Their first meeting of the minds was going well. Very well. It was going so well that they had outlined both stories, their character descriptions, and written the first two scenes of Script One. They learned that both used a paper notebook along with a laptop, wore glasses when typing for extended periods, and spent too much money on cafe drinks and snacks. Louis liked to step outside the cafe every hour or so. Harry had to take laptop breaks to do exercises due to soreness in his wrists.
Harry sat down and slid his chair closer to the table. "I got you a water."
Louis looked up from his work, his laptop screen reflected on his crooked glasses. He glanced at the array of beverages Harry laid out. "Thanks. Why?"
"Because you've drunk nothing but coffee for eight hours and I'd rather not have my writing partner laid up in the hospital with kidney stones."
"Fair enough." Louis sipped his water. "I think I fixed the end of Scene III."
Harry woke up his laptop, then scanned for a moment. He leaned closer in his seat. Louis continued sipping his water while he watched Harry read. Harry mouthed half words as he absentmindedly stretched his wrists, each bend causing a bit of tattoo to peek out from his cuffed sleeves.
BLAZE
I can't, Emma. I just can't. I...I don't have it in me.
BLAZE leans over sleigh, his head dropped.
EMMA walks to BLAZE and extends hand, as if to touch him, but hesitates.
EMMA
Don't...You don't know that. Maybe if you spent some time here in town. Maybe the Christmas spirit will come to you, just like it came to your dad all those years ago.
BLAZE
I can't talk about him. Not now. Maybe not...ever.
EMMA
I understand. I have an early shift at the candy shop tomorrow, so I'd better be going. Come by for something sweet. On the house, okay?
EMMA squeezes BLAZE'S shoulder.
BLAZE nods.
BLAZE
Night, EMMA.
EMMA
Sweet dreams.
EMMA exits barn.
BLAZE turns to look for her, but she is already gone. BLAZE walks to sleigh and pulls off a corner of the the covering. Overcome with emotion, BLAZE drops his head as a tear drips off his cheek. The tear drips onto the sleigh. BLAZE gives the sleigh one more pat, then replaces the covering and moves to lock the barn up for the night. BLAZE steps out of barn and pulls doors. Sleigh starts to light and tremble just as barn doors are pulled shut.
END SCENE
Louis could not control his growing smile as he watched the crinkles deepen beside Harry's eyes, his lips still reading but moving more and more towards the wide open grin he made when he laughed properly. He poked his straw against the ice cubes in his water, then peeked up one second before that throaty, barked laugh shook their table. Harry smiled at him and sat back, placing his hands behind his head.
"That is some straight up Beauty and the Beast shit."
"Hey, it works with the sleigh problem and if we make the spirits people, instead of talking creatures, it will cut down on the CGI requirements."
"It does. It works. Is it the dad's spirit in the sleigh?"
Louis narrowed his eyes and shielded his notebook. "You'll just have to wait until the next scene, won't you?" Harry snorted and Louis lowered his hand-shield. "But, yeah. It's the dad. If you think that's a good idea, of course."
Harry rested his cheek on his palm. "That's sweet. He'll get to talk to his dad again after not getting to say goodbye in real life."
"Sweet as the world famous White Christmas Fudge that Emma makes at the shop." Louis checked his watch. "Wanna work on the opening of four, finish our drinks, then call it a night?"
