Work Text:
"C'mon, let's go!" Dakota pulled Vyncent and William into the building by their hands. William had given up on resisting, so he just walked along with him.
Dakota led them into the building and looked up at the person working the register. "We're here for the painting class!"
They gestured to the open room behind them, "Sit anywhere, it starts in ten minutes!" They smiled warmly before looking back down to their paperwork.
Dakota sped over to a table and took a seat, looking at the painting supplies enthusiastically.
Vyncent sat next to him, and William sat next to Vyncent. Vyncent held up a bottle of red paint and showed it to William, "What is this? It says it's paint, but I thought paint came in buckets."
"Oh, it's still paint, Vyn. This is just a different type of paint used for art instead of buildings." William explained.
"Okay, that makes sense," Vyncent nodded seriously. William looked over to Dakota, who was practically vibrating in his seat from excitement.
"Kota, this is just a warning to not eat the paint." William warned tiredly.
"What? I would never do that!" Dakota defended.
William deadpanned, "We had to take you to the hospital after you ate wet concrete, Dakota."
"How can concrete be wet?" Vyncent questioned.
William sighed.
-
The worker, who they learned to be named Ezra, explained what they were gonna do. "Okay, so, this is a really small class today, and you all came together so I'm gonna do something a little different this class." Ezra rubbed their hands together dramatically before continuing.
"You, with the red hair!" Dakota perked up, "Go sit over there." They pointed to a table across the room with an easel and paint on it.
Dakota hesitated for a moment but listened. He looked back over at William who gave him a thumbs up.
Ezra set them all up, appropriately far from one another so they couldn't see the other canvases. Ezra moved to the center of the room and looked at the three of them, pressing their hands together.
"Alright! Today we're gonna be painting something - or someone - important to us!" They smiled widely, "This could be a necklace, a pet, or even a friend! The only limit is that your painting must fill the entire canvas. I will be walking around as you work, giving advice on your work. You've got an hour, so get to work!"
-
Throughout the hour, Ezra's grin only grew as they gave small pointers and help to the boys. Dakota had broken a brush at some point, but it was quickly replaced by another identical brush given to him by Ezra. William had his tongue between his teeth and his sleeves rolled up, hyper focused on the canvas in front of him.
After a while an alarm noise played and Ezra clapped, "Alright boys, finish what you're working on right now and put down the brushes!"
William's eyebrows were scrunched as he did a few last strokes before setting down the brush. Vyncent set down the brush which he had been holding in his fist like a toddler with a crayon. Dakota set his brush down as well and he smiled to himself proudly.
"Which one of you wants to present yours first?" Ezra asked, a knowing glimmer in their eye.
Immediately, Dakota raised his hand. Ezra nodded to him, "Alright explain what yours is and why it's important to you."
Dakota flipped his canvas around, revealing a messy painting of a small figure with black hair hugging a larger figure with spiked ears and purple hair. It looked like he painted it with his fingers, despite the several brushes that were sitting on the table covered in paint.
“Is… Is that me and William?” Vyncent asked after a moment of quiet.
“Yeah! Because you guys are great and you’re important to me!” Dakota explained, clearly proud of his painting.
Once Dakota said it, William could see the resemblance. His nose was a little too sharp, and Vyncent’s looked a little pale, but it still made William’s face warm. “I like it, Kota.” William smiled at him, blushing slightly.
“Thanks Will!”
“And you?” Ezra prompted, pointing at Vyncent.
Vyncent seemed a little nervous, but he turned his canvas outwards, “It’s you guys, if you couldn’t tell."
Dakota lit up like a christmas tree upon seeing it, his smile was blinding. Meanwhile, William immediately fell through the bench he was sitting on, and landed on the floor with a crash.
It was a portrait of Dakota and William in a cute cartoonish style. The lines were thick and the colors were bright. William was laying in Dakota’s lap sleeping, a cutesy expression on his face and z’s coming from his head. Dakota smiled down at William with his eyes closed.
William climbed back up bashfully, rubbing his head where he hit it on the bench.
“That’s lovely!” Ezra clapped their hands together, “Last but not least, you!”
William looked between Vyncent and Dakota anxiously before slowly turning the canvas. It was a - shockingly well done - painting of Vyncent, Dakota, and Bobo sitting on the couch playing games. Vyncent looked confused, Dakota was excited, and Bobo just looked pleased to be involved. Bobo held a controller in one of his arms and looked at it rather than actually pushing the buttons. The color was done in splotches, using various shades and tones for the same color rather than filling it in solidly like Vyncent and Dakota had done.
Dakota was the one who spoke first, as per usual, “Woah, that's so cool, Will,”
Vyncent nodded his agreement, “Yeah, that’s really pretty.”
William muttered his thanks, hiding his face in the sleeves of his hoodie.
“Wait, did we all paint each other?” Vyncent asked incredulously.
“We did! We’re a team after all!” Dakota exclaimed. “We’re the goddamn Prime Defenders!”