Disclaimer: Class belongs to the BBC, and I'm not sure who owns Ills (Them, in English) but it's not me. Please no one sue me. I don't have anything you want anyway.
AN: This is my first story for this show, and we're not that far along here on the show in the states, so sorry if the characterization is off. Also, major spoilers for the French horror film Ills (Them).
"Are we really sure this is a good idea?" Matheusz asked, moving a chair.
"It's just a movie night." April assured him, helping move the furniture into a more tenable position, "What could go wrong?"
"You mean with normal people or with us?" Tanya quipped, coming in with the popcorn she had been tasked with preparing.
"Well, then, consider this our chance to do something normal," April responded, "It'll be fun, I promise. I'll go see what's taking Charlie so long." Then she walked off towards the back of the house.
There were a few moments of silence before someone spoke again. "So," Matteusz began, messing with the chair, "What did you get?"
"Some French thing," Ram answered, picking up the DVD case, something called Them. Ever heard of it?"
"I think so," Matteusz replied, "Couple chased around my psycho kids, right?"
"I'm not sure." Ram admitted, picking up the case and looking at the back, "I didn't really look at what it was about."
"You picked a movie without reading what it was about?"Matteusz asked, "You do realize she's not allowed to watch rated R films yet?" She pointed to Tanya.
"Then don't tell anyone I watched one." Tanya said, then turning to Ram continued, "Don't worry; I'll sit in the chair. Give the couples room." Then she winked at Ram.
"What was that for?" Ram asked.
"Oh, I see." Matteusz added, the realization dawning on him.
"See what?" Ram asked, unsure what was going on.
"You rent a horror film, April get scared, and starts holding you for comfort." Tanya spelled it out.
"What?" Ram balked, "No? That's not what's happening here at all! Does April really see like a girl who would get scared by a horror movie?"
"It doesn't matter what we think." Matheusz replied, "It only matters what you think. Besides there have been well-known psychological studies that say fears trigger romantic attraction, and another that found that girls and women often act more scared if they watch a movie with than they would if they were watching the same movie alone either unconsciously or deliberately."
"Really?" Ram perked up, interested, and then realizing that only gave evidence to his companions' theory, said quickly, "But didn't know that! Not until you just told me. In fact none this had occurred to be into you two brought it up."
Just then April walked back in, helping Charlie move the television set. "Brought what up?" She asked.
"Nothing." Matteusz replied.
"Yeah, nothing." Ram agreed.
Charlie glanced over to April. "Are they hiding something from us?"
"Probably." April replied, "But we can figure it out later. Now, come on, let's get this set up."
After setting everything up, they put in the disk. "Is this dubbed?" April asked when she noticed the movement of the characters mouths were somewhat off as the film started.
"Yeah, it's actually French." Ram confirmed.
"Oooh, romantic." April teased, tossing a piece of popcorn in her mouth.
"How is it romantic just because it's French?" Charlie questioned.
"I'll explain it to you later." Matteusz promised.
Whatever Ram's intentions were, April was not that least bit frightened by tale on the screen. If anything, she was enthralled; her eyes never leaving the screen even she was ate a bit of popcorn. It was actually a little unsettling for the others, especially as the film turned out to be rather tense and terrifying.
Charlie on the other hand, was a different story.
He was okay at the beginning, even when the mother and daughter crashed their car. When the mother disappeared he was a little neverous, but was other fine. Then the daughter was attacked he leapt a little, more than a little startled.
Apparently it was a big enough jump for the others to notice. "Are you alright, mate?" Ram asked.
"Or course," Charlie replied, regaining his composure somewhat and trying to act as dignified as possible, "I just wasn't expecting that."
"You know, it's okay to be scared." April told him, "That's kind of the point of these films."
"April, we fight monster every other week." Charlie tried to brush it off, "Why any of us should be scared of this? Besides, it's not even real."
"Actually according to the box it's based on a true story." Ram unthinkingly earning him a disapproving look from his girlfriend.
Thanks Ram. Charlie thought to himself, gulping.
By the time the main protagonists were introduced, Charlie's fingers were wrapped tightly around the couch arm. By the time Lucas was battling one of the intruders, he had to stifle a scream. By the time the couple was locked in the bathroom trying find a way to escape through the attic, his knuckles were stark white, as was his face, and he was most certain that no power in the known universe could make him got to Romania.
It was then Matteusz decide to intervene. "Come here." He offered, gesturing for his boyfriend to come closer to him.
"Why?" Charlie asked not picking up.
"Just trust me." Matteusz replied.
Charlie didn't have to be told a third time. He practically leapt over to the taller young man, allowing himself to be wrapped in his arms. As Clementine was confronted by two of the intruders and she started to scream, he buried his face into Matteusz's neck.
Ram was watching the climax when he felt something slip in his hand. He looked down to see April's hand in his. She winked at him.
"Not you, too," He whispered, "That is not the reason I rented this movie."
"I believe you." April whispered back.
"Both of you, Ssssh," Tanya hissed, "I think something's going to happen."
What happen was after being seemingly helped by the youngest member of their attacker, protagonist are then killed by said boy, for not "playing" with then and the murders were seemingly gotten away with their crimes, but then text showed up on the screen that they couldn't read because it was in French, thought they figured it was something important.
"You were right," Tanya admitted, helping with the others to clean up before they all broke apart for the evening, "That was fun."
"And I would like to point out that April was not scared at all, "Ram declared, "Just as I said."
"Yes, Ram, we all get it, I'm very brave." April said, walking past him.
Just then Charlie came down the hall, seemingly recovered from the ordeal of the film. "It's back where it originally was," He declared acting as if nothing had happened earlier.
"Thanks for helping me put things back together, guys." April told them all sincerely.
"No problem," Charlie replied, "Thank you for the lovely evening."
"You weren't thinking it was so lovely ten minutes ago." Ram reminded him.
"Ram!" April scolded.
"It's fine." Charlie said, "I was fine. It wasn't that bad at all."
While they were talking no one noticed Tanya sneak away, then pop up right next to Charlie, who startled. She laughed then said, "Come on, Charlie. Why won't you play with me?"
"That is not funny." Charlie prostested.
"All right," The youngest of the group replied, "I suppose that was kind of mean."