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“These are my absolute favorite pajamas!”
“They are your only pajamas, Bim,” Google_G sounded amused, and Bim shot him a mock glare. Casting aside the pair of pants, Bim picked up a bag from the corner store.
“And these–” he upended the bag, sending tubes of various colors and sizes clattering everywhere, “–are face masks and nail polish!” Bim looked up from the floor, surrounded by his ‘sleepover preparation.’ The rest of the room– everyone except Dark and Google_B– looked at him skeptically.
“I think it’s a great idea, personally,” Amy piped up. Mark and Kathryn moved to argue with her, but she cut them off. “Why not have a sleepover at the office? We all deserve a day off.”
Ethan jumped forward to sit next to Bim. “C’mon, Kat, you can do our makeup!” He and Bim grinned up at them, and Tyler sighed.
“I don’t think–” Tyler and Oliver began to speak at the same time, stopping to stare at each other. Oliver gestured to Tyler to continue. Tyler sighed, glancing at Mark, who was pinching the bridge of his nose, halfway between amusement and chagrin. “I don’t think it’s the best idea, Bim. Besides, where would we sleep?”
Google_R began to nod in agreement, but Wilford spoke up from behind them. “Right here!” A snap of his fingers, and the room’s floor was covered in blankets that smelled of strawberry. Google_R, annoyed, tested the floor with his foot, and shrugged. “I must, I suppose, agree with Wilford. There is no logistical reason to prevent us from having a ‘sleepover.’”
Dr. Iplier, skeptical, watching, turned to the Host. “Do you think this is a good idea?”
“The Host believes that a sleepover could be an excellent opportunity to bond with the rest of the Egos and the Team,” he said quietly, smiling. Bim clapped his hands.
“See! Even Host is on board!” He turned to Mark, now leaning against a desk with his head in his hands. “Please stay, it’ll be fun!”
Mark finally sighed, straightening up. “Okay. But only–”
“YAY!” Bim, Ethan, and Wilford dragged Host into a circle, joining hands and bouncing on the blankets that covered the floor. Wilford paused to push his hair out of his eyes, then seemed to snap to attention.
“Okay,” he said, pointing his dagger at the Googles. “The first course of action is to create a list of the movies we’ll watch. My first suggestion is Silence of the Lambs–”
The room erupted in protest, even the Host chiming in with, “I’d really prefer to watch Stranger Than Fiction–”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Mark almost yelled, waving his arms until the room quieted. “We can only have this sleepover if, if Dark is okay with it.”
Wilford detected the barest trace of a tremble in his voice, and frowned. “I’ll go ask him,” he smiled deviously, and was gone from the room in a flash of pink.
Dr. Iplier rolled his eyes. “I’ll go make sure he doesn’t kill him,” he muttered, slipping out the door after him.
“With that,” Bim clapped his hands to break the silence, “let our sleepover commence! Googles, if you would–”
Mark sighed, settling down cross-legged on the floor to watch the others dash to Bim’s pile of supplies.
Amy, Kat, and Bim came to sit by him, lugging the makeup supplies. “We’re going to make him pretty,” Kathryn chuckled, motioning to Bim. Amy’s eyes were alight with inspiration, and Mark would have felt sorry for Bim if he wasn’t almost jumping with glee.
Ethan, Tyler, and the Googles were bent over the TV in the corner, and faster than should have been possible, they pulled up Mario Kart. Tyler passed Players Three and Four to the Googles, who looked confused. “Play with us,” he said matter-of-factly.
Google_R stuttered before blushing deeply and accepting one of the controllers. Oliver and Google_G looked at each other before Google_G motioned to him. “Go ahead, brother. I would like to keep the Host company, for now.” With that, he walked away, leaving Ethan and Tyler to squabble over who would get to be Player One as Oliver and Google_R stared.
“How are you, Host?” Google_G stood next to him, aside from the commotion.
“The Host is enjoying observing the other Egos partake in these ‘sleepover’ activites,” he said, a little sadly. “However, the Host would also like to partake, but is not sure how.”
