#flimflamuniverse

[flimflamfandom]

Children of the Small Hours

A story about Joey and an OC, Effie Lockhart

It was 3 in the morning.

Joey was tired. He was rubbing his eyes to keep awake. He had gone through something like his 3rd bottle of cola and was still not keeping up. He'd had a very rough few nights at work, involving multiple instances of kicking someone out, and more than one drawn gun and de-escalated scenario.

Oh, and he had quit his job weeks ago and started fresh.

After a rather...sudden disappearance by his old boss, he needed a new one. He ended up in the hands of Asa Sweet, and between you and Joey, he didn't like the man all that much. Sure, Gracie Grombach was...a character. But something about Asa felt so corporate. So soulless. The place did have its perks, though.

For one, it had the best entertainment of any speakeasy in town!

Oddly enough, the main hatchet man around here, a man named Mordecai Heller, was also a man with a keen eye for talent. He was in charge of the books around here, but when he got the chance he tried to bill himself as 'supervisor of entertainment', which looks less suspicious than 'special accountant', or worse, 'fixer'.

One of the acts he pulled in was a girl named Effie.

Effie was maybe up to Joey's chin. She was a snowshoe, with curly, black hair. When she wasn't on stage she wore reading glasses; in fact, on and off stage she was a completely different person. Sure, Joey had heard about actors being this way, but he had never believed it could be so extreme. On stage, she was a ditzy, giggly little flapper girl, and off stage she was just about the smartest person he'd ever met. She knew everything there was to know about theater, from stage combat to makeup art, from laugh-riot comedy to heart rending drama. She could do just about anything.

Tonight, she had done a series of numbers, finishing with his favorite that she would do, Get Out and Get Under the Moon. It was usually the opener for the evening, setting a lavish stage and giving the large band a chance to show off as well. But she was out of costume now. Gone were the sequins and shining silks, here was a pink silk bathrobe, reading glasses, and a book about David Garrick. Gone was the bright eyed smile, here was the simple upturned lip and the contemplative stare.

"Morning, Joey." She said. She let her ears perk in his direction, and leaned in closer to him. The place was empty, save for them, it seemed.

"Morning." Joey said, yawning loudly and shaking his head. "Phew...busy night, huh?"

"Yep! And, ehm...probably my last here." Effie said.

"No kidding!" joey leaned on the bar, getting close to her. He'd always had a fondness for her. It was her eyes. Blue, but not piercing. They were darker, not like the ocean by the beach, but far out, all encompassing. It was something behind them, too...he couldn't articulate just what it was. "Well, that's too bad, we'll miss you around here...where're you headed?"

Effie leaned in even closer, and whispered. "Mr. Heller got a gig at the Daisy, and that's where we're gonna go!"

"Really?" Joey seemed shocked. "...there? I thought he was public enemy number one over there."

"He was, but...there was some incident? I think? Either way, he's gonna be over there from now on, and since hes fronting as my agent, I'm going with him!"

"I see! Well...like I said, one of us at least will miss you pretty dearly."

"I know, but Fish'll get over it." She winked, and nudged him. Joey laughed, too, and got back behind the bar. "...want anything to drink, then? What with it being the end of your time here and all..."

"I don't really want anything to drink, I don't think...I'm more hungry than anything else." Effie looked out on the room, as people wiped down tables and cleaned the stage. She looked back at Joey.

"...wanna get outta here?"

-

It was now around 4. The two had just...walked. They walked through the park, through downtown, past the new digs at the Daisy. They walked and talked to one another. Joey talked about his time back home, how he'd ended up in St. Louis, how he'd never intended to get into this business. Effie talked about Vaudeville, and its slow death, and how the last legitimate show she did was in between movies.

"Were the movies good at least?" Joey asked.

"Joey, they were the worst films I've ever seen!" Effie groaned and rolled her eyes. The two found their hands locked into each others' now. It felt natural, though, they didn't even seem to notice it themselves. "I think, some day, I'll be doing something more legitimate...I always wanted to get into the theater."

Joey looked down at her. "I think you could." He said. "I think you'd have a great career."

"What about you?" Effie asked. "What do you want to do?"

"...between you and me?" Joey leaned in. "I always wanted to race bicycles."

