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45 minutes.
That’s how long it took Paintbrush to get ready. They were embarrassed about how long they spent dressing nice.
Lightbulb was coming over soon with snacks, she had mentioned. They were standing in their room, staring idly at their reflection. Making sure their eyeliner was perfect, checking their wrists to make sure they were wearing the same amount of bracelets on each wrist. 4 each.
Paintbrush had unregrettably bought a flowy black tiered skirt, and a handknit sweater with stars on it. Dark brown. Every time they moved, little tiny jingles were heard from their mass amounts of jewelry. On their 19th birthday, they had received a ton of silver necklaces from Test Tube, and many custom ones that Lightbulb had made. One had a tiny little charm in the shape of a swirl. They liked that one. It looked like Lightbulb’s hair.
A sharp knock was heard as they messily tied up their hair in a low ponytail. Paintbrush swooped to the door, socks catching on a loose screw. They swore under their breath, unhooking their sock. They were old anyway.
Lightbulb knocked at least 3 more times. “Paaainty, I’m here! I have gummies.”
“Erg- Coming!” They responded, yanking their sock off the hook. Great, there was a hole now. Paintbrush frowned, standing up tall. They opened the door finally, sighing. Lightbulb was in a loose Hello Kitty shirt, and shorts that must have been illegal by how short they were. She looked like herself. Lightbulb was searching through a white plastic bag before looking up.
“He- oh,” Lightbulb looked at them, her mouth falling open. She leaned on the doorframe.
“What?”
“You look like you’re gonna cast a spell on me and I’m gonna thank you.”
“Ah- be quiet. I just thought I would dress nice…” Paintbrush choked out, flushing a red color. They didn’t mention how they may have dressed up for her. “Stop perceiving me, LB.”
They folded their arms. They could smell Lightbulb’s perfume. Shit… they had forgotten perfume.
“Uh.. coming in?” They asked, stepping aside to let her in. Lightbulb snorted her signature laugh, walking in. “Watch out for that nail on the floor. Snagged my sock on it.”
“Then it’s good I’m not wearing socks!” Lightbulb said, bouncing onto Paintbrush’s bed, then sliding down onto the floor. She settled on their rug, hastily emptying her plastic bag.
“Here’s the goods,” she grinned, setting up the snacks. Lemonade bottles, a huge bag of gummy worms, and a small letter.
“I forgot to give this to you for your birthday, Painty,” she said, handing them the letter as they sat down, jewelry jingling. “You don’t have to read it yet.”
“Okay..” Paintbrush muttered, setting the note next to them. They smoothed out their skirt. They also made sure no leg was showing because it might send Lightbulb into a coma, knowing her.
“So.. what’s the occasion for the outfit? Did I forget our friendship anniversary?” Lightbulb prodded their leg.
“Nothing. I was dressed for myself.”
“Liar, you’ve got more eyeliner on than usual. I know how long it takes for you to do your makeup,” she countered, ripping open the gummy worm bag.
“Don’t make it weird.. It- Um, I was experimenting!”
“Experimenting how to make me faint, you mean.” Lightbulb teased, chewing on a yellow and red gummy. Paintbrush scoffed, taking a blue and red gummy.
“I’m allowed to have fun sometimes.”
“Sure.”
Silence passed.
“I’m just kidding. You look really pretty right now.” Lightbulb admitted, sipping lemonade at the same time as Paintbrush. They choked, red coming to visit their face again. They hated how their cheeks and ears always outed them to people.
“A- Ahem, thank you, Lightbulb. You look.. nice too,” they paused. “A lot nice.”
Lightbulb beamed, sipping more of her drink. She pulled out her phone, putting on a playlist.
They stared at the floor, then up at her. Lightbulb smiled, little dimples showing. Paintbrush’s eyes dilated and softened. She was so effortlessly pretty.
“Wanna go chill up on the roof?” They suddenly asked, words slipping out accidentally. Lightbulb sipped and nodded. Paintbrush nodded back, setting down their drink. They stood up with more jingles.
“You sound like a fairy,” Lightbulb teased, standing up with more ease than them. “All jingly. Is that a word?”
No one really came up to the roof except to smoke or make out. Luckily, they weren't doing either. Maybe the second option, but not for a while. Paintbrush brought an extra blanket to sit on by default.
The air was perfect, but Lightbulb was shivering.
“I should’ve brought a hoodie…” She muttered, sitting on the laid out blanket.
They weren’t gonna give her their sweater. They weren’t gonna. They weren’t!
Paintbrush slipped their brown sweater over their head, now just in a grey tank top. Tattoos of stars and swirls adorned their arms and collarbones. Lightbulb’s breath completely left. She quickly gasped for air, earning a look from Paintbrush.
“Sorry for stealing your stuff. I run cold. I think I'm part lizard.” She chuckled, taking the sweater from them. It was a bit tight, but it made her feel warmer. It smelled like their closet. Fitting.
“I don’t mind… I might steal it back though.” Paintbrush snickered, digging in the gummy worm bag again. The stars were starting to show up against the dark orange sunset. Late summer air brushed their uncovered arms. Paintbrush and Lightbulb tucked their legs to their chests at the same time, then giggling about it after.
The stars faded in more, with comments from Lightbulb. She had mentioned that they were in the shape of a turtle, then changed her thought to a giant brain. Paintbrush joked about her having a small brain, then immediately apologized.
Lightbulb swallowed the rest of her lemonade, stretching her legs back out. “Thanks for hanging with me.”
Paintbrush hummed, nodding. They didn’t feel like talking. Just drinking in the moment. “I’m cold, give me my sweater back.”
Lightbulb gasped. “You’ll have to pry it off my body!” She yelped, standing up and hiding. Paintbrush huffed a laugh, and stood up. They followed after her. Lightbulb was easy to find. She had hid behind a vent, on the floor. She looked up at them, smiling mischievously.
“Why, hello.” Paintbrush leaned down to sit next to her. Their heart sped up a bit.
“I’ll give it back now..” Lightbulb whined, pulling off the sweater, her undershirt lifting dangerously after. Paintbrush looked down as fast as they could as Lightbulb tugged her shirt down. She handed over the sweater, fingers brushing. The fabric was a bit stretched, but they didn’t mind. Paintbrush pulled it over their head, hair getting even messier.
“Thanks.”
“No prob,” Lightbulb paused. “You’re really close there, buddy.”
Paintbrush jumped backwards, head bonking the railing of the hotel roof. They winced, putting on a smile. “I’m good!”
“No you’re not, let’s get you ice! Can’t let my pal have an ouch,” Lightbulb directed.
The two ended up in the dark kitchen, Lightbulb scrummaging through the huge fridge. She whipped out an ice pack, and a popsicle.
“Here! This is for me.” She added, opening the popsicle wrapper. She popped it into her mouth, handing Paintbrush the ice pack. They put it over their now probably bruised head. Ouch.
Lightbulb licked her popsicle. It was already staining her tongue purple. She was painfully cute. Paintbrush leaned against the fridge, wary of the magnets all over.
“Thanks.”
“I already thanked you!”
“No, I- I mean for the ice pack.”
“Oh,” Lightbulb breathed. “Then you’re welcome!”
Her popsicle split in two and onto the ground. They both looked down, then up at each other. They grinned and bursted into laughter, clutching their sides.
Maybe those 45 minutes were worth it.