Balloon and Nickel stood close to each other as Lifering explained how to use the coffee machines. Balloon found himself distracted, repeatedly glancing at Nickel. He couldn't help but wonder if Nickel truly had a crush on him. Balloon felt almost certain, but he couldn't be sure. This uncertainty made him unable to focus; instead, he kept stealing glances at Nickel, curious and somewhat fixated on finding out the truth.

Meanwhile, Nickel wasn't fully attentive either. His hands hung by his side as he tried to concentrate on Lifering's instructions, but everything seemed like a blur. His mind was preoccupied with worry about whether Balloon had noticed his feelings. Nickel feared that if Balloon knew, it might affect their friendship. He didn't think there was any chance Balloon could reciprocate his feelings, especially considering Balloon's reserved nature about relationships. Nickel had initially assumed Balloon liked Suitcase, but there was no solid evidence of that. The way Balloon acted—wanting to cuddle, touching his face—confused Nickel deeply. He couldn't tell if Balloon was simply being affectionate as a friend or if there was something more romantic behind it. Nickel wished he didn't feel so strongly about Balloon, as these thoughts only brought him confusion and uncertainty.

Today, Balloon was determined to find out if Nickel liked him. He couldn't stand the uncertainty any longer and needed to put his doubts to rest. As Lifering continued explaining the art of making a perfect latte, Balloon saw an opportunity to test the waters with Nickel. He decided to subtly brush his hand against Nickel's, making it seem like an accidental touch– a classic move, but one that might reveal the truth. Keeping his eyes fixed on the front, Balloon nonchalantly swayed and manoeuvred his hand closer to Nickel's, ensuring their hands brushed against each other.

Nickel felt the gentle contact like an electric shock, causing him to instinctively cross his arms and blush bright red. He tried to ignore the sensation, but his heart raced, longing to reach out and hold Balloon's hand. Meanwhile, Balloon observed Nickel's reaction closely. It was not the response of someone without feelings. Balloon calmly slid his hands into his pockets, masking any emotion on his face, acting as though the touch had gone unnoticed. It seemed that Nickel hadn't suspected a thing.

"Alright, now in pairs, I want you to create a perfect latte!" Lifering announced, gesturing towards a colourful cardboard box labelled 'Prizes'. "Candle and I will be the judges, and the best latte wins a prize!"

The sudden instruction snapped Balloon and Nickel back to attention. Without a word, they headed towards one of the coffee machines, as if they had already silently agreed to be partners.

Balloon hoped that Nickel had been paying attention because he himself hadn't absorbed a single word from Lifering's demonstration. Unbeknownst to Balloon, Nickel had actually taken a barista course in the past and knew how to make a latte. However, he found it strangely embarrassing to admit, fearing that Balloon might mock him for it. Nickel couldn't understand why Balloon's opinion suddenly mattered to him, but he felt an odd desire to impress him.

"So..." Nickel leaned against the counter. "We start by turning on the machine, right?"

Balloon stared at the array of buttons, unsure which one to press. He tentatively reached for a button, hoping he was choosing the right one.

"No, not that one!" Nickel exclaimed, smacking Balloon's hand away. "Did you even pay attention during the demonstration, Balloon?"

"Uh... maybe I got a bit distracted," Balloon admitted sheepishly. "Sorry, I was just a bit bored."

"Well, that's a first—Balloon getting bored of learning," Nickel chuckled softly. "It's okay. Lucky for you, I was paying attention. I'll show you what to do."

Balloon smiled mischievously. He had a plan forming in his mind. He decided to intentionally make mistakes, just to see if Nickel would help him and how he would react. Perhaps he could even coax Nickel into grabbing his hand—it was worth a shot! All the while, Balloon aimed to subtly flirt with Nickel, testing the waters to see how Nickel responded.

Nickel effortlessly switched on the coffee machine. "See? Easy. Now, with this advanced machine, you just need to select the right number of coffee shots to start with. The milk is the trickier part, you have to froth it just right."

Nickel's rambling came to an abrupt halt when he noticed Balloon smirking at him.

"What?" Nickel snapped, his cheeks flushing.

"Have you done this before?" Balloon teased playfully.

"What? No! Just grab a cup and do what I said... idiot," Nickel replied, crossing his arms defensively.

Balloon chuckled and grabbed one of the clear coffee cups. Instead of placing it in the obvious spot directly under the coffee drip, Balloon purposely mispositioned it to see how Nickel would react.

