#ive always seen gregory as instead of letting fear/emotions take over | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

puhpandas · 5 months

Text

Veering Off Course

(2,305 words)

Gregory and his family get a call that Vanessa, whos in a different state for college, has gotten hurt. Gregory calls Evan, and Evan is able to use the things he's learned about himself since meeting Gregory to help his friend with his emotions regarding the situation.

Its early in the morning on a Saturday when Evan gets the call. It woke him up, so all he does is blink groggily and swipe at the screen blindly while propped up on his elbow until his thumb hits 'answer' on his phone. "Hello?"

"Evan." It's Gregory, and the serious tone to just that single word clears up Evan's brain as fast as lightning. He scrambles to prop himself into sitting up and rubs at his eyes with one hand.

"Gregory?" Evan asks, looking at the little icon he set for Gregory's contact of a picture of Evan and him at an amusement park. "Is everything okay?"

It takes a second for Gregory to respond, and it causes the anxiety that had steadily began to bubble inside of him to surge. "Gregory?"

"Sorry." Gregory finally answers. "I-- Uh... can you..." His friend struggles for words, and Evan tries to be as patient as possible as it becomes clearer every second something is wrong. "Can you come over? Like right now?"

Evan flounders for words for a second, but manages to force his mouth to say, "Of course."

"Okay." Gregory replies, and a surge of worry shoots through his chest when Gregory sounds like he might cry. He takes a breath on the other end, then, "Please hurry."

After that, Evan only lingers enough to respond with a short confirmation and goodbye before hanging up the phone. It takes him record time to shoot out of bed, sling on some shoes, and get down the street a few houses to Gregory's own.

His mind had played multiple awful scenarios of what terrible thing could have happened the entire time, but his worry does not ebb when he makes it to the porch and knocks on the door to a teary eyed Gregory.

Evan's immediately herded inside. Freddy has his phone in his hand pressed up against his ear, and he's pacing around the room. Aunt Chica and Aunt Roxy sit in the living room. Bonnie is sat in a dragged-over dining chair by Freddy and frowning.

It's dead silent in the house; even the TV and seemingly endless energy flowing through and causing bustling noise is snuffed out to nothing. Evan watches as everyone sits completely seriously and quiet, hands held in their lap or thrumming against something.

Impatience, is what Evan first thinks of. They're waiting for something. News, maybe? Freddy is on the phone. It's so silent you could hear a pin drop. Or somebody else's phone vibrate.

Evan's dread and anxiety only get worse when Gregory shuts the door behind him and tugs on him a bit. Evan follows without struggle, thousands of words and questions on his tongue when Gregory leads him to one of the unoccupied seats in the living room; a loveseat.

He sits down with him, and Gregory's face is scrunched up in barely restrained worry. Evan watches his friend, who's been an anchor for himself for so long, tremble and hunch in on himself. "Gregory?"

Gregory's eyes dart to him, and Evan leans down, hunching forward with his elbows rested on his thighs like theyre their own personal bubble. Evan's own brows furrow, and he feels the familiar thickness in his throat just at watching his friend be upset.

Evan grabs at his hand, squeezing it tight and lacing their fingers together. "I'm really worried, Gregory... please tell me whats wrong." Evan pleads. "Please?"

Gregory nods unsurely after a moment, and Evan watches him swallow thickly before turning to him fully. "Dad got a call from the University of Oregon today."

Evan's brows raise, but he nods to keep going. The University of Oregon is the college Gregory's sister, Vanessa, had left home to go attend. Evan hasnt gotten the chance to meet her, yet. She's already been gone two years strong, with a seemingly bright future. Evan's heard Gregory and his family talk about her enough to know her talents.

Gregory's breath hitches, and Evan wraps his other hand around Gregory's, the one he already has ahold of. He sandwiches it in-between his own and hopes it's enough comfort.

"Somebody called us and told us Vanessa got into a car crash today. On campus."

It's like a bucket of ice water is poured on Evan's head. His feet go cold, and his eyes widen to saucers. Fear shoots like an arrow through his stomach. When he stops reeling from the news, he watches Gregory begin to shake and lose the carefully gathered composure he'd put up since Evan arrived.

"They said..." Gregory's brows are furrowed so much it looks like it hurts. Theres a clench in his jaw and a wetness to his eyes Evan isnt used to. "They said she's already been taken to the hospital and is in surgery." He frowns, and theres a twist in his lip that Evan is so familiar with. "They... a-all we can do is wait. They told us they'd let us know any updates."

The house is thrown back into such jarring silence after Gregory stops talking that Evan's ears start ringing. Which makes it clear as day when Gregory's breath turns harsh beside him.

