Room 43// An Inanimate Insanity College AU

24- You Wear Sandals In the Snow, In Mid July I Still Feel Cold

"Psssst."

Ignoring the girl behind her, Paintbrush continued to admire the replica of an art piece they were rather fond of. The composition was beautiful, and they wished that they could get closer to it. However, they were left bound by the "NO ENTRY" strips surrounding the painting.

"Pssst, Painty."

Once again ignoring Lightbulb's attempts to get their attention, they moved on. Somehow, the two of them had once again strayed from the group and were now making their own way through the art gallery.

"Painty. Painty." Lightbulb prodded their shoulder a relentless number of times, subdued whispers between each one.

In the end, Paintbrush sighed and turned around. "What?" They said, keeping their response curt. They leaned against the off-white wall of the gallery that wasn't taken up by a piece of art, looking at Lightbulb with one eyebrow raised inquisitively.

"There's a food van in the shopping district," she said.

Paintbrush already somewhat knew where this was going, yet continued to play dumb. "So?"

"They close in twenty minutes," Lightbulb said. "We could go over there; I'd pay."

"Would you, though?" Paintbrush questioned. Lightbulb had a habit of not paying for her food and never paying Paintbrush back; just in food alone, she was about 80 dollars in debt.

"Yeah! I totally would!" Lightbulb exclaimed. "Please?"

"I dunno. Food vans normally suck," Paintbrush said.

"They're selling soft pretzels. I'll buy you two if you come with me," Lightbulb said. Paintbrush found it somewhat touching that she remembered how much Paintbrush loved those; it had to have been months ago when they told her.

Caving in, they sighed and took out their wallet from a jacket pocket. "I'll buy you something, too. Let's go before they close."

Lightbulb's smile was worth just about all of the hassle as they walked out of the gallery and navigated their way to the food van. It was a long line; about seven people in front of them.

Lightbulb wanted a burger, and Paintbrush ordered her one as she ordered them their pretzels. Paintbrush also got two hot chocolates for both of them, which came in foam coffee cups that fizzed ever so slightly at the hot liquid lapping against the sides.

"Thank you!" Paintbrush said merrily, grabbing their food and leaving to find somewhere to sit, Lightbulb trailing behind them.

Eventually they found a park bench, which they sat at despite the frost burn of the metal. sitting across from them, Lightbulb beckoned for her burger which Paintbrush handed to her with a laugh.

"Here's your things," Lightbulb said, handing over Paintbrush's pretzels. They were individually wrapped in different pieces of paper, and so they left one on the table whilst taking a bite out the other.

The two of them ate in relative silence, interrupted only by a remark about anything and everything from Lightbulb. She was talkative; another thing to add to the list of things Paintbrush liked about her.

...Not that they had one, of course. It didn't count if it was only in their mind, right?

"I remembered to bring a jacket today," Lightbulb said proudly, showing off her cerulean-colored hoodie. She tugged on the sleeves, immediately stopping as the cold wind reached her arms.

"Is it because I put it on a hook on the door with a big piece of paper telling you to wear it?" Paintbrush asked bemusedly, finishing off their pretzel.