Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Suggest whatever you want. Im a multishipper so i love Like literally every single ship besides goob x shrimpo dont ask why😭

GENERAL DNI LIST / SHIT IM NOT WRITING :

1 don’t comment or even kudos my shit if ur a proshipper . Please take ur diddling somewhere else ty
2 I WONT WRITE ANYTHING ICKY LIKE RAPE BRO let’s be normal guys come on now ..
3 o cwnt think of anything else it’s really late .. I’ll edit this shit later bro

Btw , I’m 100% okay with you being descriptive with your requests , in fact , I encourage it. It really really helps me out when writing. It isn’t a requirement but appreciated . I think that’s it .,, tags and stuff will be updated .. don’t forget to pay me visits and check when the next chapt is out ^o^

wait lemme just paste from my other fic I’m a genius

I DO ANY SHIP :3 As long as its legal.
ill do fluff, smut, whatever the hell ^_^ u want skin ships? ill write skin ships !! Ill also probably like.. fix all the tags and stuff once i get a few requests done too ... SOOO yea dont hesitate to request something (i beg you)

(more) RULES !!!!!!!! RAAAAHHH
- I will not be "aging-up" characters. If they're a minor then they're a minor. :frown:
- IWONT BE WRITING SEX OF MINORS!!!!!!!! GTFO !!! PROSHIP DNI :FROWN: :FROWN:
- oh but ill accept fluff of minors as long as it isnt... yknow .. creepy.,..,

Chapter Text

Recently, Brightney found herself losing interest in the things she once found comforting. 

Talking with others, attending her book club, even reading. Those were the few things she kept near and dear to her heart — Brightney couldn’t imagine living a world without those things. 

So why did she feel so indifferent about them now? 

Brightney had a feeling she knew why. 

She didn’t want to think about it, though. 

Because she knew doing so would only send her spiraling deeper into a pit of sadness and regret. It would eat at her core, draining whatever mental she had left.

Perfection. 

At first it wasn’t really something Brightney strived for. At first.

She was intelligent and well-mannered, with good friends and healthy relationships. Brightney was fine the way she was, even with any of the mistakes she may have had in the past. 

But that content feeling of being okay with not being perfect shriveled up when Brightney put herself in comparison to other Toons like Scraps, or even Rodger. In her eyes they were the pinnacle of Perfection. Rodger especially. You could tell by the way the magnifying glass presented himself, spoke and behaved that he was practically in another realm of existence compared to Brightney. Being intelligent enough to earn the title of a Detective was no easy feat. It’s impressive. It’s inspiring. It tells others that this Toon is no mere walk in the park. 

But Brightney? 

What did she have?

A book club?

Brightney scoffed at the thought. 

She couldn’t imagine what was so great about a book club. 

It was nothing compared to what all the other Toons had. 

She felt embarrassed thinking like that — but the Lamp couldn’t help it. The feeling of imperfection plagued her every thought, even now, as she sat with her knees hugged close to her chest in her room. 

Her messy, messy room.

It wasn’t like her to not clean up a mess. She liked having a tidy room.

But Brightney just couldn’t bring herself to clean it. She felt too unmotivated — too undeserving. What would a neat room fix? She saw it purely as a poor attempt to appear “Perfect”. 

A messy room reflected her better. It suited her.

The Toon took a glimpse around her room, taking in every toppled book and various candy wrappers strewn about. 

An imperfect room for an imperfect Toon. 

That didn’t sound too bad, did it?

She cracked a small smile. Not like she found the situation funny. 

It was ironic. Brightney just couldn’t help but chuckle. 

She hadn’t even realized she was crying until she felt the coolness of the breeze against her damp lampshade.

How long was she crying for? She wasn’t exactly sure.

There she goes, crying over her imperfections again. 

Brightney hugged herself a bit tighter than before. A small attempt in finding comfort within herself, she supposed. 

It worked, to some degree anyway. At least now she could let herself cry more comfortably —

..Until her room door sounded, its hinges creaking obnoxiously. It opened up rather slowly, but even without seeing their face, Brightney could tell who it was thanks to the soft, blue light that radiated from them.

