#padclock

A/N: Hey, guys! I'm sorry for being gone for so long... Here's something to cheer you up. Keep these submissions going!

PROMPT: "Padlock meeting the new characters." (This one is more... Paige meeting them. I feel like Tony is already good friends with them.)

______________________________________________________________

           "I can't handle it," she often thought, "I'm going to lose my mind."

           Dipping her paintbrush into the diluted array of watercolors she set out, Paige exhaled deeply. There was nothing but chaos in the household. Tony and the puppets were constantly bickering over trivial matters, causing her toes to curl up in her slippers and her eyes to be stamped red with irritation. To her, it didn't matter about solving the mystery of who left the television running for too long.

           Some days, Paige became enraged. She'd breakdown—throw paint, break canvases, generate a ruckus so that somebody, anybody, would listen to her shed away her issues. The one saying Paige stood   by: "never let a creative mind become cluttered with frustration".  

           "Are you children?" Tony screeched, narrowing his eyes. Paige turned, curious. "Playing these childish games that we don't have time for?" he continued, angrily gesturing to the chess board that the puppets surrounded.

           She sighed instantly, screwing her eyes shut and swiping at the canvas in front of her blindly. Some days, she loved Anthony—Tony—whichever he enjoyed being called by that day. He was her everything. Tony was the metronome to the broken melody that was her life, keeping her in check. The days that she cried, he was there; the days that she was anxious, he was there. Of course, she'd never admit it out loud, but he was a breath of fresh air. Tall, ropey, lean—Anthony was simply her partner.

           Yes, some days they argued. Some days it would become so passionate and heated that one of them would lay a hand on the other. Twisted? Yes. Unforgivable? Not in the slightest. They would always reconnect, their kisses whispering apologies on the other's skin, begging for forgiveness.

           "Tony, please just let them play," Paige said quietly, opening her eyes. A blur of pastel lines meshed together on the canvas. She was fatigued, tired, exhausted from dealing with them every single day.

           Tony averted his gaze to her, eyes wide in disbelief. "Are you kidding me, my pet?" he asked. "We have guests coming over and you expect me to let these children play these games?"

           The puppets huffed, refusing to be called children.

           Paige set her paintbrush down, opening her mouth to reply when the doorbell rang, sending off a resonating sound throughout the house.

           A smirk tugged at the corner of Tony's lip as he said, "That should be them."

           "I can't handle it," she often thought, "I'm going to lose my mind."

           When Paige was first introduced to the guests, the first thing in her mind was that they were a pair with many inquires. Both seemed to be fond of asking simple questions—the one male in the checkered sweater vest even asked if she enjoyed the color green. She scowled at that.

           "Paige, deary," Tony began, standing beside the man donning the vest. The man took a step away, making sure there was distance between them. "This is Colin, he enjoys—"

           "I enjoy technology," Colin stated, effectively cutting off Tony. "There's nothing better than learning about things online. Speaking about learning things, you never answered, is your favorite color green?"

           Paige frowned once more. "No, I hate it," she replied flatly.

           The group welcomed silence with open arms, wrapping themselves in a can of tension.

           Suddenly, Tony cleared his throat, gesturing towards a man in a yellow turtleneck. "This is Shrignold. He's working to get his psychology degree."

           Shrignold smiled at Paige before he tilted his head. "Is there a reason why you don't enjoy a green hue?"

           Briefly glancing at Tony, Paige returned her attention towards Shrignold. His bright appearance reminded her of a happy sun—one that she would enjoy drawing.

           "Did something happen in your past? Perhaps a memory you aren't too fond of?" Shrignold asked.

           "No—"

           "So, Paige, what is your favorite color then?" Colin asked, interjecting once more.

           Paige narrowed her eyes. "Tony, I think—" she began.

           "Paige, I'm sure there must be a reason. Let's think about why you don't like green," Shrignold stated, "maybe green hates you as well." He started leaning in to touch her, a cheerful smile beaming on his face. Tony, at this point, stepped in between them.

           "Let us go see the—"

           "Puppets!" Colin said, nodding. "I agree. I have not seen them in forever."

           "I can't handle it," she often thought, "I'm going to lose my mind."

           Paige closed her eyes as soon as Tony's                                          hand softly rested on her shoulder. His comforting presence was enough to assuage her conflicting anger towards these guests. She turned to him, lips set into a thin frown as Colin and Shrignold led their way into the living room.

           "Don't worry, pet," Tony whispered, tucking away a strand of her multi-colored hair behind her ear. "They'll be gone soon."

So yesterday was my first June 19th in the Don't Hug Me I'm Scared fandom, and I have to say, it's been one of the best days I've had in a long time