Work Text:
Saturday, October 2, 1982. 1:16 PM.
It's a typical fall afternoon in Hill Valley. Marty McFly, age 14, is playing his Erlewine Chiquita guitar in his family's garage.
His prized possession.
The neckline of his red t-shirt is deliberately a little torn up, and so's the hem. The top of the two-tone denim bomber jacket he's wearing has slid down slightly, revealing the t-shirt's sleeves had been ripped up quite a bit and giving a peek at a pair of bruises on his shoulders- Not unusual for a kid who skateboards and skitches everywhere.
But why would they be on his shoulders? That's an odd spot to get an injury caused by a bad move. It had to have been caused by something else.
He's just strumming away, not a care in the world.
"Hey, McFly!"
Marty urgently scrambles to his feet and pulls up his jacket, but it's too late to shut the garage door. Needles is approaching, and with... Who are these people? Bandmates? Not that it mattered.
What did matter is that Needles most certainly wanted something from him.
"How's it hanging, McFly? I need to borrow your interocitor tube."
Borrow? More like take. It's all Needles' ever done to him.
His dignity. The Erlewine he was saving for in 5th grade- At least Paul and Lee stood by him. He could go on and on about the bastard.
The two others with Needles also agree that "borrow" is the wrong word...
'Borrow...'
'Uh huh...'
Marty sighs and shakes his head. He's not getting out of this one.
"Hey, Needles."
Marty's trying to keep his cool, straight-faced and deadpan, but his tone is still dripping with disdain.
"You said you need my... What?"
That part, of all things!?
Needles is already uncomfortably close to Marty, who had put his hands into his jacket pockets.
He's barely even taller than Marty, but he's a lot bulkier. Marty, on the other hand, is quite skinny. Not even a little bit of muscle on his body. He's worried Needles might be able to tell those bruises were the ones from the last beating he'd inflicted- He'd get his sick kicks out of seeing that.
Needles looks at Marty like he's an idiot.
"For my amp, dipshit. The Tabascos have a gig tonight, and I blew my tube by rockin' too hard. Way you're playing, your tube must be mint."
Big words coming from Needles, considering after 3 years he's barely gotten any better. And yet, Dougie's words are like a needle being pushed into his skin.
Like he's a pincushion.
Marty shifts his guitar to be resting against his back, and crosses his arms.
"That's not my problem. Sorry about your tube."
Needles doesn't pick up on Marty's sarcasm and ignores him. His brows furrow and nose scrunches as Needles helps himself to the tube inside his amp.
Goddamn asshole!
While out of his view, Marty takes the opportunity to roll his eyes.
Luckily "The Tabascos" don't notice.
"Tell ya what, Needles. I'll rent it to you. Five bucks."
Marty holds his hand out, though he knows Needles will just make excuses. And he sure as hell won't be handing it back.
"Whatever- I'll pay you when I bring it back tomorrow."
Unless it was about beating him up, Needles couldn't keep a promise to save his life.
"No fuckin' way. Pay me first."
Marty grabs Needles' forearm, and hard.
Twisting it was rather tempting, but he holds back.
"Hey, watch it!"
Needles drops the tube, and it cracks into pieces. Marty lets go of his arm, backing off slightly as Needles looks down at the broken tube.
"That was your fault, McFly. Now I'm gonna have to pound you."
Did he have to say it like that? Can't he just say beat instead?
"What the hell!? I'm the one who's worse off, I had a tube. Now I don't, and you're the one who broke it!"
He's trying not to be too loud... If he does, his parents'll freak. They don't know the true extent of the torment Marty faces.
Alternatively, he might get a punch to the jaw from Needles because he was being 'too annoying'.
Marty has his guitar in his hand now. The strap was starting to dig into his shoulder- He's doing his best to hide the pain. Needles puts his arm around Marty, hand dangerously close to his neck. He looks at Needles with contempt.
"Let me explain something to you, McFly. Life's unfair, okay? And today's my day to be unfair to-"
Needles is met with an elbow to the stomach. Marty maneuvers himself under and out of the other's grip.
"Don't you dare touch me. Besides, I don't have any money. Unless you wanna pay for the one you just broke?"
Needles grins rather sadistically, ignoring the question.
"I'll give you a break. I'd pound the shit outta you for that move you just pulled, but I'm feeling charitable today. Get me another tube by 4 o'clock, or a promise is a promise."
