After a lengthy bus journey, they finally reached their destination around 5pm, due to several brief stops and a lunch break. As they rolled into the camp, a dirt road led them into a spacious area dotted with a few log cabins, an inviting campfire spot, long outdoor benches, and a nearby crystal-clear river. It didn't feel like a place of punishment at all. Had Mephone made a mistake about the location? Truthfully, he had no clue; he simply assumed it would be dreadful and a lesson in misbehaviour. In reality, this camp aimed to develop skills and strengths for personal improvement. The students gazed out of the bus windows in surprise. Once the bus parked, they all hurriedly disembarked without needing a second prompt.

Waiting for them stood a man of medium height, with tousled blonde hair, a slightly scruffy beard, cargo shorts, and sandals. He wore a white shirt adorned with a life ring symbol. He warmly greeted each student as they stepped off the bus.

"Welcome to Inanimate Insanity Behavioral Camp! I'm Lifering, your camp leader. It's wonderful to meet all of you! I'm confident we'll have a great time here. Why don't you all unpack and then gather back here for a proper introduction?" Lifering suggested cheerfully.

The students were utterly stunned, gazing around at their surroundings with confusion. Even Silver and Candle couldn't believe how well-organised the camp was. Before anyone could voice their questions, the attention was grabbed by a crystal ding, a signature move that Candle uses to grab the attention of her students. She kept it in her shoulder bag.

"Alright, everyone, no pushing or shoving. Please grab your bags and take them to your assigned cabins. You'll be staying in the same groups as you were for lunch. Silver and I will be in the staff cabin," she announced with a smile.

The students began unloading their bags and hauling them towards their designated cabins. Nickel, Balloon, Test Tube, Fan, Lightbulb, and Paintbrush settled into cabin one, while the others occupied cabin two. Stepping inside, they found the cabin to be tidy, furnished with three bunk beds (totaling six beds) and a couch. The space was cosy, with wooden walls matching the exterior, and polished wooden floors. The beds were already made with thin white sheets and pillows; it seemed everyone would need to bring their own sleeping bags for warmth. A separate room branching off from the main area contained a sink, shower, and toilet. It was simple but livable, far from the terrible conditions they had anticipated.

"This isn't quite what I expected," Nickel remarked as he tossed his bag onto one of the bottom bunks. He didn't want to admit it in front of everyone, but he had a fear of heights and subtly claimed a lower bunk to avoid having to negotiate for it later.

Balloon let out a huff in response. "You know... same here. When they mentioned a behavioural camp, I was imagining forced labour or something. This is actually really nice." He positioned his suitcase near Nickel's bed, suggesting he had chosen the top bunk, which seemed like the obvious choice given the other four were couples who obviously wanted to bunk together.

"It looks like it's going to be a lot of fun! I can't believe Mephone would send us here! Do you think he even knew what this place was before sending us?" Lightbulb laughed as she claimed a bottom bunk by sitting down on it.

"My theory is exactly that. I doubt Mephone had any clue where he was sending us," Test Tube chimed in. "Oh, and Lightbulb, would you like to bunk with me? We can push our beds together to sleep next to our partners. I think it's the most logical arrangement. You and Painty can take the bottom bunks, and Fan and I can have the tops," she suggested with a nerdy grin.

"You're so smart, Testy!" Lightbulb giggled in response.

Nickel scoffed and rolled his eyes, crossing his arms as he turned to Balloon, muttering, "Can you believe we got stuck with the couples?"

Balloon shrugged a little, feeling slightly awkward about being the odd ones out among the couples. But it was only for two weeks—how bad could it be? "Don't worry about it, Nickel. I'm sure they won't be a bother," he reassured him, trying to downplay the situation.

Test Tube and Lightbulb began pushing their bunk beds together to create a double bunk setup, while Paintbrush sat nearby brushing their hair and Fan paced back and forth in distress over the lack of internet connection.

"What do you mean no bars?! No bars?! What?!" Fan cried out as he continuously tried to refresh his page. His heart raced; the internet was his entire life. How was he supposed to update his blogs and film his daily vlogs?

"Does this place even have a charging port? Oh god—oh god!" Fan continued, struggling to catch his breath.

Test Tube quickly approached him and placed her hands on his arms, gently rubbing them to help calm him down. "Hey, listen... I brought a battery pack. You'll be able to charge your phone. As for service—I really don't think you'll get much out here, Fan, but it's okay! You can still make your vlogs. My battery pack has enough charge for the next two weeks, okay? Just record your videos and put them together in a compilation. Then you can post the whole thing, alright? Just take deep breaths," she reassured him.

