Chapter Text
“This is 97.3 eeezzz listening, you're on with Styx.”
There's a pause of silence and then a voice tentatively comes through the phone, “Uh, yeah hi. Um, I was interested in requesting a song and having it dedicated to someone? Is that still a thing people can do?”
Styx can't help but let out a little laugh. Ah first time callers. “Yes that is very much still a thing people can do.”
“Okay awesome. So h-how does this work? I can just ask you to play whatever I want?”
Before Styx can launch into the full spiel, the caller seems to have a realization and interrupts with a slightly panicked, "We're not on air right now are we?"
“Ha no, no, we're in a buffer zone right now while the songs are playing.” There is a very relieved gust of breath let out from the other end of the phone and Styx bites down on a smile.
“So. Song requests. I can't just play anything but as long as it fits the general station vibes then chances are we can play it for you. Then we ask if you want that request dedicated to someone else and–”
“Tommy,” the caller interrupts. Normally Styx would be incredibly annoyed by that, because hello rude, but something about this guy’s energy makes him pause. There are some definite Vibes™ coming through the line right now, but Styx can't quite put his finger on what exactly they are just yet. Styx has a feeling that the best way though this conversation is to just pull that lap bar down tight, and buckle in to ride the conversation rollercoaster of whatever is going to come out of this guy's mouth next.
“Sorry, the uh, the request is for Tommy. He um, he always listens to this station when he's in the garage.”
“Okaaay for Tommy. Any specific reason or occasion for the shout out?” This guy isn’t about to propose or announce a pregnancy via radio song is he? It would explain the twitchy–
“He broke up with me.”
Well, Styx thinks to himself, scratch that fucking thought and bury it 6ft deep.
The hesitance in the guy's voice is back, “Um is that okay? That's allowed right?”
Styx takes a moment to reboot. “Yeah no for sure that's–that's fine. It'll be a first for me definitely but no um, no specific rule against requesting a song for your uh, ex boyfriend?”
That seems to be the key to removing all hesitance from the callers voice because all of a sudden Styx is getting a crash course in their entire relationship, and he has some fucking questions okay? Styx doesn’t know what his face is doing, but it can’t be good given the increasingly concerned looks their little high school intern Joey keeps shooting him.
The caller finally takes a breath, damn I really gotta get his name AND where he got that lung capacity from, and seems to realize just how long he was talking for, “Shit sorry how much time do you have between songs? Were not about to be live broadcasting are we?”
“No worries man, honestly it seems like you needed to let that one out. And nah nah, you called right as we were kicking off a bunch in a row, so plenty of time here.” Styx glances at the amount of songs left in the queue, winces, and oh so casually swaps a few of the songs for longer ones. Everyone loves a good surprise Bohemian Rhapsody right? “Don't worry, I’d never just thrust somebody else on air without prior warning.”
The caller lets out a big gust of breath, “Okay good, thank you. I really don’t know the like protocol? For um, making song requests? Is there like a limit to how often or how many times you can call in?”
Styx notes his water bottle is empty and starts to flag down Joey for a fresh one. “Technically we're supposed to limit requests to once a day but honestly that's never really come up as an issue.”
Styx really should be paying closer attention to the words coming out of his mouth, but he's preoccupied trying to decode whatever the fuck Joey is attempting to mime, ohhh sparkling or still, ew who would ever pick sparkling water?
“I mean hey, if you want to call in every day and request the same song I cant stop you.”
The “Okay” that the caller fires back is too quick and sounds far too serious as a response to Styx’s apparently not obviously joking suggestion. Oh boy. This is sure to be interesting.
“Hey do you like banana bread?”
30 seconds to fade out, Styx takes a final sip of his delightfully non-carbonated water, and gets his Radio Voice ready.
In 3… 2… 1… Go time.
“That was The Entertainer by our friend Billy Joel, what a classic. Alright, next up we got a special song request going out ‘to Tommy from Evan’. Now I don't usually comment on these things, but all I can say here is uh, yikes man.” Styx takes a breath and hits go on the cued track. “Here's Fleetwood Mac's Silver Springs.”
As the 1997 live in Burbank California taping of the song plays (Evan was very specific on that aspect) Styx leans back in the chair and just shakes his head. I don't think flowers are gonna be enough if this Tommy guy wants to fix this one…
Time cast its spell on you, but you won't forget me
I know I could have loved you, but you would not let me
I'll follow you down 'til the sound of my voice will haunt you
You'll never get away from the sound of the woman that loved you