Ego One shots- Oct-Dec 2017

Little artist inside

"Can you at least tell me where we're going?" Chase was being dragged by the Septic's newest addition to the family. Jameson just shook his head and pull on his arm. Marvin and Jackie were walking close behind, also having no clue what he was planning. Seeing the mute ego beaming when he gathered them all prevented the others from stopping him, so they decided to play along for now. Jackie was starting to regret not going with Henrik to visit Dr. Iplier now.

Jamie opened the door to his room and invited them all in. Inside, Jamie had rearranged everything. All the furniture was pushed to the sides and the floor was completely opened. There were five easels set up in a circle with canvases and paint supplies around them. Jamie turned to the others with a huge smile. "You want us to paint?" chase stated. Jamie just nodded in response.

Chase and Jackie exchanged a look. Neither of them really wanted to. "Look Jameson," Jackie said, stepping forward. "Why exactly do you want us to do this? None of us can really paint," Jamie frowned a little, looking down at his shoes and just shrugging.

Seeing the new guy so down kinda hurt them. Ever since he appeared he was always so full of positivity and energy, anything different just seemed unnatural. Marvin, being the light of positivity, finally stepped in. "Well maybe we should all learn!" He wrapped his arm around Jamie's shoulder. "This could be fun guys," Jamie cheered up and ran over to the easels and opening the paints. Marvin soon followed, urging the other two to join.

Eventually they all had paint palettes covered with different colors. "Umm, Jamie?" Jackieboy finally said. "Did you get any paint brushes?" Jamie nodded and rummaged through a plastic bag.He began pulling out a few more palettes and paints, but no brushes. He stood up confused, and began looking through his drawers. Eventually he turned back to the others with a saddened expression. His gaze landed on the ground as he just shrugged, not knowing where they were.

The others all glanced at each other, eventually Jackie and Chase were looking to Marvin, nodding for him to say something. "H-hey! That's okay! We can still do this. Just use your fingers," He covered his index finger with a bit of red and began making shapes on his canvas. The other two just shrugged and followed suit. Jamie smiled soon joined him.

The four continued finger painting for awhile, giving off commentary now and then, Jackie at one point left to bring them all towels for their hands. Marvin had paint on his nose, but no one said anything because they thought it was too funny.

Jamie set his palette aside and wiped off his fingers. "Hey Jamie," chase suddenly asked. "Why'd you set up five easels?"

"Probably for Henrik," Jackie piped in, then turning to Jamie. "Didn't he tell you he'd be gone today?" Jamie rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Jackie and Chase looked at each other confused. Before either of them had a chance to say anything, the lights flickered and sparked, than Anti was standing in the middle of their little circle.

"Anti?" chase yelled, nearly dropping his palette. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Anti just looked at them all confused. "Are you finger painting? Whatever," He just rolled his eyes and turned to Jamie, holding a piece of paper up to him. "You left this note in my room? I'm here so what do you want?" He asked.

The mute man lite up, clapping to himself. He grabbed the glitch's arm and pulled him to the empty easel. Anti looked at him, then back to the blank canvas. "You want me to paint too?" Jamie nodded enthusiastically, handing him a palette already with paint on it.

The other Septics exchanged looks. What was he thinking inviting that glitch? They were having a good time and now he had to show up. "Umm Jamie, why exactly did you invite him?" Marvin asked timidly. He was still pretty afraid of Anti as it was. Having him here at such a close distance was a little nerve wracking. Jamie huffed and shaking a finger at him, then just turned to anti and threw his arm around him, pushing him slightly closer to the canvas. Anti looked at him confused. The two shared a gaze for a second.

Anti's eyes went wider as he understood what Jamie was trying to say. "No," He pulled away from Jamie and set his palette aside. "No, no, no. Not doing this, they don't even like me,"

"What is going on right now?" Chase finally demanded, now standing. Jamie turned to him, gesturing to all of them then making a heart with his hand in front of his chest. We're a family.

Anti turned away from all of them. Jackie pulled his hood back rubbing his eyes. Marvin just hid behind his canvas. One by one, Jamie looked at them half smiling. Right? His smile was fading slowly. None of them seem to agree, and anti was close to glitching away through the light again. Jamie looked like he was about to cry.

Chase sighed heavily and rubbed his eyes. "Anti what are you doing?"

Anti looked up. "right. I know I'm not wel..."

"I'm already half done and you haven't even started. You might wanna catch up," Jamie's eye lite up, turning to anti's shocked face. Chase actually was okay with him being there? Anti could tell he was only doing it for Jameson, but still, something sparked in him.

The glitch cleared the emotions from his face. "Whatever, don't expect Picasso though," He said grumpily sitting down and beginning.

By the time they'd all finished, Marvin had more paint on his face and the towels were covered in colors. It really didn't seem worth trying to wash them. They all helped clean up the garbage and then left to allow the paintings a chance to dry. The all went into the living room to watch movies, except Anti who just went to his room.

Later that night, anti peeked his head out to see them all asleep on the couches, except Marvin who was on the floor. He tiptoed past to get some water from the kitchen, but on his way back to his room, he stopped at Jameson's door. He looked back, then quietly snuck in. Anti walked over to the canvases, curiosity getting the better of him.

Marvin's was kinda crap, if he was honest. It was a messy attempt at a self profile shot, but it was styled like a face card. Chase's canvas was just covered with thumbnails idea for a new Bro Average logo. Jackieboy painting spiderman. No surprise there.

Anti just rolled his eyes.They were all so predictable, but when he made it to Jamie's, he froze. It was good, like really good. He couldn't deny that. What got him though was the actual image. It was a christmas wreath. The bottom half was decorated in what seemed like random objects, but anti understood them all. There was a syringe with green liquid, a card with all four suits, tea bags sprinkled in, a blue mask hanging from it, and instead of red, the bow was blue. Finally, there was a knife sitting, not stabbed into the wreath, just sitting there in its sheath.

The top half didn't have anything, just one word strung through the branches that said, "Family."

Anti didn't really know what to feel. All he knew was that Jamie was young and naive. That was the only way he could actually treat Anti the way he was. If he knew the type of person Anti was, there was no way he'd have wanted him to join them. Anti was sure of that, but why was he having a hard time holding back tears? He looked back up. "Family." It didn't feel really. Obtainable. He didn't need it, nor want it. He was just an angry glitch, that was all right?

Anti suddenly felt rage boil in his stomach. He felt the sudden urge to tear through Jamie's painting. Rip it to pieces. Burn it. Just take it out of existence, but then he thought about the sad way Jamie would look if he had. Something about it made him stop. Anti shook his head and grabbed his own painting, and glitched into his room, forgetting what he ever saw.