Effie blinked. "...that's awful specific, Joey."

"Why the hesitation?" Joey asked. "I figure I'll still have to have a day job, but-"

"No, not that." Effie giggled. She paused for a moment, again, as she looked in Joey's eyes. There was something behind them. Something drew her closer to him. It was in the chill of the night air, the way the wind ruffled his fur, his ears perking to listen.

She had to blink back to real life, and address the elephant.

"Our hands. How long have we been holding hands?"

"Since 5 or 6 blocks ago, I think. I didn't want to say anything." He said, "but my hand is getting rather cold."

"Oh." Effie nodded, looking a bit disappointed.

"We can switch hands, you know." Joey said, with a wink.

"...that we can." Effie switched sides, and hands. "Can we walk back to your place? I've got my things in Mordecai's car, and I don't wanna go back to the Marigold right now."

"Sure thing! We'll decide who takes the couch."

"We will...but not before you tell me more about bikes."

-

4:30ish.

They're at Joey's place. It's small, but well furnished. It's covered in photographs. An Alcyon bicycle leans on the wall, a blanket is laid out on the couch. It's for Joey. He lost the bed to Effie in a bet.

"You're never gonna tell me how you guessed my middle name, are you?"

"I'll never tell." Effie cooed, sticking out her tongue and walking towards what she figured was the kitchen. "I did mention I was hungry a while ago...still am."

"May have to wait for tomorrow." Joey said, removing his sweater vest and his tie, "I still need to shop. That's tomorrow for me."

"Oh? Well, I suppose I can wait. Not starving, just...peckish."

"Peckish, huh?" Joey walked over towards the kitchen, and put on an apron. "I might have something for peckish. Eggs?"

"Sure!" Effie nodded.

"How?"

"Over medium."

"Toast?"

"Please." Effie sat on the couch. "What happened to needing to do the shopping tomorrow?"

"If you feast your eyes on my pantry, you'll see that all I have left is 2 eggs and a little bread."

"And salt?" Effie asked. "For the eggs?"

"And salt, yes."

"Good...thank you for this, Joey," She walked to the kitchen. "I really appreciate it...what do I owe you?"

"For what?" Joey shrugged, "for some bread and eggs that I was gonna eat anyway?"

"And the bed. And the company! You don't know how abysmally lonely it gets..."

"What about Mr. Heller?"

"He's a great man, but he isn't much conversation."

"And the Savoys?"

"I think Serafine keeps trying to get me to go on 'errands' with them." Effie shuddered. "I don't wanna think about that."

"Huh." Joey shook his head as he cracked the eggs into a skillet. "Well, you don't owe me anything." He said. He looked at her. In the soft, warm light of the kitchen he saw her big blue eyes staring at him. He saw her curly, black bob, and her warm smile. He saw her, leaning on the counter, a different woman than the one on the stage, a whole, beautiful person.

That whole beautiful person gasped. "Eggs, Joey, eggs!"

"Right, right." He quickly moved the eggs. He plated them, and the toast, and handed it to Effie. "Here you are."

"Thank you." Effie found herself staring as well. He was so gentle in his movements. His everything was gentle...his thoughts, his dreams, his voice, his eyes, his ears, his laugh. Every other man she met was some sort of tough guy. They tried to strong arm their way to her love, with tales of daring gin runs. She hated that. But Joey wore aprons and liked to ride bicycles. Joey made eggs at half past 4 in the morning, because his friend was hungry.

Joey leaned in as he sat across from her at the kitchen table.

"You alright there? Staring off into space." He smiled, cradling his hands, his elbows on the table.

I want to kiss you, she thought, I want to hold you and be held by you, I want you to know you're the most genuine man I've met.

She only thought this.

"I'm just tired, is all." She said, before she began to eat.

-

5:15ish. Used to sleeping at this hour, Joey drew blackout curtains and grabbed a sleep mask. He grabbed one for Effie, too. "Here you are."

"Thanks." Effie took it, her hand brushing his for a moment. She yawned, and rubbed her eyes, before looking up at him.

"...I'll put in a good word for you at the Daisy. I know they're looking for someone for more hours...means more pay."

"And I get to see that cute Effie Lockhart every night...til she gets famous, of course!" Joey said.

