Asutin Butler! Elvis X Reader - Tumblr Posts

Business Practical: chapter II

A/N can't believe people wanted to be tagged in this :))) thank you for the feedback, likes, reblogs, and comments are always super appreciated! 

Series Summary: After the release of your hit single, you think that the rest of your career is set. Or at the very least, you’re guaranteed an easy release of your next album. Too bad your label thinks your record’s going to fail if you don’t find someone famous enough to record a duet with you. Fortunately for you, your squeaky clean, America’s newest sweetheart image is just the kind of thing Elvis needs around him to protect himself from his own controversy. 

Chapter I 

Chapter Summary: Y/n receives an unexpected phone call.

(this chapter is kind of short but the idea I have for chapter 3 is a lot of fun and i wanted it to be its own separate thing) 

Y/n’s POV 

The night of the Elvis concert, I came back with a strange thrill in my chest. I came home with the kind of foolishly optimistic excitement that you keep to yourself. The kind of excitement that you only let yourself revel in at night when you’re completely alone. 

Everyone at home was on me the second I walked through the door. My mother wanted to know all about the business side of things (did he say yes? did he seem like someone you could work with?) and my sister wanted to know about Elvis (did he look like he does on the television? did you actually speak to him). Even my niece stayed up past her bedtime just so she could ask me what it was like.

I kept my answers brief and excitement level low. After all, nothing was guaranteed. It was a miracle Elvis even said he’d consider considering something. Even though the rational part of me knew that there was a high probability that he was just being polite, I couldn’t help but keep myself next to a phone at all times for the next three days. I intercepted every phone call I could, even though each time I answered and it wasn’t anyone important a little part of me began to lose hope. 

Elvis was a long shot anyways. I should probably schedule a meeting with Will and see if there’s anything else we can do to appease my label. Maybe there’s a more attainable artist for me to work with or a certain type of song that they think will be successful. 

Still, I’m not ready to deal with it all. I’ll call Will eventually,  but if he was really worried about my deal with the label, he’d have called by now. I have some time before I freak out so I should just focus on things I can control. Like what I’m doing tonight. Maisie’s cousin, Rose, is in town and I haven’t seen her in forever and they’re expecting me over for dinner.

“Y/n!” My mom’s voice rings up from the stairwell.

Sighing, I push the bathroom door open without looking away from the mirror. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to make my hair work with me for the last fifteen minutes. I was supposed to be at Maisie’s house ten minutes ago. “Yes, mama?” Frowning, I stick another pin into my hair. “I can’t babysit tonight, Maisie’s expecting me for dinner!” 

“No, it’s not that--it’s--” There’s a moment of long silence before she finally says, “Someone’s on the phone for you!” 

My first assumption would be Maisie, but she practically expects me to be late and my mom would have just passed along her message. Maybe it’s Will, calling me to finally give me some sense of direction.

I exit the bathroom, walking down the short hall and into my bedroom. Sitting down on my bed, I pick up the extension that’s on my nightstand. “Hello?” 

“Is that you, Miss July?”

Oh my god. He called. He actually called. I press the receiver into my chest, roll over, and quickly squeal into the nearest pillow I can grasp. Recovering in less than a second, I sit up. “Mama! I’ve got the phone, can you--” 

“Already walked away from the living room extension!”

Thank goodness. The last thing I need is my mom monitoring this conversation. I’m surprised she hasn’t already scared him off. Lifting the phone to my ear I take a deep breath, “Y’know my name’s Y/n.” 

“If I didn’t know it before, I certainly know it now.” I’m not sure I understand his words or the partial laugh that follows, but that’s okay, because it only takes him a moment to elaborate. “Your mama sure does like talking about you.” 

I let myself cringe, grateful that he can’t see my expression. How long was my mom on the phone with him? What did she say? I wouldn’t put her past telling him a story about when I was little or something even worse. She knows about my sister and I staying up late on school nights to watch his live performances. 

Adjusting my hold on the receiver, I suppress a groan, “Oh, I can feel all the damage that’s been done.” 

He laughs a little more freely. “No damage. She’s nice and proud a’ you.” I’m not convinced. “She also told me an interesting story or two about you, your sister, and a few lates nights on my behalf.” 

My face feels hot. “Of course she told you about that.”

“Don’t be embarrassed, I always love talking to my fans.” 

I sigh, resting my back against the headboard of my bed. “Think I might reconsidering my position on that.” 

“Wow, and here I was calling you to let you know I wanna record song with you only to find out you’re already over me. You’re breaking my heart.” 

I nearly drop the receiver. “Hold on--you--you wanna record a song with me?”

