RENTAL MOVIES (5/6)
Title: Rental Movies (5/6)
Author: fairchristabel
Rating: PG
Summary: Chenzel (Kristin/Idina)
A/N: My first RPF, and , I think, my first attempt at any kind of fanfic. I wrote this back in 2006, but just posted it to the comm, and not my journal, so I’m rectifying that now. Kind of angsty, but it ends up happy, so that’s something.
Idina closed her eyes. Jesus, it’s bad enough I can’t stop thinking about her, but now she’s gonna start materializing in public?
“Your movies, ma’am?”
Idina opened her eyes, but Star Wars boy had turned around and was addressing Kristin, who was ignoring him and staring at Idina with an intensity that was unnerving. Idina dropped her eyes to the counter in front of her and noticed her change. She picked it up, more out of habit than any real desire to pocket her money. Idina risked a glance back up. The apparition was still there, still staring through Star Wars boy and right at her.
“Hey!” Star Wars boy waved a DVD box in front of Kristin’s face. “Hello? Are these your movies?” He held another box in his other hand.
Kristin pulled her eyes away to focus on him. Idina took a deep breath. Time to get out of here, she decided, before I embarrass that poor woman and myself. She moved slowly to the exit, hoping to avoid detection.
“You’re cutting it close,” said Star Wars boy as Idina sidled around the far end of the counter. “Another five minutes and you would’ve been paying extra for,” he held the boxes up where he could read them, “Rent and Ask the Dust.” Idina froze, one hand reaching for the door. He shook his head. “Good thing you came on down. These definitely aren’t worth the extra money.”
Idina shoved her way out of the store. She stood there on the sidewalk, trying to clear her head. “I wonder what they call it when you start having visual and auditory hallucinations? Schizophrenia? Nah, that’s multiple personalities. I don’t have that, I think. But then again, how would I know? Maybe I have an extra personality that’s manifesting itself as a vision of Kristin. No, that’s stupid. Maybe it’s -” she paused, suddenly aware of what she was doing. Idina paced over to a nearby bench and sat, her back against the wall of the Blockbuster. She dropped her head in her hands. Maybe I’ve just got the crazies. Nothing specific, just pure craziness. I wonder what my shrink’ll say when I tell her I’ve started talking to myself out loud? I bet it’s a warning sign of something.
A pair of feet shuffled into her view. She looked up at an old man in a suit who was passing her. He gestured with his hand as he spoke. “And I said to her, no more ducks, I won’t have it. So she brought me a cat. I know. That’s what I said to her, how’s the cat going to fit in the tuxedo?”
Idina grinned wryly to herself as he stumbled by her. Maybe I’m not as bad as I thought. The man stopped and turned to hail a cab. As he waited Idina could see what hadn’t been clear before. The man was using a hands-free phone. Idina’s head fell into her hands again. Well there goes that.
“Dee?” the voice was soft.
God, it sounds just like her. Idina looked up through her fingers. Kristin stood in front of her, a look of uncertainty on her face. She was wearing jeans, a sweat shirt, and open-toed high heels. Ha! Nobody wears sandals in this weather. Stupid hallucination. Though if anyone DID wear those shoes, it would be Kristin. A salmon-colored I *heart* NY hat perched precariously on her head. Idina smiled. I wonder if she kept that?
“Dee!” Kristin grabbed Idina’s shoulder.
Idina pulled away and absently rubbed her arm. Geez, that hurt! Hallucinations aren’t supposed to get physical. Her movements stopped as a new thought struck her. If I’m alone, and someone hit me, then I must have hit myself. She shook her head. Christ, I better get home before I beat myself up. Idina stood up abruptly. Kristin took a few steps back, her eyes wary. Idina grinned. Wonder what would happen if I tried to walk straight through her? Maybe she’d go away, for a little while. Idina took a step toward Kristin, but was stopped by a hand on her elbow.
“Hey, you forgot your movies.” Star Wars boy stood beside her, holding the cartons out to her. “It’s not like you’d be missin’ out on anything, but I figured since you spent so much time picking them out, you might want them.” He shoved the DVDs in her hands and turned and walked away.
Idina stepped to the curb and hailed a cab.
“Idina!” Idina turned around. Kristin was right behind her. “Where are you going?”
“Home. Where else would I go?” A cab pulled up beside them. Idina opened the door.
“Can I come?”
“You usually do.”
Kristin climbed in and Idina followed, pulling the door shut behind her. Idina gave the driver her address, then sat back and stared out the window. When they reached the apartment Idina paid the driver, then got out and walked up the front steps, not looking to see if Kristin was following. She opened the front door and stepped inside. As Idina strode down the hallway to her door she glimpsed Kristin out of the corner of her eye, struggling to match her pace. She does look awfully cute. Idina unlocked her door and stepped inside, throwing her movies on the couch. She looked around. This place is disgusting. She shrugged. Who cares? Not like anyone’s gonna see it.
