Nickels pov

I wake up being shaken by someone, and I open my eyes to see balloon. 

"Wake up man, we're gonna miss breakfast again" he says quitely.

"Huh..?" I say drowsily.

"Wake up" he says normally, except he says it right in my ear. 

"WHA- OW, HEYY" I say, as I sit up startled.

"Shouldn't be so sleepy then" he replies, giggling.

"Says you, you fall asleep when rays of sun fall on you" I snap back.

"How do you know that?"

"Oh-uh, nevermind"

Balloon raises his eyebrow but thankfully doesn't question it.

We both go downstairs and sit down at the table, waiting for breakfast to be served. Eventually everyone sits down and oj comes with the plates. Today's breakfast was french toast. 

"More sweet breakfast? I mean, I'm not complaining" Cherries say.

The toppings were whipped cream, maple syrup, and strawberry jam. Apart from OJ and Paper, only two other people knew where the strawberries came from.

"Hey, I bet they made that from the strawberries we picked yesterday" I whisper to balloon.

"Duh, why are you betting, they obviously did" balloon whispers back.

"Attitude much," I say back, smiling.

When oj and paper sit down, oj clears his throat, and the table goes silent. 

"I've got an announcement to make-" OJ says

"Could you not just text us?" Trophy interrupts.

"No trophy, because this one is regarding breakfast."

"MMM." Cheesy says loudly.

"IT'S GOT TO DO WITH HOW THIS JAM IS ABSOLUTELY BERRY DELICIOUS, RIGHT?" He continues, a signature knee slap following his joke.

Everyone groans from second hand embarrassment, and I gotta admit, that joke was the opposite of funny. But everyone perks up again as oj starts speaking.

"Actually, it does. Thanks cheesy."

Almost immediately 4-5 people took the jam and tried it, and every single one of them reacted surprised and pleased. 

"This jam, it's-it's.." Fan stutters, thinking of the right word.

"Amazing, right?" Paper finishes for him.

"Nah, way better than amazing" pickle says.

"What's the secret?" Test tube asks.

"Well, it's a homemade recipe, but that's not why it's so good," OJ says. "I couldn't have made it this delicious without them." he looks our way and points straight at us. Right after he does that, the entire table says "huh?" all at the same time. Murmers and whispers spread throughout everyone. But they didn't sound negative. 

"How come?" Paintbrush asks, with genuine curiosity. 

"Well, balloon and nickel both handpicked these strawberries for us, and these strawberries were the best ones I've ever tasted. I have no idea where they found them or what they did to get the beautiful flavour, but I'm glad they shared them with us all." OJ explains.

Balloon looks down shyly at the praise. But I say,

"You guys better be thankful, we basically brought these to your plate."

"Yeah, yeah nickel, I still made the jam" oj replies

"Wait, I think there's still some strawberries left over, right oj? We can bring them out for everyone to try!" Paper says.

"Yeah, we'll get them, one sec". With that, oj and paper left for the kitchen.

"So.. you two went strawberry picking.. together?" Paintbrush says, with the goddamn raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, anything wrong with that?" I snap back.

"You guys never hung out until recently, what's with that?" Yang says suspiciously.

"What? Are we not allowed to be friendly here?" I say, slightly annoyed.

"Nah, just, you and balloon were enemies for the longest time. But looks like you finally got over it. Congrats." Pickle says.

Fans typing really quickly and when he looks up at me, I glare back. These people better not be implying what I think they are. 

OJ finally shows up with the strawberries and everyone gets to try them. Everyone agrees that these were definitely the best stuff they had, and while balloon is humbly responding to all the "thank you"s, I'm busy telling everyone that they should be super thankful that he exists. The rest of the meal the table was full of happy conversation and chill atmosphere, which is definitely rare for hotel OJ, but what can I say, I'm certainly liking it.

After breakfast balloon tells me he has a little story project to do, so he stays at the hotel while I go outside. I think about visiting Dawnberry Orchard again. As I walk through under the young trees, I feel at ease the moment I enter the area. I walk up the gentle hill again and I take out my key to keep it ready for the garden room. 

As I start seeing the garden house, I notice something moving inside. Was that..a person? I walk closer to try and make out who it is. I see brown and yellow, and they were... armless. I realise who it is all too late, as they turn around and spot me. Can't run now. Her eyes meet mine and her expression melts into one of surprise and slight sadness.

"Nickel..?"

"Hey suitcase..."

I quickly hide the key away, hoping she didn't see it. I don't know how she would react knowing I had a key to something balloon and she owned. She slowly walks out of the garden house. Her eyes clearly said she also wanted to escape this situation, but she couldn't. I kept getting the urge to break the silence.

