Work Text:
Recently, Gaty had noticed the minor imperfections within her paint. She had only observed this change when she'd passed by the mirror in the hotel. Her periwinkle paint had been chipping all over, and sprinkles of brown wood had made its way into light. Had she really not noticed until now?
Well, after the events of the last challenge, (the storm had taken everyone's attention), she hadn't found the time to maintain her appearance.
So, she made her way into her hotel room, took out her paint bucket, and set up right in front of her mirror.
The room smelled of paint as she began working on her first section of paint. Though, she was shortly interrupted with a knock on her door she instantly recognized.
"Gaty?"
“Two! Come in.”
Her door opened promptly, and Two waltzed in, with that same polite smile they usually adorned.
“Gaty! Are you—“ they paused, “Oh! Are you painting yourself?” They went wide-eyed at the sight.
“Uh yeah! After that vicious attack from Robot flower I’m all messed up!”, she pointed at the primarily large chip where she’d damaged the worst.
“That’s terrible! Sorry you had to go through that.”
“It’s fine…I’m just happy all that’s over with ya’ know..”
The algebralien sat down right next to her and eyed the paintbrush in her foot, then at Gaty again.
“Could I help?”
Gaty looked back at Two, surprised by the sudden request, she’d been the only one ever to paint herself, but she wasn’t against the idea.
She chucked, “Okay Michelangelo, let’s see what you got!” Gaty held out the used paintbrush towards Two.
Grabbing the paintbrush, Two laughed at her comment and began working on one of her sides.
The paint felt cool against her skin. As she closed one of her eyes, she could feel every bristle of the brush, to the movements of Two’s hand. They continued in comfortable silence.
Stealing another glance at Two, with the eye Gaty wasn’t closing shut, she was met with Two’s look of intense focus.
The exchange felt strangely intimate.
Feeling the last stripe of paint slide down her skin and a hum, presumably from Two, she opened her eye, and looked back at her mirror.
“All done! Ta—da!”
Gaty leaned closer, as she admired Two’s work. Any sight of brown previously had disappeared! Though, she noticed one conspicuous detail.
Two had painted a small heart to the right of her.
“Oh? What’s this Two?” She giggled at the little thing.
“I just wanted to spice things up a bit!” They declared, looking so proud of themselves.
They were so silly.
“Well, thank you for that,” She glared at them with no real sign of annoyance. Then she leaned back.
”I’m just glad to be my color again, I really hate seeing the brown.” She paused. “It’s unsightly.”
Two stopped. “Unsightly?”
“Yes. It’s ugly.” She said bluntly.
That familiar tense feeling crept inside of her. She didn’t like being reminded of what would meet her under the layers of paint she wore.
“What?! There‘s nothing ugly about you!” The response came automatically, and Two seemed perplexed should Gaty even suggest that.
It’s only unfair, the way Two looked at Gaty as if they were the most previous thing they’ve laid eyes upon.
“You don’t think so?”
Two took a step closer, “All I think is that I like you. Every version of you. Always.”
Sunlight streamed through the cracks of her window, illuminating her room, and she curled her lips back at the familiar face that recollected her doubts.
Two held Gaty in their arms, in their heart, and made a promise. Gaty was so infatuated with them. Was that safe to say?
She didn’t know how to respond to their words, so she quickly picked up the idle paintbrush and painted a heart of her own on Two’s cheek.
"Now we're matching!"
“I guess so,” Two smiled brightly.