he can, the next he's shoving you and Porco together, knowing you two will butt heads.

"Yeah, I really don't know but I guess it's a direct order from him, so I have to fulfill it. What do you think?"

Your mentor furrows his brows in contemplation, leaning back in his swivel chair. "Hmm, I suppose it will be part of your job once you join the A&R department. You'll scout for smaller acts since you'll be starting at the bottom. I can't really show you how to scout since I don't do it anymore, what with my seniority..."

You nod in agreement, "So it's a good idea to go then?"

"Mmhmm, just go, watch what Porco does, and make sure he keeps his hands to himself."

You laugh at that. "Ahh don't worry. I can handle Porco, I just have to always make sure handling him doesn't mean strangling him."

Onyankapon busts out laughing at that. "Ahh, there you go. Let's get back to these notes."

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The highway's busy but not packed this time of day. You feel a sense of gratitude that Onyankapon was working with you all day. Tengen was out of town on business and when you mentioned to Onyankapon that you had a long drive  ahead of you after work, his eyes widened, and he told you to finish up what you needed to so you could be out by two.

"I don't do this for everyone," he says as he winks at you. "Consider it payback for coming in to deal with Dutch on your day off."

As you had finished filing away everything for the day, your desktop made the bloop sound it always made when you received a new email. You opened it out of habit and when you saw it was a personal non-work related message directed to you from Tengen, you take a sharp breath in.

Kitten,

It's your birthday tomorrow so I'm flying back from the mainland tonight. Expect to see you at your desk and on time, NO EXCUSES.