Effie laughed. "I won't get famous." She replied. "...only so much fame in the world. Why should it be mine, anyhow?"

"I think," Joey said, "that even if you're not famous world wide, you'll still be famous somewhere, some place. Hell, I'd call you famous right now, in our little scene." He referred to speakeasies.

"...thanks, Joey." She hugged him. "I mean that."

She felt his arms go around her. They were gentle, too.

She looked up. He looked down.

She closed her eyes.

Even his lips were gentle.

"Goodnight, Effie."

"Night, Joey."

[flimflamfandom]

You know the next big fic is shaping up to be weird when this guy is a big deal character

Tentative titles include "The Hook", "The Big One", "Ring Taw", and "Con".

[flimflamfandom]

Hi there, it’s me again. I hope you’re doing well and that you’re having a good day/night. Since it’s pride month where I’m at, I was wondering how Rocky got into fighting for LGBTQ+ rights as well as women’s rights? Was he an avid supporter since he was a young adult or was it later in life? 

Also, I was wondering how Rocky’s shows would work? What’s his comedic style? And did he ever talk about his activism stories openly in his shows? 

And, as a last question for now, do you have any other miscellaneous older Rocky trivia that you would like to share? If for some reason you can’t answer these questions then I completely understand. You’re busy with a new job if I can recall and I wish you all the best in your future endeavors. Please make sure you leave time for resting as well if/when you can, burnout’s no joke. I adore your future Lackadaisy headcannons! 

Hello! New job has been taxing, but fun. In any case, I CAN answer the questions!

FIRST

As far as activism in this case goes, most of his started during his later life in the 70s and 80s - Rocky was never particularly public about his sentiments towards the queer community until then.

His sentiments were definitely aligned with the community - he didn't have to be convinced to accept them - but after Stonewall, he started to try and add more gays into stories he pitched, shows he wrote, etc. He wasn't necessarily groundbreaking in this regard - it's very 70s style stuff - but he did his best to keep them from being the punchline.

During the AIDS crisis, he was notable for visiting friends of his who were patients - of which there were remarkably many. he wasn't going into any marches at this point in time, being in his 70s, and he was mostly retired, but he did contribute some TV episodes about the crisis here and there.

HIS SHOW

Rocky went through a few different forms of entertainment - first, of course, was radio. He was brought on to run a comedy show, which was structured around parodies of other radio shows, comic adaptations of dramas, and show-within-a-show episodes which were explicitly about running the show. Think of him as this universe's Jack Benny.

He transitioned to Television in the early 50s, and he did well there! He was notable for his show's transition, which was one of very few radio-to-TV bids that actually...y'know. Worked.

But he was ALSO notable for a game show, Ivory Towers, which ran from '55 to '62 - a quiz show where a group of college professors would compete against random attendees to answer questions. After being pretty much the only quiz show NOT to be cooking the books after the big Quiz Show scandals, it started to run with the subtitle of 'The Cleanest Racket in Town'.

OTHER TRIVIA

Rocky actually got a lot of fanmail from girls. It made his wife rather jealous.

In the OLD AU, I shipped Rocky with an OC named Loretta - she has been written out of existence.

Rocky once entered a pie eating contest and won, and wore a giant fake pie slice on his head for the next show. He became so well known for it that he would enter that contest annually until he died.

Rocky almost recorded a comedy album about Christmas - it never got released or published.

[flimflamfandom]

Lacy seems like the type who can clock undercover detectives on sight. She probably has to deal with them a lot - and she's a busy woman! What makes it worse is that they try to charm her to get information, so between coffee runs and weird duck shenanigans poor Lacy has to deal with detectives trying to charm their way to Daisy information.

Lacy just needs a break.

[flimflamfandom]

For the Rocky Self shippers:

Rocky is such a hopeless romantic but it's got nothing to do with his attempts and everything to do with his cueless nature.

He's handsome, he's fascinating, he's a very respectful (almost obsequious) guy - he's homeless, sure, but he has access to a lot of nice things and he can make just about anywhere home. He's a total catch!

But he is also an idiot who doesn't know he's a catch so he just assumes everyone is out of his league! That includes YOU - that's right, Rocky thinks you're too good for him!!!

He'll silently pine for you in secret not knowing that you've been trying to go on a date with him for AGES!