Evan tears his eyes away from the floor and ignores the twisting feeling in his chest to look at his friend. He has his face buried in the hand that isnt held by Evan and is shaking in a way where you can tell theyre trying so hard to keep it together. Gregory's angled away from him, but Evan can see the panic on his face even from where he can see.

Evan's breath hitches, and the thickness in his throat begins to turn into burning as he scootches closer to Gregory on the couch and sets a hand on his shoulder. He tugs a bit until Gregory gets the message and let's him wrap his arms around his middle and hold him close.

Gregory makes some sort of horrible, upsetting hitching noise that causes the dam to break for Evan, before he sort of flops against him and brings up his own arms to clutch at his T-Shirt. Gregory's head thumps against his shoulder, and it's one of the only times Evan really becomes aware of the height he has on his friend.

"Its okay..." Evan says into Gregory's shoulder, because it's all he knows to do in the moment. He glances around and sees that Gregory's family has shifted to the dining room, leaving them alone. Evan finally feels the tears slip from his eyes as he presses closer, hugging him like his life depends on it. "Its okay, Gregory. It'll be okay."

"It's--" Gregory says, and Evan can hear how much his voice shakes with barely contained tears. "Its not. I can't-- We can't even go see her. We can't go and wait for her to wake up, or anything... we just have to--" He cuts himself off, and Evan feels Gregory shake harshly against him.

"We just have to sit here." Gregory says, voice thick. "I dont know what to do, Evan. I don't know what to do."

And its only that sentence that causes Evan to grapple at what to do, if his friend can't. And all he can think about is how himself would react if it were Gregory getting hurt.

All he'd be able to do is cry, he realizes. He wouldnt be able to do anything. Just wait and be scared.

But that's what Gregory is getting at, isnt he? He can't do anything. That's the thing. Evan has known Gregory long enough to get him. To know, him. Evan knows that Gregory doesnt sit around and cry like Evan does. He prefers to get up and do something about whatevers wrong.

Hes a problem solver instead of waiting around. A fighter instead of a crier. No wonder hes so bent out of shape about this. To have a loved one in danger, and when you're so used to getting up and making a plan to fix a problem and are forced to sit in standby...

Evan eases them down against the cushion of the couch, not once untangling themselves from eachother. Gregory shakes, but he does not cry. "So what would you do if you could?"

The hair from Gregory's bangs brushes against Gregory's neck as he moves his head. "I'd... I don't know. I'd at least try to get to her." Gregory says, voice unbelievably quiet. "At least get to her. Then figure it out from there. Just so I'm not waiting on phone calls."

Evan nods against him, his chin scrunching up Gregory's hair. His tears have long since stopped falling, but he knows he has dry tracks on his cheeks. "You have a plan."

Gregory makes some sort of noise that would sound like a snort in any other circumstances. "I would if I could." Gregory replies, squeezing his arms a bit tighter. "But I cant" He sighs, shuddering and heavy. "I just have to wait."

Evan hums. "You're worried, and you're stressed." He makes the same noise Gregory just did. "I know how you feel... I really do. Maybe not your exact situation, but... I get what it's like to feel helpless." He says. "You know what I would do?"

Gregory hums this time, questionative. Evan rubs circles into his back. "I'd sit there and wait, and wish for it to different. And when it wouldnt be, I'd cry."

Gregorys head shifts against that crook between Evan's chin and chest, almost like hes trying to look him in the eye but the hug prevents him from being able.

"All I ever did was cry." Evan says when Gregory doesnt respond. "Its the only thing that I could do to cope."

"...So..." Gregory asks, and his voice is thick again. "You mean..."

"You're stressed." Evan answers. "You're stressed and you're worried. So... why dont you let it out?"

Evan, out of anyone, knows how valuable emotions can be. He didnt, once upon a time. When everyone would just tell him how annoying it is. How useless it is. How he's asking for it. How he should have toughened up by now. When instead of comfort, he'd receive ridicule and prodding.

That's changed. Ever since a certain someone entered his life. He doesn't think of his emotions, himself so little anymore. So worthless. So maybe that's why Gregory perks up ever so slightly in understanding.

And that's all it takes.

Gregory's trembling turns into shoulder shaking sobs like the snap of a finger. He cries, open and unadulterated, and Evan just hugs him close and rubs his back, offering reassurances like Gregory has done for him so many times.

His own eyes burn when his best friends sobs are heard so openly and he can feel every shudder of his body. Evan's chin scrunches, and the tears fall right along with Gregory as Evan hugs him close, tucking his face into his hair.

"Im--" Gregory cries. "I-Im just so worried about her."

"I know." Evan responds, his own voice breaking as he pets Gregory's hair. His shirt is damp with tears but he doesnt care. "Itll be okay. It'll all be okay."