“Don’t sound so surprised, I told you I’d consider considering it, and then that turned into considering it, and then thinkin’ about it, and now I’m calling you.” 

I sit up a little more, placing my feet on the ground beneath me. “If I’m being honest, I thought you were just being polite.” Tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, I think through of all the things I could say. “You said you’d have to speak to your manager and that they’d speak to mine, and since mine didn’t call I really wasn’t expecting anything, especially not today.” 

Oh, yeah--today. Maisie and her cousin are still waiting, but they’ll definitely excuse my lateness for this. “That’s on me, I wanted to be the one to tell you.” He clears his throat, “I um--there’s a lot of details to sort through, mainly artistic ones, so I figured we’d need to talk.” 

I’m about to respond when I recognize a familiar, soft breathing. Rolling my eyes, I already feel my future embarrassment. “Maria, get off the phone.” 

My niece’s breathing picks up. She’s weighing her options like she has any. “You’re on the phone with Elvis Presley!” 

“Elvis, I’m so sorry, my niece knows she’s not supposed to listen in on other people’s conversations.” I sigh as I turn my attention back to Maria. “Maria Anne, Get off the phone before I tell your mama you’ve been eavesdropping again.”

“But Auntie,” she whines. 

This is the first time I’ve ever wanted my sister to actually follow through on punishing her. She’s a good kid, but has absolutely no concept on boundaries. “Your name’s Maria?” My niece’s name feels strange coming from him. 

Maria enthusiastically replies, “Yes.” 

“Well, Maria, I’m Elvis,” He pauses long enough for both of us to hear Maria’s poorly concealed squeal. “If you listen to your Auntie and let us talk a little business, I promise I’ll meet you real soon.” 

“Really?” She gasps. “Alright. Goodnight Auntie, goodnight Elvis.” Maria practically giggles her name before I hear her leave the line.

I laugh softly when I’m sure she’s gone. “Sorry about her, she’s a sweet kid, she’s just going through a phase where she thinks she’s all grown up and doesn’t want to listen to anyone.” 

“No need to apologize, she seems like a cute kid.” He’s quick to clear his throat. “So, about discussing things, I’m in town for a few days, takin’ a bit of a break.” He stalls as he says that. I wonder if he’s thinking about the papers and the accusations. That kind of controversy must take a toll on a person. “You doing anything tonight?” My mind briefly flits to Maisie and Rose. “I was gonna meet some friends somewhere familiar in hopes of working through some things.” 

I know what mama would say if I asked her if I could go meet Elvis and his friends this late in the afternoon. The sun’s practically set, I’d have a better chance at being excused from Sunday service. My mama cares about my career more than practically anything, but she’d insist I reschedule somewhere professional. She’d insist that there’s a way to do things like this in order to make sure I don’t seem like one of the ‘easy looking’ girls she can’t. help but subtly point out on occasion in public. 

She may be accepting of Elvis in the sense that she understands his appeal and respects his level of success, but she doesn’t want me to be exactly like him. As the world has proven, it’s not marketable and it’s not socially acceptable. I’m not sure which fact would bother my mother more. 

She’d also tell me all the stories of young girls who believed themselves to be women and so they went out with men, not letting anyone know where they are. Good things rarely happen to those girls. 

“Somewhere familiar?” 

“It’s a good place for music,” he says, “I can pick you up if you’d like.” 

The offer hangs there for a long second. Out of all the facts to consider, I can’t help but think about Maisie. She’s never once stood me up, especially for a guy, but I can practically hear her in my head. Don’t play it so safe you keep yourself out of the game. Don’t waste this opportunity.

“You have some friends coming?” 

“Just a few familiar faces, nothing you should be nervous about.” 

That makes sense. He’s back home, of course he’d have some friends he wants an excuse to meet up with. “Actually, I was wondering if you’d mind if I brought some friends.” 

“Anything you want, Miss July.”

“I’ll give you the address.”

I resite Maisie’s address into the receiver. After a moment he tells me he’d be by in about 30 minutes. I’m not sure it’s possible for my plan to work in work in 30 minutes, but I guess it’s going to have to. After he hangs up, I rush into my sister’s room. 

Thankfully, Maria’s bedtime isn’t for a little while. She’s still in the living room, which means my sister and I can talk freely. “Wanda!” 

She looks away from the book she’s reading. “Yeah?” 

“Mama’s leaving to visit her Uncle James tonight right? And she has to leave around 8:00 to make her flight?” Wanda nods, unsure about my sudden interest in our mother’s travel plans. She planned this brief trip about a week ago after Great Uncle James had heart surgery. He’s fine, but she’s using the last of her vacation days to be with him and make sure everything’s running the way it’s supposed to be. “Okay, well, I need you to help me find something to wear.”

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