Shifting blame, as per usual. Marty would roll his eyes if he knew the act wouldn't piss Needles off further.
The female member of Needles' band tries to intimidate Marty further, leaning in real close to him.
Her hand is nearing his face.
"Guess you'll just have to steal-"
Marty grabs her wrist much more gently then he did Needles', and then lets go of it. That's enough to get her to back off.
Who is this, anyway? Needles'... Girlfriend? Simply a bandmate? Whatever, he doesn't care about that- He does care that a total stranger was about to touch him.
"That applies to you, too."
"Oooooh, fiesty today, aren't we, McFly?"
Marty glares at Needles.
"I'll get a replacement tube. And without stealing it. And if you still want to rent it, then it'll be ten bucks."
No way in hell was he giving Needles a handout.
"What, too chicken to do it by any means possible?"
Marty tenses up upon hearing that word... Chicken.
Chicken, chicken, chicken!
"Nobody calls me chicken, Needles."
Marty's whole face scrunches up. He's absolutely livid!
"Nobody."
His free hand balls into a fist. Needles revels in this reaction.
"Then prove it. Be a man. Bring that tube to the clocktower by 4 o'clock."
Needles wrenches the guitar out of Marty's hand- His Erlewine Chiquita.
Poetic irony.
"And then you'll get your guitar back."
As soon as Needles' back is turned, Marty rolls his eyes.
"Perfect. Just perfect."
The music shop better have one... Otherwise, Needles is absolutely going to fulfill that promise! Waiting for Needles to fully leave, he sits back down in the chair.
Deep breaths, deep breaths...
Marty grabs his right shoulder in pain, hissing inwards. The strap digging in and Needles resting his arm on it made the pain flare up again.
"Shit!"
2:02 PM
After a little over half an hour of taking the time to calm down (and to wrap up those bruises a little), Marty skateboards over to Courthouse Square to visit the Hill Valley Music Shop.
One of his very few places of solace, because Gary tends to shoo Needles away when Marty's around. The day he saw Needles walk in and buy the guitar Marty had been admiring for months, having overheard Marty telling him that- He had a bad feeling about that kid.
"All right, you don't have any interocitor tubes. I get that. But you always had dozens of 'em... What happened to 'em all?"
Unfortunate news. Marty's stomach feels like a pit.
Just his luck! He's screwed.
"We sold 'em."
"All of 'em!?"
"It's called business, Marty."
"I know that... Do you know who it was?"
Maybe he could get one if he asked nicely enough. Unlike Needles, he has manners.
"I dunno. Didn't make the sale."
"Can you look it up?"
Gary shuffles through the sales record book.
"E. L. B. Enterprises."
"Never heard of it."
"They're over at 1640 John F. Kennedy Drive."
"1640 J.F.K. Drive. Cool, cool, I can just go there and-"
It clicks in his mind pretty fast who lives there- The memory of Needles egging that very garage plays in his head.
The bastard called him a chicken!
Paul and Lee had to drag him away. He was nearing his breaking point that day... And the day after...
No, not the time to dwell on such things.
"1640 J.F.K. Drive? Woah. That's Doctor Brown."
"Y'know what, Marty? You're right! He must need 'em for his new improved death ray."
"Death ray?"
He never did believe that rumor- Seemed cruel to talk like that about someone just because they're different.
"Well, that's what everybody says he's building. Actually, I think that's how his house burned down back in '62."
"Woah, that's heavy."
Marty's about ready to leave, but he wonders... Had Doctor Brown actually come to the store to buy them? It crossed his mind, and piqued his curiosity.
"Did you ever meet him? Did he come in here to buy those tubes himself?"
"Nope, mail order."
He's quiet for a moment, and just as Marty is about to open the door and leave...
"Hey, Marty, don't be stupid. You go over there, you're taking your life in your hands. That Doctor Brown's a real nutcase..."
"Right."
Marty opens the door to leave, but Gary's got one last thing to say.
"And don't let that Needles kid keep bothering you. Messing around with any of those types, you're asking for trouble."
Once the door's closed, Marty sighs.
"Easy for you to say... Needles is demanding trouble. I'll take any chance I can get."
He's sure Needles is gonna kill him if he doesn't get that tube.
3:17 PM
Marty has finally made his way to the "nutcase" Doctor Brown's house. He pushes a button on a keypad in front of the gate for what he assumes is an intercom. There is a speaker on it.
