Afterglow [Shawn Mendes x Reader]

Chapter 27- Like To Be You

A/n: I know I said I would update this chapter soon in the last comments but sadly at the moment writing has been put on hold whilst I focus on my A-level exams. For anyone in the UK you know how stressful these exams can be and how the past papers are never ending, once again I apologise for this very late update and hopefully once exams are over I will be back to writing quite frequently. On a side note how amazing is Shawn's new album at the moment my favourite song has to be Lost In Japan or Fallin' All In You but I'm still not ready to leave the Illuminate era.

Y/n's P.O.V

Shawn stayed round last night after we made up I mean we have no label at the moment and only Andrew and my aunt know. But today I was thinking of updating a new cover on my channel alongside Shawn, just because the fans were begging for a collab and it'll be good to have Shawn feature in some videos.

Of course if I upload a video with him in it they'l be rumors and hate but I wouldn't want to film with anyone else. Potential songs would be either Everything Has Changed by Taylor Swift feat Ed Sheeran or Rock Bottom by Hailee Steinfield Feat DNCE which are two songs that I love right now.

But in the back of my mind I know Shawn was working on his new album so maybe he'd like to cover one of his new songs as a little teaser for his fans who have been waiting forever to hear new music.

Currently I'm forcing Shawn to watch The Great British Bake Off with me since he's never seen the show before but he's loving every minute of the episodes, I'm forever grateful towards Netflix who recently uploaded the entire series. Which has allowed me to waste many days laying on my sofa rather than editing previous videos.

"Hey Shawn I was thinking of doing a new cover today but I don't know what song to do any ideas?" I ask nudging his arm that was laying across me.

"What songs have you got in mind?" Shawn says.

"Everything Has Changed by Taylor Swift feat Ed Sheeran or Rock Bottom by Hailee Steinfield Feat DNCE unless you can think of different songs" I say.

"Well recently I've just finished a song with Julia Michaels I mean we could cover that together" Shawn suggests.

"I'm nothing like Julia that would be unfair on her for me to ruin her words, I don't think that's a good idea" I say.

"Listen y/n you have a beautiful voice and clearly your viewers agree with me others they wouldn't support you and encourage more cover videos plus since it's my song I want to sing it with my favourite person" Shawn says sitting up a little.

"What's it called?" I ask.

"Like To Be You, at the time of writing I used you as an influence so it would mean a lot to me to sing with you" Shawn says.

I wonder if Shawn wrote anymore songs that used me as an influence? But then since he was writing when we were not talking I'm sure these will be the songs full of sorrow as Andrew was telling me how much of a mess he was.

However, it's sweet that he felt so strongly about me and us that he chose to dedicate a song about our situation although I haven't heard the song yet I have a feeling that it's going to be one of my favourites mostly due to emotional factors.

I get out from Shawn's strong grip, pull myself off the sofa and take his hand leading up to my bedroom. As Shawn sits on the bed I pull out my camera stand and set up the camera as well as adjusting my lights. Whilst I'm setting up Shawn starts strumming on my guitar before tuning.

Once the camera is ready, I touch up my make up before sitting down next to Shawn. Hopefully, the fans love this cover because I don't want to ruin one of his songs since I know how much time he puts into writing and finding the chords.

Shawn's P.O.V

I finally get the chance to make a cover with y/n! 

Of course this will drive the fans crazy but it's her choice to upload the video and I need to be there to support her when the fans react whether it's through positive messages or hateful comments.

Sitting on y/n's bed watching her set up feels unreal because not too long ago she was tutoring my sister history by now she's making her own videos and living in the UK. I might've been out of her life for a few moments however she has now forgiven me and let me back into her world after a slight blimp.

Y/n finally finishes adjusting the lights and tilts the camera alongside checking the speakers and gives me a small nod signalling that we're filming now as she sits next to me. But even I can tell she's a little nervous about doing this.

"Hey guys so it's been a little while since I last filmed a video but I'm back today with a special guest. Seeing how you lovely lot wanted me to do another cover I've brought along a friend to help me" Y/n says into the camera with me out of shot.

I could listen to y/n speak all day, her voice is so soothing. I'm hooked onto her already.

"Recently he's been working on his new album which is self titled and today we're covering his new song Like To Be You which he wrote with the amazing Julia Michaels, so Shawn you ready?" Y/n says moving the camera to fit me in the shot as I softly strum the first chords.

"Don't cry or do whatever makes you comfortable, I'm tired too, there's nothin' left to say" I sing with a small smile towards y/n. "Let's call a truce, 'cause I don't really wanna go to, Bed like this" This was the first song I wrote for the new album whilst we were touring in Australia during late last year.

Although, this song is personal to me because it's about the contrasting lives of me and y/n. "I'm so sorry, That we're still stuck in the middle, I'm so sorry, 'Cause in the moment I" The song came about when Julia noticed my voice break when preforming mercy and after the show I broke down to her, saying how losing y/n was my fault.

"I don't know what it's like to be you, I don't know what it's like but I'm dying to" That line was written by Julia as she acted like my relationship councilor as she tried to get me to see it from y/n's point of view. "If I could put myself in your shoes, Then I'd know what it's like to be you" Julia kept explaining different situations of what I had done and I had to give my responses from y/n's perspective, this showed me how I really didn't know her life.

Y/n's P.O.V

Shawn looks adorable when he puts so much emotion into singing, I can tell by his tone that this song means everything to him. The lyrics are beautifully written but then when Julia is involved find me a song by her which isn't beautifully written it's impossible.

It's already sounding so different and more mature than his other songs from the last album however I'm still able to hear heartbreak throughout the lyrics. I'm swept up in Shawn's verse and chorus that I totally miss my que so Shawn has to nudge me a little. A blush comes onto my face when I feel his touch on my shoulder.

"Can I kiss you or not?, 'Cause I'm not really sure right now of what you want" This sounds like my situation with Shawn where we're both are not on the same page and how we're both confused on what we are. Although, we were never official to me I always wanted him however I'm always unsure if he's feeling the same.

Whilst I am singing I notice Shawn is looking at me every so often which puts me on edge a little as I feel self conscious. "Are you still mad at me? I'm hopin' not, 'Cause maybe we could go to the movies" This takes me back to when I had a movie night with the Mendes family back in Canada not long after I first met Shawn properly. The film we saw was Pitch Perfect 2, me and Shawn were snuggled up together on one of the sofas and that was when he first held my hand.

That was the night when the fans started rumours about me and Shawn.

Oh how I miss them days

"I know that always cheers us up, hey" Everything back then was so much more simpler with no one knowing who I was and before Hailey came into our lives, I was able to teach Aaliyah and we'd have a laugh together whilst I never knew Shawn really existed.