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 Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 10:34 pm
Zac blinked in surprise, like he’d been so lost in the conversation that he’d almost forgotten their destination and nodded.
The theater was old, old enough that the outside was framed with wooded ‘greek’ styled pillars, and the titles of movies were still framed with incandescent light bulbs.
He opened the glass doors to the lobby for you and with a small almost teasing bow ushered you in.
There was a half lit chandelier that showed off the fancy designs set into the floor, pictures made of little square tiles. Some were missing, but once upon a time it would have been brilliant and new. An illustration like an old map showing sea monsters, a fountain that hadn’t flowed in years.
The concession stand looked almost as old, but it was clean and cared for all the same. Even the popcorn popper hand a hand twist to dump the fresh popcorn into its glass framed body where it would be drizzled with fresh butter and a dash of salt.
Zac held up a hand to request you give him just a moment while he purchased two tickets from the other counter, it was framed with red curtains, slightly musty but the older woman who took his money smiled at you over his shoulder like a grandmother whom hasn’t seen you in years.
“Such a nice couple” She clucked as she turned over the tickets and he turned red and mumbled a thank you before returning and handing you a ticket.
“Popcorn or mints?” he asked still flushing.
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Posted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 11:06 pm
Kirin's eye lit with wonder as Zac led the way inside. The old theatre had a sense of magic and mystery, set to evoke the kind of delight a child felt seeing their first movie, at realising the wonderful stories and beautiful scenes that could be captured on film and viewed by even a tiny kid. "It's like something out of a fairytale," he breathed, staring at the 'sea monsters' on the floor that glittered like dusty gems under the light of the chandelier. "How did you find this place?"
His blush returned when the lady behind the counter called them a couple. He did notice that Zac didn’t speak up to correct her. A tiny smile playing on his lips, Kirin also held his silence. "Popcorn, please. Don’t go easy on the salt and butter – I like my snacks dripping and salty." There was a brief pause as Kirin played back his request. He raised one hand to cover half his face. In a very calm, composed voice, Kirin said, "Can we please all forget I just said that?"
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Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 8:42 pm
A moment of him utterly missing why that comment might have been embarrassing, and then his eyes went wide and he cleared his throat looking away trying to stifle a laugh that his face said he thought was inappropriate and he was sorry even if he couldn’t speak right then.
“No...no it’s fine... That...sounds very tasty actually... I mean, good on popcorn...I’ll just um... What would you like to drink!” He blurted quickly to change the topic.
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Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 8:54 pm
They were quite a pair – a matching set of tiny, blushing, innuendo-filled dolls. Kirin was glad it wasn’t just him having horrible slips of the tongue. He was glad for the quick change of topic.
“Uh, just Coke, thanks,” Kirin replied. Shifting from one leg to the other and back, he wondered if he should offer to pay his half. Or would that be an insult after Kirin had paid for karaoke last time? Zac had seemed a little touchy about what school he attended, that day in the park, like it automatically made him a felon or a penniless orphan. Most of Meadowview High seemed to subscribe to that opinion, so Kirin couldn’t say he blamed Zac.
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Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2010 8:57 pm
The inside of the movie theater where the screens were kept, was almost as amazing as the loby, there was a balcony, though it was roped off from the public. And even with that forbidden, glancing upward you could see the remains of gold-tape along the ceiling, and the faded paint of constellations. Capricorn was missing part of his tail to water damage, and Sagittarius looked down right depressed, but they existed.
The movie’s effects were pretty good for something that was made as an independent film, the end even a little confusing, more surprising than confusing though perhaps.
Hands brushed reaching for the popcorn, shoulders brushed any time someone reached for their drink, as the cup holders were right next to each other. Simple things... Things you could read so much or so little into.
The lights came up low, polite almost after the dark of the movie, and the sound of the projector faded into a dull ‘thap... thapthapthaphtap...brrrrrrrrr....” motor hum as the few other people stood and shuffled towards the doors.
Zac stood and took the tub of what popcorn was left so it wouldn’t tip over it...
“Was it ok?... I... Think I rather enjoyed that...”
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 11:07 pm
Kirin need a few moments to adjust to being thrown back into reality, blinking at the sudden light while glancing around and taking in the theatre and his companion. He took Zac's question seriously, not the sort to give quick confirmation to ease someone’s worries, even if that was what Zac was looking for. (Kirin doubted it – he didn’t think Zac was the type to like brainless agreement.)
"It was very unusual. An interesting take on good versus evil fighting for the souls of humanity." It was certainly better than most of what would have been showing in a mainstream cinema. "The ending was unexpected, though perhaps a little too fairy tale happy ending for me. I think I almost expected that part, after the first scene, though I rather hoped I'd be wrong."
Nothing against happy endings (lies, lies, lies, his mind whispered immediately), but sometimes the best kind of ending was one that shocked you by not being the Hollywood, everyone-goes-home-happy resolution. "Did you see Night Watch when it came out? Now that was an ending."
After a moment's pause, Kirin realised that Zac might take all this to mean Kirin hadn't enjoyed the movie. "Overall, better than most movies that've been realised the past few months. Hollywood could take a few lessons from them on storytelling and originality."
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 11:09 pm
He blinked thoughtful...
“I never saw that one no...” he sounded a little irritated, but his expression said it was more towards himself.