They stay like that for a while, and Evan can tell Gregory needs it. He needs it. The worry he felt that morning doesnt ever really leave, and it stays ever-present as Evan watches his friend fall apart. They stay stuck together like magnets, eventually only shoulder to shoulder with linked hands on the loveseat, and none of Gregory's family try to peel them apart when they eventually wander back into the living room.

They stay in a state of constant agonizing limbo all day. At 8:00pm, Freddy calls it a night. Gregory protests immediately, but Aunt Roxy calms him down almost seamlessly and convinces him to go to bed.

Of course, Evan follows him. He cant imagine a world where he doesnt. The air mattress stays deflated in Gregory's closet as it has been most of the time nowadays. All Evan has to do is kick his shoes off since he left home in his pajamas anyway and they're wrapped around eachother, tucked in Gregory's bed under his comforter in the dark.

Gregory is silent all throughout the night, even though Evan knows he's awake. Evan just hopes that... he did the right thing. Something knows is that suppressing how you feel isnt good. It never works. No matter how much you want it to.

Gregory taught him that. He just wants to return the favor. Not because he owes Gregory, no. Gregory has long since hammered it into Evan's thick skull that he has nothing to pay him back for. That his kindness is not a deed to Evan, but rather that Evan himself deserves to be treated kindly.

Gregory does, too. Evan knows this with all his heart. Gregory is his best friend and has done more for him than anyone else ever has.

Evan... all Evan did was change. Change for the better. And hopefully he helped the most important person in his life with the things he learned. The things that person taught him.

He hugs Gregory's middle a little tighter, not daring to break the silence. Gregory needs time, but doesn't want to be alone. Evan understands. He does. He just hopes to convey what he truly feels through the one action.

Thank you. I'm here for you. I'll always be here. You're my best friend. I'm so glad you trust me. I trust you as well. So much.

Gregory himself wraps his arms tighter around Evan in turn, and Evan feels like the single movement lso has a deeper meaning he cant read.

They dont speak. They just lay in silence until eventually they fall asleep, stuck together like two puzzle pieces.

ao3 link

#this oneshot is mostly just to focus more on gregorys character and how i imagine him (not headcanon #his actual canon character) to handle problems.#ive always seen gregory as instead of letting fear/emotions take over #he pushes past to get a task done/fix whatevers wrong. so i wanted to translate that into the flashlight duo universe with the emotional/pr #especially because of how important emotions are to evans growth and how gregory is the reason for that growth #and i also just wanted to finally write a bit of evan helping gregory since ive written so much vice versa.#i needed something for gregory to be super worried over and well. this universe is already family centric. poor vanessa.#its a normal ass world okay theres not much i can do #vanessa is okay btw.#the next day theyre supposed to get news about surgery and recovery and plan to go on a road trip to oregon to see her while she recovers #(i actually already wrote some of it but cut it out because i didnt like where it was going.#just veered (ha) too far away from the core of the fic)#so you can imagine that happening.#anyways hope you enjoyed! still need a better idea to showcase evan helping gregory but i think this is okay for now.#i have some other plans for this duo (as always) having to do with love languages so im excited about that.#lets see how long itll take me to actually write it lol #pandas writes #my fics #flashlight duo #flashlight duo oneshots #gregory #evan #the fazbears #oneshot #kinda feel like this is cringe #but whatever im cringe and im free two cakes etc #not my favorite work ive done but whatever #its okay

36 notes · View notes

glenngaylord · 3 years

Text

Neighborhood, Watch! – Film Review: In The Heights ★★★★1/2

Sometimes a movie comes along and meets its moment, transcending its innate flaws to feel more important, more powerful that it may not have been perceived otherwise. In The Heights, the long-awaited film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s pre-Hamilton Tony Award winner, initially had a Summer 2020 release date, but now lands at a time where we’ve suffered tremendous losses and have felt cooped up for over a year. Now, more than ever, we all need a burst of energy, an expression of elation, a reason to frolic in fire hydrant fountains and burst out in song. This film more than delivers on that feeling.

Directed by John M. Chu, who brought a similar effervescence to Crazy Rich Asians, and adapted by Quiara Alegría Hudes, the pair expertly blends the intimate with the outlandish, providing us with a joy machine of a musical, and one in which characters break out into song. I love when a musical is unafraid to be a musical. Full disclosure, I have not seen the stage production, so I judge this film on its own merits. I knew, however, that we were in good hands when the opening number includes a shot of our main character, Usnavi, using his foot to turn a manhole cover into a DJ’s turntable. Ok, movie, I see you. Let’s go!

