PAINT CANS. [II AU]

20: check up

Paintbrush drew on paper, they sat at a table in their cell. Paintbrush shot up when they heard their door being opened.

"Nurse Candle?" Paintbrush turned around to see a woman with purple dreads. The lady gave them a friendly wave and shut the door behind her. "Hi, Nurse Candle." Paintbrush warmly welcomed, they turned back to their paper and continued drawing.

"Hi Paintbrush, I'm here to check up on you and give you news." Candle softly spoke, and she sat down next to them in another chair. Paintbrush perked up in interest. Candle pulled out a clipboard and pen, "First, how are you feeling today?" Candle's soothing voice spoke.

Paintbrush set the pencil down onto their paper, "I'm doing fine, feeling better than last week." Paintbrush spoke, and they bounced their leg.

Candle wrote that down, humming, "I'm sorry about that, no one deserves to be yelled at like that." Candle responded. Paintbrush slouched over and rested their head on their arms on the table. Candle gave Paintbrush questions, and Paintbrush answered them and was handed their pills and a glass of water. Paintbrush flushed their meds down their throat.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" Candle asked, Paintbrush looked at Candle and paused for a moment.

"Him," Paintbrush responded, "I miss him, that's all." Paintbrush rested their head on the table, hiding their face with their arms. Candle flipped over a paper on her clipboard and took notes.

"I just wanna see him again." Paintbrush mumbled.

Candle hummed, "I'm sorry, I promise you'll get to see him again, it can be hard not to see someone you love." Candle comforted the artist.

Paintbrush propped their head up onto their arms and relaxed their eyelids, "I hope." the artist spoke.

Candle hummed again, "Anyways I have news for you." Candle delivered. Paintbrush looked up at the nurse. "Someone wants to see you." Candle flipped her paper down and hooked her pen onto it.

"I hope it's not my mom." Paintbrush whined, and Candle looked at them.

"I'm hopeful it's not." Candle's soft voice spoke.

"Better not be." Paintbrush's tone shifted to irritation, and the artist sat up.

The door swung open, "Paintbrush, someone wants to see you." a guard called out. Paintbrush scoffed and got up. The artist was placed in handcuffs as a security measure.

"If anything bad happens, tell me." Candle spoke, Paintbrush nodded. The prisoner was escorted by the guard to the parloir. Once they arrived the artist sat down in front of the glass barricade with the speaking hole.

Paintbrush saw the person that sat in front of them and looked in shock.

Yang took off his hood and took a seat in front of them.

"Hi." Yang spoke, he was kind of starstruck from seeing Paintbrush in person.

Paintbrush paused in shock before crying happy tears, "Hi Yang!" Paintbrush excitedly exclaimed, Paintbrush jumped a little in their seat. Paintbrush's excitement was killed by their afterthoughts, Paintbrush's expression visibly turned to guilt. Paintbrush made themself smaller in their chair and looked away.

"It's okay Paintbrush." Yang comforted, reassuring the artist. "I wanted to finally see you." Yang delivered.

Paintbrush paused, their lips scrunched up as they were about to cry. "I'm sorry!" Paintbrush cried out, "All I wanted to do was protect you and keep you safe with me!" Paintbrush sobbed. "I didn't want to hurt people or you, I was fucked up in the head!" Paintbrush choked out, and the artist sobbed.

"I was so selfish, I admit it." Paintbrush confessed. "...They're right, I am a monster." Paintbrush croaked out.

The wound was opened again.

Yang sighed, "I don't think you are."

Paintbrush looked up into Yang's eyes sadly, they stopped crying.

"You just needed help, and unfortunately... you snapped accidentally." Yang spoke, "I just wish I'd helped you more so that this wouldn't have happened, you went through so much pain." Yang spoke as he rubbed the sides of both of his shoulders.

"Oh, Yang... it's not your fault for my wrongdoings..." Paintbrush softly spoke. "I should've gotten help but, I just suffered in silence like a ticking time bomb." Paintbrush shifted a bit. "Now everyone hates me." Paintbrush uttered.

"I still love you." Yang responded, Paintbrush shot up.

"Really?" Paintbrush looked at Yang, and Yang nodded. "Even after I almost killed us...?" Paintbrush spoke. Yang nodded yes again. Paintbrush's eyes watered, and they softly cried.

"I love you too." Paintbrush softly spoke, "I wish I could hug you and stuff, but there's a wall between us and..." Paintbrush lifted their hands to show Yang that their hands were in cuffs. "Again I know I can't be forgiven for my actions... and I'm still haunted by it, but I'm getting better." Paintbrush softly spoke.

Yang lightly smiled, "That's good, how's been prison treating you?" Yang rested his head on top of his hand.

"Pretty good, the nurses treat me nicely and help me, the guards are okay." Paintbrush responded, "The prison isn't actually that bad overall." Paintbrush added. Paintbrush looked at Yang and observed him, "Still pretty." Paintbrush complimented.

Yang smiled, "Thanks, Painty." Yang responded. Paintbrush felt a shock go up their spine and shot up. "Did I say something wrong?" Yang said, his tone shifting to concern.

"No, it's just... Lightbulb would use that pet name on me, it caught me off guard that you used it on me." Paintbrush relaxed their eyelids, "It's fine, I think it's cute." Paintbrush added.

Yang lightly smiled. Paintbrush shot up as they felt a hand on their shoulder, "Times up." A guard spoke.

"Well that's my time, I hope we see each other again." Paintbrush softly spoke. Paintbrush got up and was escorted out. "Bye Yang!" Paintbrush said happily before they left. Yang gave the painter a warm goodbye wave.

Yang left, he got into his car and turned it on. Yang drove back to the hotel, happy that he got to see his distant lover.

Paintbrush went back into their cell and sat back down and continued with their drawing. Happy that they got to see Yang finally, satisfying their worries and taking stress off their shoulders.

They drew a picture.

♡