:: 👫 :: { 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙚﹢𝙅𝙤𝙮. } ::
I. ░ NICKNAMES.
Lane calls her Go-go Dancer (sometimes just “Gogo”), Lava Lamp, Flower Child, Woodstock, Tangerine Queen, Felicity Shagwell (retired after it made her uncomfortable). Sometimes he just calls her random 70s album titles and she knows he’s talking to her.
II. ░ RECORD SHOP GIG.
Love that for them. Thanks, Sam!
Headcanon that the boss is some grouchy old music snob who only hired them because he liked their answers to his questions about ranking Radiohead albums and naming the top five most innovative local bands. They were both beloved regulars at the store before they got hired, and earned his respect with their purchases and ability to keep up or even say something insightful in conversations with him.
We can say Joy worked there first, if she would be too nervous to apply at her crush’s workplace. They could be the only people who work the “student shifts” (evenings/weekends). Lane and Joy’s class at Rainier brings in a lot of business, so perhaps they were hired when the boss decided to extend the shop’s hours to accommodate rich college kids’ class schedules.
They’re shit clerks. Joy will get distracted and forget to ring somebody up for one of their records at checkout, and Lane’s solution the problem is telling her to just ring up the next customer’s album twice and hope they don’t notice. Lane vapes on the job and flirts with every customer. Joy can’t be trusted with taking inventory or counting money. Neither of them are suited for time-sensitive tasks. They keep a line of willing customers waiting for half an hour because they don’t want to stop chatting with someone who already checked out. They usually can’t hear or don’t even notice when the phone is ringing, because they’re too engrossed in whatever prog song is playing.
During Lane’s depressive episodes, he spends the whole shift getting high, and he’ll ask Joy to do the customer service while he half-asses the non-verbal tasks. Joy gets called in on her days off to cover his shifts when he still can’t get out of bed by 5pm. During his manic episodes, his eyes linger on her body more than they should, he invites Tinder girls over to blow him in the shop’s bathroom (and sometimes forgets to close the door), and he gets so distracted by dancing with Joy that he forgets to lock up, and leaves the power running all night. But on a good day, he can lovingly arrange promotional displays and "If You Like ____, Try ____” lists, he’s quick to intercept customers creeping on Joy by engaging them in conversation, and he stays on top of responsibilities by insisting they work together instead of splitting up the tasks.
And you bet your ass they’re the best people to talk to about recommendations, whether it’s for local shows the store is selling tickets for, or for a field guide to a new genre they want to get into without picking only the most entry-level stuff. They’re surprisingly good salesmen, mostly because they’re so honest about what is and isn’t worth the money. People trust them, and there’s a big crowd who will come into the shop just to hang out on the tattered leather couch or make sure nobody covered up their band’s sticker on the wall. Turns out, two hot musicians that customers can build up a nearly-parasocial relationship with can bring in a lot of business. They’re too lovable and profitable to get fired.
But seriously, don’t forget to check your receipt.
III. ░ ABOUT THAT CRUSH OF HERS.
Lane doesn’t think he’s arrogant enough to expect every girl on campus to throw themselves at him, but he is used to female friends being more... receptive to his advances. He’s confused by the way Joy shoots down his offers to go to the diner with him or come back to his room. They have so much chemistry. She seems to like him. He makes her laugh. She always leans in his direction and touches her pretty elf hair when he’s talking to her. He can make her cheeks red just by putting on a song she likes, making eye contact with her from across the store, and smiling. She agrees to plans with so much cheer, so he doesn’t know why she suddenly remembers she had another commitment as soon as she realizes they would be hanging on one-on-one, or at night. He can’t figure out why she shies away when he touches her. He isn’t used to girls like her, coy and inexperienced, unprepared to close their eyes and wait for him to kiss them after he gives them attention. He’s usually surrounded by girls like Zelda and Nikki, or Max and Sabrina, or Genie and Jill. Even Molly was always brutally honest about her sexuality. What’s he supposed to do with someone as confusing as Joy? Which signals should he take from her?
So he invites her to come out to the woods on a sunny afternoon to jam, but assures her that Robin’s gonna be there, too. He invites her to get late night Applebee’s after they close up, but doesn’t order cocktails or argue with her if she wants to split the bill. When he rolls out of bed and looks out the window to see her roller skating around campus, he rubs the sleep out of his eyes, grabs his skateboard, and catches up with her so they spend the morning together; maybe go to a thrift shop or antique store to look for vintage clothes and instruments. He tries to let it go and accept that the friendship is just platonic, but then she compliments his hair or eyes, gets schoolgirl bashful, and hides her cheeks as she looks away. It makes him self-conscious. If she’s attracted to him, why is she so adamantly opposed to doing anything with him?
He values his friendship with Joy. He’s just waiting for her to value it enough to take it to the next level.
IV. ░ THIS HC IS ARROGANT BUT HEAR ME OUT.
Lane can tell that Joy isn’t as naive as she puts on.
Just based on the type of music she likes. The 70′s is the horniest decade for music. The 60′s had so much gritty subject matter. She knows too much about the blues for him to believe that she doesn’t really feel it on some level.
Lane’s theory is that she’s a recovering addict. He knows people who act superfluously positive when they’re trying to stay out of the hole, even if they have to force it. It’s also his only explanation for why she’s sober and doesn’t come to parties.
