Time to Get Creative

Chapter 3

"Quarter to nine, time for a bath," Tony stated crisply, glancing over at Paige, who was painting.

"Yeah, bath...Yeah, I'll get to that later..." she murmured, still focusing on her artwork. She was oil painting, as she called it. Much more creative than water colors or oil pastels.

"Meh. Meh. Meh. Meh! Meh! Meh! MEH! MEH! MEH! M-" She barely turned around, used to his constant screaming.

"I don't want to take a bath," Paige said simply, stroking the oil in layers.

"It's in the schedule. Now, come on. I've had my 8:30 bath already."

"It won't work." He raised his eyebrows, slightly amused.

"What won't work?"

"The bath and I. It won't wash away my creativity, if that's what you're thinking." He sighed, quietly walking up behind her. Paige always made excuses. He swiftly picked her up from behind, placing her over his shoulder. The paintbrush slipped from her grasp and splattered all over the canvas.

"Tony!" She smacked his shoulder and tried to kick him, but he was too tall. Paige slumped as he chuckled, heading towards the bathroom. There was already water and bubbles in the bathtub. He promptly dropped her in, stepping back quickly so his suit wouldn't get wet. She coughed and spluttered, crossing her arms. Her inky skin dissolved with the water, turning it black, bubbles at all.

"Happy now?" she countered, staring up at him. He pulled at his collar.

"If you don't like it, just get out," he muttered, handing her a towel. She stepped out of the tub, drying herself.

"You can't admit you were wrong, can you?" she taunted, shaking her hair out.

Tick tock, tick tock

Tony is a clock

But he was wrong

And now this song

Is stuck in his head like a rock!

"Just get ready for bed." He stormed out of the bathroom, the arrow on his face glowing a bright red. She chuckled, tossing the towel on the ground and following him. She headed to the study first.

"Goodnight, Colin." The young man was hunched over, mumbling unintelligibly while tapping constantly on a hidden screen. He pushed up his wire framed glasses, but said nothing.

"Goodnight, Gilbert."

"Goodnight, Paige! I hope you see the world in your dreams tonight!" He smiled, straightening his global tie, and Paige smiled back. He was always so kind. She closed the door, heading to the kitchen.

"Goodnight, David, Ms. Spinach Can, 'Bread Boy', and Mr. Fridge," Paige gasped a little, out of breath. A chorus of 'Goodnight!'s were heard, and she went to the television room, pushing open the window.

"Goodnight, Shrignold." She paused, not hearing anything. "Goodnight, Shrignold." The wind whistled slightly, but still nothing. "Shrig? Come on, where are you?" She cupped her hands over her mouth. "Shriggy?" An exasperated sigh was heard, as the butterfly fluttered up to the windowsill. 

"It's Shrignold, Paige." He looked at her up and down. "If you are Paige, that is." 

"Yes, it's me. I came to say goodnight, and that he says we're to change into our other forms." His face went slack, then he nodded and closed his eyes. Shrignold transformed into a small but sturdy young male with blue skin like Tony's. He was wearing a grey, button-down shirt with a black vest over it, a bright red heart clipped in the middle. He had a loose, yellow shawl wrapped around his neck, as the tip of his nose was yellow as well. Even his sleeves were yellow at the elbows. His wings were folded neatly on his back as his antennae were drooping down to his eyebrows. Even the ends of those were little hearts. He stayed outside, however. Paige sighed.

"Come inside, Shrig. It's cold and dark out there. Everyone else is inside." He shook his head. 

"Malcolm is expecting me. He dislikes the cold."

"And you do too. So come inside." He opened his mouth, then closed it, shaking his head.

"No. My king needs me."

"We need you too, Shrig. All of us, even Colin." Paige looked at him. "Please?" He stared at her, then back outside. Shrignold groaned, then flied inside, as she grinned widely and engulfed him in a hug. The tips of his antennae burst into red as he gently hugged her back. Eventually, they released, as she ruffled his hair. 

"Come on, little brother. We've got to find a place for you to sleep." She started walking all over the house in search for an empty room.

"I'm not your brother!" He giggled and followed Paige. Tony was just finishing is ten o'clock reading hour when he heard them parading around the house, laughing all the while. He glared at them when they entered the living room.

"It's ten o'clock, time for you to go to bed," he said pointedly. Paige rolled her eyes. 

"I was just getting Shrignold." He waved, eyes wide. "He needs a place to sleep." Tony huffed, then set his book down.

"Oh, alright. Since it'll make things go faster." He gestured to an open chair as Shrignold curled up in it, wings folded and eyes closed. Tony gazed at him for a second, then to Paige. 

"Goodnight, Tony," she smiled. He looked at her up and down, from her brightly colored hair to her pencil-thin legs. Tony walked up to her, so close that they could feel each other breathing, and grinned widely. It was quite a goofy look, although it suited him much better than his usual, serious look. Paige's cheeks were colored with red, although she was still smiling.

"I'm so much taller than you," he teased, ruffling her already curly hair. She stepped back, eyebrows drawn and her mouth turned down.

"That's it? That's it? I thought you-I thought you were..." Paige crossed her arms, the shade of red turning darker. Tony raised an eyebrow, cupping her cheek casually and quickly brushing a thumb over it. Before she could react, however, he pulled away and looked at his white glove. The thumb was now stained with red powder. Paige looked up at him, confused and flustered. His smile simmered down into a smirk.

"Gotcha back." Her eyebrows twisted together.

"What?"

"For your little song." Her eyes widened as her eyebrows plummeted downwards. 

"Is that was this was all about?" Her cheeks turned a dark crimson before she stormed out of the room, muttering curses under her breath. Tony just watched her leave, but his smirk faded ever so slowly until she was gone.

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