Fan took a shaky, deep breath and attempted to calm down.

Nickel glanced over at the couple, scoffing lightly as he nudged Balloon.

"First world problems, am I right?" he teased Fan, although it probably wasn't the best idea considering Test Tube had already been upset earlier, and they were trying not to provoke her.

"Shh! Nickel... Please," Balloon nervously nudged him back. "Just... stop being so insensitive, okay?" he pleaded quietly.

"Insensitive? I'm being insensitive? You're the one being insensitive! You've been avoiding me all day, and now that I try to joke with you, you call me insensitive!" Nickel snapped back. He wasn't sure why he reacted so strongly; it wasn't that big of a deal, and he didn't want to fight with Balloon. But he was putting up a wall again, the only way he knew how—by being mean, treating Balloon poorly because he was afraid to confront his true feelings. Instead, he tried to create distance between them, hoping their relationship would never progress. But why? What was he so afraid of?

Balloon couldn't believe Nickel right now. He had started to hope they could mend things, and now Nickel was reverting to treating him like shit? What had Balloon done to deserve this treatment? So what if he had ignored Nickel earlier? He had eventually spoken to him, and they seemed fine on the bus and just moments ago. But now, because of one small comment about being rude, Nickel was throwing a tantrum and getting mad at him? Balloon sighed in frustration.

"Whatever, I'm going outside," Balloon said, pushing off the bed and storming out. He had briefly entertained the idea that things could improve between them, but now it seemed unlikely.

"Yikes, what did you say to him?" Paintbrush interjected as they put their hairbrush away.

"Nothing, just... go away," Nickel replied curtly before standing up and also leaving the cabin.

Paintbrush shrugged it off; it didn't bother them much. Still, it left them curious about what was going on between those two. Paintbrush couldn't figure out if they were dating, friends, or enemies. They were really confusing like that.

"Come on, guys! The camp leader is probably waiting for us!" Lightbulb spoke with her usual bright smile, bringing her infectious energy to the group. The four of them exited the cabin and made their way over to the campfire where everyone was gathering. Four long logs were set around the campfire, and Nickel and Balloon ended up sitting on opposite sides, clearly avoiding each other.

On the first log sat Candle, Silver Spoon, Lifering, and Yin Yang, who appeared visibly upset and non-verbal. Candle sensed something was wrong but decided it wasn't the right time to approach him. On the left log sat Balloon, Knife, Taco, Microphone, and Trophy, while the right log held Nickel, Paintbrush, Fan, and Test Tube.

"Alright, campers! I thought we'd start with a little icebreaker challenge to get to know each other," Lifering announced enthusiastically. "I'm sure you all know a bit about each other, but there are probably some things people don't know. So, I'll ask you to share four things: your name, your age, something you like doing, and something nobody knows about you. It's a trust exercise—I know, a trust exercise on the first day? Sounds crazy, but listen, everything we say here stays within this camp. We're all here to support each other and build bonds, okay? Alright, I'll start."

"I'm Lifering! I'm 28 years old, and I enjoy swimming, water skiing, fishing, and hiking! Something nobody knows about me is that I have a fear of drowning. Funny, right? All these water activities, yet drowning scares me!" Lifering chuckled and then passed the spotlight to Silver Spoon.

Silver Spoon tensed up a bit when it was his turn. He wasn't fond of sharing personal details with his students, but it was part of the exercise, so he went along with it. "I'm Silver Spoon. As you all know, I'm 30 years old. I like to read and write, and my secret is that I have a big fascination with playwriting." His secret wasn't too private, but it was something most people here didn't know about him, so it worked for the icebreaker.

Now it was Candle's turn, and she was eager to participate. "I'm Candle. I'm 29 years old, and I enjoy meditation, crystals, and inner peace. My secret is that I wasn't always this 'calm,' as you all like to call me. Let's just say, I found my inner flame, and I believe you all can too," she shared with a soft smile. Then, she turned to Yin Yang.

Yin Yang shook their head, declining to share.

"Why is that? Is there something we need to talk about?" Candle asked gently.

"Yang is upset," Yin explained quietly. "But we prefer to talk later, in private."

"Would you like to take your turn, or should we skip you?" Candle inquired kindly.

"No, It is fine." Yang snapped.

