doused in tears
Notes
tw for implied suicide attempt + sh, reader discretion advised
Everyone was silent.
Oj was somehow even more silent than everyone else. The air was so thick that Knife could cut through it like butter.
Another thing made Paintbrush blow a fuse. Except this time they left the hotel.
Oj stood up from where he was sitting. “Alright, I think it’s best we all head to our rooms for the night,” he told everyone. His voice was shaking ever so slightly.
No one said a word, they all just nodded and started toward their rooms.
However, Fan stayed put.
Oj, noticing this, said, “That goes for you too, Fan.”
Fan just looked downwards. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t know what. Even if he tried to talk, his vocal chords wouldn’t’ve budged.
“I know they’re your roommate,” Oj paused, then sighed sympathetically, “If you want, you can stay in mine and Paper’s room so you’re not alone tonight.”
Fan nodded, for fear if he attempted to speak, he’d cry. He followed Oj to his room.
Neither of them said a word on the way there.
This was the worst Fan had seen Paintbrush. He saw them get angry over annoyances like himself or Lightbulb doing their stupid little antics that he knew deep down Paintbrush enjoyed, but nothing like this. They were crying. The whole incident went by so quickly that Fan couldn’t process it, but so slowly that it felt like time had stopped.
He couldn’t bear to think of what Paintbrush planned to do while away from the hotel.
Fan was on the verge of tears. His throat was hurting because he desperately didn’t want to cry. His heart, if he had one physically, was pounding fast. He was shaking due to heightened adrenaline.
Oj gave him a blanket and a pillow and told Fan that he didn’t care where on the floor he slept. Fan thanked him. Or he would’ve if he could talk. Oj seemed to understand, though.
Fan covered up with the blanket. Oj and Paper had a TV in their room, and Fan just stared at it. He didn’t bother processing what was happening on the screen, he just wanted a distraction. His electronics were in his and Paintbrush’s room, including his phone for once, but he didn’t think he could bear going in there right now.
It was what Fan felt like hours into the night. Maybe Oj was asleep, maybe he wasn’t, but Fan sure as hell wasn’t.
Fan found himself with only his thoughts as he lay down on the pillow, and turned away from the TV. Whenever he tried to sleep, he found himself wide awake thinking about where Paintbrush could’ve gone, despite how tired he was.
The more Fan tried to stop wondering, whether by watching the TV, trying to sleep, or thinking another thought, it all kept going back to, “Where had Paintbrush gone off to? I hope they didn’t do anything to anyone or themself, I need to find them before anything bad happens or I’d never forgive myself.”
So, he did just that.
In what felt like a mushed-up blur, Fan got up, went out of Oj’s room, and suddenly he was running as fast as he could far outside of Hotel Oj and he was screaming Paintbrush’s name at the top of his lungs. He didn’t stop doing so once he realized what he was doing.
Finally, Fan stopped and panted in the middle of who-knows-where underneath a barely moonlit pitch-black sky. He sat like this for a few minutes.
Regaining composure, he searched his surroundings. He didn’t know where he was or how far he’d run off from the hotel anymore.
Fan finally let himself start to cry. He couldn’t hold it in anymore, he just wanted to find Paintbrush. He was so scared for himself and his friend, he just sobbed loudly.
Considering Paintbrush was upset over everyone treating them like shit according to themself, Fan understood how they felt to an extent. Paintbrush said stuff like how they’re always doing everything and no one bothered to help them and no one cared but that it was fine because they deserved it and should go die and… Fan winced at what he remembered. He knew that Paintbrush had some repressed feelings, but he didn’t wanna pry. He thought for a moment, maybe he should have, so that this didn’t happen.
Fan refused to stop looking until he found Paintbrush. He checked trees, lakes, rocks, and anything he could approach.
It was getting colder and colder as the night went on. It must’ve been 2 AM by now, and Fan wasn’t getting any less worried.
“Paintbrush? Where are you? I’m genuinely really worried about you, all of Hotel Oj is! Please come back! Even more so,” Fan cried out, “Please don’t be dead!”
He heard something from behind him and he whipped himself around as fast as he could.
His eyes widened.
“…Hey.”
Paintbrush was in front of him.
Silence followed what they said. Time seemingly froze at the mere sound of their voice, and so did Fan.
“Paintbrush?” Fan wanted to make sure, “Is that really you?”
Paintbrush hesitated, “Yeah.”
“You’re… okay!”
“Mostly, yeah. I’m okay.”
Suddenly, Fan tackled Paintbrush into a hug, causing the two to fall onto the ground. Paintbrush yelped in pain.
“Ow!” Paintbrush winced.
Fan gasped, getting off of them, “Oh my gosh I’m so sorry are you okay I didn’t-.”
The sight of Paintbrush this close made him stop talking. There were scratches all over their sides, a couple on their face, but they were deep.
Fan covered his mouth with his hands. He couldn’t find the words to ask them if they were actually okay.
Paintbrush gave a confused, then surprised, then almost apologetic expression. “…Sorry.”
Fan’s voice raised slightly, “Don’t you dare apologize! If anything, I’m sorry, I keep making you angry all the time and annoying you and prying about everything and-.”
“It’s okay, It’s okay, I forgive you.” Paintbrush smiled a little.
Fan smiled a little too. He helped Paintbrush up carefully. He sighed, “Let’s get back to the hotel, get you cleaned up and such. We can watch a movie, or get something to eat?”
Paintbrush put their left and on their right arm. “Yeah, that sounds nice.”
Fan gently grabbed Paintbrush’s hand and led them back to the hotel.
Notes
there may or may not be a pt 2, expect but also dont expect one
actually tehres a pt 2 now https://rentry.co/dit-2