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The popcorn that was being heated up in the microwave crackled, popping louder and louder in front of Pluto's face, staring at the microwaves window, into his reflection. Nearby, Duke, Lenore, Morella, and Berenice sit on a kitchen countertop, shuffling cards.
Eulalie was surrounded by cardboard boxes in another room, scouring for DVDs. It was her turn to pick out a movie for this Friday's movie night, and Eulalie had been saving her favorite movie for today.
Friday evenings were always something for Pluto to look forward to. A chance to forget about everything and simply enjoy quality time with his close friends. Pluto, Duke, and Morella would be off of work those nights, as Eulalia, Lenore, and Berenice were usually free from their studies as well.
Eulalie's footsteps were heard, as Pluto realized he had been completely zoned out in his reflection, the popcorn being finished for a few minutes now, only a little burnt. He rushed to get the popcorn into bowls and the living room all comfortable with pillows and quilts and beanbags set up. He made sure there was enough room for six people, but then again, the rest of the misfits seemed to be pretty invested in their game of poker — gambling for M&Ms — away in the kitchen.
"Hey Pluto, how the popcor- oh!" Eulalie paused, a bit speechless in awe to take in the full space around her, painted in warm candle lights and a somewhat held up sturdy blanket fort. "This looks beautiful! Like seriously, thank you," Eulalie smiled. "You really didn't have to.."
Pluto seemed pretty flustered, taken aback by the sudden compliment. "It.. It ain't really that good," he chuckled. "I mean the fort won't even hold up anymore," Pluto gestured towards the blanket fort, visibly on the brink of collapse.
Eulalie giggled. "Okay, okay. I'll figure out the fort situation. You go set up the DVD player, alright?" She hands Pluto the movie disk reading "Coraline" on the front as he walks off towards the TV, while Eula rebuilds the heap of blankets meant to be a roof. "Still though, the room is beautiful," Eulalie smiles, getting a sheepish smile in response from Pluto.
"I've got drinks!"
Berenice and Duke stroll over to the kitchen countertop, where Lenore and Morella sat, Lenore teaching the other how to shuffle playing cards.
"Drinks? This is Eulalie's house, not a bar!" Lenore questions.
"Only samples! Berenice wanted me to help her attempt to make a ‘gin fizz’," Duke explains, setting down one tiny glass for the six people down on the countertop.
Berenice lets out a dramatically playful gasp at Duke's emphasis on "attempt".
"Do you think Pluto and Eulalie want their drink?" asks the redhead. At the question, Lenore peeks into the living room to see Eulalie and Pluto quite invested in the plot of their movie, Pluto getting startled and clinging to the girl beside him at every slightly scary moment on the screen.
Lenore chuckles, "I think they’re in their own world right now."
"More for me!" Berenice declares.
Pluto did not realize Coraline would be horror, to his standards, at least. He would practically jump out of his skin at minor scares. Meanwhile, Eulalie seemed completely unaffected. She really did like this movie.
While Pluto sat completely frozen, leaning on Eulalie, bracing for a frightening moment over at the screen, Eulalie would frequently shift sitting positions casually, unfazed.
In a way, the movie really reminded Pluto of Eulalie. Not that, Eulalie was scary per se, but the vibe really did feel like her. It felt whimsical. God, Pluto loved Eulalie. He saw her in a lot of things. Coraline was one of them.
"Are you liking the movie so far?" Eulalie asked.
He had been zoning out. Shoot. What was going on again?
"I- yeah I really like it. The uh.." Pluto tried to take in what was shown on the screen, in an attempt to understand what was going on.
The vibe certainly felt different. He must've been staring off into space for a while. In front of the blue haired girl — who Pluto assumed was “Coraline” — was a needle? Buttons?
"You know what's going on, right?"
Pluto didn't register Eulalie's voice trying to speak to him. He only watched the screen with a disturbed feeling in his stomach. The older woman on screen had buttons in her eyes, and it seemed the girl, Coraline, looked just as disturbed as Pluto then.
He realized the older woman — named the Other Mother — was trying to sew into Coraline's eyes. It in a way reminded him of a distant memory. The pit in his stomach made his entire body feel hollow. His fists clenched, pressed firm into his pockets.
"Pluto, are you alright?"
