"What's the weather like today?" Elijah asked out of the blue, shocking everyone from the sentimental moment from just a few seconds ago.
"It should start snowing after 3, why?"
"Just wondering. I feel like we should do something fun. We haven't had much time to actually hang out since we came here."
"Sorry," Sam pitched in, figuring he was the reason they had been so distracted.
"Don't apologize, I'd rather it was the four of us doing nothing than only three going to see a movie or some shit," Skip spoke up, and flashed a look at Sam for a split second to take in his smile.
"I've never seen a movie. Apart from last night, but I fell asleep before it finished," Sam admitted, receiving an over-the-top gasp from Elijah above him.
"WHAT?!"
"Relax, you'll burst his ear drums," Leo cut Eli off with a grin and looked down at Sam. "Do you want to see one today?"
Sam allowed his tail to swish from left to right as he nodded his head with an eager bounce.
"We can see if there's anything good playing," Leo pulled out his phone and began typing out with incredibly fast fingers. Sam always took notice of how quick he could type.
"We should make a list of everything Sam hasn't done yet, and then do it all before we have to leave," Elijah was content with brushing a finger back on Sam's tail, now that it was wagging to a more reasonable degree.
"That's gonna be a long list," Sam laughed. "I don't even know what I'm missing out on."
"Have you ever been to a zoo?"
"...I don't know what that is..."
"There's exhibits where you can see animals that you normally wouldn't on a day to day basis, and sometimes you can pet them and watch them get fed."
"...isn't that dangerous?"
"No, they keep the animals in cages so nobody gets hurt. Sometimes people fall into the cages, though. It doesn't usually happen."
"Are the animals okay with being trapped in cages?"
"...not really?"
"But people do it anyway?"
"I guess so," Eli stuttered, lowering his head a little. "I haven't really put much thought into it."
"I'm sure zoo's can be good sometimes, too!" Sam quickly backtracked, taking notice to how distraught he made Elijah feel.
"There are zoos that don't really trap the animals, they just take injured ones and heal them until they feel better," Skip interrupted. "Those are the only ones I go to."
"Then I'd like to go to one, too," Sam smiled once more. "Put it on the list, Eli!"
"Okay, there are a few movies here but only two of them are new and they're both horror. Would that work?" Once Leo found the website and read through, he alerted the group.
"It's up to Sam."
"...can we leave if I get uncomfortable?"
"You know you can. Just be sure to tell us, even if you think you can stick it out, okay?"
"Okay," Sam allowed the relaxed aura of the room to take over, and he let out a deep breath at the thought of being protected by three giants. "Thanks, guys."
"Don't Thank us yet," Skip pointed out. "We might be the reason you piss your pants at the jumpscares."
With the way Skip's truck was designed, two passengers could fit in the front and three could squeeze into the back with enough effort. Thankfully, only one was necessary for the back, and Elijah was given the very important role of taking over the backseat while Leo held Sam in the front. Skip, the driver, like usual, didn't have any problem pulling up a GPS to locate the movie theater, which was approximately twenty minutes away from Leo's house without traffic.
The deep overcast of the day broke Sam's spirit from the minute he was taken outside to the minute he was placed on Leo's lap and rode shotgun, but he decided it best to not complain when it was only his second day outside in his entire life. Though he preferred the sunshine and a bright blue sky to marvel at from the window, the clouds did put a perspective of just how dangerous the beautiful outside could be without his friends to back him up. Sam heard stories of his parent's friends getting caught in the rain and never being heard from again, and so he decided he was much happier being in the comfort of Leo's lap, where he could hide from the terrifying threat that the clouds seemed to radiate.
"You okay?" Leo asked, taking notice of how Sam scrambled closer with every bump of the truck. He twisted a soft finger around Sam's tail, casually petting up and down to relax him the best he could, and Sam seemed to appreciate it.
"I'm getting there," he responded and leaned into the touch.
The ride from Leo's home to the movie theater was only supposed to take 15 minutes total, but ended up falling around the 30 minute range with how careful Skip drove considering the fragile passenger beside him. It was left unsaid that all three boys had more than enough to work on when it came to making Sam feel comfortable, and Skip wouldn't allow a car accident to even think of happening while he was at the steering wheel.
