Work Text:
-
“I have no idea what you just said Fay, you sound like a chipmunk being eaten by a possum.” It was a reflex- honest, just kicking back with sarcasm like that; he didn’t even mean to do it most of the time and with Fay his self preservation sarcasm skills amplified by 10. He didn’t want to think about why that was.
-
“You read the Bible Renny”, oh boy here we go she thought as she started smiling. When he wanted, Everett could be the most endearing little shit you’d ever met, and she knew that it probably made her a terrible person but she always found it so entertaining to watch him monkey with people. He never meant any harm by it, he just couldn’t help being a lap ahead of everyone around him. She kinda liked that about him...
-
“It’s just you and me talking Fay, tell me anything...” “Oh I know what I can tell you about, it’s some science I read. Can I tell you about that?” “You certainly can Fay Cordelia Crocker.” “That’s not my middle name” she giggled. “Oh I know I just don’t care...I mean I didn’t know but I definitely don’t care.” There he was with his patented self preservation skills again, damn her giggle. Think of something to say you door knob, he thought to himself. He knew she’d start talking again in a second either way, but he wanted to savor every moment of this that he could. “What else you got in there?” ‘What else your got in there seriously that’s the only thing you could think of was asking about that damn case that she doesn’t trust you enough to carry?’ Thankfully she was off to the races with some crazy idea before he could say anymore goof thoughts. They walked and he listened as she lit up like a light bulb explaining the most outrageous experiment he’d ever heard of. The longer they walked the more Everett could feel that buzz he always felt around her, like two radio waves connecting with each other. He’d felt it since they were in school together, but never really had the courage to do anything about it. That was part of all the stuff he didn’t want to think about. He had a feeling that once he really opened that door with her, there was no going back. “Oh really!” He exclaimed in his patented radio voice. “You don’t believe me do you, your just pulling my leg,” she said completely dejected. Damn it! He thought to himself. “No, I’m not pulling your leg. I love it. I’m interviewing you. I’m playing a part.” He tried sounding as sincere as he felt, and was over the moon when she took him at his word and kept going. But that’s the thing-he was cool and clever sure, but he didn’t know how to be genuine most times; Fay always had this way of stripping back the facade and just bringing out raw Everett and that scared him. It didn’t help that she just radiated this adorable charm; when she smiled at you it felt like you were the only person in the universe and that feeling could be intoxicating. Worse yet was how whip smart she was! He wasn’t kidding when he called her a science wiz, she did laps around him whenever she really got started. That was probably his favorite thing about her, I mean a guy like him could only stand being around a pretty hat rack for so long. But Fay...Fay was the literal definition of a brainy beauty. “Hey it’s been fun, I gotta run. Tune in, alright! Tune in!” Oh great Cesar’s ghost did he just lean in as he was saying goodbye?! What a dufus! Around everyone else he was calm and self assured and around her he always managed to do the most ridiculous things just to get her attention. Like earlier with the howling, what was that? ‘Smooth Moves Barry Allen’ he scolded himself as he jogged to the station. God, why couldn’t he seem to get things the way he wanted around her.
-
Sitting there alone listening to his voice coming over the radio, she couldn’t help but think back to their walk over to the switchboard. “Go ahead, razz my berries” ‘Razz my berries?’Fay questioned to herself as she sat in the quiet, was that even a real saying? She could never tell if he was messing with her or just being Everett. But gosh, the way he smiled she wasn’t sure she cared either way. His electric voice always managed to ignite something her, “That was Queen of Cayuga, you 500 watt Fay!”, uhh her heart flipped just thinking about it! To her Everett was always just- fantastic, in all fairness everyone in town adored him, but for her it was different. He was just so...so...everything really. Charismatic, fast talking, clever, funny, and so dang cute! Anyone around him for 10 minutes would be able to see just how fun he was. Of course that didn’t mean for a second that he was interested in her; she knew that. Just because he was sweet and helped her with her crazy ideas didn’t mean anything; he was just as curious about the world as she was, that’s all. They had always had this nerdy kind of kinship thing; and yeah sure Fay had always felt like there was also a kind of magnetic chemistry to it, but she doubted Everett felt it too. ...but maybe one day she’d catch him at just the perfect movement, maybe the universe would help her even.
-
‘Jesus Fay, leave it to you to make what was supposed to be a mundane night interesting’ he thought as he stood outside the radio station and took a long drag of his cigarette, as the mysterious sound played on inside. He couldn’t stop his mind from wandering into her orbit; she was earnest and funny and entertaining as hell, and just her presence reminded him that in life, like in radio, the story always matters more than the effects.
-
“Okay Fay, run.” Shit, what had he just done! He couldn’t send her to library by her self, not like this, not with this! Before he even knew what he was doing, he dashed out of the radio station - ran to the empty car- flipped down the visor for the keys- and started the engine.
“Who’s car is this?” She asked breathless. “Mr. McKean.” “Does he know?” she asked, already knowing the answer and feeling completely shocked at Everett’s behavior all the same. “No.” A little thrill went through her; Fay knew Everett had taken the car just to get the tapes faster, but she couldn’t help the hope that maybe he did it for her too.