"We are Yin Yang, uh, we are 14... we like, hm, dancing, DR FIZZ! Collecting plushies... CHAOS! Our secret is... we don't have many friends." Yin admits.

"Didn't know that was a secret..." Nickel murmured. Paintbrush shoved him a little.

"Dude, not cool." They whispered to him.

Jeez, could nobody take a joke around here?

Lifering smiled and addressed the group. "Thank you for sharing, everyone. Now, who's next... ah, you!" Lifering pointed at Balloon.

Balloon suddenly felt a wave of anxiety rush over him, fiddling with his hoodie strings as he tried to speak. "Uhm... I'm Balloon. I'm 18 years old. I guess I like poetry and art... and, uh, something you guys probably don't know about me is... well, a lot. I don't think many of you know me well at all, so I guess what I shared for my likes is also something you don't know... so," Balloon shrugged, looking down at the ground.

"Thank you for sharing, Balloon," Lifering smiled warmly, noticing that something was clearly upsetting the kid. He made a mental note to check in with Balloon later and see how he was doing.

Nickel could sense that something was bothering Balloon. He felt like he knew Balloon better than anyone here, and seeing him upset made him wonder if it was because of how he acted back in the cabin. Nickel didn't think he was that much of a jerk to make Balloon that sad.

As the introductions continued around the campfire, each person shared their name, age, likes, and a secret about themselves. Eventually, it was Nickel's turn to speak.

"And lucky last! Tell us about yourself!" Lifering chimed in.

Nickel, with his arms crossed and a blank expression, let out a sigh and straightened up. "Yeah... uh, I'm Nickel, 18– Ugh, this is so stupid. Why are we doing this again?" Nickel complained.

"To build trust with one another, to learn new things about the people you'll be spending the next two weeks with," Lifering explained kindly.

Nickel scoffed. "Is that so? Well, I don't think anyone here gives a damn about me anyway, so why should I tell them about myself? They don't care, and frankly, I don't care about them either. This is a pointless exercise, and I'm done participating in it," Nickel snapped before abruptly standing up and storming off towards the lake. His outburst left everyone in awkward silence; they hadn't expected Nickel to blow up like that.

"Looks like we have a tough one on our hands," Lifering chuckled as he stood up. "Well, let's give him some space. In the meantime, let's head to cabin four! It's our kitchen. Each of you will be helping cook up a meal for everyone—naan bread and seasoned chicken. I'll assign groups and tasks for everyone." He clapped his hands to get them moving, and everyone reluctantly dragged themselves towards the kitchen. Balloon remained seated, contemplating what to do.

Before Lifering left with the others, he knelt down in front of Balloon. "Hey, bud, you good?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine... I just—can I go check on Nickel? We're frie–... we know each other," Balloon replied with a weak smile.

Lifering didn't see a problem with that; he shrugged and nodded. "Yeah, by all means, be my guest. I want everyone to feel welcome and accepted here. I don't see any of you as a bad egg, including Nickel. I can tell he's not a bad kid, just torn up inside. It seems he has a good friend on his hands," Lifering said, patting Balloon on the back before heading towards the cabin to start tonight's cooking activity.

Balloon slid his hands into his hoodie pocket and strolled along, the sun nearly gone and the moon ascending, casting a dim light across the sky. Eventually, he reached the river where Nickel was aggressively skimming rocks across the water. Balloon didn't speak immediately. Instead, he sidled up next to Nickel and stood silently beside him, saying nothing as they both faced the water.

"What do you want..." Nickel's voice was low, his gaze fixed on the water without turning to face Balloon. They stood there together, alone, Nickel feeling an odd reluctance to meet Balloon's eyes.

"I can see you're not okay," Balloon said softly. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Why do you care? You stormed off earlier..." Nickel skipped another rock across the river.

"You're right, I did... I was upset," Balloon admitted with a sigh. "But being upset doesn't mean I don't care about you." He turned towards Nickel, though Nickel still kept his gaze averted.

"Yeah, whatever," Nickel muttered, reaching into his pocket to retrieve his vape. He took a puff and exhaled unsteadily.

Balloon let out a sigh of disappointment upon seeing Nickel with the vape. However, he reminded himself not to judge. Nickel had stormed off earlier because he felt judged by everyone, and Balloon didn't want to add to that feeling. His goal was to make Nickel feel comfortable expressing himself. So, Balloon made a decision to step out of his comfort zone to demonstrate his support for his friend.

"Can I try it...?" Balloon asked tentatively.

