Chapter Text
Charlie is happy for once in his life. He's surrounded by people like him, hybrids.
It makes his instincts spiral. Especially when he's around Mariana, though he doesn't know why.
He feels safe around them. He doesn't exactly want to feel safe, because that could lead to danger and danger means having to fight.
Like when Mr. Census Bureau put those needles in him. He fought tooth and nail against it, even trying to use his goo to make Mr Census Bureau stuck so he could escape, but nothing worked.
.. It made him feel icky. But then he was okay, but he didn't feel okay at the moment.
He looked over at Foolish and Jaiden. The way Foolish moved his hands around when happy, and the way Jaidens wings flapped around constantly.
It was interesting to Charlie. He didn't have fins or golden scales like Foolish, or wings and ears made of feathers like Jaiden. He didn't have midnight black patches of skin or demon horns like Bad, nor antlers like Dan.
He didn't have alien antennas or another set of eyes like Fit, nor black feathers and talons like Phil. Charlie didn't have blonde wings that could boost his movements like Quackity, he didn't even have fangs like Wilbur.
Not even weirdly colored wings like Mariana, a large antenna hanging from his head like Luzu, spotted wings like Max, or hands made of just bone like Missa, not even spider legs and extra eyes like Roier, or fluffy bear ears like Spreen, or raccoon ears like Vegetta.
.. He had something better, though. Slime. His sludge that he could turn his body into. They couldn't shapeshift or turn their body into just a green liquid like him, and that's why he's cool.
He's sometimes jealous of Roiers webs that he can form out of his fingertips, and how Phil can fly, but he ignores it. If anything, they should be jealous of him!
He definitely doesn't get upset when he sees Bad play with basic magic, or when he sees Jaiden soar around with almost no problem.
.. Yeah, no, he doesn't. They're basic, and he's unique. He can basically climb on walls like Roier, he can form things with his hands like Bad, he can change his teeth to look like Wilburs fangs.
Charlie's just as good as them, if not better.
Though hearing Mariana rant about the fact he can smell fruit miles away, hearing Max say how he can eat plants and trees, and seeing Jaiden show off her wings hurts.
He's different from them, he knows that. Just like how they're different from him. While Charlie doesn't really have a gender, Jaiden is a girl, and Luzu is a boy. That's something different, just like their species.
Though, still, the feeling of safety when he's near them is overwhelming. He wonders what it'd be like to hide in Phil or Quackitys or even Jaidens wings, or to see Bad do his magic up close
No, Charlie can't go down that path. He can't trust any of these kids, because then they might betray him, and betrayal is bad and could cause danger.
Before he can start spiraling down that rabbit hole, he walks over to one of the tables with arts and crafts on it. Speaking of holes, he wants to hide in one right now.
-
A few minutes into Charlie making an airplane (which looked more like a table, somehow), Maximus walks over.
The lanternfly has his hair over his eyes, and his wings are practically flat against his back.
"H-Hello!" Maximus greets. It's almost cool how the glitch and weird music parts of Maximus' voice sound.
Charlie waves slightly, ".. Hi."
"C-C-Can I sit w-with you?"
The slime hybrid hesitates. Having some company wouldn't hurt. He slowly nods when Maximus sits across from him.
Charlie pushes some paper and markers to Maximus, feeling the sides of his lips curl up into a smile.
Maximus grabs a black crayon, starting to scribble. Charlie can hear Fit and Phils conversation from here. They're talking about powers.
He tries to block it out.
Maximus is mumbling a tune to a song, one Charlie has never heard before. Huh.
-
Charlie finds himself staring at a certain fruit bat a lot today. Maybe it's just the fact he's bored, or how Maximus has dozed off, he doesn't know.
.. Mariana looks like a sweetheart. He recalls overhearing the hybrid call Roier a 'pendejo', which Charlie is pretty sure means asshole, but other than that; Mariana looks like a kind person.
Despite him feeling jealous of Marianas abilities (no, no! You aren't jealous, no-), he would willingly let Mariana rant to him about the fruit bats powers.
.. However, if Missa or Spreen would, he wouldn't let them.
A tap on his shoulder snaps him out of his thoughts.
Jaiden is there, "Mr Census Bureau said it's lunch time!"
Charlie mimics the smile he sees she has, "Okay! I'll be there in a m-minute, Ill wake Maximus up."
Jaiden nodded.