When they pulled back in to the radio station, Fay was flying but he was faster and as they pulled out and tried reel after reel he was grateful for the calming distraction of her questions and her voice. “Is any of this gunna get you in trouble?” She asked gently. “Well if it does, I don’t care. This is good radio. And it’ll help get me a better job somewhere else.” “Where do you wanna go?” “I don’t know, probably west coast. That’s where everything is happening in radio.” He said finitely. “I wanna get out too,” she said after a long pause. His fingers fumbled on the tape. The idea of them getting out together popped into his head so suddenly he couldn’t control it. “Not till Maddie’s older, but sometime.” “To where? To do what?” He asked, trying his best to keep his voice even, “Want to go college?” “Eh, probably just to work on a bigger switchboard somewhere. Right now I could work in a hospital or hotel or school on their switchboard. But if I wanted to work on a bigger board, I’d have to transfer to a bigger city and get hired on by the phone company.” “No college?” “I can’t afford college, Everett.” “There’s loans. You could look into that.” “I’d love that,” She said is such a wistful whisper that he wanted to reach out and touch her cheek and tell that they’d make it happen, they’d do it together, and was suddenly very happy that his hands were so preoccupied. Finally they found the recording, and now he was just a ball of excitement and nervous energy. He looked over at Fay just as the sound started to play and knew she was the same mixed up ball of adrenaline too.
-
“What in the world Fay.” “I don’t know. She never calls in at night, she’s a shut in.” “This could be news!” He said feeling so thrilled at the prospect of them having stumbled on something real. “You really think so? “I really do!” “Should I have brought my tape recorder?” “No, this is better.” he said before he could really think about the consequences of the statement. “Mine’s not good enough?” the hurt in her voice cutting him straight to the core. “It’s- no it’s fine, but it’s not broadcast quality. It’s good, but it’s more like a toy.” Well shit now he’d stepped in it. “I don’t mean that in a way to get your feelings hurt!” He tried backtracking, but honestly it was no use. This is what he meant when he said he could never get things right with her. “You won’t hurt my feelings.” she said quietly but stoutly. “Good, because I hurt girls feelings a lot.” ‘I hurt girls feelings a lot?!’ damn he just would not quit would he. “Don’t be a jerk all the time probably won’t hurt-” “God you are on a stick with me tonight!” First her teasing him about all his crazy phrases, then she wouldn’t let him hold her horn- OH, and she just had to get on his case about his jockey voice and now this; he just could not catch a break! What’s worse was that, all he wanted to do was impress her!
-
“Fay, damn it!” He nearly tripped into the entry way chasing after her! Why did she keep running off; for gods sake he was having near heartaches just chasing her, much less chasing this crazy story.
“It’s Everett.” “Everett the radio boy?” Her friend said, with a clear infatuation in her tone. Oh no, nuhuh, nope she didn’t have time to deal with jealous nervous energy when she was already dealing with terrified nervous energy. “Yes...stop smiling”
“Goddamn, Fay!” “What are you doing inside? I’m in my night gown!” “I’m not looking at Gretchen, and I don’t care what you look like in your night gown!” I’m here for the that damn girl that’s got me running after her like a fool because she’s trying to see if she can kill me. He almost added. “Okay, let’s go” , she said suddenly appearing with her baby sister in her arms. “You can’t bring her.” He exclaimed! Gretchen was still chasing after them like either of them we’re giving her a thought. “You can’t take the camera, go ask my dad at the game.” She hollered. “There’s no time, this is an emergency!” Fay shot back. “What’s going on?” Gretchen asked suddenly panicked. Fay took a breath before saying, “There’s something in the sky...stay in the house!” “We don’t know that. You can’t go telling people that, you’re gunna start a panic.” He scolded her. “Look everybody’s at the game, and she sure can’t call anybody- so stop telling me what to do, and go find a couple from Cole Canyon!” She yelled back with such a finite tone he knew there was no way he could go against her. “All right no sweat.” He said, trying not to laugh at just how much they sounded like an old married couple. “Why do you have your sister?” He asked changing the subject. “Ethel’s not there, she supposed to be babysitting.” “Where is she?” “I don’t know.” Everett sighed, he knew this is going to make everything that they were doing more difficult but he also knew that there was never a chance she was gonna leave her baby sister alone, and he wasn’t leaving Fay. ”Is that camera gonna work?” He finally asked. “Yes, I can make it work. I’ve used it before.” She answered defiantly. He smiled to himself then; god she was a live wire, even with her sister in her arms and the possibility of the whole world as they knew it ending she was still going to give him hell.
-
They we’re looking at them before they really saw them. And she could feel her ears buzzing and her stomach turning to jelly. She gripped Maddy tighter and unconsciously leaned into Everett as he put his arm around them; she didn’t know what was coming toward them, but she did know that whatever it was she wanted Everett with her.
He wrapped his arm tighter around her, closing any space left and squeezed. His mind felt empty of any thought, and his legs felt invisible; but he knew, he knew that no matter what was about to happen next he was never letting go of Fay. As the light and wind surrounded them they hugged tighter. Everett kissed the top of her head, whispered that it’d be alright, and they held on to one other into whatever was coming next.
-