[flimflamfandom]

Do you ever think Rocky looks at Calvin and wishes he was more like him?

Do you ever think Calvin looks at Rocky and wishes he was more like him?

[flimflamfandom]

One Night at the Daisy

This is a one shot that features ARI, a Lackadaisy OC by @ladybugkisses , and ARTHUR KEANE, an OC by yours truly.

The place seemed to sway as ROCKY walked downstairs. He was looking for someone, in the crowd.

"Shouldn't be...HARD to find." he looked through the place - the new business was good for money but bad for finding dates. Rocky could've sworn he'd seen her somewhere. He started to ask around.

"She's about this high on me, red hair, orange fur, this real cute lipstick that makes her eyes real vivid, like...no? Oh. Okay." He started to reach the edge of the place, and looked around the walls. She wasn't anywhere to be seen. He slumped on a table. "Well." He shrugged a bit. "She'll come...surely!" He smiled, and perked up, sitting there. "I'm right by the stairs. When she gets here, she's BOUND to see me!"

He scanned the crowd for her, still - maybe she WAS here, and he'd somehow missed her. He peered into the mass of people, and saw someone familiar - not Ari, but a shock of blonde hair and a blur of white fur - had to be-

-

LACY huffed and walked from the bar back to the caverns. She crossed her arms. "One night off." She sighed. "ONE. Just ONCE I want a night to myself, and what does that harpy of a woman say?" She mocked a southern Drawl "Well, ah need yuh t'catalogue those barrels back thayuh." She spat on the ground, and looked at her clip board.

"...Arthur's going to be awfully cross." She sighed. Arthur was her boyfriend, and she'd told him she'd be out on the floor some place tonight. She looked at the barrel room's vast expanse.

"Oh, you've GOT to be kidding me." She groaned. She looked down at the clipboard again, and started to write a few things down - mostly checking dates and numbers. She stared and stared, and wrote and wrote. Her hand began to cramp and her eyes began to strain. She leaned against the wall of a cave.

"...if someone was here to talk to, it would be nice." Her voice echoed gently off the walls. "Maybe a tall boy with cinnamon fur and a cute pair of glasses...with rough hands from guitar playing...and who'se supposed to be celebrating his ANNIVERSARY TONIGHT!" She kicked one of the barrels, and winced as she drew back her foot. "Shit!" She fell down.

"...shit."

-

"Shit!" IVY put the receiver to her other ear. "Well. That's not good. With a hammer?" She leaned into the phone. "He's okay, right? You're gonna tell me he's okay?" She sighed, pacing around the upstairs office. Her bright green dress reflected off the mahogany desk as she sat on it, and listened intently. It was Elsa Arbogast. Calvin was hurt.

"He'll be fine," the voice on the other line said, "but when he gets there he's not going to be too steady on that leg."

"So no dancing."

"None."

Ivy nodded. She sighed a bit, part relief and part frustration. "Thank you so, so much, Elsa. Tell him his sweetie is waitin' for him here." She said.

"Will do."

Ivy laid on the couch. "...I just got him back." Calvin had an...episode. It set him out about a week - it hurt to see him that way. This morning, he'd smiled, and he held Ivy, and kissed her a dozen times, and promised a dance, and even promised he'd get back from 'work' quick as he could. He was so happy - a happy Ivy hadn't seen on him for a while.

That was surely gone now.

"Something, I swear...something's just trying to make his life so damn hard." She muttered to himself as she walked back down the stairs. "...I can have a good time on my own! I mean, surely. I've done it before!" She grumbled a bit to herself. "Though, when you've had a good time with Cal, you never wanna have a good time withOUT him again..." She looked out at the street through the window of the Daisy.

"...it's really coming down out there."

-

"It's really coming down out there..." ARI was in a phone booth. She had no calls to make - she was just trying to get out of the rain. "Of course my umbrella's in that truck..." She looked down at herself. She was practically waterlogged. She was amazed she hadn't DROWNED on the way here - and she was still halfway from the Daisy. "Rocky's not going to want to dance with a puddle, surely...Ivy's about my size, she says she keeps stuff there...well." She looked down. "My hips...ah. It'll be fine for a night." She peered out the window of the phone booth. A man neared it, and knocked. She had to get going.