Nickel's response was immediate. "No, not there! How are you so hopeless at this?" He grabbed Balloon's wrist and guided his hand to the correct spot. "Jeez, Balloon..."

"At least I'm lucky to have someone on my team who knows what he's doing!" Balloon said with a sweet smile directed at Nickel. "So... which button do I press now?"

This pattern of Balloon making mistakes and Nickel guiding him continued, creating a wholesome atmosphere. Nickel teased Balloon for his lack of expertise, and Balloon playfully ribbed Nickel for being a know-it-all. They seemed to be enjoying each other's company immensely.

Soon, they reached the milk portion of the process. Balloon poured milk into the metal measuring flask until Nickel instructed him to stop. Balloon then attempted to position the flask under the frothing stick, but his alignment was way off. Nickel swiftly hit the lever to start the frothing and immediately noticed Balloon's error. Without thinking twice, he placed his hand over Balloon's and guided the flask to the correct location, helping him froth the milk properly.

It wasn't until then that Balloon realised how close they were standing. He was right behind Balloon, practically pressed against him, his breath brushing against Balloon's neck, and his hands on Balloon's. Nickel was completely focused on ensuring Balloon got it right. As for Balloon, he was a mess. His face was bright pink, and his heart raced in his chest. He hadn't expected to be so affected by this situation. Maybe he hadn't thought this through...

"Uh, yeah, thanks... I think I've got it," Balloon stammered nervously. It was only when Balloon spoke that Nickel realised how close he had been. He quickly retreated, feeling a rush of embarrassment and regret. How could he have invaded Balloon's personal space like that? He was certain he had made Balloon uncomfortable.

"Um... so, is that enough frothing?" Balloon asked anxiously.

"Oh, uh, yes," Nickel replied hurriedly, turning off the lever.

Both boys were visibly flustered and barely speaking to each other. Balloon had never felt this way before, especially being that close to someone. Nickel, on the other hand, was embarrassed that he had let his guard down so much, causing discomfort for Balloon. He mentally scolded himself for being such an idiot.

"Here, let me finish it," Nickel offered quietly. He took the flask from Balloon and carefully poured the milk into the cup, ensuring it was done perfectly. Balloon stepped aside, remaining silent, his face still flushed pink as he waited for the process to be completed.

"A perfect latte." Nickel showed Balloon.

"We did it!" Balloon exclaimed, recognizing the need to calm himself down. He took a deep breath and composed himself, wanting to avoid making Nickel feel uncomfortable. "Well, I couldn't have done it without such an amazing teacher," Balloon giggled, his cheeks still flushed.

Nickel's face mirrored Balloon's blush as he chuckled softly. "Oh... I wasn't that great," he replied with a sweet smile directed at Balloon. They shared a moment of smiling at each other, and Nickel began to feel a sense of relief. Maybe Balloon wasn't uncomfortable after all. But that put another question into his mind... Did Balloon also have feelings for him? Nickel's heart started racing at the thought. It couldn't be true, could it? Why would Balloon...?

As they stood there, Nickel's mind raced with questions. The way they had interacted throughout the entire process—from start to now, made Nickel wonder if Balloon was also contemplating the same thing. Did Balloon know about Nickel's feelings? So many thoughts swirled in Nickel's mind.

"So... should we take it to Lifering?" Balloon asked, still smiling.

"Oh, uh, yeah! Let's do that," Nickel replied, trying to push aside his thoughts. Maybe he was just imagining things again. There couldn't possibly be a way that Balloon felt that way about him.

The two boys approached Lifering and proudly displayed their latte creation to him. Lifering smiled warmly at them and picked up the cup. It looked like a latte, which was a good start. He took a sip and was pleasantly surprised by the taste.

"Wow, boys! This is fantastic! You make a really good team," Lifering complimented, continuing to enjoy the latte.

Balloon and Nickel beamed proudly. They had indeed made a good team.

"Well, it was mostly Nickel..." Balloon said, leaning his arm against Nickel's shoulder, given that Nickel was slightly shorter.

"Oh, whatever... you contributed a lot too!" Nickel playfully shoved him, and both boys grinned like dorks.

"You both deserve a prize! Go on, pick something from the prize box," Lifering encouraged.

Balloon and Nickel eagerly rummaged through the box of prizes. Nickel pulled out a new pair of sunglasses, which he promptly placed on top of his head.

"Pfft, dork," Balloon teased, giggling.

"Shut up! I totally look cool," Nickel retorted, playfully shoving Balloon.

Balloon chuckled and leaned in to select his prize—a rainbow pin. "Cool..." He quickly pinned it onto his hoodie.

