Out of touch (human reader in splatoon)

18: About time... to sing

y/n got home to see Nate wasn't playing video games, and instead was on his mattress, in what had to be the most unimaginably uncomfortable position to sleep. It looks like he just went up to the mattress and flopped onto it, and didn't bother to move to become more comfortable, which his body reflexively tried to fix, but made worse.

y/n still had some time before he himself had to sleep, so he just listened to a lot of the songs on cassette tapes he brought. By standards back when he was alive (basically now), a normal teen wouldn't even pick up last decade's music, for reasons he himself didn't exactly understand. He went to sleep that night with a certain few songs stuck in his head.

---

He left Nate to play video games all day, and called up Marina to get her and Pearl's address. A taxi ride later, he was at Pearl's Mansion, and he stood at a large gate with security cameras aimed at an intercom. He thought aloud.

y/n: I wonder what caused you to get this much security...

Pearl: Money.

The voice came out of the intercom. y/n tried to buzz in.

Pearl: Password!

y/n: Last time I checked, the type of entry method an intercom provides is person to person. If there was a password, you would have a keyboard out here or something.

Pearl: ...What if I didn't have money for a keyboard?

y/n: You literally just told me the whole reason you bought this security system was because you had money.

Pearl: No I didn't.

y/n: I'm just about to yeet myself over this fence if you don't open it.

And after some silence, y/n tried to do that, but Pearl had unlocked it when he tried to climb it, so it just opened the gate really slowly with y/n just hanging on to it stupidly.

Pearl: *snicker*

---

when y/n entered the building, he was stunned. He had never been to a mansion before, but thought:

y/n: (There's no way everything here is practical.)

Marina: ...So why did you come over here?

y/n: Well, I wanted to sing, and maybe try to make my own music and/or covers of human songs, and you invited me over here to sing, so I decided to do it today, because I had a day off.

Marina: Day off of what? You don't work. I haven't seen you in salmon run lately...

y/n: I meant I have nothing else better to do. A day off.

Marina: Oh, okay.

y/n: (whoops.)

y/n entered the soundproof storage room, apparently where Pearl and Marina record their vocals. It wasn't called a storage room for nothing, there were quite a few boxes piled on top of each other in the right corner of the room. The left wall having audio equipment, and in the middle, two microphones. There was a microphone too short for him to use while standing, and another just a little high, so he dragged up a stool to sit at the taller mic. Marina was giving him a big smile as he set up.

Marina: So, what are you going to sing?

y/n: I brought my (practically stolen) walkman here, and some cassette tapes. I'm just going to listen to the music and repeat what they're singing the best I can. I listened to most of the songs I want to sing last night, so I should be spot on with the lyrics. 

Marina: Don't you have to practice a bit more than that?

y/n: I used to listen to them however many years ago.

Marina: I hope you remember.

He pressed play on his walkman.

(Here's the songs y/n sang. Listen if you want to, I understand probably no one on wattpad likes this kind of music, they all relate to the story somehow. You can replace them with your own.)

y/n was tired after singing, even though it was only 3 songs. This was the first time he sang and let someone hear it, so he wanted to do the best he could. Marina recorded and changed settings to pick up y/n's voice better for each of the songs. He never slipped up on any of the lyrics, and sometimes took an earbud out to listen to himself, and smile. Marina was quite happy through all of this, and enjoyed listening to each of the songs, even though it wasn't really her type of music.

y/n: How'd I do?

Marina: Well, I've never heard anyone sing in english before, but I'd say you did pretty good!... What are you going to do with the recordings again?

y/n: Try to make my own version of the song. Not any crazy stuff, just some different or new instruments. Of course, if you'll let me use this studio.

Marina: You'll have to check with Pearl, this is her place you know.

y/n: Noted.

y/n was looking around the room at the various guitars, drums, basses, etc.

Marina: Do you know how to play any of them?

y/n: ...No.

Marina: ...Even I don't know how to play those, So I couldn't teach you.

y/n: I can try to teach myself.

Marina: Good luck with that.

y/n: Not now though, I'm a little tired after that. I'm gonna go home.

Marina: Ok then.

y/n opened the door to the soundproof storage room to leave, but he and Marina saw Pearl run off in a different direction before he left.

Marina: Pearl, are you ok?

Marina went running off after pearl. y/n thought it wasn't a big situation, and decided leave them be. He took the long way home, listening to music, walking through the city,  and taking in everything it had to offer. Everyone seemed to be in peace with each other and having fun, which made his day.

---

Pearl pov

Marina: Pearl, are you ok?

Marina finally caught up to me in my room. I guess she thought I was injured or something

Pearl: Oh, I'm fine Marina.

Marina: ...So why'd you run off like that?

Pearl: Did he notice?

Marina: Notice what?

Pearl: You didn't either? I was just outside the door. I'll let only you know- I was trying to sing with him. DON'T tell ANYONE about that.

Marina: How could you do that? It was in english...

Pearl: I just made up some epic lyrics in in my head, that's all.

Marina: Can I hear it?

brief flashback

y/n: And I'm gonna be Hiiiiiigh, as a kite by then...

Pearl in inkling, half - screeching: Warm breakfast is the BEEEEST! If you don't agree, then fight me...

brief flashback ends

Pearl: No.

---

(authors note)

How'd I do? I think this should be longer, but i can't think of anything. I have so many ideas of what to do later in this story, but I can't think of any story to get to those ideas.