Pluto hadn't realized how fast his breath was then, it being staggered and uneven until he realized Eulalie had been trying to speak to him this whole time, when he tried to respond.
"Pluto what's wrong?" Eulalie had a genuinely concerned feeling in her voice.
"Nothing..! I'm.." Pluto wiped the welling tears from his eyes, still watching the television screen. "I'm alright".
"Is the movie too scary? I'm sorry I should've-"
"It's fine!" Pluto somewhat blurted out, regretting the tone in his voice.
Eulalie kept silent, slightly taken aback by the defensiveness. She chose not to push any further, allowing the other to calm their breath.
Pluto wasn't sure what to do then. He could sit through this, forced to reminisce on his past, wallowing in his uneasiness as he held back tears. Or he could just say he wasn't feeling well, leaving an awkward moment between him and the girl he loved, which he will never get over as long as his anxiety says so. Maybe Duke could walk in any second now to offer a drink or steal the duo's popcorn bowl. That would relieve tension.
Pluto bit his tongue until finally confessing,
"I'm sorry.. I just- I don't know.."
Eulalie quickly paused the movie to turn and listen towards the other.
"This.. uh... part. Of the movie. I just don't really.." Pluto turned away in some attempt to not feel so much of a burden.
"Pluto... you can tell me how you feel," Eulalie reassured, laying a hand on his back – a grounding for him — slowly rubbing it in circles.
"I don't know... it just kind of reminds me of something, you know?" Pluto mumbled, a feeling of whatever is between burden and guilt washing over him. He gestured towards the side of his face covered up by his side swooped hair.
Eulalie knows the story. For the most of it, at least. She was aware of what was beneath that black hair, questionably always parted over to one side of the face. Pluto had opened up to her about his dad only a month prior, and she was aware of the mark. Eulalie felt so sick to her stomach when she was informed not long ago, not in disgust of Pluto, more at his father. She could not understand how a boy so sweet could ever deserve the torment that was his home life. She felt so sorry for him.
"I know shouldn't be this pressed, I'm sorry if this ruined your-"
"No, no.. you didn't ruin anything for me Pluto,” Eulalie interrupted. “I should've told you.. I didn't think before.. you know. We could stop watching, if that's what you'd like." Eulalie offered with a genuine concern for her friend.
"I'm okay.. I'll calm down," Pluto sighed.
"Are you sure? Is that what makes you comfortable?"
Pluto hesitated, keeping silent for a few moments.
"Could you skip this part..?" He asked sheepishly, cleaning up tears, that by then had streamed down his cheek.
"I could do that," Eulalie smiled, "and I'll warn you of any other disturbing parts?"
Pluto only hummed in return, a signal of approval.
Within a few seconds of holding down a button on the TVs remote, the screen was wiped of the uneasy scene, and the movie continued.
Pluto leaned back onto Eulalie, who was still rubbing circles into his back. She reassured Pluto that in no way does this ruin her evening nor fracture their bond, and once again, their night was blanketed with comfort.
"You really don't want one more game?" Duke teased, holding about 90% of the group's poker M&Ms to himself.
At the kitchen countertop, Morella lay asleep with her head in her arms, and Lenore, sitting next to the redhead, was just about as exhausted. Berenice and Duke, across from them, were wide awake, ready for another round. That is, if Bee still had anything to gamble. She was risky with her games, which would be useful if Duke wasn't just that good at knowing when and when not to fold. A playfully competitive friendship, the two shared.
Lenore yawned, "Duke, what about me convinced you that I'm at least half awake enough to play another round?"
"Well shucks!" Duke complained, turned towards Bee. "I'll go see if Eula or Pluto wanna join, I guess."
"I don't know about that, it's pretty quiet back there." The other assumed.
"I'll just go check anyway."
Duke headed towards the living room, standing in the doorframe.
He estimated the movie to have only been halfway done, yet, as Berenice expected, the two on the couch had fallen fast asleep already.
Pluto leaned almost completely on top of Eulalie, holding onto a pillow, with his head on her shoulder. Eula rested her head on top of Pluto's. Duke found it humorous how she was able to sleep so comfortably sitting so straight up.
Duke left them be, and instead returned to the kitchen to only chatter with Bee for the rest of the night.
That night, the two would grow even closer together, both physically — as they naturally gravitate towards each other — and emotionally, a mutual understanding deepening.