Astro. 

The Toon peeked their head from beside the door.

Oh, Astro was going to see Brightney in such a pathetic state. 

She had to collect herself — she couldn’t let Astro see her like this. 

The Lamp quickly began to tend to her eyes, wiping any tears from her face as she sat herself more courteously. Though, most of the damage had already been done. It’d take a while for her lampshade to properly dry ..

“A-Astro! Sorry, you caught me at an .. Awkward time, hah..”
She laughed awkwardly and cleared her  throat, waving her wrist dismissively. Brightney quickly went on, 

“Come in! Make yourself at home. Pardon the mess, I was just .. Just about to clean it, yes!” 

Astro hesitated by the door momentarily, as if rethinking their decision of walking in on Brightney unannounced.

“.. Didn’t mean to interrupt you, sorry.”
They said quietly, allowing themself inside.

The Toon carefully entered the room and shut the door. It was only now that they were properly situated inside of the room that they could see the full extent of its … state.

“It’s just that .. Uh, as I was walking by everybody’s rooms to give them good dreams, and I heard you .. Sniffling.”

They explained.

“…I don’t mean to invade, it’s just that I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Oh dear. Was Brightney’s bulb glowing brighter? She felt a bit embarrassed knowing that her crying wasn’t as quiet as she imagined. Her posture stiffened, taking a few careful moments to find the correct words to answer Astro. 

“Yes,”

“I’m alright. Like I said, you just caught me at a bad time is all.”

Brightney responded.

With the way Astro’s expression subtly shifted, the lampshade could tell that her answer was  unsatisfactory. The Moon opened their mouth to speak, only for them to pause and think for a second to choose their words carefully. 

“Are you .. Sure .. That you’re alright?”

Brightney simply nodded, forcing a smile that Astro could undoubtedly detect as fake. 

“Couldn’t be better, actually! Really, it’s just—“

“Don’t give me that, Brightney.”

Astro interrupted. 

“..We’re friends. I know when things are up. A-And .. Well, I can tell that something isn’t right.”

Brightney’s eyes fluttered, shocked that Astro would interrupt her. What surprised her more was that Astro wasn’t letting up so easily. She couldn’t understand why they were so adamant about her telling the truth.

She didn’t want to worry them. These were her battles — Not Astro’s. They’d have no reason to spend their time fretting over her. She’d get over it, as everyone else does when overcoming their problems.

Brightney would hate to be a burden to Astro. With them being a Main Character, she’d imagine that they already have a lot on their plate, dealing with all the big shows and whatnot.

Besides, what good would come from confiding within Astro? Nothing, that’s for sure. She reached a hand up to dry her eyes again, frowning. 

“What do you know, Astro?”

Brightney asked, sounding a bit more harsher than she anticipated. 

“W-What?”

The Moon stuttered.

“I’ll tell you what you know,”

She continued.

“Nothing. Nothing about me .. how I’m really doing, or .. or anything!” 

Brightney said, voice raising in volume as she spoke.

The Lamp could feel herself burning up. Maybe it was her bulb getting brighter as she felt herself getting more upset — either way, she could feel another river of tears threatening to break through her floodgates. She didn’t mean to be rude towards Astro. Or appear pathetic towards them, either. She doesn’t know why she got so upset in the first place.

Taking a deep breath, Brightney attempted to control herself. 

“I-I’m sorry.”

She apologized.

“You just don’t understand—“

“You think I don’t understand.”

Astro corrected, stepping a bit further within the room — closer towards Brightney.

“.. But I feel that I know you better than possibly any other Toon here. How else would I have noticed .. Your strange behavior.” 

Said the Moon, seeming visibly flustered as they spoke their mind. It was a bit difficult for them to get the words out confidently — Speaking wasn’t really Astro’s thing, especially in cases like these.

Nonetheless ,

For Brightney?

They’d just have to step out of their comfort zone a bit. She needed to hear this.

