Title:  Breakup Song
Author: Kady the Red Panda
Fandom(s): Alvin and the Chipmunks
Pairing(s): none
Rating: K+
Warning(s): none
Summary: Prompt: music. flashfic. An adult Alvin recalls to a fan the day the music died.
Word Count: about 650
Disclaimer: I'm so glad I don't own the Chipmunks in any shape or form. Dave must be dyeing his hair or wearing a toupee or something because he always looks close to simultaneous strokes and aneurysms on both sides of his brain.
Other tidbits:  Takes place post-canon. I grew up on the 80s cartoon, albeit this is more gen than anything. Other applicable challenges are borrowed title and kids.

0000

Is it weird that I find this a little, I don't know--funny? slightly uncomfortable? awkward? talking to you? No, it's not because you knocked on my door with no appointment or anything like that. (Though, it is a little weird, to be honest.) It's what you want from me. It's been almost thirty years since it happened. Since the Chipmunks stopped playing for good, just out of the blue.

Now that I think of it, how it happened came pretty random too. I think I began falling out of love between ninth and tenth grade. Not because of girls, not because of myself, not because of some traumatic accident (though Simon did accidentally destroy half our room during  a chemistry experiment that summer).  

Wait, what are you laughing for? Just because of the explosion? Or also because you had a theory why we stopped? Did you really think something bad happened? A suicide attempt, depression, found out my girlfriend cheated on me and it became too much? Good ol' sex, drugs, and rock n roll? Ha! Like I'd ruin this youthful face with a little cocaine up the nose. Never did it, never will. No, not Simon or Theodore either, that I know of. Just need to clear that up, considering what happened to a lot of child performers like us.

So yeah, that wasn't it. What really happened was that one morning I woke up and just didn't find myself excited anymore about the whole business.

I know! Bizarre, right? It wasn't like depression. I've actually had it. There's an old bottle of Zoloft somewhere I need to throw out eventually from an episode three years ago. No, I just didn't find the same thrills I'd had since I was a child coming my way as I sang and danced on stage. Singing itself became a chore. Music felt, I don't know, dull? The older stuff, even a year older old stuff, was just fine. But the top 40... I didn't feel inspired anymore.

Most of our stuff was covers, obviously, but we did do some original material. Theodore wrote some of our last songs. They were good. Real good. They were real good  then and they were real good now. Definite kick-feet -uppers. And yet... I couldn't sing them. I couldn't play a note without feeling bored. I didn't feel like a failure at all. Alvin Seville is no failure.

What did I do? My brothers and I talked. We talked to Dave. I think he was the most shocked, especially since it was me that brought it up. I guess he--we--always thought it would be either Simon or Theodore to call it quits first. But by then we were all exhausted of fame, not just me. By the end everyone only kept the band going for my enjoyment. With me no longer interested either, the Chipmunks died practically overnight.

Where are they? I'll give you their email addresses so they can say. But I'll say that Simon teaches biochemistry at a university and Theodore's still writing. After we broke up he sent his stuff over for the Chipettes, and he moved on from there. You may have heard his latest song, actually.  Y'know that Janie Julep woman with that song about riding through the city in a jeep on spring break? Yep! That's my brother! What a bridge that song has!

Ah, I needed that laugh...

Yeah, sometimes I want the Chipmunks to return. But now that I'm older I want my brother's opinions on it. About once a year we discuss it over a big dinner Theodore whips up. Every year it's the same thing: we don't feel ready just now. Maybe later. So, don't think we're gone forever. We might not be after all. Especially with fans like you. So thanks. If we decide to start back up again I'll see if you can be mentioned in the liner notes or something.