"Fag!" Nickel pointed at him and laughed.

Balloon smirked mischievously. "Aww, am I not allowed to support my best friend?" he cooed playfully.

"Hey!" Nickel's face flushed slightly at the teasing remark.

"Who said you were my best friend, hm?" Balloon leaned in close, his smirk evident.

"I did," Nickel replied with a smile. "Besides, I didn't know you had any other gay friends," he added, chuckling.

"I don't, just you!" Balloon ruffled Nickel's hair affectionately.

Nickel couldn't contain his smile. He hadn't had this much fun with Balloon since middle school. It felt like they were finally back to being the close friends they used to be. Being labelled as Balloon's best friend again felt nice—it had been too long since he heard Balloon call him that. But deep down, Nickel wished for a different label, one he was sure would never come. They were just friends, nothing more. Nickel had to keep it that way; he refused to risk ruining their friendship. They had come so far, and he couldn't let his feelings get in the way.

"So... why the rainbow pin anyway?" Nickel asked casually, unsure if Balloon was joking about supporting him or if there was another reason.

"Well... I do like rainbows, and I'd say I'm an ally... and, well," Balloon spoke casually, "I am pansexual after all." He smiled faintly. Balloon rarely discussed his sexuality, unsure if he had ever mentioned it to anyone before now.

"You're what?! Why didn't you tell me? How long have you known? Do Suitcase and Baseball know?" Nickel was utterly shocked. He had no idea that Balloon identified as pansexual. This revelation could change everything—maybe Balloon really did have a crush on him?

"Oh... uh, for a little while. It's not that big of a deal! And no... I didn't think it was important for anyone to know. I mean, people don't go around telling everyone they're straight, so... what's the difference?" Balloon shrugged slightly. "But it's nice to finally tell someone," he admitted.

"So... I'm the first person you've come out to?" Nickel asked sincerely.

"Yeah... I guess so," Balloon replied casually.

"Heh... should've told me before you cuddled me without saying 'no homo'!" Nickel jokes, partly to gauge Balloon's reaction.

"Well... maybe it was homo..." Balloon shrugged.

"Wait what–"

Before Nickel could seek an explanation, the kitchen doors swung open, revealing the return of the other group. Lightbulb and Test Tube were beaming with excitement as they ran over to Fan and Paintbrush.

"Guess what!" Lightbulb giggled.

"We won!" Test Tube chimed in.

Fan squealed joyfully and leaped into his girlfriend's arms, hugging her tightly. "YAY! Luxury cabin!" he exclaimed.

Paintbrush smiled and draped an arm around Lightbulb. "Well done, Sunshine. Can't wait to get out of that dirty shack for a night."

Balloon smiled and silently applauded their victory. This meant that he and Nickel would have the cabin all to themselves, while the others enjoyed the luxury cabin for the night. Although the luxury cabin seemed appealing, Balloon much preferred the idea of spending a night alone with Nickel.

"Congratulations, guys!" Balloon congratulated them.

"Thanks, B!" Lightbulb smiled at him. "Sorry to leave you and Nickel behind!" she added.

"Don't worry... we'll be fine!" Balloon grinned in response.

Nickel remained silent, his mind in turmoil. Was Balloon joking about the "no homo" thing? Surely he wasn't cuddling him because he... liked him? No, it must have been because he was afraid of the dark, right? Nickel didn't know what to believe. He had learned so much in just a few minutes—Balloon was pansexual, and Balloon considered him his best friend again? It was all happening so quickly, but Nickel couldn't afford to assume anything. If he assumed Balloon had a crush on him and he didn't, it could jeopardise their entire friendship. So, he resolved to stop overthinking it, let it be, and see what unfolded.

"Uh, yeah congrats or whatever." Nickel chimed in.

"Nice sunglasses." Paintbrush snickered sarcastically.

"Hey! They look cool!" Nickel snapped, crossing his arms.

Balloon leaned an arm on his shoulder. "Dorkish maybe..." He giggled. "I'm kidding! They suit you!" He quickly added.

"Hmph, well the gay pin suits you..." Nickel grumbled.

"Aw thanks!" Balloon beamed.

"What?! No! That wasn't– ugh... whatever." He crossed his arms and huffed.

. . .

