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Phineas didn’t like horror movies. It wasn’t a secret that Phineas didn’t like horror movies. In fact Phineas was very open about disliking horror movies. He had been with Charity, he was with Phillip.
And yet he seemed to be unable to keep horror movies out of his life.
It had been fine when he and Charity were still a couple. She didn’t care a lot for horror movies herself and the few he had watched with her likely classified more as „Microscopically more intense thrillers“ than actual horror. That had been just about bearable.
With Phillip, things were different.
Really, P.T never would have guessed that Phillip enjoyed horror movies so much. He knew, of course, that Phillip enjoyed things that were fantastical and dreamlike, otherwise he probably never would have become as invested in the circus as he was now.
But still, in his experience Phillip enjoyed „serious“ entertainment just as much as his mind-candy films.
And horror movies were, definitely not, by any means, serious entertainment.
Which is why it was so ironic that P.T hated them to much! He usually loved easy entertainment for God’s sake! He should be having a field day with horror stuff!
But growing up on the streets, it had always been a very real possibility that something very frightening might suddenly jump out at him. Getting stabbed or beaten to death wasn’t some obscure horror movie scenario, but a very real possibility. And though it was impossible, when you were hungry and cold and tired, it was very easy to see shapes where there were none. The howling wind sounding more sinister than it was, or eyes spying on you from the darkness of a storm drain.
So yeah. Horror movies just weren’t really his thing.
„Aw, fuck. I’m so scared.“
This had been a bad idea. A very bad idea. What had he been thinking, agreeing to go see It with Phillip? In the cinema of all places. At home he could at least hide behind the couch pillows.
But Phillip had asked so politely, and they hadn’t been in the cinema in ages. Plus, Phil had really wanted to see this movie for a while now, but he was still (falsely) convinced that going to the cinema alone was a little pathetic.
You don’t have to come if you dont want to. Or we can watch something else if you prefer, he had said, and Phineas knew that Phillip would just as gladly watch a Disney flick with him too. But honestly? Phineas had just wanted to indulge him, regardless of his own discomfort.
Now he regretted that he hadn’t just indulged Phillip by buying him an extra large slurpee at the snack bar.
„Is it over soon?“ Phineas mumbled from where his face was hidden behind his hands. With no couch cushions available, he had to make do with his limbs.
„Phin, we’re barely 15 minutes in.“ Phil answered, leaning over to him.
„Oh God. Okay.“
The first five minutes of the movie had been going just fine. And then that God. Damn. Fucking. Clown had appeared. It had been one of the most absolutely creepy things he had ever seen in his entire life, and he’d barely suppressed a very unmanly screech.
P.T had pulled his legs up onto his seat so that they pressed against his chest. If the seat was going to get dirty because of his shoes then so be it, it was for the greater good.
He peeked through his fingers and instantly regretted it. God, why was this movie so scary?
He felt a hand on his thigh and almost jumped out of his skin.
„It’s just me,“ whispered Phillip. „Are you okay?“
„I hate horror films.“
Phillip cringed. „I know. I’m sorry I made you come here. We should have gone and watched Kingsman.“
„You didn’t make me. You asked and I agreed, and you don’t blame yourself for me being stupid, okay?“ P.T whispered back.
A sharp „Ssshhhh!“ from the row behind them made both of them flinch.
Phillip put an arm around his shoulders and Phineas leaned into him as much as the cinema seats would allow. Blasted armrests. Why hadn’t they just taken the loveseats? He pressed his face into the crook of Phillip’s neck. If he had to see that clown again he might actually scream.
Phillip‘s lips brushed over the shell of his ear and immediately he felt his frantically beating heart begin to calm.
„Do you want to leave?“ A low voice murmured against his ear.
God, yes. He didn’t mind that they were seated in the middle of a row and would have to disrupt everyone sitting there. Subtlety had never been his strong suit anyway.
Then again, he really wanted Phillip to enjoy the film. And from what he had noticed so far, it was this mixture of Coming-of-Age and Horror, that was right up his alley.
He can watch it again on his own, one side of his mind argued. Yeah, but he wanted to watch it with you, argued the other.
„It’s okay,“ Phineas whispered, and lifted his face so Phillip could hear him better. „I’ll bear it. I’ll just stay like this.“
„Okay. But tell me if you want to leave.“
P.T put his head down again and lifted his arms to wrap them around Phillip’s midriff. Honestly, if he could, he would climb into his lap. Not that that was possible; he would probably crush Phillip that way, plus there were still those stupid armrests.
Soft lips pressed against his forehead and Phineas readied himself for approximately two more hours of listening to creepy eldritch clown monster noises.
Approximately two hours of listening to creepy eldritch clown monster noises later.
„I am never sleeping again,“ Phineas announced as soon as the credits began to roll.
„Aw, come on, you’re being dramatic. You stuck through the whole film,“ Phillip countered, and began to pull on his jacket.
„And that is probably the single greatest achievement of my life, ever.“
Phineas was still sitting with his legs tucked up to his chest. Whenever he wanted to put them down the irrational thought that an unnaturally long arm was about to grab them shot through his mind.
„Don’t you want to carry me home, Phil?“
„Carry you? Honestly, I would, but that’d kill my back. And you’re only allowed to make my backside ache in one way,“ he answered with a smirk. „Is it that bad though?“
„I‘ll survive. I mean. It’s still scary though, of course,“ P.T answered. After some consideration, he carefully placed his feet on the floor. It was scary. Even though he’d heard more than he’d seen, just the sounds and voices were creepy enough. Phineas had always been a very imaginative man, and in hindsight, being able to think up what might be happening on the screen was almost as bad, maybe even worse, than actually seeing it.
Frankly, he just wanted to go home and curl up under his blankets. Preferably all the blankets available in their flat. Preferably with Phillip tucked right next to him.
Phillip gathered up the empty popcorn and candy container he’d placed under his seat while Phineas shrugged on his coat. He squinted a little in the low light and studied the popcorn container. They always printed characters from former popular movies onto the bags.
„Hey,“ he began and placed his hand on P.T’s arm. „What do you say we pop in some Disney movies once we get home? We still haven’t seen Moana or Zootopia. If you’re in the mood, that is…“
„YES. God. Yes please!“ Phineas’ tongue almost stumbled over the words leaving his mouth. Some nice innocent kids movies were exactly what he needed right now. That or Mamma Mia!.
Leaving the cinema, he still couldn’t help but to look right and left for any possible clowns emerging. He was glad that it was Phillip’s turn to drive today, if he was honest, he would probably steer the car right into a tree at the slightest unexpected motion, as jittery as his mind felt right now.
„Hey Phin?“
„Yeah?“
„So…I take it you’re not going to be up for the second part in two years?“
Phineas could practically smell the crooked grin on Phil’s face. That teasing little tosser.
„If you even ask, you will come to regret it!“
They smiled at each other, their teasing benign to the other after all.
Phillip opened the car’s passenger door for him once they reached it, like the gentleman he had been raised to be, and Phineas sat down with a laugh.
The rest of the night stretched out before them in peaceful, clown-less, bliss.