Cosmo's oneshots / drabbles

Don't make me go back there [TIASWL ANGST]

Another LB nightmare because ouch. [daydreamed this while I was playing Minecraft so I just really felt like writing it out] NOT CANON TO THE STORY. I WROTE THIS LIKE A WEEK AGO [BEFORE POSTING]

All Lightbulb remembers from the night prior was falling asleep in Paintbrush's arms, in an attempt to comfort them after a particularly heavy battle. What she did not remember was how she ended up... Not where she had fallen asleep. It took her a moment to shake off the sleep, going to lean over into Paintbrush a bit more, before abruptly falling down into a cushioned floor. She felt around before opening her eyes, quickly blinking them open despite the lights of the room being jarringly bright, as she realized the blanket she had draped around the two, and Paintbrush themself, was nowhere in grasp. And neither was the rest of the bedroom. She took a moment to let her eyes adjust, before sitting back up, and looking around the... dreadfully familiar room.

A sickening shade of blue on the walls. A glass window. A metal door. Nobody stood on the other side of the glass this time. This is when the fear set in. How... How did she get there? Wasn't Taco defeated? Or-- in the hospital? Wasn't Microphone a good gal now? Lightbulb shakily got to her feet, barely able to keep her balance and footing as she stumbled over to the door, falling to her knees and banging her fists on it.

"Hello? Anyone?" Her voice choked out, it felt like she hadn't spoken in days, the words struggling not to get caught in the back of her throat. She could feel the tears pricking at the edges of her eyes as she kept helplessly banging her fists against the door. She wanted out, no, she NEEDED out.

"ANYONE? P... PAINTY? PAINTBRUSH?" Her voice grew more frantic as the tears began to fall, her unable to do anything about it.

The faint sound of a voice. Just a hint of confusion. She couldn't make it out. After she realized the door wasn't working, she used all her strength to get back up to her feet, keeping her hand on the wall as she guided herself to the window, now peering into it.

Someone was sitting there, waiting. Her dread turned into full fear as she stared through the glass, at Paintbrush, who looked at them with an unamused, annoyed look.

They opened their mouth to speak, but Lightbulb couldn't make the words out, only stumbling back. Her legs giving out, and her falling back into the padded flooring. Everything felt like it was shaking. Not only her, but the room, her surroundings-- everything. It was all so overwhelming. She felt so alone, and trapped, and yet there was Paintbrush, watching, and doing nothing as she was throwing a fit.

Another voice, this one louder. She could almost make it out, it just barely sounded like her name being called. As she struggled to get back up, the weight of her limbs feeling like bricks, she watched through teary eyes as Paintbrush stood, walking over to the door, and walking in. Were... they going to save her now? Was this finally over?

No.

Now in the room as the door slid shut behind them, Paintbrush outstretched their hand, a flame now growing in their palm.

They weren't here to save her.

Lightbulb sobbed out, realizing where this was going as she struggled, and kicked back against the floor, despite the weight, she kicked herself into a corner.

"LIGHTBULB!" She jolted awake with a yelp at the unintentional shout from her partner, her teary eyes darting around the room to realize she was sitting on Paintbrush's bed, in their shared room, in the corner. She shut her eyes tight again, before opening them, shaking her head and blinking to make sure she was really there, to make sure she wasn't back at that horrid holding cell, that she was... safe.

She let out a strangled sob as she put a hand over her mouth, trying, but failing to calm down as her eyes then moved to Paintbrush, who looked at her with fear, and worry. No hint of malice in their expression... So why was Lightbulb so scared of her partner, who was carefully reaching out to her?

Paintbrush shifted on the bed a bit, carefully bringing themselves closer.

"Lightbulb, are you okay?" They reached out a hand, but Lightbulb, in her fear, used all of her strength to push Paintbrush away from her, and off the bed. With both her arms outstretched, she finally noticed how badly she was shaking. And then it sank in, what she had just done.

"I'm-- I'm so sorry," She sobbed out, quickly moving her hands to hug her sides, as Paintbrush let out a soft groan, standing back up beside the bed.

"No, no it's fine, I should've-" they winced, putting a hand to their neck; "I should've asked before I tried to move in closer, I'm sorry." Paintbrush now awkwardly stood, as Lightbulb struggled to compose herself, bringing her hands to hug herself as tight as she could, unable to do anything, or unable to be provided a source of comfort, in fear that she'd just literally push them away again. They were her partner. They loved her. They would never do something like that in the nightmare, so why was she so scared of them?

"Can I... come closer?" They finally asked, carefully sitting down on the bed. Their tone was soft again, the same calming tone they had used last time they had comforted her from a nightmare. Lightbulb could barely muster a nod, as she felt the weight of the bed shift, as Paintbrush now grew nearer. She wanted to fight, and panic, and shove them away, but her arms remained hugged tightly to her chest area, unmovable.

Paintbrush just sat beside her now, a little unsure of how to proceed, sure that if they tried to comfort her physically, they'd be pushed away again. So the two just sat together, the silence being constantly broken by Lightbulb's sniffles and whines that she was failing to keep in as the tears finally slowly stopped rolling.

"Is... there anything I can do to help you right now?" Paintbrush's tone remained careful, and kind as they spoke, ready to do anything to comfort their girlfriend in her time of need. Lightbulb's gaze just fell to the bed around her, fearing that if she tried to speak, she'd just end up crying again. So she wordlessly pointed at the blanket that had been discarded, and kicked on the floor while she was having a fit in her nightmare. Paintbrush didn't hesitate, carefully moving over to grab it, wrapping it around her, remaining as careful as they could as they did so, as to not upset her further. 

"I understand you need time. I'm here, I'll stay awake with you if you... don't feel safe enough to fall back asleep," They carefully moved next to her again, their back against the wall again now, and a hand still on their neck. Lightbulb just mustered another small nod, before leaning her head on their shoulder. She doubted she was going to be able to fall back asleep, the fear of falling back into another horrible nightmare plaguing her mind, but she was by Paintbrush's side right now. The fear faded, as the comfort finally came back, of just being in their presence.

This was enough.

//

...

1300 words ... the room being similar to the experiment 21 room was completely unintentional i promise , that's just how i imagined the holding area in mic & taco's base & the resemblance only hit me as i was writing this LOL! [so dont say anything about it ahahaha]