I do not own American Horror Story: Freak Show.
But I would like to have a little fun here.
A Winter in Wisconsin
Evie's Sweet Boy
Jimmy couldn't remember ever being more relieved in his life than when they finally reached the outskirts of town.
Oh, thank God, a miracle in this frozen wasteland.
Evie's accelerated pace conveyed the same viseral reaction as his. The two of them shuffled forward like snowspun Eskimos escaping the empty tundra toward the warmth of electric lights and indoor plumbing.
Once on the mostly deserted Main Street sidewalk, they navigated more easily and with less danger of ice inducing ballet than they had in months.
Suddenly, Jimmy stopped and a split second later, Evie with him.
He gestured, a sly grin edging its way onto his numb face.
"Whaddya say, Evie?"
She regarded him quizzically and then at the large, colorful poster they'd just been about to pass.
The Three Musketeers
Action! Adventure! Romance!
Starring:
Lana Turner
Gene Kelly
Matinee 3pm
"Well?" he asked.
Clearly interested and trying valiantly to hide it, she cast him a wistful smile.
"I didn't bring any extra money, Jimmy. Just what I needed to spend."
He wasted no time ruminating, no, not Jimmy Darling. He nodded and walked confidently right up to the ticket window.
And was faced with a small tagboard sign: Tickets Inside at Concession Stand.
Alrighty then.
He flung open the door to a thin waft of heat and held out a gentlemanly hand to Eve.
"It'll be my treat."
She hesitated.
"Come on," he cajoled winningly. "I bet it's warm in there."
Evie remained rooted to the spot as Jimmy held his ground, absolutely sure of his fantastic idea.
"Is this a date?" she queried mildly.
He raised his eyebrows in amusement, not having considered the possibility until now.
"Well, would you say 'yes' if it was?"
She considered the question, looking slightly abashed.
"No."
He shrugged from deep within his thick togs. Or tried to.
"Then, no."
Evie searched him a moment further before finally relenting.
"Okay."
And passed through his opened door with an appreciative smile and the grace of an Amazonian princess.
Thickly swaddled in mounds of cold weather attire.
Jimmy followed her, relieved to close the door to the frigid outside and seek refuge in the considerably warmer theater entrance.
It was swathed in maroon and gold, as if to insist upon the grandeur of the wonderful world of cinema.
Even if the gold was slightly flecking.
They disposed of their thick coats and hats in a coat hall and returned to the main lobby. Jimmy casually kept his gloves on.
His companion graciously chose not to mention it.
The place was deserted, save for a lone theater attendant.
They approached the skinny, bespectacled young man behind at the concessions counter, standing amid an array of sugary treats and buttered popcorn that enveloped him in aromatic wonder.
Jimmy threw him an easy smile which was not immediately returned.
"Two tickets for the matinee."
The worker tried not to stare at the bundled Eve as she towered over him and his display of sugary comfits.
He failed.
The gentle woman smiled warmly but Jimmy could she was beginning to falter a little at such open observation outside the familiar confines of the freakshow.
Jimmy attempted to derail the growing tension by rapping on the glass counter with a gloved hand.
"Excuse me? The lady and I would like two tickets to the show, please."
Finally the guy turned to him again.
"Oh. Yes. Uh, thirty-five cents apiece . . . that's seventy cents for both of you."
Jimmy pulled out a whole coveted dollar bill from his pants pocket. Slid it across the glass.
Ignored Evie biting her lip in obvious distress over his rapidly dwindling finances.
The young man took the cash with a slightly unsteady hand, glancing nervously at the imposing female figure.
"And two cokes and a popcorn," Jimmy stated in a fit of sudden daring and wild freedom.
Evie drew in a muted hiss of a breath.
"Jimmy," she murmured worriedly.
He cut his eyes without really facing up to her and then redirected to the concession worker.
"Okay, that'll be ninety cents altogether," he announced, glancing surreptiously between the two of them.