A soft flurry of slush came drifting through the sky the longer they drove on, lingering in the air and calming Sam down when he realized he wasn't outside, caught in a storm. He was in a warm car, surrounded by warm hands and a warm lap, with warm people wherever he looked. The more he thought about it, the more he wished he would've revealed himself to the humans sooner. Although the fear was never going to leave his instincts, it was obvious that Sam wanted to be with his friends from the start. And now that he was, he didn't want to go back to hiding in the walls ever again, no matter how traditional his parents raised him to be.
Such a revelation caused Sam to lean deep into the crevices of Leo's fingers, who in turn rubbed around his body like a pet cat who had fallen asleep mid-car ride. The thought made a smile spread onto Leo's face, and he decided to try something a little more risky.
Leo took his index finger and brought it up until the top of his nail brushed against Sam's pointed ear. Then, with the touch of a feather, he scratched behind it, softer than he would pet a sick kitten.
Sam nearly fell asleep the moment Leo found his weak spot, and he had to force his eyes open in an attempt to stay awake long enough to make it to the theater.
Skip and Elijah, however, were forced to put up with obnoxious purring that filled the whole car despite the tiny body producing them.
"We're here," Skip announced, pulling into an empty parking lot and zipping his jacket up to the chest. He had a pair of gloves that went along with his gear, but gave them to Elijah last minute when he noticed the redhead bundled in a bright orange scarf. "Who's hiding Sam?"
"I'll do it!" Eli called out, a little too eager, and brought a portion of the scarf near his neck out for everyone to see. "He can fit inside and nobody will be able to tell."
"Sam, you good with that?" Leo brought his hand up to check out the opening in the scarf, while Sam rubbed away any remnants of sleep from his eyes and took cautious views of his hiding place.
"Sure," He said, and prepared to crawl inside.
Leo tipped his palm so the fingers the previously stroked behind Sam's ear were now facing Elijah's neck, and Eli waited with faux patience until he felt a tiny plop of hair and skin land inside his scarf. He was just minuscule enough to burrow deep inside without making a noticeable dent, so Eli carefully arranged the fabric back onto his neck and didn't take a single breath until he was desperate for one.
"Are you okay, Sam?" Leo said, but it sounded much more like muffled whispering from inside the scarf. In fact, Sam came to the conclusion that it sounded very similar to when he was back home. Safe in his walls, no humans in sight, and the rustling of the nest he grew up with. Sam let out a sigh of comfort, kicking Eli with a mini foot to assure him he was fine.
"He- did you just kick me?"
"It means yes," Sam called out, though he knew his small voice might not reach everyone in the car with a muffler on.
"Did he say something?" Skip asked from the front seat, switching the keys to turn off the ignition.
"He said he's good, let's just get inside before we look suspicious for staying in the parking lot too long."
The three humans and one evolved borrower hopped out of the truck, coming closer to each other with each step forward in hopes of body heat drawing out the cold in the air. Sam, however, was fit snug against Elijah's neck, curling as close as he could while the temperature outside had yet to affect him.
Once they finally reached the inside of the movie theater, the smell of butter and salt wafted through the air, forcing Sam to take huge gulps in through his nose of a scent he never had before. He heard loud bustling of humans walking near him, crowds speaking over each other, soda being poured, all noises he was new to. And without his humans, he never would've been able to experience anything close.
Skip was the first to get to the counter, leading his friends behind him as if he were the mother duck leading a swarm of babies behind him. The incredible height difference didn't help their little parade, either, but he decided to ignore it and instead focused on ordering three tickets for the next screening of a horror movie that had been released the previous week. The tickets were expensive, sure, but Skip considered himself lucky that he didn't need to buy four considering the little passenger inside Elijah's scarf. Besides, Eli was paying for everything with the fortune he was given from his parents.
"Your theater is number fourteen on the right," the employee stated with a kind voice and a monotone expression. He didn't seem happy working the counter, but Skip had dealt with countless customer service jobs in the past, and he doubted he would enjoy the one very much either.
"Thanks..." He grunted, leading his friends to the theater as he pulled out his phone and began typing away at something unknown to Eli and Leo, who weren't paying much attention to begin with. All of the focus was on Eli's scarf, and making sure it wasn't as noticeable as their paranoia suggested it to be.
Once in the clear of any employee or movie-goer, Eli whispered down a quick "are you okay?" To Sam, to which he responded with a lazy kick and a squirm in the warm fabric.
