Somewhere over the rainbow
Steve was a bit impressed that Cooper was dressing up for the movie. He wasn’t as surprised that Brianna was, but Cooper’s Professor Marvel costume was authentic to what Steve remembered from the movie.
Don was grinning broadly, happy to see Cooper dressed for the occasion.
A change of clothes for the cook out was tossed into a duffel bag for Cooper and Brianna.
A phone call, verified that Charlie, Ian, and Isaac were not coming over to carpool.
Don letting them know Steve had dropped in for breakfast so seven in the SUV would be a tight fit.
Steve felt a little embarrassed, but Cooper let him know that technically six couldn’t fit in the SUV either.
They arrived back at Tony’s house before the friends of Dorothy, but Tony was on the phone coordinating something with them…or maybe just giving driving directions. Steve wasn’t entirely certain.
Ian, Charlie, and Isaac arrived soon after they’d parked. Steve grinned as Isaac ran over to hug his cousin and then wish him a happy birthday. He was wearing a lion costume. Charlie and Ian had opted out of costumes, but it was a sign of things to come, as far as Steve was concerned.
But he was still surprised when the friends of Dorothy arrived.
A minibus painted on theme, followed by another van and a car. Everyone who left those vehicles dressed to the nines. They could have stepped right out of the movie.
And…they were drag performers.
Like in the old neighborhood, when he and Bucky had moved into their own place…but everyone of them would have hocked everything they owned to be able to look like this!
This was amazing…
And it only became more amazing…
JARVIS hadn’t explained what an immersive experience really meant well enough.
It was…everything…and it made the movie even better…especially…especially since he could really see and hear everything now.
Back when he’d seen the movie…he was still colorblind, so the shift to full color from black and white hadn’t been as dramatic to him…and his ears hadn’t worked quite like they should have…and…
Now he was seeing it for the first time all over again, but now he was seeing it, and hearing it, and smelling it, and tasting it…
He was…dancing with characters from the movie and they were patient and helping him sort his two left feet into two right feet into one of each, but still probably in the wrong sides…but…
He was happy.
His face hurt from smiling and laughing…
And the pictures that were taken were great…
He was going to have to draw some of them…
He leaned back and watched as Brianna and Isaac played tag while riding piggy back on flying monkeys and felt…
Thawed out…
Warm…
Alive.