Finally, Nickel turned to face Balloon, eyebrow raised. "I thought you didn't vape?" he questioned.

"I don't, but I want you to know I'm here for you," Balloon explained, holding out his hand. "I'm not here to judge you, Nickel."

Nickel shook his head and put the vape back in his pocket. "No, I'm not getting you started on this... you're better than that, Balloon," he said with a frown. "I believe you care, okay? Just... Please, don't do things you don't want to do."

Balloon sighed and nodded slightly, then squatted down by the riverbank and sat on the ground, looking up at Nickel to see his reaction. Nickel huffed and joined him, sitting down beside Balloon. Together, they remained silent, gazing out at the river. The moon was now visible, and the sun had completely disappeared, its reflection shimmering on the water. Nickel stuffed his hand back into his pocket and pulled out the vape, taking another quick hit and exhaling into the air.

"The others are cooking dinner. If we stay out here long enough, we won't need to cook," Balloon chuckled softly, trying to break the silence.

"You can just admit you want to spend more time with me..." Nickel muttered unexpectedly. His remark was slightly suggestive and oddly flirtatious, surprising even himself with what he had said.

Balloon's cheeks flushed, but he chose to stay silent, not responding to Nickel's comment. He felt an unexpected warmth inside, puzzled by why Nickel of all people was making him feel this way.

Nickel felt his palms getting sweaty and tightened his grip on the vape, taking another shaky hit. He was trembling slightly, unsure if it was from nerves or the evening chill. He avoided looking at Balloon, feeling foolish for blurting out those words and wondering why they had slipped out.

Balloon simply sighed and leaned slightly against Nickel's shoulder, closing his eyes briefly. He missed this closeness with Nickel, longing for their past connection. He would do anything to restore their relationship.

"Well, maybe you're right. I do want to stay here a little longer," Balloon murmured softly.

Nickel's cheeks remained flushed as he chuckled shyly and averted his gaze from Balloon, unwilling to meet his eyes. The two of them sat quietly, Balloon's head resting peacefully on Nickel's shoulder while Nickel vaped. It felt tranquil, perhaps the first time in years they had experienced such calmness together, entirely of their own accord. Out here by the river, it was just the two of them, by their own choice. It felt comforting, almost cosy. There was a sense of safety in the air. Balloon cherished this moment, dreading its end, afraid that something would once again disrupt their peace and drive Nickel away. He couldn't understand why, but it seemed like every time they grew closer, Nickel would unexpectedly build a wall and jeopardise what they had. Balloon longed for Nickel to simply be genuine with him for once. They had been at odds for too long, and Balloon yearned to return to the ease they once shared.

"We should head to dinner, right?" Nickel finally broke the silence after a while. Being alone with Balloon for so long felt strange and new, stirring a sense of uncertainty within him.

"Yeah, probably," Balloon replied with a nervous chuckle. He stood up and glanced back at the cabins, letting out a soft sigh. He wished they could stay in that moment forever, but hunger and the concern of Lifering's watchful eye prompted their return.

Nickel stood as well, and together they made their way back toward the cabins, walking in peaceful silence.

Upon entering the kitchen cabin, they were greeted by four long wooden benches and a small kitchen workstation in the back. The aroma of food filled the air as they began serving up plates and placing them on the table. Everyone would enjoy the same meal with a glass of water.

Knife scoffed as he noticed Balloon and Nickel sitting together at one of the benches. "Oh, look who decided to show up, the two who disappeared while the rest of us were slaving away. You're welcome, Your Highnesses," he snapped, placing their plates in front of them before walking off to finish serving.

Balloon and Nickel paid no mind to the comments. They knew they had needed that time alone, regardless of what others might say or think about them.

Soon, everyone gathered around the tables and dinner began. They dispersed themselves among the available tables. Lightbulb, Paintbrush, Fan, and Test Tube occupied one table, while Microphone, Knife, Taco, and Trophy sat at another. Balloon and Nickel shared a bench with the teachers and Yin Yang, as others seemed to avoid them, clearly angry that they had skipped out on cooking, not caring whether or not they were upset or not, they found it unfair.

However, it wasn't just Balloon and Nickel who skipped cooking—Yin Yang also stayed out, having a discussion with Candle about their feelings. It turned out they were upset about not being able to stay in Candle's room. Candle encouraged Yin Yang to make friends with his group, which they resisted but eventually agreed to join their group in their room at least, realising they had no other choice.

"So, how are you boys feeling?" Lifering inquired, looking at Nickel and Balloon.