To Sam, the heat of Elijah's neck pulsed into him with such a calming velocity, he nearly fell asleep as he curled deeper into the scarf. It's bright orange walls blurred into something resembling his nest back home, coating him with layers of comfort and protection from whatever the outside world had to offer, and Sam felt gratitude for his friend for keeping him safe. It was a nice feeling, knowing he wasn't in any danger, but felt foreign to him with the continuation of loud voices and machinery outside the scarf. Thank god for Eli's heartbeat, which was racing more than usual, for blocking out most of the sound, except for his repeated and sympathetic voice asking if he was alright every few seconds.
Sam had to keep reminding himself that he went with his humans to watch a movie, not take a nap, but the ever growing heaviness in his eyelids threatened to take control as he snuggled deeper into the fabric bundle.
All four boys made it to the theater with no issues, finding their place in the farthest row and getting comfortable in the reclining seats as they eagerly awaited the turning off of all house lights. Skip sat the the left, still typing away at his phone with a furrowed brow that his friends weren't paying attention to, and growing more invested in whatever he was doing by the second.
Leo, who found his spot in the middle, kept a careful eye on the scarf around Elijah's neck, and didn't focus on anything else for the time being. The excitement of watching a new movie was lost on him everytime he remembered his best friend stuck in there, most likely burning up or growing uncomfortable every minute he was inside. Leo watched for any sign of a kick out of discomfort, waiting for the next chance to hold him close and make sure he was okay.
Elijah, however, continued to feel the soft brush of Sam's hair against his neck, tickling him just enough to squirm in his seat, but not enough to disturb the little body within his scarf. It was cute enough having Sam lean against him, now it seemed he was content with snuggling Elijah's neck as a few yawns escaped his minuscule lips. Elijah wanted to take a peek inside and record him, but figured that would be taking it a little too far for the time being.
The lights began to dull down around them, blanketing the group and a few others in the theater with a layer of dark that was only washed away with the giant screen in front of them. Thankfully, the four boys didn't have to worry about anyone seeing Sam considering anyone who wasn't a part of their friend group was much further down by the middle and bottom rows, all eagerly awaiting the horror movie with anticipated chatter that died down the moment the lights went out.
"You can take him out now," Leo whispered to his right, growing impatient.
Elijah, not wanting to disturb Sam but doing it anyways because he knew Leo would be upset if he didn't, pulled the scarf a little from his neck and reached in with his open hand, pinching the tiny body between two fingers and bringing him out into the open on a flat palm in front of him. The process was quick and over in a few seconds, but felt like hours when he put so much concentration into not squeezing too tight, lest he hurt his friend on accident.
Sam, who was just rudely awakened by two giant fingers and a whoosh of air slamming through his body, only blinked up at the looming figure before him, trying to make out the features in the dark before remembering it was Elijah in his state of sleep. He yawned away the burning tiredness in his eyes, stretching out his tail to lazily curl around Eli's finger before turning around and taking in the room before him.
As Sam's eyes adjusted to the dark, he began experiencing an awe of wonder at the sight surrounding his small frame. A screen the size of the world lay in front, flashing bright colors that hurt his head, forcing him to blink away and focus on the multitude of seats that lay in a sea of rows, each one enough to fit a hundred Sam's if the situation ever called for it. A few seats down, Sam could make out the back of more human's heads, and he instinctively curled away, looking around in quiet desperation for Leo on impulse.
Funny, Sam thought, when did I start relying on Leo to feel safe?
Once the two met eyes, Leo granted Sam with a warm smile that easily took over any anxiety in his mind, reassuring the emotions of the dark void around them, bringing a familiar feeling back to Sam's chest without him even realizing it. He crawled forward, reaching out, and Leo gratefully held out a palm for him to slide onto, much to Elijah's disappointment. Eli pouted, then quickly got over it when he noticed Skip on his phone across from Leo.
"Hey!" He whisper-yelled, but didn't get his attention. So, as anyone would when someone isn't paying attention, Eli leaned over Leo's lap (forcing Leo to draw Sam as close as possible near his chest) and slapped Skip's knee with an audible crack. Skip, lost in his typing, whipped his head around and narrowed intimidating eyes at Eli before going right back to what he was doing. "No phones in the theater!" Eli tried to repute, but it was of no use when Skip wouldn't even give him the time of day.