“If he would like to play a board game, I would be happy to turn my AI to a a more normal setting,” Google_G offered, and the Host smiled.
“The Host believes that he can best Google at Sorry! while he is at full capacity.” The Host smirked, and Google_G laughed.
“I will accept this as a challenge,” Google_G said, leading the two of them over to the unoccupied space of blanket by the board games.
Wilford burst back into the room, spotted the Host and Google_G setting up the board, and made a beeline for them. “I want to play! Give me the pink pieces!”
“Wilford, there are no pink pieces.”
“Well then,” he said, cocking his gun at the board, “this is a problem.”
“The Host would like to remind Wilford that there are red playing pieces, which should suffice.”
“Oh. Well, that will suffice.”
Google_B and the Doctor walked in to Wilford reholstering his gun, and Dr. Iplier shook his head. Mark waved the two of them over, patting the blanket beside him. They walked over and sat down to face him, legs crossed.
“Hi, Google. Doc, what did Dark say?”
The Doctor shot a look at Google_B before answering. “Ah, Darkiplier is indifferent to our having a sleepover, so long as we don’t get too loud.”
Google_B looked over his shoulder at Tyler, Ethan, and Google_R, who were watching in trepidation as Oliver hunched over his controller, yelling loudly at the results of the last race.
Mark sighed. “Google, could you please–”
Google_B nodded, standing up and walking towards the TV. Ethan and Tyler were now lying down, laughing, controllers forgotten, as Google_R and Oliver focused intently on the race, flinging obscenities.
“Mark, what do you think?” Kathryn was laughing, pulling on his sleeve, and Mark turned to see Bim and Amy grinning widely at him, looking altogether too proud of themselves.
“It’s… uh… it’s a look.” Mark managed to stutter, ignoring Kat now howling beside him.
Bim batted his lashes gently, smiling even wider. “Do you like it? I think Miss Amy did a really good job!” The smoky eye and bold lipstick made Bim’s face incredibly attractive, and Mark squirmed in confusion as Amy laughed.
“You look fantastic, Bim.” She gave him a little hug, his eyes lighting up. “Now go, play board games with Host, and send Oliver to us.”
Mark looked at her disbelievingly as Bim jumped up, eager. “Are you really going to put makeup on an android?”
“Why not?”
Kathryn sat up, still chuckling. “I’m thinking something more subtle– pass me the gold highlight.” Amy obliged, and Mark rolled his eyes at them.
“Uh-uh-uh,” Amy said, catching him. “We’ll get to you too, eventually.”
Oliver sat, cross-legged, confused. “I was summoned by you two, I believe?”
“Yes,” Kathryn said, brush loaded, an evil smile at her lips. “Close your eyes and hold still, Oliver.” The two of them descended on the droid, and Mark shook his head, standing.
“Mark,” Ethan called across the room. Now quieted, and joined by Google_B, their game was going much more smoothly. As Mark approached, Ethan smiled. “Jump in. Tyler, give him the controller.”
“Me? You’re just upset because you’re losing, you give him your controller.” Tyler threw his whole body sideways, twisting the controller, guiding his character around a tight corner.
“I think,” Mark said, laughing, “I’ll just watch.”
The Googles were hunched close to the screen, not even acknowledging his presence. Looking at the screen, Mark saw that Google_R was winning, closely pursued by Google_B. Tyler and Ethan seemed to be a lap behind.
Amid an exclamation of “the GOO!” as Google_B inked the other players, and unnoticed by anyone in the room, Darkiplier slipped in.
Unnoticed, except by Oliver. Amy and Kathryn were putting the final touches on his lips when Oliver looked up to see Dark, black-suited, though the rest of them were in their pajamas, hovering behind Amy.
“Ah!– Oliver, you moved!” Amy chastised him, reaching for the makeup wipes before glancing up at his face.
“Er, hello.”
Kathryn stared accusingly at Dark as Amy whipped around, alarmed. Oliver, though sitting, leaned forward to hiss at him. “If you are here to harm any of the team, I can assure you that we will end this sleepover quickly.”