<"Hello.">
"Uh... Hello?"
<"This is a recording.">
Marty groans. He's dead meat if he doesn't get at least one tube. All these hurdles he keeps having to go through are a pain in the ass.
<"Please go away. Do not push the button a second time. You have been warned.">
Marty sighs. He's getting twisted up. All because Needles decided he had a right to Marty's belongings. But it's do or die.
"All these warnings today... Can't catch a damn break. Just pick up-"
He pushes the button again, and he receives a weak electric shock.
"Fuckfuckfuckfuck...!"
He grips his hand in pain, gritting his teeth. Despite the mildness- Marty's reaction to all pain is the same by now.
<"Clearly, you were not one to foresee that.">
"Huh?"
<"It was an electrical current- Harmless, but uncomfortable. Leave now, or the next one will be considerably more uncomfortable.">
"One to foresee"? The emphasis there stuck out to him.
Wordplay, perhaps?
Looking at the keypad, Marty doesn't even think once about the 50/50 chance that he might get shocked again.
"...1-2-4-C."
He types 1-2-4-2 on the keypad.
<"Password is correct. You may enter.">
He slides the gate open, and walks right in.
"Easy shit."
He's quite smug as he walks in. No way Needles could ever figure something like that out.
3:26 PM
Marty finally finds a door after a fair bit of pacing around. He knocks.
"Hello? Anyone there?"
No response.
"Figures. Nothing about today's been easy."
Marty gets frustrated again, but takes a deep breath. He steps on top of a trashcan, looking inside from the padlocked window.
"There's the tubes... Not gonna do me much good out here."
He holds up his skateboard, looking about ready to hit that window. Would this be the best course of action, though?
"I could just smash the- No, come on, Marty- You're nothing like Needles."
He's at a loss for what to do- Though, it crosses his mind that he should hit Needles with it instead, sometime...
"Think, McFly, think! A padlock isn't gonna open with some stupid wordplay..."
Marty remembers the sign just behind the keypad in front of the gate.
'Know Entry.' Not 'No Entry.'
This guy must really like wordplay. He goes to look at the sign.
"Worth a shot."
He removes it from the fence, and there's a key taped on the back.
"Hidden behind the sign? Be serious..."
... Why didn't he think of that in the first place?
3:31 PM
Marty steps back onto the trashcan, unlocking the window. He just barely manages to slip through the tight space, skateboard in tow. His jacket is slipping, and he clings onto it like mad.
"Oof... Good thing I'm not as big as Needles... Or I'd never..."
Marty accidentally knocks over a chess piece as he squeezes in through the window, which hits some dominoes before rolling onto the floor.
"... Fuck."
He manages to get inside, and is distracted by the machine in front of him. Next thing he knows, he's fallen right into a trap. Before he can even process it, Marty's upside down in a net, and he yet again groans.
"Just what kind of game is this guy playing... Heeyyy..."
He spots the buttons on the machine... On, Off, and Reset.
"Two can play at that."
Marty barely manages to slide his skateboard out from behind him, mostly because of the pain. He manages to stick his arm out, and push the skateboard with enough force to hit the reset button.
Saturday, October 2nd, 1982, 3:42 PM
"Shit!"
The net releases, and he falls onto the ground. For once, the young man manages to land in a stable manner, but he still hisses inward in pain. He shakily stands up, quickly checking his surroundings.
"Ow... Okay, I'll just go grab the inter-"
Marty hears a dog growling, but before he can get a good look, he's back down on the floor again. The dog barks and starts licking him. In a rather rare instance, Marty starts laughing... For once, something bigger than him isn't threatening.
He was even ignoring the pain flaring up!
"Easy there! Good boy-"
"Great scott! It's about time!"
Marty freezes up momentarily, but... The big friendly dog's a pretty good sign.
"Doctor Emmett L. Brown, at your service."
The Doctor Brown he's heard so many rumors about... He seems completely, utterly- Normal. Nothing like he'd expect from all the stories he's heard.
"Congratulations, you passed my test!"
Test?
"And you are...?"
"McFly. Marty McFly."
He helps Marty up off the floor, who's trying his best to hide the pain that he's no longer ignoring.
"You already met Einstein."
Marty dusts his jacket off, hoping to get things over with here. His deadline is fast approaching.
"Uh."
"You're applying for the job, right, Marty?"
"The job?"
