Chapter Text
Movie night at Sam’s place had quickly become a routine for their little group. At least once a month, everyone piled up on her sofas with a variety of snacks and beverages (but mainly Joan famous hot chocolate), to watch whatever they had chosen that night, until everyone fell asleep.
It had taken a little convincing from the others, but even Rose came regularly despite what had happened the first time, with the solemn promises of staying out of everyone's head, were they to fall asleep (She had said something about her conscience and agent Green, but it wasn’t very clear).
They all had quite different tastes in movies, but until now they had managed to please everyone, mainly with old movies that Caleb, Rose, Chloe et Sam had never seen but that the Bryants and Adam insisted on calling “classic”. There were only two rules : no period movies (Mark courtesy obviously) and no animation. The last one was Joan’s.
For a reason unknown to the others, even Mark, she had a weird aversion to them. According to her brother they never were big on animation movies in their house, but they still watch it from time to time and she seemed fine with it at the time.
After quizzing her relentlessly, Caleb and Chloe found out that she had seen 3 or 4 Disney movies tops, which clearly hadn't left a lasting impression because she could barely recall their names. When Adam added that he himself hadn't seen that much and Sam and Mark confessed to having missed the most recent one, it became an obsession for Caleb and Chloe.
No, not an obsession, a mission. They HAD to educate their friends to the wonders of Disney, whether they were willing or not.
The first time they brought up the idea of a Disney movie marathon, Joan had shut them down quickly by reminding them the rules, but that was not enough to discourage them. Not even close. Since the frontal approach didn't work the only option was to be... sneakier.
Truth be told, it wasn’t that hard. One day they just announced that they were picking the movies for the next movie night, and no one even thought of questioning it. Especially when they announced that they were watching musicals again.
The joy Joan felt at the announcement almost made Caleb feel guilty but it was too late to backtrack. And he was certain that she would enjoy it, she just didn’t know it yet. So they were in fact doing her a service, (or at least that’s what Chloe had convinced him they were doing).
When the day came, Caleb picked up Adam, Chloe and Franck and together they drove to Sam’s house where Rose and the Bryant were already waiting for them. Chloe, the little devil, had thought of everything and had hidden the movies in different boxes, so that no one (except Adam, because Caleb was incapable of keeping anything from him) would figure out what they had planned before it was too late. She took advantage of the chaos induced by the greetings, the catching up and more generally the reunion of this specific group of people,( that seemed to always announce some type of mayhem) to put the CD in the CD-player discreetly. Or at least she thought.
When she went back to the group, Joan and Adam had left to make the hot chocolate and everyone else was actively speaking, except Mark whose suspicious gaze fell upon her. With a sign of the head he ushered her in a corner of the living room.
"You, you're planning something !" He whispered immediately.
"I don't know what you're talking about" she pretended, trying to think about her latest sculpture.
If the air of concentration on Mark's face was any indication, she succeeded but he wasn’t ready to give up.
"Look between Caleb and you I can feel, I can hear, that you're planning something… I just don't know what."
"I promise that it's nothing of concern, you're gonna love it.'' she conceded, taking pity on him. "Now shush you're gonna attract everyone's attention ! "
As on cue Sam and Caleb arrived next to them.
“Everything’s alright you two ?” Asked the time traveler with a concerned look.
“Yep, everything is fine, no worry ! Isn't it time to start the movie !”
With enthusiastic arms movements Chloe steered them toward the couches. Sam didn’t look convinced, but she let it happen anyway, while Mark followed her reluctantly, keeping an eye on the other two.
“What happened?” asked Caleb worriedly
“Mark is onto us, but don’t worry, it’s showtime”
Contaminated by her energy, Caleb nodded, and they high fived, before taking their place in the living room at the same time that Joan and Adam emerged from the kitchen, trays of fuming hot chocolate, and some of Adam’s blueberry muffin, in hand.
“Is everyone ready ? asked Caleb, as the drinks were passed around.
“Wait, is everyone up to date on the sing along protocole ?” Interjected Dr. Bright.
“Yes Joanie, same as always, those who want to sing are welcome to do it, except during the really emotional parts” sighed Mark.
“I just want to make sure, that we’re all on the same page”
The others nodded, and satisfied, Joan settled back on the couch, between the armchair and Sam, her mug secured in her lap.
“That we are, let’s start the movie !” shouted Chloe from her spot on the floor.
Caleb pressed the button and the famous white castle appeared on the screen, making Joan perked up.
"Isn't that ?"
"Disney, yeah” Chloe interrupted her rapidly, “they also do movies. "
Caleb felt his therapist's worries recede at the same time as he felt a wave of understanding and amusement crash into Mark. Well this was going to be something…
The logo faded away, slowly replaced by the title in big calligraphic letters and Caleb felt a rain of incomprehension drop on everyone's head, except Chloe’s who was bursting with excited sparks that shot him right in the heart.
