Chapter Text
“Who’s excited?” Carol asks as the four kids pile into the car. “God, you kids are so lucky. I didn’t get to see my first R-rated movie until I was seventeen.”
“I’ve seen Blade,” Ace points out. “But not in theaters. This was the first one Dad let me go to a theater for, and I guess Suicide Squad too, but I wish I hadn’t.” Robin nudges him and signs something, and he adds, “She says her mom showed her Enter the Dragon and Fists of Fury.”
“My dad let me watch all the Terminator movies,” Cassie pipes up, grinning. “And Point Break. He really, really likes Point Break.”
“I didn’t realize Point Break was rated R,” Monica says. “I’ve seen that one too. And Mad Max: Fury Road.”
Carol glares into the rearview mirror. “I’m sorry, what was that?”
“You guys were watching it one night and I watched it from the stairs,” Monica says innocently. “I heard it was an important feminist action movie and I wanted to know why. And it’s not like there was a bunch of explicit sex, just car chase violence.”
Carol sighs and mutters, “I swear to god, kid.”
“I’m not gonna go have a car chase ‘cause I watched them,” Monica says.
“Thank you for taking us to this one, Ms. Danvers,” Cassie says eagerly, definitely trying to cover for Monica. “It’s really nice of you.”
“Hey, imagine if we’d asked to go see Joker,” Ace says, snorting. “At least this one’s fun.”
“Val tried to play a drinking game with it,” Robin signs to the other kids. “She got too annoyed thirty minutes in and turned it off.”
Monica laughs. “What’d she do, drink every time it was miserable?”
Robin shrugs. “When he laughed, when he was shirtless, and when people said his name or clown. She said it wasn’t even fun to laugh at.”
“But that’s the entire point of the Joker,” Cassie says, sounding somewhere between offended and befuddled. “It’s so weird that someone decided he was edgy.”
“When I was a kid we only had Cesar Romero,” Carol says. “He just wore a goofy purple suit and got Batman to participate in surfing contests.”
“I think that sounds awesome,” Cassie declares.
“We have the DVDs,” Ace says. “You can borrow them sometime. The 60s stuff is great.”
“Okay!” Cassie grins. “That’ll be fun.”
“What snacks are you guys getting?” signs Robin. “I want Skittles.”
Monica nods. “And popcorn,” she says. “Lots of popcorn.”
“I can’t imagine not having popcorn at a movie,” agrees Carol.
Cassie shrugs. “My dad says movie snacks are a scam, so we always sneak them in,” she says. “It’s kinda hard to sneak popcorn in, though.”
“What do you have and where are you hiding it?” Robin signs, grinning.
It takes Cassie a second to figure out what’s being asked (she’s still learning ASL, but she’s getting there) and then she laughs and says, “A whole bag of Starbursts.” Robin nods approvingly.
They arrive at the theater and as they’re walking to the front Monica asks, “Should we hang back a little while you’re getting the tickets?”
Carol makes a face, understanding what she’s really asking, and says, “Yeah, why don’t you guys go inside and get your snacks and I’ll grab the tickets?”
Cassie watches this, a little confused. “Is something wrong?”
“People get weird when Monica and I are out together sometimes,” Carol sighs. “I’m obviously her mom too, but it’s like... some people can’t put the pieces together, or they don’t like it. Robin probably gets this too, huh?”
“A lot,” Robin signs. “My mom stares at them until they go away.”
“Oh,” Cassie says, making a face of her own. “Oh. I’m sorry, you guys. That’s gross.”
Robin shrugs. “They’re just stupid.”
“They are,” Monica agrees. “But if Mom had taken us out, you two would get weird looks. Kinda no winning. It’s dumb.”
“What do you want for a snack, Ms. Danvers?” Ace asks. “So we can get it for you.”
“Oh, just popcorn and a large Coke’s fine,” Carol says, handing him a twenty. “Cassie, your dad’s right, it is highway robbery. I should’ve brought a drink in my purse or something.”
“Drinks are riskiest, ‘cause of the noise,” Cassie says sagely. “But it can be done.”
Once they’ve acquired the small mountain of snacks and drinks, they meet Carol inside and get their tickets scanned. “I didn’t even realize sensory-friendly screenings were an option,” Carol says. “That’s so neat.”
