video call
Lil Tay Tay
would like to FaceTime
[decline] [accept]
Lil Tay Tay
Hello!
Lil Auggie
Heyo! What's up? What are you doing?
[August laughs when she finally sees the screen and notices Taylor far off in her kitchen with her back turned. Taylor then walks back over to her phone, bowl in hand]
Lil Tay Tay
I'm just making dinner and I needed some background noise!
Lil Auggie
So you called me?
Lil Tay Tay
You're the greatest background noise, bub.
Lil Auggie
Aw! I'm touched!
Lil Tay Tay
[Taylor bends down to shoot August a playful grin before standing up]
Lil Auggie
You couldn't have put on some music?
Lil Tay Tay
It's not the same.
Lil Auggie
Turned on the TV?
Lil Tay Tay
There's nothing fun that's on. And it's too distracting. I'd end up burning down the house.
Lil Auggie
Called your other famous friends?
Lil Tay Tay
I'm sorry, are you busy right now, August?
[Taylor stops what she's doing and laughs awkwardly, glancing at the screen].
Lil Auggie
No, I'm just messing with you.
[August shoots her a grin in return]
Lil Tay Tay
I mean, you could have just ignored the call and not answered—
Lil Auggie
Just get back to your cooking, Swift. What are you making, anyway?
Lil Tay Tay
Just a vegetable stew. I'll probably make some rice on the side.
Lil Auggie
That actually sounds pretty great. I'm gonna play you some live music while you cook then, shall I?
Lil Tay Tay
Ooh, this must be my lucky day!
Lil Auggie
[When Taylor glances at the screen, she catches August sending her a subtle wink before moving to sit at her keyboard]
Lil Auggie
Any requests, milady?
Lil Tay Tay
Hmm, something soft, maybe.
Lil Auggie
You got it!
[August begins to play a tune that sounds a lot like Autumn Leaves]
Lil Tay Tay
That sounds nice
Lil Auggie
Yeah?
Lil Tay Tay
Mhmm
Lil Auggie
The falling leaves
Drift by the window
The autumn leaves
Of red and gold
I see your lips
The summer kisses
The sunburned hands
I used to hold
Since you went away
The days grow long
And soon I'll hear
Old winter's song
But I miss you most of all
My darling
When autumn leaves
Start to fall
Lil Tay Tay
I really like that!
Lil Auggie
It might be one of my favourite songs
Lil Tay Tay
Really? So, you like jazz?
Lil Auggie
I love it! Unironically
Lil Tay Tay
It's pretty great, isn't it?
Lil Auggie
Absolutely!
Lil Tay Tay
So, what else have you got?
Lil Auggie
[August's fingers fumbled over the keys, playing random melodies, improvising and figuring it out as she played]
Lil Tay Tay
Like I said, you're the best background noise
Lil Auggie
[August smiled and started humming along to the tune, writing a melody on the spot]
Lil Tay Tay
[Taylor looked up from her food for a moment, watching August who was too focused on her piano playing to realise. She smiled, watching the other girl figure out the song].
Lil Auggie
I can see you standing, honey
With his arms around your body....
[August slowed down for a moment, thinking about the next words before singing...]
Laughin', but the joke's not funny at all
Lil Tay Tay
[When August had stopped singing but played the melody again on the keyboard, Taylor hummed the same tune again as words started pouring into her mind]
And it took you five whole minutes
To pack us up and leave me with it
Holdin' all this love out here in the hall
Lil Auggie
[August looked up, her eyes wide]
Are we writing a song?
Lil Tay Tay
I think so, [Taylor laughed softly and August joined in]
Lil Auggie
It has a little bit of, uhm... Bon Iver vibes, doesn't it? Very indie
Lil Tay Tay
Yes, it does, actually! It's beautiful. So, you really like Bon Iver?
Lil Auggie
Yeah, he's pretty chill! How about this for a chorus?
Lil Tay Tay
Yes! Wait, play it again!
[Taylor holds her wooden spoon up in the air and leans over the counter, deep in thought. She fumbles around the kitchen for a moment until she returned with a pen and a piece of paper. August watched her scribble a few lines down all the while looping the same chords over and over again until Taylor looked up again, her eyes bright.]
I think I've seen this film before
And I didn't like the ending
You're not my homeland anymore
So what am I defending now?
Lil Auggie
[August grinned brightly, nodding her head enthusiastically]
I think you're onto something!
[As Taylor continued humming, adding a new melody, August attempted a few lines]
You were my town
dududu duuuduu mhmmm
I think I've seen this film before
Lil Tay Tay
How about...
You were my town,
Now I'm in...
Now I'm in exile, seeing you out!
[They both started jumping in excitement]
I think I've seen this film before!
Lil Auggie
Taylor, what the fuck? This is amazing!
Lil Tay Tay
I'm literally shaking right now with excitement— OH MY GOD, MY DINNER!
Lil Auggie
[August watched horrified as Taylor tried to salvage her food that had been forgotten on the stove]
Did it burn...?
Lil Tay Tay
No, no, we're good, thank Fuck!
[their eyes met through their screens and they both burst out laughing]
Lil Tay Tay
We need fo finish this song and I am sending it to my producer as soon as it's done
Lil Auggie
Wait, are you serious?
Lil Tay Tay
Auggie, this is an album worthy track. I'm deadly serious.
Lil Auggie
AHA! SO YOU ARE WORKING ON A NEW ALBUM!
Lil Tay Tay
[Taylor closed her eyes and grimaced as she found it harder and harder to lie about it to August]
It's a whole thing... it was pretty out of the blue and unexpected, and I'm not even sure how it's gonna turn out. It's been such a weird process for the past month and just... It's been so cathartic, fuck!
Lil Auggie
I'm happy for you, Tay! I'm sure it's gonna be an awesome album!
Lil Tay Tay
I know... I feel it. How would you feel about adding this song to it?
Lil Auggie
The one verse and chorus that we just wrote...?
Lil Tay Tay
Yes?
Lil Auggie
You really think it's worth it?
Lil Tay Tay
With a little bit of producing on Aaron's side.. yeah, of course!
Lil Auggie
I mean...
[she giggled softly, covering her mouth with her hand]
Sure... yeah, of course. Shit, yeah. That'd be amazing.
Lil Tay Tay
Awesome! Let me just finish this food and then we'll sit and work on it seriously. Do you... Wanna come over? Maybe if we're in the same room.
Lil Auggie
It's pretty late, isn't it?
Lil Tay Tay
I— Yeah, sorry. I hadn't noticed the time. But, if you're fine with it, the offer still stands! I'm not gonna be sleeping any time soon, anyway.
Lil Auggie
Alright, then! Let me get dressed.
Lil Tay Tay
Just come in your sweats or whatever! It'll be a long night
Lil Auggie
You're dressed though...
Lil Tay Tay
I was just in the mood for a change this morning. I'll get in my pyjamas now if it'd make you feel more comfortable!
Lil Auggie
oh my god! A pyjama party with Taylor Swift?
Lil Tay Tay
[Taylor rolled her eyes at August but couldn't fight back her grin]
Yeah, it'll be great. I have a bunch of different ice cream tubs. It's gonna be a whole night!
Lil Auggie
Alright, I'm on my way!
Lil Tay Tay
I'll be waiting!
———
👀 👀 👀