"How.. are you?" I say hesitantly.

"..." 

"Are you seriously asking me that?"

I give her an "I don't know" look, as her eyes sadden even more. Probably due to memories.

"Sorry, I-" I stop. I suddenly forget what I was going to say. No, I don't know what to say at all. 

"Sorry?" She says, slightly surprised. "Since when did you say sorry? Is it not a bit late for that?". 

I look down. 

The memories come back again. The double elimination, suitcases little speech, baseball's face when I was announced to be eliminated. Balloon voting for himself.. no, he forgave me. There's nothing to be upset about when it comes to balloon, nickel. He forgave you, right? He forgave you. He forgave you. He forgave you even when you failed to forgive him for the longest time. He forgave you after a whole season of bullying. He knows what a horrible person you used to be, and he forgave you. He changed you for the better. He forgave you. Did he? He forgave you. Forgiveness. I have to ask for forgiveness. From... suitcase.

How do I ask for forgiveness? It's suitcase! 

I look back up at her. She's also lost in thought.

"Suitcase?"

"Yeah..."

She sounds so weak...

"I wasn't a good alliance member, was I?"

"Is that even a question..."

"Look suitcase, I'm sorry. I wish I could undo what I did but that's not at all possible. Ive changed from who I was before."

"Why should I believe you changed when you don't believe balloon changed"

"You don't have to forgive me, just know that I'm sorry."

"..."

"What about baseball?" She continues 

"Huh?"

"He still hasn't gotten over your elimination. I don't think he likes me anymore. He's been quiet for so long i-" 

"Baseball isn't like that."

"What?"

"Tell baseball that I'm ok. That elimination was a learning tool."

"Since when did you- nevermind"

We stay silent like that for a few minutes.

"How's balloon?" she says quietly.

"He's good. He's getting along with everyone fine"

"Is he getting along with you?"

...

Flashbacks. When he tickled me and we laughed like it was our last day alive, when he fed me that strawberry jam waffle, when we watched clouds and talked about poetry, when I found him sleeping in the forest and we got lost together, when we watched fantube finally happen, when I first saw this garden. All of them lead back to the day he handed me that plate from the high shelf, and he asked why we couldn't be friends. 

"Heh.."

"What?"

"We... do get along now"

"..." 

"Really?"

"Yeah.."

Suitcase falls silent for a bit.

"You ok?" I ask

"I'm not sure if I want to believe you changed but, I think I am.."

I look at suitcase with sympathy.

"Take your time" I say, putting my foot on hers.

"It may take a while to forgive me, but I want you to know that we can be good now."

Suitcase smiles slightly, before she gets up to lock the door. 

"I'm guessing balloon brought you here," she says.

"That's right.." I reply.

"You guys must be very close then... I definitely missed something"

She locks the door and starts to go down the hill.

"I've got to get back to the competition now." She says.

"Wait," I stop her.

She looks at me, confused.

I take out my phone and pull up balloons profile. I quickly change his name from "Latex child <3" to "Balloon".

"I don't think you guys have each others numbers. He misses you alot, so..."

I show her the number and her eyes widen.

"Wow I.. thank you so much nickel!" She says happily. She takes out her phone and saves the number.

"Tell baseball I miss him, and good luck to both of you"

"I will, and thanks".

And for the first time in a while, we look at each other and smile, and nobody needed to say anything for us to understand that we were no longer enemies.

"Good chat, suitcase"

"Bye nickel"

And we both went back to where we needed to be.

Balloons pov:

I finally finished my story. I felt bad that I couldn't go to the orchard with nickel, but I couldn't waste the inspiration. As if on cue, he enters our room, slightly smiling. 

"Nickel!" I say happily, glad that he was back.

"The one and only!" He says back, blushing a little. (You sure about that nickel?).

"You ok? You look a little red.." I say.

"Oh really? No it's- nothing, just a little cold that's all"

"Are you sure? You haven't been sneezing" I say, smirking.

"WHA- you didn't come outside with me, you know nothing!" he says back.

"Sure, sure" I say.

Nickel walks to his bed and lays down in it. He takes out his phone and seems to remember something.

"Oh and balloon, check your phone"

"Ok..?" I say, confused.

As I turn on my phone, it buzzes, and I almost drop my phone.

_______________

Unsaved number

Hey

It's Suitcase

_______________

_______________

HEY GUYS

SO MY PLANS KINDA GOT CANCELLED FOR TODAY SO..

HERES SOME MORE FOOD

HOPE YALL ENJOYED THAT YEEEE

1650 words yeAHH

HAVE A GREAT DAY/NIGHT

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