“I found out about these a while ago, it’s this really cool thing they started doing,” Ace says. “I didn’t know if they’d have one for Birds of Prey ‘cause it’s, well, what it is. But we got lucky!”
Robin nods. “It’s cool,” she signs. “And probably no little kids. I hope.”
Carol snorts. “I sure hope there aren’t any little kids. Your mom’s not even thrilled about me taking you to this.”
“We’re old enough to know what’s inappropriate for real life,” Monica says brightly, just a little bit ass-kissing.
“I think she means ‘cause the villain, y’know, cuts faces off people,” Ace points out.
“That’s definitely what I meant,” Carol says with a fond eyeroll at Monica. “I didn’t think the movie would be a bad influence on you, Lieutenant, ‘cause you’re not four.”
“Well, at least nobody’s saying cutting faces off is a good thing,” Monica says.
“True. And I think you’ll be fine, she’s just a little overprotective sometimes.”
“One of you has to be,” Monica shrugs cheerfully.
They settle into their seats - sure enough, the theater is nearly empty except for a couple of people close to the front. Robin immediately runs up to the very back and plops down in the seat exactly in the middle, looking pleased.
The others follow, and Ace asks, “You care which side the rest of us pile in on?”
Robin shakes her head, gesturing for him to sit next to her.
“I’ll sit down here,” Carol calls from a few rows down, “since you guys aren’t toddlers and don’t need to be watched like a hawk.”
Monica grins and sits on Robin’s other side. “Thanks, Carol Mom,” she singsongs. Carol salutes them and then pulls out her phone, since the pre-show commercials are still playing.
When the movie starts, the sound is turned down enough that it won’t be overwhelming, the lights are left on (which is especially good because Robin and Ace occasionally nudge each other and sign their commentary), and the film is subtitled. Occasionally there’s some noise from the few other people in the theater, since the idea is to allow neurodivergent viewers to move around or be loud if they want or need to. Robin, of course, is quiet except for some loud laughter at the jokes, but they’re all laughing at them anyway.
When the movie’s over, there’s some scattered applause and everyone gathers their things to leave. Robin is doing one of her happy stims (bouncing back and forth from one foot to the other) and smiling. “That was so good!” she signs.
Cassie beams. “See, that’s what Harley Quinn is supposed to be like,” she says.
“I’m so glad they just brushed over the ‘jumped into a chemical vat and now I’m crazy too!’ thing,” Ace says. “Like, they only mentioned it briefly enough that people couldn’t get mad about there not being continuity, but they underplayed it enough to keep you from worrying too much about her having agency in her own story.”
“Everyone had agency, actually,” Monica agrees. “That was really cool. I wasn’t sure if they’d be able to pull that off.”
Carol meets them near the theater exit. “Wow, you guys look like you had a terrible time,” she says, winking at them.
“It was so great!” Cassie enthuses. “Thank you for taking us, Ms. Danvers.”
Robin nods and signs “Thank you” as well.
“It kind of goes without saying, but I don’t need to rewrite this one at all,” Ace says cheerfully. “The good actual DC movies just… exist in a separate timeline from my DC movies. Or something. I mean, obviously, ‘cause I have blonde white Canary. But this Canary is…” He pauses, eyes wide. He’s obviously crushing pretty hard.
“Yeah, she’s something,” Monica agrees. “Carol Mom, d’you think I’d look bad with hair her color? Not for always, just…”
Carol laughs. “I had a feeling you were gonna ask that. We’ll see, alright? I think we can figure something out, for a costume at least.”
“I call Huntress!” signs Robin.
“Guess that means I’m Harley,” Cassie giggles. “Cool. I hope my dad has me on Halloween this year, my mom and her husband would probably make faces if I went out with ‘rotten’ written on my face.”
“Well, I’m not gonna be Roman,” Ace snorts. “Nuh-uh. I’ll be…” He grins. “I’ll be the hyena.”
Robin laughs and signs, “Maybe you can be the hyena in a Batman costume.”
“That sounds complicated but I’m up for the challenge,” Ace says brightly.
“Okay, you all go wash up for dinner, the burgers’ll be done in a second,” Carol calls from the kitchen (where she is dutifully pouring chips into a bowl and not helping with the actual food prep).