“I don’t mind the occasional fairy tale ending, I mean I think we almost collectively –want- those even if their exceptionally unlikely.
Then again I think most of hollywood at this point Is just regurgitating the same ‘comedic romances’ and ‘running upstairs in their underwear’ horror movies that earned them big bucks when they first came out and were still ‘shocking’ to the general populace”
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 11:14 pm
"I have the dvd," Kirin said, slightly surprised Zac had missed that movie, since parts of Ink reminded him of the Russian movie's take on good versus evil. "You could come over and watch it sometime... Well, if you don't mind subtitles, since it's mostly in Russian. Don't bother with the sequel – if you like the first movie, jump to the books instead."
Why yes, Kirin was opinionated and elitist, thank you for asking.
"Some horror films are still quite good. It's just a shame that most feel they have to flash some girl's tits and include a sex scene or two. I have to admit to looking forward to the remake of Nightmare on Elm Street – and I generally despise remakes on principle."
It occurred to Kirin that he and Zac were sitting and chatting in a bright cinema, when anyone else who'd attended the session was long gone. The food and drinks were long empty. Kirin's legs were starting to cramp from sitting still so long. Still, he didn't want to get up. Walking out, leaving the fairytale-like theatre... Kirin felt something would shatter. A day that had gone too well, a mood brought on that made it seem they were within a fairy tale of their own – something had to give. And as Zac had said, happy endings were 'exceptionally unlikely'.
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 11:15 pm
“I’d like that... “ he said thoughtful... “I’ll have to look for the book too, no matter how respectable the movie, it’s seldom as good as the book.” He nodded more thoughtful.
“For example I didn’t truly –mind- the Silence of the Lambs, but the book was by FAR more amazing and well written, most especially the final book in the series.
“You are –so- right about horror movies though, gratuitous –sex- scenes, as though intercourse were a vital part of entertainment...” he clucked in disgust...
“er...”
He fumbled and then stood and offered a hand...
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to... Well I rather mean that if your legs haven’t already fallen asleep...”
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 11:27 pm
"They're very good books," Kirin nodded in agreement. "The movie alters the storyline in some places, but it also comes with a very strong emotional impact." He huffed at the mention of Silence of the Lambs. "I didn't even bother seeing the other movies that came out after Silence of the Lambs. They couldn't even make the previews look appealing."
Kirin stared at Zac's proffered hand like it was a strange weapon he'd never seen before. Slowly, he extended his own. "Uh, thank you..."
In this light, there was no hope that Zac would miss the flush that appeared when their hands met.
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 11:31 pm
He blinked in surprise at the blush and had the good grace to look down and away like he hadn't caught it.
"I thought the impact of the final book before the...prequel... had a better impact than the alterations they made for the movie..." He said hesitantly.
He cleared his throat and offered his other hand to take the empty popcorn bucket.
"Was... um... there anything else you wanted to do?"
He asked hesitantly.
Should he offer to walk her home? That was the polite thing to do but he didn't want to embarrass her. But he also didn't want to offer if she wanted to do something else, that would just seem like he was trying to scrape her off like something on his shoe, which was NOT the case.
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Posted: Mon Feb 15, 2010 11:48 pm
They were still holding hands, they were still holding hands... Kirin tried to force his mind onto something else, something that made him sound less like a thirteen year old girl.
Manners told him he should let go first. But he really didn't want to.
Just like he didn't want to go home, even though he knew he should. It had been a long day, soon it would be evening, and Kirin should be getting home. His grandfather liked to call 'just because' every few nights to ensure Kirin was eating, healthy, and so on... It was too soon after Kirin's hospitalisation to expect the level of freedom he enjoyed (and normally had).
"I should head back home." Kirin's emphasis on should, combined with the reluctance in his voice, made it clear that Kirin wouldn't mind drawing out their goodbye a little longer. Even if it was only for the length of a walk home.
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Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 7:12 pm
"I um... I should walk you home then, If that's not offensive."
He glanced down at their hands as though unsure what to do.
"There are... have been, a lot of weird things around." he gave a small laugh thinking about the strange monster the 'Senshi' had killed after it came after him. Strange days these, he found the idea of Kirin being attacked...
Distasteful... yes, that was a good word for it. A nice -safe- word for it, it nestled well among his little list of internal conflicts of likes and dislikes that was most currently at war between... well one party he was afraid to even -think- about and her.
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 4:56 am
"Uh, no. Not at all," Kirin forced out. There was a strange tightening in his throat, making it harder to breathe or speak. Despite the difficulty, he forced himself past it, it seemed vitally important that Zac know Kirin was not opposed to the idea of being walked home. "That'd be..." Nice. Sweet. Scary. Wonderful. "... Fine."
He nodded along as Zac mentioned the weirder aspects of Destiny City, unaware that Kirin was one of said weird things. "That's very true. It's only common sense to travel with others, and avoid going out alone."
As if that's all this was, common sense. That had gone out the window sometime before the movie started.
"Well, um, this way then," Kirin nodded in the direction of his apartment block.
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Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 12:07 pm
He offered her an arm as they walked out, it was an antiquated kind of thing to do perhaps, but it was something he felt was the right thing to do 'for a lady'... or at least for her. They had enjoyed a movie together after all... so he should. It made -perfect- sense in his head... at that time, clarity itself really.
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