“Idina?”
Idina turned around. “You’re still here,” she said, a bit surprised. She walked over to the couch and plopped down on the plushy cushions. Idina leaned her head back and closed her eyes.
Kristin took a deep breath. “Look, Dee, I know you’re still mad at me, but I thought, maybe, we could talk.”
Idina opened her eyes and sat up. “I’m not mad at you, Kris. But look, could we not do this tonight? I mean, can’t we just, for once, relax, and not talk about what happened?”
Kristin nodded, a confused look on her face. “Okay. What do you want to do?”
“I’m going to watch a movie.”
Kristin sat beside her. “Which one?”
Idina shrugged and held the DVDs up to Kristin. “You pick. I’ve got RV, Pink Panther, and Bewitched. Or, if you’re in the mood, we can watch Candide.” Kristin was silent. “What, no opinion? Kristin Chenoweth has nothing to say? Well there’s a first. Okay, we’ll start with your favorite then.” Idina set down the other DVDs and opened Bewitched.
“I gave you that.”
Idina turned and looked at Kristin. “What?”
“Bewitched. I sent you a copy. Didn’t you get it?”
“Oh, yeah, I did get it, but-it had an accident.”
“An accident? What kind of accident?”
“The kind where it flies out the window then gets run over by several tons of speeding metal.”
“Oh.” Kristin was silent for a minute. “Hey maybe it’s not such a good idea to watch them tonight, Dee.”
“Really?” Idina was puzzled. “But I always watch them.” She yawned and stretched. “I am pretty tired, though.” She got up and walked over to the entertainment center.
“What are you doing, Dee?”
Idina carefully placed the DVD in its slot and pushed it closed. “Getting ready to go to sleep.” She walked back over to the couch, grabbing a throw from the recliner on her way. She wrapped the blanket around her and curled up on the sofa, remote in hand.
“Don’t you want to sleep in your bed?”
Idina stared at Kristin, nonplussed. “I never sleep in that bed.” She turned back to the screen and pressed the play button. The movie started, the camera swooping across the landscape. Idina hit the skip button as the opening music started playing. “I hate that song,” she muttered. “It always comes up first when I put my CD player on shuffle.” She hit the skip button a few more times until she came to the place she wanted. Kristin’s face filled the screen as Idina settled back against the couch and sighed. Her eyes began to drift closed as she stared at the television.
“Idina. Idina!” Idina ignored her. Kristin reached over and took the remote out of Idina’s hands and turned the T.V. off. Idina’s eyes were already closed. “Dee?” Kristin reached out and gently shook Idina’s shoulder. “Dee, it’s time to go to bed.”
Idina opened her eyes blearily. “Is ’tover?”
“Yeah, honey, and it’s time for you to go to bed. Come on,” Kristin said, standing up and reaching for Idina’s hand.
Idina stared at the outstretched hand in front of her, then shook her head. “Don’t wanna go. Stay here.”
“I’m not taking no for an answer, Dee. Now get up.”
Idina gazed up at her reproachfully, then slowly stood up. “Okay, okay.” She shuffled down the hallway, blanket still wrapped around her, Kristin tailing close behind. Idina stopped when she got to the door of the bedroom. Kristin reached around her and opened the door.
“It’s okay, Dee, go on in.” Idina shook her head violently and stepped back. “Dee, come on now, it’s getting late. It’s time to go to bed.”
Idina pressed back against the wall. “No,” she said shakily. She shut her eyes and began humming to herself.
“It’s all right, Dee,” she heard Kristin say. “We’ll go back to the couch, it’s fine.”
Nodding in relief, Idina quickly walked back to the living room. She was shaking as she sat down on the couch and pulled the blanket even tighter around herself.
“I’m sorry, Dee.” Idina looked over. Kristin was right beside her. Kristin reached up and put her arms around Idina’s neck, and gently pulled Idina down so that silent her head was resting on Kristin’s lap. “I didn’t mean to upset you,” she said softly. Idina didn’t respond, but as Kristin stroked her hair her breathing returned to normal and her heart stopped its erratic behavior. “Kris?” she mumbled.
“What, darling?”
“Will you stay, just for a little while?”
“Of course. I’ll stay as long as you want,” she replied, continuing to stroke the dark hair.
“No you won’t. But that’s okay. It’s a nice lie. I don’t mind when you tell me those.”
“I’m not lying, Dee.” Her voice sounded sad and far away.
“I’sokay.” She found the hand that wasn’t stroking her hair and patted it gently. “You’re here now, tha’sall that matters.”
“I’ll be here in the morning too, Dee.”
“No, you’ll be gone when I wake up.”
“No, I won’t. I’ll be right here.”
“You’ll leave. You always leave.” Idina curled up a little tighter. “You’ll leave,” she sing-songed to herself as she snuggled down on the couch, “you’ll go and leave me alone. And then I’m lost, lost, lost.”