“Neglecting your book club? Your actions? I noticed … The changes.”

“You’ve been more aloof. M-More than I usually am, at least.”

“I just need you to speak to me, Brightney.”

“Please.”

Astro’s words had frozen Brightney in place. 

She wasn’t entirely sure how to react — Having been asked to communicate her feelings — by Astro, no less.

She knew she was close with them, but never did Brightney expect for Astro to care for her as much as they did. It felt a bit unfamiliar. Having someone put her well-being above all else. 

And she would’ve appreciated it, too.

If she deserved it.

“I don’t deserve to be consoled, Astro.” Brightney found herself saying. “Just drop it. This is a waste of your time..” She insisted.

She knew she needed this. 

.. Needed Astro’s comfort.

They know her better than anyone else. Their observations were spot on — Astro knew what she was neglecting and how her usual behavior was being .. different.

However, Brightney couldn’t help but deny Astro’s kindness. A perfect person wouldn’t be battling these issues. A perfect person would —

“Brightney.”

The Moon’s voice made Brightney’s heart skip a beat. It brought her mind back to the present, and more importantly, back to Astro. Their voice was .. nice. Gentle .. and soft. As it always is.

She looked up from her tear-soaked lap to meet Astro’s eyes. 

They were standing right in front of her now. Her hands were being held within theirs, she’d quickly realize. 

Their hands. 

She never really got to see their hands like this. In fact, she couldn’t recall ever seeing Astro’s hands before.

Small, gentle hands .. Brightney couldn’t even imagine why they’d ever hide them.

“.. It's okay to be .. Not … Okay.” Astro said.

“H-Huh?”

“You can have your ups .. and your downs. Look — What I’m trying to say is that .. Uh, not everybody is perfect. I .. I mean, just look at me.”
Momentarily breaking from Brightney’s grasp, Astro gestured towards themself, allowing the Lamp to catch a glimpse at their form through the gap of their gown. 

“.. Ha, four arms? Really? Does this look perfect to you?”
Astro chuckled nervously, concealing their second pair of arms within their gown before returning to holding Brightney’s hands.

“..So .. The point is that it’s okay. You’re okay. Okay?”

“…. I’m not saying ‘okay’ too much, am I?….”

Brightney couldn’t help but crack a smile. And maybe laugh a bit, her small chuckles causing a few more tears to fall down her face, which she’d quickly attempt to dry with her arm.

“No. Not at all, Astro.” 

The Moon let out a relieved sigh.
“That’s good..”

“So,”

“Do you mind telling me what’s on your mind..?”
They asked hopefully.

When their response was met with silence, Astro helped themselves to Brightney’s bed, sitting beside her closely, their hands still held together. 

“I’m here for you.”
Astro said.

“O..Okay.”
The Lamp replied shakily, taking a deep breath to collect herself. 

She gulped a bit, squeezing Astro’s hand. 

It felt a little awkward verbalizing her thoughts. She wasn’t exactly sure where to start. Brightney found it funny how when she’s all cooped up in her thoughts, going on endless rants within her head, she knew exactly what to say — But now that she was actually given the opportunity to explain herself, she was at a loss for words.

There was just .. So much, yet putting it into thoughts felt impossible, even for someone as bright (no pun intended) as herself.

“I guess I’m just not..”

“I…”
Brightney frowned, slightly frustrated.

“There’s no rush. Take your time, Brightney.”Astro reassured her, using their second pair of arms to pet Brightney’s back.

Brightney took yet another deep breath before continuing, 

“I’m just not perfect.”

“Okay?”

“There, you’ve heard it. Laugh all you want. My mistakes are what caused a lot of the other Toons to get injured during our recent excursion. Not only that, but I just make so many screw-ups. Nothing I do has been beneficial for the other Toons! They all look up at me with such high expectations. I .. I can't deliver them!”

The lampshade’s bulb burned bright with anger and confusion, her thoughts spilling out in such a rush that Astro could just barely keep up. She was crying once more, tears that Astro quickly tended to. 