Anthony Ramos plays Usnavi, a bodega owner in Washington Heights, showing the winning energy, and then some, he displayed in Hamilton and A Star Is Born. The origins of his name are worth a sweet, funny, and moving chuckle. Born in the Dominican Republic, Usnavi dreams of returning there one day for a simpler, more beautiful life. He sees the writing on the wall as his upper Manhattan neighborhood faces gentrification, the DACA children fearing deportation, and his culture getting reduced to stereotypes by a bigoted society.

Borrowing somewhat from West Side Story, the film takes a radically different approach to the immigrant experience. Instead of street gangs forming the backdrop for a story of star-crossed lovers, we get the workers, the strivers, and the talented surrounding a tale of two couples. Usnavi loves Vanessa (Melissa Barrera), who dreams of a career as a fashion designer while marking time in a neighborhood salon. Usnavi’s best friend Benny (Corey Hawkins) works as a dispatcher at Mr. Rosario’s (Jimmy Smits) small storefront car service and has fallen for Rosario’s daughter Nina (Leslie Grace) who has returned from Stanford University, traumatized by the discrimination she faced there. Although bookended by a framing device in which Usnavi tells the story to a group of children on a Dominican beach, the main plot traces the few days leading up to a citywide electrical blackout.

Such as it is, it’s a fairly threadbare plot. The focus here is on family, friendships, and the need for community. Although the opening title number serves to introduce us to the main cast, which also includes the charming Gregory Diaz IV as Usnavi’s cousin Sonny, a DACA kid, Daniela (Rent’s Daphne Rubin-Vega) the salon owner who craves more success by relocating her shop uptown to the Bronx, and the legendary Olga Merediz as Usnavi’s Abuela Claudia. Merediz originated the role on Broadway and stuns with her 11 o’clock number, “Paciencia Y Fe” (Patience And Faith). Miranda, who played Usnavi on the stage, appears here as the Piragua Guy, rolling his cart of shaved ice through the neighborhood and perhaps bumping into another Hamilton alum along the way. Stay for the post-credits sequence for more on that! Look also for a delightful cameo by Valentina of Ru Paul's Drag Race Fame in the big salon sequence. My biggest quibble is that with two competing love stories, the emphasis wobbled back and forth too much, taking away a little from Usnavi’s A storyline. Ramos has enough charisma and sparkle in his eye to carry the film, but a certain lopsidedness prevailed. Even the boldest number goes to our B storyline characters, but with no bum notes in the cast and in the numbers, it’s hard to complain too much.

While the dramatic scenes feel intimate and small, the film explodes with every musical production. Starting on the street, the show stopping “96,000” turns into a splashing, propulsive, Busby Berkeley-esque extravaganza with literally hundred of dancers and singers dreaming of what they’d do with that amount of money. Chu not only knows exactly where to put the camera in his numbers, he has thought through his shots, accentuating the percussive elements with each of Editor Myron Kerstein’s perfectly executed cuts. This film pulsates with energy from beginning to end. Cinematographer Alice Brooks and Production Designer Nelson Coates also add so much to the film by starting with realism via the actual streets of Manhattan and adding the magical during the musical moments. One shot in the film, as Vanessa runs through the streets as huge bolts of fabric unravel from the buildings above, brought me to tears. It serves as a profoundly gorgeous expression of creative desire. It’s easy to see how the seeds of hip hop and rap here led Miranda to his next sensation, but In The Heights has its own magic within the Hispanic music culture it celebrates.

Performances across the board ooze talent. Grace has such star quality and a pure, Disney-fied but lovely singing voice. Same goes for Barerra, while Ramos and Hawkins have enough power and dynamism to generate enough electricity to resolve the storyline’s big blackout. No doubt, Merediz will get Oscar attention, and deservedly so, but expect many more for this exceptional film.

Nothing, however, prepared me for “When The Sun Goes Down” in which Hawkins and Grace take part in a jaw-dropping homage to Fred Astaire’s Royal Wedding dance number, but amped up to 11. It’s gorgeous, impossible, and as pure and expression of movie magic as you can get. I found myself thrilled for the actors when they were able to finally watch the film, marveling at how this studio shot, green screen, gimbal-driven song would look once all of the effects work got filled in. It’s a stunner and served as one of several times I found myself crying for the sheer beauty of it.

Yes, the film contains some sad cries as well, but more than anything, I shed tears because I got to sit in a large theater with only a handful of people, and allowed a giant movie movie to dredge up all of those lonely, despairing feelings which have resided in my heart for over a year, and gave me somewhere to put those emotions. It also celebrates diversity and cultures we rarely get to see given such grand treatment. I can’t wait to watch this film again and again, reminding myself that joy will always win out over heartache.

0 notes