✮ Rockstar ✮ || A Lightbrush Fanfiction

Chapter 43 - Anniversary

Paintbrush fixed their faded hair up in their mirror and dusted off the shirt they were wearing. They knew they needed to look neat or whatever, but who has time to do that? They put on one of their more presentable band shirts and a pair of black sweats and called it a day. For why they needed to look good was because that day, September 9th, 2024, marked a year since they'd met Lightbulb. She'd asked them to go on a date somewhere fancy, and even though they knew she'd somehow mess it up and cause chaos, they accepted the idea anyway. They had decided to book a reservation at a pretty nice restaurant that was in town called Luna's.

Unfortunately, their lack of chicken tenders on the menu made Paintbrush reconsider, but she convinced them otherwise. She had the power to do that somehow, and they weren't necessarily complaining. They slid their iconic rings on their fingers and clipped their chain around their neck, the cold metal making them slightly shiver.

They grabbed their phone and car keys and went downstairs, not even caring if their dad was down there. They'd been ignoring him forever since they'd left Lightbulb's house. They wanted to stay for as long as possible, but they also didn't want to be a burden. They decided to just bite the bullet and go home, opting to just outright avoid him. Sometimes their dad murmured a "Hey" or "How are you?" They'd respond curtly and head back upstairs.

Pastel had made up with him, which almost made them a bit angry. But they supposed if you had to sleep in the same bed every night, you had to make up eventually. After fixing the last few parts of their appearance in their phone camera, they sat down on the small bench in their foyer and grabbed their black platform Converse.

Movement to their left caught their eye and they glanced up from their laces. Their dad had gotten up from his seat in the living room and headed off to the kitchen. They rolled their eyes and went back to work on their shoes.

"Uh- Paintbrush!" They tensed up at the sound of his voice, "Fancy seeing you out and about. Where are you going?"

They grumbled in anger as they stomped on the ground to make sure their shoe was on fully. "A date," they answered bluntly.

"A date! Now that's a surprise." They could hear him grab a mug from the kitchen cabinet and turn on the coffee pot. "Maybe you've found the one! You never know-"

"I've been dating her for a year, dad. It's Lightbulb. Yellow curly hair, a bit chubby, you met her." They stood up and crossed their arms, their foot tapping impatiently.

"Oh! That was- uh, that was a girl?"

"Pallet! The fuck?" Paintbrush grew angrier at him than before, especially since he'd misgendered Lightbulb. People could fuck with them, but no one could fuck with her.

"Hey! I mean, he- she sounded like a boy! What do you want me to do? Ask, 'Hey there, person I just met! What's your gender and pronouns?'"

"Yes! That's exactly what you should ask!"

Pallet took his fresh coffee out from under the coffee pot and set it on the island, reaching for the creamer in the fridge, "Well how was I supposed to know that? I still don't get this identity thing, anyway. What's the point? You're born it, why not stay it?"

They glared at him before scowling and turning towards the door. "I don't have time for this."

"I'm asking genuinely!"

"Well, you should genuinely go fuck yourself! I have people that love me to go meet, so you go wallow in your sadness for the rest of the day, why don't you?" Paintbrush slammed the door behind them despite Pallet's protests and stormed over to their car. They sunk into their seat with a tired groan, already done with the evening before it started. This is gonna be a long date...