“Oh, Brightney.. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Everyone’s eyes being on you isn’t easy — Take it from me. But you shouldn’t let that weight crush you. I .. I know it’s easier said than done, but I know you can keep your head up high. You’re one of the strongest Toons I know. Just .. Don’t tell Vee I said that.”

They smiled at Brightney — and the Lamp found herself lost staring at Astro’s face. 

They had such a beautiful smile. It was nothing like the forced ones they’d wear during episodes or when working with their toon handler, or with kids. Brightney could tell this was genuine. And she loved it. How many Toons had the fortune of seeing Astro’s real smile? She pondered that thought.

“And.. Everyone makes mistakes.”
Astro would continue.
“The fact that you’re brave enough to even put yourself in charge and organize things for everyone else just shows how .. Amazing you are, Brightney. I-I could never.. But — mistakes are bound to happen. There is no such thing as a perfect world. If there is, then we surely aren’t living in it.”

“You are fine just the way you are. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Alright? Not even .. I don’t know, Dandy .. Or Shrimpo. T-Though with Shrimpo you might have a bit of trouble …”

Brightney laughed at that comment,
“We both know how difficult Shrimpo can be.”

“.. Anyway .. Thank you, Astro. This … This really means a lot to me.”

Without warning, Astro wrapped their arms around Brightney in a hug, carefully minding her lampshade. 

Brightney was at a loss for words. She felt frozen. Shocked. She was so shocked she nearly forgot to reciprocate the hug!

Astro never hugged anybody. Astro doesn’t even like hugs. 

This was the first time they had ever done this. At least to her. It was nice.

“This.. is how you do it, right?” Astro asked.

 
“Wh- Huh?”

“Ah.. You know, a hug? I-I’m sorry you’re probably uncomfortable—“

“No, no no! Not at all! Please, can we .. Stay like this for a bit? If you don’t mind. I really appreciate what you’re doing for me right now…”
Brightney asked sheepishly. 

“Alright.”

The Moon kept their hold on Brightney as requested. They found her warmth comforting, oddly enough. Astro was never one for hugs, let alone any sort of physical touch. However with Brightney, things felt different. It felt right. They weren’t exactly sure how or why, but Astro didn’t mind too much.

The two remained hugging for quite some time. Enough time for Brightney to have fallen asleep in Astro’s grasp, comfortably nuzzled against the Moon. 

Astro smiled softly, carefully laying Brightney down along the bed and pulling the covers. Being careful as to not wake her up, they summoned their two little blue stars, hovering themover Brightney’s head to give a good dream. Something that would help ease all the recent stress she’s had.

Once finished, the stars dissipated, and Astro could rest easy knowing that Brightney would sleep well tonight. 

They were almost reluctant to leave, feeling like they should do one last thing before leaving Brightney to herself .. 

.. A kiss on the forehead?

No — Astro dismissed the thought as soon as it came, shocked that they would even think of such a thing. Sure, they liked Brightney but did they really like her like that? 

….

…….

There were plenty of other things to do for her, surely!

Astro scanned the room in a panic, noticing the mess and immediately beginning to tend to it. 

What were they thinking, wanting to give her a kiss on the forehead? Surely Brightney only thought of Astro as a friend.

The Moon picked up scattered books on the floor as they thought to themself.

Why would Brightney think of Astro as anything other than a friend? She had so many other options .. Better options! .. Besides, Astro only liked her as a friend, as well.

.. Right?

Like sure, Astro felt comfortable doing things with her that they’ve never done with any other toon, but that meant nothing!

They could speak their mind .. be physical, and even show her things they’d never show anyone else, not even Dandy … But did that mean they like like her?

Emotions are just so confusing for them…

They glanced at Brightney.  
 
Oh dear.

The Moon paused their cleaning. Going against their better judgement, Astro stepped towards her hesitantly.

They couldn’t believe they were doing this.

Astro leaned down and .. 

peck! 

Oh they really just did that.

A wave of embarrassment washed over Astro, and the Moon would quickly make their escape out of Brightney’s room, hiding their face in their gown as they fled.