A/N: ...hello? Are you still there? Good.
Sorry for the long absence. College has really been kicking my ass. As an apology, I will be posting something - either a one-shot or a chapter for Detective Reid - for the next seven days. As for "A Dangerous Turn of Events"... I'm working on it. It's on hiatus right now until I can get my thoughts and storylines straight. Be patient.
Well, I think that's everything. Aright, not much else to say. Here's "Reid and Rocky"!
Read, review, and enjoy!
Why am I standing here? Spencer thought as he stood outside the E Street Cinema in Washington, D.C., with Danny and a bunch of other people, some of which were dressed up in clothes that society would never deem appropriate for males, for a midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
"I don't get it," Spencer said. "Why are people dressed up? There are some things men do not need to be wearing."
"While I agree with you on the men wearing women's underwear," Danny said. "It's all part of the experience. People dress up as the characters. That's the tradition. I don't, but that's because of my own insecurity and I can't for the life of me find a damn Riff Raff costume."
"Riff Raff?" Reid asked.
"One of the characters. He's played by the writer of the stage musical and the movie: Richard O'Brien. He also voices Lawrence on 'Phineas and Ferb'."
"Seriously?"
"You remember the episode where the dad is watching the horror movie and asks where the rock 'n' roll musical numbers were?"
"Yeah." Spencer pondered for a second. "So that's the joke in that episode."
"Yes. Now back to the point. There are people here who just dress up for the hell of it. Look just forget about it. Don't worry about everyone else. Just sit back, relax, join in the experience and enjoy."
"Experience?"
"Yeah, people yell things, they have props and throw some things, but just forget about it and join in the fun."
Spencer started to walk off, but Danny grabbed his arm.
"Please, man. Don't leave. I don't wanna go alone and I think you might be able to enjoy it. Come on. Join in the fun. I won't make you go again if you don't like it. Please, just give it a chance."
Spencer thought hard for a moment. "Alright. I'll do it. But just this once."
"Hold off on that idea until we've actually finished the showing. Speaking of which…" Danny finished as the doors opened. "Come on."
They walked went inside, got their tickets, bought their prop bags (which Spencer was still unsure about), and got their seats. After about a half hour, the show finally began.
"Just relax. Don't worry about all the improbabilities and such. Just watch, enjoy, and join the experience."
After the 20th Century Fox logo played with a rock 'n' roll like theme music, the opening credits started and the experience began.
"A long time ago," the audience said in unison as the credits started. "In a galaxy far, far away…"
"What's going on?" Spencer said.
"Write it down, I'll explain later. Just go with it."
The audience continued. "The Lord said 'Let there be lips'!" The timing was perfect since a pair of lips appeared on the screen.
The opening to the song "Science Fiction Double Feature" began. At the chorus, the audience joined in with their addition.
Science Fiction, Double Feature
Dr. X will build a creature
See androids fighting
Brad and Janet
Anne Francis starts in Forbidden Planet
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh-oh
At the late night
Double Feature
"Rocky Horror!" the audience chanted in unison.
Picture Show
The scene shifted to a wedding. That was when the rice started flying.
"Get your hood up and grab your rice, Spencer," Danny whispered.
"What?"
"Just do it."
The two had their hoods protecting them from having rice go down their shirts as they threw rice during the wedding scene. Spencer was unaware of the water squirters and the reason people bring newspapers, however, and he and Danny were in the front row. Danny held his newspaper over his head, but Spencer got a full shot from a water squirter behind him.
"What the…?" Spencer began.
"Put your hood up and put the newspaper over your head," Danny said.
Spencer listened and did as he was told. He didn't feel another drop. The movie progressed on and then came the moment of the movie where the entire audience gets involved. When the song started playing, Danny gave him a heads-up.
"This is when everyone joins in," Danny said.
"What do you mean?"
"The Time Warp."
"The what?"
"It's a song. The song is telling you how to do the dance."
"Dance?" Spencer inquired.
"It's the easiest dance in the world. Just listen and follow along."
Then came the chorus, where everyone joined the cast onscreen.
Let's do the Time Warp again
Let's do the Time Warp again
It's just a jump to the left
Spencer jumped the left.
And then you step to the right
Spencer stepped to the right.
Put your hands on your hips
Spencer put his hands on his hips.
And bring your knees in tight
Spencer brought his knees inward.
But it's the pelvic thrust
Spencer shocked himself and Danny by doing the pelvic thrust.
That really drives you insane
Let's do the Time Warp again
Let's do the Time Warp again
After that, Spencer caught on to the dance and had fun with it. After that song was when Tim Curry appeared as Dr. Frank N. Furter. Needless to say, Spencer cringed and was slightly disturbed at Frank N. Furter's choice of clothing. Even more so, the man who was playing Frank N. Furter in the live reenactment along with the film was wearing the same exact thing.
"Power through it, Spencer," Danny encouraged.
Spencer tried his best and succeeded. As the movie progressed forward, Spencer got more comfortable and joined in throwing confetti, blowing noisemakers, throwing toilet paper, throwing toast, ringing the bell, throwing cards, and altogether just got in the spirit of the show. To Danny's shock, Spencer looked like he was having the time of his life. He was enjoying a cult rock 'n' roll musical classic. When the show ended, Spencer looked disappointed.
"It's over?" he said dejectedly.
"Yeah, it is," Danny confirmed. "Sorry, bud. It looked like you were enjoying it."
"Enjoying it? This is the best thing I've ever done. I didn't think I would enjoy it. I gotta say, I'm definitely going next time."
"Really?"
"Yeah. This is the best I've felt in a long time."