“Snow White, wait, that IS animation !”
In her indignation, Joan had straightened up, almost knocking her mug out of the way. Caleb exchanged a look with Chloe, who gave him a reassuring nod before speaking up.
“Yes.”
“But you said we were watching musicals !”
“Weeeell technically it is a musical”
“She’s not wrong, they do sing in it Joanie” Added Mark with a gleeful smile.
The look his sister gave him made him raise his hand in a surrender gesture, leaving to the other two to fend for themselves. With furrowed brow, she turned her glare on the culprits, Caleb having at least the decendy of looking guilty, while Chloe was acting as innocent as ever.
“You know the rules…” Joan started, in her therapist voice.
“Yes we do, but we really, really want to watch it, and we think you would really appreciate it!” Interrupted the telepath quickly.
“Disney movies are amazing Dr. Bright you have to watch them ! Plus everyone wants to.”
Taken aback, Joan looked back to the couch. She knew that if she really put her foot down, her friends would respect her wish, and they would watch something else. But… Mark and Rose were both grinning, Adam was a mixture of amused and annoyed, Sam’s face seemed to say “It’s up to you” and even Frank had the slightest gleam in his eyes.
It had been a long time since she had seen this childish joy on her brother's face. She turned back to Caleb and Chloe, who were eying her in a perfect imitation of lost puppies, and sighed.
She really should have maintained a professional relationship with her patients…
“Pleeease” added the two troublemakers perfectly in sync.
Joan sighed again, as a smile slowly appeared on the telepath's face.
“Ok, but just this time !”
“Thank you, you’re gonna love our selection !”
“There more than one ?”
Not at all fazed by her former therapist’s indignation, Chloe made a quick hand gesture.
“Well yeah, but don’t worry we only picked the best”
Defeated, Joan sat back in her place, arm-crossed, and Caleb started the movie again, before turning to her.
“Okay, this one is not the most enticing, but it is a classic, and it is the first one.”
They were halfway through the movie, and Joan had to admit that it wasn’t so bad. The graphics were old and the story well known, but there was something about the atmosphere of the movie that made it easy to enjoy, not that she would say it out loud. Which she probably didn't need to do since Chloe and Mark were in the room.
Maybe, she was starting to warm up to the idea of an entire evening of Disneys.
“Hey, which dwarfs are you ?”
All heads turned to Rose, who blushed slightly at the sudden attention, but soon everyone was busy attributing dwarf names to the others. The general consensus was that Dr. Bright was Doc, even though she wasn’t too happy with it, Sam was Bashful, Chloe, Happy and Rose obviously Sleepy. They couldn’t agree on the others, but when Mark announced that he would make a great Snow White, they gave up.
The movie ended quickly and soon they were watching Beauty and the Beast, one of Caleb and Chloe’s favorites.
“Hum I see, basic Stockholm syndrome” Joan said as Belle and the Beast were dancing on screen.
“Wow Joanie, what a romantic you are !”
“Well it is true, isn’t it ? He held her prisoner and she started having feelings for him.”
“Yes, but it’s so much more than that, he was the first one to understand her. And I mean, if you had the choice between Gaston and the beast wouldn’t you also choose the Beast ?” protested Chloe with a fiery that surprised the therapist.
“I would marry anyone who offered me such a library” stated Adam, from where he was nestled in Caleb’s arm.
But Joan didn't answer. Now in full therapist mode, she scanned the screen with attention, remembering a course she had taken on fairytail in college. This experience was already proving more interesting than she had thought.
“I can also assume that her love will reveal the true humanity inside him thus breaking the curse and…”
“Joanie, stop psychoanalyzing the movie and enjoy it. “
But it was too late, the therapist had awoken.
“Materializing basic emotions, to help children understand them, what a great idea ! “ She exclaimed when Inside out, started. “They even color coded them just like Caleb ! Would you say it’s an accurate, though of course, simplified representation ?”
Starting to regret his brilliant idea, Caleb frowned: “Hmm sorry Dr. Bright but could we leave the therapy for later ?”
“Of course.”
They were in the middle of The Lion King, when Sam heard scribbling noise on her right.
“Seriously Joan, you're taking notes ? Where did that notebook even come from ?”
“Your kitchen. Very Shakesperian this one”
“Oh my god Joanie, you are impossible.” groaned Mark “Only you could make a children's movie about Shakespeare.”
“Actually she’s right, it is based on Hamlet” explained Adam, earning a smile for Dr. Bright.
“Great, there’s two of them…”
The rest of the evening followed like this, and after their fifth movie, they decided it was time to stop, having already lost Sam, Adam and Frank to sleep. Caleb, and Chloe were washing the dishes, when Joan joined them.
“I have to admit, you were right, it was nice.”
They exchanged a surprise glance before chuckling lightly. The evening certainly didn’t go the way they had planned, but as they listened to Joan's passionate explanations, they decided it was alright.