✮ Rockstar ✮ || A Lightbrush Fanfiction

Chapter 22 - Lights

    "Come on, It'll be fun!" Lightbulb begged, pulling on the sleeve of Paintbrush's sweater. They rolled their eyes, taking a sip of a cup of hot chocolate Mrs. Bright made them. "I already told you no, Lightbulb. It's too late and I'm tired."

    "But then it'll be better because it's dark and we can see the lights better!" Lightbulb countered with a huff. She crossed her arms and fell back on the couch angrily. "You're mean," she mumbled.

    Paintbrush groaned, closing their eyes with defeat, "If we go, will you stop complaining?"

    Lightbulb perked up with a gasp, "Really? Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She had been trying to convince Paintbrush to go driving through neighborhoods to look at various light displays people set up for the holidays. Although they were hesitant at first, they seemed to have finally accepted her offer. Lightseeing was one of her favorite Christmas activities, so she was glad to introduce the hobby to someone for the first time.

    "Alright, which neighborhood do you want to go first?" Paintbrush asked, grabbing their keys and placing their mug on the coffee table.

    "Let's go through mine first, since we're already here," Lightbulb responded with a shrug. She walked over to the coat rack and grabbed herself a thick jacket. She waited patiently for Paintbrush to return from alerting her parents where the two of them were going.

    They came back with a soft smile and told her to go ahead in the car while they called their own parents. She obliged, getting in the familiar passenger seat and waiting. She could see them pacing in the dim moonlight with an anxious expression.

    They always seem so scared when they call their parents... she thought, fidgeting with her jacket strings. I feel so bad. I wish I could make everything okay.

    She leaned her head back against the cold leather, thinking about ways she could help. Eventually, the car door opened and they stepped through. "My mom said we can go," they stated, starting up the car.

    Lightbulb hummed in acknowledgment. After a few minutes of driving, she noticed that they never handed her their phone to play music.

    "Painty?" She started, "Is... anything wrong?"

    A sigh escaped them. They glanced out the window, a house with a few twinkling lights intertwined in bushes catching their attention.

    "How did you come out to your parents, Lightbulb?" They murmured, letting off the gas pedal a bit.

    She was taken aback by the question as she didn't expect such a personal inquiry, but she answered anyway, "I talked to them. They asked and I answered."

    The topic was dropped for a while, the two of them pointing out colorful houses they saw appealing. Different blow-ups were arranged in people's yards, lights strung upon roofs and draped across the houses' perimeters.

    After some time, they rode throughout Lightbulbs' whole neighborhood. She wanted to keep going though. She could tell Paintbrush was having a lot of fun, and she was as well. She didn't want their outing to end so soon, so she decided to strike up a conversation.

    "So, how did you come out?" The car jolted to a stop, throwing her forward. They realized they'd stopped the car really abruptly and quickly apologized, "Shit, sorry."

    They continued their route, although they never turned into Lightbulb's driveway. They seemed distracted as they answered. "Oh, uhm, I'm not out yet."

    "Wait, you aren't? Why?" Lightbulb pushed, readjusting her position in her seat.

    "Don't judge me, okay?" Paintbrush asked, their voice lowering in volume. She nodded, her mind racing with thoughts of what they were going to say.