The kids, led by Monica, all troop into the bathroom and take turns washing their hands. Then they file back into the kitchen cheerfully. “Is there anything I can help with?” Ace asks politely.
“Here.” Carol hands him the chip bowl. “You go put that on the table, alright? Monica, you take one of the toppings plates. Robin and Cassie can fight over the other one and the salad.”
Robin grins and does the sign for “fight” at Cassie before grabbing the plate of tomatoes and pickles.
Cassie takes the salad with a cheerful shrug and sets it on the table, close to center. “Thank you for having us for dinner, Ms. Danvers,” she says, and before she can continue she notices the cat winding hopefully around her legs. “Uh, does the mooch get rewarded?”
“She’s already had dinner, but you wouldn’t know it with how she begs,” sighs Carol, leaning down to pick up Goose and put her near her food bowl. “Goose likes to take her time with her dry food, she’s not starving. Are you, you little velociraptor?” she coos, scratching the cat behind her ears.
“She’s gonna be on us all dinner,” Monica says. “You just have to love her and nudge her away. Least she doesn’t get on the table like she does if you’re having a snack on the couch.”
“Small mercies,” Maria adds with a laugh, coming in with a full plate of burgers. “Alright, everybody, soup’s on.”
Robin gives Monica a confused look and signs, “No soup.”
“It’s just a thing she says,” Monica shrugs. “I don’t really get it either.”
“You leave your old mom alone,” Maria teases, leaning over to kiss her daughter’s head. “I don’t bug you about all the weird slang you and your friends use, do I?”
“I’m not bugging you,” Monica points out. “I’m just saying.”
“You can totally ask us what slang words mean,” Cassie offers. “I love explaining that stuff to grown-ups. It’s funny.”
“No, I know that trick,” Carol says, grinning and shaking her finger at Cassie. “Monica already did this when I wanted to know what ‘thot’ meant. And she filmed me, the little smartass.”
“It was really funny,” Monica says, at the same time that Cassie promises, “I wouldn’t film you. I actually just think it’s fun.”
“Maybe you wouldn’t film her, but I can’t promise anything,” Robin signs at Cassie, and then winks.
Cassie stifles a laugh. “It’s like a weird anthropology lesson,” she says to Carol, as a further explanation. “Words are just… funny.”
“They certainly are,” Maria says, passing the plate of burgers to her daughter. “So I’m guessing everybody enjoyed the movie?”
All four plus Carol nod and there’s a series of jumbled exclamations. Maria grins and holds up a hand. “One at a time, please. You first,” she says, nodding to Monica.
“I liked that just because characters were brown or gay or whatever, they weren’t stereotypes,” Monica says. “Ace was telling us about Suicide Squad and I’m really glad it wasn’t… that.”
Ace nods eagerly. “I’m never gonna stop being angry about Killer Croc,” he says. “Or Diablo, and being Latino wasn’t even a new part of him! They just made it a mess.”
“I liked that there were so many cool girls,” signs Robin. “I’m gonna be Huntress for Halloween.”
“Could I dye my hair?” Monica asks. “Just for a little while.”
Maria blinks. “Sorry, for what purpose?”
“Halloween also,” Monica says. “I wanna be Black Canary. I guess I could get a wig, too, but it might be hard to find one.”
Maria sighs dramatically. “Well, I guess we can at least look into it. That’s not a for-sure yes,” she adds quickly, as Monica and Ace exchange delighted grins.
“We’re all gonna do it!” Cassie chimes in. “I’m gonna be Harley and Ace is gonna be my hyena. There’s only one of those in this movie, but he’s great so it’s fine.”
“They came up with this master plan during the credits,” Carol chimes in. “I swear I had nothing to do with it. But they’re gonna be so cute.”
Monica wrinkles her nose. “We’re not gonna be cute, we’re gonna be epic,” she says.
“That too,” Maria says fondly. “We’ll find you an appropriate version of that Black Canary outfit, alright? That actress is grown and you’re not.”
“Yeah, I know,” Monica says. “At least I don’t wanna wear the see-through dress.”
“I wouldn’t complain if you wanted to wear the see-through dress,” Carol whispers to Maria, who snorts and reaches to squeeze her hand.