She rushed, struggling a bit with the heels in the rain. She tripped, and fell. She brushed herself off, and looked at her coat. "..." She looked down at herself. On top of rain, her new fur coat that Rocky'd spent all of his 'hazard pay' money on was covered in mud. She took in a deep breath, and a lucky roll of thunder hid the cavalcade of Portuguese swears that left her mouth. She kept going, and made it to the door of the club.

She looked at a small watch she had, ignoring the labored footsteps behind her. "Agh, it's getting late..."

-

"It's getting late." ARTHUR was still at the bar. He'd exhausted his talking points with the band, the people there he knew, and with Viktor. He was wondering where Lacy even got away to.

He got up from the bar, and looked around at the mostly empty club. A sad looking Rocky, still waiting diligently by the door, and a nervous, pacing Ivy. It was late. And almost everyone else was either necking in the corners, sitting and getting ready to head out, or gone. Arthur hummed a little tune to himself as he got up and walked to the center of the floor.

He heard very fast clicking heels, and a very flustered voice. "Arthur! Dear." Lacy walked over to him, and wrapped her arms around him. She was covered in dust, and one of her shoes was especially so. She purred so loudly when she hugged him that he felt like he couldn't hear his own thoughts. "I'm so sorry about that, I...if Mitzi even SEES me she finds something for me to do and-"

"It's alright." Arthur smiled down at her, and kissed the top of her head. "You're alright." He looked around. "...not many people left, huh?"

"No." Lacy took in a breath. "...not much of an anniversary, is it?" Lacy said.

"Well, you're here, aren't you?" Arthur smiled. Lacy did, too.

"...yes, I suppose I am..."

Their eyes turned to two people walking down the stairs - more so stumbling.

"There we are...bad way to meet, huh? Almost. No, no, just lean on the - lean on the wall, Calvin."

"I'm trying but yer coat is wet and-"

CALVIN was clinging to Ari as she helped move the boy down the stairs - both looked as if they'd swam here, their fur damp and dripping. Ari's new coat was covered in muck and must've weighed thirty pounds more than it had. Calvin's trousers were ripped, revealing a bandage over his leg, and his hat had a new hole in it, likely from a bullet. He got to the bottom of the steps, and collapsed to the floor, taking in breaths.

"CALVIN MCMURRAY YOU STOP SCARING ME LIKE THAT!" Ivy shouted, rushing over to him and propping him up on the wall. "How did that even HAPPEN to you?"

"I, eh...it's...there was a pig, and-"

"Shush." Ivy kissed him gently, and helped him up. "Eugh...what're you eating these days? Gettin' heavier." She winked. "All muscle, huh?"

"Probably rain water." He replied, fighting off his jacket, and letting it squelch to the floor. "Sorry this all happened so soon after-"

"Nope. No apologizing. You're here." Ivy let her fur get wet as she hugged Calvin, nearly wringing the water out of him.

On the other side of the stair case, Ari watched, sighing a bit. Shame she hadn't seen-

"Ari?" Rocky was there, sitting upright, with wide eyes, and a gentle, happy smile.

"...Rocky! I, ehm, I met your cousin - he...has some sort of wound." She said, getting her coat off, as well. "I'm so sorry about the coat, I...I know you spent a lot of money on it. I can have it cle-"

"Are you warm?" Rocky asked, holding her hands as she sat down.

"...well it was warm, yes, before it got soaked."

"Good!" Rocky hugged her, and squeezed her tight. Ari squeezed him, too. She purred, and stood. "...the band is still here. I hope you haven't danced too much?" She winked. Rocky smiled.

"I've just been waiting."

[flimflamfandom]

Calvin and Ivy would be interesting babysitters to say the least, especially for Rocky's children - if only because they're chaotic in different ways.

Neither of them cackle loudly in the night. Ivy writes on the walls of the apartment to solve math problems. They never have pancakes for dinner. What the fuck is Soda bread and why isn't it fizzy? Calvin doesn't break out into poetic odes about his wife like Rocky does. They SWEAR mom doesn't hold Rocky HALF as much as Ivy holds uncle Cal. Ivy doesn't sing them to sleep like mom does. Calvin sings throughout the day, in a weird language the kids don't understand.

...or something idk lol