Chapter Text
By now, their mom has noticed Vic and Alan get along perfectly fine for their situation. After the nose incident at school, the glasses breaking and everything else, it’s pretty much obvious to everyone with functioning eyes (Alan is tragically excluded from this group). But she’s been waiting, alert, for something to go wrong, for them to start fighting like before again.
Surprisingly they haven’t. There hasn’t been an actual fight in weeks. They go to school together and come back tired but laughing about something only they know. They help each other with homework and then go play the little game they’ve made. They tease each other and she’s seen them trio each other at times but she’s entirely sure they’re just messing with each other.
Which means the time has finally come. After months of waiting…
She can finally send them to the grocery store together!
They groan and put on their shoes extremely slowly. And it’s great.
Truly a moment in her mother's experience.
Alan and Vic had just posted their game on the internet so they can show it to Grace the next day in computer class so they aren’t precisely happy to leave the house to go shopping. But alas, there’s nothing they can do about it.
They’re going through the list (which Alan can read because he got new glasses yay!) when Alan notices their mom gave them extra money. He smiles, it’s a silent indication for them to buy something for themselves. A package of popcorn catches his eyes and he turns to Vic, who is trying to decipher which flour to buy.
“Hey, Vic. Mom gave us extra money to buy something for us.” He shows him the popcorn package. “They’re putting The Prince of Egypt on TV tomorrow. Want to make popcorn and watch it?”
Vic approaches with interest. “W-w-what’s it about?”
Alan shrugs. “Not sure, never seen it before but it’s been on my watchlist for a while.”
Vic considers it for a moment. “S-sure, sounds f-f-f-fun.”
Alan nods. “Great! Movie night tomorrow is on!” He pauses. “Well, movie afternoon but still.”
Whoever invented groceries bags because it starts to rain just as they exit the grocery store so they have to run home and the stupid bag handles are not designed to run while holding them, especially when they’re heavy. They get him wet and with their hands red.
The next day, Alan puts the popcorn in the microwave while Vic prepares the sofa. It’s raining outside, a lot, and Alan is pretty sure there’s a storm coming so hopefully the movie will help distract Vic from the thunder.
He plops down next to Vic on the sofa, bowl of popcorn on hand.
“Did it start?” He asks, offering him the bowl. A rare act of kindness.
“N-n-no. Just ads.” Vic says, hypnotized by the TV. “C-can we g-g-get that?”
Alan slaps the back of his head. “No, that’s just a video to trick you.” Vic glares at him but Alan shushes him. “Shut up, it’s starting.”
Ok. The movie is absolutely gorgeous looking. The animation is really awesome and Alan can only dream to ever animate like that (don’t worry, little Alan, you’ll do great).
Oh and the songs! They’re so good! Both him and Vic find themselves humming at times.
I will not tell the movie’s plot here because it’s a thirty year old movie based on a thousands years old story. Go watch it, it’s good.
They’re enjoying the movie until…
“Wh-what’s his problem?” Vic grumbles, annoyed by Ramses’ attitude towards his brother.
“Well, he wants to free the slaves-“ Alan starts.
“N-not Moses! Ramses!” Vic frowns.
Alan frowns back. “What do you mean what’s his deal? His brother leaves and comes back years later demanding things!”
Vic points at the TV with both arms. “H-h-he has slaves!” Vic practically shouts. “Y-y-you can't defend t-that! Mo-Moses is being entirely rea-rea-rea-rea-reasonable!”
Alan turns to face him. “I get it, I’m not saying slavery is ok, obviously.” He rolls his eyes. “I’m just saying that the way Moses is doing is the problem.”
Vic sputters. “A-a-again, slaves. Pretty obvious that it’s bad. H-he shouldn’t ha-have to ex-ex-explain it at all. And, it’s his brother, he sh-sh-should trust h-h-him.”
“But it’s what he’s been taught!” Alan says, exasperated. “He doesn't know it’s wrong! To him it’s just normal!”
Vic groans. “B-b-but his br-brother is literally te-te-telling him! And he’s a Jew, m-mind you! He sho-should try to u-u-understand at least f-for his brother.”
“Oh right, because changing beliefs is soooo easy, especially ones that have been passed from generation to generation.” Alan rolls his eyes.
Vic buries his face in his hands to calm down. “It’s w-w-wrong though! He knows! I-I-if he’s still doing it it’s just because he’s s-s-s-stubborn!”
Alan crosses his arms and looks away. “That’s really reducing the whole conflict.”
“I-I-it really is not.” Vic pouts, looking away again.
The movie continues playing but neither of them is paying attention to it. They just sit in silence, silently fuming. They don’t know why they got so angry about a movie, they have gotten less mad about worse things.
Vic can’t believe Alan would side with the literal villain of the movie! Or maybe he should believe it, after all, Alan wasn't that different a few months ago. Perhaps that’s why Alan sided with the villain. Maybe he didn’t regret what he did. Well, he did know he regretted doing it to him but would he do that again? To another stickfigure?
He risks a glance at him and quickly looks away when Alan returns to meet his gaze. He shakes his head. No, he can’t think like that. Alan has changed, he knows that. The Alan that tortured him is nothing like the Alan that broke a boy’s nose for him,the one that invites him to go play games and watch movies. Alan regrets it, he understands that stickfigures are alive. He wouldn’t do that again. He just had a bad take about an animated movie, it’s fine.
Alan doesn’t want to look Vic in the eye.
Logically, he knows who the one in the wrong is in the movie. But he can’t help but try to find something to excuse him. It’s not the same situation as his but…
But it’s similar enough.
He inhales sharply. “I don’t like this movie. Let's watch something else.” He says, hopefully not too quickly.
Alan’s tone doesn't help to reassure Vic of his train of thought but he doesn’t comment on it. He appreciates Alan’s distraction from the thoughts the movie has caused.
“Yeah. Th-th-the movie sucks.” He says, sinking a little into the sofa.
Alan changes channels until he finds something they can watch.
Vic is quick to point out that Pokémon also sucks (is everything secretly about slavery?).
They end up watching a documentary about horses. It’s fine.
At least the popcorn were tasty!