Balloon finished chewing and nodded. "Better."

Nickel shrugged, poking at his food. "Yeah, whatever. Doesn't change that everyone at this camp seems to hate us... but fine, I guess," he muttered, shaking his head.

Lifering smiled and shook his head slightly. "Does it really matter what everyone else thinks? You have each other, and that's what really matters," he reassured them.

Nickel and Balloon glanced up at Lifering, If only he knew their history.

"Yeah, I guess we do," Balloon responded softly, turning to face Nickel.

Nickel looked away shyly, struggling to meet Balloon's gaze. There was something unsettling about the way Balloon could read him just by looking into his eyes. When he did it earlier today with Silver Spoon, when he was staring at Candle, it alarmed him. Nickel didn't want Balloon to detect his feelings; he didn't even want to acknowledge those feelings himself. Pushing Balloon away seemed like the only solution to prevent these emotions from surfacing. Yet, deep down, Nickel yearned for Balloon's presence. He didn't want to lose him, but he also didn't want to confront these overwhelming feelings that put him in such a conflicting position.

"Well I am glad, just stick together, it seems you both really care about each other." Lifering smiled.

. . .

Not long after, everyone finished their meals and placed their dishes in the dishwasher, which Lifering started once they were all done.

"Alright, it's been a long day! Why don't you all head off to bed? We have a big day tomorrow!" Lifering announced. "If tomorrow goes well, who knows, I might treat you all to marshmallows by the fire! But for tonight, off to bed, get some rest!" Lifering suggested cheerfully.

Candle and Silver guided the students out, ensuring each one safely entered their cabins before retiring to bed themselves. Their staff cabin was quite upscale, featuring several separate rooms, each with a decent-sized bed for personal comfort. Before Candle could enter the cabin, Yin Yang stopped her by grabbing her sleeve.

"Please don't make me sleep in my own cabin, they will bully us!"

"Please Candle! We will behave!"

Yin Yang begged.

Candle sighed softly, lowering herself to Yin Yang's eye level.

"Yin Yang... you'll have to stay in there eventually... but, just for tonight, would you be okay with sleeping on the staff couch?" She asked.

Yin Yang quickly nodded their head.

"Yes!"

They both cheered as they hurried inside, racing for the couch.

Candle let out a gentle yawn, retrieving a blanket from her bag—a soft, purple throw—and draped it over Yin Yang, ensuring they would stay warm.

"Sleep well, Yin Yang," she sighed before entering her own room.

. . .

In Balloon and Nickel's cabin, everyone was getting ready for bed. The setup with the beds pushed together seemed to work well for the couples. Paintbrush had their arm around their girlfriend, holding her close as they slept, while Test Tube and Fan were huddled together.

Each person had unique pyjamas. Paintbrush wore a simple white tank top and bike shorts. Lightbulb donned a fuzzy yellow bunny onesie, while Fan opted for a plain white t-shirt and grey shorts. Test Tube sported a button-up silk green pyjama top with matching pants.

Meanwhile, Balloon and Nickel were the last to change into their pyjamas, taking turns in the bathroom. Nickel emerged wearing a grey t-shirt and shorts, while Balloon wore a white tank top and small red shorts. Balloon's curly, poofy hair was let loose, contrasting with Nickel's scruffy, tousled locks.

They headed to their respective beds. Nickel collapsed onto his with an audible sigh of exhaustion, relieved to finally rest after a long day. He felt a bit odd being the only ones without a significant other in the room, especially seeing everyone cuddling with their partners nearby. To avoid dwelling on it, he turned to face the wall.

Balloon climbed up the metal ladder with a sleeping bag in hand, laying it out inside and settling down. He placed his head on the pillow and let out a soft sigh, ready to unwind and sleep.

Balloon tossed from one side to the other, rattling the bed with each movement, unable to find a comfortable position to sleep. He wasn't sure why...

"Could you knock it off? I'm trying to sleep," Nickel whispered loudly at Balloon.

"Sorry... I just... I can't get comfortable," Balloon admitted, his voice shaky.

"Not my problem," Nickel responded bluntly.

"Well, it is if I keep tossing and turning..." Balloon murmured. "I, uh... I'm actually afraid of the dark," he suddenly confessed. Balloon felt petrified in the pitch-black room without any lights.

"Oh," Nickel responded cautiously, surprised that Balloon would share such a deep fear so openly. "It's okay, alright? Nothing will hurt you," Nickel tried to comfort him.

