Through the Fire (a Les Twins fanfic)

Chapter 3: Like Heaven

The Tyler Perry Studios complex was thirty acres of sprawling magnificence.

Laurent marveled as they rode a golf cart from the building where their dressing rooms were located through a set that looked like a real town—sidewalks, storefronts and all.  Even after two months it was a lot to take in and he and Larry were in heaven.

Most of Will Smith's parts were being shot in Los Angeles., but he would be flying in to Atlanta toward the end of filming to do his scenes with them.  To Laurent, life couldn't have been more perfect.  He always tried to be happy no matter what, but now finally his circumstances matched his attitude.  He wheeled the cart onto a paved path that snaked across the back lot to the main studio.

Larry complained from the passenger seat.  "Pourquoi obtenez-vous toujours de conduire?" (Why do you always get to drive?)

"Parce que. Je suis meilleur que toi." (Because. I'm better than you.)

"Non, vous n'êtes pas! Regardez! Vous allez trop vite." (No, you're not! Look! You're going too fast.)

Larry gripped the door frame as Laurent swerved to barely miss somebody crossing the path.

"Ta gueule, Larry. C'était votre faute. Vous me distrait." (Shut up, Larry. That was your fault. You distracted me.)

"Vous ta gueule." (You shut up.)

"Non, vous ta gueule." (No, you shut up.)

Their bickering died down and Laurent's thoughts shifted to Gabby.

When she'd asked him to move in with her all he wondered was what took her so long. He enjoyed being with her as much as possible.

It was true he'd never lived with a female other than his mom and sisters mostly because he was never in one place long enough.  And he wasn't completely sure it was the best idea, but he had a good feeling about it.

Gabby seemed different than anyone he'd ever dated.  He felt like she understood him, like he could be himself around her all the time.  He was satisfied in a way he'd never been before.  The raging Beast remained inside him, but somehow when he was with her it could be quiet and still for a while.

Laurent pulled into an empty cart parking space and he and Larry swiped their badges to go in through the cast entrance.

They waved at Gabby.  She dropped them off at the studio that morning instead of their driver and she'd decided to hang around to watch the dry-run of one of their scenes in the movie.

"Places everyone!"

Everybody on the set followed the director's command and went to their designated spots.

Larry and Laurent sat back-to-back pretending to be handcuffed to their chairs and unconscious.

"Action!"  The cameras started rolling.

Larry woke up first to a room full of mobster thugs.  He struggled to free himself and shake Laurent awake.

A big, burly guy taunted and threatened their lives unless they gave up the secret location of a package he wanted.

Then Laurent's head snapped up.  He demanded to know why they were being held captive, half in French, half in English.

"Cut!"

The scene ended and everyone took ten minutes.  Larry and Laurent uncuffed themselves.  They didn't realize Tyler Perry himself was there that day watching from the sound booth.  He came out and greeted Gabby.

"Good to see you again."

"Likewise."

Tyler embraced her in a half hug.  "Nice work you did on that documentary. You know I'm always looking for talented new directors...hint, hint."

"Thank you, that's very tempting, but I think my directing days are over."  She remembered breaking up the many fights between Laurent and the film crew in Paris.  "I'm much better on paper."

"Fair enough."

Laurent came over teasing.  "Aye, man, get your hands off my girl!"

Tyler tightened his grip on Gabby's waist.  "You better keep your eye on her then."

They exchanged a few more insults then launched into play fighting and air punching one another.  Tyler's deep guffawing laughter rang out through the building. Gabby folded her arms and shook her head.  She could tell Larry and Laurent had already put their charm spell on him. The poor man had no idea what he was in for.

Laurent hugged Gabby goodbye and they agreed to meet up at Lenox Square Mall later that afternoon.

Tyler slung an arm over both brothers' shoulders after she left.

"Fellas, how would you like to see my special car collection?"

"Oh, yessssss!!"

Filming wrapped early and Tyler escorted the twins to a garage in a restricted-access area of the back lot.  He placed his thumb on a state-of-the-art biometric entry scanner and the round steel vault doors opened automatically.

It was filled with one of every type of vehicle regular people wished for but could never afford.

"So, what do you guys think?"

Larry stumbled forward in a daze. Laurent's mouth fell open.  They were both speechless.  If there was such a thing as a man-heaven this might be it.

Neither of them could bring themselves to turn down Tyler's offer to test drive the car of their choice.

They had promised Gabby they'd never try to drive in Atlanta's crazy traffic, but they figured one time wouldn't hurt.