It's a Slow Fire of Sorts: Part I

Pixie Cuts

Monica Rambeau hates it when people talk during movies.

This is a known fact- sitting right up there with Kamala's sloth hyperfixation, Chavez's affinity for breaking and entering, and Brunnhilde's love for Bluetooth speakers- but even so, Carol defies all the rules.

Carol transcends all the facts.

When Marv is in the room, everyone has this unspoken agreement to let her ask as many questions as she needs. It's actually really sweet, the way Monica holds back a grimace when the words, "Wait... who is this person again?" come out of Carol's mouth, even if the question has already been asked.

Even if Brunnhilde knows the mad scientist inside her is dying to draw up a summary chart.

"Okay, I think I got it," Carol says, nodding her head and raising her fingers as Bella stares at Edward's mouth for the hundredth time. They used to pause the movies, but after a ninety-minute comedy was stretched into a two-hundred- and seven-minute-deep dive into the hubris of man, they'd made the unanimous decision to never touch the pause button again. Now, subtitles and low volume are the norm, with everyone filling in the gaps for Marv as they go.

"So, there's Edward, who is a vampire, but also still in high school?"

"Yep."

"Then a wolf guy, who is better than the vampire dude, but also not? Because he's eventually going to um... crap- starts with an 'I'..." she snaps her fingers, eyes tightly closed until she finds the word.

"I... I-I- Imprint!" she says loudly. "Yes, Imprint. He's going to imprint on the main character's baby?" Little Marv groans. Her eyes narrow.

"Who told you that!?" she asks, immediately glaring at Chavez with outstretched fingers and a scathing voice. "Stop spoiling things! You're ruining the experience."

"Woah, now. I'm feeling a lot of negative energy in this room-"

"I know it was you! Monica would never do this to me-"

"- and then there's the vampire soldier and his vampire girlfriend, that are together, I think? Right?" Carol continues, casually moving her legs out of Little Marv's way as she attacks Chavez with righteous fervor. Monica shakes her bag of popcorn.

"Confederate soldier," she reiterates with a nod. "Little Miss Wonderland's standards are on the floor..."

"Right, and then there's the Car dude, that one guy with the sideburns, the Rose lady-"

"Uhck, Rosalie kind of sucks, but Charlie's cool..." Chavez says, and then she pauses. "Wait, Carol. Carol- you actually kind of give off Charlie energy," and just like that, the squabble is quickly forgotten. Kamala's eyes are wide again.

"Oh, my gosh... ohmygosh yes, yes- Carol, you really do."

"Wait," Carol asks. "Who is Charlie again?"

"The dad."

"Awe, babe... you're the dad," Brunnhilde jokes, but Carol doesn't laugh. Instead, she's sinking back against the couch, dropping all her fingers and groaning. "I am so confused," she murmurs, gaze floating to the ceiling. "I forgot there was a dad in this at all."

Her eyes are a little sad. Chavez graciously comes to the rescue. "Oh, no-" she pipes up from the floor. "You're not supposed to remember him. He's in like, maybe three scenes, max."

"Then how am I like him?"

"Voice of reason," Brunnhilde smiles, nudging Carol's arm and lightly rubbing her shoulder. "He's the only one in this movie that seems to have any brain cells," and that seems to make her feel a little better. She's smiling again, anyhow, readjusting herself on the couch and reaching out for a piece of Monica's popcorn. Monica just hands her the entire bag and opens up a new one.