Warfstache let out a loud whoop from where he was still sat, winning Sorry!, and Google_G beeped in alarm, dodging the flying pieces of the game board.
Dark looked at them, then back down to Oliver. Amy and Kathryn were hunched a little defensively, staring up at him, and Dark swallowed his sudden awkwardness. “No, I have come with a-a request.”
“A request? What are you here for, edgelord?” Kathryn’s voice was cutting, sardonic, and it carried across the room. Mark, tearing his eyes from the screen and Oliver destroying yet another controller, was on his feet in an instant.
“I would like…” Dark smoothed his hair, looking around at Mark in the sudden silence, “I would hope that I could join you.”
“Dark, I don’t think that’s the best idea.” Tyler stood up too, and he and Mark stared Dark down, arms folded.
Something in Dark snapped, very softly. “Get over yourself, I’m not going to do anything.” The words came out in a snarl, and he saw the whole room draw back and hold its breath. Dark tensed. “If my presence is not wanted, I will leave,” he said, and turned to go.
Mark, Tyler, Kathryn, and the rest of the room watched him through narrowed eyes.
A soft hand on his leg stopped him. Mark stepped forward quickly, his heart in his throat. “Amy, I really don’t think it’s a good idea–”
“Dark, would you like to help us fix Oliver’s makeup?” Amy glared at Mark, silencing him, before looking back up at Dark. She knew, beside her, that Kathryn and Oliver were stiffening.
Dark swiftly sat down, and Amy had to force herself not to scoot away. Kathryn didn’t afford Dark the courtesy, and moved to the other side of Oliver. Amy swallowed hard.
“So, see this fan brush?” She held it up, trying not to make eye contact, but seeing Dark nod all the same. “What we’re going to do is put this darker shade–” she pulled out a contour palate, pointing, “–under the cheekbone, here.” She gestured in a line to Oliver, who’d gone completely still, staring at Dark. Amy loaded the brush and held it out, aware that everyone in the room was watching her.
Dark wordlessly took the brush and reached towards Oliver, who did an excellent job of trying not to flinch.
“Right here,” Amy pointed again.
She actually did it, Mark thought, watching the evil entity brush makeup onto the androids face. He was a little awkward, but he was sitting silently with them, now listening to Amy ask his opinion on a lighter shade.
Slowly, the room began to breathe again. Ethan and the Googles turned back to the console, and the Host quietly suggested that they play a different board game. Tyler stood next to Mark, who was still watching Amy and Kathryn showing Dark how to use a beauty blender.
“He is a person, after all,” Tyler said quietly. “He’s not one-dimensional. He’s evil, yeah, but what does an evil person do when they’re not trying to take over your channel? They live, and learn new skills, and grow.”
“He’s not turning over a new leaf, that’s for goddamn sure,” Mark growled, watching Dark, now smiling silkily at Kathryn, who glared back. “But you’re right. He has to live here, he might as well learn to live.”
The morning found the Egos and Teamiplier sprawled around the room, with the exception of the Googles, who had retired to a corner to charge, sitting straight up, eyes closed. Wilford lay spread out, fingers twitching over his dagger, mustache rising and falling as he snored. Mark was curled by the wall, hand loosely wrapped around Amy’s, looking peaceful. Amy and Kathryn slept close together, having fallen asleep talking about their new video ideas and coffee mixes, the makeup long since forgotten. Ethan and Tyler lay nearby, sandwiching Bim in between them. Bim lay with his hands over his chest, a smile on his face even in sleep. The Host was against the opposite wall, slumped upright, but fast asleep, the Doctor lying close by. A deck of cards lay between them, stamped in Braille, fluttering occasionally with the Doctor’s breaths. Dark was lying apart from them all, still in his suit, seemingly watching the Host’s and Dr. Iplier’s card game from afar.
As sunlight slanted across the room, Dark was the first to wake up. He struggled to his feet, looking around at the scene in front of him, before quietly straightening his tie and stepping out, down the hall, back to his office.