Work Text:
Suns added another stroke of color to his chamber wall, lost in the motion.
Many Iterators, mainly Hara, had strongly recommended against both bringing paint into his chamber, and using it on his walls.
Suns had at first agreed, but after so long they knew they’d do it anyway. They could always remove it later anyway.
Next to the painting-in-progress floated a pearl, containing an image of a sunset for reference.
Beside it, a holographic screen of Pebbles, giving the situation an intrigued but disapproving look.
“I don’t understand why you’ve done this.”
Suns didn’t look up at him, focusing on the motions of his hand. His chamber walls were smooth, and made for a large and easy canvas, but his inexperience made him doubt himself.
They kept going, though.
“I’m doing this,” Suns muttered, “because creative practices such as this are proven to be good for the mind. I’ve never disagreed with your projects,”
“That’s because music pearls can be easily rewritten, and are compact.” Suns heard Pebbles sigh. “Now whenever you video call someone, they’ll see this. Other Iterators might see this as…unorthodox.”
…Good point. Suns’s Local Group were more task-oriented and neat. They’d certainly be startled by something like this.
He never really cared for them anyway.
“I guess we’ll both stop video calling our Local Group then.”
Suns added another stroke, then used his umbilical to slowly back away from the wall.
It looked horrible.
Nothing like the reference. The paint was even dripping at some points. The buildings looked plain and unshaded, and the sky of the painting was as unrealistic as possible.
Suns had thought he’d followed the reference perfectly. Or, he intended to. The medium was more complicated than anything he’d done before. Far more than he expected.
They sighed, dropping the pearl and himself to the ground, as the hologram of Pebbles followed.
“…Is something wrong?” Pebbles asked, with a rare hint of worry.
“You were right, Pebbles. I don’t know what I was thinking. We weren’t built for tasks like this.“
There was a pause.
“I think you did a good job.”
“No offense, but you…you can’t really see.”
“I know, I just…I think the blend of colors looks pretty. The yellows and reds, it looks really nice. …It reminds me of you.”
Suns looked up at the hologram, to see Pebbles looking away.
“You mean that?”
“Y-yes, of course.”
“…Then I won’t scrap it. I’ll probably refine it later, though,”
“You shouldn’t base that decision on someone who’s visually impaired.”
“I trust your opinion regardless. Besides, you’re the only person I really video call.”
Suns looked back at the painting. It wasn’t as bad as they first thought. It certainly wasn’t realistic, but it had a sort of abstract beauty that was good enough.
An odd thought passed through their artificial mind.
Almost without knowing it they picked up their paintbrush again, dipping it into one of the nearby buckets.
After a moment of painting, Pebbles let out a soft chuckle.
“I may be wrong, but I don’t think sunsets have purple, or whatever those shapes are.”
Suns would smile if he could. Sitting atop one of the painted buildings, staring off at the sunset, were he and Pebbles’s puppets.
“I added us. I guess now it’s as far from realistic as it can get.”
Suns and Pebbles simply stared at the painting for a long while. A whole cycle could have gone by, between the pleasant silence.
“…Thank you.” Pebbles spoke quietly, breaking the stillness.
“What are you thanking me for?”
“I guess, for painting me with you. A thank you feels appropriate.”
“It’s alright. I…I like painting you.”
Another bout of silence followed. Suns felt as if his systems were heating up, but he couldn’t determine why.
“I could paint you more, if you’d like-“
Pebbles’s usually blank expression quickly turned horror.
“No, I-I’d rather you not. I mean, if anyone calls you and sees your chamber…”
“I don’t mind.”
The idea of getting caught with his walls covered in art, especially of Pebbles, was quickly becoming more amusing than horrifying.
“…If you want to draw me, I guess I can’t stop you. Just, I have to ask that you find another canvas.”
“Yes, I can do that. Maybe if Hara gets the transport systems working again, I can send you some.”
“I wouldn’t really be able to see it, but…thanks for the offer. I’d appreciate that.”
Suns looked at the painting of them and Pebbles, then back at the real Pebbles.
He really would be easy to draw again. All Iterator’s were made visually simple, especially the Generation 3 models. His shade of pink was soft, matching surprisingly well with his milky white eyes. The faded orange of his cloak was similar enough to the four yellow dots above his eyes.
He looked so friendly and short, though his personality didn’t match that.
Suns wondered what it would be like to have him beside themself, to be able to talk face to face.
They wondered if another Iterator’s hand would feel cold or warm.
They blinked, realizing they’d been lost in thought for a while.
“You probably have other projects you need to get to. I apologize for taking up so much of your time,”
“It’s fine, really. I like spending time with you. But, you’re right, I should get going. We could, um, call again sometime? If you want?”
“Yes, definitely. Goodbye.”
The video call ended, and Suns was left alone once again.
He could have started working on his other projects. Or checked on his Local Broadcasts.
But instead he simply sat on the floor of his chamber, looking up at the idealistic painting.