"As my assistant. It was all a big puzzle- I left those clues months ago. Eventually, I knew someone would figure them out. So, when can you start?"
"Now."
Something for him to do where Needles can't get anywhere near him- He'll take it.
"Excellent. Your resourcefulness is most impressive. Using your skateboard to escape- Icing on the cake!"
Resourceful- A compliment. The adults in his life usually only worry about him. His peers always ignore him. Needles is...
Well, he's Needles.
"And Einstein likes you. He's an excellent judge of character."
"Uh... Mr. Brown... I mean, uh, Doctor Brown..."
"Doc, call me Doc! As in, 'What's up, Doc?'"
"Doc, the truth is... I didn't really come here to apply for your job..."
He has to be honest.
He. Isn't. Like. Needles!
"I needed a couple of interocitor tubes, and when I found out you bought 'em all..."
Doc looks extremely concerned. A boy his age, getting up to things like this? Marty's gone back to petting Einstein.
"So this was actually a robbery?"
Marty tenses up again.
"No! Not at first, anyway. I mean, if you'd have answered, I would've asked you."
The way that comes across- Ugh. Makes him feel like he really did stoop to Needles' level.
"Very politely."
Doc looks a bit relieved.
Kid's awkward, but he's honest.
"Well, it's my own fault. My reclusiveness has resulted in complications at various times in the past... But it's necessary. I simply can't have people disturbing my work."
"What exactly is your work?"
"I never discuss it!"
"Okay, cool. I get that. Like me- I never play a new song for anyone until I'm sure I've got it right."
He feels like he can tell Doc anything- He usually doesn't tell people that he makes his own songs... Not since that day...
"Marty, now my truth: I wasn't advertising for a job. I just wanted to see what would happen if I offered you one."
"So, it was just an experiment...? A human experiment?"
"Precisely!"
"So... There's no job?"
He should've known getting to see Needles a lot less wouldn't be that easy.
"There is if you want one."
Marty's eyes widen a bit.
"So I'd just... Hang around here and do... Stuff?"
"I'd need you to run errands. Procure supplies. Possibly do inventory."
"Heck yeah, I want the job! And heck yeah, I can start today! After an errand of my own."
Marty shakes Doc's hand, absolutely beaming.
"Don't you want to discuss pay?"
"I don't care! I'll be happy just to be the guy who knows Doctor Emmett L. Brown!"
And, a little more time away from Needles- Ugh.
"But you can't tell anyone what goes on here. Ever."
He already doesn't tell anyone much of anything- Even the guys, and his parents.
"Even better."
Marty looks through the box, only to find that it's empty!
"Hey... About those tubes..."
Doc notices Marty peering into the interocitor tube box.
Ah, he should have said something sooner...
"Oh, those things? I just needed a box that size for my Static-o-Matic Electric Hair Chair. I dumped the tubes in the trashcan outside."
Marty peers out the window, somewhat unamused. The very trashcan he'd been balancing on... It'd be a miracle if they're unbroken.
"So I coulda just... Nevermind..."
No- It was good he tried (and succeeded at!) getting inside. He finally had somewhere Needles couldn't get to.
Not now, not ever!
"Hey, Doc, thanks."
He's in a great mood as he goes outside to grab the tubes. Unbroken, as he'd hoped!
"Are those..."
Doc swears he can see Marty has bruises on his shoulders as his jacket slips again, and Marty takes a moment to pull it back up. Einstein whimpers, as though he can sense Doc's concern.
"Just from an accident on that skateboard, I'm sure..."
3:58 PM
Having dropped the extra tubes off at home, Marty makes his way to the clocktower.
"One interocitor tube, as promised."
He hands Needles the tube. And Needles, for once, actually fulfills his end of the bargain.
The Erlewine is back in Marty's hands!
"Huh. So where'd you get this, McFly?"
"I took your advice. Stole it."
Marty smiles a little bit.
"From Doctor Emmett Brown."
Marty's walking off as Needles starts freaking the hell out.
"F-From-B-But-T-That guy worked on the bomb! I heard h-he's radioactive!"
Marty turns back to see he's holding the thing like it's a ticking time bomb.
"Enjoy the tube, Needles."
He turns his head back around, smirking with his hands in his pockets and extremely satisfied with himself.
"I'm sure it's fine."
He won't be seeing Needles much anymore.
At least, he hopes.
Sure, he's too stupid to even find his way in.
But, he also doesn't put property damage past that bastard...