Then their rapt audience turned and filled a square container with hot, buttery goodness. Placed it on a small stack of napkins. Poured ice cubed laced cola into paper cups. Open and shut the cash register. And slid a dime across the counter.
Which was the second thing to confound Jimmy Darling that day.
Never be able to pick that up without taking off my gloves . . . hmmm . . . guess I'll have to leave it . . . gratuity or something . . . is a whole dime though . . . shame, every little bit helps . . .
But much to the shock of both men separated by a visible counter and an invisible demarcation of freak versus non-freak, Amazon Eve took the reins of the situation.
"Oh, I'll just take that, shall I, Darling?"
She plucked it up and dropped it down the front of her sweater, winking brashly at the agog theater attendant.
"Something for later, perhaps."
And sashayed away, daintily nibbling at a morsel of popcorn.
Mentally shaking himself . . .
Come on, come on, don't crack in front of the rube . . .
Jimmy tossed him a bold grin . . .
"That's one classy broad, I tell ya."
. . . gathered up the colas and hurried after Evie.
Catching up with her, they entered the darkened theater together and Jimmy gestured for Evie to choose their seats.
Halfway down, middle of the row.
The perfect spot.
And the entire theater was all theirs.
After a moment, Jimmy glanced at her. Cleared his throat. And spoke.
"Just to be clear . . . that's not really a later for me, right?"
Evie ghosted a smile and replied with a sweet, jaunty air.
"What do you think, Jimmy Darling?"
He eyed her closely and finally smiled.
"No?"
She nudged him with an elbow.
"Good call, sweetie."
Fair enough.
They enjoyed the movie. And the popcorn. And the colas.
And the freedom.
For the two hours and five minutes it took for their dashing heroes to save the Technicolor day.
Then they dutifully retrieved their winter trappings and sojourned to the most important drugstore.
And finally trudged homeward.
A bit warmer and more lighthearted than they had before.
"And where have you two been all afternoon?"
Both Evie and Jimmy carefully painted innocence all over their faces under the suspicious glare of Fraulein Elsa Mars.
Who appeared as a bloodhound on the scent.
"You smell like carnival."
Jimmy swept a hand around at their snow covered surroundings.
"Look, Evie. Carnival."
Elsa's glare intensified.
"Warm carnival."
Jimmy dimpled his grin at her and responded in only a way that he could.
"Yeah, me too, Elsa. I'm smelling Florida closer every day. It's somewhere under all this snow. That's the dream, isn't it?"
Hello, sweeties!
Just to be clear, I don't think Jimmy's 'trying' anything with Evie here. I think he just doesn't want to flub up anything else for the day. Smart of him, don't you think? Nothing more embarrassing to faceplant across a line you didn't know was even there, right? Or maybe I've just been away for too long.
And as for Evie, well, what can I say? We ladies gotta throw out a little stubborn flash every once in a blue moon, yeah?
Well anywho, the1upguy has been harassing, ahem, I mean, 'gently reminding' me to post. Much thanks, bro ;) Hope you enjoy this.
Thanks to brigid1318, the1upguy, The Cry-Wank Kid, and Jurana Keri for reviewing such a long time ago on that previous chapter with foot-in-mouth Jimmy Darling.
Thanks as well to Mira SeverusSirius Black-Snape for adding your support to this tale.
I'm thinking of wrapping up this story pretty soon but am also considering writing the 'in between' of the season finale's bizarre popcorn scene and Jimmy/Bette/Dot domestic bliss scene. Just 'cause I gotta figured out what the fruit happened. And since I can make up my own stuff finally, there will be a bit more lightheartedness mixed in with the necessary angst and such.
So if you're interested in it, I believe the title will be 'Jimmy, not Moses.' And it will be published after I complete 'Just People'.
And if you're not interested in it, that's okay too. Read what ya wanna read, yeah? ;)