Balloon sat up, hugging his arms tightly around himself, his whole body shaking with fear. "No... you don't understand, Nickel... I'm really scared," Balloon's voice cracked, clearly distressed.

Nickel quickly sat up, genuinely concerned now that he saw Balloon on the verge of tears. "Hey, it's okay... Shh. Can you come down?" Nickel asked as he slipped out of bed and stood by the ladder, too afraid to climb up in the dark. "I think I packed a flashlight; let me find it for you," he spoke softly.

Balloon sniffled and carefully wiggled out of his sleeping bag. "Please... hold me as I climb down... I don't want to fall," he stuttered.

Nickel swallowed nervously and moved closer to the ladder, reaching out to hold Balloon's hips as he descended the ladder step by step. Once Balloon made it down, he turned around and wrapped his arms tightly around Nickel, burying his head into Nickel's chest. Balloon was shaking and crying, revealing a vulnerability that surprised Nickel. Awkwardly, Nickel placed a hand on Balloon's back, gently patting it. As they stood there, holding each other, Nickel couldn't deny that it felt oddly comforting and familiar—a feeling he hadn't experienced in a long time.

"You okay...?" Nickel whispered to him.

"Mhm..." Balloon replied, still holding onto Nickel tightly.

"Here, let's sit," Nickel suggested, guiding Balloon to his bed and sitting down beside him. Balloon covered his eyes and rested his head against Nickel's shoulder while Nickel rummaged through his bag, feeling around with his hands. He soon found his torch, quickly turning it on and covering the light with his hand to keep it dim. Holding it between them, he illuminated their faces.

"Are you okay?" Nickel asked softly.

Balloon nodded and sniffled again.

"Thank you."

They sat quietly for a moment, neither speaking, just gazing at the soft light filtering through Nickel's hand.

"I don't want to go back up..." Balloon admitted quietly.

Nickel frowned. "Well, I'm not going up there–"

"No! I mean, I don't want to be alone," Balloon clarified. "Can I just stay down here, with you...? Even if it's just for a little bit, I just need someone close to me to feel safe, please Nickel?" Balloon practically begged, his fear palpable. He wouldn't ask this if he wasn't genuinely scared.

Nickel hesitated to be close with Balloon, fearing that his feelings might intensify if they became physically intimate. He quickly shook his head. "N-No, no way, Balloon... it'll be okay, right? I mean, what if the others wake up and start teasing us, calling us boyfriends—"

"So...? Why should we care?" Balloon interrupted.

"I-I just don't want people to think we're dating, okay?" Nickel stated bluntly.

Balloon scoffed. "Would that really be such a nightmare for you?"

"W-What! No! I... dating and relationships... It's a weird topic for me, okay? I..." Nickel hesitated, noticing Balloon's trembling and realising he truly didn't want to be alone. "Fine, fine! You can stay down here, but just for a little while! When you're ready, take my torch and go back up before anyone wakes up, okay, set an alarm and make sure you wake up, alright?" Nickel negotiated.

Balloon didn't understand why Nickel cared so much about others' opinions but decided not to press further since he was getting his way. He smiled cheesily and eagerly settled into the bed. Nickel sighed and laid down beside him, unable to believe he was sharing a bed with Balloon. This was so... gay, and Nickel was gay!. What would Suitcase and Baseball think? They would tease him endlessly if they found out he was snuggling up with Balloon... They'd never let him hear the end of it! He had tried to avoid situations like this to prevent developing feelings for Balloon, but now here they were, in the same bed!

Balloon rested his head close to Nickel's, placing his hand on Nickel's chest to keep him close. As they lay there, Nickel turned off the torch in his hand and let out a shaky breath. He was nervous about the situation and tried to calm himself by speaking.

"I'm afraid of heights," Nickel suddenly confessed. "That's why I didn't want to climb up or take the top bunk," he admitted truthfully.

Balloon sighed softly, feeling sleep overcoming him. "Well, everyone is afraid of something..." he murmured tiredly. "I fear abandonment and judgement," Balloon added.

"Heh... me too," Nickel responded softly, realising how much he and Balloon had in common.

Nickel zoned out for a moment, and when he refocused, he went to ask Balloon if he was okay, only to hear gentle snores. Nickel sighed with relief, finally able to relax. He couldn't believe he allowed this to happen, but that was a problem for tomorrow's Nickel to worry about—right now, there were no more worries.

Except for one thing... They had forgotten to set an alarm to wake up before everyone else.

Oops.