"Alright, campers! It's been a very eventful and fun day! I'm sure we've all learned some new skills. As a reward for our success, we'll toast marshmallows by the fire after dinner! Speaking of dinner, tonight we'll be making lasagne—it's an easy dish since the sheets and sauce are already provided. You just need to put it all together and bake it in the oven. Once again in pairs, each of you will make a mini lasagne to share, served with garden salad that Goo and I are preparing for each table. The lasagne sheets and sauce are in the fridge. Grab one of each and head to your workbench to assemble your lasagne, then bake it in one of the ovens. It should only take 40 minutes to cook, so while we wait, we can do another icebreaker!" Lifering announced.

After Lifering finished explaining, everyone paired up. Test Tube and Fan naturally teamed up since they hadn't spent much time together all day, and Paintbrush and Lightbulb partnered as well. Microphone and Taco formed another pair, while Knife and Trophy teamed up, and YinYang decided to pair with themselves, guided by Candle. Silver, of course, was paired with Candle, his clear reason for attending this camp to get closer to her—an intention not lost on anyone given his aversion to camping.

Balloon and Nickel wasted no time pairing up. Nickel chose a workbench while Balloon retrieved the ingredients from the fridge. Balloon returned with the ingredients and carefully arranged them on the table. Lifering was right—it didn't take long to assemble the lasagne sheets with the sauce and crushed meat into a single tray. The two of them worked relatively quietly until Balloon was on the last sheet.

"So, we get a whole cabin to ourselves tonight. Kinda sucks we didn't get the luxury cabin; I bet it has light..." Nickel suddenly commented.

"It doesn't matter where we stay, whether it's a run-down old wooden shack or a luxury cabin with all the comforts, as long as you're there," Balloon replied, flashing a gentle smile at Nickel, whose face quickly flushed.

"Gay..." Nickel mumbled, attempting to mask his true feelings.

"Here, take the tray to one of the ovens since you've just been standing around watching me do all the work," Balloon teased as he handed the tray to Nickel. He didn't actually mind that Nickel hadn't contributed much; he was just happy to have him back after so many years of distance between them.

Nickel took the tray with a huff. "Fine," he playfully complained before heading off to place the tray in the oven. Most pairs were finishing up their lasagne and placing it in the ovens by now. It was a quick dish. Lifering and Goo had finished making the salads and placed the sharing bowls in the fridge, ready for dinner.

"Alright campers! Gather 'round the table! It's time for another icebreaker!" Lifering called out, capturing everyone's attention.

The campers walked over to the table where Lifering was standing, squishing together to fit around the table. Nickel ended up sitting at the very end next to Balloon. Fan sat beside Balloon, followed by Test Tube, then Lightbulb and Paintbrush on the other end. On the opposite side, Microphone sat at one end, with Taco, Knife, and Trophy beside them, and YinYang at the other end. The teachers and camp coordinators stood at the sides of the table, with Goo and Lifering on one side and Silver Spoon and Candle on the other. It was quite crowded since the tables were long, picnic-style with seating only along each side, but everyone managed to squeeze in.

"Alright! Today's icebreaker is a fun game! The person at one end will make an assumption about the person next to them, and that person will confirm whether the assumption is correct or incorrect. Then, we'll continue around the table until we reach the last person. What's the point of this? It helps us see how much we really know about each other and discover things we didn't know or thought we did! Nickel, why don't you start us off?" Lifering turned to Nickel, who was seated at his side.

"Uh... sure, but I'm pretty sure I already know a lot about Balloon," Nickel chuckled. "I guess... I assume that Balloon likes to write?"

"You already know that!" Balloon giggled in response.

"Well, I dunno! I already know a lot about you!" Nickel chuckled again, smiling sweetly at Balloon. He loved seeing him smile and couldn't take his eyes off him whenever he did.

"Well, that's okay too! Now everyone else also knows Balloon likes to write, so those who didn't know just learned something new about him!" Lifering explained.

"Cool," Nickel shrugged.

Lifering noted how Nickel was actually participating in the icebreaker today. He seemed in a better mood than yesterday, which led Lifering to believe he made the right decision by placing him in a group with Balloon.

They all went around the table making assumptions about each other. It would have been more interesting if everyone had been shuffled and sat next to people they didn't know, but it was still fun.

Soon enough, the oven alarms started going off, indicating that the lasagnas were finished. Each person left the table when their alarm sounded and went to retrieve their tray from the oven. Balloon slipped on mittens and slid the lasagna out for himself and Nickel; it smelled amazing. Nickel fetched paper plates while Balloon cut their lasagna in half, placing the portions onto the plates. They were among the first to sit back down.

Goo and Lifering came around, placing bowls of salad on each table along with tongs for serving. Once the salad was placed, Nickel took the lead in spooning salad onto both his and Balloon's plates.

