Room 43// An Inanimate Insanity College AU

41- Stop Calling Me, I'm Watching Friends

"What was this air mattress even for?" Paintbrush asked, deflating the aforementioned cushioning, wincing at the loud noise. Like nails on a chalkboard.

"I think it was for you to sleep on," Lightbulb said with a laugh, sitting cross-legged on the bed. Of course, not helping. Paintbrush sometimes questioned if it was in her nature to do so.

Once the mattress was deflated enough to roll into a cylinder, Paintbrush breathed a sigh of relief and did so. "Well, I guess we didn't have to worry about that," They said, short of breath and letting out a small laugh regardless of the fact.

The feeling of waking up next to Lightbulb was much too good to pass up for an air mattress on the floor; it had become one of Paintbrush's favorite aspects of morning time, the once beloved silence and stillness that used to take up the first hours of their day replaced by soft snoring- despite how much Lightbulb denied how she did so- and getting hit in the nose by a stray hand.

"What else do you need to pack before heading... away?" Lightbulb said, crossing her arms. She didn't seem too thrilled about the fact that Paintbrush had to go back home- they ignored the whisper in the back of their head that said that one of their homes was right in front of them- and wanted to delay the fact for as long as possible.

Hell, she had hidden their shoes earlier- inside a jewelry box that seemed much too small to fit anything bigger than a bag of marbles. Lightbulb doesn't even wear jewelry!

Shaking their head affectionately, Paintbrush swept over the room quickly. "Is this my jacket? Or one that you stole from me and refuse to give back?" they asked, unfolding a grey jacket with the logo of some university Paintbrush had never heard of on the front.

"I think that's yours," Lightbulb said, shrugging. She had one of Paintbrush's jackets on that very moment- the audacity! "But if you're feeling charitable..."

"No! I'm gonna run out of jackets if you steal every single one you see," Paintbrush said, yanking their hand back before Lightbulb could snatch the clothing article out of their hand. "I had to fight you tooth and nail to wear a jacket in below-freezing weather, why are you trying to steal all my jumpers now? It's summer."

"Can't hear your mumbling over my deep sadness," Lightbulb said, flopping backwards onto her bed. It was a miracle her head didn't collide with the wall. "And so you will leave, not leaving even a memento of the fact you were ever here behind..."

Shaking their head once again, Paintbrush let out a pained laugh. "You're the most ridiculous person I've ever met."

Lightbulb cracked one eye open, pushing herself up from her lying position. "You love that about me."

"I love literally everything else. Not that part," Paintbrush said. You know, like the liar they are.

"So you love how I steal all your stuff and want me to keep doing it? Wow, you sure are generous Painty," Lightbulb said, once again swiping for the jumper. Paintbrush reeled back, laughing, and rushed to throw the jumper into a bag. "Give me the jumper! You're a compassionate and generous person who cares for me deeply!"

"Your drawers are full of your own clothes, you don't need mine," Paintbrush said, tutting and wiggling a finger in Lightbulb's face like a condescending parent.

"But I want yours."

"Why?"

"Because it inconveniences you. And I greatly enjoy that."

Grabbing one of the many pillows Lightbulb stacked on her bed, Paintbrush swung it at her head. Lightbulb got sent a few stumbled steps backward from the force of it, and that was the moment that Paintbrush realized it would be hard to get anything done; both that, and that they had just declared feathery war.