Leo simply pushed him back off his lap with one hand, cradling Sam in the other, and tried to sneak a peek at what Skip was so intent on looking at in his little screen. The brightness was turned down as much as possible, though, and he was left squinting at nothing when he couldn't make out a single word Skip was typing. The only thing he managed to recognize was a familiar search engine at the top of the page, and even that was questionable, so he figured it was none of his business for the time being and settled back down to comfort the still-pouting Elijah on his right.
An automatic voice rang out through the theater from speakers at every angle, declaring that the audience should put their phones on silent and put them away, leaving Eli and Leo to meet eyes and snicker in silence when Skip didn't so much as blink at the announcement.
It wasn't until countless trailers and annoying advertisements later that the movie actually began, and Leo whispered down to Sam to let him know everything that was going on to keep him aware and up to date. He explained the projector that sat above them, displaying the movie with high resolution, and how the speakers were able to sync up with the audio of the film. Sam soaked up every word and leaned further into Leo's chest to get comfortable once he finished speaking and was content on showing Sam his first movie.
To be fair, when they said it was a horror movie, the group probably should've known to pick something else.
Every new sound left Sam trembling in Leo's palm, every little detail or jumpscare had him jerking back and squeezing his tail tight against Leo's index finger, cutting off circulation to the point where he had to pry it off with his free hand. The movie itself wasn't horrible, but the production obviously invested all its money into the horror aspects, leaving Leo unsatisfied with the story and the shaking figure in his hand. The awful plot wasn't worth scaring Sam, but Sam refused to express his discomfort, claiming that he was having a good time whenever Leo whispered down to make sure he was doing alright.
Sam wasn't doing alright at all, but he wasn't about to let his own fears over a stupid fictional movie get the best of the time he could spend with his friends. The worst part wasn't even the movie, because Sam knew it wasn't real and could indulge in Leo's soft breath whispering if he was okay every other minute. No, the worst part of the movie was the fact that the main character, who had a hero complex and was glorified as the savior for the audience, was named Jamie.
Sam shook harder than he thought possible when the name was first introduced, and got more anxious every time he appeared on screen. It clearly wasn't his Jamie, considering this one was fictional and about 10 years older, but the name remained engraved in Sam's heart and wouldn't let him go.
Leo and Elijah took notice to the exact moment the name was brought up, and winced every time 'Jamie' was called out from side characters or the token blonde of the movie.
Skip, on the other hand, only typed with more aggression every time he heard the name.
Leo eventually resorted to letting Sam grasp his thumb anytime he felt anxious, and so Sam clung onto it with a hug for the rest of the movie, trembling less the closer they got to the end.
Jamie, of course, got a happy ending. He saved everyone from the horrors of his town, he got the girl, and made it out alive with a disgusting grin on his face that had Sam shivering. In his mind, anyone by that name didn't deserve a happy ending without a little pain in return.
By the time the movie ended and the credits played out with eerie music overplaying, the entire group (save for Skip, who probably didn't even realize it ended) was prepared to bolt. Already halfway stuffed in between the folds of Elijah's Scarf again, Sam fell back into a safe place of comfort and warm intentions, bringing himself closer to Eli's neck with every step out of the theater. Leo poked at Skip's arm to alert him that they were going, before stepping in front of Elijah and leading the way out to ensure Sam was safe behind him.
The walk back was silent, everyone reflecting on what Sam's reaction might be when they were finally back in the safety of Skip's car, all except Skip himself, who finally turned off his phone and shoved it in his pocket with a scornful expression.
To anyone passing by, he looked about ready to kill the next person who looked at him funny, but to Skip, it was a face of determination. Skip would discuss it later with Sam when he got the chance to speak with him alone, but for now, the sun was setting and the ride home would take longer than usual with precious cargo in the front seat. For now, he would stay calm, stay rational, for his little friend, because a storm was on its way, and Skip was fully prepared to barge into its eye with no hesitation if it meant Sam was satisfied.
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A/N: I wrote this at 5 AM and I am so tired.
Sam is getting more comfortable with his friends by the minute, meanwhile, Skip is starting to act suspicious. What do you think he was typing at the whole time?
As always, leave a comment (or just say hi!) and let me know what you think! Thank you for reading! :)
-D