The dinner tables were arranged similarly to lunch, with Candle, Silver, and YinYang seated at the same table as Balloon and Nickel, who had deliberately chosen to sit apart from everyone else. Lifering and Goo joined their table, turning it into what appeared to be the designated "outcast and teacher" table.

Lifering, despite Nickel and Balloon preferring to be left alone, initiated small talk with their table, and they played along.

"Nickel! It was nice to see you participate in today's icebreaker! I'm proud," Lifering smiled warmly at him.

"Thanks... I guess?" Nickel replied quietly, not wanting to make a big deal out of simply participating.

"Did you have a good day? It seems like you both did! Watching you guys work as a team throughout! You two must be really good friends," Lifering continued.

Balloon smiled faintly as he poked at his food. "Yeah... I guess we are."

They continued eating amidst the chatter filling the kitchen. It seemed like everyone was enjoying the camp, which made Lifering feel proud. He was glad to help troubled kids grow and feel better about themselves; it was his goal.

Soon, Silver started trying to flirt with Candle again, showing no shame despite some of his students being at the table with him.

"So, my dear, how was your day?" Silver asked curiously.

"It was lovely, and yours?" Candle replied with a sweet smile.

"Oh, it was alright, I suppose... it would've been better if you were around," Silver playfully cooed at her.

Lifering leaned in beside Nickel and Balloon and whispered to them, "Is your teacher always like this?" He asked with a small chuckle.

"Yep," both Nickel and Balloon replied.

Lifering leaned back and continued eating his food. It was obvious that Silver Spoon only came to this camp to flirt with Candle, which Lifering found cute. However, he felt bad for the students who had to witness their teachers flirting all the time, especially YinYang, who was much younger compared to the others. Fortunately, YinYang seemed oblivious to the constant flirting, which was probably for the best.

. . .

After finishing dinner, everyone disposed of their paper plates in the bin and lined up to place their cutlery in the large kitchen dishwasher. With that task done, they followed Lifering out of the kitchen for marshmallow time. Lifering held a bag of marshmallows while Goo had sticks in hand. The group ventured outside and gathered around the unlit campfire.

Candle took charge of starting the fire, having camping experience and knowing exactly what to do. Soon, a blaze emerged, and they all circled around the fire as Lifering and Goo distributed sticks and marshmallows to each person. They were only getting one each to ensure there would be plenty for the next day.

Nickel loved his marshmallow burnt to a crisp, ensuring it had charcoal all over it. Balloon, on the other hand, preferred his marshmallow golden and squishy. The two of them sat together on the logs and munched on their marshmallows.

"You burnt yours, dude!" Balloon chuckled.

"Nuh uh! I cooked it just right!" Nickel protested, popping the rest into his mouth and chewing the squishy mallow.

Balloon did the same, enjoying the gooey treat.

On the other side of the fire, Fan, Test Tube, Lightbulb, and Paintbrush finished their marshmallows. Fan sat in Test Tube's lap as she played with his hair, Fan hummed happily, glancing across the fire at Balloon and Nickel.

"They totally like each other..." Fan hummed.

"Who?" Test Tube looked up. "Oh, Balloon and Nickel?" She snorted. "Gee, Fan, are you fanboying over them?" She teased playfully. "It's kind of obvious. Do you see the way they look at each other? Reminds me of us before we got together, actually..." She smiled down at her boyfriend.

Fan glanced up. "Really?" he asked.

"Yes, really." Test Tube sighed and leaned in, kissing his lips.

Before long, everyone finished their marshmallows and was ready for bed. It had been a long day, and everyone was exhausted and eager to head back to the cabins. The winners of the kayak race, the self-proclaimed "Bright Lights" best friend group, were the first to return to their cabin to gather their belongings for the luxury cabin stay. Nickel and Balloon accompanied them back to the cabin, holding torches to help them see in the dark room.

They gathered their pillows, blankets, and pyjamas. Nickel and Balloon, a bit envious that the winners would have heating, light, and comfortable beds in the luxury cabin. However, they were also looking forward to having the cabin to themselves without the couples being all lovey-dovey.

After bidding goodnight to Balloon and Nickel, the "Bright Lights" wished them a restful sleep before departing for the luxury cabin. Finally, it was just Nickel and Balloon left in the cabin, free from any distractions. As the others left, the cabin fell into silence, leaving Balloon and Nickel seated on Nickel's bed in the darkness, illuminated only by their torches.