"Why do you like it? It's not really sci-fi and it's a musical."
"When I was a kid, I was always the outcast. Watching this, I looked back on my childhood and suddenly I started feeling better. I don't feel like I was weird as I always thought. I felt a little at home with all these freaks in this theater. I love it."
"You know, there's another showing of Rocky Horror the day before Halloween. Want to really join in on the fun with another showing?"
Spencer looked at him.
"Is that really a question?" Spencer said.
Danny let out a strong laugh.
"Do you think we could get the others to join us?"
Danny pondered. "Garcia most likely, because she's… well, Garcia. I'm not so sure about everyone else."
"Can't hurt to try, can it?"
"True."
When Danny and Spencer got to work the next morning, they were slightly tired from being up till three in the morning, but they were still upbeat. Reid's upbeat attitude was definitely noticeable.
"What's up with Reid today?" Kate asked.
"I forced him to go with me to a midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show last night and he loved it. I've never seen him so happy before."
"Wait. Rocky Horror? Seriously? Aren't those showings full of people shouting, throwing things and dressing up in women's underwear?"
"I honestly wasn't sure he would get through it," Danny admitted.
"You weren't sure who would get through what?" JJ said as she joined the conversation.
"Reid and Rocky Horror," Danny said.
"Spence got through Rocky Horror?"
"Not only that, he loved it. In fact, he wants to know if you guys want to join us for a showing next week."
"I'm in," JJ said.
Danny raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? I didn't peg you to be the kind that would enjoy Rocky Horror."
"I need a night away. Ever since the night Will found out about the baby that wasn't and left, my mom and Henry have kind of been driving me crazy."
"I'm in, too," Kate said.
"What are you in for?" Morgan said as he and Garcia walked up to them.
"Rocky Horror next week. You guys in?"
"Definitely," Garcia said immediately. "I love that movie. It's my Halloween tradition."
"You never told me that," Morgan said.
"I don't tell you a lot of things, chocolate god."
"So are you in, Morgan?" Danny said.
Morgan pondered. "What the hell? Why not?"
"Alright," Danny said. "It's the 30th, so meet us at the E Street Cinema at 11:00 and bring some money for tickets and prop bags."
"Prop bags?" Morgan asked.
"It's part of the experience," Danny said.
"What experience?" Rossi asked as he joined in.
"Rocky Horror," Danny said.
"Count me in," Rossi said. "I may not seem the type, but I love that movie. I went to see it almost every year before I rejoined the BAU. Ever since, I haven't been able to go."
"Alright, that's everyone but Hotch."
"Wait, Reid's in on it?" Morgan asked.
"It was actually Reid's idea. I forced him to go with me last night and he loved it," Danny responded.
"I would never have guessed that," Rossi said.
"So, we only need to get Hotch to join us,"
"Join you for what?" Hotch said as he walked up to the group.
"The Rocky Horror Picture Show next week."
"I take that Spencer enjoyed the show last night," Hotch asked.
"Yep. And he wants everyone to come with me and him next week."
"Including you, Aaron," Rossi said.
"We could all use a nice break. I'm in."
"All right," Danny said. "E Street Cinema at 11:00 on the 30th. Bring money for tickets and prop bags. Got it?"
"Alright," Hotch said. "I'll be there."
"So will we," JJ confirmed.
"Alright," Danny said.
Danny and Reid stood at the entrance to the theater before the show waiting for the team. One by one, they arrived: first JJ and Kate, followed by Morgan, Garcia and Hotch. Rossi was the last to show up. Upon his arrival, it was easy to see why.
Rossi had gotten dressed up for the occasion. He was dressed as Riff Raff.
"Damn it," Danny said. "Where the hell did you get that costume?"
"I'm a rich old man who sold millions of books on profiling. How do you think I got it?"
Danny gave a heavy sigh. "Smartass."
Once they got in and got their prop bags, the team sat in their seats, ready for the show to begin. When the lights went down and the 20th Century Fox logo played, Danny and Spencer sat ready for the film.
"A long time ago," Danny, Spencer and Rossi recited with the rest of the audience. "In a galaxy far, far away, the Lord said let there be lips!"
The lips appeared onscreen and the team knew they were going to enjoy this show as much as Spencer, Danny and Rossi.
At the right moments, the team joined along in the fun. Throwing rice, toast, confetti and cards, using newspapers, using water squirters, waving flashlights in the air, putting on party hats, blowing noisemakers, pulling on rubber gloves and ringing bells, the team really got into the fun of the show. Doing the Time Warp with everyone else in the theater, no one felt out of place or weird. It was the most fun they'd ever had.
After the show, they all talked over what they had experienced.
"So, was it worth the experience?" Danny said.
"Hell, yes," Morgan said.
The rest of the team nodded in agreement.
"It was the coolest night of my life," Kate said.
"This is the best thing that's happened to me since Will left," JJ said.
"Just remember, if you need some help in the divorce…" Garcia reminded her.
"I know, call you."
"Or me," Spencer said.
"True. Either way, tonight was fun. I loved it."
"I agree," Garcia said.
"I enjoyed it too," Hotch said.
"So…" Danny began. "How about we make this a tradition? Every year around Halloween, we get together and go see Rocky Horror no matter where we are. How about it?"
The team murmured in agreement.
"I'm in," JJ said.
"Me too," Garcia answered.
The rest of the team said their agreements.
"Alright. It's a tradition," Danny confirmed. And it was a tradition they would keep up as long as they possibly could together.
Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for my upcoming posts! Have a Happy Halloween!
-D.C. al Coda