Sending Xs and Os!

CHAPTER 8- Loverboys!

I woke up to see Fan pacing back and forth in front of Test Tube, who was listening intently to him. I quickly faked being asleep to hear them.
"Like, I love him, I do! But I don't know if it would be good on the competition, you know?" I heard him hit his phone against his palm repeatedly. "But I really, REALLY like him. But the-"
Test Tube cut him off. "What matters more to you, the competition or Knife?"
Fan sighed. "That's the thing! Of course it would be Knife, but.. the-"
"I know. The competition. Inanimate Insanity doesn't have to get in the way, Fan. You could always team up when we merge, since merging is inevitable. And we have all this free time now, so what's to waste? Just do it!"
I could hear the happiness in Fan's voice. "Thanks, Test Tube. You always know what to say, don't you?"
She laughed. "I'm smart in more ways than one."
I heard Fan laugh with her. I figured this would be my time to intervene.
"Mmh?-" I murmured, pretending to wake up.
Fan immediately stopped laughing and looked over. "Why are you awake? It's, uh, midnight."
I rolled my eyes. "I could ask you the same, flatface."
"It's Fan," he sighed, and sat down in Test Tube's bean bag. It was red, so I figured it was down there for his rants.
"Listen, Lightbulb. Have you ever been in love before?"
I quietly looked at Paintbrush. They looked so peaceful. I smiled to myself before responding. "Yeah, why?"
"Well, I'm in love with- yeah, you know. Knife. And I figured out that he loves me back, but II just- we can't be real until I'm sure, y'know? And the competition. That's just another story entirely."
"Yeah, I get it. If he matters to you, you'll know what decision's right. Anyways, I need to go out and do something. See ya!"
Without waiting for their responses, I hopped up and went to leave, but I got stopped by a groggy "Where are you going?"
"Paintbrush, you should be asleep! Go back to bed."
"Not until I find out where Lightbulb's going."
I looked back to see Paintbrush staggering towards me.
When they got to me, they held my arm for support. "I got up too fast again.."
I laughed and sarcastically said, "Really?"
Paintbrush and I smiled at each other, then they asked again: "But really, where are you going?"
"To the Calm-down Corner. Why?"
"Why are you going there?" I heard Test Tube ask, but I ignored her.
Paintbrush looked down. "I don't like you going alone. Can I come with?"
I nodded. "Of course. Let's go!"
Paintbrush inputted the code and we got sucked up to the surface. They'd obviously just gotten up.
They stopped in front of me and held my arm to stay upright. "I got up too fast again.."
They eventually let go of my arm and looked at me. "So, where are you going?"
I rolled my eyes. "The calm-down corner. Why?"
I heard Test Tube say behind me, "Why are you going there?" but I didn't care. Paintbrush spoke again.
"Let me go with you. I get nervous when you go alone."
I sighed. "Fine, but don't complain when you're tired!"
They laughed softly and smiled. "I won't."
And then we exited together, hand in hand.

*AT THE CALM-DOWN CORNER*

My opponent had marked down another X in the bottom-left, so I marked one on the top, in the middle.
"Where do you think they're gonna go next?" Paintbrush asked me, peering curiously at the board. I shrugged. "I dunno. I'd guess the bottom-right, so-... WAIT CAN I CHANGE MY MOVE?-"
Paintbrush laughed. "Nope, already put it down. They're destined to win now."
I laughed with them. "Awh, well alrighty then!"
I helped Paintbrush up and we went back to the lab.

(A/N: These are getting short lmao sorry, I promise next chapter will be longer! School n work, ykyk